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Andrea Hansen, the former chief executive officer of Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, has been named president of Bochic Group Inc.
Before departing for Paris Fashion Week Thursday, Hansen told WWD that the post is newly created, and she will help grow the company’s namesake fine jewelry brand, as well as Miriam Salat, its high-end fashion jewelry line.
“I have always admired what David has done for Bochic,” she said, referring to the brand’s cofounder, David Joseph. “David had called me years ago, and we started talking shop. There’s a lot of demand for the jewelry.”
Hansen declined to comment on how long the move was in the works. She left Ivanka Trump in June after three years on the job, and cited the desire to spend more time with her family at the time as a reason for her departure.
She did, however, offer that she was attracted to Bochic because “there’s clarity in how they run the two businesses.”
As part of her first mandate, Hansen will take meetings with editors in Paris, and attend Bochic’s presentation there. She added that she plans to show the brand at New York Fashion Week in 2013 — around the same time the company will start ramping up production of its namesake line and put growth objectives in place for both divisions.
“After seven years of sustained growth that firmly established our brands both domestically and internationally, we’re entering a new phase with exciting opportunities that will demand strong leadership on all levels,” said Joseph, who started the New York-based company with his wife, Miriam Salat, in 2004. Salat subsequently launched her own brand, which is known for colorful stackable resin bangle bracelets.
“I was touched by the fact that she lost her father, really before his time, and it was a real shock. She had two young children, she was married and she was expecting that she would have her own life for a good 25 years,” said Claire Foy about playing a young Queen Elizabeth in Netflix’s The Crown. Styled by @mayteallende 📸@jgreenery #emmys2017 #wwdeyeu
“Truth and lies have become a real interesting theme, more than ever, lately,” Emmy nominee Laura Dern told WWD. "It’s a very interesting time to use our voice." Styled by @cristinaehrlich, 📸 @shayanhathaway #wwdeye #emmys2017
“It transcends the genre that is you think of a sci-fi show — you don’t expect it to be so profound or emotionally riveting,” Evan Rachel Wood told WWD of her Emmy nominated role in Westworld. styled by @samanthamcmillen_stylist 📸 @emmanmontalvan #emmys2017 #wwdeye


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Oh hey, it’s that thing that happens every time a new major release comes out. AMD and Nvidia are trading blows yet again about the performance problems some have reported in beard-cultivating simulator The Witcher 3: W... read
NVIDIA continues to shit the bed concerning the controversy around its GeForce GTX 970 video card. The company claims due to a miscommunication between the engineering and the media teams, it mistakenly marketed the GTX 970 ... read
The prize for this Ultimate Thief Mod contest is so good that even my spoiled ass wants to enter!
Square Enix, Amazon, AMD and others have teamed up to bring you a contest that will celebrate the return of the Thief franchise... read
Leveraging AMD's Mantle technology, Oxide Games has come up with a new game engine intended for real-time strategy titles on PC and consoles called Nitrous that can handle up to 5,000 AI- or physics-driven objects (like laser... read
If you get an R9 series card from AMD right now, you'll get a free copy of Battlefield 4. The cards that are a part of the promotion range from the low-end R9 270 all the way up to the R9 290X.
If you get AMD's bargain card, ... read
I usually go with Nvidia when I buy graphics cards, but AMD's new flagship card, the Radeon R9 290X really has my attention. It's definitely a high-end card that can compete with Nvidia's Titan, but it comes at a much more af... read
Valve has assured that the upcoming line of Steam Machines won't exclusively feature Nvidia GPUs. Considering that multiple hardware manufacturers are involved with the initiative, that seems fairly obvious, but the tech spec... read
AMD are behind Xbox One's system-on-a-chip, and the deal to provide Microsoft with this heart for their new system is worth more than $3 billion. This information was pulled from the LinkedIn profile of Bob Feldstein, former ... read
AMD showed off a new rendering technology dubbed TRESSFX that focuses on trying to make hair look better in games. It's an interesting problem that a lot of people probably don't think about, but AMD is trying to pu... read
If you've been holding off buying one of AMD's top-end graphics cards, then here's an offer that may make you splash out. You can get a free copy of Bioshock Infinite and Crysis 3 with the purchase of an HD 7900 card, and sim... read
MSI is ready to release its newest gaming laptop, the GX60, on to the masses later this week and this one is packs a punch.
Looking at the specs for this thing is just making me salivate a little. Powered by a AMD ... read
We've heard reports that PC users are going up against a number of technical issues with RAGE, which publisher Bethesda Softworks has attributed to driver problems. No matter the cause, it's disappointing to see any game -- e... read
AMD and its arch rivals have been duking it in the field of CPU dominance for years. Back in the day, you could reel off a number like 1.8 or 2.2 GHz and proclaim your rig was "better" than your mate's. With the invention of... read
As many of our more tech-savvy readers surely know, this week saw the launch of AMD's latest salvo in the CPU wars -- the Fusion-based Llano APU line. Only the A6-3650 and the A8-3850 have been released so far,... read

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Microsoft has launched Windows 365 today, putting Windows 10 and – eventually – Windows 11 into the cloud. The natural next step after remotely-hosted applications, this new “Cloud PC” category, Microsoft claims, will become instrumental in hybrid workplaces, as businesses try to grapple with employees working remotely and the practical and security challenges that brings.
“With Windows 365, we’re creating a new category: the Cloud PC,” Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft, said of the launch. “Just like applications were brought to the cloud with SaaS, we are now bringing the operating system to the cloud, providing organizations with greater flexibility and a secure way to empower their workforce to be more productive and connected, regardless of location.”
Effectively, Windows 365 loads the OS into a remote computer in Microsoft’s cloud, and then streams the entire thing to a user’s device. Businesses will be able to subscribe on a per-user, per-month pricing system, choosing what OS they want (when Windows 11 becomes generally available later in the year) and what sort of hardware. It’ll mean the ability for an IT department to scale up or down a remote Cloud PC system depending on user needs.
For the user, meanwhile, there’ll be an instant-on boot into their own Cloud PC experience, regardless of which device they’re accessing it on. Windows 365 will be accessed via a standard browser, it seems, which means you’ll be able to log in even if you’re on a Mac, a Chromebook, or something else. Information and files are stored in the cloud, rather than locally, so there’s no concern about inadvertently leaving sensitive documents behind on a shared PC.
While dealing with a greater number of people now working remotely is one obvious advantage for Windows 365, Microsoft argues that the system is about more than just handling the workplace fallout of the pandemic. “Seasonal workers can cycle on and off teams without the logistical challenges of issuing new hardware or securing personal devices — allowing the organization to scale for busy periods more efficiently and securely,” the company points out. “And companies can easily ensure specialized workers in creative, analytics, engineering or scientific roles have greater compute power and secure access to critical applications that they need.”
It’s not the first attempt to offer cloud-based computing services that eschew the local hardware you’re running them on, of course. Microsoft itself has Xbox Cloud Gaming, its subscription-based service that runs titles on a server of remote Xbox Series X consoles and then streams gameplay to computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices; Google Stadia does much the same thing. Earlier this year Mighty promised the power of Chrome but hosted remotely, offering subscriptions to cloud instances of Google’s browser without worrying about the impact on local hardware.
Windows 365 will be available to businesses from August 2, 2021. Pricing will be confirmed closer to that point. As for whether a consumer version is in the pipeline, right now Microsoft isn’t saying.


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Sarbakan's Kinect plans
Two games due from Canada next year.
Quebec, Canada – (November 26, 2010) – Sarbakan Game Studio today announced that it signed an agreement with a multinational corporation for the creation of multiple games on Microsoft’s Kinect, the controller-free, motion-based gaming device for the Xbox 360, released in November 2010.
Under the agreement, Sarbakan will develop two games, yet to be named publically, based on the Kinect platform. The games, which will be sold in retail stores across the United States and Europe next year, are just the beginning of what promises to be a new era in video game development. More details on Sarbakan’s Kinect development and this partnership will be available over the upcoming months.
"We are truly poised as a forward-developing studio," said Guy Boucher, President of Sarbakan. "As we broadened our services to include iOS and Kinect platforms, our existing and potential partners have really ramped up their creative development with Sarbakan to provide their titles and brands across multiple platforms."
Sarbakan is a renowned independent game studio specializing in global cross-platform development services and original game creations. With over 12 years of proven experience as a game studio, delivers memorable experiences for its worldwide publishing partners and customers. From online and iOS titles to downloadable handheld and console games, Sarbakan provides high-quality, and innovative creative approaches for custom games and original titles. Sarbakan is a first party game developer for Microsoft, and has created over 700 titles through partnerships with the top 20 publishers in the industry. Based in Quebec, Canada and with over 80 employees, Sarbakan combines the production capacity and longstanding expertise of a large studio with the creativity and raw dedication only found with an indie developer. For more information on Sarbakan please visit www.sarbakan.com. ;


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Ferrari on Thursday released a teaser video depicting the steering wheel of what could be a new car.
The launch event is scheduled for March 16, and Ferrari has only said that “something special” is coming.
Ferrari calls its limited-edition flagship models, such as the LaFerrari and the Enzo before it, its special series, and the automaker is known to be working on the next model in the series.
The March 16 launch date is also a day before Ferrari’s 499P LMH race car, which is believed to be linked to an upcoming special series model, marking Ferrari’s long-awaited return to the Sebring 1,000-mile premier endurance race.
We’ve got something special for you on March 16th. Save the date. #ferrari pic.twitter.com/qyTeFQGvke
— Ferrari (@Ferrari) March 9, 2023
However, judging by the design of the steering wheel in the teaser, we’re more likely to see an entry-level Ferrari. The design, especially the shape of the central spoke, is similar to that of the Ferrari Roma’s steering wheel.
Ferrari is known to be working on a Roma convertible, and the buzz in the short teaser trailer suggests that the car in the trailer is a convertible. A prototype for the Roma convertible was spotted last year. The car is expected to go into production under the Roma Spider name.
Fans might wonder why Ferrari developed the Roma convertible when there was already a mechanically similar Portofino M convertible. The Roma Convertible has the potential to take over the entry-level convertible role as the Portofino, introduced in 2018 and updated for 2020, starts to age.


