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OPINION: We're pleased the recent Agreement in Principle (AIP) has been signed between New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
The president of the UK National Farmers Union, Minette Batters says it offers "nothing in return" to British farmers.
She claims Britain will be opening its doors to significant extra volumes of imported food - whether or not this is produced to the UK's own high standards - while securing almost nothing in return for UK farmers.
"We should all be worried that there could be a huge downside to these deals, especially for sectors such as dairy, red meat and horticulture," she says. "The UK government is now asking British farmers to go toe-to-toe with some of the most export orientated farmers in the world, without the serious, long-term and properly funded investment in UK agriculture that can enable us to do so."
Batters says this is why it is very difficult for the NFU to show any support for these deals.
O'Connor says the NFU's reaction is not unexpected. He says he's told UK farming leaders directly that the FTA will provide them with opportunities to export into markets in Asia where there are huge growing demand for high quality protein.
O'Connor adds that under the FTA agreement, NZ will not compete and undervalue UK products in any market.
Nod of Approval
Former Trade Minister and High Commissioner to the UK Lockwood Smith.
Someone who's played a behind the scenes role in the FTA negotiations is former NZ Trade Minister and High Commissioner to London, Sir Lockwood Smith.
Smith is the only non UK member of the British Trade and Agricultural Commission (TAC) set up by the British government to win support from the rural community for FTAs such as this one. He has spent much time talking to UK farmers about the benefits of becoming more global in their outlook.
Smith says the Agreement in Principle is what he would have expected and hoped for and is a great outcome.
"Having tariff free trade into a northern hemisphere market is fantastic and makes up for the efforts of the TAC to get UK farmers to agree to this."
He says while some people have complained about some of the transitions being too long, having zero tariffs right at the start is good news. He says the agreement is also good news for Britain as it will help them with their application to join the CPTPP.
Now the EU?
With the UK FTA now effectively done, the attention is on obtaining a similar deal with the EU.
However, all the experts reckon this is going to be more difficult.
Sir Lockwood Smith says he doesn't think the success of the NZ/FTA will have a huge impact on getting through a deal with the EU. He says there are bigger issues and more challenges and notes that the EU played hard ball over Brexit. There is also the fact that any FTA with the EU has to be approved by the 27 member states - quite a tall order.
Damien O'Connor points out that during his recent trip he had a number of meetings with both agricultural and EU trade ministers and says they were very positive.
"They see the value of a trade agreement with NZ," he told Rural News. "We are a small player but we share many of the same values and outcomes for trade, which includes matters relating to the environment, small businesses, women and indigenous people."


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The government has spent more than Rs. 1.5 billion for developing and purchasing new software, reports New Business Age. The amount has been spent in the first eight months of the current fiscal year when it is finding difficulties arranging financial resources.
- The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has released Rs. 1.57 billion to 37 authorities in this period.
- The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Ministry of Commerce (MoC) have received Rs. 430 million and Rs. 420 million respectively.
- Similarly, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Home Affairs (MoFA) and Ministry of Industry (MoI) received a total of Rs. 300 million, Rs. 80 million and Rs. 40 million, respectively.
What they are saying:
- Arjun Prasad Pokhrel, the spokesperson at MoF, informed that the amount has been allocated to the ministries in accordance with the budget of the current Fiscal Year.
Why it matters:
- Although so much amount has been allocated, the government has no clue about the progress and development of the software that the ministries have made.
- Nepal Airlines Procures Software to Enhance its Efficiency
- Nepal Government to Use Software to Monitor Local Finances
- Ministry of Finance Launched “Budget Nepal” Mobile App
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Launched with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 ChipsetToday, at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event 2022, Samsung unveiled its fourth-generation foldable smartphones, the Samsung…
Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Launched: Will This Launch in Nepal?Royal Enfield Hunter 350 has officially launched in India. After months of speculations and spy…
“We will register inDriver under legal entities in Nepal when we start doing business here.” — Pavit NandaIn the last few years, the market for ride-hailing (also popularly known as ride-sharing) services…

domain: news


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Whether its Bentley Bentayga or Bentley Continental GT, the cars designed by the British car manufacturer are some of the most exquisite pieces of engineering. And in India, there are few celebrities and prominent personalities, who happen to be the proud owners of these luxurious models designed by Bentley Motors. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous owners that include names like Virat Kohli, Akshay Kumar, Mukesh Ambani and Shah Rukh Khan.
5 Indian celebrities who own luxurious Bentley cars
Virat Kohli, who turned 32 on November 5, 2020, owns a fleet of luxurious cars and two of them happen to be the uber cool Bentley Flying Spur and Bentley Continental GT. According to a report in Hindustan Times, the cricketer is often spotted driving the Flying Spur in Mumbai. The car is available in two variants – one that comes with a 4.0-litre V8 engine, and the other that is powered by 6.0-litre W12 engine which can generate a power of 616bhp and 800Nm torque. Yuvraj Singh and Virendra Sehwag are also the proud owners of Bentley Flying Spur.
Price: ₹3.74 crore – ₹3.97 crore
Joining the league of the likes of Aamir Khan and Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Akshay Kumar also has a Bentley Continental Flying Spur parked in his garage, which according to a report in ZEE News the actor gifted to his wife Twinkle Khanna. Apart from this, Akshay Kumar also owns a Rolls-Royce Phantom VII worth 9.50 crores, Porsche Cayenne and a Mercedes-Benz GLS among others.
Price: ₹3 crore (approx.)
Apart from a Bentley Continental Flying Spur, India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani also has a Bentley Bentayga, the first-ever SUV made by the British car manufacturer, parked in his garage. Powered by a 6.0-litre V12 engine, the car can generate a top speed of 301kms/ hour and can go from 0-100 kms/ hour in 4.1 seconds. What’s more, the SUV can also produce a maximum power of 600bhp and 900Nm torque. Cclick here to know more about the luxurious cars parked in his garage.
Price: ₹7.6 crore
Shah Rukh Khan’s multi-crore garage includes a 12 crores Bugatti Veyron, 4 crores vanity van, a 7 crores Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe and a Bentley Continental GT that set him back by 4 crores according to a report in Times Now. The model that Shah Rukh Khan owns, which is no longer in production can go from 0-100 kms/hour in 3.6 seconds. His Devdas co-actor Jackie Shroff, too, owns a Bentley Continental GT, according to a Financial Express report.
Price: ₹4 crore (approx.)
Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are often spotted riding in a white colour Bentley Continental GT grand tourer which costing nearly 3.65 crore (ex-showroom price). According to a Financial Express report, it was a gift to the Bachchans from late politician Amar Singh. Apart from its powerful engine, the car also comes with features like a 48V Active Roll Control system, an 8-speed dual clutch transmission with Active All-Wheel drive and more. Apart from this luxurious beast, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also owns a villa in Dubai and a 50 lakh wedding ring among other thing.
Price: ₹3.65 crore (approx.)
(All images are for representational purpose)
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Azerbaijan: Cement production has risen by 40% year-on-year to 1.1Mt for the first half of 2014. The rise has been attributed to the operations of the new market players in the country according to local media.
Cement imports into Azerbaijan by value have fallen by 19% to US$50m compared to a rise of 46% to US$61.5m of clinker and cement in the first five months of 2013. Imports are now expected to fall by 20% in 2014 and 2015.
In the whole of 2013 some 2Mt of cement was produced locally and 2.6Mt of clinker and cement was imported. Azerbaijan's three main cement producers, Holcim, Qazax Sement Zavodu and Norm, are planning to manufacture 4.5Mt in 2015. In addition there are approximately ten small producing companies in Azerbaijan.


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Today the Pacific Legal Foundation sent a letter
to California Governor Gavin Newsom and the Board of Barbers and Cosmetology urging them to allow barbers, hair salons, and other personal care services to offer their services outdoors. Governor Newsom recently announced that these businesses would be required to halt indoor services once again throughout most of the state due to COVID-19. Being able to offer outdoor services will help mitigate at least some of the harm that these small businesses will suffer from being shut down again for the second time since March. These businesses should be allowed to offer services outdoors just as many other businesses have been allowed to do in response to COVID-19.


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By Juliet Umeh
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, has awarded a firm, Cognito Micronutrient Powder the award of the Mandatory Conformity Assessment, MANCAP certification for fighting infant malnutrition.
Director of Product Certification Department, Mr. Tersoo Orngudwen, said MANCAP certification is issued to a company after a thorough factory inspection and laboratory analysis of product samples passed the NIS standards NIS 1059:2019 for micronutrient powders.
Also, the Chief Innovation Officer of Micronutrient Laboratories Limited, Dr Kenny Acholonu, explained that Micronutrient Laboratories Limited formulates designs and markets Cognito micronutrient powder for using it in enriching and enhancing the nutritional value of food as a tool to fight diseases caused by micronutrient deficiencies, especially in children less than five years.
He said: “Cognito MNP is a product of Micronutrient Laboratories Ltd. and it is designed to prevent malnutrition and also maintain the nutritional status of infants and young children in Nigeria.
“Cognito MNP is a well-formulated single-serve blend of 15 essential micronutrients (10 vitamins and five minerals). It is a free-flowing powder that is conveniently packed in 1gram affordable sachets to improve the nutritional content of most staple foods.
“Users add Cognito to any semi-solid food and porridges after cooking and at a temperature conducive to feeding the child. A sachet of Cognito MNP is sufficient to provide 100 per cent recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for infants and young children within the age range of six months to 59 months.
NAFDAC-registered Cognito MNP was launched in June 2020 and has gained prominence as it witnessed rapid growth on the back of acceptance by institutional buyers, including the Federal Ministry of Health and other MDAs at federal and state government levels as well as other notable health and nutrition-focused organisations, including the World Bank.
Most complementary staples for children six months to 59 months have little to no nutritional value and do not provide adequate micronutrients to meet their recommended nutrient intake (RNI).
“Users add Cognito MNP to complementary food for children after the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding.
“The enriching and enhancement of food at home using micronutrient powder is one of the intervention strategies adopted by the Federal government in the fight against micronutrient deficiencies,” Acholonu explained.


