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Investors at last reversed course Monday and drove retail shares up a record-breaking 9 percent, snapping a string of eight down and often harrowing trading sessions as the Federal Reserve and other central banks promised to do whatever it took to keep the short-term credit markets moving.
The Standard & Poor’s Retail Index ended the day up 24.62 points at 299. The previous record increase on a percentage basis was a
7.9 percent rise in July 2002. Prior to Monday’s boost, retail shares had plunged a total of 24.3 percent in the first eight days of trading in October.
But the bull isn’t entirely back: retail stocks lagged the larger market as stores head into a holiday season poised for the weakest growth in years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average leapt 11.1 percent, or 936.42 points, to 9,387.61, the largest single point advance on record, by far eclipsing the 499.19 gain of March 16, 2000.
“It looks like people realized today that governments around the world are going to commit whatever it takes, without limit, to stop this panic,” James Smith, chief economist at Parsec Financial Management, said.
Stocks were buoyed by a wave of government intervention, including promises to prop up banks and guarantee loans, as well as Morgan Stanley’s deal to sell a 21 percent share of its business to a Japanese bank for $9 billion.
Investors also seemed ready for the first time in weeks to see the glass as half full and stocks as undervalued.
“Market participants have incredibly overreacted,” Smith said. “Friday was the bottom of the stock market. It probably was not the bottom for the economy. It takes longer to turn around a $14 trillion behemoth, but I think that the bottom could easily be next month.”
Still, by all accounts, consumer confidence has been hurt mightily in the last month as comparisons with the Great Depression blared from newspaper headlines and news networks.
Shoppers are worried about their jobs and their investments, and are expected to curtail spending enough to leave stores with slimmer profit margins as they move inventory at deep discounts.
“You’re seeing a lot of sales signs, more sales signs out earlier just in the last couple of weeks than you’ve ever seen before,” Arnold Aronson, managing director of retail strategies at Kurt Salmon Associates, said. “Price deflation is something that can’t be avoided. For whatever buyers are out there, it’s going to be their market.”
Those best positioned to take advantage of that return, whenever it should come, are today’s stronger players. Retail mainstays such as Wal-Mart, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Kohl’s, J.C. Penney, Polo Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie & Fitch, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue will generally stick by their plans, he said.
“The industry leaders are going to treat this as a two- to four-year opportunity,” Aronson said. “They’re going to react to this downdraft, obviously. There are going to be tighter inventories. There are going to be tighter expenses. The leaders are not going to overreact. They will go forward with reasonable store expansion. They’ll go forward with globalization plans.”
Nearly all of fashion joined in Monday’s rally, though most still have a long way to go to make up recent declines.
Broadlines stocks fighting their way back included Macy’s, up 11.3 percent to $11.04; Target, 10.3 percent to $40.81; Wal-Mart, 7 percent to $54.50; Saks, 6.7 percent to $6.22; Kohl’s, 6.3 percent to $33.71, and J.C. Penney, 5.1 percent to $23.77.
Specialty stores were led up by Talbots, rising 13.3 percent to $10.20; AnnTaylor Stores, 11.3 percent to $17; Gap, 10 percent to $15.20; Urban Outfitters, 9.6 percent to $25.82, and Abercrombie & Fitch, 9.4 percent to $29.84.
However, there were stock decliners such as New York & Co., which issued a profit warning Friday afternoon and on Monday was down 41.1 percent to $4.27.
Vendors riding the wave up included Polo Ralph Lauren, ahead 10.3 percent to $54.65; Coach, 10.3 percent to $20.24; Phillips-Van Heusen, 5.8 percent to $32.55, and Jones Apparel Group, 4.2 percent to $14.41.
Following news of the British and European governments’ action to rescue banks on Monday, the FTSE 100 rose 8.3 percent to 4,256.99, while France’s CAC 40 rose 11.18 percent to 3,531.50.
Compagnie Financière Richemont SA closed up 9.2 percent, while Burberry rose 3.5 percent and Marks & Spencer closed up 6.2 percent. French Connection closed down 2.5 percent. In Paris, L’Oréal shares zoomed up 14.7 percent; LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton gained 12.9 percent; PPR, 6 percent, and Hermès International, 5.1 percent. In retail, Carrefour rose 5.4 percent.
Speaking of the London market, Andrew Wade, a retail analyst at Numis Securities, said, “In terms of retail shares, we’re up 4 to 5 percent, but then the market is up 4 to 5 percent.
“A lot of excitement happens with interest rate announcements,” added Wade, referring to last week’s interest rate cut, “but fundamentally, it doesn’t change all that much. We’re heading for a difficult period. I think there’s more to come — we have a fairly bearish sector view, more so than we did a month ago. There will be more earnings downgrades coming up. We’ve already had Marks & Spencer….If we can’t trust earnings, we’ve got further to fall.”
Meanwhile, Italy’s S&B/MIB Index rebounded 11.5 percent, with Benetton Group SpA, IT Holding SpA and Safilo Group SpA among the day’s best performers. Benetton surged 16.5 percent, IT Holding jumped 15.4 percent and Safilo gained 15.1 percent. Tod’s SpA recovered 10.6 percent following reports the leather goods group may register a 12 percent gain in net profits to 85 million euros, or $114.1 million, this year, on sales of more than 700 million euros, or $939.2 million, up 8.5 percent.
But IT Holding chairman and chief executive officer Tonino Perna told Italian news daily Corriere Della Sera he planned to cut costs by 15 million euros, or $20.1 million, “because we no longer think we will be able to generate earnings that we had forecast for the next three years” due to the financial crisis.
And, notwithstanding the bailout, Italian employers’ lobby Confindustria said the financial crisis would lead the Italian economy to shrink 0.2 percent this year — from growth of 1.5 percent in 2007 — and contract 0.5 percent next year.
There were also signs of how the Bush administration plans to start spending the $700 billion in bailout money. Speaking before the Institute of International Bankers on Monday, Neel Kashkari, the Treasury’s interim assistant secretary for financial stability, detailed the steps that had been taken since the bailout passed, including working with domestic and international regulators to determine the best method for buying equity in financial institutions to help jump-start lending.
EXCLUSIVE: Two and half months after John Targon, cofounder and codesigner of Baja East, was hired as creative director of the contemporary division at Marc Jacobs, he has left the company, WWD has learned. Marc Jacobs International, which is owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, confirmed Targon’s departure in a statement: “John Targon is a talented designer and we appreciate the work he has done here. Ultimately working together did not make sense for the brand and we wish him the best.” Read the story by @jessiredale, link in bio. #wwdnews
@theluxurycollection is officially launching a collection, tapping Sofia Sanchez de Betak for the capsule. Over 30 styles will be featured in the Chufy x The Luxury Collection, debuting next month at Bergdorf Goodman, The Webster, FiveStory and more. De Betak, known as “@chufy,” drew inspiration for the collection from her trips to Japan in the past year #wwdfashion
@lhd, founder and CEO of @thewebster, has teamed up with @lebonmarcherivegauche for the European launch of her ready-to-wear line, LHD. The launch will come with an exclusive pop-up opening today that’s set to run through May 20. Located on the second floor, it carries her debut Miami-themed resort collection, launched in November as see-now-buy-now. #wwdfashion
@longchamp, which marks its 70th anniversary this year, just opened its biggest U.S. store on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. On the lower level there’s a floor-to-ceiling display of the brand’s iconic Le Pliage bag – in all of its different colors, shapes and sizes. Customers can also have their product personalized in-store by imprinting names, initials or emblems. #wwdfashion (📷: @ericmtownsend)
“Whenever I’m in that place of sound and music, I don’t have fear or nervousness…This album has a lot of themes of courage and boldness and I want to be the soundtrack for people’s lives. I’ll be so happy if [my songs] evoke strength in people, which I know music has done for me,” says @kimbramusic of her newest album “Primal Heart.” The New Zealand-born singer sat down with WWD to talk about her music, newest tour and connecting with hear fans — read more on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
Luxury handbag resale company @rebagofficial is planning to sell a rare collectible for $70,000: the @hermes White Crocodile Himalayan Birkin. The exclusive Birkin sold for about $100,000 in 2008, when @davidbeckham bought one for his wife @victoriabeckham to add to her collection. Read more about the rare Birkin on WWD.com #wwdaccessories
With her costume pearl necklace and what-you-see-is-what-you-get style, Barbara Bush, who died Tuesday at age 92, was a straight-shooter from start to finish.
Born Barbara Pierce in New York City, Bush served as the 37th first lady, as well as the country’s second lady from 1981 to 1989. In addition to being part of the longest presidential marriage — 73 years — Bush also had the unlikely distinction of having one son, George W., become the 43rd president and another son, Jeb, run unsuccessfully in 2016. Having served as second lady during the Reagan administration’s two terms and lived all over the world during her own husband’s ascending political career, Barbara Bush made it clear that literacy — not fashion — was her priority. Read more from Rosemary Feitelberg’s obituary on the late First Lady in WWD.com, link in bio. #barbarabush #wwdnews
Western and ’90s trends have influenced denim for fall 2018. Think raw, dark and coated jeans mixed with bold prints and tough leather. #trendtuesdays #wwdfashion (Styled by @thealexbadia;📷: @ryanplett)


