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Rumours surrounding the next generation of consoles and what Microsoft has in store for us with their horizons expanding to the realms of streaming and what have you have been circulating for a number of months now, and thanks to a recent report by French outlet Jeuxvideo, they’ve been kicked up into an absolute frenzy again.
The outlet is reporting that Microsoft plans to reveal its plans for Project Scarlett, the name for their plans for the next generation of Xbox, in full at E3 2019. As per the report, Microsoft will be revealing the two previously rumoured variants for the next Xbox at E3 2019- currently codenamed Xbox Anaconda and Xbox Lockhart. While Lockhart is a cheaper, less powerful version of the variant, which is also completely digital and streaming-based and will not come with a disc drive, Anaconda will be the Xbox One X equivalent, coming with much more powerful hardware capabilities, and also including a disc drive.
There will be some commonalities across both variants of the hardware as far as specs are concerned. Both variants will have a CPU of custom 8 cores – 16 zen threads 2, as well as SSD hard drives of 1TB NVMe at 1+ GB/s. That’s where the similarities end, though. As per the report, the Xbox Lockhart will have a custom NAVI GPU of 4+ teraflops and 12GB of GDDR6 memory, while the Xbox Anaconda will have a custom NAVI GPU of 12+ teraflops and 16GB of GDDR6 memory.
According to the report, following their unveilings at E3 2019, Microsoft will be launching both variants of the next Xbox by the end of 2020. What’s interesting is that Halo Infinite, which would revealed at last year’s E3 without any target platforms or release date mentioned, is supposed to be a launch title for the next generation of Xbox, if the report is to be believed.
Though Halo Infinite is being saved for the next Xbox, though, Microsoft still has some stuff planned for the Xbox One. As per the report, other than the already announced Gears 5, Ninja Theory’s next game – which will be their first game since being acquired by Microsoft – is due out in early 2020.
Right now, it’s best to take these reports with a grain of salt, as is the case with any report of such nature, but it does give us some interesting hints about exciting things that could end up happening. Certainly, this would definitely be in line with Phil Spencer’s recent statements about Microsoft planning to go all out at E3 this year. Either way, stay tuned to GamingBolt, and we’ll keep you updated in case any new info comes our way.


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Headline inflation falls to 14-year low
Headline inflation ticked lower to 2.1% in January, falling to a fresh 14 year low, according to the latest consumer price index report released by the Namibia Statistics Agency.
Headline inflation surprised slightly to the downside in January due to a deflation in the housing,
water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-1.2% from 2.9%) coupled with a drop in educational inflation to 5.7% from 12% in the prior year. According to the Junior Analyst at Simonis Storm Securities, Indileni Nanghonga, better rainfall in the beginning of 2020 should support low prices in agricultural products, especially fruit and vegetables as well as cereals, which have increased in excess of 10% in 2019.
“For most countries, low inflation and stagnating economic growth would induce interest rate cuts. Namibia on the other hand, still has interest rates hovering at 6.50% as fiscal and credit risks creep in. Bank of Namibia is sitting on the 18 February and we expect an interest rate cut of 25bps as inflation risk subsides,” Nanghonga said.
Inflation in the water and electricity space stood at 3.8% and -1%, respectively in January 2020 and with the better rainfall this year there has been an uptick in the overall dam levels, currently at
20.9% of full capacity (lowest at 10% of full capacity in 2018). Subsequently, there are expectations in power generation specifically from the Ruacana Power Station.
PSG Namibia forecast is for inflation to tick somewhat higher from 3.8% in 2019 to 4% in 2020 due to expected upward pressure on food, fuel, and other administered prices.
“However, falling energy prices over the past month (the benchmark Brent crude oil price fell 12% in January) due to global demand concerns and heightened by the novel coronavirus outbreak, are a significant downside risk to our forecast,” Shelly Louw, Research Analyst at PSG said.

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Yes you heard it right! Google Android 13 is finally official, the mountain view tech giant has launched the new Android version starting with its Pixel users. If you own a Pixel 4 or higher, you are getting a first chance to experience the all-new firmware update. So, what are the key features of Android 13, and how different it is from the last version? Let’s explore it shortly.
Android 13 launched, check the top 13 features
1. Google’s latest Android version, Android 13 landed with a revamped Material You. Now, you can customize non-Google apps to match your phone’s wallpaper theme and color.
2. Single language support is on for a specific app.
3. With Android 13 music experience is greatly improved. If you’re listening to music, the media player spotlights album artwork and has a playback bar that dances as you progress through a song.
4. Android 13 let you now allow you to customize Bedtime mode with wallpaper dimming and a dark theme.
5. Bingo, the new change has finally arrived, wondering about giving permission for all the photos in the previous version now in Android 13, you can select only the specific photos and videos they’ll need to access.
6. Here’s the improvement that came in Android 13, for safety purposes, if you copy sensitive data like your email address, phone number, or login credentials on your device, Android will automatically clear your clipboard history after a period of time.
7. You have authority now on which app will send a notification, previously default option is now gone.
8. Spatial Audio- now you will have an immersive listening experience on your Android phone or tablet.
9. Messaging will now be easy on Chromebook now.
10. Android 13 adopts Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio, a new Bluetooth audio standard that results in lower latency than classic audio.
11. Copy-pasting data from Android phone to tablet now finally works.
12. Multitasking now arrives with Android 13, you will now get a handy drag and drop apps option in your library into the split-screen mode or in simple words taskbar functionality is now here.
13. Android 13 supports HDR video support on third-party camera apps.
On August 15, 2022, Google finally announced the supported list of Android 13. As per the official blog post, starting August 15, Android 13 is being distributed on Pixel devices. Other manufacturers like Samsung, Asus, HMD (Nokia phones), iQOO, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo, Xiaomi and more will get later this year.


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- University of Akron
Pappano, the Co-CEO of Sightline, has had several notable achievements in his career such as developing and launching the Play+ platform, a prepaid card and mobile app that allows players to fund and manage their accounts at gaming properties.
He also played a big role in creating partnerships with major gaming operators in North America, including Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts International and Penn Entertainment.
At Sightline, Pappano is responsible for overseeing the company's strategic direction and operations, as well as developing new business opportunities and partnerships. He is committed to delivering cutting-edge payment solutions that meet the evolving needs of the gaming and hospitality industries, while also ensuring the highest standards of security and compliance.
In 2021, while under Pappano’s leadership, Sightline was named the best ‘Payment Solution of the Year’ at the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas.
In 2021, Pappano was also shortlisted by the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas for the ‘American Executive of the Year’.
Prior to joining Sightline in December 2020, Pappano held senior executive positions at several leading payment processing companies, including Global Payments, First Data Corporation and FIS. He has a proven track record of building successful businesses and driving growth through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions.
During his impressive career, Pappano worked with Vantiv for over 10 years, as SVP and Managing Director, and as SVP of Merchant Sales. He also spent three decades serving as Worldpay Gaming’s VP of Merchant Sales.
Furthermore, Pappano spent almost 18 years working with the Fifth Third Bank as the VP as well as the Director of Merchant Sales.
“People use their phones the majority of the time and as of last year, the mobile phone became the main screen for the majority of the population. It’s a solution (cashless payment) whose time has come, and which folks have warmed up to, and that’s one of the things today’s on-demand consumer really wants” Joseph Pappano
Interviews and public speeches
In July 2021, Pappano talked to GI’s Tim Poole about cashless gaming and the impact Covid-19 had on accelerating the need for it.
In November 2021, Pappano and several other payment specialists talked to Gambling Insider, providing expert insights related to contactless payment solutions.


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Looks like iOS 10.3.1 jailbreak has taken another step towards release after Adam Donenfeld, a security researcher at Zimperium and an increasingly popular iOS exploit-finder, has set tongues wagging in the jailbreak community once again with a tweet regarding iOS 10.3.1 and his previously released ziVA exploits.
Saigon iOS 10.3.1 jailbreak is now confirmed to be coming soon after a placeholder for it was discovered on the site. Here are the details.
iOS 10.3.1 downgrade exploits for 64-bit device jailbreak purposes are likely to drop tomorrow. Here's what you need to know about it.
You can now no longer downgrade to iOS 10.3.1 firmware on a compatible iPhone, iPad or iPod touch device. Here's what you need to know.
Here's how to hide dock on iOS 10.3.2 or iOS 10.3.1 without jailbreak. This works only on iPhone Plus models, meaning the larger 5.5-inch iPhone.
A reputable security researcher has promised that you will be able to jailbreak iOS 10.3.1 but it might take a while before it's released for everyone. Here are the details.
With iOS 10.3.2 final version now out, is it any faster when compared to iOS 10.3.1 that it replaces running on older devices?
On the heels of a recent iOS 10.3.1 jailbreak demo by the team, a posting in Chinese to the social network Weibo allegedly claims that the Pangu jailbreak for iOS 10.3.1 is on the way.
iOS 10.3.1 jailbreak by Pangu for 64-bit devices maybe coming soon. Here's a guide on how to go about preparing your iPhone or iPad device for it the right way.
iOS 10.3.1 and iOS 10.3 jailbreak by Pangu has been demoed. Release date of the jailbreak is rumored to be set for next week. Here are the details.