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The MST-R, a $36,975 bike with a 165-horsepower engine that the magazine said "sounds exactly like a miniature version of the iconic Chevy V8" won the honor.
"Holy smokes!" Motus said in a prepared statement, noting that it is "extremely honored."
"For those of us who covet Motorcyclist's typical Motorcycle of the Year issue, pulling the stunning 100th Anniversary Special Collector's Issue out of the mailbox was especially exciting," Motus said.
The magazine called the motorcycle a "dream bike ... built with all-American DNA."
Inspired by hot-rods, the motorcycle is a big touring bike that turns and stops like a much smaller machine, the magazine says.
"For many of us, Motus is a dream come true," Motorcyclist says.
Motus was founded in 2008 and has been searching for a site for its first production facility.


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The Ghana Business Awards is a prestigious awards programme that recognises and rewards excellence, achievement and innovation across all business sectors in Ghana. It provides a platform to recognise individuals and companies that play a significant role in the growth and development of their business sector whilst also acknowledging their role in sustainability and CSI.
The 5th Ghana Business Awards event took place in Accra on 28 October, with a total of 200 companies participating, where a distinguished judging panel awarded Shalina Healthcare Ghana as Best Healthcare Provider of the Year.
From humble beginnings in November 2009, we are now one of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in Ghana, with depots across the country in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale and Aflao. This allows us to always stay true to our Mission of making affordable and quality medicines available across Africa.
This award would not be possible without our dedicated employees and loyal customer following and we thank them for their unwavering support. This recognition will further strengthen our drive and ambition to be the pre-eminent healthcare provider not only in Ghana, but across the entire African continent.


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|By PR Newswire||
|November 29, 2012 04:01 PM EST||
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Five Points Youth Foundation, Inc., owner of Florence Mailbox & Business Center, located at 1820 W. Florence Ave., recently added U‑Haul truck and trailer rentals to the shipping and packing business he has been operating since 2012.
Families needing the finest in moving services now will have increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving, which not only will make their move easier but also will have the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. U-Haul partnering with business owners across North America to increase convenience for customers while helping our environment is just one of the programs that support U-Haul Company's Corporate Sustainability initiatives.
Florence Mailbox & Business Center can now offer its customers a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports. Florence Mailbox & Business Center also will offer sales items to protect their customers' belongings and make moving easier, such as heavy-duty boxes, which are made of up to 90 percent recycled content and are available in a variety of sizes.
"U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Florence Mailbox & Business Center," exclaimed Tony Waters, president, U-Haul Company of Los Angeles West. "Daniel is a great example of the type of successful business relationship U‑Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America."
For more information, or to rent your moving equipment today, call 323-776-4340. Visit www.fivepointsyouthfoundation.blogspot.com. Business hours of operation are: Mon. – Sat. 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- California fun facts and educational information for kids, parents, and teachers: http://www.uhaul.com/SuperGraphics/88/Venture-Across-America-and-Canada-Modern/California!
- U-Haul caring about the future and our environment: http://www.uhaul.com/About/Sustainability
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/Uhaul
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/Uhaul
- YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/Uhaulofficialvideos
- Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/116521049430834922625
U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable. Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.
Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills as one of the nation's largest retailers of propane.
U-Haul Public Relations
(602) 263-6772 fax
SYS-CON Events announced today that Technologic Systems Inc., an embedded systems solutions company, will exhibit at SYS-CON's @ThingsExpo, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Technologic Systems is an embedded systems company with headquarters in Fountain Hills, Arizona. They have been in business for 32 years, helping more than 8,000 OEM customers and building over a hundred COTS products that have never been discontinued. Technologic Systems’ pr...
Feb. 28, 2017 09:30 AM EST Reads: 137
The buzz continues for cloud, data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) and their collective impact across all industries. But a new conversation is emerging - how do companies use industry disruption and technology enablers to lead in markets undergoing change, uncertainty and ambiguity? Organizations of all sizes need to evolve and transform, often under massive pressure, as industry lines blur and merge and traditional business models are assaulted and turned upside down. In this new da...
Feb. 28, 2017 09:30 AM EST Reads: 1,726
DevOps is often described as a combination of technology and culture. Without both, DevOps isn't complete. However, applying the culture to outdated technology is a recipe for disaster; as response times grow and connections between teams are delayed by technology, the culture will die. A Nutanix Enterprise Cloud has many benefits that provide the needed base for a true DevOps paradigm.
Feb. 28, 2017 09:30 AM EST Reads: 1,051
Unsecured IoT devices were used to launch crippling DDOS attacks in October 2016, targeting services such as Twitter, Spotify, and GitHub. Subsequent testimony to Congress about potential attacks on office buildings, schools, and hospitals raised the possibility for the IoT to harm and even kill people. What should be done? Does the government need to intervene? This panel at @ThingExpo New York brings together leading IoT and security experts to discuss this very serious topic.
Feb. 28, 2017 09:15 AM EST Reads: 3,231
Data is the fuel that drives the machine learning algorithmic engines and ultimately provides the business value. In his session at Cloud Expo, Ed Featherston, a director and senior enterprise architect at Collaborative Consulting, discussed the key considerations around quality, volume, timeliness, and pedigree that must be dealt with in order to properly fuel that engine.
Feb. 28, 2017 09:15 AM EST Reads: 6,553
SYS-CON Events announced today that LeaseWeb USA, a cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider, will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. LeaseWeb is one of the world's largest hosting brands. The company helps customers define, develop and deploy IT infrastructure tailored to their exact business needs, by combining various kinds cloud solutions.
Feb. 28, 2017 09:15 AM EST Reads: 2,322
SYS-CON Events announced today that Hitrons Solutions will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Hitrons Solutions Inc. is distributor in the North American market for unique products and services of small and medium-size businesses, including cloud services and solutions, SEO marketing platforms, and mobile applications.
Feb. 28, 2017 08:45 AM EST Reads: 1,111
SYS-CON Events announced today that MobiDev, a client-oriented software development company, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, and the 21st International Cloud Expo®, which will take place October 31-November 2, 2017, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. MobiDev is a software company that develops and delivers turn-key mobile apps, websites, web services, and complex softw...
Feb. 28, 2017 07:45 AM EST
Why do your mobile transformations need to happen today? Mobile is the strategy that enterprise transformation centers on to drive customer engagement. In his general session at @ThingsExpo, Roger Woods, Director, Mobile Product & Strategy – Adobe Marketing Cloud, covered key IoT and mobile trends that are forcing mobile transformation, key components of a solid mobile strategy and explored how brands are effectively driving mobile change throughout the enterprise.
Feb. 28, 2017 07:30 AM EST Reads: 200
More and more brands have jumped on the IoT bandwagon. We have an excess of wearables – activity trackers, smartwatches, smart glasses and sneakers, and more that track seemingly endless datapoints. However, most consumers have no idea what “IoT” means. Creating more wearables that track data shouldn't be the aim of brands; delivering meaningful, tangible relevance to their users should be. We're in a period in which the IoT pendulum is still swinging. Initially, it swung toward "smart for smart...
Feb. 28, 2017 07:30 AM EST Reads: 190
In his General Session at 17th Cloud Expo, Bruce Swann, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Adobe Campaign, explored the key ingredients of cross-channel marketing in a digital world. Learn how the Adobe Marketing Cloud can help marketers embrace opportunities for personalized, relevant and real-time customer engagement across offline (direct mail, point of sale, call center) and digital (email, website, SMS, mobile apps, social networks, connected objects).
Feb. 28, 2017 07:30 AM EST Reads: 262
SYS-CON Events announced today that CA Technologies has been named “Platinum Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, and the 21st International Cloud Expo®, which will take place October 31-November 2, 2017, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. CA Technologies helps customers succeed in a future where every business – from apparel to energy – is being rewritten by software. From ...
Feb. 28, 2017 06:30 AM EST Reads: 834
SYS-CON Events announced today that Dataloop.IO, an innovator in cloud IT-monitoring whose products help organizations save time and money, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Dataloop.IO is an emerging software company on the cutting edge of major IT-infrastructure trends including cloud computing and microservices. The company, founded in the UK but now based in San Fran...
Feb. 28, 2017 06:00 AM EST Reads: 3,200
SYS-CON Events announced today that delaPlex will exhibit at SYS-CON's @CloudExpo, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. delaPlex pioneered Software Development as a Service (SDaaS), which provides scalable resources to build, test, and deploy software. It’s a fast and more reliable way to develop a new product or expand your in-house team.
Feb. 28, 2017 05:45 AM EST Reads: 2,346
Data is the fuel that drives the machine learning algorithmic engines and ultimately provides the business value. In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Ed Featherston, director/senior enterprise architect at Collaborative Consulting, will discuss the key considerations around quality, volume, timeliness, and pedigree that must be dealt with in order to properly fuel that engine.
Feb. 28, 2017 04:45 AM EST Reads: 4,464
"Matrix is an ambitious open standard and implementation that's set up to break down the fragmentation problems that exist in IP messaging and VoIP communication," explained John Woolf, Technical Evangelist at Matrix, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at @ThingsExpo, held Nov 4–6, 2014, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.
Feb. 28, 2017 02:45 AM EST Reads: 14,020
Web Real-Time Communication APIs have quickly revolutionized what browsers are capable of. In addition to video and audio streams, we can now bi-directionally send arbitrary data over WebRTC's PeerConnection Data Channels. With the advent of Progressive Web Apps and new hardware APIs such as WebBluetooh and WebUSB, we can finally enable users to stitch together the Internet of Things directly from their browsers while communicating privately and securely in a decentralized way.
Feb. 28, 2017 02:15 AM EST Reads: 5,135
"A lot of times people will come to us and have a very diverse set of requirements or very customized need and we'll help them to implement it in a fashion that you can't just buy off of the shelf," explained Nick Rose, CTO of Enzu, in this SYS-CON.tv interview at 18th Cloud Expo, held June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY.
Feb. 28, 2017 02:15 AM EST Reads: 7,165
You think you know what’s in your data. But do you? Most organizations are now aware of the business intelligence represented by their data. Data science stands to take this to a level you never thought of – literally. The techniques of data science, when used with the capabilities of Big Data technologies, can make connections you had not yet imagined, helping you discover new insights and ask new questions of your data. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Sarbjit Sarkaria, data science team lead ...
Feb. 27, 2017 11:00 PM EST Reads: 9,204
The Internet of Things will challenge the status quo of how IT and development organizations operate. Or will it? Certainly the fog layer of IoT requires special insights about data ontology, security and transactional integrity. But the developmental challenges are the same: People, Process and Platform and how we integrate our thinking to solve complicated problems. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Craig Sproule, CEO of Metavine, demonstrated how to move beyond today's coding paradigm and sh...
Feb. 27, 2017 09:15 PM EST Reads: 4,216


