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Last week was an exciting week for those who monitor developments in technology and the law. First, a Canadian telecom company announced it had struck a deal to introduce wireless internet service for Canadian cars. Then, the next day, the Ontario Court of Appeal released two companion decisions that added some oomph to Ontario’s distracted driving laws – merely holding a mobile phone, said the court, is sufficient to put you offside the law. The phone doesn’t have to be on and it doesn’t even have to be near your ear: it just has to be a cell phone.
Distracted driving advocates and telecom executives no doubt cheered. Just as the court declared that drivers ought to keep their hands on the wheel, a telecom declared it had a business plan that could facilitate that very thing. Win-win.
Except that few people read the details of the court’s decisions. Yes, both decisions censured hand-held cell phones by drivers. However, in parsing the legislation, and commenting generally on the distraction created by “other prescribed devices”, the Ontario Court of Appeal may also have inadvertently censured the next generation of connected vehicles.
There were two decisions, both of which considered the distracted driving provision of the Highway Traffic Act, RSO 1990, c H.8 (emphasis added):
Wireless communication devices
78.1 (1) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a highway while holding or using a hand-held wireless communication device or other prescribed device that is capable of receiving or transmitting telephone communications, electronic data, mail or text messages.
The first decision, R. v. Kazemi, 2013 ONCA 585 was the one that got the most attention. In this case the driver, Ms. Kazemi, claimed that her mobile phone, which had been sitting on the passenger seat, had slid to the floor when she braked for a red light. While stopped at the red light, she bent over to pick it up, which is when she was observed by a police officer and charged.
The central issue in the case was the meaning of “holding”. Did this include any type of handling of the phone, or was there a grace period – similar to the 5-second food-on-the-floor rule – where the law ought not to apply? The trial court took the former approach and convicted; on appeal to the Ontario Court of Justice, that court took the latter approach and reversed. On further appeal, the Court of Appeal restored the conviction, saying that the ordinary meaning of “holding” (i.e. any handling whatsoever) was the one that best ensured the protection of those who use the roads.
It was this decision that made headlines – mostly along the lines of “even holding a cell phone is illegal in Ontario”.
More interesting is the companion case of R. v. Pizzurro, 2013 ONCA 584. Mr. Pizzurro was driving his car and was observed by a police officer holding a cell phone and either typing or reading information on it. Mr. Pizzuro acknowledged the phone was in his hands, but said that was insufficient to convict, as he claimed the statute also required the Crown to show that the device was “capable of receiving or transmitting telephone communications, electronic data, mail or text messages”. The trial court rejected this approach and convicted; on appeal, the Ontario Court of Justice reversed.
The Court of Appeal restored the conviction, saying that language of section 78.1(1) is disjunctive and actually applies to two kinds of devices: hand-held wireless communication devices (that is, cell phones) and other devices prescribed by regulation. Because of this, the Court of Appeal found that the requirement that the device be capable of receiving or transmitting telephone communications, electronic data, mail or text messages applies to “prescribed devices” but not to cell phones. Cell phones, said the court, are presumed to be doing that already.
This was good news for the police, who don’t need to prove the phone was on, or in use, or receiving or transmitting.
This is potentially bad news for telecoms, automotive manufacturers and any other players in the connected car arena.
Implications for Business
The Court of Appeal was of the view that the creation of this other category of devices constituted the legislature’s direction to the Minister to ensure that, in future, the devices prescribed by regulation be of a kind that have this capability. While no regulation currently lists any such devices, it is not hard to see that a connected car could easily fall in to this category. While we may currently think of a car as an “automobile”, it is undergoing a transformation and could now, in and of itself, be considered a “device” under the legislation. In short, is it a car with smart phone features? Or is it a smart phone with automotive features?
Also interesting is the rationale used by the legislators and the Court of Appeal. Citing the reasons in the companion case, the Court of Appeal described the legislative purpose of section 78.1(1) ”ensuring road safety and driver attentiveness to driving”. In R. v. Kazemi, the Court of Appeal quotes the Minister of Transportation describing the purpose of the legislation this way (emphasis added):
[O]ur eyes-on-the-road, hands-on-the-wheel legislation aims to stop the use of hand-held wireless communication devices such as cellphones while driving. The goal is not to inconvenience people but to make our roads safer for them and for everyone else who shares our roads. For safety’s sake, drivers should focus on one thing and one thing only: driving.
While the cases primarily dealt with the physical interference of cell phones with driving, both implicitly acknowledged the companion evil of the distraction caused by the information on both cellphones and other connected devices. Further to this, the legislation not only prohibits the “holding” of devices, but the “using” of such devices. A driver using the services offered by a connected car capable of sending and transmitting messages is now potentially liable to be fined, if it is prescribed.
All is not lost: section 78.1(3) of that same statute says that a person may drive while using a device in “hands-free mode”. This might encompass a connected car…or it might not. It is hard to reconcile the legislature’s intent that “drivers should focus on one thing and one thing only: driving” with an exemption that permits a driver to simultaneously stream videos, talk on the phone, adjust the thermostat in her home and order groceries …as long as her hands remain on the wheel. (However, section 130, which deals with careless driving, may well apply).
In addition, section 78(1) prohibits the operation of a motor vehicle on a highway if “the display screen of a television, computer or other device in the motor vehicle is visible to the driver”. There are exceptions here, too – a television or computer screen visible to the driver is permitted, provided it is a display related to a GPS (being used only for navigation), vehicle status, collision avoidance or logistical tracking. But what about a digital display of the impact of a driver’s habits on his or her insurance rates? Or a GPS unit that displays the most direct route home…but also offers alternative routes, perhaps one past the giant inventory clearance sale at an electronics store (complete with discount coupon sent to the drivers’ vehicle or phone)?
Also exempt from this particular prohibition is “a hand-held wireless communication device or a device that is prescribed for the purpose of subsection 78.1(1)”. This latter point would appear to let passengers use their cellphones within sight of the driver without attracting sanction. However, the Court of Appeal decisions state that a “hand-held wireless communication device” is a cell phone, full stop. What if the passenger is using, say, a tablet or a laptop computer to access the vehicle’s new onboard WiFi?
Car manufacturers and communications providers should watch the development of the law in this area carefully as it has the potential to evolve in a way that could impact the development of the connected car. Should the legislature decide that connected cars fall into the category of other devices subject to regulation, specific platforms and services may well be prohibited or further restricted.
In addition, an increasingly sophisticated class action bar is sure to be watching these developments. Car manufacturer and communications providers will want to keep abreast of developments to ensure their business models and technology platforms are readily defensible.
Finally, those businesses intending to target their online ads to this new captive audience should be mindful of a recent US case (discussed in my previous post, here) which held that those who send texts to people behind the wheel may themselves be liable for damages caused by the driver they distracted.


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Official Ice Cream Sandwich Update With Sense 3.6 For HTC Sensations Has Leaked
Back in October Google declared Ice Cream Sandwich and Android to AOSP in December. Almost every Android manufacturer announced that they’ll be update their 2011 flagship model to ICS at the end of first quarter in 2012, so now many Android tablet has tasted ICS update, while on non-Nexus got this update. It seems that HTC has finished worked on ICS update for Sensation and just awaiting Google’s certification.
Now HTC Sensation users can enjoy official build Ice Cream Sandwich, as Know My Droid posted that the final build of Android 4.0 ICS for the HTC Sensation with Sense 3.6 firmware number 3.3.2 has leaked online, this leaked build is for cry from other ROMs. It offers any of the visual treat that Google introduced in Ice Cream Sandwich. But you can see still some UI changes and new features too.
Jump direct from Gingerbread to Ice Cream Sandwich, a heart touching news for the owners of HTC Sensation, if you own a HTC Sensation and want to flash this leaked update, you’ll need to unlock the the bootloader on your device and have Super CID. You can get installation guide and download it from here.

domain: news


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A new study from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography demonstrates a novel technique that stands to improve weather models and hurricane forecasting by detecting precise conditions in the atmosphere through a new GPS system onboard airplanes.
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To mark the first anniversary of Galileo’s historic first satnav positioning measurement, ESA plans to award certificates to groups who picked up signals from the four satellites in orbit to perform their own fixes.
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The need to strengthen an economic relationship with the “World’s largest economy is the aim of the Government.
This is according to Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey.
He stated that the United States economy is the largest in the world, valued at $US26,854 billion in 2023 according to the latest IMF figures.
This means that PNG must build good economic relations with the US to maximize the chances of trade opportunities, investment, and jobs for our people.
“However, this is still only about one-fifth the size of either the US or China. These are the fundamental facts.”
“The US economy is still the largest in the world and is likely to hold this lead role until the early 2030s.
“This was a key theme of our government team’s visit to the US this week.”
“There remains much that can be done to strengthen our economic relationship with the United States.”
“PNG’s trade patterns with the United States are relatively small.”
The Treasurer stated that based on the latest United Nations data, PNG’s exports to the US were only US93 million in 2022, while imports totalled US129 million.
This is much smaller than the country’s exports to Australia of US4,034 million, and imports from Australia of US1,762 million, despite the Australian economy at US1,797 million being less than one-tenth of the US economy.
PNG’s trade linkages are much stronger with other countries also, such as Japan and China.
“These trade data highlight just one example where some hard work and strategic alignment could dramatically grow these economic linkages.”
He added that better economic relations with the world’s largest economy would be good for incomes and jobs in PNG, and this is why we travel to meet US leaders to help build these relationships.


