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As public health officials in other countries urge consumers to throw away a Kellogg’s cereal because it’s linked to a Salmonella outbreak in the United States, the company that actually produced the cereal has not been named.
Neither Kellogg nor the FDA has identified the manufacturer of the cereal. It is not known if the manufacturer is continuing to operate. It is also not known if the plant produced any other Kellogg cereals or products for any other companies during the time the recalled Honey Smacks were made.
Food Safety officials in Mexico posted a recall notice for Honey Smacks with the same identifying codes as those reported on the cereal recalled in the United States. The Kellogg Co. division in Mexico posted the same recall notice, as did the U.S. headquarters of the iconic cereal company.
The Ministry of Health in Belize issued a public warning urging people to “not consume any Kellogg’s Honey Smacks” until further notice.
“At this time, the Ministry is uncertain of the availability of this product, but the Public Health Department is on heightened surveillance for the presence of this cereal and batch series in Belize,” according to a report by Breaking Belize News.
Kellogg reported the recalled cereal sent to Belize has the same identifying codes as reported for the U.S. and Mexico. The same codes are on Honey Smacks under recall in Costa Rica, Guatemala, the Caribbean, Guam, Tahiti and Saipan.
As of the most recent outbreak update posted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which was released June 15, at lest 73 people across 31 states are confirmed with Salmonella infections. Of they, 24 have been so sick they had to be admitted to hospitals.
Regardless where they were distributed, the recalled Honey Smacks can be identified by the following packaging information.
|Description (Retail)||UPC Code||Size||Best-By Date|
|Honey Smacks||3800039103||15.3 oz||JUN 14, 2018 through JUN 14, 2019|
|Honey Smacks||3800014810||23 oz||JUN 14, 2018 through JUN 14, 2019|
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)


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NEW DELHI: German luxury carmaker BMW today said it has hiked production capacity at its Indian facility to 5,400 units per annum and will make a fresh investment of Rs 70 crore by 2012.
The company, which is present in the country through a wholly-owned subsidiary BMW India, also said it will take a call within a month on entering the Indian two-wheeler market.
" BMW Group is tapping into new growth potential and will further increase its commitments in India. To this end, we will step up our investments in India," BMW India President Andreas Schaaf told reporters here.
The company has so far invested Rs 110 crore at its plant in Chennai, which had an installed annual production capacity of 3,000 units before the addition.
"The plant in Chennai has recently increased its production capacity to 5,400 units per year on a single shift basis," he added.
Schaaf said that fresh investment of Rs 70 crore will be made by 2012 to add more capacity over and above 5,400 units per annum, but did not specify by how much it will go up.
"The plant will be structurally expanded to increase the production capacity further. Around 18 acres of additional land will be procured from Mahindra World City for this expansion ... Currently the plant is spread over 21 acres of land," he added.
A new vehicle despatch centre will also be constructed inside the facility by 2012, he said.
Speaking about its future product launches, he said: "In 2010-11, we will resolutely expand our product range and thus cover all the opportunities in the luxury segment ... The new BMW X1 is scheduled to be launched in India by the end of 2010. The new X1 will be CKD, produced at the Chennai plant."
The company today launched its new sports utility vehicle X5 in both petrol and diesel variants, priced between Rs 52.99 lakh and Rs 69.50 lakh.
When asked about the company's plans for the two-wheeler segment in India, Schaaf said: "There are investigations going on. We will decide in a couple of weeks whether it makes sense to enter the market or not... In a month's time, the announcement will be made."
He said the study does not include the possibility of setting up a two-wheeler manufacturing facility in India.

domain: news


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Following its support to UK Coffee Week in April this year, Muffin Break has donated over £3,600 to the initiative to help support clean water projects in coffee growing communities.
During the week of 11th and 17th April, Muffin Break donated 5p from every coffee sold at its UK stores to UK Coffee Week.
National artisan bakery, Muffin Break, has seen a rise in muffin sales of more than 25% thanks to the launch of its bold and innovative Muffin Lab range.
The increase was achieved in the first four months of 2016 and is equivalent to a 28% increase year on year.
Muffin Break is supporting Coeliac UK's Awareness Week (9th-15th May) by
offering customers a 10% discount on its delicious Gluten Free range during that week.
Between 11th and 17th April, Muffin Break will be donating 5p from every coffee purchased
to support UK Coffee Week, an initiative that gives back to the communities that grow our coffee.
From 21st March, Muffin Break will be offering locals a delicious reason to get out of bed this National
Bed Month (March) - with the introduction of its new breakfast range.
From Thursday 17th December, hungry Christmas shoppers will notice something fresh when visiting their local high-street; a brand new Muffin Break
store, with its very own bakers who take pride in serving their customers deliciously fresh food every day.
From Thursday 12th November, hungry shoppers will notice something fresh when visiting the recently opened Friars Walk Shopping Centre;
a brand new Muffin Break store, with its very own bakers who take pride in serving their customers deliciously fresh food every day.
From October 13th there will be a delicious new range of flavours available for
Muffin Break customers to try, with the launch of a 'Toasted Turkish' range.


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The worst-performing stock right now in my personal retirement portfolio is short-term rental platform Airbnb (ABNB 1.03%). It has fallen roughly 35% from its high reached in February. My own stake is now down over 20%, and I have a feeling a lot of Airbnb shareholders are down on their investment just like me.
Just looking at my portfolio over the last couple of months, it would be easy to conclude buying Airbnb stock was a mistake. Is it time to sell and move on?
As we'll see, that's not what I intend to do with Airbnb stock. Here's why.
Take a look at what's changing
On the surface, last year wasn't a good one for Airbnb. Full-year 2020 revenue was down 30% from 2019, and its $3.6 billion operating loss exceeded revenue -- ouch. However, the pandemic changed consumer behavior. And even though the numbers don't show it yet, this shift may be something Airbnb benefits from in the long run.
As my Motley Fool colleague Brian Stoffel points out, Airbnb appears to be a stronger company coming out of 2020: It's taking market share from hotels as people resume normal travel activity. It can be a good idea to sell a stock when its business is sputtering. But Airbnb's is thriving -- that's the kind of stock I like to buy, not sell.
Boosting Airbnb's revenue in the first quarter of 2021 was an increase in its average daily rate (ADR). In the first quarter, ADR was up 35% from the comparable quarter in 2020. But this wasn't merely hosts charging more for the same spaces. Rather, travel is different. Throughout 2020 and now in 2021, Airbnb management has noted that people are traveling in bigger groups, requiring bigger spaces. And bigger spaces cost more, so ADR is up.
A preference for larger spaces isn't the only change Airbnb's management has noticed. People are also staying longer. The company defines a long-term stay as 28 days or more. In the first quarter, 24% of its bookings were for long-term stays, compared to just 14% two years ago. This caused management to say in its letter to shareholders that people "are living on Airbnb."
There are a lot of other shifts in how people are using Airbnb's platform, but to summarize management, people are flexible and want to travel more.
What to do about it
Travel behavior has shifted. Airbnb's platform, therefore, is shifting with it.
On May 24, Airbnb rolled out its first platform overhaul in years. All told, there are over 100 changes, and many accommodate more flexibility. Your search can be flexible with when you travel and what kind of space you travel to. Even your destination can be flexible.
That last point is a head-turning development for Airbnb. The company feels like it has a shortage of hosts. Its current marketing campaign is geared toward onboarding new hosts, and many of the app upgrades go to simplifying the setup process for property owners. But for now, there are not enough hosts for the demand Airbnb anticipates.
However, while it's true that it needs more hosts, there's often space in lesser-visited places, which sit empty while popular destinations are booked solid. If travelers can be flexible in their choice of destination, Airbnb can now send demand to wherever it has supply. And playing travel matchmaker is an incredible development if you think about it.
Without question, Airbnb management believes consumer travel preferences have permanently changed. Its platform overhaul reflects its belief that people will travel more, work remotely, and seek out less sought-out locations.
Personally, I'm skeptical. People increasingly prefer short-term rental homes over hotels, yes. But that's a trend that started before the coronavirus. And I believe it has much further to go. But regarding flexibility, it seems logical to me that as people are vaccinated against the coronavirus, normal life will resume. Employees will spend more time at the office, children will get back to school, and other practical realities will reduce flexibility.
Let's say I'm right. In that case, there's no downside with Airbnb's app update. Specific dates and places can still be searched as before. But if I'm wrong, Airbnb can't afford to be unprepared for those lasting changes to consumer behavior. And in fact, it may now be one of the few travel companies in the world actually preparing for that reality. That excites me as a shareholder.
Yes, Airbnb stock is down, but I'm not selling. Over the course of months, stocks are unpredictable. But I invested in Airbnb for the long term: at least five years. Indeed, this is a stock I continue to buy, and I'll maintain that stance until the business falters.


