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The New Flint Farmers’ Market Expected to Open Downtown in May
The new Flint Farmers' Market is expected to open downtown in May. Due to some construction and weather setbacks, we should be able to shop in the new location for the farmers' market really soon. Are you excited for the new move?
Flint Farmers' Market has been a staple in our community for years and it seems like the longevity is secure. The market will move from the East Boulevard Drive location to the former Flint Journal printing building. The new location will produce a new buzz for residents with 45 indoor vendors and 30 outdoor vendors.
The outdoor pavilion will not be ready for the May opening day due to freezing temperatures, according to MLive. The new location will be two stories tall with two kitchens for vendors to rent for one hour at a time for cooking onsite. Sean Gartland, the Culinary Director, is excited about the new possibilities of the new location.
"I plan on putting together a number of educational events in the demonstration kitchen," Gartland said. "It’s going to accommodate multiple people at tables around it at a counter top. It’s also a space that can be rented out for private parties, but it really is there for educational purposes."
The new move has so much potential to help our community improve from a economic perspective to educational opportunities. No official May date has been revealed but get ready to shop the Flint Farmers' Market soon.


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As a veteran designer, Datuk Rizalman Ibrahim's experience spans more than 25 years. He is known for glamorous designs that combine fashion daring with wearability.
With tough government restrictions imposed to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the tourism industry on which Marrakesh depends screeched to a halt.
Models strutting their stuff for the Spring/Summer 2021 fashion weeks were diverse in terms of age, size and gender. They represented a changing perception of beauty in the fashion industry.
‘One Or The Other’ interactive experience gives viewers a chance to explore Ipoh Old Town.
A giant 2,000-year-old figure of a feline was recently discovered by a drone on a Peruvian hillside.
Filming activities are currently allowed to go on in the areas placed under the conditional movement control order.
The Terengganu state government will implement several initiatives to encourage younger generations to continue the tradition of riding a trishaw as a livelihood which is synonymous with the state especially around Pasar Payang.
An architect and her daughter piece together a part of Malaysian history and preserve it for future generations.
The shiny coaches are a symbol of Vienna's imperial past, but the horses that pull them are at the centre of a conflict about ethics and money.
Iconic wooden townhouses in Siberian city face uncertain future.

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Waste Management Inc.
For the current fiscal year, the company expects adjusted earnings to be between $3.14 a share and $3.18 a share, compared to the $3.17 seen by analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters.
Shares of the company edged up 0.6% to $71.80 premarket.
For the quarter ended Dec. 31, the company posted a profit of $335 million, or 75 cents per share, up from $273 million, or 61 cents a share, a year before.
Revenue rose 6.6% to $3.46 billion.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected 77 cents in per-share earnings on $3.42 billion in revenue. Average prices of recycled commodities increased 31.6% in the December quarter. Recycling volumes improved 2.4%.
Write to Ezequiel Minaya at Ezequiel.Minaya@wsj.com


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The first official fiscal statement since the March budget is to be delivered next week as the chancellor attempts to keep businesses and households afloat in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The virus’ economic impact has resulted in the UK’s debt-to-GDP ratio breaking the 100 per cent mark for the first time since 1963 and the economy shrank a record 20 per cent in April.
Rishi Sunak — who has pledged the announcement will be a ‘fiscal plan’ rather than an ‘emergency budget’ — will present his roadmap for the UK economy next Wednesday (July 8). Here’s what could be on the agenda:
There has been growing speculation that the chancellor could implement a levy on personal wealth to boost the UK’s finances and buffer the economy against the impact of the pandemic.
According to law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, HM Treasury has approached certain private banks and wealth managers to discuss the concept of a wealth tax.
Just yesterday (July 2) Gus O’Donnell, who served as cabinet secretary under David Cameron, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, added his voice to calls to start taxing personal wealth, saying the Covid crisis had provided the basis for such measures.
Racheal Griffin, tax and financial planning expert at Quilter, said a one-off or ongoing levy on personal wealth could be put in place to “rebalance the wealth distribution and provide a significant boost to government revenue”.
But she warned: “A tax levied on the value of someone’s wealth is a worrying prospect given the practical and political difficulties associated with such a broad levy.
“What happens to those with considerable illiquid assets but few liquid assets? What happens to older generations who will need their wealth to pay for future social care costs?”
Cuts to VAT
It is possible the chancellor will look to encourage consumer spending by slashing the rate of VAT, commentators have predicted.
Last month Alistair Darling, who was chancellor at the height of the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008, called for an emergency VAT cut.
Jon Hickman, corporate tax partner at BDO, said cutting VAT would be the “simplest move” to boost spending, adding the tactic was used by Lord Darling in 2008 and had already been taken in other EU countries to help their economies post-lockdown.
Tom Selby, senior analyst at AJ Bell, agreed the chancellor could go “in the other direction” of the manifesto promise not to raise VAT and instead “cut VAT rates to stimulate spending”.
But Ms Griffin, said there were “two big question marks” around the effectiveness of a VAT cut.
She said: “The post-2008 reduction in VAT had a minimal impact on demand at a substantial cost to the exchequer. VAT is normally the government’s second biggest source of revenue...the Chancellor [might be] reluctant to put further strain on the public finances.”
Ms Griffin added the dynamics of the crisis also differed to 2008 as this time consumers had built up their savings and now faced a “psychological barrier” rather than a financial one, meaning there could be “pent-up” demand.


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Week In Review
This week the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced its decision to lower the federal funds rate to 2.0% from 2.25%. According to the Fed statement, the labor market remains “strong” and economic activity continues rising at a “moderate rate.” While the cut and statement were in line with market expectations, Powell’s press conference was perceived as more hawkish due to him characterizing the cut as a “mid-cycle adjustment” rather than the beginning of a prolonged easing cycle.
For the first time since 2008, the Fed lowered interest rates. This move was highly anticipated, and the only uncertainty was the size, as some speculated that the Fed may cut by 50bps. In the end, the Fed holds a positive view on the economy but recognizes there are potential headwinds stemming from low inflation and international uncertainties. Should growth and inflation continue to run below expectations, we may see additional accommodation later in the year.
Minister-level trade talks ended with no progress made, and in response President Trump tweeted that the proposed 10% tariffs on the remaining non-tariffed $300 billion in Chinese imports to the U.S. will be implemented on September 1. The president also indicated that this rate could be increased and the 25% rate on other imports could be increased as well. The Chinese government stated that China would retaliate in an unspecified manner if these tariffs are implemented. Capital markets reacted violently to this announcement with the yield curve further inverting and equities down 2% from their pre-announcement levels.
The truce negotiated between Trump and Xi at the G-20 is over, and the trade war is escalating again. A resolution to the conflict does not seem to be any closer than it was last year. Markets are clearly concerned about the impact of a sustained trade conflict. The items facing new tariffs are skewed more heavily to U.S. consumer spending, which is the bright spot that has been sustaining U.S. growth recently.
U.S. employers added 164,000 jobs in July, and revisions reduced gains the prior two months by 41,000 leaving the three month average gain at 140,000 jobs per month. Unemployment was unchanged due to an increase in labor force participation. Wages rose 3.2% from a year earlier, but this was partly driven by a decline in the average work week.
This report is consistent with a decelerating but still growing economy. Both markets and the Fed will be watching employment closely in the coming months to look for signs that manufacturing weakness, the global slowdown and the trade war are starting to impact the employment and wages that drive consumption in the U.S.
Personal consumption data showed that consumer incomes and spending continue to grow at moderate levels and that consumer inflation continues to firm. The manufacturing ISM index remained at levels just above those indicating a contraction. June factory orders and capital goods shipments also remained weak.
These reports paint a picture of the U.S. economy where consumer spending remains strong but business investment and goods production are weak. The divergence between these two is unlikely to persist.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued an executive order that will move the deadline for the city’s preliminary budget from July 31 to August 31. The newly elected mayor’s office cited the shorter transition period as the reason for the change. Mayor Lightfoot defeated Toni Preckwinkle in a runoff election on April 2. Outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office had estimated a budget shortfall of $740 million. Mayor Lightfoot has indicated that the actual number is higher.
Along with the anticipated budget deficit, Chicago continues to struggle with growing pension costs. Mayor Lightfoot is taking extra time to work with her advisers on the preliminary budget but also adding uncertainty to the process.