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It’s that kinda Mornin!
Google Glass has made its way to the OR. A surgeon from Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center donned the new headset during a routine surgery last week, and streamed point-of-view footage live to a group of students on the other…
When Apple released the original Macintosh in 1984, it was looked at as a triumph of design — one of the more minimalist and user-friendly computer designs to hit the market. Old Macs have long since become obsolete, leading fans to come up with creative ways to hack them into a useful second life (like the MacQuarium), but John Leake took a different approach for his tribute to Apple’s most enduring product. Using Sintra foamboard and a Raspberry Pi, Leake has successfully created a working scale model of the original Mac that’s one-third the size of the original.
Paul Jarvis, the entrepreneur who faced his (many) fears and found hard-fought success. (via fastcompany)

domain: news


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A new report out suggests that sales of metal finishing chemicals could hit $8 billion globally by 2015, driven by electronics and electrical, motor vehicle equipment and the aerospace industries.
Global Industry Analysts’ report says that the U.S. and Europe are still the largest markets for metal finishing chemicals worldwide, but that the Asia-Pacific market will grow by a compound annual growth rate of 3%.
GPI reports that plating chemicals constitute the leading market segment, and that galvanization and electroless plating technologies will displace other processes such as chromium and cadmium electroplating. The report also suggests that cleaning chemicals such as aqueous cleaners and oxygenated solvents will be a substitute for chlorinated solvents.
The report also hints that an increased use of plastic substrates should push the demand for cleaning chemicals because plastics generally require meticulous chemical cleaning prior to the finishing process.
Buying the report will set you back a mere $4,500. While we’re sure the report is interesting, we did get a chuckle when the synopsis of the research referred to plaforization as “a new metal treatment process used in the preparation of metal surfaces for painting, has recently gained ground in the U.S. and Canada.” Since Products Finishing has recently reported many times on the process, including a story back in 2001, we think either the GPI may be a little late to the game, or Products Finishing is just so darn ahead of everyone else.blog comments powered by Disqus


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By Debbie Hall
Bassett Furniture Industries Inc. in January celebrated the fifth anniversary of its Bench Made facility in the traditional fashion—with a sheet cake and employees with at least a year of service affixing their signatures to a sign inside the building.
The Bench Made facility in Bassett also helped drive an increase in the production and sales of domestically produced furniture, according to Jeb Bassett, COO of Bassett Furniture Industries, Inc. and J. Carter Underwood, the company’s vice president of domestic wood manufacturing.
In January, which is the most recent data available, 80 percent of the products were domestically produced, according to Bassett.
The products are made in either the Bench Made facility in Bassett, the Martinsville Table facility in the Patriot Centre industrial park or in the company’s facilities in Newton, N.C. and Grand Prairie, Texas, according to Underwood.
Bench Made is among the Bassett lines that will be showcased at Fast Track 2020, on March 3 and 4 in the former Compton Wood Products facility in the Patriot Centre.
In keeping with the “Best of the Decade” theme of Fast Track 2020, “we feel like Bench Made is the best story of the decade,” Underwood said.
In 2019, Bench Made product lines, including dining, bedroom, occasional tables and entertainment categories, amounted to $23 million in wholesale sales. This year, that figure is expected to be $23 to $25 million, Bassett said.
At one point, Bassett’s domestically made lines dipped to about 50 percent of the company’s production, Bassett said. The remaining half was produced offshore.
“We made a lot of tough decisions in the late 1990s and early 2000s with the whole globalization of the furniture industry. What made Bassett different from most of the other furniture companies was we were proceeding with our own retail distribution network, Bassett Home Furnishings retail,” Bassett said.
Also, customers were given the option of customizing products, whether in upholstered furniture or casual dining. “We gave the consumer a lot of choices, where they could design their own” furniture, Bassett said. Among those options were custom finishes, fabrics and color options, he said.
The current philosophy also is “unique compared to the furniture factories of the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s,” Underwood said. In those decades, he said, the philosophy was to mass produce big collections such as Eden House and Grove Park.
“Everything was match-y, match-y,” and when a production run was created, employees generally would run one type of furniture – nightstands, for instance – for three to four weeks or longer, Underwood said.
If the sales projections were off and suppliers sold out of a particular piece, Underwood said it could be months before production of that item cycled back around.
“In the 90s, when a lot of production was going to Asia,” the Newton facility hit on the customization concept, Underwood said. “I think they figured out early on the best way to compensate was to offer custom products. If you could offer something unique, it gave you a reason to stay in the game.”
In 2014, Rob Spilman, CEO and chairman of the company, posed a question:
“What is the furniture version of ‘farm to table, craft beer and small batch bourbon?’ What would really resonate with the consumer,” Bassett recalled. “So, we started playing around with ideas and created a few samples of product with basic carpenter tools. Everything was (made from) solid hardwood.”
That was the genesis of Bench Made furniture.
Initial products included a 42-inches wide rectangular dining room table that could be customized in length from 72- to 108-inches; a round dining room table that was available in 60-inch and a 72-inch diameter, three different styles of chairs and a hunt board, “a simply made piece” with a name derived from a bygone era, Bassett said. He explained that when originally used, game was prepared and/or served on top of hunt boards.
Hardwoods native to the Appalachian region – red leaf maple and a mixture of red oak and white oak — were used to create the furniture, “and we distributed it through our network” of retail stores, he said.
The products debuted at the fall 2014 market and “were very successful,” Bassett said. “We created a manufacturing facility in 90 days. We took advantage of the current environmental permits that we had maintained” and manufacturing operations began in the new facility on Jan. 5, 2015.
Currently, 50 people are employed there, Bassett said.
Underwood noted the facility was designed in a linear footprint. Products enter on one end before they go through the various manufacturing processes, ending as a finished product on the other end of the building.
In addition to the design of the facility, “every single thing we’re making is a custom order,” Underwood said. He explained that the orders for furniture production come from the company’s retail stores and/or their affiliates.
Customers visiting those stores select, for instance, the style of table they want, “then, they pick the base, whether it has legs, a trestle base or a cross buck base,” Underwood said. Sixteen finishes also are available.
“By the time the table options, base options and colors are expanded, there are hundreds of thousands of different combinations we make” according to the consumer’s wishes, he said.
“Our claim to fame is” that the finished product is delivered to the customer’s home within 30 days, Underwood said.
Even in that time frame, employees who include craftsmen and artisans, work to individualize each piece to the customer’s specifications, Underwood said. When pieces are completed, an employee signs his name and date on the piece. That information, along with other identifying data from the order, is put into a computer, along with the sequential manufacturer’s number.
Employees prepared table number 26,251 for shipping on Feb. 26.
“We’ve shown growth over the years. Our product line has been expanded” and even more customization options have been added, Bassett said, and explained that now, dining room tables may be built up to 126 inches in length. Additionally, the custom lines were expanded to include bedroom furniture, occasional tables and home entertainment.
The company also is a good steward. When certain pieces are sold, for instance for each dining room table, cocktail table, bed or home entertainment piece, the company plants two trees, Bassett said.
“We plant those in the Appalachian region, where the raw material is harvested,” he said, adding most of the areas are within a half day drive of the company’s headquarters. “Last year, we planted 22,000 trees. Over the course of the next five years, we will plant 84,440 trees, mixed hardwoods.”
“We’re very proud” of Bassett’s accomplishments, Underwood said. “Fifteen years ago, it was a different story, but now, we’re very proud.”


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VF Corp. has entered into a joint venture with India's Arvind Mills Ltd. that will provide the American apparel giant with a platform to launch its portfolio of lifestyle brands in the world's second-most populous country.
According to a statement from Arvind, VF will pay $33 million for a 60 percent ownership in the new venture, VF Arvind Brands Private Ltd., which initially will handle design, marketing and distribution responsibilities for the Lee, Wrangler, Nautica, JanSport and Kipling brands. Those brands were previously handled through a licensing and distribution agreement with Arvind subsidiary Arvind Fashions.
"Arvind Mills and the management team that built our Lee and Wrangler brand business in India over the last decade have been great partners," Mackey McDonald, chairman and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "Extending our partnership with this joint venture is a logical evolution of our strong relationship."
Darshan Mehta has been named ceo of the venture, which will be based in Bangalore and employ 180 people. Mehta will report to Eric Wiseman, VF's president and chief operating officer, who has been named chairman. Previously, Mehta served as president of Arvind Brands.
Arvind launched Tommy Hilfiger in India through its nine freestanding stores in Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkota, Hyderabad and Chennai. Last month, Arvind introduced the Gant brand in the country. In addition, the firm has several homegrown brands such as Excalibur, Flying Machine, Ruggers, Bay Island and Newport. In May, the company said it planned to open the Arvind Design Lab, a design center and showroom for its U.S. customers, in late summer in SoHo in New York.
News of the latest joint venture came just after VF revealed the reorganization of its international management team with an eye toward increasing its overseas business to 30 percent of total revenues over the next three to five years. Karl Heinz Salzburger was named to the new post of president of Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia, and indicated that the Chinese, Indian and Russian markets would be a focus of the company's expansion efforts. India's rising middle class and population of more than 1 billion make it particularly attractive.
"The branded apparel market in India is approximately $4.4 billion and continues to grow as consumers are becoming increasingly brand- and fashion-conscious," Mehta said in a statement.India already figures prominently in VF's international business. According to the company, the Lee, Wrangler, Nautica, JanSport and Kipling brands currently generate $40 million in wholesale volume in India. Those brands alone are expected to grow more than 25 percent per year. The joint venture also will allow the company to more easily introduce new brands into the market.
"Already, we're at $1.6 billion in revenue outside the U.S. As far as apparel companies go, that's pretty big," said Wiseman last week. "I look at China and India as important places to build the right brand foundation." VF reported $6.5 billion in revenues in 2005 and anticipates revenues growing 6 to 7 percent this year.
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“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


