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Written by Chris MacDonald at The Motley Fool Canada
Restaurant Brands (TSX:QSR) remains my top stock pick on the TSX. Hands-down, that’s been true for some time.
One of the largest quick-service restaurant giants in the world, Restaurant Brands has generated more than $35 billion in revenue worldwide this past year. The company has more than 28,000 units, operating in 100 countries. Moreover, with world-class banners such as Tim Horton’s, Burger King and Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen under its umbrella, there’s some serious brand value associated with this stock investors ought to consider.
Here’s why I think this is the top TSX stock to own in this uncertain environment right now.
Defensive business model matters
We all need to eat, and how we choose to eat shifts based on a variety of factors. In good times, all restaurant operators tend to see an uptick in activity, as eating outside of one’s home becomes more attractive. However, when the economy turns sour, many fine dining and higher-end casual dining locations can take a hit. When they do, and consumers still look for that opportunity to dine out, they may more likely trade down to one of Restaurant Brands’ establishments.
This phenomenon drives cash flow stability, during all points of the market cycle. And given Restaurant Brands’ core portfolio of banners (and associated brand value and loyalty with each), the company has the potential to take market share when other restaurants are down and out. In other words, no matter the economic backdrop, Restaurant Brands has various gameplays to deploy to win.
Strong results drive impressive fundamentals
Given Restaurant Brands’ size, its recent system-wide sales growth number of 12.2% is truly remarkable. The fast food giant continues to pump out growth year after year, finding ways to innovate and drive improving fundamentals (and a higher valuation) over time.
The company’s net income in 2023 came in at $1.72 billion, a marked increase from 2022’s $1.48 billion. Restaurant Brands remains a highly profitable operator, and continues to see cash flow growth align with its top-line numbers. Thus, this is a profitable growth stock with a valuation that’s reasonable – something that’s hard to find in this market.
Despite its current growth and significant global footprint, the company is eyeing to expand its reach in new countries. It is also increasing its penetration in strong and established markets worldwide. Restaurant Brands International Inc. is eyeing to open more than 7,000 new restaurants in international markets over the next 5 years.
Moreover, the company aims to achieve $60 billion in system-wide sales and $3.2 billion in adjusted operating income by 2028. Hence, investors investing in this stock can benefit in the next decade as the company has enormous potential to generate higher returns.
The post If I Could Only Buy 1 TSX Stock for the Next 10 Years, This Would Be It appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
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We covered news last year of a new electric vehicle (EV) pilot program in India, one whereby the on-demand taxi service (ride-hailing service) Ola would be providing a test-fleet of electric cars to Ola drivers for work use.
There was a lot of fanfare that accompanied the launch of the pilot project — with India’s Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari even attending an official launch event in relation to it.
Considering that around $8 million was spent on the project, it seems fairly likely that expectations were moderately high for the program. So, that in mind, how are things going ~9 months later? According to a new article from Reuters — based on interviews with 20 different Ola electric vehicle (EV) pilot program drivers — not well.
The problem, apparently, is that the drivers in question have become impatient with the long wait times at EV charging stations, and also the relatively high operating expenses (this is in India, amongst the working class, mind you). As a result, many have returned the EVs or are now planning to do so.
While a sample of 20 is by no means definitive, the fact that 12 of those 20 are now wanting out of the program (or have already ditched the EV) makes it clear that fast-charging infrastructure remains a weak point in India. The drivers in question have reported having to spend 3–4 hours a day charging.
Reuters provides more: “Out of 20 Ola electric car drivers interviewed by Reuters in Nagpur, more than a dozen said they have either returned their electric taxis and switched to diesel, or are planning to do so.”
“Ola had said it would make 50 charging points available across 4 locations in Nagpur — a city of about 2.5 million people — for its fleet of 200 electric vehicles, but on a visit to the city in late January, Reuters found only about a dozen charging points. Ola has since added 10 additional charging points but is still short of its target.”
That would indeed help to explain the poor reviews given by some program participants.
It’s notable that Ola was actually forced to close one of its EV charging stations last year in Nagpur as the result of resident anger about the traffic jams that were being caused there. That closure was apparently followed by 5 months of government red tape — that is, it was 5 months before Ola was given approval to operate another charging station.
Also noteworthy, of course, is that the Mahindra electric cars being used in the pilot program only possess a range of around 100 kilometers per charge (and I can’t confirm whether this is real-world range or not). Some drivers have also complained about battery performance during the summer, so it sounds as though the batteries aren’t thermally managed — which isn’t surprising — and that possibly the chemistry being used isn’t the best for the climate.
The Reuters coverage continues: “The cars are owned by Ola and leased to drivers for 1,000 rupees a day, but many complain that the amount is too high and they need to work for 12–16 hours to make a decent living.One of the drivers said that after paying Ola the rent for the car and shelling out 500–600 rupees per day for charging, he is left with about 500 rupees ($7.71) at the end of a 14-hour day giving him little time to rest or spend with his family.”
From the sounds of it, the lack of fast-charging facility access, the relatively poor performance of the electric cars in question, and the slow speed of government processes in India have together made the pilot program a dud.
Owing to the fact that few people in India have access to home charging facilities (garages, etc.) it seems likely that EV adoption — whether among normal people or taxi drivers — will remain quite low until public charging infrastructure is better.
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RDTM will witness 9,000 B2B structured meetings between buyers & sellers
The Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart (RDTM) slated to be held from 22 to 24 July will witness a whopping around 9,000 B2B structured meetings between buyers and sellers. These meetings will be held between buyers coming from pan-India and exhibitors. Almost 400 buyers (domestic tour operators) from across the country will also participate. Around 200 exhibitors will showcase the prowess and potential of their tourism products like hotels, resorts, amusement parks, etc. This was stated by President, Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan (FHTR), Mr Apurv Kumar. It is to be noted that RDTM has been jointly organised by the State Department of Toursim and FHTR.
Mr Kumar further informed that the inaugural ceremony will be held on 22 July at Hotel Clarks Amer. The ceremony will witness the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister, Mr Ashok Gehlot; Minister of Art and Culture, Government of Rajasthan, Dr B.D. Kalla; Minister of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, Mr. Vishvendra Singh; Chief Secretary, Ms Usha Sharma, and Principal Secretary of Tourism, Ms Gayatri Rathore. Similarly, President Emeritus, Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA), Mr. Gaj Singh Jodhpur and President Honour, FHTR, Mr Bhim Singh will also be present on the occasion.
Convenor of RDTM and Vice President, FHTR, Mr Khalid Khan said that the next two days (23 and 24 July) at the Birla Auditorium will be fully dedicated to B2B meetings between the exhibitors belonging to Rajasthan and the buyers from pan-India. Numerous exhibitors will showcase the prowess and potential of their tourism products like hotels, resorts, amusement parks, etc. The buyers will comprise domestic tour operators who will come from all parts of India.
Mr Khan further said that there is a tremendous response from both exhibitors and domestic tour operators. This travel mart will go a long way in reviving the tourism sector in Rajasthan post-Covid. He also informed that 5 pre-event roadshows have been held in Jaipur, Mandawa, Jodhpur, Bharatpur and Udaipur to promote the RDTM.
It is to be recalled that the first edition of RDTM had been organised in 2018 and was a huge success. RDTM’22 is the second edition.


