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Cyber crime is rising at an alarming rate in India as hackers take advantage of the country's new-found dependence on the virtual world, according to police.
Since coronavirus lockdown restrictions began easing, banking fraud has jumped, as cyber criminals target citizens with fake reactivations of debit and credit cards, online bookings, free coronavirus tests and foreign job offers.
Boom time for hackers
“Fraudsters compromise the email accounts of people dealing with the company accounts and finances. They create an email account which is similar to either the company's or client's account,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime) Anyesh Roy.
“They change the destination of financial transactions on some pretext, following which the money goes to the fraudsters' account.”
Over the weekend, the cyber crime cell in the satellite town of Gurugram, adjacent to Delhi, busted a fake job portal and arrested three people for allegedly cheating people through creating fake job listings.
The police said the accused had purchased job seekers data from a renowned job portal and created their own “dial4career” portal.
In a recent report, multinational cyber security company Check Point Research published startling figures on cyber attacks designed to take advantage of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In the three weeks leading up to May, the company recorded around 192,000 coronavirus-related cyber attacks every week – a staggering 30 percent increase over previous weeks.
Cyber security crisis
“The unemployment rate will likely increase and people will be left with less disposable incomes, paving the way for an economic crisis,” says Pradyumna Uppal, a researcher who authored a paper entitled: Covid-19 will lead to increased crime rates in India.
“With the experience of major crises in the past, we have noticed crime rates in and post such situations tend to increase.”
In the ongoing pandemic, many leading firms have already cancelled pre-placement offers to students of top institutions. Companies have also been laying off employees, sending the unemployment rate skyward.
“This shift is significant as it has increased remote activities, thus creating perfect conditions for internet fraud schemes and phishing emails," said cyber expert Pawan Duggal.
That scale of the problem became evident when the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the country's nodal cyber security agency, had to swing into action in June.
Home working boosts security risks
Last month, Israel signed an agreement with India focused on fighting cyber security threats heightened by Covid-19 as the spread of the virus has forced companies worldwide to shift their operations online.
Early this month, global police body, Interpol warned of an "alarming" rate of cyber crime during the coronavirus pandemic, with criminals taking advantage of people working from home to target major institutions.
An assessment by the Lyon-based organisation found a "significant target shift" by criminals from individuals and small businesses to major corporations, governments and critical infrastructure.
"Cyber criminals are developing and boosting their attacks at an alarming pace, exploiting the fear and uncertainty caused by the unstable social and economic situation created by Covid-19," said Interpol Secretary General Juergen Stock.
Banks, real estate companies and other institutions too have been sending out text messages and emails asking customers to be wary of suspicious calls or emails.


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ELMWOOD MAY BE SITE OF COUNTY’S 5TH DOLLAR GENERAL
Discussions concerning a fifth Dollar General store in Smith County continue. Company officials say a final decision on a new store is expected to be made this summer. The proposed store would be located in the Elmwood community on Highway 70. While discussions and planning have taken place, Dollar General store officials say the proposed new store is in the study phase.
Dollar General Store officials released the following statement concerning the proposed new store: “At this time, we are currently in the due diligence phase for a new Dollar General location in Smith County. This means we are reviewing the opportunity to add a new store in Carthage, but we have not committed to doing so just yet. Based on our current timeline, we anticipate to have a final decision by this summer,” the statement reads. The reference to “Carthage” as the location of the new store would actually be Elmwood.
READ MORE IN THIS WEEKS COURIER!

domain: news


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Code Vein is due for release on September 27 this year, and while you might have thought you'd need to wait until then to get your hands on Bandai Namco's game, there's good news, as a demo has just been revealed, available from September 3 on PS4 and Xbox One.
This demo grants access to character customisation and the very start of the game, including The Depths, which is a dungeon with a lot of challenging features. We can get a sense of what awaits in the demo via a trailer below, and we have a plethora of new screens to enjoy as well.
Back at E3 we found out that Code Vein "really opens up a lot of options" for combat, and we already have the opening cinematic, since that landed when pre-orders opened last month.
Will you sample the demo?


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All Posts Tagged: trade deficit
An out-sized snap-back in real consumer spending was nearly the lone driver of GDP growth last quarter. But beyond the consumer, there wasn’t a lot to cheer about. See highlights of my analysis below, followed by a link to the full U.S. Outlook, delivered on July 29.
- Business fixed investment slipped for the third consecutive quarter in a row with declines in structures and equipment investment.
- Business inventories fell outright in Q2, dropping by $8.1B, down from a $40.7 billion increase in Q1.
- The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in the second quarter by about $10 billion as exports grew 1.4% and imports slipped -0.4%.
- The worse than anticipated drop in durable goods orders again in June, down 4.0% on the month after a 2.8% revised decline in May, suggests the improvement in business investment and manufacturing is going to be a gradual process at best.
Unfortunately, the recent narrowing in the trade deficit has been driven by import declines rather than better export performance.Read More ›
This week’s U.S. Trade report for March revealed an even more lopsided trade performance than was estimated in last week’s Q1 GDP report.Read More ›
Is the second quarter shaping up to be another disappointment as well?Read More ›
Before we get too excited Q2 GDP growth, let’s take a closer look at some of the components that make up this important economic indicator.Read More ›


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Gownder was more charitable than most analysts toward the many wearable products that will be shown at CES, saying just 80% will fail, not the 90% cited by many of his peers. But in the long term, the failures really won't matter. When Internet commerce started, Pets.com and other sites failed, but many others thrived. "This is a time of great creative destruction for wearables," he said.
Part of the market dynamism behind wearable products is that companies like smartwatch maker Pebble have driven early investments through Kickstarter contributions from many smaller investors, creating a new wave of financing, Gownder noted. Plus, the fundamental components of smartwatches and other wearables, including sensors, are not that expensive. The best small startups will be bought by large companies, as Intel did with its March purchase of Basis Science, which made a health-tracking wristband.
Impact on workers and marketing apps
Businesses foresee a clear return on investment in wearables, both for operational efficiency and in helping to shape the customer experience, Gownder said. He ticked off several examples already being tested or deployed, including an unusual one by mining and construction company Thiess of Australia.
Thiess is trying out wearable devices such as the Amiigo activity tracker wristband to measure the blood oxygenation, body temperature and movement of its field workers to find out if they might have been bitten by an aggressive, venomous snake called the Inland Taipan that lives in the Australian outback. (Gownder described the application and others in this presentation, starting at 5:50 on the counter.) The company can centrally monitor such worker data in real time to provide an emergency response for an injured worker.
Smartwatches could also be a good candidate for use in mobile payments, a prospect that Apple has described with its NFC-ready Apple Watch. In the U.K., Barclaycard offers customers a bPay wristband that can be used to quickly pay for small items, such as tickets for the subway or food and drinks at soccer games of the Southampton Football Club, Gownder said.
Virgin Atlantic also evaluated smartwatches alongside Google Glass with customer service agents at its upper-class lounge at Healthrow Airport, Gownder said. Glass allowed the agents to look directly at their customers, while the smartwatches required them to look at their wrists, which led customers to feel they were being ignored.
Another intriguing marketing possibility with smartwatches are the use of haptics, those vibrations emitted by smartphones and other devices, as a means of helping direct customers through a department store or mall to reach a location for a sale or special offer. One buzz could mean to turn left, two buzzes to turn right and three to stop. Haptics could be used in similar ways inside of shoes and garments.
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Houston has seen a flurry of omakase-exclusive restaurant openings in recent months, with chefs delivering plates of nigiri and sushi bite by bite. But world-renowned celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa is still delivering it his way — giving Houstonians a classic, uncomplicated alternative at his namesake restaurant, Nobu, at Galleria Houston.
“Only omakase? I don’t like it! There is no choice,” Matsuhisa admits, laughing. “I like to choose my own food. At Nobu, our guests have so many choices — sushi, sashimi, grilled meats, vegetables, noodles, and more.”
The lauded sushi restaurant put its bountiful choices on full display during Houston’s inaugural Taste of Nobu event on Thursday, May 11, a celebration of Nobu’s legacy, which will reach 30 years next year. Matsuhisa mingled with guests as they sampled a stealth representation of the restaurant’s most beloved dishes and cocktails like the namesake Matsuhisa vodka martini — a combination of sake, ginger, and cucumber. The nationwide food-tasting series, which is hosted at all 54 Nobu locations, suffered a brief interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But now that travel restrictions have been lifted, the series has resumed in full force, and Matsuhisa makes it a point to be at every single one.
In the last week alone, Matsuhisa has made appearances in Atlanta and Dallas before hosting Houston’s first-ever Taste of Nobu experience to a sold-out crowd. VIP guests including legendary rapper Bun B, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, and former NFL safety Michael Huff, and NFL linebacker Brian Orakpo attended the event, which featured mouthwatering morsels from a shabu-shabu station, plus bites like sushi, sashimi, and beef and chicken skewers grilled fresh on the patio.
The global sushi chain skyrocketed in popularity after launching its first location in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood in 1994, incorporating Peruvian ingredients and flavors into Japanese dining. Houston opened its first and only outpost in the summer of 2018, inviting Nobu co-founders actor Robert De Niro and producer Meir Teper to join Matsuhisa in a festive sake ceremony to commemorate the occasion.
Guests have since poured into Nobu in droves for its signature menu and scene-y dining room, known to be frequented by celebrities, athletes, and entertainers. Matsuhisa attributes its long-running massive global success to its history and distinctly classic style. “We use the best quality product possible and offer signature plates with quality service,” Matsuhisa explains. “Our customers trust us.”
Fan favorites like hamachi with jalapeño, rock shrimp tempura, and black cod appear on Nobu menus around the globe, but Matsuhisa says he strives to incorporate local ingredients into Nobu dishes whenever possible. Maintaining seasonality in menus is key, so at Houston’s outpost, new items like shrimp and lobster with spicy lemon dressing, king crab tempura with amazu ponzu, and octopus wasabi salsa give diners something extra to look forward to.
To maintain the quality across all of his outposts, Matsuhisa leans on corporate chefs and bar managers — some of whom have been with him for more than 20 years. He affectionately refers to them as “his kids,” he says, and allows them to fully take the reins at the various restaurants. “For me, [these people] are my Nobu family,” he says. “I have to trust my kids.”
Though Matsuhisa maintains a sense of tradition, the sushi legend is still innovating the Nobu restaurant. He recently partnered with Qui Tequila to launch Nobu Rare 2008 Reserve Anejo — a limited-release tequila that will complement its ever-changing food menu. The one-of-a-kind spirit is created with a blend of agaves, harvested in 2007 and 2008, and aged in traditional American whiskey oak barrels before maturing in steel tanks.
As it did for so many, the unpredictability of the pandemic halted Matsuhisa’s plans, but today, he is again optimistic about the future. This month, he is headed to Nobu’s 54th location, newly opened in Seville, Spain, and he looks forward to connecting with his staff and loyal patrons. “The restaurant’s name is my name,” he says proudly. “I like to see my kids, pay appreciation to the guests, and thank them for their support.”
It’s safe to say people have come to know what to expect from Nobu and its fearless leader, but if the last three decades are any evidence, the restaurant will continue to surprise people around the world with a healthy mix of tried and true, exciting and new.