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June 6, 2023 | 3:00 p.m
The sucralose in Splenda has been linked to many health problems.
Gado via Getty Images
America’s favorite artificial sweetener may have some serious health problems, including damage to DNA.
Splenda is the brand name for sucralose, often added to diet sodas, baked goods, gums, gelatin, and frozen desserts.
It is also found in over-the-counter products such as Tylenol, Pepcid, and cold and flu medications.
Splenda is 600 times sweeter than sugar and is the best-selling artificial sweetener in the U.S., with sales nearly double that of its closest competitor, Sweet ‘N Low.
But sucralose has been found to be genotoxic, meaning it breaks DNA in chromosomes and can lead to cancer, according to a new study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.
In the human body, sucralose is broken down into a compound called sucralose-6-acetate, which damages the intestinal lining.
“Other studies have found that sucralose has a negative effect on gut health, so we wanted to see what might be happening there,” said Susan Schiffman, Ph.D., study author and assistant professor at North Carolina State University.
What they found was shocking: “Sucralose-6-acetate significantly increased the expression of genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and cancer,” the authors of the study wrote.
“Our in vitro studies used human tissue, so the findings are directly relevant to the human body,” said Dr. Schiffman.
The new study adds to previous research showing that sucralose and sucralose-6-acetate can cause damage to the gut.
“When we exposed sucralose and sucralose-6-acetate to intestinal epithelial tissue—the tissue that lines your gut wall—we found that both chemicals created a ‘leaky gut,'” Dr. Shiffman said.
“Essentially, they make the stomach wall more permeable. Leaky gut is problematic because it means things that are normally passed out of the body in the stool are coming out of the bowels and into the bloodstream,” Dr. Schiffman added.
“Independent scientific studies show that ingesting sucralose can damage the intestinal cell lining and cause irritable bowel syndrome,” Dr. Shiffman told Newsweek.
Artificial sweeteners, however, ensure that their products are safe.
“Sucralose has undergone one of the most extensive and thorough testing programs of any food additive in history, leading to consensus on its safety throughout the international scientific and regulatory community,” a representative of the International Sweetener Association told Newsweek.
Some health experts also question the significance of the new study.
Dr. John Damianos, a hospital resident at Yale School of Medicine, said: “The findings may be suggestive of findings that merit further study, but they do not demonstrate the health effects of occasional or infrequent consumption of sucralose-sweetened foods and beverages. Medical News Today.
However, artificial sweeteners have been under scrutiny for years, and several studies have linked the products to health risks.
A 2020 study published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that sucralose combined with carbohydrates (such as those found in baked goods) can quickly send a healthy person into high blood sugar, The Washington Post reported.
And in May, the World Health Organization recommended that artificial sweeteners like Splenda not be used for weight control.
Using artificial sweeteners “does not provide a long-term benefit in reducing body fat in either adults or children” and “may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and death in adults,” according to World Health Organization news. Release.
Considering the dangers of all added sweeteners — artificial and natural — Dr. Damianos encourages people to consider healthier, low- or no-sugar options.
“Switch to seltzer water instead of soda or diet soda,” advises Dr. Damianos.


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Gas-powered Challenger, Charger down to final few units in PH
The next-generation Dodge Challenger and Charger are set to undergo a radical change by going electric, which means it's only a matter of time before we say our farewell to their big and throaty-sounding V8s.
While that moment will eventually happen sometime soon, for now, there's still a chance for those who want to get their hands on the final ICE versions of the American muscle cars. Dodge PH's AVP for Sales and Marketing Valerie Yu has announced the last call for both the Challenger and the Charger muscle car.
The Challenger is being offered in three variants in the Philippines – the V6-powered GT, the R/T Scatpack with a 6.4-liter HEMI V8, and the 717 PS SRT8 Hellcat that has a 6.2-liter Supercharged V8 under the hood.
On the other hand, the Charger comes in a single variant – the R/T Scatpack Widebody. Powering the Charger R/T Scatpack is a 6.4-liter 392 HEMI V8 with 485 PS and 644 Nm of torque, and comes with things like Brembo performance brakes and Bilstein adaptive damping suspension.
Dodge PH says they have the final inventory for both the ICE Challenger and Charger, and will no longer accept orders once the last few units have been sold.
Prices of the Challenger and Charger are as follows:
Dodge Challenger GT – PHP 4,490,000
Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack – PHP 5,490,000
Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody - PHP 5,780,000
Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack Widebody – PHP 5,780,000


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Runewaker and Infernum have announced that a significant content expansion has been released to the EU version of Dragon's Prophet. Called "Shadow of Betrayal", the game world will expand with a new zone, two new adventure dungeons and one new raid dungeon, tons of new quest items and gear, and a level cap increase to 105.
Next week, SOE and Runewaker's Dragon's Prophet will be getting a massive upgrade in the new zone of Olandra. A level cap boost, new dragons, new dungeons, and lots more are all highlighted in this new video. MMORPG - http://www.mmorpg.com Dragon's Prophet Game Page - http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/692/Dragons-Prophet.html
Sony Online Entertainment has released the final installment of the #SuperMetal Dragon's prophet video series. This time, the vide spotlights camaraderie of the 'broseph' mentality within the game. Enjoy!
Runewaker and Sony Online Entertainment have released a great new trailer to give players the first information and look at the new Frontier PvP system that is set to land on game servers in the near future. Check it out!
Sony Online Entertainment has released a brand new trailer in honor of Gamescom 2013. In this video, players are given a sneak peek at the upcoming Frontier System coming to the game soon. The Frontier System shines the spotlight on the GvG Territory PvP battle mayhem. Check out the video for more!
Ripper X takes a first look at the upcoming MMORPG Dragons Prophet for some First Impressions gameplay! Dragon's Prophet is a free-to-play fantasy MMORPG from Runewalker Entertainment and Sony Online Entertainment centered around the capture and care of dragons. Players may choose a dragon and take to the skies in mounted combat, or stay on the ground and fight with a trained drake, instead. The game has a state-of-the-art Auto Target system to assist in the fast action combat. Players also c
Bill Murphy hangs out with Todd Carson (Senior Producer at SOE) to talk about all things Dragon's Prophet. They show off the combat, the dragons, the taming, the training, the crafting, and talk about the PVP, Housing, and even Open Beta!


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Dublin’s Marker Hotel may be best known as the setting for the annual Peter Mark VIP Style Awards, but while quite up the standards of our star-studded event, the recent Samsung launch was still a pretty glamorous affair.
Samsung Ireland officially launched its newest flagship devices, Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, and the star pulling-power of the mobile phone giant was best captured by the fact that X Factor judge Louis Walsh popped in
Louis was accompanied by his boyband Hometown, whom of course he recently claimed he was going to concentrate on managing after deciding not to return to the X Factor. Also in attendance were Pat Kenny, rugby star Dave Kearney, fashion guru Lisa Fitzpatrick, DJs Vogue Williams and Dave Fanning, as well as top models Sarah Morrisey, Thalia Heffernan.
Also present was Darren Kennedy, no doubt checking the venue out just a week before his job as MC for this year’s Style Awards!
Guests sipped on signature Lemon Bon Bon cocktails and Watermelon Martinis on arrival, while entertainment was provided by saxophonist Lovely Laura.


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BUSINESS INSIDER: Investors poured $18.1 billion into food tech startups in 2020
Click to go to original article at Business Insider.
Deep dive: Insider interviewed Brita Rosenheim, a partner at Culterra Capital, to discuss restaurant trends around AI, robotics, and more.
The pandemic upended the restaurant industry forcing brands who had long ignored their digital game to quickly adopt. Customers are looking for faster and more convenient experiences, and behind the scenes, restaurants are turning to startups to get help get their digital game up to speed.


text: Citi recently began collaborating with fitness entrepreneur Tracy Anderson to promote its Custom Cash Credit card. Pam Habner, CEO of U.S. Branded Cards for Citi, along with Tracy Anderson, creator of The Tracy Anderson Method, joined Cheddar to discuss how health and fitness matched up with a cash back credit card. "The fact that Citi is going 'hey if you lead a healthy lifestyle, we're going to help you out. We understand that it's more expensive and we're going to give you cash back for living your best life,'" Anderson said about the partnership, which also includes a custom promotional Spotify playlist.


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Grab your best friend, sister or mom and head down to the National Women’s Show at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from Fri., Oct. 19 to Sun., Oct. 21, 2012. You’ll have a chance to visit over 450 exhibits showcasing products and services including fashions, free makeovers, food, wine sampling, jewellery, hairstyles, health and wellness info, fitness and travel destinations.
The show is divided into several districts including the Fashion & Style District, the Health & Wellness Zone, the Travel, Fitness & Leisure Zone, the World of Taste, the Home Reno Zone, the Business & Career Centre and the Organic Living Zone.
The Young and the Restless star Peter Bergman who plays Jack Abbott, will appear at Centre Stage on Saturday at 1 p.m. to discuss the latest news from Y&R. VIP tickets guaranteeing a spot in the front of the autograph line, as well as an opportunity to meet Bergman, an autographed photo and goodie bag are $40.
Other celebrity guest appearances include:
- Fitness guru Kathy Smith on Centre Stage on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
- Chef Nick Stellino, who has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America and The Today Show, will demonstrate his cooking skills on the Frigidaire Professional Cooking Stage on Friday at 7:15 p.m., Saturday at 11:15 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and Sunday at 12:45 p.m.
- Clara Hughes appears on Centre Stage on Sunday at 12:45 p.m.
Designs from Toronto-based luxury coat manufacturer Sentaler and dress designer Rachel Sin will be featured in fashion shows at Centre Stage on Friday at 1:15 p.m., Saturday at 12 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $13 if purchased online and $15 at the door. Bring a friend and get two tickets for $25. The National Women’s Show hours are Fri., Oct. 19 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sat., Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun., Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Arrive early to receive a goody bag (limited supply).
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building, 222 Bremner Blvd.


