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The European Organic Congress by IFOAM, with the title “Organic’s contribution to the European Green Deal”, aims this year to inspire the participants by focusing on how the agri-food sector’s initiatives enhance the transition towards a more sustainable food system, through the aid of leading examples from representatives and experts amidst the organic sector. The New EU Organic Regulation 848/2018 will also be explored, while focusing on its implications for the objective of 25% EU organic land by 2030. We will dive deep into how organic districts, living labs and farm demonstrations contribute to rural development and the success of the Organic Action Plan. Moreover, organic’s contribution to climate change mitigation, with the EU Green Deal, the Biodiversity and Farm to Fork strategies and last but not least, the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) will be key themes for the Congress’ debates.
A cross-category consumer label to make responsible farming visible
Cologne, Germany (27 April 2021) – GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH launched its consumerfacing initiative, the GGN label, during an online event on 27 April. International stakeholders from the agriculture and retail sectors were invited to the unveiling event during which GLOBALG.A.P. experts presented the new GGN label. GLOBALG.A.P. also announced that the new GGN label can now be applied to fruit and vegetables as well. Unlike the previous GGN labels, which were specific to aquaculture and floriculture products, the new GGN label is a universal, cross-category label.
The GGN Label – “All in One”
Since consumers have one shopping list and are looking for consistent orientation across different product categories, GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH has decided to move from two scopespecific labels to one uniform label for all categories. The new GGN label stands for certified, responsible farming and transparency. Available for both packed and loose fresh products, the new label is available to producers, retailers, traders, packers and restaurant chains starting April 2021.
“Transparency is at the heart of the GGN label. We help consumers to discover the roots of their products while helping the businesses who practice and support responsible farming showcase this. Together we’re taking transparency to the next level”, says Kristian Moeller, Managing Director at GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH.
The 5th Anniversary of the GGN Label
GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH introduced its consumer-facing initiative, the GGN label, five years ago. It was first launched in 2016 for aquaculture products, followed by floriculture products in 2017. Now in 2021, fruit and vegetables are also included. All products with the GGN label come from a farm whose production process has been independently certified according to international GLOBALG.A.P. standards or one of the standards that is recognized by GLOBALG.A.P. as equivalent. These standards are holistic in nature and cover food safety, sustainability, environmental protection, animal welfare, workers’ health and safety, and supply chain transparency. All these aspects of responsible farming come together under the GGN label, which provides transparency through unique 13-digit identification numbers that are linked to supply chain actors with GLOBALG.A.P. certification.
These GLOBALG.A.P. Numbers correspond with profiles on the GGN label portal (www.ggn.org), allowing consumers to find the roots of their product. 576 farm profiles are already online. Click here to learn more about the GGN label.
The Sorma Group’s revolutionary packaging allows Selex brands to reduce plastic by 30% compared to traditional packaging and to increase the use of paper
CESENA, 22 April 2021 – Sormapeel, the innovative and ultra-light packaging line for fruit and vegetables, is entering the Selex Group’s supermarkets. Once the test stage has been successfully completed, the Sorma Group solution will be adopted for all the mesh packaging in the fruit and vegetable sector used for the Selex distributor’s brand name products. The Group thus ranks as the first company to have made a total and radical change, applying Sormapeel to its entire distributor’s brand name range.
This is a small, but major revolution: the plastic component of the packaging chosen by Selex will be on average 30% lower than that of traditional packaging and the paper component will be 30% higher, conveying the Selex Group’s brands’ focus on environmental sustainability.
“This step,” commented Luca Vaccaro, Distributor’s Brand Name Director of the Selex Group, “is part of a wide-ranging project concerning the sustainability of all the distributor’s brand name products. Selex, as the second largest Group in the modern distribution sector, has been working for over a year on a process that covers four pillars: safeguarding the working conditions of our suppliers and the supply chain, the quality of the raw materials used, nutrition education and reducing the environmental impact of our packs. With regard to the latter, we are working to reduce the amount of plastic required for the same performance, to replace virgin raw materials with recycled raw materials, to convert non-recyclable packaging into recyclable packaging and to eliminate overpacking.”
A test stage was carried out to determine whether the Sormapeel line met one of the Group’s specific requirements: Selex aimed to adopt a solution that would ensure the lowest environmental impact, not only in terms of recyclability, but also in terms of plastic reduction. Sormapeel fully meets both of these conditions since it is recyclable and lighter, thanks to the paper component, than a mono-polymer solution.
“We are very pleased that companies of this calibre have taken such swift action to implement their commitment to sustainability,” commented Mario Mercadini, Large Scale Manager at Sorma Group. “Sormapeel fulfils the 3 r: reduction, recyclability and reusability”.
In addition to robustness, functionality and lightness, Sormapeel’s strengths also include ease of recycling. Paper and plastic recycling is easy, quick and efficient: recyclers receive mono-polymer packaging, without inks and glues, which would compromise the quality of the recyclate. The paper, which has been awarded Aticelca A certification, is fully recyclable through the usual production processes, making it possible to reuse the cellulose in the strip.
Moreover, the incorporation of paper, with FSC certification, means that the packaging is made from 30% renewable raw materials, and thus meets the goals of European regulations (Directive 904/2019).
Finally, another major benefit of Sormapeel is the printable area, which is about twice the size of that of normal packaging. Once the paper layer has been removed, the inner part has a second surface available for communications: for example for brand storytelling, points for collection, recipes or drawings for colouring.
Sorma Group was founded in 1973. It is currently the world’s only corporate group able to offer a turnkey solution comprising the entire line of machines required to automatically grade, weigh and pack fruit and vegetable products, together with supply of the technical material for creating all forms of packaging. It offers more than 160 automatic machine models, protected by 60 patents entirely developed by an in-house team of 35 engineers. More than 30 fruit and vegetable products can be graded and presented with the utmost precision and reliability to effectively respond to the increasingly demanding needs of large-scale distribution. The Group has its own operations centres in Spain, Germany, France, Turkey, the Netherlands, the USA and Brazil. Alongside these subsidiaries, there are also 40 specialist distributors operating at a global level.
Tesco has outlined its climate manifesto containing five key areas of focus, including cutting absolute emissions from energy and supporting the UK’s transition to electric transport, as well as tackling food waste, supporting the sustainable production of food, and helping customers eat healthy, sustainable diets.
Tesco chief executive Ken Murphy highlighted the need for both efficiency improvements and “cutting-edge” innovation if the retailer is to meet its climate change targets.
In 2017, Tesco committed to science-based climate targets on a 1.5-degree trajectory and aims to reach its net zero climate target in the UK by 2035, fifteen years earlier than originally planned. Through a combination of efficiency improvements and switch to low-carbon innovation, Tesco delivered a 50% emissions reduction last year on a 2015 baseline, beating its 2020 science-based target of 35%.
Murphy has now called on the wider food industry to play its part to deliver against the UK’s climate ambitions. “In this critical decade for tackling climate change, it’s vital we challenge ourselves to be more ambitious in our aims and accelerate progress against them. At Tesco, we’re playing our part by creating a better basket for our customers and the planet. No one business can tackle these challenges alone. We must take collective action as a food industry to drive the transformational changes necessary to meet the UK’s climate commitments,” he said.
Tesco has pledged to continue its work to reduce emissions in its own operations, including switching to renewable energy across all its operations by 2030, partnering with renewable energy investors to launch new renewable power generation projects, and launch its first fleet of 30 electric home delivery vans, switching to a fully electric delivery fleet by 2028. Tesco is also rolling out 2,400 charging points for customers across 600 stores, with 400 stores already fitted with the chargers. By the time the programme has concluded, Tesco will have boosted the UK’s electric charging network by 14%.
Photo: Cristián Valdés Biochemist in charge of the project – FIA
Chilean researchers are working to create packaging containers for fruits for export to Europe and Asia using apple, pear, grape, peach and tomato waste. The initiative is promoted by the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation (FIA) and executed by the Universidad Católica del Maule, with support from the Foundation for Fruit Development (FDF) and San Jorge Packaging.
The biochemist in charge of the project, Cristián Valdés, said that the first stage of the process is to extract the nutrients from the residues of fruits and vegetables for the growth of a bacteria that produces the precursor of the bioplastic. The product “will be chemically treated in order to generate the material as such, to which antimicrobial properties will be added. Later, it will be transformed into biodegradable bags, shaping it by means of extrusion machines. Finally, the properties of the material will be optimised so that it is compatible with the packaging,” he said.
The project is in the first phase, related to the generation and optimization of the necessary conditions for the hydrolysis process of the different industrial wastes.
Photo: Unica Group
Within the ‘From the Field to the Table’ strategy, an essential element of the Green Pact, UNICA has been selected, in the person of its director, Enrique de los Ríos, among the 30 European experts who will collaborate in the working group which will help develop the proposed legislative framework for sustainable food systems.
In accordance with the ‘From the Field to the Table’ Strategy, the framework legislation of the sustainable food system to:
promote policy coherence at national and EU level.
integrate sustainability into all food-related policies.
strengthen the resilience of the EU food system.
The European Commission will prepare a proposal for adoption at the end of 2023. The objective is to progressively raise sustainability standards, involving all stakeholders in the food system.
The Commission is rethinking food-related policies in the EU to strengthen its contribution to a fairer, healthier and more environmentally friendly food system. Therefore, different departments of the EU, including Agriculture and Rural Development, have requested the Joint Research Centre to create a multidisciplinary group of experts in food, including UNICA, in order to develop concepts that they could be part of a future legislative proposal for sustainable food systems.
Photo: Albert Heijn
Netherlands retailer Albert Heijn has announced it is to remove all plastic bags from its fruit and vegetable departments and replace them with reusable, washable alternatives. In a statement, the company said the bags would disappear from its stores by the end of 2021, a move that will end the use of around 130m individual bags – or 243 tos of plastic – per year. A return system for the 31m bags used every year to deliver groceries to homes will also be introduced, it said, resulting in about 645 tons of plastic per annum being recycled responsibly.
According to the statement: “Everyone knows the plastic bags in the fruit and vegetable department Handy for loose apples or green beans, but bad for the environment if you don’t recycle them properly.”
For a two-week period from mid-April, all Albert Heijn customers in the Netherlands will receive a free reusable bag for fresh produce that is weighed in store before being purchased.
Photo: USA store by Eurofresh Distribution Magazine
US consumers are making lifestyle changes to reduce food waste, according to new research by Proagrica. The study found that 76% of shoppers say they are more likely to shop more often and in smaller quantities to avoid having to throw away unwanted or spoiled food. Around 74% are now likely to buy more frozen food for the same reason, and 50% state they are now prepared to buy the “ugly” fruit and vegetables.
Men are more willing than women to accept less attractive foodstuffs (56% vs 46%).
As for who is most responsible for food waste, 41% of respondents said it is farmers, while 42% said it is manufacturers. Less than a quarter said it was consumers’ responsibility to reduce food waste by changing their own behaviours and shopping habits. Hence, the study suggests that the onus is on the food sector to do more to reduce the amount of discarded food. Nevertheless, 77% say they’re trying to reduce “food miles” by buying more locally sourced produce.
Graeme McCracken, managing director at Proagrica, said: “US consumers still feel it is primarily the responsibility of farmers and food producers to do more to alleviate the problem. Businesses in the food and agriculture industries need to actively show they are working together to make their operational processes more transparent and more efficient.”
Photos: Mission Produce
Avocado specialist Mission Produce has published its first Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report, titled ‘Finest for the Future’. The report outlines the firm’s progress towards sustainable farming, and in addressing diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), climate risk, waste reduction and community investment.
Mission Produce chief executive and founder Steve Barnard said: “Mission Produce’s first ESG report illustrates our dedication to the finest practices for our people, product and planet. We embody sustainable practices from field to fork and our advanced farming practices allow us to keep our water usage per avocado well below the industry average. Our people are passionate and have an innovative spirit, constantly driving our operations to reduce our environmental footprint and contribute positively to our global community.”
With a focus on investing in people, reducing water and waste, and minimising carbon emissions, key highlights of the report include the implementation of reduced plastic bags in at least 50% of the bags packed and shipped globally by fiscal year 2025, equating to almost 500,000 0.5-litre plastic bottles. The report also highlighted Mission’s precision and biodiverse farming methods, which use 40.5% less water in its Peruvian production and 40% less water at its California base.
By the end of 2021, Mission aims to apply shelf-life extension technology to 10,200 tons of avocados to combat food waste and reduce shrink of avocados, the equivalent of powering almost 563 homes, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) calculator.
This year GLOBALG.A.P.’s consumer-facing initiative, the GGN label, is turning 5 and to celebrate this anniversary, a virtual live event is being held on 27 April 2021. There will be a look-back on the great achievements in the aquaculture and floriculture sectors and details of the label’s vision and exciting new projects for the coming years will be shared.
The GGN label promotes certified and responsible farming and wants to make this visible to consumers as a guide to responsible choices in their daily grocery shopping. Consumers have one shopping list and are looking for consistent orientation among different product categories in their daily grocery shopping trips. For this reason, GLOBALG.A.P. has decided to move from scope-specific labels to one uniform label for all categories.
The GGN label value proposition “certified, responsible farming and transparency” is highly relevant to consumers and plays an active role in their purchasing choices. This is why we have decided to improve how we communicate our value proposition so that it will be instantly and intuitively understandable in the context where purchasing choices are made: split seconds in the hectic rush of everyday life.
Fruits and vegetables represent a key component of consumers’ grocery baskets, which is why GLOBALG.A.P. wants to give consumers the option to make a responsible choice in the most important fresh-farmed product categories. As such, the GGN label will be extended to the agriculture scope, starting April 2021.
Sign up for the virtual unveiling event hosted by GLOBALG.A.P. experts. Participation is open to all interested parties and free of charge.
The New GGN Label Unveiling Event
Online event on 27 April 2021, available in two sessions:
- Session 1: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. CET (English)
- Session 2: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. CET (Spanish)
Each session consists of two parts:
- Unveiling of the new GGN label
Find out all you need to know about the new GGN label with
Kristian Moeller (Managing Director GLOBALG.A.P.)
Federica Berardo (Director Marketing Operations GLOBALG.A.P.)
More speaker details to be announced
- Questions and answers


