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The Tesla Cybertruck vs. Ford F-150 tug-of-war rematch is getting big enough that it is even getting betting odds.
Can you guess who the underdog is?
As we reported earlier yesterday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk agreed to redo the Cybertruck vs. Ford F-150 tug-of-war challenge after claims the first one wasn’t fair.
It appears that Tesla used a rear-wheel-drive version of the Ford F-150, and during a Twitter exchange with scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Musk agreed that it would be fairer if both trucks were loaded during the challenge.
Musk agreed to a rematch and even agreed to bring Ford onboard after an executive from the automaker, Sunny Madra, challenged Tesla to a fairer tug-of-war between the F150 and the Cybertruck.
However, we later learned that Ford was backing out of the challenge and called the first one “absurd.”
Nonetheless, Tesla apparently plans to move forward with a rematch that would be fairer to the Ford F-150 pickup truck.
The rematch is gathering so much hype that the odds makers are starting to take bets on the Tesla Cybertruck vs. Ford F150 rematch.
According to Bookmaker, Tesla’s Cybertruck is much more likely to win the tug-of-war than the Ford F-150:
At -250 odds, you would win $40 by betting $100 ($140 payout) on the Tesla Cybertruck if it wins the rematch.
However, if you place a $100 bet on the Ford F-150 and it ends up beating the Cybertruck, you would get $190 ($290 payout).
Based on Musk’s comments, Tesla is expected to livestream the rematch next week.
It’s not exactly surprising that the Tesla Cybertruck is the strong favorite here.
Beyond the fact that the Cybertruck is extremely powerful, Ford doesn’t seem to want to participate in the rematch, which would definitely make the rematch fairer.
Since tugs-of-war are all about traction and that’s not just dependent on each vehicle’s torque, it’s important that all other factors are taken into account.
Each company could be responsible to make sure their respective vehicle performs optimally, and that would make for a good rematch.
Though I am sure Tesla is going to try to make this one as fair as possible since they got caught not doing things by the book the first time around.
Either way, I might throw a few bucks at the Tesla Cybertruck.
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Apple said Wednesday it will create a new campus, initially for tech support workers, later this year outside the Bay Area.
Its whereabouts are unknown: The company described it as a “new location” but did not provide further details.
Like Amazon, which announced plans last year for a second headquarters outside Seattle, Apple has been scrutinized recently for its impact on jobs. Apple does most of its manufacturing abroad — which has earned tough words from President Trump in the past — while Amazon has been criticized for hurting traditional retail employment as shopping moves online. Both companies, like the technology industry as a whole, are also pursuing automation through artificial intelligence, which also could cost
In light of these critiques, tech companies have sought to highlight their hiring, spending and other positive economic impacts. Apple’s campus plans came in an overview of its contributions to the U.S. economy, which the company forecast as more than $350 billion over the next five years. Apple is building data centers in places like Nevada and employs 84,000 people in the country.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement that he believes the company “is a success story that could have only happened in America.”
“We have a deep sense of responsibility to give back to our country and the people who help make our success possible,” Cook said.
Trump tweeted Wednesday that Apple’s announcement was a “huge win for American workers and the USA,” and said Apple is following through on his tax-cut policies by bringing money back from overseas.
Apple said it will pay $38 billion in taxes on overseas cash that it’s bringing back to the U.S., a move made possible through a provision of the new tax law. Apple claims the payment is “likely ... the largest of its kind ever made.”
That amount implies that Apple will bring back $215 billion, after taxes, of the cash it holds overseas, said Gene Munster, a managing partner at venture capital firm Loup Ventures. Apple is expected to use that money to buy back shares and possibly to make acquisitions, he said. Potential acquisition targets could be companies related to augmented reality like Magic Leap Inc. or health and fitness firms like bike maker Peloton, Munster said.
Apple, Magic Leap and Peloton did not immediately return requests for comment on possible acquisitions.
“We believe 80 percent of Apple’s motivation related to today’s news is for economic reasons, 20 percent for political reasons, and both are good for the company long-term,” Munster wrote in a blog post.
Last year, Cook said in a call with investors that Apple is always looking at acquisitions.
Apple said it will also increase its fund to invest in innovative American manufacturers from $1 billion to $5 billion. And the company told employees that they would each receive a stock-based bonus worth $2,500 because the new tax law was enacted, according to people familiar with the matter.
Patrick Moorhead, president of Moor Insights & Strategy, said contenders for the new location could include areas like Detroit, with relatively high unemployment rates and workers with skills that could be useful to Apple.
Last year, Apple moved into a spaceship-shaped building in Cupertino. The new campus, Apple Park, has drawn concerns from neighbors about traffic, and critics say it is pushing housing prices higher. Apple also owns or leases office space in nearby cities including San Jose and Sunnyvale.
contributed to this report.
Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: email@example.com Twitter: @thewendylee

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To latest news, this information is being circulated on social media that PTA Banned PUBG mobile game in Pakistan. (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority) PTA Govt banned (PUBG) game. It has decided and requested by PTA that PUBG mobile game online mobile phone game must be banned in Pakistan country. PUBG mobile game is called pubg pc game, pubg mobile pc because it is played on pc very well.
Now this game is also going to be banned to save / protect our nation from this rascal and stupid game. By Justice Atir Mahmood was the convener of (LHC) and a petition was launched from a Faizan Maqsood. What is the reason to ban pubg mobile game in Pakistan the reason is this that PUBG mobile game puts unenthusiastic, negative and harmful impact on the minds of kids and children. PUBG title is being played in India.
So this is the main reason that PTA has decided to ban PUBG mobile game in the country of Pakistan because its puts negative impression, negative impact on the minds of the children. Last decade pabji game has become very popular game in the world. Pabji game is being played in so many countries. Pubg game owner is “How Brendan Greene”. PUBG game picture / PUBG game wallpaper / pubg game photo has placed at above attached picture.


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Tronox Comments Regarding Its Mineral Sands BusinessJul 10, 2012 - Press Releases
Casey continued: “All of our 2012 forecast mineral sands sales other than zircon, where we are seeing sales volume reductions of 25-40 percent, are committed at prices that are above expectations and at volumes that are 4 percent higher than our original 2012 budget. We think that pigment producers, as we acknowledged in our press release
Tronox’s primary mineral sands operations include:
Synthetic Rutile — With the combination Tronox and Exxaro Minerals Sands, Tronox now uses nearly 100 percent of it synthetic rutile production as feedstock for its pigment operations. This high quality, low-cost ore, sourced from our mineral sands business, enables Tronox to produce pigments at a lower cost relative to pigment producers who purchase synthetic rutile from mineral sands suppliers. We are not as dependent as others on third-party purchases of our synthetic rutile product.
Titanium Slag — Demand for our titanium slag is up as some pigment producers are substituting slag for higher purity, higher cost rutile and synthetic rutile. Despite shortfalls in zircon sales our total mineral sands sales for 2012 is 4 percent higher than our expectation set at the start of the year.
Zircon — Demand for zircon continues to be soft relative to a year ago but is not deteriorating sequentially.
Casey concluded, “We continue to view our stock as significantly undervalued and believe the repurchase of our shares presents a compelling and optimal way to return capital to shareholders. As we said in our most recent press release, we expect to be significant purchasers of our shares for as long as and in amounts that we determine will be value creating for our shareholders. We are committed to repurchasing up to
Tronox is a global leader in the production and marketing of titanium products. Through the integration of its pigment and mineral sands business, the company provides its customers a dependable supply of brightening solutions for a variety of end uses. For more information, visit https://www.tronox.com.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. The forward-looking statements involve risks that may affect the company’s operations, markets, products, services, prices and other risk factors as discussed in the company’s financial statements published on our website and in our filings with the
of our shares, general market conditions, our customers potentially reducing their demand for our products due to, among other things, the economic downturn, more competitive pricing from our competitors, increased supply from our competitors; our ability to successfully integrate the existing business of
News Provided by Acquire Media


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Tycoon Smurfit backs deal on paper
A paper and packaging supplier backed by Powerflute chairman Dermot Smurfit has bought Reprocentre, one of the country’s biggest sellers of printing equipment, for an undisclosed sum.
Last year, Smurfit personally invested €1m for a 49% stake in Graphic and Paper Merchants Ireland (GPMI), which is the country’s biggest supplier of paper and packaging.
GPMI was formerly known as Paperlinx (Ireland), and was part of an Australian paper group. When Paperlinx (UK) went into administration in April 2015, managing director Michael Enda Brophy led a buyout of the Irish company.
Paperlinx first entered the Irish market when it bought the British paper distributor Robert Horne. Its Irish business was solvent and profitable at the time of the administration. It had sales of €36m in 2014,


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A few weeks ago, we had reported that Nissan is finally gearing up to introduce the Kicks to the Indian market. The Kicks has been on sale in quite a few markets abroad for a number of years but only in left-hand-drive configuration. In a first, spy shots of the right-hand-drive Nissan Kicks have surfaced on the internet, with the SUV being tested on Indian soil. Nissan is expected to launch the Kicks in the Indian market sometime early next year.
As seen from the spy shots, the overall profile of the test mule seen in India looks quite similar to the one sold abroad. However, the India-spec Kicks will sit on the tried-and-tested M0 architecture. According to sources, the Kicks will be positioned as a more premium offering than any of these.
The Nissan Kicks is well-known globally for its funky, yet appealing looks with a ridge bonnet, chunky wheel arches and a raked windscreen. Nissan has also added blackened A-, B- and C-pillars on the Kicks to give it a floating roof effect. Additionally, higher-spec trims also get a contrast paint option.
As far as the interiors go, the Kicks for India is expected to have a unique dashboard design, similar to the model sold overseas.
Under the hood, Nissan is expected to equip the Kicks with a 110hp, 1.5-litre diesel K9K engine. There will be a six-speed manual for the diesel and a five-speed manual for the 106hp, 1.5-litre petrol variant. A petrol-CVT variant (as seen on the Duster CVT) is also expected to join the line-up.
At launch, the Nissan Kicks will take on the popular Hyundai Cret and lower variants of the Jeep Compass. It will also face-off against newer rivals like the Tata Harrier, which will also launch in 2019. The SUV is expected to be the brand’s comeback product; sources tell us it will be priced competitively.


