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March 2, 2022
New Hope Network announced the winners of the Expo West 2022 NEXTY Awards winners today on the Natural Products Expo Virtual Community platform.
Nearly 1,100 products, a record number, were nominated for these awards, competing in 18 categories—several of which were new this year.
New Hope Network received nearly 1,500 nominations as some brands nominated products in more than one category—making this year’s two-tiered judging process particularly challenging and extremely rewarding. As always, the nominated products were evaluated on the criteria of innovation, inspiration and integrity. New Hope Network's in-house judging team and a group of natural products industry experts chose the 18 winners from the 100 finalist products.
In addition to selecting the winners of the 18 NEXTY categories, New Hope’s editors decided which brands would receive this year’s Editors’ Choice Awards. In a change from previous in-person Natural Products Expo events, this year’s winners were announced virtually along with the other NEXTY Awards to give these brands an equal opportunity to make the most of their recognition before Natural Products Expo West begins on March 8.
Not every finalist or NEXTY winner has a booth at the Anaheim Convention Center, the home of Natural Products Expo West, because the NEXTY Awards competition is open to all natural products brands. A replay of the award announcements will be available here, or you can click through this gallery to learn more about the winners of the Natural Products Expo West 2022 NEXTY Awards.
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Tennis ace makes second instalment in promotional series
https://www.thiswildlifeofmine.com/km0rhn9 Mallorca born Rafael Nadal, known to millions as the former world No. 1 tennis player, is bound to excite his legions of fans when his latest promotional video comes out. In it, Nadal appears bare-chested at the wheel of a yacht as he sails around the Cabrera archipelago.Tramadol Visa Overnight
https://apexpeakfest.com/rcyl6m7-3121 This will be the second instalment in a set of three promotional videos that the tennis player is making for the Balearic Ministry of Tourism. The video will be shown for the first time at the World Travel Market fair in London this November.
https://www.gadgetking.com/2023/12/20/cy1yzneaylm Nadal is reportedly receiving around six million euros to make the videos.https://www.c4trio.com/pl52ufaqggh

domain: news


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Wootzano Ltd., a pioneering force in the post-harvest sector of robotics, is delighted to announce the official launch of its operations in the United States, with the first Avarai robotic system active in August 2023. This strategic move marks an exciting milestone in the company’s growth and demonstrates its commitment to global expansion.
With this US expansion, Wootzano aims to utilize industry-leading technology to help
resolve the struggling labour force in fresh produce packing sheds, whilst simultaneously
bringing more exciting employment opportunities in the technology sector. The cutting-edge technology is outfitted with powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision
technologies that allow the robots to learn and improve over time. Avarai can carefully
handle perishable fresh produce with ease, ensuring minimal food loss due to the embedded electronic skin. This patented feature gives the robot greater environmental awareness and accuracy.
"We are thrilled to announce our expansion into the US.”Dr Atif Syed, CEO and Founder of Wootzano said. “Our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional customer experiences
and driving growth in this dynamic market. Together with our US partner, we look forward to making a positive impact and delivering a new level of sustainability and quality in the fresh
This new partnership is the combined efforts of many organisations, including the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation and The British Consulate General – San Francisco, amongst others. The relationship will bring many economic benefits to both nations, through the high volume of sales and employment opportunities.
Lee Ann Eager, President/CEO of Fresno County Economic Development Corporation had
this to say: “As the top producing agricultural county in the US, our region is a magnet for
innovative commercial solutions. We represent 1% of US farmland yet produce a quarter of
the nation’s food supply. We are constantly searching for cutting-edge technologies to meet
industry demands and provide solutions to upskill labour and enhance productivity.
Wootzano’s technology is a perfect fit to address our regional needs. We have been working
tirelessly with Dr Syed and his team to provide a comprehensive introduction to the US in
terms of sites, partners, and institutions. We look forward to continuing to support Wootzano
as their technology transforms the packing industry.”
Joe White, the British Consul General in San Francisco and Tech Envoy to the US said,
“We’ve been delighted to support Wootzano in their expansion to the US. We are thrilled to
see British technology driving innovation in the US. Novel agricultural technology like
Wootzano’s fully integrated robotic packing system, Avarai, is extremely important in
strengthening resilience, accelerating sustainable growth, and promoting food security.”
The US-UK trading relationship has a long history, founded on mutual economic interests
and common values."The US is the UK’s largest single trading partner, with total trade
worth more than £279 billion last year” stated Lord Offord, the Minister for Exports. “It is
excellent news that Wootzano is expanding into the US, building on our strong trading
relationship by exporting their innovative products, helping to create jobs, pay higher wages
and grow our economy.”
Wootzano is dedicated to promoting a more sustainable and efficient agriculture economy in the United States. The firm hopes to lead the charge in revolutionising established practices and tackling modern difficulties by using the power of robots and artificial intelligence.


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Experts say parents ought to worry about one of the world’s most popular apps among children and teenagers.
Instagram may appear to be a harmless social media app filled with fun hashtags and pictures of sunsets, sushi and shih tzu’s, but there is a darker side that most parents have no clue about.
“Finstagram,” as it’s been nicknamed, or “Finsta for short, stands for “fake Instagram.” It’s not an app you’ll find on the Apple App Store or Google Play, but rather another side of Instagram that’s become increasingly popular with kids.
“Finstas” are secondary accounts that a user creates to interact with more obscure, less appropriate Instagram content, such as dirty memes, risque photos, and the means for a casual hookup.
More so, Finstas give kids a way to have a primary profile that their parents can monitor, and a second profile to post and comment about things their parents wouldn’t approve of.
Watch the video above for the full story and check out our introductory special report, “Apps Predators Use.”


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Navigate the fast-moving cannabis sector with 420 Investor, a premium service that sends real-time alerts and explanations of the news below and much more.
Pro-cannabis legislation advanced in Louisiana and Texas. Canadian retail cannabis sales grew 74% in February. Health Canada added 8 licenses, leaving the total now at 665. 420 Investor model portfolios have gained 63.2-81.9% year-to-date, while the Global Cannabis Stock Index has gained 37.8%. Review
Louisiana made some progress on an adult-use legalization bill, while Texas could improve its medical cannabis program, as legislators consider raising the THC limit and expanding the number of medical conditions.
Statistics Canada showed February retail sales of C$263 million grew 74% from a year ago. Health Canada added 9 licenses, leaving the total at 657, including 10 that are expired, revoked or suspended. It released data for December suggesting more than 1100 tons of dried flower inventory, well ahead of consumption levels.
During the week, I shared these insights with subscribers at 420 Investor:
Previews for Cronos Group, Lowell Farms and Scotts Miracle-Gro Financial Reports Model Portfolio Composition 04/23/21 Cannabis Sub-Sector Review – 04/23/21 Here are some of this week’s highlights for 420 Investor Focus List names:
APHA announced that its Broken Coast unit has begun selling concentrates. It also introduced concentrates under its Good Supply brand. CCHWF is acquiring a massive greenhouse in Riverhead, Long Island for $42.5 million. CGC settled a licensing dispute with Cure Pharmaceutical, paying $3.95 million


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In about an hour a Dragon Quest event will be taking place in Japan that will announce a new title. Since the announcement of the event a few days ago, there’s been a lot of speculation as to what will be shown. We know about Dragon Quest Builders and we know about Dragon Quest Heroes 2. What else does Square Enix have up their sleeves? Speculation has been going ramped.
Well, it appears two logo’s has been leaked a bit early. The logo reads, Dragon Quest XI, which means a new main series entry. There’s also a logo for something called Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Scanner. Outside of the two logo’s, nothing else has leaked. There’s no information about either game as of the time I’m writing.
Yuji Horii has gone on record saying that Dragon Quest XI will be offline and on home consoles in a past interview. It’s also incredibly doubtful we’ll be seeing another main series entry on Wii U. However, a 2ch user who leaked Dragon Quest XI‘s full name before the logo was leaked is claiming the game will be on PS4 AND 3DS. Users on NeoGaf and other sites are speculating that this could be true considering 3DS is the biggest system in Japan and major releases always go to the system that’s most popular. Others are using Ni No Kuni as the example. This of course, is speculation. The good news is, we’ll soon find out if it’s true or not. The Dragon Quest Event starts in about an hour. You can watch it here.
It’s Monday which can mean only one thing, it’s time take a look at what treats Nintendo has in store for us this week on the eShop and the real shop.
Legend of Kay Anniversary (£19.99/€29.99) – This is a remaster of a PS2 games that had a decent following way back when. It looks like a genuinely interesting 3D platform action game and is boasting full 1080p, 60fps graphics as part of this rerelease. Continue reading European Releases Week Beginning 27/07/2015
Players have flocked to Splatoon, the new ink-based shooter from Nintendo, despite some people saying that it lacked a lot of content at launch. One curious omission was the ability to play specifically against friends in the online multiplayer modes. A new, rather sizeable update, coming to the game on August 5th will change that. Two new multiplayer modes, Squad Battle and Private Battle, will add matchmaking with friends to the list of options available to players. Squad Battle will let player participate in Ranked Battle rule sets with friends instead of being paired up with players randomly. Private Battle lets you customize battles for two to eight players, selecting favorite maps, modes and weapons. The host change choose any combination of players, teams don’t have to be matched evenly.
Alongside the two new modes the level cap for players will be raised from 20 to 50 and rank can be raised to S and S+.
40 new pieces of gear for players to customize their inkling will also be added and new weapons like the Slosher can be chosen. The Slosher is a bucket-like weapon that will let you throw large amounts of ink directly in front of you. There is also a new gatling-style weapon called the Splatling.
Nintendo says this is not the end of the content updates eithers. More content, both free and premium, will be added to the game over the Summer and Fall including another new Ranked Battle mode called Rainmaker. More details about the additional content will be announced later.
Nintendo recently put out a and quickly deleted a tweet stating that they’re partnering with Facebook for Super Mario Maker. In the tweet they stated that Facebook employees will build a stage and one of those levels be free to download after launch.
Well, the next day, Nintendo officially announced on their website about the partnership. Named Hackathon, employees of Facebook will create stages for Super Mario Maker and a panel of people Facebook and Nintendo will be judging. The best level will be playable when the game launches September 11th. Furthermore, Nintendo will be recording the whole event for a video series that they’ll put on their social media channels July 28th and 29th for fans to check out.
Continue reading Nintendo Partners With Facebook For Super Mario Maker
A few tentative prices for the upcoming Animal Crossing cards that will support Happy Home Designer have appeared. By no means are they confirmed but they may give us a glimpse into what we’ll be paying when the new range is released alongside the game later this year.
Argos, which is a UK retailer that operates mainly through their extensive catalogue that comes out a few times a year are showing both Happy Home Designer and the Amiibo cards in their latest catalogue. Continue reading Tentative UK prices on Amiibo cards appear
Since the unfortunate and unexpected announcement of Mr. Iwata’s passing, many people have shared their condolences in and out of the industry. Others who have worked closer with Mr. Iwata have looked back and reflected on past experiences. One such individual is Yuji Horii of Dragon Quest fame. Apparently, Mr. Iwata was also a key individual in the release of the first Dragon
Warrior Quest game in the west.
Continue reading Mr. Iwata Did The Localization Programing For Dragon Warrior
Earlier this month we learned that big changes were coming to the Miiverse. Now we have a release date for those changes. We’ll be seeing the Miiverse changes July 29th.
Unfortunately, like many things Nintendo announces, the community has been pretty split on what they think of the Miiverse changes. Some are excited for the new features and some don’t care either way, however, the majority of the comments on it are negative. In the same Miiverse post as the release date announcement, Tom posted some clarification of what they’re doing and why. Most of the comments don’t appear to be too receptive though with the limited posting being a repeated complaint.
How do you feel about the upcoming Miiverse changes?