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Timothy NorrisYoung faces at the 2009 Electric Daisy Carnival.More than $2.5 million in cash was paid to union hands who worked concerts, mostly controversial raves, at the publicly run L.A. Coliseum and Sports Arena, according to sources and documents obtained by the Weekly.
On Tuesday lawy ... More >>
Don't do it.Another day another raid in Venice. But this one didn't involve marijuana shops or pot docs or even RV dwellers.
No, this time the targets were purveyors of fine, raw milk, a product you can't really sell legally without special permits. Those, authorities say, were not in-hand w ... More >>
Via OC RegisterVia the mayorsam blog via the Fresno Bee, that super-upbeat, super-flashy guy, gloomy Gray Davis, is saying that California Governor Jerry Brown, um, probable governor, will immediately set a Special Election to ask Californians to raise taxes.
God, which is worse? Another spe ... More >>
A Sunland interior designer plead guilty to two counts of fraud this week after he had claimed disability to the tune of more than $147,000 and an insurance company worker happened to catch the man on television -- working.
Ronald E. Hunt, 56 continued working as a designer even as he claime ... More >>


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Written By Spencer Kent
As someone who has in some form or another worked in the 'green' business for a good three years now, I get excited when I see big-branded companies take the extra steps to become more environmentally conscious. When the news hit a while back that FritoLay's SunChips had switched all of their products over to 100% biodegradable bags, I was thrilled and proud. As an avid fan of the brand, I experienced a definite sense of pride that they were the first to make such a bold and meaningful move toward the health and future of this planet. In fact, I remember buying a bag of Harvest Cheddar (my personal favorite) that week to celebrate.
As I unpacked my groceries into their corresponding places amongst my pantry, I noticed that the packaging for my new eco-snack was... loud. Very loud. I took a quick glance at the gigantic label on the front of the bag explaining that the noise was caused by the new biodegradable material, and shrugged the issue off as a small (re: tiny) price to pay for something so important.
As I'm sure many of you know, SunChips has recently decided to stop using these eco-friendly bags in favor of their non-recyclable predecessors. The reason? The public declared that the bags were just "too loud." Needless to say, I was furious. Here was a name-brand making a stand, and something as insignificant as "bag noise" killed it dead-on-arrival. I was embarrassed by my fellow chip-lovers, and sad that they, as well as SunChips, didn't see the bigger picture here. I would gladly take a noisy bag over a polluted earth.
Fortunately, the idea is being replicated by FritoLay with some significant changes. I read this week that their UK potato chip brand, Walkers, is going to upgrade their packaging to new biodegradable material made out of, and isn't this perfect, potato peels. I can only imagine that, considering the SunChips situation, these new bags will have no noise-related issues. The company hopes to cut the carbon footprint of their bags by seven percent.
I'm glad that FritoLay has decided not to give up on going green, and sincerely hope that this experiment with Walkers goes well enough to help relaunch biodegradable SunChips packaging here in the US. In the meantime, I hope that consumers will gradually begin to understand the impact that small changes and sacrifices can have on our very fragile planet for years to come.
If you'd like to start making changes, The Green Garmento is simple, affordable, and a great place to start. For just under ten bucks you can eliminate the waste of drycleaning plastic, and look stylish all at once! But you don't have to take my word for it, check out the facts. Happy shopping, and have a great weekend!
Follow me on Twitter: @spencerkent


text: All eyes have been on Amazon as they’ve journeyed in a very public way for HQ2. The decision has been made. (congratulations, New York and Arlington!). Now, it’s worth assessing what commercial real estate investors and economic development offices can learn from the HQ2 Sweepstakes. First and foremost, it’s important to keep in mind what skillset and type of employees Amazon is looking to hire for its 50,000+ jobs. Click to read more at www.realmassive.com .


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By Dimitra DeFotis
Brazil mining giant Vale (VALE) is readying a potential $3 billion sale of its potash and phosphate mining business that spans the globe.
The sale — to slash debt ad avoid negative credit ratings — could occur within weeks and fertilizer seller Mosaic (MOS) “is in discussions to buy the operations and is being advised by JPMorgan Chase,” an anonymous source told Bloomberg.
Earlier this week, Mosaic co-CEO James C. O’Rourke said that as miners are forced to sell fertilizer businesses to pay down debt, “some of these opportunities might come to fruition, and if they do, they may add some long-term value to us,” according to Reuters via AgProfessional.com. Mosaic, based inMinnesota, sells crop nutrients and pricing is weak; Mosaic reported lower-than-expected earnings Tuesday. Vale’s potash and phosphate business includes assets in Brazil, Peru, Canada and Mozambique. Mosaic producers and/or distributes products globally including in China, Brazil, India and North America.
Mining companies rose on the week: Vale was up 4.7%, BHP Billiton (BHP) was up 4.5%, Fortescue Metals Group (FSUGY) rose 4%, Glencore (GLNCY) was up 1.4% and Anglo American (NGLOY) was up 1.3%. Rio Tinto (RIO) was down 0.2%. Mosaic shares rose 1% on the week.


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The Parisian dealer Patrick Seguin has championed French mid-century designer Jean Prouvé, whose prefabricated houses now sell for millions and are on display at Milan’s Expo 2015 and Basel’s Design Miami. The dealer and his wife plan on testing Prouvé's nomadic vision for themselves this summer, dismantling the updated Prouvé house and crating it over to be reassembled on southern France's untamed Camargue coast. "But in August I want to be sleeping in Switzerland, in the mountains," says Seguin. "The house will be our caravan."
See here for the full article about Prouvé's architecture and how it inspired Patrick Seguin.


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takata airbag recall affected toyota\u0027s
Over 34 million vehicles are currently on the recalled vehicles list for containing defective Takata airbag inflators.Takata Airbag Recall: What You Should Know. Toyota Safety Recall E04 Areas of High Humidity. The Takata airbag recall is the largest automotive recall in U.S. history and even affects vehicles around the globe.January 13, 2017- Toyota Adds More Cars For Takata Airbag Recall. Toyota has expanded its Takata airbag recall to include another 601,300 vehicles.SEE ALSO: Takata Airbag Recall Adds Another 3.3M Vehicles. The Toyota, Lexus, and Scion models affected by the recent expansion include Ltd are opening a class action in Australia against car manufacturers, including BMW, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota among others for their role in the defective Takata airbag scandal.1 Affected Vehicle. 2 Your Information. 3 Funding Agreement. Takata bankruptcy: Is your car affected by air bag recall? Vehicles affected by Japanese auto supplier Takatas air bag recall will continue to receive repairs despite the companys bankruptcy filing Sunday.Toyota. In early May, US auto safety regulators ordered Takata to recall between 35 million and 40 million airbags installed in US cars -- including in ToyotasSome 50 million have been recalled globally.
The decision affects some models of Corollas, Lexus and Scion made between 2006 and 2011. Toyota said that its problem with drivers-side Takata airbags was limited to cars with inflaters produced at the Georgia plant in the early 2000s, and that all those cars had now been recalled. Takata Airbags are used by a large range of car and bike manufacturers, including Ford, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Mazda, BMW, Jeep and Toyota.2017/16006. Compulsory Airbag Recall: Find Out If Your Car Is One Of 1.3 Million Affected. 2017 nissan armada vs 2017 toyota sequoia. Have you been affected by the Takata Airbag Recall? Contact the experienced attorneys at Bley Evans for a free consultation.2004 2005 Impreza (including WRX/ STi). Toyota.
takata airbag recall for lexus - takata airbag recall models is your car affected. takata airbag recall for lexus - takata honda face class action lawsuit over faulty air bags la. takata airbag recall for lexus - toyota prius plug in lexus ct200h recalled for airbag issues. Toyota has expanded its Takata airbag recall to include another 601,300 vehicles.SEE ALSO: Takata Airbag Recall Adds Another 3.3M Vehicles. The Toyota, Lexus, and Scion models affected by the recent expansion include A number of Toyota models have been recalled for airbag inflators that were manufactured by Takata Corporation.This Government website has all the affected models and VIN numbers listed for you to check against your own vehicle. Previous street toyota amarillo Next tampa bay toyota.filed under: Toyota. Add a comment: Your email (required): Sign in. A Takata airbag trigger - known technically as a "pyro-electric airbag initiator" nestles inside a steering wheel hub. Toyota, Nissan recall 6.5m cars globally Toyota recalls 181,000 cars Holden recalls 42,000 cars over seatbelt. Is your car affected? Investigations by automakers, Takata and regulators have been searching for the root cause of the defective airbags.Takatas is now considered the largest automotive recall in American history. Here is the latest list of affected vehicles If so, for the record, this is not the first time that Takatas airbags have been said to be defective, but it does not seem that the airbags inflators from Takata are at fault here. Still, the massive vehicle recall by Toyota around the globe will affect a whopping 1.43 million vehicles in this round. The Takata airbag recall has become the largest automotive recall in history, affecting more than 100 million vehicles and nearly 20 automotive brands around the world. Among those are some four million vehicles in Australia. Toyota has expanded its Takata airbag recall to include another 601,300 vehicles.The Toyota, Lexus, and Scion models affected by the recent expansion include: Affected owners will be notified by first class mail by the end of March. Takata Airbag Recall Toyota. download full image. Takata Tells Tesla That Model S Airbags Are Okay. download full image. Toyota Recalls Nearly 1 5 Million Cars In Europe Over. Takata Airbag Recall: A Serious Safety Concern Updated info and list of vehicles effected.This recall involves some BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota vehicles, with the possibility of other automakers being added later. Takata Airbag Recall. Defective Airbags May Harm Passengers with Exploding Metal Fragments. An initial recall of defective passenger-side airbags in cars driven in warm regions was issued in 2013.Toyota: 877,000 total number of potentially affected vehicles. Toyota said its recall of five million vehicles affected 35 models globally, produced between 2003 and 2007, while NissanAs for the local implications of this latest Takata recall, Toyota South Africa said it would replace the airbag inflators in Toyota has issued a worldwide recall regarding the faulty Takata airbag.Takata Airbag Recall - Honda reaches out to owners of affected vehicles - Продолжительность: 3:43 The Wheel Network 100 просмотров. Takata Airbag Recall: A Complete List of Affected Vehicles.About 160,000 Toyota RAV4 SUVs from the 2004 and 2005 model years were included in a recent Takata airbag-related recall. Takata airbag recall: Is your car affected?For example, if you own a Toyota Corolla MY 2010, this vehicle is on the list. Call and speak to the service department of a Toyota dealership near you. Each vehicle manufacturer is handling the Takata airbag recall in its own way. By regulation, manufacturers are required to notify affected owners of the recall.Toyota Corolla Matrix (2003 2005). TORONTO, ON June 16, 2015 Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) today announced that it is expanding its recalls involving Takata front passenger airbag inflators. This is a direct consequence of the nationwide Toyota Takata Airbag Recall, which so far, along with the recalls of several other auto manufacturers, affects approximately 42-million vehicles, making it the largest recall in U.S history. Airbag recall - Is your car affected?1:04.DRIVERS are being strongly urged to check if they need to have faulty Takata airbags replaced from their motor vehicle in Australias largest ever consumer recall.
A number of recalls have been announced in Australia for motor vehicles containing Takata airbags. These recalls affect a large number of car makes and models and a small number of motorcycles and trucks. Worst automotive recall in history reaches 68 million problematic cars from 17 manufacturers. Before it began making airbags in 1988, the 1950s saw Takata influence the research on seat belts in passenger vehicles. In 2013, however, all came crashing down for the Japanese company due to a worldwide airbag recall affecting tens of millions of cars. 6 photos. Takata Airbag Recall Gets Much, Much Worse7.8 Million Vehicles Affected.Size of Recall: 9 million vehicles Models Affected: 2004-2010 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Matrix, Highlander, Prius, RAV4, Tundra, Tacoma and various Lexus models. Toyota said tests carried out on vehicles with Takata-made airbags, including some recovered from junkyards, had shown that the steel inflators, the parts that containThirty-five models were affected, the company said, including top sellers like the Corolla. Nissans recall covered 1.56 million vehicles. What to do if your car is on the Takata Airbag recall list.Ticking time-bombs. Consumer organisation Choice found that more than two-thirds of the 2.7 million cars affected in Australia still have not had their potentially lethal air bags replaced. Toyota Nissan Recall 6 5 Million Cars For Takata Airbags. Takata S Dangerous Air Bags Recalls Are In The Millions. At Co-Op Toyota our aim is to make sure that Toyota owners have quick, and easy access to the right information regarding the Takata airbag recall, which has affected certain vehicles. Thats led to a years-long series of recalls affecting more than 12 million vehicles around the world -- a number that ticked up by 247,000 earlier this week, thanks to a new recall from Toyota.NHTSA has published the following list of vehicles affected by the Takata airbag recalls. The Takata Airbag Recall and How it Affects Consumers.Just because your vehicle is listed here does not mean it is eligible for recall, though. Some large manufacturers, like Toyota, used different airbag products the same year. Most of the vehicles affected by the recall were manufactured before 2012. At GoGet, we replace our cars fairly regularly, so we have very few cars of that age in our fleet.This is especially the case when, like the Takata airbag recall, the safety of members could be at risk. FAQs TAKATA Airbag Recall. Is this recall comparable to similar recalls being conducted by other Manufacturers?What injuries can I expect if the airbag deploys? For the affected Takata inflators only, in a crash in which an air bag deployment is necessary, the air bag inflator housing may rupture. As part of Toyotas commitment to quality and safety, Toyota is expanding these recalls involving certain Takata airbag inflators in Toyota. At Toyota, the safety of our customers is our number one priority Takata Airbag Recall.The near-decade-long succession of recalls and large number of affected vehicles complicate the recall issue, and consumers are understandably concerned.Both drivers and passengers are at risk in certain Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Chrysler News Airbag Recall Expands For Toyota Corolla Yaris. Honda Gold Wing Affected By The Takata Airbag Recalls. Mazda Takata Airbag Recall. Your safety is our number one concern.Some models are fitted with brand new replacement Takata components. How will customers be notified if their vehicle is affected by an airbag recall? Heres what a Takata airbag explosion looks like. The largest auto recall of all time just got even bigger.The main areas hit by the latest recall are Europe, Japan and China, Toyota said in an email. Hugely popular models like the Corolla, Yaris and Etios are affected. Keep in mind, though, that Nissan and Toyota may not have yet announced their recall expansions in response to Takatas aforementioned mid-May announcement.The vehicles in question had already been affected by this far-reaching recall of Takata-supplied airbag inflators, but theyre now Dedicated to spreading awareness of the Takata airbag inflator recall and helping drivers check for recalls and schedule necessary repairs.In response, vehicle manufacturers are conducting the largest safety recall in U.S. history. Toyota intensifies effort to repair vehicles equipped with takata airbag inflators.In April 2013 and June 2014, Toyota announced recalls for affected vehicles.


