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LG Energy Solution to press ahead with record $10.8bn IPO
LG Energy Solution plans to raise as much as 12.75-trillion won ($10.8bn) in what would be South Korea’s biggest initial public offering (IPO), defying concerns over fires involving its batteries that led to a mass recall of Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles.
The company will issue 34-million new shares priced between 257,000 won and 300,000 won each, it said in a filing on Tuesday. Parent LG Chem will sell 850,000 shares, bringing the total to 42.5-million shares, and easily topping a previous Korean record from 2010, when Samsung Life Insurance raised $4.4bn. Retail investors can subscribe on January 18 and 19.
LG Energy, the world’s second-largest battery maker, replaced its CEO in October and set aside $918m to cover costs related to the recall of more than 100,000 Chevrolet Bolts due to battery-fire risks.
That same month, the company signed a deal with Stellantis to build a cell factory in North America. LG Energy is also expected to invest in plants for cylinder-type batteries in North America or Europe, according to Rho Wooho, an analyst at Meriz Securities.
LG Energy’s IPO comes as electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular and widely accepted globally, and with the outlook brightening on more policy support and improvements in battery density and costs.
Passenger EV sales, including plug-in hybrids, are forecast to increase to 14-million in 2025 from 3.1-million in 2020 and represent about 16% of total passenger vehicle sales, according to BloombergNEF. The price of an average battery pack is expected to fall to $93/kWh in 2024, $58/kWh in 2030, and $45/kWh by 2035, BloombergNEF said.
“LG seemed to try to reflect almost all of the cost related to the GM [General Motors] recall in the third quarter, and that means there would be probably no more cost next year,” said Changhyun Jeon, an analyst at IBK Securities.
South Korea’s Kospi is having a relatively subdued 2021, rising about 4% since the start of the year. The index was the second-best performer in the world in 2020, climbing 31%. The country’s stock market is dominated by retail traders, who have bought net $59bn of Kospi shares this year.
Bloomberg News. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
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An Aberdeen hotel has confirmed bookings for its dining domes is now open.
The Chester Hotel on Queen’s Road opened bookings for customers looking to dine in one of its domes at 1pm today.
There are five vented domes available, which can be reserved for groups of up to four for dinner or drinks.
Customers will also need to commit to spending at least £100, with each booking lasting 1 hour and 45 minutes to allow staff to sanitise the area for the next guests.
Owner of the hotel Graham Wood said: “Interest in the domes was phenomenal when we announced them and now that we are safely entering phase three of the Scottish Government recovery roadmap, we’re delighted to offer them for bookings from Wednesday 15 July.
“We’ve been flooded with enquiries about the domes and we had online interest from as far away as New York and Washington, but we think the first dome diners may come from closer to home.”
To book a dome click here.

domain: news


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VoucherHub.com today announced the launch of a new website for finding and sharing online and printable vouchers for food, fashion, travel and services.
From the creators of the most popular American voucher website, RetailMeNot.com, VoucherHub.com is the first website in the UK to introduce the voucher-sharing model without requiring user registration. VoucherHub.com will bring new revenue to the affiliate channel and growth opportunities for UK retailers in the run up to the Christmas shopping season.
The UK market for voucher websites is ripe for innovation. According to new research from Hitwise, UK internet searches for discount vouchers increased by 47.5 percent over the last 12 months.
However, the rise in consumer demand for vouchers has not been matched by growth in traffic to voucher websites, which decreased by five percent over the same period. Consumers’ increasing wariness of opportunistic voucher websites was cited as the reason for this decline in a recent report from Hitwise Research Director Robin Goad.
“VoucherHub.com is committed to putting the consumer first. As RetailMeNot.com has proven, a great user experience is the most important factor in building a loyal and active online community, sustaining web traffic and driving revenue for affiliate partners,” said Alex Rabarts, managing director, VoucherHub.com.
“The voucher website industry in the UK is stagnant and many of the existing players engage in scammy tactics that mislead consumers. This is not a long-term stategy and is already proving unsuccessful in maintaining the user base.”
VoucherHub.com leverages the voucher-sharing model pioneered by RetailMeNot.com. Since it launched in 2006, RtailMeNot.com has experienced an average of 20 percent month over month growth and now sees upwards of 10 milion visitors each month. Retailers generated more than £10.9 million in sales through RetailMeNot.com in July 2009 alone.
In2008, Commission Junction, the leading global provider of affiliate marketing solutions, awarded RetailMeNot.com with the Publisher of the Year award for the largest year-over-year increase in revenue and the greatest percentage of growth.
“In the US market, RetailMeNot.com’s voucher-sharing model has been undeniably successful in creating value for consumers resulting in high volumes of traffic and impressive sales for our US retailers,” said Daniel Powel, head of account management, UK, Commission Junction. “We are delighted that the team has developed a bespoke offering for the UK market and expect to see the same successes here.”
VoucherHub.com, which launches with more than 1,000 online and printable UK vouchers, is compliant with the Internet Advertising Bureau’s (IAB) Affiliate Marketing Council Code of Best Practice for Voucher Code websites.
To view a demo of VoucherHub.com, please visit: http://www.voucherhub.com/tutorial
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WASHINGTON—Americans paid a greater share of the taxes they owe in recent years, according to new estimates from the Internal Revenue Service.
In tax years 2014 through 2016, Americans paid 85% of their taxes on time, up from the agency’s 83.7% estimate for tax years 2011 through 2013, the IRS said Friday. That compliance rate climbed to 87% after IRS enforcement and late payments were included, from 85.9% in the prior estimate. The IRS projects that those higher percentages were consistent for tax years 2017 through 2019.
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ST. LOUIS - Scott Siddens, personal training manager for Wellbridge Athletic Club and Spa, joins us at the station to talk about how Wellbridge is not like your average gym.
Scott talks about the newly opened Wellbridge Athletic Club and Spa in Clayton, Mo. and how they are incorporating many new things at this location.
Wellbridge offers many different workouts such as pilates classes, spin classes, and even new fitness trends like In-Trinity and aerial yoga.
Wellbridge Athletic Club and Spa
7676 Forsyth Blvd #100
Clayton, MO 63105
For more information, visit https://www.wellbridge.com/wellbridge-athletic-club-and-spa/clayton.