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- Green Growth
- Your Consultant
|Experts shared thoughts at the workshop to disseminate the Law on Competition 2018 in Ho Chi Minh City|
The amended Competition Law, which is slated to take effect on July 1, 2019, covers lots of progressive provisions attuned to international best practices. Compared to the Law on Competition 2004, the new law is based on a combination of economic and legal ideas to increase the effectiveness of enforcement.
One of these is changing the approach to economic concentration. Accordingly, economic concentration is no longer considered an anti-competitive act per se. Controlling economic concentration will be based on assessing its impact on competition instead of notification requests and limiting the combined market shares of involved parties.
According to Tran Phuong Lan, head of the Economic Concentration Control Department under the Vietnam Competition Authority (VCA), the amended law expands government to all transactions and forms of economic concentration that take place outside of Vietnam, but have anti-competitive effects on the Vietnamese market.
Lan cited the acquisition of the Big C and Metro supermarket chains that caused concerns among stakeholders in the retail market about possible anti-competitive impacts. The Law on Competition 2004 controls economic concentration only on the basis of combined market share. Thus, the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) cases of Big C and Metro are not prohibited by the old law, because their combined market shares remain below the market threshold.
“However, similar transactions taking place from July 1, 2019 will be dealt with in accordance with the Competition Law 2018. There will be evaluations and suitable measures to ensure a fair and healthy competitive environment as well as protect the relevant stakeholders in the market,” she said, noting that the VCA would join forces with foreign organisations to investigate cross-border M&A deals.
In addition, the 2004 Competition Law uses only a single criterion to control economic concentration, which is the relevant market threshold. It prohibits economic concentrations where the combined market share on the relevant market exceed 50 per cent. Enterprises, which have 30-50 per cent of the relevant market must notify the competition agency prior to implementing such an economic concentration.
Lan said that it is quite difficult for enterprises to calculate the market share when they do not know the total revenue of all players in the market. Therefore, the amended law introduces more criteria, including total assets, total revenue, deal value, and combined market share of the involved parties.
“The move aims to make it easier for enterprises to understand when they need to notify the authorities. However, the provisions do not apply to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and specific cases like Grab’s acquisition of Uber’s Southeast Asia operations, including Vietnam,” she said.
The amended law also prohibits practices which have or may potentially restrict competition. Phung Van Thanh, deputy head of the Department of Investigation of Anti-Competitive Behaviour under the VCA, stressed if enterprises entered into a cartel arrangement to increase prices, it would affect millions of consumers in Vietnam.
“However, there are some exceptions, like exporters taking part in a cartel to raise prices in overseas markets to generate more revenue and jobs for Vietnam, or a group of domestic television stations negotiating to get the best price on broadcasting rights for international sports programmes,” Thanh said.
Vietnam’s Competition Law 2018 is based on Australian experience and was developed with support from the "Australia Supports Economic Reform in Vietnam" programme (Aus4Reform). The Aus4Reform programme, sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is worth $6.5 million and is deployed from 2017 to 2021.


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Steady economic growth has prompted the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to return the Singdollar to a "modest and gradual appreciation path" after two years in a neutral stance.
The move will let the dollar gradually increase against a basket of currencies of Singapore's major trading partners.
That, in turn, should tamp down inflation by making imported goods a little cheaper, while giving Singaporeans a bit more bang for their buck when they venture overseas.
The move announced yesterday came alongside Trade and Industry Ministry flash figures that put first-quarter growth at a healthy 4.3 per cent. This was in line with economists' expectations and up from the previous quarter's expansion of 3.6 per cent.
Manufacturing remained the key growth driver, expanding 10.1 per cent in the first quarter compared with the same period last year.
That was a marked improvement on the 4.8 per cent expansion in the final quarter of last year.
All clusters within the manufacturing sector grew in the first quarter, with electronics and precision engineering the biggest contributors.
Services, which make up two-thirds of the economy, expanded 3.8 per cent, slightly up from the fourth quarter's 3.5 per cent growth.
Economists expect services to take over from manufacturing as the main growth engine this year.
"While growth in the manufacturing sector will moderate as global economic conditions normalise, the strength in the service sector is likely to persist, thanks to positive spillover from the global recovery to the domestic sector," said DBS economist Irvin Seah.
The flash figures showed continued weakness in construction, which contracted 4.4 per cent compared with the same three months last year. This followed the 5 per cent year-on-year decline in the fourth quarter of 2017, and was due to falls in both private-sector and public-sector building.
UOB economist Francis Tan expects that the high level of collective-sale activity last year will support private-sector construction this year.
Economists stuck to their full-year growth forecast of about 3 per cent, down from last year's 3.6 per cent.
MAS also maintained its expec-tation of full-year growth coming in "slightly above the middle" of its 1.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent forecast range.
Core inflation - which excludes the costs of private road transport and accommodation - edged up, averaging 1.6 per cent year on year in January to February, said MAS.
It noted that the policy change for the dollar stemmed from its view that the economy is "likely to remain on its steady expansion path in 2018", while upward pressure on core inflation is expected to persist.
With these factors in mind, it decided to let the Singdollar rise against currencies of major trading partners within the undisclosed trading band, which is unchanged.
"This policy stance is consistent with a modest and gradual app-reciation path... that will ensure medium-term price stability," it added.
Though steady growth is expected, both MAS and economists highlighted global trade tensions as the main downside risk.
The MTI flash figures are based largely on data from January and February, with fuller estimates to be released next month.


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BEIJING (BLOOMBERG) - Army biscuits and luncheon meat are among the most searched items online by Chinese citizens after the government urged households this week to stock up on food and daily necessities.
Orders for compressed biscuits, a common military ration, have soared on China's e-commerce platforms, with some vendors running out of stock, according to local media reports.
Other trending products include rice, soy sauce, chilli sauce and noodles, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's Taobao website shows.
The top search on JD.com is "household stockpile list".
The surge in interest follows a notice from the Commerce Ministry on Monday evening (Nov 1) asking local authorities to ensure adequate food supply and encouraging people to stock up on daily necessities for winter or emergencies.
It sparked speculation online on whether the move was linked to a widening coronavirus outbreak, a cold snap, or even rising tensions with Taiwan.
A ministry official responded to those concerns on Tuesday, saying daily supplies are sufficient and fully guaranteed.
The state-run Economic Daily also put out a report saying that the notice was meant to make sure people are prepared for potential quarantine during the current coronavirus outbreak.
A list of recommended emergency household supplies issued by Jiangsu province in October also made its rounds on social media.
The list included instant noodles, bottled water, compressed biscuits and luncheon meat.


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Plastic waste disposal is the most challenging situation that scientific and governing circles have ever faced. Mass production and consumption of plastics have grown at an astronomical rate ever since it gained popularity around five decades back and has carved a special place for itself in almost all anthropogenic activities, from agriculture to space exploration. Available data points out that nearly One million plastic bags are consumed every minute globally and one million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute. Various reports suggests that plastic particles dumped in sea will outnumber fish by 2050. The plastic finds a way to human body through biomagnification as recent reports point to the presence of microplastics in our table salt.
Acknowledging the issues of plastics, various steps are being implemented by Urban local bodies, state authorities and central governments all over the globe. Many have indeed banned plastics. Banning might not be an easy solution as other alternatives such as cotton and jute bags, glass have their own negative impacts on the ecosystem as their production involves energy and water-intensive processes. The concept of Circular economy strives to find an impeccable solution by keeping the plastics in a loop, putting paid to the linear chain, which comprises production, consumption and disposal. The formulation of SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production is a major boost for CE and paves the way for future.
Though the concept of circular economy is making rapid progress, even the term is yet to reach millions of population, particularly in developing and poor countries in Asia and Africa where people are still unaware of segregation of waste at source level. Waste management in India continues to remain dismal and with a huge population coupled with increased purchasing power, the plastic menace can prove to be a hard nut to crack for India. Recognising this knowledge gap, GreenWorks have contributed to implementation of circular economy by providing technical assistance to a Self-help group based in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. GreenWorks is a vocal advocate to global efforts on circular economy and sustainable consumption and production. The founder and team have been involved in setting up partnerships, integrating circular design in project framework and exploring various business models which could make positive change in the life of community and make nature more sustainable. GreenWorks is also actively collaborating with start-up ecosystem with particular focus on plastic sector and to facilitate training, market linkage, capital and commercialisation.
GreenWorks collaborated in a initiative with Self Help Groups (SHGs) comprising of enthusiastic women, recycle plastics to produce durable handbags. This creates a favourable ecosystem where the plastic waste is turned into a useful product, thereby reducing landfilling and at the same time providing an option of a cheap and durable product for cost-conscious costumers. GreenWorks deeply focusses on Gender Equality as income for women will empower and enable them for a brighter future. This successful model have to be implemented across more communities and GreenWorks has set new targets to take this successful initiative to other parts of the country and to other developing nations. The Project is initiative under leadership of former mayor of Bhavnagar Ms. Rina Shah.