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Bar Louie in Greenville has closed after parent company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The Greenville location of a national restaurant that bills itself as an upscale cocktail lounge has closed as part of the parent company’s Chapter 11 filing.
Bar Louie, at 1117 Woodruff Road at Magnolia Park in Greenville closed after service Saturday, Jan. 25, according to a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. The post went up late Sunday morning.
The company’s website Monday no longer listed the Greenville location under its list of stores.
The Addison, Texas-based, chain said it would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to a press release from the company.
"Bar Louie, an award-winning gastrobar, today announced that it has reached an agreement with its lenders to act as the stalking horse purchaser and to support the Company through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy sale, subject to higher and better offers," the press release said.
The Company will continue to operate more than 90 locations across the United States "in the normal course of business."
In advance of the filing, the company closed what it deemed "under-performing locations."
Bar Louie CEO Tom Fricke said in a statement the company is a "profitable business focused on long-term growth."
"The sale through Chapter 11 will help us to focus on our profitable core locations and expand in areas that have a proven track record of success," Fricke said.
The Company expects to emerge from the Chapter 11 process within 90 days.
The brand is a holding of Sun Capital Partners, a private investment firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and investments, which acquired the company in 2010, according to a press release on the Sun Capital website.
Bar Louie in Greenville opened in 2015. The restaurant specialized in small bites, cocktails and burgers.


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NEW YORK — Bernd Beetz, one of the beauty industry’s top executives known for his razor-sharp focus and hard-charging ways, is back and he’s moving into fashion.
Beetz was named chairman of St. John Knits, and also made an investment in the Irvine, Calif.-based company. Beetz told WWD that the opportunity to invest and take a leadership role in St. John came to him via Fosun International, a Chinese company, which also invested in the firm.
“I am very close to the Fosun group, and I have been friends with Patrick Zhong [Fosun International senior managing director] for a long time,” Beetz said. “We were looking for a project that we can do together and found that this is a fantastic opportunity for us.”
Beetz declined to disclose his stake, or that of Fosun, but said that Vestar Capital Partners continues to be the majority investor in St. John. “I am very happy that we found this partnership with Vestar,” he added. “We can combine our skills to really advance the brand.”
Beetz will take an active role in developing the next chapter of the American brand, for which he sees “the potential of enormous global reach.”
He noted that between Vestar, Fosun and him, there are different skill sets that will serve the future of St. John well. “I know a little bit about branding; I know a little bit about organizational building,” Beetz said, downplaying his own expertise. “Fosun brings in knowledge about the Chinese market, and I will form a strong team and do the right thing to really advance a great brand.”
The St. John proposition appealed to Beetz for many reasons.
“It’s a fantastic brand that is deeply rooted in product, fiber and in manufacturing,” Beetz said. “It’s a real quality American icon, and I think I can contribute to the brand building — finding the right chief executive officer, enforcing the team because there’s already a lot of talent in the company. This is a brand with a lot of substance and a lot of things that can be accelerated. The opportunity to become a partner of Vestar and Fosun Group was also really attractive.”
As reported earlier this week, St. John Knits chief executive officer Glenn McMahon resigned and is leaving at the end of this month, and Beetz is spearheading the search to succeed him.
“For right now, my responsibility is to find the right ceo, and to coach the ceo,” Beetz said. “Developing talent and enhancing talent and bringing them to their best potential — these are things I am good at and really enjoy.”
He disclosed that there is a short list, and an appointment could come soon.
St. John is not the only apparel venture Beetz, who will now be based in both New York and California, is invested in. Earlier this year, he also said that he had made an investment into the growing business of Croatian-born, Paris-based designer Damir Doma, though he declined to disclose the size of the stake he took.
An avid sportsman and driven executive with deep experience in the luxury tier, Beetz is best known in the beauty industry for leading the revival of the celebrity fragrance industry. Early in his 11-year tenure as ceo at Coty Inc., he took what at the time was seen as a risky move and signed Jennifer Lopez to a fragrance contract. Coty launched Glow by JLO in 2002, and the franchise has since netted at least 18 fragrances sold in 25 countries and roughly $2 billion in cumulative retail sales. The move came to inspire a new culture at Coty of calculated risk taking and relentless focus. As one banker who knows Beetz well once said, “He comes from P&G, he’s German and he excels at every sport that he’s ever played. He’s not type A. He’s A-plus. He expects from everyone what he expects from himself.”
While fragrance sales were humming along, Beetz also spearheaded Coty’s expansion into higher-margin beauty categories, such as skin care and cosmetics. To that end, Beetz oversaw a string of large-scale acquisitions — most notably OPI Products Inc. and Philosophy Inc. — to deliberately nudge the business away from fragrance.
Those who have worked with him said he is known for his appetite for big deals: One of his most successful purchases was Coty’s $800 million acquisition in 2005 of Unilever’s prestige fragrance division, Unilever Cosmetics International, which added the Calvin Klein fragrance license to the mix. It has since become Coty’s biggest brand.
Some of the acquisitions have performed better than others — Wall Street has recently criticized the firm’s large writedown tied to Philosophy — but a portfolio shift was seen as necessary to ready Coty for an initial public offering. Coty shares began trading in June, nearly a year after Beetz stepped down from his ceo post and one month after he left his role on the board as non-executive director.
Beetz — who was born in Heidelberg, Germany and fluently speaks German, English, French and Italian — was determined to catapult Coty from a small fragrance house into a leading global beauty firm. During his tenure, he grew sales nearly threefold to $4.1 billion in 2012 from $1.4 billion in 2001. Beetz also established Coty’s philanthropic mission: He helped launch the U.S. arm of DKMS, the nonprofit bone marrow donation registry started by former Coty chairman Peter Harf.
Beetz’s résumé also includes stints as president and ceo of Parfums Christian Dior, a division of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, and several senior positions at P&G.
Beetz still serves on the board of Douglas and Archetypes Inc.
“Bernd is a seasoned organization builder and brings an extraordinary level of leadership to the company,” said Jim Kelley, a founding partner of Vestar Capital Partners. Kelley cited “the recent investment by Fosun International and our continued interest in global expansion,” as representing a pivotal time for bringing Beetz into the company.
Fosun’s Zhong added, “We have long admired Bernd Beetz and are happy to have him as our new chairman of the St. John board. The brand’s potential is enormous and there is no one better suited to help us exploit that potential than Bernd.”
That is likely to include global expansion, freestanding stores and new classifications, though Beetz said it was still too early to discuss specifics.
“My approach is always the same,” he said. “I want to really understand the fundamentals, and based on a good understanding of the equity, you strengthen the brand and go for globalization. Certainly, China is a market that we will look at.
“Everybody will take advantage of the fact that I come in with a fresh pair of eyes,” he added.
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews