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Baku, July 25, AZERTAC
Azerbaijan has exported $130.5 million worth products to the CIS countries in June of this year, the State Customs Committee told AZERTAC.
Last month Azerbaijan imported from the CIS countries products worth $362,679,000, according to the committee.
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Rita Ora was in attendance at and performed at the People’s Choice Awards She wore a lavender Atelier Versace Fall 2018 Couture Belvedere column dress with high leg split and matching high boots - all embellished
The 2018 E! People's Choice Awards, honoring the best in popular culture for 2018, was presented on November 11, 2018. The Karfdashians Scarlett Johansson in Versace Rita Ora in Atelier Versace Danai Gurira in Brock
Rita Ora w as in attendance and performed at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Manhattan on Thursday (November 8). On the Red Carpet She wore a dress from Versace Spring 2018 Tribute collection styled with with
Rita Ora was in attendance and performed at Westfield London’s 10th anniversary celebrations at Westfield White City this evening (October 30) with Liam Payne. She wore a white Paula Knorr draped Spring 2019 dress.
Rita Ora is pictured at the launch of #IWILLNOTBEDELETED campaign by Rimmel, part of global beauty company Coty, to tackle the issue of beauty cyberbullying. The campaign is part of Coty's commitment to promote diversity


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Okami HD Sold More on Switch Than Any Other Platform
Okami is a prime example of a game where its commercial performance doesn’t even come close to doing justice to how good the game itself was. Often considered one of the best games of its time by many, Okami was a commercial failure for Capcom when it first launched- though thankfully, subsequent re-releases for various platforms helped the game sell much more, so that in its current state, it can no longer be deemed a commercial failure.
Now, leaked sales data from Capcom (who’ve had to deal with no shortage of leaks these past couple of weeks) has revealed how much the game’s most recent re-release, Okami HD, sold across every platform (via ResetEra). Unsurprisingly, the Nintendo Switch is the platform the game performed the best on.
On the Switch, Okami HD sold 600,000 units, with the PC and PS3 trailing behind with approximately 536,000 and 529,000 units sold respectively. On the PS4, the game sold 445,000 units, while the Xbox One was (unsurprisingly, once again), the lowest selling version of the game, with 121,000 units sold.
When it launched on the PS2 and Wii, Okami sold roughly 600,000 units in total (300k on each), which would mean that the Nintendo Switch version of the game is the highest selling, period.
Whether or not we ever get to see a sequel remains to be seen. It remains in high demand, and there’s certainly been interest in the industry (outside of Capcom, at least) for a sequel. Earlier this year, a leak claimed that Okami 2 had once been in development with PlatinumGames and Capcom working together, but troubles during production led to the project being cancelled.
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Music streaming service Spotify is launching a simplified app aimed at smartphone users in emerging markets as the company continues its global expansion amid ongoing financial losses.
Spotify Lite, which will be free to download, speeds up installation at only 10 megabytes in size compared to the traditional version three times larger, Cecilia Qvist, global head of markets at Spotify, announced at the Rise tech conference in Hong Kong on Tuesday.
Built for Android devices, the new app will be launched in 36 markets with India and Latin America as the key markets, Qvist said. "We are spending a lot of time trying to build the future of Spotify."
The Swedish music streaming service, which has 217 million users, is stepping up its efforts in emerging markets such as India and the Middle East to unlock further growth to build on its popularity in the US and Europe.
India is one of the fastest-growing regions for Spotify with 2 million users signing up after the launch in February this year.
Listed on the New York Stock Exchange a year ago, Spotify reached 100 million paying subscribers in the first quarter of 2019 but has still struggled with profitability, reporting a net loss of €142 million (S$217 million) for the period.
"Streaming is still growing and we are present in 79 countries and hopefully still counting. I do think there's a lot more to do - just look at the penetration of mobile phones as an example across the globe," Qvist said.
Localisation is key to tap into the new markets, with the company pouring resources into understanding the local ecosystem, consumer sentiment and music creators, she added.
In China, the world's biggest internet market, Spotify is working with Tencent Music Entertainment, the music spin-off of Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings, through a cross-shareholding deal signed in 2017 in which the two companies took minority stakes in each other.
"We are very happy with that set-up," Qvist said of the collaboration in the China market, as each company can grow their own business in different fields. "I think that was a good choice for both sides."
Tencent Music, which listed on the New York Stock Exchange in December last year, reported first-quarter net income of 986 million yuan (S$1.95 million).
Unlike Spotify, Tencent Music generates only a fraction of revenue from music subscription packages, and instead relies heavily on services popular in China such as online karaoke and live streaming.
This article was first published in South China Morning Post.


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Syed Abrar, Founder of Azaad Health, a Pakistan based healthcare startup, has won the award for “Outstanding Entrepreneur from an Emerging Economy” at U.S. Department of State’s GIST Catalyst Competition 2019 hosted at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in The Hague, Netherlands, June 3-5. Abrar was one of the 30 finalists at the competition, representing 18 different countries, competing in five categories of Food and Agriculture, Connectivity, Energy, Health, and Water.
The GIST Catalyst Competition offers science and technology entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their businesses on a global stage while receiving coaching from American entrepreneurship experts. Over 4,000 entrepreneurs from around the world applied for the competition this year for the prize of more than $650,000 in entrepreneurial resources provided by Amazon Web Services, the Consumer Technology Association, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Philips, and Silicon Valley Bank. Top 5 finalists in each of the GES focus sectors were selected to pitch in front of the GES during the GIST finals plenary.
AzaadHealth is a global patient-owned health data exchange network built on blockchain which aims to empower patients by democratizing health records, by pulling and combining health data from multiple disparate sources like healthcare providers, personal wellness devices and other sources. The idea is nothing short of a blessing for many families with loved ones suffering from a terminal or chronic illness. The startup was founded in August 2016 after Abrar went through a personal loss due to mismanaged medical records. Abrar applied for incubation at The Nest I/O and was selected as one of the startups in the fourth cohort where he received training and mentorship to turn his idea into a practical business.
“When AzaadHealth was incubated at The Nest I/O in August 2016, it was one of the very few startups in the healthcare industry making use of blockchain to solve a problem that affects thousands of people every day. I’m very pleased to see Abrar receive international recognition for all his efforts and hard work. Winning the GIST Catalyst Competition is a big stepping stone for Abrar and will help him reach his potential as an entrepreneur and bring the impact he is destined to in the world of healthcare” said Jehan Ara, President P@SHA and The Nest I/O.
Abrar received his award from Sigrid Kaag, Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Ivanka Trump, Advisor to POTUS, and Prince Constantjin of Netherlands on June 5, 2019. As a winner of the GIST Catalyst Competition 2019, Abrar will receive US$25,000 in Google Cloud Computing Credits, a booth at Eureka Park CES 2020 from the Consumer Technology Association, one-on-one mentorship sessions from Silicon Valley Bank, and an opportunity to incubate in the US for 6 weeks through the GIST Business Incubation Program.
“I am honored to have had the opportunity to represent Pakistan at the global level through AzaadHealth and feel proud to have brought home this prestigious award which is a testament to the fact that the Pakistani Startup Ecosystem is one of the best in the world. We now have an opportunity to get incubated in the US and we will use this to further our goal of making Azaad Health a global organization” – comment Syed Abrar, Founder Azaad Health.
Azaad Health will be the first startup to represent Pakistan at the International Consumer Technology Association (CES) 2020.