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People's Choice Awards Embraces Social Media
Procter & Gamble Brings in Mark Burnett; Broadens Voting Power
By Brian Steinberg
Published: January 06, 2010
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Procter & Gamble is going out of its way to get more people involved in its 36-year-old People's Choice Awards, a sign of how TV producers are quickly tweaking the way they make their shows to cater to emerging viewer habits.
Mark Burnett will helm this year's 'People's Choice Awards' broadcast.
This year, P&G is trying to rework the program's tried-and-true formula. The consumer-products giant, which maintains a TV-production arm, has enlisted reality-TV impresario Mark Burnett to helm this year's broadcast, loosened up and broadened the voting process, restructured the flow of the awards program itself and worked diligently to fan enthusiasm for the program well before it hits CBS Wednesday evening.
"In the past, we followed the rule of the other award-show formats," said Fred Nelson, president of "People's Choice," which is owned by P&G and produced with the assistance of Publicis Groupe's MediaVest media-buying firm. "We have the opportunity to really shake this up."
But there's much more going on than simply determining whether fans give a nod to ABC's "Flash Forward" or CBS's "The Good Wife" as their favorite drama of 2009. Simply put, makers of TV programs are learning that seeding the show among fans must take place months, not just weeks, in advance. The hope is that by using new strains of social-media, TV producers will create new momentum among hard-core fans, which can then spill over to others -- generating new excitement for even the most buttoned-down video properties.
"Obviously, we'd like to get a good rating," said Mr. Nelson, but the changes in promoting the program and its structure are aimed at "preserving this for the future."
Despite its long tenure on the public airwaves, "People's Choice" has seen its ratings decline over the long haul -- along with nearly every other major TV property except for the Super Bowl. Where the event reached between 13 million and 15.5 million viewers each year between 2000 and 2004, its reach more recently has wavered between 6 million and 11.4 million viewers. The show saw a noticeable ratings boost in 2009, when viewership increased to 9.4 million from about 6 million in 2008, when TV was suffering from a writers' strike.
Of more concern for P&G, perhaps, is that "People's Choice" represents its last ongoing broadcast-TV property. For decades, P&G produced the popular soap operas "Guiding Light" and "As The World Turns"; "Light" was dimmed last year and CBS has said "World" will stop spinning come September. All the programs were once used to hawk and promote P&G's many household goods. In fact, you'll still see some P&G products woven into the proceedings of the awards.
Last year, the program was opened to a non-P&G brand: Mars's M&Ms. This year, Kraft Foods' DiGiorno Pizza will play a part. But P&G's own goods will still surround the show, with some beauty products woven into in-program segments and Tide sponsoring a web-based fashion recap after the awards show airs.
Backers already have new hopes. According to Mr. Burnett, more than 60 million people are expected to vote on the entrants, a significant surge above the 15 million that typically took part in years past. For this year's program, organizers have abandoned a years-old practice of using a panel to determine nominees, then letting the public determine a winner. This time, the public has also been determining the nominees, which has spurred chatter about the program much sooner than for previous events.
The actual telecast will seem different, too, said Mr. Burnett. "You'll probably see a less formal vibe than in years gone by," he said. "My team enjoys going out to commercial from backstage."
"You've got this backstage feel" that will make the event appear "dressed down," he added.
What's more, organizers have for the first time made it possible for average fans to purchase tickets to the event, meaning the hoi-polloi can actually attend -- not just smiling celebrity faces.
"The show has much more variety, it's fast-paced, whereas in the past it was really about reading the nominees and hearing the acceptances," the popular producer said. These days, that sort of stuff has been taken care of with social media, leaving the program with a chance to be more freewheeling that older audiences will remember.
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Soft Robotics Inc. today announced the launch of SoftAI Solutions, an offering it said incorporates proprietary 3D vision, AI software, and “industry-proven soft grasping” to address the most pressing problem plaguing the food industry – the inability to meaningfully automate operations.
According to the company, SoftAI augments traditional industrial robots with “true hand-eye coordination unlocking their use in most labour dependent processes.”
“The food industry is critically dependent on labour to meet its production goals,” said Mark Chiappetta, chief operating officer at Soft Robotics.
“But challenges with workforce availability and productivity, tightening food safety regulations, and global health crises have illuminated the need to break this dependency.”
Company CEO Jeff Beck added that robots have been widely adopted across an array of industries resulting in safer working environments, consistently higher quality products and improved economics for operators.
"However, robotics adoption in food production operations has been very limited due to technological and sanitation challenges.”
According to a release from the company issued in June, organizations such as Tyson Foods, are “betting on adoption of robotic automation to help improve safety and increase production in their facilities to meet the demand for high quality, safe and nutritious protein products. Tyson Foods is a leading producer of chicken, beef, and pork, and has invested about US$500 million in new technology and automation in the last three years.”
Soft Robotics is backed by venture capital firms and strategic investors that include ABB Technology Ventures, Calibrate Ventures, Hyperplane Venture Capital, Material Impact, Scale Venture Partners, FANUC, Honeywell Ventures, Tekfen Ventures, Tyson Ventures and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.


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High-profile exits continue at Dentsu International India. Latest to quit is Narayan Devanathan, the company’s chief client officer. Devanathan was with the network for 11 years. Devanathan has decided to pursue interests outside the advertising industry.
In a press note, the company said that its India market will be led by key leaders like Divya Karani, Amit Wadhwa and Anubhav Sonthalia. Interestingly, there is no mention of Kartik Iyer, chief operating officer of Dentsu International India.
Last month, Sidharth Rao, CEO, dentsuMB Group, had quit. Rao is the founder of Webchutney, one of India’s first digital shops, which was acquired by Dentsu India in 2013.
In 2020, Dentsu announced it would cut the number of global brands from 160 to six as part of a major transformation of the Tokyo-based group’s international operations. Consolidation of its over 20 agency brands in India accelerated in early 2021. However, that has not gone well with the Indian operations and top executives. The Indian unit of Dentsu Group Inc has been rocked by a series of senior-level exits since August 2021, potentially causing more departures, and deepening turmoil at the advertising company.
Agency insiders tell Storyboard18 that in the last few months, there have been several mid- and senior-level exits. There are several vacant spots in the company and the network company still has no CEO to run the show in India. Storyboard18 was the first to report about the exodus and has been reporting about people developments with a close lens over the last 8 months.
Earlier today, in our bi-weekly column MC Insider, we indicated that an impromptu management meeting was scheduled by Dentsu’s HQ to share a few updates. A mole told us a high-profile exit is underway (Narayan Devanathan) and there is one more in line. An insider says, “The company will not be able to hold up to any more people crises. Clients are already anxious about these developments and have started reviewing their businesses with this agency.”
The company still has to battle some rough tides, before the storm calms down


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Ironically only a day after I posted the South Koreans are practically going mad because they can’t get their hands on the latest iPhone 4, the South Korean company LG who supplies displays for iPads, announces they simply cannot keep up with iPad demands.
Of course, this probably has nothing to do with the fact that most South Koreans are “frustrated” at Apple for treating them like a 3rd world country, but you have to admit it’s ironic that this happened. Karma?
For Android fanboys out there, this might actually be good news as slew of Android tablets are already on their way including from Samsung and LG, that could be another reason they are in shortage, who knows?
And we have to respect LG if they need to focus their attention on their own Android Tablets, which seem like the next big thing. In fact, I might get a review unit like reaaaaal soon.


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- The fashion label of Harvey Weinstein's estranged wife is in jeopardy following accusations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein.
- Georgina Chapman is a co-founder of the fashion label Marchesa.
- Chapman's career at Marchesa is tightly tied to her husband's success. Stars of Weinstein-backed productions, including Renée Zellweger, Cate Blanchett, and Blake Lively, have worn Marchesa designs on the red carpet.
- Chapman and Marchesa kicked off an attempt at a comeback this month, with Scarlett Johansson wearing Marchesa to the Met Gala and Vogue publishing a sympathetic profile of the designer.
Less than a year after scandals engulfed Harvey Weinstein, his wife is preparing to reenter the spotlight with her high-profile fashion label.
Marchesa, a fashion label co-founded by Weinstein's estranged wife, Georgina Chapman, has struggled in the wake of sexual-misconduct accusations against Weinstein. According to the New York Post, Marchesa pulled out of New York Fashion Week after Chapman was too afraid to go through with the scheduled February show.
Chapman, who co-founded the fashion label Marchesa, reportedly left Weinstein in October and is set to receive $15-$20 million in a divorce settlement that has yet to be filed in court.
Chapman's career as the co-founder of Marchesa is tightly tied to her husband's success. Stars of Weinstein-backed productions, including Renée Zellweger, Cate Blanchett, and Blake Lively, have worn Marchesa on the red carpet, and rumors have floated for years that Weinstein pushed actresses to wear the fashion brand. With the allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein, many are wondering whether Marchesa will disappear from the red carpet altogether.
"No star is ever going to want to wear the brand again," The Hollywood Reporter quoted an unnamed New York fashion publicist as saying in October, after Weinstein was ousted from The Weinstein Company, the studio he founded.
However, Scarlett Johansson proved the publicist wrong at this year's Met Gala. The actress wore a Marchesa gown to the event — the first time a "major celebrity" has worn Marchesa on the red carpet since the allegations against Weinstein broke.
Here's the story of how Chapman's Marchesa became a celebrity favorite — and how the label is trying to reclaim its place on the red carpet:
Georgina Chapman founded Marchesa with Keren Craig in 2004. The same year, Chapman, then a 28-year-old former model from England, began dating Harvey Weinstein.
A 2007 Teen Vogue article — spotted by Jezebel — says Marchesa caught on with Hollywood starlets after Renée Zellweger wore a gown from the line to the premiere of "Bridget Jones's Diary." "Bridget Jones" was distributed by Miramax, which Weinstein founded, and Zellweger thanked Weinstein during her Oscar speech in 2004.
"Maybe I helped, but just very, very little, with Renée Zellweger," Weinstein told Vogue in 2013.
"Competitors complain that Marchesa dresses are worn on the red carpet because the stars and their agents, managers, and lawyers need to please the powerful Weinstein, who, along with his brother, has just started his own film company," the Los Angeles Times said in 2006. "Say the word 'Marchesa' and publicists groan."
"Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman has declared that she wants everyone to be wearing her frocks to the Emmys this year," New York magazine's Daily Intelligencer blog said in 2007. "Don't worry, GC: We're sure Harvey Weinstein will make sure anyone with even the most remote silver-screen aspirations won't have any other choice."
Source: New York magazine
"Eager to help Chapman, Weinstein strongly suggested that the stars of his movies wear Marchesa gowns for big events," The New York Times said in a profile of the stylist Rachel Zoe in 2007. "'I also put the gowns on my girls,' Zoe said."
Chapman had a stint as an actress, appearing in "Factory Girl," "Derailed," "Grindhouse," and "The Nanny Diaries" — all films produced by Weinstein.
Weinstein has long been friends with Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour. Both Weinstein and Chapman were front-row fashion-show fixtures.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
"They both benefited from the relationship, but she certainly knew about his bad behavior," a Los Angeles-based fashion publicist told The Hollywood Reporter.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
In October, People reported that sources said Chapman was "really mad" but "not even really at Harvey," but on the impact on Marchesa.
"My heart breaks for all the women who have suffered tremendous pain because of these unforgivable actions. I have chosen to leave my husband. Caring for my young children is my first priority and I ask the media for privacy at this time," Chapman said in a statement to People when the allegations against her husband surfaced in October.
"I wore Marchesa because their clothes make women feel confident and beautiful, and it is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers," the actress said in a statement to Entertainment Tonight.
Source: Entertainment Tonight
Wintour spoke out on the choice, saying on The Colbert Show, "I think it was a great gesture of support on Scarlett's part to wear a dress like that — a beautiful dress like that — on such a public occasion."
The public reemergence of Marchesa seems well-timed. The week of the Met Gala, Vogue published a sympathetic profile of Chapman.
"People don't feel sorry for us; you don't get that empathy," Huma Abedin, who is friends with Chapman, told Vogue. "People think you're beautiful, you're thin, you're rich, you're photographed on the red carpet, and you get stuck in this category. There’s so much more depth beyond all that with Georgina."
“Scarlett wearing the dress at the Met hopefully begins to move the brand away from an unfair exile,” Steven Kolb, the CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, told The New York Times. “It should have a voice and place in our industry.”
Hollywood stylist Ilaria Urbinati posted an Instagram in support of Chapman after the Vogue piece was published, writing: "It feels hypocritical to have blamed, ostracized and shamed the female for the horrid acts of her male counterpart."
Source: Hollywood Reporter


