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Apple has officially announced that they will begin manufacturing the iPhone 13 in India. This move in production is an attempt from the Cupertino based company to move away from its reliance on Chinese supply chains.
Apple Moving Manufacturing to India
The iPhone 13 is currently being manufactured at a local plant in India through Apple’s Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn. According to a source, the phones will be arriving from the town of Sriperumbudur in the state of Southern Tamil Nadu.
India is currently the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. With Apple moving many of its supply chains from China, it is highly likely that the iPad will also begin production in India.
With many American companies attempting to move their production away from China, other countries are starting to become more important. In addition to India, countries such as Mexico and Vietnam are gaining more notoriety to contract manufacturers.
Changing the Game
Along with avoiding trade disputes, India has also implemented several tactics to convince companies to manufacture locally. Recent regulations have stipulated that companies must locally source up to 30 percent of parts. Additionally, rising import duties are playing a role in Apple’s decision.
This move to India also comes during a time of labor trouble in the country. In late 2020, a riot erupted at Wistron’s iPhone plant in the Narasapura industrial area. Worker complaints concerned unpaid wages, excessive hours and poor working conditions. After the riot, Wistron received a probation from Apple until the contractor addressed the issues.
With the move to India, this may also make production easier in concerns of COVID-19. As China continues to enter lockdowns, India does not seem to be doing the same. This may be beneficial in the long run in terms of smartphone production. Currently in China, the city of Kunshan is experiencing a lockdown that will last until April 12. This lockdown is causing supply chain issues for Apple.
This makes the iPhone 13 the fourth model to enter a production line in India. This comes after Apple initially launched manufacturing operations in the country in 2017, starting with the iPhone SE.
2 thoughts on “Apple Begins Manufacturing iPhone 13 in India, Moves Away from China Supply Chain”
A good decision I would think. If you check my posts going back a number of years you will see that I said that a number of times. It is like relying on Russia for your natural gas supply.
As I understand it, other models of the iPhone were in production at one India plant near Chennai, in south India. That plant, as Arnold pointed out, was temporarily closed after a series of protests in Dec. 2021 revealed seriously substandard living and working conditions. The plant was assembling the iPhone SE, but it looks as if Apple has added the iPhone 13 to its production.
I think it’s important to point out two things here. One, Apple is working to diversify its supply chain away from complete reliance on China. Two, the situation in China right now may not be as dire for Apple as some may think. Ming-Chi Kuo recently pointed out that Foxconn, which is still in full production despite the lockdown, might be able to ramp up to make up for the loss of production at Pegatron’s plant. Foxconn has a “closed loop” system in place, which keeps its employees from coming into contact with the general population during the lockdown.


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Valve presenting final Steam Controller design and VR device in March
Valve has confirmed that it will be showing off a refined Steam Controller design at GDC 2015 in March, alongside a previously-unannounced SteamVR system.
In November, Valve stated that it would have more to show on the Steam Machine front at GDC 2015 from March 4, and a fresh announcement from the company appears to confirm that.
In a brief statement over on the Steam website, Valve has announced that it will be “giving demos of the refined Steam Controller,” as well as “new living room devices” – presumably new Steam Machines.
Intriguingly, the statement also reveals that Valve will be showing off “a previously-unannounced SteamVR hardware system.”
The company that produced the popular Steam PC gaming network and the hugely influential Half-Life game series has had trouble finalising its ambitious Steam Machines concept.
Valve’s Steam Machines will see a range of tightly packaged living room PCs, produced by a number of established PC assemblers, marketed as a viable alternative to consoles. Each will come with a custom SteamOS for instant couch-based access to gaming content.
Read More: Best games 2015
Back in May 2014, Valve announced that it had delayed its Steam Machine consoles until 2015. While the concept for the base units and the software was sound, Valve didn’t feel it had found the right design and feel for the custom Steam Controller. This is intended to provide a viable replacement for a keyboard and mouse setup in a compact control pad format.
More recently, we appear to have seen the final Steam Controller design leaked in a Steam client beta (see picture).

domain: news


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Mountain Khakis LLC
Jason PerryWhile on a ski trip in Wyoming a few years ago, Jason Perry, 35, noticed a trend in the clothing of the locals. “People were wearing Carhart work pants everywhere. They were really popular. Tourists were even buying them to fit in,” said Perry.
During this time Perry and his family were running Macalister Co., which marketed specialty apparel and accessories for the outdoor lifestyle. After seeing a downturn in the market, Perry sold his interest in the company and moved to Jackson Hole, Wyo. Once there, Perry decided to build a company in response to the popular clothing trend he had seen. In the spring of 2002, Mountain Khakis was born.
Mountain Khakis was immediately successful. Perry set up a home base in Jackson Hole and in Little Rock. Perry’s company was voted the most popular new brand at a recent outdoor retail show. His brand of outdoor khakis sells at over a hundred national retailers. “You could call it outdoor version of Levi jeans — rugged, durable and strong.”
Perry said one thing that has brought him this far is to remember to “work hard and pray hard.” Through his hectic schedule of traveling between Wyoming and Arkansas, Perry said he hopes to get involved with the community again. “I’m really excited about Little Rock and the progressive movement it’s making,” said Perry. “It’s good to be home in the South.”
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Today, the Startuppers Club presents a Chinese startup: Didi Chuxing! The Chinese equivalent of Uber … Importing an idea from abroad can be a good idea if you understand the specifics of the target market. Travis Kalanick created Uber in 2009, Didi Chuxing released his app 4 years later! The competition was bound to rage for the Chinese market.
Launch of Didi Dache on transportation on demand
In June 2012, through its company Orange Technology, the startupper Cheng Wei created Didi Dache. It means “Beep beep Call a taxi”. Just 6 months after the launch of the application, in November 2012, the Chinese giant Tencent was investing $ 15 million in this promising local Uber. Indeed, Tencent is the chinese equivalent of Messenger, with some internet services added. When Tencent invested in Didi Dache, Uber was exploding in the United States and the investor hoped to be able to replay his own scenario (the boss of Tencent said that “copying is not bad”).
Didi Dache against Kuaidi Dache
But Didi Dache is not the only one on this big market! Kuaidi Dache is a serious competitor since Jack Ma, the investor and venture capitalist and his fund “Alibaba Group” backs the startup. Each contestant pay a price war and make the effort to gain market share. In February 2015, Didi Dache holds 55% of the market and Kuaidi Dache the remaining 45%. Each of them had fundraising in Series A, B and C in 2014. The global market is 150 million people which is huge, but the losses also start to be important for both competitors. Didi Dache suffers $ 700 million loss while Kuaidi Dache is around $ 600 million loss. The two rivals decided to merge, but to keep each their management, which could be likened to a practice of unlawful agreement.
Didi Chuxing vs Uber
As of September 2013, Uber was trying to penetrate the Chinese market. Price competition was raging against Uber, especially in 2015. Uber had taken over 40 cities in China for a valuation of 8 billion dollars. But the losses are massive, around the billion dollar, maybe even 2.
The merger allowed Chinese groups to better defend themselves against Uber. And besides the American is financed by Baidu (equivalent of Google in China and giant of the Chinese Internet), Uber China has since been bought by … Didi Chuxing in August 2016! In December 2017, Didi raises $ 4 billion to establish its dominant position in the market and enter new markets like artificial intelligence.
The new developments of Didi Chuxing
Recently in 2018, Didi Chuxing launched its international expansion with the development of the application in Mexico, Australia and Japan. Also, we find in the projects of the startup ideas about artificial intelligence and autonomous driving of course.
An artificial intelligence laboratory opened in Beijing in January 2018. Its goal is to solve transportation issues in China. 200 engineers and data scientists worked on it from the outset. 20 cities are already equipped with the Didi Smart Transportation Brain. This software makes it possible in particular to regulate the duration of the traffic lights and thus to make traffic flow more fluid.
But artificial intelligence also serves Didi Chuxing. In China, Didi collects 10 billion trips every year. The developed AI can predict demand 15 minutes before it arrives with 85% accuracy.
The launch of the application in Japan is planned for autumn 2018, in partnership with SoftBank. Didi also bought the group 99, which is also focusing on transportation on demand, but in Brazil.
Didi Chuxing in Mexico in 2018: Guadalajara and Mexico
The Chinese startup launched its app in July 2018 in Mexico! To get a good start, the application was deployed in 2 cities: Guadalajara and Monterrey. Respectively 3rd and 8th largest cities of Mexico, Guadalajara is 5 times less important than Mexico. But the student and international population is very important, less efficient transport can be noticed and competing applications are less advanced. To accelerate its development, Didi Chuxing offers recruited drivers the home navigation system and above all a guaranteed salary of around € 500. Finally Didi Chuxing proposes the lowest commission of the market for the drivers. Let’s see what happens !