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In technology and entrepreneurship landscape, there is no doubt that Russians are very talented. Some of them have launched successful global tech companies. Alexey Pajitnov, the inventor of computer game Tetris; Stepan Pachikov (software maker ParaGraph); Maxim Levchin (PayPal) and Greg Shenkman and Alex Milosavsky (call-center software giant Genesys) — to name a few.“You may not have heard of serial entrepreneur Serguei Beloussov, founder of SWsoft, but Western investors go ga-ga over his startups,” Business Week wrote. With his college buddy Ilya Zubarev, he has launched a dozen technology companies. Today, they are both multimillionaires.
Taken from his company website:
Mr. Beloussov is a successful self-made entrepreneur and business executive with an outstanding 17-year track record in building, growing and leading high-performing, multi-national high tech companies in North America, Europe and Asia. Noted as an innovator and a thought leader in virtualization, datacenter automation, and cloud computing space, Serguei is a frequent speaker at industry eventsSerguei is currently the Chairman and CEO of Parallels (parallels.com). Parallels is a technology rich, high growth software company focused on enabling cloud computing services to SMBs. The Company is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and cloud computing service providers across all major hardware, operating system, and virtualization platforms. Under Mr. Beloussov’s leadership, Parallels (formerly SWsoft) has quickly grown to profitability and #1 market positions with its innovative Parallels Virtuozzo Containers, Parallels Desktop for Mac and Parallels Plesk Panel product lines. Mr. Beloussov is also a founder, major investor and Chairman of the Board of Acronis (acronis.com), a global leader in storage management and disaster recovery software for consumers, SMBs and large enterprises.
Recently, I had a chance to sit down with him in a coffee shop, Temasek area, Singapore. “Read your blog,” the 37-year-old Russian said to open the conversation. Thanks man. My first impression: he is a humble person.Beloussov, who now lives in Singapore, told me how he expanded his businesses, to bring world-class products to most parts of the world. He also promises reinvesting some of his wealth in new startups. “I love Asia. This region’s markets are growing fast now,” he said. The Parallels’ customers in Asia Pacific now, include Softbank IDC (JP), Telecom Malaysia (MY), Sri Lanka telecom, VDC (VN), IINet/ Westnet (AU) and China Telecom (CN). Any secret recipe on how to deliver successful companies globally? “Try to find a niche market and stay focus,” Beloussov said. Thanks, Beloussov, for the great and insightful conversation. And the coffee. Really enjoyed it.


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Top 5 -yesterday
- Discussing the cannabis industry in Jamaica with Olanzo Jarrett
- "This system is priceless"
- US: Governors of northeastern states adopt coordinated cannabis legalization plan
- US (CO): As “green rush” rolls on, Boulder’s Surna helping make cannabis industry more sustainable
- "A disinfectant is no longer ordered from a brochure"
Top 5 -last week
Top 5 -last month
- CAN (ON): Completion of Southwestern Ontario based 780,000 sqft cannabis greenhouse
- The similarities and differences between cannabis and vegetable growing
- "Higher production, with a lower risk of diseases."
- Cannabis lessons from the Netherlands: the silicon valley of greentech
- "We grow vertically, thus using less space through optimizing the height of our facility"
US (NJ): Photos showed mold and spider mites in cannabis plants, but officials say they’ve been debunked
Mold, spider mites and air conditioning fluid poured into plants — all three were used to characterize conditions at several medical cannabis providers in complaints that swirled around social media recently. But state Department of Health officials say the unverified photos are not evidence of…Ray Junghans, RJ Chemicals president
“All the processes need to be evaluated, and then those Best Operating standards have to be extended"
When pharma companies produce medicine, they follow strict standards that ensure a consistent product, so that patients know they will get the same effect every time. However, when it comes to the medical cannabis industry, these standards are still being introduced. “I have seen many medical cannabis…
How important is microbial testing of cannabis products?
“Microbial testing in the cannabis industry is extremely important, particularly for immunocompromised medical cannabis patients who can get infected easily,” says Amanda Horodyski, the passionate microbiology manager at Atlantic Test Labs Inc, a cannabis testing service company. Giving a rare insight…Mike D'Ambra, Innovative Solutions
How to proactively fight pathogens in medical cannabis operations
Prevention is better than cure. This is the motto that healthcare practitioners follow. No wonder that such a statement is particularly fitting in the context of the pharma industry. The objective is to take pro-active measures so you do not allow a specific condition to become more serious than it…Davide Agostini, grower with ReLash Lab
Trichoderma harzianum: a beneficial fungus for cannabis plants
In nature, within the mesosphere, and more specifically in that portion of the soil where roots are, symbiotic relationships are formed with fungi. Among these, there are some that are particularly beneficial for plants, and of course, for the cannabis plant. One of the most interesting surely is the…
US: USDA official says there are challenges giving hemp farmers insurance coverage
Providing crop insurance to hemp farmers might be a bit trickier than lawmakers expected when the crop was federally legalized. During a House Agriculture Committee hearing last week, panel leadership raised questions about the logistics of covering the plant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture…Cameron Scott, Simon Fraser University
"Research on crop protection is a very important topic, at the moment"
Crop protection for medical cannabis production in greenhouses or outdoors is a very important topic at the present time. Regulations around the world prohibit the use of chemical crop protections and the search for alternatives to combat diseases and pests is an important one within cannabis operations.…
US (CA): Acquisition of new product lines to expand in the agricultural bioprotection market
Marrone Bio Innovations has acquired from Jet Harvest Solutions all rights and assets to the Jet Ag and Jet Oxide product lines. Jet Ag and Jet Oxide are broad-spectrum products used both for control of fungal and bacterial diseases and as disinfectants. "The transaction builds on a two-year relationship…
US: Federal grant funds research into removing chemical crop protection from cannabis
A federal agency is providing a quarter of a million dollars in funding to a biotech startup that’s developing technology to remove dangerous pesticides from a variety of crops, including cannabis. The National Science Foundation announced the $250,000 two-year grant to Brooklyn Bioscience last month.…
US (CO): Added cannabis fungus testing requirement
Commercial cannabis products in Colorado will soon be subject to further testing for dangerous fungus, according to the state Marijuana Enforcement Division. In a bulletin…
US: USDA, hemp farmers now qualify for federal crop insurance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Tuesday that hemp farmers operating under pilot programs authorized through the 2014 Farm Bill are now eligible for federal crop insurance for the 2020 planting season, while those who cultivate hemp under broader federal legalization in the 2018…
US: EPA announces review of chemical crop protection application for hemp
The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Wednesday that it is seeking public input on 10 chemical crop protection applications for hemp. While the crop and its derivatives were federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp farmers are still facing certain barriers as different agencies…
NL: Canadian medical cannabis producers visit Holland
The large Canadian Licensed Producers of medical cannabis are faced with strict rules, when it comes to protecting their crops against pests and diseases. Andrew Hall, a Senior Consultant with A2B Engineering of Canada says: "Simply put, Canadian producers of medical cannabis do not have access to…
Canadian government invests to reduce chemical crop protection applications
Today, Jean-Claude Poissant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, on behalf of the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of…Randal Raney, Clean Crop Solutions
“Regulations prevent growers from using any chemical solutions that can be potentially dangerous to end consumers.”
Just like any other agricultural product, cannabis and hemp too are subject to insects and pests affecting the plant. However, unlike other crops, cannabis and hemp are trickier to take care of when it comes to crop protection and pest management. “One of the main reasons is that the pharmaceutical…
US (OR): Hail damages hemp crop to Oregon grower
Hail hit the state of Oregon, and an hemp grower experienced damages to his crop. Even though the damages look very serious, under the LinkedIn post reporting the fact, many growers showed support and gave suggestions to improve a situation that, according to them, does not represent the end of the hemp…Javier Villegas, of Koppert Spain: "Microorganisms are boosting a second green revolution"
"Growers are defenseless against the current bans on chemicals"
The use of natural microorganisms for the biological control of soil diseases is leading to radical changes in Spanish agriculture: a true revolution that is forever changing the way farming is done in vast areas in Spain. Microbiological products are residue-free and 100% natural solutions for the…


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First off- if you don’t want to know anything about the story in the upcoming Spider-Man game, consider this your spoiler warning, and hit the back button on your browser now (though if you don’t want to know anything about the game’s story, why you would even click on a news article about a story trailer for it is beyond me).
For the rest of you, here’s the deal- a brand new trailer for Spider-Man was released at San Diego Comic Con today, and it showed off a lot of the game’s story, confirming (or re-confirming), that Electro, Rhino, Vulture, and Mr. Negative will all be in the game- as will be Norman Osborne!
Another fan-favorite character who was confirmed by this trailer was Silver Sable, the mercenary who goes head to head against Spidey almost as often as she fights by his side. Miles Morales and MJ Watson also have a much more prominent presence in the trailer. It seems like Spidey’s whole gallery of friends and foes is here.
You can check out the trailer for yourself below. Quite recently, we reported on the possibility of yet another villain – Tombstone – appearing in the game. Read more on that here. Spider-Man launches on the PS4 this September.


