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Global Times | 4 May 2017
China could work on RCEP deal without India
Although Japan is trying to save the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) after US President Donald Trump abandoned the free trade agreement (FTA), there seems to be little chance that the deal will survive. This means the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), an FTA that includes China, now has more strategic global significance.
The RCEP is a 16-nation trade pact that includes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), along with China, Australia, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand, a region that accounts for 46 percent of the world’s population and that produced nearly 30 percent of global GDP in 2016. Due to China’s efforts to actively promote negotiations on the RCEP, it is always viewed as a China-led FTA to fight against competition from the TPP in terms of seeking dominance in global trade.
An optimal choice for China would be to reach a deal that includes India, as that would allow Chinese-made products to enter the Indian market with tariff concessions after the RCEP starts running. However, given India’s free trade history and the concerns expressed about its own national interests, there is only a very slim possibility that India would agree to the deal under the existing framework and mechanisms. So China should set a sub-optimal goal of reaching an RCEP deal without India.
Although this would diminish the value of the agreement, China should continue speeding up the RCEP negotiations, because enhanced cooperation with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea and Australia is of strategic importance for China.
There are four main reasons for India being reluctant to promote the RCEP: First, India is worried that after signing the agreement, it would not be able to prevent cheap Chinese commodities from flowing into the country, which would endanger its domestic manufacturing industry.
According to data from Bloomberg, the trade deficit between India and China reached $52 billion in 2016. In the 1990s, the total trade volume between the two countries was only $2 billion.
Second, India has different degrees of trade deficit with other RCEP members including Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. The export volume of India to ASEAN in 2014-15 was about $31 billion, accounting for 10.2 percent of India’s total export turnover. However, the completion of RCEP negotiations still cannot guarantee Indian enterprises would be able to enter the ASEAN market easily.
Third, India is worried that domestic companies would be less competitive than foreign enterprises after opening the market, especially in the pharmaceutical and textile sectors. Indian domestic trade groups and agricultural organizations are also worried about fierce competition in agricultural products from Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Fourth, India is worried that the RCEP clauses on intellectual property and services will not be conducive for India.
India has unilaterally obstructed the normal process of WTO negotiations many times. In the final analysis, India is still worried about the lack of competitiveness of its local enterprises. Lalit Mansingh, a former foreign secretary of India said that India’s free trade agreements have reduced tariffs, allowing foreign companies to have a large market share in India’s market, but the country failed to make full use of tariff preferences in other markets because India’s manufacturing industry is not advanced enough. After signing the free trade agreement with ASEAN in 2010, India experienced no increase in exports, while imports have increased by 30 percent. Farmers from southern India said their products could not compete with cheap spices and vegetable oils from Southeast Asia, which prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review trade deals signed by his predecessors.
However, the RCEP is of great significance for China because the nation has been excluded from the TPP. China needs to promote the conclusion of the RCEP negotiations and be prepared for India’s withdrawal from it.
The article was compiled based on a report by Beijing-based private strategic think tank Anbound. email@example.com


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The humble floppy disk may be all but dead in the consumer market today, but storage device manufacturer Verbatim believes that they still have their place in the world despite being completely outclassed by faster, more powerful alternatives such as flash drives, portable hard disks and recordable optical media.
Read on for more information.
Can you still remember when was the last time you ever used a floppy disk? A decade ago, maybe? Or perhaps even longer? If so, it should come as no surprise that the rapid advancement of technology means that the once ubiquitous floppy disk is fast on its way to being consigned to the dustbin of computer evolution.
Still, in spite of its age, Verbatim seems to believe that that the floppy has some life left in it even after it has been well and truly outclassed by today’s alternatives like flash drives and portable hard disks.
“Almost 30 years after the 3.5-inch disk’s launch in 1981, the floppy remains a widespread data storage medium despite the advent of powerful rivals such as the CD and USB stick. According to the market leader Verbatim’s own figures, European sales totalled around 50 million units in 2009, with demand especially strong in Eastern Europe and the CIS states,” a statement by Verbatim reads.
To that end, Verbatim has decided to proceed with their floppy disk production, if only to provide a solution for those who still make use of these storage devices for everyday. In contast, Sony had previously announced that they will be ceasing all floppy disk production come March 2011 due to the lack of demand.
However, it should be noted that that floppy disks still have their use; in addition to being cheap, they are usually seen as the only form of data transfer among older machines running operating systems like Windows 98 and older, where the OS has little to no plug-and-play support for a huge majority of today’s USB powered devices.
Still, Verbatim has made it known that the floppy disk cannot escape its inevitable fate of being completely phased out from most computer systems.
“…in a shrinking market segment the number of suppliers of this product is diminishing. As a leading storage media specialist, however, Verbatim will continue to supply the floppy worldwide,” Verbatim says.

domain: news


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Securus Technologies of Dallas, TX has been a revolutionary trendsetter thanks to the amazing services and programs the company delivers to the correctional industry. The recent buzz over the company’s valued video visitation service has further allowed Securus Technologies to expand its brand in the industry. Securus has gained additional notoriety via a public relations campaign undertaken to address inaccuracies put forth by a Global Tel Link (GTL) press release.
Issues between Securus Technologies and Global Tel Link are connected to litigation surrounding patent claims. GTL’s statements about injunctions, damages, and issues surrounding licenses. Concerns over patented technologies associated with video visitation have been raised in Securus Technologies’ press release. Securus notes the company does not use any patented technologies derived from GTL’s video visitation system.
An interesting statistic about both companies’ litigation history is pointed out in the press release. Securus has won 19 infringement cases and lost zero. GTL has won zero and lost two. This particular statistic may raise eyebrows among those who have limited knowledge about the past history of both companies’ litigation.
Rick Smith, the CEO of Securus Technologies, is very quick to point out that his company is known for its incredibly superior technology and will publicly counter any GTL claims deemed inaccurate.


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The owners took to the Cybertruck Owners Forum after reaching the mileage on Jan. 15, to share their likes and dislikes as previous Tesla Model 3 owners. They never towed anything with their newest purchase and expended just under 6,000 kilowatt-hours, with an average of 599 watt-hours per mile. This resulted in a range of between 164 and 206 in their experience. That range number is significantly lower than the advertised range of 320 miles.
As far as charging, they spent the majority of their time charging the electric truck at home with their Tesla Generation 3 wall connector, which took them eight to 14 hours for a complete charge. While on the road, they found the occasional second-generation supercharger, which took two hours to complete a charge, and the third-generation supercharger, which took just over an hour. Tesla’s fourth-generation supercharger is meant to charge the fastest, but these California owners weren’t able to find one to test.
“A dream to drive, disappointing charge speeds and range about 210/164 miles averaged over 10,000 miles, think the overall value is ok, still some production problems to work out, sound system is beyond great,” the owners wrote in a summary.
The Cybertruck is unique in that its size allows for all-terrain tires or all-season tires. These owners received the truck with all-terrain tires, but after about 1,700 miles, they switched to all-season tires and reported no difference in mileage between the two tire types. A change in tires also did nothing for the truck’s road noise, which was among the owners’ dislikes.
Its stainless steel exterior has raised concerns about the Cybertruck’s threat to pedestrians and cyclists.
Tesla has announced a series of recent recalls due to failures in its autopilot feature, resulting in millions of models being recalled. This Cybertruck also has this feature.


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The growing frequency of political protests and counter-demonstrations creates security concerns for event venues, including convention centers, hotels, colleges and university campuses. With the next general election cycle on the horizon, increased public protests are a certainty.
Even though awareness has increased, many workplaces are still struggling to create effective policies to address rapidly changing societal norms on gender.
The number of natural disasters in the U.S. and around the world are growing at epic proportions. Headlines are reporting with more frequency catastrophic events including hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, tornados and winter storms that have swept across the country.
Leaders say serious threats are imminent with new technologies and innovations topping list of threats
Author Nick Craig explains how knowing your purpose can provide sound footing in today's business environment.
The variation in reputation across brands is larger than the variation across chain scales – Online reputation is mainly a function of brand and sub brand rather than segment or hotel location
Why Meaning Matters for Employee Engagement
Making up the largest generation in the U.S. workforce, Millennials are changing the game. But trying to figure out what makes Millennials tick can drive hoteliers to despair: Who are these Millennials and what do they want?
We have all witnessed it. Some really well-liked, productive employee suddenly tenders his or her resignation, or maybe just doesnt show up for work one day.
Emotional intelligence has become a must have in the modern work world, and instilling it in your firm starts in the C-suite, says author and meditation expert Leah Weiss.