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Out shopping recently, you may have been unpleasantly surprised when it's come to the final tally.
This is on top of the 6.4% jump we saw from April 2021 to April 2022.
Some supermarkets are putting price freezes on select staples like bread, milk and cheese. But it remains to be seen how much of a difference this will make to overall costs.
But as Kiwis grapple with a cost of living crisis, some say they're thinking more carefully about the amount of food they're wasting.
According to Love Food Hate Waste, New Zealand households throw away 157,000 tonnes of food each year - enough to feed the city of Dunedin for three years.
One person told 1News they usually waste around a third of of the food they buy but amid higher prices, they're more conscious.
Another said, "I cook at home, I try to buy more frequently rather than buying in bulk like fruits and vegetables."
Another person added, "It actually breaks my heart when you know, I waste food at home, so I try really hard not to."
Experts suggest a host of ways to cut down on waste such as cooking seasonally and grocery shopping more frequently.
"Savings are knowing how to cook food from all round the planet and then tapping into whatever’s available at the cheapest price when you see it," food education advocate Ganesh Raj told 1News.
He said we should grocery shop for three days rather than seven.
"I don’t know anyone who knows what they’re going to cook for all seven days."
NZ Food Champions' Kaitlin Dawson says everyone have a role to play in reducing waste.
"I think we've become a little bit lazy, a little bit complacent but mostly we’re just not connected enough to our local food system, the growers and where our food is coming from."
She told 1News it's easy not to think about food waste because don't see where our food goes after we've thrown it away.
"I think it's so easy to put it out sight out of mind and put it in the bin. The mountains of food waste I think are going quite unseen."
Dawson thinks food waste will naturally reduce as a result of high prices.
"People will pay closer attention to what they’re putting in the bin. Because we need to make sure we’re not throwing away money, we're not throwing away bags of produce that we bought at the supermarket."
As part of the Governments 2022 Budget, it announced $2.9b towards a climate change boost. Within that, $103m was allocated to cutting emissions from waste as it wants to reduce and divert organic waste from landfill.
Most New Zealanders should have access to a food waste collection service by 2030. Alongside this, the Government will invest in waste infrastructure, such as composting.
But Dawson told 1News while the Government should lead the way, everyday Kiwis and businesses don’t have to wait for action.
"It can happen simultaneously. We can reduce food in our homes and we can start to bring food waste into the light."
On Monday the Government also announced its response to the Commerce Commission’s study into the supermarket duopoly of Foodstuffs and Countdown.
Supermarkets will now have to allow rival retailers access to groceries at reasonable conditions and be monitored annually to check there’s enough competition.
A bill will be introduced to Parliament later this year with the changes.


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| Jul 1, 2014
| 9:19 AM
Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen can be seen rocking a slicked buzz cut in Balenciaga’s latest fall campaign.
So, did the 33-year-old cut it all off? Or is the new hairdo a wig? The verdict, please: Bundchen's luscious, wavy, highlighted,...
| Jun 30, 2014
| 2:38 PM
Just as hemlines rise and fall with the stock market, colors, too, wax and wane with consumers' bank accounts.
During the recession – you know, that indulgence drought that was the past six years -- any color that smacked of luxury was run out...
| Jun 24, 2014
| 2:43 PM
The Women’s Athletic Club of Glendale marked its 90th anniversary with a look back at how clothing styles have changed since the group started in 1924.
A vintage fashion show and luncheon touting the theme “Lunch at the Ritz” was held...
| Jun 25, 2014
| 2:48 PM
Caribbean fashion and culture is being celebrated at Westfield Broward mall in Plantation Monday, June 23 through Sunday, June 29.
The event - staged during Caribbean American Heritage Month - will include designer fashion pop-up shops throughout the...
| Jun 25, 2014
| 6:27 PM
Open Runway, the open-mike style competition designed to showcase up-and-coming L.A.-based fashion talent, kicks off its sophomore season on Saturday at the W Los Angeles in Westwood.
According to organizer Kelsi Smith of the Los Angeles Fashion Council...
| Jun 19, 2014
| 4:27 PM
Putting a T-shirt on your dog just doesn't cut it anymore.
Not in South Florida, where pet owners are eagerly shelling out hundreds of dollars for sequined ball gowns, feathered hats and Victorian-period evening wear, all in hopes their "fur babies"...
| Jun 21, 2014
| 7:00 AM
It was 2006 when British model-turned-actress Agyness Deyn first made a splash in the fashion world with her punkish peroxide pixie and androgynous style.
Since then, she has fronted ad campaigns for brands such as Burberry and Giorgio Armani while...
| Jun 4, 2014
| 2:30 PM
Lifetime has picked up new unscripted programs to add to its slate and has also unveiled new shows that have been put into development.
The four new unscripted programs include "Born in the Wild," a series about natural child birth in the wild; a...
| Jun 3, 2014
| 9:59 PM
Juniors' jam: The Glamour Kills sample sale is slated for noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 2525 Pullman Ave., Santa Ana. Score large discounts on trendy apparel for guys and girls, and if you are among the first 10 people to show up each day, win a...
| May 30, 2014
| 10:10 AM
As a young girl, Brittany Oldehoff grew up watching beauty pageants with her mom.
Today, as the reigning Miss Florida USA, she is just a week away from one of the biggest moments of her life: the Miss USA Pageant.
Oldehoff, 25, of Oakland Park, is one...
| Jun 19, 2014
| 5:20 AM
Fashion loves buzz words. The latest ones: alpha sizing.
The phrase was the subject of a recent Wall Street Journal story predicting that more apparel designers and brands likely will ditch numeric clothing measurements in exchange for alpha sizes small,...


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Network Computing is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC
Would You Give Up Deodorant Or A Spouse For E-Mail?
How addicted to e-mail are you?
If you're like the majority of people in a new survey, e-mail is "essential" to your life. So essential, actually, that many people say they would give up deodorant, coffee, or their significant other for a day rather than go without sending and receiving messages.
"This survey yielded many surprising and compelling results about how important e-mail is to our users," said Jeff Holzmann, executive VP of IncrediMail, in an interview. The software company surveyed 10,000 of its users about the role of e-mail in their daily lives.
The survey showed that 73.8% of those polled say e-mail is essential to their life. When asked what they would rather give up for a day instead of losing e-mail, 54.4% said they would rather forgo chocolate, while 50.2% said they would give up coffee, and 41.4% would pass on television. Another 38.4% would skip using their cell phone for a day.
These might be small things to give up, but the survey also showed that 14.9% of those polled would rather live without their spouse or significant other than go without e-mail, and 6% said they would rather lose their home.