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Ukraine’s foreign trade increased
Ukraine’s foreign trade in goods increased by almost 30% for the first half of this year, compared to the same January-June period last year said Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s Trade Representative writes on Facebook. Compared to the first half of 2019, the last ‘normal’ year, trade is up 22% and the trade deficit is down 60%, to $1.25 billion.
Highlights contrasting the two six-month periods are:
- Exports to the EU reached $12.3 billion, 20% higher than 2019.
- Exports to China reached $4.28 billion, nearly three times the level of 2019.
- Trade with Turkey changed from a deficit last year of $80 million to a surplus this year of $460 million
- Exports of industrial goods are up 18%, to $2.4 billion.
Ukraine’s exports to Russia plummeted by 78% from 2013 to 2019, Tymofiy Milovanov, Presidential Economic Advisor said yesterday at the Ukraine 30 International Politics forum. During that period, Ukraine’s exports to the EU increased by 24%. “We have increased exports to the European Union and reduced them to Russia,” he said. “But in general we have not yet been able to compensate for those losses from exports to Russia at the expense of the EU. But I am sure that it will happen.”


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Chicago still trying to catch up with Airbnb scofflaws
The Airbnb listing for a "hip 1BR" apartment near Millennium Park boasts a "prime location"—in all capital letters—with "amenities galore," all for just $115 a night. The listing leaves out one key word: illegal.
It's one of numerous illicit rentals in Chicago still available on Airbnb four months after the city launched a computerized system to license homes rented through the shared-housing website. The East Loop apartment is in a building that prohibits vacation rentals, but city regulators have yet to catch up with "Rapheal," the Airbnb host trying to rent it.
A lot of scofflaws like Rapheal are still falling through the cracks of a shared-housing ordinance that Chicago officials like to say is among the toughest in the country. And that's frustrating landlords and aldermen.
"I'm disappointed with how the ordinance is working so far—or not working," said downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd. "The ordinance that is on the books was designed to fail, and that's why Airbnb was happy with it."
The City Council approved the regulations in June 2016, under pressure from the hotel industry, which sees vacation rentals as a competitive threat, and property managers, which view them as a nuisance and security risk. Under one provision of the ordinance, residential buildings can place themselves on a "prohibited buildings list," where vacation rentals are banned. The rules also forbid more than six vacation rentals in big buildings at one time.
Enforcement of the ordinance didn't really begin in earnest until mid-August of this year, when the Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection began approving and denying license applications from Airbnb hosts through a computer system that collects license information from the San Francisco-based firm, the largest shared-housing platform in the country.
The department said it had processed 7,621 applications from Airbnb hosts as of Dec. 5, approving 4,781 licenses. It denied 976 applications, but 234 hosts have appealed their denial. The appeals process can take 30 to 60 days.
The department says it also has issued citations to 30 hosts who continued to list their units after being denied a license. Violators face fines of $1,500 to $5,000. In prohibited buildings, 95 percent of listings have been shut down within a week after their final denial, according to the department. As of Dec. 5, 1,787 properties were on the prohibited buildings list.
"I think (enforcement) is working out just as planned—better than expected, actually," said Rosa Escareno, commissioner of the department.
HOW DO THEY SLIP THROUGH?
The problem: The city has yet to rule on about 1,300 applications that are missing a unit number or specific address. Until the new ordinance required that Airbnb collect that information, most hosts would list their home without an address or specific location, one way to avoid detection if the unit was in a building that prohibited vacation rentals. It's possible that some hosts deliberately filed an application without an address, hoping it would allow them to stay one step ahead of city regulators.
That may explain why there still are dozens of illegal listings in downtown Chicago. A spot check of several prohibited buildings downtown turned up 38 Airbnb listings, including nine in the Presidential Towers complex in the West Loop and 10 in OneEleven, a luxury high-rise on the Chicago River.
The addresses were identified by matching photos on the listings on the Airbnb website with photos on the buildings' websites. The search did not examine every Airbnb rental in downtown Chicago—there are more than 1,000 listings—nor did it include properties outside downtown. Also, in many cases, it was impossible to use photos to match Airbnb listings with specific buildings, suggesting the actual number of illegal downtown rentals may be much higher than 38.
The number of Airbnb listings has fallen in Chicago since the city started licensing hosts, according to Airdna, a firm that sells analytics to Airbnb hosts. Listings in the city dropped to 6,711 in November, down 4 percent from 6,972 in July, according to Airdna. That's also down from a peak of 8,228 listings in October 2016.
Rapheal is one of three hosts with an illegal listing at 73 E. Lake St., a 42-story apartment tower a couple of blocks from Millennium Park. Though all legal Airbnb listings are supposed to display a license or registration number, the listing for Rapheal's "urban cool, yet comfy" unit says that its registration is "pending."
'WE DIDN'T SIGN UP TO BE A HOTEL'
RMK Management, which manages the building, regularly monitors Airbnb to expose scofflaws, but "there are going to be people that slip through," said Tony Rossi Sr., chairman of Chicago-based RMK and an investor in the East Loop building.
"We didn't sign up to be a hotel," Rossi said. "That's not our deal, and we don't like it."
Ald. Michele Smith, 43rd, doesn't like it, either, accusing Airbnb of "foot-dragging." Smith, who represents Lincoln Park, and Ald. Reilly argue that Airbnb should immediately shut down hosts that omit addresses for their units on license applications.
"I'm dissatisfied with the level of compliance so far," Smith said. "I appreciate the technical difficulties of getting this going. The city needs to press a lot harder to get these guys going."
After the holidays, Reilly wants to seek changes to the ordinance to make it easier to crack down on hosts in prohibited buildings. He also aims to find a way for the department to hire more inspectors and investigators.
Escareno said her department is trying to be patient with incomplete applications. Simply denying them a license will send the hosts into the shadows, making it harder to find violators, she said.
Airbnb spokesman Ben Breit, meanwhile, declined to make a company representative available for an interview or answer questions about illegal listings. He pointed out that no other home-sharing company has set up a registration system with Chicago, a swipe at rival HomeAway.com, which is still negotiating with the city over the ordinance.
"Airbnb is proud to be the only home-sharing platform licensed to operate in Chicago, and we have established a productive working relationship with the Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection to implement the city's historic home-sharing rules," Breit said in a statement.
A HomeAway representative did not return phone calls. The Austin, Texas-based company, the owner of VRBO.com, sued the city over the ordinance in May, alleging the regulations "tilt the playing field" in Airbnb's favor. The case is pending in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Rapheal wasn't interested in talking to a reporter, either. The host declined an interview request through Airbnb's internal messaging system but quickly shifted back into sales mode, following up four minutes later with a message that the apartment was still available for rent.
"You are still welcome to book the place for the two days that showed up (Dec. 15-Dec. 17)?" the message said. "Let me know."
Kroll, which made a big splash when it moved to the trendy former meatpacking district from Wacker Drive, now seeks space elsewhere in the West Loop.
Workbox will occupy one of four floors WeWork walked out on earlier this year.
The Georgetown Company wants to build a high-rise apartment building next to the shopping center it owns in the busy retail district.


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Digger manufacturer supports 24,000 UK jobs
The Government says Midlands digger maker JCB is making a major contribution to UK manufacturing.
A study published today has concluded the firm supports a total of 24,000 jobs in the UK, both directly and in the supply chain.
It also generates £1.4 billion towards the UK’s total value of goods and services (GDP).
"Manufacturing is one of the key drivers of the UK economy, employing around 2.5 million people and generating over half of our exports," said Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
"Successful businesses with a strong domestic and international reputation such as JCB are making a major contribution to the ongoing strength of the UK’s manufacturing capability and keeping UK industry ahead of the game with new innovative products and technologies.”
More top news
Monday will stay mostly cloudy with patchy rain at times.
A largely dry morning is forecast with limited sunshine.
The Riders of Shaam cycled from Leicester to Luxembourg in their latest challenge.


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IBM to acquire Ascential Software for $1.1 billion
Monday, March 14th 2005, 10:02 am
News On 6
NEW YORK (AP) _ International Business Machines Corp. is buying Ascential Software Corp., which makes software that helps business manage data, for $1.1 billion in cash. Ascential shares rose more than 16 percent in early trading.
IBM said Monday the acquisition addresses a key customer challenge _ applying technology to respond more quickly to changing market conditions.
Ascential is a ``data integration'' company, offering businesses software that integrates data from disparate sources. For instance, IBM said that retailers use Ascential's software to gather, standardize and structure sales information from multiple sources, such as the Internet, catalogs and stores, and make rapid inventory and pricing adjustments in response to changing market demands.
Revenue at Ascential, a publicly held company based in Westboro, Mass., rose 46 percent to $271.9 million in 2004. The company has 3,000 customers in businesses such as insurance, financial services, manufacturing, consumer goods and government, it said in its latest annual report.
The company, which was incorporated in 1986, had 856 employees at the end of 2003, according to the annual report.
Ascential sold its database software systems business, called Informix Software, to IBM for $1 billion during the third quarter of 2001.
IBM has been a reseller of Ascential Software's products and accounted for more than 10 percent of the company's revenue in 2002, according to the annual report.
The purchase price of $18.50 a share is a 17.8 percent premium over Ascential's closing price of $15.70 on Friday on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Ascential shares surged $2.62, or 16.7 percent, to $18.32 in early trading Monday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.


