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LONDON—Once, it was called "Yankee ingenuity." Now the phrase that best captures the quick-witted, on-the-fly ability to solve problems with minimal resources comes from the Hindi word for a clever, improvised solution, says Jaideep Prabhu, professor at the University of Cambridge's Judge Business School.
"Jugaad Innovation" is the name of the new book Dr. Prabhu co-authored with Navi Radjou, a California-based consultant and Judge school fellow, and Simone Ahuja, whose Minneapolis-based company Blood Orange produced a television series on social change in India. Businesses in the rich Western world, they argue, have lost their innovative edge, while entrepreneurs in India and other developing countries are finding opportunities in scarcity and coming up with smart ways to make more from less.
The three say the West, once the unchallenged leader in business innovation, can learn a lot from emerging economies. Indeed, as tough times and unpredictable conditions roil the once-stable developed world, they will have little choice but to do so, Dr. Prabhu and his colleagues argue.
The three began studying entrepreneurs in India and other developing-world nations together several years ago. Quickly, "it became very clear to us that there was something very interesting happening from the perspective of innovation," says Dr. Prabhu, who was born in India, earned a business doctorate at the University of Southern California and runs the Judge School's Centre for India and Global Business.
He says it's a form of the old frontier mentality: "You live by your wits and what you have around you, and then you figure something out."
Innovation in the developing world happens differently than in the pristine research and development labs of wealthy countries, Dr. Prabhu said in an interview. Scarcity forces people to be resourceful; chaotic, unpredictable conditions demand flexibility; and modern interconnectivity allows ideas to percolate from the bottom up.
The other principles of jugaad innovation include seeing opportunity in adversity, keeping solutions simple and focusing on the needs of marginal, underserved customers, not as objects of charity but as a market with big potential for growth. Jugaad innovators grab at frugal, off-the-shelf solutions, figuring out how to use existing technologies to fill unmet demands, rather than coming up with expensive new ideas and then searching for a way to use them.
Jugaad thinking, the authors write, "isn't about seeking sophistication or perfection by over-engineering products, but rather about developing a 'good enough' solution that gets the job done."
The book, published in early spring in Britain and America and this month in India, is full of examples of grass-roots entrepreneurs building successful, socially useful businesses with little more than their wits.
Kanak Das, a villager in northeast India, designed a bicycle that converts the shocks of bouncing through potholes into acceleration energy that propels it forward more quickly. Rural potter Mansukh Prajapati built the Mitticool, a clay refrigerator that keeps food cool for three to five days through evaporation, using no electricity and biodegrading at the end of its useful life.
Sometimes the innovations take the form of a smart business model rather than a new product. In Mexico, Dr. Prabhu says, Optima Energia SA had little success selling solar panels to hotels and other businesses, but grew spectacularly after founder Enrique Gomez Junco came up with the idea of financing the installation and having clients gradually pay back the investment with their energy savings.
Jugaad innovation doesn't happen only in remote villages, Dr. Prabhu says. Developing-world corporations like India's Tata Motors Ltd., whose Nano car sells for less than $3,000, have also found ways to cut costs dramatically.
Western corporations, particularly those that operate in emerging markets, are beginning to catch on too, and embracing the idea of "radical affordability," Dr. Prabhu says. He cites GE Healthcare's MAC 400 portable electrocardiogram machine, designed for the Indian market and sold for a fraction of the price of its more traditional equivalent. Stripped of all but the essentials, it runs on batteries and borrows technology from existing sources, like a printer similar to one used for bus tickets.
"It was cutting and pasting, just like what Indian and Chinese companies were doing," Dr. Prabhu says.
Traditionally, most Western companies kept R&D labs at home even as they moved back-office and manufacturing functions overseas. In the middle of the last decade, though, that changed as big multinationals began opening R&D offices in developing nations, Dr. Prabhu says.
That has helped many to pick up on the jugaad approach. Dr. Prabhu and his colleagues list 3M Co. nd and PepsiCo Inc. among the big Western corporations that have embraced improvised, frugal thinking.
Once, America was the foremost practitioner of the approach. Benjamin Franklin, the writers say, was a classic jugaad innovator, coming up with simple but revolutionary ideas like the lightning rod, bifocal glasses and the Franklin stove, which used simple principles to produce more heat and less smoke than an open fireplace.
With increasing prosperity, though, Americans lost their groove. As in other Western nations, the U.S. approach to innovation became highly structured and confined to elite teams of engineers who sometimes lost touch with what people really needed, Dr. Prabhu says.
Western companies' innovative edge, Dr. Prabhu and his co-authors argue, has been a victim of abundance. Engineers add a never-ending stream of new features to products rather than focusing on simplicity and affordability, attributes that are increasingly attractive to consumers. Even sales structures serve as a prod toward flashier, more expensive products, since salespeople earning commissions or working toward performance targets are often reluctant to talk up cheaper alternatives, the writers say.
They also believe that the popular, data-driven Six Sigma management philosophy, which focuses on perfecting manufacturing processes and removing variability, has been too widely applied to research and development, creating an inflexible, overly homogenizing approach that stifles new ideas.
"If this condition of dysfunction continues much longer," the writers say, "there is a risk that it will cripple the West even as it emerges from tough economic times and seeks to grow."
Companies must retool quickly if they are to survive what the authors see as a coming age of scarcity, brought on by declines in middle-class spending power in the U.S. and other rich nations, plus competition from developing-world companies and growing world demand for natural resources.
The jugaad idea, Dr. Prabhu believes, can help re-energize individual firms and even entire economic sectors, including health care, energy, manufacturing and financial services. He and his colleagues say jugaad innovators are already springing up in wealthy countries, including the U.S.
"Young people are doing this, with social media and 3D printing, it's a DIY movement," he says. "I also think it's a shift in values" as more would-be businesspeople focus on running their own businesses and reaching out to those on society's margins.
Smart companies are getting ahead of the curve, too, and Dr. Prabhu says there are many examples of jugaad thinking in corporate America. He cites Procter & Gamble Co.'s extensive use of social media for market research, which allows it to weed out unprofitable ideas quickly and focus resources on the most popular ones. P&G has also increased its focus on low-income customers, embracing the jugaad idea of looking to the margins.
The authors say Apple Inc.'s Steve Jobs, with his famed ability to give consumers what they didn't realize they needed, embodied another jugaad principle: following your intuition. The tech giant's designs also demonstrate the appeal of the jugaad virtue of simplicity.
Business schools can help spread the idea of frugal, flexible thinking, Dr. Prabhu believes. He and his co-authors blog on the Harvard Business Review website, and he points to a course at Stanford University's business and design schools on creating extremely affordable products.
Dr. Prabhu emphasizes that jugaad thinking should be a complement to, not a substitute for, the West's existing approach to innovation. With advantages like developed infrastructure, educated workers and the ability to manufacture and distribute at scale, taking innovative inspiration from poorer countries could give rich-world economies a big boost, he believes.
"We have to bring (jugaad thinking) back to the West," Dr. Prabhu says. "Or else those emerging Indian and Chinese companies will start eating our lunch in the West with good enough, frugal solutions."
Write to Beth Gardiner at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Authentic Brands Buys Judith Leiber, Taryn Rose and Adrienne Vittadini
reported WWD. "I've tried to buy all three brands three times," Salter told WWD in an exclusive interview at the company's 33rd Street offices in Manhattan Wednesday morning. "But Jay Schottenstein, chairman of Schottenstein Stores Corp., is an incredibly tough negotiator. We finally came up with a plan that would work by giving him a silent minority share."Salter and Nick Woodhouse, president and chief marketing officer of Authentic Brands, has ambitious growth plans for all three labels. But Judith Leiber is the with the most potential in their eyes."That's the prize," said Salter. "The jewel," Woodhouse agreed."We really believe in it," Salter said. "It's a brand with a huge history in the luxury space. It's nontarnished, and we are very comfortable that we'll be able to build on that around the world."
Audrius Krulis Jewelry Debuts The Sunfall Collection
That Woman! by Marlo Thomas to Launch Exclusively at HSN
H&M LAUNCHES ONLINE STORE IN CANADA
Perry Ellis International Announces Bed and Bath Collection for Laundry
Celine Dion Partners with Epic Rights to Develop Her First Branded Lifestyle Collection
Sephora Partners with Madamenoire for 'Curls Run The World' Natural Hair Product Campaign

domain: news


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A young Scottish amputee will star in campaigns for top fashion brands after signing up with a modeling agency.
Glasgow’s Iona Hay has posed for big designers and big names in the few months since she was discovered by Zebedee Management in November.
Diagnosis of brunette beauty osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in 2008 led to her leg amputated when she was only six years old.
Now, at the age of 18, Iona is taking the modeling world by storm and hopes to show other amputees “the beauty of their prosthetic limbs” and why “it’s important to be safe”.
She vowed to keep the upcoming campaigns a secret, joking that a well-known luxury fashion brand and two high street giants have snapped her up.
The fashion student told the Record: “The last few weeks have been incredible and a total whirlwind.
“I have to pinch myself and often think, ‘this can’t be real’, that’s crazy.
“Inclusiveness is so paramount in the fashion industry right now, we need to see everyone represented and I’m so happy to be a part of it.”
Pushing the Limits is part of the course for the brave Iona who has excelled in gymnastics, skiing and philanthropy since her leg was amputated.
His cancer diagnosis came just a year after his mother, Fiona Dolan, died of a brain tumor at the age of 36.
Fiona, an ophthalmologist, tragically died in December 2007 after being diagnosed with cancer in April of that year.
No one is prouder of Iona than her family; dad Steven, 50, his twin, Niamh, the brothers Hamish, 23, and Peadar, 21, along with stepmother Gillian and eight-year-old twins René and Matilda.
Iona admits Dad Steven wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when she first took the plunge and ran for Zebedee; a specialized agency that signs less represented talent including people with disabilities.
“My parents told me to do it when I applied in August,” Iona added.
“But I don’t think they knew what would be involved.
“Now I’m really supportive and always support everything I do.”
Iona moved to Edinburgh to study a BA in Fashion Design in September and says she wants to make clothes with amputees in mind.
“Designing for those with prosthetic limbs is so important to me,” he said.
“I want everyone to be represented if I were to become a stylist, this is the dream.
“Modeling has given me an amazing behind-the-scenes insight.
“I want to show that it can be achieved with prosthetic limbs, I didn’t get that representation in the media growing up.
“The experience has been insane so far and I hope it inspires others.”
Visit the Zebedee Management website, call the UK team on 0207 993 8530 or email email@example.com for more information.
For assistance and advice on diagnosing and treating bone cancer, visit the NHS information page.
Don’t miss the latest news from across Scotland and beyond – Sign up for our daily newsletter here .