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- Universal Revenue ($m) 118, up 23pc from year-earlier 95.7
- Pretax profit ($m) 23.2 v 15.5
- Net profit ($m)15.8 v 10.7
- Interim dividend 5c, payable on May 4
Retailers Universal Store and Dusk will hand back almost $6 million in JobKeeper subsidies after reporting bumper first-half profits as consumers redirected expenditure on travel and eating out to fashion and homewares.
The pair join a growing list of companies that have handed back wage subsidies, including Domino’s, Nick Scali, Adairs, Toyota Australia, Healius, CIMIC and Cochlear.
However, other companies that have reported strong profit growth and higher dividends, including Premier Investments, Accent Group and Harvey Norman, have so far refused to follow suit.
“Universal Store and Dusk have done what every strongly profitable company should be doing – paying back the JobKeeper support that they clearly didn’t need,” said shadow assistant minister for Treasury Dr Andrew Leigh.
“Rather than allowing firms with record profits to claim JobKeeper, the Treasurer should have used his extraordinary discretion to protect the integrity of the JobKeeper scheme,” Dr Leigh said.
“Instead, JobKeeper has been hopelessly mismanaged and shrouded in secrecy. The Morrison government is treating JobKeeper like it’s Liberal Party money, not taxpayer money.”
Universal Store, which sells youth fashion, and Dusk, which sells candles and home fragrances, were the standout performers of almost half a dozen consumer companies that took advantage of the COVID-19-inspired spending boom to float on the Australian stock exchange late last year.
Universal Store’s net profit jumped 48 per cent to $15.8 million as same-store sales in stores rose 19 per cent and online sales soared 128 per cent, lifting total sales 23 per cent to $118 million.
Underlying earnings before interest and tax (before IPO costs) rose 69 per cent to $31.5 million, in line with the retailer’s January guidance, as cost of doing business fell, helped by landlord concessions and wage subsidies, and gross margins rose.
The strong growth stretched into the second half of financial 2021, with same-store sales rising 28.2 per cent in January and February, up from 26.2 per cent in the December half.
Universal Store received $4.4 million in JobKeeper benefits, after temporarily closing stores in Melbourne, and it plans to return the net benefit of $3 million in the June-half.
Chief executive Alice Barbery said the results highlighted the company’s agility to operate in what had been an unpredictable trading environment.
Universal Store raised $148 million in November – $38.4 million in primary issuance and a $109.4 million sell-down by existing shareholders – in the third-largest consumer IPO last year after Adore Beauty and HomeCo Daily Needs.
The shares, issued at $3.80, have risen 60 per cent to $6.10.
Shareholders in the Brisbane-based retailer took advantage of a pandemic-inspired surge in spending to sell down their stakes, just two years after buying the business from founders Michael and Greg Josephson.
Brett Blundy’s BB Retail Capital cut its stake to 16.4 per cent from 38 per cent, Adrian MacKenzie’s Five V Capital to 6.4 per cent from 14.8 per cent, Trent Peterson’s Catalyst Direct Capital Management to 2.15 per cent from 3.6 per cent, and Ray Itaoui’s Mountain View Trust to 6.2 per cent from 14.3 per cent.
Universal Store will pay an interim dividend of 5¢ a share on May 4, after paying out $34 million before the IPO.
Dusk was another COVID-19 winner as people spending more time at home snapped up scented candles, home fragrances and homewares, buying in stores and online.
Net profit jumped 160 per cent to $16.9 million as like-for-like sales soared 49 per cent (store sales rose 44 per cent and online sales 120 per cent) pushing total sales up 55 per cent to $90.9 million.
The first-half result included $2.8 million in net JobKeeper subsidies (Dusk was forced to close stores and stand down staff in Melbourne), which will be returned in the June half.
“While COVID-19 has seen a shift in consumption to home-related products, it should be noted that the December quarter was the 15th consecutive quarter of like-for-like sales and gross margin growth for Dusk,” said chief executive Peter King.
Total sales rose 55.5 per cent in January and February, pointing to a strong second half to financial 2021.
Dusk, previously owned by Brett Blundy’s BB Retail Capital and private equity firm Catalyst, floated in November after raising $70 million. The shares, issued at $2, have risen 45 per cent to $2.90.
Dusk will pay an interim dividend of 15¢ a share on March 26.
Ready-made meals maker Youfoodz swung to a $2.46 million net profit from a previous $1.9 million loss, after receiving $3.5 million in JobKeeper subsidies and booking a $2.1 million Australian Tax Office interest rebate on settlement of indirect tax liabilities.
The company, which has net cash of $35 million after raising $70 million in December, reaffirmed prospectus forecasts and expects full-year revenue to reach $149.9 million.
Gross sales rose 16.5 per cent to $85.8 million in July-December and revenue climbed 15.3 per cent to $73.4 million, with strong growth in direct-to-consumer sales offsetting weaker sales to B2B customers such as supermarkets and convenience stores.
Marketing costs almost doubled while labour costs fell, showing the company is sweating its labour assets while it embarks on expansion.
Youfoodz shares, issued at $1.50, have fallen 37 per cent to 95¢, making it the worst performer among the recent listings. No dividend was declared.
Cash back company Cashrewards fell deeper into the red, as its net loss widened to $14 million from the year-earlier $4.5 million shortfall, even though strong growth in active customers and transactions boosted sales 10 per cent to $10.7 million. Excluding travel, which was previously Cashrewards’ largest category, sales rose 31 per cent.
CEO Bernard Wilson said the bigger loss reflected increased investment in the platform following the company’s November initial public offering, which raised a net $45 million. Staff, marketing and administration costs more than doubled and the IPO itself cost $1.4 million. Cashrewards received almost $500,000 in JobKeeper subsidies and cashflow grants.
“Setting aside the COVID-19-impacted travel segment, we saw our focus and investment translate to very strong increases in ... transaction volume, transaction value and
revenue across all of our core categories, allowing Cashrewards to offset the revenue impact of COVID-19 on travel bookings,” Mr Wilson said.
“Whilst travel still remains impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions, we are beginning to see some early signs of a recovery in domestic travel and, as we enter the second half, we can begin to view any further recovery in travel as upside.”
Cashrewards is 19 per cent owned by the ANZ Bank. The shares were issued at $1.73 and have fallen to $1.71.
Cashrewards plans to use the IPO proceeds to raise awareness, increase customer and merchant numbers, reduce debt, develop new products and defend its turf from its ambitious Singapore-based rival, ShopBack.
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The Platinum Guild International (PGI), the London-based marketing arm for the worldwide platinum industry, this year launches its global branding initiative, “our most significant single project” in 2003, says James Courage, PGI chief executive officer. Details won’t be unveiled to the trade press until May, but Courage recently took time from the project to discuss it with JCK.
“Hitherto a lot of PGI programs around the world have operated according to local market needs,” he explains. “But research shows there’s a lot in common threading through all those markets. Since this is a much more global market overall, with consumers traveling from market to market and other links as well between markets, it’s better to draw our programs together under one brand umbrella.”
PGI’s new program is built on extensive research, including consumer focus groups, conducted during 2001 in PGI’s seven major markets (China, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) “to see where platinum stands globally,” he says.
The surveys found that consumers shared similar opinions about platinum, “whether they are in established markets like Japan or the United States, or newer ones like China and India,” says Courage. They see it as “a very aspirational metal that appeals to young consumers as well as more mature ones.” Respondents also described platinum jewelry as “a reflection of the individual, and of a woman’s inner strength.”
The results confirmed platinum as the metal most strongly associated with bridal jewelry (especially in the United States, Europe, and Japan); indicated “plenty of potential for [marketing platinum jewelry for] significant occasions besides weddings,” specifically in the United States and Europe; a strong desire for self-purchase by younger women in China, and both younger and older women in Japan; and noted Germans’ “special fondness for platinum, especially in more avant-garde designs.”
The overall findings are reassuring, says Courage. “They build up our understanding of those markets and will help us move forward with a more unified look and approach.”
But the yearlong research also found that while “there is much awareness of platinum, there isn’t a deep understanding of it,” he notes. “A lot of people don’t have as much knowledge about it as we would like. There’s a need for people to better understand what platinum is.”
The research results were analyzed late last year and reviewed by PGI’s officers and regional directors at their annual meeting in January, where they began drafting plans for the global project based on the data. PGI is working on details of the project with the London office of Interbrand, an international consultancy specializing in brands, rebranding operations, and brand-related services and activities.
Features of the initiative include the following:
PGI’s new global ad campaign will launch in the second half of this year, featuring “the same look globally” in ads and promotional materials, says Courage. However, “different models will be used in different regions, and jewelry styles featured in the ads will vary a little from market to market (e.g., emphasis on general jewelry in China, on bridal in the U.S. market). No decision had been made at press time as to whether PGI will also promote a signature jewelry piece in its global marketing.
PGI’s Web site (www.preciousplatinum.com) will be expanded and upgraded. “We believe it is a key vehicle to allow people a better opportunity to find out more about platinum, to see the wide range of creations in platinum, and to reach elusive markets like young people,” says Courage.
In addition to its regular training in selling platinum jewelry for jewelers and sales associates, PGI will introduce “a more focused program focusing on those elements a consumer needs to have a better understanding of platinum, such as its relative difference from other precious metals.”
In the United States, the focus continues to be on strengthening platinum jewelry’s growing bridal market, its core business here, but there also will be “a non-bridal element to the program. We see this as an area of strong potential growth,” says Courage. The bridal business “provides a platform of opportunity” on which retailers can build to encourage customers to consider platinum for “important jewelry pieces for [other] special occasions.”
In China—the world’s No. 1 platinum jewelry market since 2001—PGI’s marketing spotlights popular Chinese actress Maggie Chung, “an Audrey Hepburn-type figure,” says Courage. There is “a lot of focus on design,” he says, and PGI also is expanding its marketing (which began in major metropolitan areas) into smaller Chinese cities.
India is a young market for PGI, only two years old. There, the group is focusing on a younger audience and is working with specific manufacturers and retailers to position platinum with diamonds as an “aspirational” jewelry product.
In Italy and Germany, the focus is on bridal as well as some non-bridal fashion jewelry, with PGI spotlighting new designs in Germany and working with manufacturers in Italy on platinum jewelry for export.
Courage declines to say how much PGI is spending on its global initiative but calls it “a significant investment in research, development, and implementation and a significant portion of our budget.”
U.S. Platinum Jewelry Sales*
|Year||Platinum Jewelry SALES||Overall Jewelry Sales|
|*Sources: Estimates by Jewelers of America, based on its “Cost of Doing Business” survey.|
|1999||$987 million||$42.9 billion|
|2000||$957 million||$41.6 billion|
|2001||$934 million||$40.6 billion|
|2002||$973 million (projected)||$42.3 billion (projected)|
|2005||$1.185 billion (projected)||$51.5 billion (projected)|


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It seems as if the Honda Neo-Sports Café platform wasn’t “Neo” enough for Big Red, because we could see yet a newer bike from that family in the near future. Except that this time, it’s electric.
A CB EV could be on the way, based on recent patent filings, Electrek reports. In the patent filings, Honda details a possible EV bike that is based on its CB125R, which is the smallest-displacement motorcycle in Honda’s Neo-Sports Café range.
The filings seem to build off prior patent applications and have stoked speculation, but other precedents give the CB EV some credibility. Back in 2019 Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki reportedly agreed to create a consortium that would explore and develop EV tech in moto applications. About a year later, there was some news on that front, but nothing notable.
Other electric two-wheelers from Honda have also appeared before, such as the PCX Electric from the 45th Tokyo Motor Show in 2017. But that scooter featured what Honda called a Mobile Power Pack, something you can lift out of the scooter and take with you. It’s somewhat like that of recent EV scooters from SEAT and Silence.
But these new patent filings do away with the power packs and show an EV drivetrain that’s a little less mobile and a little more familiar. The alleged EV bike looks as if it carries its battery beneath the “gas tank,” which is fitting even if it does raise questions about weight distribution.
Schematics of the triple clamp show vents that aren’t necessarily a telltale sign of an EV drivetrain until you put them in context with other images from the filings.
Note the airflow in the top view of the triple clamp and gas tank. Those vents seem to be directing airflow around the battery.
And this is not definitive proof of a CB-derived EV, but if such a bike was in the works we might use the 125's specifications to give some context about its performance.
The 2021 CB125R has a single-cylinder 125cc engine that produces a little less than 15 horsepower; it weighs about 287 pounds. With its low output, you might not be surprised that its top speed is just under 75 miles per hour. Sure, it’s not a fast bike, but it’s not necessarily trying to be since it’s part of a lineup of bikes that Honda is pushing for entry-level riders. Oh, and those Honda “tyke bikes” all get over 100 miles per gallon.
We don’t know what the range or power output on this thing is going to be. But we do have a good idea of what kind of market segment this would be targeting. And while a CB EV’s specs are important, it’s that market segment that intrigues me most. Because even though EV bikes have been on the market for a long time, they haven’t enjoyed the success EV cars are beginning to. Why is that?
Well, as so often happens, the problem has been cost. Motorcycles did successfully transition to EVs. They just cost too much. High prices are the their Achilles heel.
But if Honda released an EV CB based on its entry level bike (with comparable output) it would blow the doors off the starter market — which has already enjoyed a boom. Only if it is priced competitively with other entry level ICE bikes, including Honda’s own. It wouldn’t have to cost less, or the same as its stablemates, but its price increase would have to be reasonably matched to its tech.


