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The introduction of a deposit system on plastic bottles could help reduce plastic waste, a Dublin Senator has said.
Fine Gael Senator, Catherine Noone, has called for the introduction of the deposit system to encourage recycling of plastic bottles.
“Under a deposit system for plastic bottles, consumers would pay an extra fee depending on the type of plastic bottle or can, which will be returned to them when they recycle it.” Senator Noone explained.
“This practise is highly successful in Scandinavian countries, some US states and Germany, with recycling points in shops and public spaces.
“Globally, one million plastic bottles are sold every minute, many of which are used only once. Less than half of these bottles will be recycled causing major damage to the environment.
Senator Noone said: “By incentivising recycling we can make a real impact on the amount of waste we produce as a society.
“There is an urgent need for us to reduce plastic waste globally. Research from BUI Galway released today (Monday) points to the global challenge we are facing. They found that 70% of fish sampled were shown to have injected plastic particles.
“Ireland is currently Europe’s largest producer of plastic waste per capita. We must do everything we can to ensure that we reverse this trend.
“Through measures such as a plastic bottle deposit system, we can put Ireland on the path to becoming a leader in plastic recycling.
“We have a responsibility to provide a sustainable future for the coming generations. Caring for the environment is one way we can do this and recycling plastic can play a key role in that endeavour.”


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The holiday season is over. As soon as December 23, Valentine's Day displays were already going up inside stores across the country, and millions of Americans were figuring out where they would work in 2019. After all, those Christmas and Hannukah gifts won't pay for themselves.
So, how would one look for a job after the holiday season? Well, for starters, one wouldn't be looking in the retail sector.
The winter hiring freeze
According to job listings data trends, there aren't too many jobs after the holiday season at several major national retailers, proving a not-often talked about, yet obvious, trope that retail jobs are few and far between after a holiday hiring glut.
Take, for example, Macy's ($M), the department store chain known for going all-out for Christmas. For the past three years during the middle of December, the number of jobs listed on its careers website trends downward sharply.
But it's not just the seasonal jobs that dry up; full-time jobs tend to go away too. When taking out all non-full time and non-commission jobs out of the query (done so by filtering out job titles with keywords relating to such positions), a similar negative trend emerges.
Walmart ($WMT), the nation's largest brick-and-mortar retailer, also showed a job opening decrease towards the end of this year, as openings peaked during the fall months.
Walmart competitor Target ($TGT) job listings show a similar trend. A fall seasonal hiring period gave way to a tough winter for those looking for a retail position, as job listings dropped 47.3% from September to today.
One small exception among the retail giants
Heralded as the "winner of the retail apocalypse," Kohl's ($KSS) had the same trend in job listings as its peers; there were 79.09% less job listings on Kohl's careers website today than there were on December 6.
Although Kohl's follows the trends of its competitors, taking away all seasonal and part-time jobs shows an extraordinary hiring pattern for the largest department store chain in America. Rather than showing another, equally large, decline in job openings, there is only a slight drop in listings for non-seasonal and non-part-time jobs at the retailer from the fall to late December. And, in fact, the worst day for job listings in recent months wasn't even in December; it was October 30, when only 479 positions were listed.
Still, the overall trend remains: across the country, the largest retailers in the world hire less after the holidays. And it makes sense; seasonal workers get offered full-time jobs after working hard during the busy season, and cash-strapped consumers who are reeling after holiday spending — and right before tax season — aren't busting down doors in increased demand.
Should you want to find work during the winter months, it may be tougher to look in the retail sector. But, as always with national trends, results may vary.

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Starbucks is betting that consumers and investors alike will have an appetite for its products beyond coffee. With the recent acquisitions of Teavana, Evolution Fresh and La Boulange Café and Bakery, the Seattle-based coffee giant is aiming to expand its offerings and capture the midday and afternoon traffic that has been elusive so far.
It’s not the first time the coffee chain has tried the risky concept.“The first time they tried to expand into food, there were some missteps because of the way they incorporated food into the logistics of the restaurant,” says Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic, Inc. With last year’s purchase of La Boulange for $100 million, what Starbucks has done is “found a way to incorporate sandwiches and baked goods into that concept to create a broader meal offering.”
On the company’s most recent conference call in July, chairman and CEO Howard Schultz told analysts that was on track to be in 2,500 of the company’s U.S. coffee shops by September, including stores in New York, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles. “We’re seeing both an enthusiastic customer response and substantial lift in incrementally,” he said at the time. On the conference call, Schultz credited Starbucks’ 9% sales growth in the U.S. to “continued beverage innovation and increased food attachment resulting from the success of our transformed and reinvented food program.”
Analysts say adding La Boulange positions Starbucks to compete better with Panera Bread, to an extent, and rival coffee purveyor Dunkin’ Donuts.
And the changes go beyond croissants. In addition to baked goods, Starbucks is hoping to do for tea and juice what it did for coffee, turning them from commodities into high-end, high-margin products. The first Teavana store is scheduled to open this month in New York City, and the company has visions for a standalone chain of Evolution Fresh juice bars.
“You’ll see juice bars with customization, you’ll see tea bars from Teavana,” says R.J. Hottovy, senior restaurant analyst at Morningstar. “Starbucks is a very good retail operator in finding locations and getting a lot of customer transactions at high velocity. I think you can replicate a lot of those things with tea and juice as well.”
Tristano says owning these companies rather than relying on outside suppliers for non-coffee menu items has two advantages: It lets Starbucks better control the quality and make changes, and it will shave a couple of percentage points off the company’s food costs. “Now, the downside is if they start to get into managing their own food supply. It does create more of a distraction from what they do best, which is serving a great cup of coffee.”
Analysts agree that demand is there, but say executing on new products correctly will be a challenge. The coffee shops don’t have full restaurant-style kitchens; many didn’t even have freezers, which had to be added to accommodate the new baked goods, according to the New York Times. (The new baked goods arrive at Starbucks stores frozen.) Consultant and former Starbucks executive John Moore told the Times, “The stores are set up as places to brew and serve coffee, and they don’t have a back of the house suitable for the prep work and other work that goes into serving high-end pastries like these well.”
(MORE: Starbucks: A Model of Success)
But analysts see another benefit to this burgeoning growth, anticipating that an expanded product line-up will let Starbucks sell more items in more places. ”I also like the idea that they have new products to take to grocery stores and warehouse clubs,” Hottovy says. Starbucks has had success bringing its Tazo tea brand, Starbucks bagged coffee and K-cups into stores, he points out.
With baked goods and juices added to the mix, a lot more retail shelf real estate is up for grabs, which is likely to boost Starbucks’ profit margin. “This is the next evolution,” he says.


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Tesco says that its investigation into how horse DNA was found in three of its frozen beef burger lines has found that its supplier used meat from outside the UK and Ireland.
The evidence tells us that our frozen burger supplier, Silvercrest, used meat in our products that did not come from the list of approved suppliers we gave them.
Nor was the meat from the UK or Ireland, despite our instruction that only beef from the UK and Ireland should be used in our frozen beef burgers.
Consequently we have decided not to take products from that supplier in future.
We took that decision with regret but the breach of trust is simply too great.
More top news
A photograph appearing to show a seagull flying in formation alongside the Red Arrows display team has gone viral.
Bowers pleaded not guilty of assaulting his ex-fiancee Sophia Cahill in Croydon in January.
Today the outside world – in the form of US and Swiss authorities – came knocking at Fifa's door.


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The first container of DuraOcean® from LifestyleGarden®, the ground-breaking new outdoor furniture made from nets, ropes and plastic waste recovered from the world’s oceans, has arrived in the UK. It marks the culmination of a global operation spearheaded by parent company ScanCom International that has set a new benchmark for sustainable furniture and transformed an ambitious concept into a revolutionary product that is taking the market by storm.
With each DuraOcean® chair made from 3.5kg of recovered ocean plastic, the first container alone represents a total of 1,925kg of former marine waste that has been converted into robust and stylish outdoor furniture. The result of a significant period of research and development combined with pioneering technology, every box of DuraOcean® ready for delivery represents LifestyleGarden® and ScanCom’s commitment to the highest levels of environmental and social responsibility.
With the DuraOcean® story making headlines and LifestyleGarden® snapping-up orders from garden centres, restaurants, cruise ship operators and numerous sectors across the lifestyle, leisure and hospitality industries, DuraOcean® is playing a pivotal role in spreading the word about ScanCom’s world-wide commitment to sustainable and ethical business – bringing the company’s commitment to ‘Doing Business the Right Way’ to a new and wider audience.
Protecting the planet
The ground-breaking partnership between LifestyleGarden® and the Eden Project, which will see LifestyleGarden®’s new ranges for 2020 carry Eden Project branding, is a further example of how organisations driven by a commitment to sustainability can work together to bring about genuine change. While protecting the planet for future generations is in LifestyleGarden®’s DNA, the brand’s ambitions are underpinned by ScanCom’s global commitment to putting environmental responsibility at the forefront of every aspect of the business.
But what does ‘Doing Business the Right Way’ actually mean? ScanCom’s global operation ensures that every aspect of the business is consistently scrutinized to minimise its footprint on the environment. Since its foundation in 1995, the company has evolved to span the globe, with more than 3,000 employees, and manufacturing sites in Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam – as well as sales offices in Denmark, Germany, UK, Spain, USA, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
To maintain the highest standards, ScanCom controls its supply chain using 100% internal production, with all materials for LifestyleGarden® products made in-house, guaranteeing quality, consistency and sustainability. This means that only FSC-certified timber that has been grown in responsibly managed plantations in Brazil and Indonesia, or recycled teak sourced on the island of Java, is selected for LifestyleGarden®’s products. ScanCom was a pioneer of using 100% FSC hardwood and is looking to increase its use of FSC teak.
Safeguarding natural resources
The company has an outstanding track record in respecting human and labour rights, while environmental awareness of all employees is enhanced via regular programmes of training and education, ensuring that sustainability remains at the forefront of every aspect of ScanCom’s operations. Setting and measuring environmental objectives safeguards the environment and protects natural resources, while the business is also continually taking steps to minimise waste, lower CO2 emissions and optimise its activities to reduce consumption of resources and increase recycling.
Paul Cohen, UK Sales Director at LifestyleGarden®, said: “Our commitment to ‘Doing Business the Right Way’ influences every element of our operations – from the processing of raw materials, to the way in which the final product is packaged and delivered to retailers. We are not a company that simply talks about doing things differently; we are a team that’s driven by a passionate commitment to safeguarding the environment and leaving our planet in a better state for the next generation. The DuraOcean® is playing a critical role in helping to spread the message about ScanCom’s mission – from design excellence to state-of-the-art production facilities that have brought a truly innovative product to market which will help to clean up the world’s oceans as demand continues to grow. It’s a win-win situation for ScanCom, LifestyleGarden®, retailers and the environment.”
In addition to only using FSC teak, LifestyleGarden® is a pioneer of utilising sustainable materials to craft iconic products. There’s Duraboard®, made from eucalyptus sawdust and synthetic wicker recycled from factories – an FSC-certified unique material that raises the bar for maintenance-free outdoor table tops that can last a lifetime. Petan® is a durable and weather-resistant natural-looking wicker made from raw polyethylene mixed with eco-friendly additives, meaning it’s 100% recyclable. And Duresin®, a unique formulation for outdoor furniture, contains no harmful chemicals and can be recycled without any producing waste.
Find out more


