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Blockchain - Identifying Distributed Ledger Use Cases
While news of blockchain or ‘distributed ledger’ technology developments seems to be everywhere these days, large scale enterprises have been slow to adopt what promises to be a disruptive technology that will likely impact many industries. One reason for the delay is the current inability of the technology to address high-volume/high-speed applications like stock trading—a situation which experts say is rapidly changing. However, there are other applications that are suitable today.
We think it’s important for companies to get the jump on identifying critical business use cases where blockchain can bring business value and improvement to their existing processes today as well as help create new products and services. In that customers need to be laser-focused. Identifying a compelling use case will not only help drive the technology, but will make it easier to fund and implement.
Reducing Infrastructure Costs
The results could have a big impact on your organization. According to a recent report by Santander Innoventures, the venture arm of the Spanish bank Santander, titled “The Fintech Paper 2.0,” blockchain technology could save banks $15-20 billion by reducing infrastructure costs attributable to cross-border payments, securities trading and regulatory compliance.
As a pioneer in payment systems, ACI, which enables more than 5,000 processors and banks to transact $14 trillion daily, has been actively engaged in blockchain technology for the last two years. During this period, we have conducted a number of Proof of Concept (POC) pilot projects with customers and vendors designed to demonstrate the efficacy of the technology for specific use cases. Here is what we found.
Cross-border payments are typically business-to-business (B2B) transactions across one or more national borders, for example when a company purchases supplies from a vendor in another country. Though this form of payment is not prevalent in the U.S., it is big business in Europe. Because there are often large sums of money involved, the transactions frequently have to be cleared by one or more government agencies. For example in the U.S., the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) checks to make sure that payments are legitimate between trusted parties—the OFAC maintains a list of blocked entities.
Typically, these business payments go through a network of intermediaries including one or more government entities. As a result, it’s not uncommon for these payments to take two to six days to process depending on the countries involved, and cost up to 10 Euros.
For one particular pilot, ACI including three institutional customers in multiple countries along with a blockchain provider. The parties agreed to keep names confidential for the purpose of the POC. They also simulated the participation of a government entity that would have full visibility into the transactions in “real-time.”
ACI integrated its payment engine into each participant’s node, which could inject payments and or be notified of incoming transactions. The government or “central bank” node could see all the net settlement positions for each participant in real-time.
The pilot was successful. Payments were transacted in 5-7 seconds with a cost of significantly less than a Euro. All participants had transparency into their transactions without having a middleman, and the simulated central bank node was able to monitor transactions as well as the real-time cash position of each institution.
Note that distributed ledger technology would also make auditing cross-border payments relatively easy. Rather than physically show up at an institution and have the accountants pull data from multiple systems, audits could simply be given a link to the relevant blockchain.
Most countries have a central bank or government agency that facilitates monetary transactions between financial institutions. In the U.S., that entity would be the Federal Reserve, while in the U.K., it would be the Central Bank of England.
The trouble is that institutions cannot move money any time of day or night. The Fed and various central banks do not transfer money on weekends or holidays. That means there are times when no money is moving between institutions for 2-4 days, as merchants float bills that occurred on a Saturday or over the recent Easter holiday, for example. As a result, the amount of counterparty risk to participants increases.
Recently, the US Fed and the Central Bank of London said that they were considering creating a private blockchain network that would run 365/24/7 and enable institutions to move money at any time. The problem is that current implementations of blockchain technology simply aren’t fast enough yet to handle the volume of transactions.
Establishing a Pilot Project
However, given that the technology is rapidly advancing, ACI established a POC to determine if anytime settlement was doable as the speed improved. Accordingly, we proposed net settlements of “accumulated payments” rather than processing each transaction separately. The reasoning was that there was not much counterparty risk with settling accumulating payments every hour or half hour. The goal was to demonstrate the ability to get funds to merchants, retailers and consumers in near real-time.
The POC demonstrated that anytime settlement was possible. With blockchain, merchants were paid within the hour, minimizing counterparty risk. From a cash flow perspective, the system changed how liquidity works—no more 48 hours of waiting for the money. Intraday liquidity became more accurate. What’s more, the system gives government agents visible risk mitigation. In fact, everyone except the entities holding on to the money were happy, understandably so.
How Fast Can A Blockchain Go?
In the summer of 2015, ACI conducted a volume test. The blockchain system was able to perform 12-15 transactions/second per node. Since that time, there has been a dramatic improvement in protocol speeds from providers. For example, Hyperledger, which is contributing its open source technology to the Linux Foundation, can now run more than 1000 trans/sec on a single node in system.
Speed improvements have come by streamlining the consensus algorithm used to validate and authenticate transactions. That’s where the bottleneck has been. Hyperledger’s improved algorithm is based on the concept of “proof of stake” vs. proof of work, that is, the algorithm gives more weight to parties that have a direct stake in a transaction more than others that don’t, which enables the network to achieve consensus faster.
Other Use Cases
Similar to institutional settlements, international remittance, i.e. sending money to an overseas relative via, for example, Western Union is a timely and relatively expensive proposition that represents an emerging use case for Blockchain. The technology will enable consumers to send money in near real-time with much less expense.
Another use case that shows promise is managing “reference data,” for example, identity management, biometrics and validation data that could be used for payment verification. On the business side, this could also involve the OFAC, ABA directories or SEC trading entities. Using distributed ledgers to address reference data will be one of the topics at ACI’s upcoming annual User Group Exchange Conference, which will be held in Phoenix, AZ.
Currently, most large financial institutions don’t have single databases of critical reference data, but rather multiple disparate databases that don’t communicate with each other. One large ACI customer has offices in 7 geographies and over 350 applications, many with overlapping data sets.
Creating a trusted and transparent “single source of truth,” i.e. central repository for identity management and other key data via distributed ledger technology, could save enterprises buckets of money. Even a simple use case, like transferring funds from a company’s New York bank account to one in London could be transformed in terms of both time and expense, using a blockchain. These could be private blockchain networks or public ones.
The Netherlands Embraces Blockchain
In fact, the Netherlands recently announced its intentions to use blockchain technology to improve government record keeping through the its National Blockchain Coalition, established by the Ministry of Economic Affairs IT team. [See: http://www.coindesk.com/coalition-launches-promote-blockchain-netherlands/]
The coalition will unite more than 20 public and private organizations including the government agencies, universities and private companies from financial, logistics and energy sectors, with the goal of turning the country into a leader in blockchain. Major supporters include ABN Amro, ING and Nationale-Nederlanden, one of the region's largest insurance companies.
Specifically, the coalition aims to speed up the pace of rolling out blockchain technology within the government and using more government records such as data from the National Office of Identity Data, Chamber of Commerce, and registration records from the Ministry of Security and Justice.
Having a single source of truth makes sense to us and to our customers and we have a noticeable increase in customer queries since the first of the year about ACI’s technical capabilities. Blockchain performance can now support reference data and we’re starting to see some market movement. As it becomes more trusted. we will see early adopters and fast followers.
Watch this space.
Related Blog Posts
Real-Time Payments Will be Europe’s Most Dominant Payments System – Are You Ready to Realize the Full Value?
Since the launch of the SCT Inst rulebook in November 2017, many more banks are live and offering real-time payments to their customers, with most of the rest committed to 2018. The buzzword at the recent ECB #TIPSapp Event in Frankfurt was ‘Interoperability,’ or as my friend José Beltrán from STET would say, ‘Reachability.’ No-one expressed this more clearly on February 6th than Javier Santamaria, President of the European Payments Council, when he reiterated his message from Il Salone Dei Pagamenti, the day after the SEPA launch; "We have launched the Pan-EU scheme, now it is up to you in the audience and beyond to take advantage of it and make it work."
The Hammer Finds Its Nail: Open Banking and Commercial Cash Management
Globally, the Open Banking story has been shaped by Europe, thanks to PSD2 (The Revised Payment Services Directive) and the effect that it will have on us as everyday consumer banking clients. This will forever change our experience with financial tools for the better.
The banks that have traditionally served us will modify their models to support the foundational layer of a new ecosystem of co-invention and partnership. This story is all well and good, but so far most – if not all – of the discussion has surrounded the consumer experience and has neglected where the most fertile ground for change and disruption lies—corporate and commercial banking.
Three Ways to Build Your Business Case for Real-Time Payments
In the UK, faster payments are well established, and we have seen new innovations as well as new businesses being built since May 2008. In Singapore, which went live in 2014 with its Fast and Secure Transfers (FAST) scheme, we are starting to see similar innovations. And we can expect similar seismic shifts in payments innovation for years to come, as Instant Payment schemes in Europe and Real-Time Payments in the US go live, ubiquity increases and real-time payments become the new normal.
Three Reasons Why Corporate Banks Must Invest in New Security Measures
The New Payments Ecosystem brings great opportunities, if banks can mitigate the new risks and threats that arise. Real-time and open payments enable a wealth of new revenue streams; however, the potential for growth must be balanced against maintaining payments security. They cannot break the bank.
What's Your Small Business Banking Bacon?
Every hip recipe has bacon in it these days. So why shouldn’t your digital banking experience be the same? After all, it’s a yummy addition that gives a standard dish that extra flair.
Small business banking has been a prodigious untapped market for over a decade. Banks desperately strive to make revenue from this market, but in most cases, they have struggled to do so.
The ATM Turns 50: Why Evolution Is Key for Its Survival
The ATM turns 50 this year and half a century on ATMs remain popular with consumers worldwide. Banks and building societies more than ever see ATMs as a key channel of communication and interaction with their customers and many are now offering ATM services that go beyond simple cash withdrawal. We spoke with Paul Horlock, Director for Payments at Nationwide, one of the biggest high street financial providers in the UK. Nationwide has been working with ACI Worldwide for over 30 years and currently uses ACI’s BASE24 eps solution to power an estate of around 700 ATMs across the UK.
Authorization Management Is the Key
If you happen to be a fraudster, it’s likely that you are loving all the ways the industry is making it easier for people to pay. The less friction in a payment, the quicker the money moves, and the more opportunity you have to intersect with fraud and move the money away before anyone notices.
How SWIFT Gpi Will Change the Cross-Border Payments Market
SWIFT global payments innovation (gpi) is ushering in a new dawn in international transfers which, quite frankly, has been a long time coming, especially when you consider the current race to real-time payments. The world is getting smaller and faster, and cross-border payments are about to catch up.
SMEs Expect Instant Payments: How Do Banks Meet This Challenge?
Listening to their customers and delivering new services will be crucial for the success of real-time banking and payments in Europe and the US
Liquidity Management and Instant Payments: Why Banks Must Act Now
With the pan-European Instant Payments Scheme due to go live in November this year, real-time payments are about to become a reality for many businesses and consumers in Europe. Our own research shows that the demand for faster and innovative banking services among consumers and business is high.