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At the Mobile World Congress show, I discovered that solar power might be the answer.
While companies like Huawei have begun work on their own solar-powered base stations, others, like VNL, have gone much farther. VNL says it spent the past six years completely redesigning its GSM solutions to come up with something that works and is economical, in areas that otherwise couldn't be served.
VNL Chairman Rajiv Mehrotra said that of the 6 billion people on the planet, 1.6 billion had no electricity and 1.1 billion had only spotty service, which was why the company created its own solar-powered base station. He said this station, which appears in the accompanying slideshow, can run on 55 watts of power, in contrast with the 2 kilowatts that most base stations require; and it can work in environments where you get one day of sunshine followed by three days without. It involves reusing chips used in consumer electronics.
The economics are interesting. Mehrotra said that used handsets are available for about $10, with new ones $20 to $30. He said the base station itself costs about $15,000 with essentially no operating expense. Therefore, if a village has 1,000 people who could pay $2 a month, it would be a good business for a local entrepreneur.
Allowing rural people access to mobile communications is often a way of bringing health care, education, and business to rural communities. Solutions like this one are clearly important in making such communications more available. Originally posted to Michael Miller's blog, Forward Thinking.


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News & Press Releases
Black Market Traders Cash in on Fake COVID-19 Vaccination RecordsZDNet | Oct 20, 2021
COVID-19 prompted panic buying and price hikes for basic necessities worldwide when the pandemic first hit. However, once vaccines were developed, a market was born out of consumers who wanted their shots as quickly as possible.
Ransomware's Evolution: 6 Key Trends to WatchTechBeacon | Oct 18, 2021
Ransomware has become a global menace, that costs organizations billions of dollars in extortion payments, and even more in downtime.
Telegram Bots, a New Way Used by Hackers to Access OTPsThe Digital Hacker | Oct 17, 2021
When we talk about online privacy and protection, the very first thing that comes in our mind is Two Factor Authentication (2FA). Surprisingly, cybercriminals are attempting to try new ways on how to bypass this protection so as to access the One Time Passwords (OTPs) of the users.
Attackers Use Bots to Circumvent Some Two-Factor Authentication SystemseSecurity Planet | Sep 30, 2021
Underground services are cropping up that are designed to enable bad actors to intercept one-time passwords (OTPs), which are widely used in two-factor authentication programs whose purpose is to better protect customers’ online accounts
Telegram Bots are Trying to Steal Your One-Time PasswordsZDNet | Sep 29, 2021
On Wednesday, researchers from Intel 471 said that they have seen an "uptick" in the number of these services provided in the web's underground, and over the past few months, it appears the variety of 2FA circumvention solutions is expanding -- with bots becoming a firm favorite.
Telegram Bots Allowing Hackers to Steal OTP CodesSearch Security | Sep 29, 2021
Cybercriminals are taking advantage of scripting tools to create bots in the Telegram chat app that make account theft and bank fraud easier than before.
The Rise of One-Time Password Interception BotsKrebs on Security | Sep 29, 2021
In February, KrebsOnSecurity wrote about a novel cybercrime service that helped attackers intercept the one-time passwords (OTPs) that many websites require as a second authentication factor in addition to passwords.
Leveraging Threat Intelligence to Tackle Supply Chain VulnerabilitiesHelp Net Security | Sep 29, 2021
In this interview with Help Net Security, Brandon Hoffman, CISO at Intel 471, talks about the growing threat of supply chain attacks, the most common supply chain vulnerabilities and how the right threat intelligence can help stay on top of these threats.


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August 19, 2011 |
NEW DELHI: Taking an aggressive stance, Honda India slashed price of its Jazz hatchback by Rs 1.6 lakh on Thursday to gain a foothold in the competitive compact car market. The Jazz price cut comes two months after the company had cut the price of its City sedan by Rs 66,000. The country's most expensive hatchback Jazz was not able to gather substantial volumes since its launch in June 2009 due to its Rs 7 lakh-plus (Delhi, ex-showroom) price tag. Monthly volumes had slipped to 250 units recently against the average 500 units it was doing last year.
January 13, 2005 |
NEW DELHI: With the recent motown debutantes Hyundai Getz and Ford Fusion gaining acceptance among the Indian buyers, a host of global car makers ? led by Skoda, General Motors and Fiat ? are gearing up to drive into this emerging premium hatchback market in India. While Skoda plans to roll out a hatchback version of its entry-level mid-sizer Fabia in India later this year, industry observers pointed out that GM ? incidentally among the first players to enter the premium hatchback market with Corsa Sail ?
May 7, 2008 |
NEW DELHI: Japanese automaker Nissan is all set to kick off fresh competition in India as it plans six new launches by 2012, including a hatchback car in the volume segment and commercial vehicles. The small car will be produced at its upcoming Chennai factory, slated to start production by 2010, a senior company official said. While Nissan will source Maruti-Suzuki's yet-to-be-launched compact 'A-Star' for selling in the European market, it will also export the small car from India.
October 10, 2011 |
MUMBAI: Czech automaker Skoda is lining up a new compact car Citigo for India, the small car originally planned for Europe. The company has not been able to crack the bigvolume compact car segment in India with the Fabia, and it now plans to launch new products in the lower-end of the market to corner higher numbers and market share. "The Citigo, which is mainly a small car for Europe, also has a potential in a market like India," Skoda Auto Global chairman Winfried Vahland told TOI here.
October 4, 2001 |
new delhi: in true bollywood style, the hatchbacks seem to be staging a comeback on the indian auto mart. if the half-yearly figures announced by carmakers are an indication of the year to follow, the premium small cars will emerge the front-runners all over again. while total car sales slumped by over 6 per cent in the first half of the 2001-02 fiscal, the b-(zen, santro, indica) segment zoomed ahead with an average 20 per cent growth. the ongoing recession in the market and the cut in corporate purchases took its toll on the mid-segment, and the manufacturers saw sales lose steam.
May 2, 2013 |
Residents applaud the city police directive that requires apartments to install CCTVs to increase security When Supriya S found her parked car badly dented and no sign of the perpetrator at an apartment complex that she had visited, she had little hope of recovering damages. But as luck would have it, the apartment complex had functional surveillance cameras at strategic locations, which helped her not just figure out the culprit â€" a lady driving a small hatchback â€" but also the time when she came and left the apartment.
August 26, 2004 |
NEW DELHI: Ford Motor Company on Wednesday announced plans to drive into the now-emerging premium hatchback car market in India with Fusion, slated for commercial roll-out by December. The firm has already prepared the prototype for the vehicle and would start production soon, Ford India MD David Friedman said. Fusion, he said, has been positioned as a crossover between a mid-sized car and SUV. While he refused to comment on its price positioning saying "We have not deliberated on the price yet", sources pointed out that Fusion is expected to sport a tag of around Rs 5-7 lakh.
May 31, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Mercedes Benz made an audacious attempt on Thursday to catch compact car lovers' fancy in India as it drove in the A-Class hatchback at a hefty entry price of Rs 21.93 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai). However, the car is not expected to make much headway, considering the love of Indians to "buy big (read sedans and SUVs) when paying big" . The new generation AClass , which has been a hit in Europe after its launch nearly six months back, will be available in both petrol and diesel versions , unlike Mercedes' BClass super-hatch that debuted only with a petrol engine.
October 23, 2012 |
Despite a 36% slide in sales since January this year, General Motors India is stepping on the gas to improve its performance before the festival season with the launch of the Sail-UVA premium hatch in two weeks and the multi purpose vehicle Enjoy later in the year. The company has also bought back most of the 50% stake in its Indian operations that it had sold to Chinese partner SAIC Motor Corp. In a chat with TOI, GM India MD and president Lowell Paddock talks about price hikes and discounts, new models and GM's future plans.
July 31, 2005 |
BANGALORE: The Toyota Aygo, which is the current flavour of the season in Europe, could well be the Japanese multinational's first hatchback in India. Aygo is leading the race now, ahead of other Toyota-Daihatsu models such as Passo, Boon and Yaris, said sources. There are a few reasons why Toyota can't keep away from the Indian hatchback mart anymore. For starters Toyota has taken note of Swift's exceptional debut, and it has further realised the potential of launching a sub Rs 5-lakh car. GM and Honda are now busy putting together its small car plans, and Toyota cannot keep away any further.