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When you are an open source leech you should probably avoid calling other people names.
Following news of the royal pardon for WWII code breaker and computer scientist Alan Turing for his "crime" in the '50s of being a homosexual, "The Imitation Game" reveals its first official image from the film.
In a doodle celebrating the 100th birthday of Alan Turing tomorrow, Google creates a conundrum that the majority of humanity simply won't understand. This is a good thing.
In the lead-up to the debut of the biopic "Jobs," Ashton Kutcher talks the future of mobile apps, wearable technology, and what the next Steve Jobs may look like.
Kiss goodbye to your cables, people -- mobile phone giant Qualcomm is set to bring wireless electric car charging to London by early 2012.
New power strip charts wasteful ways in the hopes that you'll start using energy more wisely.
What's inside the Nintendo 3DS? There's only one way to find out: fetch the tools and tear it open!
Use Google's Images search to grab big pictures for desktop wallpapers and the like? A new Firefox extension might save you some time.
Internet giant is trying to raise support for a store that would sell access to newspaper and magazine content on Android-powered devices, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
A student at the Rhode Island School of Design has come up with an ingenious way to prevent unnecessary overcharging.


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Disney and Comcast have entered a new 10-year agreement that will allow its TV customers to watch content from Disney's networks online through its XfinityTV.com website or iPad app. The deal includes over 70 channels of live and on-demand content, including ABC, ABC Family, Disney Channel, ESPN, and will work either inside or outside the home. In addition to on-demand access to Disney's library, Comcast users will also be able to use Disney's own applications such as WatchESPN for iPad. GigaOm reports that Comcast will help facilitate distribution of new mobile apps from Disney (including WatchDisneyChannel and WatchDisneyJunior) in return. This development comes just a few short months after Disney signed a movie rental deal with YouTube, and is no doubt a big win for Comcast customers that prefer to consume content online.
Comcast streaming live ABC, Disney, ESPN channels online, at home or on-the-go
Comcast streaming live ABC, Disney, ESPN channels online, at home or on-the-go/
Comcast customers will gain access to Disney channels on XfinityTV.com and its iPad app. Both live and on-demand content will be available, working inside and outside the home.


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Buybacks have gotten a bad rap from both Republicans and Democrats. But stocks would be trading at a massive discount without them.Marketsread more
Fiat Chrysler and France's Renault could soon partner up to take on the sweeping changes to the global auto industry, according to a report in the Financial Times. The...Autosread more
Microsoft shares have gained 133% since November 2015, outperforming a tech "basket of unicorns" over that stretch.Technologyread more
The president's state visit comes amid tensions with carmaker Toyota over potential auto tariffs. Trump has repeatedly threatened Japanese and European carmakers with tariffs.Traderead more
The IRS is about to release a new draft of Form W-4, which will more closely reflect the changes stemming from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. For workers, that means they'll need...Personal Financeread more
When commercial real estate investor Manny Khoshbin spent $2.2 million on the fastest production car in the world, he had no idea it would very quickly also become the...Autosread more
The Mega Millions jackpot has spilled over $400 million. It would be the ninth largest winning since the game began in 2002.Personal Financeread more
Trump was speaking at a meeting of Japanese business leaders in Tokyo during his state visit to Japan on Saturday.Marketsread more
The biggest U.S. gasoline price surge in years is running out of steam just in time for the start of the summer driving season.Energyread more
The federal minimum wage has remained $7.25 per hour since 2009. But several states, and even some companies, have since taken matters into their own hands to pay employees a...Workread more
Stocks rose on Friday, but notched weekly losses as investors worried the U.S.-China trade war is hurting economic growth.US Marketsread more
Burger King is testing a vegetarian version of its Whopper that uses an Impossible Burger for its patties, becoming the first national fast-food chain to sell the plant-based burger.
The Restaurant Brands International subsidiary is offering the Impossible Whopper at 59 St. Louis locations. The chain already sells veggie patties made by Kellogg's vegetarian brand, Morningstar Farms.
To announce the launch, Burger King released a video on April Fools' Day that shows unsuspecting Whopper fans eating the version with the Impossible Burger and then exclaiming that they can't taste the difference.
Silicon Valley-based Impossible Foods genetically engineers heme, a protein that makes the vegetarian-friendly burger taste like meat. The ingredient is also responsible for giving the patty red juices that make it look like it's bleeding, just like a piece of beef.
"We wanted to make sure we had something that lived up to the expectations of the Whopper," Burger King's North America president, Christopher Finazzo, told Reuters. "We've done sort of a blind taste test with our franchisees, with people in the office, with my partners on the executive team, and virtually nobody can tell the difference."
The Impossible Burger is already sold in more than 5,000 restaurants, but if Burger King takes it nationwide, it would more than double its footprint.
Impossible Foods spokeswoman Rachel Konrad told CNBC that the company is ramping up production at its manufacturing facility in Oakland, California to go from making 500,000 pounds per month to more than 2 million pounds per month. The company recently hired a second shift to help double production. She also said that they are expanding capacity further and looking beyond Oakland for more capacity.
The Impossible Whopper will cost about a dollar extra, but Finazzo said that research found that customers do not mind paying extra and like the plant-based burger for its health benefits.
Red Robin has also joined the ranks of fast casual restaurants bringing the plant-based burger to its 570 stores. Before Burger King's announcement, regional chain White Castle was the only fast-food restaurant to sell the Impossible Burger at its nearly 400 locations, which are mostly in the Midwest. Carl's Jr. launched a plant-based burger made in partnership with Impossible Food's main competitor, Beyond Meat.
Finazzo said that the company considered a Beyond Meat burger but chose Impossible Foods for the taste, brand recognition and price.
—Reuters contributed reporting to this story.


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Salaries in large Spanish companies increased by 3.9% in July compared to the same month of the previous year, a rise higher than that of June but in line with those of previous months, which stabilizes the increase so far this year by an average of 3.5%.
This average rise of 3.5% is higher than the 1% registered in 2021 and you have to go back to 2008 to find a year with a higher rate, which represents a change in trend that is explained in the context of high inflation, according to the report on sales, employment and salaries in large companies published this Thursday by the Tax Agency.
In July, the growth in the number of recipients of work income – fiscal indicator of salaried employment – moderated to 5.2%, an increase lower than the rate of the two previous months and the growth of more than 6% in the first half of the year .
The growth of total sales of large companies (deflated and corrected for seasonal and calendar variations) moderated in July for the third consecutive month to 5.2% year-on-year.
The cause of the slowdown in July was the slowdown in domestic sales to 3.1% year-to-year, almost four points less than the rate for June.
Exports, on the other hand, recovered part of the intensity lost in the month of June and grew by 12.1%, a rate close to the average for the year, thanks to the good results in sales to third countries outside the European Union .Salaries in large companies rose 3.9% in July