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There is a war going on, on the streets of most cities and towns unbeknownst to the wider public. Delta Beverages the traditional heavyweights are desperately trying to win back their crown as the nations leading drink maker from Varum that upstarts who have usurped it with their popular Pepsi and Mirinda drinks.
A few weeks ago Varun published some very interesting statistics that all but proved that they now had the lions share of Zimbabwe’s drinks market share firmly in their grasp. According to Varun the average Zimbabwean drinks as much as 65 bottles of Pepsi per year. That’s a lot of bottles. To meet this demand Varun has scaled its operations with a plant that produces 400 bottles per minute.
Delta hasn’t taken this lying down either. They have launched a fierce campaign to try and scale back their losses. They reckon correctly that the reason they lost market share is mostly due to their unfavourable pricing. Over the past few years, Zimbabweans have become overly sensitive to differential pricing. This has been amplified by the series of lockdowns that people have been forced to endure due to COVID. Before the lockdowns, a lot of people preferred Coca Cola but with their incomes decimated Zimbabweans were forced to make do with Pepsi and Mirinda and if the numbers are anything to go by they have developed quite the taste to the drink brands they used to scoff at.
To counter the price advantage Delta have unleashed the dollar for four promotion. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Delta has also reduced the prices of their Minute Maid drinks which are now selling for US$1 for three instead of the usual US$1 for 2 of the yesteryears. In fact, there was a time when Minute Maid drinks would sell for an astounding US$1 per bottle. Those days are long gone.
It’s not just Pepsi that Delta has to fight off. They also have to fend off competition in their cordial department from Inscor owned Bally House. Again here Delta is at a price disadvantage and that has also been devastating in terms of market share loss. Then there is Revive and its dairy drinks that are also becoming a favourite thirsty quencher.


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Morrisons is the latest major retailer running the rule over Iceland’s estate, according to press reports.
The Bradford-based supermarket is thought to be considering a move for some or all of the frozen specialist’s network of stores, in a bid to develop its convenience offering.
The news puts Morrisons potentially on a collision course with Sainsbury’s, which emerged as an early front-runner in the Iceland sale process.
Property director Neil Sachdev confirmed Sainsbury’s was interested in acquiring some of the stores.
Editor's Comment: Will Malcolm Walker be frozen out in Iceland’s sale? (16 April 2011)
Sainsbury’s sizes up move for Iceland stores (15 April 2011)


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Baxi is bringing back its cashback promotion to give installers the chance to earn extra cash during the winter months.
Running until 31 January 2022, those who register and install three Baxi 800, 600 or Platinum+ boilers during the campaign period will earn £300, while anyone registering and installing six boilers will receive £600 in return.
To be eligible, qualifying boilers must already be installed and registered on Baxi Works, prior to 11 October.
Andrew Workman, sales director at Baxi, said: “This year’s cashback promotion is our way of giving back to the installer community. We feel it’s important to recognise all of the dedication and hard work that goes into keeping heating systems running. They go above and beyond to ensure households continue to have access to heating and hot water – from completing regular service checks to delivering boiler upgrades and brand-new installs.
“We also know that the step up in demand during peak heating season can be extremely busy, so we wanted to provide existing Works members and any prospective new members looking to join Baxi Works, with something to look forward to, as a treat for their businesses and their families.”
For further information, plus full terms and conditions, visit https://www.baxi.co.uk/cashback-is-back.


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Dark Souls II PS3 beta test rescheduled for November
Network test to begin November 9 and run for three hours, space still available.
The next Dark Souls II PlayStation 3 network test will take place starting November 9, Namco Bandai announced today on Facebook. This beta test was supposed to begin on Sunday, October 27, but was delayed due to "unforeseen issues."
The new beta period will begin at 11 p.m. PDT on November 9 and run through 2 a.m. PDT on November 10. All past Dark Souls II network test participants will be allowed into the new testing period, and there is still space to join the upcoming round, Namco said.
Players can downloaded the Dark Souls II beta client on the PlayStation Network by entering the code: 38QQ-8DNE-97AA.


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By Ginger Szala |
August 16, 2013
With the rise of gold prices comes the rise in precious metals bucket shops. The CFTC is taking action.
By Press Release |
July 29, 2013
The CFTC says Pan American Metals of Miami, and others, engaged in fraudulent off-exchange transactions with retail customers.
Nat gas follows crude lower
Bitreserve raises nearly $10 million; Coinbase funding global expansion
Santa brings market new high
NIBA makes NFA endorsements
Simplifying fibonacci for traders
Conflicted Fed creates opportunity


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Wincanton (WIN) Ordinary 10p
Share news, reports & tips
20 January 2021 09:14
(Sharecast News) - Wincanton said annual profit would be well ahead of expectations after third-quarter sales were boosted by online shopping during the Covid-19 crisis.
24 November 2020 13:33
(Sharecast News) - Glencore: Jefferies upgrades to buy with a target price of 250p.
5 November 2020 11:36
(Sharecast News) - Wincanton posted a decline in first-half profit on Thursday but said full-year results are set to be "materially ahead" of current market expectations following good momentum...
9 September 2020 13:11
(Sharecast News) - Ocado Group: Berenberg reiterates buy with a target price of 2,420.0p.
9 September 2020 11:06
(Sharecast News) - Logistics group Wincanton said on Wednesday that full-year results are set to beat market expectations thanks to an improved trading performance and cost intervention measures.
22 July 2020 11:48
(Sharecast News) - Logistics company Wincanton said on Wednesday that full-year underlying pre-tax profit is set to be "significantly ahead" of current market forecasts and no less than £30m.
14 May 2020 09:56
(Sharecast News) - Wincanton said on Thursday that group revenue in April was down 15% year-on-year, with "significant variations" in the level of performance across its businesses and segments,...
5 December 2019 11:46
(Sharecast News) - Logistics company Wincanton has successfully renewed its storage and distribution contract with Waitrose & Partners, the grocery division of the John Lewis Partnership, it announced on...
13 November 2019 13:05
(Sharecast News) - Eddie Stobart said on Wednesday that private equity firm DouglasBay has offered to buy a controlling interest in the transport and logistics company.
18 October 2019 11:20
(Sharecast News) - Third-party logistics company Wincanton announced on Friday that it was currently undertaking a diligence exercise on Eddie Stobart and its assets, in order to enable it to assess the...
3 October 2019 08:26
(Sharecast News) - Third-party logistics company Wincanton said on Thursday that results for the year to the end of March 2020 should be in line with markets expectations after it secured "good...
9 July 2019 11:23
(Sharecast News) - Wincanton confirmed on Tuesday that its new chief executive officer, James Wroath, would join the business and be appointed to the board with effect from 2 September.
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Trades priced above the mid-price at the time the trade is placed are labelled as a buy; those priced below the mid-price are sells; and those priced close to the mid-price or declared late are labelled 'N/A'.


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For water conservation, PETA asks people to turn vegan
New Delhi, March 21: Aiming to aid water conservation efforts, animal rights body PETA is urging people to turn vegan as it stated that the "farmed-animal" industry places a "serious strain" on water supply.
On the eve of World Water Day, a volunteer of the NGO today took a shower at Jantar Mantar as part of a campaign to remind passersby that water can be saved if people gave up consuming meat, eggs and dairy foods.
The event sought to draw attention towards the impact of the meat industry on the worldwide water crisis. "Meat production can require 10 times more water than the production of plant-based foods. To produce 1kg meat, it can require the same amount of water that is used for bathing 75 times -- an alarming drain on a precious resource," said PETA India campaign assistant Neerja Khede.
"Between watering the crops that farmed animals eat, providing billions of animals with drinking water each year and cleaning away the filth from farms, trucks and slaughterhouses, the farmed-animal industry places a serious strain on our water supply," Khede added.
A vegan is a person who does not eat or use animal products.