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From Sarah Muller at TheLastWordBlog
In the aftermath of the Super Bowl there's been some backlash, and not just over the A-Rod popcorn-feeding video. Groupon has been getting tons of flack for their ads making light of the situation in Tibetan and deforestation in Brazil. To Lawrence, the discount site has nothing to apologize for. In the Rewrite, he explains why this ad was a good thing for most of the 45-million half-drunk Super Bowl viewers.


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Samsung has already given us enough of Galaxy Devices so much as to confuse us. Some of the recent devices of the company’s celebrated devices series resemble each other so closely in looks that it might pose a little difficulty in recognizing. It seems that Samsung is a little desperate to capture the greatest share in the smartphone market world wide. That’s why we have seen so many launches from them in recent times. There was a little void after the launch of the Galaxy S3, and then the whole Galaxy seemed to fall on earth. Galaxy S3 Mini, Note 2, Tab 10.1, Galaxy Premier and so on. The last name in the list has almost the same specs as the new Galaxy smartphone we are gonna have a look on.
The big question, however, is: “Do we really need more Galaxy phones?” Anyways, we have a confirmed launch date for another Galaxy phone called the Galaxy Express. It is a mid-range smartphone with Android 4.0 ICS featuring a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, 5 mp camera, a 4.5″ Super AMOLED Plus display (480 x 800 resolution), and a 2000 mAh battery. The phone will have support for LTE (exclusive to AT&T). The Galaxy Express has now been officially announced to hit AT&T on November 16 for $99.99 on a two-year contract.


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Port authorities, customs, border security face ever increasing volumes of traffic. The correct solutions are essential to provide efficient and non-intrusive inspections. The new digital technologies today not only come with advanced detection capabilities, but also create higher throughput and maintain a system without the need for large numbers of security personnel. So, what are the new trends that will influence the outlook of ports and borders security?
Accelerating digitization for streamlined processes
Ports are increasingly implementing innovations across the entire value chain from the (un)loading to storage to industrial processing. They are turning to a wide range of technologies including big data analytics, predictive maintenance, artificial intelligence (AI) and even smart energy management.
Besides increasing operational efficiency like streamlining clearances or preventing congestions, the pandemic has evidenced a key benefit of digitizing maritime and landside operations: meeting the urgent needs to minimize human interaction and enhance the resilience of supply chains against future crises.
“Inefficiencies in the maritime sector result in delays and higher logistics costs, with an adverse impact on the entire economy. Digitization gives us a unique chance to address this issue”, noted Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Infrastructure.
Singapore is an example of a country taking strides in digitalizing ports. The government recently passed a new bill allowing electronic bills instead of using physical cross-border trade documents which can run up to hundreds of pages for a single transaction.  The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) even developed an application to document clearances across multiple agencies into a single application by consolidating 16 separate forms allowing the industry to save up to 100,000 man-hours per year.
And in terms of processes like screening, technologies like Augmented X-ray technology and automated Artificial Intelligence detection will increase efficiency of ports and border operations with faster analysis and higher probability of detection. The French Customs, for one, is able to scan a truck and ascertain whether it holds any contrabands for boosted efficiency, reduced costs and heightened safety.
Saving time and cost with greater collaboration
As trade routes expand and diversify, cargo traffic increases, and such the number of screening systems, tracking devices and sensors to collect data ,the amount of data to manage will similarly balloon. More than just a place to dock ships or cross customs, ports and borders require transformed maritime and landside logistics to capture, harvest and share data in more collaborative ways in real time.
This now translates into having interconnected information systems, Open Architecture solutions handling UFF X-ray image files, aggregating various data etc., that help transportation partners plan for the arrival of the containers or collecting and sharing traffic data across the port’s agents to save time and money.
In areas like Ghana’s Port of Tema, streamlining screening processes is vital. The port handles more than 90 percent of the country’s container traffic but it is set to treble following its expansion. With Dataset Management System (DMS) deployed in 2019, they are able to pool data from local customs and each connected screening unit and pass it through such central system for image processing. This allows the Port of Tema to operates with 100% scanning of the import and export container traffic. It even streamlined human resource, relying on only 20 remote image operators to view and analyse all cargo data at two central locations.
There is still room for further improved connectivity and collaboration. For instance, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has made it mandatory for all its member countries to exchange key data electronically (the FAL convention). But a recent survey by the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) reveals that only a third of over 100 responding ports comply with that requirement. The main barriers to digitalize cited by the ports were the legal framework in their countries or regions and persuading the multiple private-public stakeholders to collaborate, not necessarily the technology.
Keeping up with cyber threats
While collaboration is ideal, the growth in network connectivity with growing data exposes more and more organisations to potential unauthorised access. Data at ports can include goods screening and decision making, data exchange across IT systems and ports, or even substance analysis of potential threats. Tampering or altering such information can potentially damage revenue, reputation or, worse, public economy and safety.
Threats can take many forms - internal, external, deliberate, or unintentional. Its multifaceted nature makes taking a holistic approach across people, processes, and technology vital.
In the area of technological solutions, port and border authorities would want to make sure that cybersecurity is embedded within the technology’s design and that they work with certified trusted suppliers. Cyber threats are one of the fastest evolving threats and securing ports and borders will require flexible, ever developing solutions.
Crunching down on sustainability
Efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the global transport of goods and improve the environmental performance of our ports are high on the international agenda. In the maritime sector, a global transition to a cleaner and greener industry is underway—especially pertinent since maritime transport alone carries over 90% of global merchandise trade, totalling some 11 billion tons of cargo per year.
Increased international maritime environmental regulations for Sulphur emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and marine organisms and ship recycling will affect the industry.
Meanwhile, the concurrent shift to rail freight transport from road motivated in part by the former’s lower greenhouse gas emissions will also demand quicker digitalization of rail ports, for example using 100% train scanning that further facilitates the trade of good and increases enforcement capabilities.
Moving forward, pressure from society is likely to grow, as younger generations directly feel the impacts of climate change. And in the upcoming years, society will demand changes from industries towards a more sustainable future.
Ultimately, “digitalization is not just a matter of technology but, more importantly, of change management, data collaboration, and political commitment”, as IAPH Managing Director of Policy and Strategy, Dr Patrick Verhoeven says.
Pressure to keep up with our growing supply chains will only increase. But keeping on our toes and deploying a holistic approach to improving processes, operations, technology and mindset will create a more resilient ports and border industry.


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The Australian government has delivered on its longstanding promise to remove the double taxation of transactions involving cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.
For years, digital currency adopters in Australia were taxed twice for transactions, once for the goods and services tax (GST) on the product and again for the GST levied on the digital currency used for the payment.
“If you pay $4 in bitcoin for a coffee, you will pay 40c GST for the coffee, and 40c again for the bitcoin you used to pay for the coffee,” explained Daniel Alexiuc, CEO of Australian bitcoin startup Living Room of Satoshi, speaking to CCN.com in 2016.
At the time, the Australian government confirmed it was “committed” to removing the double taxation of digital currencies, in March 2016. A year later, bitcoin was still seen as “intangible” property by the Australian Tax Office with no changes in legislation to put an end to the double taxation. The delay was criticized by Australia’s FinTech community as an “outdated” approach to the taxation of digital currencies by the government. “It’s one of the original priorities we put in the reform paper and one they said yes to,” revealed Danielle Szetho, CEO of the industry lobby group and collective FinTech Australia in April this year. “But here we are, 14 months on and still nothing.”
The following month, digital currencies finally gained that tax cut in this year’s federal budget, as a part of Australia’s wider FinTech-friendly agenda.
Now, the Australian government has – at last – introduced a bill to push the necessary legislation to remove the double taxation of digital currencies. A move described by Australia’s treasurer Scott Morrison as an “action that will further cement Australia’s reputation as a global FinTech center”.
In a statement, Morrison wrote :
The Bill will ensure that Australians are no longer charged GST on purchases of digital currency, allowing it to be treated the same way as physical money for GST purposes. The law change will retrospectively apply from 1 July 2017, in line with the 2017 Budget announcement.
As such, the bill would need to go through parliament for approval before being mandated as national law. The government’s announcement reveals no details as to when the bill will be brought up to go through the due process. Nonetheless, the local bitcoin industry and the wider digital currency ecosystem is certain to get a boost as digital currency transactions become cheaper and gain parity with fiat money transactions.
Featured image from Shutterstock.