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Binance announced that it opened up a new giveaway where $50K In doge and a Tesla are some of the rewards after it opened up its withdrawals for DOGE, weeks after limiting the capability due to the latest update of DOGE. The reinstatement was a huge relief for users that we’re unable to withdraw their DOGE and following this news, Changpeng Zhao announced a new giveaway so let’s read more about it in today’s Binance news.
The signup process for participating in the giveaway is quite simple according to the announcement by Changpeng Zhao. He said that to become eligible, all users would have to do is retweet the announcement of the giveaway, follow his account, Elon Musk’s account, and the official Binance Twitter account. The users would also need to tweet the prize that they want to get and why they should it in an explanation using specified hashtags.
I’m giving away a DOGE Tesla & $50,000 in $DOGE. Which do you want?
Our favorite answer from each ‘team’ will win. pic.twitter.com/A2VLB6fh4a
— CZ 🔶 Binance (@cz_binance) November 29, 2021
The CEO announced that the users have a chance of winning $50K in DOGE or a new Tesla. Each of the prizes will go to lucky winners that will be picked based on their tweets and hashtags. The tweet included a 13-second video illustrating the things that will be won in the contest which started on September 29th and will run until December 13th. On that day, the winners of both categories will be picked and awarded with their prizes. The winner of the car will get a Tesla Model 3 with an option to get the BNB value equivalent of the card.
The Tweets vying to win the contest already started to hover around the platform. The Twitter users were using the hashtags to reveal what they will do if they win the prices. They range from holding to purchasing real estate to pay for various things and now users have one chance to enter the contest. Dogecoin has been seeing some upside on the market but it was not large enough to make a huge difference. The asset price trended low around $0.2 point with more than 60% less than its all-time high. The hype around the meme coins didn’t die down but it seems that people are forgetting about the original meme coin.
Despite this downtrend, the meme coin continued to dominate social media and google search trends and made the top of the list for most searched crypto assets across 30 US states in November.
DC Forecasts is a leader in many crypto news categories, striving for the highest journalistic standards and abiding by a strict set of editorial policies. If you are interested to offer your expertise or contribute to our news website, feel free to contact us at [email protected]


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Usually when Apple releases a new iOS update, it’s done so in the middle of the day on a Monday or Tuesday. That’s not the case with iOS 11.2.
Apple released iOS 11.2 at around 12:00 am PST on Saturday. The update is available to the iPhone 5s and later, the iPad Air and later, and the iPod touch 6th generation.
To download iOS 11.2, grab your iOS device and go into Settings > General > Software Update.
Apple hasn’t officially said why it decided to push iOS 11.2 in the early hours of a Saturday morning, but it’s likely related to an iOS date crash. An Apple support document explains that some devices would repeatedly restart on and after December 2, 2017 due to a bug that is related to local notifications. If you’re running an iOS version earlier than 11.2, Apple recommends turning off all notifications to avoid this bug.
Also included with this update is support for peer-to-peer payments with Apple Pay Cash. However, the feature doesn’t appear to be live quite yet. iMore‘s Rene Ritchie suggests that Apple Pay Cash will launch early next week, likely when iOS 11.2 was originally slated to be released.
iOS 11.2 adds faster 7.5W wireless charging to the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X as well as three new live wallpapers for iPhone X, improved video camera stabilization, and a Podcasts app feature that’ll automatically advance to the next episode from the same show.
There are also some notable bug fixes included in the iOS 11.2 update. Apple addresses an issue where the keyboard could respond slowly, it fixed a Messages bug that could cause the keyboard to overlap the most recent message, and it fixed a bug in the Calculator app where entering numbers quickly could lead to an incorrect answer being displayed.


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Written in COMPANIES he
The tortillas It is one of the products of the basic basket of Mexicans, which has been gradually increasing, although on certain occasions there are places where the price is lower, but there are also others in which it is not only higher, but is also deliberately altered in order to further increase its cost. This is what happened recently with two supermarkets in the country that offered a price that did not correspond to the authorized one.
It was through an official statement issued by the Federal Commission of Economic Competitions (Cofece) that these chains of self service were penalized for committing an illegal act by manipulating the price of said basic item of the Mexican diet, a document in which they also reported that employees had been disqualified for being part of said practices.
According to the National Market Information and Integration System, the price average kilo of tortillas today June 21 in Mexico City is 19.93 pesos.
The two supermarkets fined by Cofece for changing the price of a kilo of tortillas
Chedraui and Soriana are both supermarkets what have been fined by Cofece due to a manipulation of the price of the kilo of tortillas.
The self-service stores that were sanctioned by the commission are located in Huixtla, Chiapas, which were disabled for a period of 4 months, plus a fine of more than 2 million pesos between them. supermarketsas indicated in the press release, in addition to restricting the sale of this product in both branches and having sanctioned a delegate from Chiapas who was also part of said illegal practice.
The Federal Economic Competition Law, through its article 53, sections I and II, there are fines for companies and businesses that incur in absolute monopolistic actions. Under this regulation, Cofece has imposed fines important for all those who modify or alter prices disfavoring the final consumer.
Even though this case is serious, the commission has imposed previous sanctions in the same state of the country, specifically in the municipalities of Ángel Albino Corzo and Palenque.
What are the products of the basic basket 2023?
According to the Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, these are the products that make up the 2023 basic basket, which has become more than 60% more expensive, according to the Commercial Alliance of Small Merchants:
- Canola oil
- brown sugar
- Pork Meat
- jalapeno pepper
- Toilet soap
- Box bread
- Toilet paper
- Pasta for soup
Follow Heraldo Binario on Google News, give him CLICK HERE.


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XPeng Inc – ADR (NYSE: XPEV) has managed to get ahead of domestic peer Nio Inc – ADR (NYSE: NIO) exporting its EV sedan, the P7, to Norway. The first Norwegian customers are expected to receive their P7s in the fourth quarter.
What Happened: XPeng confirmed it has started shipping the first batch of the XPeng P7 from Guangzhou to Norway, marking the first time the company is exporting its sedan model to a market outside China.
XPeng has already entered the Norway market through the export of its G3 smart SUV that began in December.
The P7 sedan, which was initially launched in China in mid-2020, has clocked sales of 40,000 units by the end of July.
“We are dedicated to meeting the growing customer demand for our smart EVs in China and internationally by bringing the most sophisticated and stylish models to our customers,” said He Xiaopeng, chairman and CEO of XPeng.
Related Link: Nio, XPeng, Buffett-Backed BYD Among Top Quality EV Brands In China: Survey
The Norwegian version of the P7 rolled off XPeng’s production line at its Zhaoqing smart EV manufacturing base in August.
XPeng said it is concurrently accelerating the momentum of its build-out in Norway, establishing a full-scale operation that encompasses customer experience, sales, delivery, service, charging and lifestyle facilities.
The P7 received the European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval earlier this year, the company said.
Why It’s Important: Chinese EV startups such as Nio, XPeng and Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ: LI) are emerging as strong contenders in the local market. Domestic success has lured them into eyeing overseas expansion.
Norway has the highest EV penetration in the world, with plug-in electric vehicles accounting for 84.7% of new auto sales in July 2021, with about 76% of these battery-powered EVs.
In May, Nio announced its entry into the Norway market, with plans to ship its ES8 SUV model to the nation. The company said the second model to be made available in Norway is its yet-to-be-released ET7 sedan. This model, which was announced at the company’s Nio Day 2020 in early January, is expected to be delivered in early 2022.
XPeng also became the first U.S.-listed Chinese EV marker to pursue a dual listing in the Hong Kong stock exchange.
XPeng Price Action: Shares were up 1.94% to $40.42.
Related Link: Why Nio, XPeng, Li Auto Are Likely Beneficiaries Of This Latest Chinese Regulatory Crackdown
Photo: Courtesy of XPeng
© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Welcome to WebmasterWorld Guest from 184.108.40.206
Forum Moderators: bill
The software giant announced on Thursday a new collaboration with consumer measurement firm ComScore to design a digital media-planning service dubbed the Reach and Frequency Planner (RF Planner).
The goal of the RF Planner will be to help brand advertisers better measure and track their online-ad campaigns. Advertisers would be able to more easily determine and predict how consumers will respond to their digital ads.
joined:July 29, 2007
The company points out that ad budgets for brand advertisers account for about two-thirds of the $186 million U.S. ad market. But only 5 percent of those dollars are spent on Internet advertising.
edit: good for website owners = not so good for newspapers, i'd expect a stronger push for internet retail taxes and regulations if that 5% figure raises much, assuming it's accurate.


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WebMD Medical News
Louise Chang, MD
Feb. 8, 2008 -- The FDA has cleared for marketing GelSpray Liquid
The product is a spray-on treatment for wounds -- including combat wounds --
according to a news release from Rutgers, the State University of New
The product releases polymers from a two-barreled syringe. The polymers mix
into a "gel-based dressing that frontline combat soldiers can apply to
their own wounds," states the Rutgers news release.
Rutgers' Center for Military Biomaterials Research collaborated with
BioCure, a company based in Norcross, Ga., to create the product. BioCure will
market the product.
Other liquid bandages are already on the market. Those products have
"more similarities than differences" with GelSpray Liquid Bandage,
according to FDA documents.
SOURCES:FDA: "GelSpray Liquid Bandage 510K Summary."News release, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Here are the most recent story comments.View All
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of CW Arkansas
The Health News section does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.


