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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said on Tuesday that search powered by artificial intelligence is the biggest thing to transpire to his company in the nine years he’s been at the helm.
I haven’t seen thing like this since I would say 2007-2008, when the cloud was just first coming out, ”Nadella told AFLM correspondent in an interview.
Microsoft invited correspondents to its headquarters in Redmond, Washington, for an event that centered around new AI- powered updates to the company’s Bing search engine and Edge browser. Bing, which is a distant alternate to Google in search, will now allow users to chat in a way that provides more detailed answers to queries.
The updates to Bing and Edge will launch on Tuesday on desktop in a limited exercise, meaning users will get a finite number of queries to search during the original period.
Nadella said search is a actually profitable business, so these developments reflect a big chance for Microsoft.
I’ve noway ever felt this delivered in terms of chance in the days ahead, ”he told AFLM.
Microsoft’s event Tuesday follows the company’s January communiqué regarding a multibillion-dollar investment in ChatGPT- maker OpenAI. The deal marks the third phase of the collaboration between the two companies, after Microsoft’s former investments in 2019 and 2021.
ChatGPT automatically generates text hung on written prompts in a fashion that’s much more advanced and creative than once chatbots. The web- hung tool went viral after its debut in November. Tech executives and flutter
capitalists gushed about it on Twitter, even comparing it to Apple’s debut of the iPhone in 2007.
On Monday, Google enunciated an AI chatbot technology called Bard that will begin rolling out in the coming weeks. Bard will contend directly with ChatGPT.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attended Microsoft’s Tuesday event and verified that Microsoft incorporated some of OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 language technologies into Bing to enhance its capabilities.
I feel like I’ve been waiting for this for 20 years so I’m actually happy it’s here, Altman said during the presentation.
Nadella was promoted to CEO in 2014 after running the company’s cloud business. He presided over Microsoft’s precious and parlous move from on-premises servers to cloud infrastructure. It turned out to be a massive boon for a company that largely missed the transition to mobile computing.
Microsoft Azure, the centerpiece of the company’s cloud unit, is alternate to Amazon Web Services and ahead of Google in the cloud infrastructure market.
You can only be applicable in technology if you’re good enough to see the surges of change and also to reorient your technology and invention program and the business model program, ”Nadella said. “ We ’ve gone through some very harsh ones. The last one we went through was obviously the mobile and cloud. We caught one, we missed one.


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In the midst of such a tragic year, Baltimore-based entrepreneur Kalilah Wright was hit with personally devastating news earlier this month. Her mentor and friend, Cici Gunn, a fellow business woman and financial advisor known as “The Six Figure Chick,” passed away on August 14.
The news hit Wright especially hard. Gunn had been her source of inspiration, and she was always there for Wright to turn to in times of need. (In a memorial post to Instagram, Wright recalls a time when Gunn gave her money to buy a new laptop after being robbed. “Your kindness and generosity never cease to amaze me,” Wright said.)
In addition to her friendship, Gunn’s valuable lessons on social media management helped Wright grow her own apparel company, Mess In A Bottle.
“She taught me how to teach others,” says Wright, who uses some of Gunn’s practices in what she calls “The Tee Class”, a now-virtual learning platform where she teaches others how to launch their own T-shirt businesses.
Now, she’s channeling all of the inspiration from Gunn into continuing the growth of her company, which has come a long way since its inception in 2015.
Throughout the past five years, Mess in a Bottle has struck a chord on social media, amassing more than 140,000 Instagram followers. It’s been featured on “Shark Tank” and celebrities like Serena Willams and Insecure’s Yvonne Orji have donned the Baltimore brand that showcases empowering phrases such as “A Black woman created this” and “As strong as the woman next to me.”
Suffice it to say, Wright is not afraid to speak her mind—or wear it, for that matter. It’s something that she considers a form of activism.
The native of Jamaica moved to Baltimore from Brooklyn, New York to attend grad school at Morgan State University. Following graduation she worked for Under Armour, but after the Baltimore Uprising in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray, she felt a call to empower others through clothes.
“I started Mess In A Bottle as a form of communication and as a conversation starter,” says the 36-year-old business woman. And she’s had no shortage of inspiration to spark some of those important conversations this year.
Even in the midst of the coronavirus, the self-proclaimed fearless Black woman isn’t slowing down. In August, Wright opened her first brick-and-mortar store on Howard Street boasting the brand’s signature black-and-white aesthetic. Although she’s currently only offering curbside pickup, Wright plans on an official grand opening in 2021.
As a woman who started the business on her own, she says that it’s been “very rewarding to see this grow from a one-person company to now having employees and management.”
We talked with her about being a Black female business owner, keeping momentum in the middle of a pandemic, and how clothing can be used as a form of activism.
You talk about how you were inspired to start your company after the Baltimore Uprising in 2015. What was going through your mind when you launched Mess in a Bottle?
I was an architect working for Under Armour, and I felt like the people needed a way to have a voice throughout the riots. So, I wanted to give a voice to the voiceless. People felt unheard and unseen. That was one of the reasons for the riots. I wasn’t nervous about jumping into entrepreneurship because I had been dabbling in it. I was just ready. It felt like the right time for me to really explore my creativity.
What are some of the milestones you’ve reached since then?
We will be in a [yet to be revealed] mass retailer in 2021. We have hit more than a million dollars in sales. We’ve been on television with Mark Cuban. I’ve had celebrities wear my garments. We’ve also gained a very high traction within our community where we have almost 150,000 followers on social media.
How has COVID-19 impacted your businesses?
It didn’t negatively impact the business per se. It really forced us to strengthen our foundation, as well as our processes. But we’ve done really well, and we’ve opened a storefront during the pandemic. We have managed to hire 16 Black women on our team and ninety percent of our production happens in our Baltimore facility.
I recently read that you’ve been marching and peacefully protesting in support of Black Lives Matter, but some may call apparel a form of protest, too. What does activism look like for you?
I don’t think there’s one way to protest. There’s a lot of silent protestors, people who may not want to be vocal, but they want to get their message into the world. Wearing your message is definitely a form of activism.
Tell me about one of your favorite pieces on sale right now? How did that go from being an idea to an actual product that people can buy?
Right now, we are putting up a shirt that says, “She Black,” in support of Kamala Harris, who was recently selected as Joe Biden’s running mate. The premise behind it is that we have a lot of people who are now questioning who she is and whether she is of African descent, and I’m like, “She Black, period.” Sometimes I just go off of how I feel. It’s mainly the words that I say that end up becoming a message.
Describe your personal style.
I am a fan of a rip in a jean. I love a nice beautiful head wrap or scarf. I’m always with my round-frame glasses. I’m a good mix of classic with a little bit of art and punk rock. It’s just my way of being very clean and chic.
Who are some people that you look up to?
I love Black culture. I’m a huge fan of Black creatives such as Lena Waithe, Yvonne Orji, and Bozoma Saint John. Those are all Black women who are pioneers in their industry who inspire me.
What are some challenges you’ve faced?
It’s always difficult having a company and transitioning through inventory and figuring out startup capital. As a minority-owned and woman-owned business, we might not have as much access to capital. Those are things that get really difficult, but we have been able to strategically grow the business and the brand.
Where do you see Mess in a Bottle—and yourself, for that matter—in the next five years?
I see myself and Mess in a Bottle being on the shelf of a mass retail company and continuing to expand and grow into a lifestyle brand.
Sometimes with increased popularity, you have to deal with the possibility of criticism. Have you had to deal with any major backlash?
You know, not really. People are very supportive of us being a Black-owned, woman-owned, immigrant-owned company. They support us having a voice and being able to lend our voice in whatever capacity.

domain: news


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51 years after its release, there’s a new all-star video of GEORGE HARRISON‘s “My Sweet Lord”, featuring Mark Hamill, Fred Armisen, Vanessa Bayer, Jon Hamm, Weird Al, Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, and more.
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN sold his publishing catalog for $500 million.
DAVE DAVIES of THE KINKS has a book on the way. Look for “Living On A Thin Line” in July of 2022.
There’s a KISS museum opening in Las Vegas in March 2022. It will feature more than 50 years’ worth of band memorabilia, basically from the personal collection of GENE SIMMONS.
The “Sonic Slam” tour is being planned for 2022. It will feature TOM KEIFER, formerly of CINDERELLA, along with L.A. GUNS and FASTER PUSSYCAT.
A RUSH pinball game is coming — check out the teaser.
GUNS N’ ROSES will issue some kind of box set next summer to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the “Use Your Illusion” albums. The anniversary was actually THIS year, but the pandemic is pushing it back.
For 127 years, Gibson has shaped sound across generations and genres of music, becoming one of the most relevant, played, and loved guitar brands around the world. Gibson is proud to unveil the first guitars in the new Dave Mustaine Collection, the Gibson Dave Mustaine Flying V™ EXP. For the new Flying V’s, the Gibson team collaborated with Dave Mustaine the legendary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and founder of the multi-platinum selling and GRAMMY® Award–winning band, Megadeth. Starting today, limited quantities of the Gibson Dave Mustaine Flying V™ EXP are available in Antique Natural and Silver Metallic finishes on Gibson.com and at select global dealers. A wider release of units is planned for February 2022, call the Gibson Garage to order: (615) 933-6000.
ERIC CLAPTON successfully sued a woman in Germany for attempting to sell a bootleg CD on eBay for $11. The woman said she had no idea it was an illegal recording. The judge told her she must pay $3,500 in attorneys’ fees. CLAPTON also recently released a new song, “Heart of a Child”.
A documentary about the 2003 fire in Rhode Island during a GREAT WHITE show that killed a hundred people and injured hundreds more will premiere in February.
OZZY OSBOURNE is getting in on the crypto-craze. His “Cryptobatz” will feature 9,666 non-fungible tokens.
PINK FLOYD did a surprise release of a dozen live albums on streaming services. And Sony Music announced that Pink Floyd’s ‘P.U.L.S.E. Restored & Re-Edited’, will be released for the first time on Blu-ray on February 18, 2022. Pre-order here.


