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|Youths team up with Bharatiya Kisan Sangh to sell goods at rates fixed by Govt|
GUWAHATI, July 13 - With residents of Kamrup (Metro) district facing major shortage of vegetables during the first two weeks of the ongoing lockdown, a group of youths affiliated to the farmers’ union Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), have managed to sell vegetables worth over Rs 1 crore to consumers in the city.
All the products sold by the youths in Guwahati were sourced from farmers belonging to the indigenous communities, BKS Assam unit organising secretary Krishna Kanta Bora told this newspaper.
“We sold the entire stock during only three working days – on July 6, 8 and 11. We sold almost all vegetables at prices fixed by the government and after taking requisite permission from the authorities. However, in case of two items – tomatoes and chillies – we had charged Rs 4 or Rs 5 extra per kg from the consumers. This is due to the fact that there is a massive shortage of tomatoes and chillies on account of the floods. As we had to procure these two items at higher rates from the producers, we were left with no other choice but to charge a bit extra in the retail market,” said Bora.
He said that more than 170 tonnes of vegetables were sold during the three days. Over 150 youths were involved in the exercise.
“All those youths are from families without any background of agriculture or vegetable trade. Many of them have good educational qualifications. We formed teams and each team moved across various localities of the city with auto vans laden with vegetables. During those three days we covered localities like RG Baruah Road, Narengi, Ganeshguri, Beltola, Dhirenpara and Panbazar,” Bora said.
The products were sourced from farmers in Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat and Barpeta districts.
“All those farmers are from the indigenous communities. We procured the vegetables directly from the producers, who are also mostly affiliated to our organisation. In the process, we have done away with the middlemen. That is why we have been able to sell to the consumers of Guwahati at rates fixed by the government and still our cadres who have sold the items in Guwahati have managed to earn profit of minimum 10 per cent,” said Bora.
BKS is one of the largest farmers’ unions in the country and has units in most of the states across India. In Assam, it is working with local farmers in various districts to promote indigenous farming techniques.


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The Scottish Government has today announced that it will be delaying the planned implementation of mandatory calorie labelling.
Responding to this announcement, UKHospitality Scotland Executive Director Leon Thompson said:
“I’m pleased the Scottish Government has listened to the concerns of UKHospitality Scotland and delayed the introduction of mandatory calorie labelling.
“The planned introduction was additional red-tape that hospitality businesses scarcely need and would have come with enormous cost. The implementation of calorie labelling in England is costing affected businesses, on average, £20,000 per year and it was crucial that was avoided in Scotland.
“With customer preference on this issue incredibly variable and a lack of evidence that calorie labelling makes a meaningful difference, it’s no surprise that the vast majority are opposed to its introduction.
“I would urge the Scottish Government to permanently drop this policy and focus on reducing red-tape for businesses, not increasing it.”

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Family-owned Bollinger Group, owner of Champagne Bollinger, has bought Sancerre estate Hubert Brochard.
Club Soda will host its first Mindful Drinking Festival in Brighton later this month.
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has registered 'Scotch whisky' as a certification trademark in the US as it looks to protect its national drink.
Diageo has purchased Vivanda, owner of the flavour matching technology behind the ‘What’s Your Whisky’ platform and the Journey of Flavour experience at the Johnnie Walker brand home in Edinburgh.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a TikTok influencer ad for a hard seltzer brand, over nutrition claims and encouraging excessive drinking.
From aperitivo moments to barbecues, cocktail hour and after dinner drams, there’s a world of drinking occasions for retailers to get behind, finds Jaq Bayles
Pernod Ricard has agreed to sell the Tormore brand and distillery to Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh’s Elixir Distillers.
The world of rosé is vast – and while consistency and young vintages suit some styles, there’s a case for flexibility elsewhere, finds Lucy Britner
Carlsberg Group has started a consumer trial scheme for its new fibre bottle. The sampling initiative involves 8,000 bottles in 8 countries, including the UK. The bottle also contains beer brewed with “organic and regenerative barley”, the company said.
Interest in tequila and mezcal is growing and sales are surging, but the category’s small size means there’s still plenty of room for growth, says Clinton Cawood
As the trade prepares for English Wine Week (June 18 - 26), trade organisation WineGB has released its latest figures, which show a 69% sales rise for English and Welsh wines since 2019. 15% of sales were made by independent retailers, while winery websites accounted for 22% of sales.
The trade organisation for the New Zealand wine industry has reported a 43.8% increase in grapes for the 2022 harvest, as producers look to rebuild stocks and sales.
Wines grown and made in Sussex have been awarded a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status.
The Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc has shared its road map to sustainable development as it looks to its next classification in 2025.
Britvic’s mixer brand, The London Essence Co, has rolled out a new marketing campaign as it looks to capitalise on summer drinking trends.
Tim Atkin MW has highlighted the continued improvement of Argentina’s white wines, saying they “now rank among the New World’s very best”.
The regulatory organisation for DO Cava has launched its latest campaign following a 17.33% increase in global sales between 2020 and 2021. The UK was the fourth largest international export market for Cava in the period.
The chief executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has praised the resilience of the wine industry, though he also warned there are more challenges to come.
French wine group Les Grands Chais de France (GCF) has made its first acquisition outside of Europe as it continues its international expansion.
From brands stripping back ingredients to ramping up flavour – and even gin brands taking on vodka making – the landscapes in gin and vodka continue to broaden. Millie Milliken reports
Trade organisations for the wine industry in South Africa have said the 2022 grape crop is down on the previous year.
The monthly round-up of what's new in low/no, beer, cider, wine, spirits, RTDs and mixers.
Rum has been the ‘next big thing’ for as long as we can remember at Drinks Retailing. So, we caught up with Think Rum ambassador and all-round rum expert Peter Holland to find out if rum’s time is finally here.
Earlier this month, Drinks Retailing caught up with Sogevinus CEO Sergio Marly Caminal and international business manager João Tamagnini Belo at Prowein. The company’s flagship Kopke port is the main focus for the producer, with a 50-year-old Tawny and 50-year-old White Port being unveiled at the show. But elsewhere, Sogevinus has big plans for tourism and still wine
Jeff Evans is back with his bimonthly beer review.
As Britain prepares for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, the drinks industry is gearing up with a host of limited edition products to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.
Drinks specialist Belle Lawrence from social media consultant Immediate Future uses Brandwatch analytics to deliver insights into at-home drinking habits
Asahi Super Dry beer is set to launch its largest multi-channel advertising campaign in the brand’s history.
The trade organisation for Australian wine has said 29 wineries will be present in the UK for London Wine Fair (LWF) next month.


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Hulu scraps plans to develop the John Grisham Universe, which was to produce two linear series based on novels The Rainmaker and Rogue Lawyer.
Disney confirms a bundle option to subscribe to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu will be available starting in November at a reasonable starting price.
Details for D23 2019's panels have been revealed, with Disney+ and Hulu offering a first look at The Mandalorian, Lady and the Tramp, and more.
Fans are excited about the Veronica Mars revival on Hulu. These are the best episodes of the teen drama to check out before tuning into the new batch of episodes.
The streaming wars are hotting up, from Netflix to Amazon to HBO Max, and each are offering plenty of exciting exclusives to entice customers.
Robbie Reyes is set to star in Hulu's upcoming Ghost Rider series, but what villains might we see appear with the Spirit of Vengeance?
Disney is getting complete operational control over Hulu, after Comcast agreed to sell the company's stake in the streaming service in five years.
Comcast is reportedly looking to sell its stake in Hulu, possibly to Disney, which already has the majority share thanks to acquiring Fox assets.
The Olsen Twins were THE child stars of the '90s, and now, three of their classic family films will be available to stream!
The recent sale of AT&T's stake in Hulu means that the streaming service now belongs to Disney and Universal, with Disney the majority shareholder.
Disney confirms that its upcoming streaming service Disney+ will be ad-free, and also that a bundle package alongside Hulu and ESPN+ is likely.
Netflix has tons of popular TV shows, but streaming services with great programs like Hulu exist. From comedies to dramas, here Hulu's equivalents.
A study conducted by Digital Media Trends has found that 47% of consumers are frustrated with the increasing number of streaming services.
New reports suggest that Disney is planning is planning to buy out WarnerMedia's stake in Hulu, whose share in the SVOD service is 10 percent.
Netflix and Hulu have developed and carried several similar projects, even beyond their competing Fyre Festival documentaries.


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A CONTROVERSIAL advertising system being set up by Google is to be developed under the supervision of the competition regulator.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said yesterday it had secured a world-first deal with the tech firm to protect users’ privacy and safeguard competition and fair returns for news publishers.
It was feared that Google would use the system to distort competition by favouring its own advertising products and making it harder for other firms to earn money from the web. But the CMA said it had ‘secured commitments’ from the online giant to ‘address concerns’.
Google has pledged to not discriminate against rivals with its Privacy Sandbox ad service, which is due out next year. The deal comes after the CMA launched ‘enforcement action’ against the search engine giant in January over its plans.
CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said that once accepted, the commitments ‘become legally binding, promoting competition in digital markets, helping to protect the ability of online publishers to raise money through advertising and safeguarding users’ privacy’. The CMA’s agreement is being seen as a trial run for its new Digital Markets Unit, which has been set up to keep powerful tech companies in check.
Marketers for an Open Web, a group of online publishers, advertisers, tech and data firms behind a legal action against Google that prompted the CMA to investigate the web giant, said the regulator must ensure that Google cannot ‘slip anti-competitive measures under the radar’.
Its director, James Rosewell, said: ‘The authority must make sure Google is not allowed to use undue influence and bully competitors as it has in the past. We will be looking to Google to honour its undertakings to the CMA.’