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The fashion industry may have a long-standing tendency to exclude certain groups and cultures, but more and more we’re seeing this change as people begin challenging the status quo. Now the transsexual community is getting a voice with a new style publication. Billed as “the first transversal fashion magazine,” Candy has just debuted its premiere issue in a limited-edition circulation of only 1,000 copies. The indie publication doesn’t reveal too much through its main online information source, a Facebook fan page, but its official statement explains that the mag is “completely dedicated to celebrating transvestism, transexuality, cross dressing and androgyny, in all its manifestations … CANDY is a magazine for everybody. A space for individual freedom, and a publication that pushes people to take on the persona of what they always wanted to be.”
Check out the amazing behind-the-scenes video of the cover shoot of some seriously made-up drag queens, after the jump! Now we’re dying to know more. Where can we get our hands on a copy?
Original by: Leonora Epstein


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The latest additions to the list of exhibits at next week’s CES 2018 are LG’s three new concept robots that are meant for commercial use in restaurants, airports, and marts. The new robots are an extensive part of the company’s one-year-old robot lineup and the freshest highlights of its leading robotics technology.
These robots are also parts of CLOi (pronounced KLOH-ee), LG’s new robot brand. They are Serving Robot, Porter Robot, and Shopping Cart Robot. The CLOi family includes Lawn Mowing Robot and Hub Robot as well, and the duo took part in a recent trial at one of the largest financial institutions of Korea.
Speaking of trial runs of the LG robots, the new Shopping Cart Robot is quite similar to the Airport Guude Robot and Airport Cleaning Robot, which recently went through successful trial runs at the Incheon International Airport. The Shopping Cart Robot lets customers scan items via a barcode reader on itself for viewing product prices and the entire shopping list on its face. It can guide shoppers to products that they select the related smartphone app.
The Serving Robot delivers ‘meals and drinks to guests and customers at hotels and airport lounges.’ It has a built-in sliding tray that can be easily removed after serving. After each delivery is confirmed, the robot comes back on its own.
Last but not least in LG’s list of new work robots is the Porter Robot that delivers luggage to rooms for guests. It can further handle check-in and check-out services and even takes care of payment processes.
LG revealed that the CLOi robots would be further developed along with the ThinQ products. CLOi is the company’s brand that aims at delivering ‘both emotional interaction and innovative convenience to customers utilizing AI technology.’ ThinQ, on the other hand, is LG’s AI brand focusing on ‘consumer electronics and home appliances.’
Ryu Hye-Jung, the head of LG’s Home Appliance and Air Solutions Company, said: “As an important part of our future growth engine, LG is committed to expanding its portfolio of robots that can deliver real convenience and innovation in our customers’ lives. We will continue to develop a wide range of products across commercial and home robots while seeking new opportunities to contribute to the advancement of the robotics industry.”
The efficiency of the new robots in delivering fast and accurate performances and bringing convenience to the busiest consumers only echo the dedication approaches of LG in robotics in terms of the future, as per reports received!
While we are on our toe to serve you hot the next update on LG robotics, why don’t you drop your thoughts in comments below on how the robots are making things more convenient for us! Anyone out there who wants to debate on possibilities that robots may as well evolve to have their own minds and be Frankensteins in an unforeseeable future? Will that unknown future of mankind receive reflections from fictions that we treasure as forms of art?


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Over the past few weeks, there has been constant news that Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra will replace the Galaxy Note family.Today's whistleblower Chunvn8888 revealed that the Galaxy S22 Ultra may be officially known as the Galaxy Note22 Ultra, based on the company's new naming rules.
Samsung is considering a new naming scheme for the upcoming S22 series, according to the source. With the implementation of the new scheme, the Galaxy S22 Plus becomes the S22 Pro and the S22 Ultra becomes the Note22 Ultra. While Samsung has yet to decide on a new naming scheme because it is still under discussion, channel source Chunvn8888 expects the company to adopt a new naming system.
Previous rumors have suggested that the S22 Ultra will support S Pen and will also have a dedicated pen slot. In addition, S Pen will be bundled with galaxy S22 Ultra smartphones. In other words, the S22 Ultra will resemble the Note series, which some experts believe is behind the move to move away from a dual-phone strategy and focus more on collapsible devices. So even if Samsung sticks to the old naming scheme, the company may be able to promote the S22 Ultra as a replacement for the Note series.
If the rumors are true, the upcoming Galaxy S22 series will feature exynos 2200 chipsets with AMD Mobile Radeon GPUs and RDNA2 graphics. Rumor has also been circulating that it will have three camera settings -- a 50-megapixel main camera, an ultra-wide-angle camera, and a telephoto camera with three times the optical zoom. Ultra is expected to provide a 108-megapixel primary camera. Other features include a 120Hz display, stereo speakers, fast charging, wireless charging, and water resistance.


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It’s no surprise by now that most consumers grip their smartphones tightly when walking around the local shops. Around 82 percent of American shoppers turn to their smartphones to make purchasing decisions and in our world of connectivity, WiFi is all but expected by New Zealand customers at the mall. So how can retailers provide this service, gather insights and not come across as too creepy either?rn
Aerohive is a provider of WiFi network solutions which currently services Auckland’s NorthWest Shopping Centre, among other New Zealand stores and malls. The Stride Property-owned mall has almost 100 retail stores, and uses data harvested from Aerohive’s services to track customer numbers and movement for an unobtrusive way of gaining market insight.
Regional sales director for Aerohive Rhys Taylor says this data is made possible because smartphones are “promiscuous devices”, which constantly seek WiFi, bombarding internet access points as their owners walk around. When they come across NorthWest’s WiFi the access point receives the phone’s unique media access control (MAC) address, a unique identifier, irrelevant of whether the device connects. This information cannot be traced back to an ID and the identifier is encrypted before it is analysed.
“It’s like counting car registrations,” says Taylor. The mall can see when a specific “rego” comes back to the mall, but does not know who the owner of the phone is. The numbers provide the hard data on the number of consumers, repeat visits and dwell time spent so the mall can measure the success of various mall elements, including layout and promotion. It helps give a bigger picture, as opposed to sales data from checkout, and with a flexible scale Aerohive can make the data as granular, down to shop level, or as general as needed.
“We were looking to provide point of differentiation by deploying state of the art technology to deliver unrivalled facilities to retailers and an enhanced shopping experience for customers in store,” says Stride Property’s senior marketing manager, Linh Luong. “Through data analytics, we were able to capture data on how shoppers spend their time and where they visit.”
A general insight NorthWest found through Aerohive, in partnership with technology firm Intellium, was that 52 percent of shoppers were visiting for the first time, showing room for marketing growth. The mall opened in October 2015.
“This insight into consumer behaviour and business intelligence from Aerohive is one of the reasons wireless networking is now our fastest growing product suite at Intellium,” says Mark Taylor, sales director at Intellium.
The development of iBeacons has also driven demand by retailers for store-developed apps, allowing push notifications to be sent to consumers to offer special promotions and information, perhaps reminding them to get nappies or letting them know they have a unique discount for the drink bottle they like. Although American shoppers seem willing to engage in these real-time iBeacon interaction and discounts, Taylor says brands still need to weigh up if these apps are worth the effort, especially in Australasia.
“Every market has its own characteristics,” he says. “We are private people on this side of the world.”
When Aerohive began working with The Warehouse Group, the large retailer’s own research showed New Zealanders’ were behind international consumers in their techno shopping habits.
One international fast food chain Aerohive works with chooses to record visits at all their stores by simple people counting, to understand specific store needs, including for stores near offices or residential homes. Meanwhile, Aerohive found, almost by accident, that a leading women’s clothing retailer’s customers were less likely to wait for a changing room than for service – they’d wait up to 10 minutes for a changing room but would wait around 15 minutes to complete their purchase.
There are other ways to find insights without scaring off customers. Retailers who offer hotspots typically require user identification before WiFi is connected. By allowing customers to use existing social media credentials, including Facebook and Twitter accounts to log in, it’s a hassle-free process for customers that allows retail reports to be generated with more specific customer demographics. iBeacon deployed promotions can also be more discreet yet useful. For example, mall map apps can help customers at larger malls avoid getting lost.
Let’s not forget the branding and experiential benefits of providing your customers WiFi in store and around the mall. In its ‘Five Guidelines for Retailers’ publication, Aerohive says technology opens up exciting possibilities within retail, by providing opportunities to deliver better customer experiences and gain a competitive advantage by driving conversion, increasing spend and encouraging repeat visits and loyalty. Customers understandably like to have options and if they can compare prices online with store WiFi they are more likely to be feel empowered and satisfied with their end purchase.
Transformative retailers, which leverage their consumers’ online identities within their own physical stores can close the divide between the two method of shopping for a more enjoyable experience. As Taylor points out, a busy customer that can check their emails while in a queue can be a lot more pleasant to deal with and they may also be able to stick around the mall longer.
“Retail is the fastest growing market out there,” says Taylor. Businesses that want to keep up with the times are wise to invest in a system that can keep up with the pace, because at the end of the day: “We all want to be connected.”