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MasterCard is looking into a possible break-in at one of its credit card data processors that could have exposed the personal details of tens of thousands of people.
On Friday a source close to the investigation told ZDNet UK that the data processor under investigation was Global Payments Inc.
However, MasterCard declined to comment on the identity of the company under scrutiny.
"MasterCard is currently investigating a potential account data compromise event of a US-based entity and, as a result, we have alerted payment card issuers regarding certain MasterCard accounts that are potentially at risk," the company said in a statement on Friday.
The number of UK and European MasterCard customers affected by the breach was likely to be outweighed by US customers, a MasterCard representative told ZDNet UK.
"It's a US-based processor — I would see the majority of this taking place in the US," said the representative.
Visa and MasterCard have been warning banks about the breach, according to security journalist Brian Krebs. Up to ten million people could have been affected by the breach, which occurred between 21 January and 25 February, 2012. Enough data to counterfeit credit cards was stolen, according to Krebs.
However, Bloomberg revised the number of affected people down on Friday, saying that around 50,000 people could have been affected by the breach, and that Global Payments had ceased trading due to the investigation.
The MasterCard representative declined to comment on the scale of the breach.
"MasterCard is concerned whenever there is any possibility that cardholders could be inconvenienced and we continue to both monitor this event and take steps to safeguard account information," said the company statement. "If cardholders have any concerns about their individual accounts, they should contact their issuing financial institution.
"Law enforcement has been notified of this matter and the incident is currently the subject of an ongoing forensic review by an independent data security organization. It is important to note that MasterCard's own systems have not been compromised in any manner."
Visa Europe declined to comment on possible effects on European customers, and directed ZDNet UK to Visa.com in the US. Visa.com had not responded to repeated requests for comment at the time of writing. Global Payments Inc had not responded to requests for comment at the time of writing. The Wall Street Journal had also not received comment at the time of writing from Global Payments Inc.
ZDNet UK understands that Global Payments Inc is due to make a statement on Monday.


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Renaissance Hotels & Resorts North
America has announced that it has launched an online community for meeting
planners. The community at
www.rhr-standout.com will allow meeting
planners to network, share the latest industry news and trends through
an online forum, plan and organize meetings at all Renaissance North
America properties and register for chances to win monthly prizes.
The site will serve as a continually updated resource providing
information on planning an “Enlightened Event,” the Renaissance approach
to distinctive meetings and events, including a brief online video,
destination finder, showcase of Executive Chefs from across North
America and the latest tips from industry insiders.
“We wanted this to go a step further than just providing a planning
tool,” said Michael Beardsley, Vice President of Sales & Marketing,
Renaissance Hotels and Resorts North America. “The added value is in our
extensive online forum where meeting planners can share innovative
strategies, best practices, things to avoid and favorite experiences.
This site will encourage meeting planners to ‘be curious,’ promoting an
open dialogue for information exchange and industry news. Since the site
will be a continuous discussion with new promotions, news and features
each month, we see it as becoming a standard on our meeting planners
‘Favorites’ list, driving repeat visits.”
To help drive traffic to the site during the launch period, Renaissance
is offering meeting planners who use the site to book events now through
December 31, 2007, up to 100,000 Marriott Rewards® bonus points. These
valuable points can be redeemed for free nights, flights or vacations
throughout the world. Restrictions apply, so please visit the site for
The site also features a monthly sweepstakes that allows meeting
planners to enter to win useful prizes including a TomTom Go 910
portable GPS and other electronics, all-inclusive trips and more.


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Levi Strauss & Co. expects to use product innovation and marketing muscle to help it maintain strong bottom- and top-line momentum that continued through its third quarter.
Levi’s doubled its profits on a 3.7 percent increase in sales in the three months ended Aug. 25. Chip Bergh, president and chief executive officer of the company, told WWD Friday that he’s confident the San Francisco-based jeanswear and sportswear giant can continue “driving sustainable, profitable growth, something we haven’t done consistently over the last 20 years.” Doing so, however, will require overcoming both inflationary trends in the supply chain and continuing weak trends in retail traffic.
“We’re heading into what I think will be an inflationary period for the industry in many of the places our products are sourced,” he said. “It’s going to get tougher to expand gross margin as we did in the third quarter.
“And we’re seeing the same thing others are — traffic is down broadly — so we have to focus on what we can do to drive traffic into the stores, improve conversion and drive more products into the basket.”
Increases in marketing spend in the fourth quarter will be part of that effort and will include digital as well as traditional media. Partially because of its new Modern Frontier campaign and the launch of its new Revel shape-fitting jeans for women, advertising and promotional spending was up 17 percent in the quarter, elevating selling, general and administrative expenses, and is expected to be above 5 percent of revenues in the fourth quarter versus a figure below 5 percent during the first nine months of the year.
Bergh was encouraged as Levi’s during the quarter managed a 5 percent sales increase in its own stores despite lower traffic. Direct-to-consumer now accounts for about 23 percent of revenues, up from 21 percent during the first nine months of 2012.
Topping third-quarter performance won’t be easy. Net income grew to $57.1 million from $28.4 million in the year-ago period as revenues, led by growth at both retail and wholesale in the Americas, expanded 3.7 percent to $1.14 billion from $1.1 billion. Gross margin picked up 290 basis points in the quarter, to 50.2 percent of sales, but much of that improvement was a result of last year’s decision to phase out the Denizen brand in Asia as well as from favorable currency fluctuation.
The bottom line also benefited from a onetime tax benefit, but was hurt by higher costs for performance-based compensation.
North American revenues grew 4.6 percent to $710 million from $679 million. European sales were up 3.4 percent to $275 million, although down 1 percent at constant currency, while Asia-Pacific revenues were flat at $156 million, although up 6 percent at constant currency.
Operating income in the Americas and Europe slipped 8.8 and 4.2 percent, respectively, to $125 million and $46 million. However, the company reversed a year-ago loss of $5 million in Asia-Pacific, due principally to the phase-out of the Denizen brand, with a $23 million profit.
Bergh said that more than half of the improvement in gross margin, about 160 basis points, was attributable to the impact last year of closing Denizen in Asia, “and we won’t have that next year.”
The company is well-positioned, according to the ceo, to register improvements on a number of fronts. He was encouraged, he said, by a 7 percent increase in wholesale volume with the company’s top 10 accounts as well as with a number of product introductions and reintroductions that should yield growth in the future.
Although women’s business was down for the quarter, Bergh said the launch of Revel constituted an “‘oh-wow’ product experience. We’ve got a lot of innovation coming through the pipeline, and we think we have tons of opportunity to expand in women’s, which is an $800 million business today and can be much larger.”
He said he sees similar opportunities in Levi’s relatively underdeveloped tops and outerwear businesses. The Dockers business in the U.S. grew for the third consecutive quarter, with Signature increasing at a double-digit rate and the more youth-inspired Alpha Khaki growing from a relatively small base.
The company’s signature 501 jean was in “steady decline in the last few years but has started to grow again,” Bergh reported, as the firm has adopted the model with chino interpretations. “You look at great brand reinventions, like Burberry and Converse, and what do they do? They go back to their icons.”
He also acknowledged positive results at J.C. Penney stores, where the company has gotten more space for its Dockers assortment and continued to see increases in comparable-store sales for Levi’s products in the aftermath of the one-year anniversary of the Levi’s Denim Bar.
“There’s a lot of concern about liquidity and the financial situation,” he said of Penney’s, “but their payment patterns with us haven’t changed. They pay their bills and they pay them on time. And what they’re doing with Dockers is amazing.”
For the nine months, net income rose to $212.2 million from $90.8 million, and revenues were up 2.2 percent to $3.39 billion from $3.31 billion.
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews
“Stranger Things” is getting a new cast member for season 2. Meet @sadiesink_, the 15-year-old who will be joining the Netflix series for its new season. You may recognize her from “The Glass Castle” with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson, but the Texas native’s next role goes in an entirely different direction. She describes her character, Max, as “a rough and tumble skater girl [who] becomes friends with the boys at school.” The second season debuts on October 27. (📷: @jgreenery) #wwdeye
Amid the Harvey Weinstein controversy, there’s another sector that’s being put under the spotlight for sexual abuse: the modeling industry. While rumors about abuse and sexual harassment of female and male models — and the photographers, agents and others who perpetrated it — have circulated within the fashion world for years, model @cameronrussell started posting stories from models on Instagram last week about abusive situations they’ve encountered — from sexual harassment and molestation to attempted rape. Over 75 have weighed in so far. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews
To celebrate its 16th anniversary, @dylanscandybar tapped designers and celebrities to create mosaics out of candy. The mosaics will be auctioned off to support the philanthropic cause of each participant’s choice. Pictured here is the mural created by @aliceandolivia's Stacey Bendet. For a first look at some of the other artwork being unveiled tonight, go to WWD.com. #wwdeye
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye