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Gillette’s latest ad has drawn the ire of all who like their masculinity toxic. The sinister underbelly of the internet, an army of men’s rights activists, has come out in force. The viral video has attracted double the number of dislikes as likes, with hundreds of men posting pictures of their Gillette razors in rubbish bins and toilet bowls under the hashtag #BoycottGillette.
The high budget two-minute clip calls on men to own up to sexist violence and call out the behaviour of others under the slogan “We Believe: The Best a Man Can Be”. The direct reference to the #MeToo movement in the clip has situated the ad in a broader culture war.
Unsurprisingly, the far right and its many hangers on have interpreted the ad as an attack on all men. An endless string of internet comments bemoans the global anti-man conspiracy. In the words of one Youtube viewer: “Yep, this has gone too far … Those man hating neo-feminists have been given a finger and now they’re taking the whole arm”.
The backlash goes beyond neck-beards looking for any excuse not to shave. A number of public figures have chipped in – the most prominent of whom is Piers Morgan. His tirades on British morning television and beyond promote the slogans of the anti-woman right wing to an audience of millions. This sort of coming together of fringe elements of society with people in positions of power and influence is all too common in the era of Trump.
The hysterical response of the right coupled with the adulation of the mainstream media has led some to believe that Gillette is a staunch defender of women’s equality. Even Gillette’s recent statements on its website renounce its historic role in selling the world the very image of the toxic masculinity it now decries. But a healthy dose of scepticism is in order.
The economic decisions of these mega-corporations put profit above all moral or social considerations. Take for instance Gillette’s controversial pink tax on products targeting women – charging significantly more for razors and shaving cream identical in design, bar the colour or aroma of the product. Gillette’s parent company, Procter and Gamble, was caught out two years ago profiting from forced child labour, all the while claiming it was participating in projects aimed at eradicating the practice. The company advertises skin whitening products to millions worldwide – hardly the image of a socially responsible company.
Adapting to the changing sensibilities of a 21st century market is a public relations strategy commonly employed by the advertising industry, whether Dove’s casting of “body-positive” and racially diverse women, Pepsi capitalising on anti-Trump sentiment by featuring Kendall Jenner at a protest in an ad or Nike making controversial anti-racist NFL player Colin Kaepernick its mascot.
The fact that advertisers feel it necessary to emulate progressive attitudes speaks to how widespread these views are, and it’s undeniably preferable that they promote liberal values instead of reactionary ones in their advertising. But too often the liberal image is just another tool to maximise profit or market share, while other very illiberal practices continue. Companies like Gillette, which benefits from unregulated labour practices, poverty wages, environmental destruction and the sale of sexist and racist products, is just one example. Such hypocrisy only fuels cynicism. The ad should be defended, but companies offer no hope for advancing the cause of social justice.


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A U.S. hotel company is giving up the name of one European castle and taking on another.
Ashford Hospitality Prime Inc., a hotel real estate investment trust named for a medieval castle in County Mayo, Ireland, said on Monday that it would change its name to Braemar Hotels & Resorts Inc., after a castle built in the late middle ages in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
The change was conceived of as part of a strategic shift to high-end hotels, Chief Executive Officer Richard Stockton said in an interview. Last year, the company put some less-luxurious properties up for sale and rebranded others, including Courtyard by Marriott hotels in San Francisco and Philadelphia. It also acquired ritzy properties, including Hotel Yountville Resort & Spa in Napa Valley, California, and the Park Hyatt in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
Stockton is betting on the strongest part of the U.S. hotel market, at a time when stock-market gains and tax reform have boosted consumer confidence and fueled strong performance at luxury hotels aimed at leisure travelers. Revenue per available room at U.S. resort hotels rose 5.4 percent last month compared with a year earlier, according to lodging-data provider STR. Across all U.S. hotels, RevPAR, a measure of occupancy and rates, increased 3.9 percent.
The Braemar castle was built for a royal family “to protect land, but also appointed as a luxury residence,” said Stockton, whose company will begin trading under the new ticker BHR on Tuesday. “We thought that was very similar to Ashford’s strategy — focusing on the luxury segment and also being a stronghold. We’ll be a protector of shareholder value.”


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New trailer shows combat, evolutions and more.
If you enjoyed Nexomon: Extinction when it launched on Switch last summer, you’ll be pleased to know that the original game in the series is also headed to Nintendo’s platform in the very near future.
Simply called Nexomon, the series’ first title will be released on Switch on 17th September. Just like Extinction, this original title was also a Pokémon-alike that has you catching and evolving more than 300 monsters, engaging in turn-based battles, and more.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com


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Fans of Guinness may want to take a close look at this – the ‘Reverse Guinness Stout’ that is going down a treat over in the UK.
The upside-down drink was created by Liverpool-based brewery Team Toxic and it has proven to be very popular with British drinkers.
Its actual name is Sinistral, but it has been dubbed as the ‘Reverse Guinness’ for obvious reasons with its creamy white body and black head.
Team Toxic co-founder Sue Hayward spoke about the innovation. She said: “The gimmick is the black head which ironically is what everyone talks about.
“It did a good job of grabbing attention but is in reality a gimmick. The white beer is the star and the thing that’s taken all the time to create.
“People are amazed it tastes so good, ‘caramac’ and ‘chocolate’ are words often used.”
It has certainly been an instant hit with pub-goers in the UK.
Sue explained that the stout has sold out of nearly all the pubs it has been stocked in so far.
Drinkers in one Norwich pub drank the supply dry in just 31 minutes, whilst a pub in Poole took a little more time to run out in just 61 minutes.
The drink has also captured the attention on social media with an Instagram post from Team Toxic gaining many positive comments from viewers who are also curious to taste it for themselves.
If the early success of Sinistral is an indicator for the future, then it may soon be served in pubs on this side of the Irish Sea and beyond.
More popular articles and videos


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This past year there have been a number of reports of Rockstar revisiting Grand Theft Auto San Andrea, Vice City and III, with the latest coming from sources close to Kotaku.
According to their sources, who previously gave accurate information about GTA Online and Red Dead Online, the upcoming titles have been described as follows:
Rockstar is actively developing remastered versions of Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. All three of these games are being remastered using Unreal Engine and will be a mix of “new and old graphics.” One source who claims to have seen a snippet of the games in action said that the visuals reminded them of a heavily-modded version of a classic GTA title. The UI for the games are being updated too, but will retain the same classic style. No details were shared about gameplay, but Kotaku has been told these remastered titles are trying to stay true to the PS2-era GTA games as much as possible.Kotaku
In addition to Kotaku, sources close to Gematsu are saying similar things. However, their sources suggest some content will be changed to suit a “modern audience.” Andy Robinson, from Video Games Chronicle, can also corroborate what Kotaku is saying.
While time will tell, the three titles will release in a bundle, that might be digital only, set to release in Oct. or Nov. 2021 for PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series, PC, Stadia, and Switch.


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Los Angeles-based Platinum Equity portfolio company Orbit Irrigation, Salt Lake City, acquired Bond Manufacturing’s garden business from affiliates of the company’s founding family.
Headquarted in Antioch, California, Bond is a manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and garden products, including hose and watering devices, long and short-handle garden tools and grower supply goods. The company markets products under the owned brands Bond and Bloom, and licensed brands such as Black & Decker, Craftsman, DuPont, Miracle Gro, Scotts and Stanley.
Bond CEO Daryl Merritt, whose family founded the company more than 70 years ago, and Bond President Cam Jenkins will remain involved with the business to assist with the transition.
“We have enormous respect for what the Merritt family has built and look forward to working with Daryl and Cam on the next chapter,” says Orbit CEO Stuart Eyring. “Combining our businesses will help diversify our product mix and customer base, opening up new growth opportunities for all of us.”
Bond's products are available across a broad range of big box retailers, hardware stores, grocery stores, nurseries, e-commerce retailers and discount outlets.
“I’m proud of everything our family and the entire Bond team has accomplished, and we are confident the garden business will be in good hands going forward,” says Bond Chairman Ron Merritt. “Orbit has a similar heritage and we respect the way the company has preserved its culture as it continues to invest in the future.”
Platinum Equity acquired Orbit in February 2019.
“We are also grateful that Platinum is making good on its pledge to help us expand,” adds Eyring. “We will continue looking for opportunities to grow organically and through additional acquisitions.”


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Listed firms Aurobindo Pharma and Mic Electronics have sold stakes in their subsidiaries as they cashed their holdings. While Aurobindo Pharma Ltd sold stake in its China venture, Mic sold its entire stake in a step-down subsidiary.
Aurobindo has sold a 51% stake in Aurobindo (Datong) Bio Pharma to China National Pharmaceutical Group Corp (Sinopharm). After the deal, Sinopharm will infuse more funds into the company which will take its stake to 80.5%. The deal would reduce the stake held by Aurobindo in the company to 19.5%.
After the deal, Aurobindo's loan of $23 million to the subsidiary will also be repayed which will help the company improve cash flows. Aurobindo (Datong) Bio Pharma manufactures 6APA, a derivative of Penicillin-G, most of which is consumed by Aurobindo. Aurobindo said that over the years it has shifted from an API to formulations company so the deal is in the best interests of the company.
The remaining stake is held to ensure uninterrupted supply of raw materials at competitive prices, said Aurobindo.
MIC Electronics has sold its entire 68.26% stake in its step down subsidiary Infostep India Private Limited to US-based Saama Technologies Inc. for $3 million. MIC said the deal is part of its plan to focus on its core business of LED Lighting & display systems. Infostep provides IT consulting, business intelligence, data integration, data management and emerging technologies.