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Amazon is doing it again. They’re having another big sale on Kindle books for one of their main deals of the day.
They’ve been doing this often lately but this is probably the best Kindle book sale they’ve had in awhile.
This time around the deal centers around the best-selling books from previous Kindle Daily Deals.
There are 40 books included on the list, and they’re up to 80% off.
Most of the books are priced at $1.99 to $3.99, and there are lots of highly-rated books on the list so now would be a good time to stock up.
Like usual the sale only lasts for one day.
Also, as mentioned yesterday, Amazon has refurbished Kindle Paperwhites on sale starting at $79, which is $40 off the price of a new one. It doesn’t get cheaper than that for a 300 ppi ereader with a frontlight.


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Tag: Rivan R1S
Rivan steering control problem leads to the recall of over 13,000 EVs
The Rivan RT1 pick-up truck and the RS1 electric SUV are noe facing a recall due to the malfunctioning steering on some units.
Stay in touch:
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Oscar plans to change rules: increase theatrical distribution requirements
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Biostar Introduces A620MP-E Pro Motherboard Based on AMD A620 Chipset
Biostar launched a Socket AM5 motherboard based on the...
A Microsoft data center in the Netherlands is raising environmental concerns among locals
As the world uses more and more cloud-based online...


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Barry kebab house up for Best in Wales award
A BARRY kebab house has been nominated as one of the best in Wales.
A contest recognising the kebab industry’s contribution to the British economy has put Broad Street's Izmir Turkish & Greek Restaurant up for a best in Wales title.
The restaurant is up against 10 other outlets all aiming to be crowned Best Kebab House in Wales.
The winner will be announced at the fifth annual British Kebab Awards ceremony in London on Saturday, February 26
Members of the public were invited to nominate their favourite kebab shops.
The Izmir Turkish & Greek Restaurant which has been open for four years, also offers many vegetarian choices and hosts belly-dancing.
Restaurant frontman, Ali Deveci, said: “I feel very good about it, but I can’t even get to the ceremony. We’ve got bookings.
The judges include shadow economic secretary Jonathan Reynolds and fellow MP Nadhim Zahawi.
The number of #BritishKebabAwards tweets of support that a contender gets between now and the awards will also be taken into account.
The British Kebab Awards was established by the Centre for Turkey Studies (CEFTUS) and its founder Ibrahim Dogus in 2013.
British Kebab Awards creator Ibrahim Dogus said: “It’s set to be bigger and better than ever.
“Year on year we see fiercer contests between the best kebab chefs in the country all battling to be crowned kebab kings and there’s no shortage of people wanting to judge for themselves, Brits just can’t get enough of kebabs.”
The kebab industry is worth more than £2.8billion a year, to the British economy, supporting around 200,000 jobs across restaurants, suppliers and the food industry.
Every day 1.3m kebabs are sold across Britain.


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Well, a couple of weeks ago we have talked about Nintendo signing a contract with Apple to release Super Mario Run exclusively only for the iOS. All Android users thought they’ve lost all hope in getting Super Mario Run on their Android phones. However, Nintendo pulled a surprise on us today as they launched a pre-registration for the game on the Google Play Store! See for yourselves!
As you can see in the picture above, I did not hesitate to pre-register myself for the game. So there it is! The rumours of Super Mario Run not coming to Android is apparently untrue! So get onto the Google Play Store now and pre-register the game!


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Apple’s Airpods, which are wireless earbuds, were first revealed at their launch event in September 2016. For many people, the first thing that came to mind was how easy it would be to lose them. And with a replacement cost of $70 for just one ear piece or the charging set, you definitely don’t want to misplace them! Press play for some tips to keep track of your Apple AirPods.
Check out the free Komando.com App!
Get the latest tech updates and breaking news on the go, straight to your phone, with the Komando.com App, available in the Apple Store and Google Play Store.


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The company has completed a $12ml series A, helped by major backers
Data company PeerIQ completes a huge series A.
With the fresh cash PeerIQ will expand its data platform to include traditional lending and improve its real-time credit monitoring and reporting tools, a press release from the company said.
“Since launching our platform in 2015, we’ve seen tremendous growth, expanding our customer base from asset managers to now investment banks, lenders, and ABS investors,” said Ram Ahluwalia, CEO of PeerIQ.
“This investment, along with the strategic support that comes with it, will further extend our platform into those new segments, led by new data offerings, credit facility management, and ABS toolkits.”


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The credit-card issuer announced Thursday that it had overhauled the iconic credit card, which debuted 50 years ago. Among the most drastic changes was switching the card, now known as Green from Amex, from a charge card to a credit card. That means that for the first time, card holders won’t have to pay off their entire balance every month.
“Amex themselves seemed to admit in their press release that the 50-year-old Green Card had gotten a little dated and needed a refresh for a new generation,” said Ted Rossman, industry analyst at CreditCards.com.
The reconfigured Green Card is emblematic of the changes occurring across the credit-card industry. Here are some of the ways Amex’s announcement are indicative of today’s payment landscape:
Consumers — and credit-card companies — want more flexibility in their wallets
Because the card was previously a charge card, Green Card holders used to have to pay their full balance off each month or incur a hefty penalty. Now, the card functions like a typical credit card — any remaining balance left at the end of each payment cycle will accrue interest.
The annual percentage rate on the card is now variable between 16.99% and 23.99%, depending on a person’s creditworthiness. Card holders who make one or more late payments or have a payment returned will be assessed a penalty APR of 29.99%.
“The knee-jerk reaction would be to say credit cards encourage consumers to carry expensive balances more than charge cards, but I think it goes deeper than that,” Rossman said. “Today’s consumers desire flexibility.”
The rise in personal loans, repayment plans and special financing exemplify this. Combining credit cards with personal loans is particularly attractive to young adults, Rossman said, because they’re wary of open-ended debt thanks largely to the pressures they face from student loans.


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Launched in 2004, the same year as Facebook, Orkut only caught on in Brazil and India
Orkut was founded in 2004, the same year as Facebook, by Google engineer Orkut Büyükkökten, under a programme that allows Google staff to spend 20 percent of their time on independent projects. (Other widely successful products, such as Gmail, have emerged from this “20 percent” scheme over the years, although according to some ex-Google staff this policy, officially known as “Google Innovation Time Off,” is no longer very effective.)
“Over the past decade, YouTube, Blogger and Google+ have taken off, with communities springing up in every corner of the world,” Google said in a blog post. “Because the growth of these communities has outpaced Orkut’s growth, we’ve decided to bid Orkut farewell.”
The site will close as of 30 September. Google declined to say how many users Orkut has. In a rather obvious sign that the company was scaling back its commitment to the service, the announcement of Orkut’s demise is first post on the Orkut blog in nearly two years.
Google has made multiple efforts in the social networking domain, with Google+ as its latest effort. However, Vic Gundotra, the head of the company’s social networking services, left the company in April, raising questions about Google’s current social offerings. Gundotra said in October that 300 million users visit the Google+ web page each month – but this still trails behind Facebook’s 1.28 billion users.
Google has increasingly positioned Google+ as a unified user identity across all its products, and last year began requiring YouTube users to sign in with the social service in order to post comments.
Google said it will offer users the option of exporting their Orkut profile and other data for the next two years, but isn’t offering an option for migrating directly to Google+.
“We are preserving an archive of all public communities, which will be available online starting 30 September, 2014,” Google stated. “If you don’t want your posts or name to be included in the community archive, you can remove Orkut permanently from your Google account.”
Are you a Google expert? Take our quiz!


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OCZ Technology Group unveiled the OCZ Core Series SATA II 2.5" Solid State Drives (SSDs), priced significantly lower than the currently available SSD solutions.
The OCZ Core Series delivers the performance and reliability of the latest SSDs at a 50% less price per gigabyte than other high speed offerings currently on the market, according to OCZ. For the first time, OCZ is putting SSD technology within reach of the average consumer, and delivering on the promise of SSDs as an alternative to traditional hard drives in consumer targeted mobile applications.
"SSDs offer higher performance, reliability, and energy efficiency than conventional HDDs but the cost variance has limited adoption of vastly superior SSD technology, until now," said Ryan Petersen, CEO of OCZ Technology. "It is our mission to deliver the highest performance products to consumers at reasonable prices, and with the release of the Core Series SSDs we have done exactly that."
High capacities and low power consuming NAND flash technology provide the necessary performance and battery life boosts generated by the proliferation of mobile gaming and new ultra-thin laptops. With fast access and seek times combined with excellent reliability, the OCZ Core Series SSDs are the answer for consumers demanding this latest storage technology.
The drives feature a lightweight alloy housing, and because OCZ SSDs have no moving parts, the drives are not prone to damage from common mishandling. These SSDs have also a 1.5 million hour mean time before failure (MTBF).
Core series SSD drives are available in capacities of 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB and deliver incredible 120-143Mbs/ 80-93Mbs read/write speeds and seek times of less than 0.35ms, making the Core series up to 10x as fast on a seek-time basis and up to 40% faster on a R/W basis that the best performing 2.5" HDDs on the market, all while consuming 50% less power. MSRPs at time of launch are USD $169, $259 and $479 for 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models respectively.


