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Store chain apologizes after Nunavut residents angered over food left in landfill
A Nunavut grocery store chain is apologizing to residents after thawing but potentially still edible food was dumped in a Pangnirtung landfill, instead of being given to food banks or residents. (David Kilabuk/Facebook)
TORONTO -- A Nunavut grocery store chain is apologizing to residents after thawing but potentially still-edible food was dumped in a Pangnirtung landfill, instead of being given to food banks or residents.
On Thursday, high winds knocked out power to some houses and businesses in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, including to the Northern Store, a grocery store part of the North West chain.
The next day, resident David Kilabuk was angered when he realized that the store had dumped piles of meat, eggs, bread, vegetables at the local landfill – some of which the company later told CTVNews.ca could have been edible.
After he posted pictures of the food on Facebook, dozens of people criticized the company for dumping food without consulting the local government or food bank to see what was salvageable.
“It is just cruel and heartless to waste this food where it is truly needed. Just common sense to not waste food,” Kilabuk wrote on Facebook.
In a phone interview, Kilabuk said during past power outages, the company had given thawing, edible food to food banks or sold it at a discount, “but this time they just threw it all away.”
“There’s lots of people here who have difficulty getting food – some of them all the time – somebody could have used it, someone could have ate it,” he said.
COMPANY APOLOGIZES FOR BEING 'OVERLY CAUTIOUS'
In a phone interview with CTVNews.ca, Alex Yeo, the president of the Canadian retail division of North West Company which owns Northern Store, offered his “apologies to the community of Pangnirtung” for not first checking with local officials to see what could have been salvaged, but said that some of it was “already looking unsafe.”
“In this case, we threw away stuff that was at the front of the store [which was] in freezers and chillers. We did not throw away anything in the back of the store because the temperature indicated that it was still safe,” Yeo said. “By the time it was in the landfill, most of the food was no longer safe for consumption according to CFIA guidelines.”
Yeo said the chain does have a food donation policy in place but that it wasn’t followed because the store manager was being “overly cautious.”
“The intention was never to deliberately throw away food. It was all concern over food safety,” he said.
“Our policy is to donate food whenever possible unless it’s clearly not safe for consumption,” he said. “But there was a miss on our part.”
Yeo said that the company should have went “product by product” and checked with locals once they knew how long the freezers and coolers would be without power, to see if any of the food could have been donated.
In an email to CTVNews.ca, the Pangnirtung mayor’s office said it only became aware of the incident from residents who had seen Kilabuk’s Facebook post.


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Chinese e-commerce and fashion platform Mogu Inc., which has reportedly carried out substantial layoffs recently, announced its financial report for the first half of fiscal year 2022. The report suggests that as of September 30, 2021, its revenue totaled 169.5 million yuan, down 30.8% year-on-year.
The firm’s net loss was 411.9 million yuan, compared to only 182.6 million yuan last year. If not calculated by US GAAP, the net loss was 69.9 million yuan, while that of last year was only 25.7 million yuan. The total transaction volume reached 5.454 billion yuan, down 12.5% year-on-year, while that of livestreaming increased to 4.972 billion yuan, up 8.5% year-on-year.
R&D costs decreased from 56.7 million yuan last year to 45.2 million yuan, down by 20.2%, and general costs and administration costs decreased by 12.8% to 42.1 million yuan, from 48.2 million yuan in the same period last year. Mogu Inc. explained the reduction was mainly due to the decrease in salary and rent, and the return of share compensation was because of staff resignations and lower allowance for doubtful receivables.
On December 21, the day before the firm released its financial report, many users said on Maimai, a China-based career and social-networking platform, that Mogu Inc. would lay off employees on a large scale. After the layoffs, the technical department would only retain 30 staff members, representing an 80% reduction. Operations and maintenance department and product positions only have three and two staff members, respectively. This is the second round of layoffs in Mogu Inc. since April 2020, when 140 people were laid off.
On Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer website, users claiming to be insiders of Mogu Inc. said the staff reduction is mainly for technical personnel. The firm’s operations have now been uploaded in the cloud, the core technology is hardly outsourced, and meanwhile, R&D costs a lot. This is why adjustments were made in the team size of technical department, and only a few staff members have been kept for system maintenance.
When layoffs were reported last year, Mogu Inc. founder Chen Qi explained that the staff reduction as a normal business structure adjustment, aiming to gather resources, increase revenue and reduce expenditure. Mogu Inc. now is committed to its e-commerce livestreaming business, and is driven by operational activities in stead of traffic procurement.
The financial report also indicates that Mogu Inc. plans to consolidate the business of Hangzhou Ruisha Technology Co., Ltd. Chen Qi again pointed out the significance of acquiring this company. “We will focus on expanding and utilizing the ability and experience of Mogu Inc. to provide services for businesses for years, and provide effective solutions for brands in different channels to achieve greater value growth.”

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Recalls due to plastic pieces found in store-branded, pre-packaged mince sold by some New World and PAK'nSAVE supermarkets have tripled this year, despite calls from the Ministry for Primary Industries to address the issue.
At least 10 recall incidents of pre-packaged mince of various weights due to foreign matter - plastic - contamination from the supermarket brands have been reported to MPI this year. Last year there were three incidents for the same reason.
The parent company of the supermarkets, Foodstuffs New Zealand, was asked to provide an action plan by MPI in May this year. However, since then seven more recalls were issued.
"In May 2019, given the ongoing trend of foreign matter found in butchery products at Foodstuffs NZ stores, MPI requested an action plan from Foodstuffs NZ that included identification of root causes and corrective actions. The action plan includes a review of procedures and associated staff training," a spokesperson for MPI told 1 NEWS.
This year, in total, eight recalls were from the North Island and two from the South Island stores.
MPI says it has not received any reports of illness or injuries associated with the recalls.
Foodstuffs would not comment on whether the issue had been addressed or rectified but in a statement told 1 NEWS it takes food safety "and our responsibilities very seriously".
"Our goal is zero recalls, but will never hesitate from initiating one, even as a precaution, as there is no margin for error when it comes to ensuring food safety. When they do occur we learn from the experience, and if appropriate make changes to our processes across the business," said Antoinette Laird, head of corporate affairs & CSR for Foodstuffs New Zealand.
"With regard to minced meat and sausage product recalls, some have originated from customer feedback but there have been no reported negative impact on health. The majority of the actions taken have been as a result of stringent instore monitoring, reporting, risk management and subsequent corrective action when required, all working closely with the MPI who sign off on all recall actions," she said.
MPI says the Foodstuffs NZ action-plan is ongoing. It is currently investigating three recent reports of soft plastic in minced beef products that have resulted in consumer level recalls.
A spokesperson for Countdown Supermarkets told 1 NEWS there have been no recalls on any of their mince products this year.


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Monitise has completed its contractual mcommerce agreement with Visa Europe after its initial announcement on March 6th. Under terms of three-year commercial partnership, the focus will be on development and deployment of Mobile Money Payments and mobile commerce solutions.
Moreover, Monitise have also granted Visa Europe warrants to purchase ordinary shares as part of the deal.
Visa Europe initiated a USD37m (GBP24.7m) investment in Monitise in October of 2011.
As the demand for immediate payments implementation grows in the United States, Iliad Solutions have identified one of the largest risks to face the payments industry over the next few years.
Barclays has signed contracts with six of the fintech startups that just graduated from its second New York accelerator programme.
Company card killer Pleo has raised $3m in new funding as it prepares for public launch in the UK and Denmark.
Cheques are become less and less common in the UK according to new research from global market research firm Mintel which claims contactless card use has overtaken cheque payments in the UK for the first time.


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News & Media
- 22 May 2023 News and Activities
Celebrating MDL's 30-year Anniversary: Thriving with a Passion for Perfection!
Since our inception as a small factory in 1991, we have evolved into a leading dairy producer and distributor of ice cream products, toppings, and cheese for global and local brands
- 22 February 2023 News and Activities
The Pizza Company reveals a refreshed new brand
The Pizza Company reveals a refreshed new brand and doubles customers' happiness with Buy 1 Get 1.
- 08 February 2023 News and Activities
Bonchon sharpens 5 strategies to win consumers' hearts in 2023
Bonchon, part of Minor Food, has been successful with substantial sales growth for four consecutive years.
- 28 December 2022 Corporate Awards
Minor Food Receives 2022 FDA Quality Award For 3 Consecutive Years
NMT Limited, part of Minor Food, received the prestigious 2022 FDA Quality Award at the Grand Ballroom of the Miracle Grand Convention Hotel, Bangkok.
- 14 December 2022 News and Activities
MINOR strengthens beverage retail portfolio with GAGA Attitude-in-a-Cup
Minor entered into a joint venture transaction for 50.1% stake in GAGA Beverages (Thailand) Company Limited (“GAGA”)
- 13 December 2022 Corporate Awards
Minor Food receives the Future Food for Sustainability award for the "Wolffia Power Energy Dessert"
Minor Food, led by Tanakarn Urasyanandana, Pastry Innovation Manager (Chef Bell), and the Minor Food Innovation Team (M-FIT), presented their future food dish "Wolffia Power Energy Dessert" to 21 economic world leaders at the 2022 APEC Plate to Planet contest
- 28 November 2022 Corporate Awards
The Coffee Club Thailand Wins 2022 Best International Marketing Campaign Award
The Coffee Club Thailand has won the 2022 Best International Marketing Campaign award at the 2022 TCC Global Convention.
- 24 November 2022 Corporate Awards
Minor Food is recognized as Thailand's best employer
Kincentric, in collaboration with Sasin, conducted the 2022 Best Employers of Thailand ceremony on November 23, 2022, at the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok. This year, Minor Food was recognized as one of the best employers in Thailand.