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Entrepreneurship-Led Economic Development
July 16, 2019
By Micah Babcock, originally published in Focus magazine
When it comes to business development there are tons of programs to assist with access to capital for start-ups or to help larger corporations expand, but the companies in the “middle”, otherwise known as second-stage companies (9-99 employees), where a majority of Michigan’s jobs come from tend to be left out. Since the founding of Michigan Celebrates Small Business in 2004, an awards program that focuses on second-stage growth businesses, the cumulative job growth of the total 750 recognized companies is 12,506. Now imagine that, an Amazon level amount of jobs already being created here in Michigan, diverse in industry and location, with almost no state investment. Imagine what these companies could do if we supported them. Now this “investment” isn’t necessarily in direct funding, but supplying these businesses with resources to help them grow, and to set up the state government in a way that is responsive and mindful of issues small businesses are having.
This issue is precisely why the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) has been working on important public policy that will change the conversation, something we call Entrepreneurship Led Economic Development (ELED). This year SBAM has been working with state legislative leadership to craft a package that will make state government work for small business, make it easier for businesses to comply and understand regulations and obtain occupational licenses, and to assist our state’s powerhouse of job creation when it comes to common issues that are setting them back from their full growth potential.
Creation of the Small Business Growth Acceleration Board, Sponsored by Rep. Tommy Brann (R – Wyoming)
The Small Business Growth Acceleration Board, made up of small business owners, would be located within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Strategic Fund and would be tasked to develop growth-oriented services for small businesses across the state. The Board would also look to address common barriers for growth as well, so if the Board sees an issue that is directly hindering business growth, it would be their job to address it. With a group of small business owners at the Strategic Fund’s table, there is a great opportunity for Michigan to lead in small business economic development.
Creation of a Small Business Director, Sponsored by Rep. Donna Lasinski (D – Saline)
The Small Business Director would be tasked with creating a one-stop-shop for small businesses interactions with state government, facilitating creation and retention of small business jobs in the state, and creating a website tasked with providing resources for small businesses. This Director and their office would be similar to what many businesses have as an account manager, making sure that any small business owner who is interacting with the state government has as seamless of a process as possible. The days of calling through a list of various government bureaucrats hoping to stumble on someone who understands your businesses’ issue, or even picks up the phone, is over.
Creation of Department Level Small Business Liaisons, Sponsored by Rep. Eric Leutheuser (R – Hillsdale)
Require all state agencies that investigate, inspect, or monitor small businesses to have a specific Small Business Liaison in said agency. Currently, many of the departments and agencies that regulate and enforce regulation on small businesses don’t have an individual in their office that focuses on small businesses. This means that if you have an issue with a department as a small business owner, there usually isn’t a contact for you to speak with – this bill would change that. Many of the issues that small businesses have are very unique, and many of the rules that these bodies create internally are discussed without a small business voice at the table. Our current system demonstrates how rules and regulations that departments enact are created without understanding implications on small businesses because they don’t have to interact with them. It’s time for the government to be responsive and mindful about their impact on small businesses and have the infrastructure in place to assist small business owners when they have an issue.
Virtual Business Roadmap, Sponsored by Rep. Diana Farrington (R – Utica)
This legislation would task the state government to do a feasibility study on creating a Virtual Business Roadmap. This “Roadmap” would work much like the common tax platform “TurboTax” in which it would ask a series of questions in an easy format that would: Identify possible legal entities for said business; Assist users with state compliance issues; identify and assist in applying for appropriate licenses and permits; and link to other pertinent small business resources available. Many small business owners struggle with keeping up with regulations and rules the government is making. Having a system that is simple to use and effective in assisting owners with compliance and regulatory issues will give business owners more time to focus on business growth as well as make it much easier for new entrepreneurs to get started.
These ideas are common-sense changes that will make Michigan attractive to entrepreneurs and create an environment that would make Michigan a national leader in home-grown small businesses. This bill package would make our state government deliberate in removing barriers to small business growth, proactive in creating growth-oriented programs, responsive to inquiries, and mindful of its’ impact on small business owners. It’s about time state government worked for small business.
Micah Babcock is SBAM’s Director of Government Operations. He can be reached at email@example.com.


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Tech is ready — but waiting — for net neutrality fight
The never-ending debate over net neutrality has long had pretty predictable fault lines. Internet providers like AT&T and Comcast say overly strict rules are bad for business, while tech companies like Google and Netflix argue rules are needed to keep an even playing field for web content.
As the internet industry has matured, the companies that used to be tiny start-ups at the mercy of the networks are now heavyweights. While that doesn't mean tech giants will stay on the sidelines — an influential trade group has already strongly defended the rules — startups are expected to help lead the charge against efforts to roll back existing rules.
Why it matters: Pushback from both big and small Silicon Valley players would complicate FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's expected efforts to dismantle the agency's 2015 net neutrality rules. Tech employee outrage could also add juice to activist opposition.
The tech giants: The Internet Association, a trade association that represents Google, Facebook and Netflix in addition to newer companies like Snap, strongly supported current net neutrality rules in a meeting with Pai this month. Spokesman Noah Theran said that ISPs "must not be allowed to advantage their own content over the content of others, and the internet industry will continue our fight to maintain strong net neutrality rules in every forum."
Many individual companies have not yet weighed in on the reported substance of Pai's plan, including Netflix, a major player in the last net neutrality fight.
Here's why big tech companies are being cautious:
- The details: Companies are wary of sticking their necks out before more details about Pai's plan come to light. One tech industry source said consumers are now more aware of activities that raise questions about open internet policy, such as some zero-rating services like AT&T's DirecTV Now, putting less of the onus on tech companies to educate the public. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has hinted at this, as well. "We don't see a big risk actualizing, because consumers know they're entitled to getting all of the web services," he told reporters recently.
- Their employees: Executives know liberal-leaning tech workers care strongly about net neutrality and may push for companies to speak up, as the response to Trump's travel ban showed. Look for public interest groups to try to rally Silicon Valley employees to get involved.
- The politics: Trump doesn't have the same affection for Silicon Valley as his predecessor, so tech firms know that they have to pick their battles, said one tech lobbyist. And there are a lot of battles ahead, including tax reform, infrastructure and trade.
The scrappy startups: Smaller companies have more to gain from rules preventing larger competitors from getting preferential treatment and less to lose by getting into a political brawl.
Y Combinator and Techstars, two well-known incubators, are already soliciting signatures for a letter with advocacy group Engine telling Pai to keep the current rules in place. Others are eyeing the issue:
- Snap said in an IPO document that changes to net neutrality rules are a risk to its business, and it recently hired another D.C. lobbyist.The company declined to comment.
- Roku recently worked with Republican lobbyists on the issue. A spokeswoman said the company "has a long record of engagement in the regulatory and policy discussions regarding net neutrality and we continue to share our views with members of Congress as well as the FCC."
- Etsy was vocal in the last round of debate over net neutrality. Earlier this month, Etsy users came to D.C. and discussed the issue with policymakers. Senior Director of Global Policy Althea Erickson said in a statement that the company "remains committed to protecting a free and open Internet" and that it would "continue to advocate with our community to protect not only their interests, but the interests of microbusinesses everywhere."
What's next: Pai is said to be weighing his options and could circulate details to his fellow commissioners as early as this month.


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Shoppers who continue to be weighed down by the weak economy slowed their spending in October, according to monthly revenue results reported by retailers on Thursday. That's a bad sign for merchants as they head into the winter holiday shopping season.
Eleven retailers missed expectations for revenue at stores open at least a year — an indicator of a retailer's health — while three merchants beat estimates, according to a preliminary tally by Thomson Reuters. Costco, Macy's, Saks and Target are among the companies that reported results that fell slightly below Wall Street analysts' expectations.
Americans, who are faced with high unemployment, a weak housing market and rising prices for household supplies and gas, are as spooked about the economy as they were during the recession. Indeed, a recent report showed consumer confidence fell to its lowest point since March 2009. But retailers are hoping that their lowered optimism won't seep into the holiday shopping season in November and December, a period when merchants can make up to 40 percent of their annual revenue.
"Consumers are regrouping and retrenching and saving their pennies for the holiday season," said Ken Perkins, president of Retail Metrics, a research firm.
Despite the challenging environment, revenue in November and December are expected to up from a year ago. The National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, expects winter holiday sales to rise 2.8 percent to $465.6 billion this year. That would be a smaller than 2010's 5.2 percent increase, but it's higher than the average over the last 10 years.
But stores likely will have to work hard to get people to spend this season. Many already are beginning to offer holiday discounts to draw shoppers in early. Some are offering layaway. And others have announced expanding hours for the Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season.
Although the results in October weren't as promising as retailers had hoped, most retailers reported results that were only slightly off from Wall Street estimates. Costco Wholesale Corp.'s revenue at stores open at least a year climbed 9 percent in October, for instance. That was down slightly from the 9.2 percent increase analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters had predicted. And Limited Brands said revenue at stores open at least a year rose 6 percent in October, roughly in line with analysts' estimates of 6.2 percent.
Other merchants reported much more disappointing results. Macy's Inc. posted a 2.2 percent increase in revenue at stores opened at least a year, which was below the 3.6 percent increase that Wall Street analysts had expected. J.C. Penney reported that sales declined 2.6 percent in October, below the 1 percent increase that Wall Street expected.
Luxury retailers, which had benefited from brisk spending by their well-heeled shoppers, also showed weakness in October. Saks Inc. had a 1.8 percent increase, much lower than the 5.4 percent gain that analysts had expected. Nordstrom Inc. had a 5.4 percent increase, below the 6.4 percent gain that Wall Street expected.
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CHICAGO, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Predictions that the maker of BlackBerry wireless e-mail technology was about to collapse due to protracted and bitter patent litigation were premature, experts are now telling United Press International's Wireless World.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week rejected patent claims by NTP, the developer that has been suing Research in Motion, the owner of BlackBerry. The surprise move comes after lengthy litigation, which RIM was losing, and which led many to say that RIM might be shuttered, and even caused the U.S. government to develop contingency plans in the event that the wireless service went dark.
"The USPTO announcement sends two strong messages to the wireless market," said Carmi Levy, an analyst with Info-Tech Research Group, based in London, Ontario, Canada. "The first is that predictions of BlackBerry's imminent demise were highly premature and unnecessarily inflammatory. The second is that life will get tougher on companies whose business model consists of using patents to sue successful vendors instead of competing for clients and markets."
What is more, Levy said, if the patent ruling holds, there would be no further basis for court action against Research in Motion in the case now in the U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va. Essentially, the ruling will have "taken the wind out of NTP's sails," said Levy.
Strange as it seems to the regular person, the court litigation and contention over the patents before the patent office may actually benefit American consumers.
"What we are seeing is the proper operation of the patent system in our country," Steve Kelber, an intellectual-property attorney with Merchant & Gould, based in Washington, told Wireless World. "We are just seeing it in detail on our handheld devices. Whether or not the patents survive re-examination, the litigation can only benefit the system and the public."
Some, however, think the litigation has caused enough uncertainty that BlackBerry's future is still quite unclear. The enterprise messaging market is sure to change as a result of the controversy.
"The wireless e-mail market continues to evolve and flourish," said Terry Austin, president and chief executive officer at Good Technology, a competitor to Research in Motion. "Whether BlackBerry exists or not will be a footnote in the face of diversifying handheld alternatives from Nokia, Motorola, HP, Palm and others, and powerful enterprise software and service incentives. These industry leaders will continue to grow the industry because they've chosen to focus on innovation, rather than litigation."
Experts note that there is also now an open-source wireless project -- called Funambol -- that is seeking to provide a lower-cost alternative to RIM and other commercial wireless e-mail systems.
Those developments are long-term considerations. There is some speculation that the patent case against RIM may have actually spurred some innovation in the short-term too, "allowing other competitors with non-infringing systems to come to the forefront with better designs, and forcing those infringing on the patents to re-design their systems," said Ken Godlewski, a partner with the law firm of Kilpatrick Stockton who works on intellectual-property cases, based in Washington.
There are other considerations, as well, emerging from this long-fought conflict. The case was very widely perceived as a precedent for future litigation in technology patents. "Within the last month, Visto has sued Microsoft for violating its mobile e-mail patents, while Inpro has initiated proceedings against RIM in British court for intellectual property violations," said Levy, the analyst. "If the original NTP/RIM lawsuit is ultimately thrown out of court, other cases that were riding on NTP's coat tails will have less chance of success. The end of litigious frivolity could be upon us."
Gene J. Koprowski is a Lilly Endowment Award winner for his columns for United Press International, for whom he covers networking and telecommunications. E-mail: email@example.com