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In what PhoneArena calls a "leaked internal memo," launch dates for the Verizon versions of the HTC One and the upcoming Moto X are allegedly revealed - August 1st and August 23rd, respectively. It also adds to the growing pile of evidence that the Moto X will be coming to Verizon sans-DROID branding. Is there any reason to take stock in this rather generic looking document, though?
My gut leaning is "yes," but there are caveats to leaked internal communications like these. Read More
Looking for a great deal on the 32GB version of Verizon's Galaxy S4? Well, too bad - you aren't going to find one. Big Red is hoarding the supply of handsets like they're the only bar in a dry county, and it's their way or the highway. Verizon originally announced the 32GB S4 would be available for a staggering (but utterly believable) $299 on contract, $100 more than the 16GB edition, despite the fact that it was actually only $50 more off contract. Read More
Sprint announced in a press release this afternoon that SoftBank's acquisition of the Sprint Corporation had officially been completed. The two companies announced a mutual interest back in October of last year. After struggling with competing bids from Dish Network, SoftBank received its final regulatory approval for the merger from the FCC just a week ago.
The merger gives SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son overarching control of Sprint as chairman of the Sprint board of directors, though Dan Hesse will stay on as the Sprint Corporation's CEO. Read More
T-Mobile just announced its new JUMP! upgrade plan (no more caps after that, I promise), and it's really, really different. Really, really. As far as I am aware, no other mobile network in the world has a smartphone upgrade plan like this. If you haven't already read about the basics on Jump, let me break it down for you.
Jump allows you to upgrade your T-Mobile smartphone on one of the carrier's new Simple Choice plans every 6 months. Read More
T-Mobile's "Un-carrier" re-branding changed the game. It took what those of us in the US know about wireless contracts, threw that out the window, and offered something different. And the company is excited about that. This morning, T-Mobile CEO John Legere took the stage in New York to not only talk about the tremendous growth the company has seen since launching its Un-carrier initiative, but also to announce more new features – the company's boldest moves yet. Read More
While LG originally announced the Optimus G Pro "Value Pack" back in March, at the time it was in reference to the Korean version of the device. The G Pro has since been released on AT&T Value Packless, but it appears that's finally changing: LG has officially announced that the VP upgrade will be hitting AT&T G Pro handsets very soon. While it sadly does not include an Android version bump, it does add a host of new features. Read More
Motorola has new phones for Verizon coming very soon, in case you hadn't heard. We've already seen a pretty convincing leak of the DROID MAXX, a Kevlar-cloaked updated version of Moto's DROID RAZR MAXX HD. Leakster extraordinaire Evleaks just posted another press shot, this time showing off the DROID Mini (or possibly MINI) next to the DROID Ultra and the nearly identical DROID MAXX with a bigger battery. The Mini and Ultra are assumed to be updated versions of the DROID RAZR M and DROID RAZR HD, respectively. Read More
Samsung Galaxy S4 owners on Verizon, there's a new update available for your phones. But don't bother checking your Settings menu for an over-the-air prompt: it's only available via the Verizon Software Upgrade Assistant after connecting the device to a PC. Standard users should be fine, but rooted users (or those who intend to root or flash a new ROM sometime in the future) should avoid this one. According to several posters on XDA, the VRUAME7 patches existing root methods, and flashes a new version of the locked bootloader that prevents users from flashing a pre-release kernel, effectively blocking another path to root. Read More
Verizon has announced a pair of OTA updates for the RAZR HD (HD MAXX) and RAZR M, bringing a suite of enhancements and bug fixes to the two handsets.
Both updates include new versions of Backup Assistant and Motorola's Smartactions, as well as improved GPS reliability, increased stability, improved Bluetooth connectivity, SMS fixes, and support for VMware Horizon Mobile. Various security fixes from Google are also included. If your device is rooted, as always, be wary of downloading these updates, which should be rolling out in the next week or two. Read More
Samsung has been muddying the waters of the Galaxy brand ever since it launched, and the Galaxy S4 has been sent to new depths, with no less than three "S4" variants following the original's release by only a few months. But the Galaxy S4 Active - the sporty, tough, waterproof version of Samsung's flagship - is the first of the company's myriad extended line that actually deserves the same name as its more mainstream brother. Read More


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Apple's major overhaul of its iOS operating system arrives today, but amidst the excitement comes a major concern: Will iOS 5 function properly on older model iPhones? Or will there be an added circle of bricked-iPhone hell comparable to what happene...
iPhone Centre - News
It took some time for push notifications to arrive on the iOS platform; they didn’t become a feature until the June 2009 release of what was then called iPhone 3.0. And it’s fair to say that, up until now, the feature hasn’t really been worth the wai...
Telstra has released its pricing and plan details for Apple's iPhone 4S, just two days before its official launch on Friday 14 October.
After last week’s iPhone 4S unveiling Siri was one of the most talked-about features. With Siri, the iPhone 4S will be able to answer just about anything you ask it, from the weather report to nearby points of interest.
Apple on Monday announced that customers placed more than one million preorders for the new iPhone 4S on the first day of availability, topping Apple's previous record - 600,000 iPhone 4 preorders on that device's first day.
Apple Chairman Steve Jobs has died at age 56, according to reports. The Apple.com Web site is featuring Steve Jobs with the dates 1955 - 2011.
Apple baked in iOS 5 a surprise feature that allows you to have a conversation with your phone. It's called Siri: a voice-enabled personal assistant feature that uses the built-in Apple apps on an iPhone to find the information you ask it for.
Apple will launch an LTE-capable handset just as soon as an affordable, thinner chipset solution is available, analyst house IHS iSuppli has said.
Apple surprised many people when it introduced its new iPhone 4S - not because people weren't expecting a phone. They were just expecting a different one.
A new iPhone is here and it’s called the iPhone 4S. Featuring an identical physical design to the previous iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S (like the iPhone 3GS before it) is betting on upgraded internals win over the crowd.
Improved battery life and a larger screen are the two most requested user features of the upcoming iPhone 5, according to a poll conducted by PC World Australia.
The particulars of any new iPhone Apple may or may not announce next Tuesday remain anyone's guess. But we can say with confidence that next week's iPhone-related Apple event will almost certainly feature an appearance by the finished version of iOS ...
The new iPhone that Apple is expected to announce on Oct. 4 is already on the shopping list of many BlackBerry and Android users.
Now that Apple has announced an October 4 iPhone event, the time to speculate on when exactly the company would hold its fall event is over. But the time to speculate on what the company will announce at that event has just begun.
Apple has finally revealed the date it is expected to unveil its next-generation iPhone, the iPhone 5. The company sent out invitations to the media overnight for an event on Wednesday morning 5 October (Australian time).
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.
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Bromley graduate wins ‘chance of a lifetime’ to edit fashion magazine
PUBLISHED: 17:02 17 September 2012
Fashion graduate Mariella Agapiou scooped the chance of a lifetime to help edit this month’s Elle magazine.
The 23-year-old, from Bromley, was one of 11 interns who compiled the October issue of the world’s biggest fashion magazine.
Mariella, who studied at the University for the Creative Arts at Epsom, won the features editor position but says the experience was nothing like The Devil Wears Prada.
“I learned so much about the production and planning that goes into making such a fabulous title,” she said. “I’m certain those skills will be with me throughout my career and will help me land my dream job.”
The Edited by the Interns 2012 initiative is designed to nurture new talent and help rising fashion and media stars launch their careers in publishing.
The October issue of Elle is currently on sale.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Bromley Times. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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The New York Cosmos professional soccer team will return to the pitch on Aug. 3 at Hofstra’s James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead.Read More »
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Pure Barre franchisees are currently scouting space for a 1,500- to 2,500-square-foot studio in the Manhasset, Port Washington and Roslyn areas.Read More »
A Long Island native who angel-funded a local software startup has landed atop a new tech company carving swaths through the fitness and leisure market.
Tagged with: Angel Network angel-funded applications apps EZFacility financing fitness fitness centers funding gyms health clubs Jonas Fitness Jonas Software L.A. Fitness Leisure New York Sports Clubs Racquet and Sportsclub Association science software sports facilities startups Technology The International Health web-based softwareRead More »
Toni Contino General Manager/Owner, Mitch and Toni’s American Bistro Contino brought more than a decade of sales and managerial experience to the Albertson restaurant, which she launched last year with chef/owner Mitchell SuDock. Contino began working with SuDock in 2003 ...
Tagged with: catering chefs cooking hospitality Leisure Long Island Hospitality Ball Mitch and Toni’s American Bistro Phao and Sen restaurants Shiro of Japan The Backyard Restaurant at Solé East The Inn at Great NeckRead More »
The time is right now to be a corporate event planner. The business retreat, sales convention and fund-raising dinner-dance survived the recession just fine, and with finances slowly improving, companies are planning more – and more elaborate – shindigs. Several ...
Tagged with: business retreat campus auditoriums catering catering halls corporate event planner Cradle of Aviation Museum Economy Event planning fund-raising dinner-dance holiday parties hospitality hotels IBISWorld Island venues Leisure Philip Stone Caterers recession sales convention trade show U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Ultimate GagaRead More »
If the bride walking down the aisle wants to check on table centerpieces at the reception, the Inn at New Hyde Park has her covered. Well, few brides are quite that obsessively in need of connection, but the Inn at ...
Tagged with: applications apps blogs bride Facebook groom Gurney's Inn hospitality Inn at New Hyde Park Leisure marriage message boards mobile phones Newsday Smartphone social media Technology The Projekt Twitter Ultimate Class Limousine website wedding entertainment wedding industry wedding music wedding planning weddingsRead More »
Before choosing the beds for the Viana Hotel and Spa, management went to the mattresses. As in lining up about a dozen of them in the ballroom of one of its other properties, with several executives giving them a test ...
Tagged with: absinthe beauty rest beauty sleep bedding comfort comforters Harborfront Inn Hilton hospitality hoteliers hotels Hyatt King Koil Leisure mattress mattresses pillows relaxation rest sheets sleep The Hedges Inn Viana Hotel and SpaRead More »
John Tavares might want to start brushing up on his French. The New York Islanders’ star could be heading back to his native Canada, along with the rest of the team, now that a proposal to build an 18,000-seat state-of-the-art ...Read More »


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Lady Gaga's meat dress is an unforgettable moment in fashion history. Making its debut at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, the infamous dress remains one of the singer's most outrageous outfits to date, and everyone has an opinion on the look — including Billie Eilish.
During a recent interview with Variety, Billie revealed that she, like the rest of us, loves to watch award shows for the fashions. As part of the interview, Billie was quizzed for her thoughts on past Lady Gaga outfits and when the topic of the meat dress came up, she replied with a simple "Yikes."
There is no way of knowing how Billie’s small interjection was intended, whether it was that the dress was made of meat (Billie is a vegan, after all) or maybe she just didn't like it. Whatever the case, she's totally allowed to have her own opinion. But unfortunately, as Cosmopolitan noted, many are taking the remark as an excuse to "cancel" Billie.
According to the magazine, the hashtag #BillieEilishIsOverParty began trending on Twitter after the clip was made public. Some Little Monsters were quick to call for a cancellation of the 17-year-old, but others defended the singer.
One fan pointed out that yes, let's be honest, the dress was weird, and tweeted, "We spent a solid year roasting her for it." Another person agreed, writing, "Dude I've been a Gaga fan since the beginning. & even I'm not mad at Billie Eilish. Y'all are just sad for trying to cancel a 17 year old VEGAN for her own opinions/beliefs. Like you think Gaga was bothered by all the opinions back then, let alone now?"