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Plastic straws are everywhere and there’s talk of getting rid of them. Recycling Center Operations Manager, Sean Barton, thinks its a good first step. “They’re designed for single use,” Barton said. “It ends up on the side of the road or on the land fill and we don’t really know how long it takes to break down.”
But that one single use might be important to people who live in retirement communities such as Burcham Hills.
Burcham Hills dining room attendant, Chama Maweja, says this facility definitely needs straws. “I don’t think we can work efficiently without them,” she said.
MSU junior Richard Allen III has begun his own business, Sparty Island, that specializes in Coney Island style food. There had been a demand for an authentic coney style restaurant in East Lansing due to there being a large demographic of students from the Metro Detroit area where Coney Islands are popular. Allen has just begun his journey and allowed us to speak about the business on opening day of Sparty Island.
Reasons for choosing to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet vary between people. Some do it for health reasons, others for ethical. Some do it as an experiment, to see if they can handle the dietary change.
“I just started to grow bored meat. Then I watched a documentary about dairy farms … that official did it for me,” explains Christina Melaku, a graduate of Michigan State University, who is currently trying to transition into vegetarianism.
The choice to become a vegetarian or vegan is typically an easy one.
Between Google reviews, Trip Advisor, Yelp and more, it’s not hard to find out what people think about restaurants in the area, but if you ever find yourself wondering what’s good to eat in the Capitol City, a word from the locals might just help. Here, we explore four Lansing-based restaurants with 4.6 stars or higher on Google reviews to find out what makes people keep coming back for more. The restaurants include Naing Myanmar Family Restaurant, Meat BBQ, El Oasis, and Soup Spoon Cafe. See the images below to find out more about the restaurants and read what restaurant-goers had to say about them.
Williamston has decided to revamp its obsolete city banners and introduce bright new ones to the downtown area. “Yes, the current banner inventory of banners that we have for the city are worn and outdated,” said Tammy Gilroy, Williamston mayor. “The new design will be more in line with our city’s current branding and identity moving forward.”
At the Williamston City Council meeting March 26, pictures of the banners were shown and were predicted to go up in the summer. The city clerk Holly Thompson has been overseeing the banner project and has worked with the designer over the past couple months. “She[Thompson] took the lead on the banner project,” said Rachel Piner city treasurer.
As a predominately white, older and wealthier community, one wouldn’t expect the rural town of Mason to be very diverse. However, the community is moving in a more diverse direction, according to resident Erica Earls. “I think Mason is slowly getting there, but it’d be nice if we could expedite that process,” said Earls. As of 2010, 21.7 percent of Mason residents were from the ages of 20-34 and 92.4 percent identified themselves as Caucasian, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Having diversity within a community depends on a lot of factors, according to Michigan State University’s Professor of Urban & Regional Planning and Director of MSUE Urban Collaborators, Zenia Kotval.
Parking in downtown Mason can be a struggle at times, especially in the summer with festivals the city holds. But mayor of Mason Russell Whipple said, “The best problem you can have is not enough parking.” The downtown square has been a top attraction for Mason residents and as the city continues to grow, more people will be making their way downtown. Mason resident Roger Arend said, “It’s busier than it was 50 years ago … more houses, more people, the streets are the same length, parks the same amount of cars with twice as many people so what’re you gonna do.”
East Lansing, being a college town, has a lot of bars and liquor stores where alcohol can be obtained. Those places see an increase in the amount of alcohol sales around several holidays that are considered drinking holidays. These drinking holidays are just normal holidays that society has associated with drinking. Either at parties or in social places such as bars as well as purchasing alcohol from liquor stores these holidays have become connected to alcohol. Some bars and liquor stores see an influx of people around drinking holidays.


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"Dome shape" design for new national stadium, say Singaporeans
SINGAPORE — More than one quarter (31%) of Singaporeans said they prefer a stadium shaped like a dome while 22% of respondents said that the new national stadium within Singapore’s upcoming Sports Hub should be wrapped in translucent fabric, according to a survey by global market research company Synovate.
Following the submission of three proposed designs to the Singapore Sports Council by the Singapore Sports Hub Group, Alpine Myreder and Singapore Gold, Synovate surveyed 1,013 Singaporeans between the ages of 18 to 64 in a bid to discover design preferences for Singapore’s new National Stadium.
“The dome shape design, submitted by the Singapore Sports Hub Group continues to be the leading choice among Singaporeans partly because it reflects conventionalism and is easily recognised as it is used in other iconic stadiums throughout the world,” said Ms Miranda Cheung, Managing Director of Synovate Singapore.
“Interestingly enough, we also discovered that nearly one quarter (22%) of respondents were unaware of the three designs that were submitted this year, proving that more awareness for the new stadium and upcoming Sport Hub is needed,” she added.
The survey also found that sixteen percent of respondents favored Singapore Gold’s ’horse shoe’ stadium design. The winning design is expected to be announced in January 2008 by the Singapore Sports Council and Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.
Contact for this press release
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Synovate Sdn Bhd
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Synovate Pte Ltd
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DID: +65 6333 0585
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Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group plc, generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions. Synovate employs over 5,700 staff in 115 cities across 51 countries.
For more information on Synovate visit www.synovate.com.
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Porch Pirates Avoid Easy Pickings in Hiawatha
'Tis the season for lots of home deliveries and Hiawatha police are once again are asking residents if they would be interested in volunteering their porches for a holiday sting operation.
The police arrange for "decoy packages" to be left on residents' porches, in an effort to stop porch pirates in their tracks. The packages contain GPS devices that help police track down the thieves.
Very clever idea, you say. And it sure seems to be working.
Since reporting this story on Wednesday, November 21, KCRG says Hiawatha police say there have been no porch pirates stealing packages - which is a 100% success.
Criminals may be dumb, but they're not always stupid.
Put #1 for New Country on your smartphone, with breaking news and local stories of interest. Download the KHAK mobile app. It's free in your app store and helps keep you up-to-date on the very latest happenings in eastern Iowa.


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Netflix (NFLX) has agreed to pay Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) for more-direct access to the company’s broadband system to improve speed and reliability for its video-streaming customers, the Wall Street Journal reported today.
For months Netflix and Comcast have been in a standoff over Netflix’s request its traffic gets served by Comcast directly instead of being passed through an intermediary ; in this case Cogent Communications (CCOI), which was used by Netflix as a primary route into Comcast.
Obviously, sending Netflix users’ streaming content through third party IPs affected quality and speed. Faced with complaints about deterioration in streaming speeds, which according to Netflix data published in January, saw the average speeds of Netflix’s prime-time streams to Comcast subscribers drop to 27% since October, Netflix agreed to pay Comcast anually to deliver its content more efficiently.
Under this new deal, which the Journal said was struck in January at Consumer Electronics Show, and that the details of the agreement were hammered out earlier this month, Netflix will access Comcast’s network directly.
“Under the deal, Netflix won’t be able to place its servers inside Comcast’s data centers, which Netflix had wanted,” the Journal explains. “Instead, Comcast will connect to Netflix’s servers at data centers operated by other companies.”
The deal was confirmed in a joint statement issued Sunday morning:
“Comcast Corporation and Netflix, Inc. today announced a mutually beneficial interconnection agreement that will provide Comcast’s U.S. broadband customers with a high-quality Netflix video experience for years to come. Working collaboratively over many months, the companies have established a more direct connection between Netflix and Comcast, similar to other networks, that’s already delivering an even better user experience to consumers, while also allowing for future growth in Netflix traffic. Netflix receives no preferential network treatment under the multi-year agreement, terms of which are not being disclosed.”
The multiyear “paid peering” deal comes just days after Comcast agreed to acquire its closest cable rival Time Warner Cable (TWC) for $45.2 billion, or $159 a share, which if approved would establish Comcast as the dominant provider of broadband in the U.S., serving more than 33 million subscribers.
Netflix, Inc, Comcast Corp. shares closed on Friday at $432.23, $51.05, respectively.
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!


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Retail veteran David Green caps off 40 years of success as Wymondham’s Handbag and Leather Shop is to close
- Credit: Sonya Duncan
He has sold a lot of leather goods over the past 40 years, but now he's decided to call it a day.
David Green, 76, from Tacolneston, has decided to close his Handbag and Leather Shop in Fairland Street, Wymondham, which he opened in 1976.
Mr Green said many things had changed in his time at the store, but the fundamentals of the leather trade remained the same.
He said: 'People have become more aware of designer shapes and styles in recent years. And in the early days, a lot of leather goods were English made but very little of it is now.
'But there are some superb goods coming out of India and China, and some of the leading brands still come from Italy.'
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Mr Green started his career aged 19 working for MacLaren Handbags of Norwich, and eventually decided to branch out on his own, first becoming an agent for other retailers.
He said: 'I ran three of their shops for them and then I decided that I would like to be selling handbags for the trade. From that I decided to open a shop.'
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Mr Green said he planned to continue to work as an agent for the time being, but said he would enjoy having more free time.
The shop sells a mixture of handbags, purses, suitcases, slippers, shoes and other leather goods.
Mr Green said he the time felt right to sell the shop when someone made an offer to buy it, and turn it into another business.
He said: 'I can't say what it will be, but I'm pleased that it will continue as a retail shop.'
He is now having a closing down sale and although no final date has been set, Mr Green said the shop would close by the end of the month.
He said: 'It has been really nice being here over the past couple of weeks. A lot of customers have been saying how much they will miss the shop.'