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The EZ-Pass that pays tolls from a distance. A driver’s license with real-time information. A bracelet that stores personal account information. Dog tags that wirelessly transmit a soldier’s name, rank, and serial number. All this is made possible through smartcard technology, and in five years it will likely be everywhere.
A smartcard looks like a credit card, but instead of a magnetic strip on the back, it is embedded with a computer chip loaded with data. The card’s microprocessors can execute a range of applications and are periodically refreshed for additional use. Smartcards have been standard in Europe for years, with more than 300 million chip cards issued in 1993. They have been steadily trickling into America over the past several years and are due for an explosion in the very near future, says Gregory Thornton, CEO of Competech SmartCard Solutions in New Jersey.
Thornton’s success in the field is a result of smartcard’s growing popularity. He is finalizing a new $50 million venture that could help revolutionize the healthcare system in several African countries–including Uganda and Nigeria–where the ministries of health and district health centers are working independently of each other.
With the help of several partners, Thornton plans to use smartcard technology to organize aid programs and upgrade healthcare infrastructures. His group will act as a liaison between pharmaceutical companies, the U.S. government, and the governments of several European and African nations.
The arrival of satellite-enhanced, high-speed Internet service will vastly improve computer systems within various African health ministries and village health centers. Each center will receive a smartcard reader while mobile medical centers will inoculate patients who have received a bracelet carrying their entire medical history. When the patient comes within 9 feet of the smartcard reader, their medical history will be automatically transmitted to the doctor’s handheld computer. The mobile unit will return to the village health center and upload the patient’s information, which will then be immediately transmitted to the Ministry of Health’s database.
Competech’s annual revenues were $1.2 million in 2004. Thorton predicts revenues could reach $8 million in 2005 as a result of the African projects and a growing demand for smartcard technology. “Only 2% of the market is satisfied for smartcards,” says Thornton. “The applications for this technology are endless; it is limited only by the imagination.” He adds that smartcards could soon become as essential as dog tags for soldiers. The possibilities include hotel keys that act as both debit and Medicaid card.
JPMorgan Chase is already up on the trend. It has been experimenting with smartcards through its “Blink” program, which allows consumers in 160 cities in Georgia and 70 in Colorado to pay for purchases by passing their card in front of a point-of-sale terminal equipped with a contactless reader.
The technology makes blink cards ideal for fast-food restaurants and other businesses for which expediency is essential. In Georgia, the cards can be used at CVS drugstores, KFC, and Royal Cinemas. In Colorado they are accepted at Arby’s restaurants, 7-Eleven, and Walgreens drug store chains.


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Speaking to FoodNavigator-USA after launching a new liquid ‘fiber syrup’ version of its Oliggo-Fiber inulin, a Cargill spokeswoman said: “Today it’s about fiber claims and weight management.
“However we are beginning to see an interest in moving from generic ‘fiber’ claims to making more specific claims where possible.
“These claims include highlighting the prebiotic effect, but also getting even more specific and discussing inulin’s benefit on calcium absorption.”
‘Invisible’ liquid inulin
In bars, the new “virtually invisible” liquid inulin can serve as a binder in place of sweetener syrups, providing structure and fiber, she said.
“In fruit preps and other applications, such as beverages, it can be easier to handle and incorporate a liquid rather than reconstituting a powder.
“Also, the liquid inulin is about 75% solids and it is not possible to reconstitute a dry powder to that same level of solids.”
Do consumers get prebiotics?
While there is a growing body of evidence to support the ability of inulin and oligofructose to stimulate the growth of good bacteria in the gut (a prebiotic effect) and improve the absorption of calcium (for bone health), consumer research presents a mixed picture when it comes to prebiotics.
While a 2011 US consumer survey by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) suggested a 79% awareness levels of the health benefits of prebiotics, many marketing experts say consumers remain pretty clueless about them.
A consumer panel gathered at the IFT Wellness 2012 conference in Chicago last week had no idea what prebiotics were when questioned, while market researchers and brand experts we contacted for our special edition on prebiotics last year said consumers were still struggling to get their heads around the concept.
The way forward: Prebiotic fiber?
But this did not mean prebiotics had no future, merely that the communication strategy needed more work, said Sheldon Baker from nutraceutical brand marketing firm Baker Dillon Group.
“'Healthy gut flora’ or ‘bifidogenic’ is a mouthful for consumers. As long as marketers stick with the fiber concept, Americans will grasp the positive virtues of prebiotics.
"The term ‘prebiotic fiber’ potentially could create a whole new fiber category for food marketers, but it will take a segment of the industry with a large marketing budget to educate consumers about the value and importance of prebiotics in order for this category to be successful."


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Announced this morning, Microsoft is selling their IPTV platform to Ericsson for an undisclosed amount.
According to Yususf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Marketing, Strategy and Business for the Interactive Entertainment Business of which both IPTV and Xbox operate under, the move will “allow Microsoft to commit 100 percent of its focus on consumer TV strategy with Xbox.”
Watchers don’t have to read in between the lines to understand why Microsoft is choosing to offload the Mediaroom technology now. In fact, today’s statement lays it out quite plainly:
“With the sale of Mediaroom, Microsoft is dedicating all TV resources to Xbox in a continued mission to make it the premium entertainment service that delivers all the games and entertainment consumers want – whether on a console, phone, PC or tablet. And with 76 million Xbox 360 consoles around the world with 46 million Xbox LIVE members, it is a mission that gets us out of bed in the morning.
It is not a mission that we can achieve alone. We want to partner with the industry to deliver the next wave of innovation in games and consumer entertainment. We will partner with content creators, studios, labels, networks, content aggregators, operators and distributors to make this happen. We believe the future of home entertainment is one where TV becomes more simple, tailored and intelligent. We believe the best is yet to come for this industry.” – Yusef Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Marketing, Strategy and Business for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft
Historically, Microsoft Mediaroom created software and technology that powered boxes that plugged into your television –cable boxes from your local cable provider if you will. According to Microsoft the division’s software powers 22 million of those boxes in 11 million homes.
Microsoft last shipped a significant update to the platform with Mediaroom 2.0 back in January of 2013.


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Did you miss a session from GamesBeat Summit 2022? All sessions are available to stream now. Watch now.
The Wii U and 3DS are limping to the end of their console lives, and publisher Nintendo knows it.
President Tatsumi Kimishima minimized the importance of both of these aging systems when an investor asked him how his gaming company would return to “Nintendo-like profits.” Instead, the executive pointed to two businesses that have generated zero dollars in revenue for the publisher to date: the upcoming dedicated gaming platform codenamed NX and the iOS and Android apps still in development. Earlier this month, Nintendo released slightly disappointing results for its fiscal third quarter with its $1.83 billion in revenues. But investors in the company want a return to form for Nintendo that looks like its 2012 holiday quarter when it generated $3.8 billion in revenues. To do that, the publisher is looking to the $30 billion mobile-gaming business and making big promises when it comes to the mysterious NX.
Kimishima essentially confirmed, during the question-and-answer sessions with investors, that Nintendo is well past trying to save the Wii U and likely beyond trying to resuscitate the 3DS with another hardware revision.
His expectations are with the future.
“One area [where we would generate Nintendo-like profits first] is our NX business, and another is our business for smart devices,” said Kimishima. “I believe that keeping these two endeavors on track will be key to achieving Nintendo-like profits. I don’t have any further details to share about the next fiscal year at this time, but we will explain about our plan and when we will aim to achieve Nintendo-like profits at a future date.”
Kimishima elaborated by pointing out that Nintendo is in a transitional period.
“The previous and current fiscal years have been a period of preparation to launch a number of new endeavors, such as NX development, development for smart devices, and business using our character IP, in addition to driving our Wii U and Nintendo 3DS businesses,” he said.
In relation to this transition, Nintendo is taking this opportunity to reorganize how it makes products. He pointed to the decision to unify the portable and home-console development teams as one example of this.
“As I have described before, where development was split between handheld and home-console divisions in the past, we have unified these activities for both hardware and software development,” he explained. “And the exciting new ideas coming from development are evidence of the progress being made as a result of that unification.”
But Nintendo’s restructuring goes beyond bringing together its software studios. Kimishima revealed that he is having the company’s planning department revise how communication works within Nintendo.
“Gaps in communication that may arise from reorganization could hinder plans that require timely execution,” he said. “This is why our corporate planning department is also implementing organizational reform that allows for precise understanding of progress across the whole company.”
Finally, the Nintendo boss tied all of this back into “Nintendo-like profits” by pointing out that getting the company working together more efficiently should help it produce strong software for the NX and smartphones in a “timely manner.” If the company can deliver that, it has a better chance of seeing strong launches for its apps and its new gaming system.
GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Learn more about membership.


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2016 Presidential Election
Next on TV
Clips & Bonus Videos
Trump Promises Wall To Keep Pokémon In - Japan And Mexico Will Pay For It
With Pokémon Go destroying friendships and liberating nerds around the world, Donald Trump has weighed in with an all too familiar proposal.
Trump Says New iPhone Is Right Size For His Hands But Maintains He Has A Big Dick
Presidential nominee and psychopath Donald Trump has purchased the new iPhone SE, stating the phone is the right size for his small entitled hands. However the billionaire maintains he still has a big dick.


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One of the main attractions at ICE 2017, StakeLogic’s new slot game Darts Heroes, is now live via Kindred (previously Unibet Group) brands.
StakeLogic B.V, a wholly owned subsidiary of Greentube and part of NOVOMATIC Interactive, launched its new premium title Darts Heroes on www.unibet.com. The new 3D slot game was successfully introduced by its “heroes” – the four world-class darts players Michael van Gerwen aka “Mighty Mike”, Gary Anderson aka “The Flying Scotsman”, Raymond van Barneveld aka “Barney” and Phil Taylor aka “The Power” – at the ICE 2017 gaming show in London.
Established as the interactive specialist of Greentube, StakeLogic is in the business of developing and licensing software such as 3D slots for both desktop and mobile, in addition to owning and controlling various game designs. Kindred Group adds StakeLogic’s exciting new game to its innovative lineup of highly animated slot games by StakeLogic.
Ruben Visse, StakeLogic CEO, commented: “We are proud that after the successful introduction at ICE 2017, Darts Heroes is now live on www.unibet.com. Darts Heroes offers players worldwide a fun and engaging gaming entertainment experience. This is what StakeLogic is about: passion, innovation and dedication – resulting in high-quality games that will bring the very best for both players and operators.”
David Craeghs, Kindred Product Manager, added: “We are very pleased with the launch of Darts Heroes. The characters used in the game fit well with our goal to offer relevant content for the local markets. Due to the mechanics of the slot, this is a game that will suit all markets even for players who don’t know a lot about darts.”