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To meet what it says is a growing demand to be able to buy more Apple products, Apple is opening a store New York’s Fifth Avenue tonight that will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“We opened our first New York store in SoHo in 2002, and it has been successful beyond our dreams. Now we’re thrilled to open our second New York store on Fifth Avenue”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With outstanding service and an amazing location open 24 hours a day, we think the Apple Store Fifth Avenue is going to be a favourite destination for New Yorkers and people around the world.”
The new store which sports a striking glass cube on top plans to offer more than 100 Macs and nearly 200 iPods for customers to try before they buy according to the company.
In addition, the Apple Store Fifth Avenue also has the largest staff of any Apple Store, with nearly 300 highly trained Mac Specialists, Mac Geniuses and Creatives on hand to help with questions.
More images can be foundflickr.com

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A startup competition in Morocco builds on the country’s burgeoning startup scene:
This year’s Startup Maroc Championship had a diverse group of startups, ranging from a surf gear brand to a renewably-powered fridge maker.
“We wanted to create Morocco’s biggest startups event,” said Naoufal Chama, president of Startup Maroc. “We wanted an event for startups, where mentors, jury members, and speakers are all startup founders, and where founders could help each other and collaborate.”
Organized at Casablanca’s Technopark on October 23-25, the Startup Maroc Championship is a celebration and showcase for the potential of Moroccan entrepreneurs, and to offer them mentorship and networking opportunities.
About 60 startups received mentorship from 50 mentors during a private day of preparation. They then competed during the weekend in one of the three sector-focused competitions and four growth-stage-focused competitions…[FULL STORY]


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This very morning 30 trucks arrived at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino. These trucks will filled up with 5 cent (USD) coins. At first the security company that works at Apple headquarters insisted that they were in the wrong place, but after Tim Cook, Apple CEO, received a call from Samsung CEO
SONY has announced a GTA V PS3 bundle that will also release with a special edition Grand Theft Auto V Pulse headset. This is a good move to push the sale of even more consoles before the release of the PS4 after the rave reviews the conference got last night.
With every initial reveal for “the next big thing,” in this case Microsoft’s first new console in eight years, we’re always going to be left out of some key details. Price, release date, the specifics. Microsoft threw a lot a us from Redmond this morning: -A New 8-Core CPU with
Epic Games, Inc. announces that NVIDIA is now exclusively using its breakthrough Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) game engine to create product presentations. The reveal of the company’s initiative came during the announcement of NVIDIA’s highly anticipated Project SHIELD portable gaming device at CES 2013, which featured a UE4-powered rendering of
GRAPHT, which strings from the Japanese company MSY, is a brand that envelops the creative works of prestigious New York artists Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat into cases for your iPhone 5, MacBook Pro, and iPad devices. Keith Haring lead a legacy of art based on life, unity, and social issues while
Apple has patented new technology featuring a flexible screen which transforms into a sort of watch or bracelet. The patent shows a Samsung Youm esque flexible screen paired with what is being called a “bi-stable spring”. It is said that the bi-stable spring, as it is being called, is a
Treyarch and Activision have made a move that I feel is well overdue by any competitive gaming outlet available to date. Black Ops 2 now supports live streaming while in game. It seems like Activision’s strategy on keeping their fans interested is by connecting them to all sorts of social
According to the hacker Yifan Lu has stated to have hacked the Vita , he started a new project called Usermode Vita Loader (UMV), and yes guys this is a PS Vita Loader not the PSP homebrew. The project is based on a exploit he found which are in early
Apple has sent out teasers that confirm the next iPhone “5” will be revealed Sept. 12th at their press conference. Their Sept 12th keynote in San Francisco will begin at 10am PST/1pm EST, US of course. Check out the teaser image below.
Looks like Amazon wants everyone to have a Kindle Fire these days. According to a recent WSJ report , Amazon is planning to develop a Kindle Fire tablet with ad support, just like the other Kindles this one is looking to cut cost even further. Amazon has also added the
HTC’s chairwomen said that the company has no intention of settling with Apple, according to Asia-based reports. The report came up Wednesday in the Wednesday issue of Digitimes and other Asian based publications which have comments from Cher Wang, chairwomen of HTC. HTC “has great skills in innovation and has the