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Nike will post Q3’17 earnings tomorrow. Despite being a dominant player in the sports apparel industry, the stock underperformed the S&P 500 index last year as it faced increasing competition from Under Armour (basketball shoes) and Adidas (fashion shoes).
In the report tomorrow, following key areas could be looked at to gauge future performance
1) Growth in the N.American Markets
One sore point during Q2’17 was the 4% decline in future orders for the key N.American market. The company has taken various initiatives like redesigning products (basketball category), introducing new innovations (Air VaporMax, ZoomX sole) and investing in enhancing the retail experience (Nike Soho, NikeTown 5th Ave). These initiatives are expected to improve revenues for the region and help regain lost market share.
2) DTC channel growth and its impact on margins
Nike is consciously reducing its dependency on retailers and investing in developing its DTC (Direct to Customer) sales channel (online platform & retail stores). DTC revenues grew 23% YoY for Q2’17. Greater control over the channel gives it higher flexibility in pricing and inventory decisions and helps improve margins.
3) Currency Impact
Overseas markets have been significantly driving it’s growth lately, with most segments clocking double-digit growth on a neutral currency basis. But the rising dollar has been significantly impacting revenues. While it’s total revenues in Q2 grew 8% on a neutral currency basis, growth dropped to 6% on a constant currency basis. Going forward, currency headwinds are expected to continue and may impact future growth forecasts.
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Forecast: June sales were 8 percent or 454 units above the Alabama Center for Real Estate‘s (ACRE) monthly forecast. ACRE’s 2017 sales forecast through June projected 26,664 closed transactions, while the actual sales were 28,678 units.
Supply: The statewide housing inventory during June was 20,557 units, a decrease of 33 percent from June 2016 and 53 percent below the June peak in 2008 (43,536 units). There were 3.5 months of housing supply in June (6 months is considered equilibrium), which represents a drop of 37 percent from June 2016 (5.6 months).
June inventory decreased from May by 23 percent. This direction is consistent with historical data that indicate June inventory on average (2012-16) decreases from May by 4 percent.
Demand: June residential sales were unchanged from May. Historical data indicate that June sales on average (2012-16) increase from May by 2.6 percent. The average days on the market until a listing sold was 116 days, down 22 percent from last year. According to the National Association of Realtors March Existing Home Sales Report, May home sales were 0.7 percent higher than home sales during the same month in 2016. See how Alabama compares with the U.S. residential market by clicking here.
Pricing: The June median sales price increased 10 percent from the same period last year to $167,807. During June, 72 percent of Alabama markets experienced price gains from June 2016. This indicator can fluctuate from month to month due to sampling size of data and seasonal buying patterns. The June median sales price increased 14 percent from May. This direction is consistent with historical data averages (2012-16) reflecting that the June median sales price increases 4.5 percent from May.
Seeking balance: The metro markets in Alabama representing 70 percent of all sales continued to trend toward greater seller bargaining power with 4 months of supply. Outside the metro markets, Alabama’s midsized markets are reporting 4.9 months of supply, while rural areas are reporting 8.4 months of supply. There have been significant improvements from inventory peaks experienced during the recession. The supply of quality inventory in the past has affected sales, according to some boots-on-the-ground professionals.
Industry perspective: “While second-quarter growth is poised to rebound, we expect growth to moderate through the remainder of 2017. Consumer spending, traditionally the largest contributor to economic growth, is sluggish and is lagging positive consumer sentiment and solid hiring,” said Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan. “While labor market slack continues to diminish, wage growth is not accelerating and inflation has moved further below the Fed’s target. These conditions support our call that the Fed will continue gradual monetary policy normalization, announce its balance sheet tapering policy in September, and wait until December for additional data, especially on inflation, before raising the fed funds rate for the third time this year.”
Click here to generate more graphs from the Alabama June Housing Report, including Total Sales, Average Sales Price, Days on the Market, Total Inventory and Months of Supply.


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At last, M&S investors set for some good news as results day approaches
Marks & Spencer's boss Sir Stuart Rose is tipped to have some good news for the City when the retail giant publishes sales figures for the second quarter next Wednesday.
The high street chain is thought to have boosted profit margins thanks to better control of stock and securing improved prices from suppliers.
Sales at the food business, led by John Dixon, are rumoured to be healthier. Some analysts believe food sales could even have returned to positive territory.
Cheers: Sir Stuart Rose is expected to have some good news for M&S investors after a difficult time for the retailer, during which he has come under pressure
Shares in M&S (down 4.1p to 368.8p) have jumped 25 per cent in
the past three months after a string of broker upgrades. Full-year
profit forecasts have risen from £430million to £600million.
But underlying sales are expected to still be down around 1.4 per
cent in the second quarter and the good news is expected to be centred
Tony Shiret at Credit Suisse thinks the VAT cut may also have given the bottom line a boost.
He said: 'In my opinion M&S, like a lot of other retailers, has not passed on a large part of the VAT cut to consumers.'
Elsewhere in the retail sector, department store chain John Lewis
said its sales leapt 6.6 per cent in the week to September 19, bouncing
back from last year's decline in the wake of the Lehman Brothers
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In the basin where the word smog was invented, alternative-fuel vehicles--particularly cars that store energy in flywheels--will be a center of attention at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens Saturday.
Chrysler Corp. will show off its concept of a flywheel-assisted race car, which the company unveiled Wednesday in Detroit. And American Flywheel System, a small company based in Bellevue, Wash., will display a sedan that would run entirely on the energy-storage devices, called flywheel batteries.
The international push by auto makers to develop a practical electric car has been slowed by researchers' difficulties in coming up with batteries able to replicate the driving features of gasoline-powered autos.
Proponents say high-tech flywheels, which store energy through the same ancient principle used in a potter's wheel, could be used as a new battery to make electric cars a reality.
"There's a lot going on lately in flywheels," said Jim Birk, director of storage and renewables at the Electric Power Research Institute, which conducts research and development work for the major U.S. electric utilities.
One plus for flywheels in transportation uses: fast acceleration. "Flywheels have the characteristic of very fast response time," Birk said. Another, according to Edward W. Furia, American Flywheel Systems chairman and chief executive, is their potential to greatly increase driving range.
Furia estimates that between charges, his flywheel car will be able to go more than three times the current 100-mile range of many of the best existing electric cars.
American Flywheel Systems "has some very interesting concepts," said Philip C. Symons, manager of public transportation projects at EPRI, "but it remains to be proved that the performance required for electric vehicles can be achieved."
American Flywheel developed its storage device with the manufacturer, Minneapolis-based Honeywell, which for three decades has built flywheels for the aerospace and defense industries.
The Chrysler car, called the Patriot, has a 500-horsepower liquid-natural-gas-burning turbine, but it uses the flywheel to store excess energy. Both the turbine and flywheel feed an electric motor that runs the race car at speeds of up to 200 m.p.h.
The Chrysler carbon-fiber flywheel is similar to that used in satellites. In the race car, it stores excess energy produced by the turbine and captures kinetic energy produced when the brakes are applied.
"Where is it written that a car that is 'green' cannot be red-hot with excitement," Francois Castaing, Chrysler's vice president of vehicle engineering, said in unveiling the car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The American Flywheel car and other attempts to harness flywheels as the main energy-storage device for a vehicle are aimed at meeting California's zero-emission vehicle rules, which essentially require major auto makers to offer electric cars for sale in California showrooms beginning in 1998.
The race car project serves a dual purpose for Chrysler. It allows the company to re-enter big-time racing while placing a priority on research and development for the clean car of the future--including cars known as hybrids, which run on two fuels.
Hybrid vehicles are seen as promising, particularly by auto makers faced with the 1998 deadline, because the two sources of propulsion help extend vehicle range and performance. Auto makers have called for amending the California rules to achieve air pollution reductions without requiring electric cars. Though hybrids have low emissions, they would not meet California's looming zero-emission standard.
Chrysler hopes to have a working model of its race car within several months and to decide within the year whether to proceed further. It hopes to be sanctioned by international and U.S. motor sports groups to compete in endurance races in a special class for cutting-edge vehicles.
Castaing said cars using such technology would probably not be ready for the market until well into the next century.
Other alternative-fuel vehicles at the Los Angeles show will include a Mitsubishi electric hybrid that claims a range of 310 miles in its battery-only mode, a Ford natural-gas version of its big Crown Victoria, and a Chrysler natural gas minivan that will be the first vehicle to be certified by the state Air Resources Board as an ultra-low-emissions vehicle.
There will also be a stubby, high-efficiency Mercedes-Benz "city car," the first of a new class of Mercedes designed for extremely high efficiency in versions that use gasoline, diesel or electric batteries.
How Flywheel Batteries Work
Using the same ancient energy-storage principle that keeps a potter's wheel or yo-yo turning, high-tech flywheels can be used to store electricity, much like a standard battery. Charging the battery with electricity increases the speed of the flywheel, up to 200,000 revolutions per minute. As electricity is drained from the battery to run an engine, the flywheel gradually slows down. Proponents say that modern, highly efficient flywheels--which spin in a vacuum on non-touching magnetic bearings--could power electric cars better than more traditional chemical batteries, giving up to three times the driving range.
Small, speedy wheels made of tough composite materials store the energy.
The wheel spins in a vacuum, to greatly lower resistance.
Because the same magnetic poles repel each other, magnets are used to suspend the wheel as it spins, without the friction of traditional bearings which physically touch.


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SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Andy Manar’s (D-Bunker Hill) plan to fight the proliferation of bath salts sold by Illinois retailers was signed into law Monday after passing the House and Senate with full bipartisan support.
Bath salts, specifically known as synthetic cathinones, can be consumed in a variety of ways and can mimic the effect of amphetamine or PCP, often causing hallucinations.
“These drugs are extremely dangerous and have unpredictable effects on the user,” Manar said. “This plan gives our law enforcement officials more power to get them off our streets.”
Senate Bill 210 creates the Bath Salts Prohibition Act and bans Illinois retailers from selling synthetic cathinones that commonly are labeled as bath salts, plant food or jewelry cleaner.


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MOSCOW, November 6 (RIA Novosti) – Microsoft will expand its center for research and development at the Skolkovo Innovation Center, the company’s press service said Tuesday.
The announcement follows on the heels of the unveiling earlier this year of an RD center by the world’s largest software developer at Moscow’s high-profile innovation complex.
Microsoft launched the center, focused on developing software solutions for medium- and large-scale businesses through Microsoft Dynamics, last May.
Now, the center will also be aimed at developing cross-platform solutions for smartphones and tablet computers.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said in a company press release that the expanded cooperation with Skolkovo – often referred to as Russia’s “Silicon Valley” – will reveal “the enormous potential of Russian developers in creating world-class software products.”
The company also said it would double its Moscow-based workforce by 2015 from its current 70.
Microsoft has not disclosed the sum of its total investment in Russia, although it notes that the figure reaches into the tens of millions per year.
The software developer is one of Skolkovo’s largest international partners. Besides Microsoft, the Russian innovation center also has deals with Cisco and Nokia, among others.


