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In this interview, Noelyne Subma of Machankura recounts her Bitcoin journey and explains why Africa needs bitcoin access without the internet.
In August 2023, during the “Barbie” media tour, actor Margot Robbie commented on how two of the movie’s producers, David Heyman and Tom Ackerley, gave off “big Ken energy” while talking about Bitcoin. It seems likely that the comment was, at least in a way, meant to be derogatory. Perhaps this is because so few people actually understand what Bitcoin even is. Just the mention of cryptocurrency will make the majority of people roll their eyes at the scandal-ridden, casino-like and often-fraudulent topic. So, it begs the question, are they wrong?
Unfortunately, there is more nuance in the answer than most Americans have patience for. The problem with lumping bitcoin in with cryptocurrency is that the vast majority of people cannot identify the difference between bitcoin and any other coin. One of the hardest elements of Bitcoin to grasp is that the intricacy of the network requires multiple interactions for someone not to disregard it all together. Bitcoin requires a multidisciplinary understanding of philosophy, economics and computer science which makes it difficult to grasp at first.
In a perfect world, Bitcoin would hold a reputation for improving human rights, incentivizing the build out of energy infrastructure and limiting government overreach globally. If you’re wondering how Bitcoin could possibly accomplish these things, I’ll give you a few examples:
The proliferation of Bitcoin adoption in the continent of Africa is astonishing. Due to political corruption, hyperinflation and, in some cases, human rights violations, the use of Bitcoin has spread like wildfire. One of the biggest problems for Bitcoin adoption in African countries is that over half of the continent has limited accessibility to power and, therefore, internet access. Thankfully, a handful of developers and entrepreneurs are helping to solve this issue.
Forward-thinking companies like Gridless Compute incentivized new energy infrastructure and projects like Machankura are focused on enabling Bitcoin use without the internet. The motive behind the creation of Machankura is to create accessibility to Bitcoin through the use of feature phones that do not require internet connectivity to operate.
Noelyne Sumba is working to get Machankura off the ground and into the hands of those who need it the most. Sumba was introduced to Bitcoin several times before she fully grasped the concept — she even had a bitcoin wallet that got lost in the years between introduction and adoption (and yes, we’re collectively sobbing for all the lost wallets out there!). Sumba has worked tirelessly the past few years to educate herself and others about what Bitcoin can do for her home country of Kenya, as well as those living across the African continent.
Below are her answers to questions about that work so far, her Bitcoin journey and what she feels is left to be done.
How and when did you first learn about Bitcoin and what specifically drew you to it?
In 2015, I initially came across Bitcoin, but at that time, I didn’t fully grasp its potential. However, after completing my university education, I rediscovered it and recognized its capacity to revolutionize the finance sector, which drew me back to it. Since then, my enthusiasm for Bitcoin has only deepened.
Who first came up with the idea for Machankura, and how does it differ from the “typical” Bitcoin address?
I absolutely adore recounting this tale. The concept for Machankura originated from a tweet shared by Nikolai Tjongarero, a Bitcoin enthusiast from Namibia. In the tweet, he expressed the need for a bitcoin wallet on a feature phone. Kgothatso Ngako, who is now the founder of Machankura, responded, promising to create it within two weeks. True to his word, he delivered on his promise after the two-week period!
In Africa, feature phones hold a significant portion of the mobile phone market, and internet connectivity remains limited. This is what sets Machankura apart — it utilizes the Bitcoin Lightning Network to enable people without internet-connected devices to send and receive bitcoin. The process is facilitated through USSD (unstructured supplementary service data), which operates through a live prompt-and-response session, similar to the implementation of mobile money digital payments.
What problems does Machankura solve for Bitcoin accessibility in Kenya? Could the use of mobile phones (without internet) to transfer bitcoin truly make Bitcoin accessible to humans globally?
Machankura addresses the problem of Bitcoin accessibility in Kenya by providing a solution for individuals who don’t have access to the internet or can’t afford data. With internet penetration being low in the country and data remaining expensive for the majority, Machankura’s use of mobile phones without internet connectivity allows people to transfer Bitcoin is convenient. This is especially significant considering that feature phones still dominate the mobile device market in Kenya, surpassing the popularity of smartphones in 2022 (68.1% compared to 60.2%).
By adopting a method similar to mobile money transfers, Machankura enables the quick and cost-effective transfer of Bitcoin without requiring access to a traditional bank account. This approach has the potential to make Bitcoin accessible to people worldwide, as it leverages the widespread use of feature phones, which are prevalent not only in Kenya but also in many other regions where internet penetration is limited or costly. Therefore, the use of mobile phones (without internet) for bitcoin transfers does have the capacity to broaden Bitcoin accessibility to a global audience.
In your opinion, are there any security risks to using text messages to send bitcoin? Or, do you see any other potential risks to using this method of transferring value?
There are indeed security risks associated with using text messages to send bitcoin. SMS is not as secure as HTTPS, as the telecommunication companies have the capability to intercept communications since they are the ones managing the infrastructure.
Additionally, users must take precautions to protect themselves against SIM swaps, which is a potential risk when using SMS-based services for bitcoin transactions.
To enhance security, it is advisable for security-conscious users to opt for self-custodial options like the Phoenix wallet. These solutions provide more control and reduce the reliance on potentially-vulnerable communication channels like SMS.
As a woman working in a predominately male sector, why is it important to close the gender gap in Bitcoin interest and adoption?
Women constitute a significant portion of the population and their perspective is important and valuable, especially in the development of a technology that will impact everyone’s lives.
I hope we can encourage more women to participate in Bitcoin in ways that align with their comfort and preferences and, this way, we can eventually challenge the bias that they aren’t as capable or interested in the technology.


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The news that Kodak is pulling out of the hardware market — excepting printers — for good means that, effectively, Kodak is dead. Is this the death knell for the compact digital? OK, so Kodak's not technically dead. It'll still make inexpensive printers, and naturally enough as every technology firm since the dawn of time, it'll also look to leverage its vast digital imaging patent portfolio.
I wonder if, at the dawn of time, Ug had looked at the wheel and rushed off to the patent office, where we'd all be?* But I'm digressing.
A company that makes printers and rests on a couple of decades of digital imaging technology patents might make a more compelling prospect for investors — and may indeed be the only way for Kodak to get out of the financial mess it finds itself in — but it's not really Kodak, now is it? The motto used to be "Shoot. Touch. Share". Will a printer and IP business, does that now morph into "Sue. Touch. Don't Share"?
Kodak has decades of film photography history, and outside heavy enthusiasts that market's dead, but digital isn't. The first digital camera I owned was a Kodak digital camera — the EasyShare LS420, a two megapixel monster that wouldn't cut the mustard in today's market, although I do think it still looks quite good, aesthetically speaking.
There's a wider question at stake here though, as Kodak very heavily tied its recent fortunes to the compact market; while the DSLR and Micro 4/3rds market is fought between names like Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic, to name but a few, that wasn't where Kodak played in recent years. It's widely thought that one of the key things that hit Kodak hard was the inclusion of decent quality lenses and sensors in smartphones meaning that nobody was buying compacts any more. That's probably true, and Kodak's exit from the market will hasten the fate of compact digital cameras. That too makes me sad.
Certainly, a lot of people do use their mobiles as their camera, but there are some limitations there that I think compacts address that smartphones do not.
For a start, there's the issue of optical zoom; to date the only smartphone we've had a sniff of with integrated zoom optics has been the Aigo A8, AKA the Altek Leo; so far no major phone manufacturer has been quite savvy/insane enough to produce a mobile with built in zoom optics for the Australian market.
That'd be an interesting niche product, but so far all you can do is either use dodgy digital zoom, or the poor man's zoom, namely moving closer to the object you want to take photographs of.
Then there's the time and power considerations. I hit this quite frequently; if I spot something happening that I want to shoot (and there's no DSLR handy), I could either grab a compact camera, fire it up and take a shot, or take my phone out of my pocket, unlock it, launch the camera app — depending on the model I may be able to "quickly" jump straight ot the camera from the lock screen, but this isn't universal across all phones and platforms. By the time I've sorted out the camera — and this is presuming that the battery is up to it — the moment may have passed. It's also part of the reason I always have a Flip camera in my bag — although that, too, is a dead product line.
What do you think? Are compacts the cameras of the past, or is there still a market for a good compact digital?
* Sadly, I suspect that once Ug got to the patent office with the wheel, he'd find that his discovery was blocked by Wug's prior art on the rock.

domain: news


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Agillion is the latest software company to succumb to a tough funding environment, with speculation mounting that the company is to lay off all but a handful of employees and put itself up for sale.
Agillion markets CustomerPages, a Web-based customer management product that allows companies to communicate with their customers using personalised Web pages for each client. The vendor opened an Australian office late last year and campaigned to attract local systems integrator partners to resell the product. This Australian division has all but disappeared after recently vacating its North Sydney office.
Agillion was founded by Steve Papermaster with former Tivoli Systems CEO Frank Moss in 1998, receiving $US40 million in funding in 1999.