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Corporate culture is one of the biggest hurdles in the journey to becoming a digital organisation, according to a new study by Capgemini.
The study, published by Capgemini and analyst Brian Solis and titled ''The Digital Culture Challenge: Closing the Employee-Leadership Gap', uncovered a big cultural disconnect between leaders and their staff.
Capgemini and Solis spoke to more than 1,700 respondents at 340 organisations across eight countries, finding a significant perception gap between the senior leadership and employees on the existence of a digital culture within their organisations. While 40 per cent of senior-level executives believe their firms have a digital culture, only 27 per cent of the employees surveyed agreed with this statement.
Participants included 20 per cent of senior executives, 40 per cent middle management respondents and 40 per cent employees in non-supervisory roles across five industry sectors: automotive, banking/insurance, consumer products, retail and telecommunications.
“To compete for the future, companies must invest in a digital culture that reaches everyone in the organisation. Our research shows that culture is either the number one inhibitor or catalyst to digital transformation and innovation,” Solis said.
“However, many executives believe their culture is already digital, but when you ask employees, they will disagree. This gap signifies the lack of a digital vision, strategy and tactical execution plan from the top.
“Cultivating a digital culture is a way of business that understands how technology is changing behaviours, work and market dynamics. It helps all stakeholders grow to compete more effectively in an ever-shifting business climate."
Overall, the report found 62 per cent of respondents see corporate culture as one of the biggest hurdles in the journey to becoming a digital organisation, sparking concerns that companies risk falling behind competition in today’s digital environment.
Additionally, the data shows that this challenge for organisations has worsened since 2011 by seven percentage points, when Capgemini first began its research in this area.
The survey asked respondents to assess their companies’ digital culture based on seven attributes: their collaboration practices; innovation; open culture; digital-first mindset; agility and flexibility; customer centricity and a data-driven culture.
It found that employees don’t see their company’s culture as ‘digital.’ It also concluded that the ‘digital culture gap’ is a result of senior leaders failing to communicate a clear digital vision to the company, the absence of digital role models, and a lack of KPIs aligned to digital transformation goals.
Capgemini head of digital services, Cyril Garcia, said digital technologies can bring significant new value, but organisations will only unlock that potential if they have the right sustainable digital culture ingrained and in place.
“Companies need to engage, empower and inspire all employees to enable the culture change together; working on this disconnect between leadership and employees is a key factor for growth. Those businesses that make digital culture a core strategic pillar will improve their relationships with customers, attract the best talent and set themselves up for success in today’s digital world.”
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In the press release for Google’s new wearables platform, called Android Wear, they talked about a developer preview that can be downloaded by developers who want to get their apps ready for live action on wrists. They also released a video for the developer preview, which just so happens to show a watch in action (or at least a video rendering of how it could work).
You get a full preview of the UI, how the card-style information is presented, navigated through, what happens when you say “OK, Google” to perform an action, and how quickly you can reply using your voice to something like a Hangouts message.
Oh, and the best part may be that Google is showing how Android Wear would look and work on a watch that well, looks like a watch, not something out of the future. Reminder to OEMs, just because you are making technology a bigger part of our lives, doesn’t mean we need our lives to look like a sci-fi flick.
To see Android Wear in action, you can jump to the 58-second mark, though I would recommend watching the whole clip below.


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The Standard of Discord
The Euro 7 regulations should come into force from July 2025. They require a reduction of 35% in NOx emissions and 13% in exhaust particles. It also calls for the addition of electrically heated e-catalysts and an on-board diagnostic system that will continuously monitor emissions.
Thus, according to several studies, the direct additional cost for many vehicles would be estimated at between 2,000 and 3,000 euros, or 10 times more than what the European Commission had envisaged. Consequently, several countries, including France and Italy, are up against the wind. Luca di Meo, CEO of Renault and AECA, castigated this Euro 7 standard which will force manufacturers to abandon small vehicles, which are not profitable enough, and therefore further complicate access to the automobile for a fringe not insignificant of the population.
A Pandora’s box for European industry?
Apart from the consequent cost of the Euro 7 standard, this, if it comes within such a short period of time, would force manufacturers to invest in it resources which would be diverted from the electrification in which they have rapidly embarked, with a view to the expiry of the ban on the sale of heat engines in Europe from 2035. The drastic level of the Euro 7 standard, its additional cost as well as its deadline for entry into force, could in the short term push many manufacturers Europeans to remove from their range small models that are not economically viable, with consequences for factories and employment in Europe, even as Chinese manufacturers are accelerating their offensive, with a very aggressive pricing policy and well-defined social and environmental conditions more lax at home. A Pandora’s box.
Electric yes, euro 7 no
Ferrari is adding its stone to the edifice of protest, through its CEO Benedetto Vigna who has been very clear about Ferrari’s strategy: “Ferrari is firmly committed to becoming a zero-carbon car manufacturer by the end of this decade. The prancing horse automaker becomes another automaker to tackle the new environmental standard – Euro 7. According to Vigna, his company has no plans to produce engines that meet the requirements for harmful emissions in Europe, but will instead focus on electrifying its model range. “Our goal is to produce unique electric Ferraris and we believe it is essential to focus on this. If we keep chasing after Euro 7 as planned, we will divert the attention of our company and our suppliers and we will not be able to use all the technologies that will allow us to create a unique Ferrari. We don’t need any detours from the road”.
In Italy, two key elements should be highlighted. First, the country’s delay in charging infrastructure, the national supply of electrified vehicles and quite simply the weakness of the electric market. A red lantern in Europe when it comes to car electrification, Italy saw electric vehicle sales fall 26.9% in 2022 and their market share reached just 3.7%, compared to an average of 12, 1% within the EU. A reason which is explained above all by the lesser government support and also a problem of purchasing power, a majority of Italians not being able to acquire an electric model (unless they turn to the Chinese!) unlike the Nordic countries where EV sales are exploding with a population with greater financial means. The European forced march would thus jeopardize a large part of the already weakened Italian automobile industry.
E-fuel to save thermal supercars?
For its part, Ferrari is one of those manufacturers whose reputation is based on their know-how in the most noble heat engines. Like Porsche, a pioneer in this field, Ferrari defends the path of e-fuel, which could finally be authorized after 2035 following an agreement concluded between the European Commission and Germany in March. But nothing is fixed yet, a new legislative process is beginning to classify these e-fuels as zero-emission fuels, and should not be completed before autumn 2024.
The political weight of these prestigious builders worked. Except that these fuels for the moment should only concern a minority of vehicles, mainly luxury vehicles, and that the price of this fuel will be very high. But since then, some generalist groups have started converting to this track, such as Stellantis and also Renault, which has joined forces with the Saudi oil company Aramco to develop synthetic fuels. Already behind on electrification, Ferrari is therefore betting on synthetic fuels, of which F1 will also serve as a showcase from 2026 with the entry into force of the new engine regulations for the championship. Since 2022, single-seaters have been running on fuel made up in part of e-fuel, and this proportion will rise to 100% by 2025. This will be the only way out so that the road-going Ferrari V12 does not fall into oblivion.


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COMPANY NEWS; SARA LEE NAMES DELL AS COMPUTER PROVIDER
Published: October 24, 1998
The Sara Lee Corporation said yesterday that it had selected the Dell Computer Corporation as the sole provider of personal computer hardware and related peripheral equipment. Sara Lee said the two-year agreement would generate significant annual savings. The maker of packaged food goods said it estimated that its personal computer purchases would exceed $30 million annually. Beginning this month, Sara Lee said it would buy all new desktop and laptop personal computers exclusively from Dell, which will customize each system to meet specific needs.


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A second wave of COVID-19—along with additional manufacturing shutdowns—could impact the industry in the second half, according to Stan Chandgie, vice president of consumer sales at Yokohama Corp. of North America. He also said that Yokohama's "Advantage" consumer associate dealer program, as well as the rollout of its all-season Geolandar CV G058, have been well received in the industry.
How would you describe business thus far in 2020?
Well, we've obviously never seen anything like 2020. Factories have been idled; vehicle, truck and equipment manufacturers have suspended operations; and the tire market has clearly suffered. The first half of April represented the darkest days our industry has faced in the modern era.
On the bright side, we have definitely seen signs of recovery throughout the month of May as stay-at-home orders have been lifted and manufacturing has resumed.
What are some of the key changes the company has made in order to keep employees and customers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic?
We've had to make decisions in waves, first and foremost to keep our employees and customers safe, second to stay operational and prepare for the future and finally to re-emerge positioned for future success.
We started restricting some travel in early March, which was expanded later in the month, along with instituting a remote work policy for our corporate staff. We also made the difficult decision to suspend production at our plants in the U.S. so that we could create a safer environment for our manufacturing team members.
At this point, our plants have resumed production and office staff has returned, albeit to a different, more controlled environment with an emphasis on health and safety.
Can you provide an update on your North American plants? Are they producing at capacity?
Our plants in North America are up, running and fully operational.
Do you expect any supply difficulties in the second half of the year?
From an ability to produce standpoint, no. We were well-positioned pre-pandemic, which allowed us to work through gaps in production as manufacturing was strategically suspended on a global scale. As production has come back online, we have been able to quickly recover and are projecting strong fill rates for our customers throughout the remainder of the year.
What we cannot predict, however, is the impact of a second wave of the virus and how governments will respond around the world. The possibility of additional manufacturing shutdowns remains a very real threat, but actions that are currently under way should mitigate any interruption in supply.
Yokohama had an active 2019, rolling out myriad products. What did you learn from that, and how does that shape the North American operations moving forward?
I don't know if "learned" is the right word, but we certainly confirmed what we already knew, which is that the thirst for new products in the industry is high.
2019 was certainly a big year for us in terms of the quantity of new products launched, but the quality is what we're proud of. We released a combination of pure replacement products, and products that were incremental to our existing offering.
Moving forward, that won't change. We're committed to managing product life cycles as well as attacking new areas of opportunity.


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Transwestern Development Acquires 29 Acres For 477K SF Industrial Spec In Southeast Houston
Ridge, the industrial development arm of Transwestern Development Co., has acquired 29 acres at the corner of Beltway 8 and Highway 90 in southwest Houston. In May, ground will be broken on a 477K SF speculative industrial project, Southwest Commerce Center, expected to deliver in early 2019. Transwestern is leasing the project.
Located at 611 South Cravens Road in Missouri City, the cross-dock project will have a 32-foot clear height, 129 dock doors, 58 trailer parking spaces and 275 car parking spaces.
The site is near major logistics and retail tenants, including FedEx’s new 300K SF facility and Best Buy’s recently announced 550K SF logistics facility.
“Strategically located along Beltway 8, Southwest Commerce Center is a state-of-the-art distribution building ideal for large regional users,” Transwestern Senior Vice President Darryl Noon said. “Houston’s industrial market remains one of the healthiest in the country, fueled by strong population growth and increased port activity.”