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Manos Accelerator, Backed By Google, Hosts Demo Day for Latino Tech Startups at the Googleplex
Google-backed Manos Accelerator held its inaugural Demo Day last week, an affair that Google hosted at the Googleplex in Mountain View, California. Seven startups showed their stuff to a panel of Latin American entrepreneurs, technology experts, business leaders and, especially, venture capital.
Manos Accelerator, as Latinos Post reported previously, is a startup incubator for Latino entrepreneurs founded by Edward Avila, Sylvia Flores, and David Lopez, who happens to be Jennifer Lopez's father. Manos's mantra is "Dream Big, Believe More, Act Now," which it hopes to carry forward by developing the growth of Latino technology-related startups and foster entrepreneurial talent in the community.
The organization offers mentorship-driven programs to provide hands-on education on aspects of starting up one's own company, and with the help of sponsors like Google, it also provides business resources, infrastructure, capital, and guidance for Latino and Latina entrepreneurs hoping to launch a company or service.
Google supports Manos Accelerator as part of its initiative to foster diversity in the technology and startup business world, according to head of Google for Entrepreneurs Mary Grove. "Building communities is one of the core tenets of our mission," said Grove. "Google believes in accelerating diversity in entrepreneurship."
With less than one percent of venture-backed startups currently founded by Latinos, according to the San Jose-based Manos Accelerator, fostering a place to display some of the best of what Latino startups have to offer the tech world is essential. It also, of course, gives Google an early look at fresh ideas.
The first Demo Day for Manos Accelerator featured Latino and Latina-founded startups hoping to crack into high-tech business fields such as social media discovery, education technology, e-commerce, and cloud services.
"We definitely had it in mind to target Latino entrepreneurs in the high tech area," said Edward Avila, according to the Silicon Valley Business Journal. "If you look at entrepreneurship in general, a lot of Latinos are doing stuff in the space but they're more service oriented. We wanted to focus on high tech early-stage ventures."
Manos, according to Avila, wants to bring more attention to San Jose, where the startup accelerator operates. "San Jose may not be very sexy, but there's a buzz here," said Avila. "We're trying to create an environment that startups can launch in... when they get funded, they may go elsewhere but hopefully they establish roots in San Jose."
With seven strong teams for its first ever Demo Day, Manos Accelerator is off to a good start. "We're really happy with this first batch," said Avila. "We're hoping it leads to more in 2014."
The Manos Accelerator event, according to Forbes contributor Giovanni Rodriguez, featured touches of Hispanic culture - maracas, "Vino Latino," and "the United States of Hispanic Cupcakes dishes" and one unusual circumstance. "There were a lot of guys in blue," reported Rodriguez, referring to security personnel stationed for the event -apparently more than might seem appropriate for that kind of gathering, even given the number of influential or wealthy people in attendance.
Reportedly, a rumor that David's daughter (JLo, herself) might have appeared or was in the house might have triggered the extra security.
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A new Federal Trade Commission report, The FTC’s Merger Remedies 2006-2012: A Report of the Bureaus of Competition and Economics, finds that the agency’s process for maintaining competition when companies merge is generally effective.
“The report demonstrates that in the vast majority of cases the Commission’s remedies protect or restore competition. Divestitures of ongoing businesses are particularly successful. The study also provides valuable insight on how to improve the divestiture process,” said Maureen K. Ohlhausen, Acting Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission.
Some mergers raise competitive concerns in only a subset of the markets in which the merging parties operate. Consent decrees can often resolve those concerns by requiring companies to divest certain assets and take other action to protect competition.
The study examined 89 merger orders issued by the Commission between 2006 and 2012, including those requiring divestitures, as well as non-structural relief, to address anticompetitive effects. Staff used three methods to conduct the study. First, staff examined 50 orders using a case study method similar to that used in the Commission’s previous remedy study, issued in 1999. Staff then supplemented its findings by interviewing additional market participants and requiring significant competitors to submit seven years of relevant sales data. Second, staff evaluated an additional 15 orders affecting supermarkets, drug stores, funeral homes, dialysis clinics, and other health care facilities by examining responses to questionnaires directed to the Commission-approved divestiture buyers in the relevant transactions. Finally, staff evaluated 24 orders affecting the pharmaceutical industry using both internal information and publicly available data.
In analyzing the success of the 50 merger orders in the case study component, staff considered whether the remedy had maintained or restored competition in the relevant market. The study found that all of the divestitures involving an ongoing business succeeded. Most divestitures of limited packages of assets also succeeded, though they fared less well. Remedies addressing vertical mergers also achieved their remedial goals.
The study also examined the remedy process more generally. The study confirmed that the process by which the Commission designs and implements merger remedies is generally effective, but also identified certain areas the Commission could improve. Based on those findings, the FTC has developed best practices related to the merger remedy process.
The Commission voted 3-0 on January 19, 2017 to issue the report.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about how competition benefits consumers or file an antitrust complaint. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.
Office of Public Affairs
Daniel P. Ducore
Bureau of Competition


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Summary of the lead morning meeting:
It is reported that US GDP growth slowed to 2.1 per cent in the second quarter, higher than expected 1.8 per cent, thanks to better-than-expected consumer spending, but weak business investment and exports highlighted risks or supported the Fed's rate cut this week.
The Russian central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 7.25 per cent, in line with expectations, and said it could move to a neutral policy in the first half of 2020.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, from January to June, the total profits of industrial enterprises above scale nationwide totaled 2.984 trillion yuan, down 2.4 percent from the same period last year, an increase of 0.1 percentage points over the period from January to May; in June, the total profits of industrial enterprises above scale reached 601.92 billion yuan, down 3.1 percent from the same period last year, and 1.1 percent in May compared with the same period last year.
Recent attention: the leaders of China and the United States will meet in Shanghai, China, from 30 to 31 July to hold the 12th round of Sino-US high-level economic and trade consultations on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
Last week, spot lead prices continued to rise, terminal consumption improved slightly, but the purchase of storage enterprises is still more cautious, there is no plan to significantly improve the start-up rate, the overall transaction of the market is general; in terms of primary lead, refineries follow the pace of lead price rise, actively adjust discount shipment, but after a few days, refinery inventory pressure decreased, as of Friday, refinery bulk order mainstream quotation to SMM1# lead price discount 150 yuan / ton to 50 yuan / ton quotation; The holder of the trade market is also actively quoting and shipping, but the absolute price is limited compared with the quotation of the refinery bulk order, so the holder adjusts the discount shipment, but the transaction situation in the trade market is extremely depressed. As of Friday, the mainstream quotation of domestic lead ordinary brand is from 70 yuan / ton to 20 yuan / ton to 1908 contract discount of 70 yuan / ton to 20 yuan / ton. In the aspect of recycled lead, with the fluctuation of lead price, the production profit of refinery is more optimistic, but the supply of reduced lead market is becoming more and more tight due to the influence of environmental protection, and the reclaimed refined lead paste shows signs of narrowing. As of Friday, the mainstream quotation of recycled refined lead is 150 yuan / ton to 250yuan / ton of SMM1# lead average price.
In addition, last week, the total social inventory of lead ingots in the five places dropped by more than 1,000 tons to 38300 tons.
The high level of lead fell back, the upward momentum was blocked, but the upward trend did not change, the short-term may still be repeated, short-term attention to the flow of funds within the day; the high pressure of lead in Shanghai is prominent, the short-term pressure to go strong, although the recent fundamentals have improved slightly, but the current market logic is following the external market, the later opportunity can pay attention to the market after getting rid of the external disturbance;
The price of SMM1# lead is expected to fall by 100 to 150 yuan per ton today.