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Proletariat’s battle royale game, Spellbreak, comes as a free game for consoles and PCs, and we even know when.
Spellbreak already has a release date. Proletariat’s battle royale of magic and sorcery has made an appearance during Gamescom 2020 with a new gameplay trailer full of spells and action, in addition to confirming the premiere of its final version on September 3.
While the game has been available so far with a paid closed beta as early access, Spellbreak will be available next week as a free-to-play and cross-play title for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC via the Epic Games Store.
As its creators describe it, Spellbreak is “a fantastic action and sorcery proposition where players fight to become powerful battle mages. Create spectacular spell combinations, strategically craft your builds, and master the environments as you enter the Hollow Lands alone or with friends in an endless fight for survival. “
The truth is that the battle royale has not stopped offering new proposals in recent days, with a Fall Guys released this August that is already the most downloaded game in the history of PS Plus.
Please support our page theGeek.games on Patreon, so we can continue to write you the latest gaming, movie and tech news and reviews as an independent magazine.
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“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss
It’s the people she misses. Lea (pronounced “Lee”) Bradley talks about the recent closing of her and her husband’s business in Mt. Pleasant, Jerry’s Family Restaurant, better known as “Jerry’s Pizza,” the demolition of the building, and Casey’s erecting a convenience store in its place. “There were regular customers who came in everyday. Everyday,” she repeats.
Lea Bradley stands in front of the rubble that was once Jerry’s Family Restaurant. Jerry’s was a favorite stop for politicians. President Obama was there, as was Joe Biden, John Kerry, Kathleen Kennedy (Robert Kennedy’s daughter), Tom and Christie Vilsack, and others.
Dave Helman, former Henry County Democratic Party Chairman, loves to tell the story that Jerry’s is the only restaurant that kicked Joe Biden out to make room for the ladies’ bridge club. It was when Biden was running for president the first time. Dave Helman had set the meeting up. Biden was supposed to be at Jerry’s at 11:00 a.m. The east room was reserved for them. Lea told Dave that she didn’t know if it was going to work because they played bridge there at 1:00. Dave said that he would make sure Biden was out. Well, Lea knew that politicians are notoriously late. Sure enough, the room filled up and no Joe. He came in around 12:15. At 1:00, Lea went to the door and motioned for Dave to clear the room. He did and Biden’s group moved outside on the grassy knoll between Car Quest and Jerry’s. But the ladies had their bridge game.
Lea also has a hard time accepting that the perfectly good building that was Jerry’s Restaurant is being demolished so that a convenience store can go in. There are so many memories wrapped up in that building. They were in it for 42 years. It was an icon of Southeast Iowa. People came from as far away as Cedar Rapids to eat pizza at Jerry’s. And they shipped pizza and tenderloins all over the country for people who wanted food from Jerry’s. When they announced that they were closing, the restaurant was swamped with people ordering half-baked pizzas that they could take home and freeze.
But Lea is thankful that they were not open when the Coronavirus pandemic hit, and restaurants had to close down. She feels so sorry for the restaurants. It’s almost impossible to survive on “to-go” business. She is convinced God was looking after Jerry and her.
Casey’s had approached the Bradleys early on about purchasing the property. However, the Bradleys were hoping a restaurateur would step forward with an offer. It didn’t work out so the Bradleys went with the offer they had.
And Casey’s is a great Iowa-based company that has an outstanding reputation for quality service, food and convenience. The first question people asked was if the Casey’s store on West Washington was going to close or stay open. It is going to stay open. So Mt. Pleasant will join the ranks of towns that have more than one Casey’s General Store—one on West Washington, and one soon-to-be on East Washington. Casey’s plan to have the new convenience store in operation by the end of 2020, a memorable year if there ever was one.
It’s been an emotional week for the whole family with the Jerry’s building being demolished. It’s like losing an old friend—there are just so many memories that can’t be wiped away, or buried in the rubble. Lea has been keeping busy sorting through “stuff” that they accumulated over the years. They sold most of the equipment, but hung onto the pizza ovens. You never know. They have a son, Brent, or the grandkids, who just may want to start a pizza business some day.
Have a good story? Call or text Curt Swarm in Mt. Pleasant at 319-217-0526, email him at firstname.lastname@example.org or visit his website at www.empty-nest-words-photos-and-frames.com


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US: Bimbo Bakeries to invest in Philadelphia plant
The bakery is expected to create around 100 jobs when it begins operation in early 2014
Bimbo Bakeries, the US unit of Mexico's Grupo Bimbo, is to invest US$75m in the construction of a second production facility in Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia.
The group said it has purchased 30 acres of land for the bakery, which will produce bread and buns for the Northeast of the US.
Bimbo said the additional facility will allow it to keep up with demand for its products while "leveraging significant advances in baking technology" that will make its operations "more efficient".
Construction of the 240,000 sq ft LEED-certified plant is expected to begin in a few months and be completed by the end of the year.
The bakery is expected to create around 100 jobs when it begins operation in early 2014.
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Haywood Co. community brings holiday shopping close to home
BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — Folks in Haywood County are already getting in the holiday spirit by shopping right at home.
“My mom and I wanted to get out of the house and do something fun, so we came out to shop,” shopper Libby Neal said.
The Brownsville Business Association sponsored the event, and organizers said they’re grateful to have vendors who support the effort each year. Paul Hansbrough of Deer Creek Farms has been a part of the event for the past five years.
“I enjoy dealing with people,” Hansbrough said. “I enjoy making people smile when we give them samples, and they enjoy eating something.”
Paul said many of his items are really popular with customers, although some you can only catch around this time of year.
Whether it’s homemade soaps or one-of-a-kind jewelry, you’re sure to find something to get you in the holiday shopping spirit.
“I have a daughter, so I’m always going straight to the little girls stuff — hair bows, they have doll clothes here. This year that are really cute,” Neal said.
Members of the BBA decorated a Christmas tree in honor of Veterans Day, and all vendors donated an item to be given away as a door prize. This is something shoppers enjoy every year.
“It brings everybody out, and we get to have a good time and do some shopping and support local vendors, so it’s great,” Neal said.
This is a free event. If you missed out Friday, don’t worry. You can shop all day from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday.


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The restaurant finance veteran will speak at our Restaurant Innovations Summit, where he'll look at industry investments and the impact on technology.
Sam Khoury puts his money where his mouth is.
The restaurant industry and finance veteran is president of Next Stage Partners, a Dallas-based investment and innovation firm focused on food companies and technologies.
Hes moderating a panel at the National Restaurant Associations Restaurant Innovation Summit, Nov. 7-8 in Dallas, on food-industry mergers and acquisitions. The panel will look at latest investments in the industry and what they could mean for industry technology. We asked Khoury about his panel and what hell be watching for:
What are you hoping to learn from your panel?
Well discuss overall trends in restaurant technology — and the needs and challenges in the space. I want to learn areas of opportunity for investment, and also bring out areas of opportunity for solutions providers. I hope to learn about the fast-moving changes and disruptions in the space and how to capitalize on those trends.
Who are the panelists?
This group includes a nice representation of the restaurant technology value chain. We have both solutions providers and investors:
- Our solution providers include Andre Angel, founder of Tango Tab, an app that pairs a hungry consumer with an empty table at a restaurant, and donates a meal to a local food charity for each transaction. Rom Krupp is CEO of Market Vitals, a data-mining marketing analytics software that tracks every part of operations.
- Investors/accelerators include David Matthews, co-founder and managing director of REVTECH, Retail Technology Ventures, a venture accelerator seed fund for restaurant, retail and hospitality; and Michael Caplovitz, vice president of innovation, The Howard Hughes Corporation, where he develops and implements innovative technology and identifies startups for potential investment.
Where are investments being made?
We are seeing money flow to tech solutions that speed service in the back of the house, and improve the guest experience in the front of the house. We are still seeing a lot of activity with delivery strategy and the technology that supports it.
For investors, the key is monitoring and then taking quick action to invest in companies that not only have a competitive advantage and business model, but that also continue to invest in research and development and enhance the technology.
Investors also look at whats called complementary construction. An innovation, even a disruptive one, needs to be easily integrated into the restaurants system. The change has to be big enough to catch attention — but it cant be so disruptive that people dont use it.
Why should executives come to the conference?
The Restaurant Innovation Summit has incredible content, and speakers and panelists who will share information, trends data and fast movers. It also has networking opportunities to meet and learn from c-level executives in the restaurant industry.
The Restaurant Innovation Summit is being held Nov. 7-8 at The Empire Room in Dallas. For more information or to register, visit restaurant.org/ris.


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Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) announced that the highest monthly volume was achieved in November 2007 – a total of 250,743 tonnes of air cargo were handled in the month, representing a year-on-year growth of 2.4%. Cumulative tonnage from January to November 2007 was 2,393,610 tonnes, up 2.7% year-on-year.
The export volume was 149,600 tonnes for November and 1,348,905 tonnes for the first 11 months, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.3% and 2.9% for the respective periods. Import volume for November was 60,942 tonnes, up 0.6% against the same month last year. Cumulative import volume for the first 11 months was 625,489 tonnes, representing a year-on-year decrease of 0.9%.
The transshipment volume was 40,201 tonnes for November and 419,216 tonnes for the first 11 months, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.0% and 8.2% for the respective periods.
“We are indeed pleased to see another record breaking month for Hactl, further to the earlier months of September and October in which we already set new daily and weekly records respectively,” said Ms. Lilian Chan, General Manager, Marketing and Customer Service.
“The high cargo tonnage handled by Hactl in the past 3 months is a clear reflection of our ability to handle huge volumes of cargo efficiently and smoothly. Airlines can continue to count on our integration of experience, knowledge and dedication, providing them with the most innovative cargo solutions and suiting their long term growth,” Chan added.


