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The mango season is about to kick off, says Amit Sharma, owner of fruit trader Fresko Fruits: “Indian summers are nothing without mangoes. They are renowned for their aroma and flavor. Depending on the area and climate, India's mango cultivation season period differs, but it usually lasts from March through September. Mango farming in India relies on many variables, including temperature, soil type, irrigation, and insect control. Mango farming is best suited to mild, humid climates with well-drained soil. India has experienced some climate changes in recent years, which may affect the mango cultivation period going forward. For example, changes in temperature and rainfall patterns can affect the growth and yield of mango trees.”
Sharma acknowledges the heavy rains that have hit India this year, and states these rains could definitely have an impact on the mango season. “Rains are essential for mango cultivation, but excessive rainfall can hurt the crop. Heavy rains during the flowering period can affect pollination, resulting in reduced yields. Additionally, excessive rainfall can lead to fungal infections and other diseases that can damage the mango crop. Temperature also plays a significant part, as extreme heat or cold can cause flowers to wilt and fall off before they have a chance to develop. Despite these challenges, India's mango industry has continued to flourish, I expect this season will be positive despite the heavy rains.”
“Volumes of mango production in India fluctuate from year to year due to various factors such as weather conditions, pest infestations, and other natural calamities. Nearly half of the mangoes in the globe are grown in India. The focus of Indian mango exporters is primarily on meeting the demand of international markets. Some of the major export destinations for Indian mangoes include the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Indian mango exporters also target new markets in countries such as Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.”
Sharma loves being in one of the most vital sectors in India, growing the mangoes for the global market: “In summary, Indian mango cultivation is a crucial aspect of the country's agricultural sector. While weather conditions and other factors can impact the mango crop, India remains the largest producer of mangoes globally, and Indian exporters focus on meeting the demand of international markets,” he concludes.
For more information:
Tel: +91 989 19 63633


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Dior was honored at the Trophée Forbes and OniriQ ceremony Friday night at Paris’ Georges V hotel. It was the inaugural awards from Forbes France, created to honor young designers. Dior’s nod was in the environmental sphere, receiving the Forbes Green Ecological Transition Prize for its capsule collaboration with Parley for the Oceans as well as the brand’s overall sustainability targets set out by the Dior in Green program.
With the growing awareness that much of our plastic ends up in the ocean and is killing marine life, Parley for the Oceans was founded by former brand and marketing man Cyrill Gutsch with the belief that “purpose is the new luxury.” The group espouses the AIR Strategy: Avoid, Intercept and Redesign, specifically for ocean plastic, and aims to get the fashion industry involved.
More from WWD
Starting in 2019, Dior artistic director of men’s Kim Jones worked with Parley on a joint research project to create new yarns from plastic garbage and fishing gear collected from beaches in the Maldives, Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka. One result was a recycled polyester that was used in the beachwear capsule, released last April as the first of an annual drop.
Kat Graham joined guests including Thylane Blondeau, Baptiste Giabiconi, French pop star Louisy Joseph and French TV host Agathe Auproux seated at long tables in the hotel’s grand ballroom. The event was part of Le Grand Dîner and the Forbes Fashion Week Awards, an annual event for fashion professionals during the week.
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If you have been wondering what happened to the supercar Honda NSX, then this might answer your questions.
Since it was discontinued back in 2005, the lightweight, aluminium bodied supercar has been slated for a replacement when Honda announced in 2008 that there will be a new generation of the NSX but so far, nothing had been seen and nothing was confirmed even.
It was also announced later that the NSX was almost nearly going into production when the market for sports coupe went into crisis and any hope of the NSX seeing the light of day disappeared. However, Honda had not totally closed the door on the NSX and according to Takanobu Ito, the president and CEO of Honda, the model is still very much in the plans and that they are looking into future production for the much loved supercar and the new generation will be focusing on power-to-weight performance. In fact, they are looking at efficiency as its main selling point and not to emulate the likes of other supercars like Ferrari which is all about speed and performance.
Still, so far, there are no answers on the NSX but in the automotive industry, no news is often good news which meant that they are working behind the scenes. The 2007 Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept could well be how the new NSX could be modelled after and if it is, then it could be very exciting indeed.


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A federal rule requiring use of electronic devices to log truckers’ driving time was a boon to Florida vegetable grower, packer and shipper Chuck Obern, at least soon after implementation. Obern said the rule increased the time and cost of shipping vegetables from the West and Mexico to New York, giving Florida growers a competitive advantage. He doesn’t know if that advantage will last, but he’d like to know if it will.
The Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) rule went into effect Dec. 18; it is commonly referred to as “the E-log rule.” It requires ELDs to synchronize with vehicle engines to automatically record driving time. Previously, truckers could keep manual logs that showed whether they were complying with hours-of-service rules. Those rules allow truckers to work a maximum of 14 hours and drive a maximum of 11 hours during a work shift, according to a Federal Motor Carrier Administration website. “The (ELD) rule requires truckers to electronically clock time in a system that cannot be fudged,” said Gene McAvoy, Extension director and regional vegetable agent in Hendry County, Florida.
Obern, whose C&B Farms near Clewiston grows several hundred acres of vegetables, said there was already a trucker shortage around Christmas and New Year’s Day as many drivers took the holidays off. “The E-log rule exacerbated the shortage,” he said, because some older truckers decided to retire rather than comply.
Obern said largely as a result of the driver shortage, shipping rates to New York from Nogales, Arizona, and from McAllen, Texas, soared. The rates then declined somewhat, but were still elevated as of Feb. 1. Obern said rates were $4,000 to $5,000 per load from McAllen to New York, and $6,000 to $7,000 from Nogales to New York.
FLORIDA: CHEAPER, FASTER, FRESHER
Meanwhile, “Florida rates really haven’t changed much,” Obern said. He reported shipping rates from Florida to New York remained fairly steady at about $3,000 per load. Obern estimated the lower shipping rates gave Florida growers an average price advantage of about 75 cents per box over Western and Mexican growers for a 1,800-box load of mixed vegetables. Florida’s price advantage could be as much as $2 to $3 per box “depending on the commodity,” Obern said.
According to Obern, the ELD rule also increased the number of days it takes to get a load to New York from Nogales and McAllen to four and three days, respectively. By contrast, vegetables can get from Florida to New York in 36 hours, he said. In addition to arriving in New York at a lower cost, the Florida vegetables also arrive fresher. “Fresh vegetables have a short shelf life,” Obern noted.
“Currently we’re enjoying the favorable position we’re in,” Obern said. “We’re more competitive price-wise. It’ll be interesting to see what the impact will be” in the future. He said he hoped someone with the University of Florida would conduct a study to determine if Florida’s economic advantage will hold.
McAvoy, the Extension director and vegetable agent, has heard from other Florida vegetable growers who believe the ELD rule gave them an advantage over Western and Mexican growers. He said the rule “substantially increased the cost of freight from Mexico and the West Coast, conferring a several-thousand-dollar-per load advantage to Florida growers.”
EFFECTS ON WESTERN AND MEXICAN SHIPPERS
McAvoy said he has heard that Walmart “is trying to renegotiate contracts from East Coast producers to reduce their reliance on West Coast shippers” as a result of the ELD rule. McAvoy thinks the rule “might lead to more business” for Florida growers who suffer from competition with low-cost vegetable producer Mexico. He said the rule change may not lead to price increases for Florida growers.
Obern and McAvoy both said some Mexican vegetable producers have dropped their already low prices to compensate for higher shipping costs caused by the ELD rule. “But that’s not sustainable,” Obern said. He added that some West Coast shippers are trying to get team drivers so they can get loads to New York more quickly. But that greatly increases salary and shipping costs, he noted.
Some West Coast shipping companies reported that the ELD rule has had minimal effect on their expenses. One produce company representative said its major issue was making sure trucks were loaded quickly to avoid down time. The company had to expedite loading to keep its drivers on the road as long as allowed.
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International Day Of Disability 2020. BADIG Virtual Coffee Afternoon.
Each year, BADIG hosts a Tea and Coffee Afternoon in the Civic Centre, Ballymun, to celebrate International Day of People with Disability. It’s an opportunity for people with disability, and people who support them, to get together to swap news and share experiences. It also gives BADIG a chance to highlight key issues which we are concentrating on addressing through advocacy with local or national organisations.
Like everyone else, our plans for the 3 December 2020 event had to be revised to take account of the pandemic restrictions, so we moved online to hold a virtual Tea and Coffee Afternoon on Zoom. We were pleased by the attendance, in particular by Councillors Noeleen O’Reilly and Mary Callaghan who joined us for what was a very informative and enjoyable afternoon.
This past year, we have had to adapt how we share information and undertake advocacy.
The Tea and Coffee Afternoon was a great testament to how well we can all adapt to the new way of meeting and working together remotely.
A key highlight of the event was the presentation of a new video made by our Chairperson, Lana Kurasidze, demonstrating her use of the new LifeGlider mobility aid. Lana learned about this revolutionary new aid online and is believed to be the first user of the product in Ireland. We will post more information on this exciting new mobility aid shortly. In the meantime, this short introductory video captures the excitement of LifeGlider perfectly!