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In his remarks at the opening ceremony of the Macau International Travel (Industry) Expo (MITE) on Friday, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam noted the government’s increased role in this year’s edition – which boasts further ties for China and Portugal. “This year, the Expo is organized by the Macao Government Tourism Office for the first time, and coordinated by the Macau Travel Agency’s guidance and involvement as well as close collaboration with our industry. The Expo is set to achieve greater effectiveness and contributions to the industry,” commented Secretary Tam. This year’s exhibition featured a new program entitled: “China – Portugal Tourism Seminar & Networking” as its main highlight. The seminar invited distinguished speakers to present special topics including new trends in Free Independent Travel in the Asia-Pacific region and smart tourism. Expo is improving There have been a number of improvements in the Expo, noted China Travel Service (Macao) Ltd. (CTS), a participant in previous exhibitions. “The past two editions [of the Expo] started [to provide transportation] for local residents […] this year’s edition has more tourism-themed [exhibitors], probably required by the organizer. Last year there were more [exhibitors who] sold products [unrelated to tourism]. This year it is more professional in terms of the venue itself and the decoration [of the booths]. [This year’s Expo] has learnt from the previous experiences,” commented Patrick Puk, Travel Department Assistant General Manager of CTS. Kay You, Cultural Travel Planner of local travel agency Multinational Youth Travel Agency Limited (MYTA) – a participant in previous editions of MITE – commented that the local government attracted more participants as well as providing a wider promotion platform. Big market in Macau Yasumasa Shimizu, Senior Director of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), told Business Daily that in terms of trends, Macau residents tend to travel to South Korea rather than Japan, but that neighbouring Hong Kong, has a completely different scene. “In Hong Kong… last year about 1.5 million people [travelled] to Japan, it’s about 20 per cent of the population,” Mr. Shimizu said. Mr. Shimizu also stated that there are only three destinations in Japan that have flights to Macau, whereas there are more from South Korea. The Director of JNTO indicated that according to their data, from 2014 to 2015, there was a 78.1 per cent increase in the number of people from Macau visiting Japan, commenting that there is a potential market in Macau if more promotions are organised. No impact even during slump Despite the slump in casino revenue seen in the past years, Ms. You of MYTA travel agency said the economic downturn had not had any significant impact on their sales performance. “Although this year’s economy declined slightly, we will readjust [our market policy in order] to suit the current economy […] such as strengthening our promotions,” commented You. Mr. Puk, from CTS agency, also opined that the decline in the city’s economy has in fact created more sales opportunities. “In general, [the level of] Macau’s salary has improved… the slump [in the economy] previously, to the contrary, has led more people to travel because casinos have approved more vacations to their workers, including paid and unpaid leave,” Mr. Puk explained.
This year’s exhibition occupied 6,800 square meters, with a total of 370 booths. The three-day event attracted over 200 enterprises and entities from 28 countries and regions, with over 70 Mainland municipalities participating in the Expo. MGTO took the helm in organizing this year’s Expo, coordinated by MTAA and supported by the China National Tourism Administration.


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FDA's Fake Drug Investigation
Thursday, August 31st 2006, 3:51 pm
News On 6
The US Food and Drug Administration says medicines bought on several Canadian pharmacy websites have turned up as fakes.
The agency says it tested drugs intercepted on the way to US consumers and turned up counterfeits of 10 popular medications.
That list includes Lipitor, Crestor, Zetia, Diovan, Hyzaar, Actonel, Nexium, Celebrex, Arimidex and Propecia.
The seized drugs came from 10 online pharmacies.
Consumer officials say it's a case of buyer beware if you turn to the Internet for prescription drugs.


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The facility will have access to multiple telecommunication providers including: Abovenet, British Telecom, COLT, Easynet, Virgin Media, Vtesse and Verizon
CyrusOne, a provider of enterprise data centre co-location, will expand its operations in European market with a new co-location data centre in London.
The new 10,000 square foot co-location data centre is the first data centre for the company in Europe, which will expand the company’s international customer base and serve existing CyrusOne customers that have international data centre requirements.
The new London facility will feature N+N or N+1 power offerings; a minimum N+N Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with battery back-up, a minimum of N+1 standby on all cooling systems, and fire detection and suppression, security and building management systems.
In addition, the facility will have access to multiple telecommunication providers including: Abovenet, British Telecom, COLT, Easynet, Virgin Media, Vtesse and Verizon, the company said.
CyrusOne CEO David Ferdman said the expansion is in direct response to their customers’ growing demand and evolving requirements for colocation space, and some very attractive, growing market segments in Europe.
"As with all our other facilities, our London data centre will offer state-of-the-art, raised floor space that adheres to the highest engineering design standards with focus on resiliencies and redundancies," Ferdman said.
The company expects the new data centre to be operational in spring 2011.


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Passenger vehicles sale have reached up to the hike of 3.8% in September. It has expected to grow by 6-8 % for the year. SIAM the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers has stated that there wont be any hike during the festive season but it could happen till the end of fiscal year. Auto manufacturers have sold almost 2.6 million vehicles that has given a increase of 3.6%.
SIAm tells that probably medium and heavy duty vehicles will have a bounce in the sale to go to the double digit percentage by the end of fiscal year. But 2 wheeler sale will remain almost flat. 2 wheeler sale have remained flat and almost negative in few past months falling to 1%. Majeed partners at price Water House said ” The Indan Automotive Industry is a bit far from its actual potential and in September 2015 passenger vehicles have shown a driven by its launch of SUV and Hatchbacks.”
SIAM is hopeless for any change in this trend for the festive season period and has expected that the hike will be seen in march itself as reported by Deputy General Sugato Sen. While the Indian economy is gaining its stands but automobile industry still needs a regular pace to come up.


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Ford has made a noise-cancelling dog kennel
Just in time for New Year’s Eve fireworks, Ford transfers car tech to a kennel
Earlier in 2018, Ford announced it would stop making saloon cars. While you’d suspect the spare factory space and people power would be transferred to SUVs, you’d suspect wrong. Instead, Ford is building dog kennels.
This is Ford’s noise cancelling kennel, and while it’s a prototype for now, any dog owner who’s ever seen their best friend quivering and shaking during a fireworks display will be hoping and begging it goes into production.
Its tech works just like the noise-cancelling tech in headphones and some cars, including the Ford Edge; microphones detect noises that are intruding inside, and speakers play opposing sounds that effectively cancel out what you don’t want to hear, providing some semblance of peace and quiet.
Ford hasn’t stopped there in providing your pooch with a cocoon of luxury. The kennel has anti-vibration tech and an automatic door, while it’s made of a special cork that filters out even more noise. A production version likely won’t be cheap. And your dog will still probably sleep clumsily across your lap on the sofa anyway.
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Grosvenor Group reports big increase in company drivers opting for PCH deals
05 March 2021
Author: Sean Keywood
Businesses with company car fleets are increasingly offering PCH schemes to support drivers taking a cash allowance, according to Grosvenor Group.
It says its PCH order intake for the first two months of this year was double the rate seen last summer.
The company attributes this to increasing demand, as well as a growth in the size of its team.
CEO Shaun Barrit said that PCH was a way for companies to avoid common issues with drivers moving from a conventional company car to regular grey fleet, which often sees them opting for older, more polluting vehicles.
He said: "With an in-house personal leasing team based at our head office alongside our corporate contract hire and fleet management teams, when drivers take the cash option they are far more likely to move seamlessly into a Grosvenor PCH car from their company car.
"As a result, the cash driver's new personal lease car is likely to be low emission, and will be properly serviced, taxed and not need an MOT for three years.
"It is also managed by the same safe pair of hands that runs our customers' company vehicles and becomes a private car that the company is proud for their employee to use for business."