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Intel is investigating the recent leak that dumped more than 20GB of proprietary data into the public domain.
The leak exposed sensitive proprietary data from tech giant Intel. As of this writing, the leak is still live on various torrent feeds for everyone to download. The exact source of the leak is still unknown, and the tech giant is still in the process of investigating it.
Among the information leaked are details of the non-disclosure agreement that Intel usually shared with its partner companies. It highlights some important aspects of how the company works, as well as sensitive information about certain deals.
The data leak
Many in the tech community dubbed the recent breach as Exconfidential Lake. This is an allusion to Intel’s naming convention of using Lake on its series of processors.
The data leak was first published by the Swiss software engineer Tillie Kottmann. Since its publication, the leak immediately went viral on many tech blogs and forums.
In one of his Twitter posts, Kottmann shared:
“Most of the things here have NOT been published ANYWHERE before and are classified as confidential, under NDA or Intel Restricted Secret.”
The leaker then shared important details, including flashing tools, source codes, schematics, and company roadmaps. The latter is an important piece of information since it highlights what the company plans for its future.
It did not take long for the tech community to figure out that the leak includes confidential information. Among which are motherboard design, BIOS settings, and hardware projects Intel is working on.
Tech experts who parsed the leak noted that majority of which points to various CPU platforms. Most prominent of which is the Kaby Lake and the upcoming Tiger Lake family of processors. Some information also points to the project the company is working on alongside SpaceX.
Intel exconfidential Lake Platform Release 😉
This is the first 20gb release in a series of large Intel leaks.
Most of the things here have NOT been published ANYWHERE before and are classified as confidential, under NDA or Intel Restricted Secret. pic.twitter.com/KE708HCIqu
— Tillie 1312 Kottmann #BLM 💛🤍💜🖤 (@deletescape) August 6, 2020
The recent leak is confidential, but some analysts noted that it is not as damaging as everyone thinks it is. It might have unveiled the company’s plan for the future, but it did not include any corporate and trade secrets.
However, there are some interesting side notes that the leak has pointed out. It appears that some people at the company uses “Intel123” as their password. This is somewhat laughable for a company that is worth billions of dollars.
Despite the ramifications, Intel maintains that no user data has been compromised with the recent leak. The company is also working to make sure that such instances will no longer occur in the future.
Featured image courtesy of Slejven Djurakovic/Unsplash


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Reports of TVR’s death have been greatly exaggerated, and these are the first pictures of its new carbonfibre-bodied supercar, the Typhoon.
Powered by a supercharged version of TVR's 4-litre straight-six, further developed by Ricardo to produce 600bhp and 500lb ft, the Typhoon will be the fastest production TVR ever, and at around Â£120,000 the most expensive too.
Built to celebrate the firm’s 60th anniversary, the car will be officially unveiled at the Geneva show in March. It will be built in strictly limited numbers and only in right-hand drive, the lucky 60 customers taking delivery during 2007.
The Typhoon is the first TVR to be designed entirely by CAD, a move which has brought substantial aerodynamic advantages, enabling the new car to easily exceed 200mph, according to company sources. Expect a sub-4sec 0-60 time, aided by an uprated limited-slip diff and the adoption of the T56 six-speed manual transmission as used by the Corvette.
Like lesser TVRs, the Typhoon has a tubular steel backbone chassis with an integral rollcage, but like the ill-fated T400R/T440R (just one was built) and the later Typhon (of which three were made) the body panels and floor are constructed from carbonfibre, helping keep weight down to 1100kg.
Behind the 19in alloys are six-pot AP Racing callipers up front, and although there’s no anti-lock or traction control, TVR is looking to fit both to future mainstream models – expect announcements later this year. Other trick details on the Typhoon include adjustable Bilstein dampers, carbon-shelled Sparco seats and even satnav!
The Typhoon’s chassis is much longer than that of a Tuscan, allowing the fitment of genuinely usable rear bucket seats, though the truncated tail means that it’s actually shorter overall than the Tuscan. However, TVR is confident it will be even more imposing, with its Ferrari 599-aping stance and aggressive front-end, the distinctive grille of which will be shared by all future TVRs.
At around Â£120K it will be competing head-on with cars as diverse as the Aston Martin DB9, Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari F430.
To be successful at this level it needs to be very, very good. But the Typhoon’s biggest task is to convince the sports car buying public that TVR really is in safe hands.


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Good morning from Skift. It's Friday, February 18, in New York City. Here's what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Skift Daily Briefing Podcast
Listen to the day’s top travel stories in under four minutes every weekday.
Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast talks about the rebound in travel startup investments, Hyatt’s comparative struggles, and Delta’s new plan to lure millennials.
Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.
Hyatt executives spent much of a Thursday investor call touting improvements the company made in numerous performance metrics over the past year. However, those improvements did not include Hyatt returning to profitability in 2021, unlike its major rivals, writes Hospitality Reporter Cameron Sperance.
The Chicago-based company reported losses of $29 million for the fourth quarter loss and $203 million for all of 2021. Why was Hyatt in the red in contrast to other prominent U.S. hotel companies? Sperance writes one possible reason is that many of its brands cater to the kind of business travel that hasn’t happened in large numbers during the pandemic. Despite CEO Mark Hoplamazian claiming an improvement in business transient travel demand for the fourth quarter, that sector of Hyatt’s business had only hit 44 percent of 2019 levels.
We turn next to an area where the travel industry showed signs of an enormous rebound in 2021. Travel startups were a significant beneficiary of the increase in venture capital investments, writes Research Analyst Seth Borko for Skift Research’s latest report.
The report, Venture Investment Trends in 2022, revealed that travel startups raised $8.6 billion last year, a figure that’s 90 percent of 2019 levels and a 73 percent increase from 2020. Borko adds that research found a shift in where many investors have deployed capital, with the Asia-Pacific region emerging a major focus for new ventures.
The report also examines in depth topics such as the size of the travel startup financing market and major 2021 funding by region, company and sector.
We end today with Delta Air Lines efforts to capture younger travelers, a segment of the population that has led the air travel recovery. The carrier has become the latest travel company to launch a buy-now, pay-later function, which it believes will help provide trip flexibility for travelers, writes Airlines Reporter Edward Russell.
The Atlanta-based airline debuted its “Plan It” tool on its website and app on Thursday. The platform gives potential travelers three options to pay for their trips in installments over three to 24 months. In addition, Delta travelers who use “Plan It” with a co-branded credit card receive all of that card’s benefits, such as free checked bags or lounge access.
Delta executives believe the addition of “Plan It” gives them a substantial leg up in the competition to attract younger travelers as President Glen Hauenstein said issues of price tend to be most important for that segment. The tool enables users to spread the cost of an expensive airplane ticket out over several months, which can make travel accessible for more people.
Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch


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The US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Samsung earlier this month, that showed a new concept regarding a flexible hinge assembly for notebooks. Today we have a glance at the patent, that also refers to hybrid notebook designs.
The aim here is to connect the keyboard segment with the display/tablet segment more seamlessly. The real innovation here is the hinge, that involves miniature gears, placed under the flexible cover. They will firmly and controllably hold the notebook lid into place and open at various angles. This patent application was filed in the first quarter of the year, so we’re bound to see a product come out of it soon.
Perhaps we could see a new Samsung device with Android and Windows on board, launched at IFA 2014. It would be both a notebook with a huge resolution, high end specs and a tablet that detaches from that sturdy looking hinge. If you ask me, this spine-like mechanism looks even more fragile than previous hinges. All it takes is one bad gear and it’s all gone.