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Indonesia Investments' Newsletter of 9 February 2014 Released
On 9 February 2014, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website in the last seven days. Most of the topics involve economic matters such as an analysis of economic growth in 2013, the trade balance, new IPOs on the stock exchange, an update on January 2014 inflation, and more.
Click here to subscribe to our free newsletter


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Apple Reveals Plans to Open 40 New Stores in FY06
TMO Reports - Apple Reveals Plans to Open 40 New Stores in FY06
by , 6:45 PM EDT, April 19th, 2006
During the company's earnings conference call on Wednesday, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer revealed that the firm will open 40 new stores during its current fiscal year, which concludes Sept. 30. "I think a little more than 30 will be in the United States," he said to analysts during the Q&A session.
While Apple's retail segment profit dropped from US$42 million in the year-ago quarter to $29 million this year, traffic grew from 13 million visitors to 18.1 million, "translating to over 10,000 visitors per store per week," Mr. Oppenheimer said. He added that more than 50,000 one-to-one personal training sessions were delivered in the stores' new creative studios during the quarter.
During the Q&A with analysts, Mr. Oppenheimer said that Apple addressed the move to Intel processors immediately after the new Intel iMacs and MacBook Pro laptops were announced at Macworld in January. "We changed all the product merchandising and the Window displays and graphics in the store, really to communicate that this was the future," he explained. "As Intel-based Macs arrived in the stores, we stopped carrying the comparable PowerPC models."
The CFO added: "As you may have seen, our retail sales teams were not discouraged from telling customers to wait for Intel-based Macs if that was the best thing for the customer. [We] really let the customer purchase what they wanted to and that impacted us in the quarter."
One analyst pointed out that "PC units per store are down fairly meaningfully on a year-over-year basis," when investors consider the fact that Apple has more stores open now than it did a year ago. Mr. Oppenheimer didn't directly address that issue, simply repeating what he had said earlier about focusing on the transition to Intel in the stores, even if that hurt sales.
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Executives from startups contend that commerce can succeed on social networks, but requires new approaches.
Executives from social technology startups said commerce on Facebook requires more than opening a storefront.
Speaking at the OnMedia NYC conference on Tuesday, executives offered up several reasons why four high-profile brands - Gamestop, Gap, J.C. Penney, and Nordstrom - reportedly shuttered their Facebook storefronts over the past year.
"Opening a storefront does not mean you have a social commerce strategy," said Justin Yoshimura, CEO of 500Friends, which offers social loyalty technology for retailers. "Consumers want to shop on your store and want to interact with your brand on Facebook."
In response to a question by attendee Neil Glassman, executives speculated on additional reasons why businesses pulled the plug on their Facebook storefronts. They included:
Executives from social technology companies also pointed to approaches they are taking to advance commerce on Facebook and other social platforms.
Horizon Studios CEO Janice Diner, for instance, said her company developed a social sales incentive and training platform, which is designed to enable brands to reward and engage with sales and customer service teams.
And SocialGift CEO Mo Govindji said his company's application can be used to encourage "group gifting," whereby friends on Facebook can team up to collect contributions and buy a gift for another Facebook friend.
Lastly, Yoshimura said Pet Food Direct worked with 500Friends to develop PFD Rewards, a program on the brand's Facebook page and website. Once someone enrolls in the program, they can earn points for referring friends, placing orders, and other activities. Participants can then redeem the points for rewards, such as pet food donations to needy pets.
Join the Industry's Leading eCommerce & Direct Marketing Experts in Chicago
ClickZ Live Chicago (Nov 3-6) will deliver over 50 sessions across 4 days and 10 individual tracks, including Data-Driven Marketing, Social, Mobile, Display, Search and Email. Check out the full agenda and register by Friday, Oct 3 to take advantage of Early Bird Rates!
Anna Maria Virzi, ClickZ's executive editor from 2007 until 2012, covered Internet business and technology since 1996. She was on the launch team for Ziff Davis Media's Baseline and also worked at Forbes.com, Web Week, Internet World, and the Connecticut Post.
IBM Social Analytics: The Science Behind Social Media Marketing
80% of internet users say they prefer to connect with brands via Facebook. 65% of social media users say they use it to learn more about brands, products and services. Learn about how to find more about customers' attitudes, preferences and buying habits from what they say on social media channels.
An Introduction to Marketing Attribution: Selecting the Right Model for Search, Display & Social Advertising
If you're considering implementing a marketing attribution model to measure and optimize your programs, this paper is a great introduction. It also includes real-life tips from marketers who have successfully implemented attribution in their organizations.
September 23, 2014
September 30, 2014
1:00pm ET/10:00am PT
October 23, 2014
1:00pm ET/10:00am PT


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The proposal is “compelling for stockholders and stakeholders in both companies,” Broadcom president and CEO Hock Tan said today in a statement. Qualcomm has responded with a statement that its board of directors will consider the offer while weighing the best interests of its shareholders, although the Financial Times reported the company appears likely to reject the bid.
The result could be a “long and vicious” takeover campaign, the Financial Times added. If the deal goes through, another result could be significantly higher smartphone prices, according to the investor site TheStreet, which noted, “Get ready for the $2000 smartphone in a world where chipmaking is dominated mostly by one company.”
Chip Market Seeing Lots of M&A Activity
Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Singapore and California, Broadcom has made more than a dozen acquisitions over the past 10 years, the most recent was its $5.5 billion takeover last year of Brocade Communications Systems.
Qualcomm has also acquired a number of companies operating in complementary market spaces. The company is currently working to finalize a $47 billion offer launched last year to purchase the Netherlands-based chipmaker NXP Semiconductors.
Combined, Broadcom and Qualcomm would create a global organization with “an impressive portfolio of technologies and products,” Tan said in Broadcom’s announcement.
“We would not make this offer if we were not confident that our common global customers would embrace the proposed combination,” Tan said. “With greater scale and broader product diversification, the combined company will be positioned to deliver more advanced semiconductor solutions for our global customers and drive…


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The latest GeForce NOW update includes new additions to the streaming service including the recently released Dread Hunger. There are several other additions that are currently available to both normal and RTX 3080 membership owners. You can read the list of the games that are being added to GeForce NOW below:
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Custom Models From ASUS Listed Online, Starting at Over $3500 US
Thanks to GeForce NOW, more gamers than ever can experience what it means to play PC games at unbelievable quality, across nearly all devices. Members can currently play through 1,000 supported games from anywhere so long as they own it on stores such as Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, GOG, or Origin. Of course, users with a small game collection can also access over 100 different free-to-play titles.
With the power of the cloud, any device can essentially turn into a high-end gaming PC with GeForce NOW. Currently, members who own the RTX 3080 membership can experience gameplay on PC and Mac at up to 1440 pixels and 120 frames per second. Members who want to try out the power of RTX in the cloud can get the recently implemented 1-month membership that allows them to stream their games at reduced latency and high framerates at a $19.99 price tag.
Players can also access PC exclusive games through GeForce NOW. Essentially allowing them to play games such as Dota 2, EVE Online, and Phasmophobia from devices like mobile phones or SHIELD TVs. More games and features get added to the service every week through GeForce NOW Thursdays such as the capability to log in from Discord. The app is also starting to extend to Smart TVs, with 2021 LG TVs having the capability to access the app.


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Ahead of the May 11th grand opening of Apple’s newest store at Washington, D.C.’s Carnegie Library, Tim Cook and newly appointed Retail + People leader Deirdre O’Brien chatted with The Washington Post about Apple’s goals for the store and what the landmark project represents for the future. As Apple grows its portfolio of services and education opportunities through Today at Apple, the restored library is expected to play a significant role in furthering the company’s mission.
Apple Carnegie Library is Apple’s “most historic, ambitious restoration by far, in the world,” Cook told The Washington Post. Apple’s plans to rehabilitate the stately building date back to 2016 and may have cost more than $30 million to complete. “We should probably come up with a name other than ‘store,’ because it’s more of a place for the community to use in a much broader way,” Cook added.
Since 2015, new Apple Stores have been designed around promoting creativity and learning from others. While locations in the United States are often housed in modern structures with contemporary architecture, the same creative values anchor the Beaux-Arts Apple Carnegie Library. Cook connected the project to the founding principles outlined by Steve Jobs:
You think about where the company started from and Steve and the team at the time were very focused on providing people tools that allowed them to do incredible things.
Deirdre O’Brien echoed the sentiment, noting that programs like Today at Apple add value for customers over contributing to Apple’s revenue stream:
We created Today at Apple to take our customers further, deepen their relationship with their product,” she said. “We didn’t necessarily create it with the idea of driving more revenue. It’s part of the experience of visiting our store.
The launch campaign for Apple Carnegie Library is one of the most comprehensive in Today at Apple’s history, with six weeks of sessions from 40 creators comprising the “StoryMakers Festival.” The special events will be the first of many to come at Mount Vernon Square, where Apple will regularly partner with local talent.
If you attend a store opening, spot something interesting, or attend a great Today at Apple session, we’d love to see your photos. Follow 9to5Mac’s retail guide for in-depth coverage of the latest Apple Store news.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said that the signing of the Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) with Australia will boost trade with the country and fuel private sector investment.
The commerce minister made the statement while addressing the TIFA signing ceremony between Bangladesh and Australia which was held virtually on Wednesday.
Munshi and Australia's Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan signed the agreement on behalf of their respective countries.
During the ceremony, Tipu Munshi said that Bangladesh's trade and economic relations with Australia are long-standing.
In the 2018-2019 financial year, Bangladesh exported goods worth 804.63 million USD to Australia, while importing goods worth 596.70 million USD.
Tipu Munshi said, "Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, trade has not been as good as expected in the last two years. Both countries have huge potential for trade and investment growth. The government of Bangladesh will provide necessary assistance to traders from both ends to facilitate business trips and in turn, increase trade and investment.
"Australia has been providing duty-free and quota-free trade facilities to Bangladesh since 2003, for which Bangladesh is grateful. We hope that Australia will continue to provide trade facilities to Bangladesh even after LDC graduation in 2026 and will support the LDC Group's proposal in the WTO," added Tipu Munshi.
Tipu Munshi also requested Australia, as a vaccine producing country, to provide the Covid-19 vaccine as a grant to Bangladesh on humanitarian grounds.
Referring to Bangladesh's close friendly relations with Australia, Dan Tehan said "The signing of the TIFA would boost investment and trade between the two countries. Apart from readymade garments in Bangladesh, there are several potential sectors including ICT, light engineering, plastics and education for Australia to invest in."