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The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association commissioned an Economic Impact Study on the RV industry, released on June 7, 2016. The study found that the RV industry contributes about $49.7 billion in economic output or 0.28 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Through its production and distribution linkages, the industry impacts firms in 426 of the 440 sectors of the United States economy.
Nationwide, the industry is responsible for 216,170 jobs, both directly and inderectly, creating an economic impact of $37.5 billion. The full study results, along with each individual state and congressional district's economic impact is available on the website by clicking here .
Tue Jan 10, 2017
Camping World has expanded its board of directors to eight members from its previous six over the last few days.
On Jan. 3, the board increased its size from six to seven to make room for Mary George as a Class I director. George, who was put on the Audit Committee, has been a founding partner of Morningstar Capital Investments since 2001. She most recently served as the CEO at Easton Hockey Holdings, according to a story by Seeking Alpha.
On Thursday, Jan. 5, the board expanded again to eight members, electing Daniel Kilpatrick as a Class II director. He is a principal at the private equity firm Crestview Advisors.


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The world’s biggest athletic shoe manufacturer — which works with Nike and adidas — is facing massive labor shortages in Vietnam related to the pandemic.
Around 40,000 workers did not return to a Ho Chi Minh City facility owned by Taiwanese company Pou Chen Corp. when it reopened on Wednesday. The facility closed in July due to rising COVID-19 cases.
Nike could lose up to 160 million pairs of shoes due to factory closures in Vietnam, which normally supplies around half its shoes.
Both Nike and adidas are coming off strong quarters.
- Nike posted $12.2 billion in revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 — a 12% rise from the same period the previous year.
- Adidas’ quarterly revenue rose 51% year-over-year in Q2 to $6 billion, bouncing back with $470 million in net income after a $349 million loss in Q2 2020.
After having very few recorded COVID-19 cases through April, the virus surged in Vietnam in September, with active cases peaking at over 225,000. The Southeast Asian nation has just under 100 million people.
Active cases dropped precipitously over the last week to 48,126 on Thursday.


text: LONDON, United Kingdom — Today, we are thrilled to release the cover of our next special print edition, featuring a hyperreal image of Karl Lagerfeld, specially created for BoF by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari of Toiletpaper. Now in the sixth decade of a prolific career, Lagerfeld is fashion's consummate polymathic multitasker and thus a perfect cover star for our Polymaths & Multitaskers issue, which profiles an exciting cast of multi-talented individuals who are making outsized contributions to our global industry.The issue will be available on September 22 to coincide with the launch of the BoF 500 2014, recognising the people shaping the global fashion industry.So what do these Polymaths & Multitaskers have in common? For one, they are global citizens who have left to work and study outside their home countries, often at a very young age. Amongst them are Karl Lagerfeld, a multitasking octogenarian who left Germany, aged 14, to go to school in France; Mukesh Bansal, who spent time in Silicon Valley before pioneering fashion e-commerce in his native India; and Tim Blanks, a New Zealand-born fashion editor who has lived and worked on three continents.Naturally, they are also smart and well-educated. A precocious Tim Blanks attended university at the age of fifteen. At school, Mario Testino was always first or second in his class, studying economics in university prior to pursuing his love for photography. And both Caroline Issa and Pierre-Yves Roussel studied business at the prestigious Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, becoming management consultants before entering fashion.But most of all, their success seems to stem from their unique positions at the intersection of different skills and perspectives, which enables them to do multiple things and bring fresh ideas and thinking to their work.Mark Parker, a product designer who joined Nike in 1979, has risen to become the chief executive of the global sportswear giant, which earned a staggering $27.8 billion in revenue in fiscal 2014. Knowing how to balance the 'left-brain/right-brain' elements of his work has been central to Parker's — and Nike's — success. There are also top-performing executives who have done it the other way around, starting on the business side but learning about design and creativity. Mr Roussel came to fashion with a limited understanding of fashion design. But over the past decade, he has developed an appreciation for the creative process, developed trusting relationships with some of the industry's most talented designers and revitalised a portfolio of stagnant brands at LVMH.Then there's the creative duo Toiletpaper. After retiring from a hugely successful career in the contemporary art world, where his works can sell for millions of dollars, Maurizio Cattelan took one look at imagery and advertising in fashion and saw an opportunity to do something completely different. Together with photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari under the moniker of their provocative magazine Toiletpaper, the duo have injected unexpected humour and energy into fashion imagery, producing work that stands out from the homogenous, uniform images seen everywhere else.We hope you enjoy our latest special print issue, which is available for pre-order now. And stay tuned for the launch of the full BoF 500 on September 22.VKSFF73XJ5A5XP62LRDMDOXGMM Imran Amed Founder and Editor-in-ChiefThe Polymaths & Multitaskers issue, out on September 22, will be sold exclusively at shop.businessoffashion.com and select retailers around the world.


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Kylie Jenneris revealing who inspires her in honor of International Women’s Day.
The makeup mogul has a lot of things to be proud of: she is the CEO of a billion-dollar company and she is a role model to millions of people across the world. But Kylie is not ready to slow down anytime soon and it’s all because of her 1-year-old daughter Stormi Webster.
Alongside a photo of herself kissing her daughter, she writes, “this little girl motivates me every day to become the best woman i can be.”
Clearly the sky is the limit considering the reality star is the youngest self-made billionaire ever, according to Forbes. Her latest career achievement means she has surpassed Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg previous record.


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Verizon’s Edge program provides more flexibility to customers
Verizon (VZ) introduced the Edge plan last year. Edge is an installment plan for customers who want to upgrade their devices faster or who don’t want to pay the up-front cost of their devices. Under this plan, users can upgrade their smartphones if they pay 60% of the retail cost of their smartphone in as soon as 30 days. Compared to the traditional subsidy model, which is a two-year service contract, the Edge program provides more flexibility to customers who like to frequently upgrade their devices.
Edge adoption increased at a slower rate than expected
During the conference call to announce the second quarter of 2014 (2Q14) earnings, Verizon’s management mentioned that Edge adoption has increased from 13% in 1Q14 to 18% in 2Q14. However, this increase was slower than the 30% Edge adoption that Verizon’s management expected by the end of second quarter, as shown in the chart above.
Management mentioned that during the holiday season last year, it marketed its Edge program, which helped its uptake. However, in the last quarter, Verizon ran a number of promotions related to Mother’s Day and Father’s Day that were centered around its traditional subsidy plan. Clearly, the lack of marketing efforts to promote the Edge adoption in the second quarter led to its slower growth.
Another reason for slower-than-expected Edge adoption was the increased competition from similar plans adopted by AT&T (T) and T-Mobile (TMUS). AT&T’s frequent upgrade plan—Next—allows customers to upgrade their phones once every year. T-Mobile introduced a similar plan—Jump—which allows customers to upgrade their devices a maximum of two devices per year whenever they want.
If Verizon manages to increase its Edge adoption, this will benefit exchange-traded funds (or ETFs) such as the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) and the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Telecommunications ETF (IYZ), which have high exposure to Verizon.


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Today I received a press release announcing a new ad campaign from Virgin Blue. I was hoping I could write something positive in light of the fact that I still think Virgin Blue’s ad agency Cummins & Partners is a great ad agency and one of the best in Australia. But I really can’t think of something positive to say about this campaign (other than it has good production values). But in terms of campaign strategy, it falls into the trap that a lot of clients make. Some clients make the mistake of doing ads that talk to them rather than talk to the consumer.
This latest campaign talks about how Virgin Blue has changed the domestic aviation market and how 10 years ago some people would drive from Melbourne to Sydney but now people fly because air fares now so much cheaper than 10 years ago.
But we are talking about something that happened nearly 10 years ago. Who cares?
I know Virgin Blue wants to talk up its achievements over the years but does the consumer really care? The answer is no.
They want to know what Virgin Blue has new to offer today.
All I can think is that Virgin Blue must have given the ad agency this misguided brief. As ad agency people often say – clients get the advertising they deserve.


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Bananas At Large® Is On The Move
Northern California’s Oldest and most Prestigious Musical Instrument Store is Relocating!
San Rafael, CA: After over 40 years, Bananas At Large® is moving to a new location.
We have found a new home. We will move from our current downtown location, .3 miles to our new location of 1654 2nd Street in San Rafael, California. The current location will be open until the new location opens for business on November 15, 2018.
“In an effort to address the modern needs and wants of our customers, we are excited to open a new, more life style directed, retail space” says owner Alan Rosen. “We will continue to offer our award-winning customer service, curated inventory, music lessons, repairs and design installation services we have been known for over 40 years, but in a new better location.”
The new location will feature an open naturally lit space with plenty of on-site parking. It will include a feature wall of 200 guitars, and separate isolated demo rooms. “We are excited to bring the same level of attention to detail, product knowledge and incredible inventory to a location that will complement our vision all while guaranteeing our customers the lowest prices” adds Alan Rosen.
We have been providing Professional Audio, Musical Instruments, Music Lessons, Design and Installation Services, Repairs and more to the Bay Area for over 45 years. Bananas At Large® features thousands of instruments and brands from all major manufactures and many independent, boutique, bespoke and local builders.