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Ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala diminished his stake in the farm tools and engineering main Escorts to six.82 per cent from 6.97 per cent.
He diminished his stake on the time when there’s strong traction in the rural economy on the back of a bountiful crop season last year, enhance in the minimal assist price (MSP) and expectation of a plentiful monsoon this year amid wholesome reservoir ranges.
In a regulatory submitting on Friday, Jhunjhunwala said that he bought 2 lakh fairness shares of Escorts on July 22. This takes his shareholding to 91,97,600 shares in the home tractor maker.
Shares of the company outdid the benchmark BSE Auto index with a return of 76 per cent for the reason that starting of the continuing monetary year. On the opposite hand, Auto index recovered almost 54 per cent throughout the identical interval.
The company is but to announce its June quarter earnings. Motilal Oswal Financial Services expects Escorts could post losses in Q1FY21 because the lockdown impacted volumes and led to produce aspect points. The tractor phase was the least impacted indicating decrease stress on the rural aspect.
Of late, the company reported 21.1 per cent enhance in complete tractor gross sales at 10,851 models in June. It had bought 8,960 models in the identical month last year.
The company earlier posted a 9.71 per cent enhance in consolidated internet revenue at Rs 127.73 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31. It had reported a internet revenue of Rs 116.42 crore in January-March interval of 2018-19.
Edelweiss Professional Investor Research last month gave a ‘Buy’ rating to Escorts with a goal price of Rs 1,332.
“We expect the start of the next tractor upcycle which may last for another 2 years. We believe Escorts will be in a better position to reap benefits of this upcycle like never before,” Edelweiss said.


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Home Tags Hackers
Hackers are targeting smartphones more and more as they launch phishing scams to gain accesses to companies' digital infrastructure, according to cybersecurity company Lookout.
From: RegTech Analyst Cybersecurity company Synack has raised $52m in a Series D funding round to transform security testing through its crowdsourced platform powered by...
Israeli cybersecurity startup Vicarius is looking to improve its software that automatically detects, patches and protects against yet-to-be-discovered software vulnerabilities on the back of a new funding round.
Cyber criminals are becoming savvier, according to new from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.


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QChat phones, others launching on Sprint mid-April?
byChris Ziegler||February 23rd 2008 at 11:02pmFebruary 23rd 2008 11:02 pm
Word on the street is that customers might be getting their first crack at Sprint's QChat wares rather soon -- April 16, to be exact. The news comes from phoneArena, which reports that the LG LX400 (pictured) will be launching alongside Sanyo's PRO-200 and PRO-700 on that fateful day, presumably along with the Direct Connect tech (and iDEN heir apparent) itself. The LG is rumored to be coming in at an SRP of $279.99, while the two Sanyos check in at $249.99 and $269.99, respectively. Also slated for April launches are the BlackBerry Curve 8330 in "titanium" along with Sanyo's Katana LX, a replacement for the Katana II that'll presumably keep its slim profile but carry over the forgettable VGA cam.


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Mary Katrantzou has just won at the eleventh Swiss Textile Award’s in Zurich. The young Greek designer became a finalist with Adam Kimmel (USA), Damir Doma (Croatia), Duro Olowu (UK) Jason Wu (USA) and Juun.J (Korea).
Designers showed cozy layered looks in New York this week, wrapping thick scarves over chunky sweaters and rugged jackets in hopes that a trend of casual comfort will appeal to consumers coping in uncertain times.
Keep it short and sweet. Hemlines are headed up, way up, in fashions for spring and summer 2010 that appeared on catwalks this week in New York where top designers gathered for a semi-annual array of shows.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has unveiled the list of nominees for the 2009 Fashion Awards. This year Best Designer in Ladies Fashion could go to Marc Jacobs, Kate & Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte, or...


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The value of retail sales rose by 4.4% in March and 2.2% in volume, according to the Office for National Statistics.
In year-on-year terms, the value of sales was up 0.9% and the volume of sales was up 0.4%. The value excluding fuel was up 0.4% and the volume excluding fuel was 0.2%.
In value terms for March, food sales were up 1.2% and non-food sales were up 6.7%. In non-food, household goods rose by 6.6% and clothing and footwear was up 2.8%.
In volume terms for March, food sales were down 0.8% and non-food sales were up 6.7%. In non-food, household goods were up 5.5% and clothing and footwear was up 5.4%.
Richard Lowe, head of retail and wholesale, at Barclays Corporate said: “Following a volatile start to the year, March’s figures offer hope that a more stable landscape is emerging in the retail sector, with retail sales volumes up both month on month and year on year, broadly in line with expectations.
“Retailers will be keeping a close eye on consumer confidence following its recent reported dip. However, at present sales are not declining with confidence levels, despite rising unemployment and increasing inflationary pressure on household incomes. As the nation prepares to go to the polls, retailers will be hoping for the extension of various economic stimulus measures currently in place, particularly the historically low base rate.”


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“Cut-off fortresses are no fun for anyone”
THE highlights of this weeks HQ2 news, which continues to dominate the headlines in LIC, contrasts the manner in which another mammoth corporation came to the decision to greatly expand its work force in NYC. In case you missed it, Google announced they are doubling their jobs here to 14,000 and adding more buildings in the West Village/Chelsea area to do so. That news led to a lot of ink and jawboning about the lack of subsidies needed for Google to arrive at that decision, and more bashing of the Amazon deal and Bill de Cuomo.
Justified or not, I came to my own revelation this weekend in perusing the names of the 45 members of the Amazon Community Advisory Committee, many of whom previously had zero connection to the community in question: Long Island City. How could the City/State have struck a deal with Amazon without including a Rec Center1 in Hunters Point – the neighborhood where HQ2 will be located? The simple answer is that heretofore Brooklyn had been running Queens, and thus imposing their own vision without walking the beat. Or just lazily cutting and pasting the perks in last year’s Plaxall rezoning request. Of course the negotiators were able to expend considerable effort on the specifications needed to diffuse criticism of the helipad2. Maybe little consideration of local requests were due to the City/State thinking everyone would be thrilled about winning HQ2?
It didn’t quite workout that way, and though I believe Amazon’s coming will be good for LIC and the protesters are a small (but vocal) minority, you need the locals to come on board and turn the tide. I believe nothing will motivate them more to speak out in favor of the deal than announcing that a much needed rec center will be included.
Furthermore, by not building an Amazon employee-only gym 3 it will integrate (and ingratiate) Amazon employees into the neighborhood. Probably not a bad idea for trillion dollar companies playing the long game.
Google Exposes the Big Mistake of New York’s Amazon Deal – one way to reverse that is…
Google Investing $1 Billion in NYC Campus – time to step up
Questions Raised Over Plaxall Site in State Run Amazon Plan – bingo, this is the right location for the Hunters Point Rec Center
TF Cornerstone’s Tom Elghanayan and Wife Buy Palm Beach Home – that’s exactly what I was going to get my wife for Christmas!
If You Think Hudson Yards Is a Big Development, Wait Until You See Sunnyside Yards – whoa cowboy, that’s far from a done deal
LIC Home Prices Surge After HQ Announcement – ASKING prices not necessarily selling prices, and surge is a little strong
Pop-Up ‘Daly Pie’ Opens at 27-20 Jackson Ave – me like pie
‘Kitchen Plus More’ Coming to Court Square – I want more
Pair Pleads Guilty to Gruesomely Burning Woman With Acid on LIC Street – woman had caught the pair embezzling from LIC non-profit where they all worked


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A group of students at Rice University is working to improve Joe Six-Pack's health by taking a chemical found in red wine and genetically engineering it into beer.
Undergraduate bioengineering majors Thomas Shapiro, Taylor Stevenson and David Ouyang told NPR's Jacki Lyden that their goal is to spread the apparent health benefits of wine to a broader group of people.
"The reason we're trying to make beer more like wine is basically because it has a much wider appeal," Shapiro said. "Especially in this country, beer consumption far outstrips wine consumption. And since wine is implicated in having a lot of very beneficial effects on people's health — such as being anti-cancer, possibly good for cardiac health — if we can put these effects into beer, those benefits can be seen by a very wide range of Americans."
Stevenson said the basic idea involves coercing beer yeast to produce a beneficial compound called resveratrol, which is found in red wine, by introducing two genes that are found in grapes.
The students are submitting their new beer design, which they call Biobeer, to the Genetic Engineering Conference in Cambridge, Mass. But because the judges wouldn't be able to taste the actual beer, which hasn't fermented enough yet, the trio is submitting the genes they're using during the brewing process.
"So anyone can now go to the competition and pull these genes out of it," Shapiro said. "It's a very open-source kind of thing."
The beer designers have also put their design on a Web site, where people interested in trying it out can have a look at the genes. Although the students haven't been approached by beer companies, they have been contacted by a number of home brewers interested in replicating the process.
Shapiro says one of the grape genes will likely influence the flavor of the Biobeer.
"In addition to producing the product required for resveratrol, [it's] going to be producing this kind of off-pathway product that will actually give the beer a kind of floral and honeylike aroma and taste," he says.
Not that any of the brewers can legally taste their product at the moment — they're all underage.
This doesn't concern Ouyang, who says the whole process takes time.
"There are so many steps both in the genetic engineering and the actual brewing of the beer," he says, "that in order to have a final product, a finished product that is consumable — we'll definitely be of age by then."