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Your WIRED daily briefing. Today, Tesla investors have approved the acquisition of SolarCity, and more.
Get WIRED Awake sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning by 8am. Click here to sign up to the WIRED Awake newsletter.
Tesla has announced that its acquisition of SolarCity is going ahead following an 86 per cent vote of approval from shareholders (Ars Technica). The merger means that the solar roof tiles Tesla recently unveiled can go into production, alongside the company's newest Powerwall home storage batteries. In its announcement, Tesla said that "we would like to thank our shareholders for continuing to support our vision for the future. We look forward to showing the world what Tesla and SolarCity can achieve together."
Scientists have successfully genetically modified an experimental crop to produce a 15 per cent higher yield by speeding up the process that allows plants to adjust to protect themselves from excessive UV in changing light conditions (BBC). This means that, when cloud cover reduces the amount of light hitting the plant, they rapidly switch back to absorbing all that energy, rather than continuing to dissipate some of it as heat. The team's paper detailed work carried out with a genetically modified tobacco crop, but lead researcher Prof Stephen Long of the University of Illinois and the University of Lancaster told the BBC that "we're now making this change in rice, in soy bean and wheat … Globally - rice, wheat, maize and soybean are the biggest crops. So if we could get the same increase in those, that would greatly alleviate what we see as the future pressure on food supply."
Professor Stephen Hawking has warned that our species will see its end within the next millennium unless we make it off Earth (Washington Post). Speaking at the Oxford Union debating society, the physicist said that "I don’t think we will survive another 1,000 years without escaping beyond our fragile planet," adding that the rate at which humanity is consuming the Earth's resources is accelerating our planet's demise. He urged continued research into space travel, describing it as essential for the future of humanity.
Russia has blocked access to LinkedIn after the social network failed to comply with data storage laws (WIRED). The US company becomes the first major website to be blocked by Russian authorities, but could soon be followed by Facebook and Twitter if they similarly fall foul of Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator. LinkedIn will be blocked by all Russian ISPs within 24 hours following a court ruling, according to the Interfax news agency. Russian law requires that websites store all personal data of Russian citizens on servers in Russia. While the law stipulating this was introduced in 2014, this is the first time it has been enforced.
Apple has at least partially acknowledged the existence of "touch disease", which affects the iPhone 6 Plus and causes its touchscreen to become unresponsive and flicker (Gizmodo). Apple is now offering reduced price repairs for affected phones, costing $150, saying that it has "determined that some iPhone 6 Plus devices may exhibit display flickering or Multi-Touch issues after being dropped multiple times on a hard surface and then incurring further stress on the device." Users who've already had repairs carried out at a higher cost will be refunded the difference and phones are covered for five years from their initial sale date.
SpaceX has requested approval to operate a huge satellite network that would beam high-speed internet across the globe (WIRED). According to documents filed with the US Federal Communications Commission, Elon Musk’s private space company is proposing the construction and launch of 4,425 satellites. Around 800 would launch to improve internet access in the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The full network would be sufficient to cover most of the Earth’s surface.
Bloomberg reports that Apple is hoping to equip the next generation of iPhones with Organic LED (OLED) displays far more vivid than current screen technology. However, suppliers "are still working to manufacture the displays in mass quantities", according to unnamed sources. Samsung is reportedly due to be Apple's sole supplier of screens next year, but may be unable to meet demand; LG, Sharp and Japan Display Inc. also produce the rich OLED screens, but supply issues may restrict the use of the displays to a single model or push the introduction of the technology back to 2018.
Oculus has announced that it'll be giving away a beta version of virtual reality art program Quill to coincide with the launch of its new Touch controllers (TechCrunch). Quill was developed to create animated VR movie Dear Angelica, and allows artists to use the Touch motion controllers to draw and edit images inside a virtual reality environment. Both the £189 controllers and Quill are due out on December 6.
Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima will finally get his Industry Icon Award at The Game Awards 2016, a year after his former employer Konami barred him from attending the ceremony (Kotaku). Awards host Geoff Keighley tweeted that Kojima is to receive his trophy live at the December 1 ceremony. Since leaving Konami, the developer has founded his own studio, Kojima Productions, and is currently working on Death Stranding.
The latest promotional trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story features the movie's cast and crew talking about their relationship with the film and the Star Wars franchise, and discussing the movie's place in the Star Wars universe (GameSpot). Interspersed with clips from the film, the featurette interviews stars Diego Luna and Felicity Jones, as well as director Gareth Edwards, who says that "If I'd known since I was four that I was going to be shooting a Star Wars film, I would have planned it all my life". Rogue One is out in cinemas on December 16.
Here at WIRED, we love products. Getting our hands on the latest gear from the design, automotive and technology worlds, and then championing the very best is part of our DNA. As we come to the end of each year we like to take stock of all the things WIRED has seen, and highlight some cool new items hot off the press. So what follows here is a concise edit of the finest products in the design, watch, sound and vision, rides, and sport and leisure categories that have crossed WIRED's radar in the last 12 months.
The nation’s favourite broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, returned to our screens recently with the launch of Planet Earth II. To celebrate Attenborough and the amazing work he has done over the years, BBC Earth is launching The Story of Life, an app featuring the largest-ever digital release of all his work. The app features more than 1,000 clips from Attenborough’s documentaries of the past 50 years, all in bitesize videos spanning three to seven minutes. You can watch Sir Attenborough’s crafted collections, such as beautiful 'birds of paradise', or search different species or habitats to find all the videos relating to that topic.


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3D printer manufacturer and service provider Titan Robotics has launched its largest pellet extrusion 3D printing system to date, the Atlas 3.6, at this year’s Formnext Connect.
Compatible with Titan’s Dual Pellet Extrusion and Hybrid Pellet + Filament Extrusion systems, the Atlas 3.6 features a build volume of 50″x50″x72″ and is capable of printing parts up to 6ft in height. According to the firm, Atlas 3.6 is one of the largest machines of its kind currently on the market.
The Atlas 3.6 is the latest addition to Titan’s Atlas line of industrial 3D printers, which utilize pellet extrusion technology to print directly with pellets instead of traditional filament. According to Titan, this technology increases throughput while reducing materials costs – up to 10 times compared to traditional 3D printing filaments – and also expands the range of materials that can be 3D printed.
Source: 3DPrinting Industry
Name of Author: Hayley Everett


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The state of New York is home to over 20 million people; with a staggering 9 million people living in the country’s largest city, New York City. The other sizable portions of the population reside in cities such as Rochester, Albany and Buffalo. As of 2014, the state’s $1.45 trillion economy ranked third in the nation. The economy of New York is fueled by strong real estate market and construction industry, fast growing tech sector and the banking and financial sector. New York City recently surpassed San Jose, the business hub of Silicon Valley as the top city for small business. On the overall, the state is home today home to over 2 million small business owners.
Every financial year, the state offers incentives targeting businesses that want to operate or expand in the area Tevfik Arif Doyen. Topping the list of inducements are tax incentives, innovation … Read more


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Having a baby? There's an app for that.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has introduced "Baby Time," an iPhone application for expectant parents. It includes a function to track the time between contractions; a quick-dial feature for the hospital and other important people the expectant couple might want to notify; directions to Vanderbilt, via Google Maps; and frequently-asked questions about labor, delivery and VUMC's policies and procedures.
The app is free and available through the iTunes app store.
"The idea is to help moms-to-be have a smoother labor and delivery experience," said Hannah Paramore, president of Paramore/Redd Online Marketing of Nashville, in a news release. "There are already apps out there to help moms with the general pregnancy process, but there was really nothing to help moms, or dads, with the actual labor and delivery process."
Evan Silverstein, who is now a VUMC resident but was just a medical student at the time, helped develop the app.
"The big picture is that Vanderbilt University Medical Center is in the mobile business now," said Jill Austin, MBA, assistant vice chancellor for Strategic Marketing and chief marketing officer for VUMC.
"We've launched a mobile website and key pieces of our website are available in the mobile format. The use of mobile devices is a growing trend and we are keeping track of how to get information into the hands of patients the way they want the information."
In an unscientific T-G web site poll, 27 percent of those responding say they will consider buying an iPhone from Verizon Wireless, which will begin offering Apple's popular smartphone next month. It was previously available only through AT&T Wireless. The vast majority of those potential buyers, 25.3 percent, are already Verizon customers.
Among those who aren't interested, 27.5 percent of total respondents say they don't want a smartphone at all.
"I don't know why they think everyone needs Internet on the phones," commented one user.
Another 10.7 percent would rather have an Android smartphone, 4.4 percent would rather have a Blackberry smartphone, half a percentage point would rather have a Windows smartphone and 14.3 percent say they don't want to change carriers. There were 15.7 percent who cited reasons not listed in our poll.
A total of 364 people voted in the poll. Voluntary, self-selected polls aren't considered scientific because there's no way to prove that the people who chose to participate represent a true cross-section of the target population.
According to a news story on the web site Ars Technica, California's Supreme Court ruled last week that police officers may search someone's mobile phone after arresting them, and don't need a warrant to do so. The court classified mobile phones with other personal belongings, such as wallets and cigarette packs, which can be routinely searched without a warrant as part of the arrest process.
However, if the phone or its data are password-protected, officers can't force arrestees to disclose the password.
--John I. Carney is city editor of the Times-Gazette and covers county government. He is also the author of the self-published novel "Soapstone." His personal web site is lakeneuron.com.


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Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement
Additional background information
The CIFTA entered into force on January 1, 1997, eliminating tariffs on all industrial products manufactured in Canada and Israel as well as a limited number of agricultural and fisheries products. Between 1999 and 2003, additional agricultural and agri-food tariff reductions on goods previously excluded from the Agreement were successfully negotiated. This included preferences for a number of Canada's top agricultural and agri-food exports to Israel. The CIFTA is a goods-only agreement.
On October 10, 2010, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, former Minister of International Trade, and his Israeli counterpart Binyamin Ben Eliezer, Israel's then Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour, announced that Canada and Israel were to undertake steps toward modernizing the existing Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA). The Ministers agreed that officials would start exploratory talks in order to work on moving beyond the original, first-generation trade agreement that is currently in place by significantly expanding its application. (See News Release: Harper Government Announces Exploratory Talks to Expand the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement)
Canada-Israel bilateral goods trade has more than doubled since CIFTA came into force, from $507.3 million in 1996 to $1.4 billion in 2012. Canada's consideration of whether and to what extent to expand the coverage of the CIFTA will take into account, inter alia, potential stakeholder interests through a public consultation process.
On January 21, 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel, announced the launch of negotiations to expand and modernize the CIFTA Agreement (See News Release: PM Launches Negotiations to Expand Free Trade with Israel).
Canada will seek to modernize existing chapters in the Agreement in the areas of market access for goods, rules of origin, institutional provisions and dispute settlement. Canada will also seek to negotiate new chapters in the areas of trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, intellectual property, e-commerce, labour and environment.
An expanded and modernized CIFTA would benefit Canadian companies by:
- Reducing or eliminating tariffs on agricultural and fish/seafood products;
- reducing technical barriers for trade;
- enhancing cooperation;
- increasing transparency in regulatory matters;
- reducing transaction costs; and,
- further enhancing Canada’s visibility in the Israeli market.
In October 2011, the Government of Canada sought Canadian views on an expanded and modernized CIFTA via a Canada Gazette Notice. Our Government continues to welcome comments and questions from interested stakeholders. More information can be found on the consultations page of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development website.
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ArsiaNews – The Ministry of Trade (Ministry of Trade) relaunched the 349th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2019. TEI is a proof and one of the Ministry of Trade’s commitments to sustainably increase exports and expand diversification of export markets.
The largest international scale trade exhibition in Indonesia is scheduled to take place on October 16-20, 2019 at the Indonesia Serpong Damai Convention Convention (BSE), Tangerang, Banten.
“The implementation of TEl is a barometer of Indonesia’s continuous image and export improvement,” said the Director General of the Ministry of Trade’s National Export Development (PEN), Arlinda, at the Ministry of Trade’s Office, Jakarta, Monday (25/2).
TEI aims to promote quality national products produced in Indonesia to the global market, develop business and investment networks, and present a display of Indonesia’s best and superior products. “For that, we must be able to improve the quality of the implementation of TEl so that it is better than before,” he continued.
Arlinda continued, TEI is also the largest business to business (B2B) meeting in Indonesia as well as a one stop business for buyers looking for high quality and competitive Indonesian products.
Carrying the theme ‘Moving Forward to Serve the World’, TEI 2019 is an opportunity for business people who want to find potential markets for national exports and foreign investors who are interested in developing their businesses in Indonesia.
TEl 2019 will showcase Indonesian products and services in the zones of potential and national superior products, including culinary products of the archipelago, superior local products, premium and creative products, manufacturing services and products, food and beverage products, as well as furniture and home decoration products. Each hall will be equipped with a buyer service area that is ready to provide services to buyers while they are at the exhibition site.
“We are optimistic that the 2019 TEI results will contribute significantly to Indonesia’s export performance, both short and long term,” continued Arlinda.
TEI 2018 posted transactions of USD 8.49 billion, up more than five times the target value of TEI 2018 transactions valued at USD 1.5 billion. TEI 2018 also recorded a total of 33,333 exhibition visitors from 132 countries.
The Indonesian non-oil and gas exports during 2018 reached USD 162.81 billion, an increase of 6.35 percent compared to 2017. This achievement successfully met the 2018 Government Work Plan (RKP) which is targeted at 5-7 percent.
“TEI is a display of Indonesian products. For this reason, we invite national businesses to participate in exhibiting their high-quality products and meeting international standards so as to attract buyers and prospective buyers to explore trade cooperation and conduct purchase transactions,” said Arlinda
Source : Merdeka.com