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Major commodities prices including oil, gold and silver continued to trade up during last week while certain other commodities such as natural gas fell. Next week several reports, decisions and events may affect the financial markets. These include: ECB and BOE rate decisions, Canada’s trade balance, RBA rate decision, China’s trade balance, U.S non-manufacturing PMI, Japan’s current account, Australia’s retail sales, U.S trade balance, Spain’s unemployment rate, and U.S. jobless claims. Here is an economic news calendar projection for February 4th to February 8th regarding the U.S, Japan, EU, Canada, China, Australia and Great Britain.
(All times GMT):
Monday, February 4th
08:00 – Spain’s unemployment Change: the number of people unemployed in Spain fell last month by 59k. This mean, the employment situation in Spain has slightly improved. If in the upcoming report this trend will continue, it may positively affect the Euro;
15:00 – U.S Factory Orders: This report will show the shifts in U.S. factory orders of manufactured durable goods during December; in the latest report factory orders remained unchanged; this report will offer some insight to the progress of the U.S economy and could affect the path of the U.S dollar;
02:30 – Australian Trade Balance: The upcoming report will refer to December 2012. In the previous update, regarding November, the seasonally adjusted balance of goods and services expanded its deficit to $2,637 million. The export of non-monetary gold fell by $144 million; if the gold exports will continue to fall in December, it might suggest a decrease in demand for non-monetary gold (see here last report);
05:30 – Reserve Bank of Australia – Cash Rate Statement: as of the previous month, the overnight money market rate of Australia’s Reserve Bank was kept unchanged at 3%, which is still the lowest level since the end of 2009. RBA cut the rate a few times during 2012. If the RBA will decide to cut its rate again, this news may affect the Australian dollar that is strongly linked with commodities prices;
Tuesday, February 5th
11:00 – Euro Area Retail Sales: This monthly report will present the changes in EU retail sales for December. In November 2012, retail sales inched up by 0.1%; if this report will continue to show a rise in sales index, it might strengthen the Euro;
15:00 – U.S. ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI: This report will refer to the developments in the non-manufacturing sector during January 2013. During December 2012 this index rose to 56.1% – this means the non-manufacturing is growing and at a faster pace than in the previous month; this index may affect forex and commodities trading;
00:30 – Australian Retail Sales: The upcoming report will refer to December 2012. In the previous update, the seasonally adjusted retail sales inched down by .01% during November; this news may affect the Aussie dollar;
Wednesday, February 6th
11:00– German Factory Orders: This report will refer to the changes in the factory orders of Germany for December; in the previous report the German factory orders fell by 1.8% (M-o-M);
15:30 – U.S Crude Oil Stockpiles Report: the EIA (Energy Information Administration) will come out with its weekly report on the U.S oil and petroleum stockpiles for the week ending on February 2nd; in the latest update for January 25th, stockpiles rose by 2.2 ml bl to reach 1,798.7 ml bl.
02:30 – Australia Employment Report: in the last report regarding December 2012 the rate of unemployment declined to 5.4%; the number of employed (seasonally adjusted) fell by 5,500 people; the number of unemployed rose by 16,600 during December compared to November. This report could affect the Aussie dollar (see here the recent report);
Thursday, February 7th
09:00 – Swiss National Bank Foreign Currency Reserve: The Bank will publish its current Foreign Currency Reserve; according to the previous update, the forex reserves rose compared to the previous week;
09:30 – Great Britain Manufacturing Production: this report will show the yearly rate of GB’s manufacturing production for December; in the previous report regarding November the index decreased by 0.3% (M-2-M); this news may affect the British Pound;
Tentative – French 10 Year Bond Auction: the French government will have monthly bond auction; in the latest bond auction, which was held during the first week of January, the average rate reached 2.07% – the lowest rate in recent months;
12:00 –Bank of England Rate Decision & Asset Purchase Plan: Bank of England will announce its basic rate for February 2013 and of any developments in its asset purchase plan; as of January BOE kept rate unchanged at 0.5% and the asset purchase plan was left at £375 billion;
12:45 – ECB Press Conference and Euro Rate Decision: Back in July 2012 the ECB lowered its cash rate by 0.25pp to 0.75%. Since many continue to speculate when will the ECB lower the rate again because: the economic situation in EU isn’t improving; the inflation and monetary development aren’t growing. Thus, the ECB might lower the rate by another 0.25pp in the near future. If ECB will cut the rate again, it may pull down the Euro to US dollar exchange rate;
13:30 – U.S. Jobless Claims Weekly Report: this report will refer to the weekly developments in the initial jobless claims for the week ending on February 2nd; in the latest report the jobless claims rose by 38k to reach 368k; this upcoming weekly report may affect the U.S dollar and consequently commodities;
15:30 – EIA U.S. Natural Gas Storage Update: the EIA weekly report of the U.S. natural gas market will pertain to the recent changes in natural gas production, storage, consumption and rates as of February 2nd; in recent weekly report, natural gas storage declined by 194 Bcf to 2,802 Bcf;
00:50 – Japan Current Account: this report will show the shifts in the difference between exports and imports for Japan during the previous month; this news may affect the strength of the Yen;
01:30 – Reserve Bank of Australia – Monetary Policy Statement: The RBA will publish its quarterly report regarding the Bank’s monetary policy;
Tentative –China’s Trade Balance: as of the latest monthly update, China’s trade balance rose to a $31.6 billion surplus; if the surplus will further rise, it could indicate that China’s economic growth is progressing and thus may positively affect prices of commodities.
Friday, February 8th
05:30 – China’s CPI: during December the Chinese inflation rate rose to an annual rate of 2.5%; this rate is well below China’s inflation target of 4% in annual terms. If the inflation will continue remain low, it could indicate that China’s economic progress isn’t expanding; China is among the leading countries in importing commodities such as gold and oil;
13:30 – Canada’s Employment Report: In the recent employment update for December 2012, unemployment edged down to 7.1%; the employment rose by 40k during the month. The upcoming report might affect the Canadian dollar and consequently the prices of commodities;
13:30 – Canadian Trade Balance: In the recent report regarding November 2012, exports fell by 0.9% and imports rose by 2.7%; as a result, the trade deficit expanded from a $552 million deficit in October to $2 billion deficit in November; this report may affect the Canadian dollar which tends to be strongly correlated with prices of commodities;
13:30 –American Trade Balance: This monthly report for December will show the recent developments in imports and exports of goods and services to and from the U.S, including commodities such as oil and natural gas; according to the previous American trade balance report regarding November the goods and services deficit increased during the month to $48.7 billion;
Tentative – China New Loans: This report will pertain to the recent developments in China’s new loans given during the previous month. According to the recent report, the total loans changed direction and fell; this report is another indicator to the economic progress of China;
For further reading:
- Gold and Silver Outlook for February
- Gold and Silver Yearly Outlook For 2013
- QE3 Is Here, So Why Gold isn’t Pulling Up?
- Will Gold Producers Continue Their Recovery?


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The GSMA has released a new report, authored by EY, detailing how tax reforms in Ecuador’s mobile sector would significantly benefit the country’s wider economy and promote social inclusion.
The study, ‘Reforming mobile sector taxation in Ecuador: Unlocking economic and social benefits through tax reform in the mobile sector’, forecasts that tax reforms would boost mobile penetration in Ecuador, leading to an increase in employment and generating higher GDP and tax revenue for the government in the medium term.
“Mobile services will play an increasingly important role in supporting Ecuador’s development, offering substantial benefits for individuals and society in areas such as financial services, health, education and entrepreneurship,” said Lucas Gallitto, Public Policy Director Latam, GSMA. “Tax reform is the key to unlocking investment in Ecuador’s mobile networks and improving the affordability of mobile services for consumers. By accelerating the take-up of higher quality mobile broadband services, we expect to see a growth in productivity across the economy and hence an increase in GDP, household incomes, employment and industry investment.”
GSMA research shows that the mobile market in Ecuador has grown significantly over the past decade and makes an important contribution to the economy. With a population of 16.6 million, the number of mobile subscribers has grown substantially, from 6.8 million in 2008 to 11.5 million in 2018. However, the report concludes that there is still broad scope for Ecuador to increase mobile penetration, particularly through policy reform on mobile sector taxation.
A third of the population remains unconnected to a mobile network and almost 40% of existing subscribers – more than 4.1 million individuals – are not connected to mobile broadband services. At present, Ecuador lags behind a number of regional peers in Latin America in terms of unique subscriber penetration and download speeds. Significant investment in mobile networks is required to improve the quality of data services and expand 4G network coverage, which would in turn help drive consumer take-up of mobile broadband services.
Benefits of Tax Reform in the Mobile Sector
Taxes on the mobile sector in Ecuador are disproportionately high compared to other countries in Latin America. In 2017, the mobile industry’s total tax contribution was estimated at $622 million, representing 30% of the total market revenue. Ecuador has the highest mobile-specific tax burden in the region (at 14% of total mobile sector revenue), compared to the mobile-specific tax burden in Argentina (10%), Brazil (7%), Colombia (4%) and Uruguay (1%).
The report identifies three options for tax reform on the mobile sector and their related economic benefits:
1. A reduction in recurring spectrum fees by 50% would help reduce operators’ costs, with the majority of this reduction being passed onto consumers in the form of lower prices. A proportion of the tax saving would be reinvested by operators into expanding and upgrading their networks. GDP would grow by $308 million and annual tax receipts would be $39 million higher per annum by 2023 – a cumulative fiscal gain of $82 million over five years.
2. A reduction in market concentration fee by 50% would also lower costs for mobile operators and incentivise increased investment. This tax is unique to Ecuador. With this change, GDP would grow by $139 million and annual tax receipts would be $14 million higher per annum by 2023, a cumulative fiscal gain of $19 million over five years.
3. The removal of the special consumption tax on mobile services provided to companies (ICE), which is charged at a rate of 15%. Elimination of this tax would reduce the operational costs of any business that purchases mobile services. GDP would grow by $152 million and annual tax receipts would be $22 million higher per annum by 2023, a cumulative fiscal gain of $51 million over five years.
All reforms are expected to be self-financing in terms of their impact on government revenues in the medium term and should generate significant tax revenues by 2023.
Supporting Ecuador’s National Development Strategy
Facilitating the growth of the mobile sector aligns with the government’s broader economic and social objectives for Ecuador’s economy, which are set out in its National Development Plan for 2017-21. This includes achieving sustainable economic growth, increasing private sector investment and enhancing the role of the knowledge economy.
Gallitto added: “Now that a clear national development strategy is in place, the time is right for Ecuador to consider a more efficient way of taxing mobile services. These essential reforms will allow Ecuador to spur the growth of its digital economy and achieve the targets its set for economic growth.”