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John Alexander Skelton
Born and raised in York, John Alexander Skelton received his master’s in fashion men’s wear at Central Saint Martins and took on internships at E. Tautz and Patrik Ervell before launching his label last year. Selected by Giles Deacon, Skelton is a recipient of the Sarabande scholarship, an initiative from The Lee Alexander McQueen Foundation that aids young designers. He is working out of a studio at Sarabande in east London.
Sustainability is a key theme for Skelton, who incorporates repurposed materials into his ranges and takes a DIY approach to his work. He has a loom in his studio and many of his fabrics are handwoven, as is much of his knitwear. “Everything I dye is also done by hand using natural dye. The handcrafted element is my signature, in a way,” said the designer.
For fall 2018, Skelton has been working with mills in Ireland, mixing British wool and Irish linen.
“I have been doing a lot of hand weaving, as well, on the loom. I have also done a few natural dyes this time, one using an ancient European dye, the European version of indigo, called woad,” he said.
Skelton’s main focus has always been on the process and materials with unisex silhouettes that are suitable for men and women, such as a hand-crochet knit sweater or a long-knitted overcoat.
Prices range from 400 pounds for a shirt to 5,000 pounds for a coat. The label is stocked in Dover Street Market London, Dover Street Market Ginza and Ware Mo Kou in Japan.
Skelton, who has shown off-season in the past, will be presenting his fall collection at 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5 at St. Mark’s Church in Dalston. He said that deciding to show his range during men’s fashion week was dictated by his sales strategy. “I have been looking to take my private appointment sales to London from Paris,” said Skelton. He said he plans to show annually.
Now in its fourth season, A-Cold-Wall has been picked up by Selfridges, Oki-Ni, 18 Montrose and Leclaireur in France.
Designer Samuel Ross launched A-Cold-Wall in 2015, and the label is known for its deconstructed workwear and oversized silhouettes.
This season Ross said he plans to explore heavy outerwear and expand on his fabric offer. “Wools and knitted fabrics are a new direction for us,” he said. “Although it’s uncharted territory, I have a concise idea of what I wish to achieve within this specific fabric category. It’s building very well.”
Ross said the business is expanding: The company has increased its global accounts to 52 retailers and moved mainline production to Italy. “Our goal over this last quarter has been analyzing the data over the course of the past year, and to control and structure our growth further,” he said. “It’s about forming predictions and forecasting when specific activations, content and targets must be achieved and rolled out.”
A-Cold-Wall’s runway show will take place at 3 p.m. at the BFC Show Space on Jan. 8.
Daniel Fletcher plans to shake up the way he showcases his range by opening with a catwalk show at The Institute of Contemporary Arts, where models will assemble in a standing formation. He also plans to collaborate with a number of artists to create the set.
“It’s quite grand and traditional,” said Fletcher of the venue. “But I am hoping to bring something modern to it. I feel like dressing a little more formally, myself, in the winter, so there are a lot of pieces which people have come to expect from me — silk shirts, leather pieces and sportswear base layers underpin the collection — but it doesn’t feel quite as sporty this season.”
Fletcher, who launched his label last year, has built quite a résumé since graduating from Central Saint Martins. He was snapped up by Kim Jones at Louis Vuitton to work on the brand’s men’s leather accessories. Fletcher also mentored Antonio Banderas when the actor was studying fashion design at Saint Martins. He also consulted on J.W. Anderson’s men’s wear this season.
“It has actually given me a lot of freedom,” said Fletcher of consulting at J.W. Anderson. “The team is a lot bigger there and to have the support of a whole atelier, fabric and product developers and everyone else there has allowed me to be more free in the way I design, as I don’t have the restrictions that come with being a small brand.”
Fletcher is currently stocked in 16 stores and works with his sales team from Awaykin. “We have focused on working with one key store in major capitals and then making sure we work closely with them to get a good sell through,” he said. “This seems to have worked and my production is running smoothly now so we are hoping to increase that this season. But I want to make sure that those stores that have supported me from the beginning are prioritized. I haven’t had any investment yet, but this is something I would consider if I find the right person. Cash flow is the biggest challenge for me as well as running the business, so to have some support on that would help me to take the brand to the next level.”
Fletcher will be launching with Ssense — his first online-only stockist — in January and he has started working with a few more stores in Tokyo such as Opening Ceremony, Beams International Gallery and Urban Research. He said he wants to develop his e-commerce business next year. “It has been a strong part of my business since I started,” said Fletcher. “But I feel there is a lot more I could be doing, and there are huge benefits for a brand being able to sell directly to our customers, both in terms of profits and understanding how people buy and wear the products.”
Fletcher will stage his presentation from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Jan. 7.
Danish label Wood Wood will make its London Fashion Week Men’s debut with a presentation on Jan. 6 at a location that’s yet to be confirmed.
Launched in 2002 by childhood friends Karl-Oskar Olsen and Brian Jensen, the Copenhagen-based brand is known for its streetwear aesthetic. It has shown during Copenhagen Fashion Week, and during Berlin and New York fashion weeks.
“London is important as a fashion metropolis. The best designers in the world are from London and I see it as a test on where we are,” said Olsen. “If we can make a successful presentation in London we must be doing something right.”
Olsen describes the Wood Wood man as a person with a mind of his own who has a cultural consciousness and is interested in street culture.
The designers both attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and launched their label after Olsen, who studied spatial design, graduated in 2002. Jensen studied visual communication and graduated in 2007.
The brand has collaborated previously with a number of labels including the likes of Nike, Adidas, Converse, Onitsuka Tiger, Champion, Eastpak, Barbour and Penfield.
Prices range from 35 pounds for a cap to 450 pounds for a leather jacket. The label is stocked in Liberty, Goodhood, Harvey Nichols, Le Bon Marche and Isetan.
“We don’t change our concept season to season but try to reflect the times we live in,” said Olsen. “We have taken inspiration from films like ‘The Breakfast Club’ and ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’ — films from our youth about growing up, and the state of mind we were in, going from lazy teens to becoming more ‘responsible’ as an adult.
“We’ve taken bits and pieces from here and there and transformed it into a modern ‘Americana” look,'” he added, “a rich variation of fabrics like corduroy, nappy wool, denim and nylon. The most significant artworks are the patchwork story along the youth-addressed placement: ‘leave me alone with your own attention,’ ‘fan club’ and ‘before and after,’ which is a direct hint to the transformation from youth to adultness.”
Wood Wood will stage a presentation from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 6.


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ATLANTA (AP) -- The chairman of furniture and appliance rental company Aaron's Inc. will retire in mid-September.
Charles Loudermilk, Sr. will become chairman emeritus once he retires, the company said on Monday.
Loudermilk said in a statement that he started Aaron's in 1955, renting chairs for 10 cents each. The company began as Aaron's Rents, which Loudermilk founded with a partner. The company was renamed Aaron's Inc. in 2009.
"Though it was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever made, the time has come for me to leave the company and focus on personal endeavors that bring me joy," the 85-year-old said.
On Friday Aaron's announced that it was adding another director to its board, the second appointment this month. The company appointed Kathy Betty, an Atlanta businesswoman and former owner of the WNBA Atlanta Dream, as a board member. Earlier this month it named Hubert L. Harris, Jr., former CEO of Invesco North America, to the board.
Aaron's has more than 1,985 company-run and franchised stores in the U.S. and Canada.
Shares of the Atlanta company fell 13 cents to $29.76 in morning trading.


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Samsung just launched its flagships phone Galaxy S8 and S8+ in the dedicated Unpacked event in New York and London. A series of leaks had already revealed the basic phone specifications and while most of the leaks turned out to be true, some were not. Here’s how the event progressed.
DJ Koh, Samsung’s Mobile Chief took the audience back into the past narrating the mobile history and how the industry keeps evolving creating new opportunities and intelligent phones every day. He said the launch of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ will introduce a new area of smartphone design.
DJ highlighted the built-in Iris Scanner and the new AI assistant Bixby as major features of the phone and said high-performance tools have also been enhanced.
Justin Denison, Senior Vice President Samsung America, carried on from where Dj left and said phones had not changed their designs since the 2000s and still come boxed inside a body. He then introduced Samsung S8’s new ‘infinity display’ with the screen stretched from left to right and no bezels on the sides.
He said Samsung thought of making the components smaller as curving the edges was not enough, resulting very minimal bezels on the top and bottom enabling the users to experience entertainment like never before. Denison stated the home button is still there although physically but is housed inside the all-glass screen.
The rear camera on the Galaxy S8 is the same as S7 with 12MP, OIS enabled sensors while the front camera is a 8MP one. Also, both the newly released phones are water and dust resistant.
Samsung’s new phones house a lighter chip which is a first ever 10nm processor accompanied by 3000mAh battery for the Galaxy S8 and a 3500mAh one for the S8+. Following the Note 7 explosive batteries, Samsung’s flagships have been tested keeping in consideration an 8-point battery security check.
The new phones will have iris scanner and facial recognition features for better security and services like Samsung Pay while new features like Samsung Pass and Samsung Health have also been introduced.
Samsung’s Senior Director Sriram Thodla then introduced the much hyped AI assistant Bixby. He said Samsung envisioned of phones being intelligent enough to understand humans instead of the other way around. The new AI assistant has capabilities such as contextual awareness empowering to decode incomplete commands.
The phones will come with the rumored 5.8 inch and 6.2 inch OLED screens with an ultra HD resolution of 2960 X 1440 pixels. The fingerprint scanner has been moved to the back just next to the camera and power and volume buttons are on opposite sides. Just underneath the volume button is the new Bixby button while a USB Type-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack are housed at the bottom.
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ come with the latest Snapdragon 835 in the U.S and the international release will pack Samsung’s own Exynos chip. Other features include a 4GB RAM, Android Nougat, wireless charging, LTE Cat. 16 and Bluetooth 5.0. Galaxy S8 and S8+ will come in black, gray, silver, blue and gold colors.
Samsung has not revealed the price but the phones are expected to start at $720 and will be available for pre-order from 30th March and the shipping will start on April 21.
Image Source- CNET


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SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 — Jack Foldager of Anchorage has hit the big time in the social media world — over 14,000 followers on his family's TikTok account and 3 million video views by the start of September. Big deal, you think. Well, he’s 4-years-old.
Lots of news media have picked up his story, including CNN. Why? Jack loves eating vegetables straight from the garden.
Jack’s dad, Trent Foldager, posted a video of Jack in their garden, eating a turnip right out of the ground and spouting nutritional facts about the vegetables surrounding him.
“It was a simple, cute, fun story,” said Trent about why the video went viral. “Jack’s not the only kid who’s taken a vegetable out of the garden and wiped dirt on his pants. People resonated with it.”
Offering little kids like Jack two healthy choices
While some parents have a hard time getting their kids to even try vegetables, Jack eagerly eats them. How did his parents do it?
Jack’s mom, Oksana Foldager, explains: “We cook our meals and sometimes Jack wouldn’t want what we were eating. We started giving him a choice. ‘Do you want broccoli or beans, a radish or a carrot?’ When he makes the choice, he feels like he had a success.”
In the video, Oksana mentions that they practice “Two Healthy Choices” with their kids — a message that the Play Every Day campaign is promoting in a new video this year.
“Two Healthy Choices” models a parenting technique that’s often taught to families with toddlers and preschool-age children. Parents want their children to have healthy foods and drinks. Children want to be in charge of their choices. Recognizing that, parents can give them choices, but limit those options to two and make sure both choices are acceptable to the family. By offering two healthy choices, the child feels empowered to make a choice and the parent is happy with it either way.
Play Every Day supports giving children food and drink options that will keep kids healthy. Eating a variety of healthy foods and drinks supports children as they grow, develop and learn. Healthy options also help protect children from diseases that occur later in life, like diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Whole-grain foods, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein give children more energy to play every day, too.
Giving children two healthy choices can help them build confidence and make better decisions about their food choices as they grow up.
“It’s our responsibility as parents to set them up for a healthy future,” Oksana said.
Kids can be picky. Just keep trying.
Gardening and a favorite book about eating plants have helped spur Jack’s love of vegetables, but there are other ways to get kids more involved with the food they are eating. The Foldagers also take Jack to the local farmers market and grocery store. Jack helps pick the produce the family will eat for the week.
“Kids naturally gravitate towards colorful foods,” Trent said. Involving young kids in picking out groceries, helping prepare food and choosing what to eat can make it easier to get them to eat healthy foods.
Jack is still a typical young child with those finicky eating habits that can drive parents crazy.
“He might eat cabbage one week and then kale the next,” said Trent. “We don’t always know what he’s going to want to eat, so we try different things.”
Oksana recommends that parents be patient when it comes to food for their kids.
“Incorporate variety, try new things. All kids can be picky. You just have to keep trying,” she said.
The Foldagers don’t limit their children to healthy food only, but they’ve found that Jack often gravitates toward healthier choices on his own. Recently, they took the family to the Alaska State Fair and bought crab cakes and fries. Jack didn’t want that. Jack had his eye on the carrots at the farmers market stand.
Photographs courtesy of Foldager family
Play Every Day is a campaign with the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services to help Alaska children grow up at a healthy weight and encourage families to be physically active and choose healthy foods and drinks. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/playeverydayak or www.playeveryday.alaska.gov.