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#MarketWire is a quick round up of notable business movements of the day.
Only 1 Startup India Application Cleared in 90 Days
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced Startup India action plan in January this year, to layout policies and norms to help startups progress in the country, and launched the startup web portal and mobile app in April. Out of close to 250 applications which had registered on the Startup India portal, seeking permission to set up new business, only a single project has gotten clearance.
The reason behind such a low approval rate has been stated to be incomplete applications, and many ideas not being innovative enough. The sole startup which has been selected is Hyderabad based renewal energy firm, Cygni.
The portal was set up to enable startups avail the tax benefits, provide them with a real-time recognition certificate and keep them abreast with various relevant releases issued by the Government, partnering incubators etc., among other things. DIPP is regulating the startup approval closely, as it has set up an inter-ministerial board to verify the eligibility of start-ups opting to avail tax and IPR-related benefits. Read More
SEBI to Ease Startup Listing Norms by July 2016
The regulator for the securities market in India, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), is now keen on driving Indian startups to head for a listing on Institutional Listing Platform, as it plans to relax norms by July 2016 to help them raise funds through listing and give an easier exit opportunity to their existing investors including those from abroad.
Institutional trading platform (ITP) got updated guidelines by SEBI in August 2015, to allow eCcmmerce, data analytics, bio-technology and other startups to list and trade on their shares. The platform however failed to get any response, as no startup has gone for a listing on ITP.
“What we have noticed is that most of the companies that have got listed in past one year or so are in new technology sectors or are technology-driven businesses. This gives us an idea about the direction in which our economy is moving” says SEBI chairman U.K. Sinha. Read More
6 Startups Blacklisted from IIT Campus Placements
On Friday, placement heads of 16 institutes, at a meeting of the All IIT Placement Committee, decided to blacklist 6 startups in the upcoming placement season for 2016-17. These were those startups which withdrew their offers after issuing confirmation letters to students.
The forum has warned strict action also against the companies which have changed the offer, either in terms of compensation or joining date. At least five companies had reduced salaries by as much as 25%, says IIT-Madras placement advisor, Babu Viswanathan. “We are giving these companies a week’s time to respond. If they don’t respond, they will be blacklisted,” he added. Read More


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Antitrust - Commission fines producers of TV and computer monitor tubes € 1.47 billion for two decade-long cartels: extracts from the press conference by Joaquín ALMUNIA, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Competition
Première transmission: 05/12/2012
Brussels, Belgium - EC/Berlaymont
Fin de production: 05/12/2012
At a press conference today in Brussels, Joaquín Almunia, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Competition, announced that the European Commission decided to fine seven international groups of companies a total of € 1 470 515 000 for participating in either one or both of two distinct cartels in the sector of cathode ray tubes ("CRT").
For almost ten years, between 1996 and 2006, these companies fixed prices, shared markets, allocated customers between themselves and restricted their output. One cartel concerned colour picture tubes used for televisions and the other one colour display tubes used in computer monitors. The cartels operated worldwide.
Chunghwa, LG Electronics, Philips and Samsung SDI participated in both cartels, while Panasonic, Toshiba, MTPD (currently a Panasonic subsidiary) and Technicolor (formerly Thomson) participated only in the cartel for television tubes. These cartels for cathode ray tubes are 'textbook cartels': they feature all the worst kinds of anticompetitive behaviour that are strictly forbidden to companies doing business in Europe, the Vice-President told journalists.
Only the original language version is authentic and it prevails in the event of its differing from the translated versions.
||General view of the press conference room
||SOUNDBITE (English) by Joaquín Almunia, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Competition, saying that today the European Commission has sanctioned two distincted cartels set up by companies producing cathode ray tubes ("CRT"), which are the main components in TV and computer monitors that everyone used before. The seven undertakings sanctioned today operated cartels in these products for almost ten years. Total amount of fine is € 1.47 billion. The fine is the biggest ever in a cartel decision.
||Cutaway of press
||SOUNDBITE (English) by Joaquín Almunia saying that these tubes accounted for 50 to 70% of the price of a screen. This gives an indication of the serious harm these cartels have caused over a decade both to the manufacturers of TVs and computers, and ultimately to final consumers who had to pay a higher price that they should have.
||SOUNDBITE (English) by Joaquín Almunia saying that these two cartels are also among the most organised that the Commission has ever investigated. The meetings took place at various locations in Asia and Europe. The top executives of the companies met in the so-called "green(s) meetings", called this way because they took place very often during golf. The arrangements were then implemented at lower level, through the so-called "glass meetings", on a quarterly, monthly, sometimes even weekly basis.
||SOUNDBITE (English) by Joaquín Almunia saying that today the cartels are getting the sanction they deserve. € 1.1 billion for the TV tubes cartel and € 328 million for the computer monitor tubes cartel. Together they represent the highest total amount the Commission has imposed in a cartel case but these amounts are proportional to the infringements. They reflect the gravity, the turn-over generated though the cartelised product sales and the duration of participation of each company.
||SOUNDBITE (English) by Joaquín Almunia saying that these two cartels are textbook examples of all the worst kind of collusive practices. The participating companies fixed prices, coordinated their output, shared markets and allocated customers between themselves instead of competing with each other to innovate and provide the best products at the best prices. They choose to conspire. This behaviour is totally unacceptable. Cartels are a serious and real threat to Europe's economies. To increase the profits of just a few companies, they deprive citizens and businesses from the benefits of competitive and dynamic markets.


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The second half of 2015 may see a new device from the handset maker, based on Google’s mobile operating system.
The rumors are flying and reports are coming from every direction, suggesting that BlackBerry smartphones will soon have Android operating systems, despite the fact that at the time that this article was written, the company and its CEO have, so far, not confirmed any of the speculations.
The reports have now indicated that multiple smartphone models will be rolled out this year, using Android.
Though officially unconfirmed, virtually every sign is now indicating that BlackBerry smartphones will soon be produced based on the Android operating system. The company has even gone to the extent of purchasing two domain names “AndroidSecured.com” and “AndroidSecured.net”, which have to do with a statement that CEO John Chen had previously made on the subject. When asked if his company would be making mobile devices based on Android, his reply was that it would happen only if Google’s mobile operating system could be made to be far more secure.
BlackBerry smartphones operating on Android would still maintain some of the company’s own software functions.
Even though it would have a different operating system, there would still be signs of the BlackBerry OS in terms of the software functions as well as the applications services, for example: BBM, BES12, and BlackBerry Blend. This according to a number of sources that have been reported by the media, but who have remained unnamed. They are, supposedly, from Foxconn, the manufacturer of the devices.
In order to boost the hardware’s competitive edge, BlackBerry has also broadened its hardware partnerships in order to include Wistron and Compal Electronics, in addition to the partner that it already has, Foxconn.
Many analysts in the industry feel that if Blackberry smartphones are rolled out with Android, it is very unlikely that the company will face losses as a result. The company does still maintain a strong brand image in a range of different markets. Moreover, its reputation in terms of security – particularly from its enterprise side – is essentially unparalleled. However, it is more than evident that changes need to be made in order to boost the value of the hardware business unit at BlackBerry, and to many, it feels as though this could be the move that would make that difference.


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The chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed he will step down from the role in July 2022.
Dr Andrea Coscelli, who joined the competition watchdog as an executive director when it was created in 2013, has held the position of chief executive since July 2016.
He was re-appointed as CEO for a further two years and plans to step down at the end of his current term.
CMA Chair Jonathan Scott said: “Andrea has given outstanding leadership to the CMA during a period of unprecedented change for the UK competition and consumer protection regime.
“As an Executive Director, he was integral to the creation of the CMA in 2013. Subsequently, as Chief Executive, he has led the organisation through a period of transformation, as we took on substantial new responsibilities after the UK’s departure from the EU along with new functions including the Office for the Internal Market and the Digital Markets Unit.”
The CMA works to ensure consumers get a good deal when buying goods and services – including energy – and businesses operate within the law.
That includes investigating mergers between organisations to ensure competition is not reduced, investigating entire markets if there are competition concerns or consumer problems and taking action against businesses and individuals that take part in cartels or anti-competitive behaviour.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng added: “I am extremely grateful to Andrea Coscelli for the leadership he has provided as Chief Executive of the CMA through the last six years.
“We will continue to work closely with the CMA to promote competition for the benefit of consumers and enable businesses to make the most of the many opportunities on the horizon.”


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And the Nominees AreFreeWave!
The TechAmerica Foundation announced finalists for the 2012 American Technology Awards. Known as the "Termans" in honor of the father of Silicon Valley, Frederick Terman, the awards recognize technology products and services. The winners will be announced June 13.
In the category of Smart Grid & Smart Instruments, FreeWave Technologies is nominated for its FGR2-PE Industrial Grade 900-MHz Long-Range Ethernet Radio.


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- Mondelez International — parent company of Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Toblerone, and Trident — has struck a deal to begin buying programmatic video ads through ad tech firm TubeMogul.
- Of Mondelez's $200 million marketing budget, 25% is devoted to digital — and that figure is expected to grow to 50% by 2016, with programmatic video taking up the majority.
- The goal of Mondelez is to capture more users that watch video online and on mobile versus television.
As reported by AdExchanger last month, the percentage of ad budgets devoted to programmatic is growing across the board. Influential brands like American Express are even considering going 100% programmatic. Because of that, it's not a shock that Mondelez would move in that direction. In fact, it just shows the company is industry savvy.