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Hackers to target mobile banking, study says
This year could see a sharp rise in hacker attacks on Internet-enabled smartphones as a number of new banking and payment initiatives enter the mobile channel.
The Tower Group, a research and advisory company focused on the financial services industry, believes that many mobile commerce offerings now emerging from the financial services sector "lack a reasonable and justifiable focus" on mobile security.
At Yahoo! News.
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The technology group Rheinmetall AG has won a follow-up order from a well-known German carmaker to produce aluminum engine blocks with a total value of over EUR100 million. Full-scale production is planned to begin in 2023 and the lifetime of the contract extends beyond 2030.
Representing lifetime sales well into double-digit euro-million territory, the Shanghai-based Rheinmetall joint venture HASCO KSPG Nonferrous Components has won a major order from a leading international automaker.
Via its subsidiary Pierburg GmbH of Neuss, Germany, the Rheinmetall Group plans to supply hydrogen recirculation blowers to Daimler Truck Fuel Cell GmbH & Co. KG, the company which bundles all of Daimler AG’s activities in the field of fuel cell technology. The deal represents sales volume in the two-digit euro-million range.
An internationally operating maker of premium automobiles has awarded Hasco KSPG Nonferrous Components, a joint venture of Rheinmetall Automotive AG, a major order for electromotor housings. Designed for a water-cooled synchronous motor with four different performance levels, they will be installed in the OEM’s entire fleet of electric vehicles.
The Rheinmetall Automotive AG was not spared the impact of the corona pandemic and the global crisis in the automotive industry. A report for the first half of 2020 indicates a triple-digit million sales decline for the company.
Rheinmetall Automotive showed a robust performance in a weak market environment 2019. Though a drop in sales, the company considers itself well positioned once the global automotive markets stabilize after the corona crisis.
KS Huayu AluTech GmbH is producing its first all-aluminum four-cylinder diesel engine for a widely used passenger car diesel engine series from a major German automobile manufacturer. This is the transverse version of the engine series that is now in volume production.
Rheinmetall Automotive AG, an automotive-industry supplier belonging to the Rheinmetall Group, is expanding its activities to include new product categories. Through its Chinese joint venture HASCO KSPG Nonferrous Components Co., Ltd. (KPSNC), the company has recently been awarded a contract to manufacture aluminum housings for the 5G network.
For electric drive systems, automobile manufacturers need the internal combustion know-how of their suppliers, says Horst Binnig, head of Rheinmetall Automotive. This should have a positive effect on traditional companies.


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85% of Merchants Use Crypto Payments to Attract New Customers
While the cryptocurrency market is experiencing a decline, the adoption of digital assets and the crypto ecosystem continue to grow even despite the decrease in interest in cryptocurrencies.
This is because merchants are innovating and adding cryptocurrency payments as a means of payment in their quest to attract new customers.
This is indicated by the data platform PYMNTS, which, in cooperation with BitPay, conducted a survey of 2,334 consumers, studying what consumers and sellers expect from digital currencies.
202 merchants with annual online sales of at least $250 million were also interviewed about their experience of accepting cryptocurrency as a payment method.
Paying With Cryptocurrency
In a report titled "Paying With Cryptocurrency," researchers concluded that among companies with annual revenue of $1 billion, 85% use crypto payments to find and attract new customers.
At the same time, 82% of all merchants who took part in the survey think that the elimination of intermediaries is the important reason for using digital assets as a payment method.
Among the reasons for the acceptance of digital assets, 77% of the surveyed merchants noted lower commissions when making cryptocurrency transactions.
According to the submitted report, the commission for processing crypto transactions is about 1%. This is much lower than the usual 1.5% to 3.5% fees charged when using credit cards.
However, the surveyed users also noted disadvantages of cryptocurrencies. Among merchants who do not accept cryptocurrency yet, 68% said that problems with the introduction of technology for accepting payments from cryptocurrency wallets at the checkout are an important factor in their decision not to accept this payment method.
For some merchants, cryptocurrency is too complex and incomprehensible technology and they do not dare to accept it.
The increase in the adoption and use of digital assets around the world cannot be stopped even by the crypto winter that has come to the crypto currency market.
A wide range of companies from various industries have already integrated different options for using crypto payments.
The areas of work of these companies are very diverse - from entertainment platforms, such as travel booking platforms, to shops selling various goods. The crypto ecosystem continues to expand with global adoption.
Technology cannot be stopped and the constant increase in the number of stores accepting digital assets, even despite the decline of the cryptocurrency market, clearly shows this.


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The phone is available to buy from today (June 18)
AGM Mobile has announced the release of its latest rugged feature phone, the AGM M6.
The phone is available to buy from £60, through AGM’s online store.
The phone is 4G enabled and comes with a dual SIM feature and is IP68 and IP69 waterproof.
It features a 2,500mAh battery and shows off a 2.4-inch display, with a 0.3MP camera also equipped.
On the back there is a dynamic LED circle that lights up, while the phone weighs in at 195g and comes in black.
According to the AGM Mobile website the order processing time takes one to three days.


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Whether she’s preaching the skin-care benefits of masturbation or talking about her love for self-pleasuring in front of the mirror, Amber Rose is 100-percent here for alone time in the bedroom. What she isn’t here for are people who believe in double standards and call women ho-ish and freaky for using sex toys and wanting sexual pleasure.
The 34-year-old model called out the sexist misconception in an interview with BET, where she encouraged women to explore their bodies and lambasted those who slut-shamed them for doing so.
“I feel like it’s been like that since the beginning of time, that we are unworthy of pleasure and if we do want a sex toy, we’re considered freaky or ho-ish,” Rose said. “I personally don’t believe that. I feel like it’s a beautiful thing to be able to explore your body and get to know yourself.
For Rose, masturbation ensures safe sex, as well as prepares you for better sex when you do have it with a partner. “I’m a huge advocate for masturbation, it’s the safest sex in the world,” Rose said. “And there’s nothing like knowing your own body and even introducing toys into your sex like. Even with your partner because as women, you don’t orgasm every time you have sex, so to get a little extra boost and a little extra help there is nothing wrong with that!”
Masturbation and sexual pleasure isn’t just for the young and spry either. Rose encourages people of all ages, whether they have kids or not, to experiment with themselves in the bedroom and explore their sexuality.
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IT'S HERE! the brand new sonic massager, the SONA has arrived. Check the link in the BIO. @amberrose, sexual pioneer and creator of #SlutWalk, had a lot of love for our latest creation. Watch the video to see her thoughts! #LELO #SONA #ClitorallyMindblowing #SonicWaves #PleasureObjects #SexToys #SelfLove #Sex #AmberRose Video credit: @amberrose
“I think just being vocal about it [sex toys] and doing interviews like this really helps to let people know they shouldn’t feel ashamed,” she said. “Whether you’re young or older, or if you’re a mom you still deserve to feel pleasure and be happy. As human beings we’re sexual beings, we’re just born that way and we shouldn’t frown on it or shame it.”
Not sure what kind of sex toy to start with? Lucky for you, Rose just launched a new line with sex toy brand LELO to make shopping that much easier. “Listen, I’m for everyone picking and choosing what they want to do in their life,” Rose said.