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Another step towards mass adoption of cryptocurrencies was made on March 27 when Bitrefill, a Sweden-based firm providing digital gift cards and mobile phone refills, added an option to make Airbnb reservations with cryptocurrency.
Airbnb is the world’s largest community-driven hospitality company, offering short-term accommodations to travelers around the world. Now, for the first time ever, residents of the United States can use cryptocurrency to pay for Airbnb stays of less than 28 days.
— Bitrefill (@bitrefill) March 27, 2019
Pay for Airbnb Bookings With 5 Different Cryptocurrencies
Per the announcement, Bitrefill enables customers to pay for Airbnb bookings with Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dash (DASH), Litecoin (LTC), and Dogecoin (DOGE). However, the service is technically a voucher product, meaning customers cannot pay with cryptocurrencies directly.
Instead, customers must purchase vouchers from Bitrefill in $25, $50, and $100 increments with crypto. They will then receive a voucher code that can be used on the Airbnb platform. Therefore, Airbnb is not accepting or handling any cryptocurrency.
In addition to the Airbnb crypto gift cards offered by Bitrefill, the company also offers crypto gift cards that can be redeemed with a number of other merchants, including Netflix, Hulu, eBay, Amazon, and others.
Cryptocurrency and the Travel Industry
For whatever reason, a large part of cryptocurrency adoption is happening in the travel industry. Perhaps it’s because crypto investors enjoy spending their profits on recreation, or maybe because they travel the world to attend different crypto conferences.
Nevertheless, cryptocurrency adoption has been gradually permeating the travel space. As previously reported by IIB, Japan’s largest railway company, JR East will soon enable Japanese commuters and tourists alike to pay for their journeys with a variety of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins.
Another country adopting cryptocurrency for commuting is Argentina, which is purportedly allowing residents to top up their public transport card SUBE (Sistema Único de Boleto Electrónico) with Bitcoin (BTC).
Apart from the crypto adoption developments in the travel industry mentioned above, numerous other developments have taken place as well, including the ability to book flights with Bitcoin through BTCtrip, CheapAir, SurfAir. At this rate, the travel industry is looking to be fully crypto-functional by the time other industries are just starting to dip their toes in.
What other crypto adoptions in the travel industry do you know about? Let us know in the comment section below.


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Esports India Business Conference (EIBC) 2020:
"Esports Federation of India (ESFI) enters into MoU with ConnectIN Esports to jointly organise Esports India Business Conference (EIBC) 2020 "
MUMBAI, 07 JANUARY 2020: The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) and ConnectIN Esports have entered into an agreement to organize the "Esports India Business Conference (EIBC) in association with ESFI”, with the first edition to be held in Mumbai during March 2020.
The exclusive conference will focus on the growth of this nascent industry in India and address key aspects such as the growth drivers for the esports industry, investment opportunities, creating smart partnerships, engaging esports audience, and impact of the growth of the industry on broadcasting.
“EIBC 2020 in association with ESFI” will enable various stakeholders in the esports ecosystem to identify business opportunities and barriers to entry into the industry, understand market factors influencing brands, venture capitalists, and professional sports teams to actively invest in the esports industry, gain industry insights and trends through Keynote Presentations, Case Studies, and Panel Discussions by top esports industry leaders and experts. The conference will also provide opportunities to connect and network with regional and global industry leaders.
On signing of the agreement, Lokesh Suji, Director of Esports Federation of India and VP – Asian Esports Federation said: “ESFI’s core objective is to bring all the stakeholders under one umbrella and enable, boost & grow the Indian esports ecosystem. Esports is the fastest growing sport of the world and we need to run at much faster speeds to cope up with rest of the world, and that’s where knowledge/industry events like EIBC will play a substantial role. We look forward to meeting all the stakeholders at EIBC 2020”
Dhruv Khanna, Co-Founder, ConnectIN Esports said: "We are extremely pleased to partner with the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) to organize the Esports India Business Conference 2020. The esports industry is growing at a rapid pace and we are of the opinion that there is an immediate need for various stakeholders in the ecosystem to learn about the opportunities, exchange valuable information, and meet with potential partners through an industry platform. EIBC 2020 will kickstart the process and aims to provide immense value to its participants in their quest to grow the industry."
The ESFI represents the voice of esports in India at international forums, promotes participation in esports in India, acts as the regulatory and development body for esports in India, and promotes the educational, health, and social benefits of esports participation. ESFI also got the First Bronze for the country during Asian Games 2018, where esports was a demonstration title. The recently-concluded Olympic Summit agreed on a two-speed approach for esports with International Federations, including ESFI, being urged to explore esports opportunities.
ConnectIN Esports is an Esports startup specializing in creating knowledge-based platforms, business conferences, digital content, online tournaments, and live events for the Esports Industry. ConnectIN Esports aims to ally industry stalwarts, leading trend-setters, policymakers, strategic thinkers, industry influencers, and upcoming gamers to share insights, discuss industry trends, technological developments, and connect investors with talent by creating a one-stop shop for Everything Esports!
The media partners for 'EIBC 2020 in association with ESFI' are SportzPower, RebornGamers.com, and The Fan Garage (TFG).
For more information please contact:
- Kartikesh Jha M: +91 90769 74491 E: email@example.com


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When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Wolseley Canada, like many other businesses, it had to pivot to support employees and customers in different ways.
With 2,500 employees, 220 branches across Canada and a head office in Burlington, Ont., Wolseley is a national wholesale distributor of plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration, focusing on trade professionals.
“What we did as a management team was we started by saying, ‘what should we do that’s best for our employees?’ That kind of dictated every single decision we have made throughout the pandemic,” Wolseley Canada president Sebastien Laforge told the Daily Commercial News.
“COVID did have an impact on our revenue but it’s absolutely in the back of our mind compared to taking the right steps to protect our people. That was our mandate.”
In response to the pandemic, the company enhanced its digital offerings. Although the Wolseley Express e-commerce platform was in place prior to the pandemic, they needed to make it more effective for customers. They also implemented express and curbside pick-up and a new text to branch capability.
Furthermore, the company increased its personal protective equipment (PPE) product offering to include face masks, hand sanitizer, gloves, safety glasses, ear plugs and safety vests.
“People were working 24/7 to make sure PPE were ordered,” said Laforge.
The first big change they made was getting all employees who could work at home set up.
“That might not be a big thing, but for us we were not ready,” Laforge explained. “From 2,500 employees, 600 were working from home within a matter of weeks.
“It sounds like simple stuff that we did but in our industry we are pretty much old fashioned so to be able to execute all of that in a short period of time, that was heavy lifting.”
With offices and showrooms across the country, the company had to apply different changes to comply with protocols and bylaws depending on each of the province’s responses to the pandemic.
“From province to province we were monitoring government laws, bylaws from municipalities,” said Laforge. “We had a council to look at from a coast-to-coast perspective what needs to be done.”
They then made the difficult decision to close the branches to customers.
“We converted our branch to what we call an express pick-up so trade plumbers or contractors would call us in advance and we would provide curbside pickup across the country,” Laforge noted.
“Then we introduced our Wolseley Express platform. It was already in place, but it really picked up during the pandemic. Our customers were able to order online, show up at the branch, we would fill their truck and off they went.”
They have received positive feedback from their customers.
“They were not afraid to show up at our branches because they felt safe to deal with us,” Laforge said. “It took longer for them to be served when they showed up at the branch but safety, that was the goal.”
“Our whole corporate office in Burlington has been shut down for the last eight months. Nobody has re-entered the building since wave one started. Not having a corporate office at this point is impactful but it’s working fine. People are still engaged, morale is good.”
Follow the author on Twitter @DCN_Angela.


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(Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co. has offered to fix 236,643 Focus cars in China because of ignition problems, the automaker's largest recall in the country.
The vehicles were made by a venture between Ford, Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., according to a statement today on the Web site of China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. The cars were made between Aug. 18, 2008, and May 28, 2010, it said.
The company is recalling the vehicles after about 2 percent of drivers experienced stalling, usually after traveling at low speeds, Ford spokeswoman Whitney Foard Small said by phone today. Ford will install new engine calibration software in the cars to correct the problem, Small said.
Ford owns 35 percent of the three-way tie-up, called Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co. Changan Auto owns half and Mazda owns the remaining 15 percent stake.