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MSNBC has filed the latest report on the wide-spread hype, euphoria and frustration that accompanied today's Xbox 360 launch. Microsoft, of course, is on hand with their insights:
“It’s going to be tough to find an Xbox 360 this holiday season,” David Hufford, group director of the Xbox platform, acknowledged to MSNBC.com. “We’re doing everything we can to replenish the retail channel. We have thousands of people working around the clock manufacturing Xbox 360s, stocking those onto 747 jet airplanes and flying those planes into the United States as quickly as possible.”
Several retailers and consumers provide entertaining quotes as well.


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Kellogg Company is based in downtown Battle Creek. Photo via flickr.com
A food maker in the region has entered into an agreement to acquire an investment firm that is the controlling shareholder of a leading Brazilian food group.
Battle Creek-based Kellogg Company, the cereal and snack food maker, said yesterday it will acquire Ritmo Investimentos, which is the controlling shareholder of Parati S/A, Afical Ltda and Pádua Ltda — or collectively the Parati Group.
The acquisition by Kellogg, through its subsidiary Pringles Serviços e Comércio de Alimentos Ltda, is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in late 2016.
The purchase price is R$1.38 billion, or roughly US$429 million at current exchange rates, and it will be an all-cash transaction.
To preserve financial flexibility, Kellogg said it intends to reduce its expected share repurchases in 2016 to $450-$550 million, versus previous guidance of $700-$750 million.
Kellogg said the acquisition, which is its largest in Latin America, furthers two of its strategic priorities — “becoming a global snacking powerhouse and expanding its presence in emerging markets.”
John Bryant, Kellogg chairman and CEO, said Parati Group has an “outstanding portfolio” of popular consumer brands.
He also said with Brazil being the largest economy in Latin America, the acquisition will allow Kellogg to accelerate its growth and improve its margins in the region.
Parati Group sells a wide range of "iconic" regional brands, including Parati, Pádua, Minueto, Zoo Cartoon and Hot Cracker biscuits, which make up about half of the company's business.
The rest of the business is comprised of Trink powdered beverages, Parati Lamen instant noodles and Parati dried pasta.
Parati Group's net sales are expected to be about R$600 million, or about US$190 million at current exchange rates.
Parati Group has 3,200 employees, including a sales force of about 1,300 people serving about 60,000 customers directly. This includes a strong presence in small to medium — or high frequency — stores in Brazil, which are "critical" to reaching the country's growing population.
The company also has five distribution centers and two production facilities with room for expansion.
Maria Fernanda Mejia, president of Kellogg Latin America, said the combination of Parati Group's portfolio, sales and distribution capabilities with Kellogg's global resources — which she said include innovation expertise, extensive shopper insights and customer marketing strength — will provide “tremendous opportunity.”
The acquisition announcement marks Kellogg's fourth emerging market acquisition in the last two years.
In that time, Kellogg has acquired companies in countries in each of its international regions, including Bisco Misr and Mass Food Group in Egypt and a 50-percent stake in Multipro in Nigeria and Ghana.


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Decrypt’s Art, Fashion, and Entertainment Hub.
We just announced the upcoming launch of Coinbase NFT (https://t.co/U1ymWieRT3). We are getting a LOT of signups - so grateful for all your interest 🙏🙏.
We are seeing insane loads on our servers and our team is working hard to get this resolved. Check back soon! #Coinbase
— Sanchan S Saxena (@sanchans) October 12, 2021
Coinbase enters NFT race
I bought my first Bitcoin on Coinbase in 2013. Many will buy their first NFT on it too.
— medved (@mattmedved) October 13, 2021


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Blink is part of the Bosch General Motors Dealer Equipment Program. It will help broaden General Motors’ products offered by deploying the Blink IQ 200 family of charging products and services.
Blink’s agreement with Bosch will help the company benefit from the growing EV megatrend globally. EV sales are growing rapidly in Latin American countries like Mexico, providing BLNK with opportunities to spread its operations in the continent.
Blink is rapidly expanding its operations in the United States to support the boost in EV demand. The recent partnership with Bosch will also help BLNK win market share against competitors in other American countries.
Blink Charging Co. Price and Consensus
Blink Boosting Operations in U.S. to Meet Rising EV Demand
BLNK stock has lost 54.6% in the year-to-date period compared with the Zacks Electronics – Miscellaneous Services industry’s fall of 2.5%.
All-time-high inflation increased the total cost of revenues and operating expenses, which weighed on margin expansion in the third quarter of 2022 and resulted in a quarterly loss of 47 cents compared with a loss of 36 cents in the year-ago quarter.
Further interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve are expected to have brought recession to the U.S. market, as reflected by the mass employee sacking by major tech giants like Meta Platforms, Twitter and Microsoft.
ChargePoint shares have lost 49.7% year to date compared with the Zacks Automotive – Original Equipment industry’s fall of 32.7%.
EVgo is a chief competitor of Blink Charging as an EV charging company that provides competitively priced EV charging services to customers. EVGO’s shares have tumbled 55.9% in the year-to-date period.
However, an uptick in demand across the automotive domain for EVs as economies reopened and lockdowns were lifted might have acted as a tailwind.
An increase in sales of EV transportation led to a rise in the need for additional charging infrastructure. This contributed to Blink’s top line in the third quarter of 2022. It reported revenues of $17.25 million, which surged 169% from the year-ago quarter.
The company, which currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), is likely to benefit from improving demands for EVs. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Per the International Energy Agency, global EV sales are expected to soar from 3 million vehicles in 2020 to about 25 million vehicles in 2030, courtesy of growing awareness about lowering carbon footprint to counter global warming.
A favorable legislative environment to adopt zero-emission EVs, both nationally and globally, might have favored the company’s to-be-reported quarter’s top line. The Biden government recently approved the first-round funding of $900 million for the nationwide development of EV charging infrastructure through its Inflation Reduction Act.
Moreover, positively impacting the EV industry is the CHIPS and Science Act, which is helping to solve the U.S. semiconductor supply chain issue and boosting EV production and sales.
As a result, Blink decided to increase its production capacity in the United States to benefit from the positive social and economic environment the company is operating in amid such an economic crisis globally.
Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2023
In addition to the investment ideas discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2023? From inception in 2012 through November, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks portfolio has tripled the market, gaining an impressive +884.5% versus the S&P 500’s +287.4%.
Now our Director of Research is combing through 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these stocks when they’re released on January 3.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Image and article originally from www.nasdaq.com. Read the original article here.


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It’s good for readers to know the market they’re competing in. Celeste Sepessy did a nice job examining the various niches for sports nutrition supplements a few weeks back. But I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give a call to Diane Ray, vice president, strategic innovation, at NMI.
Here were some of her key observations during our Tuesday morning conversation as well as some information she later sent my way.
--Sports nutrition used to be the domain of hardcore, professional athletes. More products, Ray says, are expanding into “casual and everyday athletes who still want goal-oriented athletic performance but on a more reasonable playing field.”
--“Sports supplements were once defined by muscle building: no more,” Ray adds. “Muscle maintenance and fitness are now part of the every-man (and woman) equation. Nutrition Business Journal reports 2011 sports nutrition dollars 67 percent of dollar sales coming from the heavy/regular consumers at 4 percent of the population. Performance athletes, I call these the professionals, are less than 5 percent of sales according to NBJ.”
--“The most logical segment for sports nutrition supplement growth is Baby Boomers simply due to their numbers and their strong health-awareness,” Ray says. “They want to stay physically fit, active, mobile, and powerful.”
--“In short, sports nutrition products help reinforce their vitality,” she continues. “There’s a dip in the numbers of Generation X in the population, but Baby Boom backlash—the high numbers of Generation Y/Millennials in the population—are set up to keep the industry growing.
“They’re getting the fitness message much earlier, much younger, so they’re more likely to maintain a healthier lifestyle,,” she adds. “Though you see more muscle-building/strength usage among the younger set, overall performance is the driver. Healthy performance, not just hyped up on steroids performance, is the trend.”
--Based on U.S. Census data, Millennials are whom manufacturers need to pay the most attention to. At 83 million strong, they represent the largest generation of young people in American history.
--But they’re not the group that is exercising the most frequently. That would be the Matures.
--According to NMI, the emphasis on meal replacement is driven by two different results, both based on weight management: weight management for performance and fitness and weight loss for appearance and health.
--Meanwhile when it comes to sports performance, customers are looking for supplements to help with general health/energy/vitality or stamina/recovery/athletic process. This is according to NMI’s 2013 Health and Wellness Trends Study.
--When it comes to sports supplements, according to NMI, “performance delivered” tops the hierarchy of benefits customers looking for. At the bottom: quality/value/safety of the ingredients.
--Ray says that sports supplements are affected by outside factors. The emerging trend of body acceptance poses an obstacle. Obesity and its associated medical and health burdens may steer people toward these supplements.
And there’s this: Americans talk a good game about fitness but don’t always follow through. So whether the popularity in sports supplements is the preface to a major trend or just a brief uptick, Ray says, is hard to gauge.