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By Matt Wade
Shopping online is cheaper right? Think again. Big data has helped challenge that conventional wisdom.
Alberto Cavallo, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has undertaken a huge, international comparison of the "online and offline" prices charged by big retailers. To do it he simultaneously collected the price tags on more than 24,000 products from the websites and physical stores of 56 large "multi-channel" retailers in 10 countries, including Australia.
What it revealed might surprise you: 72 per cent of the prices were identical. The study did not compare regular store prices with online-only retailers, such as Amazon.com. But within the big retailers that tend to dominate consumer spending – especially in Australia – prices in stores are surprisingly similar to prices online.
That's at odds with what many consumers think. Cavallo told me there's a widespread belief that online prices are different to those in physical stores, although there is no consensus on exactly how much.
"Depending on the country or retailer people buy in, we tend to form beliefs based on our own perceptions," he said. "The point of the paper is to get data and prove that prices tend to be quite similar in these large multi-channel retailers, which concentrate the vast majority of retail sales."
Cavello's enormous price check found clothing and electronics had the highest share of identical prices online and offline. The lowest share of identical prices was in office supplies, although they were sometimes higher than in stores and sometimes lower.
In Australia, Professor Cavallo compared online and in-store prices at Coles, Masters, Target and Woolworths. He found 74 per cent of Australia's online and store prices were identical. That proportion was a little higher than the US (where 69 per cent of prices were identical) but lower than in Canada and the UK (both 91 per cent).
But there was something quite distinctive about Australia – it was one of two countries where big retailers tended to charge higher prices online, in the cases when there was a difference.
"We do not know why this happens," Cavallo told me. "Perhaps the retailer expects online shoppers to be willing to pay more, or they are simply trying to compensate for a delivery cost."
Cavallo's paper, titled "Are Online and Offline Prices Similar? Evidence from Large Multi-Channel Retailers" and published by America's National Bureau of Economic Research, drew on an initiative he co-founded called the "Billion Price Project" which collects daily prices from hundreds of online retailers to conduct economic research.
So what do the findings of this giant online versus offline price comparison mean for regular shoppers? Cavello offers two suggestions.
First, because there is often no difference between online and offline prices our decisions about web purchases should probably focus more on factors such as convenience, speed of purchase and the variety of goods for sale, rather than price.
Second, consumers have benefited because the rise of internet shopping has created an incentive for big retailers to price things identically across their own stores and outlets. The paper points our that big retailers now tend have a single price for each product, "regardless of the location of the buyer."
Cavello attributes this to the way customers now have a lot of information about the prices being charged for products in other locations.
"While a retailer may have a perfectly valid reason why the price of a TV should be different, for example, in a store in San Francisco than in a store in New York, it is very hard to explain that to customers seeing those prices online, so prices end up being the same," he says.
That's a major benefit for consumers, especially those living in rural and remote areas.
"While the web may not have turned out to be the great equaliser of prices across retailers that many people expected fifteen years ago, it ultimately did have a huge impact on the way large chains are setting their prices within their own stores," says Cavello.


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Web.com forecast for 2018 hits stock
Web.com Group Inc. reported fourth-quarter results basically in line with analysts’ forecasts. However, investors didn’t like the company’s projections for 2018.
The company’s stock dropped as much as $4.40 to $17.20 on Feb. 9, its lowest level in 14 months, after the earnings report.
“We are downgrading Web.com from Buy to Neutral as fiscal year ’18 outlook implies 0.5 percent year-to-year revenue growth while our thesis called for mid-single-digit growth as well as incremental investments,” wrote Sinha, the only analyst who changed his rating on the company after the report.
Web.com doesn’t provide projections on net income. But Sinha said the company’s first-quarter guidance of $185.5 million in revenue and $41.5 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was lower than his estimate of $188.2 million in revenue and $49.3 million in EBITDA.
He also said the consensus forecast of analysts called for revenue of $192.4 million and EBITDA of $49.8 million.
During Web.com’s conference call with analysts, CEO David Brown spotlighted the company’s plans to offer additional services to its business clients, beyond its basic service of helping them develop websites.
Sinha said he is waiting for results from that strategy.
“Given the significant transformation of the product line, there just isn’t much in terms of fundamentals to show for. We wait on the sidelines until we see incremental signs of a growth inflection,” he said.
Regency reports strong occupancy at its properties
At a time when retail chains are closing stores nationwide, Jacksonville-based shopping center developer Regency Centers Corp. reported continued strong occupancy at its properties.
The company’s same-property portfolio (properties owned and operated for more than one year) was 96.3 percent leased at year-end, and those properties grew net operating income by 3.6 percent last year.
“This places Regency at the top of the shopping center sector for both of these metrics,” CEO Hap Stein said in the company’s conference call with analysts.
“Even though store closures accelerated and expansions of some retailers were more deliberate, we are continuing to experience healthy demand from successful operators,” he said.
Regency operated 426 properties as of Dec. 31, mostly shopping centers anchored by supermarkets.
Regency reported fourth-quarter core funds from operations of 92 cents a share, 6 cents higher than the previous year.
Funds from operations basically are earnings excluding noncash charges such as depreciation and amortization expenses, and are a key indicator of a real estate investment trust’s performance.
Separately last week, Regency said the company’s largest shareholder will no longer be represented on its board of directors.
Chaim Katzman, who became vice chairman of Regency’s board last year, resigned because of the time commitment needed for his new role as CEO of Gazit-Globe Ltd.
Gazit-Globe is an Israeli-based shopping center developer that was the largest stockholder of Equity One Inc., and it became the largest Regency shareholder after Regency acquired Equity One last year.
Katzman is the founder and controlling shareholder of Gazit-Globe and had been serving as its chairman. He took over as CEO on Jan. 31 when the previous chief executive resigned.
Gazit-Globe controls 10.4 percent of Regency’s stock, according to its most recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
The merger agreement with Equity One required Regency to nominate Katzman to its board and to allow Gazit-Globe to appoint a replacement if Katzman left the board.
But Regency said in another SEC filing that Gazit-Globe is not designating a replacement to fill Katzman’s seat at this time.
CSX raises dividend to 22 cents a share
CSX Corp. last week announced it is raising its quarterly cash dividend by 2 cents to 22 cents per share, and also increasing its share repurchase program from $1.5 billion to $5 billion.
In a news release, CEO James Foote said the moves demonstrate the Jacksonville-based railroad company’s board’s “confidence in the quality of our franchise and our long-term prospects.”
Moody’s Investors Service said in a report that the increase in the share repurchase program “signals a more aggressive financial policy” for CSX.
“Moody’s considers this level of financial leverage very elevated, in particular given the company’s still sizeable exposure to domestic and export coal of approximately 18.5 percent of revenues, and the concerns of the Surface Transportation Board about lingering service issues that emanated from the implementation of CSX’s new operating plan,” the ratings agency said in a news release.
“In addition, the company will have limited room to contend with any adverse developments in freight demand, freight rates, operational issues or any other challenges. Nevertheless, Moody’s believes that the incremental risk associated with the increase in debt is mitigated by the expected material increase in cash flows relative to CSX’s debt levels.”
THL reduces stake in Black Knight
Black Knight Inc.’s largest shareholder, Thomas H. Lee Partners L.P., last week sold 8 million shares of the stock at $46.70 each.
This was Thomas H. Lee’s second stock sale since Fidelity National Financial Inc. spun off its majority stake in Black Knight in October. The investment firm sold 7 million shares in November.
The latest sale leaves Thomas H. Lee with about 20 million shares of Jacksonville-based Black Knight, or about 13 percent of the stock. Its stake was 23 percent before the first sale in November.
Nebraska company buying travel nurse staffing service PPR
Omaha-based Medical Solutions announced an agreement to buy PPR, a Jacksonville Beach-based provider of travel nurse staffing services.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
PPR, which was founded in 1996, will continue operating under its own brand and will keep its offices in Jacksonville and Tampa, Medical Solutions said.
Medical Solutions says it is one of the largest travel nurse staffing agencies in the U.S., with additional locations in San Diego, Cincinnati, Denver and Tupelo, Mississippi.
BAE Systems bringing more work to Jacksonville
BAE Systems last week said it received a contract of at least $9.6 million from the U.S. Navy to modernize the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea.
The contract includes options that could bring the total value to $72 million.
Work on the initial contract will begin in April and be completed in February 2019 at BAE’s two Jacksonville shipyards on Heckscher Drive and at Mayport Naval Station.
The company employs about 540 people in Jacksonville.
Drone Aviation completes Army contract
Jacksonville-based Drone Aviation Holding Corp. last week said it delivered an aerostat system to the U.S. Army under a contract that exceeds $800,000.
Drone Aviation reported total revenue of $474,634 in the first nine months of 2017.
The system is called the Winch Aerostat Small Platform, or WASP, which Drone Aviation says “delivers multi-mission capability on the edge of the battlefield featuring the simultaneous use of secure communications and advanced ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) payloads enabled by the company’s proprietary tether system.”
Acquisition doubles GEE Group revenue
GEE Group Inc. reported revenue more than doubled in the first quarter ended Dec. 31 because of an acquisition last year.
However, amortization and interest expenses related to its acquisitions resulted in a net loss for the quarter.
First-quarter revenue for the Naperville, Illinois-based staffing company reached $45.2 million, up from $21 million the previous year.
Operating income tripled in the quarter to $1.48 million but after interest and amortization expenses, GEE Group had a net loss of $1.8 million, or 18 cents a share, in the quarter.
“The company continues to benefit from a tight labor market with a continued low unemployment rate for IT, accounting, finance, engineering and other highly skilled professional workers. Also, the trend toward increased use of the flexible on-demand work force in corporate America coupled with the anticipated accelerated growth in U.S. GDP creates a favorable backdrop and macro environment for our business and the staffing industry,” CEO Derek Dewan said in a news release.
Although the company is headquartered near Chicago, Dewan works from an office in Jacksonville.