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Deus Ex Human Revolution Delayed
While it was originally planned for release in early 2011 (with some retailers listing it as early as February), today Square Enix announced that Deus Ex: Human Revolution will be delayed to instead release in their next fiscal year, which begins next April.
The delay was revealed along with Square Enixs announcement that its reducing their earnings forecast for the remainder of its fiscal year by a whopping 91 percent. Part of the reason is in fact because theyve moved Deus Ex out of the current fiscal year, although Square Enix also cited the "harsh market feedback regarding a key title" -- almost certainly referring to Final Fantasy XIV.
As for the specific reason behind Deus Exs delay, its unclear how much of it had to do with simple market strategizing, and how much had to do with the game needing more time. Square Enix cited "weak sales performance of console game titles that have been newly released during the current fiscal year," and that "we therefore have decided to spend additional time to further polish our upcoming game, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, resulting in a shift in release timing from our prior plan of the current fiscal year to next fiscal year." This at least seems to suggest its partly an effort to close their books on the current fiscal year and bolster their next fiscal year instead.


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OFA survey: Lost revenue, labour delays and slow internet are top concerns for producers amid COVID-19
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture survey among members shows that 78 per cent of members anticipate lost revenue due to COVID-19.
March 27, 2020 By Ontario Federation of Agriculture
A survey among 350 members conducted by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) reveal that 74 per cent of Ontario producers surveyed anticipate a change in their operations due to COVID-19, with 78 per cent expecting lost revenue as a result of value chain disruptions.
Last week OFA conducted a survey among members to find out how they expect this pandemic will impact their farm businesses. Peggy Brekveld, OFA vice president, encouraged producers to continue reaching out and summed up the results.
“Thanks to the more than 350 survey participants who shared their concerns and farm business situations. We will continue to evaluate the responses and share them with industry and government, as decisions impacting our farm businesses are made throughout this pandemic situation. OFA will use this survey as a benchmark with a plan to launch a second survey in coming weeks,” Brekveld wrote in the survey update.
Already, 74 per cent of members surveyed online indicated they are anticipating change in their operations due to COVID-19, the OFA update starts.
Farmers are known for their resilience and perseverance. But even before COVID-19 hit, farmers were coping with a tough year, with multiple rail disruptions, a shortage of meat processing capacity and uncertain global trade and market access.
OFA members are now bracing themselves for continued uncertainty – 78 per cent expect lost revenue as a result of value chain disruptions, 73 per cent are anxious about their inability to conduct business as usual and 69 per cent expect reduced cash flow.
“It is difficult to invest in your business today to ensure you have a good harvest in the fall when you are lacking cash flow/sales now, and potentially weakened demand in the fall,” stated a survey participant.
When asked about their top concerns on how COVID-19 will impact their farm businesses, financial impact, decrease in consumer spending and a potential global recession were the top three. At 53 per cent, cash flow was listed as the most immediate financial need to maintain farm business operations, followed by 37 per cent who expect they will need a temporary pause or rescheduling of loan repayments and 25 per cent who will be seeking information on crisis budget planning.
When asked about their top concerns on how COVID-19 will impact their farm businesses, financial impact, decrease in consumer spending and a potential global recession were the top three.
Labour issues have already impacted some Ontario farmers with disruptions to the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. OFA’s survey revealed that 52 per cent of respondents that use the program said that potential delays or cancellations to the program would negatively impact their operations.
One member wrote, “If we do not have access to the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), our farm will have a very difficult time surviving this emergency. The whole Canadian agricultural industry, especially horticulture, will have extreme difficulty.”
Business interruptions are already being felt on Ontario farms, as many members who responded to the survey noted inputs and on-farm services, like feed and agronomy consultations are being disrupted.
One farmer commented, “We are concerned when field work begins, will we be able to access seed, fertilizer, fuel and equipment dealerships in case of machinery repairs?”
Farmers are also experiencing problems getting their products to market, with one third of survey participants reporting an interruption in delivering finished products. More than half expect these disruptions to continue, with many farmers unsure about what the future holds.
These challenges are compounded with poor quality internet and telecommunications in rural Ontario.
These challenges are compounded with poor quality internet and telecommunications in rural Ontario. More than three-quarters of farmers responding said they cannot operate business as usual during COVID-19 due to poor rural internet and telecommunications quality. Survey respondents also noted the high cost of rural internet, including overage charges or lack of internet providers, that restricts their ability to work and conduct business.
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- Webinar: Managing agritourism through the coronavirus crisis
- Government releases employer requirements for incoming temporary foreign workers


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Three and advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy from London have released this awesome campaign recently. Called „Make it Right“, the commercials feature restless purple muppet Jackson.
The ad is a tribute to the company's founder Arthur Guinness. On September 27 brewery celebrates Arthur's Day. The father of a dark beer is honored with this unusual video: people paint their town, their clothes, even animals black. Really dark and bizarre!


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By AUSTIN MONTGOMERY
ROCKFORD — Stateline Area officials are touting the success brought by a Chicago-Rockford International Airport project that is expected to bring more than 1,000 jobs to the area.
New expansion projects at the airport, from passenger to cargo changes, have been supported largely by federal funding since 2013 with the help of federal representatives
U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline, and U.S. Sen. Dick Durban, D-Ill.
“We will continue fighting for these federal investments that help the airport keep up with growing demand and boost the regional economy,” Durban said.
Earlier this month, the airport celebrated the start of construction of a 120,000-square-foot cargo facility to accommodate LGSTX Services Inc., a company connected with online retailer Amazon’s massive shipping and logistics effort. From 2016 to last year, the airport has seen a 50 percent increase in cargo — equating to nearly 1.4 billion pounds of cargo being processed at the airport.
Work on a $3.5 million ramp for cargo airplane parking is also expected to open this fall, with construction starting earlier this month.
The project is valued at $10 million and is anticipated to add 400 new jobs. Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara said the airport has added more than 1,000 jobs in the last year, and is projected to add an additional 1,000 jobs in the year to come.
“The Chicago Rockford International Airport is truly a differentiator for our City and region,” McNamara said. “As the world economy continues to transition to one in which many American purchase goods online, these goods need to be delivered and our airport is uniquely located to take advantage of this transition.”
Winnebago County Board Chairman Frank Haney said the airport was one of the county’s greatest assets.
“I am not sure of a public-asset that is being more effectively leveraged to drive primary job growth and economic development anywhere in the state of Illinois or the Midwest than our airport,” Haney said.
Haney said of the anticipated job growth, “That is just remarkable and serves as an example of what is possible when an organization has a big vision and brings a multitude of partners together to achieve that vision.”
McNamara said the growth at the airport was a “true illustration of collaboration” between local, state and federal agencies.
“It shows that when the Federal government, State, City, and County have one mission and are aligned, tremendous development can occur,” he said.


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Update: Looks like we should've been concerned. Konami has confirmed the cancellation of the Silent Hills project.
Horror fans might have reason to be concerned.
Many were anticipating the new Silent Hills project, especially after that exceedingly well-received – and decidedly freaky – "P.T."
Unfortunately, the game appears to be in trouble. Konami recently announced that the "P.T." demo would be removed from the PlayStation Store this week and not long after, photojournalist Matt Hackney posted a Guillermo del Toro quote on Twitter :
Now, less than an hour ago, Hackney said he apologized for the confusion this Tweet caused, saying he was just quoting "funny lines" he heard from del Toro at a recent event, which must mean Silent Hills isn't outright canceled, right?
Even so, that Tweet has caused a firestorm of questions, and it doesn't help that "P.T." is disappearing this week. Nor does it help that Kojima and Konami's apparent separation was big news not long ago.
What does all this mean for the future of Silent Hills …?


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USAPEEC marketing efforts carry on
October 5, 2020
Pandemic-mandated restrictions haven’t stopped USAPEEC’s industry marketing efforts around the world, with a recent promotional event in Vietnam yet another successful example.
USAPEEC organized two sessions of the U.S. Poultry Cooking Demonstration for Home Cooks & Media Briefing recently at the Quoc Viet Demo Kitchen in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The activity introduced local consumers to U.S. chicken products, provided cooking recipes, and shared information with local online media about the U.S. poultry industry and cook at home menu concepts for online consumers nationwide. Executive chef and food consultant Norbert Ehrbar conducted the sessions.
See more in the October 5 edition of MondayLine.


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Worldwide toymaker LEGO announced yesterday that it reached its 100% renewable energy goal three years ahead of schedule. The company credits the completion of 258 megawatt Burbo Bank Extension Wind Farm, among other initiatives, with helping it reach such goals.
In 2015, LEGO announced it would invest $150 million over 15 years to become more sustainable with manufacturing and operations. In 2016, the company highlighted both responsible resource consumption and climate objectives in its Responsibility Report, including:
- Progress towards using only sustainable materials in core products and packaging by 2030, and producing prototype LEGO bricks using plastic sourced from sustainable materials
- Continuing the use of 100% Forest Stewardship Council certified paper and packaging in core products
- Recycling 93% of all waste and 100% of element waste
- Ensuring that 90% of all energy consumption at LEGO factories and offices was balanced with production of renewable energy
The company also announced further environmental ambitions, including balancing consumption with production of renewable energy by 2020 and beyond, working with suppliers to reduce CO2 emissions by 2030, using sustainable materials in all packaging by 2020, and adding zero waste to landfills in LEGO operations by 2025 and in the value chain by 2030.
LEGO attractions have also focused on sustainability, both for its operations and for surrounding areas. In 2016, Legoland, in Florida, announced plans to erect a 2MW solar array at the park, which will generate enough energy to power 250 homes in the area.
That same year, LEGO launched the Engage-to-Reduce program with suppliers to create innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions, and also created an environmental strategy for materials that inspires employees to identify opportunities to operate more efficiently.