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Retail chains across the nation are temporarily closing their doors to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to do their part to encourage “social distancing.”
While many hoped to reopen by the end of March, continued shelter-in-place measures in the United States mean that many will stay shuttered indefinitely.
More than 100 retailers have closed storefronts, and dozens more have limited hours and partial closures.
»COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS
Here is the list as of Tuesday, April 7. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will continue to monitor and update as we hear of more.
- Abercrombie & Fitch: Stores will be temporarily closed until further notice.
- Adidas: Will remain closed, with stores to monitor closely.
- Allbirds: Stores remain closed. Reopenings will be evaluated regionally.
With the health of our retail employees and customers in mind, we have decided to keep our stores closed until it is safe to reopen. See below for an update from our Co-Founders. pic.twitter.com/YXcVLtBlql— Allbirds (@Allbirds) March 31, 2020
- American Eagle Outfitters and Aerie: Closed until further notice.
- Ann Taylor: All stores will be closed until April 11.
- Anthropologie: Closed until further notice.
- Apple: Apple closed retail stores early amid the virus' spread until further notice. It has an extensive FAQ about return policies and repairs.
- Athleta: All Gap Inc. stores will close temporarily starting March 19.
- AT&T: Additional AT&T stores across the nation are closing, with reduced hours 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. All stores will be closed Sundays. "We will keep at least one retail location open within a 20-mile radius in urban and suburban areas, and just over a 30-mile radius in rural areas," the company said. Stores open near you can be found at att.com/stores.
- Banana Republic: All Gap Inc. stores will close temporarily starting March 19.
- Bath & Body Works: Stores are closed. Parent company L Brands said it "is not currently able to predict the timing of store reopenings."
- Bed Bath & Beyond: All stores closed until further notice.
»MORE: Coronavirus: Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret storefronts shut down
- Belk: Closed, order online only.
- Best Buy: Stores are closed except for employees. Contactless curbside service is still available in some states, according to USA Today.
- Bloomingdale's: All locations are closed until further notice.
- Build-A-Bear: U.S. locations closed until further notice.
- Calvin Klein: All stores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Russia closed until further notice.
- Carter's: The retailer "expects to reopen its stores as local conditions permit."
- Chico's: Chico's closed March 17.
- Claire's: All stores remain temporarily closed.
- Coach: Closed until April 10.
- Columbia Sportswear: All stores will remain closed until further notice.
- Converse: Stores in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria are closed until further notice.
- Crate & Barrel: All stores closed, which started March 17.
- Crocs: Stores will be closed until further notice.
»MORE: Crocs is giving shoes to health care workers; how to get yours
- Dick's Sporting Goods: Retail stores remain closed, though curbside pickup is an option between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. seven days a week.
- Disney Stores: Disney stores closed March 17.
- DSW: DSW closed March 17 and is offering free shipping on everything on its website.
- Everlane: Everlane closed its brick-and-mortar stores, until the shelter-in-place mandate is lifted in California and New York.
- Five Below: After originally reducing hours, Five Below announced temporary retail store closures, targeting May 1 for reopening.
Due to ongoing developments related to COVID-19 & guidance from health experts & government officials, our stores will remain temporarily closed. We’re eager to reopen as soon as it’s safe, targeting 5/1 or earlier, if conditions change. We look fwd to seeing you in stores soon. pic.twitter.com/cdMpUskiXd— Five Below (@fivebelow) March 31, 2020
- Footlocker: Closed through April 11 for North American locations.
- Forever 21: Retail stores closed until further notice.
- Fossil: Stores closed and "will reopen as soon as it is safe for our employees, guests, and the communities in which we serve."
- Free People: The stores closed March 15 until further notice.
- GameStop: All storefronts closed, but company will process orders on a digital-only basis, with curbside pickup at stores and delivery.
- Gap: All Gap locations are closed temporarily starting March 19.
Gap Inc. and Gap Foundation continue to find ways to support communities in need and the heroes on the front lines. pic.twitter.com/S5n0udfypR— Gap Inc. (@GapInc) March 27, 2020
- Glossier: Glossier closed permanent and temporary retail locations for at least two weeks, as well as delaying the opening of its newest Arizona location.
- Guess: Closed until further notice.
- H&M: All stores will be closed until further notice.
Learn more: https://t.co/qMI7kTfzc7 pic.twitter.com/jdGiQ2L6yN— H&M USA (@hmusa) March 17, 2020
- Half-Price Books: Closed to in-person browsing but will still offer curbside pickup.
- Hallmark: Stores remain closed in U.S. and Canada.
- Haverty's: The furniture retailer announced it will extend store closures "to flatten the curve, minimize the spread of COVID-19, and protect the health of our team members and customers."
- Hobby Lobby: Stores close nationwide as of April 3.
»MORE: Hobby Lobby to close all stores, furlough all workers after defying shutdowns
- Hollister: All stores outside the Asia-Pacific region will remain closed.
- HomeGoods: All locations closed, while store associates still to receive pay until April 11.
- IKEA: U.S. locations of IKEA join European locations in a temporary closure. IKEA also announced that the situation in China has improved to where it is gradually reopening Asian locations.
- J.C. Penney: Closed until further notice. "The Company will continue to follow guidance from local, state, and federal officials as it anticipates gradually reopening stores and offices in markets when it is safe to do so," it recently announced.
- J.Crew: Temporarily closed.
- Jos. A. Bank: Temporarily closed, including pickups, likely until May 4, according to CNBC.
- Kate Spade: Closed until April 10.
- Kohl's: Stores closed March 19. On March 30, the retailer announced closures would be extended "until further notice."
- Levi Strauss & Co.: Closed until further notice.
- LEGO store: LEGO has closed all stores except for Chinese locations until April 12.
LEGO Brand Stores Closed Due to Coronavirushttps://t.co/pWQYcKdGoV#LEGO #LEGOStore #Coronavirus— The Brick Fan (@tormentalous) March 18, 2020
- L.L. Bean: All stores closed until further notice.
- Loft: Closed through April 11.
- Lululemon: Locations in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia will extend their temporary closures indefinitely.
- Lush: Closed in the U.S. and Canada until further notice.
- Macy's: All locations "will remain closed until we have clear line of sight on when it is safe to reopen," the company announced.
»MORE: Macy's will reportedly extend furloughing most of its employees
- Madewell: The clothing company has closed all stores and suspended community events indefinitely.
- Marshall's: All locations and online closed, while store associates still to receive pay until April 11.
- Men's Wearhouse: Likely to remain closed until at least May 4, CNBC reported.
- Microsoft: All stores are shut down across the globe.
- Neiman Marcus: Closed at least until April 30.
- Nike: Stores around the world will remain closed until further notice.
»MORE: Nike, Under Armour closing stores to combat virus
- Nordstrom: Including Nordstrom Rack, all stores remain closed.
- Old Navy: All Gap Inc. stores will close temporarily starting March 19.
- Party City: All stores will remain temporarily closed.
- Patagonia: One of the first national chains to close on March 13, the stores remain shuttered until further notice.
Dear Patagonia community,— Patagonia (@patagonia) March 13, 2020
As COVID-19 spreads—and is now officially a pandemic—we are taking additional safety measures to protect our employees and customers. The scale of impact is still unknown, and we want to do our part to protect our community especially. pic.twitter.com/UQAI8XSYlZ
- Peloton: Peloton has closed retail locations globally. It canceled streaming live classes until April 30.
- Pier 1: The retailer says it will "follow the guidelines of government and health officials in determining when it will reopen its offices and planned go-forward stores, and looks forward to doing so as soon as possible."
- Pottery Barn: Stores plan to reopen April 16.
»RELATED: Atlanta's low-wage workers: most at risk, first to be cut in crisis
- Ralph Lauren: Stores remain temporarily closed.
- Reebok: All Reebok-owned stores remain closed.
- REI: Closed "until further notice."
Everything is happening fast, and it’s natural to have questions. We have put together a list of FAQ’s to help you understand what’s going on with the store closures, employee pay and more. Take a look.— REI (@REI) March 17, 2020
- Rent the Runway: Retail stores, which were to expected to close for a week, recently laid off their entire retail staff, according to The Verge.
- Ross Stores: All locations are temporarily closed.
- Saks Fifth Avenue: Stores closed March 18.
- Sears: Locations closed April 4 until April 30.
- Sephora: Stores originally set to reopen April 3 will stay closed until further notice.
For the health and safety of our community, our stores in the US and Canada remain temporarily closed. We look forward to welcoming you back in when the time is right. Click here for our full updated COVID-19 statement: https://t.co/3iCwkHHZBm pic.twitter.com/1Y4vV8nvIK— Sephora (@Sephora) March 31, 2020
- Timberland: Closed until further notice. "As an outdoor brand, it's hard for us to suggest that you stay home, but for now it's advised," its website reads. "Perhaps use this time to plan your next outdoor adventure. Nature will wait for us."
- TJ Maxx: All locations and online remain closed, while store associates still to receive pay until April 11.
- Tommy Hilfiger: All locations remain closed.
- Ulta Beauty: Stores will stay closed following guidance of health officials.
» MORE: Panic-buying a natural reaction to uncertainty, behavioral experts say
- Under Armour: Stores closed until further notice on a "country-by-country" basis.
- UNIQLO: Closed until further notice. "This is temporary and we are implementing a plan to support our teams during this time," the company said.
- Urban Outfitters: Closed until further notice.
- Vans: Closed until further notice. Check Twitter for updates.
To Our Vans Family Everywhere 🏁 pic.twitter.com/nPnvqx9NzG— Vans (@VANS_66) March 16, 2020
- Victoria's Secret and PINK: Stores are closed. Parent company L Brands said it "is not currently able to predict the timing of store reopenings."
» MORE: Local retailers beginning to feel coronavirus pinch
- Vineyard Vines: Closed until further notice.
- Warby Parker: Closed "until it is responsible to reopen."
- West Elm: All locations are closed and plan to reopen April 16.
- Weight Watchers: Retail locations have closed, but the company is offering virtual meetings for members through April 30.
- Williams-Sonoma: Closed through April 16.
Altered Hours and Partial Closures
- ALDI: Limited to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily or less depending on location.
- AT&T: A letter from the CEO announced that 40% of retail stores will close. Stores that remain open will operate with adjusted hours - 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time - and they are closing all stores nationwide on Sundays.
- Barnes & Noble: Limited hours and only 10 customers allowed at a time in bookstores. Some stores have closed due to local regulations.
- BI-LO: Closes at 9 p.m. until further notice
- Dillard's: According to reports, some Dillard's department stores remain open with limited hours.
- Dollar General: All stores dedicated first hour to senior shoppers; closing hour earlier than normal hours.
Beginning Tuesday, March 17, our first hour of operations will be dedicated to our senior shoppers. All stores will also close an hour earlier in order for employees to clean and restock shelves. Learn more about these change here: https://t.co/53rc2gMeVr— Dollar General (@DollarGeneral) March 17, 2020
» RELATED: Some store shelves quickly empty, but experts say it's short term
- Harris Teeter: Stores will close by 9 p.m.
- H-E-B: Stores will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice.
- Home Depot: Stores are closing by 6 p.m. nationwide.
- Kroger: Varies from location to location based on recent updates. In Georgia, stores will operate from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. with exclusive shopping for seniors from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Thursdays.
»RELATED: Grocery delivery services have trouble keeping up during social distancing
- Lidl: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
To better serve our customers in this period of increased traffic and demand, we have temporarily updated our store hours effective today, March 16. Check this webpage regularly for updates: https://t.co/R3lDl8htYt pic.twitter.com/83r6jKXJq7— LidlUS (@LidlUS) March 16, 2020
- Publix: As of Tuesday, Publix further reduced its hours to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., normal hours Sunday. Pharmacies will vary by location. They also will hold hours for those 65+ from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
»MORE: Publix to set special hours for older shoppers
- Sprint: About 70% of stores are closed, according to USA Today.
- Staples: Hours reduced from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Starbucks: Stores closed in "high-social gathering locations" including malls and university campuses, according to USA Today; others only offer coffee to-go.
- Target: All of its 1,800+ stores will close no later than 9 p.m. Additionally, it has set hours for elderly shoppers.
»MORE: Target, Dollar General, grocery chains offer 'elderly hours' for those vulnerable to coronavirus
We’re so proud of our Target teams working to keep stores open for guests during this challenging time. Read about our latest efforts, including new reduced store hours to add time for cleaning & restocking, & dedicated shopping time for vulnerable guests: https://t.co/8sAyrJ9e56— Target (@Target) March 17, 2020
- T-Mobile: 80% of all store locations are closed, according to USA Today. The remaining storefronts will operate on limited hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Trader Joe's: All stores will be open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
View this post on Instagram
We have temporarily revised our store hours to support our Crew Members in taking care of one another and taking care of you, our Customers. Thank you for your understanding as we work together to look out for our communities. ••• For more updates & info, see link in bio.
» PHOTOS: The coronavirus in metro Atlanta
- Walgreens: Walgreens is offering free shipping on online orders with no minimum. As of Wednesday, it shortened operating hours to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (even in 24-hour locations)
- Walmart: 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. local time. Stores that open later than 7 a.m. will keep their regular starting hours, according to USA Today. From March 24 through April 28 on Tuesdays, Walmart's 5,000-plus U.S. stores will host an hourlong seniors shopping event for those 60 and older, and it will start an hour before regular shopping hours, USA Today reported.
- Winn-Dixie: All stores will close at 9 p.m. "until further notice."
Beginning today, March 16, all #WinnDixie stores will close at 9 p.m. until further notice. This allows our team the time they need to appropriately restock, and conduct additional sanitation procedures in service of providing a shopping experience you can always count on. pic.twitter.com/F6BdfU1UWK— Winn-Dixie (@WinnDixie) March 16, 2020
- Whole Foods: Whole Foods announced that its locations will close up to two hours earlier than normal while continuing to partner with Amazon Prime to offer grocery delivery. Additionally, stores will open for seniors one hour before opening to the public.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Family photo