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Best 6 consumer products launched in India – The innovation of consumer products is essential as consumers need changes with time. Additionally, new consumer products make the work of consumers effortless and make their life good. Recently we have noticed some amazing products launched by big brands such as Tata group – Titan, Tata consumer, and Tata CLiQ and others. Let us analyse how these new product launch in India makes the lives of consumers easy, effortless and better. How these new product launch companies may perform financially over the same period.
Best 6 consumer products launched in IndiaBest Consumer Products
Titan Company launched IRTH bags for women
The titan company has launched a new brand IRTH Bags. It is designed specifically for women to elevate their everyday look with premium quality at affordable prices.
IRTH products range from work bags to shoulder bags, tall totes, slings, cross body, clutches, and wallets. It also includes unique categories, Delights, and organizers.
Delight bag is a mom bag as it comes with an insulated milk bottle, water-repellent slots for soiled clothes, and changing mats, and it is hands-free with detachable straps. It will make mom’s life easy by carrying essential items in one place.
At the same time, an Organized bag is a launch to give mobility styling. The IRTH brand considered 90 bags. And 4 organizer bags from which customers can choose their favourite bags.
The market size of girl bag category is approximately Rs 4500 crore in India in 2022. The girls bag market is expected to reach Rs 7500 crore by 2027. Titan can reach Rs 1000 crore in sales by selling IRTH and Fastrack bags in the next five years.
Titan began its watch category business and diversified into other products. The company has recorded a revenue of Rs 8,649 crores compared to Rs 2890 crore in the first quarter of 2022.
Titan owned by Tata group. The company is one of the best companies in India in watches, Jewlery and other consumer products. The company witnessed annual revenue growth of 33.0% outperformed its 3-year CAGR of 13.16%. The total income of the company has increased from INR 21,830.00 in FY2021 to INR 29,033.00 in FY2022.
Tata CLiQ Luxury Forays into Jewlery Segment
Tata Cliq is India’s premier luxury brand. Tata CLiQ is an online platform of Tata group that sells consumer product directly to consumers. The company is introducing a new product into the market in the fine jewelry segment. Tata CLiQ will sell the De beers Forevermark brand on its platform. On this platform 9, trending collections will be available in various product categories. Product categories include rings, earrings, bracelets, nose pints, cufflinks, and pendants.
De Beers is a well-known brand in Jewellery segment. The diamond jewellery from the brand provides an Inscription card and grading certificate to customers. Also, the diamond is natural, hand-picked, rare, and responsibly sourced. Tata CliQ has a legacy of 130 years as a diamond brand.
Tata Consumer Products Enters Alternate Meat Segment
Tata consumer products enter into the plant-based meat segment under the new brand name Tata Simply better. The company is targeting customers who are looking for plant-based food for their health with good taste.
A new product launch took place by simply better brand. The company launches four plant-based meat variants product such as follows:
- Burger patty
- Awadhi Seekh Kebab
- Spicy fingers.
All plant-based meat is rich in protein, fat-free, with no added preservatives, or artificial flavors with no compromising on the taste. Also, the products will provide consumers with healthier food and sustainable lifestyles with delicious tastes.
Furthermore, refrigerated plant-based products at room temperature and this product is travel friendly.
India’s plant-based meat market is around Rs 300 crore in 2022. The market is estimated to grow over 10 times to reach Rs 3500 crore by 2025. Tata consumer is one of the pioneers in launching this new product in India. The company has a strong brand in consumer product in India. Recent product launches will definitely have strong support to its top line performance.
Health and Glow introducing a new product into the market – H&G Cosmetics Color-Cosmetic Range
The leading omnichannel retail chain Health and glow has launched innovative products and color cosmetics. The new product launches in India in the name of H&G Cosmetics.
In H&G Cosmetics they will offer a fresh assortment of vegan cruelty-free makeup day looks. The brand will revolve around the theme of Work, play, and party.
The feature of the new product launched are
- 22 shades of liquid lip color
- 23 shades of a bullet lipstick
- 2 in 1 foundation stick in 7 shades
- 3 shades of compact powder
- Retractable kajal in 5 aesthetic tints
Health and Glow provide a perfect makeup product for Indian skin with the right assortment of shades. Also, all products of H&G Cosmetics are paraben free and dermatologically tested because it ensures consumers that the product is safe for the skin and will not harm them.
India’s cosmetic market will grow at a CAGR of ~4.5% from 2022 to 2077. The color cosmetics makeup market captures a large segment of the Indian market. Further, cruelty-free and vegan beauty product demand is booming in the world, which will affect the Indian market in the future.
The company runs omnichannel sells platforms like Nykaa and Mamaearth. It sells the products of different brands on its platform as well. Nykaa has already listed in India, though it is not performing on the bourses as expected. But, mamaearth has been performing consistently in terms of revenue and is planning to come up with an IPO in early 2023.
Hill Zill Wines launched Pomona hand-crafted wines
Headquartered in Maharashtra, Hill zill creates unique alcoholic beverages with fresh fruits. It has launched handcrafted fruit-flavored wines known as Pomona. Amont the recent product launches in the wine segment, this is one of the best products out of fruits.
The Pomona wines will consider three unique flavors of fruits such as mango, strawberry, and chocolate. It represents the main season of the year. The ripe mangoes in wine will get a summer feel in every sip. Another strawberry flavor will take customers into a luscious strawberry garden in the monsoon. The wines will surely give Christmas. vibes to winter lovers.
The richness of Pomona wines will provide each person with delicious cocktails. Additionally, its rich aroma provides customers with an ecstatic experience with the drink.
Another winery of Maharashtra – Sula Vineyard – is coming up with its Initial Public Offering in 2023. The market regulator SEBI has already approved its DRHP. Let us see how the company will perform in exchange.
However, with changing culture and lifestyle wine consumption in India likely to increase. Both these companies will benefit from this change.
MuscleBlaze new product Launch Patented MB ProCheck
Muscleblaze is a sports nutrition brand. Out of the company’s recent product launches, this is the first home protein testing Kit, MB Procheck. Also, it is the second patent product that the brand offered.
Due to changing lifestyle in India, Millennials prefer to drink supplements to keep fit and healthy. But it is hard to figure out which protein supplement is fake or real. Fake products have side effects in the long run for young consumers. The impact of fake products is kidney problems and sometimes results in renal failure. However, with the MB Procheck, you can check if protein supplements are authentic and accurate according to the print label.
The NABL-accredited SGS laboratories validate the MB Procheck product which shows that the product is trustworthy.
Out of the new product launch companies, we prefer the above 6 companies at the top to review. Since these products are directly linked to consumers sentiment and come out with innovation, these are my preferred products. Few of the recent product launches have an impact of the stock performance of the Tata group companies like Titan and Tata consumer. Keep an eye on these company’s share in near future.


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Turkish honey export revenues soared 60 pct in 2017
TRABZON – Anadolu Agency
Revenues from Turkish honey exports soared 60 percent in 2017, according to an analysis of industry data.
Turkey last year earned $23.8 million in revenue from honey exports to 45 countries, according to Eastern Black Sea Exporters Association (DKIB) data provided to state-run Anadolu Agency.
The volume of honey exports also rose 79 percent over 2016.
The data shows the top three buyers of Turkish honey are Germany, the U.S., and Saudi Arabia.
Germany took first place with $9.3 million, followed by the U.S. with $8.1 million and Saudi Arabia with $1.3 million.
“Our honey exports are constantly going up,” Ahmet Hamdi Gürdoğan, who heads the exporters’ group, told Anadolu Agency.
He added that signs point to another banner year in 2018.


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Get ready to say the phrase "scum fuck flower boy" a lot over the next few months. Tyler, the Creator has revealed the title, tracklist, and cover art for his new album. The title, promisingly, is Scum Fuck Flower Boy. The album, including the recently released singles "Who Dat Boy" featuring ASAP Rocky and "911/Mr. Lonely" featuring Frank Ocean, is out July 21. For traditional retail outlets afraid of words like "scum" and "fuck," the album will simply be listed as Flower Boy.
As Tyler noted on Twitter just before unveiling the cover art, the scum fucky phrase first appeared on some shirts (and a bike) earlier this year. "So i put some words on some clothing last year," Tyler said. "Some people had ideas on what it was used for, made some sites blah blah. when people are desperate for info, they believe anything ive realized. with that said they were right about one thing. happy i can show you this first instead of a supportive but invasive fan page [sic]."
For the cover, Tyler enlisted artist Eric White. In a 2013 piece for the Los Angeles Times, Leah Ollman touted White as "a bit of a vandal, or better yet, a misappropriationist." For Scum Fuck Flower Boy, Tyler crafted one cover and White did the other.
Tyler's last studio album was 2015's Cherry Bomb, featuring contributions from Kanye West and Pharrell.
If you haven't already, catch the video for "Who Dat Boy" and stream "911/Mr. Lonely" below.
Have a scummy and fucky day, everyone.


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Turkey has been experiencing difficult times with its exports to Russia which has declined by 14.6 percent, dropping to $6.57 billion in 2014 compared to $7.96 billion in 2013 due to the decrease in the value of the ruble.
According to the records of the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TÄ°M), Turkey's total exports rose to $157.62 billion with an increase of 4 percent in 2014. Unlike the increasing export rates in 2014, big losses occurred in the Russian market, having a large impact on all sectors, as Russia is one of the top export markets for Turkey.
Almost every sector in Turkey was negatively affected by the decrease in the ruble, and their exports to Russia drastically decreased. The textile sector's loss is estimated at around 24.92 percent. The exports of the textile sector to Russia which had increased to $1.16 billion in 2013, dropped to nearly $763 million in 2014. Export of leather products nosedived by 24.52 percent, thereby reaching $410 million.
Exports of ready-made clothing to Russia, which had increased to $413 million in 2013, dropped to nearly $351 million in 2014, a decrease of 15.02 percent.
Russia ranked fourth after Germany, Iraq and England among the countries Turkey exported to in 2013, it fell three steps behind in 2014, thereby ranking seventh after Germany, Iraq and England, Italy, France and the U.S.
A weekly report covering market and price information on the entire chain of polyester along with online access to daily polyester chain prices.
One-time reports that are issued annually cover the demand and supply trends in individual products including polyester, nylon, acrylic, viscose, and cotton.
One-time reports that are issued annually cover the demand and supply trends in the individual country's natural and manmade fiber/filament industries.
Countries Served Worldwide


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The company rolled out #RightToColour campaign on Republic Day
Electronic corporations Panasonic India in collaboration with Dentsu Aegis Network has launched a new digital campaign #RightToColour on Republic Day. The campaign brings into the limelight viewfinder lens that helps to saturate and balance colour for people with colour blindness by giving them the chance to experience colours.
About 300 million people worldwide and 13 lakh people in the country suffer from some degree of colour blindness and this impacts their everyday life depending on the severity, Shirish Agarwal, head, brand and marketing communications, Panasonic India, told BrandWagon Online. “Through this campaign we, at Panasonic, want to bring alive the spirit of Republic Day by enabling those with vision deficiency,” he added.
#RightToColour is a digital led campaign which the company will amplify through their social media handles. Starting with YouTube and Facebook, Panasonic India has designed a short version of the original video for Instagram. Furthermore, the company will use social media influencers who are photographers. According to Agarwal, the company doesn’t assign marketing budgets before planning a marketing strategy. Instead it designs certain key performance indicators (KPIs) and the funds to drive those KPIs are released. Panasonic India aims to garner 10 million views and 15-20 million unique users with this campaign.
The company claims in terms of ad-spend, above-the-live (ATL) media, such as digital, print and radio, will account for 50% of the overall marketing budget. While the remaining 50% of the budget has been allocated to below-the-line (BTL) activations.
According to Agarwal, among ATL media, digital leads in the advertising space with nearly 30%-35% of the budget being diverted towards it. Meanwhile, TV amounts to 20%-25% of the ad spend and the remaining is split between print and radio.
The #RightToColour campaign showcases the struggles of colour blind photographers while narrating true life experiences of a Assam-based photographer, Hizol Chodhury who wishes to see his photographs as the world sees them. The film highlights how Hizol has to rely on his team for colour correction and saturation of his work and the challenges he faces in the personal and professional life.