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Stop a shopper on the high street of any town outside Scotland and ask them to reel off food and drink products they associate with producers from north of the border and chances are that after trotting out whisky, salmon, shortbread and haggis, they'll be hard pushed to extend the shopping list.
But while these items may make up the bulk of products exported by Scottish producers both domestically and overseas, they don't tell the full story.
The country boasts a wealth of products that don't necessarily play up their Scottish roots but are Scottish through and through. And its food and drink industry is set to enjoy phenomenal growth over the next few years if Scotland Food and Drink (SFD), the industry-led organisation supported by the Scottish government, has anything to do with it.
The organisation has recently defined a Roadmap for the future of the Scottish food and drink industry and is targeting sales of £12.5bn by 2017 a £2.5bn increase on current total sales of £10bn [Scottish Government Annual Business Inquiry 2009].
Its three-pronged approach around provenance, premium and health is set out in strategy document Fresh Thinking and underlines the global reputation it has built up around individual products such as beef, whisky and salmon but also acknowledges it doesn't have the "gastronomic cachet of Italy nor the all-round reputation of quality of New Zealand". So what are the chances of it hitting this ambitious target and what sectors are likely to contribute most?
To attain its aspirational status of the "land of food and drink", the SFD believes the Scottish food and drink industry needs to stop being a collection of individual companies going in different directions and act as a single entity with common goals. This was part of the thinking behind the recent recalibration of its financial target, says SFD chief executive Paul McLaughlin.
"Our original target was £7.2bn to £10bn by 2017 but those numbers only related to manufacturing," he explains. "What we're trying to do across SFD is be relevant across the whole of the industry so we want to include the primary sectors of aquaculture, agriculture and fishing."
Flora McLean, director of the Scottish Food and Drink Federation (SFDF), a key stakeholder and founding member of SFD, believes the new target is more than achievable. The fundamental ingredients are already in place, she points out. Scotland is the world's second-biggest salmon producer [Scottish Salmon Producers' Association], landing 70% of the UK's fish [SeaFish]. It also has more than one quarter of the UK's beef herd [Quality Meat Scotland Red Meat Industry Profile 2009] and grows 40% of the nation's soft fruit crop [Genesis Consulting Scottish Industry Mapping Research 2009].
In all these areas, provenance is key and the SFD has identified an additional £600m opportunity to grow sales of provenance products by 2017. But, it says, if the industry is to hit this target, food producers will need to learn from pioneering categories such as whisky, which has been successfully exploiting its Scottish credentials for decades.
"For us the provenance message is about communicating to consumers where, when, how and by whom a product was created," adds McLaughlin. "It's about giving an authentic message to consumers about the story behind a product."
Major inroads are already being made in this area, with Scottish game just one success story. These days, it is widely available throughout the UK, but a decade ago most Scottish game went to Germany and was hard to find here, says Richard Barclay, MD of Rannoch Smokery, one of Scotland's leading smokers of meat, game and poultry.
"Scottish game has been marketed heavily across the UK in the past two years and the venison industry has proved successful in upping its level of activity in terms of generating awareness, making it more widely available and breaking down some of the mystery," explains Barclay. "The general trend towards provenance of ingredients and healthy eating has helped the Scottish game industry because venison is the ultimate wild, natural, free-range food with a visible level of accountability from hillside to plate."
Another producer cashing in on provenance is Grampian Food Group. According to Rob Smith, spokesman for Vion, which owns Grampian, the company produces chickens from a fully integrated supply chain that is Scottish through and through. "In terms of provenance we have our own hatchery in Scotland, our own feed mill in Scotland, our own farms and plant in Scotland, and those products are supplied to major retailers throughout the UK."
The company has also been working closely with Asda and Scottish pig producers to produce a range of Scottish pork endorsed by animal welfare charity Scottish SPCA. Cheese is another area that offers plenty of opportunity to play the provenance card, what with consumer and retailer support for Scottish Cheddar in Scotland.
David Bennett, marketing manager of Lactalis McLelland, part of the Robert Wiseman Dairies group, says flying the flag for Scotland is a key part of the marketing mix.
"Scottish consumers are looking for provenance, he says. "They do buy products because they're Scottish and they're proud of their Scottish heritage." However, he adds, it is not the only element. "At the same time the product also has to have great value for money and it has to be a quality product."
Fortunately, a lot of Scottish food and drink ticks all these boxes creating a compelling proposition for overseas consumers too. "Provenance is very important to the Scottish food industry and there is increasing demand from other countries for genuine original Scottish produce," says Baxters brand manager Elaine Tewnion.
"Baxters is a brand with a strong provenance story. Founded in 1868 with a history that spans more than 140 years and four generations, the brand was founded with the mission to 'be different, be better'. Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, all of the ranges still have their own provenance and sourcing story, making the range stand out."
There is, of course, a danger that if all Scottish producers plastered a Scottish flag on products this could dilute the power of the label especially if lower-grade products were also using it.
The SFDF's McLean is alert to the danger but argues that it's very much a case of horses for courses.
"The Scottish brand is very useful for some products and it will help to sell them," she says. "For example, if a company is selling traditional products to an expat community, Scottish branding is important because it helps draw attention to the product. However, for many added-value products promoting quality, point of difference or health are more important factors. There is already a lot of diversity and innovation out there, but not all companies are specifically promoting their Scottish credentials. Rather they are promoting quality."
High-quality or premium products could be worth as much as an additional £1bn for Scotland by 2017 if marketed and branded correctly, believes the SFD. Again, whisky is the poster child, with recent export figures suggesting the market is still in rude health. "We're looking at the whisky sector to continue its growth but across all of the sectors we're expecting varying degrees of growth," says SFD's McLaughlin. "Part of that can be about volume growth but part is about value growth because one of our three pillars is about premium and trying to get more for what you do."
The remaining pillar of the Roadmap strategy is health. Food trade bodies and the government have worked hard to cast off the lowly reputation of the Scottish diet thanks to those deep-fried Mars bars. For its own part the government published a strategy report earlier this year, Preventing Overweight and Obesity. Part of its remit is around healthy eating, which presents a £685m opportunity for the nation's food and drink producers, according to SFD.
"We've split health into three categories," says McLaughlin. "There are the natural healthy products. In Scotland's larder we have an abundance of fruits, vegetables, berries, meat and fish. The second category we call better-for-you. This is all about doing NPD and innovation around reducing the salt, fat and sugar content of standard products so consumers see them as more healthy or better for them. The third element is food and drinks that are health-enhancing: products that are consumed as part of a normal diet but have confirmed physiological benefits omega-3 in margarines, for example."
The sucess of the latter category will depend on the level of innovation and NPD, an area in which, with the odd exception such as whisky, the Scottish food and drink industry lets itself down at least as far as investment goes. At present the nation spends far too little on innovation 0.2% of gross value added compared with 1.6% for the UK food and drink industry [ONS Research and Development in UK Businesses 1999-2007].
That's not to say no innovation is happening. Despite such damning statistics, McLaughlin believes there is plenty of room for optimism. "We held our excellence awards recently and in the innovation category more than 30 companies applied," she says. "When you look at the number of companies that are innovating and bringing out new products, that presents a positive and buoyant view."
Whisky isn't the only category impressing. Ready meal manufacturer McIntosh, which produces traditional Scottish dishes, has reached out to a younger audience through new pack formats, for instance.
"NPD is a strong focus and driver for the brand and this has led us to expand our existing range into snack pots and larger family packs, with more exciting developments to come," promises McIntosh sales director Ian Clarke.
And Scottish dairy business Rowan Glen, based in Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway, is doing its bit for the health of the nation's kids through the launch of a range of children's yoghurts this month. "Super Doopers children's yoghurts contain the natural vitamins and minerals from whole milk and are bursting with flavour thanks to the real fruit purée in each and every pot," claims Rowan Glen brand manager Suzanne Wallace. "One pot of Super Doopers provides 15% of the RDA of calcium, essential for children's healthy growth and development."
Even traditional shortbread biscuit manufacturers are getting in on the innovation act. Walkers has launched snack packs aimed at the 'grab and go' market, which come in dinky tartan bags, and has switched to new resealable packaging across its traditional biscuit range to "lock in" freshness.
"These eyecatching new packs feature a stylish resealable flap, which makes the range more practical as an everyday luxury item," says managing director Jim Walker. "The seal, along with the protective tray, keeps these biscuits in tip-top condition."
Rival biscuit manufacturer Paterson Arran, which has similar traditional roots to Walkers, has also pushed the innovation envelope. Towards the end of last year the company launched the first portion-controlled children's shortbread snack, which ticks all the health boxes. Orang-u-tangys mixes Scottish shortbread with orange pieces, is low in satfat and doesn't contain any artificial flavourings or colourings.
"We're committed to developing innovative products that are better for consumers while retaining their great taste," says marketing manager Debbie Ballach.
Aberdeenshire-based Deans is another company firmly focused on NPD as it aims to achieve sales growth of £3m over the next three years, taking its total turnover to £10m.
"We're committing to do this via raising awareness of our core range within the UK, boosting our global strategy through NPD, increasing our export locations and being open-minded to new ideas for our product portfolio in light of market and consumer trends while responding quickly to such opportunities," says MD Bill Dean. "This refreshed approach will be fundamental in reaching our financial targets to boost our business growth and the overall Scottish industry."
Even the most traditional of Scottish foods, the haggis, is being rebooted. Halls of Broxburn has introduced ready-to-cook Chicken Balmoral (chicken breast stuffed with haggis), pre-cut haggis slices, a vegetarian haggis and special-edition giant haggis the Chieftain for Burns Night.
These brand variants have helped the company achieve double-digit volume growth over the past two years, according to Rob Smith of Vion, owner of the Halls brand, who says sales growth is currently a bit higher in England than in Scotland.
But while individual companies are performing well off the back of NPD, the whole is arguably less than the sum of its parts because of the sheer number of Scottish food and drink companies that have not yet exploited the export opportunity.
The SFD is looking to grow exports from £4.06bn to £5.1bn by 2017, but McLaughlin says a number of companies not just in Scotland but UK-wide don't export because they believe the barriers to exporting are much higher and the returns are lower than they actually are.
In Scotland this perception can partly at least be attributed to the fact that three quarters of the country's businesses employ 10 or fewer employees [Scottish Government Food and Drink in Scotland, Key Facts 2009] and only 34 food and drink companies turn over more than £50m [SFD Companies House data]. Based on these figures, it's difficult to see how the country will create the scale it needs to become a true global player, which is why the SFD is looking for more Scottish companies to become global businesses and for smaller operators to collaborate more.
"We need to have more scale within our industry," argues McLaughlin. "That can come in a number of different forms. It can be actual scale in terms of mergers and acquisitions or it can be virtual scale, getting more companies to work collaboratively or in co-ops or joint ventures. We need to say how we can start to work together."
An example of a Scottish business that fits the bill on the global front is Highland Spring, which last year acquired the bottled water division of Greencore Group.
"By purchasing the Greencore plant that came with that deal we're now the own-label producers for supermarkets like Sainsbury's, M&S, Asda and Morrisons," says head of marketing Paul Condron. "That has taken Highland Spring overnight from one of the largest brands to the largest bottle water producer in the UK. It brings with it so much more potential for the brands we sell both domestically and overseas."
Highland Spring is on track to generate more than £50m in sales and has set itself the goal of ultimately becoming a £100m-plus company.
But there are still too few companies as ambitious as Highland Spring around and McLaughlin acknowledges the crucial role the SFD needs to play in terms of providing the right levels of support to allow Scottish companies to grow.
The SFDF's McLean says that along with other signatories to the SFD's strategy, the federation will provide all the support it can "but, at the end of the day, it is the companies themselves that will deliver the growth we aspire to".
The will is certainly there, as is government support in terms of funding. The government-funded Scottish Development International (SDI) has allocated extra resources to support the Scottish food and drink industry.
Approximately £2m is being invested annually by the SDI in international trade activities and promotions and last month the Scottish government launched a year of food and drink-focused activity, which runs through to April 2011.
At the same time it announced an additional funding package to the SFD of £300,000, to be used for a number of different projects, including marketing and branding as well as supply chain work to connect food processors and manufacturers with retailers and public and private catering establishments.
This injection of cash, coupled with a diverse industry base and established exporting track record, leaves McLaughlin convinced that the appropriate ingredients are in place to make the Roadmap a reality.
"Economic growth in the food and drink industry is absolutely vital to Scotland's recovery," he says. "Our Roadmap to 2017, based on industry and stakeholder collaboration, can help ensure our industry won't just survive but prosper."
Focus On Scotland