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Google has confirmed they have released a new algorithm update to their Payday Loan Algorithm update over this weekend.
This algorithm specifically targets “very spammy queries” and is unrelated to the Panda or Penguin algorithms. A Google spokesperson told us:
Over the weekend we began rolling out a new algorithmic update. The update was neither Panda nor Penguin — it was the next generation of an algorithm that originally rolled out last summer for very spammy queries.
This comes with at no surprise to most SEOs and Webmasters who watch the space. There was a tremendous of rumors and signals of a major update over the weekend, intensifying over the past couple days as webmasters began to look at their analytics and the update has continued to roll out through Google.
The original Payday Loan Algorithm launched just about a year ago on June 11, 2013. Back then, Google’s Matt Cutts told us the algorithm impacted roughly 0.3% of the U.S. queries, but Matt said it went as high as 4% for Turkish queries were Web spam is typically higher.
Google told us this specific update is an international rollout and it affects different languages to different degrees, but this impacts English queries by about 0.2% to a noticeable degree. Here is a video back when Matt Cutts of Google announced the update was coming back in 2013:
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Brits are being warned to stay vigilant when checking their Gmail and Outlook email inboxes as the year draws to a close, as the UK could be subjected to an extra 10 million online threats this Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day – and AI might be to blame.
That’s according to software security firm McAfee, who said its researchers are expecting a 30% surge in online shopping threats over the festive break as cyber criminals look to trick the UK public into clicking on fake links and passing over sensitive financial information.
Half of Brits surveyed by the company said they think scam emails have got more believable thanks to the rise of AI, with fake messages becoming better written and harder to spot.
Fake online deals are a common type of scam, where people are tricked into paying for a product that’s never delivered, but McAfee’s research showed the most common trick used is a fake delivery message. This is where you receive an email pretending to be a delivery service such as Amazon, or another popular courier, saying your package has been delivered or had an attempted delivery.
A fake link can then install malware on your device, or even move you to a fake login page where tricksters hope to dupe you into typing in your private details, which they can then steal or use to access your personal or banking data.
“With an additional 10 million online threats expected on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, it’s never been more important to cast a sceptical eye over any festive deals or unexpected order and delivery updates,” said Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA at McAfee. “Even if an email or text looks legitimate, it’s always best to go direct to the source, whether it’s an online retailer or delivery provider.”
The most common type of email fraud is known as ‘phishing’, where criminals use fake websites to trick people into clicking links. This can often lead to malware being downloaded, which can compromise your personal information and sometimes lead to bank fraud.
It’s even easier for hackers to access your details if the scam is so convincing that you even try to login to a site because it looks so much like a service you trust.
“Remember that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” said Gamot. “Many scams are effective because the scammer creates a false sense of urgency or preys on a heightened emotional state. Pause before you rush to interact with any message that is threatening or urgent, especially if it is from an unknown or unlikely sender.”


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Hundreds of Amazon corporate workers in Seattle decried the lack of progress on the company’s climate goals during a lunchtime demonstration at Wednesday headquarters, calling it an inequitable return-to-office mandate and urging executives to strive harder.
The leaders of the team previously determined how charges for work were allowed. After the annual shareholder meeting, a protest came a week later, and the policy took effect, allowing workers to return to the office for three days per week.
“With emissions on the rise, it’s high time to take action” — the workers vocalized their frustration regarding the sluggishness of the company’s initiatives to decrease its carbon footprint — and implored Amazon to reinstate decision-making power to team leaders concerning work location.
Church Hindley, a quality assurance engineer, donning a black pirate hat and red coat, expressed that working remotely enabled him to lead a superior and more wholesome existence.
Hindley expressed, “The tax incentives they offer are only to entice us to occupy a position in the office. However, these incentives negatively impact individual lives, harm families, and have detrimental effects on the planet. Such policies lack logical reasoning and are imposed from higher authorities, while mandates remain inactive and simply refuse to take action. I am here protesting against this.”
In a declaration, Amazon stated that it endorsed employees voicing their viewpoints.
Many employees, estimated to be more than 1,900, gathered at the four-story structure in downtown Seattle called Spheres Amazon. They pledged to walk around the world as organizers estimated and remotely participated, connecting with hundreds of glass orbs that resembled three interconnected looks outside from the structure.
Eliza Pan, a previous employee of Amazon and one of the founders of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, a group advocating for climate change that was established by Amazon workers, expressed, “We still desire to have a voice in the decision-making process of this company and the path it takes,” in response to the tech workers who emerged from the pandemic and declared, “Today seems to signal the beginning of a fresh era in Amazon’s history.”
Some Amazon workers have been vocal in criticizing the company’s practices. Amazon has an enormous carbon footprint. Amazon relies on fossil fuels to power the vans, trucks, and planes that ship packages.
According to activists, the company needs to take further action and make a commitment to eliminate emissions by 2030. In its annual statement to investors, Amazon stated that it intends to utilize 100,000 electric delivery vehicles by 2030 and achieve a net-zero carbon footprint by 2040.
Brad Glasser, a representative from Amazon, stated that it will require a considerable amount of time for companies such as ours, which have a high power consumption and possess extensive transportation, packaging, and physical building resources, even though we all desire to reach that point as soon as possible.
Amazon reevaluated the requirement to return to the office due to a petition signed by over 20,000 workers. Glasser noted a positive atmosphere at the company’s South Lake Union campus and other urban locations after more employees resumed working in the office.
He said that employees tended to be more engaged. He concluded that employees tended to be more engaged when they easily collaborate and engage with others. He said that he talked to leaders at other companies and observed how the senior leadership performed and watched the staff. In a memo in February, Andy Jassy, the CEO of Amazon, said that the company made the decision for corporate employees to return to the office at least three days a week among other things.
In a note asking Amazon employees to pledge their participation in the walkout, organizers said the company must return autonomy to its teams, who know best how to make the best decision for their customers and employees, whether it is to work in a hybrid or remote in-person setting.
Pamela Hayter, a project manager at Amazon, started an internal Slack channel called “Remote Advocacy” after the company announced its policy about returning to the office, to share stories about how the policy has affected the lives of its 33,000 members.
Cannot believe” that in this day and age, a company claims to be an innovative leader in its field, while also stating that it would do such a thing to one of its most valuable resources – its employees.
Following a widespread walkout at Amazon, the division responsible for computing cloud services, web stores, gaming, human resources, and advertising has implemented cost-cutting measures that have resulted in layoffs impacting workers.
During the pandemic, companies like Amazon, Alphabet (parent company of Google), and Meta (parent company of Facebook) ramped up hiring to meet the increasing demand from homebound Americans who were keeping themselves safe by shopping online.
Since November, the corporation has eliminated 27,000 positions and initiated the suspension or termination of warehouse expansion plans in the previous year. Demand decelerated as the most severe phase of the pandemic alleviated, but Amazon’s workforce, in distribution centers and administrative buildings, multiplied to over 1.6 million in approximately two years.


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Controller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Muhammed Uba, has again advised reputable companies, such as Dangote and Nigerian Breweries whose vehicles are mostly used for smuggling activities, to look at the credibility of their drivers before employing them to avoid such drivers denting the image of the companies they work for.
Speaking against the backdrop of a Dangote truck used in conveying smuggled rice intercepted by the Unit in Lagos last week, Uba said that the seizures or detention of such vehicles causes loss of money to these companies and in turn affect the turn-over of excise duties meant to be paid to Customs by these companies.
“For the corporate world, dealing with human beings is a difficult thing, these companies cannot sack all their drivers at once as this would affect their businesses; but we have been assured that they would work towards preventing the use of their vehicles for smuggling purposes, so as to prevent seizure or detention of the vehicles in future,” he said.
Speaking on the seized 15 exotic vehicles, Comptroller Uba, said that most of the vehicles were in detention because the importer could not produce Customs document while others did not pay accurate customs duty on such vehicles.
“Once the required documents are produced and appropriate money has been paid, which must have been confirmed by the Customs headquarters based on appropriate documents and that procedures has not been violated, the vehicles will be released to the owners. This is the secret of trade facilitation,” he stated.


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Fourth-generation helps start a new family flower farm
A fourth generation of flower farmers has joined the family business and opened The Flower Barn on South Gilead Lake Road.
Members of the Mayer family renovated the old family barn and planted a variety of blooms on more than 50 acres of land north of Booth Road.
The project began with discussions between the parents, who run Great Lake Glads, and their children, about a “u-pick” flower farm on the family land east of Gilead Lake.
“It’s sort of our vision,” Kiana Mayer said, referring to herself and her aunt Karissa Lasky. "You wander through the fields with supplied pitchers, pails, or larger buckets to cut your own. You can stuff in as many as you can fit for the price. You create your own bouquet. We give you clippers, you cut them out of the field.”
Some of each flower is cut and placed in a ‘flower bar'" along the south barn wall.
“It’s for those who don’t want to pick their own," Mayer said. "It is a little muddy and uneven."
Pre-arranged bouquets and classes also are available. High school students may make reservations for senior photographs among the flowers.
There will be gladiolas, 50 varieties, and eight types of sunflower. More than 150 flower varieties are featured, from achillea (yarrow) to zinnia. All are planted in neat rows with labels for each on them. The family put in 20 acres of specialty flowers and 35 acres of sunflowers on the west side of Gilead Lake Road. Another 10 sunflowers are on the east side.
Those involved all are descendants of Cary/Mayer families, which started the local wholesale flower industry during The Great Depression.
The real work started in spring '21. Rock-pickers, by hand and with machines, combed the acreage, clearing tons of stones that had worked their way up through the soil.
Kiana Mayer joked that you could get 10 free rocks with each purchase. Piles of stone of all sizes still sit next to the store.
With a late start this year, the group hopes to expand next year, possibly adding a small farmers market. There will be a "bouquet of the week."
It’s not a full-time job for the siblings and cousins, but a spring and summer project. Kiana is a student at the University of Michigan, considering a career in the medical field. Alana Mayer is a student at Michigan State University. Kiera Lasky is on a volleyball scholarship at Davenport University. Each is a graduate of Bronson High School. All three helped get ready to open along with Brealynn Lasky.
It took two hands to list all nine cousins “who will all be here running it,” Kiana said of the 13 Mayer grandchildren.
At one point, there were 11 members of the Cary/Mayer families growing flowers in the Bronson/Burr Oak area and selling them on the wholesale market, according to Bob Mayer, grandson of the founder of Great Lake Glads. He said his grandmother, “a real go-getter” was responsible for the start and success of the business.
Karissa it all got started when two Cary brothers married Mayer sisters. During the Depression, there was a large business of selling ice cut from area lakes and shipped by train to Chicago and Detroit. That was before refrigerators became widely available, when iceboxes cooled food in homes. Farmers sent meat and produce.
“An uncle starting sending flowers,” Bob Mayer said. “There was still money in the cities.” That started one of the largest agriculture industries in this area.
Great Lake Glads, because of pandemic restrictions in 2020, did not produce many flowers. This year, only about 200 acres of gladiolas were grown, compared to around 900 acres prior to 2020.
Lasky said farm flowers that aren't sold can be sent to its commercial customers like Whole Foods. The local market is being promoted region-wide in both Michigan and Indiana, especially to lakeside residents and those who take weekend trips.
The Flower Barn is open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.