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Hino Trucks has partnered with Morgan Corp. on a quick-delivery, dry freight van body program for its conventional trucks.
This partnership will give Hino dealers across the country access to faster turnaround times on 24-foot to 26-foot dry freight van bodies and provides customers shorter lead times.
Available in October, this Quick Turn stock program will serve 46 states (excluding, Hawaii, Alaska, California and Nevada) and trucks will be stocked through Morgan's regional manufacturing operations.
Despite regional stocking, customers will receive the benefit of consistent, national pricing across the country that maintains the same price on the program bodies through all Hino dealers.
"This new program is designed to have a 21-day turnaround from chassis or order receipt on stocked trucks," said National Account Manager for Morgan Corporation Chris Johnson.


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December 7, 2015 (Miami, FL) — Jones Pierre and Pierre-Louis family present the Annual Christmas Giving In Haiti 2015 Toy Drive. Started in 2013 by Lex Pierre-Louis, founder of Lex Promotions and Marketing Group, and Jones Pierre, CEO of I Print and Design, this year the South Florida entrepreneurs collaborated with Choice Airways, to bring the children of Haiti some Christmas cheer.
“Since 1993, my Auntie Yverlline Pierre-Louis, has been organizing toy drives in Haiti for the kids during the holidays,” said Mr. Pierre-Louis. “As my success grows, I feel compelled to give back and better the Haitian community where many of my family members still reside.” It was only natural that he teamed up with long time business associate Jones Pierre, who is also of Haitian descent. “I remember when I used to go to Haiti as a child with my mom, all of our family would gather around because they knew my home had something for them. The look on everyone’s face when their name was called and they received their gift was priceless!” Pierre recalls.
In 2014, over 1,000 toys were collected and donated in Haiti, this year the goal is to significantly increase that donation to 5, 000. “Unfortunately, 2015 has been a complicated year because of the political elections and we could not start the drive without confirmation on how the toys would be delivered,” said Pierre-Louis. On December 1, the Toy Drive received confirmation from Michel Desrosiers, president of Choice Airways, agreed to deliver the toys to Haiti.
The organization is collecting donations for youth ages 4 to 18, including shoes (new or used); unwrapped toys, sports items, stuffed animals, dolls, makeup kits, games, toiletries, school supplies such as book bags, notebooks and pencils, new or gently used clothing and shoes before December 16, 2015. The items can be dropped off or mailed to Print Giants – I Print & Design Miami Office located at 7305 NE 1ST Place, Miami, FL 33138 between the hours of 11:00AM – 7:00PM, Monday through Friday. For additional information call 786.333.9159.


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The Bank of England has published a joint Consultation Paper with the government on a proposed central bank digital currency (CBDC) for the UK. All interested parties – including the public – are invited to respond to the document here.
The Bank has also produced a Technology Working Paper, outlining the CBDC Taskforce’s thinking on a supporting infrastructure for the digital pound (aka the Britcoin).
The latter explains that the government foresees a platform model, with the Bank hosting the core ledger and API, allowing Payment Interface Providers (PIPs) and External Service Interface Providers (ESIPs) access based on what the Consultation says are underlying principles of privacy, security, resilience, performance, extensibility, and low energy usage.
Far from being an overnight dip in the waters of digital finance, as some in the media have suggested, the Taskforce has been debating these issues since its inception in 2021. So, publication offers some insights into whether the past two years have been well spent.
What the documents reveal is a government that wants to appear bold, digital, and assertive, but is terrified of the message this sends to private markets.
The first notable revelation is that the UK CBDC in consultation is a retail, rather than wholesale (interbank payments), coin. According to the BofE’s accompanying statement, the digital pound would be “used by households and businesses for their everyday payments needs”. It would exist alongside, and be “easily exchangeable with”, cash and bank deposits.
This implies that the previously stated core benefit of a retail CBDC, that it would help the financially excluded and the unbanked, is no longer a principal focus. Instead, this is something more fundamental.
In this light, the advantages it offers are not immediately obvious. After all, what is preventing citizens or consumers from transacting online today? Fintech and digital payment solutions are booming, while some estimates say the UK ecommerce market is the third largest after China and the US, representing over one-quarter of all British retail sales.
The Bank explains:
The digital pound would maintain public access to retail central bank money and, as our lifestyles and the economy become ever more digital, it would also promote innovation, choice, and efficiency in domestic payments.
‘Efficiency in domestic payments’ is an ambiguous statement, and may suggest that the programmable nature of a CBDC might lock citizens into smart contracts, including with the government, whether they like it or not. Bear in mind that UK tax affairs are becoming ever more digitized and automated, with any administrative burden now pushed onto citizens and small businesses.
Elsewhere, however, the BofE seems oddly ambivalent about the project – though in fairness, it is a consultation. In its introductory note, it says:
At this stage, we judge it likely that the digital pound will be needed in the future. It is too early to decide whether to introduce the digital pound, but we are convinced preparatory work is justified.
A bizarre, self-contradicting statement: suggesting that the digital pound will be needed, and yet it is too early to say. Arguably, this reveals a lack of ambition and leadership, a “wait and see what everyone else does first” approach.
However, in the Consultation itself the second part of that statement becomes “It is too early to commit to build the infrastructure for one, but we are convinced that further preparatory work is justified”, which is a different point entirely. (Was the report poorly summarized by an intern, or by a passing AI?)
Elsewhere, however, that ambivalence returns. The Bank notes that such a major digital infrastructure project would “take years” to create, and yet it is apparently too early to start it. All of which suggests the Bank wants to have its cake, but not eat it, despite a possible timescale of a CBDC before the end of this decade.
In other words, the document seeks to present the UK’s central bank as forward-looking, modern, and innovative, and yet also quite the reverse, as weak, cautious, and rudderless. An institution with an identity crisis – much like post-Brexit UK, in fact. Pragmatism, but with the risk of handing the advantage to bolder competitors.
So, what are the external factors influencing this mixed messaging? The answer would appear to be the unknown extent to which cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and other digital tokens – including those issued by private companies on their own platforms – become more widely accepted in the future as money.
In short, it’s really about maintaining financial – and therefore political – sovereignty. To reassert the dominance of so-called ‘public money’ (that issued by the Bank of England) over ‘private money’ (any claim on a commercial bank). Not exactly a free-market Conservative position, hence the ambivalent, apologetic tone. The Consultation says:
A significant factor in determining whether the digital pound is needed will be how the payments landscape evolves in coming years, both in the UK and abroad. In particular, whether new forms of privately issued digital money emerge and how they interact with existing forms of money and payments.
International developments in the provision of CBDCs by other countries, and their potential to affect the UK domestically and as a global leader in finance, will also be important.
The power of private money
Far ahead of the game, China has long been issuing experimental quantities of the digital yuan. Should it oblige others to use it in international trade, this could begin to threaten the primacy of the dollar.
Notably, China’s move two years ago coincided with its government clamping down on cryptocurrencies, suggesting that Beijing was determined to rein in private digital money in favour of a state-controlled digital currency.
So, could it be that the Bank of England is terrified of appearing to act like a controlling state, and so has to whisper its public digital money ambitions instead? Meanwhile, it risks lagging behind any bolder market leaders until a decision is forced on it by circumstance. Pragmatism with common sense, probity, and stability? Or cowardice?
The BofE says it is proceeding with sensible caution:
The digital pound would maintain public access to retail central bank money, thereby anchoring trust in the monetary system in a more digitalized world and underpinning monetary and financial stability.
Also, as our lifestyles and the economy become ever more digital, it would, through partnership with the private sector, promote innovation, choice and efficiency in domestic payments, thereby boosting the UK economy, supporting growth and financial inclusion.
The first mention of digital inclusion, which was more of a selling point earlier in the project.
However, the problem with this whole argument is that UK payments are already largely digital, in a financial services world we are constantly told is both innovative and thriving. Card- and mobile-phone based payments now dominate – a point acknowledged by the Bank, which notes that roughly 60% of all payments are now made by card, with 32% contactless.
The document adds:
Around 95% of the funds held by individuals to make UK payments today are private money, held as commercial bank deposits, and typically spent electronically, such as by bank transfer or debit card. As spending has become more digital, the use of cash for payments has declined, falling from 55% of transactions to 15% over the past decade.
So, what purpose could a CBDC possibly serve, other than pushing the public away from private money and towards public digital cash – of a kind that might give the government a measure of control over, or insight into, public spending?
The answer is that the Bank is positioning the digital pound as a weapon in the fight against the power of private money:
If current trends continue, the public’s access to, or use of, central bank money will diminish and the monetary system could become fragmented, posing a risk to monetary and financial stability. The payments landscape could also become concentrated if firms’ use of new technologies in money issuance results in dominance by a small number of them. That would pose a risk to competition and diminish the incentives for longer-term innovation.
The Bank summarizes its position thus:
The digital pound would provide a public platform for private-sector innovation. The digital pound system would be a public-private partnership. The private sector would play a crucial role in offering innovative and user-friendly services.
The Bank would issue the digital pound. This means it would be a direct claim on the Bank, as cash is today. It would be denominated in sterling, the currency of the UK, and £10 of digital pounds would always have the same value as, and be interchangeable with, a £10 banknote.
And as previously mentioned, the Bank would also maintain the core ledger, enabling the issuance of digital ‘pass-through’ wallets to end users, with their holdings of digital pounds recorded anonymously “to safeguard their privacy”.
A dystopian future?
So, what do others make of the plans – such as they are?
Ian Taylor, Board Advisor at CryptoUK, the trade association for the UK’s digital asset and Web 3.0 sector, said:
We welcome today’s news that the Bank of England and His Majesty’s Treasury has announced a roadmap to a digital pound. This will bring the UK in line with the European Central Bank and a growing number of forward-thinking nations, including many G7 countries, which are exploring the benefits of this payment instrument.
Bradley Duke, co-CEO at crypto investment specialists ETC Group, was less enthusiastic, telling diginomica:
CBDCs such as the digital pound will likely be completely centralized and possibly dystopian in nature, while leading cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum envisage a freer world filled with innovation and opportunity.
A bold statement in the crypto-winter and post the FTX fraud. Jai Bifulco, Chief Commercial Officer at Kinesis Money, took a similar line:
With access to previously untapped data, CBDCs could give governments new, unprecedented levels of control. The potential for governments to make instant policy changes could have negative repercussions on CBDC users – powers that, without sufficient regulation, have the potential to be misused.
But not everyone takes the alarmist or alt/defi-finance purist view. Martin Hargreaves, Chief Product Officer at blockchain provider Quant said:
The idea for a retail CBDC is a response to the declining use of cash and the corresponding rise in electronic payments. All central banks have a responsibility to make central bank money useful and accessible to citizens, and it could be argued that cash alone is now struggling to fulfil this mandate.
CBDCs could usher in a range of benefits in terms of efficiency and transparency. A digital pound could enable citizens and businesses to automate cumbersome payments and processes and implement logic into money.
Again, the feeling is hard to ignore that one core purpose of a CBDC might be to lock the population into smart, automated payments to the government.
Dialogue around the potential issuance of a UK CBDC has become increasingly alarmist, with nonsensical suggestions we are on the verge of an Orwellian nightmare in which government officials have an up-close view of what we’re buying – along with an ability to freeze the money in our bank accounts on a whim.
It is illogical to suggest that the Bank of England would program its currency in a way that could impact stability and fungibility. If constraints were put on how and when a CBDC could be spent, it would impact its value and open the door to arbitrage of the digital pound.
In summary, then, this is an oddly ambivalent, ‘push me, pull you’ document that, on the one hand, claims a UK CBDC will be necessary and it will take years to build the supporting infrastructure, but on the other, that it is too early to say or even to start such a project – unless others do it first.
Hardly the bold, independent leadership promised for Brexit UK. But at least the Consultation reveals the core purpose of the Britcoin: the pound’s last stand in a contactless, crypto-, mobile, private-money world.
No wonder the BofE and the government are so ambivalent, therefore. It’s public money versus the power of the markets: hardly something a Conservative government would shout from the rooftops. So, it has to say it quietly and apologetically instead.
Terribly sorry to bother you, but would you mind awfully if we kept a little bit of digital for ourselves? Sorry for asking, of course.