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Since iPhone X came in 2017, every other smartphone manufacturer has copied the Notched Display design and the companies which have taken the maximum benefit of this trend has been Oppo and Vivo. Oppo reportedly launched Y81 some days ago which was a notched display device and now Vivo will again be launching Y83 Pro in India. In this blog, we will talk about some features of Vivo Y83 Pro and later its pricing and specifications:
Vivo Y83 Specifications
6.22 inches Notched FullView 2.0 Display
Unspecified (probably MediaTek Helio P25 SoC)
13MP+2MP Dual Rear Camera
8MP Selfie Camera
Android v8.1 with FunTouchOS 4.0
Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor,
Vivo Y83 Pro Expected Pricing
As you all must predict from the specifications, Vivo Y83 Pro is going to be a mid-range smartphone but since the processor is MediaTek and notched display, the price could be Rs.16,000 ($230) varying in Indian markets.
Vivo Y83 Pro Availability
This device is all set to launch in Indian markets very soon in coming weeks. Till now, it has only one variant of 4GB/6GB that would be coming, however later Vivo could think of launching this device with new combinations of variants.
So, let's wait for a while and see when will Vivo Y83 Pro be launched in Indian markets and at what price


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The Swiss investor sentiment rose to -16.6 in February of 2019 from -44 in the previous month which was the worst reading since January 2012. The current conditions index also went up to 48 from 42.3. Zew Economic Sentiment Index in Switzerland averaged -7.11 from 2007 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 65 in October of 2009 and a record low of -91.10 in October of 2008.
Zew Economic Sentiment Index in Switzerland is expected to be -12.30 by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Zew Economic Sentiment Index in Switzerland to stand at -10.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the Switzerland CS-CFA Society Economic Sentiment Index is projected to trend around -7.00 in 2020, according to our econometric models.


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What’s New in Robotics? 10.09.2021
Posted on Sep 10, 2021 1:30 PM. 9 min read time
News briefs for the week take a look at Booktopia’s warehouse bots, Omron’s OMM at Pack Expo, Schnuck’s chain-wide inventory team, pipetting biolab robots, cobots & AI reconstruct rubble from Pompeii, plus LionsBot's new way to "team" clean.
Booktopia’s warehouse robots boost efficiency and inventory space
Booktopia, Australia’s largest online book retailer ($123 million annual revenue) has deployed Shenzhen-based HAI Robotics’ HAIPICK robots to handle packing and to dispatch orders at its distribution center (150,000 square feet).
The 17-year-old bookseller is looking at an increase of 25 percent in inventory and faster pick and delivery times for its $3.3 million investment in HAI Robotics’ case-to-person piece-picking system.
“The technology, which went live in November, will enable Booktopia to eventually increase its distribution capacity from 30,000 books a day to 60,000 and take advantage of the shift to online book buying, which accelerated during the pandemic,” reported The Australian Financial Review.
The HAI Robotics’ solution differs from a standard autonomous mobile robot (AMR) solution “in that the robots use a telescopic fork that stretches 13 feet high. This gives the robots the ability to carry cartons as well as individual totes and to bring multiple cases to pickers or conveyors in one movement” (see video).
Richie Chen, founder & CEO of HAI Robotics (2015), says his company has deployed what he calls “Next-Gen Warehouse Automation” systems to nearly 200 customers.
Third time’s the charm for Omron at Pack Expo 2021
Omron has been working hard getting its TM cobot arm atop a mobile robot. Twice before at Pack Expo, Omron showed off a cobot atop what looked like a steamer trunk (2018), then switched out the arm for its newly released TM cobot (2019), and now for 2021, Omron’s finally got a sleek, new, functional pairing of its TM arm aboard its LD autonomous mobile robot (AMR). Omron tabs the new duo as it’s Omron Mobile Manipulator.
With cobot arms going mobile in a hurry these days, there’s a massive e-commerce and general supply chain need for them that has vendors scrambling. Omron is in the game with a quality mobile duo (see video). There’s even an LD AMR (without the TM arm) tricked out as a Robot Greeter at this year’s Pack Expo’s Robotics Zone.
It seems that Omron’s timing couldn’t be better. According to Transparency Market Research, "The mobile cobots market [cobot arm plus AMR], which is undergoing the initial stage of its development…is projected to reach a value of $4.4 billion by 2026 up from $336 million in 2017.”
Grocer’s global first: Full-time inventory robots!
It’s happened to most of us at one time or another: a quick trip to the supermarket for just a few items is marred when we find many or most are disappointingly out of stock. Especially the ones you really wanted and needed. Damn!
Seems humans aren’t very good at keeping out-of-stock items always replenished. KPMG’s Eugene Kublanov, a consultant in procurement and business services remarks: “Stores now rely on hourly employees to manage and track inventory. The work is tedious and often leads to errors.”
Out-of-stock items are shockingly expensive: IHL Group puts the global tab for out-of-stock items at $1 trillion annually.
Enter, inventory robots.
The Schnuck’s grocery chain, after experimenting with Simbe Robotics’ Tally since 2018, is taking the inventory robots on full time. “Schnuck Markets, Inc. announced an industry-first chainwide expansion with Simbe Robotics to further elevate the grocer’s business operations and customer experience.
“Building on previous successful expansions, the multi-year, full-scale roll-out will bring Tally robots to all 111 Schnucks locations across the U.S., making Schnuck Markets the first grocer in the world to utilize AI-powered inventory management technology at scale.”
Cobot & AI to piece together ancient history
Roman mosaics and frescoes from Pompeii, crushed into rubble by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79AD, will soon be pieced together by a cobot and AI/ML
An EU-funded project titled RePAIR, Reconstructing the Past: Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, will be trained to jigsaw-puzzle back together again tens of thousands of small fragments heretofore deemed too small, too complex and too time-consuming for humans.
Machines equipped with robotic arms are able to scan archaeological fragments, create a 3D digital model and organize the thousands of pieces into place.
The initial, funded experiment will first restore ceiling frescoes from Pompeii's House of the Painters at Work, “which were not only damaged by the ash and pyroclastic flow from Vesuvius but also bombed during World War II.”
If successful, the cobot & AI/ML duo will have launched a new industry of restoration that could well be put to piecing together, not only ancient archeological sites, but any project where complexity and time are prohibitive for human intervention.
New best friend in bio labs: Pipetting robot
Pharma and med techs know firsthand all the drudgery there is to working in a bio laboratory. Top of their drudgery list: Pipetting!
“It is estimated that half of medical lab technicians carry out the same arm movements for at least a quarter of their working day. Manual pipetting is a large part of liquid handling in any laboratory, and it brings hours of repetitive work in fixed positions. This can result in physical strain to the shoulders, arms and hands.”
In addition, studies have shown that poor or no training for pipette users is responsible for about 70 percent of all pipetting errors.
So, if lab techs dislike pipetting, and if pipetting creates physical strain and is responsible for lab errors, then why not get a robot to do the work? Sadly, until now, there wasn’t such a robot available anywhere.
Thanks to Denmark-based Flow Robotics, lab techs have a new best friend: The flowbot ONE.
The flowbot ONE automated liquid handling robots does not require advanced programming skills so just about anyone can set up a procedure. The robot also has the ability to integrate to devices positioned on the deck or external to the system. It also supports the import and export of data.
First-ever cleaning robots that work as a team
Professor Mohan Rajesh Elara, a robotics/AI expert from the Singapore University, together with “Singaporean entrepreneurs: Dylan Ng and Michelle Seow, the husband-and-wife team behind Singapore’s leading cleaning equipment and chemicals supplier, SuperSteam Asia Pacific,” co-founded LionsBot in 2018, and now have launched the LeoBots line of commercial cleaning robots.
Today, just three short years later, the LeoBot line has grown to five: LeoScrub, LeoVac, LeoMop, LeoRay (COVID ultraviolet bot), and LeoPull (see video that shows each in action).
Unlike other automated cleaning products, Lionsbot robots operate either as standalone units or alternatively in fully-coordinated, fully-autonomous teams for enhanced productivity and improved cleaning results.
“Entire ‘robo-teams’ can be deployed to designated spaces to clean in unison and with minimum human intervention. To optimize cleaning plans, LionsBot robots collaborate with each other using AI and big data analytics.
“Day-to-day operations are entirely controlled and coordinated from the Cloud. Recharging, rinsing, refilling, service and maintenance are achieved through space-saving docking stations and remote service modules.”
LionsBot must be doing something right: the LeoBots line was awarded the prestigious Amsterdam Innovation Award in 2020, the first Asian company to win this coveted prize.
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Microsoft previously announced that Surface Duo will be launched exclusively in the U.S. on September 10, and although the device has been certified in other markets, including Canada, the company hopes to test the new form factor first in the U.S., and Windows Central’s Zac Bowden reported today that Microsoft may not bring Surface Duo to more country markets until next year.
“According to my sources, Microsoft hopes to start shipping Surface Duo in the external market in the first half of 2021 after seeing if the product exceeds internal expectations in the United States.” However, the plan is uncertain, and if things change, Microsoft may decide to release it in other markets ahead of schedule. Bowden wrote.
There’s no denying that $1,399 is a good price for a device equipped with a year-old processor, and it lacks the sophisticated multi-camera setup on all of today’s flagship smartphones. However, Microsoft’s target is clearly Surface fans and early adopters rather than ordinary consumers. It remains to be seen whether the unique dual-screen design and high-quality manufacturing quality will convince American enthusiasts to buy Surface Duo, but it seems that the fan base is very positive about Surface Duo’s early impressions.
If you live in the U.S., you can now pre-order Duo from Microsoft Stores, Besser and AT&T.