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National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) is expanding its collaboration with the National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) to offer more aspiring personal trainers a comprehensive, hands-on education experience.
“NPTI and the NASM team forged this one-of-a-kind program after seeing an opportunity to increase awareness of the importance of quality hands-on instruction for the personal training industry and career pathways,” said NASM’s Academic B2B Sales Manager Matt Schuster. “We’re excited to be able to offer this high-quality learning experience to even more health and fitness professionals.”
Graduates will exit the program with 500 hours of experience – 300 hours of theory on anatomy, physiology, nutrition, program design, business management, and more, as well as 200 hours of hands-on training where the students are able to practically apply everything that they learned in the classroom. This will earn them NASM’s CPT certification as well as a diploma in personal training from NPTI. Their credentials will also include a special certificate from NASM acknowledging completion of the joint course.
“The NPTI and NASM partnership offers aspiring fitness professionals the best of both worlds,” said owner Gene McIlvaine. “Participants will gain comprehensive hands-on education and experience coupled with NASM’s reputation for science-based strategies and learning innovations.”
The program is now available in 49 states, excluding Florida. Prospective students can register over the phone by calling 1-800-960-6294 or registering online.
[Source(s): National Academy of Sports Medicine, Business Wire]


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In recent weeks, Americans have heard much about the problems with “Big Tech.” National politicians from President Donald Trump to many Democrats running to replace him have been public with their disdain for big companies’ collection and dissemination of personal information, as well as data breaches and censorship.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google and YouTube, constantly contends with accusations of bias against mainstream conservative accounts for not allowing monetization, deprioritizing videos in its search, and outright banning certain videos from its platform based on vague claims that content conflicted with its policy on “hate speech.”
Facebook banned several videos from the conservative non-profit media group, PragerU last year, but was pressured to apologize and ultimately restore the content. Facebook has also come under fire for the way it leverages its users’ personal information.
From the Cambridge Analytica scandal, to the everyday creepiness of seeing ads for products viewed while browsing other sites, or even spoken about aloud, Facebook has drawn much public ire for its business practices. This recently has come to a head now that some prominent politicians are calling for “breaking up Big Tech.”
Earlier this month, lawmakers in Washington announced that they had begun oversight into Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple over possible anti-competitive practices.
Chair of the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust, David Ciciline of Rhode Island, said at a news conference that his committee will be looking into how “we get competition back in this space” over the next 18 months. He plans to call officials from the nation’s top tech firms in to testify as well as subpoena their internal documents.
If only we could describe the tech space as lacking competition. Who could call Facebook a monopoly with a straight face?
In textbook economics, monopolies are understood to be “price setters”, gouging consumers because of an absence of competition from other firms. But, in order to attract antitrust action from government regulators, a company must not only be a monopoly, but it must violate the “consumer welfare standard” by setting prices or offering products in ways that harm consumers. It is yet to be determined, and remains highly questionable, whether the big technology firms meet this standard.
Even if we broke down the obtuse term “Big Tech” into more digestible, simpler parts like “Big Social” (Facebook, Twitter) or “Big Data” (Alphabet/Google, Amazon), observers would still have a hard time deeming these cohorts as “price setters” since their services are largely free. Even companies like Apple–whose products and services have become ubiquitous for American consumers–still have to contend with competition from other hardware and software producers.
Choice is very much still alive and well in the technology market. Just look at the progression of the price and quality of electronics over the last 20 years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, TVs bought in 2019 are 96% cheaper than TVs in 2000.
Imagine if Facebook or Twitter began to charge a monthly fee for users–or even just for advertisers–on their platforms. How many would leave and never look back? There would still be half-dozen other social media networks where businesses can create an account and start posting and spreading organic content for free. Why would anyone stay with Facebook when multiple, cheap, competitive alternatives exist?
Tech Pro Tip: Users of Facebook’s mobile application may limit the pseudo-deja vu product placement experiences stemming from private conversation by disabling the app’s microphone permissions under settings.
The question for politicians and regulators is: How can a firm be anti-competitive when its products are free to use? Is this a good-faith effort to level the playing field in the fast-growing technology space, or is it yet another virtue-signaling mission by politicians capitalizing on public attention to an issue?
Although some well-intentioned “leaders” may think that breaking up bigger companies will allow for smaller companies to compete, it could end up having a chilling effect on innovation as potential business builders watch how regulators treat their competitors.
This may seem overly simplistic, but tech policy can move us in one of two ways. It can either leave the door open to innovation, or barricade it closed.


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Zomato doesn’t know how to deal with people!
Can we say so? Not sure if we can because the way has been helping people globally, be it their employees or customers; everything is remarkable.
From putting out new features to support the food industry and partnering with others in the industry to running campaigns of donation for the needy people, Zomato has put its best foot forward.
Their latest in-app feature, “Covid-19 patient’s prior delivery of food,” is something we might not have thought of.
Zomato’s CEO @Deepinder Goyal took it to Twitter to launch this feature and mentioned that 1000s of restaurant owners have agreed to participate in the campaign.
Zomato Kickstarted the “Help Save My India” Campaign today just like it did last year “Feed the daily wager” campaign.
Find the details of this campaign in the first comment. Let us know what do you think of this new initiative?
The company announced that it had kickstarted the “Help Save My India” mission through its not-for-profit arm Feeding India in association with Delhivery to source oxygen concentrators and related supplies to help hospitals and families in need. It stated that it would raise Rs. 50 crore in the upcoming days!


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Small Business Cybersecurity myths and mistakes can destroy a business. Phishing attempts, Potentially Unwanted Programs, and Malware do not differentiate between a small business and a large enterprise. Once infected, a business is at risk – regardless of size.
Understanding Cybersecurity Myths
The risks posed by cyber attacks are impossible to overlook. From recent attacks on pipelines, to breaches at the US Justice Department, cybersecurity is splayed across the news. Yet, the media rarely focuses on small businesses decimated by a cyber attack. The focus is always on the big names.
That’s why it’s critical for small business owners to take action when it comes to cyber risk. It’s critical to take a proactive approach when considering cybersecurity – because attackers don’t care how big your business is. To them, revenue is revenue.
While it may seem daunting, proactively planning for an attack actually prevents the fallout from a worst-case scenario.
That’s why we’ve put together a list of reasons why small business owners frequently overlook cybersecurity.
Myth: My Business is too Small to Interest Attackers
There’s a perception amongst small business owners that their business won’t interest cyber attackers.
Unfortunately, this is false.
Cyber attackers, especially in recent years, have grown interest in any target. In fact, 28% of data breaches in 2020 involved small businesses.
Why? Because small businesses rely on valuable data repositories. Data = potential revenue.
With many small businesses adopting cloud-based services, and others delaying software updates, cyberattacks depend on small businesses who take minimum security precautions. The most compromised data is user credentials; meaning users accidentally give up their credentials in phishing schemes.
Attackers know that small businesses are an easy target because they are running on tight timelines, with tight budgets. That means they often are prone to phishing attacks or weaknesses related to out-of-date software.
Myth: It’s Easier for Small Businesses to Recover from a Cyber Attack
There’s a misconception that a small business can easily recover from a cyber attack. Afterall, they have fewer computers running and fewer applications to restore.
The scale of the recovery effort is not equivalent to the likelihood of business recovery. 65% of small businesses frequently fail after a cyber attack. There’s many reasons for that. Among the most prevalent: the cost of losing data.
When a small business doesn’t have the backups in place to restore their business to the point of the attack, they often can’t recover their critical contacts, accounts receivable, and operational data. That means these small businesses fall short of their revenue goals, then can’t afford to start over.
Larger businesses may have deeper pockets, meaning they can afford the cost of recovery.
Myth: Small Businesses must Conquer Cybersecurity on their Own
Small business owners often ‘go at it alone’. In part, this is a cost driven decision. In part, this is a focus on operations. Meaning: the business owner’s knowledge of cybersecurity may be minimal.
It’s hard to feel supported in a business environment where the threat of cyber attack seems big, vague and remote. But when an attack strikes a small business, owners often feel shame. “I should have known better!” is a common sentiment, but in reality, should they?
Reality: A Managed Service Provider can Help
Small business owners can take solace in finding a cybersecurity service provider. This third party service can manage the digital security of an organization for a fractional cost. When compared to the cost of losing a business, it really is fractional.
A managed service provider (MSP) can play a critical role in a small business owner’s life. Not only will the MSP provide tools for protection, they can play an important role in educating small business owners and their staff. By indicating what to look out for in phishing attempts, potentially unwanted programs, and malware, cybersecurity education can be a game changer for small businesses.
Cybersecurity Solutions for Small Business Owners
An MSP can educate a small business about what to look for and what to avoid. They can also educate small businesses on when they should contact their service provider, and set expectations on what a small business should hear from their MSP.
Bottom line: an MSP exists to cover their’ clients. Small businesses can rest assured that the MSP has their back.
At CYDEF, we work with an array of Managed Service Providers around the globe. If you’re looking for an IT Service Provider that can support your small business, get in touch!