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Samsung Galaxy S21 series embraces more Google features
Google said that it has also worked to bring support for controlling its Nest smart home products to the SmartThings app found on Galaxy devices
Samsung has traditionally shipped its Android phones with their custom skin on top of the base operating system, and the latest One UI interface is the company's most refined release so far. However, with the release of the Galaxy S21, Samsung has started to imbibe bits of Google into the interface that were not part of any older Samsung phone. The news was first announced at Samsung's Unpacked event on Thursday and later in a blog post by Google explaining the details.
The first user-facing change compared to other Samsung phones is the Messages app, which will bring Google's Rich Communication Services (RCS) into S21 users inboxes. The inclusion of Messages marks a big step for the spread of RCS, especially if Samsung brings it to older devices with its OneUI 3.1 release. In addition to RCS, which improves SMSes with features like read reports, reactions and spam protection, Messages will also bring closer integration with Duo.
Also read: Samsung Galaxy S21 phones can unlock Audi, BMW, Ford and Genesis cars using UWB tech
The company has also nixed Samsung Daily, the personalised feed from Samsung that appears when you swipe right on your home screen, adding an option to select the Discover feed by Google. This is, of course, assuming you have the Google App and Assistant features enabled. Users would previously have to set a third-party launcher or use gestures to access the Discover feed.
Google said that it has also worked to bring support for controlling its Nest smart home products to the SmartThings app found on Galaxy devices. During the Unpacked event, Samsung also showed off Android Auto support for SmartThings that would allow users to change settings and switch off lights at home a short distance from home, from the comfort of their car. Google will also allow owners of Samsung TVs to mirror their Duo video calls to the big screen.
Follow HT Tech for the latest tech news and reviews , also keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Drew Estate Launches Pappy Van Winkle Cigars for Whiskey Pairing
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Padrón Humidors Get New Price, Refill Option
Monday, November 24, 2014
A.J. Fernandez to Unveil New World Connecticut at Cigar Inn
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Gurkha Redesigns Pedro Martín Brand
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
New Davidoff to Retail for $500
- More from News & Features
New Role for La Gloria Cubana's Michael Giannini
Posted: March 7, 2012
Michael Giannini, who has spearheaded the creation of innovative new La Gloria Cubana cigars such as the Artesanos de Obeliscos (pictured) has been promoted to a larger role at General Cigar Co. Giannini, a 30-year-veteran of the cigar industry, will now be reponsible for producing new products from General's entire cigar portfolio.
"I'm the guy who comes up with the concepts--I get to be a kid in a candy store," said Giannini in an exclusive interview with Cigar Insider.
Giannini has served in various roles throuhout his three decades in cigars, first as a cigar store clerk and later as a sales manager and then director of marketing for the La Gloria Cubana brand.
For the full story about Giannini's new role, see the March 6 edition of Cigar Insider.
Comments 1 comment(s)
Brad Berko — Scottsdale, AZ, USA, — March 10, 2012 6:24pm ET
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AXA Investment Managers' thematic Framlington Equities unit has launched a fund investing across the digital economy value chain, to be run by Jeremy Gleeson.
The AXA World Funds Framlington Digital Economy fund invests in companies involved in the discovery, decision making, delivery and execution of the online commerce process, as well as "enablers" for traditional...
Wins contest against Jeremy Hunt
Former CEO of Sandaire Investment Office Alexandra Altinger
India and trade disputes give EM managers a lot to think about
Taking stock of the world's currencies


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Crocs has been working on a turnaround for several years now, focusing on a critical shift from retail storefronts to e-commerce. If you look at the numbers, the optimism is no crock.
News & Analysis: Crocs
Investors grew more confident in accelerating sales growth on the way from the shoemaker.
With thousands of companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges, some of them are bound to be offbeat, quirky, or downright bizarre.
And why the casual footwear specialist continued to rally in early August.
CROX earnings call for the period ending June 30, 2019.
The casual footwear leader's Q2 results were well received by investors.
Stocks made tiny gains to begin the week.
The footwear company marched higher after some comforting words from Wall Street.
An unusual combination of events lifted these stocks.
Tariff concerns left the footwear company reeling last month.


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On Thursday, March 1, the legal age to buy tobacco products in Oak Bluffs jumped from 18 to 21 years old. New regulations cover cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, liquid nicotine, and e-cigarettes.
Sales of flavored tobacco products and blunt wraps are now prohibited in Oak Bluffs.
All stores that sell tobacco products have to obtain a Tobacco Product Sales permit from the board of health under the new guidelines. There are eight permits allocated for the town. Permits will not be renewed if there are three violations of the new regulations within a one-year span.
The new regulations were passed by a unanimous vote of the Oak Bluffs board of health at its Dec. 19 meeting.
According to the board’s statement of purpose, “more than 80 percent of all adult smokers begin before the age of 18, and more than 90 percent do so before leaving their teens.”


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August 23, 2019
Leonard A. Lauder is publishing a memoir. Image courtesy of The Estée Lauder Companies
By Staff reports
Beauty group Estée Lauder Companies’ chairman emeritus will be sharing his life story and business lessons in a memoir set to be published next year.
Share your thoughts. Click here