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“In a surprise announcement, Robert Carrigan, president of IDG Communications, told PC World’s staff today that ‘Harry McCracken has decided to remain with PC World as vice-president, editor in chief,'” Ramon G. McLeod reports for PC World.
“‘[CEO] Colin Crawford will be rejoining the IDG management team as executive vice president, online. In this role, he will be responsible for driving IDG’s online strategy and initiatives in support of our Web-centric business focus,’ Carrigan said. ‘We will conduct a search for a new CEO to lead PC World and Macworld,'” McLeod reports.
McLeod reports, “McCracken tendered his resignation on April 30 after Crawford refused to allow publication of a story entitled ’10 Things We Hate About Apple.’ McCracken said that the story was killed (it is now running on PCWorld.com) because of Crawford’s concerns about the impact it would have on Apple advertising. Crawford denied that was the reason for killing the story, but has since apologized to the editorial staff for the decision.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: What an overblown load of horse excrement! Just how much mileage is IDG planning to generate from this non-story, anyway? As if we needed another reason not to read PCWorld.
We post this only as a followup to the original story and continue to hope this puts an end to PCWorld‘s Dvorakian quest for hits. Please see our related articles below.
So, all is right with the PCWorld again, now that Crawford’s been reassigned and Harry McCracken is back. Yawn. Oh, nope, no word yet on Phil.
PC World publishes insipid 10 things we love/hate about Apple lists – May 07, 2007
PC World editor quits over Apple story – May 03, 2007


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10 expected new products of 2015
The year has just begun, but we already know which top models of cars will be released this year. We read and wonder!
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Previously, to buy a sporty Land Rover Discovery Sport 2015, you had to get at least 3.4 million rubles from the safe. Today’s sum looks much more real – 2.2 million will be enough to buy the Sport. Its sales will start in February.
The last time this car became the car of the year back in 1994. Will he manage to win the Grand Prix again after more than 20 years? We will find out about this in March during the presentation of the car at the Geneva Motor Show.
By the way, its size and wheelbase Ford Mondeo 2015 far exceeds the Nissan Teanu, Skoda Superb and Toyota Camry. Developers will refuse low-powered engines and install at least 150 horsepower on the Iondeo.
Mercedes-Maybach S 600
How relevant is the appearance in the sale of the most expensive “Mercedes” in the history of the line? In the 90s, this model was terribly popular in our country and became the property of many jokes “about new Russians.” The new Mercedes 600 promises to be the quietest serial car in the world – here both the seats are cooler and the insulation is better. The release of new items is scheduled for April.
Together with the Ford Mondeo, this model was nominated for the car of the year in 2015. Of course, the main struggle is still ahead, but the appearance of the German car is more than impressive.
A strange tendency has been observed in recent years: the Audi company with its SUVs can not keep up with Mercedes and BMW. In a few months, the company will present an updated Audi Q7 2015 crossover.
In the future, they want to put on a hybrid diesel unit, thanks to which the machine will consume only 1.7 liters per 100 km.
The heart of the Russians long ago conquered compact crossovers. The Chevrolet Tracker is also expected to be no exception. The model has in common with the Opel Mokka, the price of 1 300 000 r., The platform and units, but a different interior, body and suspension settings.
Mid-size Korean crossovers are sold for just four years. Meanwhile, the new model is already on the way. KIA Sorento has become larger, received a different design, which sets a completely new tone in the style of Kia. The novelty will be assembled in Kaliningrad, so it has every chance to be more affordable than imported counterparts.
Jaguar XE is a completely new player in the market. He promises to be not only the most affordable “Jaguar” on the market, but also the most high-tech. The basis of the sedan was an aluminum platform. The top-end modification will be equipped with a 3-liter V6, but a model with a 2-liter turbodiesel and 180 horsepower will be available for purchase.
Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe
And this is the main competitor of the BMW X6 off-road coupe. It was created on the basis of a long time familiar to many ML. It is expected that the top grade Mercedes GLE Coupe 63 AMG will be able to develop 570 horsepower. Presentation of cars is scheduled for August.