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Like many industries, the global denim industry is in survival mode as the COVID-19 pandemic forces business across the supply chain to shut down. And though businesses and consumers may come out of this crisis with new priorities and habits that are informed by an economic downturn, the Circle Economy would like to see sustainable, circular design remain in the fore.
For more than a decade, non-profit Circle Economy has worked to empower businesses and governments to accelerate the transition to the circular economy through practical and scalable insights and solutions. The global denim industry has been one of the key sectors on the organization’s radar. Through a partnership with The Alliance of Responsible Denim, Circle Economy has contributed to the development of a road map for scaling up post-consumer recycled denim—an initiative supported by players across the denim supply chain.
Along with providing training programs for R&D and CSR teams and offering fashion companies tailored support and assessments for their businesses, the organization is currently carrying out Switching Gear, a project that is guiding four apparel brands on a circular innovation process to help them design and launch rental and recommerce business model pilots by 2021.
Prior to the pandemic, Circle Economy textile program lead Gwen Cunningham said innovation in this space was moving forward with companies forming sustainability task forces and budgets to match. However, in the future, as companies begin to rebuild their businesses and adapt to a new normal, they will have to balance uncertainty with recovery and a consumer base that will be more aware of where their fashion is coming from and how it is made.
“We believe that these circular solutions are needed now more than ever, as they look to future-proof the industry, and build systems that do more with less,” she said.
Here, Cunningham shares how she expects circular design to be impacted by coronavirus, and why brands should begin to consider circular concepts to move unsold goods.
Rivet: What effect will the coronavirus have on the denim industry’s focus and investment in sustainable technology?
Gwen Cunningham: On the short term, efforts should be directed to ensure the well-being, safety and security of employees and customers. And of course, in some cases, companies are putting existing assets, like their technologies and factories to use by redeploying them to produce masks and sanitizers, donating products to healthcare workers, etc.
A risk is that the recession, predicted to result from this crisis, will be a setback for sustainability efforts, as pressing financial stress constrains budgets and/or resources that are currently dedicated to sustainability, and priorities generally shift to restoring ‘business as usual.’
We already see that for the short term, brands are putting ‘non-essential’ sustainability projects on hold and budget constraints for corporate social responsibility and innovation. Departments are limiting new engagement in sustainability initiatives during these uncertain times. This is also understandable as some brands and retailers are hit very hard and will struggle to survive.
A hope is, however, that ‘business as usual’ has been irrevocably disrupted, and that this halt in both production and consumption will create a golden opportunity in the medium- to long-term to fundamentally reassess, and leap forward into a new system and new mindset.
Rivet: The cost of sustainability is a hurdle for some brands. Will brands slow down on sustainable products as they try to recover?
GC: It is impossible to predict just how long recovery will take, and what this recovery will look like. However, we know that before the coronavirus pandemic hit, consumer interest and demand for sustainable fashion was at a high. That consumer sentiment, and those values, could be either compounded or curtailed by the current crisis. Brands will be watching this closely.
Aside from the production of new products, many brands must also now deal with huge volumes of pre-consumer unsold inventory. This stock, which is now lying dormant in stores, warehouses and factories worldwide, represents both a challenge and opportunity. Circular thinking and circular design solutions must be applied to capture its value. Any plans to develop new collections must be questioned, until the sustainable management of the current/soon-to-be-old collections are addressed.
Rivet: Will this crisis help raise awareness about sustainable manufacturing and circular products?
GC: The COVID-19 crisis is unveiling much of what was already broken in our economy, society and in our industry. For instance, a fresh light has been cast on the extreme vulnerability of the supply chain, as international brands rescind orders and employees across the entire value chain lose their jobs and income. Bloomberg reports that in Bangladesh alone, roughly $1.5 billion worth [of orders] has been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, leaving many workers with less than a month’s severance, or in cases, nothing at all.
To the average consumer, now concerned with the supply and hygiene of the day-to-day goods that they used to take for granted, the question ‘where did my product come from?’ has never been more pertinent. The coronavirus is alerting us to our interconnectedness, and might help to raise awareness of, and consideration for, the many hands that make our clothing, and the social injustices that play out all along the fashion supply chain.
As a result of COVID-19 a global depression is forecasted, and so demand is expected to plummet. The impact of this economic downturn on the fashion consumer is unknown. A direct loss of income might equate to a renewed appetite for fast fashion, akin to the ‘post-war’ boom of the past. However, in the weeks, if not months, spent in isolation, the average person might begin to identify as a citizen rather than consumer, potentially detaching from the cycle of fast fashion and reflecting on its redundancy, in the greater scheme of things.
We are currently living the phrase ‘less is more,’ and learning first hand that it is true. Therefore, in the long term we could equally see a shrinking of expenditure, and a return to care, repair, and resale as consumers re-orientate toward platforms like ThredUp, United Wardrobe, Depop, which offer a sustainable alternative and value for money.
Rivet: What steps is the Circle Economy taking to help keep the conversation about circular fashion flowing?
GC: We continue to work closely with our partners along the entire value chain—whether collectors, sorters, recyclers, resale platforms, manufacturers or brands—and help them in building products, processes and business models that reduce their dependence on virgin, finite resources and eliminate waste.
We believe that these circular solutions are needed now more than ever, as they look to future-proof the industry, and build systems that do more with less. For instance, our Switching Gear project continues to run, which aims to practically accelerate circular business models in the industry by guiding four apparel brands in the design and launch of a resale or rental pilot by 2021.
And our training program On Course enables brands’ teams to innovate for circularity. For example, building capacity for circular design strategies, which could be utilized to upcycle current pre-consumer stock.


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Last week the Australian government launched a discussion paper which takes aim at organisations that use "take it or leave it" standard form contracts and the technology sector is squarely in its sights.
Software licences, telecommunications agreements and website terms and conditions are just some examples of how organisations are able to manage their risk in high volume/low value transactions by using "take it or leave it" standard form contracts.
When was the last time you negotiated an online agreement? Probably it was the same time you read the agreement before clicking on the "I Agree" button. That is - Never! However the government's proposed new Australian Consumer Law will seek to offer protection to consumers by voiding unfair terms in consumer contracts. A laudable aim however, there is a balance which needs to be struck.
The benefits of the proposed laws are:
- Savings: The Productivity Commission reported that there is a $4.5 billion cost to business of complying with the current consumer law regime, a pastiche of inconsistent state laws and the Federal Trade Practices Act. The new laws will save businesses that expense.
- Clarity: A uniform national law will bring clarity as companies will have the same obligations throughout Australia and consumers will have the same entitlements to protection no matter their location.
The main areas of concern for business are:
- Uncertainty: The proposed laws are the result of an agreement by the Council of Australian Governments. As part of the agreement, COAG defined an "unfair" term in a consumer contract as one which causes a significant imbalance in the parties' rights and obligations under the contract, and is not reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the supplier.
The concern for business is that this definition is capable of very broad interpretation. The law should step in to amend a contract agreed between two parties only in rare cases where the terms are so harsh and unfair as to violate public policy. To allow too many provisions of contracts to be attacked will create risk and uncertainly for vendors, resulting potentially in higher costs for consumers.
The new laws will need to clearly define what is an unfair term of a contract. That way business can assess and manage its risk via the wording of the contract and not face the uncertainty of contractual provisions involving tens of thousands of customers being overturned.
The concern is that the legislation will not clearly set out the parameters and will leave the job to the courts. This creates uncertainty as companies wrestle with simple questions about their terms and condition. For example, how much is fair for a cancellation fee? Does $35 risk being unfair or should it be $25 or less?
- What is a consumer: The discussion paper asks if the unfair contracts provisions should be extended to business to business agreements and not just be restricted to agreements between companies and individuals. This has the potential to significantly widen the scope for standard form agreements to be attacked, thus creating uncertainty and risk for business, especially in the areas of telecommunications, software and franchising.
- Review SFOAs: The Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Chris Bowen, hopes to fast track the new provisions into law by January 1, 2010. Organisations will have to review their existing terms and conditions to ensure compliance with the new laws taking into account this timeframe. An exception to this may be organisations that have operated in Victoria where similar unfair contracts provisions have already made it into law, however, much will depend on the final form of the legislation.
- Risks for foreign vendors: The impact of the laws will likely be that any consumer based in Australia would be entitled to the protections of the new laws. Therefore it is critical that any vendors (including those based outside Australia) selling products or services over the internet must adjust their terms and conditions to ensure that they do not fall foul of the new provisions.
Certainly there are good public policy reasons why the law should step in and correct unfair contracts in certain cases. However, it is a question of balancing fairness, consumer diligence and business efficacy. The Minister has invited comments in response to the paper by March 17, 2009.
|Liveleak on Facebook|


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If you're near Bartow, Fla., you can check in on a new development in plastic pipe production. Australia's Tubi Ltd. has launched modular pipe production on land leased from customer Mosaic Co., producing 500-foot lengths of pipe used in phosphate mining wastewater systems.
Tubi's patented "mobile modular extrusion system" allows the company to turn out pipe right on a job site, which reduces logistics by nearly eliminating shipping issues. Catherine Kavanaugh wrote about it for PN.
The mobile extrusion plants can be packed onto flatbed trucks and hauled to project sites in 72 hours to manufacture high density polyethylene pipe for a wide range of infrastructure projects, Tubi USA officials said.
In addition to two mobile plants in Bartow, Tubi has another plant in operation in Odessa, Texas, and will soon open one in Tucson, Ariz.