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Accenture said it will invest $3 billion over three years to help customers lead their technological efforts with the cloud and ramp up digital transformation projects.
The investment in the newly created Accenture Cloud First group underscores the importance of cloud services to IT services providers -- from global professional services firms like Accenture to local and regional MSPs also banking on the cloud. Cloud has been one of the bright spots in the IT market, which has taken a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic downturn.
The Accenture Cloud First group brings together 70,000 cloud professionals and integrates areas of expertise that include cloud migration, infrastructure and application services, according to the company. The group also draws upon Accenture Interactive's experience design skills, along with Accenture's business process and vertical market resources.
Accenture has appointed Karthik Narain to direct the cloud group, effective Oct. 1. He was previously a lead for Accenture Technology in North America.
'Voracious' demand for cloud
The COVID-19 pandemic played a key role in the creation of Accenture Cloud First. The pandemic's business disruption has increased the velocity with which organizations are transitioning to the cloud, noted Annette Rippert, group chief executive of strategy and consulting at Accenture.
"The demand coming from the market is voracious," she said.
Accenture's organizational changes and investment plan aim to keep pace with clients moving with speed and at scale, helping them "change in a way that is essential for their survival," Rippert said.
That imperative calls for an understanding that spans the CEO agenda and stakeholder value creation as well as industry and business process change, she said. Required skillsets include consulting, technology strategy, implementation, cloud-native development, cloud operations and human performance.
The launch of Accenture Cloud First will "bring these pieces into one comprehensive offering," Rippert said.
In addition to the 70,000 Accenture employees permanently designated to Accenture Cloud First, the company has segmented components of other practices to be part of the group, she added.
Accenture cloud makes key revenue contribution
The company generated $11 billion in cloud revenue for fiscal year 2019, slightly more than 25% of its total revenue of $43.2 billion. Accenture, whose fiscal year ends Aug. 31, will discuss fourth-quarter and fiscal year 2020 financial results Sept. 24.
Accenture's June 10-Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said the company's consulting revenue "continues to be driven by digital-, cloud- and security-related services." The company's outsourcing business, meanwhile, experienced "growing demand to assist clients with the operation and maintenance of digital-related services and cloud enablement."
The $3 billion investment aims to advance a range of activities at Accenture, including cloud AI data and architectures, cloud tools, automation and edge computing.
Redstor Marketplace offers MSPs data protection
Redstor, a cloud data management solutions provider based in the United Kingdom, has launched a self-service portal that lets MSPs deploy backup, recovery and archiving offerings for their customers.
Partners can use the portal, called Redstor Marketplace, to sell and manage Redstor's data management offerings that span on-premises and cloud data, including Microsoft 365 and G Suite. The company's partner program, meanwhile, offers discounted pricing as well as sales, marketing and technical support.
Redstor's seven-figure investment in the portal marks a change in strategy. The company had been selling both directly to customers and through partners, but it decided during a 2019 planning session to become a channel-only business. Redstor found partners to be "the best source of growth for our business and the best opportunity to scale," said Redstor chief product officer James Griffin.
Redstor Marketplace's September launch follows an extended beta in which the company sought partner feedback. The process pointed out design decisions that "didn't line up with the partners' reality," which led to product changes, Griffin noted.
For example, Redstor believed since it sells digitally to MSPs, service providers would want to sell digitally to their customers. The original portal plan was to put a Redstor signup page on a partner's website and process transactions through a credit card gateway. But partners said they wanted to conduct the customer conversation over the phone, rather than hand it off to Redstor's digital approach, Griffin noted. In addition, partners said they bill customers through tools such as ConnectWise rather than taking payments through credit cards. As a result, Redstor dropped the digital sales component and credit card gateway from the final product.
Griffin said the company's partners tend to be those that provide Redstor's products as part of a wider offering and have value-driven, as opposed to price-driven, discussions with customers.
"We don't believe a race to the bottom is the right thing for the data protection market," he said.
Insight report: Public sector prioritizes automation
COVID-19 has bumped automation up the list of priorities for public-sector organizations.
An Insight Enterprises survey found 27% of the local, state and federal agencies it polled cited automating employee work processes and tasks as a top three priority before the pandemic. That number increased to 35% after the pandemic emerged.
Insight, an integrator based in Tempe, Arizona, said the trend was especially notable at the state and local government level. Here, the portion of respondents citing automation as a top three priority increased from 23% pre-COVID-19 to 35% post-COVID.
Channel partners have identified automation as one of the items most in demand among customers in the COVID economy.
- Microsoft is offering an advanced specialization for Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), in a bid to help partners differentiate their services. The goal is to showcase a partner's experience with deploying, optimizing and securing virtual desktop infrastructure on Azure, according to Microsoft. Partners with an active Gold Cloud Platform competency must meet a customer revenue threshold, satisfy other requirements and pass a third-party audit to qualify for the specialization. Channel executives said WVD is sparking demand for consulting and implementation services.
- Tech Data, a distributor based in Clearwater, Fla., is offering IBM Cloud Pak for Security, a platform consisting of containerized software integrated with Red Hat OpenShift. Tech Data will provide Cloud Pak for Security as part of its Cyber Range, which the company described as a virtual environment for training and testing security response procedures. IBM unveiled its Cloud Paks in 2019, which also span areas such as multi-cloud management and automation.
- HCL Technologies, a technology services and products company based in Noida, India, said it will bring its Actian portfolio to Google Cloud under an expanded partnership with the cloud provider. The initial focus will be on Actian Avalanche, a hybrid cloud data warehouse. HCL Technologies in 2018 acquired Actian, a provider of data management, data integration and data analytics products.
- Spirion, a data protection and compliance company based in St. Petersburg, Fla., launched its Global Alliance Partner Program, which spans software developers, technology providers, systems integrators and solution providers. Partners will "extend the functionality" of Spirion's Data Privacy Management Framework, according to the company. Solution provider members of the program include GuidePoint Security and Halock Security Labs, while technology partners include ContextSpace, Seclore and Tonic.
- Identity and access management vendor OneLogin has revamped its partner program. Dubbed Accelerate 2.0, the program adds a partner tiering structure, which includes Platinum and Gold levels. Partner benefits include sales and marketing resources, deal registration and management, and expanded training and certification programs. Partners account for more than 40% of OneLogin's opportunities, the company said.
- Berg Insight, a market research firm based in Gothenburg, Sweden, said IoT MSPs have amassed more than 50 million IoT subscribers worldwide. A Berg Insight report, published this week, said most IoT MSPs operate as full mobile virtual network operators, using their own core networks and platforms. In North America, Aeris and Kore Wireless "have consolidated their positions as leading players … with 14 million and 13 million cellular IoT subscribers respectively at the end of 2019," according to the market watcher.
- Atera, an IT automation platform vendor that targets MSPs, said it introduced integrations to improve third-party patching software installation capabilities for Windows and Mac OS.
- In other MSP software news, remote monitoring and management software vendor Pulseway released built-in remote control for Mac OS. Pulseway Remote Control for Mac OS uses the same proprietary remote control protocol that is used in its Windows remote control technology, the company said.
- BullGuard, a London-based cybersecurity company with U.S. headquarters in Montvale, N.J., unveiled new MSP functionality in its BullGuard Small Office Security product. The MSP-oriented offering enables remote management of customer endpoint devices, including Windows, Android and macOS devices. The product also includes a Cloud Admin Portal that lets MSPs manage multiple client accounts and their endpoint devices from a single platform.
- Ensono, a hybrid IT services provider based in Downers Grove, Ill., said it achieved AWS Migration Competency status.
- The ASCII Group, an IT community of North American MSPs, MSSPs, VARs and solution providers, said it partnered with a national agency to provide telehealth services to its members. The ASCII Telehealth Service offers 24/7 virtual access to local board-certified physicians.
- Otava, a private, hybrid and multi-cloud solutions provider based in Ann Arbor, Mich., appointed Jim Lubinski vice president of cloud engineering and infrastructure.
Additional reporting by Spencer Smith.
Market Share is a news roundup published every Friday.


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Responsibility of Admitting in Residential Care
It is always significant to make decisions like getting into a residential care as it accounts for more responsibility. This encapsulates many people, family members and relatives. Considering the amount of pressure that this decision envelope, there are certain parameters that govern BCVS Homes.
Their philosophy includes taking care of residents in a caring and compassionate manner. They believe in considering privacy and dignity as important parameters for life. According to them, high standards must be maintained for the residents.
According to the organizers, they believe in taking care of the elderly on a "Not for Profit" basis. They were found saying that families and friends are an integral part of anyone's life. They believe in offering the best to the residents by employing an experienced staff. All the profits make their way into care of the elderly residents.
Care Quality Commission has been inspecting quality standards. They recently inspected Wexham Park Hospital.
Regional director of CQC in the South, Adrian Hughes said, "While we would acknowledge that Wexham Park Hospital was under considerable pressure at the time of this inspection, this is not an excuse for the systemic catalogue of failings we identified there. Local people deserve much better from their hospital".
New Zealand News
- Tesla offering new discounts & perks in China amid negative press
- Electric Vehicle Council slams Victoria Government for proposed punitive mileage tax on electric cars
- Chinese EV brand Ora unveils VW Beetle-inspired electric car Punk Cat
- Swapping personal car for e-bicycle saved over $50,000 in just 7 years: San Francisco woman
- Hyundai Motor Corp to create ultra-fast EV charging network E-pit in Korea
- Tesla pockets roughly $101 million in profit from sale of some of its bitcoins
- Norway’s ICE car sales decline as buyers making shift to EVs
- Pursang launches Retro-inspired E-Track Motorcycle for Euro 14,449 in Netherlands
- ElectReon successfully tests dynamic wireless EV charging system on public road in Sweden