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Keep up with the digital identity landscape.
The metaverse—seen as a digital environment powered through virtual and augmented reality technologies—is set to herald a new era in content creation.
Experts believe the metaverse will transform the creator economy and the nature of decentralization. CEO of KuCoin Johnny Lyu says the metaverse will “change the paradigm of content creation,” while Rory Kenny, CEO of Loudly, says that content creators will play an integral part in creating the metaverse space owing to their established social media presence. The metaverse, according to Kenny, is set to reshape the creator economy, which has already exceeded a $104 billion-market size, into a multibillion-dollar industry.
Yet the metaverse is still a nebulous, non-singular concept. It’s often likened to dystopian visions or pop culture references like Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, and characterized as a collective interactive platform where users can put on headsets to not only communicate and socialize, but also trade goods, services and experiences. Besides, any company can create its own metaverse independent of other existing worlds.
Our visions of a metaverse are paradoxically linked to what already exists, and maybe we don’t need to look too far beyond our current lives.
“People talk a lot about the fact that the metaverse is “coming,” but the reality is that the metaverse is already here,” said Amy Wu, Founding Member and COO of Player Edition—a platform that uses web3 to connect athletes directly with communities.
While we might interact with a handful others in real life on a daily basis, our digital presence—on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Zoom—facilitates our interactions with people all around the world. Wu noted that at Player Edition, an athlete does not just exist for the 2.5 hours that they are playing a game, but are personas that extend beyond the physical court on television, social media, news outlets, merchandise, brand deals and more.
Grant Long, VP and Head of Growth at social media developer platform Koji, cited the example of the pandemic, where people were restricted in physical interactions. This kindled a surge in digital usage and content creation, with platforms like Zoom, Google Meet and FaceTime reconfiguring the very essence of social interactions. What is indicative of the metaverse for Long is how people are beginning to spend a significant portion of their human experience “on the internet and not in the physical world.”
In addition, web3 and cryptocurrency have also facilitated the divorce of physical and digital identities. Long said that with the introduction of a financial component to digital identity via blockchain, people can now use alternative online identities to not only build relationships, but also contribute to projects and earn income, all while remaining detached from their offline, physical selves.
So rather than a single centralized platform owned by a single company, the metaverse might instead lie in a network of digital exchanges intersecting with our physical lives.
“Our lives blend across physical and digital in a way that transcends traditional geography and time zones,” Wu said. “Our digital reach extends far beyond our physical reach and can connect and amplify communities in ways that were not possible before.”
Taking advantage of the ability to craft such digital personas, creators have reached audiences of millions. With over 50 million creators by 2021, there is tremendous demand for content from independent artists and influencers on social media platforms, and experts believe the metaverse will allow creators to saturate markets and industries through new promotion opportunities for products and services.
Already, web3 technologies are opening new avenues for content creation. Despite digital experiences having long existed on traditional web2 platforms, blockchain technologies allow creators to monetize their talent independent of centralized hosting platforms, while NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, allow for authenticity and provable ownership.
Creators are establishing their own business models, transforming marketing paradigms and tapping into new audiences globally. And their industry is only getting bigger.
Creators play a crucial role in the budding metaverse since they bridge people together by creating a sense of community. As companies and people embrace the metaverse and digital identity in different ways, creators’ engagement with audiences, ownership rights and brand partnerships are becoming increasingly important.
Creators have more influence with new modes of interaction and communication with their communities and fellow peers. Tokens like NFTs, for instance, enable authenticity and provable ownership independent of centralized platforms.
“With NFTs, there is provenance and history on a provable ledger for the world to see what your digital identity looks like,” Wu said. “NFTs have become a rallying cry for communities who identify with that particular project, giving creators new tools to connect with their fans. The projects that will stand the test of time are ones that think about their NFTs as building blocks for fostering communities and care about continuing to creatively add value over time.”
In addition, as brands’ images become more tied to their content, partnerships between brands and content creators will increase tenfold. Businesses are already starting to take advantage of algorithms through in-app purchasing options and live streams for product advertisement. While some companies are partnering with individual creators to launch brands, platforms like Roblox have attracted over 8 million creators by directly empowering them to generate content.
As paid online experiences, subscriptions and virtual retail sales become commonplace, Long foresees greater collaboration between different actors in the space.
“It’s become abundantly clear that the activities that people, individuals or groups generate on the internet has a deep intersection with activity in the real world,” Long said. “I think that more and more, there will be a deep partnership between producers of goods and producers of content and services, and then also those [creators] who have built a community and have authority on the Internet to bring those things to life.”
As the boundary between physical and digital experiences slowly becomes less clear, one thing is certain — creators will take center stage.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Freya Savla is a Tech Innovation Fellow from Yale University, where she is exploring the political economy through the lens of economics, policy and journalism.
Contact Freya at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Keep up with the digital identity landscape.
Bringing together key partners, platforms and providers to build the future of identity.Apply


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A closer look of Fairfax Financial Holdings’ letter to its shareholders uncovers an interesting fact that the three tech-based companies, namely, Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) and Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB), which are usually in the lists of many investors, aren’t the choice of Fairfax’s Chairman and the CEO, Prem Watsa.
While briefing the events associated with the company’s investment decision and follow-on action with respect to BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), Watsa highlighted that how the leading tech companies like Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) and Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) are overvalued and could soon turn up into another tech collapse like that of 1999-2000 era. For explaining his case, Watsa mentioned that Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) listed on the stock exchange right after BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) declared its convertible debt issue.
Mr.Watsa added that Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) debuted at a price of $26 per share, which implied a market value of $18 billion. Watsa recalled that even as Twitter’s revenue was close to $665 million and losses as much as $645 million, most of the investors faced difficulty buying the stock unless they belonged to those brokerage companies, which acted as underwriters. Watsa compared that at the time of Twitter’s listing, BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY)’s market cap was $3 billion, with $8 billion in revenues and $2.6 billion in cash with no debt outstanding except the convertible debt. This means that at $26 per share, Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) was overvalued, but then it is trading near a $55 mark now with $39 billion market cap.
Watsa also compiled a table showing the ballooned market valuation of some of the tech companies. The table lists Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) with a P/E ratio of 118 and $27 billion market cap, while its Price to Sales ratio is 6.0. Facebook, Inc (NASDAQ:FB) has a $174 billion market cap with P/E and Price to Sales ratio at 116 times and 21 times respectively. They are over speculated and could end worse than the previous tech bubble, concluded Watsa.


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There are news reports surfacing that European carriers are keeping their distance from Nokia’s Lumia smartphone line – despite the Windows-powered phone’s apparent success in the United States.
One unnamed executive from a European carrier told Reuters that customers there do not request a smartphone operating on Windows when they come into retail stores. In fact, European cell phone carriers contend Nokia’s Lumia “would be much easier to sell” if it operated on the Android operating system, according to Reuters.
The phones are not being promoted in Europe either, according to ZDNet. Reuters reported how one salesperson in a France Telecom store offered iPhones, then Android handsets to customers. In addition, the Lumia phones were not being displayed prominently in the store.
The European carriers contend the handsets are too expensive and note the bugs which have impacted the phone’s software, according to Reuters.
Reuters also claims that four “major telecom operators” in Europe told them the Lumia smartphones cannot compete with Apple's iPhone or Samsung's Galaxy phones. The Lumia phones went on sale before Christmas in Europe.
On the other hand, AT&T has been selling the Lumia 900 for two weeks in the United States and its sales there are “strong,” the company told Reuters.
In some circles, Nokia’s Lumia 900 phones are being championed as key to the future success of the Windows Mobile Phone, according to a recent report from TechZone 360.
Still, Nokia released an update to remedy a software glitch found in the phone soon after its release. Nokia is also giving out a credit for $100 on AT&T bills if users have already or will purchase the phone by April 21, TechZone 360 adds. That makes the phone free of charge if it’s purchased before the deal expires.
In the United States, AT&T is selling the Lumia 900 for $99.99 with a two-year contract. AT&T said the Lumia 900 had sold out in many of its stores. Also, T-Mobile is finding the Lumia 710 is selling well, too, Reuters said.
At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, the Nokia Lumia 900 won the Best of CES 2012 award. Several other industry awards were given to the phone, too.
Yet, Nokia remains troubled. The Wall Street Journal reports that Moody's recently reduced Nokia to just above the “junk” debt ranking. Moody’s noted the recent fall in mobile-phone sales and that many rival phones were being sold on the low-end.
Overall, Lumia is predicted by Moody’s to be the third-ranked smartphone after the Android from Google and iOS from Apple, The Journal added.
Edited by Jennifer Russell


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Not yet giving thanks
The industry has been bruised, but it will heal
WORLD Travel Market, one of the tourism industry's biggest annual jamborees, opened in London on November 12th. No sooner had delegates begun to compare notes on how bad their business was than news reached them of the crash of American Airlines flight 587 shortly after take-off from New York's JFK airport. All their worst forecasts instantly dipped further into gloom.
The tourism industry has known nothing like this since it became a recognised business. The biggest impact is in America, where fears of recession and terrorist attacks have emptied flights, despite cuts in capacity in September. Although the airlines are using just four-fifths of their capacity, their planes are only 66% full. They need to be 88% full, on average, merely to break even, says Randy Baseler, vice-president of marketing for Boeing's civil-aviation arm. This week, America West became the first carrier to ask for a loan guarantee under the federal rescue plan put in place after September 11th. Airlines in America are now expected to lose more than $7 billion this year.
For American Airlines, the country's largest carrier, this week's crash—its third in two months—is a severe blow. It comes just as it and other airlines were dusting off plans to cut fares and lure back travellers. Early indications pointing to an accident at least spare the airlines a long period of uncertainty in which travellers stay away for fear of a fresh wave of attacks.
Before this week's crash the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) was already forecasting (optimistically) that overall business would be down by only 6% over the traditionally busy Thanksgiving weekend which starts on November 22nd. It has not yet revised its forecast in the light of the crash, but it has postponed (by a week) a $20m national advertising campaign that had been scheduled to begin on November 14th. The ad features snippets from recent speeches of President Bush exhorting Americans to live their lives as normal.
By some measures, the crash came just as the first signs of recovery were appearing. The TIA's most recent survey of travel confidence showed that the number of Americans planning to take leisure trips in the next six months had risen to its highest since September 11th. Many are being lured by the discounts that hotels and airlines are being forced to offer. Stay a night at an American Holiday Inn, for instance, and you get a second night free. Even top-of-the-range hotels such as the Plaza and the Carlyle in New York have very special offers. For some, pricing is based on what a customer is prepared to pay.
Outside America, it is Muslim countries that have been hardest-hit. Travel-industry people in Istanbul say that foreign visitors to the Turkish city in the past two months are 50-60% down on the same period last year. In Indonesia, 1.3m tourists cancelled trips in the month after September 11th. Even mainly Hindu Bali is bereft, with once lively temple guides reduced to begging. As for Egypt, its stand at the World Travel Market was at times attracting even less interest than that of Belarus.
The industry's pained cries for government help are increasingly being heeded. Egypt is subsidising charter flights into the country, and Mexico has eliminated sales taxes on conventions. Some, though, worry about how all this is going to distort business. Charles Gurassa, boss of the Thomson Travel Group, part of Preussag, a tourism giant, says it should not be “an opportunity to give state aid to those who are already struggling, and always will be.” Even without aid, distortions are appearing: cruise ships and hotels are offering deals at well below cost—and in the process forcing small travel companies out of business.
When the weak and over-leveraged flounder, there are always financially stronger sharks circling. Several parts of the industry are likely to see further consolidation in the difficult months to come, although Francesco Frangialli, secretary-general of the World Tourism Organisation, points out that further consolidation in some areas, such as package tours for Europeans, might come up against objections from antitrust authorities.
Leading Hotels of the World, a New York-based group, has designed a scheme to protect its 380 independent luxury hotels from the clutches of large predators. Welf Ebeling, the group's chief operating officer, says it has set up a trust with a private-equity firm and other investors to help endangered members through temporary financial difficulties.
Meanwhile, firms everywhere are trying to cut costs, to reassure customers about security, and to persuade suppliers to be more flexible over pricing. Come next summer, the sun may be shining again. The industry has proved remarkably robust in the past, and as Mr Ebeling says: “People today consider it to be their birthright to be mobile.”
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline "Not yet giving thanks"
From the November 17th 2001 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the edition
More from Business
Where have all the sacked tech workers gone?
Employment in the technology industry has reached an inflection point
Big tech and the pursuit of AI dominance
The tech giants are going all in on artificial intelligence. Each is doing it its own way
Can Adidas ever catch up with Nike?
The German firm’s new boss has his work cut out


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Leakers Confirm 2019 Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Colab
The inevitable has been confirmed! As teased in recent Instagram stories, Travis Scott has once again linked up with Jordan Brand to bring some Cactus Jack flavour to a legendary Air Jordan silhouette. This time around, the Air Jordan 1 takes title billing. La Flame has treated the AJ1 to a surprisingly sophisticated combination of 'Sail', 'Dark Mocha' and black in classic 'Chicago' colour blocking. These are no ordinary Jays though, Scott has seemingly flipped the Swooshes on the lateral sides to face back to front, similar to models like the Air Max 2015 and Big Swoosh.
According to leading leakers py_rates, the colab is a lock for April 2019. We'll keep you updated!