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Wall Street’s love affair with natural and organic got a little more interesting as two recent conference calls suggest that our analysis of Whole Foods efforts as sluggish, are on the mark, while our previous doubts about Hain Celestial Foods long term strategy for growth needs some rethinking.
Furthermore the company is undergoing an extensive program of SKU optimization, eliminating under performing products as well as evaluating the potential that are not high volume or number one or two in their category.
Previously some critics, including NBN, have viewed Hain’s strategy as a conquer at all costs approach, buying a wide number companies at top dollar and neglecting internal efforts at growth.
The recent call indicates a more sophisticated approach to managing their existing equity and trimming the fat. While some would say this approach has always been in operation, we only know that a company which owns two competing brands in non-dairy beverages, three cooking oil brands oils, six snack brands, not to mention six different body care brands, nearly all of which were bought, will be able to gain some powerful efficiencies with a more nuanced look at market opportunities. Of course some would say that is the magic in Hain’s aggressive approach, something that while we don’t necessarily fully agree we have been rethinking this position as of late.
Hain stated that it is targeted to eliminate 30% to 40% of their body care products, to be “offset by an acceleration of sales of continuing SKUs with higher margins along with the sales of new products.” This makes sense. Additionally, the company announced that it will be consolidating most of its body care production to Jason plant in Southern California by 2009, eliminating reliance on co-packers and with a corresponding increase in margins.
Stay tuned for details. We’ll be looking closely at Celestial Seasonings new line of coffee and premium teas and see if the brand that gave us the beloved Sleepytime Bear has managed to get out of its slippers and shake things up again.


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In a world that’s so commercially focused, it’s nice to know there are a few online retailers out there who are trying to do more than sell things – they’re trying to make a positive difference in the world in day-to-day operations. Come, let’s meet some of them.
Chatbots are offering retailers a smarter more cost effective and efficient way of engaging with their consumers. Regardless of the size of your business, if you have a customer service department there’s probably a bot out there for you.
As Catch Group continues to cement its position as a key player in Australian e-commerce, the company today announced the expansion of its business with the launch of its new luxury travel site, Bon Voyage.
Nike Inc. has agreed to sell some of its products directly to Amazon, a concession by the sneaker brand to reduce the number of counterfeit Nike products sold on Amazon, and one that shows it can no longer afford to ignore the online retail giant.
David Jones has unveiled its plans to target a growing generation of food-obsessed shoppers, with a $100 million investment into gourmet food as part of its strategy to survive in today’s unsettling retail environment, by fusing leisure and shopping.
ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems can provide retailers with significant benefits, including improving customer service, enhancing data visibility and streamlining fulfilment operations.
Are you ready to join the revolution of empowered marketers?
Get your copy today
Trade Me is the biggest online marketplace in New Zealand: 2 million Kiwis shop online every month. Trade Me has 1.8 million visitors every month. With quicker delivery to New Zealand than Perth from the Australian Eastern seaboard – this is a market well worth exploring.
While Amazon buying Whole Foods Market doesn’t directly affect Woolworths, it does however highlight a very real threat posed to it when Amazon spreads its wings further in Australia in coming months.


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The SPAC fintech craze continues with two big names in fintech announcing deals last week. Silver Lion and OppLoans (they are renamed OppFi) are both made public via the PSPCs with the deals expected to be done by the end of Q2.
I met with the CEOs of both companies today to get feedback on their PSPC agreements. But before we get into those conversations, a little primer on PSPCs. SPAC stands for Special Purpose Acquisition Vehicle, these are public companies formed for the express purpose of acquiring an existing company. They’ve been around for decades, but have seen a resurgence in recent months. We follow all SPAC deals with fintech here.
MoneyLion enters into agreement with Fusion Acquisition Corp
Founded in 2013, MoneyLion started life as an online consumer lending platform. But CEO and founder Dee Choubey has always seen it as a simple entry point to offer a much wider range of financial services. But even as a lender, they took a different approach, offering a free PFM app to help their clients make better financial decisions. In 2016 (when I recorded this podcast interview with Dee) customers could connect bank or credit card accounts and receive information on how to save money or build a better financial life.
That initial loan product is gone now that MoneyLion has evolved into a full-service financial app or as it’s called the “all-in-one mobile banking experience”. They offer mobile banking, instant cash advances, investment accounts, credit originator loans, debit cards and more.
When I asked Dee why he decided to go public now, he talked about the higher profile of a public company and the increased ability to raise capital. They wouldn’t have been able to raise so much capital in the private markets, so getting a PSPC deal was the most efficient way to go.
Speaking of the deal, here are some of the details that were shared in the investor presentation. MoneyLion will merge with Fusion Acquisiton Corp (symbol: FUSE) in a $ 2.9 billion transaction. Fusion is chaired by Jim Ross, a former senior executive at State Street Global Advisors, and they launched an IPO in June 2020 with the goal of acquiring a fintech company with an enterprise value of less than $ 3 billion. of dollars. Ron Suber introduced the MoneyLion team to Fusion and advised on the transaction.
The deal has an implied transaction value of $ 2.4 billion and MoneyLion will receive net proceeds of $ 526 million. This will allow them to accelerate the development of a number of new products, including a Buy It Now offer, a secured credit card, and a crypto trading and rewards platform.
They made the decision a few years ago to move away from the lending industry and focus on developing their technology platform. What they do best is build software ingesting huge amounts of data. They still have a loan product, Credit Builder, for loans up to $ 1,000 over a maximum of 12 months, which is used by about 20% of their customers. Most will come out of this product after six to nine months.
Dee said MoneyLion was not interested in becoming a bank. They like the “light balance” approach so they can grow quickly and keep building new and better products. They like to provide a digital wallet and focus on technology. They will do anything a bank could do without the balance sheet part.
Let’s move on to the numbers from MoneyLion. They generated adjusted revenue at an annual execution rate of $ 102 million in the fourth quarter of 2020, a growth of 197% from the fourth quarter of 2019. Their annualized loss in the fourth quarter of 2020 was $ 26 million and they ended the year with 1.4 million users. They forecast a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in revenue of 77%.
OppLoans merges with FG New America Acquisition Corp and becomes OppFi
OppLoans is not your typical fintech business. On the one hand, they never raised external equity. They were originally funded by the Schwartz family in Chicago and have now been profitable for many years. That in itself sets them apart (for an in-depth perspective listen to my interview with Jared Kaplan, CEO of OppLoans, since last November).
So deciding to go public wasn’t really about raising capital. In my conversation with Jared, he said the move was more about having a bigger megaphone. Because they haven’t gone the well-worn path of multiple rounds of venture capital, they have a lower profile than most of their contemporaries. He liked the PSPC route because it is more efficient and not as fun as an IPO.
OppLoans announced its SPAC merger last week (see the investor presentation here). They will merge with FG New America Corp (symbol: FGNA) which is led by Joe Moglia, former CEO and President of TD Ameritrade. At the same time, they renamed the company OppFi, so I will be referring to the company OppFi for the rest of this article.
The transaction involves a closing equity valuation of approximately $ 800 million and will be fully funded by cash in the trust. When you look at the financials, you’ll see that the multiples here are quite different from other deals. This represents a multiple of 12.2x of 2021 adjusted net income or just 6.9x of 2021 adjusted EBITDA.
OppFi is an online installment lender that has facilitated over 1.5 million loans with a total origination volume of over $ 2.3 billion, which translates to an average loan size of around $ 1,500. . They have a five-year revenue CAGR of over 100% and have been profitable for many years with an estimated 2020 Adjusted EBITDA of $ 99 million on revenue of $ 323 million.
OppFi started life as a direct lender with several state loan licenses. They switched to a banking partnership model a few years ago and are now fully committed to this model. They now have several banking partners and will continue with this model as they launch new products.
Speaking of new products, they just announced SalaryTap, an innovative new pay advance feature made possible by advancements in real-time payroll verification. These are loans similar in size to their commodity, up to $ 2,000, but loan repayments come from payroll deduction. This means that the interest rates are significantly lower, averaging around 30% APR. They build pipes into payroll systems right into their app for a seamless user experience.
The OppFi credit card is also coming in 2021. It will be an end-of-study product for OppFi customers and allow them to expand their customer base. It will also give them a potential foray into point-of-sale lending.
When I asked Jared about rebranding to OppFi, he said their role is to provide a lot more than loans. They want to be the destination of digital financial services for the everyday consumer. This means multiple products and the flexibility to move into other areas of finance beyond lending, but with a focus on improving the financial health of everyday consumers.
Learn from the PSPC experts
Last week on LendIt Fintech Digital We welcomed two leading SPAC fintech experts: Brendan Carroll from Victory Park Capital and Greg Smith from FT Partners. Both have been part of many PSPC transactions and their perspectives were very informative. It was a lively session and you can watch the recording here.


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DSM has introduced the latest additions to its BakeZyme portfolio, BakeZyme Fresh XL and BakeZyme Master.
Developed to address freshness challenges faced by bakers worldwide, these new maltogenic amylase solutions - which will be showcased at this year’s Fi Europe – are said to enable the production of high-quality baked goods, such as on-the-go sandwiches and tortilla wraps, with improved, longer-lasting softness and sensory properties.
DSM says the ingredients allow producers to meet consumer demand for convenient food that stays fresh for longer, without compromising on quality or taste. By extending the shelf life of baked goods, these solutions support industry players in actively reducing food waste.
Following extensive trials in a range of bread and flour types, BakeZyme Fresh XL has been designed to increase moistness and resilience in bread, keeping products soft and fresh for longer. Meanwhile, Bakezyme Master is described as a premium amylase that has a similar level of performance to BakeZyme Fresh XL but also improves the resilience and foldability of baked goods. This solution enhances the sensory profile of bread and delays staling, even when refrigerated. In addition, Bakezyme Master improves the foldability of tortilla wraps, preventing cracking at folding points. This enables producers to achieve a stronger product appeal for consumers and improve process efficiency for manufacturers.
“Consumers are increasingly embracing convenient food and bread is no exception”, said Kjeld van de Hoef, Business Director for Baking at DSM. “At DSM, we understand that delivering on all consumer needs - from improved texture to longer lasting freshness - can be a challenge for bakers. This is why we have developed our new maltogenic amylase solutions, BakeZyme Fresh XL and BakeZyme Master. We are proud to partner with our customers to help them implement these new freshness solutions effectively to drive innovation and reduce food waste.”
By introducing BakeZyme Fresh XL and BakeZyme Master to their production processes, manufacturers can, according to DSM, effectively extend the shelf life of baked goods, preventing food spoilage and thereby reducing food waste. Food waste, the company notes, has become a prominent issue worldwide. For example, 20 million slices of bread are thrown away every year in the UK, making it one of the top ten most wasted solid food items1. In the Netherlands bread accounts for the greatest share of solid food waste, with Dutch households wasting 9kg of bread per year or 732kg of bread during a person’s lifetime2,3.
These new freshness solutions are said to have been tested extensively, with results demonstrating a strong performance in the market.