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WASHINGTON — Nearly 158 million consumers will participate in Halloween activities, slightly less than the historic high of 170 million people last year. New figures from the National Retail Federation indicate the average consumer will spend $75.03 on Halloween this year, down 6% from $79.82 last year.
However, average overall spending on Halloween has increased 54.7% since 2005, with total spending estimated to reach $6.9 billion in 2013. Other NRF figures include:
• About 44% of people plan to dress up and will spend a total of $2.6 billion on costumes, including $1.04 billion for children’s costumes and $1.22 billion for adult costumes;
• One-fourth of U.S. consumers (25.2%) say the state of the economy will impact their Halloween spending plans and nearly nine-in-10 (86.1%) will spend less overall, up slightly from 83.5% last year. In addition, 32.7% will buy less candy and 18.1% will make a costume instead of buying one;
• About 14% of consumers plan to buy a pet costume and will spend a total of $330 million;
• The average person buying or making a costume will spend $27.85, similar to the $28.65 spent last year;
• Consumers will spend $2.08 billion on candy, $1.96 billion on decorations and $360 million on greeting cards;
• Nearly one-third (32.8%) of consumers will begin shopping before September 30. An additional 67.2% of consumers will shop in October. Specifically, 43.6% will begin the first two weeks in October and 23.6% will wait until the final two weeks of the month;
• One-third (32.9%) of consumers will search for costume ideas online, another third (32.8%) will look for new ideas in a store, and one-fifth (20.8%) will seek advice from friends or family. In addition, 14.1% will check Facebook for inspiration, 9.3% will look at Pinterest and 3.8% will review blogs.
“Still one of the most beloved and anticipated consumer holidays, Halloween will be far from a bust this year,” said NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay. “After a long summer, the arrival of fall will put millions of Americans in the spirit to partake in traditional and festive activities. Retailers recognize that when it comes to Halloween, consumers’ creativity abounds. We expect retailers to stock their shelves with unique costume ideas for adults, children and pets, a variety of candy options and never-seen-before home and yard decor.”
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The Winklevoss twins, Cameron and Tyler, are some of the biggest names in the cryptocurrency industry. They founded the Gemini exchange, which is one of the largest places cryptocurrencies are bought and sold, and also own a billion-dollar Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC) stake themselves. In this Fool Live video clip, recorded on March 18, Cameron Winklevoss explains to The Motley Fool’s Chief Growth Officer Anand Chokkavelu how he and his brother first discovered Bitcoin and knew it was going to be something special.
Anand Chokkavelu: So, as the description Bitcoin billionaire would imply, you were pretty early on in identifying the possibilities. What was your “wow” moment with Bitcoin?
Cameron Winklevoss: So my brother, Tyler, and I found Bitcoin in the summer of 2012. We were in Ibiza, of all places. We were actually on vacation, not looking for the next big thing, and somebody from Brooklyn recognized us from The Social Network and the Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) saga and started talking to us. He asked us if we had thought about Bitcoin or virtual currency before, and we hadn’t at that time, and it sounded kind of crazy, and then after a shot of tequila, made a lot more sense. We got back stateside, started reading as much as we could about it. I think what struck us was twofold. One, this was the first money purpose-built for the internet, that you could send around the world like email. That was amazing and groundbreaking to think about. The second thing was, if you look at the properties of Bitcoin, they really mirror gold, and they are actually the equal or better of gold properties. So if you look at gold, gold is scarce. Bitcoin is truly fixed at 21 million Bitcoin, and those are divisible up to 100 million pieces, so you don’t actually have to buy a full Bitcoin. That’s one of the biggest education hurdles I think, we see, is people see Bitcoin at $50,000 and they say, ”I can never afford a Bitcoin.” Well, you can actually go to Gemini and buy as little as $5 worth of Bitcoin. It’s not like Berkshire (NYSE:BRK.A)(NYSE:BRK.B) Class A shares, where you have to pony up a couple of $100,000. You can actually just buy small fractions. So it’s even more divisible than gold, way more portable, and easier to store inasmuch as it doesn’t take up physical space. Storing it is obviously one of the hard problems that Gemini tries to solve for in allowing customers to use Gemini to store their Bitcoin and other crypto. But really, the digital gold framework in narrative struck us right away, as this is a potential emergent store of value that has gold-like properties that works on the internet.
This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. We’re motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.


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Latest ATV deals feature at Lamma Show
27th December 2016
Suzuki GB PLC is heading back to Peterborough for the 2017 LAMMA show, which runs from Wednesday 18th to Thursday 19th January 2017. Suzuki will be showcasing its full range of utility
Suzuki GB PLC is heading back to Peterborough for the 2017 LAMMA show, which runs from Wednesday 18th to Thursday 19th January 2017.
Suzuki will be showcasing its full range of utility ATVs on the stand in Hall 9, Stand 942. Representatives of their national network of expert Dealers will also be on-hand to talk to customers about the range and the latest deals available, including the special edition matt black KingQuad 500, and the KingQuad 400 now starting from just £4,999 (excl. VAT).
George Cheeseman, Head of ATV, Suzuki GB PLC, said, “This is all set to be another great event for Suzuki. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to engage with our customers, both new and existing, and we encourage visitors to drop by our stand to warm up with a coffee.”
Suzuki has been the leading innovator and manufacturer of reliable and economic ATVs since it pioneered the first 4-wheel ATV in 1982.
Suzuki’s full range of hard-working utility ATVs can be found in the Agricultural area, Hall 9, stand 942. Visit the stand to speak to a representative about current offers and deals, and other fantastic benefits that come with choosing Suzuki:
Try before you buy
Knowing that customers want an ATV that is comfortable, reliable and hard-working, Suzuki offers customers the chance to try before they buy in order to help them get a feel for the right model and the company’s expert dealers are on-hand to help customers to find the right ATV for them.
Free Suzuki workwear kit
Suzuki knows that customers will be riding their ATVs in all weathers and conditions. So when customers buy from an authorised Suzuki dealer, they will receive a free Suzuki workwear kit worth over £40, consisting of a branded bodywarmer and overalls.
Courtesy ATV Scheme
Suzuki understands that customers rely on their ATVs and therefore gives a courtesy Suzuki ATV to keep customers’ businesses on the move when they take their machine – whatever the make or model – in to an authorised Suzuki dealer for service or repairs.
Theft deterrent as standard
FREE on all new Suzuki utility ATVs, the CESAR Security System powered by Datatag gives each ATV a unique ‘fingerprint’ with an identity that cannot be erased, which acts as a strong theft deterrent and a tool for recovery should the worst happen – plus, it reduces insurance premiums too!


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Only five years ago, agricultural experts dismissed local food as just a fad. But with growing concerns about nutrition, food safety and greenhouse gases, business is booming—every year the demand for organic and local foods grows up to 25 per cent. With Ontario farmers’ markets raking in an estimated $641 million per year, it’s clear that local food is more than just another diet craze. Yet, Ontario continues to import $4 billion more in food than it exports, with the average food item travelling more than 4500 km from where it was grown or raised.
So if more consumers are adopting 100-mile diets, why are Ontario farmers still having a difficult time getting their products to market?
Read more on Our Green Home»


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Matt Weiss is the global chief marketing officer at Havas Worldwide.
With Valentine’s Day looming, plenty of couples are taking stock of their relationships and considering what the future holds. According to Facebook, two weeks before Christmas and the weeks following Valentine’s Day are the most popular times to jettison a mate.
Might I be so bold as to suggest that we in the advertising industry also make time to evaluate the state of our relationships? It seems to me that our current culture of short-term flirtations and sleeping around isn’t benefitting anyone. Maybe it’s time for a bit of couples therapy.
We’ve all heard the stats: The average tenure of a client-agency relationship now stands at three years, down from 7.2 in 1984, according to The Bedford Group. That’s the shortest in our history — and a sorry retreat from the storied partnerships of our past. It’s tempting to pin this rapid turnover on fickle clients, but it’s also a consequence of the tremendous changes our own industry and our clients are undergoing. As brands grapple with everything from a tidal wave of new technologies to consumers’ increasing insistence on taking over the controls, the pressure is on for a stratospheric ROI, attained impossibly quickly. This means a whole lot more jump-ball briefs, reviews and pitches for those of us on the agency side.
As one client told me recently, “We are in a fight for our life, and we simply have to go with the best idea.” This affords us precious little protection as we move forward.
In a perfect world, the upside to this intense pressure would be a greater willingness on the part of clients to push past the boundaries of the ordinary to get to extraordinary creative ideas. That would be great for the brand — and for all the creative people within agencies who are champing at the bit to show what they can do. Getting to that business-transforming idea requires a level of trust, however, that is absent when one’s partner is showing up with a lipstick-stained collar.
A straying eye is hard to control, I know. There are so many shiny new shops out there. And some of them are awfully attractive — even if just from a distance. The problem is that even if a client is technically remaining faithful, these flirtations likely mean he’s pulling back a bit, communicating a little less, and not working quite so hard on setting and meeting mutual goals. That means a lack of clarity, and it’s awfully tough to produce great work when only one side is fully engaged.
Meanwhile, the agency is working overtime to deliver and to build the sort of knowledge base that can only come from a longer-term relationship. That’s how you get to great ideas faster and with more insight and smarter execution. Whether it’s for a pitch, the post-pitch onboarding or the daily battle to help the client brand win the market, the agency is investing time and talent to make the relationship work.
Enter the agency pre-nup
So what should we do when a client decides to kick us to the curb before all the boxes have even been unpacked? And, in a more extreme situation, what should we do when a client takes the kids with him—adopting our insights and platform and then moving on to have someone else raise them?
In the good old days when agencies received substantial commissions, provisions in agency-client agreements stated that if clients walked and took the agency’s ideas with them, they would be obligated to pay media commissions on the use of those ideas for a set time. Of course, that doesn’t work anymore — but neither does the lack of such an agreement.
So what do you say we come up with some sort of pre-nup in 2015: an agreement that says that if the client terminates the relationship within a year of the appointment and uses materials and intellectual capital they’re entitled to before the agency earns $X, then they have to pay the agency $Y?
Or maybe compensation plans should align with the work’s actual in-market impact on sales over a fixed period, regardless of whether agency and client are still together. Of course, neither of these scenarios would apply to clients who engage agencies for one-off, short-term projects, just as the legal protections of marriage aren’t extended to flings or one-night stands.
Such provisions might help to restrain a client’s wandering eye. And they would give agencies an incentive to invest in pitches and produce brilliant ideas without fear that the client company will sample a few, pilfer the rest and pay someone else to produce them. Most important, fixing the client-agency relationship will bring back to our industry the sense of security and mutual trust that is absolutely vital to risk-taking and free-flowing creativity.
The issue is certainly not going to be resolved in an op-ed, but it is something we all need to be thinking and talking about — for every one of us understands that our agencies are only as valuable as our ideas, our people and our client relationships. And, like any relationship, there are plenty of advantages to sticking around and doing the work necessary to make it blossom.
More in Marketing
TikTok has officially launched its new e-commerce platform, TikTok Shop, earlier this month on August 1. Using the new e-commerce platform, brands and creators can sell products directly on the platform, potentially creating new revenue streams, and tap into the short-form video platform’s growing popularity.
‘The influencer industry can be really vile’: Confessions of an influencer marketer on the industry’s unfair hiring practices
While the influencer industry might sound exciting and like it’s full of opportunities, one marketer can vouch for the horrific scenarios that still take place behind the scenes.
After a tumultuous 12 months, marketers are getting a clear picture of how they really did during a time of true uncertainty. And, as it turns out, it wasn’t all that bad.
Ad position: web_bfu