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We have an exciting update in the gaming world! On Wednesday, Compile Heart began streaming a "Compile Heart TV" show in which the business made a hint that it is developing a fresh Hyperdimension Neptunia shooting game. The program's new emcee Anton Kase announced the "overheard knowledge" that the firm is developing a new Hyperdimension Neptunia game (shown at 6:37 in the video below). At 7:44, the emcee added that the game is of the kind Shoot, desTroy, and dodGe, emphasizing the letters S, T, and G in each word.
Check out the announcement from the Compile Heart TV program!
Already a fan of the series? Let's take a look at the history of the series so far! The 2013 television show Hyperdimension Neptunia was broadcast by Funimation, then in 2015 and 2017 it was published with an English dub on Blu-ray Disc and DVD.
Ch Jigen Game Neptune The Animation: Nepu no Natsuyasumi, the first brand-new OVA in the series, was published in Japan in July 2019. In fall 2020, IFI will distribute the animation on Steam.
The 1/7-scale "Dimensional Traveler Neptune Generator Unit ver." figure ffrom Good Smile Company, which launched in October 2022, included a PlayPic Card with a serial code for the second OVA, Hyperdimension Neptunia Nep Nep Darake no Festival.
Ch Jigen Game Neptune: Hidamari no Little Purple, the third OVA in the series, will begin streaming online in Japan in July 2022. From September to November 1, 2022, Steam will be broadcasting the second and third OVAs in the franchise.
Hyperdimension Neptunia Sisters versus Sisters (Ch Jigen Game Neptune Sisters vs Sisters), the most recent installment in the series, was released in Japan in April 2022 for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. On January 24 in North America and Europe, Idea Factory International (IFI) launched the game on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.
On top of the newly announced video game, the franchise also announced back in December that the game itself was getting its own stage musical that would be coming out this year sometime in September. The musical is going to be titled Hyperdimension Musical Neptune. Sounds likes it should be a hit , so we will definitely be keeping an eye on more information about it and release updates!
Let us know in the comments below if you have watched any of the series or played any of the already released video games!


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Comments by Apple execs (including CEO Tim Cook and policies imposed on employees have been deemed illegal by US National Labor Relations Board prosecutors, who say they violate workers’ rights, reports Bloomberg.
The NLRB general counsel’s office has determined that “various work rules” imposed by the tech giant “tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees” from exercising their rights to collective action, spokesperson Kayla Blado said Monday. The agency “found merit to a charge alleging statements and conduct by Apple — including high-level executives.
Unless Apple settles, the NLRB regional director will issue a complaint against the tech giant, according to Bloomberg. The NLRB’s decision regards an employee email that was sent out by Cook last November that said that those who leak confidential information about Apple “do not belong” at the company.
Here’s part of Cook’s email: I’m writing today because I’ve heard from so many of you were incredibly frustrated to see the contents of the meeting leak to reporters. This comes after a product launch in which most of the details of our announcements were also leaked to the press.
I want you to know that I share your frustration. These opportunities to connect as a team are really important. But they only work if we can trust that the content will stay within Apple. I want to reassure you that we are doing everything in our power to identify those who leaked. As you know, we do not tolerate disclosures of confidential information, whether it’s product IP or the details of a confidential meeting. We know that the leakers constitute a small number of people. We also know that people who leak confidential information do not belong here.
MacRumors points out that Cook’s email wasn’t referencing a product leak, but was instead aimed at employees who had shared details about a meeting focused on pay equity, working from home, COVID vaccinations, and more.
This isn’t the first accusations against Apple by the NLRB. In December 2022, the organizations said that the tech giant violated federal law by interrogating and coercing employees in Atlanta, Georgia.
And in October 2022, Apple received a complaint from the NLBR over accusations of union-busting at a New York City store. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) urged the board to do so when it accused Apple of anti-union activities at the company’s World Trade Center store on May 19, 2022.
That wasn’t the first time that the CWA has accused Apple of such activity and said the company had violated the National Labor Relations Act. On May 12, 2022,, leaked documents revealed Apple’s anti-union talking points to store leaders across the U.S. in the hopes that it would help suppress unionization efforts by retail workers.
Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today


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Antimicrobial Screen Protectors for iPhone, iPad and Galaxy 3S announced by Accurate Imaging Resources
LOS ANGELES, Calif. /California Newswire/ -- Accurate Imaging Resources announced this week its launch of Accurate Films - screen protectors for cell phones, tablets, laptops, monitors, PCs, and LCD TVs. 'These new multipurpose and multifunctional screen protectors will work for Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy 3S phones, Apple iPads and more,' Michael Doyle, Director of Sales for Accurate Imaging, says.


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PwC’s Pat Newberry has been elected president of the Management Consultancies
Newberry has worked at the firm for 32 years with more than 20 years
experience in the financial services sector.
He is the firm’s UK head of private sector consulting and a member of its
Just one half of UK practices have implemented a pricing structure around auto enrolment implementation and advice - with many suffering increased costs
Deloitte's north-west Europe foray; BDO, Smith & Williamson investment paths; Shelley Stock Hutter; and Wilkins Kennedy discussed by editor Kevin Reed on our Friday Afternoon Live broadcast
Accountants should alter their perspective on auto-enrolment to maximise business opportunities, according to Eric Clapton.
Accountancy Age Jobs is delighted to announce the launch of a brand new look website for finance and accountancy professionals


text: Microsoft is in the early stages of a major shift as the world’s largest software company begins to compete with its vendor partners by releasing its own Windows hardware. While some believe the strategy is sound since Microsoft’s partners are too reliant on Windows to put up much of a fight, one former Microsoft executive thinks the company is “basically malfunctioning” by encroaching on its partners’ businesses. Instead, he thinks Microsoft should be dominating the social networking space. “It seems to me that Microsoft is basically malfunctioning,” Joachim Kempin told ReadWrite in an interview. Kempin joined Microsoft in the ’80s and was with the company for nearly 20 years. “Back in the late 1990s we had our own tablet under development,” he continued. “It never saw the light of day. When I left in 2002 people were talking about social media." Read the full story at Boy Genius Report.


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Sweets & Snacks Expo to Be Held at New Locations Over Next Decade
The show will rotate between two cities beginning in 2024.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Confectioners Association's (NCA) Sweet & Snacks Expo will rotate between Indianapolis and Las Vegas during the next decade.
Beginning in 2024, the Sweets & Snacks Expo will cycle through a rotation of two years at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, followed by one year at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas until 2032.
McCormick Place in Chicago will host the 2022 and 2023 Sweets and Snacks Expos. The show will take place in May every year moving forward.
"Indianapolis and Las Vegas are the right fit to meet the growing demand for our show and enable it to continue providing the innovation, insights and connections that the candy and snacks industries want and need," said John Downs, NCA president and CEO. "This decision is all about the show's future, and it was driven by our exhibitor and attendee community, for our exhibitor and attendee community."
The decision to relocate the Sweets & Snacks Expo to Indianapolis and Las Vegas was made after careful deliberation by the Sweets & Snacks Expo Committee, which is chaired by Ferrero/Fannie May Confections Vice President of Sales and Business Development Ed Seibolt, and the NCA Board of Trustees. In 2021, the show relocated to Indianapolis because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We saw great success in Indianapolis during the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo, with many attendees expressing a desire to return," said Seibolt. "Similarly, Las Vegas is an international destination with the facilities and attractions to help the Sweets & Snacks Expo continue to scale. I believe all parties will benefit tremendously from everything our new host cities have to offer."
The Sweets & Snacks Expo brings together confectionery and snack retailers, manufacturers and suppliers to showcase the latest product innovations. The full schedule of locations for the Sweets & Snacks Expo over the next decade is as follows:
2022 — McCormick Place in Chicago
2023 — McCormick Place
2024 — Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis
2025 — Indiana Convention Center
2026 — Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas
2027 — Indiana Convention Center
2028 — Indiana Convention Center
2029 — Las Vegas Convention Center
2030 — Indiana Convention Center
2031 — Indiana Convention Center
2032 — Las Vegas Convention Center
"It has been a great pleasure engaging with the staff, board and business members of the NCA over the past 18 months and hosting the Sweets & Snacks Expo last June," said Leonard Hoops, president and CEO of Visit Indy. "After the success of the 2021 show under particularly challenging conditions, Indy and the NCA were clearly a natural fit for long-term growth. The 2024 show can't come soon enough, and we look forward to hosting these amazing people and businesses, small and large, for many years to come."
Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, added he is honored to welcome the Sweets & Snacks Expo."We look forward to welcoming the world's best candy and snack makers to the destination with an 'Only Vegas' experience," he stated.
Washington, D.C.-based National Confectioners Association is the trade organization for the U.S. confectionery industry, which generates more than $37 billion in retail sales each year. Making chocolate, candy, gum and mints, the industry employs nearly 58,000 workers in more than 1,600 manufacturing facilities across all 50 states.