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Finding Google Trusted Store validated and certified advertisers in Google Affiliate Network become much easier with the new “badges” that will help publishers identify advertisers who’ve earned the “Google Trusted Store badge.”
Google Affiliate Network now “display a badge next to Google Trusted Store merchants in the U.S. that are also Google Affiliate Network advertisers.”
Google Trusted Stores program helps shoppers buy online with confidence. “The Google Trusted Store badge is only awarded to stores with a proven track record of reliable, on-time shipping and excellent customer service,” informs Google. “So when shoppers see the Google Trusted Store badge on e-commerce websites, they know they’re buying from a store that provides a consistently excellent shopping experience and that Google stands behind them providing up to $1,000 of purchase protection in the rare event of a problem,” the company added.
Advertisers benefit with higher average order sizes and improved conversion rates after becoming a Google Trusted Store. “If you earn the badge, it will automatically appear within your Product Listing Ads on Google.com and Google Shopping, as well as within the Google Affiliate Network interface,” google adds.
In other advertising releated news, the Google posted the second video of “Under the AdWords Hood” Hangout on Air–where AdWords experts discussed the basics of ad rank, like “how bidding and quality score factor into determining the positioning of your ads.”
AdWords Specialists Philip Stern, shared his best practices for bidding to achieve optimal ranking, and Sarah Claxton Deming Sarah discussed how quality score is calculated.
Watch the full video below:


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Sun VARS: Hurd won’t change Oracle’s direct-sales focus
Barbara Darrow, Senior News Director
Published: 17 Sep 2010
Some Hewlett-Packard VARs might follow former CEO Mark Hurd into the Oracle/Sun camp, saying he could moderate the company’s direct-sales focus.
MORE ON ORACLE’S DIRECT SALES FOCUS
HP VARs stunned by Hurd’s exit
Oracle to take more Sun hardware renewal biz direct
Oracle-Sun deal done: Channel shakeout expected
Oracle-Sun convergence: What VARs need to know.
But others that have followed Oracle Corp. for years said no company executive short of CEO Larry Ellison can or will change the company’s long-standing direct game plan. And there is zero indication that will happen. Just last night, Ellison reaffirmed that the company will continue its direct-sales and direct-support focus — and even expand it to include its new hardware portfolio.
“We are a direct sales company,” Ellison told analysts and reporters on Oracle’s quarterly earnings call. “We have direct relationships in software, and we need them in both the sales and service side for hardware.”
Oracle will hire 2,000 more sales staff, including sales engineers and service engineers, Ellison also said.
Even those in the channel who think new Oracle co-president Hurd will have an initial moderating influence on the company’s direct sales force said it probably won’t last long. Hurd will speak at Oracle OpenWorld 2010 next week and many are curious to see what he’ll have to say regarding the channel’s role.
“Hurd may temporarily make Oracle more channel friendly, but when he leaves it won’t be channel friendly anymore,” said Kevin McDonald, vice president of Alvaka Networks Inc., an Irvine, Calif., solutions provider.
McDonald said no VAR should rely too much on one vendor and should instead market his or her own value-add and brand versus that of any IT vendor. This is not just an Oracle issue, he said.
“The problem is you can’t build a business model around any of these vendors,” he said.
With them, when it comes to channel strategy, it’s always about “the executive du jour, not about company commitment,” he added. “They go back and forth between a direct and channel sales model, and every time they do, they ruin [channel] businesses.”
Some HP partners have been quoted saying they might kick the tires of Sun hardware now that Hurd is aboard at Oracle. They saw Hurd as a channel champion at HP and expect him to be the same at Oracle. The problem is, Hurd had free reign at HP. At Oracle, he works for Ellison. And longtime Sun partners, many of whom have already partnered with and dropped Oracle as a software provider, said Ellison’s vote is the only one that matters.
One longtime Sun partner in New England noted that Hurd will have to deal with an HP lawsuit before jumping whole-hog into Oracle’s hardware business. But even if that were not the case, this partner said he doesn’t see how Hurd could change the Oracle culture.
“Larry [has] money-machine thinking, and his stated goal [is] to sell direct — unless he wants Oracle to sell low-end commodity Wintel hardware, printers, ink and cameras through the channel,” said this VAR, who is moving more of his customers to IBM and HP hardware. “The partners that follow that mentality I think may be a bit naïve. I certainly wouldn’t bet on it. I always say hope for the best and plan for the worst. And hope isn’t a strategy.”
Let us know what you think about the story; email Barbara Darrow, Senior News Director at firstname.lastname@example.org, or follow us on twitter.


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Toyota, one of the world leaders in transportation, has recently announced that the cumulative figures for their worldwide sales of the company’s hybrid vehicles have reached 9.014-million units as of the 30th of April. Quite obviously, it has went over their 9-million-unit mark. What’s even more surprising, to the delight of the known automaker, is that this milestone was achieved in just 9 months.
Toyota Surpasses 9-Million Hybrid Vehicle Units Sold in Just 9 Months
A priority of Toyota is helping to mitigate the environmental effects of vehicles around the globe. The company is encouraging the mass-market adoption of hybrid vehicles worldwide which is based on a stance wherein eco-friendly vehicles can indeed have a truly significant positive aspect should these are widely used. By the end of April of this year, the company is selling 33 hybrid passenger car models, as well as one plug-in hybrid variant, in over 90 regions and countries.
Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative of Middle East & North Africa Representative Office of Toyota Motor Corporation, commented the following pertaining to the milestone: “The steady increase in hybrid sales reflects the worldwide appeal of hybrid vehicles backed by Toyota’s significant efforts in developing ever better cars. Hybrid is the practical way towards green motoring and it actually delivers a more relaxed and rewarding drive than a conventional car. Our constant efforts in developing the most innovative technology combined with customer acceptance of hybrid vehicles as a viable and sophisticated motoring alternative has enabled us to reach this prominent milestone. We sincerely appreciate the support of our customers for our environmentally friendly initiatives, which have encouraged us to continue our efforts in developing hybrid technologies.”
The automaker had announced about the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 in October of last year. With the announcement, the company had set challenges that will be undertaken to promote the reduction of the negative impacts that automobiles have towards global environmental health to become as close to zero as possible. Furthermore, the car manufacturer plans on contributing to the creation of a sustainable society.
To fulfill such challenges, Toyota is now working on expanding its range of hybrid vehicles further still. Also, it will work towards contributing towards the environment by achieving annual sales of 1.5-million units, as well as the cumulative sales of 15-million units by the year 2020. The firm calculates that as of the 30th of April of this year, the use of the company’s hybrid vehicles, in lieu of traditional vehicles with similar size and driving performance, has resulted in about 67-million fewer tons of CO2 emissions, of which is believed to be a leading cause of global warming.
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Nowadays, it seems tech companies spend more time in court than they do in the laboratory. This year’s action got off to a silly start when a patent troll claimed he was entitled to 84% of Facebook. Not long after this, Oracle sued Google’s Android OS for intellectual property infringement, then Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen topped ‘em all by suing every company that had ever used electricity to power its products.
Motorola was sued just last week for allegedly infringing on patents held by Microsoft. Perhaps worried that there might not be any intellectual property courthouses left if they waited much longer, Motorola has decided to sue Apple over its iPads and iPhones allegedly infringing on 18 of Motorola’s antenna design and wireless technology patents.
On a less litigious note, Android-based phones may soon be able to utilize PayPal to purchase mobile apps. A deal between Google and PayPal will supposedly be announced later this month at the PayPal Developers Conference in San Francisco. The move would help level the playing field between Google’s app store and the easy-to-use Apple version, and give Google a better shot at living up to those predictions that it will become the #2 mobile OS by year’s end.


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Orly International, Inc./Sparitual
More from Orly International, Inc./Sparitual
Jeff Pink, Founder of Iconic Beauty Brand, Launches Best-Selling Memoir
The founder of ORLY, Jeff Pink, has successfully launched his book commemorating the brand's history and his own personal journey.
Jul 9th, 2021
Orly’s Garden-Inspired Collection Blooms Just in Time for Spring
The Super Bloom collection from Orly was inspired by an “oversaturated garden wonderland” and includes shades of coral, periwinkle, lilac and sky blue.
Apr 20th, 2021
NEW LAUNCH: ORLY's NEW Breathable Treatments
ORLY has released three new Breathable Treatments, formulated to restore and protect the health of your clients natural nails.
Jan 7th, 2021


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Admin removes encroachments from Mall Road
LAHORE – An operation was carried out on Mall Road against encroachments near Regal Chowk here on Monday.
Lahore Deputy Commissioner Umar Sher Chattha supervised the operation during which about a dozen billboards, advertisement banners for marketing and election campaign banners were removed. The authorities also instructed the shop owners to maintain cleanliness in the market and avoid unnecessary advertisement through large billboards. The deputy commissioner said that Mall Road was an important road of the provincial capital, and it was officially declared a heritage site. He said that the operation was conducted to preserve its architectural value for people and to restore the beauty of The Mall. He said that around 23 roads and main arteries of the city had been marked by the department which would soon be transformed into model roads and streetlights would also be repaired.
Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) CEO Syed Ali Bukhari and other staff were present on the occasion.