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Athens – The cold weather isn’t stopping students from strutting their stuff. UGA fashion design and merchandising students have a full week of fashion-filled activities ahead. Reporter Alison Menhart shows how students are participating in UGA’s fashion week.
There will be a new event every day for Fashion Week and it all leads up to two fashion shows on Thursday and Friday. The festivities began with a kick off party last night at Magnolia’s. All of the student models from a group called The Agency gathered to celebrate.
Nia Washington, a PR student and fashion merchandising minor, is excited for the challenge of the week. “It’s exactly what the real world will be like,” she said.
Halley Markert, the president of the Student Merchandising Association, agrees. “It’s different organizations coming together. Everyone brings something different. Not just your stereotypical fashion show,” Markert said.
Each event of the week is sponsored by a different on-campus organization. There will be keynote speakers both today and tomorrow.
Lucie Reynolds is the president of the Fashion Design Student Association. She talked about what goes into putting on the fashion show. “[We are] brainstorming ideas of how to get people interested in fashion,” she said. “It’s a way for students to practice their skills and creating their own designs.” She also showed off a few of her designs which will be debuted at the fashion show.
Friday at 8:30 a staircase in the Miller Learning Center on campus will turn into a runway for the models in the Royal Affair fashion show.
All proceeds from the SMA fashion will go to the Alzheimer’s Association and the FDSA show proceeds will benefit the designers in the show.
Each fashion show is expected to bring in two to three hundred people.
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Show Comments (1)
Was wondering when the next UGA fashion week event will be? This is a really interesting format!
Good job and good luck. Awesome video
Comments are closed.


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Welcome back and what a day for the equities. Once again they settled deep in the red and the Dow gave back all its gains for the year. What happened? We'll detail that during this broadcast. Meanwhile, if you want to reach us on social media and if you're on Threads you can find us @Insight_On_Business. And you can hook up with us all day on Twitter or "X" @IOB_NewsHour and on Instagram. Here's what we've got for you today:
- The job market...still very HOT;
- That's an issue for the Fed;
- Fed Chair Jerome Powell gets a small business earful;
- President Biden on the 10 targeted drugs;
- Jamie Dimon becomes a soothsayer about the future;
- The future of electric vehicles and...parking garages;
- The Wall Street Report;
- Got Netflix? Get ready to pay more but they have merch.
The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.


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Microsoft's put out a survey for Killer Instinct that gives us an idea of potential new guest characters.
The survey, released to Killer Instinct website Ultra-Combo.com, is designed to let developers at Iron Galaxy Studios and Microsoft Studios know what the community would like next from the fighting game.
One of the questions asks participants to vote on potential new characters from a list - and there are a few familiar names on there.
Standouts include a Brute from Halo, an Agent from Crackdown, and Joanna Dark from Perfect Dark. Joanna Dark, obvs.
Killer Instinct is no stranger to guest characters. The Arbiter from the Halo series is already playable, as is General RAAM from Gears of War and Rash from Battletoads.
Meanwhile, another question suggests alternative takes on existing Killer Instinct characters.
Killer Instinct is in its third season now, with more set to follow. The game enjoys a healthy community of players buoyed by a recent release on PC and continued work from Iron Galaxy. Expect it to star at upcoming fighting game tournament Evo, too.


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News — scandal
Multi-Million Dollar Scandal - Ultrafire 9800mah 18650 Lithium Ion Batteries
18650 lithium ion ripoff scandal Ultrafire
Many of us in the DIY battery community are well aware of the Ultrafire brand scandal but it is very likely that the vast majority of the public will waste their hard earned money on these garbage batteries when searching and comparing 18650 batteries. I found and will reveal below some ebay listings that are selling these and ripping us off hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is just a few of the 2684 listings on ebay right now (9/25/18) selling just this battery. I purchased 1 order from each listing and I will do a full capacity and internal resistance...


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One of hip-hop’s wealthiest men could stand to make even more money. According to The Financial Times, Apple is close to buying Beats, the electronics and online streaming company founded by Dr. Dre and Interscope Records chairman Jimmy Iovine. The reported cost of the transaction? $3.2 billion.
Established in 2008, Beats Electronics makes a variety of audio products, including headphones, speakers, and car stereos. Earlier this year, it launched its own online streaming serviced, Beats Music, with Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor serving as Creative Chief.
As Business Insider points out, it’s an interesting move by Apple, which rarely makes such large purchases of other companies. What’s more, it recently opened exploratory talks to launch its own online streaming platform.
(Read: Here are the Five Wealthiest Rappers in 2014)
The Financial Times reports that a deal could be announced as soon as next week.


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In the wake of global protests against racism and police violence in the summer of 2020, many marketers assessed how they could use their brands to forge a more diverse and inclusive world, in advertising and beyond.
At the time, there was a deluge of plans and pledges made around diversity, equity and inclusion, but in the three years since, the volume and intensity of such calls has decreased. Some marketers have seen their efforts face culture war backlash, while others have been dragged to court over their progress (or lack thereof) in meeting their goals.
That is not the case for Häagen-Dazs: The ice cream brand in March 2021 pledged to support diverse creators with $1.5 million doled out over three years, a commitment that it fulfilled in May.
“We don’t look at purpose as a one-time thing. It truly has been a commitment and really an evolving commitment,” said Elizabell Marquez, CMO at Häagen-Dazs parent Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream. “Our team continues to be inspired by the creativity and the passion of our founders, and that’s why we’ve continued to support nonprofit organizations.”
Häagen-Dazs has distributed funds to a variety of nonprofits spanning music, fashion, art and culinary disciplines. In 2021, donations of $100,000 each were sent to Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab, Allies in Arts, La Cocina, She Is the Music and The Council of Fashion Designers of America. Similar donations to The Tank, Free the Work, Hot Bread Kitchen, Support Creatives and Alvin Ailey followed in 2022. In April, the brand made its largest commitment to date — $500,000 — in partnership with musician Anderson Paak’s Brandon Anderson Foundation.
“We love [Paak] because his organization also shares a very similar mission to what we have been wanting to do over the last few years around uplifting and engaging communities through access to the arts and experiences,” Marquez said.
For Häagen-Dazs and its CMO, a financial contribution is only the first part of its commitments. Beyond that, the brand has worked to engage organizations by utilizing them to fuel a #ThatsDazs campaign launched in hand with its diversity pledge.
“This has not just been a one-time donation, but it’s been really about partnering with these communities and finding ways to bring them to the forefront through our creative work and our partnerships,” Marquez explained.
For example, the brand’s donation to She Is The Music helped back the nonprofit’s Connect TogetHER Mentorship program. In turn, She Is the Music provided the DJ sets for Häagen-Dazs’ Buttered Cookie Cone Festival launch. Similarly, thanks to the ice cream brand’s donation to Allies in Arts, the nonprofit was able to commission queer Chicago-based artists Sam Kirk and Jenny Q to create an original mural for Chicago Pride that then became a part of Häagen-Dazs’ out-of-home (OOH) efforts.
In September, Häagen-Dazs will re-team with La Cocina for a San Francisco-based event called Tacolado — a mashup of taco and “helado,” which is Spanish for “ice cream” — that will help celebrate rising culinary talent during National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Häagen-Dazs is also building relationships with creators and bringing them into the process of making #ThatsDazs ad creative. The brand tapped creator Tyrell Hampton for OOH and print photography in 2021 and 2022, and brought Hampton in front of the camera in TV advertising to promote its Butter Cookie Cone product. That relationship is an example of long-term thinking, even as other brands pull back from diversity efforts — possibly at their own peril.
“Purpose has become a key pillar of our brand. Our team is already thinking about ways that we’re going to continue to support and foster all the great relationships that we have built over the last three years within the creative community,” Marquez said. “We’re looking for ways to continue to elevate talent and partner with these great organizations. So, more to come there from our brand.”


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The Calgary energy company seeks to better understand how, when and where electric vehicle (EV) owners are charging their cars.
Enmax hopes to collect data while there are still around 3,000 electric vehicles in the city. The internal model shows that up to 200,000 electric vehicles could be operating in the city by 2035.
It is part of Enmax Power’s Charge Up program that began in 2019 to investigate when and how long people charge their electric cars. It found that four out of five electric vehicle owners plug in their cars at 5 p.m., at the same time that the power grid is in peak demand.
Authorities forecast hundreds of thousands of EVs in Alberta by 2041
The second phase of the program aims to test how to shift the load to off-peak hours.
Enmax is seeking 250 local EV owners to participate in the research, sharing charging data through an automated device while earning rewards.
Ontario government increasingly focuses on electric vehicles
The latest study will also provide Enmax with data on how to optimize the network for increased charging demand from electric vehicles. Since 2018, electric vehicles have seen 60 percent growth in Calgary.
Enmax CEO leaves after 18-month term
“Enmax Power is preparing for the growth of electric vehicles to ensure that we can meet customer demand for years to come,” President Jana Mosley said in a statement.
Automotive Trends 2022
The pilot will run until the end of 2022 and Calgary-based electric vehicle owners can Register onlineregardless of who your energy retailer is.
Despite pandemic pain, Enmax ‘achieved solid financial performance’ in 2020: CEO
“As an EV owner, I am flexible when I charge, and if there is a better time for the system, and that generates a financial benefit for customers like me, that sounds like a win-win,” Blake Shaffer, Vehicle Driver electrical and economics professor said in a statement. “As an economist, we know that electric vehicles are gaining popularity and integrating them into the grid profitably is the right thing to do.
“Drivers like this are a good example of how we can prepare intelligently.”
© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.