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The 2014 IPCPR Trade Show is proving to a be a busy one for Jason Holly and Viva Republica. This is the third IPCPR for Holly and his company, but this year is the first now officially being a part of the Miami Cigar and Company family. At the same time, Holly has launched his fourth blend, the Viva Republica Propaganda. At the same time, the company is looking ahead to the future – and has let its customers know what some of these tentative plans are.
Viva Republica was founded by Jason Holly who owned a shop in Northeast Pennsylvania called El Humidor. A few years ago, Holly moved over to the cigar making side. Shortly before the 2012 IPCPR Trade Show, Holly announced the launch of Viva Republica and his first cigar, Rapture. Viva Republica Cigars are made at Guillermo Leon’s La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic.
In addition to this year’s Viva Republica Propaganda, Holly has launched three other blends. Rapture, Rapture Maduro, and Guerrilla Warfare. Those four lines continued to foster the collaborative partnership between Holly and the La Aurora factory. Earlier this year, it was announced that Miami Cigar and Company would become the distributor for La Aurora. On top of that, Holly would join Miami Cigar working on product development.
|Viva Republica Propaganda
And at the 2014 IPCPR, Holly was definitely a part of the Miami Cigar and Company team. Viva Republica was seamlessly integrated into the Miami Cigar and Company family. Holly was on top of his game for the Miami Cigar and Company portfolio as much as he was for his own.
Viva Republica has also mentioned some future plans – which are very much tagged as “tentative”.
Viva Republica Hollyday Classic
While Viva Republica has focused on its regular production, the limited release area is still new ground for this company. This is a potential November timeframe release and the name is a play on the holiday season and Holly’s name. This cigar will be limited to select retailers.
Viva Republica Culebra
This is intended to be 3 cigar culebra. However this isn’t just planned to be three twisted panatela cigars. This cigar will have one component from Viva Republica’s first three regular production blends – Rapture, Rapture Maduro, and Guerrilla Warfare.
Jailbreak by Viva Republica
This was described as a cigar that is commemorating the retirement of someone special. It will feature both a double wrapper and double binder.
Los Desaparecidos by Viva Republica
This is a project that has been in the works since 2011. It is described as being blended with 15 year old tobacco and has been aging for three years.
The name Los Desparecidos refers to civilians who were arrested and disappeared without a trace during the period of military rule in Argentina from 1976 to 1983.


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He’s The first Mozambican to ever headline Fox and the Internet first noticed Dilyer’s post in a studio for a supposed photograph shoot, when he pointed to a friend named “ Zein Rasac” sitting and taking a selfie. We do know that Dilyer was expected to release merch soon, as he recently asked for Brand ambassadors and Models.
Some people believe that the social media star is gearing up to release it as a surprise appearance. Some people think he might be shooting for something else.
Fans also seem to be mad at “Zein Rasac” for not answering any DMs and comments about the Merch. We all know King D is very private, and mostly likely he was told to shut up!
Fans also think this is merch for sure, as Zein wrote in a instagram story “great day on the studio, thanks @dilyerstevens”
Which means they were together in the studio, doing what? That’s the question.
Dilyer is known to be quiet, he’s known for being very private, nobody ever knows what’s really going on in his life. The fans never know his next move, or where he is.
Fans really question is Zein Rasac is a Model? Or a friend? Can Zein be a upcoming Fashion model? Can they be best friends? This is the first time they hear about Zein.
So the DiArmy will have to wait! What do you think? Is Dilyer finally releasing the highly anticipated Merch? Stay tuned to find out!


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MoCRA’s passing has left some companies in the manufacturing and supplier industries for cosmetics and personal care products wondering what its effects will be on a global scale. The legislation, signed into law in December of last year, provides the Food and Drug Administration with new authorities and industry requirements - some of which will begin to be enforced by the end of this year.
To better understand some of the global implications of MoCRA’s passing, including some of the legislation’s potential positive benefits, challenges, and concerns to keep in mind in the coming months, CosmeticsDesign spoke with Victor Mencarelli, Director of Global Regulatory Affairs at Orveon for his insights.
CDU: What are some of the positive potential benefits of MoCRA regulations for US cosmetics and personal beauty care product manufacturers regarding relations with other companies on a global scale?
Victor Mencarelli (VM): One potential positive benefit of MoCRA regulations is the FDA issuing and enforcing GMPs in the industry. This would allow for potential GMP certificates to come from the FDA which will allow for companies here in the US to have a path to register products in China without the need for animal testing (with some limited exceptional situations).
The other piece is also the fact that the FDA will be setting a national standard for regulation of cosmetic products, which I suspect will align well with the EU regulations which most of the rest of the world already imitates. This should also allow for cosmetic brands to open markets around the world.
It also just might start to mitigate the claims of some that the US cares less about the consumer than other countries because of the limited actions that FDA has taken over the years against cosmetics.
CDU: What are some of the potential challenges to US cosmetics and personal beauty care product manufacturers working to comply with MoCRA regulations in regard to relations with global companies?
VM: The biggest challenge will be to the smaller and less technical companies in the future. The issue will be that they will need to either bring on staff who understand the regulations in that area coming out of the FDA or they will need to contract with consultants who can bridge that knowledge gap.
One mitigation to this significant challenge will be if the FDA were to be recognized as equivalent to the EU regulations regarding such issues as the product safety assessment or acceptable testing methods for testing, as the preservative efficacy test or microbial enumeration and enrichment (presence/absence) tests for specified organisms. Again, this turns MoCRA into a potential worldwide equalizer for the US industry if it is an option to move in this direction.
CDU: Are there any specific aspects of MoCRA regulation compliance that US cosmetics and personal beauty care product manufacturers should prioritize regarding relations with global-facing companies?
VM: First, know where and who is manufacturing your products. If you have your own manufacturing facility, then that is going to be a lot easier to manage than if you are completely outsourced for manufacturing.
Second, regardless of your manufacturing situation, make sure you understand what you are already doing today as part of your general compliance activities. This should allow you to then look internally (and externally) to determine where your priorities should be placed.
Since every company is different and every situation is unique it is hard to say what should be prioritized and what should be put off for the future. However, I would encourage companies to look at, read, understand, and most importantly prepare for the requirements that are likely to come out by the end of 2023 or early in 2024.
Do your gap assessment, watch the FDA and Federal Register websites, be prepared for the rules to issue as proposal and even consider commenting on the rules especially if you believe that the regulation as proposed is going to be a more significant resource issue than the FDA is suggesting.
CDU: Should any US cosmetics or personal beauty care company fail to achieve total compliance with MoCRA by the time some provisions come into effect at the end of his year, what are some of the potential ramifications regarding global relations with other industry companies?
VM: Overall, compliance is a cost of doing business. If you are not prepared for complying with the requirements when they are actually in force, then you are on shaky ground period with regard to your operations.
Remember this law adds several significant prongs to the arsenal of the FDA to get companies to comply including things like mandatory recall authority as well as making failure to register your facility and failure to list your products prohibited acts in the law which could result in further issues from FDA.
On the global front, international facilities will be required to work through representatives in the US. These can be either subsidiaries, or they can be consultants, but whomever is nominated by the international company will be the first and likely major point of contact for FDA if and when there are ever any questions, so they need to be capable of understanding the interaction and ensuring that the information is either already available or can be obtained quickly from the international company to get to the FDA.
CDU: Are there any concerns that MoCRA will impact US cosmetics and personal beauty care manufacturers and suppliers' abilities to source the ingredients necessary to produce their consumer product goods?
VM: There should always be a consideration of this as you are planning new products. Multiple things could have a significant issue with the ability to source ingredients, labeling, packaging, etc. including the geo-political climate, the environmental climate (e.g. think about changing environments making it difficult to grow a tree that you use routinely for process inputs for raw materials!), international trade agreement, international treaties (e.g., CITES, Nagoya Protocol, etc.).
In the context of MoCRA the biggest thing I could imagine would be a determination that a supplier was not in compliance with the requirements and the FDA determining that the supplier’s ingredients cannot legally enter the US or be part of a cosmetic product. While I don’t believe that anything in the law as written would allow for this specifically, there is an example of just such a system already in place at FDA for refusing products at the border (e.g., what is known as “Detention Without Physical Examination”).
CDU: As written, do MoCRA regulations promote or detract from US cosmetics and personal beauty care product manufacturers abilities to expand and grow on a global scale?
VM: I believe that this new law does provide the FDA and the federal government with an amazing opportunity to positively impact the industry for decades to come especially with some of the new requirements such as federally mandated GMPs. I noted some of these opportunities earlier, but I also think that the US is seen as a leading regulator in the world.
If we can find a way to reinvigorate the regulations and also to harmonize (to the extent legally possible since I do recognize that the current requirements do have some instances where full harmonization can’t occur at this time) with what is being done in the rest of the world then I think we are in a position to impact the global economy on a worldwide scale over the next several decades positively.
CDU: Anything else to add?
VM: I try to always look at things realistically without looking too far into the future with this sort of change. However, I think the FDA is at a key tipping point in their regulation of cosmetic products.
To FDA’s credit I don’t think the agency is taking this new expanded authority lightly. Just look at what we have seen recently. The Office of Cosmetics and Colors (OCC) used to be in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).
Several weeks ago, FDA leadership announced that the OCC is becoming an independent office which should provide the staff with additional resources and even personnel to take on the responsibilities that have been handed to them in MoCRA. Overall, this is an amazing and turbulent time to be a part of this industry and offers all of us, FDA, NGOs, industry, auxiliary partner industries like raw material suppliers and service providers with an unbelievable opportunity to impact the future that no one could have predicted when I entered the industry almost thirty years ago.