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The deceased, a factory worker, was cleaning the machine when the incident took place
The Hush Post: In a freak accident, a machine sucked a man at a factory in Noida. The deceased, a factory worker, was cleaning the machine when the accident took place.
“Wajid reached for work this morning in the factory which makes plastic products. He was cleaning a big-size machine that has blades in it. While he was cleaning, someone switched on the machine and soon Wajid was sucked inside,” the police said.
“By the time some of his colleagues realised and switched off the machine, he was dead,” a police official added.
The factory management called the police. A police party reached the spot. And the family members of the deceased worker also reached the factory.
Originally hailing from Bihar’s Chhapra district, Wajid currently lived here with his family, the report said.
The police took out Wajid’s body out of the machine and sent for post-mortem.
On the complaint of Wajid’s brother, the police have booked two persons booked for murder.
The CCTV camera installed at the factory has captured the entire episode and the police are scanning it.

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China wants to buy more than just beef and soybeans from the United States. The world’s second largest economy also eagerly wishes to greatly increase the import of American technology.
That’s the message from Tu Guangshao, vice chairman and president of China’s sovereign wealth fund, the US$814 billion-under-management China Investment Corporation.
"Faced with trade deficit with China, the U.S. should consider trying to increase exports to China. American exports to China has great potential…Besides beef and natural gas imports, the U.S. can still export a lot more to China such as in the tech sectors," Tu said at the Asian Financial Forum today in Hong Kong.
U.S. exports to China has been growing at the fastest pace among all major American trading partners in the past ten years. American goods exports to China totaled US$113 billion in 2016, increasing 114% during the period. American services exports to China stood at US$47 billion in 2015, up more than 400% from 2005 to 2015, according to data from the US-China Business Council.
Despite rapid American exports to China, the U.S. still has a large trade deficit with China. In 2016, that number was US$309.6 billion. Further more, U.S. exports to China have largely been in the agriculture sector, including soybeans and grains, as well as in the aircraft, machinery and vehicles sectors.
Tu acknowledges that importing U.S. tech to China faces great challenges. "But what I have heard is that the U.S. feels uneasy about exporting technology to China. In fact, there is no need to be so uneasy about it…Technology development is fast-paced and industries are rapidly evolving. If the U.S. has advanced technologies and can export them to China, it would help stimulate the American economy in return. Exporting technologies to China would help expand potential addressable market for (American companies)," the former vice mayor of Shanghai said.
The reality is that it is becoming increasingly difficult for Chinese companies to acquire U.S. technology. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has become more aggressive under President Trump, who blocked Chinese state-backed Canyon Bridge Capital Partners’ planned US$1.3 billion acquisition of U.S. chip maker Lattice Semiconductor Corp last September. Two weeks ago, Ant Financial terminated plans to acquire U.S. money transfer company MoneyGram after failing to obtain approval from CFIUS.
This may mean that Chinese companies will need to do smaller and earlier stage "tech transfer" type of deals, instead of large M&A transactions. Tu seems to suggest this as well. "We know that the U.S. has core interests and national security concerns, but there are many companies outside of these "restricted areas." There are many (purely) commercial and market-based technology that can be exported to China," Tu said. "It would not be beneficial for American companies to spend so much energy to develop (their technology) but not to expand their markets."
China Investment Corp has invested in a number of American technology companies. In March 2017, it reportedly acquired a minority stake via a US$100 million investment in American vacation home sharing giant Airbnb Inc. in 2017. The fund also participated in a US$181 million series C financing round in Unity Technologies, a San Francisco-based video game engine maker, in 2016.
Tu, who was appointed as China Investment Corp’s general manager in June 2016, also said that the Chinese sovereign wealth fund is expected to post a strong year for its 2017 investments supported by strong U.S. equities market. The fund may achieve over 16% of investment return on its overseas investments in 2017, compared to 6.22% in 2016 and a negative 2.96% in 2015, he revealed during the same occasion.


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Forbes released the 2017 rankings for the World’s Biggest Public Companies, or the Global 2000, on Wednesday, May 24. Company rankings are composite scores determined by weighing sales, profits, assets, and market value. The United States contributes the most companies to the list with 565 members. China and Hong Kong supply the second largest with 263 companies. According to Forbes, “the world’s biggest companies have gotten bigger, more profitable and more valuable in the past year. 58 countries were represented, down from last year's 62 with Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Romania and Malta no longer boasting companies on the list.”
The Top Ten companies, which are from the United States, China, and Japan, include:
- China Construction Bank
- Berkshire Hathaway
- JPMorgan Chase
- Wells Fargo
- Agricultural Bank of China
- Bank of America
- Bank of China
- Toyota Motor
Companies in the financial services industry dominate the list, however, technology and transportation manufacturing companies hold high ranks as well. The top three technology companies are Apple (#9), Samsung Electronics (#15), and Microsoft (#19). According to an article released by Forbes about the largest technology companies of 2017, “new to this list this year is Snap, Inc., the biggest social media IPO since Twitter went public three years ago. The company recently went public in March” and is ranked at #1694 on the list.
The United States companies Wal-Mart Stores (#17), CVS Health (#66), and Amazon.com (#83) compose the top three retail companies on the list. Amazon.com jumped 154 spots from last year’s position on the list as an e-commerce empire. Christian Dior (#189) took the number one spot this year from Nike as the top apparel company, with Nike (#249) in second and Inditex in third (#276).
In the food and beverage industry, the Swiss company Nestle (#34) is number one, followed by the United States giants PepsiCo (#84) and Coca-Cola (#86). The top three hospitality companies are McDonald’s (#215), Carnival (#270), and Starbucks (#370). The top two restaurants are McDonald's and Starbucks, however, McDonald's fell from its spot on the list last year as #189 since “the burger giant has seen heightened competition from the fast-casual sector (i.e, chains like Shake Shack, Chipotle, Panera Bread).” Chipotle fell off the Global 2000 list completely after it suffered a significant loss of sales following the outbreak of E. coli earlier last year.
The 2017 Forbes Global 2000 List includes companies from a range of industries. Visit the globalEDGE industry page and select an industry to explore information about the companies within it.


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Indian commerce minister Anand Sharma is meeting Chinese premier Wen Jiabao and minister of commerce Chen Deming as part of the eighth Joint Economic Group between the two countries. The dialogue, which is taking place after a gap of four years, will focus on the vast trade deficit that goes against India’s favor.
Times of India reports that bilateral trade between the two countries has grown from $25 billion in 2006, when the last India-China dialogue took place, to $38 billion at present.
But very little growth has taken place in terms of value added exports from India to China. The Commerce Minister wants to address ways to attend to that problem.