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(LibertySociety.com) – Retail outlets have become increasingly dangerous workplaces in various locations throughout the United States. Shoplifting has risen by 45 percent since 2021, with around 63,000 reports filed in 2022. Retailers lost close to $100 billion in 2021, but lax store shoplifting policies and some cities’ refusal to prosecute have likely contributed to the massive uptick. Law enforcement statistics show a 275 percent increase in reports of shoplifting in the last decade and a half. Shoplifters are also becoming more violent, and multiple killings over the last several months have prompted calls for a crackdown on the epidemic.
CVS pharmacy store manager Michael Jacobs was killed on September 7 by a shoplifter who reportedly stole from the store frequently. Local news reports said that Jared Sevey was in the pharmacy arguing with Jacobs earlier in the day but returned later with a gun. When confessing to shooting Jacobs, Sevey said that he was “tired of being bullied” and that “this was the last straw.” Jacobs had worked at the pharmacy for over 20 years and leaves behind a wife and two children. He and his wife Stacy had enjoyed a 23-year marriage, which was tragically ended by a person who had no regard for human life. Family members launched a GoFundMe to raise money to pay for Jacobs’s funeral, along with future medical expenses his wife and kids may incur because of the tragedy.
Some retail outlets have recently begun locking up the most sought-after items in their stores, although this policy could lead to more confrontations with workers. Local lawmakers in New York City have demanded District Attorney Alvin Bragg prosecute shoplifters and require bail for repeat offenders. Bragg announced in June 2022 that he would be implementing deterrence policies for repeat offenders in hopes of curbing the act. The city has also adopted an initiative called the Merchant Business Improvement Program, which aims to stop repeat offenders by allowing owners to seek restraining orders against people who frequently steal from their stores and intimidate staff.
Copyright 2023, LibertySociety.com


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We recently got a look at what Pokémon Centers in Japan were releasing to celebrate this holiday season, lead by an adorable Pikachu in a Delibird costume and an Eevee bringing along a present just for you. Having seen these in person, they’re as top notch as you’d expect from Pokémon Center merchandise while representing the first seasonal goods with the Gen VII starters along for the ride.
Today, we know that at least some of these are coming to the American Pokémon Center website, including the two main plushes, some mugs just begging for warm drinks, and a special pin set of the Alolan starters with a bit of holiday flair. The reveal post also mentions ornaments (yet to be announced), but you can expect these to find their way online to order in less than a week, on November 16th.
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Private industries to revitalize US economy
In the US, a significant portion of the recovery effort will be spearheaded by Tech giant Amazon Apple and Tesla or more precisely space. For its part Apple has committed to a major investment in the U.S.
<!–more Keep reading!–>
economy represents a 20% increase from Apple’s original five-year goal of $350 billion set in 2018. Contributions by the California-based tech giant will include direct spend with more than 9,000 American suppliers and companies in every state, data center investments, capital expenditures and other domestic spending, including dozens of Apples TV+ productions across 20 states.
This initiative comes on the heels of the announcements that, the mobile conglomerate is due to open a new hub in the East Coast state of North Carolina. Apple plans to put over $1 billion into North Carolina where it will build a new campus and engineering hub in the Research Triangle area, creating at least 3,000 additional jobs. The company will also establish a $100 million fund to support schools and community initiatives in the greater Raleigh-Durham area and across the Tar Heel state and will be contributing over $110 million in infrastructure.
This comes after the successful revival of the Birmingham Alabama area in 2017. It also stands a direct juxta position to Apple’s legal woes in Germany. As Tesla suffers from specific restrictions in China, but in the US its SpaceX plans to go ahead with the launch of its improved prototype rocket, thus spurring jobs in the parts and assembly and technician sectors. Amazon also offers high entry benefits and relocation incentive for remote and on-site new employees.
On a side not well-connected startups could also benefit from these massive investments…
Apple announces $430 billion investment in US with 20,000 new jobs (msn.com)
Apple slapped with antitrust complaint in Germany over new iPhone privacy settings – MarketWatch
Elon Musk and SpaceX aim to launch an upgraded Starship prototype this week (msn.com)


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Confirming a widely reported rumor, web retailing giant Amazon today announced it would be entering the music-download market; and notably it will be doing it without Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions attached to the music.
The removal of DRM technologies is a significant breakthrough for online music retailers. Earlier this year, Apple’s CEO raised questions of DRM’s benefits in an open letter (more info here and here). And shortly after, announced a deal with EMI to offer music without DRM.
In a statement Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos said “Our MP3 only strategy means that all music that customers buy on Amazon is always DRM-free and plays on any device.”
Absent DRM restrictions all of the songs sold at Amazon will play on any MP3 player; a move that will make a consumers choice of which MP3 player to buy more a factor of price and features rather than the music catalog available to them.
The Amazon music store will be launched later this year. Record label EMI, which was the first label to break ranks with the music industry and offer its music without copyright protections, is the first label to join Amazon. Warner Music and Vivendi’s Universal Music group are reported to still be experimenting on their own with DRM-Free offers and may or may not participate in DRM-Free marketplaces like Amazon’s.
The launch of Amazon’s service is expected in time for holiday buying – and may well be marketed with promotions to sell MP3 players at that time. Amazon is saying 12,000 labels representing millions of songs will be available. At this time, which labels are included has not been disclosed.


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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--EVgo (the “Company”), the nation’s largest public fast charging network for electric vehicles (EVs) and first powered by 100% renewable electricity, today announced the availability of a new reservation program, EVgo Reservations™ at 17 locations in Southern California, Northern California, and the Seattle area, enabling drivers in those markets to reserve EV chargers ahead of time.
“Innovation at EVgo starts with listening to EV drivers to understand and address their evolving needs,” said Cathy Zoi, CEO of EVgo. “We heard directly from a number of our customers that they’d value the ability to reserve fast chargers ahead of time so they can know it will be available for them during their weekly grocery shop or during the kids’ baseball practice. EVgo knows that making charging convenient for all EV drivers is how we’ll accelerate the move to an all-electric future.”
As an owner and operator of its public fast charging stations, EVgo is committed to convenience and reliability in charging. In both customer surveys and informal outreach, a large number of EVgo drivers indicated that they would be interested in paying to reserve a charger to guarantee its availability at a particular time that aligned with their schedules. EVgo’s software solutions team developed a proprietary reservations feature that integrates multiple makes and models of electric vehicle fast chargers with the EVgo back-end software system, enabling drivers to make a reservation either while en route to a charger or up to two weeks in advance.
Earlier this year, EVgo began testing its reservations system at a handful of stations in San Francisco and Los Angeles. With today’s announcement, that pilot program has expanded to Sacramento, Santa Barbara, additional locations in the Los Angeles and Bay Area regions, and Redmond, Washington. All participating EVgo Reservations™ locations and additional details can be found here.
These chargers are located ideally for integrating the charging experience into other errands and ensuring optimal convenience. EVgo’s site host partners also benefit from the EVgo Reservations™ program, as approximately 80% of EVgo customers report they like to shop or run other errands while charging. Being able to lock in the exact time to charge makes it even easier and more convenient for customers to align those plans.
Today’s news underscores EVgo’s commitment to a clean, all-electric transportation future that advances economic, environmental, and national security goals. EVgo also continues to be a technology leader, exemplified by recent deployments of 350kW power-sharing technology and the opening of a new EVgo Lab in El Segundo, CA. The Company also recently celebrated achieving over 250,000 customers on its charging network nationwide.
“EVgo’s owner-operator model is a launchpad for value-added services like EVgo Reservations™, enabling a truly differentiated driver and partner experience as we expand the scope of our business,” added Zoi.
More information on how to make an EVgo charging reservation can be found below:
Drivers can use the EVgo app feature EVgo Reserve Now™ when they are on their way to a charging station or EVgo Reserve by Date™ to book a specific date and time for a future session, ideal for the driver without access to home charging who wants to set a regular time to charge worry-free. EVgo survey data showed that customers were also interested in booking chargers ahead when they will be traveling.
EV drivers can go to evgo.com/reservations to see the locations where reservations are accepted and use the EVgo app to check availability for when they want to reserve a charger. From the EVgo app home screen, customers can type the name of the charger they want to reserve in the search bar, select the vehicle's connector, and then on the "Swipe to Start" screen, choose "Reserve by Date" from the reservation options and follow the instructions to complete the reservation. There is a $3.00 fee to reserve a charger.
EVgo Reserve by Date™ allows sessions to be booked up to 2 weeks in advance, and future reservations can be canceled up to 24 hours prior to the reservation start time for no additional cost.
EVgo is the nation’s largest public fast charging network for electric vehicles, and the first to be powered by 100% renewable energy. With more than 800 fast charging locations, EVgo’s charging network serves over 65 metropolitan areas across 34 states, owns and operates the most public fast charging locations in the U.S. and serves more than 250,000 customers. Founded in 2010, EVgo leads the way on transportation electrification, partnering with automakers; fleet and rideshare operators; retail hosts such as hotels, shopping centers, gas stations and parking lot operators; and other stakeholders to deploy advanced charging technology to expand network availability and make it easier for drivers across the U.S. to enjoy the benefits of driving an EV. As a charging technology first mover, EVgo works closely with business and government leaders to accelerate the ubiquitous adoption of EVs by providing a reliable and convenient charging experience close to where drivers live, work and play, whether for a daily commute or a commercial fleet. EVgo’s parent company is LS Power, a New York-headquartered development, investment and operating company focused on leading edge solutions for the North American power and energy infrastructure sector. On January 22, 2021, EVgo announced that it entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Climate Change Crisis Real Impact I Acquisition Corporation (“CRIS”) (NYSE: CLII). For more information visit evgo.com and lspower.com.
About LS Power
LS Power is a development, investment and operating company focused on the North American power and energy infrastructure sector. Since its inception in 1990, LS Power has developed, constructed, managed or acquired more than 45,000 MW of power generation, including utility-scale solar, wind, hydro, natural gas-fired and battery energy storage projects, and has developed more than 660 miles of high voltage electric transmission. Additionally, LS Power actively invests in businesses focused on renewable energy and renewable fuels, as well as distributed energy resource platforms, such as CPower Energy Management, Endurant Energy and EVgo. Across its efforts, LS Power has raised in excess of $47 billion in debt and equity capital to support North American infrastructure. For more information, please visit www.lspower.com.