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By Lisa Johnston
New products on display at the American International Toy Fair, held in N
Speck unveiled its latest iPhone 3G case earlier this month, the Fitted.
Offered in an assortment of original fabrics, patterns and colors, the Fitted case series brings an authentic, custom apparel look to the iPhone 3G, said Speck in a release. Its form-fitting, two-piece snap-together design is meant to creates a personalized and tailored appearance that, combined with its interior soft-touch polycarbonate hard-shell lining, offers protection.
“Fitted was designed with one question in mind: How can we make the case as appealing as the phone?” said Bryan Hynecek, lead designer at Speck, in the release. “In the design of Fitted, our team asked how we could really make a fashion statement with a case and make it as elegant as any other personal style choice. Why wouldn't people shop for cases like they would for a watch, shoes or some other fashion accessory? With Fitted, we're giving iPhone users that opportunity.”
It will initially be released in tan houndstooth check, black-and-white plaid and black herringbone with pinstripes, each at $29.95. Additional styles and patterns will be announced seasonally, said Speck.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.


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The megaretailer is nearing a settlement with the government stemming from allegations that an international expansion went too smoothly.
The Puerto Rico Cotton Fund raised $30,000 for victims of Hurricane Maria.
The case was headed to trial.
The Made in France temporary shop presents emerging brands and several better-known labels.
As sales of graphic Ts increase, that has helped boost sales of logo merchandise.
The luxury retailer is attempting to bring new experiences to the selling floors.
Addie Lerner, principal at General Catalyst, explains new approaches for retailers.
Radhika Jones joins the magazine next month with extensive literary and editorial experience.


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You are here
Australian shoppers show flicker of life, exporters sparkle
[SYDNEY] Australian shoppers splashed out on clothing and at department stores in May in a much-needed fillip to consumption, while a strong month for resource exports also augured well for economic growth.
Consumers had been missing in action in the first quarter so the better news on sales, even though only moderate by historical standards, was enough to lift the local dollar atop 74 US cents.
Wednesday's figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed retail sales pipped forecasts by rising 0.4 per cent in May, while April was revised a tick higher to 0.5 per cent.
The combination of two firmer months meant sales were running ahead of a poor first quarter, suggesting consumption overall likely added more to growth.
"The figures suggest that, after shooting out of the blocks in the first quarter, the economy maintained a decent pace of growth in the second quarter," said Paul Dales, head of Australian economics at Capital Economics.
While the economy expanded by a brisk 1.0 per cent in the first quarter, consumption had been only a minor contributor.
Indeed, despite the gains in April and May annual growth in retail sales still slowed to a sombre 2.5 per cent, well below the 5 per cent-plus that used to be considered commonplace.
Consumers have been cash-strapped by miserly wage growth and record levels of household debt, while intense foreign competition has forced widespread discounting, undermining the dollar value of sales.
That is a headwind for the whole economy given the retail industry rakes in A$315 billion (S$318 billion) a year, or about 18 per cent of GDP, and is the second biggest employer after healthcare with 1.3 million workers.
It is a major reason the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) held interest rates at record lows at its July policy meeting this week, and why markets foresee scant chance of a tightening until far into 2019.
With consumers constrained, it was just as well that Australia's exporters were faring better.
The country's trade surplus widened to A$827 million in May, from A$472 million the previous month, as a 4 percent increase in exports outpaced a 3 per cent rise in imports.
Total exports are well on the way to topping A$400 billion this year for the first time, led by iron ore and coal.
Another star performer has been liquefied natural gas (LNG) as new supply comes on stream after years of multi-billion dollar investment. On current projections, Australia is soon set to overtake Qatar as the world's largest exporter of the energy.
An added windfall has come from the steady rise in oil prices as the value of LNG contracts are linked to the crude price over time.
Demand in recent months has also been surprisingly strong from China, South Korea and Japan, though that could be at risk if the Sino-US tariff row turns into an outright trade war.
Yet while LNG might fatten Australia's export earnings on paper, Australians get to see a lot less of its riches.
The main gas producing companies are majority owned by foreigners - estimates are that less than 20 per cent of the equity is held by Australians.
Those companies also get to offset their huge investment costs against taxes, meaning it can be a decade or more before any of the windfall in earnings shows up in government coffers.


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Twitter May Soon Let Users Flaunt Their NFT Holdings Under ‘Collectible’ Tab
Twitter is tipped to be growing an in-app tab referred to as Collectible, which can enable customers to indicate off their NFT collections and holdings on the micro-blogging platform. The tab will enable NFT house owners to hyperlink their crypto pockets from platforms comparable to Coinbase and MetaMask. NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are digital collectibles impressed by actual life gadgets that may be purchased utilizing cryptocurrencies. To authenticate that the NFTs showcased are actual, a small badge will likely be added to the respective Twitter profile after due verification.
Earlier in September, Twitter engineer Mada Aflak teased the primary glimpse of the brand new Collectible tab with a video snippet. The clip confirmed how customers would have the ability to join their crypto wallets to the tab. As well as, an possibility for the customers to decide on one among their NFTs as their show image on the platform was additionally proven in Aflak’s video.
As promised, right here is the primary experiment. Feedbacks and concepts are welcome 🙂 https://t.co/TDyhibCXfG pic.twitter.com/2ifru9T2Pa
— Mada Aflak (@af_mada) September 29, 2021
On October 25, identified reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong dug deeper into the event levels and predicted some extra issues to look out for within the new tab. It would enable others to faucet on the NFT and get an in depth, magnified look. A web page with particulars on the NFTs may also be linked.
Twitter is engaged on Collectibles profile tab, NFT view and NFT particulars view pic.twitter.com/BrqPyvaLOp
— Jane “Not A Twïtter Worker” Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) October 24, 2021
In the meantime, the NFT market thrived within the second quarter, with $2.5 billion (roughly Rs. 18,560 crore) in gross sales to this point this 12 months. The determine is up from simply $13.7 million (roughly Rs. 101.7 crore) within the first half of 2020, market knowledge confirmed.
As of now nonetheless, it stays unclear by when this function would lastly roll out to customers.
Twitter’s relation with the crypto-space has come a good distance up to now few years. In 2018, Twitter had banned all crypto-related commercials from its platform. The corporate is clearly turning over a brand new web page, because of the crypto increase.
In current instances, crypto-adoption has witnessed a big progress in a number of elements of the world together with India, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the US, amongst different nations.
In September, El Salvador turned the primary on the earth to legalise Bitcoin as a authorized tender alongside its fiat foreign money, the US Greenback.
The market capitalisation of all of the cryptocurrencies put collectively has crossed a milestone of $2.5 trillion (roughly Rs. 1,87,42,625 crore), based on cryptocurrency tracker CoinMarketCap.


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In particular, such companies-members of the Union as Ukr-Agro-Produkt LLC, GFS Group, Trans Group LLC, Ambar, Zernari and Bilotserkivhliboproduct LLC will visit the annual exhibition in Dubai, which in the current year to be held on February 18-22, under support of the FAO and EBRD.
The booth of the Union "Millers of Ukraine" will present whole range of products made by members of the Union: whole and top-grade wheat flour; range of groats and flakes from wheat, spelt, buckwheat, millet, peas, corn, oats, and mixes of cereal flakes.
Also, Roma Trade Company, Amina (Agro-Yug-Service) and PJSC Agrarian Fund will present their products on their own booths.
For the second year in a row, Ukrainian producers will present their food products within the largest international platform, which covers more than 5,000 companies from 120 countries and over 95,000 visitors from 170 countries. It is worth noting that in the current year the exhibition area of the Dubai World Trade Centre increased to 127 thsd m2.
We would be like to welcome you within frames of the exhibition at out our booth HALL Shk Saeed 2, STAND S2-306 !