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Nearly 31% of people who went online at home in October were also watching television simultaneously, demonstrating that web surfing and TV watching are complementary behaviors, according to research from The Nielsen Company‘s new TV/Internet Convergence Panel.
The Convergence Panel, which electronically measures both television and Internet usage in the same homes, also found the heaviest users of the internet are among the heaviest viewers of television. The top fifth of Internet users spend more than 250 minutes per day watching television, compared with 220 minutes of television viewing for people who do not use the internet at all.
The reverse of this phenomenon is also true. Consumers who watch the least amount of TV have the lowest usage levels for the internet, Nielsen said.
Additional Convergence-Panel findings:
- Roughly 50% of the Convergence Panel panelists had viewed some streaming content online. The demographics streaming the most included female teens (82%), male teens (64%), men age 18-34 (57%) and men age 35-54 (55%).
- Nearly 60% of panelists and more than 80% of people who watched TV and used the internet had simultaneous sessions – watching TV and being online at the same minute. This group tends to be very heavy users of both TV and internet.
- Teens are the most likely demographic to have simultaneous TV/internet usage, but Adults 35-54 have the most simultaneous usage minutes.
- About 4% of total television viewing occurs when consumers are also using the internet.
“With our Convergence Panel we can now, for the first time, observe what could only be guessed at before – how television viewing and internet usage interact and affect each other,” said Howard Shimmel, SVP, client insights, The Nielsen Company. “It is too early to draw any firm conclusions about behavior but the early trends seem to indicate that online usage is complementing, not substituting for, traditional television viewing.”
About the research: The Nielsen TV/Internet Convergence Panel is the first panel to use Nielsen technology and methodology to directly measure the interaction between TV and internet by the same people in the same household. The sample consists of nearly 3,000 people in more than 1,000 households who were either previously part of Nielsen’s live national TV sample and have agreed to continue to be monitored by Nielsen, or new homes installed specifically for convergence research. Results were from October 2008.


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Women's Equality Day Instagrams From Fashion Insiders That Prove The Industry Is Feminist
The fact that there are still significant obstacles facing gender equality today is a much-discussed topic, but National Women's Equality Day is an occasion to both celebrate the achievements made by past pioneers and the distance that has yet to be crossed by future feminist leaders. This year has seen great strides in gender equality progress, not the least of which includes a honest discussions on many platforms regarding the steps still required to overcome remaining imbalances.
The rhetoric Hillary Clinton began concerning the heretofore disregarded makeup tax and a recently reignited discussion over companies with a notable pay gap are crucial ingredients in the crusade for equality, but this holiday serves as a reminder that this is one fight not yet won. And it seems that the current battlefield is Instagram.
On the morning of August 26, women across the world took to Instagram to demonstrate pride in their gender and remind fellow women to assert their strength as they push forward towards complete egalitarianism. Surprisingly, many of the most moving posts were created by fashion icons and users commenting on the potential of sartorial prowess to influence the movement. Scroll through for the top fashionably-inclined Women's Equality Day posts on Instagram.
1. Amanda de Cadenet's Comments On The Wage Gap
Fashion industry darling Amanda de Cadenet shared a delightfully designed — and incredibly thoughtful — quote on her Instagram regarding the fundamental issues of the gender equality push.
2. Ms. Rose's Artful Appropriation Of Lipstick
Instagram user Ms. Rose's playful post proves that striving for an important cause can be fun as well.
3. Keds' Witty "Run The World" Campaign
Footwear behemoth Keds spearheaded an apt campaign reminding women everywhere that putting one's best foot forward is both a literal and figurative expression.
4. The Superwoman Allusion
If you're under the impression that sporting a frock is un-feminist, perhaps this progressive cartoon will cause you to rethink your beliefs.
5. The Fashion-And-Equality-Through-The-Ages Rendering
Just as fashion has metamorphosed over the ages, so too have the roles women are encouraged to occupy in their careers and personal lives.


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Xiaomi, the leading smartphone company, is preparing to expand its audio devices in India. The company has announced that it will launch a new audio product on February 22. The new Mi products will be launched on February 22, in which the company (Xiaomi) wants to update part of its audio range in India by 2021. However, the company has not yet revealed the device or its name. The product range will likely focus on affordable, portable audio equipment.
It is speculated that Xiaomi could launch the Mi Portable Bluetooth Speaker, which was launched globally in 2020. The headphones could be an entirely new model or made for India. As is generally expected of Xiaomi products, the price of the new range will be much lower.
(Also read: Realme’s 64-megapixel camera is cheaply priced at Rs 5 thousand, a big sale is happening)
The company has shared a preview on the microblogging site Twitter. The teaser was revealed in the form of a tweet from the official handle of Xiaomi India, showing off a wireless portable speaker and a pair of wireless earphones via an animated graphic.
The Redmi Note 10 series will arrive on March 10
Meanwhile, the company announced the launch of its Redmi Note 10 series in India in March this year. Xiaomi has started teasing the upcoming series on its social media platforms. The Redmi Note 10 series is also available on the Amazon e-commerce site.
(Also read: Airtel users get free data up to 6 GB of data on cheap recharges, know how you will get the benefit)
The company has confirmed that the Redmi Note 10 series will arrive in March. But many reports claim that the Redmi Note 10 series will launch on March 10.
tags: redmi, Technology news, xiaomi
PUBLISHED FOR THE FIRST TIME : February 16, 2021, 10:56 IST


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Cemu Mac as of now is not in development or has ever been released for Mac. This is mainly because Cemu works on OpenGL 4.0 which isn’t that efficient on Mac. This is one of the reasons why there hasn’t been a Cemu Mac already but the developers have made it clear they intend to release Cemu on Mac after they have worked out the bugs and gotten it out of the beta phase.
According to the developers, “Multi-platform support is planned and so far many development decisions have been in favor of supporting multiple platforms. (E.g. choosing OpenGL over DirectX for rendering) But currently there thousands of other little things that need to be done before work on ports can start.”


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Australia's manufacturing industry has expanded for a fourth consecutive month, though only marginally.
The Australian Industry Group performance of manufacturing index fell by 1.9 points to 50.2 in October, sitting just above the 50 level separating expansion from contraction.
Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said the manufacturing sector had clocked up the longest period of expansion in five years, thanks to a strong performance from exports.
But momentum had eased, he said.
"While production lifted again, domestic sales and employment were lower and new orders were broadly unchanged," Mr Willox said.
He said the process of "broadening the base" of growth across the economy remains gradual and tentative.
"There is clearly scope for stimulatory measures to boost domestic activity," he said.
Four of the eight manufacturing sub-sectors expanded - petrol; wood and paper; textiles, clothing, footwear and furniture and non-metallic mineral products.
And, after 16 months of expansion, the food, beverages and tobacco sub-sector was broadly stable, the report found.
Among the seven activity sub-indexes, only exports and supplier deliveries were firmly positive in October.
The wages sub-index increased by 2.7 points, with subdued annual wage growth likely reflecting declining demand for labour in the manufacturing industry, a stubborn unemployment rate and very low inflation.


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Vios for ASEAN markets to get visual updates and equipment revisions.
Last week, the Honda City welcomed its mid-life facelift in Thailand, tomorrow it is going to be competitor Toyota Vios which will enjoy the spotlight. Toyota Motor Thailand has confirmed via a teaser that the 2017 Toyota Vios will be introduced in the country tomorrow.
Almost confirmed at this point is that the Thai-spec facelifted Toyota Vios will follow the design recipe of the latest Chinese-spec Toyota Vios. The Chinese-spec Vios features new projector headlights with chrome C-shaped accent, new upper grille and centred brand logo, Camry-inspired hexagonal lower grille with fog lamps at outer ends, vertical LED daytime running lights, modified bumpers, new tailgate applique and tweaked taillights.
Earlier this month, reports said that the 2017 Toyota Vios sees changes to the instrument cluster, HVAC vents and infotainment system and that the cabin will have a black theme. The Vios J and Vios E will feature fabric upholstery. The Vios G will have a padded dashboard, and the Vios S will have leather upholstery, and both models come equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a reversing camera.
The Toyota Vios received substantial revisions in the powertrain department last year, so expect no changes in this aspect. The 2NR-FBE 1.5-litre Dual VVT-i unit that produces 108 hp at 6,000 rpm and 140 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm should be the standard engine. Also standard should be a continuously variable transmission which replaced the old 4-speed automatic transmission last year.