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Apple has revealed that a major venture capitalist firm is making $100 million available to entrepreneurs looking to jumpstart businesses based on the iPhone and iPod touch.
Most of the investment will go to teams developing location-based services, mobile commerce, social networks, and other communication or entertainment add-ons for the mobile version of Mac OS X.
KPCB doesn't say whether it has established a particular system for distributing the money, but says it will invest venture capital to help the companies become completely independent. It also plans to lend its experience in both building startups as well as networking the young companies with partners they may need to expand.
The finances will be distributed chiefly by KPCB venture capitalist Matt Murphy as well as several other notable investors, including former Intel marketer and current Google board member John Doerr. To him, the SDK is an unusual chance to invest in a new and potentially successful category.
"A revolutionary new platform is a rare and prized opportunity for entrepreneurs, and that's exactly what Apple has created," Doerr says. "We think several significant new companies will emerge as this new platform evolves."
More news from today's Apple event


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Australian Grape & Wine is deeply disappointed by Food Standards Australia-New Zealand’s (FSANZ) approval of what it describes as a “flawed, costly and ineffective pregnancy warning label”.
The current voluntary label is shown above, top; while the proposed label is shown above, bottom.
The mandatory pregnancy warning label changes are regarded by the industry as being both excessive and expensive, as they include the expense of an extra colour to the printing process.
The organisation has urged the Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation to reject it immediately.
“This pregnancy warning label is a classic example of bureaucratic over-reach, and is not a good example of science-based decision making” said Tony Battaglene, Chief Executive of Australian Grape & Wine.
Australian Grape & Wine noted that it is a strong supporter of the existing voluntary labelling arrangements and industry initiatives, which work in tandem to raise awareness of the dangers of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and have contributed to significant improvements in the rates of women abstaining, or reducing their alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare states that 98.8% of women either abstain or reduce their alcohol consumption when pregnant (up from 96.6% in 2004).
“Our concerns extend beyond simply the costs to grape and wine businesses, though they will be significant,” Battaglene said.
“Evidence tells us the current initiatives are driving positive cultural change in Australia. If FSANZ was able show how this new label-design would lead to a significant change in drinking behaviour, we would take a different position.
“But given they can’t, why are Ministers being asked to consider a design that will be costly to businesses, but achieve very little?
Australia Grape & Wine said the costs to Australian Wine businesses will be felt most keenly by small, family owned wine businesses in rural and regional Australia. Most wine businesses have multiple products in their portfolio, with some brands offering consumers almost 100 different wines.
“These businesses would need to redesign labels for each of these products, potentially driving up the costs in the tens of thousands of dollars per wine business, Battaglene said.
“It’s clear FSANZ had an outcome in mind before it commenced its consultation process. We participated in good faith, but FSANZ has ignored the science and the views of grape growers and winemakers, and gone with its pre-conceived ideas.
“Surely the best approach is to make the existing voluntary label mandatory, and invest further in initiatives to raise awareness about the dangers of FASD.
“While this might be a box ticking exercise for FSANZ, it’s a kick in the guts to Australia’s 6000 grape growers and 2500 winemakers who are battling the impacts of fires, smoke and drought.
“It’s now up to the Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation to reject this proposal. We urge Ministers to go back to the drawing board and consider a label that will maintain the positive trends in drinking during pregnancy in Australia, while minimising the costs and risks to wine businesses. Mandating the current voluntary pregnancy warning label would be a common sense solution and we encourage Ministers to take this approach.”
Small winemaker counts the cost
Therese Fenwick, who runs Heritage Estate Wines south-west of Brisbane, told ABC News the new labels would be “another hoop to jump through” for small wineries around the country.
Fenwick said it would take thousands of dollars to replace her labels.
“We’ve done massive label runs already with the existing voluntary pregnancy labels, and it’s an enormous cost to do new dyes, new plates, new runs,” she said.
“It’s just an overhead that small businesses are struggling [with] already in these regional areas.
“We have 21 different wines — we’d have to multiply anything by 21 — it’s a cost of generally around $500 per plate, and it’s a cost of a couple of hundred dollars to get the new dyes.”