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Visteon , which emerged from bankruptcy last year, posted a quarterly profit and raised its full year revenue outlook for a second time as new business generates annual sales of more than US$250m.
The company said it won a substantial amount of new business in the April-June second quarter with about half to be manufactured in Asia. The company forecast full year revenue of US$8bn-$8.2bn, up from its previous forecast of $7.75bn-$7.85bn.
April-June net income was US$26m compared with a net loss of US$201m a year ago. Product sales rose 15% to US$2.18bn.
Visteon said its biggest customer during the quarter was Hyundai , 32% of sales, followed by Ford.
Asia accounted for 41% of total product sales, followed by Europe, 37%, North America, 15% and South America, 7%.


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New Partnership Combines Two Best-In-Class Services for Today’s Booming eCommerce Community
The Austin-based company, founded by Jason Hodges and Byron Weir, disclosed that the CEO position was created for Jones.
ShipStation, a fast-growing startup that helps online retailers manage the shipping process, has recruited its first CEO.
Nathan Jones worked at e-retailer Journey Education Marketing.
The inability to easily distribute products has hampered most new entrepreneurs.
Online retail continues to grow and traditional brick and mortar continues to feel the heat.
This is one in an occasional series of posts that look at how small-business owners manage their technology needs.
Internet and e-commerce veteran to help drive use of ShipStation’s web-based shipping platform


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The online sneaker marketplace GOAT is expanding into apparel and accessories. Today, it announced that it's adding "contemporary and luxury brands," including Acne Studios, Maison Margiela, Off-White, Stussy, Gucci and Saint Laurent.
For now, apparel and accessories are only available on GOAT's iOS and Android apps, but they'll soon be available on GOAT.com and the company's WeChat mini program in China. Earlier this month, GOAT added an AR feature that lets users "try on" sneakers before they make a purchase, chances are we'll see GOAT do similar things with its apparel and accessories.
"We're only in the infant stages of apparel on GOAT," said co-founder Daishin Sugano. "We're starting with the primary market, but we have plans for resale expansion."


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Update: FLY X Lanzarote
It has been several months since FLY X has announced their first scenery project, Lanzarote Airport. And just over an hour ago, the team has just posted a long update; it seems that behind the backdoor, everyone is still busy on the workbench. There have been many developments from the initial debut. This update is paraphrased from the original post on the newly created X-Plane.org thread.
The initial renders that was showcased when the project was announced, has been completely remodeled from scratch. The developer remarked that the mesh quality "was nowhere near what I wanted it to be", in addition, the original model wasn't the most accurate, and some parts were wrongly modelled after additional research. At the point of this update, 90% of the modeling is completed, once that is completed, there is still texturing to do. Below are some renders of the latest modelling of Terminal 1:
Some new models that are NOT remodelled is the second terminal. Unlike Terminal 1,Terminal 2 is something that has been started recently, and the modelling too is nearing completion, furthermore, the texturing is almost finished:
Also started recently, the modelling and texturing was focussed on the other buildings that make up Lanzarote airport. These include things like hangers, garages, cargo terminals, and airport offices. About half of the structures within the airport's perimeter was been fully modeled and textured:
Not much progress has been done so far to the groundwork, however, the developer has been doing some experimentation with using normal maps. Presumably, the developer will fully commit to developing the groundwork after the modelling and texturing phase of buildings and other assets is completed. Two comparison shots was uploaded, with and without normals:
Development is going well, a few hiccupts was experienced throguhout the developement process, something that is not uncommon in a product's development pipeline. And will no doubt happen even more as development goes on. As such, it's difficult to predict when it will go out, so the developer would not provide a release date. Nontheless, users can expect the release to be within this year "(unless my computer blows up and I have some sort of massive data loss of all my backups or something like that (probably shouldn’t tempt fate)). It may possibly even end up being sooner.
Another development update will be posted sooner or later, featuring the modelling in-sim.
Contact the developer through PM in the .org forum, or:
Email at: firstname.lastname@example.org or


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During first four months this year, Vietnam's enterprises imported shoes making – fabrics worth US $84.38 million, registering a year–on–year rise of 5.97 percent.
In April 2006 alone, imports totaled upto $23.5 million, up 37.3 percent over same month, 2005.
Most of the leading suppliers belong to Asia, including China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea.
Among those countries, imports turnover of the goods from China, Taiwan in January–April period this year saw decline in comparison with same period 2005.
Imports turnover of the goods by China and Taiwan recorded year-on–year drop of 34.8 percent and 6.7 percent, worth only $9.8 million and $32 million, respectively.
Sharp drop was also recorded in imports from Hong Kong, England and Italy for 45.4, 19.63 and 35 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, the figures by Japanese suppliers showed Himalayan rise at 476 percent worth $7.1 million, due to its better fabric quality.
In the period, Korean and Thailand suppliers exported products wotrth $19.9 million and $2.38 million, featuring year–on-year rise of four percent and 66.7 percent, respectively.
Fibre2fashion, News Desk - Vietnam


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When Intel established the foundry department in early 2021, the cost of production nodes in major fabs has been pushed up to a very high level, and it will even increase. Relatively speaking, it also has enough strength to head-to-head with Samsung and TSMC.
Stay tuned via SFCNation Telegram
In fact, Intel stated from the beginning that it wanted to make the division a foundry on the same scale as Samsung and TSMC. It now appears that the company’s current plan is to make it the second-largest foundry by 2030.
“Our goal is to become the world’s second-largest foundry by the end of the decade, and (we) want to see fat foundry margins,” Randhir Thakur, president of Intel’s foundry services, told Nikkei Asia in an interview.
To be No. 2 in the global foundry market means Intel must beat Samsung Electronics. According to TrendForce, Samsung generated more than $20 billion in foundry revenue in 2021 and is expected to surpass this figure in 2022.
As of the first quarter of 2022, Samsung owns about 16.3% of global foundry revenue, lagging far behind market leader TSMC (53.6%), but significantly ahead of peers UMC (6.9%) and GlobalFoundries (5.9%).
In comparison, Intel’s IFS business unit has generated $576 million in revenue so far this year. Once the acquisition of Tower Semiconductor is completed in early 2023, Intel’s IFS division will add about $1.5 billion in annual revenue, so it can transform into the world’s 7th or 8th largest foundry, but still far behind Samsung in terms of revenue.
To become the world’s second-largest chip foundry manufacturer, Intel must adopt a multifaceted strategy, including the following:
- Develop cutting-edge process technology to compete with Samsung and TSMC in terms of power, performance, and area (PPA), while also considering yield and time-to-market.
- Leading production capacity for IFS customers.
- Sustain Tower Semiconductor’s operations and competitive position through innovation on proven technologies.
- The orders are mainly from the current foundry customers of TSMC and Samsung, and may also be able to steal some customers from GlobalFoundries and SMIC.


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Commercial red meat production in West Virginia was down for the month of October compared to the same month a year ago.
For the month, red meat production in the Mountain State totaled 1.20 million pounds, according to a press release from the United State Department of Agriculture. The total is down 19% compared to October 2020.
Commercial red meat is the carcass weight after slaughter including beef, veal, pork, lamb and mutton.
Cattle slaughter in the state totaled 1,700 heads. This year’s total is down 500 heads compared to October 2020. The live weight total for last October amounted to 1,757,00 pounds and is down 21% from last year. Average live weight is up 25 pounds from the same month in 2020.
Commercial Hog meat production is down 30% from October 2020. Hog slaughter totaled 700 heads this year.
Nationwide, commercial red meat production totaled 4.75 billion pounds last October. The total is down 7% from 5.09 billion pounds in October 2020.


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This year the Met Gala is back to its traditional schedule on the first Monday in May and it’s set to be more fabulous than ever.
Billie Eilish at The MET Gala in 2021
After a shift in dates last year due to the global pandemic, fashion’s most glamorous event returns to the red carpet this May. As it has done since 2005, the first Monday of May will see the Big Apple’s Metropolitan Museum of Art welcome the who’s who of the fashion and celebrity worlds to mark the opening of the museum’s latest exhibition with a stylish celebration.
The Gala first began in 1948, when Eleanor Lambert, a New York publicist, decided to host an annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Formally known as the Costume Institute Benefit, the event was coined ‘The Party of the Year’ and attracted the who’s who of the New York social scene. Back then, the event entrance fee was just $50 and it was an intimate yet exclusive soirée for Manhattan locals. As each year passed and news spread, celebrities and A-listers began to attend, including Diana Princess of Wales, artist Andy Warhol and singer Cher.
Today, The Met Gala is Chaired by Anna Wintour, Worldwide Chief Content Officer and Global Editorial Director of Vogue who each year enlists the help of friends and colleagues in hosting the event which sees the biggest names in film, music and fashion, attending. Celebrities showcase the boldest outfits in a competition for best dressed, while fashion houses spend months preparing for the style spectacle.
Each year the gala’s theme is created in coherence with the Museum’s Costume Institute Exhibition, which is also the basis and inspiration for the guest’s outfit choices. This year’s theme “Gilded Glamour” is the second edition of a two-part series that first debuted in September 2021, when the last gala took place. Last year’s theme ‘American Independence’ saw Kim Kardashian appearing in an all-black Balenciaga outfit, whilst Billie Eilish captured hearts in her Marylin Monroe-inspired look by Oscar de la Renta.
Gilded Glamour pays homage to the era between 1870 and 1890, where, especially in New York, technological developments made it easier for the elite to buy more clothes and more extravagant garments than ever before, and so the “more-is-more” approach to fashion began. Quite fitting for the Met Gala don’t you think? During this period, extravagant feathered headpieces, colourful gowns, and corset tops were staple pieces for women, with top hats and pocket watches being key accessories for men. The theme is perhaps already having a moment with TV series such as “The Gilded Age” and “Bridgerton” celebrating the all-out glamour that this era represents.
So be ready for one of the most glamourous events yet, and you can bet the who’s who of fashion will be back with a bang on the red carpet this May.