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NEW YORK — The nation’s retailers had a robust start to the holiday shopping season, according to results announced Saturday by a national research group that tracks sales at retail outlets across the country.
According to ShopperTrak RCT Corp., which tracks sales at more than 50,000 retail outlets, total sales rose 8.3 percent to about $10.3 billion on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, compared with $9.5 billion on the same day a year ago. ShopperTrak had expected an increase of no more than 4 percent to 5 percent.
"This is a really strong number. ... You can’t have a good season unless it starts well," said Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak, citing strength across all regions. "It’s very encouraging. When you look at September and October, shoppers weren’t in the stores."
In a separate statement released Saturday, J.C. Penney Co. reported "strong performance across all merchandise categories," including fine jewelry, outerwear, and young men’s and children’s assortments.
But the department store chain cautioned, "while we are encouraged by our strong start, it is still early in the holiday season, and we are mindful of the headwinds consumers are facing."
J.C. Penney, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other major retailers are expected to report same-store results for November on Dec. 6. Same-store sales are those at stores opened at least a year and are considered a key indicator of a retailer’s strength.
The upbeat reports were encouraging since merchants have been struggling with anemic sales in recent months, as shoppers, particularly in the middle and lower-income brackets, were becoming more frugal amid higher gas and food prices and an escalating credit crunch.
While Black Friday — so named because it was traditionally when the surge of shopping made stores profitable — starts holiday shopping, it is not considered a bellwether for the season.
However, merchants see Black Friday as setting an important tone to the overall season.
Last year, retailers had a good start during the Thanksgiving weekend, but many stores struggled in December, and a shopping surge just before and after Christmas wasn’t enough to make up for lost sales.
This year, the Washington-based National Retail Federation predicted that total holiday sales would be up 4 percent for the combined November and December period, the slowest growth since a 1.3 percent rise in 2002. Holiday sales rose 4.6 percent in 2006 and growth has averaged 4.8 percent over the last decade.


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CoC Chair disappointed by local lack of interest in Apia Trade Fair
Chamber of Commerce chairman David Robinson is disappointed there has not been much interest expressed by local businesses to participate in next week’s Trade Fair in Apia.
The fair is an effort to find trading opportunities between businesses in American Samoa and Samoa as well as promoting local small businesses to the whole of Samoa, with the fair set for Nov. 28-29 in front of Government building in downtown Apia.
However, there has not been much interest shown by local businesses despite the Chamber’s letter sent out to its members last month along with other form of communications to gain interest. “I am very disappointed at the lack of interest from our side,” Robinson told Samoa News yesterday.
The only participants so far from the territory are the Chamber, the American Samoa Visitors Bureau, ASG Shipyard Services Authority, Tool Shop Inc., StarKist Samoa, and ANZ Amerika Samoa Bank, he said, adding that StarKist and ANZ Bank will have their own booths while the other vendors will be in the Chamber’s booth.
“I’m still hoping that there will be more local participation so that American Samoa can share with Samoa and others what we have to offer,” said Robinson.
The local Chamber is partnering with the Small Business Enterprise Center (SBEC) and the Samoa Chamber of Commerce for the fair and any local businesses can share the Chamber’s booth if they do not wish to have one of their own.
According to the draft program of the fair, Samoa Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi will deliver special remarks for the opening ceremony and there will be remarks from the New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Samoa.
The program also shows that the local Chamber will showcase what’s available in the territory as well as business and trade opportunities available here. Among the displays and events showcased by Samoa will be the “Christmas Special Packages”, which will be very attractive to tour operators traveling in from Australia and New Zealand.
The last day of the fair includes Robinson signing a new Memorandum of Understanding with the SBEC and the Samoa Chamber to replace a 2005 document between the local Chamber and the Samoa Manufactures Association.
The new MOU emphasizes both sides working together on economic development — such as trade, tourism, manufacturing and exporting between the two Samoas.
The Trade Fair in Samoa was also to coincide with the Inter-Samoa talks, but American Samoa had requested the talks to be held earlier in December due to conflicting dates with the Farmers Fair in Pago Pago.
Samoa News understands American Samoa has requested the inter Samoa talks be held Dec. 5-6.


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After consulting experts on the production, distribution and sale of recreational marijuana, Quebec is asking the public to weigh in on a range of issues that will guide Canada’s second-largest province in developing MJ legislation to be offered this fall.
From Aug. 21 to Sept. 12, the public is invited to submit feedback by filing a written document or completing an online questionnaire.
Most of Canada’s provinces and territories are in various stages of public consultations that could have a major impact on the regulatory framework that governs recreational marijuana in the country, which is anticipated to be legalized next summer.
Two of the main themes in Quebec’s public consultation include retail and places of use.
In June, a forum of experts concluded that the province should adopt a nonprofit distribution and sales model, and establish a state-run monopoly to oversee sales under the authority of the Ministry of Health and Services.
Other notable conclusions included:
- Prices and taxation should be flexible, taking into account accessibility and the black market.
- The retail of nonmedical cannabis and medical cannabis should be separate.
- The market should be open to small producers.
- A mechanism should be developed to monitor the quality and traceability of the Quebec product.
The findings were released in a report on Aug. 10.


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July 21, 2012 3:59 PM
Nintendo shows off the Wii U at Comic-Con and impresses audiences with Pikmin 3, ZombiU, and more.
July 21, 2012 12:11 PM
Nintendo knows the Wii U is a big deal: the console will be important to the world, according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.
July 20, 2012 7:10 PM
Wii U eShop purchases will have three options: download codes, download cards, and credit cards.
July 20, 2012 5:04 PM
After a long delay, the official Wii U Daily forums are now open for business!
July 20, 2012 3:17 PM
Pricing the Wii U correctly at launch is much more important than simply being the first console on the market.
July 20, 2012 12:22 PM
Nintendo doesn't care how powerful other next gen systems are compared to the Wii U, says company president Satoru Iwata.
July 19, 2012 6:09 PM
Ubisoft brings a set of 12 brand new Assassin's Creed 3 Wii U screenshots.
July 19, 2012 3:21 PM
The Mass Effect 3 Wii U will ship with the Extended Cut game ending, plus the Earth multiplayer DLC.
July 19, 2012 12:03 PM
Wii U release date could be in November, according to Rise of The Guardians publisher D3.
July 18, 2012 6:29 PM
Injustice: Gods Among Us developer NetherRealsm thinks the Wii U controller shouldn't be used as a gimmick.


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It is a common practice by instinct to seek help but it is very rare that individuals take initiative to reach out and help others. In an age where competition and being at loggerheads with each other is the general characteristic, mentorship and guided development is something that is akin to finding a rare gem in a dustbin.
Uber, headquartered at San Francisco, spearheaded a novel venture to support and mentor unique start up ventures.
This is in collaboration with Telangana based start up incubator T-Hub, who has signed a MoU under its global mentorship program, to pick out select start-ups across various categories and give them 6 intensive mentorship sessions.
The training culminates in the grand finale where 10 shortlisted ventures are flown to San Francisco in January 2017 to meet the global leadership panel of Uber as well as interact with potential investors.
T-Hub will do the initial call for and selection process of the startups who apply for the program. Uber Asia’s head, Eric Alexander and his team will conduct six intensive sessions in the social impact category and provide insights in areas such as marketing, operations, technology, finance, and policy.
Eric says with a sense of gratitude that Uber, having established their service among Indian consumers with incredible support from the Indian government, they would like to give something back to the country and hence are extending the opportunity of mentorship.
India’s start up ecosystem is buzzing with activity, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi launching the flagship Startup India initiative and many internationally acclaimed companies looking to make a mark in our market as well as to set up business here.
This is a very healthy growth that is seen with startups. Launching one’s own business and launching one’s idea for the public to take in and give their feedback is every entrepreneur’s dream. Being guided by the consumer market’s successful companies is the icing on the cake.
Startups in India are innumerable and each of them are either successful or etching their own success stories. In a land that believes in creating their own occupation that is centered on giving something back to the society, Startup India initiative is like a catalyst that steers these ideas in the right direction to bring in constructive results that benefit the creator and the receiver.
The UberEXCHANGE global mentorship program is established with the sole aim of establishing societal values and instilling the importance of following ethics in business and production and not just focus on profit and expansion. This philanthropic feeling, according to many CEOs of startups and MNCs alike, is the anchor that pulls the establishment towards the invisible but all pervading fact that giving back is an important act of gratitude.
Collaborator: Shruti Balakrishnan


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You have searched for "Sainsbury"
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LONDON: A British demand for supermarkets to prepare for a potentially chaotic no-deal Brexit by stockpiling food is stoking anger in the industry, with bosses saying they should not be blamed if people can't find everything they want on the shelves.
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia coach Graham Arnold has doubled down on his high aspirations for his rebuilding squad, declaring they will become the nation's "greatest ever" Socceroos team under his watch.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Gareth Bale's rumoured move to Jiangsu Suning has become one of the biggest stories of the summer transfer window, but even if the Welshman signs for the Nanjing-based side there are no guarantees he will make his Chinese Super League debut any time soon.
LONDON: Sales at British retailers rose at their slowest average pace on record over the past year as worries about Brexit weighed on consumers, a survey showed.
Britain’s competition regulator has stepped in to pause Amazon’s investment in online food delivery group Deliveroo while it considers launching a full investigation.
Brazilian food retailer GPA SA plans to open its first store to test technologies such as facial recognition and "scan & go" shopping by year-end, following in the footsteps of parent company Casino, which opened a checkout-free store in Paris last November.
LONDON: Tesco Plc started the financial year on a downbeat note as the U.K.’s largest retailer said sales were held back by the political turmoil over the country’s plan to leave the European Union.
NEW YORK: Walmart Inc has confirmed it’s mulling an initial public offering (IPO) for its Asda unit after UK antitrust regulators blocked a planned merger with rival J Sainsbury Plc.
London: J Sainsbury Plc took a £46mil (US$60mil) hit on its failed deal to acquire Walmart Inc’s Asda and vowed to invest in improving its stores as it prepares to fight the UK’s supermarket wars alone.