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German electronic exchange Deutsche Boerse is to list a new type of exchange traded product (ETP) for investing in digital currencies, in what looks set to be the world’s first centrally cleared crypto derivative.
The product, called the Bitcoin Exchange Traded Crypto (BTCE), is being promoted by London-based ETC Group, and will list on Deutsche Boerse’s Xetra market in Frankfurt.
Backed by digital currencies, the instrument is centrally cleared, meaning a single financial institution takes the counterparty credit risk to transactions. Digital currency will be in a cold vault under the BitGo’s watch.
ETC Group CEO Bradley Duke said the product has some of the same features of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but instead focuses on a single asset rather than a fund: “It really is a hybrid ETP product that has the same features as an ETF [exchange-traded fund]. Because it’s a single asset instrument it doesn’t qualify to be an ETF according to the European fund regime.”
The security is expected to cost more than comparable ETFs, with expenses set to come in at 2%, compared to the norm of between 0.5-0.7%.
The announcement of the new type of security comes after German regulators BaFin announced in early 2020 they were to recognize digital currencies as a type of financial instrument.
The new security will originally list in Germany, but will also be available in the U.K., Italy and Austria.
New to blockchain? Check out CoinGeek’s Blockchain for Beginners section, the ultimate resource guide to learn more about blockchain technology.


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The new car Market in Germany dropped by 2.9 percent last year, to 3.1 million vehicles, compared to 2011. In 2013, it's forecasted to slip to 3.0 million units, according to data provided by the VDA trade group.
Despite the sales plunge, the German market is holding its own against the crisis that’s sweeping the European car market as a whole and has resulted in the worst sales for the past two decades.
One might think that German citizens are more affluent than their neighbors in the Old Continent are, so they can afford to replace their cars with new ones. The truth is, it is business fleets, not private sales that keep both the German market and home car manufacturers afloat.
In the United States, employers bought less than 20 percent of new cars in 2011, according to Oregon-based CNW Marketing research – and that number includes government agencies as well.
In Germany, cars bought by various companies for employee use accounted for 32 percent of total sales. When you add dealers and rental-car companies, the share increased dramatically: according to the German motor vehicle office, the KBA, in November, company sales accounted for 64 percent of all deliveries in Germany.
Domestic carmakers like BMW, VW and Mercedes-Benz, which reported record sales last year, practically own the segment with an 86 percent share.
“Company cars are the most stable sector of the German market", IHS Automotive analyst Christoph Stuermer told Automotive News. "Private buyers face high uncertainty, while business clients were still investing their profits from previous years."
While German law stipulates that employees using company vehicles must pay taxes on 1 percent of the car’s list price per month, company cars still represent a very good deal.
For example, even at the highest income tax rate of 45 percent, an employee will pay €181 a month in taxes before deductions due to business use for a BMW 520i. That’s less than half the €440 (US$575) per month it costs to lease the same car from BMW itself.
“Compared to the taxes paid on company cars in neighboring countries, the German tax office is asking for peanuts”, commented Nick Margetts, a director at JATO Dynamics market research firm.
It gets even better when you opt for a high-end version. An Audi A6 3.0 TDI Sport Selection Quattro that’s listed at €56,650 (roughly US$74,000) will burden an employee by €255 (US$333) each month, a stunning €465 (US$608) less than Audi’s asking price for a direct lease.
That’s why corporate customers, who can use their cars for non-corporate transport, too, accounted for 71 percent of total Porsche sales in Germany in 2011 and nearly 85 percent of total high-end vehicles registered.
By Andrew TsaousisStory References: Autonews


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Hearthstone will receive more than 100 new cards when the next expansion arrives
Hearthstone players were understandably very excited when Blizzard announced that Curse of Naxxramas will add about 30 new cards to the game. Well, it seems like that was only the beginning as the company plans to add more, a lot more. Blizzard recently said that the next Hearthstone add-on will be an expansion in the true sense of the word and will add more than 100 new cards. Curse of Naxxramas is also considered to be an expansion by many, but the truth is that Blizzard announced that it’s just the first Hearthstone “adventure”. I won’t lie to you, I was pretty impressed with the new content added by Curse of Naxxramas, but it seems like that was nothing compared with what the upcoming expansion will bring.
“I think we’re going to mix it up a little bit with this next release, which will be our first expansion,” Hearthstone production director Jason Chayes told Polygon. “It will have a lot more cards. We’re talking about more than 100. We are going to have a central theme for how that will all fit together. That’ll be the next thing coming up. One of the things that we spend a lot of time talking about is pacing. Not just the pacing of the game as it is, but pacing of the rollout of new content. We really want to make sure the pacing is great not just for seasoned Hearthstone players but for new players coming into the game too. We really want to pay attention to how that is for the entirety of the player base. Does that feel like the right amount of content? Is it too little? Is it too much? We feel like this is a good starting point.”
Elsewhere, Chayes talked about game modes for Hearthstone and how the team is looking into adding some new ones in the future. However, at the moment Blizzard is looking for ways of expanding the existing modes so new ones will only be added further along the line. As for the new cards, 100 is certainly a big number and might prove to be overwhelming to some player. Similar CCGs such as Magic: The Gathering feature so many cards that certain restrictions have to be put into place in order to make sure than players don’t abuse some of them.
“We have done some initial conversations about at what point will that be a concern for us,” Chayes said. “We think we have a ways before we have to worry about something like that, because there’s a lot of design space to experiment with ideas…. But that could be something that we need to be thinking about for Hearthstone down the road. If we do reach that point because there are just that many cards in the available set, one of the things we definitely want to make sure of is that there are ways to continue playing with all of your cards, and that it feels really good to be participating in these various modes.”
Chayes didn’t say when we can expect the expansion to hit Hearthstone, but he did mention that more details will be announced “very soon.” Presumably this means that we’ll hear more at BlizzCon 2014, which kicks off on November 7th.


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THE official launch of Thames Freeport last week marked what is expected to be a huge boost in Essex’s economy.
In March, the Government gave the go ahead to DP World’s London Gateway port to create a freeport with the Port of Tilbury and Ford’s Dagenham plant.
The launch was announced alongside the news work is set to begin on a £300million fourth berth at London Gateway in addition to the £2billion already invested by Dubai-based DP World.
The freeport is expected to create 21,000 new jobs in Thurrock and the surrounding area, one of the most deprived areas in the country.
Many of the jobs will come with the development of 1,700 acres of land around the port.
Having freeport status brings tax benefits to businesses operating there, effectively creating a tax free haven.
Businesses are said to be lining up to base their operations there in order to take advantage of the tax breaks.
Interest is coming from companies involved in industrial processes, manufacturing and logistics, electrification, innovation incubators and support services.
All of the businesses will be able to take advantage of the development-ready, low tax and pro-trade port.
The freeport links up with Ford’s Dagenham engine plant, where emphasis is being placed on training and apprenticeships.
Ernst Schulze, UK Chief Executive of DP World, said: “Since freeport shortlist status was announced earlier this year, retail and manufacturing businesses looking to expand or establish new operations have moved to take advantage of the unique opportunities on offer.
“We are proud to partner with Thurrock Council – which is consistently ranked in the top five per cent of Local Planning Authorities for speed in dealing with applications – and with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, where Ford Dagenham is located.
“Both authorities share our vision for turbo-charging a high-tech industrial base along the Thames Estuary, with new employment opportunities and investment in skills and life-long learning.”
Charles Hammond, chief executive of the Forth Ports Group, said the freeport will bring wide ranging benefits to the area said: “The freeport’s Skills Accelerator programme will ensures that the many new highly skilled employment opportunities are spread far and wide throughout London and the South East.
He added: “With access to an excellent distribution network, an established skills base and port land ready for development at the heart of the largest consumer market in Europe, all supported by well-equipped local authorities, commercial interest in our sites continues to grow.”
Thames Freeport bosses are also looking to make the most of the Thames by creating a barge service. This would initially be for freight but the port is also looking at improving passenger systems on the Thames which could become an alternative route for London commuters.
Freeports are designed to create sustained economic growth in deprived areas.
The freeports will make it easier for business because they will be linked digitally with customs and tax sites making international logistics much quicker and easier to manage by cutting much of the red tape.
At a freeport, imports can enter with simplified customs documentation and without paying tariffs.
Businesses operating inside designated areas in and around the port can manufacture goods before exporting again without ever facing full tariffs.
If the goods move out of the freeport into another part of the country, however, they have to go through the full import process, including paying any tariffs.
Freeports are similar to enterprise zones and attract Government support
The Government wants to create “innovation hubs” which boost global trade, attract inward investment and increase prosperity in the surrounding area by generating employment opportunities.
Thames Freeport was awarded freeport status by the Government earlier this year, with the partners currently progressing the business case with a view to receiving formal accreditation.
Denise Rossiter, chief executive of Essex Chambers of Commerce, said the port expansion was “a real vote of confidence in the future of south Essex which was demonstrated by the presence of the Chancellor and Transport Secretary at the launch event.
“We look forward to working with Thames Freeport as it develops in the future.”