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Movers and Shakers: Twitch, Overstock, M&C Saatchi, Rakuten, and more
- Wednesday, March 31st, 2021
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The mobile marketing industry is ever-changing, and that applies to the people as much as the technology. Movers & Shakers is our regular feature following the hottest hires in the industry, so you can keep track of who’s joined which company, and what they’re doing there.
Twitch brings in Patel to direct on sales
Krishan Patel has joined Amazon-owned livestreaming service Twitch as EMEA Director of Sales. He will be responsible for the strategic direction of Twitchs commercial advertising team and lead the company’s rapidly growing advertising business, customer engagement and brand partnerships in the region.
With 18 years of global marketing, technology and business development experience in roles across the agency, publisher, telecommunications and ad tech space, Patel joins Twitch from Amazon where, as Director of Business Development for Asia Pacific, he led the company’s consumer business development and worldwide original equipment manufacturer partnership team.
“Twitch is more than a live streaming service – it is a genuine community and a dynamic place where creators can share the things they love with a community of millions,” commented Patel. “We have an incredible suite of solutions available to allow businesses to meaningfully interact with our unique and highly engaged audience in a creative and meaningful way. As we continue to grow across EMEA, I am looking forward to helping brands understand the art of the possible on Twitch and how we can help them deliver successful campaigns at scale.”
Solomon named CMO at Overstock
Overstock.com, an eCommerce home furnishings retailer, has welcomed Elizabeth Solomon as Chief Marketing Officer. She will oversee Overstock’s marketing efforts, including customer acquisition and retention, marketing communications, and marketing technologies.
Solomon most recently served as Head of Marketing for Amazon’s global private brands portfolio. Prior to Amazon, she held senior marketing leadership positions with consumer Fortune 100 companies, including Samsung Electronics, Walmart, and Nestlé.
“I am thrilled to join such an innovative and passionate executive team that has led the company through an amazing year of growth,” said Solomon. “I’m excited about the opportunities ahead and helping further amplify Overstock’s reputation as the premier online shopping destination for home furnishings.”
M&C Saatchi makes management changes
Tim Duffy has been promoted to the newly created role of Group Strategy Director, Worldwide, with Richard Thompson succeeding him as UK Group Chairman, at comms agency M&C Saatchi.
Duffy has been with M&C Saatchi since the beginning of the agency in 1995 and has worked with many clients in the UK and internationally.
Thompson joined the M&C Saatchi in 2013 when the agency acquired Merlin. He will continue to be Chairman of M&C Saatchi Talent, where he successfully acquired Red Hare & Grey Whippet to broaden the offering into the influencer space. Thompson is also Chairman of Surrey County Cricket Club (The Oval) and chairs Sport United Against Dementia.
“Tim is a brilliant thinker. Richard Thompson is a brilliant leader. We continue on our mission to deliver Meaningful Change for clients, our people, and the world,” commented Moray MacLennan, M&C Saatchi CEO.
Capano and Jogia promoted at Rakuten
Rakuten Advertising, Rakuten’s affiliate marketing service, has appointed Anthony Capano as North America Managing Director and Rakhee Jogia as International Managing Director. They will focus on growing the business through unparalleled client strategy and service, technology innovation, inventory expansion, and strengthening partnerships with brands and publishers around the world.
Capano served as Managing Director of Rakuten Advertising for almost a decade, beginning in Australia before relocating to London as International Managing Director. In his new position, Capano will create new opportunities for brands arising from deeper integration of Rakuten Americas properties, expanding the companys publisher network and identifying new areas for innovation.
“We have always believed that effective advertising requires more than technology. True success is found by layering technology with the partnerships, service, scale, insights and global reach of a world-class advertising ecosystem,” said Capano. “We are heavily invested in advancing technology and moving the advertising industry forward. I am honored to be part of a great leadership team and dedicated to advancing the revenue-generating value of performance marketing and the strategic influence of media.”
Jogia, who takes up Capano’s former role, will oversee the EMEA, LATAM and APAC markets for Rakuten Advertising, drawing from a decade of programmatic and affiliate experience with the business. Over the past three years, she focused on international partnerships, most recently as Vice President of Publisher Partnerships, International.
“Im excited for the opportunity to drive our clients business objectives and growth plans, especially as we continue to help them navigate a quickly evolving marketplace,” said Jogia. “We pride ourselves on delivering excellence around the globe, and will be looking inwards to strengthen and develop our people so they can excel in their roles and guide our brands and publishers through the coming period of economic recovery. To that end, we plan to introduce new initiatives that will help businesses at every step in their growth journeys take fuller advantage of the combined power of brand and performance marketing.”
DoubleVerify makes pair of EMEA senior hires
Nick Reid and Michael Fuhrmann have joined DoubleVerify (DV), a digital media measurement firm, as Regional Vice President for Northern Europe and Regional Vice President for DACH and Central Eastern Europe, respectively.
Reid will lead the executive of DV’s growth strategy in the UK, Benelux, Nordics, and MENA. He arrives from his role as Global Head of Agency Partnerships for Adobe Advertising Cloud.
“With digital content consumption on the rise and the importance of protecting and optimising ad investments in focus, DV’s role as a trusted provider of quality and performance data is key. I’m looking forward to cultivating relationships across the ecosystem as I head up DV’s team in Northern Europe at what is a pivotal moment for the industry,” commented Reid.
Fuhrmann joins DV in a newly evolved role as a result of the EMEA team growing. He was previously Head of Networks & Emerging, Global Partnerships DACH at Google.
“2020 has shown that it is more important than ever to invest in the right solutions to achieve a secure, high-quality and reliable advertising environment – given fraudsters are becoming bolder, regulations are becoming stricter and consumer privacy is paramount,” said Fuhrmann. “Ad tech is an important piece of the puzzle and I am looking forward to shaping the discourse on brand safety, ad fraud, cookieless targeting and further topics across all channels and environments in DACH and Central Eastern Europe.”
Executive duo appointed at Inmarsat
Mobile satellite telecoms company Inmarsat has hired Barry French as Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, while elevating Jat Brainch to Chief Commercial & Product Officer.
French – formerly CMO at Nokia – will sharpen customer focus, drive customer engagement and revenue generation to the next level, ensure Inmarsat is an effective and engaged participant in key policy discussions, and further enhance employee engagement. He joined Nokia in 2006 as Head of Communications, prior to which he was Vice President of Corporate Communications at United Airlines and Director of Corporate Communications at Dell.
Brainch – previously Inmarsat’s Senior Vice President of Group Commercial Management – will be responsible for Inmarsat’s evolving commercial and product strategy and roadmap and to ensuring that the company continues to lead the industry in advanced, customer-centric products and services that are designed specifically for mobility and Government users. Prior to joining Inmarsat in 2019, she held senior roles in telecoms and technology brands including Logica Group (now part of CGI), Telefonica Europe, and T-Mobile (UK).
“To make Inmarsat a truly customer-centric organisation, a key driver is to have the company’s marketing expertise combined under one individual at the executive level. I am therefore delighted that Barry French, a world-class marketing and communications professional, is able to join us in what promises to be an exciting and transformational journey,” said Inmarsat CEO Rajeev Suri.
“I am also delighted that Jat Brainch will be taking up the vital executive-level CCPO role, which is central to our ability to successfully place the customer at the heart of everything we do. Since joining Inmarsat, Jat has made an invaluable contribution to the transformation of the business and brings with her a wealth of experience in delivering a customer-centric approach to commercial and product management.”
GroupM elevates Ruegger to president
Andrew Ruegger has been promoted to Global President of GroupM Commerce. He will scale commerce-focused products and services for clients to realise the data driven opportunities in expanding retail marketplaces and direct-to-consumer efforts. Ruegger also leads the group’s collaboration in WPP workstreams across commerce.
Ruegger is a GroupM veteran of over six years – the last two leading the group’s US commerce offering – with experience across data science, product, technology, strategy, innovation, eCommerce, SEO, and paid search.
“Over the last year, brands and platforms have re-evaluated every aspect of the retail ecosystem, from brand awareness drivers to a seamless transaction experience, to ‘last mile’ distribution channels,” said Ruegger. “Our GroupM network of more than 1,400 experts have market-leading knowledge in all commerce platforms, partners, and media investment options, giving them a specific understanding of how to drive sales for clients. GroupM commands unmatched commerce expertise around the world, designing and managing thousands of interactions and transactions daily, and I’m excited to be a part of it in this new capacity.”
Brightley joins Langland to direct on creative
Publicis Langland has welcomed Mike Brightley as its Creative Director.
Brightley boasts over 14 years of healthcare advertising experience, working at Ogilvy Healthworld, PAN and, most recently, as Associate Creative Director at TBWA\WorldHealth.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining Langland. I have been working towards this next step in my career for a while and was attracted by the agency’s ambitious vision, deep-rooted commitment to creative excellence and unique approach to healthcare communications,” said Brightley. “Their Think Further ethos encourages curiosity and inspires proactivity: vital traits for a thriving agency culture. I can’t wait to share ideas and experiences with the team, continue to push creative boundaries and deliver the best work of my career.”
OneFootball appoints OTT VP
Nikolaus von Doetinchem has been hired as Vice President of OTT Streaming & Media Rights at football media platform OneFootball. He will oversee the platforms live-streaming and on-demand content offering.
Von Doetinchem joins OneFootball on the back of more than 20 years working within the sports media rights industry and is currently serving as President of Media at SportFive, ahead of his arrival at OneFootball on 19 April.
“The football media landscape continues to rapidly evolve and OneFootball is perfectly positioned to work with rights owners, platforms and broadcasters to provide fans around the world with an unrivalled OTT streaming offering. I look forward to working alongside Lucas and the OneFootball team in the years ahead,” said Von Doetinchem.
Kinsella takes seat on Fenestra board
Programmatic platform Fenestra has added Colin Kinsella to its Board of Directors.
Kinsella led Havas in North America for the last more than four years. Prior to Havas, Colin he served as CEO of Mindshare North America. During his tenure, he managed client relationships across a diverse portfolio, including Volvo, American Express, Unilever, and Nordstrom, and orchestrated the global launch of The Loop.
“The global regulatory environment for digital advertising is changing rapidly, programmatic continues to grow exponentially and advertisers with their agencies are increasingly focused on understanding where their money is going, how it is getting there and how to maximise their business outcomes,” Kinsella said. “Ive spent my career dedicated to that endeavour. As an investor, Ive been blown away by what Fenestra has achieved so far and am excited to help them more actively step-up to the next level.”
Tinuiti adds trio to board
Kevin Mayer, Anneka Gupta, and George Gallate have all taken board spots at performance marketing firm Tinuiti.
Mayer —who over a 23-year career at Disney steered the launch of Disney Plus and led deals such as Pixar, Marvel Entertainment, Lucas Film and 21st Century Fox in addition to serving as CEO of TikTok —will support Tinuiti’s growth plan from acquisitions to global expansion and deepening expertise in emerging social, streaming, and OTT/CTV.
Gupta, President and Head of Products and Platforms at LiveRamp, will apply her cross-divisional product development and data transformation experience to support the evolution of Mobius, Tinuiti’s proprietary suite of AI-powered marketing intelligence and media activation technology.
Gallate, a previous board member and investor in Tinuiti, will help guide the company’s international expansion as well as their continued leadership across Amazon and the broader retail media landscape. He spent 27 years at Havas, serving as Global Chairman and CEO of Havas Digital, and is currently Principal of MKTG2.U.
Pike reeled in by Covatic
Covatic, an in-app experience platform, has hired Daniel Pike as Chief Product Officer. He will be focused on refining the product and delivering value to clients whilst expanding Covatic’s offering as it moves into new markets.
As Head of Strategy at the BBC, Pike led the strategic case for a transformational shift in the BBC’s £1.4bn commercial activities, including the launch of subscription video on demand (SVOD) offers in the UK and USA, the closure of BBC Store, and the acquisition of UKTV.
“What really marks Covatic out – and what really attracted me to them – is that they reject the idea that fantastic in-app experiences can only be achieved via compromises to privacy,” commented Pike. “My focus, as ever, will be on customer and end user requirements – generating insights; creating definable, measurable and targetable user groups; driving retention and growing engagement. Covatic’s offering is unique in the market. I’m looking forward to working closely with clients to drive growth by creating engaging experiences for consumers.”
Jaywing adds pair to senior leadership
Kay Henderson and Chris Langan have joined integrated agency Jaywing as Operations Manager and Organic Media Director, respectively.
Henderson has experience with startups, web-builds, and mobile marketing and was most recently Operations Manager at Fonemedia, where she oversaw a bespoke customisation of the agency’s CRM system.
“I’m really excited to get stuck into this role in Jaywing’s Performance and Media Science team,” said Henderson. “What drew me to Jaywing is the agency’s ethos of collaboration and creativity, which really aligns with me personally. I’m looking forward to the opportunity of making a positive impact on people’s working environment, whilst also helping the business to run more smoothly and efficiently.”
Langan was Search Director at McCann Connected, where he spent four years growing the agency’s organic media offering. He will look to use his expertise to improve integration at Jaywing and drive growth across search strategies.
“Joining Jaywing felt like an easy decision. The talent and skill of the agency is extraordinary, and there’s a real passion to grow and continually meet the challenges our clients face in this unpredictable world,” said Langan.
“The agency has a product that truly differentiates itself from the marketplace and driving Organic Media as a part of the agency vision will be a great experience for me and the team.”
Paley takes up CGO role at Aisle Rocket
Marketing agency Aisle Rocket has hired Mike Paley as its Chief Growth Officer. He will drive business development for Aisle Rocket as the agency positions for robust growth in 2021.
Prior to joining Aisle Rocket, Paley served as Senior Vice President, General Manager at Vestcom. Previously, he held agency leadership roles as Senior Vice President, Shopper Marketing & Experiential at The Marketing Arm/Omnicom and Chief Marketing Officer at Square One.
“I was drawn to Aisle Rocket because it’s uniquely rooted in technology and data that informs dynamic creative, UX and performance media,” Paley said. “The future belongs to agencies that understand how to apply data across all disciplines. Data is no longer limited to just targeting and analytics. Creative and UX is now impacted greatly by data as well. Blending data across disciplines while relying on technology, programmatic buying, and AI is an exciting place to be. I welcome the opportunity to leverage my experience while working with great people to drive quantifiable business results for our clients.”
MediaCom promotes Lim to CPO
Jason Lim has been elevated to the newly created role of Chief Planning Officer at MediaCom US. He will oversee the full audience planning product at MediaCom, directing exceptional strategies into exceptional media plans and measurable growth for clients.
In his 10 years so far at MediaCom, Lim has overseen the performance-based practice and was charged with accelerating and optimising the impact of marketing programs.
“I am thrilled to be leading the charge at MediaCom in ensuring excellence in our media planning, media delivery, and media performance across all brands. Ensuring we continue to drive growth efficiently and effectively in new and dynamic ways,” Lim said.
Crawford added to ChannelAdvisor board
ChannelAdvisor, a cloud-based eCommerce solutions provider, has appointed Linda Crawford to its Board of Directors.
A former Executive Vice President and CEO of Sales Cloud Products at Salesforce, former CEO of Helpshift, and former Chief Revenue Officer and Customer Officer of Optimizely, Crawford brings over two decades leadership experience to ChannelAdvisor.
“As a recognized and respected business leader in the software industry, Linda will provide valuable strategic insight to our Board,” said Timothy Buckley, Chairman of ChannelAdvisor. “Lindas guidance will be instrumental as we continue our work to scale our global leadership position in e-commerce. We are so pleased Linda has joined our Board of Directors, and believe she will be a tremendous asset to ChannelAdvisor.”
Contend names president after gaining independence
David Blaser has been appointed President at creative studio Contend following its ‘amicable split’ with Mosaic.
With more than 20 years of experience in the marketing world, with a client-side leadership role at Activision Publishing and in senior roles at leading ad agencies, including TBWA\Chiat\Day, AKQA, and 180 LA and Amsterdam, Blaser has a track record for delivering culturally impactful campaigns for brands including Nike, Playstation, Call of Duty, and Adidas.
“Having worked on both the agency and client sides of the business, Contend was an opportunity to do something different. Both Steven and I think this is the agency model of the future, with modular services that can break apart to fit a client’s needs, the creative freedom to stretch the boundaries and the flexibility to create custom solutions. We’re excited to see where it goes,” said Blaser.
Trio join Stationhead board
Stationhead, a social audio platform, has appointed Andrew McInnes, Bill Wesemann, and Avi Ellman to its Board of Directors.
McInees, Co-founder and CEO of TMWRK Management, will will bolster Stationhead’s ability to bring top talent to the platform, which has already hosted the likes of Trey Songz and Polo G.
Wesemann has experience serving in chief executive, sales leadership, and advisory roles at successful technology companies, including as an executive for Steve Jobs at NeXT computers. He is an early investor/advisor to Sonos, and a member of the board for LivePerson and Mylio.
Ellman, a Managing Partner at Delta Global, will bring his experience in live events to the board, having built and sold the largest liv event merchandiser in Latin America.
“Having Andrew McInnes, Bill Wesemann and Avi Ellman join our board adds another layer of invaluable expertise to the Stationhead team,” said Ryan Star, CEO of Stationhead. “As we move into the next phase of growth, these leaders will support Stationhead’s ambitious strategic plan to redefine radio and the future of social audio.”