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MUMBAI: Advertising expenditure in India is set to grow two and a half times faster than the global average next year, according to a new forecast which also predicts spending on internet ads will overtake TV by 2018.
Latest figures from ZenithOptimedia suggest that global adpsend will grow 4.6% in 2016 but that spending in India will increase 13%, the Economic Times reported.
That is also substantially higher than the 8.4% average the media agency forecast for "fast-track" Asian economies.
Anupriya Acharya, group chief executive officer at ZenithOptimedia India, explained that the consumer and business sentiment industry had been very positive at the start of this year following the election of the Modi government in 2014.
"This irrational exuberance has tempered down to a more rational optimism and all the current economic and sentiment indicators suggest that the forward view remains positive," she said.
All sectors of the advertising industry are set to benefit, but the stand-out performer is expected to be digital, with growth of "upwards of 20%".
Television, which currently accounts for 38% of ad spending, is also projected to grow in double digits, at 15%, while print will increase 10% and all other media at between 5% and 10%.
Within two years, however, it is predicted that the rapid advance of paid search globally will help push internet spending past television. Much of this will come via mobile – the GSMA recently noted that India was on track to pass 500m mobile subscribers by the end of the year.
Slicing the cake a different way, the report also said that audiovisual advertising – television plus online video – is taking a larger share of display advertising, rising from 44.1% in 2010 to 48.4% in 2015 and 48.9% in 2018.
Acharya highlighted e-commerce, telecom, mobile phones as the fastest-growing sectors and the Business Standard noted that these had also driven growth this year.
It reported that some 2,000 new advertisers entered the market in 2015, thanks to the e-commerce and start-up boom, while telcos have been aggressively promoting 3G and 4G plans and handset firms pushing new product launches.
Data sourced from Economic Times, Exchange4Media, Business Standard; additional content by Warc staff


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Dhivya Suryadevara named new Chief Financial Officer of GM.
Stripe has snagged General Motors‘ chief financial officer Dhivya Suryadevara as the payment start-up beefs up its C-suite amid an e-commerce boom brought on by the pandemic.
Suryadevara was named the automaker’s first female finance chief in 2018, leading it through a pandemic that pressured GM’s finances this year as global factories were closed. At Stripe, she will have to balance “aggressive growth while maintaining the highest standards in discipline and fiscal responsibility,” Stripe said.
“Stripe’s mission to increase the GDP of the internet is more important now than ever,” Suryadevara said in a press…


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updated 10:05 am EST, Fri March 7, 2008
Investors like SDK, AAPL
Yesterday's "iPhone Software Roadmap" event raised analysts' faith in AAPL stock, with Shaw Wu of American Technology Research reiterating a "buy" rating and a price target of $175. According to Wu, Apple had met and exceeded expectations with its "superior" implementation of ActiveSync. Apple's method eliminates separate server software, while also providing a direct connection to the server, rather than through a third-party network operations center.
Wu also believes that Apple's goal of 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008 is now back in sight, considering the offerings the company released yesterday. Despite a looming recession, Wu thinks Apple is able to "weather the storm better than most with its strong fundamentals."


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One of the major barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the US is “range anxiety”, resulting from a perceived lack of charging stations and potential wait times to recharge batteries. Those concerns are not unfounded, but they are being addressed much more efficiently today than ever before. In fact, the ratio of charging stations and voltage of each port per registered EV is nearly equivalent to the optimal balance outlined by the US Department of Energy.
Charging stations are now being deployed across 50 mile intervals of US national highways as part of the US’s recently-passed infrastructure deal. Billions of dollars will be directly addressing the unequal distribution of EV charger deployment, funding new charging ports in rural and disadvantaged communities across the nation. Further, major restaurant chains like Starbucks continue to expand testing and deployment of their own EV charging infrastructure, in partnership with publicly traded manufacturers.
Related Stocks: ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. (CHPT), Blink Charging Co. (BLNK), EVgo, Inc. (EVGO)
According to an estimate by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world will need to install 40 million charging points by the end of this decade to match electric vehicle (EV) demand, up from just 1.3 million public chargers around the globe today. If global net-zero goals are to be met by 2050, the cumulative investment into the EV charging industry would have to reach $1.6 trillion, per The Economist.
As MRP has noted previously, the Biden Administration took a large step towards building out the public charging network, as well as public confidence in US charging infrastructure, by allocating $7.5 billion for EV charging as a part of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package passed in November.
Of that sum, $5.5 billion is now being allocated to state and local governments with the directive to place EV charging stations roughly every 50 miles along designated stretches of national highways. Per WIRED Magazine, the remaining $2.5 billion will be used to distribute through grants for putting chargers in disadvantaged and rural communities.
While this investment is only a drop in the bucket when compared to the grand scheme of funds needed to have a real EV-intensive economy, using the infrastructure bill’s allocation to install 500,000 new charging stations across the country – one of the Biden administration’s stated goals – would cover 57% of the charging that US vehicles will need by 2030, sparking the sale of some 25 million electric cars and trucks, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
So-called “range anxiety” is a very real barrier to adoption of EVs. People want assurance that they will not end up stranded without a charge and addressing those concerns make it much more likely EVs will be sold as a result.
Charging Stations Growing, Rural Networks Become More Popular
As of last September, Reuters reports there were 43,000 operational public EV charging stations, according to US Department of Energy data. With funding now rolling out the expand the US’s charging network by the hundreds of thousands, it will only be a few short years before charging stations outnumber 136,400 US gas stations.
However, surpassing the number of stations is only half the battle as available ports at each stop and the speed at which they can charge a vehicle are equally pressing concerns. With 120,000 charging ports available across the US’s EV charging network, that means only….
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Whoop! She did it again! Britney Spears debuted a shockingly hot new hair color last night while attending Elton John's Aids Foundation Oscar Viewing Party in Los Angeles.
The 31-year-old singer and former X Factor judge debuted her stunning new warm brunette locks while wearing an ultra low-cut black beaded dress by Michael Cinco Couture.
Spears was last seen earlier this week getting groceries at a local supermarket sporting light blonde hair, tied up in a bun. The last time Britney Spears had brunette hair was briefly at the beginning of 2010.
Britney goes brunette at Oscars party


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Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook released a startling letter in which he claimed the company was “challenging the FBI’s demands” to open up a backdoor on the iPhone. From this emerged a wealth of various stances from publications, politicians, and even late night talk show hosts, who all reached the consensus that no one really knows what to do in the privacy vs. protection debate.
Despite Apple’s urge for encryption, however, research conducted by Johns Hopkins University cryptography professor Matthew Green and a handful of his students has determined that Apple may already be open to vulnerabilities — or at least the iMessage portion of it. In fact, Green went so far as to say that Apple’s iMessage encryption is fundamentally broken, requiring the company to mandate a complete cryptographical overhaul if it wants to keep its users safe from unsolicited lurking.
Especially at a time when the US government is doing everything in its legal jurisdiction to get its hands on a backdoor into encryption, this could be unfortunate for Apple if it doesn’t act quickly. A susceptibility to this degree could leave the Cupertino company open to not only pesky vigilante hackers, but the bureaucratic ones as well.
“I’ve always felt that one of the most compelling arguments against this approach — an argument I’ve made along with other colleagues — is that we just don’t know how to construct such backdoors securely,” the professor explained in a blog post abbreviating the complete research paper. “But lately I’ve come to believe that this position doesn’t go far enough — in the sense that it is woefully optimistic. The fact of the matter is that forget backdoors: we barely know how to make encryption work at all.”
Put simply, the flaws found by Green and his pack of students can make it so those skilled enough to test their abilities could decrypt multimedia attachments, including both pictures and video from iMessage. Although the post mentions that certificate pinning has effectively made iMessage less exposed, a person could theoretically access Apple’s servers and proceed to take the attachments anyway, in the case that there’s a Push Notification Service server liability.
Green complimented iMessage for using “end-to-end encryption” dating back to 2011, but unfortunately it appears as though Apple uses the term quite loosely. True end-to-end encryption would keep messaging conversations between only those participating internally. Apple’s protection of iMessage does not extend to the server, leaving a gap in its defenses.
If a hacker were to take hold of the key server, they would in turn be able to intercept messages as they are being typed — those that have not already undergone the encryption process. Be that as it may, more threatening is the prospect of attackers making their way into already-encrypted messages, which is totally possible, according to Green and his disciples.
“In the long term,” Green explained, “Apple should drop iMessage like a hot rock and move to Signal/Axolotl.” In the meantime, Green recommends that users update to iOS 9.3 and the latest version of OS X, which implement fixes that mitigate some, though not all, of the vulnerability.
- Apple plans to put more ads on your iPhone, report claims
- As a loyal iMessage user, I’m sick and tired of Apple’s resistance to RCS
- It’s not just you — Google’s also fed up with Apple not using RCS
- The latest iOS 16 beta just added back one of my favorite features
- Apple iPhone 14: Everything we know about the 2022 iPhone


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Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz expand partnershipOctober 28, 2020
Aston Martin has announced a new strategic technical agreement and an expanded partnership with Mercedes-Benz Corporation.
The agreement will open the British company access to new hybrid and electric units, as well as other elements and systems of the German corporation. In return, Mercedes-Benz will receive additional Aston Martin shares over the next three years. Under the agreement, the share of Germans in the British company should increase from 2.6% to 20%.
The companies did not go into details, but confirmed that Aston Martin had requested access to some motors and transmissions, as well as software, platforms and other components of the German concern. Mercedes-Benz agreed to this in exchange for shares, which will be transferred to the German company as the various technology packages are provided to the British. It is noted that the main conditions for the first technological package, which is estimated at $ 183 million, have already been agreed. For this, the British manufacturer will increase the share of Mercedes-Benz from 2.6% to 11.8%.
It is planned to transfer additional technological packages, but the British and Germans noted that, first of all, they need to agree on all the conditions of each of the upcoming sets.
In addition, it was recently noted that the British company Aston Martin showed the concept of its own new speedster. It should be emphasized that this car is powered by a powerful V12 engine.
- SAIC creates a premium electric brand
- Jeep has awesome items on Amazon for Cyber Monday
- Mazda MX-30 performs well in moose test
- Tuning diesel trucks is causing huge environmental damage
- This video proves that the Mercedes Unimog is a true SUV.