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Grandauto prepares Rp 100b for Land Rover
Novan Iman Santosa
The Jakarta Post
Premium car distributor PT Grandauto Dinamika (GAD) is preparing Rp 100 billion (US$10.4 million) for facilities to import various luxury and premium sports utility vehicles under the Land Rover marque, a top executive said on Thursday.
GAD chief executive officer Darwin Maspolim told reporters that the Rp 100 billion fund was just for facilities, excluding working capital in handling the L...
- Lake Toba to hold Gowes Samosir cycling event
- Karetan Market partners with waste management startup company
- Celebrity Fitri Carlina endorses Wonderful Indonesia, Banyuwangi tourism
- Block porn or be blocked, Indonesia warns Google, Twitter
- Tourism Ministry, KBRI promote five Indonesian destinations in Thailand
- West Papua to host Senja Kaimana Festival 2017
- Facebook launches new ‘Facebook Creator’ app for video content creators
- Karetan Market holds vlog competition for visitors
- East Java to host Situbondo Carnival
- Apple pushes back release of HomePod speaker to 2018


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A woman is facing robbery and organized retail theft charges in connection to a series of shoplifting incidents at three Target stores.
Brandy Ambrose, 31, was arrested two weeks ago by detectives of a newly established larceny detail as she was leaving Target at 3629 E. Broadway, said Sgt. Chris Widmer, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.
Ambrose was booked into the Pima County jail for three counts of felony shoplifting, and one count each of robbery, aggravated assault and organized retail theft, said Widmer.
Ambrose is facing additional charges, said Widmer, adding that detectives would not elaborate on the types of items she is suspected of stealing and then reselling.
Detectives also did not release a total of the estimated value of the items stolen.
Ambrose is connected to a robbery and six shoplifting incidents over a period of about one year. Detectives worked with Target loss prevention officers, which linked her to the following shoplifting incidents and one robbery:
- Jan. 2, 2013 at the 5255 E. Broadway store.
- Jan. 13, 2013, Feb. 6, 2014 — both shoplifting incidents — and Feb. 8, 2014 robbery at the 1225 W. Irvington Road store.
- Dec. 29, 2013, Feb. 11 and Feb. 13 2014 at the 3629 E. Broadway store.
During the Feb. 8 incident at the West Irvington Road store, Ambrose shoplifted various items and was confronted by two loss prevention officers as she was leaving the store, Widmer said.
As Target's loss prevention officers attempted to detain her, Ambrose pepper sprayed the officers and ran from the store, Widmer said.
The newly formed larceny detail unit is partnering with businesses, the county attorney's office and the city prosecutor's office to proactively reduce shoplifting and organized retail theft, Widmer said.


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Nvidia has a new 'Game Ready' driver available that is further optimized for Battlefield 5, but what's interesting about the latest release is that it purportedly helps deliver up to a 50 percent boost in ray tracing performance.
This is not the work of Nvidia alone. The GPU maker says it's been working closely with EA and Dice to optimize ray tracing performance in BF5, which is reflected both in the latest GPU driver and tomorrow BF5 content update.
"On December 4th, EA and Dice will deploy the Battlefield V: Tides of War Chapter 1: Overture update, bringing gamers a new single-player War Story called The Last Tiger, a new multiplayer map called Panzerstorm, a Practice Range for players to hone their skills on, and a number of other gameplay enhancements," Nvidia says (opens in new tab).
"In addition, Chapter 1 also includes DXR Ray Tracing optimizations, improving performance up to 50 percent, enabling GeForce RTX gamers to enjoy Battlefield V’s immersive real-time ray-traced reflections at over 60 FPS," Nvidia adds.
The hope has been that things will improve over time, both with new drivers and as developers learn how best to optimize code to take advantage of the dedicated ray tracing hardware in Nvidia's newest graphics cards.
As it applies to BF5, Nvidia makes the following performance claims:
- GeForce RTX 2080 Ti gamers will now be able to achieve 60+ FPS at 1440p resolution with DXR Raytraced Reflections set to Ultra quality.
- GeForce RTX 2080 gamers will now be able to achieve 60+ FPS at 1440p resolution with DXR Raytraced Reflections set to Medium quality.
- GeForce RTX 2070 gamers will now be able to achieve 60+ FPS at 1080p resolution with DXR Raytraced Reflections set to Medium quality.
In addition, Nvidia says the combined optimizations of its latest driver and Dice's content update improve stability when DXR ray tracing is turned on. Supposedly none of this comes at the expense of image quality.
Outside of BF5, Nvidia's 417.22 driver release also includes general performance optimizations for World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth and Just Cause 4.
You can install the latest driver through GeForce Experience, or follow this link (opens in new tab) to install them manually. You'll have to wait until tomorrow for the BF5 patch, of course.


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SEARCH BLOG: AUTOMOBILES
Just received from Ford Motor Company:
Ford Motor Company Lincoln and Mercury Announcements
A Message from Mark Fields, President of the Americas
Today marks another important milestone in our company's transformation as we solidify plans to further grow our Ford brand while accelerating Lincoln.
We are announcing today plans to introduce seven new or significantly refreshed Lincoln vehicles in the next four years, including Lincoln's first-ever C-segment vehicle.
We also are announcing that we will end production of Mercury vehicles in the fourth quarter of this year. While Mercury served us well in the past, it now is time to fully devote our resources and attention to growing Lincoln, just as we have been doing so successfully with the Ford brand.
We are meeting today with our dealers, the news media and other key stakeholders to ensure everyone understands our plan. It is equally important that each of us becomes familiar with the details of this announcement.You can also read more here posted a few days ago.


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The launch of Samsung’s new mid-range Galaxy A14 5G smartphone seems to be just around the corner. The handset has been making rounds on various certification sites recently and it was even spotted on Samsung India’s support website. In the latest development, the Galaxy device has appeared on the Google Play console site with its key specifications. Here are the details.
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G has been spotted on the Google Play console with a chipset codenamed “Samsung S5e8535”. The codename is associated with the new Exynos 1330 processor. The listing reveals the chip has two Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.4GHz and six A55 cores at 2.0GHz. It also has a Mali-G68 GPU running at 950MHz.
Further, the smartphone will arrive with a waterdrop notch display that produces a Full-HD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels and has 450 DPI screen density. Galaxy A14 5G is listed to feature 6 GB of RAM. There might be other memory options.
It is worth mentioning that there will also be a MediaTek Dimensity 700 variant of the Galaxy A14 5G. It’s possible this variant will remain limited to certain regions. For reference, the Dimensity 700 powers the Galaxy A13 5G.
Previous reports have revealed the Galaxy A14 5G will arrive with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display that offers a 60Hz refresh rate. For selfies, it may feature a 13-megapixel camera on the front. It could have a triple camera setup on the rear with a 50-megapixel primary snapper. It will likely run OneUI 5.0-based Android 13 OS out of the box. The smartphone is expected to pack a 5,000mAh battery with 15W fast charging.


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Genting Casino Nottingham set for exciting launch event
Genting Casino Nottingham is set to relaunch on Thursday 23rd May after undergoing a significant refurbishment. The launch will welcome guests to enjoy a night of live entertainment, much improved gaming facilities and sample delicious canapés and bubbly. In addition, customers choosing to play on the slots or electronic roulette machines will get the chance to partake in the Machine Madness promotion, giving customers the opportunity to win great prizes.
The refurbishment will significantly improve the gaming floor with new gaming equipment. as well as continuing to offer Roulette, Blackjack, 3 Card Poker, Slots and Electronic Roulette 7 days a week. A new contemporary bar and new food and drinks menu will add to the experience.
General Manager of Genting Casino Nottingham, Jackie Gomes said, ‘It’s great to be able to offer our existing customers these enhanced facilities. I’m confident that they will enjoy what’s on offer and we hope to welcome new customers through our doors too’.
For more information about Genting Casino Nottingham, visit http://www.gentingcasinonottingham.com/.
Readers are welcome to attend the launch event on Thursday 23rd May from 7pm (open to the public to anyone over the age of 18).