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It’s been a busy third quarter for Fitbit’s corporate wellness program, aptly called Fitbit Wellness. In September, Fitbit announced it was HIPAA compliant and would give Target’s 335,000 employees personal fitness trackers.
Fitbit’s wellness unit is the company’s business-to-business unit, where participating companies provide employees with Fitbit activity trackers, challenge employees to get active, and encourage healthier lifestyles.
The latest round of companies to sign on with Fitbit include GoDaddy, Emory University, Emory Healthcare, and Gonzaga University. In its third quarter, Fitbit added over 20 enterprise customers to its program. Although the company doesn’t release the total number of companies participating in its wellness program, it states that it’s worked with thousands of companies since 2009 and currently has “more than” 50 of the Fortune 500.
The most notable new addition to the program is Barclays. Beginning Nov. 2, 75,000 Barclays employees based in the U.S. and U.K. can visit a customized Fitbit storefront and purchase a subsidized Fitbit tracker. The initial rollout will be limited to select divisions, with plans to eventually expand the program to all of its 140,000 employees worldwide.
Meanwhile, Fitbit closed out its first quarter as a public company having sold a market-leading 4.5 million fitness trackers. Apple (AAPL) wasn’t far behind, having reportedly sold 3.6 million units of its first wearable, the Apple Watch.
With increased competition on the consumer front, Fitbit’s corporate wellness program could not come at a better time.
Participation and engagement are two challenges an employer faces when rolling out a corporate wellness program, according to Fitbit Wellness vice-president and general manager Amy McDonough. Another challenge is distributing trackers which, McDonough says, Fitbit is poised to eliminate by using its own distribution channels, instead of shipping trackers in bulk.
Another benefit of Fitbit handling distribution is that participating employees are now able to pick a device of his or her choosing instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. “Rather than ‘here’s your standard issue computer or tablet,’ it really lets them choose the best product that’s going to be the best fit for them,” McDonough says. Giving employees control over the purchase process is “going to have a big impact on the level of participation, and also engagement.”
Fitbit is scheduled to announce its third-quarter earnings on November 2, its second earnings announcement since going public in June.
Sign up for Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.
For more on Fitbit, check out the following Fortune video:


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Puerto Plata leads in cruise passengers with 875,059
Santo Domingo.- During 2019 the Dominican Republic received 513 cruise ship dockings for a total of 1,500,537 visitors, of which 1,116,172 were passengers and 384,365 crew members, significantly activating the economy in the communities where each port is located.
Diario Libre reports that Puerto Plata was the tourist destination that received the most cruise passengers: 875,059 visitors, followed by La Romana with 448,584, Santo Domingo with 77,851, Samaná with 70,494 and Cap Cana with 28,549.
The information was offered by the Ministry of Tourism, in a statement, where it noted that the cruise industry in the Dominican Republic has grown dramatically in recent years, from 423,584 passengers in 2011 to 1,116,172 in 2019.
These data were offered during a ceremony where the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association FCCA thanked the Minister of Tourism, Francisco Javier García, for the support offered to this international institution and the cruise industry of the Dominican Republic to over the years.


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Want to join the conversation?
Ohio-based card services provider $ADS inked a multi-year agreement with online home furnishings & decor retailer $W to launch new loyalty-driven credit card program for $W's customers. "We're pleased to partner with a like-minded brand that focuses on creating compelling customer experiences & driving long-lasting loyalty," said Melisa, EVP, $ADS.
$NFLX a monster move, going up. Expect making some money on Monday.
$AMD down more than 6% even after posting above consensus third quarter results.
$MCD stock rose more than 2% after it posted better than expected 3Q16 results, driven by global same-store sales growth. Meanwhile, earnings and revenue were lower than last year, hurt by refranchising efforts.


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Google is apparently planning to unveil Android M at its IO 2015 event later this week, and new rumours suggest that the latest mobile operating system will focus on improving battery life and RAM usage.
According to rumours reported by Android Police, Android M (also known internally at Google as Macadamia Nut Cookie), will concentrate heavily on battery performance – great news for those of us who struggle to get through a single day between charges.
Android M will apparently achieve this by cutting the number of location check ins and reducing background tasks and activity when the phone is unplugged and the screen is off.
Battery life saver
Some of these features have been included in phone manufacturers' various battery saving modes, but it's good to see them implemented into the core Android experience.
Being given such low level access could help the battery saving modes in Android M perform much better than existing solutions, so hopefully we'll see some real improvements in battery life for devices that run on Macadamia Nut Cookie.
Android M will also apparently use less RAM, or at least manage its RAM usage better. RAM management isn't the most sexy of features, but it can have fantastic implications for devices as less RAM usage means longer battery life.
By carefully optimising how much RAM Android M uses, it could also mean it runs a lot faster and smoother – and even older devices would benefit.
According to the same rumours the final release of Android M will be August 2015, with app developers getting a developer preview just before, to make sure their programs run smoothly.
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Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he's loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.


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Continuing its push to help developers create new connected apps for the Internet of Things, Embarcadero has made the latest release of Appmethod available to active subscribers and new Appmethod developers. The release is aimed at helping developers streamline the creation of apps for IoT using a single app development platform and shared C++ codebase. According to Embarcadero, Appmethod September 2014 Release provides a complete software development solution for building natively compiled C++ apps that connect mobile and desktop devices, sensors, gadgets, wearables, cloud services, and data.
This release is in line with Embarcadero’s stated strategy for IoT which includes a focus on four key areas of interconnection: mobile/desktop devices; gadgets; cloud services; and, data. The company is offering new technologies to address these areas of concentration. This new Appmethod release closely follows the recent introduction of RAD Studio XE7, which is designed to help developers extend existing Windows apps to mobile devices, gadgets, and sensors.
Citing industry estimates that the IoT will grow to 26 billion units installed in 2020 (in addition to 7.3 billion PCs, tablets and smartphones), Embarcadero notes that this profusion of IoT devices will represent a nearly 30-fold increase from 0.9 billion in 2009. "The device landscape has exploded beyond PCs, tablets and smartphones. Now, wearables, sensors, home automation, and connected cars present a completely new app ecosystem. Apps no longer live on a single device and instead are interconnected across a broad range of ‘things’ to deliver an integrated yet distributed solution,” said Michael Swindell, senior vice president of products at Embarcadero.
With the new release of Appmethod, Embarcadero says app developers can now create designs across any device or form factor using the new FireUI Multi-Device Designer and user interface (UI) components. And, using the latest release of Appmethod, developers can build apps for Android, iOS, Windows and OS X that interconnect with IoT via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi app tethering. New enterprise mobility services from Appmethod provide an out-of-the-box app mobility middleware server for connecting to private cloud data and custom APIs.
"We designed Appmethod to make it incredibly simple to build powerful cross-platform apps with C++ that easily connect with and include a wide variety of consumer and industrial devices, sensors, enterprise data, and cloud service,” said Swindell. “Appmethod is designed as a complete end-to-end platform that can rapidly open the IoT door for developers building the next generation of device-extended applications.”
Appmethod is available from appmethod.com, and the free version can be downloaded from appmethod.com/sign-up.


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More than two years after its launch, Apple's (AAPL) iPhone is still the gadget to beat in the mobile industry. While competition has gotten a little better, it's still a cut below. Google's (GOOG) Android, for instance, is one of the most promising rivals -- and so far, one of the most underwhelming.
- "Start by copying what Apple has done right." One phone per year. Cut the 18-models-of-the-same-thing crap, even if that's what your carrier partners want.
- "Don't aim for the middle of the market." Aim for the super-high end -- the 500,000 people who would line up for the best mobile device in the world, no matter who makes it.
- Make sure it's better than the iPhone "in every possible way." Figure out what you can do better than Apple and "promote the hell out of" it.
- Emphasize stuff that Apple doesn't allow, like background processing and all those rejected apps.
- Make the phone a little thicker and emphasize battery life. Screw removable batteries, though -- they make the phone feel cheap.
- Apple-esque branding. No logos on the front! No carrier logos, either.
- Aim high. Then aim higher than that. Then aim higher again. "If Apple is BMW, you can be Porsche."
- Read more at Daring Fireball >
This is a solid idea, and one that a few companies are probably capable of if they have the discipline to keep going until it's awesome -- and not accept second-rate crap. Palm is one of them, HTC could be another. And before the iPhone came along, the phones we were most impressed by were made by Sony Ericsson. How about a real attempt there under the new CEO?
Why bother? Gruber doesn't spell it out here, but smartphones -- especially the super-high-end -- can carry excellent profit margins and drive huge revenues. That's a big reason why Apple's share of the mobile industry's operating profits is much higher than its share of unit sales.
Meanwhile, we'd note that this seems to be the opposite approach of what Motorola is doing -- using Google Android as the basis for a slew of midrange phones that won't be very impressive, but could be good enough for the big market of cheaper spenders. But who knows -- it's also possible that Motorola is working on some super-high-end stuff that we haven't heard about, too.
Get the latest Google stock price here.


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MOUNT HEALTHY, Ohio — Jackie Wilkinson recently picked up an unknown call at her home.
Her cable company, Spectrum, was showing on her caller ID, so Wilkinson did what she normally doesn't do with unexpected calls: she answered.
"It appeared that Spectrum was calling, our provider for internet, phone and cable services, so I answered, " Wilkinson said.
The caller immediately offered to help lower her bill, so Wilkinson perked up.
"He asked, 'Do you want to save money," Wilkinson said. "Naturally, in this day and age, who doesn't want to save money? So I said yes, and he said, 'Great, now tell me how much you are paying.'"
But that last comment from the phone rep raised a red flag.
"These are questions I would think Spectrum would already know," she said. "They can see your billing price right there!"
Who was really calling?
When the caller then told her she could save money by signing up for a satellite TV service instead, Wilkinson realized it wasn't really Spectrum Cable on the line.
Instead, it was a case of "spoofing," where a fake number shows on your caller ID.
Scammers have been spoofing the numbers of the FBI and IRS for several years now and getting people to answer the phone that way. It was only natural they'd start pretending to be your cable company.
We contacted Spectrum, and the company said it has other complaints of these calls.
Spectrum recently sent out a warning to customers saying: "If an offer doesn't sound right, customers may ask the representative on the phone to validate they are a employee by looking up their account number. Spectrum representatives will always have an account number."
Then call Spectrum (at their customer service number on your bill) and ask if there is any such person working there.
Wilkinson just wants to warn others.
"If you see your cable company calling, you think its important," Wilkinson said. "The phone number appears on your phone as if they are are Spectrum, everything seemed legitimate up until the questions."
But Spectrum, just like Duke Energy, will never call you to chat about lowering your bill or offering a discount.
These callers are either overly-aggressive sales people for competing services (such as various satellite TV firms), or are outright scammers trying to get your account number or credit card number.
Never give personal information to someone who calls you, so you don't waste your money.
Don't Waste Your Money" is a registered trademark of Scripps Media, Inc. ("Scripps").
Follow John on Twitter (@JohnMatarese)
For more consumer news and money saving advice, go to www.dontwasteyourmoney.com


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According to reports, the recent downturn in the semiconductor industry is severe. Analog Devices said that the order cancellation rate has increased slightly, while major semiconductor manufacturers such as TSMC and Renesas have issued warnings of excessive inventory.
Citigroup analysts said in a report that because the delivery time is still very long, many companies have not yet realized the problem of excess inventory, and the number of semiconductor orders cut by the end of September is expected to rise by the end of September.
Analysts believe the semiconductor industry is entering its worst downturn in at least a decade. Given the recession and rising inventories, this will likely be the worst recession since 2001.
Reports say semiconductor companies are going through a tough 2022. Sales of PCs and video games have been weakening due to declining consumer demand, while demand in the Chinese market has also been weak. Micron's chief financial officer, Mark Murphy, said recently that the slowdown in sales is spreading to automotive and industrial customers.