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Codemasters have today announced that F1 2014 will arrive on October 17th for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, naturally featuring the raft of rule changes that have come to the real life sport.
Given that Codemaster’s are focused on recreating the myriad of rule changes it’s unsurprising that the press release doesn’t mention any major new features or mechanics that are being added to the game. There’s a driver evaluation which will apparently detect a players skill and tune the game’s difficulty appropriately, plus re-graded difficulty settings that will allow for more incremental increases in challenge. Nothing Earth shattering, then, but since the cars will feel quite different this year that should be more than enough for F1 fans to warrant picking up this iteration.
Worryingly no mention of Classic mode from F1 2013 was made, raising the question of whether it will make the transition, or perhaps appear as paid DLC.
“This is the year it all changes – for the sport and for the game,” explained Stephen Hood, Creative Director for the F1 series at Codemasters. He’s not kidding, either; aside from the idiotic new nose appendages there’s the inclusion of turbochargers, ERS, shrinking of rear wings and much more, resulting in cars that like to slide coming out corners.
“There’s been a dramatic shift in the sport; the largest shake up in the rules and regulations for a very long time and the new power units provide a very different kind of challenge, for both driver and team. By delivering all of these changes, F1 2014 will make for an exciting and refreshingly different experience. Additionally, with the new driver evaluation system analysing each player’s skill level and suggesting appropriate game settings, plus re-graded difficulty levels including a brand new Very Easy setting, we aim to deliver a thoroughly rewarding F1 experience for players of all abilities, from the novice to the seasoned pro.”
A Very Easy setting seems a little pointless since Codemaster’s F1 games have always lacked any true challenge except at the highest settings, but presumably there must have been some people struggling, or else why include it at all?
If you’re feeling disappointed that F1 2014 will only be coming to last-gen consoles then don’t worry, you won’t have to wait too long as Codemaster’s also announced the existence of F1 2015 for Xbox One, PC and PS4, to be released early in 2015.
“Our title for the new generation formats will mark a huge step forward for the F1 series. We want to be out there earlier in the season and deliver new season content updates digitally as the 2015 season progresses; it’s very exciting for the series and our players.” Said Stephen Hood.
Hopefully the power of the new consoles and PC will be used to create more than just a prettier looking game. With the extra processing power available the AI could do with massive improvements, for example.
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Get involved in the MS community., The latest news and insights on MS.
A pingpong coach with MS shares her love for the sport with others with the disease
Skater Kaci Bell lives with MS — and uses her passion to bring attention to the disease.
The Walker family has raised more than $2 million over 30 years to help take the ‘sting’ out of MS.
At a group of grocery stores in western Washington, multiple sclerosis has been front and center for years.
While a cane may not be everyone’s ideal fashion accessory, one woman living with MS finds that the attitude she brings to it can make a big difference.
A couple living with MS finds a way to combine their passion for California wine with their growing mission to give something back to the MS movement.
Landscape photographer Chuck Kimmerle, diagnosed with MS in 2006, says photographing landscapes is his therapy.
Why do some people experience aggressive worsening of their multiple sclerosis and others experience a mild course? The Serial Unified Multicenter MS InvesTigation investigates.


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Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s First Tweet Sold For $2.9 Million As An NFT
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sold his first tweet as an NFT for the weirdly specific figure of $2,915,835.47.
Brazil Fines Apple $2M For Not Including Charger In iPhone 12 Box
Brazilian consumer watchdog has fined Apple $2 million for not including a charger in the newly-launched iPhone 12 series. Procon-SP says Apple engaged in “misleading advertising, selling a device without the charger and unfair terms.”
Instagram, WhatsApp, And Facebook Messenger Are Fully Functional Now After A Major Outage
The social media giant Facebook has resolved a major outage affecting Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other Facebook services on Friday.
YouTube Will Now Warn Creators About Copyright Issues Before Videos Are Posted
YouTube is rolling out a new step in the upload process on Studio desktop called “Checks” – which will automatically screen your uploads for potential copyright claims and ad suitability restrictions.
Wikimedia To Launch A Commercial Product For Tech Giants
The Wikimedia Foundation, which operates the Wikipedia project in more than 300 languages as well as other wiki-projects, is announcing the launch of a commercial product, Wikimedia Enterprise.
Microsoft Released Update To Fix Crashing Issue While Printing
Microsoft has released an updates to fix an issue causing blue screens when printing to network printers after installing the March 2021 cumulative updates.
Twitter Accidentally Limits Users Who Tweeted ‘Memphis’
The microblogging site Twitter said it accidentally limited users accounts that tweeted the word “Memphis.”
Bitcoin Hits $60,000 For The First Time
Bitcoin, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, on Saturday crossed a record high of $60,000. In a sudden move starting just after 10:00 UTC Saturday, the top cryptocurrency by market cap rose to $60,065.15, according to the CoinDesk 20. The move to $60,000 brings bitcoin’s market cap to…
Twitter Plans To Launch Live Audio Feature ‘Spaces’ Globally Next Month
The microblogging site Twitter is aiming to make its live audio feature available to all its users by April.
How Does TikTok Make Money? Here’s Everything You Need To Know
TikTok is used to make a variety of short-form videos, from genres like dance, comedy, and education, that have a duration from fifteen seconds to one minute (three minutes for some users). TikTok is an international version of Douyin, which was originally released in the Chinese market in September 2016.
10 Tips To Make Your iPhone More Secure In 2021
With all these new enhancements, it’s important to keep in mind that these new features may help or hinder your security and privacy. Here, we have compiled some tips and tricks to make your iPhone and iPad more secure and safer in 2021.
McAfee To Sell Its Enterprise Business To Symphony Technology For $4 Billion
American global computer security software company McAfee said on Monday it has entered an agreement to sell its enterprise business to a consortium led by Symphony Technology Group in an all-cash deal valued at $4 billion.
Here’s Everything You Need To Know About Cyber Insurance
Cyber-insurance is a specialty lines insurance product intended to protect businesses, and individuals providing services for such businesses, from Internet-based risks, and more generally from risks relating to information technology infrastructure, information privacy, information governance liability, and activities related thereto.
How To Protect Your Aging Parents From Online Scams And Fraud
According to statistics compiled by the FBI and the FTC, cybercrime against older people is skyrocketing. Because older adults are more trusting of people whom they don’t know and often are open to chatting with others because of isolation, they are more vulnerable to these types of scams.
YouTube Will Lift Ban On Trump Channel When ‘The Risk Of Violence Has Decreased’
YouTube will lift its suspension on former U.S. President Donald Trump’s channel when it determines the risk of real-world violence has decreased, the company’s CEO, Susan Wojcicki, said on Thursday.
You Can Now Transfer iCloud Photos And Videos To Google Photos
The feature is currently only available to people in Australia, Canada, the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
HAFNIUM Targeting Exchange Servers With 0-Day Exploits: Microsoft
Microsoft has detected multiple 0-day exploits being used to attack on-premises versions of Microsoft Exchange Server in limited and targeted attacks.
Twitter To Apply labels To Tweets That May Contain Misleading Information About COVID-19
The microblogging site Twitter announced that it will begin applying labels to Tweets that may contain misleading information about COVID-19 vaccines.
How To Tell If Your Webcam Is Hacked
A study conducted on laptop users found that most people don’t realize how easily a webcam can be hacked and cyber-peepers can invade their privacy. If you notice any or a combination of these signs, it’s possible that your laptop camera is being controlled and monitored remotely.
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Despite Black Friday officially not taking place until Friday, November 23 toy giant Smyths has launched its deals already and parents are set to be delighted.
The retailer is running Black Friday deals for almost three weeks, ending on Monday, November 26 so there are plenty of savings to be made.
Brands included in the event are Disney, Hot Wheels, VTech, Fisher-price, Fingerlings, Peppa Pig and many more.
Some products have been reduced by almost half price.
Stand out deals include the Thomas and friends Super Station Train Setwas £97.99 now £79.99,Fisher-price roaring Rainforest baby Jumperoowas £104.99 now £69.99 and Pokemon Guess Gamewas £19.99 now £14.99.
There are also festive-themed toys included such as a giant snowman teddy, Theo the Snowmanwas £29.99 now £14.99.
You can shop the full range of offers in store and online.
You can find your nearest Smyths store here.
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, 2023-01-16 02:23:42,
On Sunday (15 January 2023), the Shiba Inu ($SHIB) team explained the fundamental concepts of Shibarium — a layer two blockchain designed to address the shortcomings of the $SHIB token’s host chain Ethereum, namely low speed and high transaction cost — that is expected to have its beta launch soon.
“Shiba Inu (SHIB) is a dog-themed meme cryptocurrency named after a Japanese dog breed. It was created in 2020 by an anonymous developer named Ryoshi, who designed SHIB to be an alternative to Dogecoin (DOGE) on the Ethereum blockchain.
“SHIB is an ERC-20 token with a decentralized exchange called ShibaSwap. The SHIB roadmap and ecosystem also features an NFT art incubator called Shiba Artist Incubator, 10,000 ‘Shiboshi’ NFTs, and an NFT game Shiboshi Game.
“Shiba Inu had an initial circulating supply of 1 quadrillion tokens. Ryoshi locked 50% of the token in Uniswap to create liquidity, and sent the other 50% to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s wallet. However, Vitalik decided to burn 90% of the coins and donate the remaining 10% to charity.“
In a blog post published on 15 January 2023, the Shibarium team explained that Shibarium’s mission is twofold: to offer a resource for the community to construct and expand the project on their own terms, and to invite new crypto users and educate them on the development process of a ground-up…
To read the original article from news.google.com Click here


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Amyris, Inc. To Announce First Quarter Financial Results On Tuesday, May 5, 2015
EMERYVILLE, Calif., April 16, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amyris, Inc. (Nasdaq:AMRS) will report financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2015 after market close on Tuesday, May 5, 2015.
The Company will hold its quarterly conference call to discuss these results, as well as provide an update on the Company's business and outlook, at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. To listen via live webcast, please visit: http://investors.amyris.com.
A replay of the webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company's website approximately two hours after the conclusion of the call and will remain available for approximately 60 calendar days.
Amyris is a global renewable products company providing sustainable alternatives to a variety of non-renewable resources. Amyris uses its innovative bioscience technology to convert plant sugars into hydrocarbon molecules. Amyris creates ingredients and is commercializing its No Compromise® products in the flavors and fragrances, cosmetics, specialty fluids, polymers, lubricants, and fuels industries. Amyris Brasil Ltda., a subsidiary of Amyris, oversees the establishment and expansion of Amyris's production in Brazil. More information about Amyris is available at www.amyris.com.
Amyris, the Amyris logo and No Compromise are trademarks or registered trademarks of Amyris, Inc.
CONTACT: Amyris, Inc. Investor Relations 510-740-7481 email@example.com
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Quoted from Gaming News Headlines – Yahoo! News:
Japan’s PlayStation Network Store, absent since a security breach in April, will be returning to users on July 6.
Read the full post:: PlayStation Store nears Japanese return on Gaming News Headlines – Yahoo! News
Video gaming in Japan is a major industry. Japanese game development is often identified with the golden age of video games, including Nintendo under Shigeru Miyamoto and Hiroshi Yamauchi, Sega during the same time period, The Sony PlayStation 4 is more than just a console – it is an online entertainment system with an improved DualShock 4 controller and a faster new interface. Your death won’t come easily. Introducing Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice, a fantastical, dark and twisted new gameplay experience from developer FromSoftware, creators of Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series. Techmeme The essential tech news of the moment. Technology's news site of record. Not for dummies. Tags: techmeme, The article you have been looking for has expired and is not longer available on our system. This is due to newswire licensing terms. Weebly’s free website builder makes it easy to build a website, blog, or online . Find customizable designs, domains, and eCommerce tools for any type of business using our website builder. Get the latest science news and technology news, read tech reviews and more at ABC News.