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THE American President’s F1 is for sale, but not of the Air Force kind.
A Ferrari F430 F1 coupe Donald Trump bought new in 2007 will hit auctions blocks this month bearing his signature, and Fifth Ave New York address, in its title deed.
With Donald Trump’s garage once housing a Lamborghini Diablo, McLaren SLR, and Rolls-Royce it’s no surprise capitalism’s poster boy has a penchant for fast cars.
But as Auctions America, the holders of the lot, put it, “it’s highly likely Donald Trump is the only United States President to ever own a Supercar.”
Speaking of which, Ferrari’s F430 still commands huge appeal. Its 365kW atmo V8, rear electronic clutch-diff, aggressive aerodynamics, and paddle-shift transmission make it a proper driver’s car.
Added to this specification are Scuderia guard crests, yellow gauges, and a carbon fibre dash insert. While the Ferrari’s exterior red paint is complemented by beige leather skin inside, a colour combination similar to its original owner.
During four years of Trump ownership it travelled less than 4000km before changing hands, a time which the seller believes “significantly” increases its provenance.
In contrast to his disruptive politics Trump’s kinder to his car. The F430 still boasts is original books and records, a tool kit, car cover, and charging kit.
While we’ve seen politicians get about in flashier forms of transport Down Under, few would have the means to slot Ferrari’s special coupe in their garage.
The car’s expected pricetag of US$250K to US$350K is far less than the presidential salary Trump rejected in light of his own personal wealth.
Whether it’ll fetch that much will be revealed at the end of this month when it’s auctioned off in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Photo credit: Dirk de Jager


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The last couple of months of the year are traditionally the busiest and most profitable for retailers. However, this year, UK retailers are facing some of the most challenging conditions since the financial crisis of 2008/9, after the two previous difficult years caused by the pandemic.
The Guardian reports that the cost-of-living crisis has already seen consumers cut back on spending in an effort to ease the pressure on household budgets. Inflation has soared this year to 10.1%, well above the Bank of England’s target of 2%, and food and energy prices rose sharply.
A survey by Barclaycard found that half of all consumers in the UK were planning to cut back on non-essential spending this season, such as eating out, presents, and extra food and drink.
Esme Harwood, a director at Barclaycard, told the publication: “Rising petrol and supermarket costs continue to bite but Brits are spending less on energy bills as government support kicks in and people find ways to economise at home.”
She added: “Consumers continue to swap big nights out for cosy evenings in as they reduce their discretionary spending, while health and beauty, and home improvements enjoy a little boost.”
“With the festive season around the corner, we’re likely to see further cutbacks, as Brits rein in their Christmas spending. Consumers are adopting a restrained approach to festivities, reaching for pre-loved gifts and setting spending limits to manage their costs during this traditionally expensive time of year.”
One of the biggest UK retailers, Marks and Spencer, has revealed that its profits have fallen by almost a quarter in the first half of the year. The BBC reports that the retail giant’s profits are down by 24%, partly due to rising energy costs, rising wages, and higher raw material prices.
The retailer also commented that consumers are spending less, although M&S do have a relatively affluent older customer base. They have also recently announced plans to close several of the worst-performing high street stores, and focus a smaller food -based outlets, and will be further affected by the closure of their Russian stores.
Helen Dickinson, the BRC’s chief executive, said: “Christmas will come later than last year for many and may be more gloom than glitter as families focus on making ends meet, particularly as mortgage payments rise.”
She added: “Retailers face an additional government-imposed £800m inflationary increase in their business rates bills next year so the government should freeze rates and reform the broken transitional relief system to alleviate cost pressures that are feeding through to higher prices at a time when people are least able to afford them.”
Another trend which market analysts have identified is that consumers are starting their Christmas shopping earlier, to spread the cost over several pay days, rather than dipping into savings or overdrafts to pay for Christmas all in one month. Brands such as John Lewis are toning down their advertising, to be more in tune with the downbeat economic news.
If you are looking for retail design solutions, please get in touch today.


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The contest prize includes three nights at The Madison Concourse Hotel & Governor’s Club, $100 Purple Cow Gift Shop shopping spree, $100 worth of Food Fight Restaurant meals in the Madison area, $50 Gift Certificate for Downtown Madison area retailers, two World Dairy Expo Season Passes, a gift basket from the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau, daily lunch at World Dairy Expo from the Expo Bistro, Badger Dairy Club Cheese Stand and GEA Ice Cream Stand and preferred seating for the Supreme Champion Ceremony on Saturday at Expo.
World Dairy Expo will be held October 2 through October 6 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. The 2012 theme is “Market Fresh” and over 65,000 guests are expected to attend from more than 85 countries. Two thousand, five hundred head of North America’s finest show cattle will compete for the coveted Supreme Champion award, more than 850 exhibiting companies will display their latest innovations and thousands of dairy professionals from around the world will meet at the 2012 Expo. Visit www.worlddairyexpo.com or call 608-224-6455 for further details.


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PS4 update 1.76 released; here's what it does
Sony today pushed live firmware update 1.76. It's a minor update, so don't get too excited.
According to some official notes shared by PlayStation Europe community manager Chris Owen, today's firmware 1.76 update improves "System software stability during use of some features."
I enjoy a good stability update as much as the next guy, but there's no doubt most PS4 owners have their sights set on update 2.0, which was fully detailed at gamescom 2014 back in August. Looking ahead, update 2.0's big feature is Share Play, a feature that allows you to create an online local co-op experiencing using your PS4 by allowing you to invite a friend to join your game, even if they don't own a copy of it. The update will also add highly requested broadcast and video share features, including the ability to upload your gameplay footage to YouTube. You can find the full notes for update 2.0, arriving this fall, here.


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In recent months, Ashkelon has become the top city in Israel for sales of new homes, according to figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics. In the period September-November 2020, 793 new homes were sold in the city.
This represents a rise of 2.6% in comparison with the period June-August 2020, when 773 new homes were sold in Ashkelon. In this period too, Ashkelon was the leader nationally. It should be pointed out that many home sales took place in Ashkelon in the subsidized "Buyer Price" program.
Yael Dekel-Henig, VP of marketing at construction company Efgad, which builds in Ashkelon, says that there are several reasons for the rate of new home sales there. "There is considerable momentum in the city and it continues to grow, and that has continued to strengthen migration to it in recent years, mainly from nearby Ashdod," she says. She says that huge neighborhoods being built in the city appeal to young people and are attractively priced.
She also mentions that access to the city has improved. "The outstanding example is the Ashkelon North interchange, which considerably shortens the time and distance to the center of the country. The coronavirus pandemic has also undoubtedly affected buyers, and I think that a substantial portion of the deals in the past few months results from couples and families taking a fresh look and realizing that in the era of working from home, and with lifestyles changing, it is possible and even desirable to leave behind the crowded center in favor of quality of life and open spaces, nature, and the wonderful beach strip that Ashkelon has, and you could say that people have rediscovered this city," Dekel-Henig says.
In second place in the new home sales league is Tel Aviv, where 563 new homes were sold in the period September-November. Despite the high ranking, this figure represents a 3.3% decline in comparison with the previous three months.
Third placed is Rishon LeZion, where 552 new homes were sold in the period, representing a rise of 23% in comparison with the previous three months. Other cities with high sales figures for new homes are Bet Shemesh, Ramla, Harish, and Jerusalem.
In other places, sales were particularly low in the September-November 2020 period. One of these is Hadera, where 154 new homes were sold, although this represents a 100% increase over the previous three months, when just 76 new homes were sold in the city.
Another city with low sales is Holon, where 157 new homes were sold in the period.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 11,360 new homes were sold nationwide in the period in question, 7.3% more than in the previous three-month period. That period, June-August, was a complex one, coming just after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Israel, which had almost completely shut down the economy in the previous two months.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 14, 2021
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2020


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Food Design, a leading UK supplier of toffee and fudge ingredients
to the confectionery industry has announced the development of a
replacement fat for unhealthy hydrogenated palm kernel oil, which
could prove to be a key ingredient...
Eating chocolate during pregnancy could make your baby happier and
livelier, according to Finnish researchers, who suggest that
chocolate's mood altering chemicals could be passed on to the baby
in the womb.
Intensified competition in the ingredients marketplace and
disappointing orders for Cocoa Butter Equivalents (CBE) following
the new chocolate rules leads to job losses at Danish fats and oils
firm Aarhus United.
Global chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut said that recent
acquisitions had boosted its six month figures, with net profit
showing double-digit growth. But low cocoa prices affected
activities at the processing arm of the company.
Growing through international expansion, chewing gum giant Wm.
Wrigley Jr has closed on a €215 million deal to acquire the Joyco
gum and confectionery businesses from Agrolimen, a privately-held
Spanish food conglomerate. The acquisition...
Building on its position as a leading sweetner alternative in the
confectionery sector, ingredients firm Arla Food will see its
low-cal, low-carb tagatose sweetener emblazoned on the packaging of
a new range of juices, notably at...
Elizabeth Shaw is celebrating 40 years in the confectionery
business with the re-launch of its market-leading liqueur chocolate
brand Famous Names, with a new design that uses a packaging
technique never used before in the sector.
Significant investment into production facilities and new product
launches seem to be paying off for Heidi Chocolats Suisse Romania,
after the company announced that its sales for the month of
February grew by 80 per cent.
New ways to combat the global obesity epidemic could be on the way
as recent findings from influential obesity researcher Jeffrey
Friedman improves our understanding of leptin resistance and
obesity. New studies show that the appetite-regulating...
Is Big Red the next functional food fad? Scientists in the US claim
the natural flavours found in the chewing gum brand manufactured by
gum giant Wrigley's could beat the bacteria that causes bad breath.
Russian white sugar production from imported raw beet is reported
to be down by 23 per cent for the start of the year, as the sector
struggles against diminished supplies of raw materials and high
stocks of unsold processed sugar....
In the same week that the US food watchdog releases new findings on
the presence of acrylamide, the probable human carcinogen, in
processed food products, the American Chemical society will
dedicate an entire symposium to this sensitive...
Finland-based paperboard packaging provider Stora Enso reports that
demand for its cupstock paperboard packaging product is growing
amongst leading confectionery players in the European market as
consumers seek more convenient packaging...