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Two of the most widely owned video game controllers on the planet will soon play nice with Apple products, starting (and presumably not ending) with Apple TV.
Support for Microsoft's Xbox One controller and Sony's DualShock 4 controller will be added to Apple TV with the forthcoming tvOS update in fall 2019. Apple already supports a number of Bluetooth game controllers under its MFi program, but lots of households already have PlayStation and Xbox controllers lying around.
The expanded controller support ought to be arriving around the same time as the Apple Arcade subscription service. It's important to see Apple aligning its own interests with the broader market like this, since Apple Arcade is making a play for the entire gaming audience. Even — perhaps especially — the kinds of players who own one or more consoles already.
Up until now, almost all Apple-supported controllers under the MFi program have been missing a key feature: thumbstick buttons (or L3/R3, to use the lingo). Many of the games released in the past decade make heavy use of these buttons, so there's always an adjustment when one of those games makes the leap to an Apple platform.
It's more of a problem in recent times thanks to the arrival of apps that support game streaming from PlayStation 4 and, for PC gamers, Steam, to Apple screens. And that's not even mentioning upcoming services like Google Stadia and Microsoft xCloud, which take more of a Netflix-style (or Apple TV+, if you prefer) approach, beaming your games out from the cloud.
With no official support for console-standard controllers — there's only one MFi option right now with L3/R3 buttons — streaming the most popular games to an Apple screen has been quite a challenge. It's not clear if the MFi program requirements are changing for everyone (we've asked Apple) but letting PlayStation and Xbox controllers in to play gives gamers a lot more options.


text: First, Amazon announced its Prime Day sale for Wednesday, with hundreds of price deals promised in honor of the retail giant’s 20th anniversary. Things like a 32-inch LED TV for just $75, or a 40-incher for $115. Now, these deals are only available to those who are members of Amazon Prime, which includes a membership fee. But nonetheless, Walmart has countered saying it will offer more than 2,000 discounts to anyone who visits their website on Wednesday as well. Amazon isn’t so pleased about that, but capitalism at its finest, competition breeds lower prices. Wednesday morning, the websites should be lighting up like its December.


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Nuzuna has strengthened its strategic division once again by welcoming Jennifer Murphy as the Chief Communications Officer to the team. Jennifer has extensive experience in the business and media industry. She is also the founder of GoGirl Worldwide, a business established to empower, educate, and unite women globally.
Jennifer is a communications expert with a vast network due to her prior experience. She has worked and collaborated with celebrities, elite athletes, Fortune 500 companies, legendary brands, notable charities, and world-renowned leaders, making her the perfect fit for Nuzuna.
“I’ve always had a passion for inspiring and empowering others. I have been through my own share of life’s ups and downs, which gives me empathy for others in need,” Jennifer explained while discussing joining Nuzuna as the CCO. “My GoGirl mission is to continue to empower individuals in all aspects of life and it’s truly fulfilling. It has been an incredible and rewarding journey. The opportunity to team with Nuzuna couldn’t be a more perfect fit, as the vision of both our brands is in alignment. Nuzuna’s core values, philosophy, and proven leadership combined with innovative technology and cutting-edge wellness solutions are something I’m extremely excited about.”
Nuzuna is equally excited about starting 2022 with Jennifer on the team. “Jennifer Murphy’s unparalleled experience and vast network will open up new doors of opportunity for Nuzuna. We cannot wait to see what 2022 has in store with her on board as our new Chief Communications Officer!” said Charles Laverty, Nuzuna’s founder, and CEO.
About Jennifer Murphy and GoGirl Worldwide
Jennifer is a media personality, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and social leader. She has been engaged with media in several capacities and has established a strong network, allowing her to amplify brand communication strategically.
After several years of working in the industry, she founded GoGirl Worldwide (www.GoGirlWW.com) in 2008 to empower and educate women globally, giving them an umbrella to unite under. Jennifer has always been socially aware and wanted to use her influence to create a business that focused equally on profits and public welfare.
Her venture was successful and, in 2019, Jennifer officially launched the digital destination, GoGirl Worldwide Magazine (www.GoGirlMGZ.com), further broadening her global network through strategic partnerships.
Her incredible professional success is proof that Jennifer joining Nuzuna as Chief Communications Officer will open new doors of opportunity within the market.
About Nuzuna Wellness Centers
Nuzuna Wellness Centers has been at the forefront of fitness and wellness. Founded in 2018 by Charles Laverty, Nuzuna Wellness Centers is leading the world by incorporating innovative ways to improve fitness. Nuzuna uses groundbreaking electro-muscle stimulation (EMS) technology accompanied by a specialized workout carefully conceived by a world-class team of top physical therapists and elite fitness trainers with decades of experience. They have built high-performance gyms designed for intense full-body muscle training with complete freedom of movement. Nuzuna Wellness Centers provide outstanding features to their clients with the right products and services.
Nuzuna Wellness Centers Inquiries
• Website: www.nuzunafit.com
• Email: email@example.com
• Head Office: 1451 Quail Street Ste# 104 Newport Beach, CA 92660
Company Name: Rachel Dares PR
Contact Person: RACHEL B DARES
Email: Send Email
Address:16480 Bake Parkway #101
Country: United States


text: Will China achieve its tech dreams? It all depends on whether it can produce advanced semiconductor chips, the tiny piece of metal that are crucial to the functionality of smartphones, modern cars, and even hearing aids. It’s the access to those tiny chips that Beijing’s tech ambitions ultimately will pivot on. Join us as two tech policy experts share insights into the global chip competition. Until now, China lacks the ability to produce advanced chips; the US, Europe, and Taiwan control the supply. Barred from buying cutting edge European equipment needed to fabricate high-end chips, China relies on importing chip imports. Last year, China imported $350 billion worth of chips, one third of them coming from Taiwan. Now, Xi Jinping is driving a self-reliance campaign, investing heavily in chip manufacturing across the country. Will he succeed?


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China is rolling out the red carpet for their cryptocurrency.
In what could be a classic case of “Find and Replace,” China is beginning phase 1 of its implementation of the digital yuan. In July, the People’s Bank of China [PBoC], the country’s central bank, had revealed its plans for a digital currency backed by their national fiat, the Chinese yuan [CNY].
According to Dovey Wan, Founder of Primitive Capital, the central bank is rolling out a process of switching cash for crypto. Although this is a “pilot” program and will be limited to three provinces in the country for a period of two years, it could be a sign of things to come as China has made its ambitions in the digital currency space clear with the recent emphasis on digital assets and blockchain technology.
The first of Wan’s tweets stated that the PBoC will implement more stringent “capital controls” which will soon lead to “cash elimination.” She stated,
“PBOC announced that it will pilot a regulation on large-amount cash deposit/withdrawal restriction in three provinces across the country…Tighter capital control and cash elimination in action”
The three provinces that will be the subject of this trial phase will be Shenzhen [population 110 million], Hebei [population 95 million], and Zhejiang [population 56.5 million]. These provinces are among the biggest in the country, housing some of the most pivotal cities in China.
Wan further elucidated on these cash limitations. Withdrawals over 500,000 CNY for business accounts will have to be registered with authorities. Further, private accounts will have a cap depending on the province in question – withdrawals in Hebei Province will be capped at 100,000, while Zhejiang and Shenzhen will have caps of 300,000 and 200,000, respectively, as per the state-run media house Xinhua Net.
Not one to be direct with its words, the report stated that the PBoC is implementing this strategy to “fight major cash crimes.” The report added,
“People’s Bank of China said that large-scale cash transactions are concentrated in specific areas, specific groups of people, and specific periods, and the overall efficiency of cash flow will be reduced. At the same time, large amounts of cash are widely used, and they are easily exploited by illegal criminal activities such as corruption, tax evasion, and money laundering, and contain certain risks.”
Even though this is just a trial phase, it has all the signs of being the precursor to the eventual unveiling of the digital yuan, which many have speculated will hit the global market within a year. What is even more telling about this strategy is the fact that China not only wants the digital yuan to be an external trading tool, but it also wants to ease internal administration.
Soon after China signaled its financial need to go digital, reports emerged, ones stating that several large-scale Chinese banks like the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Bank of China, and the Agricultural Bank of China, as well as mobile payment partners, Tencent and Alibaba, operators of WeChat Pay and AliPay, will “receive the cryptocurrency.” This structured introduction of the digital yuan with banks as well as private payment partners goes hand in hand with an emphasis on cash limitations.
China is already big on the cashless payments game, with mobile payment transactions accounting for $12.8 trillion in transactions in the first 10 months of 2017. Among these transactions, WeChat Pay and AliPay took 80 percent of the share.
Local merchants often prefer going cashless over ‘stuffing up their mattress.’ In fact, cash-payments have become so much of a hassle between tourists and shopkeepers that the PBoC had to issue a notice in July 2018 to decrease the “overhype” of cashless payments. The notice stated,
“Cash has been rejected for some consumers in tourist attractions, restaurants, retailers and other industries. This damages the legal status of the yuan, and hurts consumers’ rights to choosing payment methods.”
Called one of China’s “four great new inventions in modern times,” the system of mobile-based payments will look to benefit in these provinces where cash will be phased out and the digital yuan will step in.
With the technological infrastructure set on the supply side, the question then shifts to demand – from Chinese consumers. Local merchants already prefer mobile-based transactions as the above eludes to. The focus should hence be on the storage of this money, in their bank accounts. Once again, the demographic data strengthens the digital yuan’s position.
According to a 2017 survey by Washington D.C-based Consultative Group to Assist the Poor [CGAP], 80 percent of Chinese adults have a financial account. Digital payments soared during the period between 2014-2017, with a rise in usage from 45 percent to 68 percent in the country. Furthermore, the survey added that within a one year period, 64 percent of people living in rural China used digital payments. The report also said,
“Making digital payments a way of life in rural areas, as it is in Beijing or Shanghai, will likely require China’s tech giants to recalibrate their approaches to offering financial services.”
Other factors like a national identity card that can be used to disseminate digital currency are already present in the form of China’s Resident Identity Card [RIC] for each citizen.
From every structural avenue of implementation, the digital yuan looks due. Technology giants are increasing their foothold in the retail market, citizens are leaning towards a cashless future, financial inclusion is on a high, and the Chinese government’s grasp over domestic finance and technology is as strong as ever.
The stage is set for the digital yuan.
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With a lot of song and dance – all festive and merry – South Coast Plaza powered up its Christmas tree Thursday evening, Nov. 15.
The lighting of 94,000 colorful LED and strobe lights heralded the start of the holidays. The 90-foot white fir was transported from Mt. Shasta to Town Center Park, near The Westin South Coast Plaza. The annual tree lighting was accompanied by a holiday show and a visit from Santa.
Fashion Island will be celebrating the lighting of its behemoth tree with 25-minute live shows at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, and Saturday, Nov. 17. Seating is first-come, first-served, and can be reserved as early as 7 a.m. each day. Information: shopfashionisland.com
Many other Orange County shopping centers and most cities will be lighting their own trees in community ceremonies over the next couple of weeks. Check local websites.
Now on to another important element of the holiday: When is Santa coming to town?
Area malls host the all-important meet-and-greets with the Big Guy starting pretty much now. Here are a few; check your local shopping center for dates and times of other visits.
Brea Mall: Santa is on hand daily, except Thanksgiving, for photos and chats. He has special visits planned for children who might need a less stressful encounter from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Dec. 2 (adjustments will be made for sensory, physical and other developmental needs) and for pets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 25 and Dec. 9. Information: breamall.com
Irvine Spectrum: Santa arrives Nov. 23 and will be hanging out daily. The center also has daily ice skating and a nightly choreographed light show with its tree in the Giant Wheel Court starting Nov. 23. Information: irvinespectrumcenter.com
Fashion Island: Santa will visit with guests in a custom-designed house on the Atrium Lawn; days and hours vary through the holiday season. Information: shopfashionisland.com
Laguna Hills Mall: Santa will be in the Center Court daily, starting Nov. 23. From 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 2 Santa Cares photos sessions, held in partnership with Autism Speaks, will be specially designed for children with developmental, sensory or physical needs; reservations are accepted. Information: shoplagunahillsmall.com
MainPlace Mall: The Santa Ana mall built Santa a winter wonderland where he will be stationed daily. He’ll be welcoming pets from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2 and 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 12. Santa Cares, held in partnership with Autism Speaks, will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 9; reservations required. Information: shopmainplacemall.com
Outlets at San Clemente: Santa will be visiting with folks on select days starting Nov. 23. In partnership with the Just Like Me Foundation, Santa Cares is available in the morning Dec. 2 and 8; make reservations online. And pets can visit from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information: outletsatsanclemente.com/santa
South Coast Plaza: Santa appears at both Santa’s Village and The North Pole (it’s magic, don’t ask questions) through Dec. 24. He is at The North Pole on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 9 and at Santa’s Village daily during center hours. Information: southcoastplaza.com
Westminster Mall: Santa arrives with a parade from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, and will be around daily, except Thanksgiving. Sensitive Santa is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 2 and pets can visit from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 9. Information: westminstermall.com