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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade hasn’t sold any of the ventilators, according to the Ministry’s response for Transparency International. Hungary is set to sell some 8,000 machines after it had bought twice the amount needed for the worst-case scenario regarding the coronavirus. Meanwhile, nearly HUF 2 billion (EUR 5.6 million) has been spent on favipiravir tablets coming in from the Far East.
The Ministry hasn’t gone into detail, but said that talks were ongoing. It was made public at the end of October that Hungary wants to sell around 8,000 ventilators.
Since government calculations found that the country would have needed at least 8,000 ventilators for the worst-case scenario and since at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak Hungary only had a supply of 2,560, the government set to purchase more. However, it later turned out that in order to make sure that “10,000 would arrive,” a total of 16,863 ventilators were purchased, costing as much as HUF 300 billion (EUR 843 million) in total. On top of that, this price was very high compared to other countries’ purchases, according to experts.
As of the beginning of December, less than 1,000 of these newly-purchased ventilators were delivered to hospitals. On the other hand, they are frequently used in building foreign relations and lately some fifty of them have been donated to Ukraine.
In addition, KMM has now also disclosed the amount it spent on the purchase of favipiravir tablets. As previously reported, 4.8 million favipiravir tablets (that help coronavirus patients recover and relieve symptoms) had arrived to Hungary, 2.8 million from China, and 2 million from Japan. This cost some HUF 1.76 billion (EUR 4.95 million) for KKM.
featured image illustration via Márton Mónus/MTI


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Chowbotics is gearing up for a major marketing push to find space for its salad-making robot in every home in the world – and maybe quite a few catering businesses too.
The company – which manufactures a salad-making robot called Sally (main picture) – is expanding its operation and hiring new people. A key recent appointment is Dorothy Cudia as vice president of engineering.
Cudia’s previous experience includes time at food giants such as Nabisco, McDonald’s and Darden Restaurants. Continue reading Chowbotics prepares to unleash salad-making robot on the world, while RotiMatic rolls its way to making 6 million rotis
Spanish farm produce supplier El Dulze has reduced its human workforce from 500 down to just 100 with the use of robots, according to a report on FruitNet.com.
The company is said to be using Fanuc robots – LR Mate 200iB models – which use vision systems to even out the production line so the vegetables are not bunched up too close together for packing.
The robots also appear to be picking heads of lettuce and placing them in containers, or plastic packaging. Continue reading Spanish farm produce supplier reduces human workers from 500 to 100 using robots
ABB has partnered with Amazon and Sonos to enable new functions to its home automation range of products, collectively called free@home.
ABB claims to be the leading home automation company in the German market, and the company is apparently looking to expand into new geographies, possibly including the US.
Its free@home range includes a variety of devices and hardware, all based on its digital platform, ABB Ability. Continue reading ABB integrates Amazon and Sonos technology into its smart home products
Columbia University says it has developed a self-contained soft actuator that is three times stronger than natural muscle, without the need of externals.
The researchers say the development means robotic motion will be more lifelike, and that it signals a breakthrough in soft robotics.
The creation of untethered soft robots whose actions and movements can help mimic natural biological systems have been a long-standing issue, and the scientists at Columbia Engineering say they have solved it. Continue reading Columbia University develops soft actuator three times stronger than human muscle to make robots more lifelike
Yamaha Motor has selected Siemens to provide product lifecycle management software to support its digitalization initiative.
Yamaha will deploy the Siemens’ Teamcenter portfolio across all development divisions of their key business, motorcycle products.
Siemens claims Teamcenter is “the world’s most widely used digital lifecycle management software”. Continue reading Yamaha Motor opts for Siemens product lifecycle management to digitalise industrial processes
Energy technology company Itron is to acquire industrial internet of things company Silver Spring Networks for more than $800 million.
The two companies have signed a definitive agreement for Itron to acquire all outstanding shares of Silver Spring for $16.25 per share in cash.
The transaction is valued at approximately $830 million, net of $118 million of Silver Spring’s cash. Continue reading Itron buys Silver Spring Networks for close to a billion dollars
The Industrial Internet Consortium has launched what it calls the Smart Factory Machine Learning for Predictive Maintenance Testbed.
The testbed is led by two companies, Plethora IIoT, and Xilinx.
IIC says the testbed explores machine-learning techniques and evaluates algorithmic approaches for time-critical predictive maintenance. Continue reading Industrial Internet Consortium launches smart factory machine learning platform
HIT Robot Group, one of China’s leading manufacturer of robots, has launched an industrial robotics tutorial platform.
HRG says Haidu Academy is designed to help learners of different levels to improve their industrial robot-operating skills on various brands.
China is the largest and fastest-growing robot market in the world.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, in the first seven months of 2017, 71,600 industrial robots were produced in China, accounting for more than 30 percent of global output during the period.
Statistics also suggest an increasing demand for skilled workers. The Ministry predicts that China will need 200,000 skilled workers to operate industrial robots as of 2020.
Continue reading HRG launches industrial robotics tutorial platform
Cambridge Medical Robotics, a company which is developing a robotic system for minimal access surgery, has closed its Series A funding round, raising a further $26m.
The investment came from existing investors Cambridge Innovation Capital, LGT Global Invest, Escala Capital and ABB Technology Ventures, and new investor Watrium.
Together with the first tranche in July 2016, the Series A round has raised $46m in total. Continue reading Cambridge Medical Robotics raises another $26 million in funding
Networking company Ericsson is partnering with Zenuity, an automotive software development joint venture between Autoliv and Volvo, to develop a connectivity platform for cars.
Ericsson says the “end-to-end” platform will be for connected safety, advanced driver assistance systems, and autonomous driving software and functions.
In the first phase of the collaboration, Ericsson and Zenuity will work closely together to develop the Zenuity Connected Cloud – powered by Ericsson internet of things accelerator. Continue reading Ericsson and Zenuity to create network for self-driving cars
Acer has been showcasing its service-oriented and intelligent mixology robot solution, the MixBot, at the 2017 Taipei International Industrial Automation Exhibition.
The Acer MixBot solution, which integrates a robotic arm and an autonomous guided vehicle, will demonstrate a complete bartending solution from order-taking, drink preparation, and table service to customers, along with a business intelligence system at the backend.
The MixBot shows how Acer can fully customize its robotic solutions for a variety of usage scenarios. Continue reading Acer showcases its MixBot intelligent drinks robot solution
Delta Electronics has been demonstrating its high-flexibility multi-tasking smart production line at the Taipei International Industrial Automation Exhibition 2017.
Delta, a provider of industrial automation solutions, has been promoting its theme of “Digitalization and Flexibility for Smart, Green Manufacturing” at the Taipei event.
The company featured its brand new smart production Line with a customer-centric, IIoT-based, fully-automated demo which integrates Delta’s manufacturing execution system, equipment management system, IIoT technology, industrial robots, and automation control solutions. Continue reading Delta showcases smart production line at Taipei event
Globetouch and CloudMinds Technology have formed a partnership to provide connectivity for robots and other artificial intelligence initiatives.
Both companies are making the announcement during Mobile World Congress Americas 2017, a conference and expo bringing together industry leaders to meet and explore new business models in mobile technology.
Globetouch provides connectivity services and IoT platforms for the connected vehicle and the Internet of Things market. Continue reading Globetouch and CloudMinds to provide connectivity for robots
Riftek, the optoelectronic measurement and systems manufacturer, has released a new multifunctional software application that utilises its RF625 series 2D laser scanners for automated seam tracking and measurement with welding robots.
Available with full support in the in the UK and Ireland from Ixthus Instrumentation, Riftek’s exclusive distributor, the Riftek Lamia software is intended for recognizing, tracking and measuring geometric parameters of objects such as weld seams in accordance with a selected maths algorithm which is derived from a template.
The PC based software interfaces to the client robot controller to transmit results and includes data visualisation and the setting and control of the RF625 laser scanner’s parameters. Continue reading Riftek launches automated software for robotic weld seam tracking and measurement
Amazon, the online retail giant with a growing range of business units, one of which is Amazon Robotics, is opening a new logistics facility in New York.
The Staten Island warehouse will create 2,250 new jobs for humans but it’s not clear how many robots Amazon will integrate into the facility.
So far, Amazon is said to have manufactured 100,000 logistics robots, which are small autonomous vehicles used to move boxes and shelf units around. Continue reading Amazon to open logistics facility in New York


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Montblanc is following up last year’s launch of the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere with a green and bronze model this year in a limited edition of 1,858 pieces. Debuted at SIHH 2019, the reference 119909 1815 Geosphere is the same as the existing model, but with a new green color palette to match the current bronze case and last year’s black color palette for the Geosphere pieces. Sigue leyendo
When it comes to engineering and design, the Italians have been at the top of the heap since the Renaissance. In terms of watchmaking, though, it’s the Swiss who have, for about the last 400 years, occupied the highest rung.
What makes a watch masculine?
Is it the size? Certain Hollywood leading men might say so.
What about the material? The popularity of heavy-duty titanium and time-worn bronze these days make that a distinct possibility.
How about the complication? I don’t know about you, but debating the virility of a perpetual calendar isn’t a frequent topic in my friend circle.
But what about collaborations, partnerships, and the like? If a watch brand works with Jack Daniels, John Deere, or a different “macho” brand does touting its red-blooded qualifier on the wrist actually help sell watches?
Among several models introduced ahead of the watch industry trade show SIHH 2019, IWC has announced a new version of its Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph watch in their deep black “Ceratanium” material. Just as it sounds, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun Ceratanium uses a high-tech material combining ceramic and titanium, and the material’s dark finish extends right across the design and other elements for an overall “phantom” effect. This is not the first Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Top Gun nor is it the first IWC watch to use Ceratanium, but what is new is that the two have come together for the brand’s first Pilot’s Watch in this material.
Panerai’s Luminor Submersible is part of the brand’s long tradition of making diving instruments for military frogmen. In this feature from our September-October 2018 issue, we subjected this model, which debuted in 2017, to the ultimate test: ice diving.
When the new CEO of Panerai J.M. Pontroue arrived, he said very clearly; the company was going to return to work in the line of masculine watches and with special attention to the Submersibles.
The facts have not been made wait …
This model was exclusively designed and produced with divers in mind with the help of world record holder free diver Guillaume Néry. Panerai’s latest ambassador embodies a lot of what the brand holds dear to it’s DNA, a rich diving history and exploring beyond the known.


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Two weeks ago HTC Runnymede appeared in a video footage on Youtube for the first time. Today we see it officially launched as HTC Sensation XL with Beats Audio from Dr Dre in London, UK.
While the specification of the phone are not that impressive except the 8-megapixels camera and the extra-large 4.7-inch touchscreen display, HTC Sensation XL comes with a beautiful shell case like the one packed on HTC Flyer and with an improved audio technology from Dr Dre’s Beats Audio. Another important features is in the software side where the Taiwanese manufacturer added its latest custom-made UI Sense v3.5 making the device very smooth despite the fact that it is powered by a 1.5GHz single-core processor.
Sensation XL (not to be confused with Sensation XE) runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and has a Super LCD display that packs 480x800p resolution.