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By Antony Davies and James Harrigan
The World Fair Trade Organization has declared this week to be World Fair Trade Week. “Fair trade” is quite the buzzword in commerce these days and is generally associated with agricultural products. Chief among those is coffee. The popularity of fair trade coffee is undeniable. But what even is “fair trade” and what does it entail? How “fair” is it? Or is it just a marketing gimmick? James Harrigan and Antony Davies get into the nitty-gritty of this and more in this week’s episode of Words and Numbers.
Subscribe to the Word and Numbers podcast via iTunes
Antony Davies is associate professor of economics at Duquesne University and Chief Academic Officer at FreedomTrust.
He is a member of the FEE Faculty Network.
This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article.


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Music streaming giant Spotify today filed for a $1 billion IPO (actually a DPO), although that figure is a placeholder that will likely change.
Spotify is a music, podcast, and video streaming service that was officially launched on 7 October 2008. It is developed by startup Spotify AB in Stockholm, Sweden. It provides DRM–protected content from record labels and media companies. (Source: Wikipedia )
Why Spotify’s IPO matters to you: Spotify plans to utilize a direct listing instead of a traditional float, which explains why no banks are listed as underwriters. This is known as a DPO (direct public offering) If successful, it could change how well-known tech companies go public. The European startup will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker “SPOT.”
According to the filing with the SEC, in 2018 the company’s shares recently traded for as high as $132.50 on private markets.
Spotify is the 2nd big tech company that has filed for an IPO recently, the other being Dropbox which filed five days ago. The Stockholm-based service has 71 million paid subscribers (over half of their total subscriber base) and millions more listeners but has yet to turn a profit.
What are your thoughts on the Spotify IPO? Will you be investing?


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Release dates: every game confirmed for 2016 and 2017
Pokemon Sun & Moon guide: walkthrough, best starter, QR codes, TM locations, tips
Ubisoft has two Tom Clancy games in the works, according to brand boss Michel Verheijdt.
Michel Verheijdt headlines
Michel Verheijdt latest
Two more Tom Clancy games in the works at Ubisoft


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Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!
A few weeks ago we learned that Erika Girardi will be the face of Too Faced's latest campaign, celebrating its Better Than Sex Mascara. And the time to honor the brand's top-selling product has finally come. To kick off its sexy celebration, the brand hosted a huge launch party Wednesday in New York City, drawing in top beauty influencers, celebs, and even a few makeup-loving Real Housewives.
Kelly Dodd, Tinsley Mortimer, and Kelly Killoren Bensimon all stepped out for the major beauty event. And judging by the pics, these beauties had a blast. Kelly D. and Tinsley stayed side-by-side throughout the evening, posing for pictures with Too Faced founders Jerrod Blandino and Jeremy Johnson.
The ladies even got to channel their inner mermaids, and enjoy a pink swing.
However, there was one Housewife that was MIA: Erika. It appears the singer may still be in Germany hanging with the pandas. But the brand's Better Than Sex pop-up shop will be open October 19 through October 22, so we have a feeling the stylish singer may just make a special appearance soon.
Until then, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for the release of the brand's new promo video starring the Beverly Hills glamazon herself.
Bravo’s Style & Living is your window to the fabulous lifestyles of Bravolebrities. Be the first to know about all the best fashion and beauty looks, the breathtaking homes Bravo stars live in, everything they’re eating and drinking, and so much more. Sign up to become a Bravo Insider and get exclusive extras.


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Halfords has blamed the wet weather and the timing of Easter for the plateau of its bike sales recovery as it posted its first quarterly results today.
The retailer reported a four per cent drop in like-for-like bike sales in the 13 weeks to July 1.
While its car maintenance and travel solutions ranges fared better, it did not manage to offset the bike disappointment as overall first-quarter retail sales was down 1.2 per cent.
However, Halfords said that if the timing of Easter were taken out of the equation, retail sales would be only down by 0.2 per cent.
Halfords has been working to turn around its bike sales after last summer left full-year cycle sales 0.9 per cent lower.
The retailer said it had high hopes in the upcoming peak summer cycling season prior to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, especially with new ranges from British hopeful Laura Trott and cycling star Sir Bradley Wiggins.
“We had good sales growth of premium bikes, but cycling sales across the quarter were impacted by both the timing of Easter and poor weather, particularly in April,”chief executive Jill McDonald said.
“We look forward to the peak summer cycling season.”
She added that the weeks leading up to and after the Brexit referendum had created “uncertainty”, and that if the pound continues to fall against the US dollar it could hit Halfords’ profits further.


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Adweek's annual #Brandweek summit will explore the ideas behind breakthrough successes, discuss solutions to pressing challenges and explore new opportunities in the Metaverse. Join leaders from Alo Yoga, Hyundai Motor America, Frito-Lay and more, Sept. 12–16 in Miami. Sign up early to save.
Cannabidiol—CBD for short—products aren’t just the latest fad. There’s baked goods (at By Chloe), a trendy sparkling water brand (Recess) and a beauty brand (Milk Makeup), but it’s not just small marketers stepping into the space. Late last year, rumors surfaced that The Coca-Cola Company was getting into the hemp-CBD industry, which analysts at the Brightfield Group project will reach $22 billion by 2022.


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Australian buy now, pay later platform Afterpay is chasing a chunk of the massive North American retail market, launching in the US with lifestyle giant Urban Outfitters.
The service is now live on Urban Outfitters’ online store and will roll out across the company’s other brands, Anthropologie and Free People.
While Afterpay is available in bricks-and-mortar stores in Australia, the US launch is currently restricted to e-commerce, with plans to introduce in-store capability in due course.
Dave Hayne, chief digital officer at Urban Outfitters said the company looks forward to launching Afterpay across its portfolio of brand websites in the US market.
“Preliminary tests in the US have shown promise, and based on the success Afterpay has seen in Australia, we have reason to believe our US customers will embrace this innovative new payment solution,” he said.
Founded in 2015, Afterpay allows shoppers to receive products immediately and pay for them in four interest-free instalments. Retailers are paid upfront and Afterpay assumes all non-payment risk.
The platform has grown to include more than 14,000 Australian retailers and has served 1.8 million Australian customers to date.
Nick Molnar, founder and CEO of Afterpay said the service is especially appealing to millennials, who are reluctant to use credit cards and other forms of traditional finance.
“Afterpay helps shoppers get over that initial price hurdle by offering a platform to help budget for things that they want without needing to take out a loan or open a credit card,” he said.
“The service is also appealing to retailers and brands as it helps to increase conversion rates and incremental sales by 20 to 30 per cent.
“We are excited to be bringing our platform to the US and launching with Urban Outfitters, an iconic brand group that shares our innovative DNA and drive to deliver great experiences for customers.”


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JVC Brings True High-Def to Times Square
JVC took its promotional presence in New York City’s Times Square to the high-definition level with the unveiling at twilight Dec. 2 of what it said is the area’s first true 720p billboard.
The 16:9 LED display boasts a 1,152,000-pixel count at 1280 x 720 resolution, and it can be seen by passersby on Broadway and by those rounding the corner from West 43rd Street. It features a nine-foot-tall neon JVC logo atop a main screen that shows JVC products, along with two ticker crawls – one 74-foot ticker that describes the products on screen, and a 45-foot ticker that encircles a huge, geographically accurate globe jutting from the supporting building’s edge.
The area is one of the most highly trafficked in the world, attracting 1.6 million pedestrians and drivers each day, and it is a destination site for 86 percent of all New York City tourists, according to Karl Bearnarth, JVC’s senior vice president of marketing.


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888 secures iGaming license approval in Ontario3rd March 2022 8:48 am GMT
London-listed online betting and gaming operator 888 Holdings has secured license approval to offer iGaming in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The license from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) will enable 888 to be among the first operators to launch in the regulated Ontario iGaming market, which will open on April 4.
888 will offer online casino, sport and poker products to players in the province, all powered by its proprietary technology.
“We are delighted to have been awarded a licence by the AGCO and look forward to launching in the market when it officially opens,” said 888 chief executive Itai Pazner. “As a Group, our focus is on strengthening our presence and offer to customers across key regulated markets. To that end, Ontario represents an attractive long-term growth opportunity for 888 and this is an extremely strategically important milestone for us.”
888 now holds licences in 19 locally regulated markets, including seven jurisdictions in the United States.
AGCO has been processing applications from operators and suppliers since the license application process opened in September.
Shares in 888 Holdings plc. (LSE:888) were trading 0.47 per cent lower at 211.60 pence per share in London Thursday morning.