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The FINANCIAL — A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of LG Electronics in a long-standing patent dispute with Whirlpool Corporation. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a U.S. District Court decision in a case involving two Whirlpool patents related to clothes washers.
Whirlpool filed this action against LG in the District Court of Michigan, Whirlpool’s home state, after an impeller type washing machine, designed and produced by LG Electronics, was introduced in the U.S. market. Whirlpool demanded a jury trial and sought an award of damages and an order stopping sales of the washer. The decision of the Federal Circuit confirmed the right to market LG's advanced “impeller” washing machine technology in the United States despite Whirlpool’s efforts to remove competing washers from the market through patent infringement litigation.
According to LG, the appeals court’s final action in LG’s favor on Oct. 10 also marks the conclusion of five years of litigation with Whirlpool related to washing machine technology. Since LG entered the intensely competitive U.S. market for high-end, large-capacity washing machines near 2003, Whirlpool brought several lawsuits against LG. The appeal court’s decision means that LG has now successfully resolved all of those actions. Despite the series of the lawsuits, LG’s advanced front-load (horizontal axis) washing machines and its advanced impeller washing machines are successful products in the United States and around the world.
LG vigorously defended its and its trading partners’ rights to compete in the United States. In 2006, the District Court Chief Judge for the District of Michigan granted summary judgments, declaring that one Whirlpool patent was not infringed and that the other was invalid. To obtain these summary judgments, LG convinced the District Court that its case was so strong that the District Court should enter judgments against Whirlpool, without a jury trial. The Federal Circuit has now affirmed the District Court's decisions.


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Seritage Growth Properties is to replace a Sears site next to Aventura (Fla.) Mall with an open-air retail shopping village. The 215,000-square-foot space will contain stores, restaurants, entertainment tenants, and a pedestrian boulevard and plazas, according to the Miami Herald. Work began today on demolishing the 12.3 acre site’s Sears and Sears Auto Center buildings.
The move seems part of a retail industry trend to provide more reasons for people to visit malls and shopping centers, by making retail centers into destinations that foster social interaction.
Many of the retailers that will occupy Esplanade at Aventura — as the new center is to be called — will be new to Florida, and most of the restaurants will be linked to famous chefs, Seritage President and CEO Benjamin Schall told the newspaper.
“The orientation of this project is one of an abundance of indoor and outdoor space, but also [of] creating gathering areas and making them interactive,” he said, “so that consumers have technology and other ways for them to interact with those settings, which keeps it relevant trip after trip.”
By Edmund Mander


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Google Glass went from a fantastical stab at the future to a running joke so quickly that it’s practically killed enthusiasm for smartglasses. But Epson isn’t giving up on the idea just yet.
The company best known for its printers and projectors has been developing its own smartglasses, the Moverio line, for the past few years. They’re clunkier and even dorkier looking than Google Glass at first glance. But after testing out the latest model, the $700 Moverio BT200, for a few weeks, I have a feeling Epson is onto something.
The big difference between Epson’s and Google’s smartglass attempts is in their philosophical approach. Google wants you to wear Glass all the time to perform much of what you can already do with your smartphone. Epson, on the other hand, is positioning its smartglasses as something you’d wear for specific tasks, such as working with architectural plans or piloting an airplane. (Note that Google Glass developers are also finding that smartglasses work well for specific tasks, such as performing surgery.)
That may not sound as wildly ambitious as what Google is doing, but it’s a shift that allows the Moverio to be far more focused and practical. Basically, Epson’s Moverio has a point, while Google Glass, as it exists today, does not.
Clunky — but useful
Perhaps it’s my focus on pragmatic technology that makes me like the Moverio — because there’s certainly a lot working against it.
The glasses are huge, resembling safety goggles more than something meant for mainstream consumers. They rely on a separate Android-powered touch controller module, connected to the glasses by a wire that always seems to get in the way, unlike Google Glass’s wireless and minimalist aesthetic. And did I mention they’re hilariously dorky?
Epson is clearly less concerned with style than it is with function. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Moverio’s $700 price also keeps it out of the hands of most consumers — but that’s still less than half of what a Google Glass would cost you.
Once you put the Moverio on and use it for a few minutes, though, you can easily forgive its shortcomings.
Each lens of the Moverio includes a tiny projector that makes it appear as if a transparent screen is floating in front of you. It’s a screen that makes its presence known, unlike the tiny, single-eye display on Google Glass, which is meant to stay out of your direct field of vision. It’s not something you’d want to have in front of your face every day, but the dual-lens screen makes it more useful as an augmented reality tool than Google Glass.
For one, the Moverio’s screen can actually overlay imagery on top of what you’re looking at. The SmartReality app from JB Knowledge, for example, can project a 3D model over a paper blueprint. You can walk around the blueprint and change your perspective on the 3D model as if it were actually in front of you. After suffering through plenty of lackluster augmented reality demos in my time, this was one of the most useful implementations I’ve ever seen.
While the Moverio runs a custom version of Android, it doesn’t give you access to Google’s full Android app store. You can move apps to the device manually via its SD card, and Epson eventually plans to offer its own app store.
There also aren’t many apps optimized for the device. Aside from the SmartReality app I mentioned, Epson included a few augmented reality games for me to test out (which are fun, but once again, make you look like a huge dork). There’s also a Netflix app, which isn’t the ideal way to view your favorite movie (but it sure is a unique way to do it).
There are also a few impressive-looking apps I wasn’t able to test out. Aero Glass, for example, gives pilots a heads-up display for plane settings and traffic lines (see a promo video above). DJI’s Phantom Vision drone app also lets you see what your drone is seeing through the Moverio glasses — typically you have to maneuver it from your spot on the ground.
Plenty of room for improvement
While it’s easy to see the potential behind the Moverio smartglasses, there’s a lot Epson will need to fix before I could readily recommend it.
For one, it’s heavy and uncomfortable to use for extended periods. It fits well enough on its own, but if I wanted a clear view of everything happening on the screen, I had to wear it over my glasses. And I have big freaking glasses. While I could balance the Moverio on my glasses for a bit, I resorted to holding them up with one hand to give my nose a break.
Seeing the Moverio’s screen clearly is also hit-or-miss depending on lighting conditions. Epson includes a few shades to place over the glasses, which gives the screens a bit more context. But in sunny weather you can forget about using the Moverio for mission-critical work.
While functional, the Moverio’s controller module could also use some touching up. It likely won’t ever be wireless — it also serves as the brains and battery for the glasses — but Epson could make it smaller and do something to make the cable less annoying.
And finally, there’s the price. Though it’s far cheaper than Google Glass, the Moverio’s $700 price relegates it to an audience of people with plenty of cash to burn. (Luckily for Epson, there’s likely a huge overlap between people who would be interested in the Moverio and people who don’t mind throwing down a few grand on a freaking drone.)
Smartglasses worth paying attention to
Hopefully, Epson will figure out a way to drive down the Moverio’s price and slim down its overall design. Epson seems to be fine with the Moverio being a relatively niche product, but it’s only a matter of time until Google or some other competitor figures out a way to make normal consumers care about smartglasses for much less.
If you’re at all intrigued by what the Moverio smartglasses can do and you can justify the $700 cost, then it may be worth giving them a shot. Everyone else should sit tight. As with smartwatches, the connected home, and just about every other newfangled gadget category, there’s still plenty that needs to be sorted out.
Google Glass may have made smartglasses a joke, but it’s fascinating that Epson, of all companies, has proven they can be useful.
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A story in the Star Tribune out of Minnesota concerns a partnership between medical device manufacturers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, designed to help industries get through the regulatory approval process for new devices.
The Medical Device Innovation Consortium will serve as a public-private partnership between the manufacturers and the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Organizers intend to include leaders of industry, academia and government agencies.
The story notes that lobbyists with the medical device industry have been lobbying Capitol Hill to reform and FDA review process they say is too punishing for companies. But many consumer safety activists claim the FDA’s standards are too lax, allowing inherently dangerous devices to make it onto the market.
For example, an all-metal artificial hip manufactured by DePuy Orthopaedics was recalled in 2010 after a number of studies showed nearly half needed replacement within six years. The implants were also prone to shedding toxic metal debris in patients’ bodies.
And transvaginal mesh implants, used to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, have generated widespread recalls and complaints that they cause severe pain and injuries for recipients.
Both devices were approved under an FDA regulatory loophole that allows for medical devices to go on the market based on their ostensible similarity to previously approved products.
You should consult with a doctor if you have any ongoing symptoms or health concerns from a DePuy hip or transvaginal mesh implant. If you have significant injuries, you should also consult with a DePuy hip or transvaginal mesh lawyer to discuss your legal rights.
See the story here:


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Well, it’s finally come to this. Victoria’s Secret has hit rock bottom with plummeting sales, and now the struggling brand is ready to ditch the woke, plus-size, and downright homely models to get back to what everyone wants to see: glamorous women scantily clad. This about-face comes at a steep cost and reminds us of Bud Light’s mistake of ignoring their loyal customer base—those men and women who loved the sultry “fantasy” aspect of the Victoria’s Secret brand. Instead, they injected a dose of harsh reality, complete with all its imperfections, like tummy rolls, back fat, and double chins.
Ironically, the genius behind the success of Victoria’s Secret was none other than Jeffrey Epstein’s sole benefactor, Les Wexner. When Les left, the company went woke and collapsed. So, what triggered this dramatic about-face and return to their sultry roots? Well, the final nail in the coffin for Victoria’s Secret was none other than angry, man-hating lesbian Megan Rapinoe, who also managed to sour people on Subway sandwiches during her brief stint as their spokesMAN.
Victoria’s Secret is returning to its hyper-sexualized roots after attempting to rebrand as a more inclusive retailer, reports state.
The lingerie empire has seen a drop in sales since overhauling its image by replacing its traditional ‘Angel’ supermodels with more diverse models including soccer player Megan Rapinoe and transgender model Valentina Sampaio.
Business of Fashion reporter Cathleen Chen noted that the move gained ‘favorable reviews online but never translated into sales.’
There is absolutely nothing—let me emphasize, NOTHING—”sexy” about Megan Rapinoe, who perpetually wears a scowl on her little puckered face. The Daily Mail story continues:
The brand was plunged into controversy in 2020 when an investigation by the New York Times alleged a ‘culture of misogyny, bullying and harassment’ at the company.
Les Wexner, the chief executive of Victoria’s Secret’s then-parent company L Brands was also outed for his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Wexner was accused of turning a blind eye to sexual harassment allegations at the firm.
In 2021 Rapinoe said the old marketing sent out a ‘really harmful message,’ adding its marketing was ‘patriarchal, sexist, viewing not just what it meant to be sexy but what the clothes were trying to accomplish through a male lens and through what men desired.’
Victoria’s Secret has finally uncovered its own secret: ugly, irate women aren’t the key to selling sultry lingerie. Gee, who knew? The struggling brand now faces the uphill battle of winning back customers who’ve had enough. Americans are increasingly fed up with being lectured about politics and social issues by self-righteous jerks like Megan Rapinoe and Dylan Mulvaney. Once they decide to walk away, it’s typically for keeps. Victoria has made a big mess.