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Israeli start-up Lexifone, which runs an automatic phone conversation translation service, is set to come out with an Android app that will enable smartphone users to call people all around the world and speak in their own language, while the listener hears the message in theirs.
It’s an impressive system, based on advanced algorithms and clever use of voice-to-text technologies. Lexifone, barely two years old, is used by millions of people around the world and and is proof that hi-tech in Israel can thrive outside the Tel Aviv bubble.
Lexifone allows customers and vendors in countries around the world to ensure that deals run smoothly. For example, a hotel in Spain could set up a phone number for tourists from France, who can call and book rooms in French, with the desk clerk on the other side of the line hearing the request in Spanish. It works with Spanish (European and Mexican), French (the France and Canada dialects), Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal), German, Italian, Russian, Mandarin, and three flavors of English — US, British, and Australian (Hebrew is on the way, the company says).
Lexifone started out in the first incubator round of Haifa’s Hi Center, which just graduated another four start-ups from its Top Start-Up accelerator. Top Start-Up, which began last October, was the first accelerator for new start-ups in the Haifa area, offering companies office space, mentoring, and partnerships with companies like Microsoft.
Four companies participated in the newly-graduated Top Start-Up group: YouMe, which is developing health-related cellphone apps; OptiCar, which is working on making the car rental process more efficient; WebSnacks, which is developing a content distribution center for tablets; and Dalit Technologies, with a smartphone-based system to manage agricultural enterprises.
All these companies hope to follow in the path of Lexifone, so far Hi Center’s most successful graduate. In 2011, Lexifone got a $2 million investment from Canadian web branding company Intertainment Media, which is using Lexifone’s technology on its Ortsbo email translation and chat site and app. Lexifone is doing so well with its global business that it recently declared that it was seeking to raise $10 million in a second round of financing.


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Since the recession, Detroit automakers Ford Motor Company (F 0.29%) and General Motors (GM 1.37%) have done all they can to reassure investors that they are nothing like the management teams that led their respective companies down the road of poor quality and eroding profits. Alan Mulally was wildly successful in driving Ford's rebound, and Mary Barra has been equally successful recently at General Motors. But is Ford's recent decision to cancel plans to build the next-generation Fusion in Hermosillo, Mexico, a sign it could be repeating its earlier mistake of neglecting passenger cars?
What's going on?
In the years leading up to the most recent recession, Detroit automakers were widely known for two things: massive gas-guzzling, yet profitable, SUVs and low-quality, poorly designed, and rarely profitable passenger cars. In the years following the recession, that narrative quickly flipped, and Detroit became competitive with its passenger cars. But as one key selling point, fuel economy, improved by leaps and bounds, it opened the door for a massive change in portfolio strategy.
"The reasons for the balance in history had more to do with fuel than customer preference," Jim Hackett, CEO of Ford, told Automotive News. "And so, if you can get rid of the difference there because of fuel, you start to relieve the pressure of what kind of portfolio you have to have."
Citing sources familiar with the development, Automotive News reports that Ford has told its suppliers the Fusion won't be made in Mexico anymore, which leaves the car's future after 2020 quite blurry. If Ford doesn't produce the midsize sedan in Mexico, it seems unlikely and difficult to imagine it would import a next-generation Fusion from China to the U.S. or Europe, as the automaker will with the smaller Focus.
A step backward?
Even as demand shifts back to SUVs, and with executives acknowledging that this may be a permanent switch, potentially axing Ford's best-selling passenger car in the U.S. market seems risky. Risky because in the past when Detroit automakers neglected passenger cars, it eventually came back to haunt them when consumer preference changed in favor of saving money. But there's no question that Ford sees the trend: Ford brand car sales are down 15.8% through November compared to the prior year, and the Fusion is down 22.1%.
It's fair for investors to question whether axing Fusion production in Mexico, and potentially its offering in the U.S. market, makes sense, since ignoring passenger cars to focus on SUVs has proven a mistake in the past. However, the move would highlight the pressure that management is under to cut costs and focus on higher-margin products at a time when sales of passenger cars are tanking and the U.S. auto market is peaking. We also have to keep in mind that we may not have all the details, and Ford could surprise us and export the Fusion to the U.S. and Europe from India, rather than China or Mexico.
We'll know more about this soon, and as the industry is about to evolve more over the next two decades than it has over the past 10 thanks to driverless vehicles, electrified fleets and emerging markets, get ready for many crazy developments to take place as automakers prepare to adapt quickly, or die.


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Australia’s biggest business bank says smaller companies are at the start of a year-long spending spree on vehicles and equipment as they look to capitalise on the economic rebound supported by tax breaks.
Demand for cars, tractors and earthmovers from business customers in regional areas helped deliver a 130 per cent year-on-year jump in equipment finance, NAB regional and agribusiness executive Julie Rynski said.
“We do helicopters, we do light planes, we do everything,” Ms Rynski said.
“When you look at the data you see GDP back at pre-COVID levels and business confidence is the strongest it has been since 2010. I’m seeing lots and lots of my customers looking to diversify and expand,” Ms Rynski said.
Business confidence is already coming through in capital expenditure data. Investment in equipment, plant and machinery rose 5.7 per cent in the December quarter to $13.9 billion. The results of the spending spree can be seen in the showrooms and car yards across regional Australia.
“I was up in Wangaratta and Shepparton the other day and I visited a car dealership and there wasn’t a single vehicle in the yard. It’s the same with tractors,” Ms Rynski said.
Seasonal conditions tell us that demand is likely to be with us for the next 15 months at least.
— Julie Rynski, NAB regional and agribusiness executive
Financing for earthmoving equipment has soared 133 per cent on last year while tractor financing is up 146 per cent and irrigation financing is up 217 per cent, NAB said.
The bank said the upward swing is just the first leg of the spending spree underpinned by the expansion of the instant asset write off scheme that allows businesses with less than $5 billion in turnover to write off the full value of capital expenditure.
“Seasonal conditions tell us that demand is likely to be with us for the next 15 months at least,” Ms Rynski said.
The exodus from the cities to the country will likewise continue according to Ms Rynski, who said many business owners with young families wanted to experience a different lifestyle.
“Previously everybody wanted to be along the coast and move to Coffs Harbour or Newcastle but now we are starting to see it inland. People want to move somewhere where they can’t reach out and touch their neighbour’s house,” Ms Rynski said.
NAB’s lenders report clients in manufacturing are likewise gearing up for a big year ahead with an identical 130 per cent increase in financing. Demand for forklifts is up 216 per cent, while there are signs of life in the service industry as well, with financing for coffee machines up 155 per cent.
While Ms Rynski calls Melbourne home she spends most of her time on the road visiting customers. She said the difference between certain metro and regional areas is profound and a tremendous credit to farmers and others who have survived drought, bushfires and floods on top of everything else.
“When I go into the office in Melbourne ... it’s a bit sad to see the slowness in some of the coffee shops compared to when I go to regional Australia and visit places like Orange and Wagga where there is a real vibrancy,” Ms Rynski said. “They really are a resilient bunch.”
It was inevitable that not all businesses would survive in the aftermath of JobKeeper, however, with those businesses exhibiting poor fundamentals before the crisis unlikely to stage a miraculous recovery in the post-COVID-19 environment.
“It probably did mask the performance of some of those businesses, so I do anticipate there will be some sad cases out there because once JobKeeper stops they will need to make some hard decisions. It may not necessarily be a farmer, it could be a local greengrocer or a coffee shop or a restaurant or a bed and breakfast, it’s just the reality.”
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Senior executive leadership from Mohebi Logistics, Emirates Airline, and Standard Chartered shared insights on the impact of the covid pandemic, global supply chain disruptions, and the future sustainability of supply chains during a high level discussion in Dubai, moderated by Danny Sebright, President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council, on behalf of Standard Chartered Bank. This panel discussion, which followed a luncheon with C-suite executives, occured during the visit of Saif Malik, Head of Global Subsidiaries at Standard Chartered Bank, and follows Standard Chartered’s release of a report on sustainable supply chains, which can be found here. A recording of this discussion can be found here.
Rola Abu Manneh, CEO of Standard Chartered U.A.E., welcomed guests and provided an overview of the session, telling the audience that Covid has disrupted global supply chains and business must work to address these challenges.
Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice President for Cargo at Emirates Airline described efforts by Emirates to overcome unprecedented
Mr. Mohammed Mohebi, President & Chairman of Mohebi Logistics, detailed the measures his organization quickly took at the very outset of the pandemic to continue to fulfill its crucial role as one of the largest vertically integrated supply chain management companies in the Middle East. Mr. Mohebi also spoke of his company’s goal in ensuring that U.A.E. citizens and residents did not face the shortages that other countries faced worldwide amidst the pandemic. Mr. Mohebi elaborated on what he believes will be a fundamental shift in the way companies and organizations structure themselves going forward involving greater localization of production and smaller plants. He also shared his belief that associated price increases in the logistics supply chain will inevitably be passed to consumers.
Saif Malik, Head of Global Subsidiaries at Standard Chartered Bank, spoke about how SCB “turbocharged” initiatives to ensure financial systems can help maintain global supply chains amidst the pandemic. Saif discussed the greater diversification of global supply chains as a result of the pandemic, the increased importance of AI technologies in managing supply chains, and the role that government will play moving forward in securing key supply chain infrastructure.
Shada El Borno, Managing Director, U.A.E. and MENA Global Banking, added that there is a behavior change due to the pandemic, and that people now place sustainability front and center, and that conscious behavior has led to a concerted effort to be greener. Shada stated that the market will want to ensure that every part of the value chain leads to a sustainable end product. Financial institutions and others will need to genuinely change the way they work to ensure sustainability.
Distinguished guests from Boeing, Ford, Honeywell, and Shell shared their own valuable perspectives on this critical and timely topic, as well as the role their organizations are playing in helping create more sustainable supply chains.
Sustainability is a key goal which the U.A.E. will continue to push for businesses and infrastructure. With COP28 set to be held in the country, these efforts will only grow in importance.
For more information on the Business Council‘s ongoing activities in sustainability and logistics, please contact Graham Reitman at email@example.com.