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The robots have been on the march for some time now – welding, handling packages, loading and unloading, assembling and gluing, and busily painting away on manufacturing sites. By the end of 2020, there were 3 million industrial robots in operation globally, a population equal to that of Milan’s, and three times higher than in 2010.
But COVID-19, and the consequent lockdowns, should serve to accelerate these pre-existing trends towards greater automation. When the pandemic hit, country by country, people were dispatched to their homes, workplaces fell silent, shops furloughed, factories ground to a halt, sharply exposing the potential fragility of global supply chains. In a connected world, with people and goods washing across borders, a pandemic can dislocate whole swathes of the global economy, causing economic disruption, product shortages (it started with the stockpiling of toilet paper; it ended with a dearth of semi-conductors) and the sort of 6-7% inflation prints we’re seeing coming down the pipeline in the U.S. and elsewhere.
Robots don’t call in sick
Enter automation. Robots and algorithms don’t cough. They don’t shake hands. They don’t get sick. They can work unflinchingly through a pandemic. They are anti-fragile. Global automation investment bottomed in the April-June quarter in 2020, as budgets panic-froze, but since then we have seen 6 consecutive quarters of upcycle in the space. In China, robot sales hit a record level in 2020, reaching 168,400 units, and then surpassed this, with CLSA estimating a further 200,000 robots sold in 2021, making China the first country in the world to surpass an installed robot base of 1 million. The density of robots in China (robots installed for every 10,000 workers) has risen more than 5 times since 2015. The country now counts for just under a third of all the world’s installed robots.
China’s share of global installed robots
Source: CLSA, IFR World Robotics 2021
But the automation boom is global. North America saw record quarterly robot orders in 2021, both in volume and value terms. When McKinsey surveyed 800 senior executives in summer 2020, two thirds said they were stepping up investment in automation and artificial intelligence as a consequence. But there is still huge variance between countries, with hyper roboticized countries like Korea and Singapore seven times as automated as the global average, and dozens of times more automated than the global laggards.
Robot density in the manufacturing industry 2020
Source: World Robotics 2021
Mind the population gap
It is no coincidence that these leaders in automation are also countries with the lowest birth-rates. Korea’s fertility rate of 0.84 babies per woman last year may be the lowest in human history, and it is expected to fall further, to 0.74 by 2024, according to the country’s finance ministry and the statistics office. This extraordinary rate is ~1/3 that needed to keep a population stable. South Korea may be an extreme, but it is emblematic of broader developed (and even developing) market trends.
This demographic shortage is another mega-driver supporting automation investment, with inverted population pyramids creating acute labour shortages in the decades to come.
Automation demand is spreading beyond the old bastion of the auto industry and into increasingly diverse sectors. H1 2021 was the first half year in U.S. when more than 10,000 industrial robots were ordered outside of the auto industry. Worldwide, one third of robots installed are in the auto industry, 25% in electronics, and 10% in the metal industry, but in Japan, service sector robots are expected to grow by a multiple of 13 by 2035, overtaking industrial demand. Smaller, more precise robots are making inroads into healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food and consumer goods.
Investment opportunities – vision, data, and contactless payments
As investors, we try to position ourselves downstream of these resources that are cascading into automation. One company poised to be a key participant is Keyence, the Japanese leader in machine vision technology. Keyence makes sensors, industrial microscopes, measurement systems and barcode readers. It can be thought of as the eyes of the world’s automation industry, plugged into the processes of thousands of companies across the world’s most vital sectors, from automotive assembly to semi-conductor manufacturing to food and pharma. Keyence’s products can inspect pharmaceutical packaging to ensure labelling is correct and expiration dates haven’t been passed. It can check the same packages to make sure they are sealed and haven’t been tampered with. Its sensors can look into a box of biscuits to check that the correct number are in there, ensuring no one is short-changed at the supermarket, or its ultra-high-speed cameras can scan hundreds of cans of fish, onions or beans per minute in a factory to ensure that none have broken seals. Its vision systems can measure seat belt buckles to ensure they are precisely correct in size and shape, saving lives on the road. Its lasers can measure the exact thickness of a glass substrate within electronic components, ensuring the most high-tech equipment on the planet functions properly, or inspect watchmaking equipment, where tolerance intervals are between 2 and 8 μm.
Keyence’s sales staff go direct to clients and create bespoke automation solutions for them, and its value-add products command 80% gross margins. Keyence still makes 40% of its revenue in Japan, which, given its demographics, has been a great test-case for a world with fewer young workers. But the global growth runway is enormous. Keyence was already a beneficiary of a world where precision and scientific accuracy is at an ever-greater premium, but COVID-19 has been an accelerant to this trend, more and more customers trying to remove error and fragility from their processes. Keyence hit back-to-back record high revenue and profit quarters in its most recent two earnings releases in 2021.
Much of the world’s automation relies on seamless, high speed data connectivity. Data collection and distribution is needed to connect devices and to feed the algorithms that are translated into decisions or actions. Crown Castle owns, operates and leases towers and other telecoms infrastructure in the U.S. to ensure a strong communications backbone. Its 5G products can be important facilitators of autonomous cars and connected transportation systems, which generate and receive constant streams of data that are analysed to make decisions around safety and optimisation of routes. An autonomous vehicle can generate 4KGBs of data every single day, and this requires powerful data connectivity, which Crown Castle is an enabler of.
Finally, COVID-19 may have been the final push needed to hasten the demise of the cash era, accelerating the transition across to digital, contactless payments. When the pandemic struck, physical items of payment suddenly became objects of suspicion. The People’s Bank of China started sealing and storing used banknotes for up to 14 days and disinfecting them thoroughly. Shops and supermarkets shut their tills. As a result, contactless payments increased at the fastest rate in years, with instore mobile contactless payments increasing 29% YoY in the U.S. in 2020. We are invested in Apple, whose digital wallet Apple Pay grew by more than 65mn users to a total base of over half a billion people in 2020, enabling people to pay for things without cash, and with less human interaction. Mastercard and PayPal are also key enablers of digitalised, more automated payment systems, and have been strengthened by covid and lockdowns.
As investors, we need to understand what the post-covid landscape might look like, and what sort of positive developments might be catalysed by one of the great disasters of our time, and we need to try to be positioned for these changes.


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It’s part community service, part environmental initiative: A two-month-old children’s clothing swap effort at the Eleanor Whitmore Early Childhood Center will be available to the public starting tomorrow.
Anyone in need of clothes for their kids, sizes 2T to 7, can stop by the center on Friday afternoons or by appointment to choose from the overflowing racks and tables of shirts, sweaters, pants, jackets, hats, and mittens, or to donate gently used clothes of their own.
“The clothing is adorable, it’s in great condition, and it’s looking for homes,” said Joan Overlock, director of development at the child care and preschool center, which has been a hub of support for working families here for more than five decades. “It’s clean, and a lot of things we get still have tags on them.”
The benefit for working families is an obvious one: Kids outgrow clothes and shoes sometimes faster than their parents can provide new ones, depending on a family’s financial situation, so constantly buying new ones can be a burden.
But the environmental benefit may be less obvious. In January, The New York Times reported that children’s clothing and shoes were part of a growing “fast fashion” crisis — referring to the trend of clothing winding up in landfills. The Times cited Environmental Protection Agency data that showed the people in the United States discarded nearly 13 million tons of clothing and shoes in 2018, of which only about 13 percent was recycled.
“Kids’ wear raises quite a unique, yet alarming, design challenge because that status quo of the linear take-make-waste model is amplified. As kids grow out of their clothes, parents ultimately, in many cases, dispose of them,” Sandra Capponi, founder of a website called Good on You, which rates apparel companies based on their environmental impact, told The Times. “So the kids’ clothes life cycle is much shorter compared to adult garments.”
Jeanette Traslavina, whose daughter attends the Eleanor Whitmore Center, has coordinated a team of eight parent volunteers who sort through and inspect donations, organize them, and staff the “closet” on Fridays from 2 to 5 p.m.
“We make sure there’s no stains, no holes” in the clothing, and that “they’re not really worn out to the fact that they’ll have a second life with another child,” she said. “Whatever we’re going to put out is something we would feel comfortable putting on our own children.”
When Ms. Overlock sent an email last fall seeking parent volunteers for the initiative, “it really struck a nerve for me because it was something I had wanted to do, too,” said Ms. Traslavina, who grew up in East Hampton and works for a Sag Harbor nonprofit. “I’ve always purchased secondhand for my daughter. It feels like a more environmentally friendly way to reuse clothes that are often new or in like-new condition because kids grow so fast and clothing can be so expensive.”
And finding used children’s clothing at a thrift store means leaving town to do so: A few years ago the popular Bargain Box thrift store run by the Ladies Village Improvement Society stopped selling kids clothes.
In addition to toddlers’ and kids’ clothes, the Eleanor Whitmore Center also has maternity clothes on offer, plus books and toys that children can browse through while their parents are picking out clothes. There’s also a limited quantity of equipment such as infant bedding, strollers, and high chairs.
Those who shop are not obligated to make a donation in return.
As the program gains momentum, Ms. Traslavina said it may expand up to include sizes for older children.
“We’re hoping this has a larger, positive impact on the community,” she said.
Ms. Overlock said she recently watched a few little girls pick out sparkly dresses. “It’s very sweet,” she said, “and it’s such a service to anybody who’s got a young one.”
The center cares for 100 children between the ages of 18 months and 5 years old.
“You’re out on winter break, you come back a week later, and the kids are taller,” Ms. Overlock said. “You see their weekly growth in mind and body.”