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Briefly… Wine goes digital; Seven seconds away…from a telephone ad; IAS adds media budget performance audits to its portfolio; Samsung and Golf Unlimited target decision makers on the green; Student DJs sizzle with McDonald’s and Campus Media; Maningue Nice Z-CARD® series launched for Mozambique; and New independent global public relations network
Wine goes digital
Wine magazine is going digital. Fully digital. The last printed edition of the magazine will roll off the presses in September.
“While we are excited by the possibilities of the core offering moving from print to digital – and using it to support a range of established projects – the decision to stop producing a printed magazine was not an easy one,” explained managing director Stuart Lowe.
Wine magazine’s circulation has remained static for the past decade, but its digital audiences have grown substantially. Between website users of winemag.co.za and the Wine e-mail newsletter subscribers, Wine’s online audience is currently in excess of 30 000 a month, indicating the general market appetite for wine-orientated digital content.
“The reality is that the small niche audience of Wine magazine, together with a lack of advertising support from the industry combined with the expense of print and delivery has always created an extremely challenging environment for the magazine. Add to that the impact of the proposed liquor advertising legislation and the publication of a monthly physical product becomes an untenable business proposition.”
Seven seconds away…from a telephone ad
Making use of seven seconds prior to any phone call being connected to the outbound network, Call Media technology has created a fresh and impactful way for advertisers to interact with their target markets.
Call Media has partnered with various strategic partners amongst them Primedia Unlimited and Primedia Business Solutions (with Investec as a shareholder), to launch this technology into the South African market. The technology, which is patented by Call Media, allows advertisers to target specific markets and receive accurate and measurable feedback.
Steve Bravo, CEO of Call Media, says “This is not an alternative to traditional advertising media but rather a medium which sits alongside traditional media, at the same time creating an additional tool which provides a completely measurable investment for any marketer”.
A ‘win win’ situation for all parties involved, this one of a kind technology rewards businesses and individuals who subscribe to it with reduced telecommunications bills and offers advertisers a cutting edge digital medium.
Call Media provides a digital platform to market in real time to a profiled live audience. Subscribers who listen to any particular advert on their landlines can request more information relating to the advert they have just heard by pressing a key on their handset and will receive this additional information via email to their inbox instantly.
IAS adds media budget performance audits to its portfolio
Recognising the ever-increasing need to be able to provide performance based evaluations of advertisers’ media expenditure, the Independent Agency Search & Selection company (IAS) has partnered with an experienced media specialist who will be able to facilitate and conduct media audits.
“Since the amount of money the clients spends on media exceeds most other expenses, advertisers will benefit from independent media performance analysis to improve the value of their media buy. The performance input also assists and motivates the media agency,” said Johanna McDowell, managing director of IAS.
The performance analyses provided through this partnership will be custom made to the needs of the client but will include analysing the media process, media planning and buying, contract and remuneration advice and competitive insights.
Media audits assist clients achieve the best service, performance and media value from their agency and ensure that clients are given an optimal return on investment.
Independent media specialist consultant Adriaan de Buc, who will conduct the audits, is a seasoned media expert with more than four decades of experience in the South African advertising and marketing industry.
Samsung and Golf Unlimited target decision makers on the green
Samsung Business, through Golf Unlimited’s golf cart GPS advertising, will talk to decisionmakers on the move – in their golf carts. Golf Unlimited provides Samsung Business, a new division at Samsung, with an innovative advertising medium on four and five star golf courses where it can dominate the attention of decision makers from tee to green.
The majority of golfers frequenting the country’s premier golf courses are top executives and decision makers earning top salaries, making the Golf Unlimited platform a key channel for advertisers to reach the LSM 14+ consumer. In addition the communication message is displayed in a very “clean” advertising space, with not a lot of opportunity for other brand communication.
“Golf Unlimited provides a unique advertising medium as golf carts are mandatory in some of these courses and therefore the ideal platform to introducing the new range of Samsung business solutions to the desired target market across all 32 four and five star golf courses nationwide,” said James Ferrans, Head of Sales at Golf Unlimited.
Installed at eye-level on the golf carts, the GPS units display information such as the distance to the green and any obstacles golfers may have in their path. Underneath the pertinent information, Golf Unlimited offers exclusive and uninterrupted advertising exposure, equating to 14 minutes of shrink back branding per hole, from the tee to the green.
Student DJs sizzle with McDonald’s and Campus Media
Campuses across South Africa were rocked by the opportunity to showcase their top student DJ’s in the McDonald’s Top Jock search. With Campus Media, their on-site “brand its” interacted with students to unearth South Africa’s hottest student DJ.
The victor for this year’s challenge was Morné Nel, a student at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape. An ecstatic Morné said that he was stoked about his win and has been shaking up Stellenbosch dance floors with his fusion of various house music genres for the past five years.
Popular radio DJ, Euphonik, set the vibe at campuses ablaze as MC and honoured the overall master on the decks of their Campus. In order to claim this title , contestants had to rip through 2.47 minutes of funk-filled vinyl (that’s right, a tribute to the dedication of McDonald’s 24/7) before facing the nail-biting elimination by the crowd.
After campaigns at an array of universities and colleges across the country; the grand finale was held at The Venue in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg where the respective winners went head to head in the ultimate vinyl showdown.
Maningue Nice Z-CARD® series launched for Mozambique
David Ankers from Expresso Grafica – LDA in Maputo, Mozambique, has just completed the first Z-CARD® in the Maningue Nice series for the province of Inhambane in Mozambique.
The eight-panel card contains detailed maps of the region as well as information about things to see and listings of restaurants and pubs, adventure activities and places to stay in each town. The cards are distributed in South Africa and throughout Inhambane, inside branded dispenser boxes.
“It took many trips to the region to identify exciting tourism spots, take photographs and ensure the accuracy of the map,” says Ankers. “The help and information given by local tourism players in the region was invaluable.”
He has already done a Maputo City Guide in this format that has had huge success. A fifth reprint is planned for later this year. “The tour operators love them and we receive requests for them all the time. The Mozambique Consulates also really like them and we are hoping that the Maningue Nice serious will prove to be as popular,” he said.
Ankers will soon be visiting resorts in Ponta do Ouro which have expressed an interest in being included on the Z-CARD®. He intends to undertake the Province of Gaza in 2012 and by 2015 have covered the entire country.
New independent global public relations network
HMC Seswa Corporate Communications has successfully concluded an agreement with UK – based leading independent European communications consultancy, Firefly Communications. The agreement will see the two companies share international networks and best practice.
“HMC Seswa is continuously striving to expand on their expertise and access to global best practices. We always want to improve our level of knowledge in order to provide custom-made South African integrated communication solutions,” said Mbali Msimango, HMC Seswa Practice Group Head.
Twenty-year-old Firefly has established itself as an independent PR agency with a proven track record delivering great PR campaigns reaching business and consumer audiences. With 40 people across offices in London (HQ), Edinburgh, Munich and Paris, and a network of quality partners across the rest of Europe, Americas, South Asia and Asia Pacific, Firefly offers the highest standards in international communications.
HMC Seswa Corporate Communications has a 29-year track record of service to both local and multi-national companies in South Africa. The company has built its reputation through the provision of specialist PR services to companies operating in the Business to Business; IT; mining, manufacturing, heavy engineering and transport sectors of South Africa.
HMC Seswa is the founding agency for the Mazole Africa Network that has representative offices in several countries in sub Saharan Africa including Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Botswana, along with informal links throughout the continent.
Want to continue this conversation on The Media Online platforms? Comment on Twitter @MediaTMO or on our Facebook page. Send us your suggestions, comments, contributions or tip-offs via e-mail to email@example.com.