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Volvo says India engine plant capable of exporting 30 pct of output
BANGALORE Nov 15 (Reuters) - Volvo AB, the world's No.2 truck maker, expects its India engine plant to be capable of exporting as much as 30 percent of its production, Chief Executive Officer Olof Persson said.
Volvo, which operates in India alongside local partner Eicher Motors Ltd, will ramp up its India engine plant capacity to 100,000 units a year by 2016, he told reporters in the southern Indian city of Bangalore on Wednesday.
Volvo and Eicher will invest $330 million in their 50-50 joining venture over the next two years, Eicher's head told Reuters last week. (Reporting by Harichandan Arakali; Editing by Ryan Woo)
- Carnage at U.N. school as Israel pounds Gaza Strip |
- Moscow fights back after sanctions; battle rages near Ukraine crash site |
- U.S. economy back on track with strong second-quarter rebound |
- Argentina fails to reach debt agreement, default looms
- Obama to Republicans: ‘Stop just hatin’ all the time’


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Copying characters in different games is just a meme at this point. Now another such example has emerged.
A few hours ago, the new look of the agent for Valorant – KAY/O was revealed. Although he stands out from other characters in the game, he resembles someone very well known for the community of the most popular Battle Royale – Fortnite.
As a standard, there were accusations against Valorant that he was too much inspired by the Foundation, one of the key characters for the Fortnite universe. Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt, but indeed, a few elements are correct.
KAY/O vs Foundation
In Fortnite, we do not have the option to choose a hero, because everyone plays the same character. However, we can freely modify our appearance. Players have at their disposal a huge amount of skins, backpacks, and more. Epic releases so much that it’s hard to blame other developers that sometimes something resembles a Fortnite skin.
Yesterday a leak revealed a new agent (character) that will be added to Valorant. It will have different skins etc. while its basic appearance is very much like somebody who Fortnite players know very well.
Some of the elements are in line with the appearance of the Foundation. And although this is not the 1: 1 version, it was enough for controversy to arise on social media.
Are they really that similar? They certainly have a similar posture and “armor”. However, it is very doubtful that Riot was specifically taking Fortnite ideas.
After all, these are the makers of League of Legends, a universe that has an incredible amount of cosmetic items.


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Walmart’s green PR machine has been running on overdrive lately. Over the past few weeks, the world’s largest retailer has announced six new solar installations in Colorado, unveiled its fifth annual Global Responsibility Report, and promoted a live webcast of its Global Sustainability Milestone Meeting. Walmart Chair Rob Walton donated $27.5 million to Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability, and both he and the company’s top marketing guy, Duncan Mac Naughton, spoke at the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference.
Why the gush of the green hype? Maybe to distract us from not-so-flattering news, like a recent Consumer Reports survey that ranked Walmart as the second-to-worst supermarket chain in the U.S.? Or to keep us from noticing the company’s evasions about whether it sells genetically engineered sweet corn or ground beef made with pink slime?
There are lots of hard questions to be asked about Walmart’s commitment to sustainability — and very few of them are answered in the company’s new Global Responsibility Report.
This year’s glossy, photo-rich report goes on for 126 pages about how great Walmart is to its employees, suppliers, the environment, and the communities in which it operates. The section on sustainability seems thorough at first glance — there are certainly lots of statistics and small details on this or that program. But if you try to really digest the content and compare it to reports from previous years, you begin to realize that much of the data is elusive. The same stats aren’t reported consistently each year. The metrics shift; promises touted one year are glossed over the next.
More significant are the many fundamental problems with Walmart’s business model that these reports do not address, or even mention. It’s as though, by loading up on pretty pictures and keeping the figures and details narrow, Walmart hopes readers will miss the forest for the trees.
To help people better evaluate Walmart’s claims of being a green leader, Food & Water Watch and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance have published the Top Ten Ways Walmart Fails on Sustainability. Here’s a quick rundown:
1. Selling Shoddy Products. Walmart drives down the quality and durability of consumer goods, expanding the amount of stuff Americans buy and discard. (See: Is your stuff falling apart? Thank Walmart)
2. Reducing Waste According to Whom? The gains made by the company’s much-publicized store-waste reduction program are miniscule compared to the volume of pollution and trash that result from consumption of Walmart goods.
3. Lagging on Renewable Energy. At its current pace, it will take Walmart many decades to reach its stated goal of running on 100 percent renewable power. Though its operating profits last year were $26.6 billion, Walmart excuses its slow progress on renewables by saying the technologies are too costly. (See: Think Walmart uses 100% clean energy? Try 2%)
4. Increasing Greenhouse Gases. Between 2005 and 2010, Walmart’s reported emissions grew by 14 percent, and it expects its emissions to continue expanding despite promises to improve energy efficiency and cut emissions at its 2005 base of stores and distribution centers by 20 percent by the end of 2012.
5. Voraciously Consuming Land. Since 2005, Walmart has added more than 1,100 supercenters in the U.S., expanding its store footprint by one-third.Most of these stores were built on land that hadn’t been developed before, including, in some cases, critical habitat for threatened and endangered species. (See: Can you say ‘sprawl’? Walmart’s biggest climate impact goes ignored)
6. Financing Anti-Environment Candidates. Since 2005, nearly 60 percent of the $3.9 million Walmart has given to members of Congress went to lawmakers who vote against the environment on most critical measures, according to the League of Conservation Voters. (See: Walmart spends big to help anti-environment candidates)
7. Consolidating and Industrializing Food Production. Although Walmart claims to support “sustainable agriculture,” it has used its market power to usher in a larger-scale, more industrialized food system. Walmart controls more than 50 percent of total grocery sales in 29 metro markets, and the company’s buying power and business practices have triggered a wave of mergers among meatpackers, dairies, and other food processors. (See: Eaters, beware: Walmart is taking over our food system)
8. Redefining Local. Walmart claims to be increasing the amount of locally produced food it sells, but the company’s distribution model favors the use of very few large suppliers, not the small farms most consumers think of when they seek out local produce.
9. Degrading Organic. When Walmart talks about organic, it generally means big-brand organic versions of the processed foods that are already on its shelves, like Rice Krispies and Kraft macaroni and cheese. Walmart’s private-label organic milk has been criticized for coming from cows raised in factory-farm conditions.
10. Spreading Poverty. When Walmart comes into a community, incomes decline and poverty increases. According to a study published in Social Science Quarterly, neighborhoods that gain Walmart stores end up with more poverty and food-stamp usage than communities where the retailer does not open.
If Walmart really wanted to walk its green talk, it could begin by addressing these fundamental problems. In the meantime, we all need to keep Walmart in the hot seat.
Also check out:
- While Walmart boasts ‘sustainability,’ shrimp factory workers protest
- Walmart is no savior: More small businesses = healthier people
- Walmart’s greenwash: Why the retail giant is still unsustainable


text: Southwestern Texas H-E-B announced a ground beef recall Wednesday by Tyson Foods. Nearly 94,000 pounds of ground beef recalled due to the product possibly containing a foreign matter, mirror-like material. According to the supermarket, the recalled products include five and ten-pound chubs of Hill Country Fare, 73% lean ground beef, and five-pound chubs of H-E-B, 80% lean ground chuck. H-E-B, Joe V’s, and Central Market stores in Texas sold the products. According to the recall, the beef products had a freeze-by date of Nov. 25.


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Concord Mills is about to get a major makeover, they want to make the interior much more inviting, especially now that so many shoppers are going online for most of their purchases.
The outlet mall will begin an interior renovation in May that will wrap up by early 2017, according to a statement Wednesday from Simon Malls, which owns Concord Mills. Improvements will “create a brighter, more inviting atmosphere inside the center,” the company said.
Changes to the mall will include a new dining area with updated seating, tables, flooring, and lighting; four new lounge areas with new seating, updated Wi-Fi network, new paint, more windows, and various other updated interior design elements.
Simon Properties also recently announced a $50 million, 200,000 square foot addition onto their NorthLake Mall property – showing their continued investment and interest in the Charlotte region.
Concord Mills is currently the largest mall in North Carolina, and the most visited tourist attraction in our state.


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The sales season began with a bang this year, with the return of Click Frenzy across Australia. Let's take a look at how the first 24 hours went for the sale that stops a nation, and what to expect for the rest of the sales event.
In the first 24 hours of the event, there have been well over a million shoppers on the platform, and lots more joining on Wednesday. The event will run into Thursday and ends at midnight, among it the first 53-hour event.
“We haven’t reached our forecast yet, but we’re happy with the results so far and it’s building today. Online shopping is an indoor sport, and beautiful weather all over the East Coast [on Tuesday] meant a few more people than usual were (rightfully) outdoors rather than on their devices. What we saw from around 8 pm Tuesday night was a big surge, and traffic is very strong throughout this morning – it’s going to be a massive week for retail,” said Grant Arnott, the Managing Director of Click Frenzy.
Traffic has grown strongly overall, currently at 30 percent+ year on year. Although this wasn’t as strong as the start of Mayhem earlier in the year, it has been gaining ground over the last two days, as the working from home crowd around Australia jumps onto Click Frenzy.
At this stage, the top-performing retailers are:
- Shaver Shop
- The Good Guys
- Platypus Shoes
- Harris Scarfe
It has been a brutal year for Australians, so Click Frenzy is extending its ‘Let’s Regrow’ campaign from Mayhem into November. This offers struggling retailers $1,000 worth of advertising during the sales event, thus accelerating their brand in front of millions of shoppers.
Some of the key brands taking part in this showstopping event include L’Oréal, Catch, Kogan, MyDeal and Red Balloon. Other retailers include Myer, Coles, Telstra, Priceline, Target, Just Group, The Good Guys, Shaver Shop, Big W, Barbecues Galore, House, Forty Winks, Spotlight, Anaconda, Michael Hill, and Amart.
Plus, in a world first, Volkswagen and Subaru are offering exclusive Click Frenzy deals for buying new and demonstrator vehicles online.
This year, Click Frenzy has partnered with the National Breast Cancer Foundation as its charity partner. Participating retailers who are making donations to NBCF will feature on a special partner page, so those consumers who want to support NBCF can shop with those brands.
Click Frenzy ends at midnight tonight after running for 53 hours. You can find out more about The Main Event here.
Disclaimer: Click Frenzy is owned by Global Marketplace Pty Ltd, the parent company of Power Retail.
Like this story? Click here to find out more about Power Retail E-Commerce Intelligence or here to sign-up for the free weekly Pulse Newsletter for more essential online retail content.