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I’ve spent quite a bit of time talking about the Greens’ food policies here in recent months. Mostly when I do it is about the consumer rights to know and choose, the economic and environmental impacts of multinational industrial food versus locally grown and produced, and the need for people to have access to affordable safe food. But the other issue of course, is health. A good food policy is the key plank of a good healthcare policy. While we can talk waiting lists, hospital extensions, Pharmac and DHBs, the things that are actually going to have the most impact are much closer to home. Such as for example this story from the Guardian asking if broccoli can cure cancer:
Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and cabbage contain a group of phytochemicals that seem to have cancer-preventing properties. One recent study found that these substances could enhance DNA repair in cells. Another found that men who ate one daily portion of broccoli had altered patterns of gene activity in their prostates. However, it was a small study and more research is needed before anyone can say that eating broccoli lowers your chances of prostate cancer.
I don’t want to push this barrow further than it deserves, because as the story itself notes, we are not talking about miracle cures here, just proof of the self evident – that our diet affects our health. But given it is self evidently true surely it is worth investing some government more time and money into making sure everyone has the ability and choice to eat healthy fresh food.
Credit for photo of sexy broccoli – SMN


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Khalfan Mohammed has long been buffeted by culture shock while staying in five-star hotels. As a devout Muslim he has learned to ask staff to remove the minibar's alcohol. He loathes lobbies with loud discos and drunken guests. When traveling with his parents, it is the bikinis that rankle most. "It was quite shocking for my mother to sit in a restaurant with undressed people," the Abu Dhabi-based businessman says. "My mom and dad are not used to seeing people in public wearing their underwear." To avoid such embarrassment, the Mohammeds took to renting furnished apartments.
No longer. On a trip to Dubai last year, Mohammed stayed in the Villa Rotana, one of a growing number of hotels catering to Muslim travelers. In the lobby — all white leather, brick and glass, with a small waterfall — quiet reigns. Men in dishdashas
and veiled women glide by Westerners who are sometimes discreetly reminded to respect local customs. Minibars are stocked not with alcohol, but with Red Bull, Pepsi and the malt drink Barbican. (See pictures of migrant workers in the Gulf
Time was, buying Muslim meant avoiding pork and alcohol and getting your meat from a halal butcher, who slaughtered in accordance with Islamic principles. But the halal food market has exploded in the past decade and is now worth an estimated $632 billion annually, according to the Halal Journal
, a Kuala Lumpur-based magazine. That's about 16% of the entire global food industry. Throw in the fast-growing Islam-friendly finance sector and the myriad other products and services — cosmetics, real estate, hotels, fashion, insurance — that comply with Islamic law and the teachings of the Koran, and the sector is worth well over $1 trillion a year.
One reason for the rise of the halal economy is that the world's 1.6 billion Muslims are younger and, in some places at least, richer than ever. Seeking to tap that huge market, non-Muslim multinationals like Tesco, McDonald's and Nestlé have expanded their Muslim-friendly offerings and now control an estimated 90% of the global halal market.
At the same time, governments in Asia and the Middle East are pouring millions into efforts to become regional "halal hubs," providing tailor-made manufacturing centers and "halal logistics" — systems to maintain product purity during shipping and storage. The increased competition is changing manufacturing and supply chains in some unusual places. Most of Saudi Arabia's chicken is raised in Brazil, which means Brazilian suppliers have built elaborate halal slaughtering facilities. Abattoirs in New Zealand, the world's biggest exporter of halal lamb, have hosted delegations from Iran and Malaysia. And the Netherlands, keen to maximize Rotterdam's role as Europe's biggest port, has built halal warehouses so that imported halal goods aren't stored next to pork or alcohol.
Such arrangements cost, of course, but since the industry's anchor is food, business is booming, even in the economic crisis. "What downturn?" asks Nordin Abdullah, executive director of the Halal Journal
. "You don't need your Gucci handbag, but you do need your hamburger."
Not just hamburgers. Drug companies such as the U.K.'s Principle Healthcare and Canada's Duchesnay now sell halal vitamins free of the gelatins and other animal derivatives that some Islamic scholars say make mainstream products haram
, or unlawful. The Malaysia-based company Granulab produces synthetic bone graft material to avoid using animal bone, while Malaysian and Cuban scientists are collaborating on a halal meningitis vaccine.
In the Gulf, the Burooj real estate company is carving out a niche, not just because it deals exclusively with Islamic banks, but because it designs spas and swimming pools that segregate the sexes. For Muslim women concerned about skin-care products containing alcohol or lipsticks that use animal fats, a few cosmetics firms are creating halal makeup lines.
The burgeoning Islamic finance industry is using the global economic crisis to win new non-Muslim customers. Investors are attracted by Islamic banking's more conservative approach: Islamic law forbids banks from charging interest (though customers pay fees) and many scholars discourage investment in excessively leveraged companies. Though it currently accounts for just 1% of the global market, the Islamic finance industry's value is growing at around 15% a year, and could reach $4 trillion in five years, up from $500 billion today, according to a 2008 report from Moody's Investors Service.
Those who define the halal market in the traditional sense — as a matter of meat, and no more — see the industry stopping at Islamic food standards. But the movement's more bullish advocates envisage Muslim cars and halal furniture built in accordance with Muslim finance, labor and ethical principles. Citing the kosher and organic industries as successful examples of doing well by doing good, some entrepreneurs even see halal products moving into the mainstream and appealing to consumers looking for high-quality, ethical products. A few firms that comply with the Shari'a code — the religious laws that observant Muslims follow — point out that already many of their customers are non-Muslim. At the Jawhara Hotels, an alcohol-free Arabian Gulf chain run by the Islam-compliant Al Lotah conglomerate, 60% of the clientele are non-Muslims, drawn by the hotels' serenity and family-friendly atmosphere. Dutch-based company Marhaba, which sells cookies and chocolate, says a quarter of its customers are non-Muslims, mostly people concerned not about religious edicts but about food safety. "People are always looking for the next purity thing," says Mah Hussain-Gambles, founder of Saaf Pure Skincare, which markets halal makeup.


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Uber misled prospective drivers about how much they could earn by signing up for its ride-hailing service, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which announced Thursday that the company agreed to pay a $20 million settlement to resolve the charges.
Uber claimed on its website that the median annual income for drivers in New York City was more than $90,000, when in reality less than 10 percent of all drivers in the city made that much, according to the FTC's complaint. Uber's leasing program is also misleading, the FTC said, with median lease payments above $200 per week from 2013 to 2015, despite the company's claim that cars could be leased for $119 per week regardless of an applicant's credit history.
Uber knew that the information in its website claims was false, according to the FTC complaint, which said that Uber had communicated with at least one auto company about payment terms and conditions that were inconsistent with promises to drivers.
"Many consumers sign up to drive for Uber, but they shouldn't be taken for a ride about their earnings potential or the cost of financing a car through Uber," Jessica Rich, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. "This settlement will put millions of dollars back in Uber drivers' pockets."
The FTC said that the $20 million would be used to offer refunds to drivers around the country.
"We're pleased to have reached an agreement with the FTC," an Uber spokesperson said in a statement. "We've made many improvements to the driver experience over the last year and will continue to focus on ensuring that Uber is the best option for anyone looking to earn money on their own schedule."
Recommended by Our Editors
Thursday's settlement is the latest penalty in a string of worldwide enforcement actions against the ride-hailing startup, including many that have dealt with how it treats drivers. Uber tried to settle a class-action suit last year that claimed it was incorrectly classifying its drivers as contractors, rather than employees, but a judge rejected the $84 million settlement as unfair to the drivers involved.
Another lawsuit over the improper use of background checks to fire drivers was also settled last year for $7.5 million.
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FTC considering whether to recuse Lina Khan from Meta-VR antitrust suit
The FTC is mulling dismissing its own chairwoman in a major antitrust suit.
On Oct 19, 2022 by Jacob Seitz
FTC sues broker over sale of sensitive reproductive health and location data
The suit alleges Kochava collected, packaged, and sold sensitive user data in bulk.
On Aug 29, 2022 by Jacob Seitz
Twitter agrees to $150 million fine for using email addresses to target ads
Twitter mislead users about what it was doing with email addresses.
On May 26, 2022 by Jacob Seitz
Lawmakers urge FTC to look into ‘misleading’ statements by facial recognition company ID.me
They say ID.me “made multiple misleading statements about its use of facial recognition."
On May 18, 2022 by Jacob Seitz
FTC, DOJ say they want to toughen up merger guidelines
The new guidelines could see more scrutiny for big tech companies.
On Jan 18, 2022 by Andrew Wyrich
FTC will use ‘full suite of tools’ to tackle data privacy, discrimination, Lina Khan says
Khan said the FTC could use rulemaking to address a host of issues.
On Dec 17, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich
Facebook wants court to dismiss FTC’s monopoly lawsuit
Facebook once again is claiming that FTC Chair Lina Khan is 'biased.'
On Oct 4, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich
Lina Khan says her FTC will prioritize cracking down on recent ‘surge’ in big-tech mergers
She has support from progressives, and says she'll focus on 'rampant consolidation.'
On Sep 24, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich
Amazon’s purchase of MGM Studios should be blocked to stop its ‘growing dominance,’ leading advocates say
The groups say the sale needs to be blocked to stop Amazon's 'growing dominance.'
On Aug 31, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich
FTC renews antitrust push against Facebook
'No other personal social networking provider in the United States remotely approaches Facebook’s scale.'
On Aug 19, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich
Facebook continues push for FTC chair to recuse herself from antitrust case
Facebook submitted an expert report to the FTC.
On Aug 18, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich
Democratic senators blast Amazon, Facebook’s efforts to ‘bully’ FTC over antitrust case
The lawmakers said the companies efforts were obvious.
On Aug 5, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich
FTC unanimously adopts Biden’s new right-to-repair order
The FTC voted unanimously on its policy statement.
On Jul 21, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich
Big tech really doesn’t want Lina Khan doing her job at the FTC
Facebook is following Amazon in pushing for Khan's recusal.
On Jul 14, 2021 by Andrew Wyrich


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More homeowners and businesses are turning to solar energy save money. That may be good news for the environment, but it is also concerning for firefighters.
Ford plans to unveil at this month’s International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) a solar-powered concept car.
1366 Technology of Bedford will use a new direct wafer process to make solar wafers from molten silicon.
The federal government has offered a $150 million loan guarantee to a Massachusetts company that’s developing a dramatically cheaper way to produce a key component of solar panels.
Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki is discussing the abrupt shutdown of a solar panel manufacturer that received $58 million in state aid.
President Barack Obama is promoting his administration’s investments in clean energy technologies like wind and solar, arguing they produce jobs and are essential for the country’s environment and economic security. In his weekly radio and […]
President Barack Obama has announced a new solar initiative he says is part of his plan to bring new industries to the U.S.