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By K Ashwin Mobile: 09920183006 Email:firstname.lastname@example.org
Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) today introduced its latest breakthrough in glass technology, Corning® Gorilla®Glass 6. Built on a decade-long legacy of delivering the toughest cover glass available for consumer mobile devices, Gorilla Glass 6 is Corning’s most durable cover glass to date.
“As consumers become more dependent on their smartphones, the opportunity for potentially damaging drops is also on the rise. Now more than ever, it’s critical the cover glass provides outstanding protection,” said John Bayne, vice president and general manager, Corning Gorilla Glass. “Corning Gorilla Glass 6 improves upon Gorilla® Glass 5 by surviving drops from higher heights, but, more importantly, has been engineered to survive multiple drops.” Read more
, Life Style
By Vivek K. Mobile: 09920183006 Email:email@example.com
Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology, and next-generation services, today released global research that provides insights into how and why organizations are adopting and investing in new digital technologies and strategies. The research report ‘How enterprises are steering through digital disruption’, was compiled by interviewing 1,000 senior IT and business decision makers in organizations across seven countries.
Currently, enterprises are using digital technologies across a variety of areas in their core IT management (79 percent), business process management (60 percent) and customer relationship management (62 percent). This establishes digital-ready enterprises as those that are continuously investing in reinventing their businesses from the core including processes and systems, with as much enthusiasm as their customer touchpoints and journeys. The research also found that respondents’ organizations are looking to utilize digital technologies (if they haven’t already) across knowledge management (33 percent), operational intelligence (31 percent) and product development (28 percent).
Disruptive digital technologies continue to equip enterprises to consume and analyze data to improve business, both by reimagining processes and experiences. 67 percent of organizations that participated in the study are leveraging big data analytics. Over half of these organizations have already made investments in deep learning algorithms of AI.
The research also revealed that customer centric technology investments are among the top three priorities for all industries except Manufacturing and CPG. Life Sciences leads the way (86 percent investing in technology for patient centricity during clinical trials), followed by Retail (79 percent investing in augmented reality for virtual stores) and Banking (75 percent investing in opti-channel for better customer experience). These technologies are also among the top priorities in Insurance (to encourage insurance buying behavior), Utilities (for omnichannel customer engagement), healthcare (to predict onset of health conditions) and Automotive (for connected cars). Read more


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BEND, OR, USA – With the dedication to develop a truly good-for-you and good-for-the-planet functional beverage, Riff, a purpose-driven coffee company, announced today that their latest offering, Riff Energy+, has officially been verified non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project Program. The Non-GMO Project Product Verification Program serves as North America’s only third-party verification for non-GMO food and products.
With this certification, Riff Energy+, a tasty plant-powered climate-friendly energy drink made from upcycled, nutrient-rich, cascara (coffee fruit) and other plant-based ingredients, earns verified recognition for being produced without genetic engineering or ingredients obtained from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The addition of the verified Non-GMO Project Program seal further supports Riff’s mission to support both the planet and consumers’ health and wellness through a plant-powered functional beverage.
“Human health and wellness has been a huge priority for us along with that of the planet,” said Paul Evers, Riff Co-Founder and CEO. “We were already confident of our non-GMO status due to our demanding sourcing criteria, and now we’re thrilled to have passed the test of scientific rigor with the certification process. There’s no reason why good for you, and good for the planet can’t go hand in hand.”
Riff’s Non-GMO Project Program verification follows Riff’s recent carbon neutral certification by Carbonfund.org Foundation’s Carbonfree® Product Certification Program. With this certification, Riff has become the nation’s first certified carbon neutral energy drink and functional beverage. Riff is the first packaged beverage brand in the Carbonfree® Product Certification Program to hold this distinction. The first drink of its kind, Riff Energy+ is proving to be a groundbreaking good-for-you alternative in the energy drink category.
This past spring, Riff also announced their partnership with Sedona Prince under the NCAA’s Name Image Likeness (NIL) guidelines. Through this, Sedona has been named Riff’s Chief Community Officer, and joins Super Bowl champion and actor, Vernon Davis, as a Riff partner building out the company’s mentorship program and advocating for the planet, equity, accessibility, and dignity.
Upon learning of the massive environmental impact of needlessly wasted nutrient-rich coffee fruit, Riff embarked on a mission to utilize 100% of the coffee plant’s agricultural value through their award-winning cold brew coffee and its upcycled coffee fruit-based Energy+ beverage line, launched late Spring 2021.
Made from upcycled coffee fruit, Energy+ highlights the exotic fruit flavors, sweetness, natural caffeine, and rich nutrients of coffee fruit in a functional beverage that benefits the environment as well as people. Energy+ is also a part of 1% For The Planet—donating 1% of revenue to forest preservation and reforestation projects in coffee growing regions.


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The FINANCIAL — Johnson Controls, Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi Appliances, Inc. today announced the companies have completed their global joint venture agreement and will immediately commence operations of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning to provide global customers with a full range of world class air conditioning products and technology.
Through the agreement, Johnson Controls has acquired a 60 percent ownership stake of the new entity, which has more than ¥350 billion in sales annually (approximately $2.8 billion). Hitachi Appliances retains ownership of the remaining 40 percent of the company.
The joint venture has approximately 14,000 employees and 24 global locations dedicated to design, engineering and manufacturing throughout Asia, Europe and Latin America. It will build on both organizations’ technology, research and development leadership, as well as expanding marketing channels, according to Hitachi.
Customers globally will now have the most diverse range of air conditioning products in the industry, including Hitachi’s world-class variable refrigerant flow systems, residential air-conditioning solutions, high-efficiency chillers and leading-edge rotary and scroll compressors – in addition to Johnson Controls’ industry leading HVAC and building automation solutions.
The joint venture’s management team will be led by Franz Cerwinka, chief executive officer, and Shinichi Iizuka, chief operating officer and president. Cerwinka has 20 years of experience with Johnson Controls, including four years in Japan as vice president of finance with the company’s automotive business and work with more than ten joint ventures. Iizuka has been with Hitachi for over 35 years, having spent eight years in India as the president of Hitachi Home & Life Solutions India Ltd. He has led Hitachi’s air conditioning business since 2013.
“We are very pleased to start operations and are anxious to serve our customers with an unmatched global network of channels and technology,” said Cerwinka. “Johnson Controls and Hitachi are a perfect match with our complementary product lines, unparalleled brands and rich 100-year histories.”
“I have spent my career with Hitachi and know that combining with Johnson Controls will propel us forward to outperform the competition,” added Iizuka. “Just as Hitachi and Johnson Controls have each made innovation the foundation of their separate success, innovation will now be the cornerstone of Johnson Controls – Hitachi Air Conditioning’s success.”
Johnson Controls is a global multi-industrial company with 130 years of history in supplying heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, building controls, refrigeration and security systems for buildings. Through its Building Efficiency business, the company delivers solutions that increase energy efficiency and lower operating costs for over a million customers who are served through nearly 700 offices in more than 150 countries. Through a previous OEM agreement, Johnson Controls has already begun selling Hitachi Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems in North America and recently opened a VRF training center in Dallas, Texas.
A global home appliances and air conditioning solutions provider, Hitachi Appliances, supplies high quality, efficient and reliable Hitachi’s HVAC products from residential room air conditioning to variable refrigerant flow systems, and other air conditioning equipment for commercial and industrial use. Hitachi Appliances will continue to provide Hitachi branded HVAC products in the Japanese market after this transaction.


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Green and glam: The story behind Witchery’s latest designer collab
Australian fashion chain recently launched a capsule collection of environmentally friendly resort wear with the acclaim...
How Alémais went from idea to award-winning Aussie brand in two years
The Australian fashion brand has been a runaway success since launching two years ago. Yesterday, it was crowned the win...
Meet Lindsay Nicholas, the fashion designer bringing NY edge to Melbourne
We chat with the brand owner and designer about moving to Australia, getting through the pandemic and opening her first ...
Joseph Altuzarra: ‘The definition of luxury has changed’
The acclaimed designer talks about the key ways the fashion industry has changed since he started his luxury womenswear ...
How Nookie designer Nikita Sernack got her start in fashion
Nookie designer Nikita Sernack shares the core business objectives for new brand Rumer and why she resisted the pressure...
Asia-Pacific world’s most label-conscious
Three in five Asia Pacific consumers are willing to pay more for designer products.
Stella McCartney opens in Beijing
English fashion designer expanding in the Chinese market.
CFDA partners with Shangpin
American association of designers to reach Chinese market.


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A new $110 million, 42-level Sheraton hotel has been proposed for Perth’s CBD, with the city currently assessing the development application.
The combined hotel and residential development would feature 196 rooms and 89 apartments and would be built on the site that’s currently home to the 10-storey New Esplanade Hotel, which would be demolished.
The proposed hotel would also include a ballroom and meeting spaces.
If approved, the property would be one of three new Starwood hotels being developed in the city, alongside new Westin and Aloft properties.
“Starwood Hotels and Resorts is always actively seeking the right partners and the right locations to expand its footprint in Australia and Perth is a key city in are overall growth strategy,” a spokesperson said.
“At present we operate a Four Points by Sheraton hotel in the city and will open The Westin Perth and Aloft Perth Rivervale in 2017.
“In line with Starwood’s multi-brand growth strategy however we strive to have all our brands represented in key markets and cities such as Perth and we are currently in talks with potential developers regarding growth opportunities,” said a Starwood spokesperson.