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When managing director Jeremy Austin acquired agricultural equipment manufacturing firm Nicholas Bray nine years ago, its existing product line included the Electrogate – a simple to install, low-cost electric fence access system, which allows farmers quick and easy entry to fields and improves animal safety.
The Business Performance Group has secured significant US wins six months ahead of schedule, thanks to UKTI matched funding and support. Based in Saffron Walden, Essex, The BP Group is a management consultancy firm that helps companies to win new business and achieve profitable growth.
US based electronics design specialist Mentor Graphics Corporation has hired a top gun from Cambridge UK for a software shootout with computer bugs.
Challs International is an SME manufacturer of cleaning products that currently supplies all major UK supermarkets from its base near Ipswich. As the company seeks to expand its international presence, it has used UK Trade & Investment’s Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) to provide entry level support on numerous occasions.
Rob McNeill is Vice Consul for Trade & Investment at the British Consulate-General in Chicago. He is responsible for the British Government’s trade and investment interests in IT, Communications, and Creative & Media sectors in the Midwest. He gives his thoughts on how East of England technology companies can approach the US ahead of UKTI East’s event on Building Success in the US.
The Sira-Kvina Power Company in Norway has chosen Sepura STP9000 hand-portable radios for use on its new TETRA communications system.
Harrison Shapira, Vice Consul for Life Sciences with UKTI in Los Angeles outlines some key market changes in the US Life Sciences sector ahead of the UKTI East event in Cambridge on ‘Building Success in the US.’
In recent years much of the focus for UK exporters has been the fast growing economies in the Far East and developing world, and though these new markets continue to attract the headlines it is the United States that remains the East of England’s biggest export customer.
Insight Cordless Lighting, based in St Neots, Cambridgeshire is gaining global traction supplying eco-friendly cordless table lighting solutions to luxury hospitality brands worldwide.
Rick McKenna, President of Marketing agency WCM Partners in Boston MA talks to Business Weekly about the challenges of marketing in the US ahead of speaking at the UKTI event ‘Building success in the US’ in Cambridge on March 6, 2014.
A Bedford company that makes log cabins and other wooden garden structures is building a growing export empire. Dunster House, formed 20 years ago by MD Chris Murphy and wife Pam, is now worth £25 million.
Cambridge web technology business Transversal has revealed a surge in sales and unprecedented international growth from its UK headquarters after a transformational 2013.
Cambridge UK nano technology business ionscope has unveiled a major contract win in China and says further orders are in the pipeline.
Cambridge UK technology pioneer TeraView has won a significant deal in South Korea.
East of England business bosses are being tapped into potential new trade in Bulgaria.
A major transport operator in Sweden has taken technology for its bus drivers from digital radio specialist Sepura in Cambridge UK.
- Eastern region sales to China surge
- Pixel’s Norway contract breaks the ice
- UKTI case study – Jewers Doors
- Japan joy as Ubisense swamps Asia
- Window to the world: Lord Green meets innovators
- UKTI country profile – Norway
- EU-Japan SME centre launches webinars to promote fresh trade
- Cambridge innovator on Cable’s Russian mission
- UKTI country profile – Bulgaria
- UKTI case study – e2v
- Contact lens technology launched in Italy
- A world awaits – companies encouraged to think global
- UKTI country profile – Jordan
- UKTI country profile – Singapore
- UKTI country profile – Mexico
- UKTI case study – The Medical Room
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Moog Inc.’s first-quarter profits slipped by 6 percent, and the Elma-based motion control equipment maker trimmed its earnings forecast for this year as weakness in its industrial markets slowed its sales growth, the company said Friday.
“We’re off to a slow start in 2013,” said John Scannell, Moog’s chief executive officer, in a statement.
“The weakness in the major economies around the world is affecting our industrial business,” he said. “On the other had, the aircraft market is strong.”
Moog’s profits fell to $34.1 million, or 75 cents per share, during the quarter that ended in December, compared with $36.4 million, or 80 cents per share, a year ago. The company’s sales rose by 3 percent to $661 million from $601 million.
Earnings in Moog’s industrial products business tumbled by 43 percent, and sales fell by 6 percent as the European and Chinese markets for the company’s wind energy products weakened significantly.
“Industrial remains the big area of focus for the next couple of quarters,” Scannell said in an interview. “The U.S., in the industrial business, has been strong. Asia has kind of stabilized at a lower level, and the weakness we’ve seen this quarter is coming out of Europe.”
That weakness offset strong results from the company’s aircraft controls business, where operating profits jumped by 25 percent, and sales grew by 9 percent on solid gains for both military and commercial aircraft equipment.
As a result, Moog trimmed its profit forecast for the fiscal year that ends in September by a little more than 1 percent, saying it now expects to earn about $162.5 million this year, which still would be up 7 percent from last year but less than the 8 percent increase it predicted in November.
The company also lowered its sales forecast by about 1 percent to $2.62 billion, down from its November guidance of $2.65 billion, although that still would be a 6 percent increase from last year.
“We are still projecting growth in both sales and earnings in 2013, despite the headwinds in our industrial markets,” Scannell said.
Scannell said the ongoing budget uncertainty in the United States, which includes the possibility of deep spending cuts if a long-term deal can’t be reached in the coming weeks to resolve lingering “fiscal cliff” issues, is unlikely to have a major impact on Moog’s sales during the current fiscal year because of the longer lead times associated with its product. But it could impact sales next year, although Scannell said company executives are unsure how sequestration would play out.
“It’s still a wait-and-see game,” he said.
Moog’s space and defense controls business also weakened during the quarter, with earnings sliding by 35 percent as sales dipped by 2 percent to $86.5 million as weaker revenues from launch vehicle equipment and NASA offset improvement in its satellite business.
The company’s components business had a strong quarter, with earnings rising by 25 percent and sales jumping by 13 percent, largely on the strength of its products for the energy and medical markets.
The company’s medical device business remained profitable, with flat earnings and sales during the quarter.


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Vanderbilt University Printing Services announced Jan. 16 the launch of a new online print system, designed to more easily accommodate large-scale and custom print orders for students, faculty and staff.
The addition of Digital StoreFront (DSF), an online portal through which users can print custom stationary, graphics or banners, has the potential to improve student interaction with printing services by saving time and increasing efficiency.
“The purpose [of DSF] is to help streamline and simplify faculty, staff and students’ experiences with printing services,” said Sean Carroll, Director of Business Services Operations. “Historically, students would either walk up to the [Campus Copy] counter or email one of our project coordinators whenever they had a print request. What Digital StoreFront does is bring our software into the 21st century.”
Public Relations Chair of Gillette House Kate Walsworth said she is excited about this new resource.
“My job as PR chair involves printing many flyers, stickers and other informational materials,” Walsworth said. “This new printing system will allow us to expand the scope of our PR impact with more interactive, large-scale projects that incorporate engaging elements, such as stickers and decals.”
According to Carroll, the simplicity of the online program makes it all the more valuable, as users can upload files, pick their print options, receive a cost estimate and instantly view an electronic proof.
“We think [DSF] will help expose the breadth of our service line to the whole university community, and that’s a win for everybody,” he said.
Another beneficial feature of DSF is that the platform is available to students on their laptops, smartphones or tablets. To utilize this service, students should log onto the Printing Services website, and select “Start Your Order.” Integrated with Vanderbilt single sign-on, users can pay for their jobs with Commodore Cash online and then pick them up at Campus Copy in Rand Dining Center.
“Students are accustomed to instant service with the VUPrint system,” Carroll said. “We hope [DSF] will be just as seamless and just as intuitive, improving their experience with us considerably.”


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What is your business built on?
Data has always been a hallmark of the HME News Business Summit. Each year in our Financial Benchmarking presentation, providers see how they stack up against their peers in everything from net revenues to DSO to employee expenses.
At this year's Summit, data is a thread that runs through nearly all of the sessions, whether the topic is the HME industry's future, retail sales or marketing:
Our lead-off speaker, Everette James, says the most effective way the industry can secure its future is to build a base of evidence that showcases its value in the healthcare continuum. James, who is a former secretary of health for the state of Pennsylvania, will analyze new delivery models for health care and examine how the HME industry can advance its position.
Returning speaker Michael Sperduti says an effective store layout isn't enough to help providers succeed at retail sales. That's why Sperduti, a business growth expert, has interviewed seniors about their spending and buying habits for home medical equipment.
First-time Summit speakers Anna McDevitt and Ryan McDevitt acknowledge that determining the ROI on marketing efforts is a mix of art and science. But Anna, a marketing consultant, and Ryan, a provider, are prepared to answer the question, "How much should I spend and where should I spend it," using statistics and metrics.
As always, there's another kind of data you'll get at the Summit—the kind you get from spending two days networking and brainstorming with your peers.
There's something to be said for a gut feeling. There's more to be said about a gut feeling backed up by data.
The data you're going to get at this year's Summit is data you can build your business on.
See you in Pittsburgh!