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The Ambassador of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov presented his credentials to the President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte in the Malacañan Palace.
During the conversation following the official ceremony, President Duterte noted the tendency for development of both bilateral and multilateral relations between our countries, including the ones within the UN format.
The President of the Philippines highly appreciated the socio-economic reforms carried out under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. “I heard about the large-scale reforms that your President is pursuing. And this factor contributes not only to the development of the Uzbek economy, but also to the strengthening of peace and stability in the country and the region as a whole,” he said.
Also, “many common interests in various areas of cooperation” were emphasized.
Special attention was paid to the prospects for trade-economic and investment cooperation. In this context, President Rodrigo Duterte noted with satisfaction the upcoming launch, by the large Philippine company “Liwayway”, of a project to produce environmentally friendly products in Uzbekistan under the “Oishi” and “Great Lake” brands (juices, sweets, snacks, chips, etc.) for $15 million. The hope was expressed that this production would be a good start for expanding participation of the Philippine business in the implementation of various economic projects in Uzbekistan.


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World News: 15:16 GMT Friday 27th June 2014. [Fitch Ratings via Businesswire via SPi World News]
Fitch Ratings expects toBanco Pine SAs Pine upcoming issue of Brazilian Real denominated BRL Financeiras a National Long-Term of AA-bra The amount of the will be up to BRL 250 mi...
Business Wire: 15:16 GMT Friday 27th June 2014
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There is no other wine region in the world that produces Sauvignon Blanc like Marlborough, says Giesen Group Marketing Manager Angela Flynn.
There are many delicious options to choose from, no matter where you are in the world.
Director of Global Marketing for New Zealand Winegrowers Chris Yorke says New Zealand makesless than 1% of the entire world’s wine production, but of that 86% is Sauvignon Blanc.
And as a result, New Zealand punches well above our weight by producing 17% of all Sauvignon Blanc.
“It’s the varietal we are best known for and our wineries have mastered the art of producingexplosive flavours that make New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc a favourite with both consumers andwine critics,” Chris Yorke says.
May 4th marks the 9th annual International Sauvignon Blanc Day, with events and celebrations planned across the globe in recognition of this delightful and zesty varietal.
With New Zealand the first country in the world to see the sun, events will kick off Down Under, continuing around the world as people wake up on 4th May.
If you’re a Sauvignon Blanc fan, show your appreciation by posting video clips, photographs andmessages that celebrate our most popular drop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #sauvblanc and #nzwine.
For more information on International Sauvignon Blanc Day visit www.nzwine.com/sauvblancday


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An open letter has been sent to some of the country’s biggest fashion retailers asking them to ensure Leicester’s garment factories look after their workers.
Leicester mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has urged the UK’s top fashion firm bosses to make sure the clothes they sell are not made in sweatshops in the city.
Sir Peter and TUC Midlands regional secretary Lee Barron have written to retailers including Boohoo, ASOS, TK Maxx, Missguided, River Island, Next and New Look to ensure they are doing everything they can to ensure their suppliers operate within the rules.
There are more than 1,000 textile factories in the city.
Conditions within them were brought into focus during lockdown when media reports said some staff making items destined for Boohoo were being paid £3.50 an hour – well below the minimum wage.
There are no suggestions that other retailers are at fault.
Following the revelations Home Secretary Priti Patel ordered the National Crime Agency to begin an investigation into allegations of modern slavery in the city garment trade and in June they visited a number of premises in the city.
The Labour mayor now intends to host a summit with retailers and unions and is encouraging all employers to sign a TUC agreement committing these retailers to use manufacturers who recognise and work with trade unions.
Sir Peter said: “This is not a new problem but it has been once again highlighted by recent revelations about minimum wage violations and suggestions that working conditions in the industry may have been a catalyst for the spike in Covid-19 cases in the city.
“We have been working for some time to tackle this challenge but it isn’t something the local authority can solve alone, nor is it Leicester’s problem alone.
“That is why I am trying to bring together the retailers and the trade unions to get the action we need to resolve this issue.
“I am calling on all of the retailers we have written to today to show their commitment by joining us at the round table summit and to sign up to the TUC agreement which, if implemented, would give greater employment protection and security to thousands of people in the city.”
Leicester’s deputy mayor councillor Adam Clarke said: “We have a proud textiles heritage in Leicester and some great manufacturers producing high quality garments.
“I believe that Leicester should be the engine of this resurgent UK garment industry and that this could contribute positively to our local economy - but only if ethical concerns are addressed and garment workers are treated with the respect they deserve.”
Lee Barron said: “Some retailers have tried to put systems in place to demonstrate that they procure ethically but too many garments, manufactured by people working in terrible conditions and for poverty wages, continue to get into their supply chains.
“There is only one way that these large fashion retailers can be sure that health and safety and other good employment practices are being adhered to in their supply chains and that is by insisting that they will only procure from manufacturers who recognise a trade union.
“Trade unions will not only help and support their members but they can be a free and effective solution for an industry plagued by unethical employment practices. If retailers are serious about resolving this issue then we will gladly work with them to transform the industry and improve working conditions in factories in Leicester once and for all.”
The highlighting of the conditions in some Leicester workshops sparked a bitter row between local politicians in the city and the Government and backbench Tory MPs, with both accusing the other of failing to deal with issues that have been known about in the sector for decades.
Boohoo was named as a company that bought clothing from a supplier highlighted by the Sunday Times for not paying the minimum wage.
The online retailer said it was “shocked and appalled” by the reports and though it disputed some of the claims it has brought in a QC to carry out investigation into the allegations.


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- Volkswagen emissions scandal: Full details
- 2015 Tokyo motor show full coverage
- View all the latest Volkswagen news and reviews
Volkswagen claims to have "regulatory approval" for a planned fix for "most" of its scandal-ridden diesel vehicles that were caught pumping out harmful nitrogen oxide emissions.
Speaking after a presentation at the 2015 Tokyo motor show, Volkswagen's newly appointed CEO for passenger cars, Dr Herbert Diess, told a packed and at times aggressive media scrum he was "confident" most vehicles would require only a software fix.
However Dr Diess – surrounded by a throng of international media keen for answers to the biggest scandal to hit the automotive industry in decades - refused to outline whether the planned software changes would impact performance or fuel economy and admitted some vehicles may require a "minor" hardware change.
"In many cases it will be a software update," said a calm and well-rehearsed Dr Diess. "In some cases there might be some minor hardware changes at the cars. Most of the fleet we are sure can be fixed by software."
He said the company was having bi-weekly meetings with German authorities and was in constant contact with authorities around the world.
"For our plan we have got regulatory approval," said Dr Diess. "It's approved by the European legislative authorities. The plan is approved, it will be tightly followed up. Every other week we have a meeting with the German authorities to prove we are on the way. We are closely monitored but we are confident that we can perform this plan which will lead us to fix all the engines.
"We hope to get confirmation of our plans to fix within the American authorities within the next few weeks and then we will work with full power and dedication to solve the problem."
Dr Diess refused to be drawn on whether Volkswagen would consider buybacks of cars - as has been rumoured overseas in an effort to appease owners and begin the mammoth task of restoring confidence in the brand, as well as fending off any backlash over potentially poor resale values on cars fitted with the 2.0-litre and 1.6-litre EA189 diesel engines.
"It's too early to say. At the moment we are hopeful and we believe that we can fix all the cars," said Dr Diess, leaving the door open to buybacks.
He said the plan was to ensure the driveability and fuel consumption of affected cars would not be impacted – although he refused to make any guarantees.
"That is the target," said Dr Diess when asked if the way cars drove would be unaffected. "We are very confident to achieve that for most of the cars; in some cases we are still working on the solutions."
Dr Diess also said Volkswagen would begin fitting future diesel models with the latest emissions software designed to reduce harmful emissions.
He said the brand remanded committed to diesel engines.
"We will fix the diesel engines," said Dr Diess. "We still believe in the future of diesel engines because they are, in the trade off of emissions and CO2, they are a very good options for many vehicles.
"Also we decided to equip all our diesel engines now with the latest SCR [selective catalytic reduction] technology and blue technology as soon as possible."
Dr Diess' 10-minute-plus media grilling included many references to putting the affected customers ahead of anything else – including a sales backlash.
"Our first priority is really to fix the problems at our customer engines," he said. "We have the whole company dedicated to this, we are working day and night every weekend to solve the problems."
His official speech in unveiling a new petrol-electric version of the upcoming Tiguan SUV also referenced the planned transparency the brand is planning as part of its carefully choreographed PR campaign to restore faith in the brand.
"We will come up with good technical solutions for the affected diesel engines," he said. "We will uncover and disclose the full truth of what happened and we will make sure that something like this never happens again."
The Volkswagen presentation at Japan's largest and most influential motor show began with an apology from Volkswagen Japan representative director Sven Stein.
"First, on behalf of Volkswagen Group Japan I would like to apologise for the concerns Volkswagen Group has caused to our valued customers and partners in Japan," said Mr Stein, who paused to bow to motor show attendeees. "I understand that we have damaged Japanese trust in Volkswagen brand and I can assure you that together with Volkswagen Group headquarters we will do everything what we can to restore that trust.
"The incident is being fully addressed. We must learn these events and move forward as a respected company in the society."
Mr Stein's speech finished with a contrite "domo arigato" or thank you very much in Japanese.