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EA have announced that their free to play FIFA game has now entered open beta on PC.
The aim of FIFA World is to create an accessible football game for every type of player to enjoy.
“By bringing the FIFA franchise to the PC platform as a free-to-play game, we give millions of new fans their chance to experience the authentic FIFA experience, with award-winning gameplay and licensed leagues,” said Producer Alex Grimbley. “At the same time, existing FIFA fans now have a new way to enjoy the game they already love, with fresh daily content and the ability to play on almost any PC.”
FIFA World is available to download from Origin.


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A new retail outlet to be named “Shore” is set to open at the former “Steamers Traders” premises on the ground floor of the Windsor Court development on Penarth Esplanade.
The premises have been vacant for some time but have now been leased by a new company Shore Penarth Ltd .
Earlier this year there were reports that the Ludlow Lane retailers Hamptons were planning to acquire the lease on the premises .
Shore Penarth Ltd, however, is an entirely separate entity from Hamptons even though it is run by the same directors – Andrew Bradshaw and Peter Knowles and is registered at the same address as Hamptons .
One of the windows of the seafront shop will be entirely taken up by a “Shore” logo and its slogan “Life is better …at the beach”.
Proposals for the exterior signage for the new business have been submitted for planning consent to the Vale of Glamorgan Council .
The new store currently being renovated and painted prior to opening later this month. It will stock a wide range of gifts and accessories.


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Showing news from:
TechInsights outlines trends shaping the global patent space in 2015
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Pressures on patent system challenge extraction of patent value.
2014 was a year in which patents were rarely out of the news. We expected significant clarification to arise from cases working through the US Supreme Court, but by the end of the year, there was still uncertainty.
TechInsights Japan K.K. Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary, adds VP Patent Brokerage
Monday, January 05, 2015
Following the recent celebration of the tenth anniversary of Tokyo-based TechInsights Japan K.K., we are pleased to announce the expansion of our Japanese leadership team.
The much anticipated Intel 14 nm is finally here!
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
TechInsights is analyzing the Intel 5Y70 processor fabricated using Intel's state-of-the-art 14 nm Tri-gate (finFET) CMOS process.
TechInsights hires intellectual property & technology veteran Dave Cordeiro
Monday, October 06, 2014
Further expands global patent brokerage team
TechInsights, the leading provider of intellectual property (IP) consulting, patent brokerage and technical analysis services, is delighted to announce that Dave Cordeiro has joined as Vice President, Commercial Transactions.
TechInsights and Teardown.com analyze the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
Friday, September 26, 2014
Larger displays, longer battery life and NFC offer more features but increase costs
This September, Apple launched their newest flagship smartphone products, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, making a long anticipated move to larger screen devices to compete directly with Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 and LG's G3. TechInsights' Teardown.com has put both new iPhones under the microscope to see how their costs compare.
Intel's Embedded DRAM: New Era of Cache Memory
Thursday, August 07, 2014
Overcoming SRAM’s scaling
Two industry giants -- Intel and Samsung -- expressed their frustration with SRAM scaling at this year's International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in February.
Micron Wins Insight Award for Most Innovative Memory Device and Semiconductor of the Year
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Micron continues leadership in advanced memory technology with introduction of its 16 nm NAND flash memory in 2014.
TechInsights, the leader in technology and IP consulting, is pleased to honor Micron with the Insight Award for Semiconductor of the year, for their introduction of the first 16 nanometer (nm) NAND flash process technology on the market.
TechInsights Celebrates its 25 Year Anniversary
Friday, June 27, 2014
Ottawa headquartered intellectual property & technology consulting firm has delivered valuable insights to patent owners since 1989.
TechInsights, the preeminent provider of sophisticated intellectual property consulting, technical services and patent brokerage, celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary today.
TechInsights executives recognized as outstanding IP Strategists
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Mike McLean and Art Monk identified in 2014 list of World's Leading IP Strategists by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM).
TechInsights, the preeminent provider of sophisticated intellectual property consulting, technical services and patent brokerage, announced today that two of their senior executives have been named to the IAM Strategy 300 – the World's Leading IP Strategists 2014.
TechInsights' story featured in local media
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
TechInsights Celebrates 25 Years of Business Success
This month, TechInsights celebrates 25 years of successful business. Read about our history here.
Showing news from:


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Senate Calls For Tighter Pet Food Standards
Wednesday, May 2nd 2007, 6:48 pm
News On 6
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Responding to the massive recall of cat and dog food, the Senate voted Wednesday in favor of stricter production and labeling standards so people have more information about what they are feeding their pets.
The 94-0 vote was on an amendment by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., to broader legislation related to the Food and Drug Administration.
The amendment also called on the government to create a pet version of the system that now tracks food contamination and outbreaks of illness and death in people. The lack of such a system for pets became apparent in the recent recall of more than 100 brands of dog and cat food made with contaminated ingredients imported from China.
The FDA has confirmed the deaths of 16 pets that had eaten the contaminated food. The agency said, however, that pet owners have reported the deaths of about 1,950 cats and 2,200 dogs. It was not known how many of those were linked to the recalled pet food.
The amendment would require the FDA to establish a registry to collect information on cases of suspected food contamination to improve surveillance and increase public awareness of potential problems with the food supply. Companies would face fines if they failed to report cases of suspected contamination for inclusion in the early warning system.
``Today it was your cat or dog, tomorrow it could be someone in your family you love,'' Durbin said in explaining the need to strengthen the food safety system.
The amendment was adapted from legislation introduced Tuesday in both the Senate and House. The amendment did not include a proposal, contained in the original bill, that would give the FDA the authority to mandate recalls of contaminated or dangerous food. Durbin said that provision would be taken up later.
The Senate is debating a bill this week to renew the fees paid by the pharmaceutical companies seeking approval for new medicines. Lawmakers have seized on the legislation to overhaul the FDA, offering amendments on everything from the importation of prescription drugs to pet turtle farming.
The bill will not include any mechanism that would allow FDA to approve generic versions of expensive biotech drugs. A Senate committee will take up such legislation June 13, lawmakers said.


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Early this year, Winchester unveiled a new ammo choice, a 9mm steel-cased load with a high-round count and lower price point.
The new ammo is made in Winchester’s Oxford, Mississippi plant. Called USA Forged, the ammo is the first from a major American manufacturer to have a steel case in 9mm caliber.
Steel-cased pistol ammunition is normally sourced in other countries, like Turkey, Italy, or Mexico. It’s generally more economical than brass-cased ammo. Winchester’s USA Forged gives shooters who want to buy American and save money a new and attainable choice. The ammo Is available now at many major retailers.
“USA Forged is proof that better products can be made right here in the United States while driving value for the consumer,” said Brett Flaugher, Winchester Ammunition vice president of marketing, sales and strategy.
USA Forged brand casings are coated with a proprietary substance said to enhance reliability and corrosion resistance. The boxer primers and clean-burning powder used in manufacturing mean the ammunition is suitable for extended shooting sessions.
A brass jacket covers the 115 grain lead bullet. Winchester stats show a muzzle velocity of 1,190 feet per second.
Current packaging is limited to a 150-round box. Prices as of this writing are $31-36 per box, putting the USA Forged brand neck-and-neck with foreign loads where price is concerned.


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The Highcharts Ruby SDK by Nick Willever communicates with the API to access charts categories. It aims to assist developers in the creation of data visualization applications. Installation and usage available.
karmadata, a collaborative information service and platform, announced the launch of the new karmadata website and industry data platform at the 2013 Data 2.0 Summit that took place in San Francisco on April 30th. In addition, karmadata announced the launch of the brand new karmadata API that provides developers access to standardized linked data sets for specific industries including Energy, Healthcare, Legal, Technology and Socioeconomics.
Today, Golgi opened its doors with a mission to kill the spinning wheel icon that displays while poor-performing apps struggle to load and update. Golgi’s data transfer platform allows apps to receive information 20 times faster. On the eve of Golgi’s launch, ProgrammableWeb caught up with CTO Brian Kelly to better understand the platform.


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Just got back from your five star holiday? You better think twice about changing your profile picture as its revealed that online profiles featuring over the top poses or bikini shots have a negative effect on strangers.
The study found that it takes just five and a half minutes of seeing an online profile or picture for social networkers to determine whether youre worthy of their friendship.
But while many people are more concerned with managing their real life image managing your online presence is becoming just as important.
Online reputation management firm Reputation 24/7 which conducted the research said: 'Seeing a profile on a social networking site will only tell you so much about a person so it's easy to jump to conclusions, especially if an individual has outlandish pictures or expresses particular strong views online.
Adding: 'Information about you can be accessed by thousands if not millions of people so it's important that your image online is enhancing your personality and presence and not hindering it.
Keep your holiday to yourself with our best unusual places to stay in the UK.