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Economic activity in U.S. manufacturing contracted in July, the second month without growth, as the Institute for Supply Management's monthly manufacturing survey registered 49.8. Any score below 50.0 indicates the manufacturing economy is generally contracting.
The monthly PMI score of 49.8 grew 0.1 percentage points from June but was shy of the consensus expectation that the score would rise to 50.4. The manufacturing data could serve as further incentive for the Federal Reserve to take action to boost the economy.
"While the U.S. manufacturing sector has outperformed its international peers over the past several months, it has not been immune to the recession in Europe, slowing growth in emerging markets and a loss of confidence at home," observed James Marple, senior economist for TD Economics. "The slight move up in the index, while positive, is not enough to assuage fears that growth is losing momentum into the dog days of summer."
The new orders index rose 0.2% to 48.0. Inventories continued to indicate contraction with a reading of 49.0, though that figure increase 5.0% from June.
Production moved up slightly from 51.0 in June to 51.3 in July, the 38th consecutive month of growth. Employment also indicated growth, at 52.0, though at a slower pace than in June.
Manufacturers continued to benefit from lower prices for raw materials. The prices index registered 39.5%, up 2.5% from June but indicating lower prices on average for the third month in a row.
Of the 18 manufacturing industries surveyed, seven reported growth in July. Plastics & rubber products led the increase, followed by electrical equipment, applaince & components; primary metals; petroleum & coal products; fabricated metal products; food, beverage & tobacco products; and furniture & related products. The 11 industries reporting contraction were led by nonmetallic mineral products and apparel, leather and allied products.
"A growing number of comments from the panel this month reflect a slowdown in their businesses and general concern over increasing economic uncertainty," noted ISM spokesman Bradley Holcomb.


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The headline is bombastic, of course, but there is a grain of truth to the idea that Silicon Valley is imploding. By this I don’t mean that business there is dying out; on the contrary business there is booming. The issue is these companies are victims of their own success, boosting Valley wealth so high that they’re pricing themselves out of their own backyards.
Apple is rumored to be inking a real-estate deal in Cary. San Francisco-based Slack is opening a Denver office. Word from folks I know who are working in Bay-area companies tell me there is a push for these companies to expand in other cities because the talent competition on their home turf is intense. I keep reading stories about people escaping from Silicon Valley and these stories seem to keep coming.
Amazon may be Seattle-based but it’s in the same boat with its search for a secondary headquarters. The ever-rising prices in Seattle have made it more attractive for Amazon to invest away from its birthplace.
Of course, it could all be a blip, or nothing at all, but lately there seem to be lots of reasons why not being in the Valley is a competitive advantage.


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TVS has launched the first-ever fuel-injected 110cc scooter, which is also BS-VI compliant. So, we had to take it out for a spin.
India has the largest two-wheeler market in the world, and it’s also evolving at a rapid pace. We have just made the jump from BS-IV to BS-VI, and while it may have been problematic for the industry, many two-wheeler manufacturers have already started launching BS VI models.
TVS was one of the first to offer a BS-VI compliant scooter last year in November with the launch of the BS-VI version of the 110cc Jupiter Classic. It’s only natural for people to be curious about the changes that the new BS-VI models bring to the table. Well, now that we have gotten our hands on the new Jupiter maybe we can address your curiosity.
The Jupiter has been a class-leading product in the 110cc line-up in terms of features and design. The BS-IV model was quite nice, but now the new BS-VI model has taken it all a step further. The Jupiter Classic now gets Ecothrust Fuel Injection or ET-Fi. This means that the 110cc engine is now more fuel-efficient, by 15%, to be precise. For a daily commuter, it will help save a lot of money.
The fuel tank’s capacity has also been increased. A daily commuter also needs good luggage space, and in today’s world, a USB charging port as well. The new Jupiter Classic offers both to customers, as it now features an increased storage space – not to mention, a mobile phone storage space with charger. Comfort also needs to be addressed, especially if you are riding in the city with traffic and extreme climates. But don’t worry, for the Jupiter Classic offers a comfortable seat with good floor space, and there is also a nice windscreen for protection. So, as a daily commuter, the Jupiter Classic surely has a lot to offer, or as TVS says, ‘Zyada ka Fayda’.
The BS-VI effect
The new BS-VI engine is the same 109.7cc single-cylinder engine, but its power has dropped by 0.5 bhp to 7.3bhp, however, its torque output remains the same at 8.4Nm. The Jupiter has always been a refined scooter with great ride quality, and the new BS-VI model continues to offer the same ride experience. The acceleration is jerk-free, and the engine feels very well refined. The front brake, though, has now become a drum – the BS-IV model had a disc for the front brake – and as a result, it feels spongy now. So, in that regard, the Jupiter has regressed a bit while trying to move ahead. The overall performance is still admirable, and the ride quality is extremely comfortable.
The prices for the BS-VI model have also gone up now – the new top-spec Jupiter Classic, which we have here, is priced at Rs 67,911 (ex-showroom Delhi), making it Rs 7,921 costlier than the BS-IV model. The base variant is priced ar Rs. 62,062 and the ZX variant is priced at Rs 64,062, both ex-showroom.
Well, you now get more fuel efficiency, better features, and improved practicality for the extra price. And, it’s now a BS-VI compliant scooter. The Jupiter has been a hit in India and became the fastest scooter to reach 1 million in sales – it took just 30 months to reach that revered mark. Since its launch in 2013, the Jupiter has sold over 3 million units to date. It’s certainly an important product for TVS, which is why it was one of TVS’ first products to be launched in its BS-VI avatar. So, there is no doubt why it’s considered to be one of the best 110cc scooters in the market, and rightly so.


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U.S. residents in 2012 spent about $30.2 billion on complementary approaches to health care, according to a federal study released last week.
"Complementary" approaches include products such as herbal supplements and services such as chiropractor visits, meditation, and yoga.
For the study, CDC and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health researchers analyzed 2012 data on nearly 45,000 U.S. residents ages four and older to estimate nationwide spending on complementary health care approaches.
The researchers estimated that about 20 percent of Americans paid for at least one complementary health care approach in 2012. Spending on such approaches accounted for 9.2 percent of U.S. residents' total out-of-pocket health care spending that year and 1.1 percent of health care spending in 2012 overall.
According to the researchers, U.S. residents in 2012 spent:
- $14.7 billion out-of-pocket on visits to complementary practitioners—such as acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists—which was about 30 percent of consumers' out-of-pocket spending on conventional physician services that year;
- $12.8 billion on natural product supplements, which was about 25 percent of consumers' out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs; and
- $2.7 billion on self-care approaches, such as self-help books or audio recordings.
On average, U.S. residents spent $433 on practitioner visits, $368 on natural product supplements, and $257 on self-care approaches.
Out-of-pocket spending on complementary health approaches increased with household income. Spending was about $435 per U.S. resident with an annual household income under $25,000, compared with $590 per U.S. resident whose annual household income was at least $100,000.
"People are fed up with the type of care they get from primary physicians that is covered by insurance," says Daniel Fabricant, executive director and CEO of the National Products Association. "Across the board, people are looking for ways to stay healthy on their own." He added that physicians on average spend about seven minutes per visit with patients, noting, "It's very difficult to get interested in someone's health and wellness during a seven-minute period."
However, Paul Offit, chief of infectious disease at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, cautioned that the alternative health care industry is lightly regulated.
According to NIH, nutrition supplement manufacturers are permitted to market the products without first receiving FDA approval. While supplement companies must have evidence to support any health-related claims included on the products' labels, manufacturers are not required to submit that evidence to FDA before the products are sold.
"You are putting a lot of faith in something you shouldn't have much faith in," says Offit. "They don't have to test for safety and usefulness as long as they don't make a serious medical claim" (Gooch, Becker's Hospital CFO, 6/22; Shedrofsky, USA Today, 6/22; Lagasse, Healthcare Finance News, 6/22).
Understand the employee wellness spectrum
Programs aimed at promoting healthy habits among employees are likely to lead to improved employee engagement and productivity—but they're unlikely to reduce the total cost of care. To do that, you'll need to take a population health approach.