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Shares of Urban Outfitters (URBN) were up 5% at mid-day after the retailer disclosed in a regulatory filing late yesterday that same-store retail sales in Q4 are trending in the high single digits.
The quarter-to-date results were for all retail segments, including direct-to-consumer sales, and were above analysts' forecasts.
Besides its namesake 209-unit Urban Outfitters' chain, the company operates 177 Anthropologie stores and 77 Free People units.
Stifel Nicolaus analyst Richard Jaffe wrote in a client note that results were particularly strong given that December sales "were off to a slow start" for many retailers following a robust Thanksgiving weekend.
He estimated Q4 sales are so far up around 8% at Urban Outfitters, 5% at Anthropologie, 12% at Free People and 35% in the direct-to-consumer division.
"Urban's previous merchandise problems were driven by a lack of differentiation from other retailers," he wrote, noting it didn't have its typical ironic, irreverent merchandise. "We believe merchandise at this division has improved and customers are responding favorably to the new assortment."
Anthropologie has been the "most challenged" of Urban's brands, he added, but said an expanded assortment is helping.
Janney Capital Markets Adrienne Tennant wrote in a morning note that the "most pronounced margin recovery" appears to be coming from the Anthropologie division.
"We believe that Anthropologie stores look the best we have seen them all year," she wrote.
She said there could be upside to analysts' Q4 consensus estimate of 52 cents a share if current trends continue. That estimate is already 93% higher than last year's Q4 results. That would continue a trend of accelerating sales growth over the last three quarters.
Urban has posted two straight quarters of double-digit earnings growth.
Tennant said she expects acceleration in sales for the remainder of December.
Following last year's 26% earnings slide, analysts expected Urban's full-year earnings this year to rise 33% to $1.58 a share.


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In shipping, there are two important miles: the last one—dominated by the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS—and the first one, the messy process through which customers drop off their packages.
For years, the first mile was handled via drop-off boxes, brick-and-mortar outlets and prescheduled pickups. Now there’s Shyp. The San Francisco-based company picks up unpackaged items (less than 50 pounds) directly from customers at their homes and businesses, boxes up the items at centralized packaging and shipping facilities and ships them through major carriers and the USPS.
Founder and CEO Kevin Gibbon explains that the model benefits everybody, since customers no longer have to worry about boxing up or dropping off their stuff, and shipping companies can pick up big loads without having to make hundreds of stops around a city.
“Really, it’s all about improving efficiencies,” Gibbon says, noting that though Shyp charges customers $5 per pickup, the company makes the bulk of its money on volume discounts from carriers. “The great thing about our model is that as we pick up more packages from more locations around the country, our discounts will increase.”
Shyp’s approach hinges on two key resources: squadrons of freelance bike couriers and drivers paid by the hour (dubbed “Shyp Heroes”), and a proprietary iOS and Android app that connects them with customers. Using the Shyp app, customers take a picture of their item and request a pickup; Shyp’s system finds the closest courier through his or her smartphone, pings the rider or driver to see if the item can be managed, and keeps asking until the assignment is accepted.
When someone agrees to pick up an item, Shyp provides the customer with an estimated time of arrival and creates a virtual map for tracking the courier’s progress. Customers can track their shipment all the way through the delivery process.
“It’s all about opening communication with the customer,” says Gibbon, who previously founded ShopAround, a now-defunct app that helped customers gauge prices on products from nearby retailers.
Once an item is delivered to a Shyp facility, the company’s money-saving technology comes into play. Workers weigh and measure each item, then a specialized machine takes raw cardboard and produces a box that fits the item to within one-tenth of an inch. According to Gibbon, this process reduces the need for excess bubble wrap and other space fillers—a big deal as shipping companies change their pricing models from weight- to volume-based. “When you’re working with economies of scale like we do, these savings add up,” he says.
Armed with a $10 million Series A round led by SherpaVentures, Shyp expanded to New York City and Miami last fall. Customers seem thrilled. Leigh Goldstein, the former director of shipping for eBay and current COO of Feastly, a San Francisco marketplace for shared meals, raves about Shyp’s ability to improve efficiencies and notes that the company ultimately might be able to revolutionize the last mile—delivery—as well.
“The key with the last mile is that it takes some sort of partnering, either with e-commerce companies or shipping companies, to really make a difference,” he says. “UPS is driving around in brown trucks, but maybe a small army of people on bikes is a better way.”


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After a staggering development within the 4 months of 2021, Could and June have been fairly dynamic for the worldwide crypto market bringing two crypto value crashes in just some weeks. Regardless of that, the rising variety of buyers continued selecting digital cash as an funding asset, with some cryptocurrencies drawing way more consideration than others.
In line with information offered by BlockArabia.com, Tether, Bitcoin, and Ethereum, because the world’s prime three cryptocurrencies, nonetheless, convincingly lead in month-to-month buying and selling quantity. Right here is the record of the opposite most traded cryptos in June.
Mixed Buying and selling Quantity of Tether, Bitcoin and Ethereum Hit $3.5T, EOS and Dogecoin Around the Prime 5 Listing
With a month-to-month buying and selling quantity of almost $1.5trn in June, or $300bn greater than Bitcoin, Tether, for sure, represents crucial coin within the international crypto market. Furthermore, because the world’s most used secure coin, additionally it is a pathway for a lot of energetic merchants into the crypto market.
In addition to rating as essentially the most traded coin within the crypto ecosystem, Tether additionally witnessed a big enhance in market capitalization this 12 months. Between January and July, the market cap of the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency tripled and hit $62.2bn.
Because the world’s largest and most costly cryptocurrency, Bitcoin’s buying and selling quantity hit over $1.2trn in June. Ethereum adopted with $890bn in 30-day buy quantity. The CoinMarketCap information confirmed the three main cryptocurrencies hit greater than $3.5trn in mixed month-to-month buying and selling quantity.
EOS and Dogecoin spherical the highest 5 record. Final month, EOS reached almost $290bn in buying and selling quantity. Dogecoin adopted with near $260bn. Additionally, statistics present the worth of the unique meme coin soared by 2200% YTD, regardless of the crypto value crash.
On account of its current surge in value, the unique meme coin climbed among the many world’s prime ten cryptocurrencies, following Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Binance Coin, and Cardano in market cap.
Polygon Reached Over $240B in Month-to-month Buying and selling Quantity, Greater than Bitcoin Money, Chainlink or XRP
Statistics present that Polygon ranked because the sixth most traded cryptocurrency in June, with $240.1bn in month-to-month buying and selling quantity. Additionally, its market cap surged in 2021. In January, the mixed worth of all Polygon cash circulating in crypto house amounted to $88.5 million. After reaching an all-time excessive of almost $15bn in Could, Polygon’s market cap plunged to $6.6bn final week. Nonetheless, a staggering 7,300% enhance YTD.
The CoinMarketCap information confirmed Bitcoin Money hit $231.4bn in month-to-month buying and selling quantity. Chainlink, XRP, and Stellar adopted with $145.3bn, $126.8bn, and $121bn, respectively.