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The Samsung Galaxy S23, the highly anticipated successor to the popular Galaxy S22, is rumored to come with a groundbreaking feature that will rival the iPhone 14. As technology continues to evolve, smartphones have become an integral part of our lives. With each new model, manufacturers strive to offer the latest innovations and advancements. Samsung, known for pushing the boundaries of mobile technology, is expected to incorporate a feature inspired by the iPhone 14 into the Galaxy S23. This is an exciting development that has generated a lot of buzz among tech enthusiasts and consumers alike. In this article, we will explore the potential feature and its implications for the future of mobile phones. So, buckle up and get ready for a glimpse into the cutting-edge world of the Samsung Galaxy S23.
Inside This Article
- Samsung Galaxy S23: What to Expect
- The iPhone 14 Feature Supported by Samsung Galaxy S23
Samsung Galaxy S23: What to Expect
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is one of the most highly anticipated smartphones of the year, and for good reason. Building on the success of its predecessors, the Galaxy S23 is expected to bring a host of innovative features and cutting-edge technology to the table. Samsung has always been at the forefront of smartphone advancements, and the Galaxy S23 is likely to continue this trend.
First and foremost, users can expect a stunning display on the Samsung Galaxy S23. Samsung is known for its high-quality OLED screens, and it is highly likely that the S23 will feature an even more vibrant and immersive display. Whether you are watching videos, playing games, or simply browsing the web, the Galaxy S23’s display is expected to deliver an exceptional visual experience.
Performance is another area where the Galaxy S23 is expected to excel. Equipped with a powerful processor and ample RAM, the S23 will be a multitasking powerhouse. From running demanding apps to gaming with high graphics settings, the Galaxy S23 will handle it all with ease. Additionally, the phone is likely to come with a large storage capacity, allowing users to store their files, photos, and videos without worrying about running out of space.
One of the standout features of the Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to be its camera setup. Samsung has consistently delivered impressive camera technology in its flagship devices, and the S23 will be no exception. With multiple lenses, including an ultra-wide angle lens and a telephoto lens, users can capture stunning photos and videos from various perspectives. The S23 is also expected to offer advanced photography features such as improved low-light performance and optical image stabilization.
In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to feature a sleek and premium look. Samsung has never compromised on the design aspect of its flagship devices, and the S23 is expected to be no different. With slim bezels and a seamless display, the S23 will offer a visually appealing aesthetic. Additionally, the phone is likely to be made with high-quality materials that give it a premium feel in the hand.
Connectivity will also be a key aspect of the Samsung Galaxy S23. It is expected to support 5G network capabilities, allowing for faster download and streaming speeds. This means that users will be able to enjoy lag-free browsing, seamless streaming, and quick file transfers.
Other features that can be expected from the Galaxy S23 include an improved battery life, fast charging capabilities, and an enhanced software experience. Samsung is known for offering long-lasting battery performance, and the S23 is likely to have a battery that can easily get users through a full day of use. Additionally, the phone is likely to support fast charging, allowing users to quickly recharge their device when needed.
The iPhone 14 Feature Supported by Samsung Galaxy S23
As technology continues to evolve, it is not uncommon for smartphone manufacturers to take inspiration from each other’s innovations. One such example is the collaboration between Apple and Samsung, where Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to support a key feature from the upcoming iPhone 14.
The feature in question revolves around the device’s camera capabilities. Rumor has it that the iPhone 14 will introduce a groundbreaking camera system that includes a pro-grade sensor, improved image stabilization, and advanced photography software. This feature is expected to set a new standard for smartphone photography.
Samsung, known for pushing the boundaries of mobile photography, seems eager to embrace this cutting-edge feature in its Galaxy S23. By integrating it into their flagship device, Samsung aims to offer its users an enhanced photography experience, rivaling that of the iPhone 14.
With this feature, users can expect stunning image clarity, vibrant colors, and precise details in every photo they capture. Whether it’s capturing breathtaking landscapes, capturing memories with loved ones, or experimenting with creative photography, the Samsung Galaxy S23 equipped with the iPhone 14 feature is poised to deliver exceptional results.
Not only will the Samsung Galaxy S23 support this advanced camera technology, but it is also expected to bring further improvements to the table. With Samsung’s track record of incorporating industry-leading camera features, users can anticipate additional enhancements such as improved low-light performance, expanded zoom capabilities, and augmented reality (AR) photography options.
It’s worth noting that while the Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to support the iPhone 14 feature, it will still retain its unique Samsung touch. This means users can expect the seamless integration of this cutting-edge camera technology with Samsung’s user-friendly interface and a host of other innovative features.
Overall, the inclusion of the iPhone 14 feature in the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a testament to the fierce competition and cross-pollination of ideas within the smartphone industry. It speaks to the commitment of both Apple and Samsung in pushing the boundaries of what is possible in mobile photography.
Whether you’re an avid photographer or simply someone who enjoys capturing life’s moments, the Samsung Galaxy S23 with the iPhone 14 feature promises to offer an unrivaled photography experience that will elevate your smartphone photography to new heights.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is poised to be a game-changing device in the world of mobile phones. With its rumored support for the iPhone 14 feature, it is expected to wow consumers with its enhanced functionality and seamless user experience. As technology continues to advance, smartphones are becoming more than just communication devices. They have evolved into essential tools that cater to our everyday needs.
The Samsung Galaxy S23 reflects this trend, offering state-of-the-art features and cutting-edge technology. From its powerful processor to its stunning display and advanced camera capabilities, this flagship phone is designed to deliver top-notch performance and elevate our digital lives.
Whether you use your phone for work, entertainment, or staying connected with loved ones, the Samsung Galaxy S23 is poised to exceed your expectations. With its integration of the iPhone 14 feature, it will set a new standard for smartphone capabilities and solidify its position as a leader in the industry.
So, get ready to experience a new level of innovation with the Samsung Galaxy S23. Stay connected, capture precious moments, and immerse yourself in a world of endless possibilities with this remarkable device.
Q: What is the expected release date of the Samsung Galaxy S23?
A: While there is no official release date yet, Samsung typically unveils its flagship Galaxy S series smartphones in the first quarter of the year. Therefore, it is anticipated that the Samsung Galaxy S23 will be launched sometime in early 2023.
Q: Will the Samsung Galaxy S23 come with 5G connectivity?
A: Yes, it is almost certain that the Samsung Galaxy S23 will support 5G connectivity. As 5G networks continue to expand and become more widely available, it is expected that most high-end smartphones, including the Galaxy S23, will offer 5G capabilities.
Q: What are the rumored features of the Samsung Galaxy S23?
A: While concrete details are scarce, there are a few rumors circulating about the potential features of the Samsung Galaxy S23. Some of the speculated features include a powerful processor, enhanced camera capabilities, an immersive display with a high refresh rate, and a larger battery capacity for improved longevity.
Q: Will the Samsung Galaxy S23 have an improved biometric authentication system?
A: It is highly likely that the Samsung Galaxy S23 will feature an enhanced biometric authentication system. Samsung has been steadily improving its biometric technology over the years, and it is expected that the Galaxy S23 will introduce advanced security measures such as under-display fingerprint scanning or face recognition with improved accuracy.
Q: How much will the Samsung Galaxy S23 cost?
A: As with previous Galaxy S series models, pricing for the Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to vary depending on the storage capacity and variant chosen. However, it is anticipated to fall within the premium price range, comparable to other flagship smartphones on the market.