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Good news for the Samsung Galaxy S II users. Samsung has started rolling out the Android 4.0 ICS update to its Galaxy S II devices.
Samsung has finally begun rolling out the much-awaited Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS upgrade to its Galaxy S II devices. According to reports, the upgrade is presently available in Poland, Hungary, Sweden and Korea but will be soon made available in rest of the countries.
Earlier rumours had suggested that Samsung would be releasing ICS upgrade in phases, and many users could receive the update before March 15. The Galaxy S 2 users, however, can also upgrade to
the ICS manually via Odin, after the official ROMs are released.
The Android 4.0 upgrade will give a redesigned user interface, better multi-tasking features, web-browsing experience and prompt notifications. The ICS update also includes a new People app, which is an upgrade from the traditional Contacts app on the Android devices. Users can also update their Galaxy S II devices via the Samsung Kies app, which is available on company's support website.
Samsung is also going to roll out ICS update to its Galaxy Note, Galaxy SII LTE, Galaxy Tab 8.9 and 10.1 devices in near future.


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The probe is yet another facet of the two companies' ongoing patent dispute that has spilled into 10 countries, and comes less than two weeks after the jury in a landmark U.S. case found Samsung responsible for over $1 billion in damages for violating Apple's design and utility patents.
According to an unnamed FTC official, the body is conducting the investigation after Apple filed a set of complaints earlier this year, asserting the Korean electronics giant was leveraging its dominant portfolio of wireless technology to compete unfairly against rivals in the lucrative mobile market, reports Reuters.
Samsung is also the target of a similar probe being conducted by the European Commission, the European Union's competition watchdog, to determine whether the company's use of declared standards-essential FRAND patents in high profile suits violates EU antitrust laws. In that case, Samsung promised to license certain essential 3G patents to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, and the company contends it has diligently met its FRAND obligations.
The two rival companies are also set to begin a number of patent trials and hearings in Germany, with Apple asserting a variety of Samsung devices infringed on design and software patents.


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Prices of existing owner-occupied dwellings were on average 7.6 percent lower in April 2013 than in April 2012. The price drop is larger than in the previous month when house prices dropped by 7.0 percent.
The volume of exports of goods grew by 1.9 percent in March relative to twelve months previously. The growth of exports has not been this low since August 2012. The volume of imports increased by 0.5 percent in March, the lowest growth rate in more than twelve months.
Adjusted for seasonal variation, 650 thousand people in the Netherlands were unemployed in April 2013, an increase by 7 thousand relative to March this year.
Dutch terms of trade of imported and exported goods improved in March 2013 relative to March 2012. Prices of imported and exported goods were respectively 1.7 and 0.8 percent down from one year previously.
The retail sector faced 5.3 percent turnover loss in March 2013 relative to March 2012. Retail prices were 2.6 percent up, whereas the volume of retail sales was down by 7.8 percent.
In April this year, 682 businesses and institutions (excluding one-man businesses) were declared bankrupt, a decrease by 28 from March.
The average daily production realised by Dutch manufacturing industry was 5.3 percent down in March 2013 from March 2012. The decline was much more substantial than in February, when manufacturing output was 1.3 percent down from one year previously.
The Dutch long-term interest rate based on the return of the most recent ten-year public loan, averaged 1.7 percent in April 2013, just as in March.
The Dutch inflation rate was 2.6 percent in April versus 2.9 percent in March. The price of petrol in particular had a downward effect on inflation. Food prices also had a downward effect.
Output prices of Dutch manufacturing industry were 0.9 percent lower in March 2013 than in March 2012.
Manufacturers’ stocks of finished products were 1 percent up in February from February 2012. The increase is less substantial than in January, when stocks were 4.5 percent up from one year previously.
Household spending on goods and services was 2.2 percent down in February 2013 from February 2012. In January, consumption had declined by 2.3 percent.
The volume of private sector investments in tangible fixed assets was nearly 15 percent down in February 2013 from February 2012. The decline is somewhat more substantial than in January, when private sector investments were 14 percent down from one year previously.


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The domestic sugar pipeline, pegged at almost 1.5 million tonnes (mt), has dried up even as the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-induced lockdown continues to exert pressure on both demand and supply.
The closure of restaurants, malls, and cinema halls has hit the offtake of sweetened products like ice cream, beverages, juices, confectionery, and sweets.
Besides, sugar exports have been affected because of the slump in global prices, although the recent depreciation of the rupee has provided some relief to exporters, according to the Indian Sugar Mill Association (ISMA). Mills are now pinning hopes on prospective shipments to Indonesia to make up for the accumulating losses.
Vasudev Bannerjee of Simbhaoli Sugars said, “Domestic demand is down by more than 30 per cent and there are hurdles in export markets, too. The industry could expect to gain some relief only after the lockdown is lifted and the supply chain comes back on track,” he added.
Indonesia is offering preferential lower import duty for sugar to countries like India, Thailand, and Australia. Generally, Indonesia imports 80-85 per cent of sugar from Thailand, which has witnessed a massive drop in production by 6.5 mt in the current season, compared with the previous year, and this is expected to drop further by 1 mt next year.
“A major portion of the unmet import demand of Indonesia will come to India, which can see a spurt from June onwards,” ISMA noted, adding that exports had started a past few weeks ago. It said the fall in exports to other countries during lockdown would be partially or largely compensated by Indonesia.
With reallocations being made by the Union food ministry to the maximum admissible export quantity (MAEQ) quota from mills that are not exporting to those that are willing to export more, net exports from India are projected to rise.
Since, the sugar pipeline is dry, there could be a surge in domestic demand when lockdown is lifted, especially from the bulk consumers when their operations resume.
Meanwhile, ISMA has also released sugar production figures, which stood at 24.78 mt till April 15. It was 6.4 mt or 20 per cent less than last year’s 31.18 mt. In Uttar Pradesh, mills produced 10.83 mt of sugar till April 15, compared to 10.56 mt last year. Most of the 119 mills in the state are expected to close by the end of this month. In Maharashtra, sugar production till April 15 stood at over 6 mt, compared to 10.67 mt last year.
Meanwhile, mills have resolved the issue of ethanol offtake with the intervention of the oil marketing companies (OMCs), which reallocated ethanol supply to deficient depots in other states — including Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala.


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According to reports popping up all over the internet, Nintendo has found yet another way to drop the ball with Super Mario Maker 2, limiting players to just 32 level uploads per account.
If you peruse Mario Maker social media tags and forums, you’re likely to come across some understandably upset players. While the game boasts a huge number of levels crafted by Team Nintendo for players to enjoy, the big draw of Super Mario Maker 2 is supposed to be for players to make, share and play each other’s custom levels. Unfortunately, folks are reporting that the level creation has a hard cap of just 32. By comparison, you could build and share up to 100 levels in the original Mario Maker for Wii U, and that console didn’t even charge you for the online service.
This isn’t actually the first bit of controversy for the do-it-yourself level builder. Earlier this year, it was announced that you would not actually be able to play online modes with your friends. Nintendo decided to limit online play to randos in order to maintain the integrity of the leaderboards or some such nonsense. Fans raised a bit of noise, though, at which point Nintendo realized they could let you play with your friends in non-ranked matches. Crazy, right?
Obviously, the talk is now turning to players making their voices heard once again. It worked the first time, so maybe Nintendo will listen once again. It’s always possible the 32-level cap was just for when the game launched, with Nintendo planning to raise it via patch once they made sure everything functioned online properly. It’s also just as likely this is yet another example of Nintendo pulling a Nintendo and botching an otherwise easy win with an absolutely senseless limitation. I mean, how are you going to put such a low cap on a game that is literally designed to encourage players to make and share their own levels?