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The Current, delivered daily.
After two years of exceeding even its own high bar of bigger and faster, Amazon is in the midst of a slowdown period.
Results from the fourth quarter of 2022 provide plenty of evidence.
- Net sales grew 9%. Overall sales grew 8.6%, marking the slowest holiday quarter growth in 10 years, according to GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders.
- Ecommerce, characterized as “online stores” by Amazon, fell 2%.
- Outlook for the first quarter remains 4-8%, which remains in a "light" zone by Amazon standards, CNBC reported.
On an earnings call with analysts, Amazon executives cited a consumer pullback amid rising inflation.
“In our worldwide stores business, with the ongoing economic uncertainty, coupled with the continuation of inflationary pressures, customers remain cautious about their spending behavior,” said CFO Brian Olsavsky. “We saw them spend less on discretionary categories and shift to lower-priced items and value brands in categories like electronics. We also saw them continue to spend on everyday essentials, such as consumables, beauty and softlines.”
Despite the wider pullback, events such as the first Prime Early Access Sale, Black Friday and Cyber Monday outperformed expectations, Olsavsky said.
Third-party sellers were an especially big driver of sales, as they accounted for 59% of overall sales. Sellers aren’t only driving sales, but also Amazon’s business. Amazon’s segment called third-party seller services, which includes Fulfillment by Amazon, grew 20% year-over-year.
Advertising revenue also continued to be a bright spot, rising 19% year-over-year, surging to an $11.6 billion business.
Putting on the brakes
Yet it is also a time when Amazon is pulling back. CEO Andy Jassy joined the call, and outlined several of the ways that the company has sought to cut costs.
In Jassy’s first year as CEO, a big priority was scaling back in fulfillment and transportation. In early 2022, Amazon said it overbuilt its logistics and warehouse network during the pandemic as it sought to scale up quickly to meet the massive demand for ecommerce. So one of Jassy’s priorities in his first year as CEO has been to pull back.
Jassy outlined the cycle:
“Over the last few years, we took a fulfillment center footprint that we've built over 25 years and doubled it in just a couple of years,” Jassy said. And then we, at the same time, built out a transportation network for last mile roughly the size of UPS in a couple of years. And so when you do both of those things to meet the huge surge in demand…it took everything we had. And so there's a lot to figure out how to optimize and how to make [it] more efficient and more productive.”
It’s “a different network” now, Jassy said, and the process of bringing it back into balance is still underway. In the early part of 2022, Amazon delayed some builds and mothballed other facilities.
“To figure out how to be really efficient across all those links and have them be highly utilized and to get the flows in those facilities working the right way, it takes time,” Jassy said. “So we're working very hard on it.” The work continues into 2023.
Amazon also made cost-cutting moves in other areas “where we didn't have conviction that they were going to be big needle movers for Amazon,” Jassy said. It pulled back on physical store expansion in areas including grocery, and closed 4-star bookstores. It pulled back development in devices. It ended fabric.com, Amazon Care, Amazon Glo and Amazon Explore. And finally, the company eliminated 18,000 roles in a massive layoff.
“As we got into the early part of the summer, where we start our operating planning process…there was a lot of things happening in the macro economy. We started that process with the high-level tenet of we want to find a way to meaningfully streamline our costs in all of our businesses, not just their existing large businesses, but also in some of the investments we're making,” Jassy said.
The company thought about it this way: “We want to actually do a pretty good, thorough look about what we're investing and how much we think we need to, but doing so without having to give up our ability to invest in the key long-term strategic investments that we think could change broad customer experiences and change Amazon over time.”
Trending in Operations
Campbell Soup Company CEO Mark Clouse offered thoughts on messaging amid inflationary shifts in consumer behavior.
After months of elevated inflation and interest rate hikes that have the potential to cool demand, consumers are showing more signs of shifting behavior.
It’s showing up in retail sales data, but there’s also evidence in the observations of the brands responsible for grocery store staples.
The latest example came this week from Campbell Soup Company. CEO Mark Clouse told analysts that the consumer continues to be “resilient” despite continued price increases on food, but found that “consumers are beginning to feel that pressure” as time goes on.
This shows up in the categories they are buying. Overall, Clouse said Campbell sees a shift toward shelf-stable items, and away from more expensive prepared foods.
There is also change in when they make purchases. People are buying more at the beginning of the month. That’s because they are stretching paychecks as long as possible.
These shifts change how the company is communicating with consumers.
Clouse said the changes in behavior are an opportunity to “focus on value within our messaging without necessarily having to chase pricing all the way down.”
“No question that it's important that we protect affordability and that we make that relevant in the categories that we're in," Clouse said. "But I also think there's a lot of ways to frame value in different ways, right?”
A meal cooked with condensed soup may be cheaper than picking up a frozen item or ordering out. Consumers just need a reminder. Even within Campbell’s own portfolio, the company can elevate brands that have more value now, even if they may not always get the limelight.
The open question is whether the shift in behavior will begin to show up in the results of the companies that have raised prices. Campbell’s overall net sales grew 5% for the quarter ended April 30, while gross profit margins held steady around 30%. But the category-level results were more uneven. U.S. soup sales declined 11%, though the company said that was owed to comparisons with the quarter when supply chains reopened a year ago and expressed confidence that the category is seeing a longer-term resurgence as more people cook at home following the pandemic. Snacks, which includes Goldfish and Pepperidge Farm, were up 12% And while net sales increased overall, the amount of products people are buying is declining. Volumes were down 7%.
These are trends happening across the grocery store. Campbell is continuing to compete. It is leading with iconic brands, and a host of different ways to consume them. It is following that up with innovation that makes the products stand out. Then, it is driving home messaging that shows consumers how to fit the products into their lives, and even their tightening spending plans.
Campbell Soup is more than 150 years old, and has seen plenty of difficult economic environments. It is also a different business today, and will continue to evolve. At the end of the day, continued execution is what’s required.
“If it's good food, people are going to buy it, especially if it's a great value,” Clouse said.


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Between the 29th and 20th March 2017, Waste Free Oceans participated in the Plastics Recycling Show (PRS) in Amsterdam, an exhibition for plastics recycling professionals bringing together key stakeholders from the plastics and recycling sectors. Represented by WFO Europe's Sarah Goerres and Stephanie Maes, Waste Free Oceans had a booth during the exhibition, demonstrating the opportunities available for companies and plastic manufacturers to recycle and produce new products from marine plastic litter. Stephanie Maes also gave a presentation during the two day event, highlighting how business can get together to create actionable change and awarding the first respondent to her question "Who cares?" with a wonderful recycled bag from Ecover.
Waste Free Oceans booth was among the most visited and successful at the event, with stakeholders including journalists, recyclers, plastic producers and NGO's alike learning about WFO's Fishing for Litter and "Closing the Loop" projects. .Several companies also stated their interest in partnering with Waste Free Oceans, leading to follow-up discussions after the event had concluded.


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PayPal has announced the launch of PayPal Pay in 3, enabling UK businesses of all sizes to offer buy now, pay later payments without taking on additional risk or paying additional fees.
Through PayPal Pay in 3, businesses can offer their customers the option of making purchases between £45 and £2,000 by paying over three, interest-free payments, with seamless automatic re-payments each month. PayPal Pay in 3 will also appear in the customer’s PayPal wallet, so they can manage their payments online or via the PayPal app.
PayPal Pay in 3 will help businesses drive checkout conversion, revenue and customer loyalty, with the option included in the business’s existing PayPal pricing, paying no additional fees to enable it for their customers. PayPal will pay the business or retailer upfront for the full cost of the purchase.
In 2019, there was a 39% year-on-year increase in the proportion of buy now, pay later payments in the UK. This trend is expected to double by 2023.
PayPal Pay in 3 allows companies from start-ups to globally recognised retailers to adapt to this changing consumer behaviour and offer a greater range of payment options. Retailers including Crew Clothing, French Connection, Robert Dyas and Ryman are integrating PayPal Pay in 3, which is available in the UK from late October 2020.
Rob Harper, UK Director of Enterprise Accounts at PayPal, said: “During the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen the number of people in the UK shopping online increase dramatically. At the same time, many more consumers are looking to spread the cost of those purchases. We have developed PayPal Pay in 3 to meet that need, building on our heritage as a responsible lender through PayPal Credit, which we launched in the UK in 2014, and has served more than two million customers to date.
“We will continue to support for UK retailers and businesses through these challenging times by helping them adapt to changing consumer behaviours around how they shop and pay – especially in the lead up to Black Friday and Christmas. PayPal Pay in 3 offers a flexible way for over 24 million PayPal users to shop while providing companies with a tool that helps drive sales, loyalty and customer choice.”
Commenting on the drive for new e-commerce solutions, Elias Ghanem, Global Head of Market Intelligence, Capgemini’s Financial Services said, “With the advent of flexible payment options and the current situation shaping up in Covid-19 pandemic, POS financing continues to be a prominent credit choice.
“New tech firms recognize the shift in consumer preferences and are coming up with innovative POS lending solutions, and PayPal is one such entry in this space. The rise of e-commerce will further accelerate and foster the uptake by price-sensitive, tech-savvy millennials. With the festive season around the corner, ‘buy-now-pay-later’ sector volumes is set for multi-fold growth. The market is huge and we expect more players to join this segment in the coming days – the success depends on the firms’ brand, offerings and scale. In addition, firms with digital capabilities and platform strength, will have a winning edge over others.