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Takeo Fujisawa, the co-founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., will be inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Michigan. Honda of Grays Harbor honors Fujisawa, who passed away in 1991, for his instrumental role in building Honda into the global automotive powerhouse it is today.
Fujisawa co-founded Honda Motor Co. with Soichiro Honda in 1948 and served as the company’s executive vice president until his retirement in 1973. During his time at Honda, Fujisawa played a critical role in the company’s expansion into global markets, including the United States, and helped to establish Honda as a leader in automotive innovation and manufacturing.
Fujisawa was known for his strong leadership and emphasis on customer satisfaction, which we agree with and uphold at our Honda dealership. He also had high standards regarding quality control and efficient production. He also played a crucial role in developing Honda’s corporate culture, emphasizing teamwork, creativity, and a willingness to take risks.
A Notable Accomplishment
The Automotive Hall of Fame is a prestigious organization that recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the automotive industry. Fujisawa will be the first Japanese person inducted into the Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will take place in July 2023, and Fujisawa’s family and representatives from Honda will attend the event to honor his legacy.
Honda of Grays Harbor Pays Tribute
The induction of Takeo Fujisawa into the Automotive Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute to his incredible contributions to the automotive industry and the innovation of Honda vehicles. His leadership and vision helped shape the company into the global leader it is today, and his emphasis on customer satisfaction and innovation continues to inspire our culture and values. Fujisawa’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations of automotive leaders and innovators.
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British families pay an extra £470 a year for food because of EU taxes imposed on imported goods, government figures revealed yesterday.
In the first analysis of its kind, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) showed Britons paid two lots of tariffs on many household goods.
Taxes are first levied on goods manufactured outside the EU, and these go directly towards its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Secondly, the shop selling these imported items passes on an extra cost in the price it charges to the shopper. The CAP is estimated to add £8 to £9 a week to the food bill of a family of four.
Patricia Hewitt, the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, said that the extra cost was not always transparent to British shoppers and that the poorest, including struggling mothers, suffered the most.
Talking at a meeting with the Consumers' Association, Ms Hewitt launched an attack on the system and said it was in need of real change. "Because CAP subsidies and EU tariffs affect essential items, families can't escape them, and poorest families are worst hit.
"The poorest 10 per cent of households spend 10 times as much on food as the richest 10 per cent [as a proportion of their income]. Struggling mothers pay more too," Ms Hewitt said.
She added that the system was "rigged against developing countries" as well as "rigged against the high street". Tariffs on baby food account for at least 20 per cent of the shop price, which adds £12 a month to the cost of feeding a baby. A 12 per cent EU tariff on baby clothes adds £60 to a £500 annual bill and a child's bike costs an extra £20 for a £200 bike after a 10 per cent tariff.
Ms Hewitt's is keen to reform the CAP and EU tax schemes, as she will make clear at world trade talks in Cancun, Mexico, in September.
The scheme was developed to support European produce but many believe that it is expensive for British consumers and damages trade in developing countries. Ms Hewitt said that the EU and US must stop preaching free trade abroad while practising protectionism at home.
The DTI found that if tariffs in the developed and developing worlds were halved, the latter would gain £150bn a year, which is three times the sum it receives in aid, reducing the number of people living in poverty by 300 million by 2015.
Ms Hewitt said: "We are giving with one hand and taking away with the other. Instead of trade, they get aid ... 1.2 billion people in our world live on less than $1 a day. Yet we pay our dairy cows in Europe twice that amount under the CAP. It's lose, lose." Last year, France and Germany agreed to delay radical reform of agricultural policy until 2013 to ensure that their farmers continued to receive subsidies until then.Reuse content


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Apparently, despite the global economic downturn, some people out there still have large sums of disposable income. We know this because Neiman Marcus sold through a dozen special edition McLaren 12C Spiders in less than two hours Wednesday. At $354,000 each, this single offering grossed Neiman Marcus a staggering $35,400 a minute. Not that we should be surprised. Last year, the retailer sold 10 brand-new Ferrari FF specials out in a mere 50 minutes and in 2009, Neiman Marcus cleared out 50 spec
Mahindra Reva, an electric vehicle company based in India, is rolling out an all-new version of its Reva NXR, this one capable of seating four adults comfortably in the small car, compared to the previous version that seated two.
Don't expect General Motors Corp. to make any new announcements regarding Saab now or in the near future, according GM spokesman Chris Preuss. According to a report in Automotive News, Preuss added that no new Saab deals are imminent with any interested parties.
After weeks of speculation, Fiat confirmed today that its CEO, Sergio Marchionne, will assume the same role with Chrysler once it exits bankruptcy. According to statements from the Obama administration, Chrysler could emerge from "surgical bankruptcy" in as little as 30 to 60 days, after which Chrysler's current chief executive Bob Nardelli will step down and Marchionne will step in.


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COVID-19: Germany imposes strict lockdown over Easter
DW, 23 Mar 2021
Germany is extending the current lockdown through to April 18, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced on Tuesday. The country will enter an even stricter lockdown from April 1 to April 5, over the Easter holiday period when shops, including grocery stores, will largely have to close. Merkel warned that Germany needed to "break the exponential growth of the third wave." Case numbers have reached levels that authorities say will overburden intensive care units.
Tuesday's announcement marks a reversal from earlier this month when state leaders agreed to begin a cautious reopening process.
Talks between leaders of Germany's 16 federal states and Merkel lasted until the early hours of the morning following a lengthy interruption.
What are the new measures?
As well as prolonging existing measures such as the closure of cultural, leisure and sporting facilities, tougher restrictions will apply over the Easter period.
- Churches will be asked to hold services marking the Christian festival online.
- No more than five adults from two households will be able to meet over the five-day period.
- Testing and vaccination centers can remain open.
- Public gatherings will be prohibited.
- Almost all shops will be shut during the five days. Only grocery stores may open on Saturday, April 3.
- Anyone from Germany holidaying abroad will have to be tested before boarding a flight back to Germany.
- The "emergency brake" will halt further reopenings and will apply to areas exceeding 100 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a seven-day period.
If an area has an incidence rate of over 100 for three consecutive days, harsher lockdown measures will once again apply.
For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/
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Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: https://www.youtube.com/dwdeutsch