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China’s Alibaba Group reported its quickest quarterly growth in more than two years, with second quarter revenues jumping 61 percent, driven by the firm’s core e-commerce business and China’s steadfast consumer spending strength.
In the three months to September 2017, Alibaba reported revenue of 55.12 billion yuan (or $8.34 billion) for the quarter, its fastest pace of sales since a record IPO in 2014.
Wall Street expected Alibaba to grow its revenue by 52 percent.
The e-commerce firm said revenue from its core e-commerce business hit 46.46 billion yuan, representing a 63 percent rise from the same quarter a year earlier.
Net income more than doubled from a year ago to 17.41 billion yuan, growing at a faster pace than the previous two quarters.
With the exceptional results, Alibaba now expects for full-year revenue growth up to 49 to 53 percent, lifting from its earlier estimate of 45 to 49 percent.
The news comes just after Alibaba revealed more details about its upcoming Singles’ Day festival, at a press conference in Shanghai.
For Singles’ Day 2017, Alibaba will collaborate with 52 shopping malls to set-up high-tech pop-up stores in 12 Chinese cities and will convert 100,000 stores nationwide into “smart stores” that will offer innovations such as facial recognition payment and online to off-line [O2O] scan-and-deliver shopping – all part of the retailer’s New Retail strategy.
Since its debut in 2009, the annual festival has evolved from a 24-hour spending spree to a 24-day promotional period, with 15 million products and 140,000 brands (60,000 of them international brands) on offer.
In 2016, Singles’ Day recorded $17.8 billion in gross merchandise value, compared to $7.6 million in 2009.


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T-Mobile and Sprint, slated for a $26 billion, mid-2019 mega-merger, have been hit by separate security breaches, the former in a cyber attack and the latter in a vulnerability uncovered by a researcher.
T-Mobile’s breach dates to August 20, when the carrier discovered that hackers had gained unauthorized access to an undisclosed number of customers’ confidential information, including names, billing zip code, phone number, email address, account numbers and types, but not passwords.
According to T-Mobile, no financial data, such as credit card information or social security numbers, were stolen in the heist. The company publicly revealed the break-in four days later, when its posted an open letter on its website to customers saying it had “promptly reported” the breach to law enforcement.
“We take the security of your information very seriously and have a number of safeguards in place to protect your personal information from unauthorized access,” the blog post read. “We truly regret that this incident occurred and are so sorry for any inconvenience this has caused you.”
T-Mobile Breach: 2 Million Customer Records?
While the carrier didn’t publicly disclose the number of customers affected in the hack, it told Motherboard that the cyber robbery involved some two million people. In addition, T-Mobile revealed that encrypted passwords had been exposed, seemingly contradicting earlier word that no passwords were involved. The company subsequently contended that since the passwords were encrypted they weren’t compromised. Still, a password expert told Motherboard that customers should assume their password has been cracked and change it.
One security expert called the breach “too close of a call for comfort. This should serve as yet another wake up call to CTOs, CIOs and CISOs to ensure companies are implementing security best practices like a layered approach to protection and updating any out of date security devices,” Bill Conner, SonicWall president and CEO, told MSSP Alert in an email. “Transparency is key. Organizations must work with their trusted security provider to understand current security risks, and implement a customized plan to ensure protection for your stakeholders.”
Sprint: Poor Password Management
As for Sprint, an unnamed researcher was able to access one of the telecom's internal portals by using two sets of poor, easily guessed usernames and passwords, TechCrunch reported. A log-in page for the portal apparently didn’t require two-factor authentication, enabling the researcher to find pages to potentially gain access to customer account data, the report said.
Sprint, which confirmed the researcher’s findings in an email to TechCrunch, denied that “customer information can be obtained without successful authentication to the site...Regardless, the security of our customers is a top priority, and our team is working diligently to research this issue and immediately changed the passwords associated with these accounts,” a Sprint spokesperson reportedly said.


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TV Style Expert, Michelle Washington joined Steph and Rosie to help prepare them for what’s to come in fall fashion. Michelle says, “Summer isn’t over yet, but fashion has already started looking at what lies ahead. Rebounding from a year full of loungewear, it’s time to look at fall trends!” Check out Michelle’s Top 5 list for her style forecast below and watch the segment to see what’s new in fall fashion.
1.) PANTONE: Colors that inspire creativity!
2.) SWEATER VESTS: Sweater vests are truly having a super cool moment this fall!
3.) PRINTED SETS – Head to toe in prints and print combos
4.) SATURATED HUES: Pink Influence!
5.) CUTOUTS: Feel that crisp fall air on your skin with a few cutouts here and there!
For more information check out StylistMichelleWashington.com


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Home Tags Fitness equipment
Tag: fitness equipment
DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Oct. 13, 2020 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- DR ZVI PEARLSTEIN, founder of Missing Links Health, Inc., is proud to introduce his latest innovation, SitFit Chair, a revolutionary portable multi-positional personal home gym chair.
ASHLAND, Ohio, March 13, 2018 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Hedstrom Fitness is pleased to announce the launch of their newest product in the Hydro-Interia(R) Training line, the Surge(R) Riptide. This specialized training tool utilizes water to create an unstable and unpredictable resistance, allowing the muscles to be challenged no matter what the exercise.
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Dec. 12, 2017 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- On January 3-5, 2018, MostFit will come together with strength and conditioning coaches from across the nation at the NSCA Coaches Conference in Charlotte, N.C.. Founder Andrew Gavigan and his team of trainers will be demonstrating exercises and movements with the Core Hammer and SYN Rings focused on increasing performance and movement among athletes
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 19, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Gratitude Wellness, a health and fitness product manufacturing company, recently announced that it is raising funds via Kickstarter to help manufacture the goods and purchase the equipment necessary for the production of its patented GRATITUDE Roller.
LOS ANGELES, Calif., March 3, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- On March 22 through April 3, the MostFit team will be in Orlando, Florida exhibiting and offering product demos, discounts and special offers at three of the largest fitness/recreational sports conferences in U.S.; the IHRSA International Trade Show and Convention, followed by the ACSM Summit, followed by the National Intramural-Recreation Sports Associations Annual Conference.
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Feb. 9, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- MostFit is excited to announce its new 4-hour certification training program accredited through NASM and ACE. Trainers and Group Ex Instructors will receive .4 Continuing Education Credits for attending the training.


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By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
RAVENA — A Main Street home that has stood vacant for many years has been transformed into the village’s newest business.
Hi-Tech Advisers moved its electronics business from Hannacroix to 22 Main St., Ravena, with a grand opening Saturday morning.
“We have been in business for 36 years,” co-owner Joyce Musso said Saturday. “We have evolved over the years and a lot of people are now coming to us for their phone setups, for their computer setups, for fixing their computer, for a new phone or computer, and we see ourselves having more customers coming to see us, as well as we still go out and install Dish TV, Mesh networks and surveillance.”
The business was formerly based out of their home in Hannacroix, but as Hi-Tech Advisers grew, Musso and her husband Paul felt they needed a storefront and looked to Ravena.
“We sold our house on 32 acres and bought a fixer upper and fixed it up,” Musso said. “It’s part business, part home for our family.”
The house, built in 1900, was in need of a great deal of repair, so the Mussos rolled up their sleeves and went to work.
“It was totally gutted on the inside — there was no plumbing, no heating, no electrical, no flooring — nothing,” she said. “We hired contractors to fix the inside for us, and we did the basement and the outside. The place was a disaster in the back — we totally redid everything. The siding was new and the roof was new, but everything else had to be redone.”
Most recently a two-family home, the building has stood vacant for many years. Deputy Mayor Nancy Warner recalled when the building housed a variety store called Vasto’s.
“Many of us remember when this building was a little neighborhood store with penny candy in the front and a butcher shop in the back. That was maybe in the ‘60s. Later on, it was a bike shop and then a private home,” Warner said.
She welcomed Hi-Tech Advisers to the community.
“It’s great to see another business that we never had come to Main Street,” Warner said. “I wish them a lot of luck.”
Joy Iafallo, chairwoman of the RCS Community Business Association, helped the Mussos relocate their business as well as their family home.
“They are completely invested. I am a real-estate agent, so they called me to sell their house that they had built. I thought they were never going to leave there, but they said they wanted to invest in their business on Main Street, so we started looking,” Iafallo said.
They were searching for a storefront that could double as the family’s home and wanted a central location to be as accessible to their customers as possible, Iafallo said.
“Their business was evolving and changing, so they decided they needed a storefront,” Iafallo said. “I love seeing them all in — as community members, as small business owners, as a generational family in the business. It’s just awesome to me.”
Hi-Tech Advisers is the latest in a string of new businesses calling Main Street and the village home.
“This is rapid fire and it’s awesome,” Mayor Bill Misuraca said of the new businesses opening their doors locally. “As many as we have, there’s more coming and it’s a really great time to be here in Ravena and I think we are seeing quite a bump, quite a push. These people are the best at what they do and I am behind them 100%.”
Village Trustee Linda Muller welcomed the business to the community and said more are on the way.
“For me, this is so exciting, particularly what they said about being a family business, being a bright spot in our community,” Muller said after Saturday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Our residents are loving this. And I am so excited because we know there is more coming.”