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Starbucks, the internationally popular coffee chain, acknowledged that criminals are actively using the company's official app to obtain personal details as well as gain access to monetary accounts. The criminals create a new gift card, load your money onto the card, and transfer the funds over. Starbucks had no process in place to challenge or halt the transactions, or ask for customers affected to provide a secondary approval. Bob Sullivan reports:
Because Starbucks isn't answering specific questions about the fraud, I cannot confirm precisely how it works, but I have informed speculation, based on conversations with an anonymous source who is familiar with the crime. The source said Starbucks was known to be wrestling with the problem earlier this year. Essentially, any criminal who obtains username and password credentials to Starbucks.com can drain a consumer's stored value, and attack their linked credit card.
Since many people use the same, simple password for multiple, if not all accounts, once one system has been compromised, criminals can just try the same username and password combinations on other systems, and often get right in.
Once they have access, the criminals are reportedly using the auto-refresh option to load more money onto the Starbucks account, and then using that money to send gift cards to email addresses they control.
"Your eGift Just Made Someone's Day! It's a great way to treat someone — whether it's to say Happy Birthday, Thank you or just 'this one's on me."
To be clear, there's no indication anyone has hacked into Starbucks's system to steal customer data. They're just exploiting week, repetitive passwords. It's absolutely a crime, but it's one we can help prevent by using strong, unique passwords. An example of a strong, unique password is: 8qHjz>g%wHkY+siEzri8
Because strong, unique passwords are not only incredibly hard to crack, they're almost impossible to remember, we also recommend using a password manager like 1Password or LastPass. These tools also offer password generators that can supply random passwords for use on various accounts. You're even able to determine the password strength.
Starbucks should also make two-step authentication — where a token gets texted to a trusted device, like your iPhone — for better security on their end as well.
Apple Watch may have saved another life
Apple Watch has helped to save many lives already and it may have saved a 13-year-old with SVT.
From the Editor's Desk: Let's 'Unpack' this folding phone trend
With March just around the corner, we expect to see a new iPhone, but it will definitely not be a foldable one. Find out what we think of Samsung's Z Flip and more.
Former Apple exec being sued for poaching talent is now suing Apple
Apple accuses Gerard Williams III of poaching chip designers for his new startup and has taken the matter to court. Now he's accusing Apple of the same.
Have a large wrist? There's an Apple Watch band for you
Need an Apple Watch band that is comfortable and fits your larger wrists without issue? Check out some of these great options out there!


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The Xiaomi 13 Pro will be officially presented this Sunday, December 11th. There will be a green version and a new camera design. But more importantly, there’s finally an official IP rating – the Pro is going waterproof. The company revealed in a Weibo video that the smartphone will be dustproof and waterproof certified.
According to the short clip, the Xiaomi 13 Pro camera setup will be prepared for any environmental conditions. It also includes a mode for taking pictures on a starry night. A feature that the Xiaomi 12 Pro lacked.
The IP rating is certified by the IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission. Otherwise, a manufacturer cannot legally advertise their product as protected from water or dust. Cheap Xiaomi phones have an official IP53 rating, which means the devices can withstand light dust and splashing water. With the 13 Pro, Xiaomi is likely to upgrade to IP68 like the current flagship Xiaomi 12S Ultra. This means that the smartphone is dustproof and protected against water ingress at a depth of up to 1.5 meters for a maximum of 30 minutes.
The pictured color of the Xiaomi 13 Pro is called Wilderness Green. It comes in a limited bundle, which also contains a smartwatch (possibly the new Watch S2) and the Buds 4 Pro. The two wearables are also green. There is also a protective cover with a wrist strap.


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — There’s no question COVID changed a lot of our habits. A new study suggests one of our holiday habits is returning to pre-pandemic levels. It’s all about how we shop in this holiday season.
“Because this house is over 100-years-old, it kinda takes you back a little bit,” said Carmelita Stafford, co-owner of Sister’s WhimZy in Mt. Juliet.
“Just having the warmth of the walls in here, the original floor, the original windows, it’s creating an ambiance you don’t have everywhere.”
“If there’s any items left the last week of Christmas, most husbands will come in and snag em,” she smiled, passing a rack of purses. “We have Loveless Cafe products here. You have to eat your biscuits, right?”
Like so many other businesses, 2020 hurt.
“It was very unexpected,” Stafford continued. “Being forced to close down dealt us a huge blow. However, it also forced us to realize in order to reach our customers, we had to expand our online presence. There was no time better than COVID to do that. We’re grateful, grateful that we’re still here.”
Now, Sister’s WhimZy is experiencing something happening nationally. Market research company the NPD Group says in their 2022 projections, 46% of shoppers are expected to make most of their holiday buys in stores as opposed to 45% making most of their buys online. It may be a small difference, but the NPD Group says it’s the first time in-store holiday shopping has been projected to outpace online shopping since before the start of the pandemic.
These projections also show 80% of shoppers are planning to do at least some of their shopping online this year, down from 85% last year. 44% of shoppers are expected to shop in person at mass merchants, compared to 42% last year.
“We’ve seen more people, besides our regular Mt. Juliet guests, that are coming in that probably last year or the year before wouldn’t have,” said Stafford. “Before COVID, shopping online was such a convenience for people. However, when it was mandatory because stores were closed down, suddenly, you’re forced. I think a lot of customers, myself included, really missed being able to walk in, rather than wait for the cardboard box to come to the door and hope what’s inside isn’t broken.”


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Pressure to reduce spirits promotions
Suppliers have warned that retailers
need to run fewer price promotions on spirits
to get some value back into a virtually stagnant market .
Spirits sales crept up 2.9 per cent in the year to Aug 11 2007, according to the latest Nielsen figures in OLN's annual Spirits Report.
This may be an improvement on last year's standstill, but it still means the market has grown just 3.3 per cent since 2005 - well below inflation.
The silver lining is that volume sales lagged slightly behind the value increase, growing 2.3 per cent - which could be evidence of a trend towards trading up.
But spirits sales are still deeply dependent on price-cut promotions - and that could spell trouble in the future, according to suppliers.
United Brands director Rob Preston told OLN: "The window of opportunity for the industry to take control of its own destiny is rapidly closing. Volume and market share issues from
retailers and suppliers mean deep discounting is likely to continue until it is taken out of our hands with duty rises and promotion caps."
Beam Global general manager Drew Munro said the spirits category "faces significant challenges as a mature sector with relentless pressure on prices, and the government wants everyone to drink less". He added: "Draconian regulation is one of the biggest challenges we face and the industry needs to pull together to self-regulate.
"The erosion of value is not sustainable over the long term for either suppliers or retailers and we would like to see a reduced reliance on price to drive sales."
Retailers too are feeling the pressure. Waitrose spirits buyer Giles Fisher said: "With test purchasing, labelling changes, the media focus on binge-drinking and the associated social issues, we take our responsibilities in this area seriously. Personally I feel that it's only a matter of time before the trade is more regulated by central government."
But Stelios Eliades, of Soho spirits staple Gerry's, said much of the threat to self-regulation is
media hype. "Apply the licensing laws sensibly to drunk, drugged-up, under-age and aggressive customers - just do your job properly," he said.
OLN Spirits Report 2007, page 17.


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Visit Finland, Finland’s national travel promotion organization has started issuing Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) labels to Finnish travel service provides.
It comes after lifting the international travel restrictions. Visit Finland has accredited 30 or so travel agencies because they met the sustainable travel criteria.
The new accreditation covers economic, ecological, social, and cultural sustainability standards set by Visit Finland. Responsible and sustainable business models have become a necessity now more than ever.
Visit Finland created this program to promote responsible tourism in Finland and allow international travel trade to find sustainable tourism companies.
The Sustainable Travel Finland or STF program encourages collaboration between the government, regional tourism bodies, and companies.
STF enables all parties to work together and ensure a responsible and sustainable future for tourism in Finland.
The program gave out the labels to the companies that have been involved with STF since the pilot phase. These companies have been with the initiative that started in spring 2019.
Travel Finland has opened up the STF program to everyone whether or not they already have a sustainability policy in place, and the best thing is there is no admission fee.
The program is designed to provide the companies participating with a roadmap and a comprehensive toolkit, including tailormade training courses, online manuals, and a digital working environment.
Completing the program will give them the STF label. Visit Finland has designed the program tp designed to nurture, conserve, and preserve what is most important; Finland’s unspoiled natural environment.
This initiative is geared to preserve the Finnish culture and lifestyle that is rooted in the country’s scenic and undisturbed outdoors.
The entire program has been released nationwide, and it comes as a relief as many states view sustainable travel as the long term solution to tourism in the country.
The program provides travel agencies with tangible, sustainable tourism tools to help them to build a sustainable model of tourism to integrate with their business.
Holiday Village Himmerki in Posio and Hawkhill in Vihti was one of the first companies to get the STF badge. Reijo Lantto from Holiday Village Himmerki said that the business they run already had an operation based on the principles of sustainable tourism.
According to Reijo, the entire initiative was a coordinated effort by Posio Tourism Association. They helped Holiday Village Himmerki with several new ideas that allowed the company to adopt a more sustainable model for the business with a more systematic approach.
This partnership helped the tourism company to solve a host of different practical problems that have motivated the company to instill a sustainable tourism model.
Kaisa Ala-Outinen from Hawkhill said that, with the certificate, they hope to set an example and inspire other hospitality entrepreneurs to get involved in sustainable tourism.
The objective of this sustainable tourism initiative is to combat climate change and promoting regional economies.
The program works in association with a host of different companies that offer various accommodation, restaurants, attractions, guided services, tours and activities, travel agencies, transportation companies, and harbor.
The program is opening up to every hospitality entrepreneurs and travel agencies to help enrich the tourism sector, and it looks to be a winner.