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Creating favorable regulatory and legal and investment conditions for the development of the digital future will be discussed in Moscow on January 27 at the World Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Summit. The initiator of the summit is the International Decentralized Association of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain — IDACB. More than 400 guests — representatives of crypto-associations, industry blockchain, authorities, funds, investment companies, banks and international organizations of Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia have already confirmed their participation in the event. Among the speakers are experts with a world-wide name -Vladislav Martynov from Ethereum, Kumar Gaurav from Cashaa, Anton Golub from Lykke and other representatives of leading blockchain and cryptocompanies.
8 months ago-GOLD PRICE PER OUNCE 18.08. - 28.09.2020
8 months ago-MAKER FOUNDATION AND PUNDI X HEAD TO GHANA
8 months ago-CONTINUATION OF THE TOPIC LIQUIDITY MINING
9 months ago-HEARTBEAT OF ELASTOS NETWORK
9 months ago-INDIA WRITES ITS BLOCKCHAIN HISTORY
9 months ago-ETH COMPETITOR HAS RISEN IN PRICE BY 600%
9 months ago-PUNDI X LAUNCHES ITS OWN MERCHANDISE STORE


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Gearbox Software is ready to celebrate the winter holidays. The occasion called for a full week of SHiFT codes that, when redeemed yield themed gifts. Eight presents total will be doled out. The players will have a chance to score the codes and obtain the goodies until 11 January 2020.
Borderlands 3 is celebrating the winter holidays with a week of themed gifts and SHiFT codes.
A week of mayhem is coming to Borderlands 3. Yes, it has been subdued so far. Gearbox Sofware will host a celebration of Mercenary Day by giving the loyal Vault Hunters seven days worth of themed presents starting on 13 December 2019.
When the event starts, each day will see a new goodie shared via the official . There will be eight gifts in total, and they will include some SHiFT codes that will make like Santa and fill your in-game mailbox with holiday presents.
The SHiFT codes are redeemable over on , the Gearbox SHiFT site, or via the in-game Social menu in Borderlands 3. No excuses. The SHiFT codes are time-limited though and will expire on 11 January 2020 at 7:59 am GMT. Each code can be redeemed only once per SHiFT account.
The festivities do not end there as you see, Gearbox have also put the game on sale for up to 35 per cent off this month. The offer will remain valid at the participating retailers while their supplies last. PlayStation 4 and PC players can take advantage of the discount until 16 December 2019 at 4:00 pm GMT. Xbox One owners have time until 14 December 2019 at 10:00 am GMT.


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ONTARIO – A regional hardware company will soon own one of Ontario’s oldest and most visible stores.
John Kirby, the owner of Kinney Bros. & Keele Hardware announced Thursday, Oct. 27, that he is selling his business to Thatcher’s Ace Hardware, based in Baker City.
Thatcher’s owns stores in Baker City, La Grande and Pendleton.
Zach and Tori Thatcher will be the new owners of the Ontario store. Zach Thatcher recently retired from the Baker City Police Department.
“This will not be new to Zach, as he was raised in the hardware business,” Kirby said in the press release.
In a press release, Kirby said the biggest change is “that Ace Hardware will become the major supplier, instead of True Value.”
“My son Randall and my daughter Mara Kirby-Garcia will remain as local managers. The rest of the staff will also remain,” he said.
Kirby said he, too, will remain at the store to mentor his children and “teach them a few specialty areas of the business.”
Kinney Bros. & Keele Hardware is a fixture in the Ontario community. The store opened in 1926, owned by Claude Keele and his brother-in-law L.J. Hop Kinney.
Kirby started at the business in 1964.
“I am excited because this has always been family business and so it will remain. The Thatchers embody the same eastern Oregon farm/ranch values that we have,” said Kirby.
News tip? Contact reporter Pat Caldwell at [email protected]
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The new council, which took office Jan. 1, has been exploring ideas for revitalizing the city.
The advent of First Weekends last year brought about temporary closures of City Hall Place, and the council recently approved the use of more than a dozen on-street parking spaces for outdoor dining during the summer.
Councilor Josh Kretser (D-Ward 6) has also suggested the city explore the permanent closures of some city streets to enhance the downtown marketplace.
A few years ago, local planning efforts suggested a major development at the Plattsburgh City Beach complex.
Major plans for a marina development at Dock Street Landing have also been weighed by the city.
Farrington said the study will give the city a better idea of how such developments should unfold.
“We want to be able to identify any opportunities, any constraints there might be and any alternatives we might consider,” he said.
EXAMPLE OF REBIRTH
Calnon pointed to the transformation of City Hall Place downtown about 20 years ago.
The buildings on the street, then known sarcastically in local circles as “The Street of Dreams,” were in poor condition, and some were home to bars known for boisterous behavior.
There was little for retail offerings, and the street was seen as a higher crime area.
With the aid of grant money and willing entrepreneurs, the street was changed to a vibrant dining and retail area that serves as the centerpiece of many city celebrations.
“We need to take a look and see if something like that can happen elsewhere,” Calnon said.
He said the study will not only consider what ideas to explore but show the preferred finance models for such investments.
“If construction is needed for some plans, the financing could be different than it was 20 years ago, and we will take a look at that,” he said.


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Jackson Rd. in Scio Township will add yet another auto dealership when the new Suburban Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram opens early in January. It replaces a building that housed Jungle Java, which was demolished to make way.
The 34,000-square-foot showroom, sales, and service facility is being built on ten acres, which “will allow us to carry the largest selection of FCA [Fiat Chrysler Automotive] products in the county,” emails Ron MacEachern, general manager at the Suburban Collection. At least initially, however, it will not include any Fiats. In the face of weak sales, last year FCA reversed course and began allowing dealers to fold their Fiat and Alfa Romeo stores into Chrysler Jeep dealerships, but for the moment, Suburban will continue its vest-pocket “Fiat Salon” on W. Stadium. It’s reviewing options for the longtime Naylor Chrysler building across Stadium, which for now will continue to house its body shop and auto reconditioning operations.
Headquartered in Troy, Suburban is the largest dealership group in Michigan and sells thirty-two brands of cars and trucks in more than forty locations, according to the Detroit Free Press. Its other Ann Arbor outlets are the big Chevrolet-Cadillac dealership on Jackson at Wagner, and another selling BMWs, Mercedes-Benz, and Smart cars on Auto Mall Dr. just off Jackson.
Jackson is solidifying its role as the local Dealership Row; in addition to the Suburban stores, shoppers can kick tires at Varsity Ford, Dunning Subaru, Sesi Lincoln, LaFontaine Buick GMC, and Ann Arbor Automotive, all within a few blocks.


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Click on the links below for more details
1. When will stoners ever learn? Using air freshener to cover up the smell of weed never works. A Gwinnett County Police officer making a traffic stop on I-85 coming from a rental car driven by a Stone Mountain woman, with a South Carolina man in the passenger seat. The officer wrote in his report: “I noticed there were two clip-on air fresheners stuck inside the air vents. This stood out to me because this was an Enterprise rental car and the average motoring public does not add air fresheners to a rental car.” The officer later found a UPS box with a PlayStation 3 box inside. Inside that box were three pounds of pot.
2. Scams involving fake iPads are becoming common. Earlier this month, we wrote about a victim duped out of $200 and ending up with an iPad-shaped tile inside a FedEx box. This week, we have . An Atlanta man told Norcross Police he agreed to buy iPads from a man at a shopping center parking lot. The seller, who stayed in his car, showed the man the wrapped-up fake goods and asked to see the money. When the man pulled out $1,000, the suspect threatened that he had a weapon and said, "Give me all the money or I will kill you!" The man handed over the cash and was left with the picture frames.
3. When a man was asked by police why , he had a good answer. Really. "I am drunk. I don't know why," he said, according to the police report. Makes sense, right? You’d pretty much have to be altered to go into a grocery store, fill a cart with four 30-count boxes of beer and walk out — all caught on the surveillance camera. The man’s story also included claims that he bought the beer from a bootlegger and tried to exchange the cans for bottles of beer at a Kroger.
4. A Walton County resident got into some hot water after he reported a fraudulent charge on his credit card. But, after Walton Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and looked into things in two other counties. Do they take credit cards in jail?
5. A then threatened to stab an employee after she was caught. The woman walked out the door with the meat, but an employee stopped her outside and she returned the items. When the employee tried to prevent her from leaving, she turned and said, “I’ll stab you.” The employee wasn’t sure she actually had a knife, however.
6. A Norcross man, threatened with a knife by an unknown assailant, told police . The suspect came up from behind and held the knife to the man’s throat, demanding his money. After the man said he didn’t have any money, the suspect told him to go into the store and "steal some stuff,” according to the police report. Police told the man it would have been better to call authorities rather than commit a crime.
7. A Dacula-area musician told police that his style of music might have contributed to a burglary that resulted in his Yamaha 250 keyboard being stolen: “[The victim] said for his own personal enjoyment,” the officer wrote in the incident report. “[The victim] said that he suspects that someone may have gotten tired of it.”