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The coffee shop and bakery Java Nation held a soft opening Wednesday in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands development, owner Simona Cabana told Bethesda Beat.
The Gaithersburg location, at 121 Market St., is the third Java Nation to open in Montgomery County. The others are in Kensington and North Bethesda.
Java Nation serves a variety of crepes, omelets and pastries along with coffee. The lunch and dinner menu includes heartier items, such as sandwiches and tacos.
Cabana said the Kentlands location is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Those hours will expand after a grand opening on June 6, she said.
Dan Schere can be reached at email@example.com


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To digitalise our businesses we have to digitise our data
Research carried out in 2016 by the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) showed that digitalisation was seen by wholesalers as a major opportunity for growth, but that competition from new on-line businesses from outside the traditional wholesaler sector was the greatest threat.
The EDA resolved to help wholesalers meet these challenges.
Wholesaler businesses rely on manufacturers’ product data to provide content for their web sites. As received, this data varies hugely in terms of accuracy, consistency and completeness and few wholesalers have the resources to restructure it for their own use.
Clearly, a standard format for product data, would be a major benefit to both wholesalers and manufacturers. So, in March 2017, the EDA launched its initiative to champion the ETIM data model for the UK’s electro technical sector.
A multi-phased action plan
Tried and tested across the globe, ETIM was launched in the UK’s electro-technical sector by the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) in March 2017. It is a multi-phase, long-term initiative to digitize this sector.
- Phase 1 (2017): Implementing ETIM team and structure; communication to the market
- Phase 2 (2018): Developing the ETIM Standard: Technical Product Information
- Phase 2.1: Translate/Anglicise existing Standard
- Phase 2.2: Adapting for UK Market – Adding classes and claryfying
- Phase 3 (2019): ETIM Management and development with Members – further refinement and assistance with creation and implementation
- Phase 4: Potential industry products database with ETIM at its heart.
EDA strategic decision
“Everyone agrees that we have to digitalise our businesses. But to digitalise our businesses we have to digitise our data. We cannot escape that fact. High quality, unambiguous, consistent and complete – good data is the golden thread of commerce, ” explains Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO at the EDA
“ETIM has been a key pillar of the EDA’s work since we took the strategic decision to introduce the ETIM data model to the UK’s electro-technical sector in March 2017.
“Since then there has been a huge EDA-led effort to review and Anglicise over 100,000 pieces of ETIM-ready data.
This is substantial progress although there is more to do.
“Here in the UK, the next phase will be the launch of a sector-owned data pool which is planned for early 2020.”
Anglicising ETIM for the UK
In autumn 2017, the EDA launched a series of Working Groups to translate the standard into current and correct English. Product experts from manufacturers and wholesalers collaborated to Anglicise the ETIM standard for the UK.
During this time over 100,000 pieces of data have been review and Anglicised. You’ll find an update on progress here.
Anglicising the data: Working Groups in action
In between the hard work, we took the opportunity to record the Working Groups who collaborated on the Anglicisation process.


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Research and Editorial Team:
Sanja Kelly, Madeline Earp, Laura Reed, Adrian Shahbaz, and Mai Truong
In a departure from the past, when most governments preferred a behind-the-scenes approach to internet control, countries are rapidly adopting new laws that legitimize existing repression and effectively criminalize online dissent. As a result, more people are being arrested for their internet activity than ever before, online media outlets are increasingly pressured to censor themselves or face legal penalties, and private companies are facing new demands to comply with government requests for data or deletions.
The growing restrictions at the national level are also changing the nature of the global internet, transforming it from a worldwide network into a fragmented mosaic, with both the rules and the accessible content varying from one country to another. Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Azerbaijan are among the 5 countries registered the sharpest decline. Among the key elements determining the decline of freedom of the net, the report list the proliferation of repressive laws; increased surveillance; new regulatory controls over online media; More arrests of social-media users and the use of more sophisticated and widespread cyber attacks. Tags:
Defamation and Libel
The content of this article can be used according to the terms of Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) . To do so use the the wording "this article was originally published on the Resource Centre on Media Freedom in Europe" including a direct active link to the original article page.


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Thomasville PD asking for help identifying counterfeit money suspects
Published: May. 16, 2023 at 12:07 PM EDT
THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WALB) - The Thomasville Police Department is asking for help identifying two suspects involved with counterfeit money.
Police said the two suspects have used counterfeit money in several stores in both Thomasville and across Thomas County.
The suspects were seen driving a black Sedan.
If you know anything about the two suspects, click here.
Copyright 2023 WALB. All rights reserved.


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The Marketing Challenges of Twitter
Despite Twitter’s popularity over the last eight years, the majority of brands still face marketing challenges on the social network.
According to a recent survey conducted by Social Media Marketing University, 96.2 percent of brands report having challenges with using Twitter to achieve specific goals. Moreover, 45.1 percent of brands claim their greatest challenge on the social network is measuring return on investment (ROI) and results, followed by building an audience (42.1 percent) and engagement (36.8 percent). Regardless of those statistics, the survey shows that 64.9 percent of brands still think Twitter is an effective marketing tool.
“Social media has become a significant play in the marketing world, so much so that brands are almost forced to leverage it, even if they are unsure of its value,” said John Souza, founder of Social Media Marketing University. “The challenge for marketers will be to solidify best practices to measure ROI on all social media platforms as they face increased pressure from the C-Suite. Additionally, as Twitter banks on the success of its paid services, it will be critical for the platform to provide resources and support to help brands navigate this challenge.”
It is important to note that the survey also shed light on Twitter advertising, with 16.9 percent of brands saying they are not aware that Twitter offers paid services and 34.7 percent claiming that they aren’t interested in using Twitter’s paid services. Other noteworthy data shows that the most utilized feature on Twitter, unsurprisingly, is hashtags (88.7 percent), followed by images (64.3 percent) and Lists (23.4 percent).
“What we found overall is that there are a number of ways brands are incorporating Twitter into their overall marketing plans,” said Souza. “The challenge is that if marketers aren’t able to demonstrate in black and white how their efforts are paying off, it will be difficult to make the case that Twitter’s paid or unpaid services are worth the investment.”
Learn more about how brands are using Twitter as a marketing tool by checking out Social Media Marketing University’s infographic below:


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New paper finds monopolies contribute to inflation
High levels of corporate concentration — where just a few companies make up an entire industry — contribute to inflation, finds a new paper from economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
Why it matters: There's currently a raging debate over what exactly is causing record inflation in the U.S. This paper, coming from a less partisan source than, say, the White House, boosts the arguments of Democratic lawmakers and progressive economists who say companies are taking advantage of this moment to push prices up.
Details: The paper's authors looked at company data from 2005 to 2018 in 35 industries to see how businesses of varying sizes within sectors reacted to "positive cost shocks" (when the price to make stuff goes up).
- In more concentrated industries, companies passed 25 percentage points more of those costs on to consumers.
- The paper's estimates are "conservative," the authors write, because concentration increased sharply after 2018.
- The US economy is at least 50% more concentrated today than in 2005, they write.
Crucial: The authors are not arguing that monopoly power causes inflation, but that it's "an amplifying factor" that allows companies to pass on more of the costs of "supply shortages, energy price shocks, and labor market tightness."
The other side: Many economists — notably Larry Summers — argue that inflation has more to do with supply chains, record pandemic-driven demand and increasing wages for workers.
Of note: The paper doesn't name specific industries, but the issue of corporate concentration is of particular urgency in the current baby formula shortage crisis.
- Just four companies — Abbott Laboratories, Mead Johnson, Perrigo and Nestle — account for more than 87% of the market, according to IBISWorld, as Axios' Nathan Bomey recently reported.
- Similarly, just four companies supply about 70% of the beef in the U.S., according to data from the North American Meat Institute cited by Reuters. The White House argues that helped drive the huge increases in meat prices last year.
What to watch: A more detailed version of this Boston Fed paper is forthcoming.