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Differential Brands Group Inc. has tapped Throat Threads Apparel to help it expand its reach in the Canadian market.
The New York-based global consumer brands company, which also owns Robert Graham and Swims, acquired Hudson Jeans as part of its purchase of Joe’s Jeans in 2015. Hudson had been part of the Joe’s Jeans family since 2013. Since the acquisition by Differential, Hudson’s has named a new president as well as a new creative director, Zihaad Wells, and has been working to increase its visibility.
Russ Fearon, chief executive officer of Throat Threads, said that although Hudson’s has been offered in the Canadian market, the new ownership and direction of the label is expected to further advance its standing in the country.
“They’re going back to their roots, adding sportswear,” he said. “We think it’ll do very well in Canada.” The line is 80 percent women’s, 20 percent men’s, he said.
“We are very excited to be a part of the rebirth of Hudson Jeans. They will continue to push boundaries with their product style and customers’ expectations. By combining our customer service infrastructure, replenishment programs and expertise with Hudson’s progressive product mix, Hudson Jeans will be a brand to watch for 2018,” said Candice MacNay, sales director of Throat Threads Apparel.
Fearon said the line will be targeted to some of Canada’s large retailers such as Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom but will primarily be targeted to independent specialty retailers.
“We look forward to partnering with Throat Threads Apparel for the Canadian market. They have a proven reputation of building premium brands in the best retailers across Canada,” said Michael Buckley, ceo of Differential.


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A New York couple has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines for putting their son at risk. . Their four-year old son has a severe nut allergy, which they claim they made clear to American when making their reservation and then told by a gate agent that there would be no nuts served on the plane.
However, on their flight from JFK to LAX, they claim that not only were the flight attendants loud, sarcastic and belittling, but they sold warm nuts to passengers in the cabin. American does have a peanut policy, as noted below.
American recognizes that some passengers are allergic to peanuts. Although we do not serve peanuts, we do serve other nut products and there may be trace elements of unspecified peanut ingredients, including peanut oils, in meal and snacks. We make no provisions to be peanut-free. Additionally, other customers may bring peanuts on board. Therefore, we cannot guarantee customers will not be exposed to peanuts during flight and strongly encourage customers to take all necessary medical precautions to prepare for the possibility of exposure.
Essentially, they are avoiding issues of allergies to nuts they do serve. If an airline is selling warm nuts to people on a transcontinental flight, they should be aware they could suffer a medical emergency(which, if forces a diversion, will cost them more money than their nut profit.) Airlines that serve peanuts often will make announcements and put up signs. Which is not guaranteeing a peanut-free flight, merely ensuring a safe environment for the poor allergic passenger.
The passengers did not expect American to give them a guarantee. Nothing is guaranteed. And passengers can bring their own substances on board. But some arrangement could be made. At the very least a kind and understanding flight attendant.
The parents have announced the proceeds from the lawsuit will be donated to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.


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10 Jul BEMG Capturing Attention of Mortgage Industry – Industry Leading Publications Taking Notice
SUNRISE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / July 10, 2018 / Beta Music Group, Inc. (OTC PINK: BEMG), through its operating subsidiary Get Credit Healthy, an award-winning platform that transforms currently untapped markets into a well-qualified, well-informed applicant pool that desires and more importantly, qualifies for the financial products offered by financial institutions, announced today that Elizabeth Karwowski, CEO has had two articles recently published in industry leading publications.
The first article was published in Tomorrow’s Mortgage Executive titled, Lenders: Are You Unwittingly Violating The Consumer Credit Protection Act?. The Consumer Credit Protection Act. No doubt you’ve heard of it but, unless you’re a consumer protection lawyer or a masochist, you’ve probably never sat down and read it. Sure, everyone knows that law prevents ”evil corporations” from taking advantage of consumers, but did you know that it also might penalize you or your company for trying to help your potential clients?
That’s right; you can be sued by the CFPB for providing assistance to your potential clients. This may seem counter-intuitive, but the way the law is written, if you or anyone in your institution attempts to help clients clear up some blemishes or inaccuracies on their credit reports with the goal of qualifying them for one of your financial products, you can be sued under a sub-part of the Consumer Credit Protection Act commonly referred to as The Credit Repair Organizations Act.
To read the full article go to: http://www.progressinlending.com/TME0418/TME0418ComplianceFeature.pdf.
The second article was published in Today’s Lending Insights titled, Be A Hero, Recapture Your Potential Borrower Leads. It goes without saying that lenders in today’s housing market face a much more burdensome task than their predecessors of just ten years ago. The financial crisis of 2008 forever changed the face of the American economy. The federal government enacted stringent regulations, which were designed to protect and prevent consumers without sufficient means from assuming ”overly-burdensome” financial obligations.
The recession also prompted many lenders and banks to re-evaluate their own general lending practices and qualification parameters, making it much more difficult for those consumers with less than stellar credit to obtain a mortgage. Implementing those barriers was necessary in some cases. In many others, consumers who would otherwise qualify for a mortgage are denied every day, irrespective of their actual ability to pay back those loans, because credit scores are now weighed so heavily.
To read the full article go to: http://progressinlending.com/2018/04/12/be-a-hero-recapture-your-potential-borrower-leads/.
“It is humbling to see leading industry publications take notice of the solutions we have developed that create new loan opportunities for lenders where we are able to partner consumers with non-profits to get the help and education that they need for their financial well being,” said Elizabeth Karwowski, newly appointed CEO of BEMG and of Get Credit Healthy.


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Portland-based Ruby Receptionists is opening a new Beaverton office, where the company plans to employ 174 people by 2015.
The company's new 30,882-square-foot office at 14795 S.W. Murray Scholls Drive is its first expansion outside its 15,000-square-foot Northwest Portland headquarters. Ruby Receptionists opened in 2003.
The company has 135 employees, including 35 at the Beaverton location.
Read more at OregonLive.com.


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The people at OnePlus are seeking to change all that, with their WarpChargeSOS fire truck taking to the streets of London to top people up.
The Warp Charge 30T technology, which will be available on the upcoming OnePlus 7T, delivers up to 70% power in just 30 minutes.
The “battery rescue service” will be available to those selected from Twitter who send their battery emergency with the #WarpChargeSOS hash-tag. It’s in London today, Amsterdam on October 5th and Helsinki on October 9th.
Got a battery emergency? The #WarpChargeSOS service is here to save the day. For today only, our rescue team will be in London to save you if you're dangerously low on juice.
— OnePlus UK (@OnePlus_UK) October 3, 2019
More details on the OnePlus Twitter feed


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Midwest Circle K Offers Hunt Brothers Pizza
MANTENO, Ill. – A Hunt Brothers Pizza and Hunt Brothers Wings, the vendor reported..
“We were thrilled to add Hunt Brothers Pizza to our current convenience store food offerings,” Linda Hobbs, store manager of the Circle K said in a released statement. “We recognized a growing consumer demand for hot, fresh food options at our location, and Hunt Brothers Pizza provides us with quality pizza and wings.”
The store’s pizza program kicked off January 24th, and store management is already pleased with the results they are experiencing.
“Hunt Brothers Pizza offered an easy program and quality pizza with consistent good tasting ingredients,” Karen Walter, food service manager of Circle K said in a released statement. “After reviewing other food offerings and companies; we found that Hunt Brothers Pizza provided the best choice for our customers.”


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According to executives surveyed by the Institute for Supply Management, manufacturing will shrink in 2020 as average revenue falls 10.3% and capital expenditures fall 19.1% over the rest of the year. The ISM’s December 2019 report, published before the coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, had originally predicted 4.8% average revenue growth and a 2.1% drop in capital expenditure.
Only 18% of manufacturing respondents said that their own company’s revenue would increase over the year, and predicted on average a rise of 10.6%. About a quarter of all manufacturers, 24%, expected no change in their own company’s revenue, and 58% of respondents predicted their own company’s revenue would fall an average of 21%.
“With 15 of the 18 manufacturing sector industries—including five of the six big industry sectors—predicting revenue declines for 2020, panelists forecast that recovery will likely not occur until near the end of the year,” said ISM Chair Timothy Fiore.
Clothing and leather manufacturers as well as food and beverage producers reported that they expected revenue to increase. Manufacturers in all other sectors—including transportation equipment, primary metals, machinery, textile mills, electrical equipment, fabricated metal products, chemical products, and paper products—expect it to contract.
The survey also indicated that the operating rate in manufacturing is currently about 75.9% of normal capacity, or 7.8% less than the reported rate in December 2019. Prices of raw materials are expected to fall a total of 1.6% by the end of the year compared to the end of 2019: given the movement of prices earlier in the year, that predicts prices will increase by 1.2% over the rest of 2020.
Manufacturing employment is expected to decrease by 5.3% by the end of the year as the sector as a whole contracts. Manufacturers in every surveyed sector except for paper products anticipated that employment in their sector would fall over the course of the year.