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Ghauri says that when IKEA enters new markets it scales up its activities not only to capture the market but also to source more from the market. “Also, since it has learned lot of lessons in other complex markets, it will [hopefully] make lesser mistakes here [in India].”
For example, when IKEA entered the US in 1985, it tried to import its Scandinavian business model and products. It didn’t work. Americans lived in bigger homes and everything from their beds to the closets were larger than those in Europe. That prompted the retailer to adapt its product for US consumers.New Challenges, Quick Solutions
When it entered China in 1998, the challenges were bigger. While sales weren’t an issue, profitability was. IKEA, known for its low-priced quality products, couldn’t match Chinese manufacturers on price. Worse, its designs were copied easily. To bring down the price points, IKEA pushed for local sourcing.
A research paper published by London Business School professors recently on IKEA China says: “While globally, 30% of the IKEA range comes from China about 65% of the volume sales in China comes from within. Their local sourcing resolved the problem of high import taxes in China. As a result, since 2000, IKEA has cut its prices by 60%. For example, the price of its Lack table has dropped to 39 yuan from 120 yuan when IKEA first came to the Chinese market. The company plans to bring it down further.” Lars Thorsen
, IKEA’s regional purchase manager (Asia Pacific), says the MNC’s supplier strategy has been evolving with time. “Till the 1990s, we would have our 10 purchasing offices compete with each other,” he says. With time and experience they realised that constantly pitting one supplier against the other created a hypercompetitive environment. Two years back, they reworked their global purchasing strategy.
“We now foster sharing of best practices between suppliers,” explains Thorsen. For example, if IKEA needs to develop a new range of balconies then it gets its suppliers from different regions to work together to arrive at solutions. “You cannot always compete on prices. We have shifted from competitive mode to strategic mode,” he adds. For example, the retailer often gets textile suppliers in Turkey, China and India to work together.I-WAY or Highway
IKEA’s four-tiered compliance code called I-WAY demands all its suppliers to adhere to high standards on labour, environment, sustainability practices. While all suppliers must meet level 1, IKEA works with them to meet stiffer norms (there are four levels). Last year, in South Asia, IKEA conducted 100 internal audits and many third-party audits — 15 at suppliers and 350 at sub-suppliers — to check compliance.
It has been a learning process. In the mid-’80s, IKEA ran into an environmental problem. Tests on some of its particle board furniture showed that formaldehyde exceeded Danish environmental standards. To fix it, IKEA did not just comply with Danish standards but decided to apply the world’s strictest (German E-1) standard on all its suppliers globally.
When IKEA entered China, it faced challenges around poor social and working conditions of workers. It worked with social and political actors to address issues. One of the initiatives it undertook was to sign a pact with the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (IFBWW) to help promote workers’ rights. IFBWW was actively involved in addressing the most difficult issues at Chinese suppliers.
After a round of audits at the suppliers in 2003 where violations in working norms were found, IKEA worked with the government and worker bodies to sort out the issues. “They work towards a higher level of CSR awareness [as compared with others],” says Villasenor of Procurement and Supply Institute of Asia.
Back in India, Ansari of Eastern Home talks about how IKEA helped his company train and hire women. Goenka of Welspun recalls how IKEA partnered in its CSR initiative where women in Anjar, Gujarat, were producing cushions. “They told us we will help you sell them on cost-plus basis,” Goenka adds. Today, IKEA sells 2,000-3,000 cushions through its stores.
“They work a lot on issues like recycling water, safe dyes and chemicals, child labour,” she says. Meantime IKEA has supported Asian Fabricx to explore solar and wind energy. The company now generates 7.5 mw solar and 20 mw of wind power, most of which is used in-house with the excess being fed into the grid.Not an Easy Ride
IKEA’s India journey will not be without its share of challenges. “Their biggest challenge would be that CSR issues could jeopardize their trademark, in several layers. Combining low cost with high quality will be difficult,” says Villasenor. Not to forget that Indian retail FDI norms mandate that a single-brand retailer must source at least 30% of its store products locally, which would be tough for IKEA to meet, especially in the initial years.
What gives Thorsen sleepless nights? “That we will have limited assortments here. To make it [30% local sourcing] happen we have to give suppliers the volume. The whole organisation is backing us to scale sourcing in India.”Other MNCs Making More in IndiaSuzuki Motors Revs Up
Suzuki Motors, already lording over almost half the passenger car market in India with a capacity of 1.5 million units annually via its subsidiary Maruti Suzuki, just announced its plans to set up three new plants in India, spurred by the prime minister’s Make in India initiative. The plants will add 750,000 vehicles to capacity. The 640-acre campus will have an integrated suppliers’ park. The first plant, to start production in mid-2017, will entail investments of Rs 3,000 crore and will have an annual capacity of 250,000 units. Suzuki Motors has a target of annual sales of 2 million units in India in the medium term.ThyssenKrupp Thinks Big
The €41-billion German giant, in India since 1950s, is planning to expand its business in aerospace, defence and smart cities. It will also be focusing on offering green technologies in the mining sector. The company currently makes mining equipment, cement plants and boilers in India. India CEO Michael Thiemann told media that the company “will increase these capacities due to demand in India. We are in alignment with the government’s Make in India campaign.” It is also blueprinting an aerospace component facility in Bengaluru. ThyssenKrupp is keen to throw its hat into the ring to bid for the government’s estimated Rs 50,000-crore project to build submarines.IKEA Retail: Slowly but Certainly
The first IKEA store may not open its gates before 2017 but work is under way in full swing. IKEA has signed two memoranda of understanding with the state governments in Karnataka (for a retail outlet in Bengaluru) and Telangana (for one in Hyderabad). It will soon sign MoUs with Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Haryana.
These are the prioritised states and the company hopes “that it is able to start with at least two-three stores simultaneously” — as a company spokesperson put it — instead of just one in the four important cities of Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and NCR. In the NCR, it is looking at land parcels in both UP and Haryana; in Mumbai it is looking at Navi Mumbai on the outskirts in addition to the main city. This will give the retailer a footprint in all four critical regions in the country. IKEA plans to invest Rs 10,500 crore to set up 25 stores in India in 10 years.
IKEA’s strategy is to buy rather than lease land. And it is currently in the process of acquiring land. The spokesperson refused to confirm if the land has been acquired. As soon as the land is acquired, construction will begin which is likely to take a year for completion. Each IKEA store will require an investments of roughly Rs 600 crore (inclusive of land cost), though in some cities like Mumbai the cost could be substantially higher owing to the steeper real estate costs.
Each store will be spread over 3,50,000-4,00,000 sq ft and employ over 600 direct staff, 2,000 indirect staff and stock over 9,000 articles. The store will have 60-70 full size rooms where buyers can soak in the experience of furnishing their homes and get inspired by the ideas on display. IKEA is also investing a lot of time and effort to understand Indian homes. It is making home visits and surveys and is slowly collecting information and insights on Indian homes.
For example, they gathered that washing machines in Indian homes are not necessarily in the bathroom and very rarely in the kitchen. In many homes, it is in the balcony. Similarly, they figured that room sizes in Mumbai are much smaller than room sizes in Delhi. They also found the positioning of the shoe rack interesting. Where it is placed varies — inside or outside the home, passage or the living room. All these insights about Indian homes would be incorporated in the product and design of the retail store.
Like all IKEA stores globally, the store in India too will have a restaurant of about 1,000 sq ft. While it will serve up Scandinavian food like meat balls, there will also be a thrust on regional food. The Hyderabad store, for instance, could well serve up biryani.Inventec gets Inventive
Taiwan-based contract manufacturer Inventec Corporation, which makes notebooks, servers and mobile devices, has announced plans to manufacture mobile devices at a leased plant in Chennai (yes, the same city that Nokia had bid adieu to). A large part of the capacity will be dedicated to Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi. While the company has not yet revealed the investment size, the move is significant as this is Inventec’s first move outside of China. While it will assemble smartphones, the components will be sourced locally from Indian vendors.Mitsubishi on the Fast Track
In India since the 1950s, $39-billion Mitsubishi Electric has been selling rail equipment, factory automation, air conditioning systems and visual imaging products. But so far it has largely followed an import-and-sell strategy with just one factory making auto components. In 2010, Mitsubishi set up its first joint venture with Larsen & Toubro to make boilers and turbines. Last year, to land a Delhi Metro contract under the Make in India scheme, it decided to set up a $8-million assembling plant in Bengaluru to make traction inverters, traction motors. Once they are able to maintain quality, they will identify local vendors and manufacture locally.


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Well sportsfans it seems that The NY Times has joined forces with The Huffinton Post in getting their facts twisted on the recent survey which indicated, albeit weakly, that if you eat a lot of carbs and eat fat and meat you run a slightly higher risk of dying earlier and suffering more maladies than if you eat a lot of carbs and not so much fat and meat.Take a look.
From the article:
Atkins-style low-carbohydrate diets help people lose weight, but people who simply replace the bread and pasta with calories from animal protein and animal fat may face an increased risk of early death from cancer and heart disease, a new study reports.
What is sad is that the writer, Roni Rabin, is probably just parroting Dr. Ornish - trusting that Dr. Ornish read the survey correctly and then regurgitated the message. Or...is there an Atkins bias at work here as there clearly was in Dr. Ornish's recent HP blog?
Rabin writes: "An Atkins-style..." Style? What the heck is an Atkins-style diet? If I eat a lot of veggies, fruit and grain and also a tid bit of meat, am I eating "vegan-style?"
Not only that, think about another untrue thing Rabin wrote: "...people who simply replace the bread and pasta with calories from animal protein and animal fat..." Here he suggests that pasta - pure carbs hence sugar and a refined fake food made in a factory, is healthier for you than a grass fed, free ranging steak or eggs from the butt of a free ranging chicken. I mean, how ridiculous is that?
For shame NY Times!
You know, I recall that when the A to Z diet study was published in 2007 showing that the Atkins diet kicked the butt of the other diets in terms of weight loss and more favorable overall metabolic effects, Ornish had a conniption. He bellowed from the towers that his diet approach didn't win because the fat content of the diets the obese women were using for his arm of the A to Z study was far too high. But look how quick he was to ignore the discrepancy between the carbs in a true Atkins diet and the carbs in the survey in question and bash the Atkins diet.


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Here’s a behind the scenes look at the making of Star Wars Battlefront II, shown off at Disney’s D23 Expo gaming showcase this afternoon. It’s about the game’s single-player story and the task of humanising its protagonist, Iden Versio, and her crew of space Nazis.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is getting a new desert map. The developer tweeted as much yesterday, revealing two screenshots of the new battle royale locale. It looks beautiful and was probably inevitable.


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The U.S. economy grew only modestly in the first three months of the year. Consumer spending increased at a slower pace than previously estimated while businesses investment was growing faster than previously thought.
The Commerce Department says the overall economy grew at an annual rate of 1.9 percent in the January-March quarter. That was identical to the government’s estimate a month ago although the components were altered. Consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of economic activity, was growing at a 2.5 percent rate, slightly below the previous 2.7 percent estimate while business investment was stronger.
Economists believe economic growth in the nearly completed April-June quarter will also come in around 1.9 percent, a modest pace not strong enough to make a significant improvement in unemployment.
More breaking news
- LIBN writer’s new play looks at innocence after guilty
- Cheap gas fueling expanded Thanksgiving travel day
- Hofstra to host InnovateHER Business Plan Contest
- Big screen comes to LIU Post
- Consumer spending up a weak 0.1 percent in October
- Gambling to feature at New York daily fantasy sports hearing
- Greene Turtle opens second LI location in East Meadow
- Inked: Recent Long Island real estate deals
- LI unemployment continues to drop
- Health co-op failure in NY leaves doctors owed millions


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Lush has asked customers to help it achieve its target of picking 60 tonnes of rubbish.
The UK beauty retailer is calling on local communities to become “trash-dashers” and help it collect 21 more tonnes of waste from streets, rivers, parks and beaches around the world.
The company has collected 39 tonnes of waste so far over a four-year time period.
To give the campaign a push, Lush has launched Trash Dash – an online portal where customers can log their waste picking efforts.
The company said it will reward some who take part with “random acts of kindness”.
Shoppers can find out about local rubbish collection activations happening throughout July by contacting their local Lush shop.
Lush originally launched its waste initiative – Leave The World Lusher Than We Found It – and the goal of collecting 60 tonnes of rubbish in 2018.
The British beauty retailer is giving the goal a big push this year because it is Lush co-founder Rowena Bird’s 60th birthday (19 October) wish to achieve it.
There is an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean, reported National Geographic.
Around two million items of litter are also dropped in the UK every day, found environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.
This is not the only wider societal issue Lush has shone a spotlight on recently.
The cosmetics retailer launched a Refugees Welcome campaign last month to help people seeking asylum in the UK.
It has also campaigned to end lethal dose animal tests and called on UK MPs to pass legislation that prohibits conversion practices.
- Lush responds to TikTok video slamming broken goods
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- Beauty product waste is a huge problem – so why is no one talking about it?
- Is this beauty’s greenest space? Inside Lush’s new Green Hub
- Lush files complaint with FCA about ex-CEO’s sale of company shares
- Packaging waste: Why beauty retailers are ditching gift wrap


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Berkshire Hathaway-backed BYD’s stock jumped to a new all-time high on Tuesday, with the share price up a dramatic 15.7 percent in the past month.
Shares of BYDDF jumped +$1.17 (2.92%) to close at $41.42 on June 28, 2022.
BYD shares had been on a dramatic run since 2020, rising from $4.52 on March 20, 2020 to an intraday peak of $43.61. The 52-week low was $21.42.
BYD has been posting strong sales for its plug-in EVs, including selling 105,475 cars in China in April.
In mid-June, BYD’s board approved a 33 percent rise in the share price the new energy company can pay to buy back its shares. The company can now pay up to 400 yuan each for shares repurchased from the open market.
BYD and Berkshire Hathaway
In 2008, Berkshire Hathaway bet on BYD’s potential, purchasing 225 million shares for $232 million. It’s an investment that has paid off handsomely. Berkshire’s original investment of $232 million had grown in value to $7.69 billion as of December 31, 2021.
© 2022 David Mazor
Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway and BYD, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell a stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.