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A red pill has been taken by entrepreneurs and investors near and far — and its primary symptom is a pixelated Twitter avatar of an ape.
The phrase Web3 has been sweeping business circles, with many deeming it the next big technology movement. At its core, Web3 represents a decentralized internet infrastructure based on blockchain technology. In that sense, it’s a rebranding of something that’s been around for over a decade: crypto. But if you take a scan at Twitter, Discord or Telegram, it seems like something new and exciting.
The shift is most acutely represented by the makeup of the evangelists. A year or so ago, crypto enthusiasts came from a few camps: They certainly had deep pockets, and they generally ranged from finance bros to hacker types. Now, a broader group — most of them still with deep pockets — have begun espousing the blockchain more, especially on channels like Twitter. And this happened concurrently with the Web3 rebrand. Many of these same folks were also investors and founders and hypers of some of the biggest consumer startups.
Look only at some avatars to see the shift. Investors and founders — like Focus Brands’ former COO Kat Cole, Schmidt’s Natural former CMO Chris Cantino and consumer investor Magdelena Kala — showcase animated pictures as their Twitter faces, inferring that they bought those digital images (NFTs) over the blockchain (likely for thousands of dollars, at minimum). Meanwhile, VCs like Chris Dixon, whose investments include Warby Parker and Uber, have begun spending much of their time online evangelizing Web3. Many, like Cantino, write long Twitter threads about the blockchain.
“1/ How to turn your friends and family on to crypto, NFTs, and web3—without overwhelming them. 🧵,” began Cantino one afternoon in November. What followed was a 21-tweet thread that contained links to articles and recommendations of other people to follow. His is an emblematic shift. Less than a year ago, Cantino’s Twitter presence focused most on direct-to-consumer businesses. It had a similarly didactic tone — one tweet from 2020 read, “How to grow a million dollar DTC brand to 8-9 figures: …… sell omnichannel”.
According to Cantino — whose past DTC business, Schmidt’s Natural, sold to Unilever in 2017 for reportedly in the nine figures — his crypto shift began because of an overall realization that the consumer brand investing space is crowded. “Early-stage consumer [startups] have become a total red ocean,” he said. “Consumer has such a low barrier to entry — anyone can whip up a product in their kitchen or start a Shopify shop in seconds,” he said. With that, placing bets on a CPG brand now is riskier than ever before. (He also added that the moment Web3 “blew my mind” was when he realized “artists are accessing global markets.”)
For Cantino, the world of Web3 is a little more uncharted and there is less competition compared to CPG. Even better, the margins of a crypto startup — which is essentially SaaS with a digital bow — are way more enticing than a heavy (or even light) product manufactured overseas. On the flip side, many crypto startups don’t have a minimum viable product yet — let alone, an easy-to-conceptualize use-case.
Cantino’s not wrong about the CPG space. DTC funding has been rising precipitously over the last few years; a count from the first quarter of 2021 put it at $1.3 billion, up from $983 million during the first quarter of 2019. Meanwhile, mature consumer goods companies have been facing a reckoning, in terms of scale. Many of the most popular DTC brands that were given over-billion-dollar private valuations and went public — like Casper, Allbirds and Hims — have gone below their IPO price or private due to poor Wall Street performance. Most of these brands’ private valuations, said Cantino, “have been completely inflated.”
That valuation inflation provides some insight into the Web3 shift. The rise of digitally native brands was originally based on a promise of quality products and better margins; direct-to-consumer products take out the middlemen, or so the story went. But what made DTC brands really grow — and become attractive in the eyes of VCs — was essentially a marketing trick. They capitalized on low digital ad prices to get web surfers to websites, which inevitably grew sales. The innovation wasn’t in the business model of the products they were selling, but in the way they found customers. This has become proven by the realization that the only way for DTC brands to grow is to ink wholesale partnerships and open their own stores, two strategies that were once anathema to these businesses’ core.
When you talk to Web3 evangelists — especially those with backgrounds in consumer goods — they often point to community as one of the main draws. The blockchain, said Aubrie Pagano, general partner at Alpaca VC, “opens up possibilities for consumers interacting with brands — [in] processes.” She went on, “The most obvious step you can take as a brand [is to say] we make physical goods, now we’re going to make digital goods.” With that, Pagano said, “brands can use NFTs and blockchain as incredible loyalty and membership mechanisms.” They also can use this crypto buy-in to help with product development, she added.
That is, Web3 has enthusiasts who put their funds into the technology. And so, too, can brands. They can sell digital goods in exchange for cryptocurrency; they can form communities of brand evangelists that require them to buy in — this ensures the brand has people who really, actually care about the products.
These uses are essentially extensions of marketing. “When you talk about this idea of building communities,” said Orchid Bertelsen, COO of e-commerce consultancy Common Thread Collective, “it’s people who believe in your product — who add to the community, give you feedback and promote what you’re selling.”
This type of community-building strategy — by which a brand cultivates a sense of value, mystery and exclusivity — “has always been inherent to marketing,” she said.
In that sense, the culture behind Web3 is an extension of what the DTC movement has been about for years. Brands like Peloton and Allbirds had an aesthetic and a culture. There was always a target demographic: a millennial, upwardly mobile urbanite. And they tried to grow their brand with that quasi-prestige in mind. The prices were higher, but supposedly so was the quality of the product — or, perhaps, it was simply giving customers a chance to say they had that money.
Community, too, has been a big part of DTC brands’ rise for years. Companies like Glossier grew because they had a loyal digital following that helped it grow from digital property to beauty giant. Evangelists used online channels to rep a shiny new object, which created a hype cycle — and, ultimately, a multi-million-dollar company. Web3 presents a similar framework, but with a few additions of different governance and an updated technology stack.
Cantino pointed to the ability to raise money while cultivating community as a positive brand use case. The company Poolsuite, which had previously launched its sunscreen brand Vacation, sold digital “Executive Member Cards,” or NFTs, for about $800 a pop late last year, helping the company raise around $2 million in total. Cardholders were granted digital privileges like early access to future product drops and access to upcoming events. The NFT sale was, in some ways, a seed round — one that used social networks like Twitter to build hype and grow an avid following. For Web3 enthusiasts, it was a perfect representation of its possibility — a company can find everyday stakeholders to invest in digital goods that will help the brand grow. But, on the flip side, it could be seen as a more magnified version of DTC culture: a small but loud group of individuals with expendable income that create a moat around themselves — an echo chamber with a safety net of financing.
Beyond the confines of Twitter, some are still waiting and seeing. “It’s very much a shiny new toy that has potential,” said Mike Duda, managing partner at Bullish, “but it’s going to take some time. I’m not putting all my chips on the table.” What’s happening now, he said, is a growing minority of people trying to be heard. “Sometimes we celebrate the fringes or the edges — but that’s not the center of the universe,” said Duda. “In a Gary Vee world, certain things can sensationalize themselves to great success and many may not.”
With that, Duda added that, while there’s a lot of chatter on Twitter, not all of his peers are in. “As a consumer investor,” he said, “I have not seen a frothy level of B-to-C consumer disruptions.” And while there are many DTC individuals on Twitter making a lot of noise, the real VC leaders are the ones you’d expect, like Andreessen Horowitz and Bain Capital.
Still, some firms are dipping their toes. Maveron, which has invested in companies like Allbirds and Everlane, has been looking into the space. But the opportunity right now isn’t for the obvious DTC brands just yet, said Jerry Lu, an investor at the firm. “I’m more interested in Web3 native applications, versus, ‘I’m a Web2 company looking for ways to incorporate NFTs,'” he said. What’s driving much of the fervor now is simply FOMO. “Funds don’t necessarily want to miss out on an opportunity.”
But, he added, traditional brands are seeing return on investments in crypto, in terms of marketing. Visa, for example, purchased a CryptoPunk NFT for around $150,000 in August. The payments giant said the purchase was to help it better understand the future of commerce and crypto — but it also raised the company’s profile in the eyes of Web3 enthusiasts. “When you traditionally spend marketing dollars, it is a cost center; when you invest in crypto, it is a profit center,” said Lu. “Is this all brand and marketing? Probably.”
Right now, the opportunity remains in the marketing plays coupled with the evangelizing — in saying you were there at the ground floor. “We saw this opportunity in Web3,” said Cantino, “where there isn’t strong thought leadership at the intersection of consumer goods and crypto.” So, he tweets — and hopes that he gets retweeted.
Beyond that, it’s about hoping the technology is here to stay.


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The week in Italian startups - Issue #120
BPER Banca and CDP VC (through the Boost Innovation fund) 🇮🇹announced Gility, a training platform for SMEs. CDP invested €12.4m in the joint venture.
Reading this week
Neva SGR officially announced its 250m flagship fund.
Vincenzo Elifani on his experience starting a probono incubator.
Nexi is collaborating with the BCE on designing the "digital euro".
The deck Adobe used to explain its Figma acquisition.
Every week, I update my fundraising tracker based on the news I publish.
Giacomo Mollo and I comment on the latest news every week: subscribe to our podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other podcast platforms to get additional insights on what is happening in the Italian ecosystem.
Have a great week,


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Saica Group announces first US location in southwest Ohio
CINCINNATI, OHIO, 30 Jul 2020
Saica Group, one of the largest and most advanced European players in the development and production of recycled paper for corrugated packaging is establishing its first North American facility near Cincinnati, Ohio. The company will construct a new corrugated manufacturing facility in the City of Hamilton’s Enterprise Park. The announcement has been made after the final approval from the Board of Directors that took place this last Tuesday.
Headquartered in Spain, and with more than 10,000 employees across Europe, Saica Group is a world leader in the manufacture of high quality, efficient and environmentally responsible packaging materials. It has four business areas: Saica Natur, managing waste and environmental services; Saica Paper, a sustainable and innovative leader in recycled paper for corrugated board; Saica Pack, the third largest European player in the production of corrugated packaging; and Saica Flex, producing flexible packaging.
The company plans to build a state-of-the-art factory and expects to invest nearly $72 million once construction of the corrugated plant is complete. The construction is expected to start in September 2020 and take eighteen months to finish. With this new project, Saica Group will create 64 new jobs in the state of Ohio.


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LG Chem topped the world’s electric vehicle market in the first quarter, aided by the popularity of Tesla Model 3.
According to EV Volumes, LG Chem supplied batteries for full or partial electric vehicles with a combined output of 6.3 gigawatts, overtaking Panasonic to take the top spot in the global market. This is the first time the South Korean company has overtaken Panasonic in terms of vehicle battery output.
Other South Korean firms also fared well, with Samsung SDI taking the fourth place with combined battery output of 1.2 gigawatts, while SK Innovation was ranked in the seventh place with 0.6 gigawatts.
For LG Chem’s rise, EV Volumes said that the company supplying batteries for Tesla Model 3 played a significant role. During the first quarter, Tesla sold 88,461 units, far outpacing other EV makers.
EV Volumes said LG Chem batteries accounted for 14 percent of batteries used in Tesla vehicles produced during the first three months of the year. LG Chem has been supplying cylindrical batteries (diameter 21 mm, height 70 mm) produced at its plant in Nanjing, China to Tesla since September 2019. Panasonic is likely to see a further decline of its market share with Tesla planning to produce its own batteries. Until recently, Tesla had used only Panasonic batteries.
The increase in South Korean firms’ share of the global EV battery market, however, will hinge on the recovery of European and Chinese markets.
EV Volumes projects that the COVID-19 pandemic will lead to a 6.2 percent drop in EV sales in Europe this year.
China, however, is expected to see a surge in EV demand, aided by the extension of government subsidies, and the pandemic appearing to slow in China. China’s EV market is projected to be about 1.52 million units.
Despite the impact of the pandemic, South Korean companies are expecting demand to continue rising, and making preparations.
LG Chem is planning to further expand the Nanjing plant’s production capacity, which has been doubled since 2018, while Samsung SDI is looking to increase capacity of its plant in Hungary. SK Innovation is also expecting its plants in China and Hungary to go into full production.
The Elec is South Korea's No.1 tech news platform.