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Nokia X6 Price and Images Revealed by a Chinese Website
The Nokia X6, a new smartphone by Nokia will be launching soon. And as the launch is that close, the specifications and price details of the smartphone are leaking nowadays. Recently, some images containing the features and price details of the upcoming Nokia X6 are leaked by a Chinese website named Suning.com.
The upcoming Nokia X6 is a mid range smartphone. Also, it is Nokia’s first smartphone with 19:9 display and a notch on the top. The phone has a dual rear camera setup.
The new Nokia X6 will feature a 5.8-inch Full HD+ display with a resolution of 2280 × 1080 pixels and 19:9 aspect ratio. Looking at the design, the phone will have a notch on top at the front and a glossy body at the back.
The smartphone will come with the Android Oreo operating system. Under the hood, the device is expected to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core processor. The storage features of the phone are 4GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage.
At the rear, the handset will pack a dual rear camera setup with a 16-megapixel and a 5-megapixel sensor. At the front, it’ll come with a 16-megapixel camera. Additionally, the smartphone will support features like AI stickers and portrait mode.
The Nokia X6 will come with a 3060 mAh battery which will support Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0. The phone will have a fingerprint scanner at the back.
Nokia X6 Specifications
- Display: 5.8-inch FHD+
- Software: Android Oreo
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core
- RAM: 4GB
- ROM: 64GB
- Rear Camera: 16MP+5MP
- Front Camera: 16MP
- Battery: 3060 mAh
- Fingerprint Sensor: Yes, rear-facing
Nokia X6 Price
At last, it’s time to talk about the price of Nokia X6. According to the leaked images, the upcoming Nokia X6 will be priced at Yuan 1,499 which is $236 (Rs.15,999 approx.). After having a look at the specifications and a price of Rs.16000, the smartphone is going to be a big deal in the global market. The phone looks like a big brother of the earlier launched Nokia 6 but with a lower price. Also, Nokia X6 is one of the top smartphones of 2018.
Let’s wait for the official launch of the smartphone for getting more information. Stay tuned to Slashinfo for more such news and updates.
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Department store John Lewis will open a further two home stores as part of its rollout plan for 2011.
The Exeter store will be the first city centre Home store for John Lewis. Its existing home stores all trade from out-of-town retail parks.
The Exeter store will trade from a five storey former department store. The Chester store is the first home format store to open in the North. Both sites are owned by Land Securities.
Ashworth Chartered Surveyors and Cushman & Wakefield acted for John Lewis.


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The gig economy has made seemingly impossible things possible. The way jobs and employment prevailed before the advent and pervasion of technology further drastically evolved due to the emergence of the gig economy. Reports find a rapid rise in Gig Economy in India, notably during and post-pandemic. This article brings you closer insights into the future of the gig economy in India.
What is the gig economy?
A gig economy is a market where independent workers and companies work in a coalition. The payment terms rely on a per gig or per-project basis in contrast to salaries paid periodically to full-time employees. Though the term gig economy may sound recent, the freelance industry and contractual work agreements always thrived.
Types of gig workers
Mc Kinsey segregates gig workers into four categories:
- Free agents: Those gig workers undertake gig jobs by choice, depending on them for their primary source of income.
- Supplemental income: Casual earners that explore gig opportunities out of their choice to make a side income.
- Reluctants: Gig workforce that is primarily dependent on gig jobs for making ends meet and working in gigs out of necessity.
- Financially strapped: Gig workers who want to supplement their income and take up gig jobs out of necessity.
Gig economy examples
According to a report jointly published by global management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and non-profit organization Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, gig economy examples for jobs comprise “lower-income job-types such as deliveries, ridesharing, microtasks, care, and wellness.”
Well-known gig economy examples in India include firms such as Uber, Ola, Zomato, Swiggy, Flipkart, Urban Company, OYO, etc., that predominantly prevail on the gig workforce.
Gig workforce in the corporate sector
On the flip side, the emergence of the gig economy in the corporate sector is in its infancy. With the pandemic driven upswing in the job changes, rise in entrepreneurial mindset, and working from anywhere giving employees the taste of flexible working, the future of the corporate workplace is all about leveraging the gig force.
- Industry experts believe that those companies that do not utilize a gig workforce might risk falling behind.
- According to various reports, 50%-76% of the workforce in service sectors in India comprises white-collar gig workers.
With corporates finding it lucrative to hire gig workers, experts predict a rise in demand for professionals such as branding consultants, software and mobile app developers, design, software development, writing, video editing, music, social media marketing, web development, SEO, and digital marketing.
Statistics of gig economy in India
Though the US is the current leader in the gig economy market, India possesses a massive potential to supply gig workers, thanks to the boost in technology adoption, increased acceptance of virtual working, and availability of a skilled and affordable talent pool.
The gig economy in India is emerging as one of the impactful sectors in its economy. Studies find that the contribution of gig platforms to the economy of developing countries is around 5-12%, in contrast to 1-4% of that in developed countries.
According to Niti Aayog, gig-platform-based organizations generated more than 2 million jobs since 2019. Their services as frontline workers during the pandemic have brought to attention the necessity to recognize the potency of the gig workforce. In September 2020, the Indian Parliament passed a new labor code, The Code on Social Security 2020.
- India ranks 7th in the global talent pool of science and engineering graduates.
- The gig economy in India is predicted to triple in the next decade, thanks to its potential to create 90 million gig jobs.
- The resulting economy would be worth $250 billion, which approximates to around 1.25% of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the long term.
- The main sectors that would give an impetus to gig work are – manufacturing, construction, retail, and transportation and logistics.
The gig economy in India is also playing its part in closing the wage parity. A study on “The Impact of COVID 19 and Industry 4.0 on Future of Work for Women, An Insight from Formal Sector in India” highlights the potential of the gig economy in India to attract and empower more women.
This survey stresses that virtual working will be the new normal across the roles that demand a skilled workforce across advanced technologies such as digital information, artificial intelligence, robotization, and machine learning.
Reasons for the rise of the gig economy in India
With the pandemic-infused job uncertainty, there is a visible rise in entrepreneurial mindset in the employees.
A finding from the Association of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) indicates the role of millennials in the rise of the gig economy in India. With more lucrative gig openings in India and globally, the number of Gen Z workers keen to explore the gig economy for various reasons is ever increasing.
An analysis about the trigger to this spurring rise in the gig economy in India reveals further fascinating insights:
- Autonomy to choose work and employer
- Ability to work from anywhere
- Save travel time and costs
- Eliminate formal embroiling processes
- Scope to sell talent for a higher charge, and
- Freedom to balance work and life as against traditional 9-5 full-time jobs.
Role of digital transformation in gig economy
Organizations are increasingly recognizing the necessity to transform their businesses by leveraging automation and Artificial Intelligence.
The necessity to reimagine businesses to catch the pace of changing technology trends and customers’ mindset could fuel the demand for gig workers across technology, software, AI, and automation. This steeply rises the necessity for companies to hire tech gig professionals.
Future of gig economy in India
Agility, cost, and accessibility are the key driving factors why businesses prefer the gig workforce. Freedom, autonomy, and entrepreneurial mindset are what drive professionals towards the gig economy.
The necessity for gig workers exists for industries of any size. Business giants can save corporate real estate expenses, eliminate the costs of bad hires, and scale up their talent pool at affordable costs.
On the other hand, budding businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs can seamlessly access a wider qualified global talent pool that can reimagine their growth trajectory without any hassles.
The future of the gig economy in India is all about a symbiotic relationship between companies and gig workers in reimagining the future of the workplace.