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The 5th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism took place September 9th-10th in Monsaraz a historic rural community in the Alentejo region of Portugal. This year’s theme was ‘Wine Tourism – a Driver for Rural Development’.
Sheree M. Mitchell, President of the American Society of Travel Advisors Chapter in
Portugal, was invited to deliver a keynote speech on Wine Tourism in Portugal for an
audience of elected officials and other high-level public and private sector representatives from Europe and the Americas.
Mitchell’s presentation was given from the perspective of a North American tour operator that has designed and executed exclusive wine tourism products in Portugal for high-networth individuals since 2015.
Portugal, a significant wine producing country, has 14 different wine regions, including the Azores and Madeira islands, all with diverse levels of tourism infrastructure. Mitchell addressed this as she described the unique selling proposition of each wine region individually.
When asked about the impact of wine tourism, Mitchell stated, "With strategic planning, wine tourism has the potential to be a powerful agent of change in rural communities around the world.” Mitchell also provided detailed examples of the economic impact that Immersa Global, the tour operator that she founded and an official ASTA supplier partner, had on the Alentejo region in 2018 and 2019.
The conference also featured internationally known speakers such as Paul Mabray, CEO
of PIX and well-known American expert in big data in the wine industry, as well as Amaia Lopez de Heredia of “Proyectos Turisticos” in Spain and Laure de Lambert-Compeyrot, CEO of Château Sigalas Rabaud from France.
The Master of Ceremonies for the conference was Paulo Salvador, Executive Producer of
Mesa Nacional, the prime time television program that highlights off-the-beaten path
family-owned restaurants around Portugal.


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During its Product Premiere earlier this year, AMD revealed plans to launch Zen 4 Ryzen processors sometime in H2 2022. While many believed we wouldn’t see AM5 chips until Q4, new rumours suggest we may not have to wait quite as long for what will undoubtedly be team red’s best ever best gaming CPUs.
Hardware leaker Greymon55 claims that Zen 4 will arrive before Q3 2022 and that AMD’s plans are “very different from the early days.” What this means exactly isn’t entirely clear, but it could be that the company has changed course following the surprisingly strong competition provided by 12th Gen Intel Core processors.
When pressed for a more specific date by Twitter users, Greymon55 happily obliged by revealing that new Ryzen 7000 CPUs will arrive before August, meaning they’ll be with us sometime in July. If AMD can stick to this release date, it may give them a significant lead over Intel’s 13th gen Core processors, codenamed Raptor Lake, which are also scheduled to arrive later this year.
Before AM4 is eclipsed by its successor, AMD plans to release one final CPU for the platform: the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. The chip boasts a whopping 96MB of L3 cache which should make a great addition to any gaming PC, provided crypto miners don’t guzzle up all the available stock of course.
The plan is very different from the early days.
— Greymon55 (@greymon55) February 11, 2022


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Fortune keeps a firm finger on the pulse of the business world, including which companies are growing faster than their competitors. Their recent list of the 100 Fastest Growing Companies is based on companies who performed the best in revenue, profits, and stock over a three-year term.
For the second year in a row, tech companies took the most spots on the list, but not all of the winners were bred from the digital revolution.
What are the fastest-growing companies for 2019? Here’s a closer look at who made the top 10:
MOMO is a mobile social media experience reimagined.
Headquartered in Beijing, MOMO takes the concept of social media mobile. Users can connect with people based on geographic locations, create videos, texts, and images, and create location-based experiences.
2. Texas Pacific Land Trust
The Dallas-based real estate company is one of the largest landowners in the state of Texas. This is the group’s third year on Fortune’s list of fastest-growing companies, with an 85% 3-year annual growth rate.
3. Micron Technology
In its first year on Fortune’s list of fastest-growing companies, Micron Technology is invested in the IoT, particularly when it comes to driverless technology. The company’s core focus is on how cars can communicate with each other and their surroundings.
4. Corcept Therapeutics
Another newcomer to the list, Corcept Therapeutics is the only company in the healthcare sector that made the Top 10. The company specializes in the development of cortisol modulators to help treat serious diseases, including metabolic, psychiatric, and endocrine disorders.
Netflix continues to dominate the streaming services market.
The biggest name in streaming services, Netflix continues to up the ante with its original content and flexibility in service. Fortune listed the company as having a 33% 3-year annual revenue growth rate and a 59% total return rate.
6. Paycom Software
Paycom Software is the country’s largest payment solutions provider, offering a suite of software services for HR and payroll departments. A 74% 3-year annual return rate and a 34% 3-year annual revenue growth rate has kept it on the list for the past three years.
Software giant Nvidia is one of the fastest-growing companies in the world.
Software giant Nvidia is one of the biggest forces in the technology sector. The company has redefined the PC gaming market and has made major contributions to deep learning, AI, and self-driving transportation.
8. Nexstar Media Group
Celebrating three years on the list, the Irving, Texas-based media company is the largest of its kind in America, with 197 full-power stations in 115 markets throughout the country. Nexstar has experienced a 52% 3-year annual growth rate and a 31% 3-year annual rate of return.
9. Triton International
Bermuda-based Triton International brings the wholesalers category to the list. The company leases intermodal containers for transport by ship, rail, or truck. As their first year on the list, the company has experienced a 30% 3-year annual growth rate and a 44% 3-year annual return rate.
10.SS&C Technologies Holdings
Headquartered in Windsor, CT, SS&C Technologies Holdings is enjoying its fourth year on the Fortune 100 Fastest Growing Companies list. They work with investment firms to provide technology and other solutions to improve efficiencies so they can maximize their competitiveness in the market.
Click here to explore the complete list of fastest-growing companies in the world.


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China has consistently been the dominant global locale for sourcing apparel, but as costs increase not only in China but around the world, manufacturers are looking for alternative places to produce.
At a Texworld USA seminar Wednesday titled, “Sourcing Outside China,” industry exports spoke about the greater sourcing landscape and the potential plusses to making goods outside of the Asian nation.
Rick Helfenbein, president of Luen Thai USA, JC Mazingue, apparel trade advisor for Origin Africa and Jeff Kriendell, director of sales and marketing for Pearl Global USA spoke on the panel moderated by Edward Hertzman, Sourcing Journal founder and publisher.
Hertzman started the panel off acknowledging China’s cost increases and asked the panelists what these price jumps have meant for the industry. The consensus across the panel was that costs are increasing globally, not just in China, as the price of inputs continue to rise.
“No matter where you’re going in the world, your costs are going up,” Helfenbein said. “Duty free is the only competitive advantage you’re going to get when input costs keep going up.”
Kriendell went on to explain that in light of the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh and the ensuing media storm about labor conditions in the country, input costs have gone up dramatically. Wages went up 77 percent, and the higher costs for now-required factory audits and inspections have driven up the cost of making there, he said.
But the reality there is that while some companies fled the country following the tragedy, its apparel business is still booming. The country’s ready made garment industry accounted for $21.5 billion of the its exports in the 2012-2013 fiscal year and experts expect that number to reach $24.1 billion this fiscal year.
In the first three to four months after Rana Plaza collapsed, Kriendell said, brands pulled production from the country, but when it came time to placing Spring ’14 buys, companies came back and Bangladesh recovered as it still can’t be beat on price. “Top factories today are completely full, and in some cases turning business down,” he said.
Some countries, like Vietnam, have managed to maintain reasonable costs despite increasing input prices and growth in sourcing there has been steady. In 2013, the country was the United States’ second largest trading partner for textiles and apparel and imported $8.77 billion worth of goods, according to the Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA).
Vietnam has gotten a lot of buzz of late as an alternative to China, but talks about the ever in-progress Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)–a proposed trade agreement between the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam–has stirred controversy as some say it will put Vietnam at an unfair advantage.
The goal of TPP is to enhance trade and investment among the 12 partner countries and promote economic growth and development, who together control 40 percent of the world’s gross national product, according to Helfenbein. And Vietnam, which already controls nearly 10 percent of the U.S. market share for apparel and textiles, could stand to benefit considerably from the agreement.
“If you give a country with 10 percent market share duty free access,” Helfenbein said. “You tell me what’s going to happen.”
Sourcing in Africa has become a hot topic as H&M has already mentioned it would increase its manufacturing on the continent, and companies like PVH and VF Corporation have made visits to the region and noted plans for expansion. “PVH just opened an office and very soon you will see Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein products made in Africa,” Mazingue said.
Hertzman asked Mazingue about what is being done in Africa to build the infrastructure and train the workers, and whether the continent is ready for an influx of manufacturing.
Mazingue said, “To understand what is going on in Africa, you first need to understand AGOA [African Growth and Opportunity Act]”
AGOA is a trade preference program that allows eligible sub-Saharan African countries to import certain products to the U.S. duty free. “There are 54 countries in Africa, 44 are eligible for AGOA, and out of that,” Mazingue said, “10 or 12 have taken advantage.”
Under AGOA, the Third Country Fabric provision stipulates that as long as a garment is cut and sewn in Africa, fabric can be imported from anywhere in the world and the goods can be shipped to the U.S. duty free. Currently, according to Mazingue, 90 percent of apparel made in Africa is made of imported fabric.
The AGOA agreement is set to expire in September 2015, and while many say renewal is likely, it isn’t certain, nor is the duration of the pending extension. “How can you [brands and retailers] invest if you don’t know if you’re going to get renewed?” Helfenbein said. The fear, Mazingue noted, is that if the agreement is not renewed, companies like PVH and H&M will leave the region. “No doubt about it,” he said.
In terms of the continent’s readiness to be a major apparel producer, Mazingue said honestly, “Ports are still slow, infrastructure needs to be improved. I’m not going to hide the fact that there’s corruption in Africa, but there’s corruption in Asia too.”
With regard to the continent as a whole, Mazingue said, “Things are surging, the lion is roaring, but what we don’t know is what will happen in September when AGOA expires.” He added, “We hope the agreement will be not only extended, but the third country fabric provision will be recognized, and then we can expect double digit growth.”
Mazingue said the five African countries that have so far been successful in apparel manufacturing and are the ones to watch are: Lesotho, Kenya, Mauritius, Ethiopia and Madagascar.
Despite the Sourcing Outside China panel topic, the fact remains that companies are still sourcing in the country. Hertzman asked whether that would change and if there’s a “next China.”
Helfenbein said for the last five years, China’s market share in the apparel and textile industry has been flat at 37-38 percent. Despite the costs, “It hasn’t slipped one iota no matter what people are saying,” he said.
“The way forward for retailers is to link up with factories and think more long-term, build partnerships together.” Kriendell said. In terms of costs, he added, “Everybody is facing these challenges.
Hertzman concluded the discussion with a nod to compliance and a note to brands and retailers that asking for a lower price but more compliance doesn’t really work and won’t yield the improvements the industry needs.
“You can’t ask for fire proof stairways and ten fire extinguishers and five on-hand nurses and a water treatment plant, and then turn around and ask for a $5 jean,” he said. “What are we really doing?”