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Popular ethical oat milk and banana brand, All Good, is expanding internationally and to meet this demand, is now seeking investors in its first ever capital raise.
With plans to head into Asia and the Middle East, All Good is hoping to raise $1 million to accelerate its expansion plans.
Already, All Good has sold around $1.2 million worth of product into international markets in 2023 – including $800,000 to South Korea and $300,000 to Dubai – alongside its growing success in New Zealand.
“All Good is poised for significant growth and innovation. Already more than 6,000 litres of All Good Oat Milk and 13,000 bunches of All Good bananas are sold every day, and we can see even more opportunity to expand here and in our export markets,” says All Good General Manager, Faye Macgregor.
The All Good brand, now 12 years old, has kickstarted the ‘oat milk craze’ the country saw in 2019.
It has since sold around 6 million litres of oat milk and 40 million bunches of bananas.
Over the years, All Good has seen experienced “solid profit” thanks to the strong specialty café and grocery channels the brand has established. In the past year, it has achieved a 240 percent revenue growth and $8 million in sales.
All Good bananas and oat milk products are available in more than 400 supermarkets nationwide such as Foodstuffs, Woolworths, Farro and BP Wild Bean cafes and its oat milk is the prime choice in more than 1000 premium cafes across the country.
With its plan to raise $1 million, All Good hopes to achieve a number of goals such as bringing its oat milk manufacturing on-shore to New Zealand in 2024 with locally sourced Southland farmed oats, meeting international demand and possible new product innovation.


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Poland cuts interest rates for fourth time as economy slows further
Poland’s Monetary Policy Council offered its fourth consecutive 25 bps cut to official interest rates, as macro data for December proved worse than already-depressed forecasts and domestic consumption declined more than at any time in the past 10 years.
Industrial output fell by 10.6 per cent year-on-year and retail sales defied forecasts for growth, falling 2.5 per cent year-on-year.
For the full story, please visit The Warsaw Voice
(Photo: Marcin Rolicki/sxc.hu)


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|Home > National News > Article|
They are out and about socialising - not at home watching television. So marketers are getting out and about in an attempt to target young people, using events and street ads rather than television commercials.
The aim, they say, is to "add value" to the events they sponsor by providing additional forms of entertainment that appeal to the target audience. If you are involved with the event itself it is hard for consumers to ignore you.
At this year's Big Day Out, in Sydney on January 25, Levi's will sponsor a tank giving away drinking water, Durex will hand out condoms and Tooheys will set up an inflatable bar.
While a few sponsors have been signed, the Big Day Out's producer, Ken West, says he has been careful not to accede to every marketer's wish.
"Sponsors don't see how much resistance there is - patrons are paying $100 to see a range of good music acts, not to be seen [by marketers] as a captive audience," Mr West said.
The emphasis was on sponsors providing added value to the event rather than detracting from it, he said.
With a captive audience of teenagers and twentysomethings, the Big Day Out is typical of the events that marketers use to target those aged 18-30.
Everything from billboards to the scooters that circle the streets of Sydney are used to target those out and about. Cars are usually launched with television commercials but Volkswagen chose bus shelters, bus sides and billboards to launch a new car last year because those in the 25-29 age group were not big watchers of television.
The new Pepsi Blue drink was launched with free handouts in a "chill-out" area at the 2DayFM festival, Rumba, Hyundai promoted its new Getz car with cars on display, and Channel Seven had an autograph stand for Home and Away stars.
"The event is almost an excuse to have three or four months lead-up marketing around the event," said Sean Pickwell, chief executive of A-Live Worldwide, the division of Austereo radio that organised Rumba.
The concerts were designed to raise additional revenue for Austereo, while the radio network suffered revenue falls due to an advertising recession (and it faces the additional competition of its rival Nova). A Triple M concert, M One, was canned after it failed to make money.
Red Bull, the energy drink targeted at teenagers and those in their 20s, sponsors extreme sports events such as motocross, mountain biking and skiing competitions in an attempt to target difficult audiences.
The Globe skateboarding World Cup being staged in Melbourne next month has attracted Globe Shoes, Sony PlayStation, Swatch and Triple M as sponsors, all chasing 16-24 old males.
But not all event, venue and street marketing targets young people. Last year Rover promoted its new 75 range through in-flight television and in Qantas Club lounges. John Sintras, chief executive of the media agency Starcom Worldwide, which recommended Rover use such techniques, said the campaign was targeted at "upscale business men who don't have time to go to a showroom".
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|SELL OUT: A Herald Series|
|Advertising you don't see until it's too late|
|You can run, ski or skate but you can't hide|
|Ads come dressed as entertainment|
|High pitch, low pitch or just sales pitch?|
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A group of Stanford University students is urging the school to take the lead in pushing technology companies to act on so-called "conflict minerals" -- such as tin, tungsten and gold -- used in electronics.
The New York Times reports:
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, armed groups force villagers to mine minerals like wolframite and cassiterite. Metals processed from such minerals are used in consumer electronics products, including laptop computers, MP3 players, cellphones and digital cameras.
On Thursday, a committee of Stanford's trustees considered a resolution to create a new proxy voting guideline for the university's investments. The guideline would support shareholders' efforts to make companies trace the supply chain of the minerals used in their products.
The trustees' decision is forthcoming. As the Stanford Daily reports, a grassroots student group, STAND, brought the issue to the administration's attention in February:
The group expressed its concern over a growing body of evidence showing that consumers and investors indirectly fuel ongoing violence in the Congo by purchasing electronics that are made from minerals sold by armed rebel groups in the country's lawless eastern region.
Debilitating rape has become commonplace there, and an estimated 5.4 million people have been killed in the past 15 years, according to the Enough Project, an anti-genocide advocacy group.
According to the Daily, Stanford is the first university to consider the issue.
What's your take? Leave a comment below.
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Nike unveil 1995-themed jersey for 2018 World Cup
The national team will wear a 1995-themed design jersey for their #Russia2018 outing
It also borrows from the jersey the Super Eagles wore to play England in the cracking friendly at Wembley in 1994.
The kit sponsor unveiled the jerseys, with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), at a ceremony in London, England on Wednesday, February 7, 2018.
Super Eagles youngsters Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho,and team captain, John Obi Mikel were spotted in the new jerseys at the ceremony.
There are two versions of the Super Eagles World Cup jersey, the all green jersey and the pitch green jersey with white and black patterns.
As a nod to pop culture, Nigerian pop star Wizkid was also present at the unveiling in London. The singer shared snaps of himself rocking the jersey alongside Arsenal starlet Iwobi.
Wizkid also shared a snap of him working on a customized Nike jersey with the logo of his imprint Star Boy on the front. Could a collaboration be in the works?
The 2018 World Cup jersey borrows inspiration from the jersey the Super Eagles wore in 1995 during the King Fahd Cup.
The 2018 jersey has black and white patterns similar to the 1995 jersey.
The green, white and black jersey has received mixed reactions online. You can see some of them below;


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Chronicle of Infinity has been kicking around on our list of the best games you can pre-register for for a while now. And now it’s about to move into the next phase of its launch program – an open beta.
When does that open beta start? Why, it starts on April 7th. Which we reckon is Thursday. So that’s not very long to have to wait to get your hands on the game. Not very long at all.
The game is a mix of different ARPG ideas. There’s dungeons to crawl, enemies to hack and slash, and a massive PvP component that plays out like a battle royale. TRAILER TIME.
Inevitably there are loads of goodies that you can grab if you decide to pre-register before the open beta launches. You can find out about all of those at the game’s official website by clicking here.
And for those of you who just like to pre-register without even knowing the gewgaws and shiny plink plonks you’re getting for doing it, you can pre-register for Chronicle of Infinity on the Play Store by clicking here.


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Migrating off passwords and legacy authentication is a journey. Jackie Comp and Rolf Lindermann of Nok Nok discuss the company’s journey to incorporate passwordless, next-generation authentication into their consumer apps, leveraging FIDO standards, resulting in improvements in onboarding, authentication success, speed and reduction in fraud.
MORE FIDO in the News
The Wall Street Journal: Apple Wants to End Passwords for Everything. Here’s How It Would Work
Passwords have been the longtime standard for securing online accounts,...June 24, 2022
S&P Global: Big Tech pushes forward with password-less authentication
A tech industry coalition including Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc. and...
CNET: Learn About Passkeys, the No-Password Login Tech Coming to iOS 16 and Android
Apple recently showed off a new replacement for passwords coming...