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Asbestos in Makeup Leads to Recall of City Color ProductsAsbestos Exposure & Bans
Written by Matt Mauney
Asbestos.com is the nation’s most trusted mesothelioma resource
The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com has provided patients and their loved ones the most updated and reliable information on mesothelioma and asbestos exposure since 2006.
Our team of Patient Advocates includes a medical doctor, a registered nurse, health services administrators, veterans, VA-accredited Claims Agents, an oncology patient navigator and hospice care expert. Their combined expertise means we help any mesothelioma patient or loved one through every step of their cancer journey.
More than 30 contributors, including mesothelioma doctors, survivors, health care professionals and other experts, have peer-reviewed our website and written unique research-driven articles to ensure you get the highest-quality medical and health information.
About The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com
- Assisting mesothelioma patients and their loved ones since 2006.
- Helps more than 50% of mesothelioma patients diagnosed annually in the U.S.
- A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
- 5-star reviewed mesothelioma and support organization.
My family has only the highest compliment for the assistance and support that we received from The Mesothelioma Center. This is a staff of compassionate and knowledgeable individuals who respect what your family is experiencing and who go the extra mile to make an unfortunate diagnosis less stressful. Information and assistance were provided by The Mesothelioma Center at no cost to our family.LashawnMesothelioma patient’s daughter
How to Cite Asbestos.com’s Article
Mauney, M. (2020, November 3). Asbestos in Makeup Leads to Recall of City Color Products. Asbestos.com. Retrieved December 5, 2023, from https://www.asbestos.com/news/2019/09/09/asbestos-makeup-beauty-plus-recall/
Mauney, Matt. "Asbestos in Makeup Leads to Recall of City Color Products." Asbestos.com, 3 Nov 2020, https://www.asbestos.com/news/2019/09/09/asbestos-makeup-beauty-plus-recall/.
Mauney, Matt. "Asbestos in Makeup Leads to Recall of City Color Products." Asbestos.com. Last modified November 3, 2020. https://www.asbestos.com/news/2019/09/09/asbestos-makeup-beauty-plus-recall/.
Beauty Plus Global Inc., the cosmetics and packaging manufacturer behind City Color and Max Mell, has issued a voluntary recall of four City Color makeup products that tested positive for asbestos contamination.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the recall Friday in the agency’s latest advisory regarding asbestos-contaminated cosmetics.
The four recalled City Color products include:
- Beauty Plus Global Inc. City Color Collection Matte Blush (Fuchsia) — SKU #849136008807, Lot No. 1605020/PD-840
- Beauty Plus Global Inc. City Color Cosmetics Timeless Beauty Palette — SKU #849136012958, Lot No. 1510068/PD-C864R
- Beauty Plus Global Inc. City Color Bronzer (Sunset) — SKU #849136016017, Lot No. 160634/PD-P712M
- Beauty Plus Global Inc. City Color Shimmer Bronzer (Caramel) — SKU #849136017106, Lot No. 1612112/PD-840
The products are available at major retailers, including Amazon.com, Walmart and eBay.
In June, Beauty Plus Global, which is headquartered in Ontario, California, undertook a voluntary recall of its Contour Effects Palette 2 after the product tested positive for asbestos.
Claire’s, a national children’s accessories retailer, also recalled its JoJo Siwa Makeup Set (SKU #888711136337, Batch/Lot No. S180109) after testing indicated the presence of asbestos fibers in the power eyeshadow element of the kit.
The FDA has advised consumers to stop using these cosmetic products. Asbestos contamination in makeup can lead to exposure to toxic asbestos fibers. Inhaling or ingesting these tiny fibers can lead to serious health conditions, including mesothelioma cancer, later in life.
Asbestos in Makeup a Growing Problem
To date, nine cosmetic products have been recalled this year for possible asbestos contamination. All products came from Claire’s or Beauty Plus Global.
The contamination stems from talc, a natural mineral used in many cosmetic products. Contamination can happen when talc is mined near natural deposits of asbestos.
Federal regulatory agencies, such as the FDA, have limited authority over cosmetics. The FDA can only suggest a recall of potentially dangerous cosmetic products. It is up to the manufacturers to adequately test the products and pull them from shelves if deemed unsafe.
Claire’s has been at the forefront of the asbestos in makeup controversy. The national retailer first recalled nine products in 2017 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2018. The reorganization plan was approved, and Claire’s emerged from restructuring on Oct. 12, 2018.
Beauty Plus Global’s troubles are more recent. Friday’s announcement is the second asbestos-related recall for the company, but the manufacturer now has five total recalls in 2019 than Claire’s four recalls.
Why Does Asbestos Keep Showing up in Consumer Products?
While asbestos is highly regulated in the U.S., there is little oversight on the talc industry. The Personal Care Products Council asks its members and the cosmetic industry to use only asbestos-free talc, but no government regulations exist to enforce this.
The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the law governing the FDA’s oversight of cosmetics products, hasn’t been updated since it was enacted in 1938.
Several companies, including pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, now face numerous lawsuits linking their baby powder products to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.
Imerys, a multinational company that mines and processes talc, filed for bankruptcy in February, seeking protection from lawsuits alleging asbestos in its talc caused cancer. The company plans to create an asbestos trust fund to handle current and future claims.
Earlier this year, the FDA announced it seeks to engage with stakeholders of the cosmetic industry to improve the framework of assuring the safety of cosmetic products.
“Moving forward, we’ll continue our work uncovering ingredients or products of concern and will take swift action to inform and advise consumers of any identified public health risks,” read a statement from former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb and Susan Mayne, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Ensuring the safety of cosmetics is a high priority for us.”


text: NAGPUR: Vishal Deshmukh, a Nagpurian, has sent a complaint to the union ministry of transport against the automobile dealers violating norms by illegally collecting money from car buyers in the name of 'handling charges'. He has also demanded action against RTO S Shelke for failing to stop illegal money being extracted from gullible customers in his jurisdiction. Deshmukh purchased a new car from an authorised automobile dealer and was asked to pay Rs 5,000 towards handling charges. He was not given any receipt for the payment made towards handling charges. Deshmukh had earlier lodged an official complaint with the transport secretary and transport commissioner for illegal collection by the dealers in the past and accused RTO officials in the city of being hand-in-glove in the affair. The city has 38 two and four-wheeler dealers. On an average, around 400 four-wheelers and 8,800 two-wheelers are sold each month. Modus operandi of dealers is simple - they deliberately mention cumulative amount as 'RTO and handling charges', that includes vehicle registration, issuance of smart card and service charges (if any inspector visits the showroom to inspect the vehicle). To prove his claim, Deshmukh had also collected quotations from eight automobile dealers across the city, which he had submitted along with his complaint. The quotations exposed the poor monitoring by RTO officials as dealers openly charge extra money between Rs 3,000 and Rs 7,000 from gullible buyers as service or handling charges. In June this year, city RTO S Shelke had issued a notification informing all the automobile dealers to adhere to the rules of the transport department and refrain from charging extra money from buyers. All dealers have been also asked to display signboards at their respective facilities regarding the official charges to be paid to the transport office but there is hardly any enforcement. In his complaint to union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, Deshmukh alleged that dealers are also involved in illegal activities and did not adhere to the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act 1988. It is necessary to ensure vehicles are not delivered unless registered but dealers in Nagpur openly deliver vehicles sans registration. These vehicles can be openly spotted in city plying with temporary numbers. Shelke clarified he had already directed automobile dealers not to charge extra money from buyers. He, however, pointed out that he had not received any complaint from buyers, adding: "If my office receives any complaint, we will suspend the dealers' licence."


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From my Forbes.com blog The New Persuaders:
For much of this year, hundreds of little and not-so-little startups that help businesses run advertisements on Facebook have been playing the M&A game, buying rivals or related companies, getting acquired by bigger firms, or both. But the acquisitions were sometimes for big bucks, fueling a sense that the opportunities were huge for social marketing startups.
It’s not hard to find social marketing firms still thriving, but suddenly it’s looking a little more like a game of musical chairs. And while it would be easy (and wrong) to say the music has stopped, it’s becoming clear that a chunk of those firms will find themselves without a seat as the social media biz starts to mature and its growth chart no longer looks like a straight line up and to the right.
The recent struggles of Facebook and other social media firms such as Zynga aren’t new, of course. They prompted some folks to wonder if the social media bubble had popped a couple of months ago. But it appears now that advertiser uncertainty about social media is starting to hit the still-crowded ecosystem of social media marketing and ad firms.
Today, Salesforce.com laid off about 100 people from two social-media acquisitions, Radian6 and Buddy Media. Although it may not be surprising given likely job overlaps–and the fact that Buddy was losing big bucks before the sale–the layoff suggests that the market for social ads isn’t big enough to accommodate all the players that have sprung up in recent years, or at least all the employees working for them.


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- Enevis Limited’s FY19 profits have increased by 34.6 per cent to $36.54 million – compared to $27.15 million in FY18
- With the inclusion of Lumex the total sales jump to $41.19 million which is an overall increase of 51.7 per cent
- In April, Enevis was selected by U.S. lighting manufacturer LumiGrow to exclusively market its sophisticated LED lighting solutions
Enevis Limited has announced an increase of almost 35 per cent in non-Lumex revenue for FY19.
Sales revenue this year was $36.54 million, which is up from last year’s $27.15 million.
When the revenue of Lumex is included, which was obtained on August 1 2018, it brings the total sales to $41.19 million, an overall increase of 51.7 per cent.
Since 2016, sales revenue in the underlying business has grown at an annual compound growth rate of 33.3 per cent.
Its gross margin was consistent with previous years despite the large increase in sales.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was $1.03 million compared with a loss of $0.52 million in FY18. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) was $600,000 compared to negative $2.22 million in FY18.
“While this is an essential break-even result with much work to be done on extracting efficiencies from the operations, it is also a telling turnaround effort when compared with a loss of $3 million last year,” Managing Director and Executive Chairman Peter Jinks commented.
This growth in sales is partly due to funding a significant increase in inventory and on August 1 2018, Enevis purchased the Lumex electrical business and assets for $1.12 million. This was done via the issue of 5.59 million new shares.
Enevis delivers energy efficient technology solutions through the creative manufacturing, design and engineering of software, hardware and installation support.
It provides LED lighting products, energy consumption and cost benefit audio-visual, communication and electrical solutions to commercial, retail and industrial markets.
In April this year, Enevis was selected by U.S. lighting manufacturer LumiGrow to exclusively market its sophisticated LED grow lighting solutions in Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia.
This gives Enevis the opportunity to become part of the next phase of horticultural development with benefits to growers and farmers by giving them increased yield, improved products and higher returns.
Also during the year, major audio-visual and lighting projects were completed for Latrobe University, the Melbourne State Library, Queensland Rail and the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Urban Lighting also integrated the Lumex business into its operations as well as securing the distribution rights for high-end European commercial lighting product ranges.
Enevis shares are currently up almost 18 per cent and trading for 16.5 cents as of 1:30 pm AEST.