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Dec. 7, 2001 – San Jose, CA – The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) commended the House of Representatives on its vote passing H.R. 3005, the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) Act of 2001.
Granting the president trade negotiating authority through the TPA will allow the US to take a leadership role in further opening foreign markets to competitive US high-tech products, including semiconductors.
George Scalise, SIA president stated, “Passage of TPA will boost economic growth by opening markets for US high-tech products. Increasing the number of countries signed on to the Information Technology Agreement and completion of the Free Trade Area of the Americas will expand markets by further eliminating tariffs on computers, telecom equipment, and semiconductors.”
US chipmakers today hold approximately 50% of the world market — substantially more than any other country or region. US semiconductor makers thus benefit from efforts to eliminate both tariff and non-tariff barriers — such as investment restrictions — from foreign markets. In addition, semiconductors are a key component in virtually all US high tech exports and thus agreements that lower barriers for all other high tech products typically also benefit the semiconductor industry.
Scalise added, “Free trade benefits consumers by allowing companies to compete on the basis of their innovations and efficiencies. This competition is further promoted by the existence of strong and effective antidumping laws that encourage investments by efficient producers.”
H.R. 3005 addresses several key issues where the high-tech industry has specific and pressing trade objectives, such as: tariff elimination on high-tech products; increased intellectual property protections; improved market access and non-discriminatory treatment for services; and promotion of e-commerce.
The TPA provides the administration with the ability to secure an up-or-down vote on trade agreements without amendment once the negotiations have been concluded. In order to ensure congressional passage of trade agreements, the administration must consult with congress on a regular basis during the negotiation of those agreements.
This process has been used in the negotiation of numerous past trade agreements, including the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade agreements under the World Trade Organization, formerly the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which substantially opened foreign markets to US goods.


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Norton V4 SS recalled over various safety issues
TVS owned Norton Motorcycle Company Limited (NMCL) has announced a recall on its flagship Norton V4 SS supersport motorcycle over several safety issue concerns. The company informed that many faults and safety issues were discovered on the units sold to the customers in 2019 and early 2020, before being bought by TVS in April 2020.
Reports suggest that Norton's new management (under TVS ownership) reviewed the production practices and quality control that revealed as many as 35 different faults in the 2019-2020 spec models. These faults were said to be serious enough to put the motorcycle and rider at risk.
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TVS and Norton's new management also announced that they are not responsible for the defects since the bikes were manufactured before the official acquisition in April last year. "As part of an ongoing quality assessment and product development program for V4 SS models manufactured by NMUL Realisations Limited, we have identified certain defects and safety concerns on V4 SS bikes sold to customers in 2019 and in early-2020," said John Russell, interim CEO of Norton Motorcycle Company Limited (NMCL).
"Under the guidance of the DVSA, we are in direct contact with all affected registered V4 SS owners to address the safety issues in relation to the faults that have been identified," Russell added.
The company says that the defective motorcycle units were manufactured under Stuart Garner (former Norton CEO) 's leadership.


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UK Government sets out EPR plan
The four UK governments have published their response to the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging consultation outlining the changes since the consultation and decisions taken forward. They have confirmed that EPR will be implemented in a phased manner from 2024, rather than 2023.
The new EPR approach was first proposed by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) in 2018 to encourage the use of more sustainable packaging by charging producers to pay for the net cost of managing materials once they become waste. The new EPR scheme will be reviewed after two years.
IOM3 CEO Colin Church CEnv FIMMM, said, ‘Extended Producer Responsibility schemes have the potential to move us towards a more circular economy, reducing the impacts of material extraction and use on the environment. The news that the UK is continuing to move forward on this for packaging is therefore welcome. However, there is much still to do for this scheme to be effective and even with the delay to 2024 there is no time to waste.’
Jude Allan MIMMM, Chair of the IOM3 Packaging Group, adds, 'It is good to finally be in a postion of starting to think about moving forward with the implementation of EPR after all the consultations. Our challenge is to support our members as they take on the challenge of implementing EPR, making it accessible and understandable for everyone involved in packaging. The timings are still very tight and there are a number of details to be clarified, we want to be there to support our members as they get to grips with the implementation of this scheme in order to make it as effective and successful as possible.'
Changes since the consultation include:
- Payments – for household packaging waste and packaging in street bins managed by local authorities will be determined from 1 April 2024
- Modulated fees – based on recyclability will be introduced from 2025, rather than 2024
- Litter – England and Northern Ireland will not introduce payments for packaging waste that is littered. Scotland and Wales are considering steps to obligate producers for these costs
- PRN – The current packaging waste recycling note (PRN) system will be retained as an interim solution for managing payments for non-household packaging waste. A consultation on reforming this system has been published.
- Business waste – payments for commercially collected packaging waste (from businesses and other organisations that pay for the collection of their waste) will be further explored with the help of an industry taskforce
- De minimis – the threshold for producer obligation will not be lowered but new reporting requirements will be introduced
- Compostable and biodegradable packaging – will be required to be labelled as ‘do not recycle’
- Scheme Administrator – to be classified as being within the public sector and will start to mobilise in 2023 and be fully operational by 2024
- Financial impacts – revised annual cost of £1.7bn down from £2.7bn for obligated producers
Decisions taken forward from the consultation include:
- Payments to local authorities and councils (local councils in Northern Ireland) for collection of household packaging waste, and on the go packaging disposed of in street bins
- Modulated fees to incentivise the use of recyclable packaging
- Mandatory takeback scheme for the collection and recycling of fibre-based composite cups (disposable coffee cups)
- Mandatory labelling of packaging for recyclability with a single labelling format
- Enhanced waste sampling
- Annual packaging waste recycling targets to 2030
While the Government response to the Deposit Return Schemes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland consultation has not yet been published, key decisions announced in the EPR response include:
- All-in DRS for beverage containers from 50ml to 3l will apply in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, aligning with Scotland.
- Wales DRS will include glass
- England and Northern Ireland will not include glass. Glass drinks bottles will therefore be in scope of EPR
Meanwhile, the Plastic Packaging Tax by HMRC will come into force on 1 April 2022 and will be charged at a rate of £200 per tonne, where the plastic used in its manufacture is less than 30% recycled.
You can find a response to the EPR consultation below:
For the full summary of responses and government response, visit bit.ly/3qLXl04
For more information on the UK Plastic Tax and how it might affect you, visit bit.ly/3iS8Leh


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PHOENIX, AZ — Raising your credit score usually takes paying off debt and paying on time for months sometimes years.
But what if you could boost that number in just hours?
Credit bureau company Experian says it's allowing consumers to use phone and utility payment histories to improve their credit through a program called Experian Boost.
According the company many with FICO scores below 680 saw a bump and up to 15 percent of consumers could move into Fair or Good credit score range.
The program is free but there's a catch.
You must give Experian access to your bank account to find qualifying payments. Once you verify information then its added to your credit file.
But you're giving even more information to a company that had a 15 million customer data breach a few years ago.
And any credit score increase would not apply to your Equifax or Transunion reports.
Still interested? Check the fine print so you know what they're doing with your information.
And remember, to raise scores, pay bills on time, keep credit limits high and balances low.


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Medtronic Anticipates Turnaround For Challenged Business Units
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executives focused on new developments in the company’s ICD, spine, neuromodulation, and diabetes product lines, which have each faced particular challenges over the past year, during Medtronic’s second-quarter fiscal 2014 earnings call.
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New product approvals and launches announced this week include a new sinus dilation system and cervical disc from Medtronic, an aortic valve with a novel removable stent from Sorin, and a toe-repair device from Smith & Nephew.
Medtronic recently announced FDA approval of its MiniMed 530G low-glucose-suspend insulin pump, the first system approved in the U.S. that can automatically stop insulin delivery when blood glucose levels fall to a pre-set level.
News Briefs: Medtronic’s First-Gen Artificial Pancreas Approved; CMS Removes Bariatric Surgery Requirements
FDA approves Medtronic’s MiniMed 530G system, making it the first system in the U.S. that can automatically suspend insulin delivery to people with diabetes. CMS removes bariatric surgery facility certification requirements. More news.


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Panama’s banana growth last year couldn’t be slowed by a virus.
The production and exports of bananas in the Baru region, a province of Chiriqui, and Bocas del Toro registered growth despite the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching a total of 19.9 million boxes of bananas exported during 2020.
This reflected a 7 percent increase from 18.6 million boxes in 2019, at an average price of 7.66 balboas per box, as reported by El Siglo.
Carlos Motta, the National Director of Bananas of the Ministry of Agricultural Development, pointed out that between Bocas del Toro and the Baru region, there are about 8,600 hectares planted with bananas, which generates around 200 million balboas in foreign currency and more than 8,000 direct jobs.
Per reports provided by the MIDA National Banana Directorate, among the exporting companies the following stand out: Chiquita Panama, which exported 14.9 million boxes; Ilara Holding, Inc with 2.6 million boxes; Banapiña 1.5 million boxes; and Coobana with 814,000 boxes.
Motta pointed out that the banana industry in Panama maintained a good rate of exports to the markets of Belgium, England, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Germany.
He also mentioned that the fruit has also been sent on a smaller scale to China, Korea, and the U.S.