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|Bid||3,230.00 x 0|
|Ask||3,232.50 x 0|
|Day's range||3,217.50 - 3,270.00|
|52-week range||2,513.00 - 3,633.50|
|Beta (3Y monthly)||0.91|
|PE ratio (TTM)||24.77|
|Earnings date||24 Jul 2019 - 29 Jul 2019|
|Forward dividend & yield||0.69 (2.10%)|
|1y target est||2,916.05|
Rupert Hargreaves looks at two FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE: UKX) stocks Warren Buffett might buy for their fantastic shareholder returns.
Spirits maker Diageo Plc said on Thursday it was "not immune" to changes in global trade policies, but based on the current environment expects to meet its full-year organic sales targets. The Johnnie Walker whisky and Tanqueray gin maker said it continues to expect organic net sales growth to be towards the mid-point of a 4% to 6% range and organic operating profit to grow roughly one percentage point ahead of organic net sales. The company also said it expects first-half organic operating profit growth to be in-line with or slightly behind organic net sales growth, due to stronger prior year comparables.
The FTSE 100 index ended 0.6% higher and the mid-cap FTSE 250 index rose 0.2%, with the financial sector boosting both the indexes. Central banks around the world have been loosening monetary policy to stem a slowdown in economic growth. CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said the Fed's signal to hold back on further cuts was probably not priced in.
The Johnnie Walker whisky and Tanqueray gin maker said it continues to expect organic net sales growth to be towards the mid-point of a 4% to 6% range and organic operating profit to grow roughly one percentage point ahead of organic net sales. The company also said it expects first-half organic operating profit growth to be in-line with or slightly behind organic net sales growth, due to stronger prior year comparables. "We would not be immune from significant changes to global trade policy and continue to monitor this closely," Chief Executive Ivan Menezes said in a statement.
High-quality companies outperform junk companies in the stock market. From Robert Novy-Marx to Joseph Piotroski, the world’s foremost investment academics have8230;
Diageo Plc averted a planned strike on Tuesday at Scottish distilleries after reaching an agreement on worker pay with the GMB and Unite unions, a representative for the company said. The two-year deal includes a 3% pay increase in the first year and then a cost of living increase and a performance-based incentive bonus in the second year, the company said. More than 1,000 workers at Diageo's Scottish distilleries were set to go on strike, starting 2100 GMT on Tuesday.
The two-year deal includes a 3% pay increase in the first year and then a cost of living increase and a performance-based incentive bonus in the second year, the company said. More than 1,000 workers at Diageo's Scottish distilleries were set to go on strike, starting 2100 GMT on Tuesday. "The offer is a two-year commitment on pay and also sets out a time frame for the negotiation of a new collective agreement," GMB Scotland said http://bit.ly/2ZYXsJC.
The latest earnings update Diageo plc (LON:DGE) released in August 2019 suggested that the business gained from a...
The unique mix of high barriers to entry and relentless demand make sin stocks, like Diageo plc (LON:DGE), worth a closer look, in my opinion.
UK stocks ended Friday on a high note as optimism that a no-deal Brexit could be avoided spurred a rally in stocks with domestic exposure, overpowering losses in blue-chip exporter stocks that were hit by a stronger sterling. The FTSE 100 rose 0.3%, with homebuilder Barratt jumping nearly 6% to top the gainers. The country's big banks Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays added more than 5%.
Unions at Diageo are demanding a 5% pay rise for workers due to go on strike in Scotland later this month and believe the stoppages will cost the drinks company 1 million pounds ($1.2 million) a day, a source familiar with the matter said. A Diageo spokeswoman said that the unions had initially demanded 5% pay hikes when talks started in May, but had since come down to 3.5%. Members of Scotland's Unite and GMB unions, who make up half of Diageo's 3,000 Scottish workforce, are set to go on rolling strikes at the company's Cameronbridge, Leven and Shieldhall sites in Scotland between Sept. 17 and 27, after talks with Diageo collapsed last month.
A Diageo spokeswoman said that the unions had initially demanded 5% pay hikes when talks started in May, but had since come down to 3.5%. Members of Scotland's Unite and GMB unions, who make up half of Diageo's 3,000 Scottish workforce, are set to go on rolling strikes at the company's Cameronbridge, Leven and Shieldhall sites in Scotland between Sept. 17 and 27, after talks with Diageo collapsed last month. The unions on Aug. 30 again rejected Diageo's offer to increase wages by 2.8%, after rejecting a prior offer of 2.5%.
UK blue-chip shares slipped on Tuesday, as a second set of disappointing data from China this week cemented fears of a slowdown in global economic growth, while gains in the pound amid fading no-deal Brexit worries hit multinational stocks. The FTSE 100 index dipped 0.4%, having suffered its worst day this month in the last session, with equipment rental giant Ashtead falling 3% after in-line results. The more domestically-focussed index of midcaps was flat by 0705 GMT, supported by a 22% jump in Galliford Try after the construction company said it had restarted preliminary talks to sell its residential units to housebuilder Bovis Homes.
London's FTSE 100 slipped on Thursday as a surge in sterling pushed exporter stocks lower, missing out on a global rally led by growing hopes of a resolution to the U.S.-China trade dispute. The FTSE 100 slid 0.6%, with multinationals including spirits company Diageo, pharma giants AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline slipping about 3% as a strong pound meant the value of their U.S. earnings was lower. Stocks trading without dividend entitlement on the day such as BHP, Glencore and Micro Focus fell between 1.2%-3%, weighing heavily on the blue-chip index.
Dividend growth investing can be a profitable long-term investment strategy. Here's a look at three FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE: UKX) companies that just hiked their dividend payouts.
The union said in August that 500 workers at Diageo's Cameron Bridge, Leven and Shieldhall sites had voted in support of industrial action, with strikes at the company's distilling and bottling plants likely to begin in September and go on till November. Unite said that strikes would take place between Sept. 18 to 19 and between Sept. 26 to 27 at Diageo's Cameron Bridge and between Sept. 19 to 20 and between Sept. 26 to 27 at the Leven plant. "Unite warned weeks ago that unless Diageo made a fair offer then our membership would take strike action", Unite regional industrial officer Bob MacGregor said adding that "The door always remains open to further negotiations but strike action is now imminent".
London's FTSE 100 surged 1% on Monday, shrugging off news of the latest U.S.-China trade tariffs, as exporter stocks firmed following a slide in sterling on the prospect of an election against the backdrop of Brexit. The main index hit its highest in nearly a month, partly boosted by AstraZeneca, which rose 3% to an all-time high after separate trials showed its drugs helped patients with cardiovascular conditions. The mid-cap FTSE 250 rose 0.5%, though trading volumes on both UK indexes were thin due to a U.S. market holiday.
Does the September share price for Diageo plc (LON:DGE) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the...
Gains in mining companies after nickel prices hit an all-time high and signs of a resumption of U.S.-China trade talks lifted London's FTSE 100 on Friday, as the index snapped a four-week losing streak. The main index added 0.3%, but still posted its sharpest monthly fall since October in a month ravaged by escalating trade disputes and fears of a recession. The mid-cap FTSE 250 gained 0.5%.
(Bloomberg) -- Want the lowdown on European markets? In your inbox before the open, every day. Sign up here.Pernod Ricard SA reported its strongest annual earnings growth in seven years, fueled by Chinese demand, and announced a 1 billion-euro ($1.1 billion) share buyback.After sales in China surged 21%, the company is doubling down in that market by building a $150 million distillery in Sichuan province to produce single malt whisky. The company also announced the $223 million purchase of New York-based Castle Brands to add Jefferson’s bourbon to its portfolio.The positive results add steam to a distilling industry that’s been an outperformer in the wider consumer-goods sector. The revival of cocktail culture has boosted sales of high-end liquor brands such as Pernod Ricard’s Monkey 47 gin and Martell cognac.Profit from recurring operations rose 8.7% to 2.58 billion euros in the year through June, edging out analysts’ estimates. However, the company forecast profit growth may slow slightly this year to a rate of 5% to 7%.The stock rose as much as 4.6% to a record 174.25 euros Thursday.“We suspect management are being prudent, rather than this being a signal of weaker underlying trends,” wrote Trevor Stirling, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. Last year Pernod Ricard started out with the same forecast, then raised it twice.Pernod Ricard is under pressure after activist investor Elliott Management Corp. took a stake in the company late last year. The buyback follows rival Diageo Plc’s plan to return as much as 4.5 billion pounds ($5.5 billion) to shareholders.The French company also raised its dividend so that it’s now paying out 50% of earnings.“Now that we’ve significantly deleveraged our business to the lowest leverage ratio in at least 15 years, it’s the right time to clarify our strategy with shareholders,” Chief Executive Officer Alexandre Ricard said by phone of the buyback plan. He said the payout ratio has been lower over the past decade because of Pernod Ricard’s acquisition strategy.The distillery in the Chinese city of Emeishan will be the first built buy a foreign spirits maker in that country and is scheduled to begin production in 2021. Pernod Ricard hired Neri & Hu, renowned Chinese architects, to build the site, which it intends to promote as a tourist destination.(Updates with analyst comment in sixth paragraph.)To contact the reporter on this story: Thomas Buckley in London at email@example.comTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Eric Pfanner at firstname.lastname@example.org, Thomas Mulier, John LauermanFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
French spirits maker Pernod Ricard , which is being targeted by activist investor Elliott, unveiled a share buyback programme and new investments in China and the United States as it posted profit growth that beat forecasts. In the United States - its largest market where it now makes 18% of sales - Pernod further strengthened its bourbon whisky portfolio with the $223 million acquisition of Castle Brands.


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Sales of new cars have suffered their first September slump in six years as diesel sales fell by more than a fifth.
Just over 426,000 new cars were registered in September, down 9.3 per cent on the same month last year, according to latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Although this marked the sixth consecutive monthly fall the SMMT said the decline last month is particularly concerning as September is seen as ‘a barometer of the health of the new car market’.
Sales of new cars have suffered their first September slump in six years as diesel sales fell by more than a fifth (File photo)
This is because it is supposed to be a bumper month in showrooms as drivers snap up the new registration plate cars.
But the main cause for the decline in new car market was diesel.
Demand for diesel cars fell for the sixth consecutive month amid health warnings and fears that councils will impose swingeing penalties on drivers to crack down on air pollution.
Almost 171,000 diesel cars were sold last month, down 21.7 per cent from just under 218,000 in September last year.
Sales of diesel cars are also down 13.7 per cent for the year so far.
In contrast, petrol models were down just 1.2 per cent last month, while sales of alternatively fuelled vehicles such as hybrids and electric cars rose 41 per cent, to 22,628.
The SMMT blamed a fall in consumer confidence caused by economic and political uncertainty, and confusion over air quality plans.
Its chief executive Mike Hawes said: “September is always a barometer of the health of the UK new car market so this decline will cause considerable concern. Business and political uncertainty is reducing buyer confidence, with consumers and businesses more likely to delay big-ticket purchases.’
He added: ‘The confusion surrounding air quality plans has not helped, but consumers should be reassured that all the new diesel and petrol models on the market will not face any bans or additional charges.’
Motor manufacturers, accusing VW, have been accused of misleading motorists about emissions – even on newer cars.
They have rushed to launch scrappage schemes offering discounts on new cars for drivers who trade in their old diesel and petrol cars.
This has helped to bolster sales.
Yesterday the SMMT claimed that if the decline in diesel sales continues at this rate the average carbon dioxide emissions from new cars could rise this year for the first time since 2000.
Even the most modern diesel engines produce more nitrogen oxides – which can cause respiratory disease – than petrol engines.
But they tend to be more fuel efficient produce less of the greenhouse gas.
The SMMT has also raised concerns about the increasing popularity of big 4×4 – or ‘dual purpose’ cars which on average emit 27 per cent more carbon dioxide than normal cars.
This was the only body type to see an increase in popularity, with sales rising 2.4 per cent to 80,558 last month.