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The French Council of Ministers announced on September 15 the decision to implement a country-wide e-invoicing and e-reporting obligation according to a revised calendar: from July 1st, 2024, all companies headquartered or established in France will have to accept e-invoices from their suppliers. at the same date, issuing e-invoicing in lieu of paper will become […]
The Greek myDATA mandate has been postponed once again, this time to January 2022. Until that date the framework remains voluntary. This deferral does not change the date of mandatory POS reporting requirement, which must still be completed by November 2021.
The Polish authorities continue to make progress on its proposed CTC e-invoicing reform, most recently with new documentation. Technical documentation and draft invoice schemas, in Polish and English, for the Polish Krajowy System e-Faktur (KSeF) have recently been published. They are made available here: https://www.gov.pl/web/kas/krajowy-system-e-faktur. In addition, changes to the draft legislation are introduced which […]
The Romanian tax administration has announced its plans to introduce a B2B e-invoicing system in the near future. The system is expected to become functional in January 2022, although this date is subject to official announcement. The intention is to work closely with industry stakeholders to develop the e-invoicing platform and eventually make a CTC […]
Spain’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation has published a draft law for the creation and growth of companies in the country that includes the introduction of mandatory B2B e-invoicing obligations for all companies and freelancers. More information can be found in our blog.
Progress has been made in the roll-out of the Polish CTC (continuous transaction control) system, Krajowy System of e-Faktur. In June, the Ministry of Finance announced it had reviewed all comments submitted by the public and Polish ministers on the CTC system and decided to take certain actions, including introducing a testing phase for the […]
Once again, Portugal published a ministerial order de facto amending the timeline for the implementation of its B2G electronic invoice mandate. According to the Despacho 260/2021-XXII, the Portuguese public administration will continue to accept B2G invoices in PDF format until 31 December 2021.
The system of penalties/surcharges for late submission without prior requirement by the Tax Authorities (Art. 27.2 LGT 58/2003) has been modified by the Act 11/2021 published on Saturday 10 July 2021 in the Spanish Gazette (BOE) and came into force on Sunday 11 July 2021. The new rule brings changes to the penalties/surcharges system. The […]
Supplies between Italy and San Marino are accompanied by a set of customs obligations. After the introduction of the Italian e-invoicing mandate in 2019, Italy and San Marino started negotiations to expand the use of e-invoices in cross-border transactions between the two countries. Those negotiations are now complete and the details are available. More information […]
On 28 June 2021 the Greek Ministry of Finance announced that the myDATA mandate has been postponed to autumn 2021. This is due to the adverse financial impact of the pandemic on businesses and the country. The phased roll-out begins in September 2021 and is scheduled to be completed in November 2021. Retroactive reporting of […]
The Turkish Revenue Administration (TRA) has published updated guidelines on the cancellation and objection of e-fatura and e-arsiv invoices. Two different guidelines are updated: the guidelines on the notification of cancellation and objection of e-fatura, and the guidelines on the notification of cancellation and objection of e-arsiv. The updated guidelines aim to inform taxable persons […]
Russia is introducing a new system for traceability of certain goods that will come into effect on 1 July 2021. Federal Law No. 371-FZ will amend the Russian Tax Code to introduce the new procedure for the traceability system, which will bring with it the introduction of mandatory e-invoicing for taxpayers dealing with traceable goods. […]
The German Bundesrechnungshof (Federal Audit Office), which is a independent judiciary body that advises various government bodies through non-legally binding recommendations, recently proposed to the Ministry of Finance that a real-time reporting system leveraging blockchain technology would be an efficient system to combat VAT fraud and reduce the VAT loss in Germany which is estimated […]
The Portuguese tax authority clarified obligations for non-resident companies. In principle, companies that are not resident but have a VAT registration in the country should comply with domestic VAT rules (which includes issuing e-invoices through certified software). The tax authority also clarified other obligations such as circumstances that require or dismiss a VAT registration, indication […]
The National Revenue Agency (NRA) with industry stakeholders are discussing the idea of introducing mandatory e-invoicing. By the end of 2021 a decision will be reached. In parallel, changes for till reporting are proposed and are subject to public consultation. The changes will allow online retailers to not use cash registers but report their […]
Due to the effects of the pandemic on businesses, the Greek Ministry of Finance together with the IAPR (Greek tax authority) announced that the go-live of the myDATA eBooks mandate will be postponed to 1 July 2021. Data generated during the first six months of 2021, must be reported until 31 October 2021.
The UK Chancellor, Rishi Sunik, has just announced his 2021 budget for the UK. Amongst many tax measures announced was an extension to the current VAT rate reduction for the tourism and hospitality sector which was due to end on 31 March 2021. Businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector are currently able to apply […]
Two amendments in Croatian law, Fiscalization in Cash Transactions, which were introduced in the last two years came into effect on 1 January 2021. The amendments pertain to: a) the implementation of the fiscalization procedure for sales through the self – service devices; secondary legislation about the process and measures for data security and exchange […]


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– On Sept. 18, a panel of top experts from the automotive, energy, and gas retail industries held an open forum discussion at the Sheetz Monroeville location to help consumers learn more about E-85 ethanol-based fuel. The panel consisted of six experts from Sheetz, GM, VeraSun Energy, local GM dealerships, and the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory. Media and customers were invited to ask questions and listen to panelists explain what E-85 is and how the corn-based, renewable, clean-burning fuel is used.
Sheetz’ will begin offering E-85 ethanol-based fuel at two more of its Pittsburgh area locations, including the Monroeville location, as well as the Robinson Township store. On Jul. 10, Sheetz began selling VeraSun’s branded E-85 (VE-85) at its Pleasant Hills store.
VeraSun Energy, the nation’s second largest ethanol producer, has partnered with GM and retail fuel providers in other states to make E-85 more available and work through its branded fuel to bring awareness and credibility to this emerging, renewable alternative fuel.
Since May 2005, GM has announced partnerships with states and fuel providers around the country and expects to help launch more than 160 new E-85 fueling locations by the end of 2006.


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American Consumers Deserve Robust, Consistent Data Protection
MPA supports a national privacy framework that ensures consumers have clear, enforceable data privacy protections; control over the use of their personal information; and greater transparency into businesses’ data protection practices, while preserving the benefits that come from the responsible use of data.
MPA believes that consumers are best served by a single national data privacy law instead of a patchwork of potentially conflicting state laws. Without a national consumer privacy framework, states should create consistency among themselves.
Magazine Media Publishers Call for National Privacy Framework
Magazine Media Publishers Call for Consistent Data Standards
- MPA submits comments to the California Privacy Protection Agency on the CPRA, November 8, 2021
- MPA joins industry letter urging Uniform Law Commission to exclude a private right of action from model privacy legislation, July 1, 2021
- MPA and other trade associations submit letter in opposition of the New York Privacy Act, May 26, 2021
- MPA submits letter on Alaska consumer privacy legislation, May 11, 2021
- MPA letter on the enforcement mechanisms of the Washington Privacy Act, March 9, 2021


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A new solution for undeclared and mis-declared DG in containerised shipments – Forwarder Magazine Issue 47
Exis Technologies has been a global leader in solutions for the management of dangerous goods in sea transport for over 30 years. In April 2018 Exis Technologies became the software division of the National Cargo Bureau (NCB), a New York-based not-for-profit organization entrusted with ensuring safety of life and cargo at sea. For over a decade NCB and Exis have been working together in containerised dangerous goods cargo management initiatives to help improve safety in the supply chain. They are now developing a new solution that will help to prevent the issue of mis-declared and undeclared goods being loaded into containerised shipments.
Dangerous goods (DG) in containerised shipments – the current landscape
Around 10% of containerised shipments include declared dangerous goods,. Shipping lines are therefore keen to ensure that DGs are properly classified, packaged, packed and declared throughout the supply chain. However, mistakes can be made due to lack of competence or, unfortunately in some cases, by deliberately incorrectly declaring cargo to save cost or time. In other cases, the cargo may have been properly declared, but mistakes are made with packing and stowing the cargo in the container. All of these issues can lead to ship fires. Unless the container is physically opened and inspected, there is no way of knowing whether the cargo is safe for transport.
If the cargo is properly declared as dangerous goods, shipping lines can use tools such as Exis Technologies’ Hazcheck to verify that the declared cargo complies with the IMDG Code and other local rules and restrictions. More than 400,000 validations are made with Hazcheck per month for the top 10 lines representing 80% of the world’s DG container traffic. Around 4,000 rejections are picked up each month with the software for declared dangerous goods. 9 of the top 10 global container lines use Hazcheck and around 90% of the UK ferry lines as well as shippers, freight forwarders, logistics companies and ports.
Examples of common mis-declared dangerous goods
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, commonly shipped undeclared hazardous materials include, but are not limited to:
- Agricultural: ammonium nitrate fertilizers, pesticides
- Air conditioning: Refrigerant gases
- Automotive: Lead-acid batteries, air bag inflators, seatbelt pretensioners, fuel injector cleaners, gasoline, diesel fuel
- Camping and outdoors equipment: fuel gels, propane “tanks”, matches, flares, scuba “tanks”
- Construction: adhesives, sealants, tars
- Fire-fighting equipment: fire extinguishers
- Household goods: aerosol spray cans, perfumes, fireworks, oil-based paint related materials, adhesives, lighters, drain cleaners, pepper sprays
- Medical: Oxygen “tanks” Motorized vehicles, tools, and equipment: cars, boats, generators, engines, lawnmowers
- Pool maintenance: chlorinating tablets or granules
Hazcheck Detect: a new solution
National Cargo Bureau and Exis have created a cargo screening service to address the problem of mis-declared and undeclared dangerous goods screening shipment data. The new industry solution, Hazcheck Detect, which will be officially launched in early 2020, compliments NCB’s cargo inspection operation. NCB President Ian Lennard said, “We are delighted to be working with Exis on this ground-breaking project. Ship fires are an ongoing problem and we hope this new service will help to stop mis-declared and undeclared goods making it onto the ships in the first place”.
Hazcheck Detect is a cargo screening solution which can scan all booking or shipping instruction details for keywords, validate against rules and highlight suspicious shipments to identify mis-declared and non-declared dangerous goods (DG) and compliance cargo. It will be possible to share information with partner lines to avoid undeclared booking from partners.
Undeclared DG – These checks would focus on cargo that is not declared as DG, looking for suspicious items that perhaps should be declared as DG.
Mis-declared DG – These checks would focus on cargo which is declared as DG, but perhaps may not have been declared as the correct DG.
Hazcheck Detect will be delivered as a software-as-a-service solution, hosted and maintained by Exis Technologies. It will include a web user interface so that users can enter and maintain data search terms/keyword/rules.
The diagram below shows the current landscape regarding the shipment of DG by sea and the new Hazcheck Detect solution: More details about the new service will be available in early 2020. For more information and a functional overview document go to: https://hazcheck.com/product/hazcheck-detect/