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Tasmanian rhubarb takes on the world
Two rhubarb growers from Tasmania's north east are hoping a national supply deal could turn global.
Jerrod Nichols and Rod Harker will provide 2,000, 10 kilogram cartons each week to a national supermarket chain, with the first consignment to be delivered next winter.
Mr Nichols says he's thrilled because he only started growing rhubarb as part of trials a year ago.
"There's been some other trials that my business partner Rod Harker's had at Trevor Hookway's place where they've had some trials in for a couple of years and identified varieties and plants that have performed suitably," he said.
"So there's really been a couple of years worth of trial work's gone on here and we've established that it's going to do really well, establish the varieties that we're happy with."
Mr Nichols says while they are currently focused on the domestic supply deal, they have talked with the supermarket about the bigger picture.
"We've discussed already they haven't got a supply for New Zealand so if we happen to get that big, well there's an opportunity to look elsewhere and also into Europe," he said.
"I mean obviously our peak season of production is the slow season in Europe so there are other options.
"But we will just take one step at a time and work on supplying that 2,000 cartons to start with."
Mr Nichols says the venture will create 20 jobs.
40 hectares will be planted around Scottsdale, with full production expected within one year.


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Burberry (LSE:BRBY) shares sunk on Thursday 16 November after the company’s Q2 results. There had already been signs that demand for luxury goods was fading and further headwinds in the form of inflation and a slowdown of the Chinese economy.
Ten minutes after the open on 16 November, Burberry shares were down 10%. So, if I had put £1,000 in Burberry shares two years ago, today I’d have £800. That’s because the fashion stock was already down 10% over the period.
However, I’d have also collected some dividends in the process, and that would have been worth around £45 according to my calculations. Collectively, my total returns would be minus £155.
In its earnings report, Burberry expressed concern about the impact of the slowdown in luxury demand on its current trading and potential effects on full-year sales.
Despite confidence in medium and long-term goals, the company acknowledged challenges in the wider market, similar to other major players in the industry.
The company’s interim results revealed a significant deceleration in sales growth in the first half, with a warning that achieving the previously stated revenue guidance for fiscal year 2024 might be unlikely if weaker demand — notably in China — persists.
In the first half, Burberry reported a 4% increase in sales to £1.4bn, but growth was hampered by foreign exchange headwinds.
However, the Asia Pacific region experienced a slowdown from 36% to 2% in the second quarter, with Mainland China sales falling by 8%.
The company indicated that achieving its full-year revenue guidance for March 2024 might be at risk in the current market conditions.
A buying opportunity?
If we’re investing for the long run, sometimes it can pay to invest in stocks after a significant repricing. After all, many of us aren’t investing for the end of the current fiscal year, which is when Burberry will deliver its FY2024 results.
So, is Burberry an attractive investment opportunity?
In the below table I’m looking at the forecast earnings per share for 2024, 2025 and 2026, and comparing it against the current share price to give me a price-to-earnings figure for the years in question. Investors are often willing to pay a premium now for growth in the future.
With the forecast growth rate in mind, Burberry appears to be trading with a PEG ratio of 0.7. This ratio compares the price-to-earnings with the expected EPS growth rate. A PEG ratio below one normally suggests a company is trading below its fair value.
So, the above metrics suggest that Burberry could represent a good investment opportunity. It’s also much cheaper than many of its luxury peers. However, it’s certainly worth highlighting that there are risks to this investment hypothesis.
China is a huge market for the company — representing around 30% of revenue –, and its economic struggles could drag Burberry down. In the latest data, Chinese house prices fell by the most in eight years in October.
Nonetheless, it’s a stock for my watchlist. I’m certainly very interested.


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If this makes you just a little wary, you’re in fabulous company. “My fear is, how do you know which devices to trust?” asks Shereene Idriss, a New York City dermatologist. At times, the marketing of devices is at odds with dermatological opinion. She’s wary of at-home rollers, for example, especially the fancier, less-disposable ones. She recommends using an at-home roller 5–10 times before switching it out. In contrast, one at-home roller sold online advises switching out the needles, at minimum, every 20-plus uses.
Things are even cloudier above the skin’s surface. Idriss shares a bone-chilling tale about patients whose melasma got worse with the use of at-home LED masks, which emit light of different wavelengths to different molecular ends. “They bought them on Amazon. A lot of people are selling regular lights with colored bulbs and pretending it’s LED.” The search term “LED light mask” on Amazon yields over 2,000 results.
LED therapy benefits — reducing inflammation, killing bacteria — had been well-documented by the time Neutrogena launched its at-home LED mask, which Allure covered in 2017. Two years later, the brand voluntarily recalled the device “out of an abundance of caution,” having been made aware of the very rare possibility of eye injury. But various at-home LED masks are celebrated by dermatologists. Hartman recommends the Peppy Co model to his patients. He thinks the fit is good and he likes the results.
Some might argue that bringing skin-care technology home allows for more sustained results. A bride’s glow can be achieved quickly the day before her wedding by a microcurrent treatment performed in her dermatologist’s office, but it may not last the honeymoon. A handheld option allows for more frequent, if less powerful, treatments to keep the glow going. In particular, at-home microcurrent is not a bad idea, says Idriss. The electricity can tickle face muscles into temporary tautness and dermatologists agree that at-home microcurrent is safe. “Other than the big red flags — heart disease, pregnancy — if you’re willing to use it on a daily basis, God bless,” says Idriss. But she’s rarely if ever had a patient who was diligent enough to do so — nor is she. “I’d rather get Ultherapy once a year and be done with it.” (Ultherapy lifts your face using ultrasound and is priced in four figures.)


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CNN — PayPal said Thursday it is expanding its services for Ukrainian accounts and allowing them to send and receive money from friends and family.
The payments company also said in a letter to the Ukrainian government that Ukrainian account holders will be able to transfer money from their PayPal accounts to credit and debit cards, as well as to external bank accounts by linking an eligible Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card, CNN reported.
“We believe this service will be helpful for people in Ukraine to receive money from their friends and relatives around the world,” PayPal wrote in a letter dated March 17 to Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov. “It will also help Ukrainian refugees in other countries, so they can receive money to use or withdraw in their current location.”
Previously, PayPal users in Ukraine could only send money internationally from their accounts, not receive it, the company told CNN Business.
Additionally, PayPal is also waiving transaction fees for remittances to Ukrainian accounts, for both senders and recipients. The change also applies to Xoom, PayPal’s global remittance platform, the company said in a blog post.
Money transferred from a PayPal account to a linked debit or credit card will make the funds available in the card’s local currency. Ukrainian users will be able to send and receive euros, US dollars, Canadian dollars, and British pounds.
The temporary service expansion will last through the end of June, according to the company via CNN.
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


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Surprising no one, Apple Inc. has confirmed its next iPhone unveiling will be held at the company’s Cupertino, Calif.-based campus on Sept. 10.
One rumour is that Apple will unveil a lower cost, less powerful iPhone, to be sold in a variety of bright colours, and dubbed the iPhone 5C.
The invitation boasts a bevy of colours, and promises the event “should brighten everyone’s day.”
Also expected is an updated version of Apple’s high-end model, to be called the iPhone 5S. Both devices would ship with the company’s latest mobile operating system, iOS 7, which was unveiled at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.
Apple shares were up 1.35%, or $6.56, to $493.78 on Tuesday afternoon.
News reports have speculated that an iPhone 5C would appeal to consumers currently opting for Apple’s older generation devices which typically generate less margins than its flagship iPhone 5. The world’s largest technology company said it sold 31.2 million iPhones in its third quarter — with sales of iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S devices remaining particularly strong.
Leaked photos — which suggest a budget-friendly, polycarbonate backed iPhone, sold in a variety of colours — have led many to believe that the “C” in iPhone 5C stands for colour.
The iPhone 5S, meanwhile, is rumoured to look similar to the existing iPhone 5, but with updated internal hardware, and possibly come in a gold or champagne colour. It would also boast the usual complement of improvements, such as a better processor and camera, but some reports have suggested a fingerprint scanner for added security could be integrated into the home button of the device.
Commenter suggests, based on Apple event invite, that Apple has acquired the rights to Twister: pic.twitter.com/mgHzZdyrUr — Andrew Cunningham (@AndrewWrites) September 3, 2013
Apple’s event will come on the heels of Samsung Electronics Co. Lt.d’s latest Unpacked event, where the South Korean electronics giant is set to unveil a brand new smart watch companion device.
The new iPhones would hit store shelves in time for the crucial holiday season — with some speculating as early as Sept. 20.
Be sure to join FP Tech Desk next Tuesday Sept. 10 for our live coverage of Apple’s iPhone event, which is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. ET.