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Facebook and Google dominate digital advertising, but Verizon wants to change that. Like many telcos, Verizon desperately wants to own more of the content that flows through its wired and wireless connections. It also has been building an online-advertising empire, from its acquisition of AOL in 2015 through its purchase of Yahoo, which closed earlier this year. But it has a long way to go to catch up with the big two, as revealed by the company's quarterly earnings report Thursday.
It was the first full quarter since the Yahoo acquisition closed and the first time Verizon disclosed revenue from Oath, the subsidiary formed by mashing AOL and Yahoo together. It was a good quarter overall for Verizon. The company posted adjusted earnings of 98 cents per share on revenue of $31.7 billion, beating analyst expectations. About $2 billion of that revenue came from Oath.
That’s not chump change, and it beat the company's internal expectations, according to the earnings announcement. To put it in perspective, though, Google reported $22.7 billion in advertising revenue in its last earnings report, and Facebook reported $9.2 billion. By Pivotal Research's estimate, Google and Facebook controlled about 77 percent of the digital advertising market last year, and nearly all of the growth. According to a report by Zenith, the duo accounted for more than 19 percent of global ad spending, topping traditional media companies including Disney, Comcast-NBC, and CBS.
Oath is hoping there's room for a third option beyond the big two. "We think there's a very real place in this marketplace for an alternative," Oath chief revenue officer John DeVine says. "There's a combination of things, frankly, that have made us feel a lot of support from the advertisers."
DeVine says the company's brands---which include Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Sports, the Huffington Post, Tumblr, Flickr, TechCrunch, and Engadget---have an audience of about 1 billion, with plans to reach 2 billion by 2020. Such numbers are now the table stakes in advertising: Facebook says it has about 2 billion monthly active users, and Google claims that YouTube alone has 1.5 billion monthly active logged-in users.
Oath also has a massive trove of data that it can use to target its ads. It can tap into Verizon’s subscriber data to learn about, say, a user's location, then cross-reference that with data gleaned from the rest of its empire. In other words, Oath's pitch is that it can deliver personalized ads as effectively as Google and Facebook.
Oath could set itself apart from the duopoly by giving advertisers what they say they really want: more transparency and accountability in advertising. Fake news is a problem, but advertisers worry more about fake views. The Association of National Advertisers estimates that fraudulent, bot-driven traffic will cost the industry $6.5 billion this year. Facebook, meanwhile, has admitted to inflating its own ad-view metrics---accidentally, the company says. Advertisers are demanding more information about how exactly Google, Facebook, and other companies determine whether an ad was seen or not.


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Federal-Mogul Corp. has reported higher sales, gross margin, net income and EBITDA for the fourth quarter and full-year 2010. The company’s sales in the fourth quarter increased $180 million to $1.6 billion with growth in all business segments and all markets, led by a 20 percent OE and 12 percent U.S. aftermarket sales increase versus fourth quarter 2009.
Full-year revenue of $6.2 billion represents an increase of $889 million or 17 percent, driven by a 32 percent constant-dollar increase in sales to original equipment customers and a 2 percent increase in global aftermarket revenue, before the impact of Venezuelan currency restrictions. Gross margin of more than $1 billion in 2010, an improvement of $215 million or 27 percent, and EBITDA of $671 million, an improvement of $168 million or 33 percent, was the result of increased sales and higher conversion of incremental revenue to profit, the company said.
The company’s net income in the fourth quarter was $45 million or 45 cents per share, beating analyst consensus estimates. Net income for 2010 was $161 million, a $206 million improvement compared to full-year 2009. Cash flow for 2010 remained strong at $231 million before funding $55 million in pension contributions and the $39 million acquisition of the Daros Group.
Federal-Mogul reported fourth quarter 2010 sales of $1.6 billion versus $1.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009. All business segments reported year-over-year sales increases and continued to strengthen the company’s market position in the fast-growing BRIC markets. The company further diversified its global sales base in the fourth quarter, with revenue coming from markets outside the U.S., Canada and Europe representing 19 percent of total revenue versus 17 percent during the same period in 2009.
Annual sales increased by $889 million, or 17 percent, to more than $6.2 billion in 2010 compared to $5.3 billion in 2009, demonstrating strong customer demand for Federal-Mogul’s leading products that improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and enhance vehicle safety. The company’s sales improved in all business segments and core markets for 2010 versus 2009.
The company’s 2010 global OE constant dollar sales growth was 32 percent in light and commercial vehicle markets. Sales in the U.S. in 2010 were up 41 percent, while in Europe, Federal-Mogul’s OE sales increased by 23 percent. Federal-Mogul OE sales in the BRIC markets increased 44 percent with sales in China up 60 percent, India up 28 percent, Russia up 226 percent and Brazil up 22 percent.
The company’s global aftermarket sales grew 2 percent in 2010, excluding reduced sales in Venezuela due to currency restrictions. Total aftermarket sales in North America were higher by 1 percent in 2010 and 10 percent during the fourth quarter, while in Europe sales were up 9 percent in 2010 and 12 percent for the fourth quarter of 2010. In the BRIC markets, Federal-Mogul aftermarket sales in full-year 2010 increased 10 percent with China up 18 percent, India up 9 percent and Russia up 31 percent. The company in the fourth quarter introduced new braking, suspension and filtration product lines, expanding the product offerings in its Wagner, MOOG and Champion brands. Federal-Mogul also expanded aftermarket sales and distribution channels in 2010, especially in BRIC markets where the high automotive market growth rates are creating an expanded car parc and therefore new aftermarket growth opportunities.
Gross margin in 2010 was more than $1 billion or 16.2 percent of sales, a $215 million or 27 percent improvement over the same period of 2009. Federal-Mogul’s higher gross margin demonstrates the company’s ability to respond to higher demand by leveraging its lean infrastructure. Gross margin was $240 million in the fourth quarter of 2010, a $15 million improvement versus $225 million in the same period of 2009.
The company reported improved fourth quarter net income of $45 million or $0.45 earnings per share (EPS), up from $43 million or $0.43 EPS in the fourth quarter of 2009. The company’s net income in 2010 rose significantly to $161 million or $1.62 earnings per share versus a loss of $(45) million for 2009, an improvement of $206 million, with the impact of improved sales and higher conversion of incremental revenue into profit through efficient cost structure management.
Operational EBITDA in the fourth quarter was $170 million versus $162 million in the same period of 2009. Full-year operational EBITDA increased by $168 million or 33 percent to $671 million or 11 percent of sales versus $503 million or 9 percent of sales in full-year 2009. The company’s EBITDA improvement was driven by stronger volumes and market share gains in all regions combined with higher operating efficiency throughout the company’s global business.
Cash flow in 2010 was a very solid $231 million before the company’s $55 million pension contributions and $39 million acquisition of the Daros Group, which compares very favorably to full-year 2009 cash flow of $173 million. The company generated strong cash flow in every quarter of 2010, while increasing investments in market growth, R&D spending and capital equipment expenditures.
"The strong fourth quarter and full-year 2010 sales and financial performance demonstrate our ability to grow faster than the markets and convert incremental revenue into solid profitability," said President and CEO Jose Maria Alapont. "The company continued to generate strong cash flow in 2010, which enabled Federal-Mogul to invest in sustainable global profitable growth initiatives to enhance our OE and aftermarket portfolio through internal development and acquisitions, while also funding pension obligations," he explained.
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses further improved to 10.6 percent of sales in the fourth quarter, demonstrating the efficiency of the company’s lean SG&A structure. Full-year SG&A expenses improved to 11.0 percent of sales in 2010 from 12.9 percent of sales in 2009. This helped to off-set additional investment in research and product development to address current market challenges in fuel efficiency, emissions reduction and vehicle safety without increasing SG&A as a percent of sales.
The company continued to introduce new products in 2010 with multiple leading technologies designed to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions by enhancing power cylinder efficiency, enabling higher operating loads and enhancing vehicle performance and safety. Notable examples include the PACE award-winning DuraBowl piston, plus EcoTough-coated pistons, LKZ piston rings, MicroTorq shaft seals, IROX engine bearings and many others. The company’s technology pipeline continues to deliver leading innovations, for example, the all-new Advanced Corona Ignition System (ACIS), a major breakthrough technology for fuel economy and emissions reduction.
The Federal-Mogul-developed ACIS is designed to provide higher energy ignition capability than a conventional ignition coil and spark plug design. This high efficiency ignition will enable advanced lean combustion strategies, resulting in significant improvement in fuel economy and reduced emissions, while the optimized design provides ease of installation in current and new engine architectures, facilitating rapid implementation into high-volume production.
Federal-Mogul maintains $1.6 billion of liquidity with over $1.1 billion of cash and an unused revolver of $0.5 billion. The company internally funded research and development, pension contributions, capital expenditures and an acquisition while generating strong cash flow from operations.
"Our performance throughout 2010 is indicative of the effectiveness of Federal-Mogul’s sustainable global profitable growth strategy. The global vehicle market is forecasted to grow from about 75 million units in 2010 to 104 million units by 2015," said Alapont. "During this period, in response to customer and regulatory demands, the global vehicle manufacturers are expected to increase spending on technology to improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and improve vehicle safety. The rising industry volumes, major growth in emerging markets and Federal-Mogul’s leading technology and innovation in core products to address customer and market needs provide very favorable opportunities for Federal-Mogul."
"We remain optimistic that the global markets will keep strengthening in 2011 and beyond, and we are well-positioned to introduce innovative OE technologies and further develop leading aftermarket brands to capitalize on global profitable growth opportunities to exceed the market rates," Alapont concluded.
For more information about Federal-Mogul, visit www.federalmogul.com.