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Two local farmer-lawmakers see different sides on GMO bill
VERGENNES — A proposed law that would require manufacturers to label Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, was a key discussion point at Monday’s Legislative Breakfast in Vergennes.
The bill, known as H.112, passed the House Agriculture Committee by an 8-3 vote last Friday.
If endorsed by the Legislature and signed into law, H.112 would make Vermont the first state to require that products made with GMOs reveal that fact through labeling — a fact of great importance to farmers.
The legislation is now headed to the House Judiciary Committee for review before landing in the House for a floor vote.
Proponents of H.112 have called it a “right to know bill” that would give consumers a better idea of what is in the food they are consuming. Opponents — which have included corporate lobbyists — have called it unnecessary and very difficult to enforce.
Bristol resident Peter Grant said at the Vergennes breakfast that the United States should join many other countries in passing GMO labeling laws. And he believes Vermont could pave the way by passing H.112.
“This is not just a simple preference, which should be enough,” he wrote in a letter to the Legislature, which he distributed at Monday’s breakfast. “It is due to findings that some GMO-laced foods are harmful to people who eat them. We should be allowed to avoid harmful foods … by having them labeled for their ingredients, so consumers can freely choose for themselves.”
Reps. Will Stevens, I-Shoreham, and Harvey Smith, R-New Haven, both serve on the House Agriculture Committee. Stevens voted in favor of H.112, while Smith voted against it.
Smith explained his vote.
“I do support the right of consumers to know what’s in their food, however on this particular piece of legislation, it’s going to be very difficult to follow that through,” Smith said.
He argued that “as food moves through the processing chain, it loses its genetic marker that tells you what it is. Or that it comes from genetically modified crops.”
He said the federal Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have found no significant difference between GMO-related food and other food that is grown.
Smith is also concerned that H.112 might run afoul of Constitutional protections of free speech and that imposing a labeling requirement at the state level could pose a financial hardship on small-scale Vermont companies.
Reporter John Flowers is at [email protected].
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See when your favorite high school team is competing in the fall sports playoffs.


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Business Day Live | Sue Blaine:
HEIDI Brauer’s roads appear to lead to Johannesburg’s famous Market Theatre.
“When Michelle told me the awards were to be held at the Market Theatre I was very excited. My mom ran the theatre with Manny Manim…. It was the ’80s, an amazing time, and I was exposed to — apart from the arts — thinking and people that others like me just were not,” says Brauer, speaking of Business Arts SA (Basa) CEO Michelle Constant.
CONVERSATION PIECES: Heidi Brauer, chief marketing officer at Hollard Insurance, did not argue when art was made part of her job. All the decor pieces at the company’s its headquarters are artworks. Picture: MARTIN RHODES
Brauer is chief marketing officer at Hollard Insurance, a major partner in the Business Day Basa Awards, which will be handed out tonight.
“The universe decided I needed to be at Hollard. It tried twice, and won the second time,” says the Johannesburg-born art-loving businesswoman…
Read full article via source: http://www.bdlive.co.za/life/2014/08/25/the-fine-art-of-insurance


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Stablecoin currencies such as Facebook’s Libra may pose systemic risks to the global financial system, according to a recently released Federal Reserve Report (the Fed). In its Financial Stability Report released on November 19th, the Fed states that a global stablecoin network, if poorly designed and unregulated, could pose risks to financial stability and that the failure of a stablecoin currency to operate as expected could disrupt other parts of the financial system.
These concerns are not surprising in light of the regulatory scrutiny focused on virtual currency developments, starting with the advent of Bitcoin. That being said, “stablecoins” are, as the name suggests, intended to avoid the risky fluctuations in currency value associated with Bitcoin and other traditional cryptocurrencies by pegging the value of the stablecoin to an existing currency and backing the stablecoins with actual currency or other assets.
Nonethless, stablecoins share many of the same risks associated with other cryptocurrencies. In this regard, the Fed report warns that the anonymity often found in stablecoins can facilitate money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes.
To address these risks, the Federal Reserve and other regulators are closely monitoring stablecoin currencies such as Libra to ensure that any stablecoin system with a global scope and scale satisfactorily addresses legal and regulatory challenges before it operates. In particular, regulators in many jurisdictions have made it clear that stablecoin issuers, operators, and intermediaries are responsible for preventing their systems from being used by criminals to obscure their identity, location, and transactional activity, and for ensuring compliance with anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing laws and regulations in each jurisdiction in which they operate.”
The report also warns that, as with any other financial product, stablecoin currency platforms must contain adequate consumer and investor protections such as transparency as to fees, costs, and risks, as well as privacy protection and protection against fraudulent transactions.
The report comes months after Facebook proposed launching its Libra global cryptocurrency initiative, an initiative that has elicited significant concerns from lawmakers and regulators.


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Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has joined Chainlink Labs, the company behind blockchain oracle solution provider Chainlink, as a strategic advisor. Schmidt will join a team that includes former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan and Cornell computer science professor Ari Juels to help Chainlink Labs achieve its multi-chain interoperability goals. From 2001 until 2011, Schmidt was Google’s CEO, guiding the company’s transformation from a Silicon Valley start-up to one of the world’s largest online corporations.
In June 2017, Chainlink Labs announced the Chainlink network, which uses a decentralized oracle network to give real-world data to Ethereum and other blockchain networks’ smart contracts.
An oracle is essentially a software component that connects the immense resources of the ordinary off-chain internet with secure blockchains. Oracles like Chainlink enable safe communication between blockchains and any off-chain system, including data providers, payment systems, e-signature systems, cloud-based apps, smart devices, and other blockchains.
The Chainlink network features its own utility currency, LINK, which pays the ecosystem’s node operators. With an ever-increasing trading volume and market value, LINK has established a solid reputation in the cryptocurrency industry. Chainlink now has a market capitalization of more than $10.45 billion (approximately Rs. 78,925 crores) and is ranked 20th among the top cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
“The launch of blockchains and smart contracts has demonstrated tremendous potential for the development of new business models,” Schmidt said in a press release. “However, it has become clear that one of blockchain’s greatest advantages — a lack of connection to the outside world — is also its greatest challenge.”
“Chainlink is a key component in realising the full potential of smart contract platforms and transforming business and society. I’m pleased to be a part of the Chainlink Labs team as they work to create a future that is driven by truth “Added he.
The announcement comes after Chainlink unveiled the Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), a global, open standard enabling developers to create safe services and apps that can transmit messages, move tokens, and perform operations across various networks.


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Well that didn’t work! What’s next for DDA and debit account fees?
Now that Bank of America has reversed its position on charging customers a fee for using their debit card and early adopters of monthly debit fees like SunTrust have also backed down, banks are left with the same question they started with. How can they bring profitability back to demand deposit accounts (DDAs)? Fortunately, while the answer is not as easy as a new fee, it does exist.
In another blog series, my colleague outlined three initiatives banks need to follow in their quest to regain profitability in DDA: decreasing the costs of data and fraud losses, becoming the primary account, and improving retention for long-term relationships with customers. These initiatives require more investment in proactive change over the long term for banking than simply tacking on a fee. The result will leave consumers, not to mention shareholders, more satisfied and boost banks’ bottom line.
Successful businesses are run precisely in this manner: keeping costs down, making your product (whether it is a service such as a massage, tangible item like running shoes, or financial product like debit cards) the primary choice of your customers and keeping them coming back. It’s also a proven practice that it costs more money to recruit new customers, employees, volunteers, donors, etc. than to maintain the ones that you have. Maybe this is an extreme example but Dan Schneider, founder and CEO of SIB Development and Consulting in Charleston, S.C., is offering $50,000 bonuses to any of his full-time employees who stay with his company for five years. If an employee stays on for 25 years, he or she gets a $250,000 bonus. Schneider realized that training employees is very expensive—depending on the level of experience it can cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace them. He decided to do something proactive about that. I like this example because it is clearly a unique strategy in a down economy.
Because the current banking environment is rife with discontent, this is clearly a good time for banks to employ new customer engagement strategies. Right now, we have an opportunity to reinvent banking as we know it. Banks are doing their best to listen to their constituents by backing down on charging debit fees, but they are still struggling with how to regain lost profits. It will be critical for banks to regain consumer trust and find the right incentives to keep their best customers. Encouraging more frequent debit card use (without fees) and discouraging more expensive check transactions is a start.
A newly released white paper, The Way Forward: Making Checking Account Origination Profitable Again, by Nicole Sturgill, Research Director at TowerGroup, a Corporate Executive Board company suggests that financial services institutions (FSIs) must look beyond the development of a new or changed product set and instead consider a new way of doing business. FSIs have to earn customers’ trust to convince them to give the bank more business. The past several years have been challenging but there is an exciting new road ahead for banking, one that both banks and consumers will welcome.