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Alibaba (No.2) and JD.com (No.11) have made it into the 2016/2017 BrandZ Top 25 Most Valuable Global Retail Brands.
Consumer electronics and mobile gaming brands from China lead the ranking. Consumers abroad increasingly associate Chinese brands with innovative digital devices and services.
2016 Digital Power Study offers latest snapshot of China’s e-commerce landscape in the FMCG market and ranking of best e-commerce retailers.
Chinese actor Hu Ge and model/actress Angelababy rank No.1 and 2. Singer/blogger Xue Zhiqian is identified as the most promising next big star.
Winning companies have expanded marketing organizations’ role: from directly talk to end consumers on their mobile phone screens or social news feeds to closely advise CEOs in boardrooms.
New incidents of breast cancer have been growing quickly. In 2015, breast cancer is the fifth most common cancer type.
Kantar Retail estimates that the FMCG online B2B market will grow to 330 billion yuan in 2018 from nearly 40 billion yuan in 2016. View more
China Shopper Report 2016 Vol 2 has found that e-commerce’s FMCG sales growth increasingly comes from eating into offline retailer’s share. Convenience store is the only healthily growing offline retail format. View more
Patients with diabetes in urban China have much more interest in connected glucose monitors than in other countries. View more
However, the year-on-year growth rate of 3.6% is still a relatively high increase in recent quarters. View more
Global Head of BrandZ
Doreen Wang is Global Head of BrandZ, Millward Brown.
See full profile
Asia Cultural Strategy Director
Panos Dimitropoulos is Asia Cultural Strategy Director, Added Value.
Managing Director, North Asia, Kantar Retail
Bernhard Wessels is the Managing Director, North Asia, Kantar Retail.
Senior Director, Kantar Vermeer
Leon is a Senior Director at Kantar Vermeer.
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What is Chinese people’s budget for Valentine’s Day? What’s the most popular gift? What are the most unpopular ones?
The growth rate is slowest in the past decade.
We can define four distinct Asian Pacific traveller types: Explorer, Connector, Follower and Opportunist. Nearly half of Chinese travellers are Explorers.
In the fourth quarter of last year, total sales of smartphones in urban China were down from a year ago. Huawei consolidates its leading position. OPPO for the first time makes top 10 model list.
Kantar Media's audience research has shown that in the US, United Kingdom and China, American football followers are more likely to have higher income.


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Story of Interest
Written By: Alexander Kamenskiy
North American Companies to watch:
On March 25, 2019, Uber Technologies Inc. announced that it will pay $1.4 billion in cash and $1.7 billion in convertible notes in its biggest deal that will grant it full ownership of leading Middle Eastern competitor Careem. This agreement comes after more than 9 months of gruelling negotiations that leave the Careem Brand, App and founding directors’ positions in-tact. This much-needed victory for Uber complements the company’s plans to IPO during the next month.
The deal enables Uber to claim dominance in a region with a growing demand for ride-hailing services outside of the United States. This is crucial as the company has recently sold its Chinese, Russian and Southeast Asian operations after sustaining heavy losses and investors are beginning to question whether the company is truly a global competitor.
The company hopes to leverage this claim when it is already expected to see a valuation of approximately $100 billion at IPO. The justification for this valuation has always been under scrutiny as the company has not turned a profit, and improved meagrely from a $2.2 billion loss in 2017 to a $1.8 billion loss in 2018. Bulls will say that investors need to base their valuation on top line growth, but 2018 Q3 revenue was $2.95 billion, up just 5% from Q2 and 2018 Q4 revenue was $3 billion, up just 2% from Q3.
Uber’s ability to leverage the April IPO and pitch itself as full transportation and logistics platform will be imperative to its success in an increasingly competitive space.
2. Bed Bath and Beyond (BBBY)^3.05 (21.99%)
On March 25, 2019 Bed Bath & Beyond’s board of directors received severe criticism from an investor group holding 5% of the company’s equity, in response, shares surged by more than 20% in value. This group comprises of Legion Partners Asset Management LLC, Macellum Advisors GP LLC and Ancora Advisors LLC, all of which demand the ousting of the 16-year CEO Steven Temares as well as the majority of the board.
It is no secret that Bed Bath & Beyond has struggled to stay up to date with changing consumer habits and tastes. The firm’s annual sales growth has dwindled to 1%, down from 23% in 2003, resulting in a loss of 85% of the company’s value in 5 years. The gravity of the situation is aggravated when considering peers Lowe’s and Home Depot have gained approximately 50% in value over the same period.
The company’s inability to adapt, excessive pay packages and a failure to hold management accountable are the main reasons why the investors believe a change in the majority of the board is required.
Bed Bath & Beyond initially responded in good faith, inquiring in suggestions to improve the company but the investors did not reciprocate. Instead, they chose to make public statements pressuring the company to take action. Bed Bath & Beyond replied by insisting on an extensive transformation that will streamline operational efficiency, and position the company for long-term success. That being said, shareholders are left in uncertainty as the firm has not released any timeline for a formal plan of action.


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DALTON, Ga. — Rodney Koop, the founder and CEO of The New Flat Rate, and HVAC training and management expert Bill Ligon will host “The Power of Selling at the Right Price,” a live, interactive online workshop on managing costs and pricing, on Oct. 29.
In the virtual workshop, Koop and Ligon will offer strategies and practical solutions that HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractors and managers can implement to ensure their products and services are priced to drive sales and accurately reflect the costs of operation.
“The prevailing wisdom in our industry is that raising prices is the way to increase profit,” Koop said. “If that were true, and Coca-Cola followed that advice, a can of Coke would cost $35. But offering low prices at high volume isn’t the best strategy for most contractors, either. Bill and I will help business owners and managers identify the right price for their products and services so they can close more sales and maximize revenue based on realistic calculations of their individual markets and goals.”
“The Power of Selling at the Right Price” is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 29, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. EDT. A live Q&A session with Koop and Ligon will follow the workshop, and attendees will have access to a video recording of the session.


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Guys, get ready to get all warm and tingly inside. Spencer Claus, a 16-year-old beauty blogger from Scottsdale, Arizona, tweeted what we think is the most awesome thing ever: a makeup photo shoot of him and his dad twinning.
Spencer and his father, Scot (a lawyer and actor), strike the same poses in four different shots, wearing the same dark matte lipstick. Seriously, this father-son makeup time is getting us all verklempt. This is the kind of bonding we wish every makeup-obsessed kid got to do.
The best part of all of this is that Spencer, who is genderqueer, has been getting tons of positive feedback. So far, his tweet has been retweeted more than 10,000 times.
"I receive so much more love than I do hate," he told Buzzfeed. "So many people said 'parenting done right' or something to that effect, which I think is absolutely true," he said. "I have been extremely fortunate to have the supportive parents I do and I am forever grateful to them."
Spencer and his mom did a similar shoot for Mother's Day. The teen told Buzzfeed, "It wasn't anything out of the ordinary; we're always doing weirdly artsy shit around our house. Just another day with the Claus family!" Can we hang out at their house for a weekend?
Looks like we have a new favorite beauty blogger to follow on social media.


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A shoe company calling itself Lebron Jordan Incorporated, or LJI, is suing NBA greats LeBron James and Michael Jordan for costing them a major deal, according to celebrity Web site TMZ.com.
The suit contends that James and Jordan's representatives at Nike and Live Nation killed a multi-million dollar deal by threatening to sue LJI unless it stopped selling a line of basketball shoes under the Lebron Jordan name.
In the TMZ article, LJI claim that Jordan and James's reps killied the deal costing them $900 million. They are suing James and Jordan for $150 million each.
The company contends that the words Lebron and Jordan together are not trademarked, and you could not even find that name combination on Google.


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Telkom launched its first uncapped ADSL services in 2011, partly because of competitive pressure from Internet Service Providers such as MWEB.
Over the last financial year Telkom’s ‘Internet all access subscribers’ declined by 3.75 – down from 543,316 in March 2011 to 523,057 in march 2012.
The decline in Internet customers came despite the fact that the company grew its ADSL subscriber base by 10%, clearly showing that that many ADSL users are selecting ISPs other than Telkom Internet for their data needs.
According to Telkom it remains heavily focused on increasing broadband and data-related revenue to diversify its reliance away from fixed-line voice.
“For the first time in the SA market a ‘free 3-month broadband’ trial was launched by Telkom. Of the total 74,924 customers who applied for the trial we ended up retaining 68% as customers,” said Telkom.
Telkom CEO Nombulelo Moholi highlighted that the company will increase ADSL speeds starting in August 2012, and that it plans to boost entry level speeds to 2Mbps and increase top speed to 40Mbps by 2015.