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Following our 2016 research piece on Online Shopping Behaviour, we wanted to dive into a new topic and look at how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can have an impact on buyer behaviour.
The 2015 'Sustainability Imperative Report' from Nielsen found that globally, 66% of consumers were willing to pay more for products and services from companies who are committed to having positive social and environmental impacts, and noted that this figure has been growing year-on-year.
We wanted to investigate these attitudes towards CSR in the UK. Using an online survey, we asked over 200 participants 6 questions about their views on Corporate Social Responsibility and online shopping. With overall 54% of our respondents willing to pay more for these sustainable products and services, we can confirm that CSR does play a role in the heart of consumers!
In summary, this is what we found out:
From our results, respondents were fairly evenly divided on whether Corporate Social Responsibility had a real impact on their purchasing decisions. 49% of respondents said it’s important to them that brands they buy from are socially responsible, whilst 45% said this is not something they usually think about. Similarly, in a separate question 47% of respondents said they were more likely to shop from a brand that supports social or charitable causes. But whilst Corporate Social Responsibility may not impact all consumers in their decision to purchase from a brand, it seems that this is still something consumers find important, even if they don't act on it.
Research from Reason Digital this year found that 96% of consumers agreed it is important for companies to have good social and environmental policies, and 62% of customers worldwide have said they would switch brands if those they were using didn't have a clear social purpose. So perhaps there is no clear-cut relationship between CSR and consumer purchasing behaviour? The Reason Digital report explores some of the demographic factors that moderate this relationship between CSR and consumer behaviour finding that income, gender and age all have a notable influence.
A further interesting finding from our survey was that 61% of respondents made an effort to purchase locally sourced produce. This result reflects recent trends as other research has found consumers are demanding more locally sourced foods, and major food manufacturers such as Weetabix are pledging to use local ingredients in their products (Morepeople, 2016).
A huge 73% of respondents said they consider the Carbon Footprint of their purchases, and in research from the Carbon Trust (2016) 56% of UK consumers said they would feel more positive about a company that has made an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of their products, indicating that this may be an important consideration for businesses.
As our final question, we asked respondents what they value most when online shopping. The results showed that 57% see convenient delivery options as most valuable, whilst only 8% valued social responsibility of the brand. A moderate 35% stated that a user-friendly website or app was most important to them.
Underpinning the purpose of Parcelly's service, it is becoming more important for online retailers to provide greater customer convenience options. Temando, The State of Shipping in Commerce 2017 found that 54% of shoppers would abandon their order and buy from an Online competitor if the delivery option they seek was not provided. A further interesting point was that 74% of shoppers want click&collect shipping options, whilst only 47% of retailers currently offer them.
Parcelly is filling a gap in the market, providing an innovative click&collect check-out option that fits around busy consumers’ lives. Our app-based service puts customer convenience first, allowing online shoppers to decide where, when and how they receive their parcels. At the same time, we strive to have a positive social impact on local communities and are doing our bit to reduce the negative environmental effects of parcel deliveries.
‘Finding a balance between profit and social impact has long been an issue for entrepreneurs. It's also spawned a debate: On one side (profit), the argument leans toward the golden rule of business: Increase shareholder value. An investment that cannot be demonstrated as making a measurable impact on company value should not be made in the first place. On the other side (social impact), the argument says that the community the business serves is also a shareholder and so deserves consideration as well. By complying with this view, companies oblige themselves to protect the shareholders of the "community." They do this by developing and implementing a strategy of corporate social responsibility (CSR).’
– Peter Gasca for Entreprenuer.com
We love this quote and believe it perfectly sums up Parcelly's first and last-mile business model: to ensure maximum customer convenience through continuous innovation, whilst balancing this with having a positive social and environmental impact. We have widely been recognised for our responsible actions, most recently as announced winner of ‘The Fujitsu Award for Responsible Business in the Digital Age’ at the BITC Awards 2017, which is a clear testimony of our efforts.
Through donating 5% of every Parcelly booking to our partner Atmosfair we have proudly offset over 35,000kg of CO2 emissions so far - you can find out more about our partnership with Atmosfair HERE. We are also having a positive social impact through our partnership with Barnardo’s, which has just been shortlisted for ‘Retail Charity Partnership of the Year’ and the Retail Systems Awards 2017.


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Twenty years of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai
Zhuhai, April 6, 2021 – MTU Maintenance Zhuhai, a 50/50 joint venture between MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airlines Company Limited, marks 20 years since the company was founded. Over the past two decades, the facility has completed over 3,000 engines and grown from a greenfield facility to become the largest engine shop in Asia by shop visits.
“We are extremely proud of all that the facility has achieved,” says Li Tongbin, Chairman of the Board of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai and Vice President & Chief Engineer of China Southern Airlines. “Our thanks go out to all our shareholders, business partners, valued customers and over 1,000 highly trained employees, without whom none of this success would have been possible.”
The Asian region is now the largest in the world when it comes to shop visit volumes and is largely expected to be one of the first to recover post pandemic. “We made the strategic decision to found MTU Maintenance Zhuhai to serve the growing Asian market and are delighted with the exceptional success the facility has experienced,” adds Michael Schreyögg, Chief Program Officer MTU Aero Engines and Vice Chairman of the board, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai.
Servicing CFM56, LEAP, V2500 and soon PW1100G-JM engines, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai has been expanded twice to accommodate demand and now has a capacity of 450 engines per year. This will increase to 700 in 2024, when an additional facility in the neighbouring Jinwan district has been constructed. “Thanks to our timely entry into the market and reputation for highly customized and cost-efficient engine solutions, we are extremely confident in MTU Maintenance Zhuhai’s position as largest engine MRO in China and in turn, its future growth trajectory,” Schreyögg adds.
Throughout 2021 and into the next decade, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai will also be investing a training center to accommodate its growing workforce needs. Due for completion in 2022, the center will train 50 to 100 Chinese engineering graduates in aircraft engine mechanics per year. “Furthermore, we will also continue to invest in our on-site team and capabilities,” adds Jaap Beijer, President and CEO, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. “We carried out the largest number of on-site services events within the MTU Maintenance network in 2020, despite the crisis. And we added a number of workscopes to our portfolio, such as LEAP-1B end-of-lease checks, V2500 fan rotor and CFM56-7B fan containment case replacements. We will build on this foundation in 2021.”
Located in Zhuhai's free trade zone, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai benefits from its proximity to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macao. The facility boasts advanced machinery and performs 80 percent of parts repairs in-house. In addition to China Southern, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai serves over 70 customers from China, Asia and around the world, including International Aero Engines, Saudia Airlines and All Nippon Airways, as well as Chinese Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Sichuan Airlines. Its dedicated service teams can be dispatched to the customers in the region in no time.


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Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has partnered with General Electric to slash its energy costs by installing around a quarter of a million LED lighting fixtures in over 450 stores by 2020.
The mammoth upgrade will be one of the UK’s largest ever energy efficiency projects.
It is expected to cut the company’s electricity consumption on lighting by 58 per cent, as well as contributing to its carbon reduction target of 30 per cent against 2005 levels by 2020.
The move will make the supermarket the first UK grocer to light all of its stores with LEDs. M&S has made the same commitment, but set a later target date of 2025.
Current, the smart buildings division of General Electric, will provide finance, design, supply, installation and project management services.
Paul Crewe, head of sustainability, energy, engineering and environment at Sainsbury’s, said: “We’re proud to be the first supermarket to switch our large stories entirely to LED lighting.
“We're always looking for new ways of achieving our sustainability goals, and switching to LED lighting is a big step in the right direction. We’ve almost halved the carbon emissions of our stores since 2005, and in the last 12 months reduced our electricity use by 11.6 per cent despite growing our operation by 54.2 per cent.”
LED lighting is by far the most popular energy efficiency investment for UK businesses along with related measures such as lighting controls, and is improving in efficiency and price far faster than predicted.
Pete Lau, chief executive of Current’s European operations, commented: “We believe the adoption of energy efficient technology can be a core piece of building not only a more sustainable business, but also a more profitable one.”


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(Reuters) - Aeropostale Inc ARO.N could raise going concern doubts as soon as next year, as the struggling teen apparel retailer burns up cash amid mounting losses, Morgan Stanley analysts warned.
The company lost more than a fifth of its market value on Friday, a day after it reported its sixth straight quarterly loss and forecast a bigger-than-expected loss for the current quarter.
“We think (Aeropostale) is a structurally challenged business in decline,” Morgan Stanley analyst Kimberly Greenberger said in a note.
Greenberger said she expects “going concern issues in 2015/2016” unless the company stabilizes its business. Greenberger is a top-rated analyst for the company, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine.
“Aeropostale occupies the weakest competitive position in teen retail, and continues to cede market share to cheap fashion retailers and other teen retailers,” the analyst said.
Aeropostale’s shares touched a low of $3.38 in midday trading -- their lowest in more than 11 years, making the stock the top percentage loser on the New York Stock Exchange.
The company said on Friday its first priority continues to be maintaining appropriate levels of liquidity.
“We have sufficient liquidity to work through our working capital needs with our $230-million revolver ...,” the company said in an email.
Aeropostale reported on Thursday a 13 percent drop in same-store sales for the first quarter.
The sharp drop in same-store sales and the mounting losses have raised liquidity concerns.
Aeropostale has a rating of 26 out of 100, according to research firm Rapid Ratings, which gauges the financial health of companies. The rating of 26 puts Aeropostale in the high-risk category.
The company ended the first quarter with cash and cash equivalents of just $24.5 million, its lowest since 2000, according to Cowen & Co analyst John Kernan.
Cowen & Co said in a note that the company burned $123 million in cash in the first quarter and was forced to tap into its credit facility as it continued to discount to attract shoppers.
Aeropostale struck a $150 million funding deal with Sycamore Partners in March, but Kernan said that even with that lifeline “a turnaround is hard to conceptualize”.
“With a core business too far off the mark, and threatening to tarnish the brand, we don’t see things turning for Aero with the environment as challenging as it is currently,” BMO Capital Markets analyst John Morris said in a client note.
Morgan Stanley, BMO, Cowen & Co, Janney Capital Markets, Jefferies & Co and Topeka Capital Markets cut their price targets on the stock.
According to Thomson Reuters data, at least four analysts have a “sell” rating on Aeropostale, while 21 recommend “hold”.
Reporting by Siddharth Cavale and Shailaja Sharma in Bangalore; Editing by Don Sebastian and Maju Samuel