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Pregnancy and parenting event celebrates its 18th year as Lidl named headline sponsor.
The new stroller is the first of its kind to be available on the
The innovative car seat has been awarded the coveted consumer status.
Claims have been made against companies including Babybjörn, Stokke, Cybex and Phil & Teds.
Manufacturers claim they are limited on design and weight by strict safety regulations.
The brand-new fashion collection spans car seats, baby carriers and pushchairs.
Car seat and pushchair expert announces two highly-commended industry wins.
Pushchair and car seat expert will be showcasing newest models on the Made For M
Consumer watchdog Which? identifies a number of key pram and pushchair trends for 2019.


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Safety concerns, higher rate of visa denials cause minor impact: experts
Business operations of Chinese companies in India have remained largely unaffected by an ongoing military stand-off on the China-Bhutan border, with no major halt or change of plans announced so far, several Chinese business representatives said on Tuesday.
But many Chinese workers in India have grown concerned about their security after a couple of incidents against Chinese citizens, and some have reported a higher rate of being denied entrance or business visas, causing minor inconveniences.
"We haven't been impacted at the moment," Lü Qingyong, head of Indian operations for Sichuan Jinwangtong Electronic Science and Technology Co, told the Global Times.
He said that operations at his company's factory in the New Delhi area that makes cable TV devices for Indian carriers remained normal, "because our main clients are carriers rather than end consumers."
Beijing Shareit Information Technology Co also said that its utility app SHAREit, a widely popular app in India for file-sharing, has not been affected.
"Actually we are not worried too much about the current situation," the company said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.
The app has gained more than 300 million users in India, accounting for one-third of its more than 1 billion users around the world, said the statement.
Shareit stated that its commitment to bring better products and services to the Indian market has not changed.
Hu Tu, secretary general of the Bangalore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, also said though there is no Chinese company that reported a complete halt to their operations in India, there might be some minor delays or concerns over the situation.
"Most companies might be slowing their business and watching the situation closely, but they wouldn't announce anything negative just yet," Hu told the Global Times Tuesday. "It's natural that there are some people who delay their return to India [from China] or some companies delay some of their unimportant businesses."
Hu and others said that there are some workers who are worried about their safety, given the tense relationship between the two countries, especially following two recent violent incidents involving Chinese citizens.
A Chinese businessman identified as Yan, who was there to close a business deal, was attacked by five assailants in Bangalore on Saturday, and earlier on Thursday in New Delhi, another China-based businessman was robbed, according to Indian media outlets.
But despite these high profile reports, Lü hasn't noticed any impact so far, except "a bit of a mood swing among some workers."
Hu said that such incidents take places from time to time. "But in such a sensitive time, it's a bit more serious in nature," he said.
Hu said another factor that could cause delays at some companies is "a higher than normal rate" of Chinese citizens being denied entrance to India or denied a business visa.
Despite the tense situation on the border and calls for boycotting Chinese products in the country, the Indian government has maintained a "relatively positive" stance toward businesses, according to a Chinese businessman, who has been helping Chinese firms in the Indian market for nearly a decade.
The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Global Times on Tuesday that calls for a boycott will be contained to a limited scale, because "the [Indian] government is very pragmatic, [and knows a] resurgence of such voices in the country isn't conducive to solving the issue."
However, the boycott could affect sales of Chinese consumer goods, such as smartphones, experts said.
Chinese smartphone brands captured a 51 percent share in the Indian market in the second quarter of 2017, with brands like Xiaomi, Vivo and OPPO all reporting sales increases, India Today reported on Tuesday.
"Companies like OPPO and Vivo that directly face consumers might be affected a little," the businessman said.
Chinese and Indian officials participated in a meeting of the BRICS trade ministers on Tuesday in Shanghai, and the situation was not mentioned.
China's Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan said at the meeting that BRICS countries must strengthen trade cooperation and oppose all kinds of protectionism amidst global economic instability.


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Kenya, in conjunction with an Egyptian company- Mintra, has proposed to construct new paper factories in Kenya which will be undertaken at a cost of US$ 100m.
Mintra General Manager, Hani Cassis confirmed the news and said Kenya has shown its support and interest for the proposed factory construction project, and has also expressed its willingness in giving out lands where construction can take place.
He further stated that after the agreement is confirmed, Mintra is aiming at constructing up to 100 factories. The facilities will be involved in the packaging, wrapping and production of paper.
As a leader in the paper, filing and binding industries, Mintra exports 88% of its production to the United States, Europe and Africa.
- Kenya sets US $30m for construction of 1,000 houses in Kakamega county
- US $7m TKTC in Kenya expected to be complete by 2020
- Construction of multi-million dollars hostels in Kenya to commence soon
- 34-Storey Mixed-Use facility set for construction in Nairobi
- Construction of the Kenya-Uganda dual carriageway commences