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According to Beyond Good and Evil’s creative director, Michel Ancel, development never stopped on Beyond Good and Evil 2, a spacefaring sequel with lofty ambitions. In fact, it’s been in development since Rayman Legends released in 2013.
For more on what’s currently in development, check our list of upcoming PC games.
After Ancel shared some concept art from Beyond Good and Evil 2 last month, fan interest has suddenly skyrocketed once more. In an interview with Kotaku, Ancel says sharing the image was his way of reassuring fans that the game does in fact exist, though it’s still a long way from completion.
That’s because it’s bloody ambitious. “Even on Beyond Good and Evil 1 it was supposed to have space travel and all these things but we were limited,” Ancel says. “The big thing that is really cool is that the consoles are now so powerful […] The amount of memory the CPU has, you can do those things now. It’s not ‘Oh, we will never do it.’ It’s working.”
“I’ve been working on [Beyond Good and Evil 2] for a long time, on the technologies that allow you to create those kinds of games – tools to draw the big planets and things like that. We’re confident on the quality and that we can achieve that kind of game.”
He elaborates on those ambitions a bit, comparing the scope to that of Star Citizen, with some areas of Beyond Good and Evil 2 even being “more advanced”, while Cloud Imperium’s space game is more advanced in different areas. He refers to this space race as a “gold rush on planets”.
“[We had] big questions that are so big you can’t know the answers because no physics engine can handle all of the dimensions and speeds and things like that,” Ancel continues. “It’s like ‘Okay, if no physics engine can do it, how can we achieve that?’
“It’s crazy and difficult to explain to people how technical making a game is. Now it’s not anymore about polygons and things like that, it’s about millions of behavioural AIs, systems, and giant spaceships crashing on big planets.”
Whether it ends up ever coming out our not is likely down to what happens with Ubisoft and Vivendi, as the game is“a very serious development for Ubisoft” currently.
“They want these kinds of games to exist,” Ancel says. “When they wake up in the morning they don’t want to make money – they’ve got money for ten lives if they want to stop. It’s not a question of power or money now. What reason has this company to live: Is it to beat competitors? No, [Ubisoft’s] already in the top three. It’s being able to create things that have never been created before. [Guillemot and Hascoet] are the ones that want to make this happen. They ask the creatives ‘You want to do it? We can do it.’”
The whole of Ubisoft currently seems very worried about whether this attitude would change if the hostile takeover is successful. In fact, Ubisoft’s VP of live operations, Anne Blondel, recently said it just wouldn’t be the same. It’s a sentiment Ancel mirrors.
“There is something very fragile that makes a company what it is,” Ancel explains. “[It’s made of] people who have been working together for a long time. It’s always the same, if you look at King or Supercell, it’s a group of people who did something very strong at a certain time.
“It’s not just one person most of the time, it’s a lot of people who make the team work. If you change the team this fragile system could break, it’s a risk, and today there is no reason to change it, unless people want to make more money. But Ubisoft is good at what it’s doing.”


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Bitcoin is an interesting subject that many have said numerous things about, both good and bad. And for those wondering…yes it’s still very much a thing and a legit industry that when practiced properly can reap fantastic rewards. One of the pioneers behind it is Paxful who have identified interesting lessons they have learnt in the past five years from building a global bitcoin marketplace. So interesting they were we decided they’re worth sharing.
Complete with an interesting origins story, did you know that the company was started by two formerly homeless entrepreneurs? Five years on, the organization has established itself as a pioneer in the peer-to-peer finance space. Celebrating accordingly (their fifth year in operation), Paxful have reflected on key milestones since inception in 2015:
1. User safety is the top priority
Despite what some may believe, the vast majority of transactions in the Bitcoin economy are safe. Paxful believes it is time cryptocurrency took its place in the world economy; however, confidence in the industry is still shaky. To strengthen user trust that the bitcoin sector is seeking, Paxful ensures strict compliance and risk management practices making it one of the safest peer-to-peer platforms out there.
2. Crypto continues to gain ground in emerging markets
While many parts of the Western world remain fixated on speculative activity in the crypto-world, people in emerging markets such as Africa are teaching us about the real opportunities bitcoin trading provides; allowing users to be in control of their finances, without the interference of traditional financial systems.
Ray Youssef, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Paxful, adds: “Bitcoin continues to change the way people manage their finances. Our customers in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia are getting around the limitations of their financial systems by realizing the full potential of the Bitcoin-economy, using it for both personal finance needs and entrepreneurial ventures including paying bills, purchasing goods and services, and building businesses.”
3. Competition for talent is on
According to the professional social networking platform LinkedIn, blockchain skills top the list of most in-demand hard skills for 2020. To support the pipeline of talent in the industry, Paxful is investing in future bitcoin-economy professionals and entrepreneurs by supporting youth-focused workshops, seminars, and webinars. Paxful is also promoting education through its Peer Program, which supports crypto enthusiasts who are dedicated to expanding financial freedom and are looking to become bitcoin entrepreneurs.
4. Plenty of room for new players
The increase in Bitcoin transaction volume in Africa has largely been influenced by the emergence of various cryptocurrency exchanges and marketplaces across the continent, resulting in more income-generating opportunities.
As the world is progressively adapting to cryptocurrencies, business giants like Facebook and PayPal are gearing up to cater to the current needs by adding crypto trading functions to their services.
“We welcome seeing more players enter the space, as it raises awareness and educates the public on the crypto-economy and P2P finance. It contributes to the growth of economic opportunity and financial inclusivity for people around the world as more individuals are using bitcoin in their everyday lives,” says Youssef.
5. Partnerships are the future
Paxful has always been keen on building and expanding partnerships. To date, the company has joined forces with industry giants like OKEx, the world’s largest and most diverse cryptocurrency exchange to provide more Bitcoin payment options for users in developing regions.
“We are witnessing more industry collaborations that successfully play to each other’s strengths, adding value, increasing functionality and unlocking more trading options for customers. We are always excited to partner with businesses who share our passion and vision of economic freedom, a world where everyone has equal access to finance, no matter who they are, or where they are from,” concludes Youssef.
Paxful also partnered with various non-profit organizations to implement its #BuiltWithBitcoin initiative, that aims to support communities in emerging markets by building sustainable schools and community gardens in under-served communities, all paid for with bitcoin. With 2 schools in Africa already up and running with 1 other nearly completed, the company’s journey to a total of 100 schools around the world is just at its beginning.
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While fans of the Transformers series will still have to wait until next summer to see Transformers 4, two new photos on director Michael Bay's website reveal the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Bumblebee Concept.
Read This Article
It's been one of the most talked-about vehicles since its unveiling back in April earlier this year.
With word leaking from General Motors insiders that Chevrolet will have a diesel Cruze on sale in the U.S.
On March 5, 2013, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible will make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show.


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WEED FEED / John Ross Ferrara / Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 @ 10:42 a.m.
Weed Feed: Eureka City Council Votes to Allow On-Site Pot Consumption Facilities
Last week’s City Council meeting.
The Eureka City Council unanimously voted to move forward with allowing marijuana-style bars and other businesses to open up within the city limits last week.
These on-site marijuana use “facilities,” which could take the form of pot-themed lounges, spas, restaurants, hotels and so on, are allowed under Prop. 64 if approved by their local jurisdictions.
Community Development Director Rob Holmlund addressed the council and attending townsfolk with a report on the various benefits and problems these businesses could create for the city.
The main benefit outlined in the report, aside from the additional business revenue, is the possibility that the city could see a whole new style of businesses that appeals to marijuana tourism. Holmlund said there are roughly 50 marijuana businesses already operating out of the city. However, most of them focus on manufacturing and distribution because on-site use has previously not been permitted under Eureka’s municipal codes.
“It’s an opportunity for people to have a legitimate legal place to consume cannabis in a safe setting,” Holmlund said.
For the negative aspects of on-site pot use, the report focused mostly on the idea of irresponsible or unexperienced customers ingesting too much THC and then leaving the business, where they could either be noticeably too high in public — or worse — drive away.
Holmlund offered up various solutions to these problems, including the council limiting the THC dosage in edible products offered at any proposed on-site facility, requiring the businesses to have education programs both for their staff and customers, establishing a policy that each facility must have some kind of customer transport plan, and requiring them to sell non-THC products to encourage designated drivers.
Although the city voted in favor of these types of shops opening in town, Holmlund said there is still a lengthy permitting process ahead of any potential businesses owners, including proposals, licensing and construction permits that would likely prevent any of these businesses from being functional until August or September of next year. In the meantime, the council can to continue work out the details of what restrictions and requirements to place on these businesses.
State law already imposes many restrictions on these marijuana-style bars, including age restrictions of 21 or older, no alcohol or tobacco consumption in the facilities, marijuana use cannot be visible from any public place, and the shops must adhere to standard smoking regulations.
The Weed Feed is a weekly column written by John Ross Ferrara.
The Weed Feed is a one-stop shop for the best local and national cannabis news.
Each week, original content will be posted to the page, as well as various other stories from around the country.
These aggregated stories are organized into six separate sections. The News (basic news), The Biz (financial news), The Life (features), The Game (sports), The Fame (celebrity), and the Grub (food).
The Humboldt Chronicles
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From the Outpost
- Rio Dell Still Rolling Out the Carpet for Weed Biz; New Package Includes Locked-In Tax Rates, Eased Zoning, Equity Program
- Eureka City Council: Ordinance to Allow On-Site Weed Smoking, City Cannabis Equity Program on Tuesday’s Agenda
- ‘PROJECT TRELLIS’: The Board of Supervisors May Create a Government Funding Mechanism for the Local Cannabis Industry Tomorrow
- 455 Pounds of Marijuana, BHO, Guns Seized During Raid in Trinity County
- (VIDEO) PANEL DISCUSSION: The Other Side of Murder Mountain
- THE HOBELMANN REPORT: At Last Week’s ‘Seed to Sale’ Cannabis Business Event in Fortuna
- Weed Growers Without Permits Can Expect Detailed Abatement Letters This Year, County Says
- Panel Discussion at HSU Will Look at Netflix’s Murder Mountain and Media Representations of Humboldt County
- Marijuana Business Daily: Will California marijuana excise tax go up July 1?
- Cannabis Law Report: Bob Hoban Clocks Up The Air Miles..
- Cannabis Law Report: ORCA March 2019 Newsletter Provides Exhaustive Overview of State Legislative Developments & OLCC Rules, Regs & Education Programs
- Cannabis Law Report: Oregon: OLCC Decisions & Fines 23 March 2019
- Leafly: Cannabis Out! New York Drops Legalization From Budget Bill
- High Times News: Alabama Lawmakers Pushing to Legalize Medical Marijuana
- Marijuana Business Daily: Guernsey releases marijuana regulations, licenses first business
- Leafly: Louisiana Takes a Step Toward Finally Delivering Medical Marijuana
- Leafly: Hot New Cannabis Products Promise to Dial in Effects
- Marijuana Business Daily: Romania considering legalization of medical cannabis


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Japan’s fruit producers are seeing increasing volumes of their crops being stolen ahead of harvest, prompting some to install mobile security cameras and sensors to detect intruders. In June alone, Yamanashi prefecture, a peach-growing region, saw about 14,400 peaches worth around $28,500 stolen. According to the local branch of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives, usually only a few dozen to a few hundred pieces are stolen around July.
“This is an unprecedented pace of loss,” an official said.
Police and members of the cooperative have begun patrols a month earlier than usual. The prefectural government is subsidising the cost of installing security cameras and sensor lights, and police are investigating sales routes for stolen peaches.