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Honda Expands 200,000 Units; Kia Defers 300,000 Units
- May 20, 2006
- Honda, Kia, The Car Biz
- Posted by George Peterson
- Comments Off on Honda Expands 200,000 Units; Kia Defers 300,000 Units
This is what we do. AutoPacific and VehicleVoice contuously monitor the American and worldwide auto industry for issues that impact VehicleVoice panel members. The simple fact that Asian manufacturers are adding capacity or delaying capacity additions in North America are major issues.
Kia Puts 300,000 Unit Plant in Georgia on Hold
In early March 2006, Kia announced that they were going to build an all-new greenfield assembly plant in Western Georgia. This 300,000 unit, $1.2 billion plant likely would have provided Kia with the NAFTA capacity to build an all new pickup truck. This plant, along with Toyota adding capacity at the newly available Subaru indiana Automotive plant (to build the Toyota Camry) put more pressure on the Big Three.
Pressure is temporarily off given Kia’s April 27 decision to indefinitely defer building the plant in Georgia and an additional plant in Eastern Europe in Slovakia. This is a total of $2.4 billion in new plant construction put on hold. The suspension was due to the management crisis Hyundai-Kia is facing in Korea with its Chairman Chung Mong Koo having been put in the slammer (Seoul Decention Center) on charges of embezzlement and breach of trust. Chairman Chung has been closely involved in all decisions concerning Hyundai and Kia plans – worldwide and in the USA.
Honda Decision for a New Plant Replaces Kia Threat
While Kia backed off in late April, Honda announced on May 17 it is building a new 200,000 unit assembly plant in North America. Honda, a master at flexible assembly and super-efficient plants, will have capacity for about 1.6 million units in North America when the new plant is on line in 2008. At present, the site for the new plant has not been announced.
Kia Likely Will Be Back Soon
We also have to believe that the deferral of the Kia assembly plant is only temporary. Kia’s pickup truck concept has been favorably received at auto shows and clearly could have a place in the USA market – but Kia needs a NAFTA source to avoid the 25% “chicken tax” on imported pickup trucks. Once the smoke clears from the scandal surrounding Chairman Chung the go code will likely be given again.
Pressure on Big Three Continues Unabated
It does not matter if the pressure is coming from Japan-based competitors or Korea-based competitors, the challenges to the American auto makes continues to increase. Saddled with older facilities, aging workforces, UAW contracts and work rules, the American manufacturers continue to be battered by the new, non-union plants from Asian manufacturers on their home soil. There are also vibrations from Europe that possibly a Peugeot, Audi or Volkswagen plant could be in the offing.


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By Sam Nussey and Yoshiyasu Shida – Reuters
TOKYO – Yahoo Japan Corp, plans to end the sale of ivory on the country’s biggest online auction site, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, finally joining competitors in a ban.
Yahoo Japan will end ivory trading, blamed by wildlife campaigners for perpetuating an illegal international black market, from Nov. 1, the sources said. They declined to be identified as the information is not public.
Rival e-commerce firms Rakuten Inc and Mercari Inc banned ivory sales two years ago, but Yahoo Japan had continued to resist calls from campaigners, denying suggestions the trade was a factor behind a sharp rise in poaching on the African savannah in recent years.
Elephant tusks remain in demand in Japan, which allows the domestic trading of ivory brought into the country before it imposed an import ban in 1989, making it the world’s largest legal ivory market.
The tusks are used to make “hanko” name seals which, when dipped in red ink and stamped on paper, are used like a signature in a wide range of transactions from opening a bank account to registering a marriage.
The two sources told Reuters Yahoo Japan, a consolidated subsidiary of telco SoftBank Corp, decided to halt trading following reports that ivory being traded on Yahoo Japan’s platform was being on-sold to China.
China outlawed the trade in 2017, with increasingly strict rules around the world another factor behind the decision, the sources said.
A report by wildlife trade monitoring group Traffic last year pointed to seizures of Japan-procured ivory being smuggled into China. Ivory transactions on Yahoo Japan’s auction site totalled around 40 million yen ($380,000) over a four week period in May and June last year, Traffic estimated.
The Japanese government last month began requiring domestic traders to prove the age of tusks via carbon dating in a bid to prevent illegal imports.
An estimated 100 African elephants are killed each day by poachers seeking ivory, meat and body parts, leaving only 400,000 remaining, environmentalists estimate.


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Sale of Lafarge Africa’s SA unit may be on cards, say experts
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The cement industry in South Africa has increasingly become competitive while in the rest of the African market, Dangote Cement, PPC, Lafarge, Bamburi and Twiga Cement are seen consolidating their markets. Chinese investors have also been rushing to put up operations in markets such as Zimbabwe, where PPC and Lafarge already compete.
But experts at Exotix Capital say there is a “lack of sufficient visibility on the South African business” by Lafarge Africa. They add that Lafarge Africa “continues to struggle amid a tougher operating environment and internal operating challenges”.
In September last year, Lafarge Africa appointed Rossen Papazov as new country manager for South Africa, hoping that his experience “will be invaluable in guiding the company to address the challenges it faces in the highly competitive” industry.
Experts believe this has been difficult to achieve, hence sentiments that Lafarge SA will be put up for sale this year.
“Our view is that Lafarge Africa could channel proceeds from any potential sale of Lafarge South Africa Holdings towards stabilising and de-risking the Nigeria business, particularly as Lafarge South Africa faces headwinds from a weak operating environment and intensifying competitive pressures,” Exotix Capital said in a research note.
Lafarge has, however, not made an announcement about the sale of its South African unit. Other executives in the sub-Saharan Africa cement business told Business Report that they were not ruling out any mergers and acquisitions in the industry, including the top companies in Africa, although they said they were not privy to information about Lafarge Africa’s future.
In the 2017 first quarter period, Lafarge Africa said its operations in South Africa “were affected by lower volumes in the cement division”. The company was now geared to “focus on cost optimisation” in a bid to “restore” profitability.
“We do not have tangible information or moves from competitors or from the major shareholder itself about Lafarge SA being put up for sale. But this is a highly dynamic and competitive industry and anything is possible, even at the top of the market,” said one regional executive with a cement company.
Lafarge had ironically tabled an offer for PPC while Dangote Cement had also expressed a keenness to snap up PPC in 2017 although nothing materialised from the two bids. Dangote has been aggressive in its African expansion and has been building manufacturing plants across the continent, although Nigeria remains its major market.
Dangote is one of the regional cement companies being touted as a front-runner to bag Lafarge South Africa alongside others, such as Twiga and Bamburi, which are said to be more profitable and in a better financial position to turn-around fortunes at the South African cement manufacturer.
“Possible buyers could include Dangote Cement, Bamburi Cement (LafargeHolcim), and Twiga Cement (Heidelberg), as these firms are more profitable, generate stronger cash flow and are able to take on more debt to fund acquisitions,” the cement industry experts at Exotix noted.
- BUSINESS REPORT


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Ministops to become 7-Elevens as franchise agreements expire
Ministops will soon become 7-Elevens, according to Korea Seven.
The Fair Trade Commission gave the final nod for Lotte CVS to acquire Ministop Korea from Japan's Aeon Group for 313.3 billion won ($256.9 million) on March 22. The company is a special purpose company wholly owned by Korea Seven and established in February to acquire Ministop Korea.
Korea Seven is Korea's 7-Eleven licensee.
The company will acquire 12 Ministop logistics centers, which will help 7-Eleven to strengthen its quick-commerce services, or the delivery of products within one hour of ordering.
Korea Seven said the acquisition could add about 2,600 branches to its current 11,400 7-Elevens. The transition will be made when each franchisee contract expires with Ministop Korea.
Korea Seven promised to provide additional support for Ministop franchisees who chose 7-Eleven.
"We will be able to enhance brand competitiveness when the capabilities of two companies come together," said Choi Kyung-ho, CEO of Korea Seven.
BY LEE TAE-HEE [firstname.lastname@example.org]