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International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) reported earnings today that were roughly in line with EPS and revenue estimates. EPS came in at $4.32, which was 3 cents over analyst estimates. Revenue came in at $24.36 billion, which was $230 million above estimates. Although it beat analyst estimates, IBM reported revenues that were down about 2% from the year-ago period.
IBM maintained its forecast of $18 per share EPS in 2014. IBM had previously forecast $20 per share EPS in 2015, and that figure appears to still be on track. Thus, the stock is currently selling at a forward 2014 P/E of about 10.5 and a forward 2015 P/E of about 9.5.
In my previous article about IBM titled, "IBM: Worth $260 Per Share", I showed just how cheap a stock I felt IBM to be. It is still very cheap, and this recent earnings report reaffirms my view that the stock has at least 30% upside in the next year or so. The company is expected to grow EPS more than 10% from 2014 to 2015. Some revenue growth is all that is needed as a catalyst to send the stock upwards and into a P/E valuation more appropriate. Consider this: if the stock had a forward 2015 P/E of merely 13, it would hit my price target. Such a forward P/E would not be out of the historical norm:
IBM PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts
Disclosure: The author is long IBM. The author wrote this article themselves, and it expresses their own opinions. The author is not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). The author has no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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Montgomery County officials discussed at length Friday afternoon several problems regarding inventory and security issues at the Department of Liquor Control (DLC), which handles the wholesale distribution of beer, wine and liquor in the county.
The concerns arose during a meeting of the County Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Liquor Control, which is evaluating the operations of the department and debating how it could be improved, or possibly privatized.
Edward Blansitt, the county’s inspector general, said his department investigated allegations ranging from security cameras not being operational inside the DLC warehouse to side doors being left propped open that left the warehouse “vulnerable to theft.” He said his agency had no way to know how long the cameras were not operating.
DLC Director George Griffin disputed these claims. He said only certain cameras were not working in the new warehouse the department moved to about a year and a half ago. Those cameras weren’t focusing properly or sight lines were obstructed, according to Griffin.
He said employees stepping outside to smoke left the doors propped open during working hours and that the department is “convinced it wasn’t affiliated with theft.”
Since the allegations surfaced, Griffin said the doors have been alarmed and the cameras have been fixed.
A discussion at the meeting also focused on allegations raised in a NBC4 investigative report that caught employees drinking while driving a department delivery truck and inventory shortages being reported by drivers. The NBC4 report alleged the shortages enabled employees to skim products from the trucks to resell to store owners.
Griffin said the two employees caught drinking were terminated and delivery teams are now regularly rotated to prevent collusion. He said prior to the news investigation the department had attempted to remove the employees from their jobs, but were unable to do so.
Council member Hans Riemer, who chairs the ad hoc committee, called the findings involving illegal activity “alarming, disturbing and shocking.”
Multiple council members criticized the department’s inventory controls that make it difficult for management to crack down on possible thieves.
Prior to the NBC4 investigation, the department used a paper system to report “shorts” on trucks. Shorts happen when the product on the truck, which is loaded by warehouse staff, did not include everything a customer ordered. Many trucks also have overages, which means too much product was placed on the truck, according to officials.
Blansitt said that last June just nine of 206 trucks were accurately loaded. He said the trucks would come back to the warehouse and report they were either short or overloaded. These reports would be noted on paper tallies, which were collected and put in a box, which was placed in a storage area.
“But nothing had been done with them,” Blansitt said.
Griffin said the problem was overblown and that 99.8 percent of beer deliveries—which he said the news report focused on–were accurate. He said the DLC is currently in the process of switching to a new inventory management system that uses bar codes and scanners to track product.
Council member Marc Elrich called the paper inventory system “primitive,” and added the amount of theft was minimal compared to numbers in private sector retail.
Council President George Leventhal said comparing the DLC to the private industry isn’t the right thing to do, given that the county’s reputation is at stake.
“When there’s corruption in county government, that’s news,” Leventhal said. “Among the thing that Montgomery County has going for it is that we have a clean and honest government.”
DLC employees, clad in the yellow shirts of the union that represents them, were well represented in the audience. The committee’s recommendations could affect the jobs of the more than 300 DLC employees, all of whom are members of UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) Local 1994 MCGEO, which represents about 8,000 government employees in the county. The workers are employed as delivery drivers, warehouse staff and retail workers in the county-run stores the department operates.
The department also generates about $30 million in revenue each year for the county’s general fund—money that council members are keen on keeping, or figuring out how to replace if the department is restructured.
Gino Renne, the president of Local 1994, told the committee that most of the union employees are hardworking and honest.
“If you’re caught stealing or caught drinking while driving a Department of Liquor Control vehicle, then you can expect the union will not represent you,” Renne said. He said that the union told the two employees who were caught on camera by the news crew with alcohol to resign and they did.
While discussions at this meeting largely focused on operational concerns of the department, council members recommended that a workgroup be formed to discuss how to restructure the department to make it more effective.
Renne asked that any discussion on restructuring focus on how to make the department operate more like a business than a government bureaucracy.
“This department needs to be more nimble,” Renne said.


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Alcohol e-commerce are reflecting a demand for independent adult beverage sales via online platforms. Multiple platforms boasts a network of around 1,000 retail locations in North America. Their sales reflect that 50 percent transactions of first time consumers, and 64 percent consumers are willing to do it again. A few platforms provide retailers with digital sales and delivery to further grow businesses online and offline.
Source: Drizly, November 2018


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"Few People" Visiting Arashiyama and Golden Pavilion due to COVID-19Sharp Drop in Kyoto Tourism
Crowds are sparse around the Arashiyama area of Ukyo Ward, Kyoto. In a usual year, there are throngs of people, shoulder to shoulder, flowing through the Arashiyama Shopping District next to Togetsu-kyo Bridge, even after the Chinese New Year Holiday. According to the vice-chairperson of the shopping district, the number of tourists decreased significantly the day after foreign tour travel was banned by Chinese Government on January 27. Alarmed by the looming crisis, the vice-chairperson said, "The economic shock has been huge, because our business during this season is particularly dependent on Chinese customers. It is unclear how long this will last. The impact is off the scale."
The owner of a souvenir shop near Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion, Kita Ward, said with a sigh, "The number of tourists has fallen to less than half that of a usual year. Since February, the number of Westerners and Japanese has also declined greatly."
A man who runs a Shinto ritual articles shop on the rear approach to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, Fushimi Ward, said, "Every year, up to 200 tourist buses a day come here, but this year I have seen only a few. I think the (nearby) restaurants are suffering a lot because they bought ingredients and employed staff in anticipation of Chinese New Year. I hope this problem ends soon." A man at a souvenir store on the approach to Kiyomizu-dera Temple bemoaned the situation saying, "I think this extreme drop is a first since the ancient capital tax issue (in which Kiyomizu-dera Temple and other temples went on strike due to the attempted tax on entry fees in the 1980s.)"
Japanese tourists have had various reactions. A female tour participant from Aichi Prefecture said, "I didn't think it was serious enough to cancel my trip, but I do worry. I wear a mask, gargle and disinfect frequently." A male company employee from Saitama Prefecture who was walking around Arashiyama without a mask said with even a hint of satisfaction, "There were fewer people than I had expected. It was easy to walk and I could feel the elegant atmosphere."(Translated by Mie Hiuzon, Psyche et l’Amour, Inc.)


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IGA annual beef conference to address profitability and industry challenges
The conference will offer farmers the opportunity to hear from experts in the industry, with presentations and speakers from Teagasc, the ICBF and the Irish Farmers Journal taking place. The event, which is broken up into three sessions, will discuss issues in agriculture presently such as Brexit, the future opportunities and challenges that lay ahead in the beef industry, as well as driving farm profitability and improving farm efficiency on beef farms.
Joe Burke, beef and livestock sector manager with Bord Bia, and Sam Chesney, a suckler farmer and a member of the beef and sheep committee in the Ulster Farmers Union, will also address attendees.
The conference will be followed by a farm walk in Tom Halpin’s farm just outside Kells, Co Meath, which commences at 2.20pm.
The conference begins at 10am.


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Xiaomi makes really great smartphones, and if you look at the pricing of its phones, it becomes abundantly clear that it offers more value than any other brand. The company’s smartphones are priced much lower than the competition. Take the Redmi Note 7 Pro for example. It uses the Snapdragon 675 processor, a 48MP camera sensor, and Quick Charge 4, things that were never heard before in the sub-Rs 15,000 price segment.
Xiaomi’s budget phones steamroll the competition and it’s an advantage to the end-user. However, things might not remain this rosy in the future. The company’s co-founder and CEO Lei Jun hinted that the company might start increasing the prices of its phones.
Xiaomi to Increase the Pricing of Its Phones to Improve Quality and Reputation
Lei Jun mentioned in an interview that his company’s smartphone offerings will become expensive as Xiaomi is trying to ditch the tag of a brand that makes cheap hardware. He said that an impression has been created that Xiaomi makes cheap phones but not quality hardware. This is why he said that he wants to get rid of an impression that all its phones cost less than CNY 2,000 (around INR 21,000).
He also claimed that the company wants to invest more in R&D to make better products. 2019 could be the last year when Xiaomi’s top-of-the-line phones have been priced at CNY 2,000 or lower. However, it should be noted that pricing of Mi-branded phones could be increased, and not by a huge margin. So, Redmi-branded phones, which are a rage in the Indian market, may see the pricing stay steady, for now.
Over the past year, we’ve seen Xiaomi picking up its game and improving the camera quality of its high-end phones. In fact, Xiaomi’s Mi 9 smartphone is the second-best smartphone camera as per DxOMark’s ratings, just behind Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro (Review) and Samsung’s Galaxy S10 Plus.
The Mi 9 and the Mi MIX 3 have really well-performing cameras, and that’s after feedback from people over the past few years to improve the camera quality on its high-end phones. Earlier, Xiaomi’s high-end smartphones couldn’t go neck to neck with competing products from Apple, Google, Huawei, and Samsung.
Can Xiaomi Sustain the Competition From OnePlus?
While Xiaomi has started its expansion in European and American markets, OnePlus has a much stronger brand recall and value in those markets. This is due to OnePlus’ constant marketing strategies where it tries to send a message that the company makes clean software, fast performance, and offers consistent software updates without leaning away from stock Android UI. Xiaomi, on the other hand, still has a distinct Chinese-looking user interface. Xiaomi’s phones also come with a bunch of pre-installed apps and receive push notifications.
If Xiaomi increases the pricing of its premium phones, it will go head to head with OnePlus’ smartphones. If Xiaomi wants to sustain the competition from its Chinese rival OnePlus, it needs to clean up its software, offer faster Android version updates and security patches, and tie up with a lot of telecom carriers in American and European markets. If it works on all these things, and invest a bit in marketing, the company has a chance to sustain the competition from OnePlus.