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It’s crucial that both the government and the technology giants establishing flagship offices here in the UK re-invest into the surrounding ecosystem, for it to continue thrive says Tom Strange at Constellation.
It’s undeniable that the general public’s trust in tech giants has dwindled over the past few years, with Facebook bearing the brunt of a number of exposés around how it has benefited from abusing user data.
The Cambridge Analytica scandal opened Pandora’s Box, and a number of other revelations of a similar ilk ensued. Only recently it came to light that several years’ worth of internal Facebook emails had been made public, emails that discussed selling access to user data to major advertisers such as Netflix, Lyft and Airbnb, as well as plans to upload call and text logs from Android phones to track user communication habits.
Now, of course, business plans change and companies pivot: in 2009 Facebook surpassed MySpace as the top social network, ending the year with 350 million users. Today’s Facebook is an entirely different beast, with around 2.2 billion active monthly users. Regardless of how a company scales, however, it’s crucial that it doesn’t abuse the trust of those it relies upon as a business.
It’s important to note that, despite the growing distrust, people are not yet boycotting the tech giants en masse. Nor has it discouraged consumers from purchasing the latest Apple, Samsung and Google devices. Despite the public outrage in regard to how they are using our personal information, the controversy that surrounds these businesses hasn’t impacted their popularity or growth: in fact, Facebook added one million monthly users last quarter in the US and Canada alone.
Clearly, these services are now too integral to our daily lives for us to be able to forgo them. Numerous measures have been threatened – or, already implemented – by governments in a bid to ensure that these companies counterbalance the damage they cause. Most recently, the UK government announced the introduction of a digital services tax in the annual Budget, aimed exclusively at tech giants: the first official government-level plan to address the growing issue of monopolisation.
This week’s technology headlines
Though it’s unknown just how successful the digital services tax will be in practice, it presents – on the surface – an excellent opportunity to reinvest in digital skills and training, to develop the next generation technology and business leaders to help keep these technology giants relevant and on the front-foot.
There are a number of ways that this money could be used to reinvest in the sector. There could be grant increases for schemes such as Innovate UK, to ensure that cutting-edge entrepreneurs receive the funding required to develop their ideas and push UK innovation forward in fields such as AI and data science. It would also be beneficial to implement schemes to steer people towards a career in the tech sector from a young age – such as increased subsidies for socio-economically challenged students in the STEM subjects.
Initiatives like these would massively benefit SMEs and tech-giants alike, in terms of talent acquisition and overall development of ‘home-grown’ expertise. There is a clear opportunity to align stakeholder interests. Stimulating the tech industry is also vital to the continuation of our nation’s leading role in associated industries such as finance, because their future depends on benefiting from and adopting technology breakthroughs.
So far, however, little light has been shed on how income from the tax will be spent, with no clear re-investment strategy disclosed; but how this is done will determine the success of this initiative.
Reformation of corporate tax systems would be the most effective way to approach the issue, but it needs to be done in the right way. For example, an alternate approach to a revenue-based tax, such as a headcount-based levy, would be easier and fairer to apply to companies not generating £500m in revenue. This would prevent excessive penalisation, since the cost would grow proportionately to scale. It could generate higher income for the Treasury too.
For the UK to continue to position itself as a progressive and attractive destination for tech investment, it must nurture emerging and scaling businesses. Ensuring that the UK remains a key player on the global technology stage will be crucial for the economy in the wake of Brexit. It’s crucial that both the government and the technology giants establishing flagship offices here in the UK re-invest into the surrounding ecosystem for it to continue thrive.


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A new company is bringing a cheaper movie-theatre experience to Canada.
Turkish company Sinemia has officially launched in Canada. Founded by Rifat Oguz, the company charges customers $10.99 to watch two movies per month in theatres.
A monthly membership includes:
- Tickets for any theatre, any day, any showtime, any movie
- 2D – 3D – IMAX – 4DX – DBOX – ScreenX *
- The option to buy tickets in advance from home or at the theatre
The company also offers various membership plans, including a three-movie pass for $14.99.
Sinemia’s largest competitor, MoviePass, is currently only available in the US, which gives the company a Canadian advantage.
In a release, Sinemia’s founder, Rifat Oguz, said that his company has an advantage over MoviePass, because it offers “significant savings.”
“We are interested in building a movie ticket subscription service that will be around for the long haul,” says Oguz. “We are steadily growing by more than 50% each month and are seeing more than 20 million monthly visitors to our site globally. I am confident this success has much to do with our dedication to not only financial savings for our members, but also our ability to give them a high-quality movie theatre experience.”
Sinemia currently operates in the United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia, and the US.
To find out where you can use a Sinemia subscription service pass at a theatre near you, check out the company’s website.


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Manufacturing & Industry
March 4, 2013
Swarms of locusts attacked El-Obour vegetable and fruit market in Cairo on Sunday morning, destroying the agricultural products, as fears grow of sustained damage from an invasion.
March 3, 2013
Samsonite Group has announced that the Samsonite Black Label Baron, a collection of premium travel luggage that seamlessly combines premium quality, elegant functionality and urbane aesthetics.
Bridgestone announced today that it will be the Official Tyre of Dubai International Motor Show 2013.
South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ooredoo, formerly known as Qtel Group.
Hikmat Yassin & Sons received an award for their outstanding performance in the home appliances division for the year of 2012 during the Samsung Levant Strategy Workshop.
Egypt, the fourth largest producer of strawberries in the world, has been given the green light to export to the United States, according to a statement by the US embassy in Cairo on Thursday.
February 28, 2013
A delegation from the Bureau International des Expositions joined DP World customers and officials today to hear and see first-hand the supply chain capabilities of the UAE as it bids to host the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.
Lexmark International Middle East underlined the inherent advantages and considerable cost savings potential achievable by the implementation of Managed Print Services (MPS).
February 27, 2013
For Dubai Aluminium, DUBAL, 2012 was again an excellent year.
OCTAL has unveiled the next innovation in poultry packaging at Gulfood 2013, the world’s biggest food and hospitality show held in Dubai from 25-28 February.
Tetra Pak, the world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, has won the ‘Best Stand’ Award at Gulfood 2013, the world’s largest annual food and hospitality exhibition held in Dubai.
February 26, 2013
Tetra Pak announced significant developments to its packaging solutions portfolio today at Gulfood 2013.
Epson on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 announced the UAE launch of its first range of inkjet printers that feature an integrated ultra-high-capacity ink tank to help businesses manage their printing costs.
Xerox is pleased to announce the winners of the first round of the 2013 Xerox Corporate Golf Challenge, which took place at the Royal Golf Club in Riffa, Bahrain.
Unilever has announced the results of its regional health and hygiene initiative which was conducted across schools and labour camps in the gulf region.


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Universities Look To Update Crypto Curriculum As Blockchain In College Courses Gains Momentum
Universities Look To Update Crypto Curriculum
Cryptocurrency curriculum is becoming vastly popular at universities, especially in light of the growth in the cryptocurrency job sector and the high salaries that come with it. To enter the fintech space, many university students are turning to take the growing number of courses that universities are offering.
Several universities in Scotland, the United States and Mediterranean are now offering courses concerning blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. Some courses have become so popular that there are now waiting lists as well.
David Yermacks, a professor at the New York University School of Business, was one of the first to take advantage of the schools blockchain growth by offering courses in blockchain and cryptocurrency. Since starting the courses, his lecture size has more than doubled.
According to Coinbase, 42 percent of the top fifty universities around the world offer at least one cryptocurrency and blockchain course. And, around 22 percent of universities offer more than one blockchain course. Right now, Stanford has ten classes and Cornell has nine. With more universities offering such courses, their students may have an easier time entering the fintech industry. In turn, the technology may become a more prominent point in people’s lives in the future.


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LONDON, May 4 – China’s Bright Food Group is expected to gain controlling share of British well-known breakfast cereal producer Weetabix by buying a 60 percent stake in Weetabix.
A joint statement of Bright Food and Lion Capital issued on Wednesday said the acquisition signals that the Chinese food company will enter both the British and global food markets through the iconic Weetabix brand.
Bright Food will take a 60 percent stake in Weetabix in a deal that values the company at 1.2 billion pounds.
The transaction will represent the largest overseas acquisition by a Chinese company in the food and beverage sector.
A press release of Lion capital said, “The purchase also support Bright Food’s strategy of buying famous international brands, developing advanced technology and taking strong competitive positions in each of its market.”
“Bright Food is committed to driving the global growth and success of the Weetabix Business, with focus on the potential in Asia and especially in China, to take advantage of the growth appetite in the country for packaged and convenient healthy foods.”
The remaining 40 percent of the shares of Weetabix will continue to be held by Lion and management.
Weetabix, based in Northamptonshire in central England, said its trademark breakfast cereal accounts for 7 percent of Britain’s cereal sales, with annual sales of 101 million pounds.
Wang Zongnan, Chairmen of Bright Food, said in the statement “as a leading business in China’s food industry, we are delighted to become the majority shareholder in Weetabix.”
The British brand is sold in 80 countries and regions, employs around 2,000 people and generates annual sales of 423 million pounds.
Other brands in the British company’s portfolio include Alpen, Ready Brek and Oatibix.
Weetabix, the second biggest cereal producer in Britain, was founded in 1932 and was family owned until 2004 when it was bought by the private equity firm Lion Capital.
The deal is subjected to regulatory and government approvals in China, although completion of the deal is expected in the second half of this year.
Bright Food Group, based in east China’s Shanghai city, is one of the largest food group in China, and a local state owned enterprises in Shanghai.


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Emulex has appointed a senior vice-president for operations, signalling new CEO Jeff Benck's intention to have his company survive as a viable business. Emulex makes Fibre Channel storage host bus adapters (HBAs), Converged Network Adaptors (CNAs) and has recently bought Endace for its Ethernet network monitoring and analysis …
I thought that said "hungry network grumble flickers", they were selling a lot more kit to porn sites now Cameron has come sniffing about with an eye to shut them down!
Is that the same Emulex that used to make really crap print servers about 15 years ago?
Benck prez of QLogic for a short time, around 2007?
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