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Nathan Goode of Grant Thornton considers whether inovative low-carbon companies have got to grips with the huge sales challenge they face
I recently attended a conference for early stage clean tech companies. It was great fun and extremely well organised. The diversity of what was on offer was pleasing – it seems as though just about anything...
'Our country's filthy air is shortening lives': UK mayors call for 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles
Cross-party group of Mayors representing over 20 million people call on government to pull forward ban on sale of petrol and diesel vehicles
Waste-to-jet fuel project backed by Department for Transport, Shell, and British Airways
Firm hopes to better conventional batteries to store renewably generated power
New fund to bolster efforts to produce more sustainable and recyclable plastics, as Ministers reveal call for evidence on plastics tax has attracted a record record 130,000 responses


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A teenager will enjoy a family holiday to celebrate her £100,000 National Lottery win.
Rebecca Tierney, 19, who lives near Warrington, won the top prize on a scratchcard on Sunday after buying the £1 card by chance.
The lucky teenager’s win comes only a few weeks before her 20th birthday on January 13.
Rebecca, who has a three-month-old son Cole, said she planned to go on holiday in the next couple of months with her family to “somewhere hot”.
She said she might also buy a new pram for her son and a Michael Kors watch.
The former factory worker had only gone out to her local shop for a soft drink when she bought the winning card. She bought it from Hooton News in Church Street, Golborne.
She said: “I rarely buy scratchcards but I had bought a can of Coke and saw the scratchcards and thought it is coming up to Christmas, I could be lucky.
“I actually waited until I got home before scratching the card. I initially thought I had won £2 and I was delighted.”
Once she realised she had won, the teenager said she hid the ticket: “I put it in my purse and hid it between my pillows after I signed it.”
Although she bought the card on Sunday she got in contact with Camelot the next day.
She said: “The shop was closed so I had to wait a day before I could check if what I was seeing was really was true. I called Camelot and I was told I had won the £100k on Christmas Eve. It was just the best Christmas present I could ever have wished for.”
Rebecca added: “I still can't believe it.
“I haven't celebrated yet but I plan to go on holiday.
“I have never been able to afford driving lessons so I can definitely going to learn to drive and I absolutely love the Mini so hopefully I will be able to buy my dream car too.”
“When I found out I was home alone and when I told my family, they didn’t believe me! I told my twin sister but had to send her a picture of the scratchcard.
“My family are happy for me and I'll take them with me on holiday.”


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CHINA: Thomas & Friends Toy Maker Discusses Lead Paint Problem
Curt Stoelting, the chief executive of RC2, concedes that the links in the Thomas & Friends supply chain broke down as it crossed the ocean. Since the toy manufacturer based in Oak Brook, Ill., discovered lead paint on a Thomas train in April, RC2 has tried to strengthen its safety safeguards in China, Mr. Stoelting said last week in his first interview since the June recall.
"We've always required our suppliers to follow our safety specifications," Mr. Stoelting said. "In this incident, those requirements were not met."
He said RC2 fired both the vendor who made the lead paint and the company that made the wooden toys.
Unlike Mattel, RC2 does not own any of its factories. Instead - like many United States toy makers operating in China - the company works with a local network of contract manufacturers, supplemented by 175 RC2 employees stationed there.
RC2 officials would not provide the names of the paint maker and contract manufacturer responsible for the lead paint problem, but when asked whether those companies would be paying damages to RC2, Mr. Stoelting said the company was evaluating its options.
About 40 percent of the 1.5 million toys that were recalled in June had been returned as of July 11. RC2 is mailing customers new toys and reimbursing their postage. HIT Entertainment, the owner of the Thomas brand, has not canceled its deal with RC2, nor have other media companies that let RC2 make toys based on their characters, Mr. Stoelting said. ("Thomas & Friends" is a popular television program shown around the world.)
"We're still moving forward with our Thomas product lines," he said. "Our goal is to use this incident to really improve our procedures, improve our safeguards."
Mr. Stoelting said that RC2 was now requiring lead testing of every batch of paint used on the Thomas toys. And the company has increased the number of times it checks incoming supplies and outgoing toys for problems. The company is also hiring an independent auditor to conduct checks, though RC2 executives have not decided whether to release the auditor's reports to the public, Mr. Stoelting said.
Executives at the Toy Industry Association's toy safety conference in Guangzhou, China, last week said that RC2 had also tried to join the group since its recall.
"We'd like to help them, frankly, if they'd accept our help," said Carter Keithley, president of the association in New York. "I think what we're going to want to do is have some conversations with RC2 to learn more about the steps they are taking to clean up this mess."
- 182 Health


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Global technology management can be complicated, but it doesn't have to be. How can operators simplify their payment technology to ease ownership and maximize their investment? Read more to find out how.
Superior product performance and after-sales support were key factors in the decision to specify CPI for both coin and note validation.
Please read this important update regarding the commitment by CPI to continue delivering the solutions and services you need to succeed even in these challenging times.
As technology rapidly adapts and evolves, the opportunities for increased cashless capability are endless. As we look to the future of cashless payment, how can Bluetooth stand to increase efficiency for customers and operators alike? Read more to find out.
It's not always easy to identify the correct card reader for your business. As electronic payment technology advances, merchants should look for solutions that address more than just card payments. Read on to find out just what operators should look for in the right cashless payment system.
Malvern, PA (February 4, 2020) – Crane Payment Innovations (CPI), a Crane Co. company and global leader in banknote and coin validation, cashless payment systems, and asset management software, today announced the acquisition of Cummins Allison, a leading provider of coin, currency and check handling solutions, as well as ATM machines.
The "Payment Methods Report" by The Paypers covers industry alternatives. Here are three understated payment trends that didn’t receive the headline treatment.
In an automated world, bank tellers still manually handle coins. A focus on financial services would be a better use of their time. Here’s the CPI solution.
Crane Payment Innovations (CPI), a Crane Co. Company, has enhanced its BCR coin recycler to meet “OLAF” regulation standards. OLAF, or the European Anti-Fraud Office, investigates fraud against the EU budget, corruption and serious misconduct within the European institutions.
Crane Payment Innovations is proud to announce the launch of Paypod Pay Station, the latest innovation in point-of-sale payment automation technology. CPI will showcase their new product at the EuroCIS Trade Fair.
Crane Payment Innovations, a Crane Co. company, is proud to introduce Paypod, an all-new pay station for the retail market that automates payment at the point of sale. CPI will showcase the new product during the upcoming NRF retail show.
Crane Payment Innovations (CPI), the world-wide leader in providing cash payment solutions and a Crane Co. company, announces that their partnership with Locomobi, a leading provider of reliable parking management solutions.
Crane Co. (NYSE:CR), a diversified manufacturer of highly engineered industrial products, announced today that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Crane Currency.
The acquisition strengthens Crane’s technology portfolio with the addition of Microtronic’s complementary capabilities to Crane Connectivity Solutions’ (CCS) electronic payment and connectivity platform, which is available in the US through Crane Payment Innovations and Crane Merchandising Systems.


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Latest News Click here for more news
April 26, 2017
The global 'Love Your Local Market' (LYLM) campaign is an annual event celebrating wholesale & retail (street or covered) markets. It is held in the month of May, now known as the Month of Markets! LYLM Global is supported & coordinated by the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) since 2014. The theme for LYLM Global in 2017 is: “Markets for the new generation”. The campaign will focus on youth not only to attract young customers but also new and young traders (markets are a job incubators).
March 31, 2017
The early-bird deadline to register your attendance for the WUWM Conference to be held in Rome, Italy from 17-19 May 2017 has been extended until 12 April 2017!
Next WUWM Conference
WUWM normally holds each year, in the spring and autumn, a wholesale/retail conference open to both members and observers; the annual venues normally alternate between Europe and the rest of the world.
The next WUWM Conference is hosted by CAR Scpa and will take place in Rome, Italy from 17-19 May 2017. Please visit the conference website www.wuwmconference.org
WUWM Retail Portal
WUWM Retail supports information and knowledge exchange between members, public and private bodies. Visit the portal here.
Go to the Retail Portal
Visit Our Member Markets
Information on WUWM Member Markets is available by visiting this link.
View our Member Markets


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Kelly Ripa Loves These Shoes So Much, She Gave Them as a Wedding Gift
Wondering whether to invite Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos to your wedding? Well, this settles it.
Apparently, the Live! with Kelly and Ryan host and her Riverdale actor husband are exceptional wedding gift-givers. According to a recent exclusive on The Knot, Ripa and Consuelos gave the latter’s Riverdale co-star Vanessa Morgan a wedding gift that was both practical, chic, and personally meaningful.
Morgan walked down the aisle to MLB player Michael Kopech in a pair of feathered Gianvito Rossi sandals from the longtime couple. “The beautiful white feathers went along with our wedding theme,” Morgan said of the shoes. “They matched the beautiful white parrots that were actually at the wedding. The shoes were a wedding gift from my castmate Mark Consuelos and his wife Kelly Ripa. So sweet.”
Ripa, a longtime fan of the shoe designer, wears his creations often. Her and Consuelos’s daughter Lola, 18, even wore a pair of Rossi’s heels to her prom last June.
In fact, it seems that the heels Ripa and Consuelos sent to Morgan are a particular favorite of the talk show host. The sandals she wore in her family’s holiday card this year bear a striking resemblance to those Morgan wore at her wedding.
The footwear in question complemented Morgan’s sheer, beaded Eisen-Stein Bridal gown.
I’m not engaged or anything, but Kelly, expect a save the date in the coming decade.