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Urban Outfitters is making the popular 90s brand FILA cool again.
The popular urban retailer and athletic brand are teaming up for a collection that will bring designs from the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties to a new generation of consumers.
The liner features Fila’s signature polo shirts and athletic jackets, while also adding in jeans, sweatshirts, super cute miniskirts.
The collection is currently available in certain UO stores and online and also includes polo dresses, athletic bags and an update on the 1993 Cage high top basketball sneaker.
Retailing between $28 to $128, each item in the collection will also be stamped with the original 1973 Fila F-Box red, white and blue logo.
This is just the latest in Fila’s marketing attempts to bring the brand to younger generations. Fila has also teamed up with the jeweler “Mr. Flawless” to redesign one of their classic sneakers. Fila also has several players in the U.S. Open wearing their new line Platinum, made with Invista Thermacool.
Shop the collection HERE


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by Dan Mitchell
During the Obama years, I shared a cartoon strip that cleverly makes the point that some people will choose not to work if they can get enough goodies from the government.
Especially now that there are bonus payments for staying unemployed. Which makes it hard to businesses to find workers.
Our friends on the left, however, think there’s a solution to this problem.
In his column for the New York Times, David Leonhardt says there is not a labor shortage because employers can simply raise wages.
The idea that the United States suffers from a labor shortage is fast becoming conventional wisdom. But before you accept the idea, it’s worth taking a few minutes to think it through. Once you do, you may realize that the labor shortage is more myth than reality. …one of the beauties of capitalism is its mechanism for dealing with shortages. In a communist system, people must wait in long lines when there is more demand than supply for an item. That’s an actual shortage. In a capitalist economy, however, there is a ready solution. …When a company is struggling to find enough labor, it can solve the problem by offering to pay a higher price for that labor — also known as higher wages. More workers will then enter the labor market. Suddenly, the labor shortage will be no more. …Sure enough, some companies have responded to the alleged labor shortage by doing exactly this. …companies that have recently announced pay increases include Amazon, Chipotle, Costco, McDonald’s, Walmart, J.P. Morgan Chase and Sheetz convenience stores.
Leonhardt is correct that businesses can lure workers back into the job market by boosting wages. I’m glad he recognizes how the price system works.
But he completely ignores the issue of whether some jobs will simply disappear because they’re not worth the amount of money that would be required to out-compete government handouts.
That’s the key argument from the Wall Street Journal‘s editorial on the topic.
…the U.S. labor market turned in its second disappointing result in a row in May, according to Friday’s Labor Department report. That’s what happens when government pays Americans not to work. Employers created 559,000 net new jobs in the month, which sounds great until you notice that 1.5 million fewer workers in May said they were unable to work because their employer closed or lost business due to the pandemic. …The civilian labor force shrank in May by 53,000, and the number of men over age 20 who were employed fell by 8,000. …What gives? The Occam’s razor explanation is that in March the Biden Administration and Congress ladled out another mountain of cash to Americans—work not required. The extra $300 a week in enhanced jobless benefits is one problem, since millions of Americans can make more staying on the couch. …This is on top of regular jobless benefits, plus new or extended cash payments such as the $3,000 per child tax credit, additional ObamaCare subsidies, and the $1,400 checks to individuals. Again, no work required.
For all intents and purposes, politicians in DC have been undoing the great achievement of welfare reform. That 1996 law was designed to push people from idleness into employment, and it was largely successful.
But over the past couple of decades, laws like Obamacare have given people goodies without any conditionality, which has resulted in many people deciding once again that they don’t need to work.
And if Biden’s per-child handouts are made permanent, expect the problem to get even worse.
Since we started with a cartoon, let’s close with another cartoon.
This gem from Henry Payne captures the problem facing many small businesses.
Big companies have enough financial depth that they can adapt. They have considerable ability to get rid of low-skilled jobs, invest in labor-saving technologies, and even give some raises to employees they retain.
Many small businesses, however, are simply out of luck. That’s one group of victims.
The other victims are the people who get goodies from politicians. Yes, the various handouts make their lives easier in the short run, but once they get trapped in the quicksand of government dependency, it’s very difficult to escape.


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In the face of pressure form lobbyists, including Apple, California’s right to repair bill has been pulled by it co-sponsor for a second time. The move gives tech companies a one-year reprieve before the bill will be considered again.
The Verge reports California State Assembly member Susan Talamantes Eggman pulled the bill – Assembly Bill 1163 – from consideration on Tuesday. The California Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee was set to hear discussions on the matter the same day it was pulled.
“While this was not an easy decision, it became clear that the bill would not have the support it needed today, and manufacturers had sown enough doubt with vague and unbacked claims of privacy and security concerns,” Eggman said in a statement.
Eggman introduced the bill back in March, which would force Apple and other electronic device manufacturers to “make service literature and equipment or parts available to product owners and to regulated, independent repair shops.”
Over the last few weeks, an Apple lobbyist and a ComTIA, a trade organization representing major tech companies, met with California legislators in an effort to convince them to vote down the state’s right to repair legislation, which would ease the path for customers that wish to fix their own devices.
The two lobbyists met with members of the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee. Apple told lawmakers that customers could potentially injure themselves if they accidentally puncture the batteries that power their devices while attempting to repair them.
Bill 1163 was Eggman’s second attempt at pushing the legislation through. She introduced her first version, Bill 2110, back in March 2018. The bill died in Assembly in November of that year.


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Mark Byrnes is a former senior associate editor at CityLab who writes about design and architecture.
The city still can't find tenants to fill up retail spaces along the stadium's parking garages.
Add another item to the growing list of problems for the Miami Marlins and their $634 million, mostly publicly funded ballpark: empty storefronts.
According to a Miami Herald report published this week, the Marlins' on-field fire sale has been making it even more difficult for the city to find tenants for 8,500 square feet of retail space inside four city-owned parking garages surrounding the stadium. Two national chains even signed letters of intent, only to back out over concerns of dwindling crowds and foot traffic.
Only one business, a 625-square-foot cigar store, is currently operating inside the retail spaces despite the city's efforts, and the baseball team may deserve much of the blame.
The Marlins traded away the core of its star-studded lineup over the course of 2012, including struggling star Hanley Ramirez in July. After a disappointing 93-loss season, the team then traded five established players ($180 million in salaries) for mostly prospects last November, fomenting yet more dissatisfaction within the team's fan base. Marlins Park had the lowest attendance for a ballpark's first season in decades.
The firm hired to court retail tenants on behalf of the city noticed potential tenants backing out after the 2012 salary dump, first with the national chain Tilted Kilt, then others. According to the Herald, a leasing agent luring tenants on behalf of the city noticed businesses losing interest in being near the stadium:
A week after the November trade, leasing agent Arthur Stevens of Terranova Corp., the firm hired by the city to lure clients to the ballpark, expressed concern about Marco’s Pizza making good on its letter of intent to sign a lease.
“Marco’s is very concerned about what this will do to future attendance,’’ Stevens, who has since left the firm, wrote to the city’s public facilities director, Henry Torre. “Just thought you should know, I’ll keep you posted.”
It then happened again with another potential tenant:
Two months later, in January, Stevens again expressed concern over a client, this time a national restaurant chain named Firefly.
“While we want to do the deal with the Marlins, their investors are worried about the negative impact that the new Marlins team will have on overall traffic, attendance. One of their investors has contacts within who continues to hear not so good things,” Stevens wrote Henry in an email.
The team has fared no better on the field since its house cleaning (they are currently in last place in the NL East) and their attendance has gotten worse, with game night photos posted in Deadspin as "Empty Stadium Porn."
Because of the neighborhood's mostly residential building stock and inferior game day public transit access, even a successful Marlins team wouldn't necessarily make for a healthy retail draw. City officials are still optimistic with one tenant in place now and two lined up for later this summer. A sit-down restaurant will reportedly open in July, and thanks to the team waiving a clause that prohibits potential vendors from selling food over the counter, a Subway is expected to open later this summer.
Top image courtesy Flickr user JonDigital


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Detroit Renaissance Inc. and the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. today announced the commitment of $500,000 a year toward promoting business attraction for the city, and challenged area foundations to match that money.
Detroit Renaissance pledged $300,000 annually and the DEGC, which is to receive the funds, also pledged to add $200,000 a year from its own budget.
To transform the regions economy, we have to focus an intense effort here in the heart of it the city of Detroit, Doug Rothwell, Detroit Renaissance president, said. Detroit Renaissance is a nonprofit civic organization of the regions top corporate executives.
George Jackson, DEGC president, said in a statement that he is especially pleased that CEOs from Detroit Renaissance also are pledging their time to help his staff meet with prospects and help sell Detroit.
Peer-to-peer interactions between CEOs can make a huge difference for companies looking to invest here, said Jackson.
The DEGC has had business retention and attraction as part of its mission but has lacked funds to make an aggressive push needed to compete with expanding outreach programs of nearby communities, Jackson told Crains.
We will definitely have more people doing business attraction, he said. This allows us to be more proactive, rather than reactive, which is what weve been.
Jackson said Detroit needs a proactive attraction program specific to the city. We will work with regional and state development groups but we can sell Detroit better than anybody.
John Carroll, senior vice president of business development at the Detroit Regional Chamber, said that the Renaissance/DEGC program may differ from many business attraction efforts by looking attract retail stores into Detroit.
Most dont do that, but the city is in a special situation, and has to chase some retail companies, to make them aware of the situation here. And thats important for entire region, said Carroll, who is also executive director of the chamber's Detroit Regional Economic Partnership.
He said that the Chamber group will work with the DEGC program in all markets they are looking into, and prioritize where we each want to go.
None of us can do the whole world or even the whole country, with limited budgets, but the Partnership work together with DEGC and the city as weve been doing.