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UK: Horsemeat scandal show need for ‘major shift’ in food production, British farmers told
- Credit: Archant
Farmers’ leader Peter Kendall has used his opening address at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) conference 2013 to argue that the horsemeat scandal shows the need for a major shift in the way food is delivered.
Speaking in Birmingham today, NFU president Mr Kendall said one of the lessons to be learned from the current food scandal is that the great British consumer wants their food to be produced as close to home as possible.
“This boils down to a clear and simple message: we need shorter supply chains which source from British farmers and growers,” he said. “We must make that our collective ambition. But if British farmers are to deliver more of what the British consumer buys, it’s going to take a major shift in the way the food supply chain operates.
Mr Kendall will call on Government and the rest of the supply chain to work with farmers to ensure they have all the tools at their disposal to produce food and create a fair and transparent supply chain – for a home market.
In a wide-ranging speech, Mr Kendall claimed there was a lack of fairness proposed in the current Common Agriculture Policy reforms, and spoke of the on-going threat to beef and dairy farmers from TB, and the need for shorter, traceable food supply chains highlighted by the horsemeat scandal of recent weeks. But he remained optimistic that farming’s prospects are good.
“It’s not just about today’s 63 million UK consumers. As I’ve often said, standing still production-wise isn’t an option – on the self-sufficiency scale it takes us backwards. The latest Office of National Statistics projections suggest that by 2021 – that’s within eight years – the population in England alone will have increased by over 4.5 million people. That’s practically four Birmingham’s worth of extra mouths to feed on our doorstep. This is a massive opportunity for all of us.”
Mr Kendall also argued for a fair deal for English farmers, announcing the launch of a new CAP farming coalition with the NFU, the Tenants Farmers’ Association and the Country Land and Business Association. He said while the NFU had never argued for a bigger CAP budget, he was standing up for British farmers, currently disadvantaged by the CAP compared with our immediate competitors in Europe.
- 1 Unclaimed £83k winning EuroMillions lottery ticket was bought in Suffolk
- 2 Suffolk glamp site 'perfect for romantic retreats' named among best in UK
- 3 Former town council manager named as woman who died in A11 crash
- 4 Police concerned for welfare of missing Suffolk man last seen two weeks ago
- 5 'I just don't operate that way' - Town owner Steed tells it straight on first visit
- 6 'It's going great' - New pizzeria proving a hit in east Suffolk town
- 7 A14 closed after crash involving lorry and car
- 8 Long-running BBC One show to be filmed in Suffolk church
- 9 'He can trust me to do that' - Leigh on his new challenge at Town
- 10 Person arrested as cannabis factory discovered at Bury St Edmunds home
The coalition is united in demanding that English farmers should be treated fairly on the budget, and that the environmental conditions they face should be no different to those applied in the rest of Europe.
Mr Kendall said they also believed in unilaterally moving money away from direct payments, or modulation.
“If there’s one thing that unites every farmer in every sector in every part of the country it’s hatred of modulation. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has negotiated the right to cut English farmers’ payments by 15%. That’s intolerable to us in the NFU and to the coalition. Particularly when we know that some other countries are planning to transfer 25% in the other direction. Farmers across England are asking: ‘Who’s batting for us in this CAP negotiation?’”
He also called for a rethink on some of the greening proposals currently on the table.
“Even the EU heads of government have stressed that ecological focus areas should be implemented in ways that do not require land to be taken out of production,” he said. “We can’t afford to have great swathes of land taken out of production. We have a job to do, and that job, first and foremost, is to produce food to feed this country.”


text: About a year ago GK Goh said that clothing retailer Giordano was facing its brightest prospects for several years and was due to deliver a strong performance in 2004. It upgraded its recommendation from 'sell' to 'buy' and raised its target price to $6 from $4.925. Net profit in 2003 was down 22 per cent year on year to $266 million, which was better than expected. The group turned around strongly in the second half on improved merchandising and better consumer sentiment. Better procurement and inventory management helped to lift the gross margin from 46.7 per cent in 2002 to 48.2 per cent in 2003. Operating costs declined by 4 per cent year on year because of a 7 per cent drop in staff expenses and savings in distribution and administration. The broker raised its earnings estimates to $390 million for 2004 and $452 million for 2005. In August Giordano reported that interim profit jumped 171.42 per cent to $171 million for the six months to June last year, against $63 million during the same period of 2003 when its major markets were hit by Sars. Last month Giordano said 2004 profit rose 47.74 per cent, gaining for the first time in four years. Net income rose to $393 million, or 26.8 cents a share. Sales climbed to $4 billion from $3.4 billion. The counter closed on Friday at $5.25.


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Enter for a chance to win a local holiday shopping spree. Over $12,000 in prizes from 30+ local businesses presented by the Park City Chamber of Commerce.
The company will become Alterra's 18th destination operation, and the second heli-skiing company in its portfolio
DENVER — Alterra Mountain Company announced its intention to purchase Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing today.
The Canadian company, based in Blue River, British Columbia, was established in 1970 by Mike Wiegele, an Austrian ski pioneer.
Wiegele Helicopter Skiing operates in 1.5 million acres of ski terrain, in the Cariboo, Monashee and Rocky Mountain ranges where snow accumulations of 30 feet or more is typical. The company’s operation consists of 22 log chalets; a 20,000-square-foot main lodge, the Albreda Lodge; and a full-service sports shop.
The transaction is slated to close in late 2023, subject to certain conditions and regulatory approvals.
“Mike and I were always committed to an enduring future for the business. A future that would honor our commitments to mountain safety and stewardship, to an exceptional powder skiing experience, to our committed guides and staff, and to the relationships we have formed with partners and guests from around the world. The sale to Alterra ensures MWHS will continue to be one of the world’s most unique powder skiing experiences for the next 50 years,” said Bonnie Wiegele, owner of MWHS.
MWHS would be the second heli-skiing company in Alterra’s portfolio, joining CMH Heli-Skiing and Summer Adventures, also located in in British Columbia.
“Mike Wiegele was a pioneer in the heli-ski world, and we are excited to add another premier heli-skiing operation to the Alterra family,” said Jared Smith, president & CEO of Alterra Mountain Company. “In many ways, Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing helped set the standard for extraordinary guest and employee experiences that prioritized safety and quality, which directly aligns with our values at Alterra.”
According to a press release from Alterra, more details on the transaction will be released once it is complete.


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© arkadi bojarsinov dreamstime.com Products | November 16, 2020
Infineon introduces optimized Wi-Fi 4 solution with next generation WPA3 Security
Infineon Technologies AG has expanded its portfolio of cost-effective, high performance and secured IoT solutions with one of the industry’s only dedicated Wi-Fi 4 solutions to deliver the latest WPA3 security standard.
This is a product release announcement by Infineon Technologies AG. The issuer is solely responsible for its content.
As a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/BLE combo chip for IoT applications like smart thermostats or smart lighting, the new Infineon CYW43439 solution will make it easier for product designers to comply with new security regulations currently emerging worldwide, including the California Consumer Privacy Act. This, for example, gives more privacy rights to consumers, including the right to know about the personal information a business collects, and the right for that information to be deleted. As a vast majority of IoT products function effectively with the basic connectivity implemented by Wi-Fi 4, the standard will remain the workhorse of IoT designs for years to come. Approximately half a billion new devices are expected to ship implementing Wi-Fi 4 through 2025, according to ABI Research. As a result, there will be an ongoing need for these devices to support the latest features, such as WPA3.It allows more robust authentication, increased cryptographic strength and more resilient mission-critical networks. Using the Infineon CYW43439, designers can provide the connectivity their consumers want, while implementing the security their products need with the WPA3 security standard. “For many IoT-connected products like smart thermostats and other consumer devices, their connectivity is both low bandwidth and low-duty cycles,” said Jeff Baer, Senior Product Marketing Director, IoT RF at Infineon. “Infineon’s new Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/BLE combo chip allows our customers to utilize the latest, state-of-the-art Wi-Fi security standard with WPA3, while minimizing costs by addressing their connectivity needs with tried-and-true Wi-Fi 4.” With Wi-Fi 4, the CYW43439 enables robust, power-efficient performance, with worldwide certifications and certified interoperability. The product family offers cross-platform features for RTOS, Linux, and Android, and development support for software that includes advanced smart-coexistence for multi-user Wi-Fi and Bluetooth applications, enabling multiple connections simultaneously including BLE Mesh networking. The devices reduce system power consumption by providing Host SoC off-load processing for network management and audio applications reducing CPU loading. Its optimized software for library-based functions allows connections to mobile devices or any cloud service at any time. Infineon’s CYW43439 with ModusToolbox software gives designers access to one of the most adaptable development systems for IoT, including carefully packaged solutions supporting popular ecosystems and cloud management tools. Availability The Infineon CYW43439 is available in volume quantities. Commercial modules are also available from industry-leading module partners.
onsemi divests Niigata, Japan fab onsemi continues to execute its "fab-liter" strategy and has completed of the sale of its Niigata, Japan facility to JS Foundry K.K.
Ixana raises $3M with wearable silicon chip Ixana, a wearable hardware company developing high-speed human-computer interfaces, has raised USD 3 million in funding backed by Uncorrelated Ventures, Samsung Next, Evonexus, Paradigm Shift and Hack VC.
STMicro and Soitec cooperate on SiC substrate manufacturing technology STMicroelectronics and Soitec announce the next stage of their cooperation on Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrates, with the qualification of Soitec’s SiC substrate technology by ST planned over the next 18 months.
Pendulum Instruments introduces a 4-channel Frequency Counter/Analyzer Pendulum Instruments, the global expert in time & frequency measurement, analysis, and calibration, announces today the release of the new CNT-104S Multi-channel Frequency Analyzer.
Intel is officially a landowner in Germany The US chip manufacturer has big plans for Europe and Germany in prearticular. The German city of Magdeburg won the lottery when Intel earlier this year announced that it would invest EUR 17 billion euros in a “leading-edge semiconductor fab mega-site”.
Kyocera AVX invests in Hentec/RPS system Kyocera AVX has purchased a Pulsar solderability testing system from Hentec Industries/RPS Automation for its Bangkok, Thailand facility.
Managing obsolescence: FED and COGD agree on cooperation The German Electronics Design and Manufacturing Association (FED) and the Component Obsolescence Group Deutschland (COGD) signed a cooperation agreement at Electronica in Munich.
Trading platform aims to alleviate chip shortage Precogs has launched CHIPSMARKET, an online marketplace for OEM-EMS-ODM businesses to trade chips directly between each other, with brokers, and with distributors.
Richardson portfolio with Gallium Semiconductor Richardson Electronics has entered into a a global distribution agreement with Gallium Semiconductor.
LITEON accelerates – inaugurates phase II Vietnam plant LITEON Technology says that the second phase of its manufacturing facility in Haiphong, Vietnam, has officially been inaugurated.
Layoffs await at GlobalFoundries as the company looks to cut costs The semiconductor manufacturer is planning to reduce its workforce as the company looks to navigate itself through a period of weaker demand and increased costs.
GlobalFoundries to tackle the supply chain with new appointment Ashlie Wallace will lead GlobalFoundries' global supply chain operations, including logistics, supply planning, sourcing, and procurement. She will step into her new role on November 28, 2022.
Filtronic opens new design centre in Manchester Filtronic, a designer and manufacturer of RF-to-mmWave components and subsystems, has recently employed several additional engineers to extend the capabilities of both its design team and its process engineering team. Adding to this expansion, the company has also opened a new design centre in Manchester, UK
Hunan Sanan secures order worth $524 million Hunan Sanan, a Sanan Optoelectronics subsidiary, has signed a procurement letter of intent (LOI) agreement with an automotive partner. Under the agreement, Hunan Sanan will supply USD 524 million worth of SiC chips to the automaker's new electric vehicle product line in the next few years.
The UK is looking into Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is looking into whether chipmaker Broadcom’s USD 61 billion acquisition of VMware may substantially lessen competition.
Heilind's SVP Alan Clapp looks back at 2022 2022 has been a year of challenges for most companies, for connector specialist Heilind these challenges proved to be a "blessing in disguise" as they opened up a lot of customer opportunities due to the supply chain issues.
Cambridge GaN Devices secures funds to scale up The fabless semiconductor company has raised USD 19m in Series B funding. The investment will enable Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) to begin mass production of its range of GaN transistors for power applications.
EU agree to foot €2.4 billion for satellite internet system The Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on a regulation establishing the EU's secure connectivity programme for the period 2023-2027.Load more news