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FARGO - There’s nothing like a car ride to get two people talking.
In the case of Steve Sasman, his car ride is getting a lot of people talking. The Realtor, video podcast host and Tesla enthusiast is driving one of the electric cars across the United States. Along the way, he’s offering people the chance to ride shotgun and tell their story in what he’s calling his Million Dollar Tesla Trip.
Sasman, who caused a buzz early this year by offering people the chance to sleep in his Tesla through Airbnb, was in Fargo Wednesday for 1 Million Cups, a weekly meeting of entrepreneurial-minded professionals in the Fargo-Moorhead area.


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A Shannon, Co Clare-based company specialising in drone flying research, aims to be at the forefront of an industry predicted to be involved in areas as diverse as agriculture, rescue and even food and merchandise delivery.
A-techSYN, a research and development company with over four years of experience in drone development, is to move to the Shannon Free Zone business park in Co Clare with the creation of 25 jobs by 2019.
Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, are best known historically for use in military circles.
In recent years it has become more prevalent in everyday life, being used by farmers, architects, wildlife surveyors and crowd monitoring. Delivery company Amazon wants to develop drones for delivering merchandise.
A-techSYN will transfer its PilotUS autopilot hardware and software to Shannon, which is the largest aerospace and aviation cluster in Ireland with over 60 firms specialising in aircraft leasing, maintenance and recycling to manufacturing, parts repair and business aviation.
The agreement was between A-techSYN and the Shannon Group’s International Aviation Services Centre.
CEO and founder of the company, Gokhan Celik said: “It is a pleasure for us to be part of a cluster that we believe will contribute greatly to unmanned aerial vehicles development.
“This is a highly specialised industry sector. A-techSYN will support the cluster by transferring all technology developed in recent years to Ireland.
“We believe that our experience in control and flight services will be a great contribution.”
International Aviation Services Centre managing director Patrick Edmond said unmanned aerial vehicles technology was a very significant growth area in the aviation industry.
“Unmanned aerial vehicles are a real growth area and the technology is evolving rapidly.
“We’re delighted to welcome an innovative company such as A-techSYN as part of our aviation cluster, and this further confirms Shannon as a leader in this industry sector,” he said.
Amazon founder and second richest man in the world behind Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos has signalled his intent to develop drone technology to one day be able to deliver directly to customers.
Amazon has already registered a patent for a giant airborne warehouse, such as a giant blimp, that would see thousands of packages onboard at any one time, which would then send smaller drones to deliver to customers.
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved


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Southampton Magistrates Court has imposed a heavy fine on a restaurant in Hampshire where filthy conditions led to a food poisoning outbreak in which almost 100 diners were affected.
The Real China Restaurant in Eastleigh was found to have had poor cleaning and disinfectant techniques and inappropriate systems for washing up. In addition there were other hygiene offences including raw meat being disinfected in a sink and a door between the toilet and kitchen being wedged open.
The food poisoning outbreak was the most serious ever dealt with by Hampshire Council- approximately 100 diners were confirmed to have suffered from salmonella poisoning which were linked to the restaurant. Some of these needed hospitalisation and for others the symptoms are still not resolved.
The prosecution and fine imposed here is welcome. We deal with food poisoning cases as a specialist form of injury claim and we are keenly aware that food poisoning is often much more serious than is often reported. We dealt with many of the cases from this outbreak and there are cases that are still not resolved because of the continuing symptoms.
We thoroughly endorse a hard line being taken against restaurants where food hygiene is not absolutely the first priority. We hope that this case – appalling though it was- will send the necessary message to all other restaurants that if they do not keep high standards of hygiene they will face serious consequences.


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In 2008, it will be very normal in case you purchase digital merchandise out of your pc. Use the Sony Ericsson Mobile Telephone as your personal digital walkman. It additionally gives real-time community safety for every system linked to it. This progress will be anticipated to continue as new and progressive merchandise, with more and more demanding electronic requirements, challenge product designers to get ten pounds right into a 5 pound bag.
A number of online electronics are concerned in the enterprise of offering clients a gamut of choices in terms of products and brands. There are also cellphone accessories, together with circumstances, headsets, chargers, Bluetooth gadgets, car mounts and extra. If 5 years in the past new PCs or other digital products had been designed for youngsters and nerds, these days it is straightforward to find a new laptop for your need.
Most people perceive the significance of devices and electronics in our everyday life, however most do not understand the scope at which it reaches. Initially, a brand new company named Nordic Firefly , will sell two different variations of the new electronics.
The improbable saga of electronics miniaturization that has yielded ever more computing power at ever-decrease unit prices—represented by the famed Moore’s Law (named after Intel’s co-founder Gordon Moore)—has at all times been destined to encounter the restrictions of both physics and economics.
The US authorities’s sudden ban on laptops, iPads and different electronics bigger than a cellphone” on flights from 10 airports within the Middle East has sparked criticism from know-how specialists, who say the new rules seem like at odds with fundamental pc science.


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If Sen. Ted Cruz [R-Texas] has his way, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau won’t be around long enough to implement its proposed debt collection rule.
Sen. Cruz yesterday introduced legislation that would eliminate the CFPB. This is the third time that Sen. Cruz has taken some initiative to abolish the regulatory agency.
“There has never been a greater farce and waste of government resources than the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and now is the time to eliminate it,” Sen. Cruz said in a statement. “Make no mistake, it does little to protect consumers and was created during the Obama administration to enforce burdensome regulations which have stunted economic growth and negatively impacted small businesses and consumers.”
Joining Sen. Cruz in co-sponsoring the proposed legislation are: Sen. Mike Lee [R-Utah], Sen. Jim Inhofe [R-Okla.], Sen. Ben Sasse [R-Neb.], Sen. Mike Rounds [R-S.D.], Sen. Marsha Blackburn [R-Tenn.], and Sen. Rand Paul [R-Ky.].
The “Repeal CFPB Act” is a lot shorter than this article about it. Here is the text of the bill:
The Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (12 U.S.C. 5481 et seq.) is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by that Act are restored or revived as if the Act had not been enacted.
Sen. Cruz has introduced similar legislation in 2015 and 2017 and neither bill progressed very far. With Democrats controlling the House of Representatives, it’s unlikely that the third time will be the charm in this case.


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Valued at over $85 billion and with expected annual revenues of over $1 billion, VinFast’s rise to prominence is a testament to Vietnam’s innovative approach to startups and dedication to delivering high-quality and low cost manufacturing of equipment. The unicorn startup listed on Nasdaq in August.
VinFast was founded by Pham Nhat Vuong, a Vietnamese billionaire and the founder of Vingroup, one of Vietnam’s largest private enterprises.
Born in 1968, in Hanoi, Vietnam, Pham Nhat Vuong earned his bachelor’s degree in international economics from Moscow State University of International Relations. After returning to Vietnam, he started his career in the early 1990s with a small instant noodle business. His entrepreneurial drive and strategic vision led him to expand into various industries, including real estate and retail.
Vingroup, has grown into one of the largest private enterprises in Vietnam. Under his leadership, the conglomerate has developed and invested in numerous projects, including the Vinhomes real estate development, Vincom retail chain, VinFast automotive manufacturing, and VinUni, a private university.
Last month, VinFast announced that it delivered 9,535 electric vehicles in 2Q23, more than five times the number of deliveries in 1Q23. VinFast delivered a total of 11,315 electric vehicles in the first half of 2023 globally. VinFast owns a state-of-the-art automotive manufacturing complex with globally leading scalability that boasts up to 90% automation in Hai Phong, Vietnam.
Since its inception in 2017, VinFast has unveiled a series of ambitious expansion plans for its electric vehicle (EV) ventures overseas. Most recently, the loss-making automaker outlined its intentions to establish an assembly facility in Indonesia, an area known for its abundant supply of nickel, a key component for EV batteries. According to VinFast, this move is strategic, capitalizing on the favorable battery ecosystem in the country, supported by the Indonesian government’s openness and tax incentives.
Further demonstrating its global aspirations, VinFast is set to deliver the first batch of 3,000 VF8 vehicles to European customers this year. This development coincides with the European Union’s contemplation of tariffs on Chinese EV rivals.
According to VinFast’s spokesperson, Ms. Thuy, the company views its market differently from Chinese competitors, setting it apart in terms of strategy and approach.
Having commenced EV production in 2021, VinFast has set its sights on selling up to 50,000 units this year. Chief Financial Officer David Mansfield expressed optimism that sales would gain momentum in the final quarter.