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Level 5 will release Time Travelers in Japan this coming summer, according to a Nintendo retail pamphlet. The book says the time travelling adventure will launch in either June or July, backing up a tweet from the game’s composer of a summer release back in February.
Time Travelers will launch on 3DS, PSP and Vita. Thanks, Andriasang.
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. For more information, go here.


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Chandigarh youngster Madhav Ahuja sets up Chandigarh’s largest Patanjali store: There is good news for Ayurveda and Herbal care enthusiasts of tricity – a mega store of Patanjali has opened in Sector 44D of Chandigarh, bringing nearly 3000 products of different categories under one roof.
The largest Patanjali store in Chandigarh spread in an area of over 16.5 x 75 feet – was opened with the blessings of Thakur Sri Radharaman Lal in the holy presence of Sri Manmadhav Gouria Vaishnvacharya Sri Kartik Goswami ji Maharaj.
The retail outlet is on the ground floor while a similar sized basement space (16.5 x 75 feet) has been made for the storage of products.
The Mega Store is a venture of Shri Ji Enterprises of a 25-year-old Chandigarh entrepreneur – Madhav Ahuja. While speaking to the media at the unveiling of Patanjali’s Mega Store Madhav said, “It was my dream to establish Patanjali’s Mega Store in Chandigarh. I wanted to do something related to Ayurveda and its promotion as it is India’s time tested traditional medicinal science which needs to be brought to the forefront. The positive aspect is that I am seeing a trend where youngsters are turning towards Ayurveda and are going back to their roots even while setting up businesses. Ayurveda will certainly get a boost with youth establishing Ayurveda start-ups.”
“I am happy that now I am also part of the ‘Made in India’ initiative,” added Ahuja.
The mega store will also offer free doctor consultation to address lifestyle induced diseases like blood pressure and diabetes, which can now be countered by adopting a naturopathy and Ayurveda based regimen. Healthy Soya products under Patanjali Nutrela brand will also be available at the mega store.
Not just Ayurveda based medicines and healthy drinks but the Patanjali Mega store will be a one-stop-shop for all of one’s grocery needs. Dry fruits, pulses, rice, and wheat flour all will be available. It will be an outlet providing a 360 degree provision for all of one’s household needs.
In reply to a question, he said that this outlet has been established after 2- 3 years of intense research on the needs of the market in terms of Ayurveda and other daily use products and also to find the right location. The outlet is centrally located and will provide the much needed one stop centre for all of Patanjali products, he said.
The outlet will get all products straight from the corporate headquarters of Patanjali in Haridwar. It is expected that there will be 4- 6 refills of products under different categories each month due to high demand and off take.
It is noteworthy that Madhav is also eyeing to open another mega store of Patanjali in Mohali.


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AMA’s most recent CMO Survey is “bursting with good news,” reports AMADC. Some of the “good news” includes:
Yearly growth in marketing spending is soaring. It has now broken 10% growth for only the second time in a decade and is predicted to rise 13.6%, this year. Marketing is 11.7% of company budgets and 10.3% of company revenues.
Digital spending climbing. Currently 57.1% of marketing budgets, it is expected to increase 16.2% this year. Marketers are spending on digital innovations such as data analytics, optimizing company websites, digital media and search, and marketing technologies systems and platforms.
More jobs for marketers. Job growth was up 12.2% in 2021 and is expected to climb 10.5% in 2022. Many marketers are struggling to fill key roles and develop a leadership pipeline at the time they need to most.
Findings from the February 2022 edition of The CMO Survey are based on responses from 320 U.S. marketing leaders at for-profit companies,


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According to Nikkei, Nikon plans to release a mirrorless camera before the 2019 fiscal year is out.
And it’ll likely be a budget option, one that comes in at about half the price of the Nikon Z6.
Here’s the direct (translated) quote from Nikkei:
Nikon will introduce a new mid-price mirrorless camera product in fiscal 2019. The same interchangeable lens can be used in the product that corresponds to a sister model such as the high-end model “Z7” launched by the company in the autumn of . It is expected that the price will be in the 100,000 yen range, which is easier for the general consumer to pick up than the leading 200,000 to 400,000 yen model. The aim is to develop the demand of users other than existing enthusiasts.
Regarding price: 100,000 yen falls around 900 dollars, which would be a dramatic reduction in price compared to the Z7 and even the Z6, Nikon’s two current full-frame mirrorless models.
A 900 dollar full-frame mirrorless option would likely be welcomed by those DSLR shooters who just can’t afford the current Nikon mirrorless prices, but are looking for something lighter than their current DSLR setup.
But we also have to ask:
What Z-level features will Nikon leave behind in order to cut costs?
First of all, we can’t be sure the new mirrorless option is full frame. The original report doesn’t say this outright. But the claim that the new product “corresponds to a sister model such as the high-end model ‘Z7′” suggests the new camera won’t be fundamentally different. And an APS-C Z mirrorless body would be fundamentally different.
But even if the camera is full frame, other important features might be dropped.
For instance, might we see the loss of an EVF? Personally, I would see this as deeply frustrating. Mirrorless EVFs are one of the strengths of mirrorless systems. I wouldn’t like to see it go.
What do you think? What will this new mirrorless camera be like?
And would you be interested in purchasing it?


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Cygames Has Not Ruled Out Granblue Fantasy Versus for Other Platforms
Cygames wants to get as many people as possible into Granblue Fantasy Versus.
Cygames and Arc System Works’ upcoming fighting title Granblue Fantasy Versus is coming exclusively to PS4 later this year. During E3 2019, we sat down with Kenichiro Takaki from Cygames to talk about potential platform releases following the PS4 version’s launch.
Back around the time when the game was first revealed the director of Granblue Fantasy, Tetsuya Fukuhara, said that the team was interested in potentially bringing Versus to PC. I asked -Takaki-san if the team is still interested in this, as well as a Nintendo Switch port, leading up to the launch of the PS4 version. He said:
“…handhelds are super big in Japan. It’s so easy to play and access. What we envision kind of requires higher specs with the console games. However, one thing that really drives it this time around is that we want as many people as possible to get introduced to the franchise and enjoy the game. We aren’t taking a stance saying no we definitely won’t be doing something on Switch, that’s not the case. Ultimately, it always strongly depends on the game itself. What platform is best suited for a certain title? That is the decision we have to make.”
In regard to a potential PC version:
“Nothing is set in stone and I cannot really say. Definitely at this point, as I just mentioned with regard to the last question, it’s important for us to have as many people as possible enjoy the game and get introduced to the franchise. Going by that logic you know what that means (stay tuned).”
It seems like as of right now, the team is fully focused on developing the game for PS4 players. But with a multitude of Arc System Works games making their ways to other platforms like PC and Switch with BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle and Dragon Ball FighterZ, it’s easy, for me at least, to imagine Granblue Fantasy Versus making its way to these platforms. For now, we’ll have to wait and see what happens.
In other news, Cygames announced that they’re partnering with XSEED Games for the western release of Granblue Fantasy Versus. Last month, Ladiva was revealed as the latest character joining the roster.
You can check out our full interview when it goes live tomorrow morning. Granblue Fantasy Versus has no official release date but is still set to launch later this year.


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The Auto Care Association announced it will be hosting a new webinar on Dec. 1, 2017 at 11 a.m. EST, discussing the topic of mystery shopping and the benefits it can bring to businesses across the auto care supply chain, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers and repair shops.
The Auto Care Association has announced a new trade mission to Costa Rica on May 21--22, 2018 as part of the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) award the association received from the U.S. Department of Commerce to support export promotion projects in Latin America.
Recently, the Auto Care Association released its 2018 State of Auto Care report, a comprehensive resource of the industry’s key facts, most pressing issues and how the association is addressing them from every possible angle.
The Auto Care Association formalized its relationship with the Asociación Nacional de Representantes, Importadores y Distribuidores de Refacciones y Accesorios para Automóviles, A.C. (ARIDRA), a Mexico-based civil association that integrates manufacturers, representatives, importers and distributors of spare parts and accessories for automobiles.
WIN® is committed to financially supporting females who demonstrate their desire to excel in the field of collision repair through the WIN Scholarship Program.
The National Auto Body Council (NABC) announced new officers and Board members for its 2018 Board of Directors.
The Import Vehicle Community, a community of the Auto Care Association, announced its 2017 People Award winners during an awards luncheon attended by more than 400 people at the AAPEX show in Las Vegas.
In September 2017, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released new federal guidance for Automated Driving Systems (ADS): A Vision for Safety 2.0.
Young auto care industry professionals attending this year’s AutoZone National Sales Meeting in Memphis, TN, had the chance to see the newest products and explore networking opportunities with their industry peers through the Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG).


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Friday 11 December, 2020
A big thank you to Dell Children’s Health Plan and individual volunteers for sponsoring our supply boxes for the past few months. This sponsorship has been a gift to families, allowing them some financial breathing room as the health and economic crises continue. Dell Children’s Health Plan was the first corporate sponsor for our new supply boxes. They provided financial support to ensure that any supply boxes that were not sponsored by individual volunteers would be filled as well as other items such as measuring cups and first aid kits.
As a longtime subscriber to the Saint Louise House newsletter, Ruth Pacheco-Manriquez of Dell Children’s Health Plan, saw the need in the newsletter and responded to the call. With their commitment to the health of families, Dell Children’s Health Plan is a natural fit for providing families the household and hygiene supplies families need to stay healthy.
We are grateful for the opportunity to build a new partnership with Dell Children’s Health Plan and look forward to more opportunities to work together to ensure the health of Texas families.