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Apple + Android = 99.6%
New Smartphone sales numbers are out, and just like we suspected, it's either Apple's iOS or Google's Android that are on the majority of them. Apple and Android combined equaled 99.6% of all smartphones in Q4 of 2016, Microsoft came in 3rd with 0.3%. Android of course was #1 thanks to 81.7% of smartphones sold in Q4 running their operating system and Apple was 2nd with 17.9%, For more details on what kind of smartphones people are buying check out the new stats courtesy of Gartner.
Global sales of smartphones to end users totaled 432 million units in the fourth quarter of 2016, a 7 percent increase over the fourth quarter of 2015, according to Gartner, Inc. The fourth quarter of 2016 saw Apple leapfrog past Samsung to secure the No. 1 global smartphone vendor position (see Table 1).
In 2016 overall, smartphone sales to end users totaled nearly 1.5 billion units, an increase of 5 percent from 2015


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Citi analysts, led by Paul Lejuez, downgraded Target’s stock (NYSE:TGT) from Buy to Neutral due to diminishing store traffic and fierce competition, specifically from technologically-advanced Walmart (NYSE:WMT). They adjusted their price target from $177 to $130, causing a drop in early trading. The analysts predict that 2023 will see further sales decreases, resulting from the plateauing of sales growth witnessed from 2020-2022.
Similarly, J.P. Morgan’s Christopher Horvers had downgraded the stock earlier this month due to Target’s heavy reliance on discretionary sales and its millennial customer base, who are bracing for the resumption of student loan payments. Additionally, the company is grappling with recent controversies over its LGBTQ merchandise and a projected decline in current quarter sales. These factors, combined with growing competition, have left Target in a tough position.
Overall, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on TGT stock based on 13 Buys, 10 Holds, and zero Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic above. In addition, the average price target of $180.32 per share implies 39.17% upside potential.


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The latest crop of new designers showing at this month's Couture and JCK shows gleans inspiration everywhere, from ancient maharajas to chic world travelers.
In March 2000, Susan Gordon took a trip that changed her life.
As a member of the State Department and an aide to President Clinton, she traveled to India to begin talks on energy and climate control. Once she finished her work, Gordon left New Delhi and had a calling to go to Jaipur.
"I had no recollection of it, but I found myself asking, where is Jaipur?" Gordon said. "And when I got there, it was the Gem Palace that really captured me and really inspires me to this day — seeing real artisans doing traditional work. Our world is so massed produced and I was so taken by the people doing a ritual or craft in jewelry and embroidery and doing it all by hand, where each piece is different."
Soon after her trip, Gordon retired from the government and in 2004 launched Susan Gordon Jewelry. She bases her design and production out of Jaipur, where she travels twice a year, and marketing and sales out of Kansas City, Mo. Her pendants and drop earrings in colorful tourmalines, rubellites and quartz are inspired by the architecture of the early Mughal Empire of India and later by the work of Henri Matisse.
"I felt like everything had come full circle," said Gordon, who is showing at JCK. "My concern for the global environment brought me to India and once there, India guided me on a new life path."
Gordon's pieces retail from $1,000 to $15,000 and can be found at such boutiques as Cindy Griem Fine Jewels in Aspen, Colo.; Ojai, Calif.'s Pink Crow, and Fragments in New York.
While producing jewelry thousands of miles away is not without its headaches, Gordon couldn't see doing it any other way.
"Doing business in a different culture is very interesting," she said. "I once got a cuff back from New Delhi that was tested for gold and they had taken off an entire chunk."
@moncler unveiled its latest project, #MonclerGenius, yesterday at Milan Fashion Week. The Italian outwear maker gave show-goers a preview of the monthly collections – which were created by eight designers and creative talents including Pierpaolo Piccioli, Simone Rocha, Craig Green and more – that will start rolling out in the summer.
In honor of Rihanna’s 30th birthday, we took a look back at an interview with the Barbados-native when she was just 18 years old. Here, she talked about her second album, “A Girl Like Me” in 2006. “I want to be me. I want people to fall in love with who Rihanna is, and that’s why I want the album to be about me so people can really find out who this girl Rihanna is, because they only know the ‘Pon de Replay’ girl.” Fast forward 12 years, and she’s released six more albums and has become a powerhouse in both the fashion and music industries. Happy birthday, @badgalriri 🎈(📷: Pavel Antonov) #wwdarchive


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Oakdale Mall not reopening July 20 as planned, but here are the stores you can still visit
As Johnson City's Oakdale Mall waits to receive air filters required by New York, it will not re-open Monday, July 20, as it had anticipated during Phase 4 of the state's coronavirus reopening process.
A spokesperson for the mall said it is unsure of when the new opening date will be, but hopes to fully reopen by the end of July. There is a high demand for the MERV 13 Air Filters, the equipment that is required by the state, which caused a delay in arrival and installation and subsequently delayed the mall's opening.
The spokesperson was unable to say which stores will be open once the mall reopens, but will know closer to the mall's reopening.
Why the mall is installing a new air filter
In the beginning of July, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced malls in New York would not be permitted to reopen unless they install new high-efficiency venting systems.
Non-essential businesses were closed March 22, and malls had expected to open by at least Phase 4 of Cuomo's reopening plan. But Cuomo did not permit theaters, fitness facilities and shopping malls to reopen when Southern Tier entered Phase 4, saying the state was studying whether droplets infected with the coronavirus could be inadvertently spread via air conditioning in crowded indoor spaces.
Cuomo ordered that malls would have to install High-Efficiency Particulate Air filters that have shown promise in filtering out COVID-19.
When can New York malls reopen? The answer is in the vents
Cuomo said the virus that causes COVID-19 is approximately 0.1 microns, or 125 nanometers, in diameter, but the HEPA filters should be able to filter out 0.01 microns —therefore limiting the virus' spread through the air.
"So any malls that will open in New York — large malls — we will make it mandatory that they have air filtration systems that can filter out the COVID virus," Cuomo said in the beginning of July.
His office later clarified that the mandatory systems for the malls would need to have a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating capable of filtering COVID-19 particles.
Cuomo said the state might ultimately make it a requirement for all businesses and offices, but he hasn't indicated what the cost would be for private companies or how long it would take to have them installed.
What the mall is doing to keep customers safe
Once the mall reopens, social distancing will be enforced with floor decals and arrows to guide customers so they don't cross paths.
The mall has been sanitized and there will extra maintenance on hand to keep everything cleaned throughout the day.
Customers are also asked to wear a masks, maintain social distancing, wash and sanitize hands frequently and not enter the mall if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
Those who observe unsafe behavior or have sanitary concerns, can call the mall's security at 205-2625.
USA Today Network reporter Joseph Campbell contributed to this report


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An increase in generation has helped the publicly-owned power firm, Mighty River Power boost its full year profit by half.
The electricity generator and retailer made $127.1 million in the year to June, an increase of 50% compared with the previous year.
Excluding one-off items, underlying profit rose 16% to $162.2 million due to a full year contribution from its 140 megawatt Nga Awa Purua geothermal station, and deferring maintenance on some plants.
While hydro power contributes two-thirds of Mighty River's generation, chief executive, Doug Heffernan says cost-effective geothermal has displaced its rivals' more expensive thermal generation, boosting earnings.
Customer numbers fell 5% to 392,000, but Mr Heffernan says residential sales volumes rose.
"Part of that is getting higher consumption customers in the South Island which helps the portfolio," he says, adding that the company has also been successful in managing bad debt.
Mr Heffernan says retail price rises are dependent on what energy network companies charge when they set prices next year.
The company will pay its owner, the Government, a dividend of $45.7 million, taking its yearly total to $110 million - 28% higher than last year.


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Emerald Home Furnishings has expanded its leadership team by adding Douglas Spencer as president and creating a new role of CEO for former President David Beckmann.
Executive search firm Preston & Partners has placed Steve Woodward as CEO of home décor retailer Kirkland’s Inc.
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has announced its new National Board of Directors for FY2019. The board is made up of 11 volunteer members, with three officers (chair, chair-elect, past-chair), seven at-large directors, and an industry partner representative. The term for the new board will begin October 1, 2018.
Champion Thread Co., a global supplier of industrial sewing threads, engineered yarns, and other textile and sewn products supplies, has named industry veteran Robbie Owens to the newly created position of technical service and development manager.
Comfort Technology Company Purple Innovation, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRPL) (“Purple”), known for creating the “World’s First No Pressure Mattress,” has announced that the board of directors has appointed Joseph B. Megibow to serve as chief executive officer, effective Oct. 1.
International Market Centers (IMC) has named Jennifer Muna, CEM, as the general manager of tradeshows. In the newly created position, Muna will be responsible for the overall management, business activities, strategies, leadership, oversight and overall direction for Event Management, Exhibitor Services, Guest Services, and Contract Partners for the new World Market Exposition Center.
Family-owned furniture retailer Acme Furniture has appointed Bruce Frenzel, a 40-year furniture industry veteran, as executive vice president of sales and merchandising.