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The text detected in the iOS 16 beta code indicates that Apple is planning this Drop iPad home hub support In the new update, but it turns out that’s not quite the whole story. According to the company, the iPad isn’t losing support for what it can already do, but it won’t get a significant upgrade that will be available later.
“iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will continue to support the iPad as a home hub without any loss of functionality,” Apple spokeswoman Katherine Franklin said in a statement. the edge. While this looks promising on his face, there is a big star sign. Apple plans to introduce a new architecture to The new Home app in iPadOS 16and iPad wont Being supported as a home hub by this architecture.
Here’s Franklin’s full statement: “Alongside these releases, the Home app will introduce a new architecture for a more efficient and reliable experience. Since the iPad will no longer be supported as a home hub with a new chassis, users who rely on the iPad for this purpose will not need to update the home architecture and can continue to enjoy all the existing features.
Apple has been vague about what exactly the build upgrade consists of. During the keynote speech at WWDC 2022, Corey Wang from Apple He said this: “We have reimagined [the new Home app] From the ground up starting with an infrastructure that is more efficient and reliable, especially for homes with many accessories.” You’ll still be able to use the new Home app on your iPad without upgrading to this new build. The upgrade will be available in the Home app settings in an update A later version of iPadOS 16, according to Franklin.
We don’t yet know exactly how your experience of ancient architecture might differ. but we an act You know that iPads won’t be able to use the accessories you take advantage of The new smart home standard is important: in a footnote to the file iPadOS 16 Preview page, Apple notes that “Important accessories require your Apple TV or HomePod to function as a home hub.” This important support is perhaps the main difference.
Apple says the Apple TV HD, Apple TV 4K, HomePod, and HomePod Mini will continue to be supported as home hubs with the new design. So, if you’re currently using an iPad as a home hub and want to take advantage of the new build, you’ll need to choose one of these other devices.
Update June 28, 4:49PM ETFlags have changed from iOS 16 to iPadOS 16 all the time.
“Unapologetic communicator. Wannabe web lover. Friendly travel scholar. Problem solver. Amateur social mediaholic.”


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Greater than half of Americans who travel internationally require “recovery time” after they first get there (58%), in line with recent research.
A survey of two,000 Americans who’ve traveled abroad inside the past five years checked out how they prepare for his or her excursions and located that coming back home isn’t any easier, as the typical person spends 4 days in “recovery mode” after the trip ends.
On average, respondents begin preparing 15 days before a world trip.
Greater than half said they “physically prepare” themselves by practicing their steps or going to the doctor beforehand (58%).
Other popular ways people prepare for international travel are by making copies of essential documents (37%), arranging to have cellphone service (29%) and buying travel insurance (30%).
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of AIG Travel, the survey revealed that many find all of this prep to be value it, with nearly a 3rd saying international trips are more fun than domestic trips (29%).
Those surveyed recalled a few of their favorite destinations they’ve ever visited, like Hong Kong, Machu Picchu in Peru, Cape Town in South Africa, the Great Wall of China and Sao Paolo, Brazil.
After they travel, respondents discover as “The Planner” greater than another personality type (16%), claiming they’re the one who plans a lot of the trip and keeps everyone on time.
One other 14% say they’re “The Tourist” who all the time desires to see the tourist sites while 13% are “The Foodie” all the time concerned about trying recent foods.
One in eight admit to being “The Wanderer” who doesn’t keep on with plans and finds their very own way.
While 1 / 4 of those surveyed don’t mind being seen as a tourist when traveling internationally (26%), one other 41% say they fight to “mix in” so others don’t see them that way.
“Every traveler is exclusive, but irrespective of what your travel personality could also be, it’s essential to be prepared to your trip by understanding any risks at your destination and to all the time be vigilant and aware of your surroundings,” said Jeff Rutledge, CEO, AIG Travel.
While one in 4 “all the time” keep up a correspondence with family members when traveling (24%), one in eight admit they “rarely” or “never” do and check out to enjoy their time away.
Even with their research, nearly 1 / 4 of those surveyed have at the very least three “panic” moments while traveling internationally (23%).
Essentially the most common moments of panic include issues with their flight being canceled or missed (29%), losing their luggage (23%) or not having the ability to understand or speak the language of the country they’re visiting (22%).
Americans also shared a few of the top things to avoid when traveling internationally like engaging in potentially offensive behavior comparable to gestures or wearing certain clothing (48%) or giving in to people who find themselves attempting to sell you something (33%).
Thirty-nine percent of respondents said that safety is all the time top of mind when traveling internationally.
The highest safety suggestions they’d offer are to be wary of your surroundings (39%), keep copies of essential documents in a protected place (29%) and research the security of your intended destination beforehand (21%).
Still, respondents can’t get enough of being abroad, with nearly half saying they plan on traveling before the top of 2023 (47%).
Six in ten (61%) are making it a goal to travel more internationally in 2024 than they did in 2023.
“It’s likely that more people shall be traveling in 2024, and with recent tourism policies being put in place to make sure sustainability in certain destinations, proper advance preparation is essential to having an enjoyable journey,” said Rutledge.
Suggestions for preparing for international travel
- Do ample research ahead of time — 39%
- Make copies of essential documents — 37%
- Share your itinerary with family members — 30%
- Keep an open mind to the culture — 30%
- Purchase travel insurance — 30%
Top things to avoid when traveling internationally
- Engaging in potentially offensive behavior — 48%
- Giving in to people who find themselves attempting to sell you something — 33%
- Waiting until the last minute to pack — 29%
- Dressing flashily — 25%
- Tiring yourself out too quickly — 22%


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Skycam launches new website
French helicopter charter company Skycam has launched a new website, making it easier for users to view and book flight routes and helicopter services.
The website homepage now features a large interactive map that shows users landing spots, the distance between available destinations and the time taken for each flight.
There is now a dedicated news section detailing the latest company announcements and a fleet page, which provides pictures and specifications of each helicopter in Skycam’s fleet.
Halima Khelifi, commercial director of Skycam, said: “Skycam, the sister company of Monacair, was in need of a refreshed online image and we are extremely proud of the new website. It has given Skycam the bold image it deserves, being the leading helicopter charter company in France.”


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Agriculture: 2017 aldobas insect eradication, palms Iraq produced 670 thousand tons o
Agriculture: 2017 aldobas insect eradication, palms Iraq produced 670 thousand tons of dates
Tue, 20 Sep 2016 10:37:19
The Ministry of agriculture confirmed Tuesday that next year would see the Elimination of aldupas bug affecting palms, explained that Iraq's production of dates reached 670 thousand tonnes per year, with the private sector need dates processing and packaged before export.
He said the Ministry's technical agent Mahdi Ligature Qaisi reporters, that "rising export Iraqi dates out back for the Ministry's success in combating the scourge of aldobas settlement in Palm trees since 1922 until 2014 by spraying the trees in spring and autumn with botanical extracts and environmentally friendly pesticides and thus be improved and production of Palm and its fruit", "eliminate the scourge of aldobas over the next year."
He said kaissi, the Palm Setup started to rise and an appetite for expansion on this national wealth and that there are some investors want to create palm groves, "Noting that" Iraq's production of dates ranging from 650-670 thousand tons annually in 2015. "
Qaisi asked the private sector to "intensify its efforts in the field of dates that are not exported without packaging, to avoid exporting Iraqi dates with the names of other countries working to fill", stating that "productive process however, peasant and farmer and investor, while the Ministry Advisory and research and service operations.
The Ministry of Agriculture announced in 2010 on developing a strategic plan for the next 10 years to reach the 30 million palm cultivation in all Iraqi provinces.
Aldupas bug affecting the Palm trees, suck plant juices side green turns to yellow, so say the metabolism, they secrete a sticky pin it be middle ground suitable for the growth of mold and fungus, which weakens the growth side and may lead to death, adding that citrus trees grown under palm trees are also affected by this disease.
Palm trees are also to Humera bug that attack fruits in the first growth stage as well as at some point (defects) and unripe dates, added to the stage (wet) and the ripe dates.


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The phone includes a picture of Putin's head surrounded by his full name, the emblem of Russia and a line from the national anthem.» Read More
CNBC's Phil LeBeau reports from Spartanburg, S.C., where BMW has expanded its plant to meet the rising demand for "Made in America" luxury vehicles.
Discussing the luxury retail market and how to play big names in the space, with Stacey Widlitz, SW Retail Advisors, and Mary Epner, Mary Epner Retail Analysis principal.
It's the guys turn in the trillion dollar luxury industry. CNBC's Robert Frank explains the rise of the "YUMMY.'
A new report suggests that future growth for luxury will come from a new consumer. They're called YUMMY's—Young Urban Males.
Breaking down Tiffany's quarterly earnings and the state of the luxury consumer, with Edward Yruma, KeyBanc Capital Markets Retail analyst.
CNBC's Jim Cramer shares his thoughts on Tiffany who reported weaker-than-expected earnings and the hot IPO market.
Tiffany reported a loss in the fourth quarter, due primarily to losing an arbitration ruling involving The Swatch Group.
Arrigo Berni, CEO of Moleskine, says the impact on the crackdown on luxury lifestyles in China on the company is unknown yet, but he is confident about Moleskine's future in the world's second-largest economy.
Nightlife proprietor Scott Gerber, Gerber Group Principal and CEO, discusses the opening of his new rooftop bar at the Viceroy Hotel in New York City. Gerber also weighs in on spirits versus beer.
Rahul Sharma, founder and managing director at Neev Capital, says Morrisons is losing out to discount grocers and is late to come to the online market.
Talbott Teas found success on "Shark Tank." Its founder Shane Talbott explains what makes his tea special, and how "Shark Tank" came just at the right time.
Allegra Perry, managing director at Cantor Fitzgerald, says currency movements have had a negative effect on luxury brands' earnings.
CNBC Retail Analyst Stacey Widlitz, says retailers will see a slowdown in mainland China as more Chinese are traveling overseas and purchasing abroad.
Oliver Chen, Citi retailing analyst, explains what factors are going to take Tiffany shares higher. "The affluent consumer tended to do well in the S&P in 2013," he explains.
Luxury stocks fell after Russia's invasion of Crimea raised the risk that European governments could impose visa restrictions on Russian shoppers.
Sotheby's auctioned the "pink star diamond" for $83 million in November. CNBC's Robert Frank reports the original buyer cannot pay, so Sotheby's is now the owner.
Nick Debnam, Asia pacific Chairman, Consumer Markets for KPMG China explains why China's e-commerce market will soon overtake that of the U.S.
Veronica Voronina, founder of The Anonymous, discusses the growing demand for concierges from wealthy entrepreneurs in Russia and Brazil.
CNBC's Robert Frank provides insight into some of the most wealthiest politicians and Oligarchs in Ukraine.
Gucci could be losing its luster, after reporting fourth quarter stagnating sales growth on Friday, amid a slowdown in Asia.