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Hyundai strives to take a leading position in Europe in the EV segmentJanuary 30, 2020
The Korean company is striving to become the largest electric car manufacturer in Europe this year after launching production of an electric version of Kona at its Czech plant.
Hyundai will begin production of Kona Electric in March at its Nosovice plant, 380 km east of Prague, the company said on Thursday. At the same time, gasoline, hybrid and diesel versions of the compact crossover will continue to be imported to Europe from Korea. The automaker will also increase supplies to Europe Kona Electric from its plant in South Korea.
These steps will triple the availability of Kona Electric for customers in Europe and dramatically reduce delivery times, the Hyundai press service said.
“Since the start of sales in 2018, the demand for Kona Electric has exceeded expectations, and the increase in capacity is designed to keep up with the growing demand,” the report said.
Hyundai said it will provide more than 80,000 zero-emission vehicles this year for European customers, including Kona Electric, Ioniq Electric, and a Nexo fuel cell vehicle. The brand’s management hopes that more than 60 thousand cars sold out of the total number of electric cars will have to Kona Electric.
“Thanks to this development, Hyundai expects to become the largest supplier of zero-emissions cars in Europe in 2020,” the company said.
Hyundai is likely to purchase batteries for Kona Electric in Europe, and an announcement is expected in the coming weeks. Korean battery manufacturers LG Chem and SK Innovation have factories in Europe – in Poland and Hungary, respectively.
Kona is Hyundai’s second best-selling car in Europe after the Tucson compact SUV. Kona’s European sales increased 61% to 107,409 last year, according to a report by JATO Dynamics analysts.
- Mitsubishi L200 did not cope with the “moose test”
- Tesla Roadster Decomposes in Space
- A glowing Mercedes-Benz logo can lead to an accident
- Volkswagen Beetle pickup made into tiny camper
- Why does an electric Hummer need “crab mode”


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The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is looking into the lower-denominated currencies, both banknotes and coins, that have low demand or may have reduced public usage as they improve their currency forecasting capabilities.
While the review is part of BSP’s periodical evaluation of all currency denomination, BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said focus is on denominations which have low or waning demand in terms of public usage as the country transitions into a more digitalized payment systems.
“In the conduct of currency demand forecasts, currency planning and production, the BSP is currently looking into denominations that have low demand,” said Diokno in a virtual press chat on Monday, June 20.
Diokno said the changing mix of currency denomination “should be compatible with the real demand in response to changes in circumstances such as in e-payment usage, price level and consumer preferences.”
One of the first things that Diokno, who will leave the BSP for his new stint as finance secretary by the end of this month, did when he assumed the unexpired term of the late Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. in 2019 was to issue a P20 coin alongside its banknote version that is still in circulation up to today.
The BSP outsourced a P20 coin to reduce the cost of replacing P20 unfit banknotes, said Diokno.
The outgoing BSP chief reiterated on Mondat that the emergence of conctactless payment technology has revolutionized the retail payment systems.
“The use of banknotes and coins is expected to taper off over time particularly the low-denomination currencies,” he added.
The BSP is always improving on the usefulness of its currency forecasting especially with the rise of digitalization and the need for a more cost-effective currency production.
To strengthen its currency forecasting methods and capabilities, the BSP leverages on rapid technological advancements in the global payment system.
Besides the periodic reviews of its forecasting models, the BSP also conducts specialized learning and development programs on currency forecasting and mandatory econometrics training for its forecasting team.
Diokno said since the BSP is the sole issuer of Philippine currency, they have to continuously provide undisrupted, responsive, and strategic currency services throughout the entire cash cycle, which begins with forecasting demand.
Since last year, the BSP has been analyzing and reviewing the currency denominational structure as the country transitions into a cash-lite and non-coin society.
The BSP is in fact preparing the public for an eventual coinless payment method by 2025 or even earlier.
Diokno said previously that BSP will have a “phased approach” in transitioning from a cash-heavy to a state where there is less cash and less coins in circulation. The aim is that by next year, 50 percent of all payment transactions are in digital form. As of end-2020, about 20.1 percent of all transactions have migrated into digital or e-money.
At the moment, the BSP prints five banknotes denominations and seven coin denominations.
The seven coins produced by the BSP are the 1-sentimo, 5-sentimo, 25-sentimo, 1-piso, 5-piso, 10-piso and 20-piso. The 10-sentimo has been removed when the New Generation Currency coins were re-launched in 2018, but it was not demonetized.
Both the banknote and coin version of the P20 will continue to co-exist until the BSP rans out of materials for the P20 banknote, but to date, the BSP has not called for its demonetization yet. The five banknotes remain as the 50-piso, 100-piso, 200-piso, 500-piso and 1,000-piso.
Meantime, since April this year, the BSP has released 10 million of polymer P1,000 banknotes which it outsourced from the Austrailian central bank.
For 2022, the BSP will circulate 158.4 million of polymer money. The next batch will be circulated in September. Next year, the BSP said it will release a larger volume of polymer banknotes amounting to 331.6 million.


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AT&T Gets FCC Permission to Buy Pay-as-Go Provider LeapTodd Shields
AT&T Inc. won final federal regulatory clearance for its $1.2 billion purchase of Leap Wireless International Inc., adding customers and spectrum to the second-largest U.S. wireless carrier.
The Federal Communications Commission today announced its approval of the transaction for Leap, the sixth-largest U.S. wireless carrier, in a statement on the agency’s website. Antitrust regulators also have cleared the deal, said Gina Talamona, a Justice Department spokeswoman.
AT&T, with 110 million wireless subscribers, agreed to divest airwaves in 12 areas, mainly in Texas, and to maintain rate plans of $40 per month and less, according to the FCC order. The deal would bring Leap’s 4.6 million pay-as-you-go customers and airwaves in 35 states to AT&T, which has been hunting spectrum since it abandoned a bid for T-Mobile US Inc. under regulators’ objections in 2011.
Wireless companies are competing to acquire airwaves -- the frequencies that let devices make calls and download data -- to meet rising demand for video and music downloading from smartphones and tablet.
The Leap deal extends a string of telecommunications acquisitions as small U.S. carriers look to team up with larger companies. Interest in mergers continues, with Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son, chairman of Tokyo-based SoftBank Corp., considering a purchase of fourth-largest U.S. carrier T-Mobile after buying No. 3 Sprint Corp. last year.
In the Leap transaction, AT&T agreed to pay $15 a share, or $1.2 billion, for the San Diego-based company and to add proceeds from the sale of some of Leap’s frequencies in Chicago. The deal also includes about $2.9 billion in net debt.
Leap shares jumped after the July 12 announcement of the deal as investors speculated the airwaves’ worth at $2 a share. Leap rose less than 1 percent $17.52 at 4 p.m. New York time.
Leap in a March 6 filing said it lost $603.5 million in 2013 following losses the previous two years, and had a 26.5 percent reduction in the number of customers over 21 months to Dec. 31, 2013.
AT&T, based in Dallas, agreed to help Leap customers with some legacy models of Apple Inc.’s iPhone migrate onto its network without having to replace their devices, according to AT&T filings with the FCC.
When it announced the deal, AT&T said it would expand Leap’s pay-as-you-go Cricket brand after it acquires the company’s retail stores, customers and network that covers 96 million people.
AT&T told the FCC that customers of both companies will enjoy better coverage. The transaction doesn’t trigger extra scrutiny under FCC spectrum policy in most areas, and where it does “ample spectrum remains available,” AT&T said.
Public Knowledge, a Washington-based policy group, said in an e-mailed statement it was pleased with the airwaves divestitures. The removal from the market of low-cost provider Leap was “troubling,” John Bergmayer, senior staff attorney with the policy group, said in the statement.
Verizon Wireless is the revenue leader among U.S. mobile carriers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.