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Insiders unload more shares into Facebook IPO
Insiders and early Facebook investors will be unloading more of their shares in the initial public offering, the company said, as they take advantage of investor demand.
Facebook said in a regulatory filing that 84 million shares, worth up to $US3.2 billion ($A3.23 billion), will be added to the offering.
The entire increase comes from insiders and early investors, so the company won't benefit from the additional sales.
The biggest increases come from investment firms DST Global and Tiger Global. Goldman Sachs is doubling the number of shares it is selling. Facebook board members Peter Thiel and James Breyer are also selling more shares.
Founder Mark Zuckerberg isn't increasing the number of shares he's selling.
The news comes a day after Facebook raised the expected price range for the stock to a range of $34 to $38 per share, up from its previous range of $28 to $35. Also on Tuesday, major advertiser General Motors Co said it would stop advertising on Facebook.
At the high end of the price range, the IPO would raise $16 billion without the over-allotment option reserved to meet extra demand. That would make it the third-largest US IPO in history, ahead of General Motors in 2010, according to Renaissance Capital.
The IPO is the most hotly anticipated in years and would value Facebook overall at more than $100 billion.
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|image Source – chrome.google.com
Google search engine gets dark mode for desktops. Initially released on Windows 10 and macOS platforms, the experience is worth spending time on Google, especially at night.
Google seems to be a little slow in getting in the dark mode competition as major companies have already rolled it out.
Google is gradually rolling out the dark mode feature for its search engine on desktops using multiple browsers. The dark mode was already available on mobile devices since last December.
When this new feature is rolled out in different regions, the search engine will encourage users to enable the new Dark version.
If you do not see an option right now, try clicking on the settings button on the Google Search home page. If you see a dark theme option under the appearance section, activate it.


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VW's rapidly mushrooming diesel emissions conundrum could cost it up to $86B, argues major financial services company Credit Suisse.
The Californian tech giant's Chinese subsidiary was made to cough up around $80 million after underpaying its tax in 2013.
Lack of decision could hinder the spin off of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. Yahoo says it's still working on a plan.
After firing up tax collection in a handful of US cities, the home rental service brings the toll to France.
From the Cheapskate: That's the lowest price to date for LG's seriously sexy, Android Wear-powered watch. And now it's compatible with iOS, if you care.
The UK has announced a new 25 percent tax for multinational companies that dodge taxation in the region, with big tech companies called out as major culprits.
The online retail giant will cease funnelling sales through low-tax Luxembourg, a strategy seen as a tax-avoidance effort.
Competition Chief Margrethe Vestager says she doesn't want to rush a decision in investigations to determine whether Apple and other companies violated European Union tax rules.
In the back of your mind, you know you need to back up all of your files and pictures. But where do you start? Here's how to back up your digital life.
The company, which two years ago testified to the US Senate that it's not a tax dodger, is facing an European Commission investigation into whether tax breaks from Ireland were illegal state aid.


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Guardian.co.uk: Countries are competing to provide the biggest tax breaks, the cheapest labour and the easiest regulation to attract the likes of Google, Apple and Amazon, to the disadvantage of their own citizens. But there is another way
How would you stop people buying or using services from companies like Apple or google? State censorship of the internet?
For a company to operate in a country and take advantage of the consumers within it shouldn't they pay the correct taxes?
Yes but that is why many of these big companies have their headquarters off-shore. I'm not sure how they could get around that other than having audits or increasing import fees for all products not made in the country they are sold.
You forget that google doesn't sell physical goods. Apple only partically sells physical goods. So that statement fails.
TechSpy is a community of awesome people posting and discussing the latest tech news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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In spite of Apple’s sales of iPhones not meeting expectations, it looks like its App Store is making an absolute killing. The company announced that its customers set new spending records over the holidays on the App Store.
Between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, Apple reports that its customers spent over US$1.22 billion (~RM5.05 billion). This, says Phil Schiller, Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, was the App Store’s “biggest week ever.”
And on New Year’s Day of 2019, people spent over US$322 million (~RM13.33 million), setting a new single-day record. As Phil Schiller puts it, “App Store finished off an outstanding 2018 and kicked off 2019 with a bang.”
Unsurprisingly, Gaming was one of the most popular categories, with titles like Fortnite and PUBG topping the charts.


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Over the last 20 years, electronic wallets (eWallets) services have been quite popular in developed countries like the United States of America (USA).
However, the eWallets service has slowly started to gain popularity in the developing countries especially as it plays catch up with the developed countries who are better in terms of the IT infrastructure.
It is also not wrong to say that smartphones have had greater impact than eWallets as the advancements in smartphones have helped to bridge the gap between a laptop and a phone – which is now very accessible as well as affordable to people particularly in developing countries.
According to the Economist, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe are the top three developing countries that spent the most amounts on mobile money applications. Nigeria was not also far in the order as there has been a noticeable surge in the use of bank apps, Point of Sale transactions amongst others especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), online transactions hit 569 million by the end of Q3 2020, up 41 per cent from 403 million in Q2 2020.
The value of these transactions increased by 50 per cent from 29.6 trillion ($77 billion) to N44.3 trillion ($116 billion). Apparently, Nigerians posted major high-value transactions as the average transaction value for this period was N78 billion ($203 million) compared to N73 billion ($189.5 million) in Q2 2020.
These numbers speak to how significant the smartphone technology is to developing nations and how much electronic services can also contribute its quota to the economy of a nation.
This is why several financial institutions are coming up with several eWallet product offerings as competition in the banking system is desirable for efficiency, maximization of social welfare. However, bank users want an eWallet they know they can transfer money to any bank account in Nigeria and any mobile number, buy airtime, buy data, pay bills, fund their bet9ja wallet, check balance and generate statement and withdraw cash via any mobile device, any network, anytime and anywhere.
This is why First Bank Plc launched the FirstMonie Wallet in 2015, an electronic wallet that allows individuals the convenience of making and accepting payments electronically with their mobile numbers.
The Firstmonie Wallet is available on two channels (i.e the USSD code – *894*1# & the Mobile App) and there are three account classes for Firstmonie Wallet with their unique specifications which include; FirstMonie Classic, FirstMonie Gold and FirstMonie Platinum.
According to the bank, the product offering is a tool used by developing nations to enable individuals participate more fully in the global financial system, eliminates the need to carry a physical wallet by storing customers’ payment information securely and compactly and is geographically positioned in the six geo-political zones in the country.
Features and benefits
The offering which had 532,441 million and 150,105 million in terms of its volume transaction in 2021 and 2022 (Q1 2021) respectively, comes with exciting features which include Transfer Funds, Fund Wallet, Airtime/Data Top-up, Bill Payments, Cash In & Cash Out, Corporate Disbursements & Collections, Bet9ja Funding, Virtual Card and Agent Locator. This in turn creates more convenience for customers, access to different accounts via the wallet with either available or without internet data and can be accessed on any network in Nigeria. Also, one can have an instant transaction with or without using his or her Bank Verification Number (BVN).
An individual does not necessarily have to have a First Bank account to run the FirstMonie Wallet. For instance, registration can be done using any kind of mobile device, a customer needs to have a registered and active mobile number as this would be the account for the Wallet, Customers would require data to download the App from Play Store or IOS store and complete registration and customers need to have airtime as low as N4 which will requested for session cost on USSD registration.
According to surveys and feedback from existing consumers of the wallet, the innovation from First Bank actually beats other existing product wallets in the country at the moment. Daily Sun gathered that the FirstMonie wallet is used by 60 per cent of men while 40 per cent of women use the wallet.
More surveys revealed that the wallet’s value of transactions in 2021 stood at N2.84 billion while about N894.92 million was recorded in January to March (First week) in 2022. Hope Aniuma, a FirstMonie Wallet user, said, “I was a bit afraid at first but once I had help from the bank staff at one of the agent branches, I discovered it is very good, saves energy and time and is the best app for transactions”.
Another user, Mariam Owonla, said, “All I needed was my registered phone number and there was no need to register at different channels. I just registered via USSD and I used the 5-digit pin created to access the two channels (Mobile App and USSD) and so far so good, I have made seamless transactions”.
eWallets and mobile payments have proved to be a powerful tool to empower the unbanked and illiterate population of the developing countries and it is safe to say that First Bank Plc is using FirstMonie wallet to unlock digital payment potentials as well as create a product offering with more possibilities.


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The Indian government is going to start an operation of malware and BotNet cleaning center with the soft launch on December 20th. The main aim for this program is to remove the virus and malicious software from the computers and mobiles at free of cost.
Ministry of electronics and IT, additional secretary Ajay Kumar tweeted “major cyber security issue initiative of digital India. Soft launch of Botnet cleaning center of India CERT is December 20th
Botnet is a network of malicious software which can steal information, take control of device functions and carry out cyber attacks like Distributed Denial-of-Service which prevents the access of websites. The government is going to start this BotNet Cleaning Centre project with 100 crores budget. This project has to start in 2014 only but due to some reasons it got delayed.
Ajay Kumar said from December 20th onwards Indian CERT will start informing to internet service providers about infected systems. Then they have to synchronize their system to meet the requirements of Botnet and malware cleaning system. These internet service providers will alert their customers and will give suggestion to download this BotNet centre to remove the virus.
This software is free of cost from Botnet center, by installing this software, it will clean out the virus and malicious software from the system or mobile. Mr.kumar said around December 26th complete system will be operational.