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BMW will roll out the first battery-powered model of its urban Mini brand as part of a broader push to make electric cars more mainstream and counter ambitious plans from rivals.
The new Mini is set to hit the market in 2019 and will be followed in 2020 by a battery-powered version of the BMW X3, BMW CEO Harald Krueger said Friday in an interview.
The variant of the popular X3 would push into the heart of BMW’s portfolio, signaling the company sees the technology as ready for the mainstream after bundling previous green-car offerings under the “i” subbrand. Both new electric models would have “competitive” driving ranges and prices, Krueger said.
The new Mini and BMW vehicles broaden the company’s electric-car push after it introduced the i3 city car in 2013 and i8 plug-in hybrid sports car in 2014. Rivals are now catching up, with automakers from General Motors Co.’s Opel to Renault trumpeting their latest electric-car offerings at the Paris auto show. Mercedes-Benz created the EQ nameplate for a series of battery-powered vehicles, with the first due by the end of the decade. Volkswagen Group will introduce 30 electric cars, including Audi models, by 2025.
“Competitors are now in phase one on their electric strategy, while we’re entering phase two,” said Krueger. “We’re already well on our way to electrifying the core portfolio, using powertrain technology from BMW i.”
BMW was early to develop a stand-alone electric car with the i3 and then introducing plug-in hybrid variants across the main product line. Sales of plug-in hybrid and electric BMW cars is on track to reach about 60,000 vehicles this year, Krueger said, nearly double last year’s figure.
Still, BMW’s all-electric expansion stalled in recent years amid concerns about driving range and costs. The recent turnabout stems in part from pressure to meet ever-tighter emissions standards. To reach 2021 targets, the European Union is seeking efficiency improvements from automakers that would be roughly double the gains made since 2010. That’s a challenge for BMW, which is also seeking to bolster its lineup of luxury cars to help pay for investment into self-driving technology.
Plans to add more variants of BMW’s flagship 7-series sedan are in the works and could include one or two more products in the lucrative segment, said Krueger, who stayed in Munich to deliberate strategy rather than attend the Paris exhibition.
Range and other specifications for the electric Mini and X3 haven’t been finalized yet, the CEO said, speaking following a supervisory board meeting on the company’s strategic path. Depending on how demand develops, adding cars in additional segments is also in the cards, he said, adding that flexibility is key to adapting to unprecedented changes in the auto industry.
Manufacturers are facing disruption to their traditional business model of building and selling vehicles, as car-sharing becomes a viable alternative for many consumers and self-driving features emerge. The changes have spawned new competitors like ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc., and Apple Inc. has been exploring options in the auto industry. BMW has responded with services under the Now brand, such as car-sharing service DriveNow.
“The BMW Group needs to continue the move in the direction of tech companies,” he said. “The times when a strategy gets devised, agreed on and then takes 10 years to be executed are over. We have to continually adjust what we do and develop further all the time.”


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LONDON (AFP) – A British businessman who sold fake bomb detectors worldwide was jailed for seven years on Tuesday, with a judge branding the devices "useless".
The GT200 devices were no more than home-made boxes with handles and antennae but Gary Bolton claimed they could detect explosives, narcotics, tobacco, ivory and even cash.
Around 1,200 devices were sold to Mexico, while orders were also shipped to parts of Asia and the Middle East. The devices are still being used in Thailand, the court was told.
Bolton, 47, a father of three, denied two counts of fraud but was convicted by a jury last month at the Old Bailey in London, England's central criminal court.
Sentencing him, judge Richard Hone said Bolton had claimed the "little plastic box" was a working piece of equipment, and that he continued to "peddle" the GT200 to scores of international clients -- including for use by armed forces.
"You were determined to bolster the illusion that the devices worked and you knew there was a spurious science to produce that end," the judge said.
"They had a random detection rate. They were useless.
"Soldiers, police officers, customs officers and many others put their trust in a device which worked no better than random chance.
"The jury found you knew this but you carried on. Your profits were enormous."
The boxes cost less than ??5 ($7.85, 5.85 euros) to make.
However, they were sold for between ??2,500 and ??10,000 in bulk or up to ??15,000 if bought individually.
The court heard Bolton's company, Global Technology, had a turnover of almost ??3 million, with up to 5,000 devices made.
In May, British businessman James McCormick was sentenced to 10 years in jail for selling fake bomb detectors to the Iraqi government and other countries, by a judge who told him he had blood on his hands.
McCormick, 57, made an estimated ??50 million from selling the devices, which prosecutors said were based on a novelty golf ball finder and did not work.


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More than 2,000 shop staff at Sports Direct are set for a life-changing windfall after record profits at the fast-growing, cheap-and-cheerful chain triggered a bonus payout that will see workers who earn £20,000 a year banking payouts of £100,000 each.
While six-figure bonuses are usually reserved for executives, the U.K.’s biggest sports retailer set up its bonus scheme back in 2009 for any full-time staff, from stockroom to the boardroom, who had worked for the company for a year and stayed for a further four. Since then the retailer’s fortunes — and its share price — have been transformed and the workers have hit the jackpot.
The company’s profits have soared 40 per cent to more than £200 million in the past year, at a time when the high street has been struggling badly.
But Sports Direct, set up 30 years ago by billionaire and Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, has gone from strength to strength with its ‘pile it high, sell it cheap’ business model. The retailer said the past year was boosted by the 2012 summer of sport — the Olympics, Paralympics and UEFA Cup competition. It was Mr. Ashley who devised the scheme to pay out the vast staff bonuses.
Four years ago, all full-time staff who had been with the company since 2008 were promised free shares if profit targets were hit in 2009. When that target was hit they were handed a 25 per cent bonus on their base salary, paid in shares worth £1 each. Those shares soared in value, and when a first 25 per cent tranche of free shares were awarded last year, someone earning £20,000 a year almost doubled their take-home pay with shares worth £17,500.
While impressive, that payout was a mere pittance compared with the huge windfall that follows Thursday’s results. The same staff member earning £20,000 will now get 12,000 shares worth a further £75,000.
The lucky 2,000 are now free to sell the shares — and Sports Direct has even provided a free stockbroking service to help them cash in.
Mr. Ashley himself does not qualify for a payout — but he did sell shares worth £100 million earlier this year, to add to the £ one billion he received when he floated the business on the stock exchange in 2007.
— © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2013


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Innova Memphis, the most active startup investor in the Southern United States according to Crunchbase, and Hatcher+, a unique, data-driven venture firm, have announced a partnership to co-invest in startups accepted into the Memphis, Tenn., accelerator collaboration known as the Summer of Acceleration, now in its third year.
Led by Memphis entrepreneurial partners Epicenter, Start Co., and Memphis Bioworks Foundation, the Summer of Acceleration is a 100-day intensive, hands-on program that speeds the development of high-tech, high-growth startup companies, focused on four regional industries of strength: Home Services, Medical Device, Supply Chain and Logistics, and AgTech.
The partnership will provide up to $250,000 in additional capital to portfolio companies in those programs, as well as allow the accelerators to use Hatcher’s proven AI-based platform to assist in assessing candidates and tracking performance. Portfolio companies will also have access to the extensive Hatcher+ network, enabling soft landing across different geographies.
Hatcher+ has partners all over the world, including Blue Chilli in Australia, Fashion Technology Accelerator in Milan and Blue Startups in the U.S. By bringing Innova into the network, Hatcher+ will now be able to invest in companies from market-leading programs such as ZeroTo510, a Medical Device accelerator that is ranked in the top 25 programs in the country.
“Hatcher+ choosing to engage with Memphis startups is great recognition of not just the momentum, but also the quality of our startup ecosystem,” said Jan Bouten, Partner at Innova. “I believe it’s yet another endorsement of our system-wide strategy to focus on regional industry clusters, allowing us to surround our startups with talent, capital, and customers.”
“We are very excited to partner with Innova. Not only do they invest in some of the best vertically focused programs in the U.S., but their focus on regional industries of strength allows us access to the best early-stage opportunities in those sectors,” said Wissam Otaky, Partner at Hatcher+. “Memphis is a hidden gem of an ecosystem for these industries, and with strong capital support, entrepreneurs are given a fantastic opportunity to build their business on solid foundations.”