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Late last year, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) surveyed Japanese-affiliated companies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Turkey on their operations, business outlook and the investment environment. The findings, released this month, show that despite an uncertain global outlook, nearly 60 per cent of organisations surveyed expect business expansion and market growth. Companies in the UAE cited advantages besides free zones and non-taxation system, such as the living environment for Japanese employees and stable political and social conditions.
GN Focus hand-picked a few key sectors where Japanese companies are making their mark in the UAE.
Electronics and technology
Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), the UAE’s flagship trade and logistics hub, has long been a distribution focal point for Japanese goods and products and is now focusing on business development and growth. “Over the past three decades, Japanese companies have played a pivotal role in stimulating trade between Jafza and various regional countries,” COO Talal Al Hashimi said in September while hosting a Japanese business forum. “Trade figures worth $2.7 billion [Dh9.9 billion], a growth of 36 per cent over the past five years, and the annual addition of new Japanese companies reflect the positive movement of the trade within Jafza.”
The forum drew leading Japanese companies including Sony, Nissan, Panasonic, Nippon Steel, Sumitomo, Komatsu, Toshiba and Brother International.
Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) has also been promoting opportunities and incentives to the Japanese tech community. At the Japan IT Week held last May at Tokyo Big Sight, a DSOA delegation led by Muammar Al Katheeri, Executive VP of Engineering and Smart City met with Japanese firms and potential investors in Dubai’s smart city initiatives such as the Silicon Park and the Dubai Technology Entrepreneurship Centre. “With Japan’s track record in technology innovation and as part of our commitment to position Dubai as the ideal hub for high-tech companies, we have targeted the Japanese market to brief them about the great potential that the region offers for technology companies to start their operations,” said Al Katheeri.
Motoring and automotive parts
Spurred by ongoing demand, a Japanese country pavilion made its first appearance at the Automechanika Dubai trade fair in May. The fair’s catchment market, primarily the GCC, Asia, Africa and India, trades about Dh5.5 billion worth of Japanese auto products every year, organisers said. Within the UAE, Japanese brands accounted for nearly 69 per cent of passenger vehicle sales in 2015, according to Frost & Sullivan.
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s report, Japan’s Outlook in 2017, predicts rising growth for the country’s auto industry: “We forecast that car sales will rise by 3 per cent in 2017, as they rebound from two years of slump. However, growth will tail off again in 2018, until they finally get a bump upwards from the tax rise in 2019. For commercial vehicles, this year’s growth is projected at 1.5 per cent, and the industry will have to wait until 2019 for faster growth.”
Industry and enterprise
Last month, the UAE Ministry of Economy signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with its Japanese counterparts on innovation, joint initiatives, technology transfer and the streamlining of operations for small and medium enterprises in the UAE.
Another MoC was signed between the RAK Investment Authority and Takenaka Middle East for a joint venture in Ras Al Khaimah, for an anti-rust material manufacturing plant deploying precision technology. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, UAE Minister of Economy, said at the event that the country is keen on capitalising on Japan’s leading position in advanced industries and its unique experiences in developing sectors related to innovation and scientific research. In focus are public-private partnerships between the two countries in fields such as renewable energy, infrastructure, construction, transportation, space and high technology.
Fashion and retail
Japanese-origin retailers have long excelled at introducing UAE residents to specialty products, among them the minimalist lifestyle store Muji, fast fashion brand Miniso and mega bookstore Kinokuniya. Auto accessory superstore Yellow Hat has opened several outlets across the Emirates since 2008, while online retailer Butio.ae specialises in nappy brands Merries, Goo.n and Moony, as well as cosmetic brands Shu Uemura, Konnyaku, Shiseido and Kanebo.
With its affordable Dh7 entry price point, Daiso is arguably the best-known Japanese retailer in the UAE, with no less than 31 outlets, and several new ones scheduled to open this year. “Japanese quality is globally well-known,” explains Manu Mulchandani, COO of Daiso Japan GCC. “Most of our customers view it as quality, efficiency and innovation at a low price. Walking through the aisles makes you realise that there are so many things to make your life easier, neater and more manageable. Another attraction is the range of innovative products that you always thought of, but never knew existed. The Dh7 price point enhances Daiso’s universal appeal and makes shopping more affordable.”
Food and beverages
Kyodo News recently reported that Japan’s exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products in 2016 grew 0.7 per cent from the previous year to ¥750.3 billion (about Dh24.3 billion), a record high for the fourth straight year. According to the Farm Ministry, this reflects rising demand from health-conscious overseas consumers who are contributing to the popularity of washoku or Japanese food, notably beef, grapes, green tea and soy sauce.
Junji Nakao, Director of the Japanese Food Department at JETRO Dubai, confirms that the global export of Japanese foods crossing the $7-billion mark in 2016 is mirrored in the UAE. “Japan’s food exports to UAE were valued at $51 million in 2016, and the value of premium Wagyu beef exports registered a 70 per cent increase,” he tells GN Focus. “Exports of food ingredients are also showing good increase, reflecting the increase in the knowledge and acceptance of Japanese foods and their health benefits.”
Japanese food exports to the UAE in 2016 were led by carbonated drinks valued at $29 million, followed by confectionery, meat and its products, seafood and various ingredients. These growing interests will be represented at this week’s Gulfood Japan pavilion, which will be 1.5 times larger, with 44 participants and a separate Wagyu pavilion.
Several Japanese healthcare companies — some 100 years old — made their presence felt at the recently concluded Arab Health exhibition in Dubai, under the aegis of the Japan pavilion. The largest contingent to date since 2010 was notable for including 11 first-time and nine repeat participants. On display were infection control products, rehabilitation and physiotherapy equipment, hydrotherapy medical devices, automatic labelling systems, disposable surgical needles and gentle lighting.
In a statement, Masami Ando, Managing Director of JETRO Middle East and North Africa, said the event aimed to showcase Japan’s advanced healthcare tech. “These include ultra-thin needles that reduce patient discomfort, a new anti-decubitus air mattress system and micro blades with uniquely shaped edges for fine incision. This calibre of innovation is why Japan has been a long-time pioneer in the industry.”


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Asda's parent company, Walmart is partnering with Alert Innovation to bring first-of-its-kind automation, Alphabot, to its supercentre in New Hampshire, USA, to help associates fill online grocery orders faster than ever before.
The current online grocery service is already a huge hit with customers, and Alphabot will help by working behind the scenes to make the process easier by bringing items to associates.
For associates, that means less time walking the aisles looking for products and more time ensuring customers are enjoying the best in fresh produce, meats, and groceries.
The Alphabot system, developed especially for Walmart, is being installed as a part of the store’s grand reopening. A 20,000 sq ft extension connected to the store houses the new system and will serve as a dedicated grocery pickup point with drive-thru lanes for customers.


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Chr Hansen will send a team of employees through nine Eastern European countries, including Ukraine, Romania and Croatia, using a 50 square metre mobile show room to visit local universities and entice potential customers. The 'Magical Sensory Tour' will begin in Prague on 10th March and finish in Poland on 19th April.
"The show room will contain the ingredients necessary to create an experience for all senses. Here you can see, hear, feel, smell and taste everything related to the food- and beverage industries," said Jan Boeg Hansen, company vice president.
He believes this interactive approach will work well in a market that is shifting emphasis from the physical development of new products to the creation of new sensory concepts; where new flavour variations in existing products are becoming essential for maintaining sales in an increasingly competitive market.
And Eastern Europe, along with Africa and the Middle East, holds the best market potential for flavour producers, according to a recent market report from the UK's IAL Consultants.
The report says strong growth can be expected in many parts of Eastern Europe. Soft drinks based on fruit juices, for example, are a relatively new innovation while functional foods and drinks continue to draw interest. Strong demand for canned foods - which tend to contain more flavours - is likely to continue in some less developed regions of Eastern Europe that have yet to see a strong infrastructure for fresh food supplies.
Chr Hansen wants to take advantage of this by learning more about 'local' taste preferences. "By going on a tour, we will be able to learn a lot about specific niche markets. It will also give us the opportunity to get in contact with more people from within our customer organisation," said Boeg Hansen.
Eastern Europe could also help Chr Hansen to improve margins in Europe after the company last week reported strong pressure on prices in the rennet market that were eating into revenues. And with the sale of Chr Hansen's ingredients unit still on the cards, a greater presence in the emerging Eastern European sector would clearly be an attractive proposition for potential buyers.
For more details about Chr Hansen's sensory tour click here


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|Governor Brewer, Amazon.com Celebrate Company’s Investment in Arizona|
Fourth Facility to be Opened in Phoenix This Fall
PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer and Amazon.com officials today celebrated the online retailer’s creation of more than 3,000 jobs and combined investment of approximately $150 million in Arizona, including a new facility in Phoenix scheduled to open this fall.
“Amazon is a quality employer, so I’m proud they’ve chosen to invest in Arizona,” said Governor Brewer. “The company’s newest facility means even more jobs for Arizona citizens, and is one more sign that our economy is on the right track. The recent launch of the Arizona Commerce Authority and announcements like this by Amazon prove that Arizona is open for business. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to Amazon for its continued investment in our great state.”
The Governor and city and state officials commemorated Amazon’s completion of a new 1.2 million-square-foot facility, which opened last year. The company also today announced plans to open a similar-sized facility in Phoenix this fall, generating hundreds of full-time and seasonal jobs.
The new Phoenix facility will be Amazon’s fourth fulfillment center in Arizona, bringing the company’s total footprint in the state to more than 4 million square feet. Amazon also recently announced plans to build an approximately 400,000-square-foot expansion to its facility at 6835 West Buckeye Road.
“Amazon’s robust expansion in Arizona signifies the region’s strength as a favorable operating environment that supports corporate growth,” said Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.