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Mustafa Suleyman is leaving Inflection AI, the maker of chatbot Pi, for Microsoft in a massive shakeup at one of Silicon Valley’s highest-valued artificial intelligence startups. Inflection, valued last year at $4 billion, said it is shifting its focus to a business-to-business strategy.
Suleyman will lead Microsoft's consumer AI efforts, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explained in a blog post, forming a new group called Microsoft AI that includes its Copilot product. Inflection cofounder and chief scientist Karén Simonyan and an unspecified number of engineers and researchers are also departing Infection to help create the group.
Most of Inflection’s 70 employees are among that number, a source with knowledge told Forbes. Microsoft is not taking any equity position in Inflection AI as part of the shift, a second source added, nor will it be acquiring any of Inflection’s intellectual property. Inflection, Microsoft and Suleyman declined to comment beyond their respective posts.
In a statement posted to LinkedIn, that professional network’s cofounder Reid Hoffman — also Inflection’s third cofounder and a board director — wrote: "This agreement with Microsoft means that all of Inflection’s investors will have a good outcome today, and I anticipate good future upside."
Of note: Microsoft was already an investor in Inflection AI before Tuesday. But that “good outcome” didn’t include investors receiving any cash from the company in the form of a partial exit, a source with knowledge said. Hoffman may have been instead alluding to a financial arrangement, previously undisclosed by Microsoft and Inflection and first reported by Forbes, as part of its license of Inflection’s API, multiple sources said. By that arrangement, Inflection investors could be made whole on their committed capital, though not immediately, they added.
Inflection will focus now on providing an application programming interface, or API, to other businesses — a major shift for a company that had focused until recently on Pi, its chatbot alternative to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. It will host that API on Microsoft’s cloud service as well as others, the source added. In its own post, Inflection claimed that PI had “millions” of weekly users. Those people would continue to have access, at least for now, as the company claimed “there will be no immediate changes to the service.”
The shift at Inflection and departure of two of its cofounders — Sean White, previously chief research officer at Mozilla, is joining as CEO — comes as a stunning reversal for a company that had raised $1.3 billion just last June and announced the newest version of its model last November. Pi was “massively popular, with huge retention,” Suleyman claimed to Forbes then. “Fundamentally I’m building a business, and it’s extremely competitive.”
In a Bloomberg interview on Tuesday, Suleyman doubled down on his account that Inflection was popular with not just investors, but users, saying Pi’s daily user count had reached one million. It hadn’t, however, found an effective business model, he said.
Building powerful AI models to compete with the likes of OpenAI is expensive. Still, for Inflection to exit the consumer race so quickly — after having raised so much money, so fast — while its CEO departs for a top job at Microsoft, raised some eyebrows among insiders, even if it didn’t fully surprise.
“It’s a good day for Mustafa and a bad day for Inflection’s investors and early employees,” said Nathan Benaich, founder and general partner at Air Street Capital, which has backed AI unicorn Adept. The costs associated with the consumer race mean that only a small handful will survive and win, he added.
At Index Ventures, Mike Volpi, a board director at another AI model unicorn already focused on business-to-business growth, Cohere, said he expected “Big Tech” companies like Microsoft to be the beneficiaries of the consumer AI horse race. The enterprise side is “much more viable” to hold its own, he added, name-checking Cohere and another prominent AI unicorn, Anthropic. “A lot of AI companies that were focused on consumer will try to move over to the enterprise market. Time will tell whether the pivot isn't too late.”
But May Habib, cofounder and CEO of enterprise AI startup Writer added that capturing that market is no cake walk. “I think this move demonstrates how hard it is to build a new budget in the enterprise, and of course the incumbents have a major bundling advantage,” she said. “It's a coup for Satya, for sure.”
Whether Suleyman’s departure is more a signal of Inflection’s difficulties or a bigger opportunity presenting itself is unclear. Suleyman previously cofounded DeepMind, acquired by Google, before departing in 2022 after being accused of an overly aggressive management style.
Late last year, Clément Delangue, CEO of another billion-dollar AI startup, Hugging Face, predicted that in 2024 at least one hyped and buzzy AI company would either get acquired or go bankrupt. Microsoft snagging two of Inflection’s founders might be the next closest thing so far.
“While no one predicted this specific outcome, we shouldn’t be surprised,” added the investor Benaich. “If antitrust regulators make [mergers and acquisitions] prohibitively difficult, we should expect these bizarre semi-exits to become more common.”
This is a breaking story and may be updated.


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P2P Mailing has been purchased by FedEx for £92 million and will operate as a subsidiary of FedEx Cross Border within the FedEx Trade Networks operating company. It comes only a couple of months after the UK company announced a rebranding and months after a fire destroyed its old warehouse in Basildon last August.
FedEx said that adding P2P to its portfolio would allow it to offer a more comprehensive service to customers. “Global e-commerce continues to grow at a rapid pace, and more and more merchants, marketplaces, e-commerce and social platforms are looking for innovative, cost-effective ways to get merchandise from distribution points in one country to customers in another,” said Carl W. Asmus, president and CEO, FedEx Cross Border. “By adding P2P to the FedEx portfolio, we will be able to effectively serve even more elements of the e-commerce market.”
“This acquisition is a further step in achieving the global mission of the FedEx Trade Networks group to provide specialized solutions to customers,” said Richard W. Smith, president and CEO, FedEx Trade Networks, Inc. “We are pleased to welcome the P2P team members into the FedEx family of companies and look forward to combining the talents of both teams to contribute to our continued success.”
Image credit: P2P


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In a surprising turn of events, confidential documents have emerged from the ongoing FTC v. Microsoft case, providing a glimpse into the inner workings of Xbox, Microsoft’s gaming division. The leaked documents have exposed critical discussions within the company regarding the future of Xbox Game Pass and the broader gaming business until the year 2030. These revelations highlight the importance of diversification and growth in the “PC First” and “Cloud” segments to secure Xbox’s place in the gaming industry.
The growth projections
The heart of the leaked information centers around a chart that outlines estimated growth for Xbox Game Pass users. This chart segments users into three distinct categories: “PC First,” “Cloud,” and “Console First + Multi-Device.” It is within this chart that the future of Xbox appears to hang in the balance.
Spencer’s candid admission
During the confidential presentation, Phil Spencer, the Head of Xbox, made a startling admission that has sent ripples through the gaming community. He acknowledged that the company’s future in the gaming industry relies heavily on the growth of the “PC First” and “Cloud” segments. Spencer’s comments were candid and direct, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
He stated, “I can fairly safely say that if we do not make more progress than this off of console, we would exit the gaming business. If this were the outcome, we would — I don’t believe we’d still be in the business.” This statement underscores the critical importance of diversifying Xbox’s user base and reducing its reliance on traditional console gamers.
The importance of diversification
Spencer went on to emphasize that the majority of Xbox’s customer base is no longer confined to their proprietary hardware. In this age of gaming, where accessibility and convenience are paramount, it is clear that Microsoft recognizes the necessity of expanding beyond the traditional console market.
He expressed his hope that, ideally, by the earlier part of the next decade (around FY26, ’27), the “PC First” and “Cloud” segments should witness substantial growth. Failing to achieve this growth could force Microsoft to reevaluate its role in the gaming industry. These remarks from Spencer highlight the dynamic nature of the gaming landscape and the need for adaptation to remain relevant.
Implications for Xbox’s strategy
The leaked information sheds light on recent strategic moves by Xbox, particularly their advertising campaign that champions Xbox Game Pass over physical media. This campaign is not merely a marketing ploy but a reflection of a broader strategic shift within the company. Xbox is pushing hard to drive subscriptions and expand its presence beyond the confines of traditional gaming hardware.
This approach aligns with industry trends where gaming services and streaming platforms are gaining prominence. Xbox is positioning itself to be a leader in this evolving landscape, but the leaked documents suggest that success is contingent on significant growth in the “PC First” and “Cloud” segments.
The source of the leaks
The source of these leaks, the FTC v. Microsoft case, raises questions about the security of sensitive corporate information. An inadvertent error led to the release of unredacted attachments containing confidential details about Microsoft’s operations, including internal discussions within Xbox. The case highlights the challenges companies face in protecting their proprietary information in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.
In conclusion, the leaked documents have cast a spotlight on the potential turning point facing Xbox, Microsoft’s gaming division. The future of Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft’s role in the gaming industry until 2030 hinges on achieving substantial growth in the “PC First” and “Cloud” segments. Phil Spencer’s candid admission underscores the urgency of diversifying Xbox’s user base beyond traditional consoles.
As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, Microsoft faces a pivotal moment that may reshape the future of gaming for the tech giant. Whether they can successfully navigate this transition remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Xbox’s future is at a crossroads, and the decisions made in the coming years will have a profound impact on the gaming industry as a whole.


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The Cinnamon Beach Condominium Association today notified its members that the Association has reached an agreement with Centex/Pulte.
Palm Coast, FL – December 8, 2014 – The Cinnamon Beach Condominium Association has notified its members that the Association has reached an agreement with Centex/Pulte in their construction defect lawsuit. The Board reports that it is pleased with the settlement and there is no longer a need to proceed to the scheduled May 2015 trial. Details of the settlement remain confidential.
The settlement of the $14 million lawsuit is certain to be welcome to condo owners and to Realtors® alike. Any lawsuit is a crap shoot with unpredictable results. While the lawsuit was active, sellers and Realtors were required to disclose the existence of the suit to potential buyers, who hate uncertainty. Needless to say, this had an adverse affect on sales of Cinnamon Beach condominiums. During 2013, 19 Cinnamon Beach condo sales were reportedly sold through MLS. Since the lawsuit was announced in March 2014, only four units have been reported sold.
Click for Cinnamon Beach Condo Association website