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Swift Network has lunched a free broadband WiFi service called Red Cheetah. This Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) gives you access to a world of free, fast, secure, and reliable internet service while on the go or at your favourite hangout spots. For your next gigabyte fix, this high-quality broadband service is not only completely free of charge to the subscriber but has no download limits.
The service does not require any modem to be accessed in public spaces and can be accessed via any WiFi-enabled device like smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.
The company plans to establish 10,000 WiFi hotspots across Lagos State with two million estimated daily users and making it easy to use. Users can register as many devices as possible and each device is entitled to a 1GB data cap daily.
Lagos has been chosen as a primary test location to refine the product before branching out to other states in Nigeria and Africa.
The Chief Executive Officer, Swift Network, Mr Charles Anudu, during the unveiling of the service said the service would be pushed out through a new brand under the stable of Swift Networks called ”Red Cheetah”.
“The Red Cheetah is expected to help deepen Nigeria’s broadband penetration and aspiration for universal access to greater social equity and inclusion.
“The service follows the Swift tradition of demystifying and making technology to work for Nigerians so that they can hook up to the digital world to explore, work and entertain more effectively.
“This cutting edge service model will rapidly be extended to more cities in Nigeria and the continent,” he said.
Anudu said as regards the security of the service, users access would be enhanced by Red Cheetah app, which would establish a distinct and secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection to the internet for each device on the platform.
“We are happy that everything about Red Cheetah is Nigerian and this shows that we can achieve when we commit to solving the problems of our society, taking our context into consideration.
“Our plan is to roll out Red Cheetah hotspots in Lagos which will be the largest Wi-Fi footprint anywhere in Africa and will cover many verticals including schools, airports, buses, taxis, shopping malls, anywhere Nigerians need research, catch up on work.
“This revolutionary service powered by Swift is fast, secure, reliable and supported by legendary sponsor brands with strong commitment to corporate social responsibility to Nigerian,” he said.
Anudu said that Red Cheetah hotspots went live in Lagos earlier this month at certain locations like in over 200-BRT buses, some Tastee Fried Chicken, Eko Hospital and is still ongoing to meet the 1000 target in Lagos.
He said that for an outlet to have the service, it had to attract 20 people with smart device on a daily basis. He urged users not to decline on the adverts that take place in the service, so as not to be cut off.
To gaining access to this free browsing service, Subscribers only have to download the Red Cheetah app on the Android Play Store and register. Windows and iOS versions of the app will be available in the next 3 months.
Android users can download the Red Cheetah app from google play store or by clicking HERE.


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Milk producers in Estonia are earning modest profits in the aftermath of a long trend for rising, now record, prices and demand exceeding supply, ERR reports.
However, high input costs have complicated matters, and milk and other dairy products reaching their price apex, which some producers and sellers think they may already have done in Estonia and across Europe, might actually make things simpler.
Consumers meanwhile are reining in purchases and searching for the best price offers they can find.
Whereas a year ago you a liter of milk cost a little under 40 cents, the price today is around the 75 cents-per-liter mark, while the price of raw milk from dairy farms has risen consecutively for the past 19 months.
Between September and October alone, milk prices in stores rose by 4.5 percent.
The demand is significantly greater than the supply, but the price cannot rise indefinitely.
At the same time, there is no danger, or danger to producers at least, that cheaper competition will come in from other countries, Lenno Link, board member at large Järva County dairy collective Väätsa Agro, says.
The milk market across the three Baltic States is comparatively uniform, he told ERR, while Estonian-produced raw milk is also sold to Latvia and Lithuania.
While large processing plants in neighboring countries are currently a little more cost-effective than those in Estonia, Link added, from next year a new, larger and more efficient dairy run by butter and cheese producer E-Piim will start piloting next summer, and will be at full capacity with a year.
Ülo Kivine, of dairy products firm Tere, meanwhile, told ERR that not only had the price of raw milk has risen for 19 months in a row, this had represented an increase of nearly 60 percent in one year.
More than 80 percent of this rise was the result of input costs, he said.
Kivine said "This inflation has been substantial, even at the level of a hundred percent in stores, but the price of milk of 39 cents, including taxes, a year ago was set artificially too low. Today's price is fairer in this context," he added.
Both Kivine and Link said the rise in prices had benefited producers and was starting to reach them, with Link saying that producers were receiving higher prices than ever before.
Link said: "At present, the price of milk is the highest that has ever been paid to producers in Estonia."
The soaring increase in costs means that profits remain modest, however.
"Currently, it can be said that the farmer is also making a little profit after difficult years," Link went on.
These input costs include fertilizer (up five-fold over the pst 18 months) and fuel, which has doubled in price, Link said, though it remains to be seen over the winter what effect electricity prices will have on farmers' costs, even as government support measures have been put in place.
The effects of the pandemic, green energy policies and the Ukraine war have all made their effects known also.
As for consumers, some supermarkets have been making discounts and campaign offers.
For instance, at Estonian-owned supermarket Selver, a little over 50 percent of dairy product sales in general are discounted, while the proportion for drinking milk and kefir is 40 percent; with cheese, as high as 60 percent.
Rivo Veski, Selver's communications manager, told ERR that consumption this year, at least since February, has been lower than in 2021 – with drinking milk and kefir there has been a 5 percent fall in uptake, though prices have risen by over 25 percent.
Meanwhile with other dairy products, prices have risen at Selver by 20 percent but demand has fallen by over 10 percent, Veski said.
With cheese, the figures are 5 percent (fall in sales) and 20 percent (inflation) he said.
Lenno Link said that milk prices on the raw producers' market should have topped out by now, at €500-e510 per tonne (compared with €330 per tonne a year ago), and, internationally, have started to fall – a drop which may even start to reach Estonia this month.
This level would permit a certain amount of investment, neglected in recent years, and help stem the fall in the number of heads of dairy cows which has been ongoing in Estonia, and across Europe, in recent years, Link said.
Ülo Kivine acrees that milk prices have reached their ceiling, adding that the year had been a hard one for producers. Actually managing price increases is a difficult job even as it brings some small increases to profits, Kivine added.
Editor: Andrew Whyte


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All the tech companies (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, etc.) boast about being super ecological and green. Some even call themselves sustainable and eco-minded. The reality is quite different.
Greenpeace has criticized several major tech companies in the electronic product supply chain for their dismal efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, despite claims from consumer electronics companies about significant progress.
In their 2023 Supplementary Change report, Greenpeace highlights that supply chain companies account for around 70% of the electronics industry emissions. They point out that a reduction in manufacturing emissions in this area would significantly contribute to an overall reduction.
No one approves, no one commits
At this rate, however, the campaign group predicts that the semiconductor industry will produce more than double the emissions of Portugal by 2030, while consuming as much electricity as the entire country of Australia.
None of the 11 suppliers analyzed by Greenpeace has committed to halving their carbon emissions by 2030, a key requirement of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal.
The number of companies using low-impact procurement methods, such as Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), to increase their renewable electricity acquisition ratio was also observed. While this affects companies’ figures, Greenpeace states that RECs and eco-prices “rarely translate into the addition of new renewable energy capacity to the grid.”
Additionally, Intel, TSMC, Samsung Electronics, Foxconn, and Luxshare Precision produced more emissions in 2022 compared to 2020. Despite the increase, Greenpeace’s decision to choose figures from 2020 is notable because it was a year of global shutdown due to the pandemic, leading to a drastic reduction in production.
It’s also important to consider that increased demand (and production) poses challenges to a company’s ability to reduce emissions. With more digital and connected devices entering the market, it seems this will be the case in the future.
Overall, SK Hynix, LG Display, and Pegatron appear to be the top-ranked companies in the semiconductor, display manufacturing, and final assembly fields, respectively. Additionally, nine out of the eleven companies have been praised for their transparency.


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Sony Xperia Z Video Stills Show Off Water Resistance And Skeletal Frame Structure
Sony’s upcoming Xperia Z (or Yuga), the company’s entry into the 5-inch smartphone space, will reportedly sport a “skeleton frame structure” and HDR video recording capabilities. Will these be the kind of features that get Sony into the same race as Samsung and Apple?
According to a leaked promotional video, the Xperia Z has a “skeleton frame” and is water/dust resistant. In addition, it has an Exmor RS image sensor and can take images and record video in HDR.
The so-called skeleton frame is composed of individual components, according to Sony, upon which the phone is assembled. In addition, there’s an OptiContrast panel, a 13-megapixel Exmor RS camera, a full HD Reality display, and the ability to both take images and record videos in the HDR mode. Also demonstrated is its water-resistant body, with images showing the handset covered in large droplets of water.
As we previously mentioned, the Xperia Z is expected to launch alongside a slightly smaller Xperia ZL. The Xperia Z will feature a 5-inch 1080p display, 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 13MP camera, and what we hope is a huge battery.
According to leaked images, it is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. So far, everything we’ve seen points to an exceptional, sleek handset.
Sony today sent out an email to subscribers informing them that something worth noticing was going to be announced in three days.. that’s during CES.. it’s very likely to be this device. We can’t wait!


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UK news: January 2010
MBO helps Welsh motion company to expand
A Welsh company that specialises in control modules and systems for automotive applications such as steering and fans, has been bought by its management and is planning to add 30 jobs to the 110 it already employs. Swansea-based Electronic Motion Systems (EMS) was originally part of International Rectifier Electronic Motion Systems, which was sold to Vishay in 2007, bought by Gores Equity in 2008, and changed ownership for the fourth time with the new MBO.
EMS, which exports to China, Japan, the US and Europe, has recently won a contract to design and supply 410,000 electronic hydraulic power steering systems to a major car manufacturer. It is setting up a new production line to manufacture these systems, with financial support from Welsh Assembly.
General manager Rolf Dahlmanns (above), who led the MBO, says the business is in better shape than ever. He adds that local ownership of the business has opened up new opportunities and helped to restore confidence in the company.