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Dalmia Bharat, the flagship company of Dalmia Bharat Group, and OCL are the two listed companies engaged in the cement manufacturing. Dalmia Bharat owns 75 per cent stake in OCL while the group promoters own 57.4 per cent equity stake in Dalmia Bharat.
OCL will merge with Dalmia Bharat Limited, which will issue fresh shares for the public shareholders in lieu of their ownership in OCL. Public shareholding in OCL is a little over 25 per cent.
Dalmia Bharat will not issue any fresh shares against its own 74.9 per cent stake in OCL. “We are simplifying the ownership in a transparent manner,” said Puneet Dalmia, managing director of Dalmia Bharat Group.
“The merger will simplify the holding structure, and create further consolidation in the cement sector,” he said.
Currently, promoters’ holding in OCL is through Dalmia Bharat, so new shares that will be issue to Dalmia Bharat will be cancelled. The share swap ratio for the merger will be 2:1 for OCL.
This means that for every two shares of OCL, one share of Dalmia Bharat will be issued. As result, postmerger, Dalmia Bharat Limited will issue only 71.45 lakh fresh equity shares.
The promoters’ stake in the merged entity will come down to 53.2 per cent from the present level of 57.4 per cent. Current OCL India has a market capitalisation of Rs 5,300 crore and Dalmia Bharat Limited has the market cap of Rs 17,600 crore, based on the closing price on BSE on Friday.
“This action further strengthens our position as one of the leading cement players in India, uniquely placed to support India’s economic growth, and demonstrates our commitment towards achieving simplification and consolidation,” Dalmia said.
Dalmia Bharat Group has rapidly built size and scale in recent years. It is now time for consolidation, Puneet Dalmia. “Currently we are operating at 58 per cent capacity utilisation and we are looking at increasing the capacity utilisation that will bolster profit margin,” he said.
At operating profit margin of Rs 1,258 per tonne per annum, Dalmia Bharat’s cement operation is the most efficient in the industry. Going forward, it will further consolidate as demands picks up and capacity utilisation improves, Dalmia said.
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- GST Kitty Swells, Factory Activity Hits 31-Mth High
Data released Thursday indicated India’s sustained economic momentum at the start of the new fiscal year, with goods and services tax (GST) collection growing at a rapid clip in May as manufacturing activity hit a 31-month high in the month. Vehicle and fuel sales backed up the trend.Major Players Looking at India as Next Chip-making Destination
India will focus on creating a supportive ecosystem for semiconductor manufacturing in the country first, and not only on fabrication units, according to union technology, railways, and telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
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Swedish furniture store Ikea is at the centre of an extortion campaign.
The company has been sent a letter and told to pay six million euros or bombs will be planted in Ikea stores.
Police have released a security video as part of the inquiry. They are working on the theory that a criminal gang is behind the demand. The threat is being taken seriously.
A series of explosive devices of varying strengths has already gone off at five Ikea stores across Europe since the end of May.
The ultimatum expired this past Friday. Security has been tightened at all Ikea stores. It is not known if the company plans to pay the money.


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During last days, Apple Inc. was on the lips of all Augmented Reality fans thanks to some news related to this famous new technology.
It’s not a news the competition between Google and Apple, especially when it is about the voice based search components: if Google owns the powerful Google Now (about which has been announced an enhancement soon at Google I/O conference few days ago), Apple unveiled a new feature they’re working on. The feature is called Proactive and it is expected to come with iOS 9: it will replace, or become part of, the traditional Spotlight search menu and it will be fully integrated with Siri, Contacts, Maps, Calendars, Passbook and more. Ok, but what about Augmented Reality? Rumors say that Proactive will not just be integrated with Apple Maps, but it will show them in augmented mode: it seems that in few years, maybe months, all the iPhone owners will be used to 3D maps and to know a lot more of useful information that will be showed on them through a feature called “Browse Around me” .
As we said, these are rumors and everything could change suddenly; but another news that came out lately seems to confirm what we heard. Few days ago, Apple acquired the German company Metaio: they are the developers of an important Augmented Reality Software that uses a particular language called AREL (AR Experience Language) and that provides the tools for other developers to produce augmented experiences within their own apps. It is used especially for developing travel-related companies apps.
To give a better idea, these are two examples of works done using the Metaio software:
Proactive + Metaio: these news gives a pretty clear suggestion of the direction that Apple, even if in late compared to other big companies, is taking. Now we can only wait and see what happens, but surely it will not be long.


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In Ep. 27 of TechBuzz China, co-hosts Ying-Ying Lu and Rui Ma discuss the latest scandal to come out of Chinese internet — fake reviews on one of China’s leading travel websites, Mafengwo. Mafengwo had $1.5 billion in sales last year, 63k transactions, and over 100 million monthly active users.
Due to fake review allegations the Chinese travel experience sharing platform Mafengwo has been under the spotlight lately.
Chinese travel experience sharing platform Mafengwo has been under the spotlight lately due to fake review allegations. The story was first posted on an independent WeChat account only to be denied by Mafengwo a few days later, leaving the truth unclear.


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After Crytek’s ramblings on free-to-play as the future of gaming, another high-profile studio appears to fiercely share the vision. Epic Games, developers of the Gears of War franchise, look at F2P and global launches as the only way to go.
Epic’s Tim Sweeney spoke at GDC Taipei about how $30 million games will invade Asian markets within the next five years or so, but not as retail products; the games are to release as free-to-play products and with a global reach. He added that freemium is going to be the way that almost all games will be distributed worldwide.
Tim Sweeney also predicted the quick death of the current retail model, where “players have to go into the store and buy a piece of plastic.”
Tim Sweeney isn’t just talking nonsense, he has the plans to back it up. Yingpei Games, a.k.a. Epic Games China is developing Mercenary Ops, an anticipated free-to-play third-person shooter that is looking very promising indeed.


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Jamshedpur 19 June 2018: A few weeks ago vendors were removed from Jubilee Park gate, Sakchi and till now these vendors are not given a suitable place to run their business.
A number of protests were also performed in since the vendors were removed forcibly by the government.
Tata Steel has now started the work to establish these vendors again and provide them with a suitable place to carry on their business in Sakchi.
For this 4 quarters are being demolished near Tagore Academy School, Sakchi.
Few B.J.P politicians met D.C regarding this and B.J.P politician Chitranjan Verma said that the Deputy Commissioner assured them that the vendors will soon be settled and Tata Steel has already given NOC to establish these vendors on a plot near Tagore Academy School.
Jamshedpur News @ Tatanagarlive


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Goods exports to Britain were €153m higher in May than in the same month last year. Exports to Britain last year being almost half a billion euro lower, the Central Statistics Office painted a more positive picture for 2017 so far.
It said goods exports to the UK totalled €1.24bn in May, compared with €1.1bn in the same month last year. In the first five months of the year, exports to Britain rose to €5.9bn, compared with €5.19bn in the same five months in 2016.
Overall, on a seasonally adjusted basis, goods exports increased by €644m, or 7pc, to €10.18bn in May, compared with April, according to the preliminary figures.


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Going for your daily cup of iced coffee may be a ritual that you look forward to everyday. But it seems that this lip smacking beverage may contain one fourth of a woman’s recommended daily calories. Consumption of this high calorie drink could also potentially increase one’s cancer risk. This revelation was made by the experts from World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
It was stated that a daily approximate calorie requirement for an average woman may be around 2,000 calories. Now, the experts from WCRF have discovered that an iced coffee drink may contain approximately 561 calories; which covers a quarter of a woman’s recommended daily calorie intake. Some iced coffee drinks were found to contain over 200 calories, where some were even found to contain more than 450 calories.
For this purpose, WCRF has notably warned people that the regular consumption of such high calorie and sugary drinks could increase their risk of developing cancer. This potential association has been explained by saying that high calorie intake can lead to weight gain which may play a role in increasing one’s cancer risk. More so, scientists were also noted to have reported that second to avoiding smoking, maintaining one’s weight may be the most crucial step taken in preventing cancer.
“The fact that there is an iced coffee on the market with over a quarter of a woman’s daily calorie allowance is alarming. This is the amount of calories you might expect to have in an evening meal, not in a drink,” says Dr. Rachel Thompson, Science Programme Manager for WCRF. “Having these type of drinks as an occasional treat is unlikely to do you any harm. But if you are having them regularly then they will increase the chances of you becoming overweight, which in turn increases your risk of developing cancer, as well as other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.”
“With even some small options containing 300 calories, people should check the nutritional content of these drinks, particularly if they are having them regularly. There are some iced coffees on the market that are low in calories, so it is worth shopping around. For example we found one that has just three calories,” continues Dr. Thompson. “As a general rule, if you want to have a coffee, go for an unsweetened version with skimmed or semi skimmed milk as this is likely to contain fewer calories. It is also worth steering clear of ones that contain lots of cream or sugary fruit syrups as these tend to be higher in calories.”
The experts from WCRF were noted to have recommended people to try and stay lean without being underweight, for the purpose of preventing cancer development. Apart from this, they were even noted to have suggested people to stay away from drinking sugary drinks and reducing their intake of energy-dense foods.
Further it was also stated that drinking water may be the best alternative beverage to sugary high calorie drinks. Apart from this, consuming other drinks like unsweetened tea and coffee minus any cream, were even believed to be more preferred than the intake of sugary and high calorie drinks.