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Cocktails in a CAN are now Britain's secret vice: After Diane Abbott was spotted swigging one on a train, how Britons are now drinking £440million of them a year
- Shadow Home Secretary was snapped sipping a mojito on a train over weekend
- She said sorry but figures show she is not alone in enjoying a cocktail on the go
- Stores sell millions of them a year, with one chain stocking 60 different varieties
Living in these vexed times, our ruling class has rarely seemed so distant from the people. So let's raise a brimming glass to Diane Abbott for chancing upon a way to connect with the Great British public.
The Shadow Home Secretary made headlines at the weekend after a picture emerged of her swigging from a can of Marks & Spencer mojito while taking a London Overground train across her constituency at around 1pm last Saturday.
Yet, while she issued a contrite apology, our bank holidaying nation appeared profoundly unbothered. If anything, voters appeared to be delighted, rather than concerned, that a woman with designs on running our justice system was illegally drinking alcohol on public transport (Transport for London banned booze on its network more than a decade ago).
Diane Abbott was snapped enjoying a cheeky cocktail on the go on a train over the weekend
The fact Ms Abbott was apparently doing so alone, at lunchtime, barely seemed to register.
'I have never felt so represented' was one typically gleeful response to the controversy on Twitter. 'We've all done it!' declared another backer.
Meanwhile, Labour activists flooded social media with images of themselves supportively quaffing turquoise cans of the drink on trains and buses, under the hashtag #mojitogate, while more than 5,000 people have pledged on Facebook to 'sip a cheeky mojito' on the capital's Underground train system in solidarity.
In sweltering Central London, reports soon emerged that M&S branches had begun to sell out of the £2.25 product, which contains two measures of rum, is 8 per cent alcohol by volume and, according to a drinks critic employed by modish website Vice, 'tastes like old mint tea and is super-sweet . . . my teeth hurt after one sip'.
Stores now stock a wide variety of cocktails in a can, including a pina colada
Images of empty in-store refrigerators went viral, prompting calls for the British retailer to build its next advertising campaign around the thirsty Corbynista and MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington. Abbott had, in other words, struck a chord.
But, in truth, we shouldn't be surprised. For, while some prefer to make their aperitifs themselves, it turns out Abbott's tipple of choice — budget, ready-mixed cocktails, usually sold in tin cans — have, in recent years, spawned quite the trend.
Known in the trade by the acronym 'RTD', meaning 'ready to drink', the UK market for these often sickly-sweet products is currently worth £440 million a year, according to analysis by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.
That's more than ten times the market's £40 million value a decade ago and equates to around £15 for each of Britain's adult drinkers.
Cheap, refreshing and designed to appeal to the masses (especially younger drinkers with a sweet tooth), one might even argue that they've quietly replaced alcopops as our secret vice.
Indeed, in the U.S., where overall alcohol sales are falling by just under 1 per cent a year, industry tracker IWSR reckons millennials are helping the RTD market to expand by 6 per cent each year. On any trip to a major supermarket, one can see the effect writ large.
Ocado sells 53 ready-mixed cocktails, from Kahlua Espresso Style Martini to Malibu Pineapple Caribbean Rum with Coconut. Asda stocks 60, including a Baileys Iced Coffee Latte (nearly 20g of sugar per can) and a Southern Comfort Lemonade & Lime that channels 'the spirit of New Orleans'.
Left: A sign explaining the introduction of the alcohol ban on public transport. Right: Diane's favourite tipple: a mojito
Waitrose, meanwhile, knocks out tinnies of gin mixed with middle-class staples such as elderflower and Sicilian lemon, and Pink Dry Gin, which consumers are exhorted to 'garnish with fresh strawberries'.
'In the past few years, these canned drinks have really evolved from being full of fairly rubbish stuff into being quite smart,' says Helen McGinn, doyenne of the Daily Mail's Knackered Mothers' Wine Club. 'They have been 'premiumised' and become, dare I say it, rather respectable.'
Nowhere is that trend more evident than at Marks & Spencer, supplier of choice to the nation's picnickers and historic arbiter of Middle England's changing tastes.
Rise of the canned cocktails
Marks & Spencer's ready to drink mojito in a can costs £2.25 and contains an alcohol level of 8%.
Other cocktails offered are the cosmopolitan, and last year the retailer launched its porn star martini in a can.
Tesco offers a 4% own-brand 250ml canned Cosmopolitan for just £1 a can - described as a 'carbonated lime, orange and cranberry flavour drink with vodka'.
Ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails have been popping up in retailers across the country in recent years, and spirit brands have started offering their own versions of canned liqueurs with mixer.
Asda offers a 330ml Jack Daniels whiskey and cola in a can (£1.80 or four for £5) and Gordon's premium pink distilled gin and tonic (£1.70 or four for £5).
Waitrose shoppers can buy a 'made for two' pre-mixed 200ml Kahlua Espresso Martini for £1.90, consisting of 29,8% coffee, 9,5% coffee liqueur and 0.6% Vodka.
Its Foodhalls located in major stations (RTDs are, as Abbott has demonstrated, particularly popular with rail travellers) now have refrigerators devoted to canned cocktails.
These are filled with colourful tins of such exotic-sounding concoctions as Blackberry Gin Bramble and Woo Woo (vodka with cranberry juice and peach flavouring), along with classic cocktails such as the Harvey Wallbanger, Cosmo, Bloody Mary and whisky with ginger ale.
There's also a range of gin and tonics (regular and slimline) sold at three price-points: a 'budget' offering, a mid-market selection and a premium array of 'small-batch' gin and tonics, with highfalutin themes such as 'spice' and 'zest'.
The more adventurous can also purchase a £2 Porn Star Martini in a can. Its launch before Christmas was overshadowed by controversy as aficionados of the drink — a mixture including vodka and passion fruit juice popularised by fly-on-the-wall TV shows Geordie Shore and The Only Way Is Essex — say it should properly be served with a shot glass of prosecco on the side.
Analysts, for their part, sum up the reasons behind this trend in a single word: convenience.
Put simply, modern consumers are less likely to want to bother mixing their own drinks, filling ice trays, slicing lemons and washing up glassware, when they can merely crack open a can.
And if they're drinking on the hoof (as more and more seem to) convenience is more important still. Punters attending a music festival or filling a picnic hamper, for example, find it far easier to bring along a few cans than to pack wine bottles, corkscrews and plastic tumblers. And, while a ready-made Pimm's may not match a properly assembled version of the classic summer drink, complete with sliced lemon, strawberries and mint, it makes for a passable alternative.
Advances in packaging technology have also helped, because modern cans are far less likely to lend a metallic 'taint' to drinks (which also explains why so many trendy craft ales are now sold in cans, rather than bottles).
What's more, environmentalists prefer them to plastic and glass alternatives because cans are more easily recycled.
Ms Abbott said she was 'sincerely sorry' for drinking the Marks and Spencer cocktail after the photo was made public
Intriguingly, RTDs have been around for more than 30 years. In 1984, James Burrough, the firm that owned Beefeater gin, announced it would launch a canned gin and tonic, retailing for a princely 99p.
And the following year, Britvic released a range of ready-mixed cocktails with a relatively low alcohol content.
It wasn't until the mid-Nineties that the trend really took off, however, thanks to sugary lemonade products called Hooch and Two Dogs, which created an entirely new drinks sector, known as alcopops.
By the early 2000s, the market for these drinks was worth a whopping £1.3 billion, but brands also found themselves on borrowed time, being widely pilloried for appealing to children by producing products with bright packaging, a high sugar content and low prices.
In 2004, with regulators circling, demand dropped off a cliff.
Smirnoff Ice lost 12 per cent of its market share almost overnight. Diageo, until recently the world's largest distiller, was forced to scrap several RTDs, including Captain Morgan Gold, a budget rum-based product, and Gordon's Edge, a take on gin and lemon, losing tens of millions of pounds in the process.
The comeback started a few years later, when the drinks industry began to experiment with RTDs — previously cheap, mass-market products — for more sophisticated consumers.
Initially, the trend was met with stiff resistance.
Asda supermarket chain now sells 60 different varieties of cocktails in a can
A famous 2009 episode of TV's Dragon's Den saw a Surrey entrepreneur called James Nash unveil Le Froglet, a range of French wines sold in single-serve plastic glasses with a tear-off lid.
He offered the investors a 25 per cent share in his business for £250,000, but got short shrift. Dragon Duncan Bannatyne was particularly dismissive, saying: 'People don't want to buy wine in plastic glasses like that with a seal on top. For that reason, I'm out.'
It was, however, a costly mistake: Le Froglet quickly started selling out in M&S and remains on its shelves.
Meanwhile, in a curious example of things coming full circle, traditional drinks are seeking to exploit the success of RTDs.
Premium beer brand Peroni is soon to launch its product in thin metal cans (modelled on the M&S cocktail range), while Waitrose will this summer begin to sell an upmarket rosé wine — Mirabeau en Provence — in what the producer calls 'canettes'.
'It's a lifestyle thing,' is how Mirabeau's founder, Stephen Cronk, puts it. 'Since more of us live alone, it's also good to make it in a format that means you can just open a glass of wine, rather than a whole bottle.
'People want their drinks to be portable, too, so they can bring them to concerts, festivals, picnics and other special occasions.'
Or, indeed, on a lunchtime train journey across North London.


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A WREXHAM area bakery has clinched a deal with the UK’s biggest supermarket chain.
The Village Bakery, at Minera, is supplying 11 Tesco stores in North Wales with nine of the bakery’s products – including white and brown bread, barm cakes, fruit scones and tea cakes.
If they prove popular with shoppers, it’s hoped to expand the range and grow the Village Bakery business further.
Mark Grant, Tesco’s senior buying manager for Wales, said: “The Village Bakery came very highly recommended as a great bakery by one of our other suppliers in North Wales.
“When we went to see the Village Bakery we were very impressed with the operation.”
Robin Jones, joint managing director of the Village Bakery, said: “They are the number one retailer in the UK and to get our products onto their shelves where more people can pick them up is really good news.”


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Bell Helicopter announces Bell 429 sales in Poland
Bell Helicopter has announced the sale of two Bell 429 helicopters to private Polish customers. Both helicopters will be configured as corporate aircraft; these will be the first Bell 429s to be delivered in Poland.
The deal became official during a formal signing ceremony at the recent Farnborough International Airshow. The agreement was signed on behalf of Bell Helicopter by JB Investments Ltd., the company’s independent representative in Poland.
Patrick Moulay, Bell Helicopter’s managing director for Europe, said:“After the successful sale of three Bell 407GX units in Poland, we are very excited to introduce the Bell 429 to the region.”
“The capabilities of the Bell 429 not only allow for exceptional performance in the most demanding of flying situations, but provide operators and passengers with a high level of luxury and comfort during every trip,” Moulay added.
Jan Borowski, owner of JB Investments said: “I am glad our customers have put their trust in us and the Bell Helicopter brand. We look forward to further increasing sales of the Bell 429 in Poland as we continue to showcase its unique characteristics and world-class customer support.”
Both Bell 429s will be delivered in the first half of 2015.


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WASHINGTON — Americans are hunkering down and saving more. For a recession-battered economy, it couldn’t be happening at a worse time.
Economists call it the “paradox of thrift.” What’s good for individuals – spending less, saving more – is bad for the economy when everyone does it.
On Friday, the government reported Americans’ savings rate, rose to 2.9 percent in the last three months of 2008. That’s up sharply from 1.2 percent in the third quarter and less than 1 percent a year ago.
It is good that Americans are saving more. Unfortunately, as we learn from above, it’s at the expense of the overall economy. When people save, it decreases the demand for products. When the demand for products goes down, companies adjust by producing less (this usually leads to layoffs). It will be a painful road for many this year but eventually President Obama and his economic team will help guide our economy back to normal levels.
What kind of economy do Americans want for the long term? It is back to our old way of spending with little savings (and lots of debt)? Or will this teach us a lesson about the importance of saving and not spending as much on “useless toys”. A colleague in the Political Science department believes Americans will go back to their normal spending ways after this crisis ends. He says history has shown that is the case with us. What do you think?