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The world’s biggest tech event to be hosted since the pandemic began is set to open its doors in just a few days’ time. Justin Springham is in Barcelona to provide a sneak peak of what to expect from the show.
Mobile Mix: Singapore Sling
Mobile Mix: 5G comes to life
Mobile Mix: Cisco chats cloud and cars
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Half of all iPhones could be made in India by 2027
A new report suggests that up to half of all iPhones could be made in India by 2027, following earlier estimates of 25% by 2025.
The Chinese report says that local suppliers are already feeling the effects of Apple’s efforts to move production out of the country, with Vietnam also benefiting from the Cupertino company’s plan to reduce its reliance on China…
We’ve been warning for many years about both the need and the difficulty of reducing Apple’s dependence on China, but the pandemic made even clearer the risks of the company having most of its manufacturing eggs in one basket. Recent COVID-19-related disruption at the world’s biggest iPhone assembly plant was estimated to have cost the company a billion dollars per week.
India has now established itself as Apple’s second-largest iPhone production center. Apple was hoping to hit a crucial milestone last year, with iPhone 14 assembly beginning simultaneously in both China and India. In the end, it didn’t quite manage this, but iPhone 14 production in India did kick off in September. Simultaneous production is expected for this year’s iPhone 15 lineup.
A report last year suggested that a quarter of all iPhones could be made in India by 2025, and today’s report indicates that the transition won’t end there.
Half of all iPhones could be made in India
Bloomberg research shows that, currently, just 2.27% of Apple’s supplier facilities are located in India, putting it in 8th place behind the US, China, Japan, Germany, the UK, Taiwan, France, and South Korea. But the pace of change is already significant.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports on the analyst forecast.
India may produce one in two of the world’s iPhones by 2027, compared with the current state of less than 5 percent, according to a forecast last week by Luke Lin, an analyst at the research unit of Taiwan’s DigiTimes newspaper.
The forecast is more aggressive than JPMorgan’s earlier prediction that India would assemble 25 percent of total iPhones worldwide by 2025, but is in line with the rapid surge in India’s share of iPhone deliveries.
India’s iPhone shipments doubled from April to December 2022, from the same period in 2021. Vietnam’s share of making Apple’s MacBooks and AirPods is also expected to rise as contractors, including Chinese ones, rushed there to set up plants.
Chinese suppliers are already feeling the effects
Apple has frequently cautioned against reading too much into supply chain reports. They are not always accurate, and Apple’s policy of having multiple suppliers wherever possible means that even a confirmed change in orders for one company may be canceled out by a balancing change in orders for another.
That said, there are some indications of the effects of Apple’s ongoing work on shifting production out of China.
Goertek, which has been making acoustic parts for Apple’s AirPod earbuds and other devices in eastern China’s Shandong province for two years, is another example. The Shenzhen-listed company slashed its 2022 earnings estimate by 60 percent, citing a request by a “major overseas client” to halt the production of a smart acoustic device. Even though the company did not name the client, analysts including Kuo have pegged the device as Apple’s AirPods Pro.
One consultant said that a potential challenge was maintaining quality standards in a more diverse supply chain. Apple has historically worked incredibly closely with Chinese suppliers to hit quality standards.
“A key question will be how long the Indian suppliers … can ramp up to meet these standards”, said UK-based supply chain consultant Alan Day. “Apple has worked with, or developed their Chinese suppliers for years and this will not be achieved overnight. Taking this ‘driver for perfection’ catalyst out of the market may lead to standards slipping within the supply chain.”
This concern may be exaggerated given that a lot of Apple’s production outside of China is with the same Taiwanese or Chinese companies.
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US warns Kenya to secure mobile money transfers
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 25 – The US is warning Kenya to enhance its security mechanisms particularly in the mobile phone money transfer technologies to outsmart cyber crime wizards.
International security experts from the US, including the department of Homeland Security have warned that unless Kenya puts in place proper security measures, it will soon become a target of cyber criminals now targeting mobile phone technologies like money transfers.
Christopher Painter who formerly worked as a senior advisor to the US President on cyber security acknowledged Kenya’s spearheading position in mobile money transfer systems, which is envied by countries abroad.
“We cannot afford to ignore that fact; Kenya is leading in the mobile phone money transfer technology. And the advice we are giving is for Kenya to enhance security in that sector because it is a soft target for cyber criminals,” said Mr Painter who spent two years developing President Barack Obama’s Cyberspace Policy Review.
“Criminals are no longer targeting computer users, they are looking at ways of tapping opportunities available in smart phone users and they are going for money. This mobile phone money transfer system is one of them and it needs proper security,” Mr Painter told reporters at a scheduled briefing at the start of the East African Workshop on Cyberspace Security taking place in Nairobi.
He said apart from offering advice to Kenya on how to tighten security measures for mobile phone users, experts from the US are in Kenya to learn more about the innovation of using mobile phones to carry out transactions in their countries.
“The technology is sophisticated and having started here [in Kenya], we are eager to learn about it,” he added.
He said there was need for security to be enhanced so as “to be ahead of computer hackers who may invent ways of withdrawing people’s money from mobile phones.”
Mr Painter is credited with leading the most high profile and significant cyber crime prosecutions in Los Angeles, including the prosecution of notorious computer hacker Kevin Mitnick.
Mobile phone operator Safaricom was the first to introduce M-PESA, which has increasingly become popular in enabling users to send and receive money using their mobile phones.
Other operators such as Airtel, Orange and yu have also introduced similar services under the brand names Airtel Money, Orange Money and yuCash respectively.
“This is an exciting technological innovation which must be protected,” Mr Painter who has previously served as Deputy Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)’s Cyber Division warned.
Other cyber crime international experts attending the workshop include Marie-Flore Kouame and Thomas Dukes—both of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section [CCIPS], Patrick Traynor who is an Assistant Professor in the College of Computing at Georgia Tech, Robin Taylor a Resident Legal Advisor for the US Department of Justice in the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development among other top experts.
Information Minister Samuel Phogisio said Kenya will work closely with the US to improve its technologies so as to ensure Kenyans continue to enjoy services offered by local mobile phone companies in various transactions.
“We are sharing with US because we are faced with a lot similar security challenges. We will definitely come up with ways of solving these problems with the help of the US,” the Minister said.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry Bitange Ndemo said the government was looking at ways of building a strong capacity for the police to enable them utilize opportunities available in the ICT sector in managing cyber crime in the country.
“Once we do this, Kenya will be far much ahead in terms of managing cyber crime which is posing serious security threats to Kenyans, particularly those transacting through smart phones,” he added.
“It is a very broad aspect but we are working on it. We have had various attacks in the past, there was the attack on the police and one on the treasury,” he said.
This will also help address challenges posed by terrorist groups and those targeting internet communications.


text: In total, the Japanese from this generation sold more than 430,000 units, most of which went to the USA for a “big puddle”. Today, the fourth generation ND is on sale, which still honors the idea of the first car. The NA generation has been entitled to veteran brands for a few years now, and this has been reflected in its prices, which are slowly rising. Corrosion is also a problem, which kills these little Mazdas in the meantime. Therefore, if you are thinking about the first generation, keep an eye on the extent of the “orange plague”.


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The logging industry in Romania is known for large scale corruption and violence in which international companies have played their role in the past.
Over the last couple of years IKEA has become the largest private forest owner in Romania, a country that is home to some of Europe’s last ancient woodlands which are disappearing at an alarming rate.
In contrast to the sustainble image the Swedish furniture company tries to convey, IKEA is now facing accusations of taking part in exploiting Romania’s natural heritage.
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#Ikea #Romania #corruption
Im not surprise. Ikea is a big furniture company. What do you expect. They will sure need many woods.
Couldn't watch this video, it makes my stomach turn to see how we are destroying this planet
Corporate greed. Ikeas Green image is a joke.
This documentary was aired years ago. Assuming it’s still happening and people are still buying disposable short time use furniture?
IKEA has recently opened a mega store in my city, on the southern tip of malaysia. Its a frenzy with shoppers buying furniture while the local stores are shunned. Its a shame.
I would rather buy a solid piece of second-hand furniture rather than Ikea stuff. At least with some solid furniture you can rub it down, wax, stain or varnish it and it will look and feel much better.
Thank you for helping spread awareness of this.. the scale of things here is truly concerning but our government is on their payroll so they refuse to act. Our former minister of environment was poisoned with mercury just for daring to propose a cap on what HS can import each year, being told by the standing powers (i.e. PNL, PSD, etc.) that they would lose around €150m per year..
Excellent Mini Documentary 👍
the dark knights of romania
Klaus johannis..protector and patron saint of forests in Romania…. on Schweighofer and Ikea payroll …there are BILLIONS of dollars at stake here …. i doubt this documentary will change anything…. the forest mafia there is just too powerfull…it killed lots of people and will kill lots more …. least this documentary will expose the blood stained furniture ikea sells …..a small piece of the puzzle…. another are the chinese ships lining up in Constanta port paying 3-4 times more then any other for precious wood….
Can the Swedish government rein in Ikea in order to address this problem? Ikea is Hq’d in Sweden, so Swedish government should intervene in every way possible.
I am speechless, this has to stop now before it's going to be too late!
I wish i saw this before i bought new furniture from ikea on 30 december, never again!
Pay no taxes in Australia yet have a high turnover.
Honble UPA Chairperson Smt Soniagandhi madum please fight for to implement Ballot Paper voting system in next MP elections in 2024and to save democracy in india and public opinion in favour of Ballot Paper voting system and right to vote is fundamental right.public opinion is foundation of democracy
If Ikea was a Chinese brand, EU and US will running foaming in the mouth shouting for sanctions.
Please share this video as much as possible!! It means a lot to us, romanians 🇷🇴😔
Finally, it took so many years to bring this under international attention. As a Romanian i can tell you people have been killed here for trying to fight against illegal deforestation. Most of the logs are imported to Austria and their Mafia is too strong and our politicians too weak…
It boggles my mind that forest land in romania and other parts of Europe is privately owned. How do you own a forest?
Have Europe not heard of renewable timber?
Verify age to view this? lmao Someone doesn't want this to get attention
european saying palm oil make damage the planet and deforesation and how about IKEA the big european company has been make deforestation in europe but no one european banned to buy product by IKEA? this is illegal and unfair attitude just point finger only to palm oil but not criticize to soya bean oil from america and brasil also europe is biggest producer Rapeseed Oil. in europe there are wide land and forest use for plantation rapeseed flowers for rapeseed oil and now IKEA does illegal logging and now europe will use nuclear energy due to crisis energy in europe and they know excatly nuclear energy is destroying the planet.
Treacherous politicians selling our country to foreign corporations
IKEA should at the least give them free *ing wood not "market price"
How is it even legal to own this places. These forests should be national parks! Disturbing 😓
I hope our politicians will finish selling the whole country fast enough and get my citizenship revoked (because if I chose this myself is costing about 800 euros 🤣) as Romania will no longer be called Romania and it will be an industrial private property of some rich company. Stop calling it Mafia, is the politicians who take huge bribes to look away, they then take advantages of others and everyone gets padi to turn a blind eye and they don't realise their kids will have no future… what a shame this country has become. I am lucky enough and spent all my years outside Romania since I was 18 and the only thing that still keeps my connected is just my mom…
Private corporations are DESTROYING beautiful countries and it pisses me off beyond belief
They also use ilegal imigrants from India or Pakistan in Romania for their couch fabrics.But yeah their are removing the base of the food chain and it will affect everything , not only in Romania.
This is horrendous, how corporations will have no shame in breaking laws to rack up profits is insanity
No one seems to care