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A Californian KFC customer claims he discovered he was served a deep-fried rat after taking a bite into it.
25-year-old Devorise Dixon says he went into a Los Angeles-area KFC restaurant and ordered a three-piece chicken tender meal.
"As I bit into a piece of it, I noticed that it was very hard/tough and rubbery," Dixon posted on Facebook. "I looked down at it and saw that it was in a shape of a rat with a tail. It sent deep chills throughout my whole body! I've been feeling weird ever since."
"Based on this, and the fact that he refuses to allow anyone to see the product, we are left to believe that he intended to deceive the public with this hoax and we are considering all options," explained the KFC spokesperson.
KFC customer claims he bit into a rat
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR KFC - Front Row Motorsports driver Cole Whitt helps Kentucky Fried Chicken unveil Colonel Sanders as First-Ever Fan to secure Seat for Life, at Kentucky Speedway on Thursday, July 9, 2015 in Louisville, Ky. (Photo by Tony Tribble/Invision for KFC/AP Images)
In a July 25, 2011 photo, large billboard of KFC founder Colonel Harland Sanders dominates other advertising along a busy road, in Louisville, Ky. KFC is collecting stories about the company's founder who used to farm, hitchhike, shoe horses, sell tires and served in the Army in Cuba. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
In this Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012 photo, a close-up of a sign with a picture of Colonel Sanders is shown on the wall of a combination Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
A newly unveiled KFC logo on the Highlands store in Louisville, Ky., Monday, Nov. 13, 2006, shows Colonel Harlan Sanders sporting a red cook's apron instead of his white suit jacket. The company unveiled a new brand logo Tuesday that includes bolder colors and a more well-defined visage of the late Kentucky Fried Chicken founder, who will keep his classic black bow tie, glasses and goatee. (AP Photo/Brian Bohannon)
In honor of Colonel Sanders' birthday today, KFC surprised those waiting in line for the iPhone 6 with KFC chicken and the Colonel's signature string ties, on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014 in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision for KFC/AP Images)
A bucket of KFC Extra Crispy fried chicken is displayed October 30, 2006 in San Rafael, California. KFC is phasing out trans fats and plans to use zero trans fat soybean oil for cooking of their Original Recipe and Extra Crispy fried chicken as well as other menu items. KFC expects to have all of its 5,500 restaurants in the U.S. switched to the new oil by April 2007. (Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - AUGUST 12: The first KFC site, located at 3900 South at State Street still does business August 12, 2002 in south Salt Lake City, Utah. KFC, with 11,815 locations worldwide, including 5,399 in the United States, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Colonel Harland Sanders persuaded Pete Harman to add his specialty chicken, coated with a blend of 11 herbs and spices, to the menu of Harman's cafe in August 1952. The dish became an instant hit. (Photo by Danny La/Getty Images)
Sheldon Baren (C) and others of a group of 30 men dressed like the late Colonel Harlan Sanders, the founder of the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain, watch the home opener of the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park 09 April. The group was given tickets by the restaurant chain to watch the game against the Texas Rangers. (Photo credit should read BRIAN BAHR/AFP/Getty Images)
Colonel Harlan Sanders sports a red cook's apron Monday, Nov. 13, 2006, as part of the new KFC logo on the Highlands store in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Brian Bohannon)
In this photograph taken by AP Images for KFC, leading up to Colonel Sanders' birthday, a student at the Kentucky School of Art sketches a portrait of Colonel lookalike Bob Thompson at Spalding University in Louisville, Ky., Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010. In celebration of what would have been Sanders' 120th birthday, KFC is launching a national search for a painter to create a piece of art to hang beside one of the most enduring pieces of Colonel memorabilia- a portrait painted by Norman Rockwell in 1973. (Garry Jones/AP Images for KFC)
Two people walk past a KFC fast food restaurant (L) in Shanghai on July 23, 2014. (Photo by JOHANNES EISELE via AFP/Getty Images)
ME.Downtown.Colonel.010997.MBÂÂ(Orange)ÂA lifesize statue of Colonel Sanders greets customers walking down Glassell Ave in Orange along the famed antique row. (Photo by Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Harland Colonel Sanders, 1970. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
Col. Harland Sanders, 77, head of the multimilion-dollar Kentucky Fried Chicken chain, is shown in 1968. (AP Photo)


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Facilio, a company which makes facility management software, has raised USD 6,400,000 in a Series A round of funding led by US-based investment firm Tiger Global.
Archer Technologies Pvt Ltd, which owns tech-enabled property startup BuildSupply, has raised around INR 25 crore in a Series A round of funding led by investment firm Venture Highway.
The online auto marketplace is buzzing with investor action yet again Girnarsoft, which owns and runs online auto classifieds portal CarDekho, is raising USD 100 million in its latest investment round.
Ramakant Deshpande, a Mumbai-based surgical oncologist, has invested an undisclosed amount in Any Time Doctor, a startup that operates an app that helps connect patients with doctors and pharmacies.
Japanese investment major SoftBank has offered to invest as much as USD 1 billion in a new financing round for Ola.


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Nightfood wins Real California Milk Excelerator competition
The event, created in 2019 by the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and VentureFuel to fuel innovation in new dairy product development, is a global search for the best emerging products to bring to market using California milk and dairy ingredients.
As grand prize winner, Nightfood will receive $150,000 in resources and funding to take its sleep friendly ice cream novelties to hotel locations across the US.
As presented by founder and CEO, Sean Folkson, a self-identified night snacker and former insomniac, Nightfood's mission is to help night-time snackers around the world satisfy their hard-wired cravings in a better, healthier, and more sleep-friendly way.
The company recently completed a successful pilot program with a global hotel chain to introduce Nightfood ice cream pints into hotel lobby shops across the country. Excelerator prizing will be used to help grow distribution for a novelty version of the ice cream in the hospitality channel.
"I'm honored for Nightfood to be selected by the CMAB, VentureFuel and the panel of industry-expert judges as the first-place winner in this year's Excelerator competition. Sleep is becoming a massive health trend, and many consumers wrestle with hard-wired nighttime survival cravings for calorie-dense foods like cookies, chips, candy, and, of course, ice cream," Folkson said.
"Those high-sugar, high-fat snacks tend to be both unhealthy, and sleep disruptive. Nightfood helps consumers satisfy those prehistoric biological cravings in a better, healthier, more sleep-friendly way. With the help of the CMAB, we look forward to making Nightfood sleep-friendly ice cream sandwiches available in lobby shops in 20,000 hotels across the country."
Nightfood was one of four innovators selected from a field of 12 semi-finalist competitors to present to a judging panel from the CPG, retail, venture capital, food science and media world representing such companies as Albertsons Companies, Coca-Cola, Beam Suntory, My/Mochi Ice Cream, Whole Foods and more in a live virtual pitch (and sample) event.
All four finalists represented products in the frozen dessert space – a market valued at more than $52bn in 20201 and growing, driven by the rising demand for better-for-you dessert options. Alongside the three other finalists, Nightfood was judged on uniqueness or innovation, taste, the ability to scale and the founding team.
Sweetkiwi came in second place and will receive $100,000 in support for growth and distribution for its low calorie whipped frozen Greek yogurt formulated with fiber, protein, and probiotics.
"I am incredibly overwhelmed and excited that we were one of the chosen winners," said Ehime Eigbe, founder and CEO of Sweetkiwi.
"It is such an exciting time for us, we're really pleased the judges saw the value in our innovation. We look forward to carrying the Real California Milk seal and being part of the California dairy family."
The three previous events focused on fluid milk and snacks, however, the 2021 competition spotlighted products using the nutritional and flavor profiles of milk and dairy ingredients to deliver performance and recovery benefits in products ranging from sports drinks to indulgent desserts.
Twelve semi-finalists were selected from 62 entries to move through the Excelerator process, receiving $10,000 worth of support each to develop an edible prototype, while receiving a suite of resources including graphic design, lab or kitchen time and mentorship from global marketing, packaging, investment and distribution experts. The total value of Excelerator prizes is more than 650,000.
"Excelerator winners were judged as much for the founders and founding teams as for the products themselves and we had an incredible group of competitors this year. Nightfood stood out because it really nailed the performance and recovery objective of this year's competition and they have a solid plan for owning the sleep space," said John Talbot, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board.
"We look forward to partnering with Sean and Ehime to bring both Nightfood and Sweetkiwi's functional dairy desserts, fueled by Real California dairy ingredients, to the larger marketplace."
"Every product that made it into this competition was a winner, having gone through extensive vetting and due diligence to determine their potential," said Fred Schonenberg, CEO of VentureFuel.
"Our mentors helped each accelerate and, in the end, over 2,000 consumers and the 24 expert judges chose these amazing two winners. CMAB and VentureFuel continue to assist all of the companies that made it into the program – so expect to see many of these participants on a shelf near you very soon."
Last week, CMAB and VentureFuel hosted a private retail buyer/investor event to introduce the finalists to the market, which resulted in more than 20 one-on-one meetings with industry decision makers. The program also hosts a multi-week Incubator Boot Camp for idea-stage companies not quite ready for the main Excelerator.