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Apple says software update coming to fix iOS 6.1 passcode vulnerabilityFollowing quickly after news emerged of an iOS passcode bypass exploit, Apple has given word that it will be releasing a software update to repair the vulnerability.
AllThingsD carried word today from Apple spokeswoman Trudy muller that the iPhone maker is working on a solution to the issue.
"Apple takes user security very seriously," Muller said. "We are aware of this issue and will deliver a fix in a future software update."
Muller gave no details on when such an update might be released.
News of the exploit broke yesterday when JailBreak Nation posted a step-by-step guide to bypassing iOS 6.1's passcode lock feature. The vulnerability is nearly identical to one that appeared in October of 2010.
Using the bypass process allows one to view and modify contacts, listen to voicemail, and browse a user's photos. It does not appear, however, to grant access to email or the web.
On Topic: iPhone
- Apple's iPhone is no Blackberry: a closer look at AI and the world's biggest company
- Chinese company advertises new Lightning-to-headphone adapters ahead of Apple's 'iPhone 7'
- Try these iOS grilling apps for your Memorial Day BBQ
- Indian government publicly rejects Apple's desire to sell used iPhones
- Apple's installment-based iPhone trade-up program comes to France, Italy & Spain


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The best for the world
In 2015, Americans consumed 6.3 billion gallons of beer, 50 per cent of which was in cans; that’s a lot of discarded plastic from packaging which ends up in the sea. Each year 1,000,000 birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die due to plastic related incidents. With the country’s continued embracement of craft beer as a concept, this figure will only surely to rise in the near future.
“Most plastic beer six‐pack rings end up in our oceans and pose a serious threat to wildlife,” said Chris Gove, co-founder of Saltwater Brewery and edible six pack rings. “Simply cutting the plastic is not enough as animals still swallow it. According to Greenpeace, 80 per cent of sea turtles and 70 per cent of sea birds are ingesting plastic today.
“For a long time, cans have been the best packaging solution for beer – they are lightweight, resistant and easy to carry. However, with the plastic six-pack rings ending up in the sea, we felt there had to be a better solution that didn’t pose a serious threat to wildlife.”
Saltwater Brewery is the brainchild of Floridian friends Peter Agarty, Bo Eaton, Dustin Jeffers and our interviewee Chris Gove. Still very much in their infancy as brewers, Saltwater only opened its doors in December 2013. Since then, craft brewing has become a way of life for Gove and his team, which means they are able to combine their two passions; beer and the ocean.
“Our roots and values originate from the ocean. Our goal is to maintain the world’s greatest wonder by giving back to the ocean through Ocean Based Charities (CCA, Surfrider, Ocean Foundation, MOTE),” explains Gove. “Our passion for making quality beer is the way we can ensure we give back to the ocean as much as possible.
“Personally, I lived in San Diego for eight years and I experienced the thriving craft beer scene there and felt there was a large gap in the beer world of Florida. Using only pure and natural ingredients, special care is given to each batch of hand crafted beer. Saltwater Brewery is more than a craft brewing company; it’s a way of life.”
Saltwater’s house beers appear to be an eclectic mix varying between classic IPA’s to an unusual ‘Sea Cow Milk Stout’. It is those two beers which appear in can format, but it’s the development of its Edible Six Pack Rings which has gone viral on both sides of the Atlantic. With its neat design, and ethical and environmental credentials making it 100 per cent biodegradable and compostable, there is no wonder the level of interest that has been generated in such a short space of time. Other carriers are 100 per cent recyclable such as PakTech’s Can Carrier (as reported in CanTech International April 2016), however it appears that the Edible Can Ring is the only carrier that is edible and protects wildlife. But where does the idea originate from?
“The idea itself was developed in conjunction with ‘We Believers’, a co-creation advertising agency,” stated Gove. “Together we decided to tackle the issue head on and make a statement for the whole beer industry to follow. The six-pack packaging design works by feeding animals rather than killing them.
“By using by-products of the beer brewing process such as barley and wheat, this packaging goes beyond recycling and strives to achieve zero waste. The Edible Six Pack Rings are the first ever 100 per cent biodegradable, compostable and edible packaging implemented in the beer industry. Within two hours the rings disintegrate into the ocean which stops animals getting caught up in them.
“After months of design rounds, variations in raw material mix and stress tests, we had our first batch. It was as resistant and efficient as the current plastic six-pack ring option. If most craft brewers and big beer companies implement this technology, the manufacturing cost will drop and be very competitive compared with the current plastic solution. They know, this is only the beginning; the material they are patenting together with a small start-up of young engineers in Mexico has the potential to impact the CPG and Food and Beverage Industries. Saving hundreds of thousands of marine lives is the result.
“For brands to be successful today, it is no longer about being the best in the world, but rather being the best for the world and taking a real stance.”
So far during April of this year, 500 edible six pack prototypes were tested in the brewery and with consumers. Consumer reactions were said to be extremely positive and enthusiastic about saving the oceans and their thirst all at the same time. The next steps will be to manufacture an aluminium and inox steel machined mould which allows a production of 400,000 Edible Six Pack Rings per month. This should be ready within the next six months.
With the amount of positive media coverage the Edible Six Pack Ring has encountered, it does pose a question as to where this leaves the Brewery itself. Has this been sidelined in favour of developing the Six Pack Ring? Gove is unequivocal in his view that the brewery will remain unaffected.
“We will be keeping the edible rings and our brewery as two separate entities,” said Gove. “There’s no reason the two projects can’t run side by side and as both develop, each should help the other. The real aim is to try and inspire the big guys to make a real difference.”


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OKLAHOMA CITY - Carnival Cruise Lines is not offering free cruises, despite a fake post to the contrary that is being shared widely on Facebook.
As of Friday, the post had been shared over 75,000 times. The bogus offer reads, “Carnival is now offering free cruises to those effected by the hurricane ... just pay taxes and port fees."
Carnival Cruise Line's senior cruise director and brand ambassador went to social media taking the shyster to task, calling them "soulless, heartless."
“With Twitter and Facebook, people are interested in this disaster and they want to keep updated, so they're constantly checking their social media,” said Julie Bays, who heads Oklahoma's public protection unit. “They could easily be tricked into clicking on a website or page.”
Bay warned that clicking "like" on any post is a bad idea, experts warn. “Like farming" is where someone whips up a bogus Facebook page to lure people with something free, like a cruise. They're after your "like" and "share," and, in this case, they're using the devastation in Texas and Florida to appeal to your emotions.
Once they reach a certain amount of likes, they can sell the page to marketers or scammers, who then turn around and target you.
“There was a gentleman out of California that started a Facebook page,” Bays said. “He got caught trying to collect for some of the victims of Hurricane Sandy, so that happens.”
The bogus post in question appears to have originated from a site called breakingnews247.com, which lets anyone whip up a fake news stories to share on social media in hopes of it going viral for their own personal gain.
As in other situations in life, this timeless advice still applies: do not like or share a post that seems too good to be true.
Still think it might be legitimate? Do your research by searching the URL of the article the social media post originated from. Sometimes a simple search of the headline will bring up scam warnings.


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And I sure hope there's a real PureView tech in that sexy body, but I'm pretty skeptical. PureView 808 phone had really fat booty because of those optics so I can't really think they've squeezed all that in this thin housing.
Either way I'll have one, so just take my cash and give it to me… Hopefully we'll know for sure on Wednesday.
Nokia Lumia 920 Pureview and Lumia 820 leaked images hit Twitter : Tech Digest
The wind has been knocked out of the sails of Nokia’s forthcoming Windows 8 announcement next week, as a pair of devices alleged to be the centrepiece of Nokia’s show have leaked early online via Twit…


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Several reports have come out in the past week revealing that the teen clothing store Forever 21 is about to declare bankruptcy. The company has about 800 stores all over the world and up until 2016 was growing, adding stores when many other retailers were scaling back and closing down. Online shopping has really hit the industry hard and Forever 21 appeared to be one of the survivors.
Now, it appears as if trying to expand has backfired and the retail apocalypse has come knocking on their door. This is by no means the end of Forever 21, but it allows them the opportunity to start scaling back. When a retail store declares bankruptcy, one of the advantages they have is the ability to close stores and get out of their binding leases.
Stores that cater to the needs of teens and young adults appear to be facing an onslaught of closures. Teenagers don’t go to the mall as they once did as traffic in these stores is noticeably lighter. The younger generations are instead turning towards apps on their phone to shop and order clothes they want. As Amazon grows and expands, more brick-and-mortar shops close up.
Modern-Day Bankruptcy Woes
It’s not just slumping sales impacting the clothing industry. Several other retailers ran into problems because they were bought up by private equity firms. Teen and young adult stores like American Apparel, Delia’s, and Wet Seal have also filed for bankruptcy for this reason. Yet, Forever 21 is still a private company owned by their founders.
Do Won and Jin Sook Chang are a married team who came to the U.S. from South Korea in 1981. It wasn’t but a few short years later when Forever 21 was born. Their first store was centered in Los Angeles, purchased with only $11,000 in their bank. Now they’re considered billionaires, worth $1.5 billion together according to Forbes and employ 30,000 people.
Do Won Chang has been considering whether it’s time to finally restructure, but they only want a deal that will allow them to keep full control of their baby. By making this a deal breaker, Chang has essentially kept anyone from stepping in and providing the funds they are looking for to make the changes.
“We’ll work together on other distressed situations, and let’s face it, there are some out there,” Simon said. “But we’re only going to buy into companies that, we think, have brands and that the volume that is worth doing it.”