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Risks in the U.S. economy are now balanced, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Tuesday, signaling the central bank may be ready to lower interest rates.
In fact, in light of recent stock market action, signs of an easing in labor market conditions in unemployment insurance claims and tighter credit standards, Greenspan sees risks that current monetary policy may be too restrictive.
"One must remain alert to the possibility that greater caution and weakening asset values in financial markets could signal or precipitate an excessive softening in household and business spending," Greenspan told America's Community Bankers meeting in New York. A copy of his remarks was available in Washington.
Accordingly, the nation's chief monetary policymaker warned the banking group that they shouldn't become so restrictive in granting loans to businesses and individuals that they jeopardize the expansion.
He did say that the lending tightening already underway and even credit defaults for many technology and other fast-growth companies falls short of the credit crunch of 1998.
Higher capital costs have restrained business spending and have reduced earnings, although long-term earnings prospects remain encouraging, Greenspan said. Still, "the wealth effect that spurred consumer spending is being significantly attenuated," he said.
Economy has moderated
"The pace of expansion of economic activity has moderated appreciably, in part as tighter financial conditions have had some impact on interest-sensitive areas of the economy," Greenspan said.
The Fed raised its key bank-lending target by 1.75 points between June 1999 and May 2000.
Most economists expect Greenspan and his colleagues to drop their so-called bias toward fighting inflation when the panel meets on Dec. 19. Expectations are for a rate cut in the first part of 2001.
The Fed chief did sound some caution at still-high levels for energy prices.
"If accommodated by monetary policy, the jump in energy prices could spill over into general inflation and inflationary expectations, as was so evident in the 1970s," he said.
But he said that higher energy prices have acted as a "tax" in holding down spending, and businesses have been limited in raising their prices to match higher energy costs by stiff business competition.
He remained upbeat on consumer confidence, as well as a recent rebound in demand for the high-tech equipment that has kept productivity levels so strong, if off the pace of earlier in the expansion.


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Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, GM, GMC, Diesel
The market for midsize pickup trucks has all but been abandoned in the US, but General Motors is about to shake the market up with the all-new (to the US) Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. Launching next year, GM already told us that its new trucks would be a “fuel-efficient alternative” to fullsize trucks, and aside from the smaller size, Automotive News says that these trucks will accomplish this with a diesel engine.
According to the AN report, the next-gen Colorado and Canyon will offer a small, four-cylinder Duramax turbo diesel with a displacement of either 2.5 or 2.8 liters – both engines are currently used in this truck for other markets. This would allow GM to join the Cummins-powered Nissan Titan and Ram 1500 EcoDiesel as the only non-HD trucks in the US to offer diesel. The article goes on to say that the diesel versions of the Colorado and Canyon would launch about a year after the trucks go into production in fall of 2014.
Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon midsize pickup trucks to get diesel engines originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Aug 2013 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The study is an ambitious attempt to finally answer advertisers' famous question first voiced by Philadelphia retailer John Wanamaker in the late 1800's: "I know half of my advertising is wasted, but don't know which half." To learn that, the study will ask consumers how receptive they are to ads about certain types of products within certain media, including TV, print and Web sites.
The pilot study, launching next month, will ask 1,000 consumers by mail what media they consume, then later question how interested they are in ads in some 85 categories ranging from automobiles to IRAs to yogurt. The researchers believe they can match answers to provide insight into which which product categories have the most ad-receptive users and in which media those ads might be the most efficacious.
"Given the person is a fan of `Friends,' `ER' or `Survivor' this is a way of looking at how receptive they are to advertising for, say, new cars," said Ed Papazian, president of Media Dynamics, which has partnered with researcher Mike Ephron and Conde Nast Publications' Senior VP-Market Research Steve Blacker for the project. For agencies and their clients, the study's results can help devise a media plan or gauge a current one. For media companies, evidence showing their medium works for specific categories could help them better target advertisers.
Barry Fischer, exec VP-marketing and research, AOL Time Warner's TBS, said it could help cable channels show that ads are as effective on cable as they are on broadcast, even though the reach may be different.
Results should be available in June and the researchers hope to use the results to upgrade to a study of some 10,000 individuals in November. Currently 21 sponsors are on board, five from the media-buying side and the remainder from media outlets. Media companies are paying an estimated $7,500 to take part, while agencies get a slight discount. Other entities can purchase the results.
ALL OVER THE MAP
Mr. Papazian concedes results could be , but that alone will be telling. For example, it may show consumers are largely unaffected by ads for laundry detergents, but "that people are so barraged by ads for fast-food, cars and so on that they have formed a mindset/opinion the ads are helpful, they're not helpful, they're lying to me. ..."
The researchers do not intend to replace research done by MRI or Nielsen Media Research, but to supplement it. "Those are good currencies, this is something to add to the media mix. ... I think the business has become too just numbers-driven and this will provide some needed perspective," Mr. Blacker said.
Said Ken Meltser, Meredith's magazine advertising research director: "It's a test. We have no idea what's going to happen. But it's kind of an intelligent, educated crapshoot on our part."
What: A study to try to measure ad receptivity in multiple media outlets
Researchers: Ed Papazian, Mike Ephron, Steve Blacker
Broadcast Sponsors: CBS, ABC
Cable Sponsors: Turner Broadcasting, Discovery Channel, A&E
Print Sponsors: American Express Publishing, Conde Nast Publications, Hachette Filipacchi Media, Hearst Magazines, Gruner & Jahr USA, National Geographic, Meredith Corp., Smithsonian, Reader's Digest, The Wall Street Journal
Online Sponsor: AOL


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THE news that the Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of regulations for a deposit return scheme (DRS) has been met with a mixed response.
British Glass said that it will work ‘to minimise the damage to the Scottish glass industry’ that it expects DRS to cause. Commenting on the news of the vote, the industry body’s CEO, Dave Dalton, said, “We were not alone in asking the Scottish Government to delay the DRS regulations until the impact of COVID-19 is known. Many businesses, including those part of our industry and supply chain are not in the position to face the additional burden the scheme will place on them.
“We continue to believe an alternative Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model would increase the recycling rates of glass, be more cost-effective and offer double the CO2 savings than a DRS in Scotland.
“Although we do not believe a DRS is the right solution for glass recycling, we will work with the Scottish Government and the scheme administrator to minimise the damage to the Scottish glass industry and to ensure the highest possible recycling rates to provide the vital quality and quantity of cullet needed for our glass manufacturers.”
The Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) said that the evidence on which the DRS is based on will change, once the Covid-19 restrictions start easing.
Colin Smith, SWA chief executive, said, “Scotland’s food and drink wholesalers will be bitterly disappointed that the DRS regulations have been passed by Parliament rather than being halted and revisited after Covid-19 disruption has dissipated.
“This is meant to be an evidence-based policy but the evidence on which it is built – container numbers, return points, queueing spaces, online food shopping – will have fundamentally changed as business exits Covid-19.
“Wholesalers and others in food and drink are already under intense pressure with some businesses fighting for their very survival – there will be no time or money to spend trying to assist the Scottish Government or a still-to-be formed Scheme Administrator to set up the DRS.”
However, The Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN), the Scottish Grocers Federation (SGF) and the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) expressed their approval of the scheme moving forward and their intent to continue to help shape it.
ACS chief executive, James Lowman, said, “We’re pleased that the Scottish Government has taken the concerns of local shops into consideration with regards to the regulations for implementing a scheme. This is only the beginning of a long and complex journey, and we are committed to working with the Scottish Government and the scheme administrator to deliver a workable scheme.”
NFRN national president, Stuart Reddish, added, “With the passing of the regulations by the Scottish Parliament it is now important that progress is made in delivering a robust scheme that works for retailers and customers alike”
SGF chief executive, Pete Cheema OBE, commented, “We are now moving into the next phase of DRS and the response from industry will be crucial. We remain concerned about the impact of the current COVID crisis on businesses and their ability to plan for and invest in the scheme. However, we look forward to working with the scheme administrator once it is formed and indeed would welcome the opportunity to be part of it.”


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Economy stops people from buying cars
Consumers frightened by the prospect of losing their jobs stayed away from auto showrooms again in January and sent U.S. car and truck sales falling 37 percent, a familiar refrain for the struggling industry but an unwelcome start to a critical year for U.S. carmakers.
Devastated by an economy in which few people have the spare cash to buy a car or can obtain the necessary financing, Chrysler's domestic sales for January were less than half what they were a year earlier.
"How many ways can you say disaster?" asked Aaron Bragman, an auto industry analyst with the consulting firm IHS Global Insight in Troy, Mich. "That's across the board. It's not unique to one company."
With January's drop, the industry's sales have declined for 15 straight months when compared with the same month in the previous year.
The industry's sales of 656,976 vehicles, compared with slightly more than a million in January 2008, translates to a seasonally adjusted annual sales rate of 9.57 million, according to Autodata Corp. That's the worst performance since June 1982, when the nation was mired in a recession.
Huge declines in low-profit fleet sales to rental car companies made January an exceptionally bad month, even though automakers said they were encouraged that retail sales appeared to be stabilizing after four straight months with an industrywide sales plunge of at least 30 percent.
"If you're starting from an extremely low point, pretty much anywhere you go is up," said Bragman, whose company has predicted annual sales for this year of 10.3 million, down from last year's 13.2 million and 16.1 million in 2007.
But executives anticipated a treacherous beginning of 2009 before the market improves.
George Pipas, Ford Motor Co.'s top sales analyst, wasn't sure whether 15 months of industrywide sales declines is a record, but if it is, it won't last long.
"I can tell you that it's only going to last for one month," Pipas said, predicting year-over-year declines until perhaps later in the year.
U.S. automakers will need sales to improve if they want their turnaround plans to be successful. After receiving $13.4 billion in federal loans to stay afloat, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC have said they are basing their plans on industrywide sales this year of 10.5 million and 11.1 million vehicles, respectively.
But few people are expecting the automakers to start 2009 at such a pace. January is typically a slow sales month, and the market isn't likely to improve until the second half of 2009 as economic stimulus efforts take effect and access to credit improves.
One of the few large automakers to post a sales increase was South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co., which posted a 14 percent gain. Hyundai credited its offer that covers a new vehicle's depreciation for customers who want to return a car because they lost their job.
"This program gets to the root cause of today's economic concerns - fear of job loss," Hyundai regional general manager Peter DiPersia said.