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For months, we’ve been following the bizarre saga of Roberto Escobar (Pablo Escobar’s brother) trying to peddle Escobar-branded folding smartphones. At first, tech reviewers like Marques Brownlee pointed out that Escobar Inc was actually just repackaging the Samsung Galaxy Fold and that most orders were never delivered. Now Escobar Inc has a new offering -- refurbished iPhone 11 Pros for $499. The company is also coming clean about its intentions to make Robert Escobar “the overstock king-pin.”
In an announcement today, the company said it is selling a limited-run of “formerly damaged” iPhone 11 Pros with 256 GB. The phones have been repaired and “gold-plated.” Though if they’re anything like the Escobar Fold 2 (aka Galaxy Fold) that Brownlee got a hold of, that gold-plating is more like an aluminum foil sticker. Allegedly, the phones will ship with original Apple accessories, “such as the cable, charger and headphones.” Escobar Inc has engraved its logo on the back, and if the phone actually arrives, it will come in a “luxury wooden box.”
"This is my way of fighting Apple, I sell their phones at a lower price and mine are gold-plated with nice girls showing them off. Apple can never do that," Roberto Escobar said in a (lewd) statement — the company’s YouTube channel is full of women in lingerie holding and smashing smartphones. Apparently Escobar has also filed a lawsuit against Apple seeking $2.6 billion.
What it all really comes down to is this: “Our goal is to uphold Mr. Escobar's dreams of becoming the overstock king-pin and this is one step towards that direction," said Escobar Inc. CEO Olof Gustafsson.
Personally, that’s not a cause I want to donate $499 to -- and I do consider it a donation because it’s likely that only tech reviewers and influencers will ever receive the device. Though, some people may gamble for the chance to get the iPhone 11 Pro for $499 instead of its current retail price of $999.


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SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A Normal Heights grocery store is shut down Friday because of cockroaches found on site and other health code concerns.
San Diego County Department of Environmental Health inspectors conducted a report January 31 at Pancho Villa Farmers Market at 3245 El Cajon Blvd., owned by Stephen Boney.
The food inspection report indicated the following health code violations:
- At least 10 live cockroaches, including an adult with an egg case and nymphs in the deli areas.
- Potentially hazardous foods kept at unsafe temperatures
- Cooked food being cooled in a bulk container in a walk-in cooler
- An employee cleaning silverware with soiled sanitizer solution that contained food debris
- Grease built up on equipment in the deli including the cooking wok, hot case, and counters
- Grease built up on the floor and wall through the deli area
- Soiled wiping clothes used on the counter and with soiled sanitizing buckets
- Walk-in cooler with an ambient temperature of 48 degrees
- No thermometer available to monitor internal food temperature
The health inspector ordered the facility to be closed immediately due to the vermin infestation. The market will not be reopened without written approval from the County.


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Sad news for Michigan’s medical marijuana patients and providers: “dispensaries” are no longer allowed by law. Medical marijuana itself is still legal, however, but they’ll have to start calling them by another name.
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) released a notice on Monday, barring the use of 16 specific words which medical cannabis facilities can no longer use, among them “dispensary,” as reported by WBCK. The full list of no-no MMJ words are as follows:
- doctor of pharmacy
- pharmacy intern
- pharmacy technician
- licensed pharmacy technician
- certified pharmacy technician
- medicine store
Barring many of these words makes a kind of sense, given that medical cannabis facilities are not generally run by medical professionals and it is arguably not in the public’s best interest to be led to believe they’re buying FDA-regulated medicine.
However, the inclusion of some words on the list arguably defy common sense. “Dispensary,” for one, has become shorthand for “medical marijuana provider” in Michigan and much of the rest of the country, so suddenly outlawing the term is more likely to cause confusion than clarity.
LARA’s advisory bulletin says that the term “provisioning center” is just fine when it comes to MMJ establishments. The bulletin, however, gets oddly specific in the wording of this new regulation. As reported by High Times, the advisory reads in part:
“… the term ‘provisioning center’ includes any commercial property where marihuana [emphasis ours] is sold at retail to registered qualifying patients or registered primary caregivers.”
That spelling of the word “marijuana” with an “h” is apparently par for the course in Michigan, where it is used in all cannabis-related government documents, according to the Detroit Free Press. It is also used in many a federal cannabis regulation, including the STATES Act bill introduced last week which could potentially decriminalize cannabis at the federal level in states which already legalized it.
Maybe there’s a silver lining to the cloud, though. At least now you can pretend you’re in olden times when you’re in Michigan and you go to your local “provisioning center” to acquire your “marihuana.”
Photo via Flickr user Kate Ter Haar


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Equities analysts forecast that Mohawk Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MHK) will announce sales of $1.76 billion for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks. Seven analysts have provided estimates for Mohawk Industries’ earnings. The lowest sales estimate is $1.67 billion and the highest is $1.80 billion. Mohawk Industries posted sales of $2.58 billion in the same quarter last year, which would indicate a negative year-over-year growth rate of 31.8%. The business is expected to announce its next earnings report on Thursday, July 23rd.
According to Zacks, analysts expect that Mohawk Industries will report full year sales of $8.30 billion for the current fiscal year, with estimates ranging from $7.88 billion to $8.51 billion. For the next year, analysts forecast that the business will post sales of $8.71 billion, with estimates ranging from $8.08 billion to $9.47 billion. Zacks’ sales calculations are an average based on a survey of sell-side research analysts that follow Mohawk Industries.
Mohawk Industries (NYSE:MHK) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 4th. The company reported $1.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $1.67 by ($0.01). Mohawk Industries had a return on equity of 8.75% and a net margin of 7.47%. The firm had revenue of $2.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.29 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.13 earnings per share. Mohawk Industries’s revenue for the quarter was down 6.4% on a year-over-year basis.
A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on MHK. SunTrust Banks boosted their price target on shares of Mohawk Industries from $98.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered shares of Mohawk Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $110.00 to $74.00 in a research note on Friday, April 3rd. Deutsche Bank lowered shares of Mohawk Industries from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $85.00 to $77.00 in a research note on Tuesday, June 23rd. Royal Bank of Canada lowered shares of Mohawk Industries from a “sector perform” rating to an “underperform” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $73.00 to $70.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Mohawk Industries from $128.00 to $84.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 31st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $105.22.
NYSE MHK traded up $1.39 during trading on Friday, reaching $101.19. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 18,285 shares, compared to its average volume of 948,652. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 0.84 and a current ratio of 1.61. The firm has a market cap of $6.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.78, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.53. Mohawk Industries has a twelve month low of $56.62 and a twelve month high of $156.60. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $92.83 and its 200-day moving average price is $107.14.
In other Mohawk Industries news, insider Cock Paul F. De sold 4,453 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $84.28, for a total value of $375,298.84. Following the sale, the insider now owns 23,175 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,953,189. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Suzanne L. Helen sold 13,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $97.74, for a total transaction of $1,329,264.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 18.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Procyon Private Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in shares of Mohawk Industries in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC acquired a new position in shares of Mohawk Industries in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board raised its position in shares of Mohawk Industries by 510.1% in the first quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 421 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 352 shares during the last quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC raised its position in shares of Mohawk Industries by 70.3% in the fourth quarter. Quadrant Capital Group LLC now owns 540 shares of the company’s stock valued at $69,000 after buying an additional 223 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Penserra Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Mohawk Industries by 84.2% in the fourth quarter. Penserra Capital Management LLC now owns 608 shares of the company’s stock valued at $80,000 after buying an additional 278 shares during the last quarter. 76.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Mohawk Industries
Mohawk Industries, Inc designs, manufactures, sources, distributes, and markets flooring products for remodeling and new constructions of residential and commercial spaces worldwide. It operates through three segments: Global Ceramic, Flooring North America (Flooring NA), and Flooring Rest of the World (Flooring ROW).
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Elon Musk, who owns Twitter, changed the famous bird image to an “X” on Monday as part of a big rebranding plan that he announced on the social media site over the weekend.
Musk bought the platform for $44 billion at the end of last year. In a post on Sunday, he said the company would soon “say goodbye to the Twitter brand and, slowly, all the birds.” Since Monday, X.com leads to Twitter’s home page, but Twitter.com is still up and running. For many users, the app’s branding hasn’t changed yet.
Musk wants the platform to become what he has called an “everything app.” The change from Twitter to X shows how he plans to make that happen. In a post on Sunday, Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino said that X will be “centred on audio, video, messaging, payments/banking.” She also said that artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to run the site.
According to court documents, the company’s change to X started in April, when Twitter Inc. became X Corp.
Musk, who is the company’s executive chairman and chief technology officer (CTO), said on Monday that tweets will now be called “x’s.” When asked what retweets would be called, he wrote that the “concept should be rethought.”
Our headquarters tonight pic.twitter.com/GO6yY8R7fO
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2023
On Monday, he posted a picture of the X logo being shown in the company’s offices.
The CEO of Tesla wrote on Sunday that he likes the letter “x.” His other business ventures show that he has always liked the letter “x.” Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, also has an X as its logo, and he just started a new artificial intelligence company called xAI with the lofty goal of “understanding the true nature of the universe.”
Musk also helped start PayPal, which used to be called X.com but changed its name in 2001. In 2017, he bought the name back from PayPal.


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Viral People Are Driving for Hours to Meet This 'Hot Santa'
— Evelyn Hannon (@Journeywoman) November 27, 2015
Women in Canada are flocking to a mall to see a man known as “Fashion Santa.”
Forget the trademark paunch and gold-framed glasses. The Santa at Toronto’s Yorkdale Mall is a slim, smoldering professional model, who specializes in taking selfies.
— Jennifer Valentyne (@JennValentyne) November 27, 2015
“It’s a modern spin on the typical Santa photos,” the model, Paul Mason, said in a promotional interview.
Rather than the traditional red suit, this Santa is decked out in a burgundy velvet blazer, a checkered scarf, and even a waist-cinching belt.
— Mary (@rosesandshoes) December 8, 2015
Thankfully, all the chatter is going to a good cause.
Each Santa selfie with the hashtag #YorkdaleFashionSanta will raise $1 to the SickKids Foundation.
Anna Kooiman responded to the hysteria on “Fox and Friends,” calling Fashion Santa “a silver fox.”
What’s your reaction? Let us know in the comments.