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There are predictions that the devastated CBD of Christchurch will not be able to open until the end of the year and that it could take at least 10 years to rebuild the city.
The warnings, outlining the scale of damage to the New Zealand’s second largest city, came as the death toll from the February 22 quake rose to 161, with expectations it will rise to more than 240.
The search for survivors from the 6.3-magnitude quake has changed to a grim effort to recover bodies from rubble, the government said.
”There becomes a time when the response has to change from rescue to the recovery of bodies, and, sadly, we have reached that point,” Civil Defence director John Hamilton said.
Up to 100 foreigners from 20 countries are thought to have died in the earthquake.
But while the government has made it a priority to get Christchurch up and running again, some are questioning whether the city’s CBD should be rebuilt in the same place.
Dozens of CBD buildings were either destroyed or will have to be demolished, with the damage bill expected to reach $15 billion.
Christchurch has endured two major earthquakes in the space of six months, but mayor Bob Parker has dismissed suggestions the CBD should be permanently relocated.
“I have no intention myself of arguing for such an outcome. I do not believe that outcome is going to be the result of the work that we are doing,” he said.
“Our goal is to rebuild the city stronger and safer and better – better able to service our people, better able to service businesses and better able to survive in the conditions of the 21st century, which are vastly different to the conditions that were in the world at the time the city was laid out and originally built.”
In the meantime most CBD businesses cannot operate.
Mr Parker says he is aware of forecasts the CBD will not be able to open until the end of the year but believes it is too early to tell.
“I think anybody can see that with the level of damage that we have in the CBD, that it is going to be some months before it will be opened,” he said.
Mr Parker says getting business back into the area is a priority.
“Our intention is to ensure that we can enable those businesses to get back into operation as soon as possible to sustain employment,” he said.
“The government has put a support package in place for six weeks. We’re very conscious of that timeline. We’re in close communication with the government.
“We want to support our businesses. We want to enable them to continue to trade and to employ, and it’s being given as much attention as it could possibly be given.”
A range of options are being discussed.
The government is in talks with the chamber of commerce about setting up temporary business parks within two months.
Mr Parker says this is one of several alternatives being considered.
“It’s very clear that a number of businesses, if they wish to keep operating, will need to be able to extract some of the core data storage that they have on site – files and other information. And they will need to set up temporarily,” he said.
“Whether that will be in a new, purpose-built area or whether there is capacity existing in areas already surrounding the central city is a piece of work which is underway at the moment.”


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The global healthcare company was honored for implementing a new method, initiative, or process designed to accelerate and positively impact minority supplier development.
NMSDC PRESENTS JOHNSON & JOHNSON WITH INNOVATION AWARD Orlando, Florida, November 6, 2014 – The National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC®) recognized Johnson & Johnson with its Corporate Innovation award at a black-tie awards banquet on Wednesday, November 5, to cap its four-day conference and business opportunity fair in Orlando, Florida.
The award is presented to an NMSDC national corporate member that implements a new method, initiative, or process designed to accelerate and positively impact minority supplier development. The global healthcare company developed a branded strategy for supplier diversity to enhance communications, foster engagement and drive business results. Johnson & Johnson also instituted a Dow Jones-like monthly supplier diversity dashboard that features a visual wheel for each category with indicators of spend performance. The company’s diverse spend has increased more than five percent each year for the last three years.
“Johnson & Johnson’s innovative approach to minority supplier diversity underscores its commitment to the growth and development of Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American businesses,” said NMSDC President Joset Wright-Lacy. “We are pleased to honor their industry- leading initiatives.”
J&J’s global outreach includes hosting a supplier diversity policy summit at the UK parliament; executing a diversity summit in Australia; offering a mentoring program for small businesses in South Africa; and facilitating programs across Europe, the Middle East and Africa to elevate the economic impact of supplier diversity and inclusion. The first company in its industry to join the Billion Dollar Roundtable for companies that spend at least $1 billion annually with diverse suppliers, Johnson & Johnson was recognized by 23 external partners for supplier diversity in
The National Minority Supplier Development Council advances business opportunities for certified Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American business enterprises and connects them to its corporate members. One of the country’s leading corporate membership organizations, NMSDC was chartered in 1972 to provide increased procurement and business opportunities for minority businesses of all sizes.
The NMSDC Network includes a national office in New York and 24 affiliate councils across the country. There are 1,750 corporate members throughout the network, including America’s top publicly-owned, privately-owned and foreign-owned companies as well as universities, hospitals and other buying institutions. The affiliate councils certify and match nearly 12,000 minority- owned businesses with member corporations that want to purchase their products, services and solutions.
For more information about NMSDC, call (212) 944-2430 or visit the website at www.NMSDC.org.


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An expert columnist at Built In recently published an article stating, “Death to the Press Release!” The author argues that 1: No one reads press releases, and 2: They’re no longer necessary because we have the technology to directly send news to journalists and we should be doing so via social media or email.
She’s not incorrect in saying the world of PR has shifted; it has and will continue to. We have the tools to find journalists covering similar news and we should be reaching out to them directly. But that doesn’t mean the press release is dead (or should die). Here’s why:
1. Reporters Want To See Them
Contrary to the above article, reporters absolutely do read press releases. Granted, they won’t see every press release you put out (which is why pitching your news is also important) but that doesn’t mean they aren’t checking PR Newswire for stories. In fact, I was recently conducting media outreach to let reporters know of my client’s funding, and one of our top target reporters at TechCrunch let us know he already saw the press release we put over the wire. Further, a 2021 study found 78% of journalists want to see news announcements and press releases from brands.
2. They Show Growth
When you put out a press release, you’re showing your company is active and building momentum through award wins, hiring efforts, new product releases and more. A failing company wouldn’t be making these strides. Showcasing company news lets both the public and potential stakeholders know your business is doing well. This can be especially important if you’re looking for funding or to go public. Before either of these major events, you want investors to have confidence that your company is thriving.
3. They Hold SEO Value
When written well and with target industry keywords in mind, press releases put over the wire can boost SEO. This helps increase exposure for your brand and drive traffic to your website from the links in your press release. Getting media coverage in reputable publications will also result in even greater SEO value because your company will be cited in relevant news consumers are often searching for.
4. They Support Share of Voice
It’s important to keep a similar (or ideally greater) cadence of media mentions as your competitors. If your competitors are sharing multiple press releases while your news and updates go unreported, your share of voice will drop immensely.
Remember, while press releases can be valuable tools in your PR arsenal, if you put them out too often, they begin to lose value. Make sure to develop a strategic plan so you know the right cadence and types of news to put over the wire. If you need help developing a press release plan, let’s talk.


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Satoshi Nakamoto years ago envisioned an ecosystem that would be independent of the centralized financial system that dominates the global economy today. His creation sparked a global community of enthusiasts and an entire industry surrounding blockchain — the solution enabling individuals to turn their money away from centralized legacy institutions and toward transacting on a decentralized, distributed ledger. The ultimate goal was a world in which people could pay for goods and services with these novel financial instruments.
Many payment companies and exchanges already claim to offer services that enable crypto users to buy goods and services with cryptocurrency. Upon further analysis, however — like with Binance’s new debit card offer — it’s clear their crypto payment solutions don’t deliver on the blockchain, adding more intermediaries and opening users to the same harm that could befall them digitally using traditional payment methods.
How the crypto payment process works
Currently, there are two mainstream methods of processing a cryptocurrency-fiat transaction. One method involves the intermediary accepting cryptocurrency and converting it into fiat at a locked-in, instantaneous exchange rate and then delivering fiat to the merchant or vice versa. The second method involves first liquidating the user’s crypto into fiat in the user’s account before it reaches the intermediary and then sending the fiat payment to the intermediary to complete the transaction. The first method takes place on the blockchain, while the second does not.
Numerous payment platforms offer one of the two aforementioned types of transactions. Even the giants are mulling over jumping into the game. PayPal has weighed the idea lately of offering crypto payments to consumers, which could lead the way to increased stabilization of the volatility often associated with Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies. But it remains to be seen exactly how these payment providers plan to process the transactions — whether they would technically allow consumers to pay in crypto or in fiat on or off the blockchain. That’s an important difference to crypto users.
What crypto users want, and what Binance’s card offers
Crypto enthusiasts, as well as regular consumers who like to pay in crypto, value the secure nature of blockchain, which, on top of the clear security benefits, doesn’t include the hidden administrative feeds that credit cards do, such as chargebacks or non-purchase credit card fees.
There are also personal reasons consumers choose to purchase with crypto: the advantage of having full control of their money on a blockchain, an element that is arguably missing from non-blockchain means of storing or transferring financial assets where banks have control. This is the foundation and spirit of cryptocurrency ownership for many crypto users. Some crypto payment solutions available to crypto users, however, have diminished this foundation by the way in…