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“We know that two-thirds of British businesses do not make a profit over £10,000 every year but are nonetheless subjected to corporation tax.”
Nigel Farage, 22 November 2019
At the Brexit Party’s manifesto launch this morning, leader Nigel Farage pledged to remove corporation tax on business profits under £10,000.
Corporation tax is a tax on limited businesses, and the main rate is set at 19% of profits.
Justifying the proposal, Mr Farage said in the Telegraph this morning that: “two-thirds of British businesses do not make a profit over £10,000 every year but are nonetheless subjected to corporation tax.”
He made a similar claim in his speech this morning, that a million companies do not make a profit of over £10,000 a year.
This is incorrect.
Mr Farage seems to have confused the number of limited businesses who have to pay up to £10,000 of corporation tax (one million out of about 1.5 million companies in 2017/18) with the number of businesses which make profits of up to £10,000 (and therefore would only be liable to pay corporation tax up to £1,900, on the 19% rate).
The Brexit Party correctly stated this statistic in their manifesto: “one million companies - some 66% of the total number - pay less than £10,000.”
The party’s pledge is not to stop all those companies paying corporation tax altogether, though. The Brexit Party confirmed to us that its pledge is that corporation tax would be waived for the first £10,000 of pre-tax profits, not the first £10,000 of tax owed.
We haven’t seen figures to show exactly how many companies have profits less than £10,000. A company with profits of £10,000 would normally pay £1,900 in corporation tax.
The available statistics show that 279,780 companies paid less than £1,000 in 2017/18 and 713,590 companies paid less than £5,000. So the number who will have profits of less than £10,000 will be somewhere between, and so fewer than half of the 1.5 million companies have profits of less than £10,000.


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Amid subdued demand and higher supplies into the spot markets, sugar prices fell by Rs 8 to Rs 3,313 per quintal in futures trade today.
However, reports of a delay in cane crushing in Uttar Pradesh, the second biggest sugar producing state, capped the slide in sugar prices.
At the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange, sugar for delivery in January declined by Rs 8, or 0.24 per cent, to Rs 3,313 per quintal, with an open interest of 3,313 lots.
The sweetener for delivery in December traded Rs 5, or 0.15 per cent lower at Rs 3,13 per quintal in an open interest of 28,810 lots.
Marketmen said decline in sugar futures prices was mostly due to fall in demand following an end of festive season and higher supplies in the spot markets.


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RuneFest 2019: Schedule, Location & Ticket Sale Date Revealed
The latest RS official news post has announced the RuneFest 2019 will kick off on October 4th in Farnborough, and the ticket will be available to purchase this month. Learn more details below and get ready to join in the greatest game event!
Time and location for RuneFest 2019
According to the latest official news post, the 9th annual Jagex-run real-world event for RS players, RuneFest 2019, has been confirmed to start on the evening of October 4, while the main event takes place on October 5. This big event will still be hosted at The Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, which is just outside London in the UK.
When to purchase RuneFest 2019 ticket?
The schedule for RuneFest 2019 ticket sale has also been revealed. Tickets will be available to purchase from 4pm BST on May 31, so set your alarms if you wish to grab the chance of limited Earlybird-priced ticket.
Preparations for RuneFest 2019
With the date and location for RuneFest 2019 announced, now it’s the time to do some preparations such as booking hotel and flight, asking for temporary leave approval, etc. Currently the theme details of RuneFest 2019 have not been revealed, and you could keep an eye on the official news, Facebook and Twitter for some latest information. It is also recommended to join the official Discord channel, head to the official RuneFest forum or the community-owned Facebook Group for some tips and advice on everything from travel to accommodation. If you have plans to join in this big event, you’d better take action now.
We will update our news if there is something new about RuneFest 2019. If you want to buy RuneScape gold, simply come here and enjoy the high security and fast delivery.
The RSorder Team


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“The information I want to send you could soon be classified ‘Top Secret’ by the U.S. government — and perhaps even banned for dissemination under the pretext of ‘national security.” — Larry Edelson
Hello. This is Larry Edelson.
Just three years ago, we all discovered that the U.S. government has been engaged in a top secret campaign of illegal surveillance that even George Orwell could not have imagined.
We learned that every phone call we make … every email we send … every credit card and bank transaction we undertake … is being recorded, logged and tracked.
And we quickly discovered that the government has been pushing the outside of the constitutional envelope when it comes to domestic surveillance.
Surveillance cameras are now everywhere. License plate readers track the movements of all our vehicles. DNA samples are being forcibly recorded. Local police forces use Stingray scanners to track and record cell phones.
But even this level of Orwellian spying has not satisfied government bureaucrats.
In the next few minutes, I’ll reveal a conspiracy among Western governments, the world’s biggest banks and Internet billionaires to track EVERY transaction … every purchase you make, no matter how small or personal.
Government snoops want a global system of total financial surveillance
As usual, the U.S. government justifies this further attack on citizens’ privacy and constitutional rights as a necessary part of the “war on terror.”
But its real purpose is clear:
To enact a global system of total financial surveillance that is unprecedented in its scope and ambition.
To do that, they plan to totally ELIMINATE physical currencies …
… and to force ALL financial transactions to be conducted electronically with bank debit cards, Paypal, Google Cash and Apple Pay, and other electronic payment systems.
I know that may sound hard to believe … but please hear me out.
Dead broke governments worldwide want to eliminate cash altogether
You might not think it’s a big deal when you see college kids pay for coffee with their iPhones at Starbucks … but it’s actually part of an elaborate plan to gradually eliminate the use of cash in the global economy.
You see, governments everywhere HATE cash.
That’s because cash transactions are private — and usually are difficult to tax.
As a result, governments have decided to make cash transactions increasingly inconvenient and then eventually illegal.
For years now, government bureaucrats, the big banks and Internet billionaires have been secretly creating the infrastructure for what I call “digital totalitarianism.”
Each component of this infrastructure — debit cards, mobile payment systems, digital currencies — seem harmless enough at first.
The public has been told that these advances in digital technology are convenient, totally safe — and make the online economy possible.
And yet, when put together, these incremental advances have created a system of financial surveillance and control that is truly terrifying — and utterly unprecedented.
And now …


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Jennifer Utz Ilecki, Marriott’s Vice President/Buzz Marketing & Global Partnerships, discussed this subject at the Association of National Advertisers’ (ANA) 2017 Digital & Social Media Conference.
“You have to go to the platforms they frequent, implement frictionless tech through innovation and personalisation and, finally, provide memorable experiences that keep people coming back for more,” she said. (For more details, read WARC’s exclusive report: How Marriott leverages experiential marketing.)
More specifically, she reported that the organisation’s main performance metrics for experiential, buzz marketing campaigns include social media and PR impressions.
“I would say that most of the activities that take place in buzz marketing are upper funnel,” Ilecki said. “So we are looking at how much of the ideas we’re coming up with are resonating, especially in lifestyle publications ... and make sure that we’re reaching the type of publications that millennials are reading.”
An indicative example involves an effort at this year’s Coachella Music Festival, one of Marriott’s corporate partners, that enabled the company to engage a youthful demographic.
“We knew Coachella is where we wanted to be because it’s ‘millennial-ville’, so we took over ten tents and we flipped them into ten of our lifestyle brands,” Ilecki explained.
These tents were outfitted like deluxe rooms from different hotel brands, with influencers and celebrities invited to stay in them as a means of driving buzz on the initiative’s first weekend.
And, on the second weekend, these tents became available to members of the Starwood and Marriott reward programs who could “book their stay using points to stay in these tents”.
Ultimately, this campaign received coverage in Condé Nast Traveler, the Los Angeles Times, online site Quartz and a variety of other print and digital publications.
“It was one of the most successful buzz marketing campaigns that we’ve had leveraging a partner,” Ilecki said.
Data sourced from WARC


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AI for Everyone is a free online course, targeting employees in sectors not related to technology.Training offer
4 results found for 'Up to 1 week'
An introductory course for those interested in the subject of AI and its impact on the world.Training offer
A repository with free and paid online and self-paced trainings on accelerated computing, AI, data science and many others.Training offer
of the submission date - and the Council has another 4 weeks to adopt - and endorse - the Commission's proposal. …News