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What Elio is offering is that your non-refundable deposit of $100, $250, $500, or $1,000 will be half-matched by the start-up automaker. If you take advantage of the deal, you also get a limited edition T-shirt and a bumper sticker. Doing the math on $500 off your $6,800 base-price Elio trike, it turns out that if you spend the full $1,000, then that's like getting a 7.3-percent discount. The offer ends May
What Elio is offering is pretty much the same as last time.
The reservations are for Elio's upcoming three-wheeled, high-MPG vehicle, which is constantly inching closer to something real. The trike will get "up to" 84 miles per gallon and seat two people. As impressive as all these numbers sound, there are lots of skeptics. They've got legit items to point to, since Elio has lost many millions so far in its quest and has pushed most of its initial deliveries back to 2017.
If you're a bit more hesitant about giving Elio your money, the company also offers a refundable deposit tier. You won't get the 50 percent bonus or the fancy T-shirt, but you should be able to get 100 percent of your money back if you decide a highly efficient three-wheeler isn't for you.
This post has been updated.
More than 52,000 people have put down money for a place in line for highly fuel-efficient, low-cost three-wheeler
PHOENIX, May 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Elio Motors, Inc. (OTCQX: ELIO), the startup vehicle manufacturer planning to launch a three-wheeled vehicle that will get up to 84 MPG with a targeted base price of $6,800, today announced that the current 50 percent reservation bonus offer will end May 31, 2016. Elio Motors will then reduce the reservation bonus offer for a non-refundable reservation to 25 percent.
More than 52,000 customers have put money down for a place in line for an Elio. Reservations can be for $100, $250, $500 or $1,000 and can be either refundable or non-refundable (details on the reservation program can be found at www.eliomotors.com). Currently, non-refundable reservations receive a 50 percent reservation bonus for when the customer purchases a vehicle to be applied to the final cost of their Elio.
"Our 50 percent reservation bonus has always been intended as a reward for early adopters and is a thank you for their early support," said Paul Elio, founder and CEO of Elio Motors. "The customer response has been phenomenal and we are thankful so many people have shown their support by making a reservation."
To date, more than 85 percent of reservation holders have chosen the non-refundable option.
Any potential customers who want to take advantage of the 50 percent reservation bonus can do so by placing a non-refundable vehicle reservation on or before May 31. In addition, any current reservation holders who want to upgrade their reservation – for example, a $500 non-refundable reservation turned into a $1,000 reservation – also can take advantage of the 50 percent reservation bonus before the end of May.
Elio Motors, which is targeting a launch in 2017, has achieved several milestones so far this year. In addition to crossing the 50,000-reservation threshold, the company's shares began trading on the OTCQX market. In addition, the company has finalized engineering designs for the engine cradle, interior, body panels and chassis for its E-Series testing vehicles. Assembly of the E-Series vehicles will begin later this month.
"There are a lot of hurdles to clear when you build a vehicle from the ground up, but we keep accomplishing goals – both big and small every single day," Elio said. "Our progress the past several months has been remarkable and we look forward to keeping the ball rolling with the upcoming E-Series build and pre-production vehicle launch later this year."
About Elio Motors
Founded by car enthusiast Paul Elio in 2009, Elio Motors Inc. represents a revolutionary approach to manufacturing an ultra-high-mileage vehicle. The three-wheeled Elio is engineered to attain a highway mileage rating of up to 84 mpg, while providing the comfort of amenities such as power windows, power door lock and air conditioning, accompanied by the safety of multiple air bags and an aerodynamic, enclosed vehicle body. Elio's first manufacturing site will be in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements." These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking information. Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from planned operations include, without limitation, delays in receipt of adequate financing, delays in commencement of production, decreased consumer interest in the Company's products, downturn in general economic conditions, increased production costs and availability of raw materials, competition, and unfavorable market and regulatory conditions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers are referred to the Company's periodic reports filed with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The information contained in this press release is a statement of the Company's present intentions, beliefs or expectations and is based upon, among other things, the existing business environment, industry conditions, market conditions and prices, the economy in general and the Company's assumptions. The Company may change its intentions, beliefs or expectations at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in its assumptions or otherwise, and it undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. The cautionary statements contained or referred to in this press release should be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that the Company or persons acting on its behalf may issue.


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With the end of summer in sight, we're rolling out a few helpful product updates that will make it even easier to parse your data and customize visualizations to suit your team's needs. Here's what we've been up to.
Our product team has been hard at work developing a number of incremental workflow improvements across the Upsight platform. This month we’re releasing improvements to DataMine, custom dashboards, and advanced metric settings that will empower everyone on your team to gain the insights they need to positively impact your portfolio’s KPIs. Here’s what we’re shipping this month:
We want to wish our partners, friends and family a very happy holidays and send a huge thank you for your continued support this year.
Candy Crush Saga has taken Facebook and mobile by storm, earning a permanent spot on smartphones, tablets and desktops around the world. But what really has the industry in a tizzy is that the game has only been out for about five months.


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Owned by: Kellogg’s (officially known as The Kellogg Company)
7. Stonyfield Farms yogurt
Owned by: Groupe Danone, a.k.a. Dannon (80% ownership)
8. See’s Candies
Owned by: Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett’s company)
Owned by: Wrigley, which was bought by Mars, Inc. and Berkshire Hathaway.
Owned by: Mondelēz, which is made up of the cookie/candy/gum division of Kraft and Cadbury after they merged.
Owned by: Dr Pepper Snapple Group, which was previously part of Cadbury Schweppes, which sold to Kraft, then Kraft split off the beverage division so Dr Pepper Snapple was separate again (and still owns Orangina). Phew!
Wanna see more? Here’s a handy (and depressing) map:
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated that Toblerone was currently owned by Kraft Foods. Toblerone is owned by Mondelēz International, which was previously owned by Kraft and owns former Kraft brands. A previous version misstated complete spellings of several brand names. (3/29/13)
- The Dutch Safety Board has released a final report of its investigation into why Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 broke up over Ukraine in 2014. ›
- Iran's parliament approved a deal on its nuclear program, which was agreed in July following lengthy talks between six world powers. ›
- SAB Miller has accepted "in principle" a takeover offer from Anheuser-Busch InBev, which would create the world's largest beer company. ›


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Earlier this year, we learned that OnePlus is going to further expand its Nord series of low-to-mid-range products and launch a smartwatch. A couple of days ago, OnePlus India issued an official statement, saying that the company would unleash the OnePlus Nord Watch smartwatch soon. However, as the companies like OnePlus like doing, official information concerning this or that selling point of the upcoming smartwatch will be given by portions. But this doesn’t mean we won’t get info from other sources. For instance, today, from different leakers, we heard what highlights the forthcoming watch will come with.
One of them, @Mukul Sharma, has revealed a rendering of the OnePlus Nord Watch smartwatch. As we can see from the picture, the rectangular dial is textured and has a solid crown on the side. The OnePlus Nord Watch smartwatch uses a silicone strap. Moreover, the latter has a diamond pattern.
Here's your first look at the OnePlus Nord Watch Midnight Black colour variant
1.78-inch AMOLED 60Hz
105 Fitness modes
10 days Battery
Women Health Tracking
Multiple Watch Faces support
Feel free to retweet 😉#OnePlus #OnePlusNordWatch pic.twitter.com/4MgGy7a8N2
— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) September 21, 2022
In terms of functions, the OnePlus Nord Watch will support heart rate monitoring, step count statistics, and other functions.
Apart from this, the OnePlus Nord Watch is believed to support 105 sports modes, including blood oxygen monitoring, stress monitoring, women’s health records, and more.
In terms of battery life, our protagonist will provide 10 days of autonomy on a single charge.
When getting back to the official information, we know that the OnePlus Nord Watch will feature a 1.78-inch AMOLED screen with a peak brightness of 500 nits and a resolution of 368×448. At the same time, the company will put hundreds of dials so that you can choose from them.
From another source, 91Mobiles, we got much more information. For instance, the watch will come in two colors of black and blue; there is a 1.78-inch square AMOLED screen with a 2.5D glass on top and support for a 60Hz refresh rate, a brightness of 500 nits, and a pixel density of 326 PPI.
Plus, the smartwatch supports the N Health app, has 105 fitness modes, and has various health-tracking options. For example, it supports heart rate/pressure/blood oxygen saturation (SpO?) monitoring, as well as female health tracking and other functions.
In terms of battery life, the OnePlus Nord Watch can last up to 10 days when fully charged and up to 30 days on standby.


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Marvel is gearing up for Return of Wolverine, the miniseries that officially welcomes the original Logan back into the Marvel Universe. Marvel previously revealed that Wolverine will be returning with an unusual new power, and now we know that the series will also introduce a new costume and a new villain.
First, check out Logan's new costume as featured on the cover to Return of Wolverine #2:
The new suit is designed by artist Declan Shalvey, who will now be drawing issues #2-4 of the series in place of original artist Steve McNiven. Where most Wolverine costumes tend to draw from his classic tiger stripe look, this suit seems to take its inspiration more from Wolverine's all-black Patch costume and the military uniform he wore in 2005's House of M.
It's unclear whether this new costume is Wolverine's new default look or if it's specific to his new mission. What is clear is that he'll be squaring off against a brand-new villain in this new series. Check out these concept designs for Persephone, a mysterious new player in the mutant world:
Writer Charles Soule tweeted about Mike Hawthorne's character design, saying "I asked for a look inspired by 70s sci-fi, very fashionable, all confidence and sweeping grace. This is what we got, and did he ever nail it."
Return of Wolverine #1 will hit stores on Wednesday, September 19. Let us know what you think of Logan's new look and new enemy in the comments below.