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States Continue to Update Guidance on Income, Sales and Other Tax Deadline Extensions
By Sandy Weinberg, Principal, Steven J. Eller, Partner, and Jill Cantor, Senior Manager
This article is part of a continuing series updating our clients regarding the effects on tax filings due to COVID-19.
As of Monday, March 30, 2020, most of the states have further updated their guidance with respect to the relief being provided. We address the tax filing deadline extensions for the following states:
New York State
New York City
Generally, in addition to the above states, more states have announced income tax filing and payment extension deadline dates ‒ although not all match the federal deadline dates. Estimated tax payment dates have extended deadline dates as well. Certain states have also granted sales tax filing extended deadline dates, including some which did so retroactively to March 20, 2020.
Federally, “Tax Day” has been moved from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. Individuals and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties.
In the region, the developments as of March 30, 2020 are as follows.
In Connecticut, for personal income tax returns due April 15th, an extension mirroring the federal extensions for filing and payment has been announced. The July 15, 2020 extension of time also applies to Connecticut estimated income tax payments for the first and second quarters of 2020.
For business returns, the filing deadlines for certain annual tax returns due on or after March 15, 2020, and before June 1, 2020, are extended. Specifically, for the following, the impacted returns and the associated filing dates and payment deadlines are set forth below:
- 2019 Form CT-1065/CT-1120 SI Connecticut Pass-Though Entity Tax Return: The filing date is extended to April 15, 2020; the payment deadline is extended to June 15, 2020.
- 2019 Form CT-990T Connecticut Unrelated Business Income Tax Return: The filing date is extended to June 15, 2020; the payment deadline is extended to June 15, 2020.
- 2019 Form CT-1120 and CT-1120CU Connecticut Corporation Business Return: The filing date is extended to June 15, 2020; the payment deadline is extended to June 15, 2020.
On March 30th, the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services extended the filing and payment deadlines for sales and use tax returns for small business taxpayers. A small business taxpayer is a taxpayer that has $150,000 or less in annual sales tax liability. To determine if they qualify, taxpayers are required to utilize a calendar year look back period of January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019.
The relief also is available for the room occupancy tax. A taxpayer that collects both sales tax and room occupancy tax must evaluate each tax separately to determine eligibility for relief.
For monthly sales tax and room occupancy tax filers: returns and payments due March 31, 2020 and April 30, 2020 are extended to May 31, 2020. For quarterly sales tax and room occupancy tax filers: returns and payments due April 30, 2020 are extended to May 31, 2020. Taxpayers who have already filed and paid taxes due on March 31, 2020 cannot get a refund on the taxes already paid.
For taxpayers with federal filing obligations, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue will mirror the federal relief for taxpayers with Massachusetts tax filing requirements.
The state has also announced tax relief for sales tax, meals tax, and room occupancy tax. Specifically, Massachusetts will waive all penalties, and has established that all taxes which are due in March, April and May will now be due on June 20, 2020. Businesses that paid less than $150,000 in regular sales plus meals taxes in the year ending February 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief for sales and meals taxes, and businesses that paid less than $150,000 in room occupancy taxes in the year ending February 29, 2020 will be eligible for relief with respect to room occupancy taxes.
On March 24, 2020, Governor Baker announced that he was filing legislation to allow municipalities to waive late-payment penalties for fourth-quarter tax bills due May 7, 2020, to extend bill due dates to June 7, 2020 from April 7, 2020, and to extend the deadline for property tax exemptions and deferrals to June 1st.
The New Jersey House and Senate passed a bill to extend the time to file individual gross income tax and corporation business tax returns. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Governor Murphy. However, the extended due date will be no later than June 30, 2020.
On March 23rd, the New Jersey House passed a bill that would establish a sales tax credit against small businesses’ sales tax collections and a sales tax holiday for small businesses. A “small business” is defined as any business that is independently owned and operated and employs fewer than 100 employees.
New York State
On March 29th, Governor Cuomo issued an Executive Order authorizing the New York State Tax Commissioner to extend the deadline to July 15, 2020 for all personal income tax and corporation tax returns and payments, originally due on April 15, 2020. Specifically, the Commissioner is allowing taxpayers to defer to July 15, 2020, without penalties and interest regardless of the amount owed, all related tax payments that were due on April 15, 2020, including installments of estimated taxes for the 2020 tax year.
Taxpayers unable to file their 2019 return by July 15, 2020 can request an automatic extension to file their return by October 15, 2020 (September 30, 2020 for calendar year fiduciary income tax returns), if the extension request is filed by July 15, 2020 and they properly estimate and pay the 2019 tax liability with the extension request.
No extension was provided for the payment or deposit of any other type of state tax or the filing of any state information return. Also, remittances of income tax withheld by employers are required to be made on time.
In addition, on March 20th Governor Cuomo issued an Executive Order expanding the NYS Tax Commissioner’s authority to abate late filing and late payment penalties to include an abatement of interest on sales and use tax filings that were due on March 20, 2020 as long as the payment is received within 60 days from this date. Taxpayers seeking interest and penalty abatements for COVID-19 related filing and payment delays may request relief by visiting the Department’s website.
New York City
The New York City Department of Finance issued two Finance Memoranda, one relating to NYC administered business and excise taxes and the other for real property transfer tax.
For business and excise taxes, while underpayment, late filing and late payment penalties will be waived for such taxes that were due between March 16, 2020 and April 25, 2020, interest will still be imposed from the original due date. However, the Finance Memorandum states, “Taxpayers may request to have the penalties waived on a late filed extension or return in a separate request.”
This leaves the following unanswered questions:
- Is a filing required by April 15th?
- If penalties are being waived, why does relief have to be requested in writing?
- By when do payments have to be made?
- Does this include first quarter unincorporated business tax estimates due April 15th?
- Does this include NYC commercial rent tax that was due March 20, 2020?
The Finance Memorandum for real property transfer tax contained the same language.
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (DOR) announced that the deadline for taxpayers to file and pay their 2019 Pennsylvania personal income tax returns is extended to July 15, 2020. The DOR will waive penalties and interest on personal income tax payments through the new deadline date. The extension applies to estimated payments for the first and second quarters of 2020.
The DOR announced that it is waiving penalties for businesses that were required to make Accelerated Sales Tax (AST) prepayments by March 20, 2020. Moreover, for April sales tax payments, the Department is waiving the AST prepayment requirement and asking businesses to simply remit the sales tax that they have collected in March.
The Rhode Island Division of Taxation announced that it will mirror the extensions of the federal filing and payment deadlines for individual income and corporation business taxes. No penalties nor interest will be assessed for those who file on or before July 15, 2020.
No extensions have been granted for filing and payment of sales and use tax.
The California Franchise Tax Board announced that the filing and payment deadlines are automatically extended to July 15, 2020 without penalties or interest for all individuals and calendar-year business entities. These extensions apply to:
- 2019 tax returns;
- 2019 tax return payments;
- 2020 estimated tax payments for the first and second quarter;
- 2020 LLC taxes and fees; and
- 2020 non-wage withholding payments.
Fiscal year businesses are granted comparable extended deadlines.
In addition, the California Employment Development Department (EDD) announced that employers who are directly affected by COVID-19 may request up to a 60-day extension of time to file their state payroll reports and/or deposit payroll taxes without penalty or interest. The EDD must receive a written request for extension within 60 days from the original delinquent date of the payment or return.
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) said it is granting extensions for affected individuals and businesses for the filing of sales tax returns and making payments, as well as relief from interest and penalties through May 11, 2020. The CDTFA is also granting an extension to file a refund claim through this date. Taxpayers may request assistance by contacting the CDTFA online or by mail.
The California Office of Tax Appeals said that an automatic 60-calendar-day extension of the deadline will be granted for appeals that had a scheduled briefing or other deadline falling from March 1, 2020 through May 18, 2020.
Florida has not yet extended the deadline for the filing of corporate income tax returns, but the possibility for an extension is still under discussion. The Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) is working with taxpayers who are adversely affected by the impact of COVID-19 on a case-by-case basis.
However, on March 26th, the DOR issued guidance to extend certain filing deadlines for Florida businesses. The guidance addresses February and March reporting periods for sales and use tax, including the discretionary sales surtax. Interest and penalties for the February 2020 period for those taxpayers unable to meet the March 20th due date are waived if the taxes are reported and remitted by March 31, 2020.
For the March 2020 reporting period, taxpayers not adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak are required to continue to file and pay taxes collected during March 2020 on or before April 20, 2020. For taxpayers who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, the due date for March 2020 returns is extended from April 20, 2020 to April 30, 2020.
On March 25, 2020, the Illinois Department of Revenue announced that the filing deadline for Illinois income tax returns has automatically been extended from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. This relief applies to all individual returns, trusts, and corporations. However, this relief does not impact the first and second installments of estimated payments for 2020 taxes that are due April 15th and June 15th.
The state is providing sales tax relief from penalties and interest for eating and drinking establishments that incurred a total sales tax liability of less than $75,000 during calendar year 2019. Qualified taxpayers will not be charged penalties or interest on late payments for sales tax liabilities that are due for the February, March and April 2020 reporting periods. The extension allows eligible taxpayers to spread such sales tax payments over four months (specifically, one-quarter on May 20, 2020, June 22, 2020, July 20, 2020 and August 20, 2020).
Maryland is automatically following the IRS extended deadlines for individual and corporation taxes.
The due date for returns due in March, April and May for businesses filing sales and use tax; withholding tax; admissions and amusement tax; and alcohol, tobacco and motor fuel excise tax returns have been extended to June 1, 2020. Businesses filing and paying by this date will receive a waiver of interest and penalties.
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (Comptroller) has stated that it is not extending the March 20, 2020 due date for state and local sales tax; hotel taxes; mixed beverage gross receipts and sales taxes; motor vehicle rental tax; seller-financed motor vehicle sales tax; and motor fuels tax collected in February 2020.
However, on March 24, 2020, the Comptroller’s office announced that it is offering short-term payment agreements and, in most instances, waivers of penalties and interest for sales tax collected by taxpayers in February. To take advantage of the opportunity, taxpayers must call an Enforcement Hotline.
PKF O’Connor Davies is monitoring the situation with the states. If you have any questions regarding state tax deadlines, or state taxes generally, contact:
Sandy Weinberg, JD
[email protected] | 203.705.4170
Steven J. Eller, CPA, JD
[email protected] | 551.249.1836
Jill Cantor, JD, CPA
[email protected] | 203.705.4174