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Shell USA Inc. is growing its reach with electric vehicle drivers through a $169M acquisition deal for Volta Inc.
Wawa Inc. is mulling plans to transform a shuttered c-store into a tech hub.
The National Retail Federation's annual expo will once again showcase foodservice technology.
Mobivity and P97 Networks are piloting a program that offers mobile game users retail rewards for their achievements.
Retail media networks, subscription programs and a frictionless forecourt are innovations poised to go mainstream.
Enhanced mobile apps, new checkout options and moves around electric vehicle charging were recurring themes this year.
The retail media space may be the next frontier for convenience store retailers.
Two industry events in early 2023 will shine a light on retail technology and innovation.
Far from a fad, electric vehicles are here to stay and c-store retailers are poised to win the changing motorist.
Setting aside its reluctance to embrace new technologies puts the c-store channel in the position to own convenience.
Better equipment and new services are making car washes more profitable.
Operators of travel centers and truck stops are embracing change to keep America moving.
Labor issues and new technologies are furthering disruption in the convenience channel.
Gulp Media focuses on the immediate consumption purchase.
The rise in tech solutions gives retailers the necessary information to build a loyal customer base.
A recent NACS survey finds consumers are still hesitant to buy an electric vehicle.
Convenience store retailers increased their technology budgets in 2022.
Small c-store chains can attract and retain customers by knowing what they're up against.
The event offers a great opportunity to gather the latest insights from across the channel.
Yatco sees a change in customer behavior with its recent rewards campaign.
Audits and analytics can help ease the pain of the ugly side of doing business.
With self-checkout growing, convenience store retailers need to rethink their front-end strategies.
Convenience Store News' 2022 Future Leaders in Convenience class is poised to lead innovation in the industry.
Investing in tools for your employees can create the same buzz as investing in technology for your customers.
Alimentation Couche-Tard's latest investment is in a ghost kitchen and restaurant hub technology company.
With subscription programs, convenience store retailers can differentiate themselves from competitors.
Pilot Co. wants to give electric vehicle drivers access to a charging station every 50 miles.
Wawa Inc. is upping its promotional game with non-fungible tokens.
Take part in the 2022 Convenience Store News Technology Study and let us know where you are in your innovation journey.
Shoppers are using digital as the starting point of their buying journeys.
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the pandemic opened the door for new services and programs in the convenience channel.
Beyond marketing, AI can help retailers with store operations.
TravelCenters of America and Sheetz will headline the 2022 Convenience Store News Technology Leadership Roundtable as retailers gather to discuss a variety of tech issues.
Alimentation Couche-Tard uses its Norway market to test new ideas.
Workforce management technology gives associates control over their jobs, leading to higher retention rates.
Having the right people, the right process and the right systems in place spells success.
Performance Food Group's Top Off Rewards program targets independent operators.
The Circle K parent company has made great strides in technology during his tenure.
Mobile apps, digital signage and text messaging have risen to the top of customer engagement tactics.
Strategic loyalty programs can help a retailer tell its foodservice story.
Keeping programs simple and personal will draw repeat visits.
Nine out of 10 convenience store retailers are in the "inactive" or "initiation" stages on the digital scale.
Parkland Corp. is preparing to become a destination for electric vehicle drivers.
Lisa Dell'Alba of Square One Markets talked about the pain points during a recent Conexxus fireside chat.
The BP Amoco Marketers Association convention showcased frictionless technology and a new electric vehicle charging solution.
Retailers need to move on from email marketing to improve customer experience.
Automation, artificial intelligence and frictionless are in the driver's seat right now.
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. finds inspiration and opportunity from startups, like Jackpot and Farmstead.


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According to GlobalData’s pre-crisis forecast, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) duty-free sales are forecast to reach US$ 43.4bn in 2020, backed by high growth in countries such as China, India and South Korea. However, the recent coronavirus scare has dramatically altered the dynamics of the APAC duty-free market.
While it is difficult to forecast the full impact that coronavirus (Covid-2019) will have on the APAC duty-free market, it is certain that in the short term, sales in China and other markets in the region such as South Korea, Macao, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan will be significantly hit in Q1 due to the high level of Chinese tourism in these locations.
Over the full course of 2020, GlobalData expects the APAC duty-free sales to reach US$ 35.2bn, which is 19.1 percent lower than the original (pre-coronavirus) forecast, (over 92.5 percent of the expected US$ 9bn reduction in global duty-free sales) due to the size of the duty-free market in South Korea and China. It is expected that US$ 5.5bn will be lost from South Korea’s 2020 forecast and US$ 1.5bn from China.
Suresh Sunkara, Retail Analyst at GlobalData, comments, “Other APAC countries such as Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand with considerable increase in the number of new cases over the past few days are estimated to worsen the impact. The forecasts may change further during the course of time if the virus spread is prolonged to H2 2020 or if it spreads to other key duty-free markets in the region including India, Malaysia and Australia, which are currently not significantly affected by the spread.”
Key airports in the APAC region, including all domestic and international airports in China, South Korea’s Incheon Airport, Singapore’s Changi Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Haneda Airport and Narita Airport in Tokyo, are hit. Many downtowns, ports and cross-border duty-free stores in the region have temporarily closed.
The crisis will force major duty-free operators in the region such as Shilla, Lotte, Shinsegae and China Duty-free Group to re-evaluate strategies and identify other consumer groups and markets to help offset a weakening in revenue. Luxury brands and cosmetics operators in major duty-free markets will be the biggest losers given their reliance on high spending Chinese consumers, highlighting how over-exposed the duty-free channel is to one key purchaser group.
Authorities have come up with measures to control the losses to retailers. For instance, concessionaires at Singapore Changi Airport will receive rental assistance — 50 percent rebate on their monthly basic rental charges for six months effective 1 February 2020.
Sunkara concludes, “The Tokyo Olympics should also aid the recovery in the APAC over the summer – on the provision that the crisis has calmed down and travel restrictions have been relaxed. If not, the market growth will take an even more serious hit this year.”


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The CEO of Netflix has accused Comcast of violating net neutrality principles over the way it handles internet video streaming. The Federal Communications Commission says it is taking the issue seriously, but it doesn’t appear Comcast has broken any binding regulations as they currently stand.
Netflix boss Reed Hastings made the comments in a Facebook post. He noted that he was able to access four video applications through his Xbox , namely HBO GO, Hulu, Netflix and Comcast’s own Xfinity. He complained that watching any of the first three services ate up his monthly data allowance, but watching on Xfinity did not:
“The same device, the same IP address, the same wifi, the same internet connection, but totally different cap treatment. In what way is this neutral?”
Questioned about the complaint, the FCC said it “takes seriously any allegations of violations of our open Internet rules.”
However, Comcast’s policy may not be breaching the existing rules. If you use Xfinity on a computer or iPad, it comes over the Internet and (as best I can tell) will count towards download caps. However, Xfinity videos on the Xbox are sent via Comcast’s own private network and don’t use up “Internet bandwidth.” It’s treated in the same way as video-on-demand services on a cable box — though of course, cable boxes usually don’t offer direct competition between video providers in the way the range of Xbox apps do.
Although this is currently perfectly legal, the FCC has previously said it is concerned about the lines being blurred. A situation such as this, where Comcast is following the letter of the law but arguably not the spirit, may influence the way the FCC seeks to revise and update Internet rules in future.
It is also fair to note that Hastings may be looking to pick a fight over an issue of principle rather than practicalities as the monthly data cap in question can be as high as 250GB and it appears rare that customers exceed it and rarer even that they suffer consequences.


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The next-gen Volvo XC90 will begin a new chapter for SUVs at Volvo Cars. It is said to be a pure electric SUV-coupe that’s strays from the traditional SUV styling for enhanced aerodynamics and higher driving range.
According to a report published on di.se in May, the next-gen Volvo XC90’s arrival is postponed from 2021 to 2022. However, dealers have already seen the 2022 Volvo XC90, and they are amazed by its design, autonews.com had reported in March. Now, Robin Page, Senior VP of Design, Volvo Cars, has revealed more details about this aspect of the upcoming electric SUV.
Volvo XC90, unlike most competitors, has held on to its traditional SUV character. However, for the redesign, because of the switch to a pure electric powertrain, sacrificing old-school proportions in favour of aerodynamics was imperative to achieve a competitive range. Speaking to autoexpress.co.uk recently, Page said that while a typical SUV design includes a high hip point and roof, driving range and aerodynamics are crucial in the case of EVs, and this causes a contradiction.
To find the right balance between SUV traits and aerodynamics, Volvo Cars is rethinking the SUV design language. The British publication suggests that the 2022 Volvo XC90 and other next-gen Volvo SUVs, as a result, will have a coupe-styled sloping roofline and a lower ride height. So, while they may not seem as tough, they’ll look as powerful and sportier.
Volvo dealers who attended a private preview of the 2022 Volvo XC90 electric had revealed that it would come with an eye-tracking system to keep a tab on the driver’s attention. Per their opinion, the feel and the fit-and-finish in the next-gen model will be a step above. Reports that the next-gen model will offer Level-4 autonomous driving, in which the vehicle can drive itself in normal conditions without the need for the driver to intervene, have also emerged.
The Volvo XC90 Electric range and other technical details are still to be reported. We expect a good 500 km+ range based on WLTP test cycle in at least one configuration, though. As for the Volvo XC40 Recharge, the first fully electric Volvo, it will enter series production and go on sale later this year. The Volvo XC40 electric range is over 400 km (WLTP)/over 200 miles (EPA).
In markets like India which are behind the curve in electrification, we suppose the current XC90 would have an extended run through facelifts and editions.
2020 Volvo XC90 – Image Gallery


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TWITTER CEO APOLOGIZES FOR ALLOWING WHITE SUPREMACIST AD
Twitter's Chief Executive Jack Dorsey apologized on Thursday after the microblogging service let through an ad promoting a white supremacist group. "We made a mistake here and we apologize. Our automated system allowed an ad promoting hate. Against our policy. We did a retro and fixed," Dorsey tweeted. bit.ly/2f4MLcV The ad titled "'New Article: The United States Was Founded as a White People's Republic' on NEW ORDER website" showed eight white children in a field. It was tweeted from an account with the handle "@NEW_ORDER_1488". Twitter had suspended several accounts linked to the alt-right movement, USA Today reported on Wednesday.