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Premium German audio brand, Sennheiser, has announced the launch of its digital campaign -The Pursuit of Perfect Sound. Sennheiser has stated in its press statement that this campaign will showcase the journey of achieving the perfect sound, be it live or studio sound, of some of India’s leading musicians who also endorse the brand, such as Farhan Akhtar, Shankar Ehsan Loy, Salim Sulaiman, Papon, Raghu Dixit, Swarathma, Shantanu Hudlikar and Ashish Manchanda through video montages.
The Pursuit of Perfect Sound campaign will offer Sennheiser a platform to engage with customers on a digital platform and also give customers to get an insight into the lives of their favourite musicians and know their story behind their pursuit of perfect sound.
Sennheiser has been one of the pioneers in building India’s professional audio industry and consumer headphone category. Sennheiser has offered professional audio products which have been a perfect blend of great engineering and unmatched design, thereby making it one of the most trusted and desired brands in the country. This video montage is created by Sennheiser along with renowned artists from the music industry, and will be accessible on Sennheiser’s youtube.com/sennheiserindia, Facebook page-Facebook.com/
Commenting on the launch Mr. Vipin Pungalia, VP – Sales & Marketing, Professional Segment, Sennheiser Electronics India Pvt Ltd. said“Sennheiser is a name synonymous with perfection when it comes to sound quality and premium music experience. We have been continuously innovating to create the best audio experience for our consumers and in the process have made several loyalists who swear by our brand. This initiative is an effort to present some of their stories as a testimony to Sennheiser’s commitment to its legacy of innovation and brand promise of pursuit of perefct sound.“


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Walking the extra mile for customers, colleagues and the dealership comes naturally to the workshop team at Barloworld Ford Alberton.
According to Service Manager, Fanie van Wyk, he has a top team that delivers customer satisfaction time and again.
“I find it important to expose everyone working in the workshop to the customers, since it assists them in resolving issues efficiently, swiftly and to the customers’ satisfaction,” he recently told Dealerfloor. “I salute them for their energy, experience, commitment and loyalty.”
Dealer Principal, Xolani Mkhwanazi, confirms this unequivocally: “Just last week the team, of its own accord, worked until 20:00 every night, just to make up the backlog in the workshop,” he said proudly.
“However, the way this team stepped up to the plate during hard lockdown, working tirelessly while everyone else was sitting at home, proved to me what I have in this team in terms of guts,” he said.
Mitsubishi Motors South Africa (MMSA) kept the wheels rolling this year with the opening of five new dealerships in four provinces.
The latest addition to the Stellantis dealer network is a large, new Super Group multi-franchise facility in Jacaranda Street, Hennopspark, Centurion, for Jeep, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot and Citroën.
We can overcome all the hurdles placed in front of us if we recognise our biggest asset in business is our people, says Rob Downs the Dealer Principal at CMH Nissan and Mitsubishi Pinetown.


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The Chairman and MD of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani announced new plans of Reliance Jio on February 21, 2017. In his press conference he announced that from April 1, Jio will start offering its tariff plans, all domestic voice calls will always remain free and there will be no roaming charges on them. According to him, since its launch in 5th September 2016, Jio users have consumed over 100 crores GB data.
He also announces the new Jio Prime Membership for Existing Users. According to that, those who have to join Jio before March 31, 2017, can subscribe to one year plan of Rs 99. Prime members can also subscribe to Jio New Year offer for 12 months, that will charge for a price of Rs 303/month up to March 31, 2018. More value plans will be announced for Jio Prime members soon and details will be on My Jio app, Ambani said.
Mukesh Ambani said that Reliance Jio will more than double its network in coming months and by end of 2017. He also said that Jio network will cover 99% of India’s population by being in every town and village of India.
“Nearly 7 customers per second over last 170 days,” says Mukesh Ambani, a miraculous level of acceptance for any company anywhere in the world, he says.
“Jio customers make 200 Crores minutes of voice and data calls every single day. Jio users consumed more than 100 Crores GB of data in January and more than 3.3 Crores GB of data in a day,” claims Mukesh Ambani.
“Jio has risen to these heights only because of spirit and the affection of the 100 million customers, Ambani said, adding that Jio users consume as much as the United States of America and nearly 50 percent of China’s users.


text: Celebrity Taylor Swift Appears to Alter 'folklore' Album Merch After The Folklore Calls Her Out The Folklore, an independent retailer of apparel and accessories from African brands, noticed eerily similar branding on Swift's merch, which has since been altered. By Jasmin Malik Chua Published on July 28, 2020 @ 10:35AM Pin Share Tweet Email UPDATE, Jul. 30, 2:00 p.m.: Taylor Swift publicly responded to Amira Rasool in a Twitter thread following the publication of InStyle's interview with The Folklore CEO. "Amira, I admire the work you're doing and I'm happy to make a contribution to your company and to support the Black in Fashion Council (launching 8/3) with a donation," Swift wrote. UPDATE, Jul. 28, 10:55 a.m.: Amira Rasool provided the following statement to InStyle following the changes made by Taylor Swift's team: "My lawyer Eric Ball at Fenwick & West has been in contact with Taylor’s manager Jay Schaudies since mid-day yesterday after they received our letter expressing concern over the merchandise on Taylor’s website. Taylor’s team took swift action to have ”the” removed from all merchandise. I commend her team for recognizing the damage it caused to our brand. I recognize that Taylor has been a strong advocate for women protecting their creative rights, so it was good to see her team is on the same page. It was a great first step and we are in conversation right now with Taylor’s team about the next steps to make this situation right.” Original story below. When Amira Rasool climbed out of bed on Friday morning, she did not expect to be riding into battle against Taylor Swift. Soon, Rasool, founder and CEO of fashion e-tailer The Folklore, was deluged by online buzz about the award-winning singer-songwriter’s surprise quarantine album, folklore, which she had dropped at midnight to breathless anticipation and fanfare. Rasool didn’t think much of the record’s name. Plenty of things were named “Folklore,” she reasoned. Certainly she didn’t have monopoly on the term, which refers to the traditional stories, customs, and beliefs, typically passed by word of mouth, from one generation to the next. Even an email, sent to Rasool through The Folklore’s website, inquiring about a faulty digital download of Swift’s album, didn’t give Rasool much pause. It was a little strange but she shrugged it off. Courtesy Then a friend pointed Rasool to the folklore merchandise. There, on the front of a sweater or the sleeve of a hoodie was a logo she recognized. The typefaces were different. The Folklore uses a custom roman font; folklore an italicized script that invokes the record’s soporific, indie-folk atmosphere. But the word “the” on products emblazoned with “The folklore Album,” tipped on its side and affixed perpendicularly to the rest of the phrase, was the same design element Rasool had used since 2018, when she launched The Folklore to amplify underrepresented African and African diaspora designers. Now Rasool was taken aback. She had been planning an in-house line that would put “The Folklore” logo front and center. Would people accuse her of copying Taylor Swift? “Initially I was so shocked,” says Rasool, 24, a New Jersey native who now splits her time between Cape Town and New York City. “I'd heard of so many different Black women in particular who had been ripped off by large corporations by celebrities. And I just couldn't believe that it was happening to me.” Courtesy Search for “The Folklore,” she says, and her site immediately pops up in the results. It’s an immediate hit on Google Images, too. “It’s just very hard to believe that [Swift’s team] didn't come across it,” Rasool says. “And if they did come across it — which I believe they did — for them to model Taylor’s merchandise on our logo, especially having seen what our company is about, is especially disheartening to me.” A representative for Swift did not immediately respond to InStyle's request for comment. On Tuesday morning, however, the offending merch appears to have been removed from Swift's site. Apparel now reads: folklore Album. The Folklore plumbs the talents of more than 30 brands, artists, and creatives, offering apparel, accessories, footwear and bags that the platform refers to as the “diversity of Africa’s contemporary urban landscapes and design aesthetic.” Beyond the online store, The Folklore also provides wholesale services to African brands seeking to mobilize the global market. “It’s not just about The Folklore and my feelings personally being hurt, but this is damaging to our brand,” Rasool says. “I had people who asked me, ‘Oh, did you collaborate with Taylor on these?’ They just assumed that it was a collaboration because of how similar the logos are.” It’s also possibly illegal — Rasool owns the active trademark for “The Folklore” on clothing. Nicole Kidman Looks Just Like Taylor Swift in This Throwback Clip She doesn’t blame Swift specifically. “Clearly Taylor didn’t find The Folklore and make this sketch,” she says. “But at the end of the day, Taylor is the one who’s profiting off of it. This is her team. So it’s up to her to make it right.” Rasool, who is represented by Eric Ball from the law firm Fenwick & West, is leaving it to the legal teams to duke it out; she doesn’t have specifics to offer because she isn’t privy to the conversation. But she hopes Swift will be sympathetic to her situation. The hitmaker has thrown her unequivocal support behind the Black Lives Matter reckoning, tweeting in June that “in order for policies to change, we need to elect people who will fight against police brutality and racism of any kind” and posting a link to a Medium article by former President Barack Obama about tackling systemic anti-Blackness. Swift regularly files trademarks for her own lyrics and slogans, and she doesn’t hesitate to sic her lawyers on infringers. She’s an avowed feminist, one who surely understands the social, political, and economic headwinds that stand between women — let alone Black women, who have to navigate both race and gender — and success. “And so I believe she understands why it's important,” Rasool says. “I just hope that [she] and her team will acknowledge that what they did was harmful to me and the brands that I represent and that we can come up with a great solution to make sure that everyone involved is given their proper credit.” And what does Rasool, who says she has enjoyed Swift’s songs in the past, think of “Folklore’s” more pensive, gauzier turn? “I haven’t listened to the album yet,” she says.