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A freight train loaded with cars, accessories, food and clothing set off Wednesday from north China's Tianjin Municipality to Ulan Bator, Mongolia.
China will further bolster trade and investments with countries along the Belt and Road, among other efforts to facilitate foreign trade against pandemic challenges, officials said Monday.
The chief of a China-Belarus industrial park is confident about the two countries' cooperation in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), especially in the development of the park.
The second phase of the CPEC is crucial for the economic development of Pakistan, local media quoted Chairman of CPEC Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa as saying on Thursday.
A total of 3,000 cargo trains have been operated from the city of Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, to cities in Europe and Asia as of Wednesday.
Heilongjiang Province in the northeastern China saw its trade with countries along the Belt and Road (B&R) at 35.83 billion yuan (about 5 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter, down 4 percent year on year.
Central China's Hunan Province saw its trade with countries along the Belt and Road amounted to 123.04 billion yuan (17.8 billion U.S. dollars) in 2019, surging 53.6 percent year on year, local customs said Thursday.s
Nearly 100 young people from more than 30 countries and regions gathered in east China's Jiangsu to discuss ways of deepening cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
An international translation contest focusing on the Belt and Road (B&R) kicked off Saturday in the city of Sanya, south China's Hainan Province.s


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Electric vehicle owners may soon be able to recharge their cars in less than 10 minutes.
A ‘super-battery’ that adds 200 miles of charge in under 10 minutes has been invented.
Engineers have developed a self-heating battery capable of filling up an electric car in a matter of minutes – and it’s cheaper.
The discovery will be welcomed by the UK’s 30,000 electric vehicle drivers who currently have to wait over an hour for a full charge.
Penn State University
Professor Chao-Yang Wang, of Penn State University in the US, said: “Electric vehicle owners may soon be able to pull into a fuelling station, plug their car in, go to the restroom, get a cup of coffee and in 10 minutes, drive out with a fully charged battery.
“We demonstrated that we can charge an electric vehicle in ten minutes for a 200 to 300 mile range.
“And we can do this maintaining 2,500 charging cycles, or the equivalent of half a million miles of travel.”
Current lithium-ion batteries charge at ambient temperatures and so depend on external heaters.
They also cannot absorb energy quickly without damaging their “anodes”, which reduces the battery’s life.
Prof Wang said: “Scientists have recognised the need to design electric vehicle batteries capable of charging extremely fast in order to meet the needs of drivers.”
Self-heating nickel structure
The engineers used a “self-heating nickel structure” to bring the battery up to 60 degrees Celsius in less than 30 seconds, allowing it to quickly absorb energy.
They then cool and discharge the battery after ten minutes, before checking the anodes were still intact.
Prof Wang said: “In the past, it was universally believed that lithium ion batteries should avoid operating at high temperatures due to the concern of accelerated side reactions.
“This study suggests that the benefits of mitigated lithium plating at the elevated temperature with limited exposure time far outweigh the negative impact associated with exacerbated side reactions.”
The new technology, which relies on over-the-counter materials, has already been tested in large-scale cells, modules and battery packs.
Eliminating the need for the external heaters reduces production costs, despite the nickel structure.
Prof Wang added: “We are working to charge an energy-dense electric vehicle battery in five minutes without damaging it.
“This will require highly stable electrolytes and active materials in addition to the self-heating structure we have invented.
“The 10-minute trend is for the future and is essential for adoption of electric vehicles because it solves the range anxiety problem.”
The findings were published in the journal Joule.


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Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier will receive an update tomorrow, causing the game’s servers to go offline for a period of maintenance. While the update doesn’t look like it will take too long, Square Enix has explained that the end time is subject to change if new problems crop up.
The update will occur tomorrow at 5 PM PT and last for four hours until 9 PM PT. It will address the most significant problem fans have had with the game since the last major update: matchmaking. Since the previous update, it’s been almost impossible for players to get into a match, though it’s not clear if this is to do with server issues or the game itself.
Matchmaking in Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier usually times out after two minutes. However, matchmaking has been taking so long that most players haven’t been able to get into a game unless they press start to begin matchmaking at least five times consecutively. This makes the game virtually unplayable, particularly for those with limited time.
The official notes for this update list only the matching logic in the game, showing that the developers are aware of the issue and are actively trying to fix it. Hopefully, this update helps bring those matchmaking times down.


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All around the world, people look at factory farming and see cruelty, wastage and destruction. So why does it still exist? We lift the lid on the entangled web of confusion, collusion and chaos that keeps this archaic system alive.
“If a naughty boy pulls feathers out of a single chicken, he’s punished. But scald hundreds of thousands of chickens alive each year? That’s a business model.” Journalist Nicholas Kristof’s searing words from a recent New York Times piece perfectly highlight the nonsense that is factory farming. So why, if it’s so nonsensical, does it still exist? To answer that, we have to go back to the start.
The rush for food
In post-war Britain, food was scarce and a booming population served only to increase the demand for nourishment. Then something profound happened to our food system: animals started being moved off the land into sheds and cages, crammed into increasingly tight spaces. The vision was simple: do more with less.
Fast forward to 1964 when Stanley Baker, The Guardian’s agricultural correspondent, wrote an article that summed up this gung-ho attitude towards intensification that still – to a large extent – exists today: “Factory farming, whether we like it or not, has come to stay. The tide will not be held back...”, he famously asserted.
Selling snake oil
As we know, of course, the “do more with less” ideal turned out to be nothing more than snake oil. Factory farming is a profoundly inefficient way to feed the planet, and brings a whole host of other problems to boot. But the illusion remains, with factory farming not only surviving, but thriving.
Learning from the past
In order to fix our farming, it’s important to understand why factory farming remains; why Stanley Baker’s chilling prediction has so far been proved right, despite the vast body of evidence stacked against the system. As it turns out, there are several reasons, which work together to keep us locked into this system of food production. Here they are.
- Sugar-coating the truth: The banning of veal crates (2007), battery cages (2012) and sow stalls (2013) in the EU were animal-welfare milestones, but they allowed the industrial-farming lobby to peddle the lie that the crueller aspects of the industry were a thing of the past. The reality is that “enriched” cages – offering only a slight improvement in welfare – and farrowing crates are widely used, while sow stalls are still allowed in the first month of pregnancy.
- Hiding behind meaningless laws: Though laws can be useful in enforcing basic welfare standards (like the bans referred to above), they are often couched in extremely broad terms and can be very hard to enforce. Industry advocates regularly use this legislation to reassure the public that their animal-welfare concerns are groundless, when often the regulations have no practical impact. In short, laws often serve to protect the industry, rather than the animals.
- Ignoring the case for animal welfare: While scientific research and evidence is a crucial part of animal-welfare policy-making, it has its limitations when it comes to ethical considerations, which are notoriously hard to measure and therefore often ignored. This neglect of hard-to-measure aspects – from a lack of fresh air and daylight to stress and anxiety – has resulted in an arguably restricted view of what constitutes good welfare.
- Discounting the damage: Though some costs of producing intensive meat and dairy – for example, feed, housing and veterinary care – are borne by the farmer and the end consumer, there are also huge “hidden” costs, such as ecological destruction and failing human health, that are borne by taxpayers and future generations. We need an economic system that reflects the true costs of factory farming by factoring these “externalities” into shop prices.
- Prioritising value over values: Though a country’s GDP (gross domestic product) is a measure of its economic status, it fails to measure individual wellbeing. Factory farming is stuck in a similar “quantitative” mindset, focusing on productivity, efficiencies, costs and margins. We need a way of thinking about food and farming that recognises the system’s more “qualitative” aspects, such as animal welfare, the nutritional quality of food and environmental impact.
- Keeping consumers in the dark: The food industry works hard to champion “cheap”, convenient food while hiding its dire impact on people, animals and the planet. Look no further than the bucolic images and misleading claims on food labels – “100% natural” and “farm fresh”, for example – to see this mass deception in action. We need more transparent labelling in the EU, with the farming methods clearly stated, allowing consumers to help shape the food system.
- Viewing animals as commodities: Animals are known to be sentient beings, yet the industry continues to treat them as machines. High growth rates in chickens increase the risk of lameness, the high productivity of laying hens causes osteoporosis and the pig industry’s drive to increase litter size results in high mortality rates among piglets. The industry’s recognition of animals as sentient beings is often nothing more than lip service.
- Misunderstanding the maths: Factory farming is not remotely efficient, despite what its advocates claim: its reliance on huge volumes of human-edible crops for animal feed is by far its most wasteful characteristic. To add insult to injury, growing these crops uses up land, water and energy, and has led to the existence of chemical-soaked monocultures. The result is poor soil quality, more pollution, carbon emissions, deforestation and biodiversity loss.
- Believing the hype: Industry advocates tell us that 70% more food must be produced in order to feed a world population of 9.6 billion in 2050, and that intensive farming is our only hope of achieving this. But this fixation with producing “70% more” fails to acknowledge that the planet’s natural resources – upon which our ability to produce food depends – are under threat and that we already have enough food to feed the projected population.
So there you have it: a complex, interlinked web of confusion, collusion and chaos that allows factory farming not only to survive, but also to thrive. Get a more detailed version of this article here.
We urgently need fresh thinking that allows society to develop a food system that provides healthy food for all, restores and enhances the natural resources on which agriculture depends, and respects the animals that provide our meat, milk and eggs. With your support, we're making serious progress.
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