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Oil industry may be hurting itself
NEW YORK -- Oil's run to nearly $100 a barrel this year jacked up the cost of travel, clothing, beauty products and milk, and many analysts think fuel prices will remain at historically lofty levels throughout 2008.
But record energy prices could sow the seeds of their own destruction. Along with the housing crisis, they are contributing to an economic slowdown that is sapping the country's energy appetite just as oil producers ramp up production.
"The cure for high prices is more high prices," said Tim Evans, an analyst at Citigroup Inc., in New York.
That doesn't mean oil will plummet -- unless there's a severe recession, said Evans, who expects prices to hover near $70 a barrel. In the face of such forecasts, OPEC could decide to cut production, as it did last year, to keep prices from falling too low.
Other factors will also keep a relatively high floor underneath prices. Demand is expanding in China, India and the Middle East. And political upheaval in oil-producing countries such as Iran, Iraq and Nigeria have sparked worries about possible supply disruptions. These concerns have prompted banks and hedge funds to make big bets on oil -- investments that put further upward pressure on prices.
Several analysts have boosted their average oil price forecasts for 2008 -- $75 a barrel is a common prediction. And many expect tight domestic refining capacity to push gasoline prices higher in the spring, possibly threatening last May's record of $3.227 a gallon.
But there are already signs that the gargantuan 6-year, 270 percent run-up in crude prices is having an impact on consumers and businesses, and that could curb demand growth.
"I am being a little bit more judicious about where we go and when we go," said Frank Ban, of Bensalem, Pa., loading his Chrysler at a Philadelphia area Wal-Mart one recent morning. "If I cut back on my heating use any more, my pipes would freeze."
A typical family spends 3.8 percent of its income fueling a single vehicle, up from 1.9 percent in 2002, according to the Oil Price Information Service. That's not a huge percentage, but combined with increases in prices of other energy-dependent goods and services, a family's income takes some significant hits.
Indeed, prices of consumer goods such as meat and milk are also higher these days, in part due to skyrocketing energy costs that are taxing American farmers. The cost of corn, used to feed cattle, is rising due to demand from the ethanol industry. Transportation costs are rising, as is the cost of plastic bottles and rubber tires, which are made from crude.
"Oh, yeah, you see that in groceries," Ban said.
At many companies, particularly in the transportation sector, programs to offset high energy prices have gone from side project to central business strategy.
In addition to raising fares, AMR Corp., the parent of American Airlines is using tractors to tow aircraft from gates to hangers, rather then relying on the planes' own engines, as a way to cut down on jet-fuel consumption.
Nagle Cos., a Walbridge, Ohio-based trucking company, has renegotiated financing with lenders to free up cash and keep its 70 rigs rolling as diesel price soar, said CEO Ed Nagle.
Even Just Born, a candy maker in Bethlehem, Pa., is raising prices of its Peeps, Hot Tamales and TeeneeBeanees to compensate for rising energy costs. Just Born is also working to ensure machines in its plants are running at their most efficient levels and encouraging employees to turn machines and lights off when they're not in use.
The rising cost of petrochemicals -- to say nothing of shipping -- is driving up the price of all kinds of consumer goods. For example, lipstick and other makeup derived from oil are up 7 percent in price over the past 12 months, according to Marshal Cohen, chief analyst at NPD Group in New York.
Clothing prices have risen
3 to 5 percent over the same period, Cohen said, with synthetic-based apparel rising fastest.
Manufacturers have found that small changes can lead to big energy savings.
Gary Jones, director of environmental, health and safety at the Printing Industries of America, said commercial printers are pinching pennies by shutting off compressed air machines when not in use, installing motion-sensors for lights and turning computers off at night.
There are many signs oil-demand growth is falling.
The International Energy Agency recently slashed its 2008 forecasts, saying global
oil demand will rise by 2.3 percent in 2008 to 87.7 million
barrels a day, down from
previous estimates of a 2.5 percent increase to 88.2 million barrels a day.
And BP PLC says oil consumption has grown at steadily lower rates over the past three years, falling to a growth rate of 0.7 percent in 2007 -- well below historical averages.
Oil prices have fallen 11 percent since peaking at $99.29 a barrel on Nov. 21, in part because the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has boosted output. The cartel raised production quotas by 500,000 barrels a day on Nov. 1. Some members are producing above their quotas, either to cash in on high prices or, in the case of Saudi Arabia, to help bring prices down enough to keep the global economy on track.
Oil companies have benefited immensely from high prices. But profit growth is slowing because refining margins -- the difference between what companies pay for the oil they refine and are paid for the products they sell -- are falling. The rise in oil prices this year has outpaced increases in gasoline and diesel prices.
While soaring energy prices are squeezing U.S. economic growth, their impact has been blunted by efficiency gains.
Lester Lave, professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, notes that since the oil shock of the early 1980s, America has halved its energy use per unit of gross domestic product. The economy is less dependent on manufacturing, and car, plane and truck engine technology has improved, letting consumers and businesses to get further on less fuel. Efficiency has also been gained in areas such as home heating.
"We've become a much more energy-efficient economy than we were in the past," Lave said.
Overall spending on energy stands at about 5.7 percent of after-tax income, according to Standard & Poor's, well below the all-time high of 7.9 percent, set in 1981.
"This is why $100 crude oil isn't causing an economic meltdown," said Daniel Lippe, principal and consultant at Petral Worldwide Inc. in Houston.


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PolyU’s Textile Lithium Battery demonstrates a high energy density of more than 450 Wh/L with a bending radius of less than 1 mm and foldability rating of more than 1,000 cycles
Wearable electronics designers will be interested in a new Textile Lithium Battery from researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). With a novel lithium battery technology, researchers have overcome several roadblocks, including energy density, flexibility, mechanical robustness, and cycling stability, associated with developing a bendable lithium battery.
With high energy density, high flexibility, and high reliability, the new Textile Lithium Battery could be used in applications ranging from smartphones and global positioning system (GPS) tracking to health-care monitoring and intelligent textiles as well as a variety of internet of things (IoT) projects.
Demonstrated specs of the new battery, which is less than 0.5 mm thick, include a high energy density of more than 450 Wh/L, high flexibility with a bending radius of less than 1 mm, and a foldability rating of more than 1,000 cycles with marginal capacity degradation. The technology also delivers a fast charging/discharging capability.
Researchers said that existing bendable lithium batteries can offer a bending radius of only about 25 mm and a much lower energy density of less than 200 Wh/L. Click here for PolyU’s battery comparison specs with other batteries.
The technology, developed by the research team of PolyU’s Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC), has earned three prizes at the 47th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva held in April 2019 — a Gold Medal and two Special Merit Awards.
“Wearable technology has been named as the next global big market opportunity after smartphones,” said Professor Zheng Zijian, who leads the ITC research team, in a statement.1 “Global market revenues for wearable devices are forecasted to grow by leaps and bounds, of over 20% annually, to reach $100 billion by 2024. As all wearable electronics will require wearable energy supply, our novel technology in fabricating the Textile Lithium Battery offers a promising solution to a wide array of next-generation applications, ranging from health care, infotainment, sports, aerospace, fashion, and IoT to any sensing or tracking uses that may even exceed our imagination of today.”
By using PolyU’s patented technology of Polymer-Assisted Metal Deposition (PAMD), highly conductive metal, copper, and nickel are uniformly and conformally deposited onto pre-treated fabrics. These fabricated metallic fabrics, featuring low sheet resistance2 and large surface area,3 serve as current collectors in the battery, said researchers. Active materials are added to act as cathode and anode, after which the metallic fabrics, together with separator and electrolyte, are assembled into the Textile Lithium Battery. (Below video shows the process in a lab setting.)
Lab tests indicate that the battery exhibits high mechanical stability, durability, and safety under deformation. Findings show that when the battery is repeatedly folded in half, twisted at different angles, or crumpled, its voltage window remains unchanged and it can be bent over 1,000 times with marginal capacity degradation. Safety tests — conducted by continuous hammering, trimming with scissors, and penetrating with nails — demonstrated that the battery can provide stable power output for the electronic components without catching fire or bursting.