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What a close call this referendum was – 52% to leave. How will things pan out for engineering companies and industry in general? Article 50 still needs to be invoked by parliament with cross party MPs officially voting in favour of brexit. The details of the mechanism to exit this side in the UK and in Brussels is not always clear, and is unchartered waters for both . The effects of this political upset are still rippling through Europe and the world one week later.
The pound to the dollar exchange rate is the lowest since the 1980s, which will effect our businesses. FTSE100 share prices have dropped significantly but have recently bounced back.
For exporters, the drop in the pound makes their goods cheaper overseas and could help lift flagging demand. Until recently, manufacturers had been complaining that a relatively strong pound was hampering their competitiveness and contributing to a slowdown in the manufacturing sector. Conversely for importers, materials & certain goods are more expensive and so hamper profit margins & profitability. Profitability may well be affected also by new trade tariffs with Europe.
Business leaders and politicians all agree choppy waters are still ahead.
I feel we need to look heavenwards as a nation in these times, for help & wisdom to see us through these unsettling times to a new prosperous and peaceful future.
Hope you have a good month
All the best


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US: IPA on-trade sales soar as pale lagers lose out - figures
GuestMetrics figures cover sales in the US on-trade
India Pale Ale (IPA) was the fastest-growing style of beer in the US on-trade last year at the expense of pale lager, according to new figures.
As a whole, IPA brands saw sales rise by 39% in 2012 and also registered the largest market share gain of 55 basis points, according to GuestMetrics. IPA sales so far in 2013 are up 40%.
Brands with the largest share gains last year, according to GuestMetrics, were Widmer Broken Halo IPA, Lagunitas India Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA, and Ballast Point Sculpin.
However, IPAs still only represent 1% of all beers sold in the US on-trade, across 25 beer styles.
Pale lagers, the largest on-trade segment representing 33% of volumes, saw sales drop by 5% last year, GuestMetrics said. Pale lager brands with the biggest share loss were Miller Lite, Bud Light, and Budweiser, according to the figures.
Peter Reidhead, GuestMetrics' strategy & insights VP added: "In analysing the (first) quarter of 2013, the picture does not appear to be improving for pale lagers, with units contracting 6.2% against prior year, and the share loss accelerating slightly to 180 basis points.”
GuestMetrics' figures are based on its database of point-of-sale sales in US restaurants and bars.
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Spotify Will Cut About 6% of Jobs in Latest Tech Layoffs
Spotify Technology SA is planning to cut about 6% of its employees, joining a slew of technology companies from Amazon.com Inc. to Meta Platforms Inc. in announcing job cuts to lower costs.
The move was announced in a filing Monday morning, confirming reports from over the weekend that there would be job cuts. The music streaming giant has about 9,800 employees, according to its third-quarter earnings report. Spotify laid off 38 staff from its Gimlet Media and Parcast podcast studios in October.
Tech companies added to their headcounts during the pandemic but were forced to make reductions in response to diminished advertising revenue and a shaky economic outlook. Amazon, Meta and Microsoft Corp. were among the biggest companies to announce staff reductions recently, while Google parent Alphabet Inc. said Friday it will cut about 12,000 jobs, more than 6% of its global workforce.
Spotify said in the filing that Dawn Ostroff, chief content and advertising business officer, will leave the company as part of a broader reorganization. Alex Norström, currently chief freemium business officer, and Gustav Söderström, currently chief research & development officer, will each take on additional responsibilities as co-presidents of the company.
The shares rose 3.9% in early trading at 7:15 a.m. in New York. The stock had lost 58% of its value since the end of 2021.
Spotify made a massive commitment to podcasting beginning in 2019. It spent over a billion dollars on acquiring podcast networks, creation software, a hosting service and the rights to popular shows like The Joe Rogan Experience and Armchair Expert.
Still, the investments have tested investors’ patience. Shares tumbled last year as investors questioned when they’d begin seeing returns. Spotify executives said in June its podcast business would become profitable in the next one to two years.
By Ashley Carman and Kamaron Leach
–With assistance from Richard Clough.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!


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ASUS ZenFone Zoom with 3x optical zoom price and release date in Malaysia. New ZenFone Zoom is 3x optical zoom camera with Hoya 10-element lens.
On 12th October 2015, LiewCF was invited to Digi HQ in Shah Alam to follow Digi team around Klang Valley to do Digi 4G LTE network test. I thought it was a small group of testers, but I was wrong. There were about 100 people of media friends, bloggers, and Digi team members! I did […]
Samsung held the Malaysia’s first Solve For Tomorrow competition in 2015. The competition challenges university students for solutions on everyday issues facing by Malaysians. The Solve For Tomorrow competition is open to public and private university students nationwide and received 108 submissions from 16 universities. 20 student teams were shortlisted to present their prototypes at […]
Digi WWWOW Awards is back! The Malaysia’s only Internet for All Award is looking for Malaysians who use the Internet to inspire others. Digi WWWOW Awards is the Malaysia’s only Internet for All Awards based on 100% user-generated entries in search for talented and enterprising Malaysians who make the Internet awesome and give them the […]
The Muhibbah Apps Talent 2015 that was part of the regional Korean App Wave event series was held at Putrajaya Malaysia. The highlight of the event was the launch of 10 Korean mobile apps. The event sponsored by Mobile Internet Business Association – Korea (MOIBA), co-organized by Ubi-Nuri Inc., hosted by My Appszil Asia SdnBhd […]
Something bigger and more exciting than the latest K-pop band is coming to town. Top Korean mobile app professionals will be in Malaysia to launch their apps as part of the regional Korean Apps Wave 2015 from the 8th to 9th September 2015 at Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside Hotel. The event is sponsored by Mobile Internet […]
Xiaomi, China’s leading smartphone company who believes that high-quality technology doesn’t need to cost a fortune, is living up to its promise by giving Malaysians a chance to own a stunning 5.7 inch full HD display, 64 GB Mi Note at a very affordable price. Steve Vickers, General Manager, Xiaomi Southeast Asia, said, “We are […]