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McDonald's Gives Texas Students $50,000 for Hanging Poster of Themselves in Restaurant
The gag went viral and the guys wound up on 'Ellen.'
The Texas students who made national headlines for hanging a counterfeit poster in a McDonald's (starring themselves) are now $50,000 richer thanks to the prank.
Jevh Maravilla and Christian Toledo recently appeared on Ellen after their gag went viral and the eponymous host surprised them with two jumbo checks for $25,000 each, courtesy of the burger chain.
“McDonald’s loves customers like you. They are committed to diversity and want to represent all their customers, so they are going to use the two of you in a marketing campaign,” DeGeneres told the men. "Since you’re in a campaign, they need to pay you, right? So you’re each getting a check for $25,000."
The University of Houston undergrads are set to be featured in an upcoming McDonald's marketing campaign, per CNN.
Their ascent to fame began when Maravilla and Toledo decided to "improve" a blank wall above their usual table at a McDonald's in Pearland.
"We’d been sitting at that table and always noticed this wall that had nothing on it," Maravilla told InsideEdition.com.
Taking stock of the posters showing people enjoying their own McDonald’s meals, Maravilla said he noticed none in the restaurant featured Asian people.
So Maravilla and Toledo came up with a plan.
The pair took photos of themselves walking and holding McDonald’s food — for Toledo, a burger; and Maravilla, an order of fries — in a location similar to the backdrops of the posters already hanging in the restaurant.
Then they ordered a 60-inch-wide, 50-inch-tall poster of the image and planned the execution of their prank.
At a friend’s suggestion, Maravilla checked the local Goodwill for old McDonald’s uniforms and walked away with a $7 shirt to pose as an employee while they pulled off the stunt.
Then on July 13, with the help of another friend, Maravilla and Toledo sneaked the poster into the McDonald’s and stuck it to the wall when real staffers weren’t looking.
Maravilla shared pictures of his and Toledo’s handiwork on Twitter, writing, “It’s now been 51 days since I hung it up" before the stunt quickly went viral.
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Hectronic invests in ev-pay
Hectronic acquired a stake in ev-pay GmbH on February 5, 2024. Hectronic's decision to participate in ev-pay reflects the significance of e-mobility for the company. Stefan Forster, Managing Director of Hectronic, particularly appreciates the strategic orientation and management of ev-pay GmbH: "We are taking this step because we believe in ev-pay's approach. With Felix Blum and Dominik Freund, experienced e-mobility specialists are at the helm of the company".
For ev-pay, Hectronic's entry marks a milestone. "ev-pay values Hectronic's experience in the international payments sector. This will help provide e-mobility enthusiasts across Europe with simple, barrier-free, and reliable payment solutions for charging", said Felix Blum and Dominik Freund.
Furthermore, the participation offers significant synergies. Hectronic's payment expertise in the field of e-mobility is evident in solutions such as the HecPay payment terminal for common payment methods. By combining the HecPay terminal with ev-pay's innovative approach to charging payment, new solution approaches emerge. Together, the development of future-proof and user-friendly solutions can be advanced even faster and more targeted.


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While details of the 350cc Harley-Davidson coming to India is yet to be confirmed, the motorcycle could be manufactured in the country.
Harley-Davidson has been working on a lower-displacement offering for the global market for a long time. Now, details of the brand’s entry-level motorcycle have been revealed via its Type Approval Documents.
Filed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the documents highlight that the upcoming Harley-Davidson will come with a 353cc parallel-twin cylinder engine. A similar type approval document for the motorcycle was also released in China, confirming that the motorcycle will go on sale in both these markets.
The document by NHTSA shows that the new 350cc entry-level Harley-Davidson will be offered in three variants: X350, X350RA and X350RA Derating Removed. All three variants will be powered by the same engine producing around 36 BHP. However, reports suggest the X350RA Derating Removed trim is said to get a slightly de-tuned version with a power output of 23 BHP. The document also confirmed that the motorcycle complies with all the strict emission regulations.
The 353cc parallel-twin, powering the upcoming Harley already does duties on a number of motorcycles in Benelli and QJMotor’s lineup.
While details of the 350cc Harley-Davidson coming to India is yet to be confirmed, the motorcycle could be manufactured in the country. As per the type approval document, the company is looking to manufacture its small-displacement models outside its home market of the US.


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German food conglomerate Pfeifer & Langen has acquired a majority stake in local sausage and plant-based meat business Rügenwalder Mühle. Both companies have expanded their portfolios to include plant-based meat alternative products. The deal, instigated by Rügenwalder Mühle, is subject to the approval of the German competition authority.
Rügenwalder Mühle, a family business based in Lower Saxony, has transformed from a traditional sausage maker to a producer of 25 meat and sausage products and around 30 vegetarian and vegan alternatives. Christian Rauffus, deputy chairman of the company’s supervisory board, stated: “In less than ten years we have brought vegetarian and vegan meat alternatives out of the niche and into the centre of society. By participating in this deal, we want to take advantage of the opportunity to further develop the portfolio, especially beyond the German market.”
Pfeifer & Langen’s managing partner, Uwe Schöneberg, highlighted the potential to leverage mutual strengths and develop plant-based meat alternatives, suggesting that “our consistent thinking and actions [will] allow the still young category to further develop plant-based meat alternatives.”
Known for its sales of €1.33bn ($1.45bn) in 2022, Pfeifer & Langen is also involved in other food categories and owns the Intersnack Group. It also has a stake in UK vegan business VBites. A recent study also revealed that more than half of Europeans are reducing their meat consumption, signaling a shift in consumer trends in the food and beverage industry.


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Data issued this week by S&P Global Market Intelligence indicated that United States-bound imports of containerized freight declined 15% annually in April, marking the ninth consecutive month of declines.
On a year-to-date basis, April’s 15% decrease was preceded by an 11% January decrease, a 20% February decrease, and a 23% March decrease. Home furnishings imports fell 33% in April, compared to a 45% drop-off in March, and household appliances and consumer electronics saw matching 13% decreases. Textiles and apparel were off 37% annually, compared to a 37% March decrease.
In an interview, Chris Rogers, Head of Supply Chain Research, S&P Global Market Intelligence, attributed a key driver of ongoing import declines to inventory drawdowns across various sectors.
“If you look at a lot of consumer demand figures, like retail sales and so on, they're actually not too bad,” he said. “Clearly, there are a lot of retailers that have been reporting annual revenues are down anywhere between 5% and 20%. But I think I always want to be wary of some of the kind of macro numbers like U.S. retail sales, which never seem to quite pair up with what companies are reporting in terms of their actual financials.”
For example, he explained that some apparel shippers saw revenues decline around 10%-to-15% annually, partly because they are cutting prices to clear inventory. And he added that some of these shippers are contending that the inventory drawdown might almost be done or have gone too far, in some instances, for certain companies within certain verticals.
“If you look at footwear, most of the companies are in a downturn, or have been in a downturn, but one of them—Steep Mountain—said they needed to get more shoes on shelves. I imagine that in about two months we will be talking about the inventory rebuild of 2023. But, in terms of the April data, we are still seeing a big chunk of destocking going on there.”
When comparing U.S.-bound import levels between pre-pandemic up to today, he said that, for home furnishings, a key driver of goods spending and imports during the pandemic, came in 4% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels, with total April imports, at 2.3 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), matching April 2019.
As for imports of other vertical industries tracked by S&P Global Market Intelligence, the firm reported the following import data for April:
Looking ahead to the rest of 2023, Rogers said that seasonal shipping patterns, for consumer goods, appear to returning back to pre-pandemic levels, based on TEU per day.
“We are not in the peak shipping season yet, but the off-peak shipping season looks pretty much like we are back to normal,” he said. “As we go into that critical July-August period, we are watching to see if those trade patterns return to normal. Last year, we saw a lot of companies shipping early, and many companies shipped way too early, which is why there was such a slump at the back end of 2022. Our economic forecasters do expect to see a recovery in the back end of the year, with the fourth quarter expected to be up 4%-to-5% annually. That gets things back to pre-pandemic levels but not back to the boom times. There has been this discussion of if we are back to the old normal or if we are in a new normal. Unless something weird happens, we are looking at a return to the old normal.”


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In a Season 2 update, Call of Duty: Mobile will get new content and features. Activision has already announced the next season’s theme, and players are now gradually learning what features will be introduced in Season 2. With so much cherished Call of Duty content already packed into Call of Duty: Mobile, many fans overlooked a very obvious scorestreak that was lacking.
Season 2 of Call of Duty: Mobile has been called “Day of Reckoning,” and it will kick off with a devastating force. Aside from the name, the creators of Call of Duty: Mobile have revealed that Napalm will be included as a new scorestreak for the famous mobile shooter. This scorestreak has appeared in past Call of Duty games, and it now returns triumphantly to a welcoming gaming community.
Within the mobile world, the Napalm scorestreak would function similarly to past Call of Duty games. The ability to summon a plane that will bring fire from the sky and burn the battlefield will now be available to Call of Duty Mobile players.
Any player who obtains this new air support option gets to select the aircraft’s flight path and watch the fire spread over the map. It’s worth noting that napalm produces a haze of smoke that can obscure the map and serve as a smokescreen for stealthy maneuvers. Fans are pleased to see the scorestreak added to Call of Duty: Mobile’s many options, despite the fact that it is still unknown how many points it will cost.
The new Napalm scorestreak is expected to be included in the Season 2 Call of Duty: Mobile Battle Pass. Otherwise, it may be a Seasonal or Feature challenge for players who are up to the task. Regardless of which strategy is used, once Napalm Strike touches the battlefield, players will have another choice for limiting the movement of enemies.
Season 2 will feature a variety of new weapons, including the AS VAL assault rifle and the SPR 208 Sniper Rifle. These weapons are supposed to be available as part of the free Battle Pass, and they can complement the season’s theme in their own special way. The Shoothouse Map and Shipment 1944 have both been confirmed for Season 2 as well.
Fans of Call of Duty: Mobile continues to produce items that have been requested by the public, indicating that the production team is catering content to its fans. Call of Duty: Mobile gets closer to being a real melting pot of the Call of Duty franchise as players discover new features and options.