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Deliveroo riders across Dublin strike over working conditions
Some restaurants show support as organisers complain of ‘drastically reduced’ rates
Deliveroo riders are striking in Dublin over working terms and conditions. Photograph: Jack Taylor/Getty Images/File
Deliveroo riders across Dublin withdrew their services temporarily on Friday evening in protest over their terms and conditions.
The company’s hundreds of riders across the capital are deemed to be self-employed individual contractors, rather than employees which means they do not have rights such as annual leave and sick pay.
In social media posts, the organisers of the protest - which began at 6pm and was scheduled to last for two hours - said their rates of pay had been “drastically reduced” last month which meant they now had to spend longer on the streets and “pedal more, to earn less”.
The organisers also highlighted the “lack of security” and the level of violence riders experience and said three couriers had been attacked this week alone.
Restaurants took to social media to show support for the riders.
The Korean restaurant Chimac Aungier Street said it would be shutting off its Deliveroo orders for the duration of the strike.
“These men and women have got us, and you, through the last 10 months of madness – they work incredibly hard and so often not treated with the respect they deserve,” the restaurant said.
The Vegan Sandwich Co said it fully supported the strike and would be “turning off our machine in solidarity between 6pm and 8pm this evening. These people are the backbone of the food industry and deserve better working conditions, better pay and more respect”.
In a statement, Deliveroo denied its riders were being paid less during the pandemic and insisted that rider pay was now higher than it was before March.
It said that its riders typically earned above the national minimum wage and had suggested that on average they earn €13 per hour at mealtimes, an amount that excluded additional tips they may receive.
It has also pointed to distance-based fees which sees riders earn more for medium and long distance deliveries.
A Deliveroo spokeswoman said the safety of riders was its “absolute priority”.
She said the company takes “every step to ensure they feel safe when on the road. We were the first delivery platform to give all riders free insurance to protect them in case something goes wrong while on the road, and we are constantly looking at new ways to extend our support”.
She said it planned to introduce free personal safety alarms for all riders in Ireland and said it worked “closely with the police and authorities to help protect riders and resolve any security issues they face, such as theft”.
She said there was “a dedicated rider team to help riders with any concerns that they may have and make sure they feel supported at all times”.
Deliveroo was founded by Will Shu in 2013 in London and operates in over 500 towns and cities across 12 markets.
It launched in Ireland in 2015, and currently works with more than 1,000 riders and over 1,800 restaurants across Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.
Its Irish division recorded a 40 per cent rise in turnover last year as sales rose from €9.3 million to €13.8 million.
It has seen a huge jump in demand during the Covid crisis and in addition to delivering takeaways, it has also expanded into groceries though a partnership with Aldi, which helps it reach an estimated 1.5 million shoppers in the Republic.


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Treasury in 2025: Will You Be at the Cutting Edge?
By Eleanor Hill, Editor
The ‘Journeys to Treasury’ report has become a landmark piece of research among the corporate treasury community – and the 2019/2020 edition is no different. According to the latest study, the treasury of the future will be almost unrecognisable: core treasury skills and requirements will evolve dramatically, driven by the combination of data and technology that is already transforming the profession in ways we never thought possible.
Cast your mind back to 2015 – the year that ushered in the Paris Climate Change Agreement and saw the Chinese stock market crash for the first time since 2007. Back then, treasurers were starting to get to grips with cloud computing and hearing more and more about real-time treasury, blockchain and artificial intelligence.
Just a few years later, the hype around these treasury trends and technologies is turning into reality, as outlined in the fourth edition of the Journeys to Treasury report – authored by BNP Paribas, PwC, the European Association of Corporate Treasurers (EACT), and SAP, featuring input from leading corporate treasurers (see box).
Corporate contributors to Journeys to Treasury
The report also suggests that fast forwarding to 2025 could see treasurers enter the realm of what was once seen as ‘science fiction’, with technology effectively ruling the treasury roost. That is not to say that treasury will become less relevant as technology takes over, however.
Arguably, the opposite applies as the need to manage liquidity and risk internationally becomes more important. Treasurers will also be freed up to spend more time reviewing processes and mindsets, with the aim of making treasury more efficient and ultimately adding value to the business.
Until then, the report suggests that treasurers may wish to focus on four key areas:
1. Payments and collections
New payment methods are proliferating as digital business models come to the fore, and regulators seek to improve the payment experience for consumers and businesses alike. Real-time payments are a global example, together with mobile wallets, which are becoming increasingly common in parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The report suggests that not enough treasurers are playing an active role in the company’s payment and collection strategy. In many instances the choice of payment, and particularly collection method, is a commercial decision made by sales and customer engagement teams. Treasurers should arguably be involved in these decisions, however, to take account of issues such as: payment and collection costs; operational and credit risk; resilience; technology integration; working capital and liquidity, and sustainable growth.
Furthermore, new payment and collection instruments – from SWIFT gpi to Request to Pay functionalities – have the potential to create valuable opportunities for the business, particularly as digital business models evolve. For example, a growing number of companies in markets where real-time payments already exist are carving out competitive advantage, such as to settle insurance claims quickly.
As such, treasurers would do well to keep abreast of evolving payment and collection methods and to share their knowledge with other parts of the business. In this way, treasury can contribute to strategic and commercial decision-making, which will be especially relevant when expanding into new international markets.
2. FX risk management
International growth is also a driver for treasurers to review their FX risk management. With exposure to an ever-expanding range of currencies, and pressure on sales margins, FX volatility can make a major difference to earnings. The report highlights that treasurers are therefore renewing their focus on hedging strategies and optimal execution to manage risk and reduce the impact of volatility.
“We have seen a definite change in treasurers’ attitudes towards payments and collections over the past three years. As companies make a strategic shift from products to services, such as subscriptions and rentals, the cash flow dynamics change, with a higher volume of lower value flows.”


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The restaurant industry has experienced its share of challenges as a result of coronavirus-related lockdowns, even as states have eased restrictions and customers are increasingly venturing back to their favorite eateries. The National Restaurant Association reports that the restaurant and foodservice industry lost nearly $120 million in sales during the first three months of the pandemic.
Although some restaurants across the United States have permanently shuttered their doors, many have fought back by finding new ways to serve their patrons safely and efficiently. Now more than ever, restaurants must expand beyond the four walls of dine-in service to create consistently positive and engaging customer experiences through digital channels.
Many well-known quick service restaurants (QSRs) and fast casual brands have found success by trying out new ideas and expanding existing digital services. And independent restaurants should consider following their lead to ensure they, too, are able to safely offer top-notch customer service from a distance.
Order up! for digital channels
According to Deloitte, just one-third (34%) of consumers feel safe going into a restaurant. However, pickup and delivery services have increased as safety-minded consumers rely on digital channels to order and pay for their food. Online and mobile ordering empowers guests to place orders from their personal devices. It also eliminates the need for in-person contact and allows restaurant staff to maintain social distancing during guest interactions.
Even before COVID-19, digital channel use was on the upswing. This increase in off-premises orders is not likely to change anytime soon, as almost half (46%) of consumers expect their dining habits to remain at current COVID-19 levels for the foreseeable future, according to Deloitte. Having a digital presence helps restaurants capitalize on opportunities to safely reach out to and serve a wider array of diners by engaging with them online before an order takes place.
Be creative to entice hungry customers
Shutdowns and restrictions aside, some restaurants in this new era have made great strides toward keeping their business not only afloat but thriving.
One major QSR chain that has long relied on digital channels quickly sprang into innovation mode when COVID-19 hit, even though its dining room doors were closed. The company did things like introducing family meal kits available through drive-thru and delivery and integrated contactless payment methods such as the ability to insert a credit card into a reader (in a drive-thru) without employees touching the card. It even engaged hungry consumers by launching a video cooking series, demonstrating easy-to-make recipes using items on its menu.
Digital channels have helped another major QSR chain excel during the pandemic, too. Mobile apps are responsible for 70-80% of the restaurants’ sales – up from 20% of sales before COVID-19. The company went into the pandemic with a strong, growing presence in digital ordering, carryout, drive-thru and delivery. It had even installed pick-up shelves enabling customers and delivery drivers to get their orders contact-free. During the pandemic, it also began hosting a series of Instagram live streams that rewarded select fans with a code for a free entrée.
These chains, and plenty of others, know that having a digital presence alone is not enough. They know the secret ingredient to optimizing digital channels is to safely reach out to ensure a great, contactless customer experience, too.
Contact-free is key
Creating a contactless or low-contact environment requires restaurants to look attentively at everything staff and customers could possibly touch and eliminate or change processes when possible. Think, for instance, of using QR codes or digital menus instead of physical menus. Either of these technologies allow guests to view the menu, place an order and pay from their mobile phone or other personal device.
Contactless solutions let restaurants reduce their guests’ potential exposure to the virus while simultaneously delivering an experience that enhances customers’ comfort levels.
The restaurant industry has had its fair share of challenges but continues to weather the COVID-19 storm. Going forward, safety must become a top priority, and digital channels enable restaurants to provide a safe, comfortable, contact-free environment with customer experience in mind.
Many of them have already implemented apps to manage things like table bookings and curbside pickup. And the restaurants most likely to succeed are those that embrace all things digital and try out new areas: like investing in more technology, experimenting with menu items and taking advantage of new trends that include offering meal kits or innovative recipes. These are the restaurants that will keep customers coming back, whether their physical doors are open or not.
About the Author:
Dirk Izzo is President and GM, NCR Hospitality