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Last month, Microsoft submitted a new deal to the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority regulatory agency that proposes Ubisoft get the rights to Activision Blizzard game streaming for 15 years. Microsoft did this to get its acquisition of Activision Blizzard approved by the CMA after the regulator previously blocked it over cloud gaming concerns. One month later, the CMA has granted preliminary approval to Microsoft due to its new Ubisoft deal.
The CMA says it has “identified limited residual concerns with the new deal” but that Microsoft has put forward remedies (see: Ubisoft’s role) that the CMA “has provisionally concluded should address these issues.” The CMA is now consulting on those remedies before making a final official decision ahead of the October 18 deadline to do so.
“The CMA considers that the restructured deal makes important changes that substantially address the concerns it set out in relation to the original transaction earlier this year,” the CMA writes in a new article. “In particular, the sale of Activision’s cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft will prevent this important content – including games such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft – from coming under the control of Microsoft in relation to cloud gaming. The CMA originally found that Microsoft already has a strong position in cloud gaming services and could have used its control over Activision content to stifle competition and reinforce this position.
“The new deal instead results in the cloud streaming rights for Activision’s games being transferred to an independent player, Ubisoft, maintaining open competition as the market for cloud gaming develops over the coming years. While the restructured deal is materially different to the previous transaction and substantially addresses most concerns, the CMA has limited residual concerns that certain provisions in the sale of Activision’s cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft could be circumvented, terminated, or not enforced.
“To address these concerns, Microsoft has offered remedies to ensure that the terms of the sale of Activision’s right to Ubisoft are enforceable by the CMA. The CMA has provisionally concluded that this additional protection should resolve those residual concerns. The CMA has now opened a consultation, until [October 6], on Microsoft’s proposed remedies.”
CMA CEO Sarah Cardell says the agency has been consistent from the jump, noting that this merger “could only go ahead if competition, innovation, and choice in cloud gaming was preserved.” Cardell says, “It would have been better, though, if Microsoft had put forward this restructure during our original investigation,” adding that this case illustrates the “cost, uncertainty, and delay that parties can incur if a credible and effective remedy option exists but is not put on the table at the right time.”
Microsoft vice chair and president Brad Smith said the following on Twitter following the CMA’s preliminary approval:
“We are encouraged by this positive development in the CMA’s review process. We presented solutions that we believe fully address the CMA’s remaining concerns related to cloud game streaming, and we will continue to work toward earning approval to close prior to the October 18 deadline.”
We are encouraged by this positive development in the CMA’s review process. We presented solutions that we believe fully address the CMA’s remaining concerns related to cloud game streaming, and we will continue to work toward earning approval to close prior to the October 18…
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick wrote the following email to the company today:
“Team, I want to share an important update on our planned merger with Microsoft. Today, the UK regulatory authority, the CMA, issued a preliminary approval of our merger with Microsoft based on the solutions Microsoft presented in connection with its new merger application. This approval is critical to completing our merger. The next step is for the CMA to gather third-party feedback, after which the CMA will reach a final decision.
“As I said when we announced the deal, this transaction will help us accelerate our ambitions for the future of gaming and enable us to better serve our players. Microsoft recognizes the commitment to excellent and creative independence that has served us well for the last 30 years. I am confident that their resources, technology, and tools will provide us even greater opportunities to create even better games. This is a significant milestone for the merger and a testament to our solutions-oriented work with regulators. I remain optimistic as we continue the journey toward completion and am very grateful to each of you for your dedication and focus throughout this process.
“As the regulators continue their process, I will keep you updated on our progress towards our expected closing. With gratitude, Bobby.”
Email from our CEO about the CMA news: pic.twitter.com/cduspyI0hi
To catch up on everything that’s happened so far, first read about Microsoft revealing it was acquiring Activision Blizzard for a colossal $69 billion, and then check out this story about how the CMA blocked this acquisition in the U.K. over cloud gaming concerns. After that, read about how the FTC’s preliminary injunction request was denied by a California judge this summer and then read about Microsoft’s new plans to negotiate something satisfactory with the CMA. Read about Microsoft’s proposed Ubisoft deal, too.
How do you feel about Ubisoft handling the streaming of Activision Blizzard games in the UK? Let us know in the comments below!
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LAST UPDATED : Dec 01, 2020, 02:17 PM IST
- Mondelez joins companies that offer live-ins health cover
Mondelez India is bringing sweet tidings for its employees. Beginning January 2021, the leading chocolate maker will extend its group mediclaim policy to cover live-in partners as well. It will also cover adoptive and dependent children of the domestic partners.
- Insurer fined for not reimbursing mediclaim after sanction
A consumer commission in Gandhinagar has imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on an insurance company in a “bizarre” case of denying health insurance money to a senior citizen only because one of his bank accounts had been closed upon his retirement.
- More mediclaim buyers use EMIs to buy policies
Non-life insurers are seeing rising demand for health policies under the equated monthly instalment (EMI) option. Insurers attribute this to reduced affordability due to a fall in income and job losses, even as the need for a cover has gone up due to the pandemic. The average premium range is from Rs 7,000-18,000 per year. So the monthly EMI works out from Rs 580 to Rs 1,500.
- Bank mergers to see scores of mediclaim holders’ premium jump 50-300%
Lakhs of mediclaim customers are expected to be the first casualty of the government-proposed merger of 10 banks as premiums for most of the customers of the banks which are being merged are set to increase between 50% and 300% from next year. Senior citizens, who depend on pensions or interest from FDs for monthly income, are expected to be hit the hardest as they would most probably be not able to afford such a steep increase in premiums. The hike in premiums will be much lower for younger customers.
- China halts Jack Ma's world's largest IPO by suspending his Ant Group's listing
Jack Ma, founder of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba suffered a major setback on Tuesday as Shanghai and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges suspended dual listing of the shares of his world's biggest initial public offer of $39.7 billion of the group's subsidiary - the Ant Group, 48 hours before the highly-anticipated trading was due to start.
- Ant Group's IPO sees record $3 trillion in retail demand
Retail investors placed bids for a record $3 trillion of shares in Ant Group Co Ltd’s initial public offering (IPO), set to be the world’s biggest, as mom-and-pop savers bet on demand for its financial services in China. Ant’s dual listing is set to raise about $34.4 billion, split fairly evenly between Shanghai’s STAR Market and Hong Kong, topping Saudi Aramco’s $29.4 billion listing last December.
- Insurance company says hotel not hospital, denies Ahmedabad doctor Covid mediclaim
An insurance company rejected mediclaim for Covid-19 treatment because the patient was admitted to a hotel and not a registered hospital. Following Covid-19 outbreak, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation had converted many hotels to designated Covid care centres to treat patients with mild to moderate Coronavirus symptoms to isolate them and curb spread of infection.


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The second edition of the Dubai World Hospitality Championship (DWHC
) took place from October 31 to November 1 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, with top chefs and food connoisseurs from around the world showcasing their world-class talents.
Amro Yassin, manager of the Syrian team, said: "The Syrian team was honoured to participate for the first time in DWHC
, which is considered one of the leading events for hospitality and cooking industries in the region.
The Guinness World Records Record Holder certificate was awarded on the sidelines of the second edition of the three-day DWHC
, an initiative that seeks to spotlight Dubai amongst the finest multicultural culinary destinations of the world, which concluded yesterday (November 1) at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Ameen said that since Dubai attracts tourists from across the world, "DWHC
is designed to offer an ideal platform to introduce the world to Emirati cooking and hospitality, with focus on the traditional popular dishes that the UAE has been long known for."
The second edition of DWHC
is attracting a high level of interest from the global stage as 2600 local, Arab and international master chefs and professional and amateur culinary artists set their sights on winning the championship's top honors.
Four competitions will be take place at DWHC
, which runs from October 30 - November 1 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
Recently, Dubai World Hospitality Championship (DWHC
) has announced the extension of the registration period for participants in three categories of the Emirati Competition: Professional, Amateur, as well as Emirati Homemade and Innovative Products.
Dubai: The Heritage Village of the coming second edition of the Dubai World Hospitality Championship (DWHC
) has added 53 new traditional crafts -- which will be part of the many activities and programmes designed to highlight authentic Emirati hospitality during the exciting three-day competition.
Earlier this month Ahmed Bin Hared, president of DWHC
said that preserving and promoting Emirati hospitality and culinary art with hopes of bringing it to the local and international scene is an ambition and a goal to be achieved through this championship.
We visited the kitchens of three top chefs to get a flavour of their participation in DWHC
and hear what Emirati food means to them.
's 'Gulf Exhibition' will throw the spotlight on household products made by 304 participants who will take part in the food creations category and in the kits and utensils hospitality category.
Dubai: The second edition of The Dubai World Hospitality Championship (DWHC
) is back this year, mainly aiming to promote Emirati hospitality and cuisine locally and internationally.


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With the passing of the one year memorial of Rana Plaza collapse on April 24, 2013 in Bangladesh, comes the birth of one of the largest fashion revolutions around the world. With the death of 1,300 workers under the rubble of the harsh and unethical work conditions of Rana Plaza, people from all around the world have stood up to make a difference; to voice an opinion with what is considered acceptable and what is not.
High-street retailers are the main target in this revolution, majority of which were actually producing in Rana Plaza when it collapsed; they have vowed to work together to change the sector and make working conditions more suitable and ethical.
“Fashion Revolution Day” – a movement created and lead by Hat Designer Carry Somers and several other activists in the industry. Since the collapse of Rana Plaza members of the board have dedicated their jobs and life to create a global campaign that so far up to 50 countries has taken part in.
The main point of this campaign is to create a change in the industry that stems from a change in consumer behaviour and ethic. If consumers actually started to question the way the high-street industry functions, it is believed that change can be made and the lives of the 1,300 victims alongside the injured will not go in vein.
As a symbol of cooperation, April 24 will annually mark the tragic memory of the Rana Plaza collapse, and people worldwide will be asked to show support by wearing their clothes inside out – exposing the tag of where the garments were manufactured – hashtag #insideout and check out the ongoing support and cooperation.
Several events have taken place worldwide as support for the cause.
Minus 1 in Beirut Lebanon in collaboration with The Creative Space have publicised their ongoing support and have asked their fans and followers to wear their clothes inside out for the full day marked April 24.
It is never too late – supporting such a cause just requires you as a consumer to know where your purchase is coming from and simply making sure (as much as possible) that the creation of your desired garments is not being held in a less than humane possible condition.
RIP to all the Rana Plaza victims – let us all make sure this is the end of such tragic work environments.
Photo Credit – @fash_rev; @leilahafzi; @shopvintagecastle