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Corus Entertainment has announced a trio of high-profile departures, with SVP of women and lifestyle content John MacDonald (pictured) and SVP, brands and marketing Susan Schaefer set to exit the company. A spokesperson for Corus also confirmed that Amy Sutton, director of programming, women and family has left the company.
According to an internal note from CEO Doug Murphy provided to realscreen‘s sister publication Playback, earlier this year MacDonald made the decision to move back to the U.S., where he lived and worked for two decades before joining Corus in 2012.
With MacDonald’s impending departure (he will be available throughout the summer to assist with the transition, read the internal note), Corus has named Daniel Eves as SVP of specialty networks. The Toronto media company’s specialty content and digital teams will now report to Eves, who previously served as SVP, kids and general entertainment content.
Susan Schaefer, SVP, brands and marketing is also set to exit the company. She too will be available to aid with the transition over the summer, read the memo.
The internal memo also said that Corus has “made the decision to further integrate and align our marketing teams” around three content pillars: lifestyle, kids and drama. As such, Shelley Findlay, VP of marketing and lifestyle and Anne Kane Jeffries, VP of marketing, drama and kids will also report to Eves.
Jim Johnson, VP of marketing, global network and radio, will report to Maria Hale, SVP of global entertainment and content acquisition. Johnson will also assume responsibility of the media planning team, which is led by Scott MacLeod.


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Published: 08th April 2021
Monopoly invites fans to vote for new Community Chest cards. Polls open till tomorrow
Hasbro, the game manufacturers, also plan to donate toys and games to underprivileged children as part of this initiative
A roll of dice can take you to a great city or even land you in jail. Such is the uncertainty and thrill of the popular board game Monopoly that it has found patrons the world over and is available in multiple formats. And it comes as no surprise that when the game manufacturers, Hasbro, decided to alter some parts of the game, they asked the fans for help. The Community Chest Challenge, which is on till Friday, allows fans to vote for 16 new Community Chest cards that will be available on the refreshed version of the Monopoly Classic game from early 2022 onwards.
So, how does this work? According to Hasbro South Asia's general manager Bhavesh Somaya, fans can head over to monopolycommunitychest.com
On the website, fans can choose from two options at any given point in time. For example, fans can choose between 'You volunteered at a blood drive, there were free cookies' and 'You donate your birthday money to a community centre. Keep a little for yourself'. And there are 15 other such pairs to choose from.
That's not all. Hasbro also plans to donate one toy each for every fan vote on the website. "The overwhelming response is a testament to the renewed community spirit that we aimed to capture through this campaign. Through their votes, fans have also helped young and vulnerable children enjoy the joys of play with Hasbro toys and games," says Somaya, adding, "Donations up to Rs 30,00,000 will be made to Save the Children and Nargis Dutt Foundation among other non-profit organisations."


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While many small business owners are struggling to keep their doors open, a recent survey of business brokers and M&A advisors reveals about half of small and medium business owners can no longer get to the closing table as they face cancellations or delays in selling their businesses again in the second quarter
According to the Q2 2020 Market Pulse Report published by the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), M&A Source, business brokers representing small businesses valued at less than $2 million report 36% of their deals have been delayed and another 16% were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, M&A advisors representing businesses valued between $2-$50 million said 37% of their deals had been delayed and another 10% were cancelled, an improvement from Q1’s 60% cancelled or delayed deals.
Year-over-year trends show a slight downtick in cash at close in most sectors with corresponding increases in seller financing and/or earnouts.
“We expected to see an increase in earnouts due to COVID-19. With potential new shutdowns ahead and ongoing economic uncertainty, earnouts represent a way for buyers to reduce risk,” said Lisa Riley, Principal, Delta Business Advisors.
Seller-market sentiment dropped significantly in Q2 2020. In the $5 million to $50 million sector only 39% of advisors described the market as a “seller’s market” compared to only 13% of advisors in the less than $500 thousand sector. Across all thresholds, seller-market sentiment is at record lows since the Market Pulse began in Q2 2012, indicating a strong buyer’s market.
“It will be interesting to see if this is just a blip or a true trend over the next couple of quarters,” said Robert McCormack, Managing Partner, Murphy McCormack Capital Advisors. “Private equity still has a lot of cash and ticking time clocks on their portfolios. Fundamentally strong businesses will still find buyers, despite the strongest headwinds we’ve seen since the Great Recession.”
What’s selling? “In the Main Street market, restaurants and consumer goods/retail led the smaller transitions and in the Lower Middle Market, construction/engineering, manufacturing, and consumer goods are dominating industry transitions,” said Jeff Moody, Managing Intermediary of Emerald Coast Business Intermediaries
in Destin, Fla.


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The findings left Jana Meron, VP of programmatic and data strategy at Business Insider, livid.
"I was pissed," she tells Ad Age. "The reality is there is a great injustice that is being done and the more we can talk about transparency and openness then the better it is for the industry."
Meron is a no-nonsense ad exec known for saying what's on her mind. She's also widely regarded by her peers as the biggest advocate for ads.txt, an industry-wide effort that aims to stamp out domain spoofing by labeling a publisher's inventory as "authentic."
It will officially roll out for the first time this Tuesday.
In one example of detected fraud, a Business Insider advertiser thought they had purchased $40,000 worth of ad inventory through the open exchanges when in reality, the publication only saw $97, indicating the rest of the money went to fraud.
"There was more people saying they were selling Business Insider inventory then we could ever possibly imagine," she told an audience at Ad Exchanger's Programmatic I/O conference Thursday. "We believe there were 10 to 30 million impressions of Business Insider, for sale, every 15 minutes."
To put the numbers in perspective, Business Insider says it sees 10 million to 25 million impressions a day.
Business Insider -- along with many other publishers -- have all fallen prey to a scam known as "domain spoofing." Generally speaking, domain spoofing is when re-sellers label fake inventory as that of The New York Times, for example, and then resell it on exchanges to media buyers.
Just how serious is this problem?
Domain spoofing is by far the largest threat to the digital advertising ecosystem.
Fraudsters target video ad inventory when executing domain spoofing scams for obvious reason: Video is limited in supply, has high demand and has a high price tag.
The net effect is that media buyers spend ad dollars on something that's never seen, publishers lose out on a sale and fraudsters pocket the cash and later invest a portion of their earnings to further evade detection.
Methbot, a domain spoofing scam that's widely regarded as the largest ad fraud attack in history, bilked marketers of $3 million to $5 million a day for over a month. Even Google, which is regarded as having the best defenses when it comes to preventing fraud, is also believed to be a victim of a recent domain spoofing attack.
Fraudsters have become so outrageous that the New York Times -- which doesn't even sell its video ad inventory on open exchanges -- found exactly that happening when it checked to see if it, too, had fallen prey to domain spoofing.
Solution on the horizon
Come Tuesday, those who have adopted ads.txt will finally see it enforced from demand side platforms. Publishers are hopeful that marketers will only purchase ads.txt inventory to protect themselves from wasting precious ad dollars.
Sara Badler, director of programmatic advertising at the New York Times, says she doesn't have any "jitters" around the ads.txt rollout.
"It's frustrating when people rep your inventory but don't actually have it," Badler says. "I'm just one of many publishers that gets these frustrations from domain spoofing and I think it's exciting to hopefully not have those anymore. I just don't want to get too excited."
The hurdles ads.txt faces are twofold: Will enough publishers adopt it and will marketers strictly buy inventory that's ads.txt. Ben Kneen at Ad Ops Insider wrote in mid September that roughly 13 percent of the top 10,000 publishers have adopted ads.txt.
Still, monster brands like Procter & Gamble, Google, among many others have put their weight behind the ads.txt effort. If publishers start capturing ad dollars once sent to fraudsters, revenue should go up.
"Economic theory says we should see more revenue because [of ads.txt]," Meron, the Business Insider exec, says. "We want to be on the frontlines with this."
Badler, meanwhile, hinted that she's cautiously optimistic on whether ads.txt adoption will result in more revenue for the publisher.
"Only time will tell," Badler says.


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Senior hospitality leaders have been named among those on this year's OUTstanding & Financial Times Top LGBT Executive list.
Jason Cotta, managing director, Costa International and Russell Braterman, brand marketing director, Premier Inn were both recognised for their influence, achievements and inspirational presence as LGBT leaders in business.
Braterman, who came in at number 98, has long been a supporter of LGBT activity as a founding member of LGBT groups in Whitbread and in a previous role at Vodafone. In 2014 he personally created Premier Inn's first ever LGBT external campaign, renaming the brand Premier Out for the day in support of Stonewall's Rainbow Laces. He created advertising with a new logo, digital profiles and multiple social initiatives and sent guest rainbow laces to hotels near stadiums.
He said: "It means a great deal to me personally and professionally to be part of this list. Whitbread is a fast growing business and key to our future success is creating a great place to work, which means building talented and diverse teams and a culture where everyone is welcomed and able to flourish."
Cotta, who is responsible for the 1,000 Costa stores outside the UK, was listed as number 77. He is a working parent of a nine-year-old son and advocates a work life balance and flexibility for parents. He is renowned at Whitbread for supporting action for diversity and mentoring LGBT individuals, many of whom consider him instrumental to their ability to feel comfortable being out at work. He is a founding member of Whitbread's Broadening the Talent Pool Diversity Committee.
He said: "Achieving this recognition for the work I have done is very rewarding and my hope is that it will raise awareness of Whitbread as a company where individuality and diversity are welcomed."
Sodexo's Ireland country president Margot Slattery (pictured) featured on the list for the second consecutive year. She was listed as number 42, while Jonathan Mildenhall, the chief marketing officer of AirBnB, featured as number 54.