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THE boss of a doomed Huddersfield store today pleaded with other employers to find jobs for his staff.
The Tradex store at the Ringway Industrial Estate will close at the end of next month with the loss of 100 jobs.
Store manager Andrew Zbos said workers faced the prospect of a bleak Christmas and New Year.
The staff includes five departmental managers, 14 supervisors and several general assistants.
In an appeal to local employers, he said: "I cannot stress how much of an invaluable asset my fellow Tradex employees are.
"They are the most loyal, hardworking and dedicated individuals it has been my privilege to work alongside.
"The prospect of having to witness the demise and disbandment of a truly special team is not only gut-wrenching and heartbreaking, but also an unjust waste of resources.
"The only analogy that springs to mind is trying to imagine how Huddersfield Town manager Peter Jackson would feel at being told to sell each and every one of its players."
Mr Zbos urged employers who could help to phone him at the store on 01484 448000.
Nobody was available to comment on the closure plan at Tradex's head office at Pudsey, Leeds.
Tradex was launched in 1985 and opened its first superstore in Pudsey. It now has outlets in Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, Hull, Lincoln, Preston and Nottingham, selling everything from biscuit barrels and perfume to mobility scooters and garden sheds.
The Huddersfield store opened in 2001 in premises previously occupied by DIY chain Focus Do It All.


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Woolies food sales dipped in March quarter
Supermarket giant Woolworths has posted a slight increase in group sales for the third quarter, but food sales declined as trading returned to normal after a surge in coronavirus spending last year.
For the 13 weeks to April 4, food sales in Australia were down 2.1 per cent on a comparable basis to $11.09 billion. New Zealand food sales were down 7.5 per cent on a comparable basis.
However, overall group sales were up 0.4 per cent to $16.56 billion, helped by continuing strong trading in the Big W and Endeavour Drinks businesses.
“There were two very distinct trading periods in Q3,” CEO Brad Banducci said on Thursday.
“The first seven weeks before we began to cycle COVID and the second six weeks as we cycled the peak growth of the prior year.”
Group sales growth was strong in the first seven weeks of the quarter but in the final six weeks, food and drinks sales declined on the prior year.
The same period last year produced double-digit sales growth at supermarkets, as an impending lockdown due to COVID-19 triggered panic-buying by shoppers for items ranging from pasta to toilet paper.
Sales at Big W stores remained strong in the quarter, increasing 6.3 per cent to $1.02 billion, while sales at the Endeavour Drinks businesses rose 6.3 per cent to $2.39 billion.
The Hotels business, which had been hit because of venue closures last year, has seen sales jump 11.5 per cent to $390 million.
Woolworths said customer shopping behaviour continues to normalise, with food customers shopping less frequently.
There also been a “moderation” in the number of items customers put in their baskets and customers are also shopping more on weekends.
Additional costs associated with COVID safety measure have continued to trend down over the quarter, the retailer added.
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Why him? Steve Jobs revived Apple and remade entire industries, defying the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression -- and his own serious health problems. More
Check out our interactive timeline to see Jobs' early struggles and recent victories, Apple's coolest product launches of the past 10 years, and how investing in Apple stock has paid off. More
Is Steve Jobs a great CEO, or what?


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MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has seized 640 grams of shabu (crystal meth) estimated to worth P4.5 million in a warehouse in Pasay City.
The contraband was found in an unclaimed parcel at the DHL warehouse.
The BOC said the seized illegal drug was concealed inside tin cans of wafer and packs of chocolates, stuffed toys, candies and slippers to avoid detection.
It was shipped from Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States and consigned to a certain resident of Hagonoy, Bulacan.
However, its contents were detected through “intensified vigilance and profiling BOC-NAIA” and coordinated with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (IADITG).
Chemical Laboratory Analysis conducted by PDEA confirmed that the seized white crystalline substance were indeed methamphetamine hydrochloride.
The BOC said the items have been turned over to the PDEA on Sept. 24 for further profiling and case build-up against those behind its importation for possible prosecution for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 in relation to Section 1401 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has destroyed P10 million worth of hazardous, unsafe products that were illegally imported.
The BOC-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) reported another 24.6 tons of vape products, cosmetics, expired medicines/supplements, and other hazardous and unsafe goods were destroyed through the thermal decomposer (Pyrolysis) facility of the Integrated Waste Management Inc., in Cavite on October 17 and 19.
The said goods were imported without necessary Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registration and permits.
Port of NAIA District Collector Carmelita M. Talusan, in a statement, said the proceedings aim to address perennial congestion problems of customs facilities on abandoned and illegally shipped items. AAC
MANILA, Philippines – Another parcel containing ecstasy tablets was intercepted by authorities, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said Friday.
The BOC said its operatives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), together with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agencyand NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group seized the package containing over 196 pieces of ecstasy tablets and 151 grams of Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) power or raw ecstasy at the Central Mail Exchange Center.
The BOC said the parcel, which was sent by a certain Jansen J.J.K from Amersfoot, Netherlands, was declared as key chain intended for Cebu City.
When subjected to 100% physical examination, the package was found to contain ecstasy drugs in pills and powder/crystal forms with aggregate street value of P750,000.
PDEA Chemical Laboratory results confirmed that tablets and the crystallized substance contains MDMA or ecstasy/molly.
The illegal drugs are now in the custody of PDEA for further investigation and institution of inquest proceedings for violation of the Republic Act 9165 also known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act in relation to Section 1401 (Unlawful Importation) of the Republic Act 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Since January 2020, the BOC said the Port of NAIA in partnership with PDEA and NAIA-IADITG already intercepted 41 different shipments of illegal drugs with a total value of P83.6 Million of the anti-illegal drugs. Thirteen shipments of which contained Ecstasy worth P40.4 Million.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) destroyed over P6.25 billion worth of confiscated illegal drugs in Cavite on Thursday (October 15).
PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva confirmed that 1,394 kilograms of illegal drugs and paraphernalia were destroyed through thermal decomposition in Trece Martirez, Cavite.
The move was in compliance with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to immediately destroy contraband to avoid recycling by unscrupulous individuals.
The official also said the destruction of seized illegal drugs would also ease the suspicion of the public that seized illegal drugs are being recycled by errant officials.
“Kapag natapos po ito ay zero-zero po ang inventory ng PDEA. So next month asahan niyo na mauubos ang ebidensya namin diyan sa storage ng PDEA laboratory service, (One we finish [destroying seized illegal drugs], PDEA’s inventory will be zero-zero. So next month, expect our evidence will be gone at the storage of PDEA laboratory service)” Villanueva said.
He also reported this is the third highest worth of illegal drugs seized since 2017. PDEA is also set to destroy 1,529 kilograms of illegal drugs in November.
Villanueva also lauded the Department of Justice for the immediate release of court order authorizing PDEA to destroy seized illegal drugs. AAC (with reports from Lea Ylagan)
UNTV is a major TV broadcast network with 24-hour programming. An Ultra High Frequency station with strong brand content that appeal to everyone, UNTV is one of the most trusted and successful Philippine networks that guarantees wholesome and quality viewing experience.


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Chevy has confirmed that it will build an electric version of its Silverado pickup truck. This upcoming Chevy EV will go up against the upcoming electric Ford F-150 and the countless other electric trucks promised to hit the market soon.
GM claims that it will offer up to 400 miles of range on a single charge, and it will feature the company’s Ultium battery packs.
Chevy also said that the electric Silverado will be offered in both work-oriented fleet and snazzier retail versions. Its impending arrival won’t affect the gasoline-powered Silverado for now, as Chevy says that it is planning an update for the current internal-combustion Silverado lineup, likely for the 2022 model year.
Read the article at Car and Driver.


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This Friday, April 12, the 19th edition of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Coachella 2019 for the friends and the lucky ones who have managed to buy one of the tickets of this prestigious event that since 1999 in each edition has a rooster of first class guests, this year Childish Gambino, fresh winner of the Grammys 2019 and Ariana Grande.
Although the festival tickets have a very high value (from 429 dollars a simple entry, even the packages for groups that arrive $ 3600) the organizers have already announced through the official sale site of the festival that the tickets for the first weekend have been sold out.
However, for those who have arrived late there are still options. Since a few years, as a result of the huge demand, the organizers of the Coachella 2019 they have decided to repeat all the events a second weekend, and for the days 19, 20 and 21 of April there are still some tickets: from the simple one to 429 dollars for the whole weekend, until the VIP entrance to nothing less than $ 999. The packages that offer transportation and accommodation have already been completed without the possibility of subscribing to the waiting lists, an option available for any ticket for the second weekend.
The organizers have announced through the official sale site of the festival that the tickets for the first weekend have been sold out.


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The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has released its Annual Progress Report for 2016, following its recent AGM at JCK Las Vegas.
The report reflects the RJC’s 2015 achievements and demonstrates its continuing work across membership growth, certification benchmarks, standards development and auditor engagement.
It reveals the top 10 countries where businesses in the jewellery supply chain have already committed to responsible business practices. Leading the way is the United States, with 3,399 businesses on board, followed by the United Kingdom with 1,769. China, Japan, India, France, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Italy and Belgium make up the third to tenth positions respectively.
The report states that in 2015, there was a 36 per cent increase in RJC Code of Practices certificates issued compared to the year before. There was also a 100 per cent increase in RJC Chain-of-Custody Certifications issued in 2015.
RJC Certification covers more than 7,000 facilities and 340,000 employees in 65 countries. The full report can be found here.