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KOBE, Japan (Jan. 6)—Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. will absorb its Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. subsidiary this year as part of corporate restructuring that also calls for spinning off the firm's sports and industrial products businesses into separate companies. Sumitomo said it is reorganizing to achieve managerial efficiencies and optimum management set-up to allow each business to be profitable on its own. Consolidating Ohtsu Tire into its corporate structure, for example, will simplify operations by eliminating overlapping functions. The sports and industrial products businesses will be renamed SRI Sport Ltd. and SRI Hi-Brid Ltd.; in fiscal 2001, these businesses accounted for 14.5 and 12.8 percent, respectively, of Sumitomo Rubber's $3.3 billion in annual sales.
Sumitomo to absorb Ohtsu, spin off sports, industrial units
Rubber News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].


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As the blockchain area turns into extra in depth, cybersecurity turns into a extra essential requirement for a lot of. Because of this, PolySwarm CEO Steve Bassi argued that there’s a must leverage blockchain for cybersecurity.
Bassi advised Cointelegraph that whereas the awareness of blockchain expertise and safety is on the rise, the use of blockchain inside cybersecurity remains to be in its early days. “Awareness about cyber security and crypto, especially over the last five years, increased more than any time during my professional security career,” he mentioned.
Despite the rise in awareness, the CEO famous that cybersecurity initiatives are nonetheless in the center of looking for purposes of blockchain in the area. Because of the market gaps, Bassi famous that they created a mission to make use of blockchain to reinforce safety. They do that by rewarding customers as they supply information on malware. The government mentioned:
“Gathering complete data on malware infrastructure shortens the lifespan of major malware campaigns and ultimately keeps PolySwarm’s customers and the internet at large more secure.”
Taking inspiration from the success of the Brave browser, Bassi defined that at the second, antivirus corporations are already gathering what he describes as “ultra-valuable malware infrastructure” however don’t compensate customers for offering the information.
When requested about the controversies that sparked folks’s considerations relating to the gathering of information of Web2 corporations like Google and Facebook, Bassi assured customers that Web3 is totally different. According to the CEO, they’re extra centered on safety reasonably than promoting
Related: FBI and CISA problem alert over North Korean cyberattacks on crypto targets
In June, a cybersecurity agency jumped into the Bitcoin (BTC) prepare by changing its steadiness sheet into BTC. The group additionally started to just accept BTC for all of its companies, giving a 50% low cost for many who pay in BTC.
In the identical month, Atlantic Council, a suppose tank based mostly in the United States, launched a report on the cybersecurity of central financial institution digital forex (CBDC). The suppose tank recognized dangers in CBDCs together with privateness and regulatory oversight.


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The temporary exclusivity on Twelve Minutes will end soon. The intriguing production is headed for PS5, PS4 and Nintendo Switch – the premiere of the adventure will take place in 2021. Get to know the details.
A lot has been said about Twelve Minutes, because Luis Antonio took care of a very unusual gameplay. The title focuses on repeating the same sequences to make sure that the heroes of the adventure will not be killed by the killer. At one time, Hideo Kojima spoke very positively about the game.
Now we can confirm that On December 7, 2021, the premiere of Twelve Minutes will take place on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. It is certainly not a position for everyone, but enthusiasts of strong stories should get acquainted with this proposal.
“Twelve Minutes by @facaelectrica will hit PS5, PS4 and Nintendo Switch on December 7.”
Twelve Minutes divided the players, but now other interested parties will be able to see if it is worth reading this story. Remember that the title is still available in the Xbox Game Pass subscription.


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Washington — XM Satellite Radio president/CEO Nate Davis told analysts today he hopes today’s quarterly earnings announcement will be the last that XM will hold as a stand-alone company.
Acknowledging the protracted merger process that has dragged on since Sirius and XM announced their plans to merge in February 2007, Davis thanked his managers for their continued focus on the day-to-day operations of XM in improving churn and other financial metrics.
Davis outlined a satellite radio strategy that is moving from sales of plug-and-play radios to OEM and wireless-product sales.
He added that XM is especially pleased with gains in net new subscribers from new car sales that surged 58 percent to 355,000, up from 225,000 over the period last year. He said OEM subscriber gains should continue, even while auto sales are expected to be the weakest this year than in over a decade. Currently four out of 10 customers of XM’s auto partners drive off the lot with a factory XM radio, but by model year 2010, that figure should increase to seven out of 10.
Davis noted that XM wireless subscribers are also growing and that the company’s subscribers through AT&T and Altel more than doubled during the quarter, when compared with the period a year ago. XM also announced a partnership with BlackBerry during the first quarter.
The gains in OEM subscribers offset a decline in retail sales, said the company. Net new retail subscribers fell to a negative 51,000 for the quarter (although 16,000 of those lost subscribers were simply reclassified now as “outsourced commercial subscribers). This is compared with a gain of 60,000 net new retail subscribers for the year-ago quarter.
The company also said that more car companies are adopting XM’s NavTraffic real-time traffic service that will be available in more than 40 model vehicles in the 2009 model year.


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From local country store to global reach
Jumbled - the homewares store founded by Pip Brett six years ago, has just been recognised with the Honouree Award at the Global Innovation Awards (GIA) in Chicago.
Pip’s store was selected from a field of 30 other homewares retailers from all over the globe, each representing their respective nations.
To be named one of the five honourees was a dream come true, said Pip, who’s innovative store concept shows the possibilities technology can open for country retailers.
Pip first opened her clothing store Iglou 13 years ago and then the homewares store Jumbled followed in 2012. Then three years ago, she purchased and renovated the old Masonic Hall with her builder husband Nick Luelf. Today, The Sonic, as it is called includes Pip’s two businesses as well as a leased coffee kiosk. The business is thriving at a time when many traditional retailers are struggling.
Pip said these days it is essential to be more than just a bricks and mortar store.
“You've got to be online, have events, create a community,” said Pip. “You've got to sort of be everything and pretty much every one of the five gia winners had a cafe or restaurant or something in their space… I think you have to be more than what you used to have to be.”
Pip began selling online through her Jumbled website fairly early on, but said her approach was fairly haphazard at first and not always worth the effort.
“It was very basic. Every time I sold something, I had to manually pull it off the website and try to work out how to pack things and send things, things would break or shipping would cost more than the product — you’d win some, you’d lose some,” she said.
Changes in technology have greatly eased the sales process and with the help of social media, Jumbled’s online sales have grown to represent nearly 50 per cent of their turnover.
“We've been sitting around 27 - 40 per cent for the year before, but now we are getting closer to 50. Online, at the start, it was just the cream on top. if it is a quiet day in store, a quiet day in town or it’s raining, I just thought online was a nice way to boost your day,” said Pip.
“With social media, you can reach so many people world-wide. I post something and I see the sales come through straight away. I think we are nearly at 80,000 followers in Jumbled and that's amazing! With social media you can reach a much larger audience, so you are not so dependent on what's going on locally.”
Building an online community of 80,000 people does not happen overnight and Pip puts as much effort into the look and feel of her online presence as she does the presentation of stock in her store.
“Your online presence, your social media, your bricks and mortar and your events and everything has to have that same feeling, look, voice, personality… When you order something online, when you open a parcel or read the email you get, hopefully you will get the same personality and voice that we'd be using to you over the counter,” said Pip.
“If you can get them all working the same, then it is very powerful. It is time consuming, but it is worth the time putting into it.”


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Mobile phone owners have been left confused as the emergency alert - which was scheduled to hit the nation's devices at 3pm - sounds on some phones but not others.
The government was trailing a new emergency alert system, supposed to be going out to all mobile phones across the UK. The new national alert system will be used to warn people about dangerous situations, such as floods or during terror attacks, was tested out nationwide on all mobile phones that are compatible with 4G and 5G.
But many people took to social media to voice their concerns that some phones in their homes sounded, while others did not. Many customers of the mobile network Three have particularly complained of not getting an alarm, with hundreds of social media users sharing their lack of emergency notification.
Multiple phones owned by Manchester Evening News reporters on the Three network did not sound. Paul Gallagher told the M.E.N.: "I got the alert on Vodafone, my son sat next to me on Three didn’t."
Twitter user Rob Freeman said he did not get the alert on Three, while Harry Askham replied: "Also on Three, no alarm. Guess that's it. Amateur hour!"
"I’m just a Three customer, standing in front of my phone, asking it to emergency alert me," tweeted Emily Barwise. While user @petalsforrachel added: "Anyone else on an iPhone not had the alert??? My pal with a Samsung got hers but the Three iPhones here have nothing."
Three customers are now starting to message the brand personally, providing screenshots that they have their alerts enabled which would have allowed them to get the notification.
Three has not yet responded to the public tweets.