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BEVERLY HILLS — Sergio Rossi might not have the kind of name recognition in the U.S. it enjoys in Europe, but, backed by Gucci Group’s retail infrastructure, that’s about to change.
The Italian footwear and accessories brand opened its newest boutique at 366 North Rodeo Drive last Saturday, the second of three boutiques to open in the U.S. this summer.
As reported, a door in Honolulu opened on July 20. On Aug. 3, the New York boutique at 833 Madison Avenue will close after five years and reopen five blocks away in an 1,800-square-foot space on the corner of Madison Avenue and East 66th Street.
"We consider the U.S. a major market for us and the most important one in which to expand," said Gianvito Rossi, who works with his father, creative director and president Sergio Rossi, in the business. The younger Rossi was on hand for the Saturday afternoon opening here.
It was a low-key affair, with customers enjoying champagne and hors d’oeuvres as they shopped. The store will mark its arrival officially in October with a party.
In 1999, Sergio Rossi SpA recorded revenues of $60 million, and in November that year, Gucci Group bought a 70 percent stake in the company. (Gucci does not break out division volumes.) Rossi credits Gucci for taking the company up a notch in its retail operations. By the end of this year, there will be 35 directly operated stores worldwide, more than doubling the size of the fleet in two years.
"Our experience has been very much about the collection and production. In retail, we were not so experienced," Rossi said, noting that Gucci has eased expansion by helping secure store locations, arranging for product shipments and managing the store’s merchandising.
Rossi said the company plans to open more locations in top American markets as real estate becomes available. He declined to give a specific time frame. The company waited more than a year for the Rodeo Drive location, a former Benetton store.
The store interior lives up to its tony address. The design concept, first unveiled in April 2001 in Japan, was conceived in-house.Natural light floods in to the 1,600-square-foot space from the two story-high glass facade. Light also comes from the recessed ceiling panels and table lamps made of stretched fish skin.
Brushed and bronzed brass frames the large entrance, oversized mirrors and trims the modern teak furnishings. On facing walls, cascading curtains of silver and brass metal beads hang from the ceiling. The space is finished with teak wood paneling, brown suede and pony-skin armchairs.
And, as in all Sergio Rossi stores, there is the stack of leather shoe boxes rising to the ceiling, a kind of sculpture that’s become a signature.
"We wanted it to be a lounge with soft ambience," said Rossi.
As for the merchandise, the fall and winter collections take their cue from European style at the turn of the century. Standouts for women include a rounded toe perforated like a traditional man’s wingtip in black leather retailing at $410, and a trench-coat boot in a black waterproof canvas-like fabric for $835 or in brown suede for $930. Bags range from a large black soft tote for $715 to a black beaded evening clutch for $835.
Rossi declined to speculate on the boutique’s first-year sales. Local real estate sources, however, say the store could pull in sales between $1,000 and $1,500 a square foot annually, based on the performance of similar stores in the neighborhood. That would put the shop’s volume between $1.6 million and $2.4 million.
The company is forgoing a big advertising campaign for a significant public relations push. Celebrities are part of the plan — Julia Roberts, Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones have already test-driven Rossis on the red carpet.
The store features a VIP dressing room — a first for the company — as well an area for special orders on different hides, colors or heels on any of the season’s existing models. On average, it costs about 20 percent more for custom-made shoes.
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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Hospital Pharmaceuticals Market is Anticipated to Rise up to US$ 280.3 Billion by the End of 2023
Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hospital-pharmaceuticals-market.html
According to a TMR analyst, the global hospital pharmaceuticals market is estimated to project a heathy CAGR of 3.9% between 2015 and 2023. The market was w worth US$197.3 bn in 2014. This valuation is anticipated to rise up to US$280.3 bn by the end of year 2023. Besides, cancer is one of the leading cause of high mortality rate that encourages the companies all over the world to develop an efficient drug to reduce the cases. Owing to this, TMR report anticipates the oncology segment to witness a rise at steady CAGR of 6.35% during the forecast period. Based on the region, the North America will dominate the global market at a CAGR of 3.4% from 2015 to 2023.
The rise in the cases of chronic illnesses around the world, combined with the increase in the spending on medical treatment is relied upon to keep the interest for hospital pharmaceuticals industry high in the coming years. Moreover, the increase in number of people suffering from parasitic infections will bolster the demand for anti-parasitic medications, which in turn will act as a driving force for global hospital pharmaceuticals market in the prospective years. The worldwide rise in the population suffering from cancer has also shot the oncology sector to the front line of the global hospital pharmaceutical market. Besides this, the expanding frequency of cardiovascular cases will likewise stir up the demand for the hospital pharmaceuticals. The rise in awareness about the disease, expanding government activities and effective relaxation for companies engaging in research and development, and beneficial mediations in order to reduce the rate of cardiovascular diseases are some of the supporting factors for the growth of hospital pharmaceuticals market. According to World Health Organization (WHO) the worldwide prevalence of patients suffering from cancer is likely to soar 22 million by 2030. Moreover, there has been a significant rise in the cases suffering from parasitic infections as well, which stirs the demand for anti-parasitic drugs needed for the hospital pharmaceutical treatment.
The growing demand for anti-hypersensitive drugs is also anticipated to rise during estimated time frame. The betterment of the pharmaceutical business and the growth in R&D departments from 2013 to 2014 have also paved the roads for the hospital pharmaceutical market. In some regions of the world the property protection laws have also helped the market growth to a large extent. However, the market lacks proper remuneration policies and administrative system for empowering the advancement of novel drugs. This could limit the market's development, pulling down the growth of hospital pharmaceuticals.
Request Sample Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3535
There has been a substantial population growth worldwide along with the increased spending abilities on research work of innovative therapeutics. This is likely to support the growth of hospital pharmaceuticals in the global market. Moreover, as reported by World Cancer Research Funds Association, in 2012 there were almost around 14.1 million cases of cancer. This figure is likely to reach to 24 million by 2035.
There are various such opportunities in the global market that will encourage the manufacturers to move their concentration from developed economies to developing countries.
Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR’s experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.
Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR’s syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.
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“The Wii’s success among casual and core gamers of all ages makes it an ideal match for the cross-generational appeal of the music featured in Rock Band,” said Bob Picunko, Vice President of Electronic Games and Interactive Products, MTV
However, there’s a bit of bad news coming alongside. It appears that downloadable content has been placed on the “missing features” list, at least for the time being. Nintendo is known to be less enthusiastic about letting thrid-parties play on its online turf and the console itself does not feature a lot of storage space, two reasons that would definitely make DLC plans take a step back
Too bad, because downloadable content proved to be a hit with both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gamers: over 6 million downloads.
The Rock Band for Wii will retail for $169.99


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Strawn's in Shreveport-Bossier aims to sell 1,000 pies today
Time is ticking for your chance to snag one of Strawn's famous pies for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Strawn's Eat Shop will sell its popular pies until 8 p.m. Wednesday— or until they're gone.
Sales began at 6 a.m. and are available at all three locations: Strawn's Eat Shop (125 Kings Highway, Shreveport), Strawn's Eat Shop Too (7803 Youree Drive, Shreveport) and Strawn's Eat Shop, Also (2335 Airline Drive, Bossier City).
Pie flavors available include strawberry, chocolate, coconut, banana, butterscotch, ice box pumpkin, pecan and a limited number of peanut butter. The price is $23 per pie, plus tax. There is no limit for how many customers may buy.
The staff worked through the weekend and week to prep the ingredients and will spend the day assembling and baking hundreds of the dessert dishes, owner Celeste Gauthier said Wednesday.
"We make the crust and filling and all of that over the weekend," she said. "We cut the strawberries over the last couple of days, then we assemble all the pies today."
Gauthier estimates the shops collectively will sell between 800 and1,000 pies.
"All these pies are made by hand," she said. "Think about the fact that someone's been laboring over those for a while. They had to make each part of the pies. None of it's frozen. None of it comes to us in cans."
On average, about 500 have been purchased in previous years. But with Strawn's Eat Shop Too's move to a more visible location on Youree Drive, Gauthier expects to draw in more traffic.
Strawn's opened in 1944, and Gauthier's parent purchased the business in November 1988. On their first holiday, they took pie orders from customers but were so overwhelmed by the demand that they decided to prepare for large sales ahead of time. The pie assembly operation has grown ever since, she said.
Strawn's will be closed on Thanksgiving day.


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Cannabis Weekly Round-Up: Connecticut Won’t See Adult Stores This Year
Connecticut may have to wait until the new year to see adult-use cannabis shops open, according to a new report.
Also this past week, new figures for recreational cannabis sales in Canada continue to showed growth year-over-year in the largest three markets in the space.
Keep reading to find out more cannabis highlights from the past five days.
Connecticut may be headed to open adult stores in 2023
“The state had targeted the end of this year for retail stores to open but that timeline now seems unrealistic,” a report from CT insider noted this past week.
The issue seems to relate to the policy from the state of needing at least 250,000 square feet of grow and manufacturing space before opening the new stores.
According to the state Department of Consumer Protection three producers — Advanced Grow Labs, Connecticut Pharmaceutical Solutions, and Curaleaf Holdings (CSE:CURA,OTCQX:CURLF) — reached the requirements needed to add adult growing capacity to their facilities.
In addition to these operators, the state regulators confirmed seven additional medical cannabis dispensaries are now in the process of receiving recreational licenses.
New adult-sales cannabis numbers in Canada
Sales of cannabis in Canada reached C$389.9 million between August and September, representing a 12.2 percent increase on a year-over-year basis.
The new data provided by Statistics Canada indicated sales increases in the three biggest provincial markets in Canada: Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
As the leading cannabis market for the nation, Ontario brought in C$155.5 million in September, while Alberta and BC secured C$68.7 million and C$59.4 million, respectively.
Cannabis company news
- Pure Sunfarms, a subsidiary of Village Farms International (NASDAQ:VFF), introduced a new CBD-focused product line into the Canadian market.
- The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC), the agency in charge of the cannabis market in Quebec, reported income of C$22.3 million for its reporting period that ended on September 10.
- The Valens Company (NASDAQ:VLNS,TSX:VLNS)informed shareholders two independent proxy advisors recommended that shareholders approve the proposed acquisition deal with SNDL (NASDAQ:SNDL).
- High Tide (NASDAQ:HITI,TSXV:HITI)shared a report from New Cannabis Ventures, a research firm with analytics insights into the industry, indicating the company is now a leading revenue generating cannabis company in Canada. “Our continued focus on operational execution is something that I believe can set us up to be amongst the highest revenue-generating companies in all of cannabis,” Raj Grover, president and CEO of High Tide, said.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Cannabis for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Bryan Mc Govern, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.
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MGM MIRAGE launches re-branding campaign
LAS VEGAS — MGM MIRAGE shareholders have approved a proposal to re-brand the hospitality company MGM Resorts International. In addition, the company announced that it would re-launch its Players Club loyalty program as M life.
“We believe this evolution honors our entertainment heritage, better represents the growing global presence our company has today and positions us to move forward under a unified brand strategy,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. “The new MGM Resorts International name will create better clarity and awareness for our collection of assets globally thereby maximizing our best-in-class portfolio of resorts.”
The expected rollout of the M life Players Club is late summer in MGM Resorts’ U.S. regional markets and this fall in Las Vegas.
The new corporate name is effective immediately. As part of the brand development, the company unveiled a new, contemporary logo.
The company’s stock symbol, MGM, remains unchanged.
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