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Life at ASYX
How this Fintech startup is plugging the SME funding gap
Interesting read on how ApexPeak is utilizing ASYX to plug the funding gap.
Lishia CEO's End of Year Message 2020
31 December 2020
Introducing ASYX new logo!
31 October 2020
BNI chooses the ASYX Platform for its long-term Supply Chain Finance strategy
03 April 2017
ASYX Supply Chain Finance and Collaboration platform, version 3.8 released
23 January 2017
The ASYX Platform revamps its online help and support platform
01 December 2016


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Tilray Brands, a cannabis CPG company, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Truss Beverage Co. from Molson Coors after satisfying its remaining contractual obligations. News of the deal first broke in August 2023 when Tilray announced its plan to acquire the remaining 57.5% equity ownership of Truss from Molson Coors Canada.
The acquisition will bolster Tilray’s beverage operations in Canada. The company has already transitioned all cannabis beverage operations to its manufacturing facility in London, Canada. Tilray also plans to use Truss's state-of-the-art facility in Belleville, Ontario for new product development and innovation.
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According to the company, the acquisition will boost its roughly 40% share of the Canadian cannabis beverage market.
In a statement, Tilray Canada President Blair MacNeil said the company is now strengthening its Canadian operations to support further expansion to support new brand and product launches.
Cannabis beverages do almost $100 million at retail in Canada. The company is hoping regulatory changes will make cannabis beverages more accessible in the country, including the possibility of on-tap THC options in restaurants and bars.
Tilray's portfolio now includes notable brands like Good Supply, RIFF, Broken Coast, Solei, Canaca, HEXO, Redecan, Original Stash, Bake Sale, XMG and Mollo.


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CBS Essentials is created independently from the CBS News staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.
Amazon Prime Day is the online retailer’s biggest shopping event of the year. The small and mid-sized businesses who sell on the e-tailer reported more than $3.5 billion in sales during Prime Day 2020. That marked a 60% increase compared with 2019.
Spread out over two days, Prime Day features limited-time, limited-quantity deals (called lightning deals) on a wide variety of clothing, bedding, laptops, headphones, Amazon-branded gear and more. The 2021 Prime Day will be the earliest on record; the event last happened in October 2020 — the latest Prime Day on record.
The online shopping event has grown considerably sincein 2015. Research firm Digital Commerce 360 has estimated that Amazon sold $10.4 billion worth of goods overall on Prime Day 2020. That would mark an increase of 45.2 percent from $7.16 billion in 2019.
Nowadays, Prime Day is not just an Amazon phenomenon — other retailers, such as Walmart and Target, offer their own online deals on Prime Day, eager to compete during this shopping mega-event.
When is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day typically falls on a different day every year. The company has announced thaton Monday June 21 and Tuesday June 22, 2021.
What do you need to take part in Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime Day deals are, generally, exclusive to Amazon Prime members. Those who have never been Amazon Prime members can get a 30-day free trial right now, an offer that will last through Amazon Prime Day 2021.
An Amazon Prime membership costs $12.99 per month (plus taxes), or $119 per year. It includes much more than access to Prime Day deals: You get free, two-day shipping on most Amazon products (and free same-day delivery in some areas), access to TV shows and movies on Amazon Prime Video, plus special deals at Whole Food Market and more.
You can see a full list of Amazon Prime benefits by clicking here. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime by clicking the button below.
By the way: If you’re not an Amazon Prime member, it’s still possible to take advantage of some Prime Day deals. Big-box retailers such as Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Kohl’s have seized on Prime Day to offer their own Amazon Prime Day deals in-store and on their websites, no memberships required. Expect announcements about those sales closer to June 21.
What goes on sale during Amazon Prime Day?
There’s no easy answer to the question, “what goes on sale during Amazon Prime Day?” Except, perhaps, for this: A lot. A lot of stuff goes on sale for Amazon Prime Day.
Amazon keeps its full list of Prime Day deals under wraps until they go live. That said, many items go on sale consistently from Prime Day to Prime Day. Amazon, for example, will likely offer discounts on its Alexa-based smart home products, such as the Echo Dot (the No. 1 Prime Day seller in 2020, per Amazon) and the Echo Show.
Expect other Amazon-branded products to go on sale too, such as the Amazon Fire TV Recast, a DVR with tuners for over-the-air local TV channels. It’s normally priced at $230, but was marked down to $130 during the last Prime Day event in 2020.
It’s not just Amazon-branded products that regularly go on sale. In past years, shoppers have found great deals on the Instant Pot multi-cooker, apparel from Adidas, vacuums from Dyson and iRobot, Keurig coffee makers and much more.
Discounts on the Apple Watch — and other Apple products such as AirPods Pro and MacBooks — are common during Prime Day as well. For example, the Apple Watch 3, an older-but-still-useful version, was marked down to $169 for Prime Day 2020. (You can’t get that deal right now at Amazon — not until Prime Day 2021, perhaps? — but the Apple Watch 3 is available for $169 right now at Walmart.)
And while historically, the best deals on new televisions have emerged on Black Friday and during Superbowl season, nowadays you can find great TV deals on Prime Day — especially on smaller televisions and Fire TV Edition smart TVs. During Prime Day 2020, Amazon offered shoppers this 43-inch Amazon Fire TV Edition Smart TV with 4K resolution for $210, marked down from $290.
One of the best recurring Prime Day deals, however, comes from Amazon-owned Whole Foods. Prime Members who shop at Whole Foods in the days leading up to Prime Day have received, in the past few years, a $10 credit toward Prime Day purchases. Amazon hasn’t announced this deal will return in 2021, but don’t be surprised if it appears again.
How should you prepare for Amazon Prime Day?
It can be tricky to plan for Amazon Prime Day; the deals vary from year to year. But there are a few things to keep in mind while looking for the best Amazon Prime Day deals.
For starters: The best discounts usually apply to Amazon’s own products. It’s a good idea to put off any purchases of Amazon devices in the month before Prime Day — they’re the most likely products of to go on deep discount.
Prime Day is also a smart time to shop for everyday housewares, such as electric toothbrushes and small kitchen appliances. These products are typically featured sales items. We’ve seen great deals on coffee (such as K-cups), charging cables and other common essentials as well — including prices that stand out as some of the best of the year.
But not every Prime Day deal will be a good one. To know for sure, try CamelCamelCamel — it’s a free Amazon price tracker. Just paste an Amazon URL in the site’s search bar and you can see every the year-over-year price history for any Amazon item.


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The Covid pandemic has negatively impacted tomato producers on Crete, as demand for their product has plunged. The unseasonably warm April weather has meant that tomatoes, of which Crete is the top producer in Greece, ripened earlier. But with restaurants only open for delivery and hotels still empty, growers have had great difficulty finding buyers. According to them, the drop in wedding feasts has made matters worse.
According to ekathimerini.com¸ a middleman who buys from farmers to sell to retailers said he could move only 5% of the produce he had bought. As a result, tomatoes are being thrown away or used for animal feed.


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HDB Households to get S$300 vouchers from 15 Apr to buy energy- & water-saving appliances
Starting 15 Apr, all HDB households in Singapore will receive S$300 worth of vouchers to purchase energy- and water-saving appliances.
1.1 million households are expected to benefit from the vouchers, which will be valid until 2027.
Through adopting efficient appliances and fittings, households can reduce their energy and water bills, and contribute to slowing down climate change.
HDB households can purchase 10 types of energy- and water-efficient appliances with Climate Vouchers
The enhanced Climate Friendly Households Programme (CFHP) was announced by Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor on Monday (4 Mar).
This programme aims to enable households to be more efficient in their use of energy and water.
As part of the enhancements, all HDB households will receive $300 worth of Climate Vouchers from 15 Apr.
With these vouchers, Singaporeans or Permanent Residents (PR) can purchase 10 types of energy- and water-efficient household products.
Eligible products include:
- 3- or 4-tick refrigerators
- 3-tick shower fittings
- 2-tick and above LED lights*
- 5-tick air-conditioners
- 3-tick basin taps and mixers
- 3-tick sink/bib taps and mixers
- 3-tick water closets
- 4-tick washing machines
- Direct current fans
- Heat pump water heaters
“By switching to more efficient appliances and fittings, households can reduce their energy and/or water consumption, lower their utility bills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and play their part in slowing down climate change,” the agencies said.
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), 1.1 million HDB households will receive the e-vouchers.
Can be redeemed through RedeemSG portal using Singpass
Come 15 Apr, households can claim their Climate Vouchers by logging in to the RedeemSG portal using their Singpass accounts.
After redemption, they can then present the voucher and proof of address at participating retail outlets. Valid proof of address include:
- Bank statements
- Utility bills
- Singpass mobile application
The vouchers will be valid from 15 Apr 2024 to 31 Dec 2027.
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