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TEXT OF STORY
MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: Typically a record company attracts new artists with big payments upfront which they hope to make up later on with CD sales. But CDs aren’t selling well. Ashley Milne-Tyte tells us about a company that’s trying something new.
ASHLEY MILNE-TYTE: EMI has teamed with talent management company The Firm to form a new record label.
But when artists sign, they won’t get a huge advance. Instead, the artists and the label share profits from album sales, concerts and merchandise.
Eric Boehlert is a contributing editor to Rolling Stone. He says it’s the first time a major label like EMI has departed from the old model and rivals will be keeping a keen eye on the results.
ERIC BOEHLERT: “No matter what the formula is it always comes down to what’s on the record. The entire industry is based on hits, so the signing label and the cooperative, that’s all great. If you don’t produce the hits none of it matters.”
Still he says, EMI and its partner are well-respected industry veterans, and many artists will be happy to work with them.
I’m Ashley Milne-Tyte for Marketplace.
We’re here to help you navigate this changed world and economy.
Our mission at Marketplace is to raise the economic intelligence of the country. It’s a tough task, but it’s never been more important.
In the past year, we’ve seen record unemployment, stimulus bills, and reddit users influencing the stock market. Marketplace helps you understand it all, will fact-based, approachable, and unbiased reporting.
Generous support from listeners and readers is what powers our nonprofit news—and your donation today will help provide this essential service. For just $5/month, you can sustain independent journalism that keeps you and thousands of others informed.


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Sequoia closes $195 million for its second seed fund to back promising tech startups in India and Southeast Asia
Sequoia Capital India announced today it has closed a $195 million seed fund to back promising tech startups across India and Southeast Asia. The announcement comes two years after the firm launched Surge to help daring founders from India and Southeast Asia build the foundations for enduring companies.
Surge is a brainchild of Managing Director Shailendra Singh. Back then, the firm raised about $200 million. The firm offered upstarts $1 million to $2 million in upfront capital along with coaching and mentorship from the top founders from the region.
In a statement, the firm said, “We’re excited to announce that Sequoia Capital India recently closed its second seed fund at $195M, to back the next set of mission-driven founders across India and Southeast Asia.”
Since 2019, 69 startups in four cohorts have received a combined $172 million, and 30 companies from the first three cohorts have gone on to raise a total of $390 million after the Surge program. The program spans more than 15 sectors and 164 founders from 17 different nationalities. One-third of Surge startups are building SaaS products, the majority for global markets; 25% are building Consumer Internet startups; 13% are building consumer brands, and 12% are in the B2B space. Sequoia India also has Surge startups in EdTech, HealthTech, Deep Tech, FinTech, and more.
Founded in 2000 by KP Balaraj, Raj Dugar, Sandeep Singhal, SK Jain, and Sumir Chadha, Sequoia India operates in Southeast Asia and India where the firm actively partners with founders from a wide range of companies, across categories, including BYJUs, Carousell, Druva, GO-JEK, OYO Rooms, Tokopedia, Truecaller, Zilingo, Zomato, and more.
In partnering with Sequoia, startups benefit from 47 years of tribal knowledge and lessons learned working with companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, Apple, Dropbox, Google, JD.com, LinkedIn, Meituan, and Stripe early on.
“We set out with an idea to throw everything at helping young founders succeed, which meant giving them sufficient capital so they have a shot, tons of mentorship, and hands-on help,” Singh said in an interview. “After seeing the traction, we are doubling down with a second fund.”
India currently has 39 unicorn startups, including three that achieved their status in 2021, according to Venture Intelligence. To date, more than 100 angel and seed investors have co-invested in the startups alongside Sequoia at the beginning of the program without fees, a new structure that the VC firm has introduced for collaboration.


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By Michael Bartiromo-Fox News
It was supposed to be their big day. Instead, it’s looking like a big letdown.
An estimated 7,500 soon-to-be brides and grooms are without a place to get married after a chain of wedding venues abruptly closed all of its locations this week.
Noah’s Event Venue, which operated over 40 locations in at least 20 states, had previously filed for bankruptcy in May. This week, however, the Utah-based company claimed “the bankruptcy court managing our case has directed NOAH’S to cease operations immediately,” according to a message posted to the company’s website.
For the brides and grooms who already booked the event spaces, this means they may potentially be out thousands and thousands of dollars, in addition to a wedding venue.
“Noah legally owes (refunds) to everyone, there’s no dispute about that,” said Kenneth Cannon, the bankruptcy attorney representing the company, to the Des Moines Register. “The problem is that there’s nothing that I know of, there’s not very much, to be able to repay people with.”
William Bowser, the company’s founder, had blamed Noah’s financial predicament on growing “too fast” instead of working to maintain business at its “fledgling locations,” USA Today reported, citing previously filed court documents.
The founder of the company claims its fast growth and rising expenses contributed to financial woes. (iStock)
These words likely don’t go far with customers, however, as many are now reportedly scrambling for alternate venues with whatever money they hadn’t spent on their original event spaces.
In the wake of the closures, multiple wedding venue operators have popped up to offer support to the affected brides and grooms. The owner of Chateaux at Fox Meadows in Colorado, for example, has been offering discounted rates to those seeking wedding locations, according to The Denver Channel. On Facebook, multiple other venues have offered to help with “damage control” following the closures.
“Due to the abrupt closing of Noah’s Event Venue clients across the nation are now scrambling for a place to hold their wedding and several have lost $$ in this process which they may or may not get back,” reads the description of a Facebook page called “Noah’s Event Damage Control,” which is run by a company called Wichita Event Planner. “This is a support group created for those affected by this process so that we may help you with finding venues in your area or local planners to help, and going thru the process of re-creating your vision/wedding dreams while trying to save you from additional costs $$ due to this tragic circumstance.”
On its website, Noah’s Event Venue added that some of the building owners – the ones who own the event spaces that Noah’s operates out of – may still be willing to host weddings at their facilities. He said some may also be looking for “new operators that can honor your event contracts.”
“Over the last 13 years, Noah’s has hosted over 10,000 events including hundreds of couples who, with short notice, had lost their date at other venues,” the message adds. “We were always willing and happy to assist these couples and feel confident that your community of vendors will do likewise.”


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Inflation rose again in April, pushing consumers to the brink and threatening economic expansion, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday.
The Consumer Price Index, a broad measure of the price of goods and services, rose 8.3% from a year ago, beating the 8.1% gain expected by Dow Jones. This marked some easing from the March highs, but was still close to the highest level since the summer of 1982.
Excluding volatile food and energy prices, the so-called core CPI was still up 6.2% against expectations of a 6% rise.
Inflation was the single biggest threat to the recovery that started at the beginning of the pandemic, and in 2021 the economy recorded its largest single-year growth rate since 1984. While pumps and grocery store price increases were one problem, inflation extends beyond these two areas to housing, car sales, and many other areas.
Fed officials have responded to two rate hikes so far this year and promising further rate hikes until inflation hits the central bank’s target of 2%. But Wednesday’s data shows the Fed has big things ahead.
The month-on-month increase was also higher than expected. Headline CPI 0.3% vs expected 0.2%, core 0.6% up, 0.4% up.
These figures come despite a 2.7% decline in energy prices, including a 6.1% decline in gasoline prices. The BLS Food Index rose 0.9% in April to counter the energy slowdown. Unadjusted data showed that over a 12-month period, energy costs were still up 30.3%, while food was up 9.4%.
Adding to the worry is the continuing rise in housing costs.
The shelter index, which makes up about one-third of the CPI weight, increased an additional 0.5% consistent with gains over the past two months and rose 5.1% on an annualized basis, the fastest rise since March 1991.
Stock market futures reacted negatively to the report, turning positive early in the morning and then negative. Treasury yields rose, bringing the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield closer to 3.03%.
This is breaking news. Check back for updates here..


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Environmental protection with crypto
The world economic forum (wef) went beyond the finance sector to investigate possible applications of blockchain technology in the protection of the environment. Pollock british companies.
Environmental protection share (eps) news cryptorival.
In fact, producing a large amount of green energy has been one of the major aims of gear as the sensible founders are pretty keen on saving the planet with environment protection. Environmental protection share is also known as eps and works independently of any monetary authorities.
Blockchain for environmental protection world economic.
Crypton offers a wide variety of earth-friendly & stain-resistant fabrics perfect for homes, healthcare & hospitality. Blockchain is in search of a killer app that will firmly demonstrate the utility of a decentralized and trusted data ledger and show that its value is more than a financial fad.
And while no one wants to slow down innovation, something must be done to protect the environment. Expiring xbt futures contract.
The world economic forum has outlined more than 65 blockchain use cases for environmental protection in a recent report. Hence, the two firms share a striking similarity of protecting the environment.
Environmental protection share (eps) overview cryptorival.
Learn about the mechanisms of crypto currency & mining, how to leverage external & cloud native environments. The accord project.
As blockchain promises to take over the innovation of the world, those blockchain companies need. On the other hand, c4coin has invested massively in building a carbon-negative blockchain.
Twistlock aims to protect against it with raising awareness & understanding of crypto mining. The research discovered over 65 ways in which the use of blockchain technology might improve the environment.