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There’ll be a new luxury hotel in Duxton come 2023. Leading hospitality group Accor has revealed that Singapore’s first hotel of the Mondrian brand will be built in the vibrant Duxton Hill neighborhood and is slated to open in early 2023. It is being developed by Craig Road Property Holdings.
Surrounded by Michelin-starred eateries, award-winning bars, and iconic retail stores, it’s situated 20 minutes away from Changi Airport and within walking distance to the major business district.
The luxury lifestyle hotel will be home to 300 guestrooms and suites, a restaurant, a lounge and a rooftop bar, marrying historic architecture from Singapore’s centuries-old shophouses together with contemporary influences.
A collaboration between DP Architects and Studio Carter, Mondrian Singapore will feature a lower three-story building that takes Singapore’s prevalent ‘shophouse’ building typology on a modern spin.
Here, you can expect to see a terracotta roof and colonial-style window shutters, and it’ll also include the hotel’s premier guest accommodations in loft suites. The majority of the hotel’s other guestrooms, as well as rooftop pool, a speakeasy bar with a hidden entrance, and signature restaurant, will be located in the expanded, new contemporary tower.
An urban oasis landscape deck, a nod to Singapore’s reputation as a ‘Garden City’, will bridge the two buildings.
Chadi Farhat, Chief Operating Officer of SBE Entertainment Group (acquired by Accor) said: “We are thrilled to bring the iconic Mondrian brand to Singapore’s Duxton Hill neighborhood. Mondrian is a natural fit for a global destination like Singapore. The property will provide a cultural hub of food and beverage experiences for locals and travelers alike. Mondrian Singapore will be more than a hotel; it will be a destination.”
The Accor Group currently operates around 5,000 hotels and residences around the globe. These include luxury chains in Singapore such as Raffles and Sofitel, as well as budget brands like Ibis.


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In our survey of 264 business owners, 72 per cent of respondents reveal their intent to grow their business through the means of recruitment, increased marketing spend, launching new products and acquisition.
It’s a telling statistic that only 28 per cent are focused purely on survival and paints a picture mercifully at odds with accountants BDO’s Business Trends rock-bottom optimism index.
More than a quarter (26 per cent) of total respondents identify launching new products as their principal growth strategy. Online gift shop Spotty Gift Boxes started with one website but split it into two to cater for demand. The company, currently with just two staff, is also set to take on an extra person to ramp up marketing plans. Managing director Caroline Blatchford says: ‘Whatever the economic conditions, you need to invest in a small business to ensure growth.’ Sales for the first half of 2010 for the company were over double that of the first half of 2009 (£75,000 compared with £35,000) and, with the new websites, staff member and marketing drive Blatchford expects sales for 2011 to exceed £300,000. Not bad for such a small team.
Broadband and mobile phone comparison website Top10 is another example of a company’s being aggressive about its expansion plans. CEO Tom Leathes says: ‘For us, expansion is all about moving into new markets and taking on the bigger guys.’ Rising to compete against the multimillion pound budgets of some of the well-recognised names in the price comparison field is a hefty challenge, but the company facilitated its rise by investing in staff, poaching top talent from the likes of Yahoo and Vodafone, offering invaluable skills and knowledge for growth.
It goes to show there are companies out there with bigger and better things on the horizon, and the recent news that UK banks are responding to lending concerns can only help the expansion plans of small businesses. Whereas just weeks ago we were faced with the news that small business lending from UK banks had been cut by £28 billion since the collapse of Lehman Brothers two years ago, now banks are proposing a £1.55 billion fund to invest in small and medium enterprises (although the details of this scheme need to be ironed out, of course).
So while it’s encouraging to see companies growing through their own initiative and guile, it’s no secret that the availability of expansion capital – on reasonable terms – is essential if our smaller businesses are to keep moving forward.
As both Blatchford and Leathes show, no business owner is happy to just be treading water.


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ITALY boasts the strongest presence at ITB China as the nation rises as Europe’s most prominent supporter of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Several other destinations, tech suppliers and hotel groups have big, well desiged stands at the three-day B2B travel show in Shanghai, but Italy triumphs as the largest individual exhibitor with a booth measuring 320 sqm.
Italy's commitment comes as China’s President Xi Jinping seeks to ease signs of growing international scepticism about the Belt and Road trade and investment network. President Xi made a state visit to Italy in March, and event that saw Rome announcing it would strengthen economic, cultural, tourism links with China.
Italian provinces and city destinations were represented at the country’s stand at ITB China, the Messe Berlin show, which is now in its third year..
The Italian tourism body signed up as the show’s official destination partner and co-sponsored a gala evening on May 14 followed by an invitation-only “Italian Dream Night” featuring “exclusive live performances” from Arena De Verona.
Giorgio Palmucci, president of ENIT – Italy’s national tourism board – said Italy attracted 3.1 million Chinese tourists a year, representing more than 5 million overnight stays, and was seeking a 10 per cent growth in new tourism stays from China.
Palmucci said the nation was also looking ahead to 2020 – the Year of Culture and Tourism between Italy and China.
ENIT also signed an agreement with Shanghai Ctrip Commerce to promote tourism network opportunities and supporting Italian regions and operators. Ctrip is the largest online travel company in China with a huge social media network.
Palmucci told ITB China News that ENIT was “working in terms of ‘best brand’ positioning and operative marketing actions – enhancing our brand awareness on WeChat”.
He said more Chinese visitors were looking beyond the “classic” Italian destinations and seeking experience-based tours in areas such as Naples, Pompeii, Genova, Bologna and wine regions such as Piedmont and Tuscany.
The appearance of Arena de Verona in a marquee event in the grounds of Intercontinental Shanghai Expo in front of 200 guests represented “our culture through one of the most acknowledged points of our heritage, that of music”.
ITB China closes on May 17.


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These details were highlighted in the company’s 11th annual sustainability report, which was published digitally for the first time to reach its millennial consumers.
Promoting a sustainable lifestyle
To continue promoting sustainability through its brands and products, Amorepacific has endeavoured to implement more than one “environmental and societal-friendly attribute” on more than 40% of its new products.
In 2018, the company applied the use of biomass plastics to 67 new products and recycled plastic to 27 new products.
The company also extended its use of FSC-certified paper for its boxes to 573 new products this year as well.
It also plans to extend this to its store design and operations.
The group is already making efforts to renovate its storefront with high-efficiency LED lighting and utilise environmentally-certified materials.
Additionally, the company has taken steps to use eco-friendly materials for major consumables such as shopping bags.
Lastly, the company said it will raise awareness on sustainability by providing its consumers with opportunities to participate in activities that promote environmental and social sustainability
Contributing to a cyclical economy
Next, the company pledged to efficiently use its resources and continue efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 30% compared to 2015.
Unfortunately, the firm’s GHG emission grew by 7.4% in 2018 due to a couple of facility expansions.
However, it noted that it has installed a few features in its facilities to mitigate its GHG emissions, including an AI-powered lighting system.
Last year, the company improved the energy efficiency of two domestic logistic centres by improving the filters of cooling and heating devices, installing cooler plates and setting up outdoor shades.
Altogether, these reduced GHG emissions by 191 tonnes.
Additionally, the company said it would increase resource efficiency by promoting reduction, recycling and reuse of water and product packaging materials.
It aims to reduce the use of basic water consumption by 22% domestically and 41% overseas by 2020.
Ensuring health and well-being of employees
Lastly, Amorepacific pledged to continue supporting the health and well-being of its employees.
Currently, the company runs a prenatal care program for its pregnant employees. It also operates an in-house childcare at its global headquarters.
Additionally, it has taken measures to protect its pregnant employees by reducing their working times, providing nutritious meals and perks such as footrests, blankets and anti-stretch mark creams.
The company also noted that it would continue to develop a pleasant work environment for its employees.
At the firm’s global headquarters, for instance, it has created a co-working space to promote collaboration and enhance creativity.
The space can accommodate up to 200 people and has a dedicated 90-person 'discussion space' as well as a library for inspiration.


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WASHINGTON — If you’re shopping for a car, it really helps to know the landscape.
WTOP Car Guy Mike Parris got the inside story by visiting the world’s largest wholesale auto auction facility. While the Manheim, Pennsylvania, site is for dealers only, some insights from there could help save you money.
“This is controlled chaos,” Parris said of the facility that boasts 36 auction lanes on more than 400 acres in Lancaster County, about two and a half hours from D.C. “By the end of the day you’re going to find out what the going rate of a car is on the wholesale market — and right now it’s going up,” he said.
The ripple effects of possible tariffs are being blamed for driving up prices in the used car market. The thinking is that if tariffs lead to higher new car prices, used cars would become more appealing to buyers — and the market is already reacting. Manheim said prices saw a bounce in the spring and then another “abnormal upswing” this summer. It said prices are up 5 percent compared to a year ago.
There are still relative bargains, though. “Large luxury sedans definitely lose a lot of value,” Parris said. Electric vehicles are also poor performers on the resale market: “You can get them for pennies on the dollar.”
Conversely, pickups and larger SUVs held their value exceptionally well. Parris said Jeep Wranglers and Toyota 4Runners were especially good performers, with the 4Runner “going for almost what it sold for two or three years ago” when new.
So once dealers buy the cars at auction, just how much do they get marked up?
“If there’s a $10,000 car, you might see it for about $11,000 to $12,000 at a dealer,” while higher-end cars could see a $4,000 to $5,000 markup, Parris said.
Manheim Pennsylvania, offers more than 500,000 vehicles for sale each year, and many make it to the D.C. area. “Definitely if it’s an off-lease vehicle, it’s a very good chance that it actually came from Manheim,” Parris said.
Many rental car companies auction off their cars there as well. One of the largest buyers at the auction is CarMax, which can send 50 to 60 representatives to the weekly sales.
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