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New Steelcase research has revealed that when it comes to creating the ideal work space, the things office workers want most of all are pretty down to earth.
A study conducted by www.vouchercode.net has revealed over a quarter of respondents think a ‘gigabyte’ is an insect from South America, and two fifths thinking a ‘motherboard’ relates to the deck of a cruise ship.
As trading conditions continue to improve, businesses are increasingly looking to capitalise on opportunities to sell their products and services abroad, says David Richardson of Lloyds Bank.
Dan Wagner, CEO and founder of PowaTag, explains why the high street is slowly succumbing to the rise of technology in commerce. Is what’s responsible for its decline, its only hope for survival
It’s the time of year when people start booking their summer holidays, and for employers it is vital that they ensure their BYOD policies are rigorous enough to protect their business against any potential data breach while their staff are away enjoying a fortnight in the sun.
If you don’t manage your energy suppliers properly, moving premises could be a costly business.
Nancy Vitug shares the lessons that she learnt when her small company was bought out by Microsoft.
A new report shows that encouraging employees to volunteer is a win-win situation for businesses.
Last week's tube strike was a sharp reminder of how industrial action can affect a business. Here's how to deal with it in the most effective way possible.
New research from Iron Mountain suggests that consumers doubt whether the widely-publicised ‘right to be forgotten’ will work in practice.
We live in an exceptionally fast moving world where the rules of the game are constantly changed by innovative entrepreneurs and new technologies that can put even the most established businesses under threat, says Charlie Mullins.
You don’t have to look too hard to find substantial information that supports the effectiveness of having a positive mental attitude, whether it relates to health and well-being or business objectives, says Jo Haigh.


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Tendring District Council has decided to go ahead with a plan to develop a mobile app to promote leisure and tourism within its boundaries.
It has taken on cloud solutions company Amido to lead the project, with the cost of development projected at just below £90,000 and annual running and support costs at £6,000.
The idea was originally proposed to the council’s cabinet in February and, following negotiations that have reduced the initial cost, it has won the go ahead for development.
Amido said the app will help to promote events in the area that will support the local tourism economy, and increase income to the council through increased ticket sales, leisure centre membership and enabling e-donations to the Clacton Airshow. It will include event schedules, timetables and guides.
Mick Skeels, Tendring’s cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said: “We hope that by developing this app we can better promote out leisure and tourism offer directly into people’s hands – particularly through the use of notifications.
“As well as helping to boost our own income, and therefore taking some of the pressure of government funding cuts off taxpayers, by promoting everything Tendring has to offer we also hope to support the wider economy, of which tourism is a dominant sector worth around £380 million every year.”
Image: Clacton-on-Sea by Sannse, CC BY-SA 3.0 through Wikipedia


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Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia has announced their corporate president and director Atsushi Morita is retiring.
The Sony Japan boss is retiring due to old age, and will be succeeded by Kazuhiko Taekda as the new corporate director. The company has yet to name a new president, however.
The announcement comes after Sony Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden announced his departure as well.
It’s worth pointing out October 1st is the start of the second half of each fiscal year for most Japanese companies, so it makes sense for them to announce change ups in leadership and such at this time.


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Update – Jul 24, 2017: First reported by us on Jul 20, 2017 – Faraz Khalid’s appointment as CEO of Noon has now been confirmed by Mohammed Alabbar.
Mohammed Alabbar: “Faraz has built a successful e-commerce business in the region, and brings the right domain experience and market knowledge to his role as Noon’s Chief Executive Officer. We are confident that along with the team at Noon, Faraz will deliver an e-commerce platform like no other in the region.”
Faraz Khalid: “With our local market knowledge and presence, and our focus on product authenticity, supplier value creation, superior logistics, professional service and competitive pricing, we aim to bring a transformational e-commerce experience to the Middle East.”
Faraz Khalid, Namshi’s Co-Founder & Managing Director has been working as the CEO of Noon for more than a month; two different sources familiar with the situation have told us without sharing further details. Fodhil Benturquia, former Noon CEO had left the company earlier this year.
This comes after Mohamed Albbar’s acquisition of 51% stake in Rocket Internet’s Namshi for $151 million in May. He acquired this stake through Emaar Malls, the company which had also made a failed bid of $800 million for Souq.com to counter Amazon’s acuqision offer.
Announced in November last year by Emirati business tycoon, Noon was supposed to go live at the start of 2017 but has been delayed without any official word from the company apart from a statement by Alabbar saying that the website is on-track for 2017 launch. The company has been testing beta version of its website since last few months. According to some rumors, its now set to launch on 15th August.
Alabbar had also acquired JadoPado, a famous ecommerce startup of UAE which was closed down after the acquisition. JadoPado’s Founder & CEO Omar Kassim joined Noon as CTO but left the company without even completing a month. Some other members of JadoPado’s team also followed the suit and have left Noon in the recent few weeks.


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It would appear that drinking beer after a gym workout isn’t always bad for you, according to one leading sports nutritionist.
There is often talk about retailers – especially supermarkets – giving edible food waste to charity. But are pubs doing enough to help their local residents?
The British Beer and Pub Association and UKHospitality have both welcomed the news that a bottle and can deposit return scheme will be introduced later this year.
New research has suggested that 82 per cent of consumers would like to see lamb included on eating out menus more often.


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Orders to U.S. factories posted a smaller-than-expected increase in November as demand for autos, machinery and steel all posted declines, reflecting the slowdown that has hit the manufacturing sector.
The Commerce Department reported that orders for manufactured goods rose by 0.9 percent, only a slight rebound after a sharp 4.5 percent drop in October. Analysts had been expecting a stronger 1.4 percent increase.
The November performance provided evidence that the slowing economy is beginning to have an impact on manufacturers, with auto plants and sectors supplying the slumping housing industry among some of the hardest hit.
The 0.9 percent increase pushed total orders to $394.3 billion and reflected a 1.6 percent rise in demand for durable goods, items expected to last at least three years, and an unchanged reading for non-durable goods. With the economy slowing sharply this year, orders have been down three of the past five months.
The strength in orders in November was led by a 43.6 percent surge in demand for military aircraft. Orders for commercial airplanes rose a smaller 0.8 percent while orders for motor vehicles fell by 2.4 percent, reflecting a continued sales slump as consumers turn away from the once-hot gas guzzling sport utility vehicles.
Industries tied to the slumping housing market also showed weakness with furniture orders falling by 3.3 percent while demand for household appliances dropped by 7.8 percent.


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Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2020
Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year Awards back for a 10th year!
We are thrilled to announce our tenth year as headline sponsor of the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year Awards, the world’s leading celebration of food photography and film.
We are proud to be a part of the prestigious awards which over the past decade have received more than 70,000 amazing entries from over 80 countries across the globe, showcasing the very best in food photography and film. 2021 marks the tenth anniversary of the awards – and what an exciting year we have in store!
An exciting addition to this year’s awards is the launch of a brand new category for the tenth anniversary: the Claire Aho Award. In memory of Claire Aho, 1925-2015, Finland’s greatest female photographer, this award will celebrate women in photography.
Also marking the tenth year is the launch of the Ambassadors’ panel which includes the great chef and global icon of gastronomic art, Ferran Adria, President of elBullifoundation.
Open for entries on Tuesday 14th July, this year’s global judging panel – chaired by legendary food photographer, David Loftus – includes Fiona Shields, Head of Photography, Guardian News & Media; Susan Bright, Writer and Curator; Nik Sharma, Cookbook Author and Photographer; Francis Hodgson, Professor, Culture of Photography; and Rein Skullerud, Head of Photo Unit, World Food Programme.
The awards have seen a consistent stream of incredible entries from across the globe and have told some vital stories in the world of food, food politics and culture, creating valuable opportunities for entrants and category winners.
Last year’s overall winner, K M Asad from Bangladesh, saw his winning photograph featured in the media across the world: from the BBC, the Guardian and The Times to La Stampa, China Daily and MSN.
‘Entering this competition a few years ago totally changed my life and has forged a very successful career for me in food photography.’ says Donna Crous, a 2020 Finalist from the UK, ‘This is THE gold standard for food photographers.’
‘It really is the only photography competition of its kind that truly celebrates the cultural impact of food in all its forms.’ says Lola Akinmade Akerstrom, a 2020 Finalist from Sweden.
Are you feeling inspired? Entries for the awards open on Tuesday 14th July at 00:00 hours. To enter the 2021 competition, click here.
Winning images 2020
K M Asad, After Exodus
Zay Yar Lin, The Morning Catch
Thomas Alexander, Just Desserts
David Weimann Meike, Dörte Näkel
Thomas Hyland, A Langhe Winter
Patrick Desgraupes Clos, St Patrice
Aimee Twigger, A Bowl of Squash
K M Asad, Making Together
Anna Wlodarczyk Olek, Eating Pancakes
Xiaodong Sun, When the Hive is Filled
The Judging Panel
Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year has had an illustrious and evolving panel since its first year, from your favourite TV chefs, to famous photographers, creative directors, food retailers and more.
This year’s judging panel has once again been chaired by the renowned food photographer, David Loftus, who is joined by an illustrious group of foodies, photographers and industry creatives including Dan Saladino, The Food Programme, BBC Radio 4 (UK); Lyndey Milan, food and wine communicator, TV chef, author (UK/AUS); Orlando Murrin, President, Guild of Food Writers (UK); and Chris Dee, Food and Home Director, Harrods (UK).
Hein Van Tonder
Food for Man and Cow
In the mood for fancy food? Check out some of our #PinkLadySnaps below for some mouth-watering inspiration. Who knows... maybe it will be your next Insta post that catches our eye and Wins you the Wow!