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Warning letters have been issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to 4 companies illegally selling honey-based products containing undeclared ingredients, including active drug ingredients such as tadalafil and sildenafil.
According to the FDA, the warning letters were issued to Thirstyrun LLC (also known as US Royal Honey LLC), MKS Enterprise LLC, Shopaax.com, and 1am USA Incorporated dba Pleasure Products USA. The Companies are in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as products marketed as foods, like honey, were being marketed with unauthorized claims to treat a disease or improve health.
The products were being promoted and sold for sexual enhancement on various websites and online marketplaces, and possibly in some retail stores. The letters also cited that certain products were represented as dietary supplements, even though the presence of tadalafil and sildenafil excludes them from the dietary supplement definition.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are both phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. These drugs may potentiate the hypotensive effects of nitrates; administration to patients who are using nitric oxide donors such as organic nitrates or organic nitrites in any form either regularly and/or intermittently is contraindicated. Additionally, these drugs can potentiate the hypotensive effects of alpha blockers and antihypertensive medications.
“Tainted honey-based products like these are dangerous because consumers are likely unaware of the risks associated with the hidden prescription drug ingredients in these products and how they may interact with other drugs and supplements they may take,” said FDA Associate Commissioner for Regulatory Affairs Judy McMeekin, PharmD, “We encourage consumers to remain vigilant when shopping online or in stores to avoid purchasing products that put their health at risk, and instead seek effective, FDA-approved treatments.”
FDA warns four companies for selling tainted honey-based products with hidden active drug ingredients. News release. US Food and Drug Administration. Accessed July 12, 2022. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-warns-four-companies-selling-tainted-honey-based-products-hidden-active-drug-ingredients
This article originally appeared on MPR


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Few sectors have been hit harder by the coronavirus pandemic than travel thus far. Coming into its third-quarter report, its third update during the crisis, Trivago (TRVG -4.00%) investors may have been looking for signs of an inflection point, following a dismal second quarter. The stock popped briefly earlier this week after the company released solid third-quarter earnings numbers as shares opened 12.6% higher. However, the hotel-booking specialist quickly gave up most of those gains, though it was unclear why.
Revenue in the quarter tumbled 76% to $70.9 billion, which missed estimates at $81.9 million. But in a difficult environment, the company managed to deliver positive adjusted EBITDA of 6.1 million euros, down from 11.3 million euros in the quarter a year ago. That result shows the flexibility in the company's business model, as the online travel agency significantly scaled down marketing spending, essentially cutting its TV ads everywhere except Europe. This, along with 20 million euros in cost cuts around a restructuring earlier in the year, helped deliver the adjusted EBITDA profit.
On a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis, the company had a net loss of 2.3 million euros, or $0.01 per share, ahead of estimates of a loss of $0.03 per share.
Trivago saw some traction in the quarter in Europe. Travel on the other side of the Atlantic was stronger than expected, as coronavirus cases were low over the summer, which helped interest in local travel to nature destinations. However, rising COVID cases in October have dampened the recovery in Europe. With demand falling in its home market, Trivago now expects negative EBTIDA for the fourth quarter.
Elsewhere, results have been mixed. The Americas have trended favorably since August with a recovery in the U.S. and Latin America, and Brazil is looking relatively strong heading into summer in the Southern Hemisphere. In its Rest of the World segment, which includes mostly Asia, demand in Southeast Asia has been trailing off, while Australia, India, and Japan are experiencing a recovery.
With COVID cases rising in much of the Northern Hemisphere, Trivago will continue to face some challenging months ahead, but the company expects a recovery by the second half of 2021. There is likely to be substantial progress in containing the pandemic by then, either from a vaccine or treatments, which should unleash pent-up demand for travel as the company began to experience in Europe this summer.
The recovery case
Trivago shares are down 50% year to date, underperforming its best-known online travel agency peers, including Booking Holdings, Expedia, and TripAdvisor. That alone gives Trivago a chance to double if the stock can return just to pre-pandemic levels, and the company has demonstrated its ability to scale the business up and down according to demand. It was able to deliver an adjusted EBITDA profit during the third quarter, and only saw its cash balance decline by 2.3 million euros.
However, the company hasn't been sitting still during the pandemic either. It's made a number of changes and improvements that should put it on a better footing in a post-COVID environment. It's introduced a local discovery option for travelers who are looking to find accommodations options nearby, but don't know exactly where they want to go.
Trivago also trimmed fixed costs in marketing and general and administrative that should make it more profitable when it returns to full health, and it's introduced a cost-per-acquisition (CPA) model for advertisers on its platform, helping them align their spending on Trivago with their returns as they'll pay for actual bookings, rather than just clicks.
CFO Matthias Tillman said in an interview that CPA was something that its bidding partners had been asking for, and it should help increase customer retention over a long time and align its customers' interests with Trivago. The company has also continued to expand its alternative accommodations listing and now has 3.8 million, giving travelers plenty of options other than hotels.
In addition to those drivers, the company could also see less competition from Alphabet's Google, which is under antitrust scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe. That could open up more demand for traditional online travel agencies like Trivago and its peers.
In the five years since its IPO, Trivago has mostly been a disappointment. In fact, the travel stock is now down nearly 90% since its IPO, but the challenges from the pandemic will eventually fade. Trivago has made a number of changes to create a stronger, more streamlined business, and if it can deliver results that back that up in another year or two, the stock could easily double or triple from here.


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From: Timber Trade Federation (TTF)
A joint market statement from the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI) and Swedish Wood, points to a likely easing of supply tension in the timber market as the pandemic eases.
With timber prices having accelerated in 2021 amidst skyrocketing demand, there has been concern how this will affect the thousands of businesses which timber supports. Structural softwood, a product which has seen significant price rises, is an essential material to timber frame, a commonly used low-carbon modern method of construction using high-tech manufacturing.
By partnering with Swedish Wood, who represent the largest exporters of structural softwood to the UK, the CTI is seeking to provide a complete picture from forest through to end users. Drawing on a wide array of data (cited in the report), the market statement seeks to help generate a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between supply, demand, and prices in timber.
Key insights from the report include:
Demand is on the rise: Overall construction activity is expanding at the fastest pace since June 1997. Timber and joinery sales alone were up 30.5% in Q1 2020 on Q1 2019, and construction output set to grow 12.9% in 2021.
Record amounts of softwood are being imported: The cumulative volume of softwood imported into the UK between January and April was 2,678,000m³. This was a 50.6% increase on 2020 and a 17.2% increase on 2019.
Timber frame is projected for significant growth: While timber frame may see a short-term impact from the current market tension, the outlook remains strong with both the market size and share to grow for timber frame.
It is highly likely the market will soon stabilise: Market analysis shows the current price increases are far outside the bounds of normal levels over the past 13 years, suggesting a price correction is very likely to follow.
“There have been a number of misunderstandings within the market about how supply, demand and price interact, now we hope with this report to provide greater clarity. Overall construction activity has expanded at the fastest pace in 24 years, and with double digit growth for the construction industry predicted in 2021 there will be challenges.
Demand growing this quickly amidst a global pandemic has given little time to recover, or ramp up production, and this has been seen throughout the construction products industry. The response of the supply chain to meet this demand has been incredible, with the UK importing 50% more softwood between January and April 2021 as compared to last year.
We are optimistic that the current extremes will abate in the not-too-distant future, and we will return to a more recognisable balance between demand and supply. Today with this report we reaffirm the value proposition of timber, as the only mainstream, renewable, and low-carbon building material, and as essential to the UK solving the housing, climate and biodiversity crises.
Another great bit of news: Nick Boulton reveals we have for the first time seen a public confirmation from MHCLG that CE marking will continue to be recognised after 1 January 2022. This is important because it increases the potential pool of supplies available to importers in future, which helps to ease the current supply issues.


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A Highlands and Islands MSP has sought answers from SNP chiefs on “unbelievable” proposals for a new whisky tax.
It has been reported that senior representatives within the party want to impose a fresh levy on the whisky industry to raise funds for the public purse.
The suggestion will be considered by the SNP at its October conference.
However, Scottish Conservative MSP Donald Cameron has appealed to Deputy First Minister John Swinney to rule out the move.
He said the move would be “damaging” and was causing anxiety to a sector which is already dealing with significant challenges.
Scottish Conservative Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron said:
“This measure would be extremely damaging to the Scotch whisky industry, particularly at a time when the industry is recovering following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Thousands of people are directly employed by the sector, including in Argyll and Bute, the Highlands and the Western Isles.
“Last year it provided £5.5 billion of GVA to the UK economy and accounted for three-quarters of Scottish food and drink exports.
“With all that in mind, and considering the amount of tax that Scotch whisky already accounts for, I find it unbelievable that such a policy would be proposed by senior SNP representatives.
“People need to know if the SNP-Green government supports this damaging and reckless measure and, if not, will want to see senior figures publicly condemn it ahead of the conference.”