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Twitter says that when it determines a group or campaign is engaged in "coordinated harmful activity", it may suspend accounts that it finds primarily encourages that behaviour.
Hyundai Motor Co backed away from a statement confirming it is in talks with Apple Inc on developing self-driving car that fueled a $9 billion surge in the Korean automaker’s market value Friday, saying instead that it received requests for potential cooperation from a number of companies.
Lava Mobile Phones: Lava recently made a comeback in the Indian smartphone market with a budget smartphone series and two unique services.
The Cupertino, California-based technology giant has a small team of hardware engineers developing drive systems, vehicle interior and external car body designs with the goal of eventually shipping a vehicle.
The C-Lab Outside from the South Korean tech giant will showcase services like K-pop training service from a company called Counter Culture company.
iPhone suppliers are racing to meet surging demand for Apple Inc’s 5G handsets after tech-savvy consumers leaped on the first major wireless technology upgrade in a decade.
Murata Manufacturing Co, the world’s biggest maker of ceramic capacitors for Apple Inc and other smartphone brands, expects demand for fifth-generation wireless devices to surpass 500 million handsets in the coming fiscal year, building on a rush to replace Huawei Technologies Co in the global consumer arena.
Intel believes that its RealSense 3D camera finally brings facial authentication on consumer-facing devices such as point-of-sale systems, ATMs, which have been neglected for years.
Fake CoWIN Apps circulating for download. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has assured the public that the app will be "adequately publicised" prior to the launch.
CES 2021: Samsung's ambitious Neo QLED TVs promise improved contrast and brightness over existing QLED displays.
The moves were an unprecedented rebuke of Trump by the social media companies, which have long been megaphones for the president.
Everyone is talking about the mini LED display tech. Here's how Mini LED works and how it compares to OLED display.
Steve Mollenkopf will continue to serve as a strategic adviser to Qualcomm for some time, the company said in a statement Tuesday
The order argues that the United States must take “aggressive action” against developers of Chinese software applications to protect national security.
CES 2021: Samsung is expected to show off a "new world of displays" at the First Look event later tonight.
The new Microsoft One Outlook app will reportedly go into a bigger testing program by the end of 2021.
Here is a list of all the 5G processors that currently power smartphones with support for the next-gen network, including Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 480 chipset.
CES 2021 will be an all-digital event. Here's what to expect from the biggest tech event of the year.
Among Samsung’s 30 R&D centres, Bangalore has emerged as the centre of excellence for wireless communications, multimedia and image processing, artificial intelligence in vision, voice and text technologies and Internet of Things.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 480 is the new budget processor, which will include 5G support as well. The new chip will also bring support for Quick Charge 4 Plus, 120Hz refresh rate Full HD+ panels.
Many tech insiders and analysts believe the augmented reality (AR) glasses will replace smartphones in the next eight to ten years.
The Apple AirPods Max Limited Edition by Caviar will be covered with 18-carat pure gold and crocodile leather.
LG Display, a unit of LG electronics, will demo a 'bendable' OLED gaming monitor and a transparent OLED TV at CES 2021.
While the lockdown forced many businesses to go digital to survive and adopt technologies like AI, Natarajan says it was the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in citizen’s services that have had the most significant impact.
Microsoft said the suspected Russian hackers behind the stunning breach of numerous US government agencies also accessed the company’s internal source code


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French Church Street in Cork will be the location of an exciting new venture being introduced into the retail sphere early next year. The project, which is being launched by Everseen – an Irish company that specialises in technology and innovation for the retail environment – is set to revolutionise world retail.
Everseen has produced a software called Øline (pronounced zero line), which will allow consumers to participate in checkout-free shopping. The system uses cameras and computer intelligence to monitor what customers take off the shelf, as well as recognising a product being returned to the shelf. When they have finished shopping, customers will simply need to review their purchased items on the Øline app, approve payment and then leave.
The company already works with five of the world’s top ten retailers, supplying technology systems that boost efficiency and prevent losses at checkouts. CEO of Everseen, UCC graduate Alan O’Herlihy, has dedicated his career to making the retail experience more fluid and efficient for both customers and businesses. He stated that this new project isn’t only about removing registers and queues: “Øline gives offline retailers intelligence about their customers. It allows them to respond to consumer behaviour and emotions, not just purchasing patterns.”
While it is now commonplace to see self-checkouts at most supermarkets, this technology will take things a step further. By removing checkouts completely, there will no longer be any need to queue, handle money or even to scan an item through.
The system is still being tested, however Everseen is expecting to open three cashier-less shops, including the one on French Church Street, within the first few months of 2018. Online retail leader Amazon is also working on a similar plan, and have developed a concept shop in their US headquarters. The shop has not yet been opened to the public however, so it really is possible that the French Church Street premises will be one of the first checkout-free shops in the world.


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Momma’s Soul Fish & Chicken, a family-owned soul food restaurant, is looking to open a new location in the Valley and appears to be working on a new site in Mesa.
The company, which has roots in St. Louis, MO, has been considering an expansion since last year when the owners posted a poll on the restaurant’s Facebook to get a feel for where customers want them to land. Recently, the company hinted on social media that they are getting closer to opening a second location in Mesa, saying it will feature a full bar, a live DJ, and more. The restaurant says the overwhelming community support is a big reason for the expansion.
While an exact opening date has yet to be determined, the company’s social media promises more details are coming soon. Momma’s Soul Fish & Chicken recently gained attention after food influencer and competitive eater Joel Hansen visited the restaurant to take on their food challenge in his YouTube series, Model Vs. Food. When the new location opens, customers can expect some of Momma’s favorites, including fried catfish strips, mac & cheese, peach cobbler, hush puppies, and more. The company’s original location can be found at 15414 N 19th Ave.
“Momma’s Soul has standout dishes like the golden fried fish and crispy fried chicken down to the cheesy, mouthwatering mac n cheese and the melt-in-your-mouth collard greens and much more,” according to the company’s website. “At Momma’s Soul, the passion and dedication that Momma pours into her cooking are evident in every bite. If you are in need for a Soulful culinary experience that will leave you craving, look no further than Momma’s Soul Fish and Chicken.”


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The new premium shopping avenue at Hamad International Airport features prestigious retails and dining outlets
DOHA, Qatar, 2021-Aug-03 — /Travel PR News/ — Qatar Duty Free (QDF) today (02 August 2021) celebrated the launch of Viale di Lusso, a new premium fashion avenue at the heart of the award-winning Hamad International Airport (HIA), introducing the world to a unique luxury travel experience, featuring an enhanced retail and dining portfolio and a number of global and regional firsts.
The Viale di Lusso official opening ceremony was officiated by Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer, Engineer Badr Al Meer, and Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations, Mr. Thabet Musleh. The Ambassador of Greece to Qatar, H.E. Mrs Eleni Michalopoulou, the Deputy Ambassador of Italy, Mr. Filippo Perzolla, and the Italian Embassy First Secretary, Ms Carlotta Colli, were welcomed as guests of honour.
Viale Di Lusso houses the first airport boutique in the Middle East for the renowned fashion designer Valentino, as well as prestigious designer labels such as Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Jimmy Choo and Pucci, elevating QDF’s existing impressive collection of brands.
The Emporio Armani Ristorante and Emporio Armani Caffe’, world’s first at an airport, add glitz to the Viale di Lusso, enticing passengers to indulge in culinary delights in a luxurious and relaxed setting. A Starbucks Reserve coffeehouse will provide coffee connoisseurs with unexpected creations and discoveries of rare, single-origin selections of unique roasts.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “At Qatar Airways Group, we know that the excitement and anticipation of international air travel begins the second travellers step through the doors of the airport and into an exciting, memorable, and fulfilling journey. This collaboration between QDF and HIA proves our continuous efforts to offer an unrivalled retail and dining experience for our passengers.”
Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, said: “Hamad International Airport is proud to launch Viale Di Lusso, a unique luxury avenue at the heart of the award-winning airport terminal, offering a suite of global brands joining its existing retail portfolio. As a diverse lifestyle destination of its own, HIA continues to curate memorable luxury and exclusive retail experiences for travellers, designed around their discerning tastes, convenience and wellbeing.”
Mr. Thabet Musleh said: “Viale Di Lusso represents another step in the delivery of QDF’s mission to transform the retail and dining offer at HIA to ensure that we continue to raise the bar in travel retail globally, providing our passengers with a differentiated, memorable, and unique experience. It is an exciting period for us as we continue to grow and expand looking forward to further enhancing our retail and dining portfolio in the next few months.”
Globetrotting millennial fashionistas, from iconic fashion destinations around the world, joined in revealing QDF’s new avenue of luxury. Dressed in bespoke creations, showcasing unique sartorial inspirations from Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Europe, they accompanied guests in attendance of the ceremony on an exclusive tour of the high-end boutiques of Viale Di Lusso, which concluded with a food tasting at the Emporio Armani Ristorante and Caffè.
Across the last few months, QDF has undergone a complete transformation, unveiling a significant investment in transforming HIA into a premier global destination for international air travellers. In October 2020, HIA and QDF were voted as “Best Airport Voted for by Millennials” and “Best Airport Retail Environment”, respectively, by the Travel Retail Awards 2020.
Notes to Editors:
About Qatar Airways:
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. Qatar Airways is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted “Skytrax Airline of the Year” title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.
Hamad International Airport (HIA), the airline’s home and hub, was recently ranked “Third Best Airport in the World”, among 550 airports worldwide, by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020. Rising from fourth position in 2019 to third in 2020, HIA has been steadily rising in the ‘World’s Best Airports’ rankings since the start of its operations in 2014. In addition, HIA was voted the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the sixth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fifth year in a row.
Qsuite, a patented Qatar Airways product, features the industry’s first-ever double bed in Business Class, as well as privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room, a first of its kind in the industry.
Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 160 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 4,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, B777, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message – Going Places Together.
Qatar Airways Cargo, one of the world’s leading international air cargo carriers, serves more than 60 freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight in the belly-hold deck of passenger aircraft to an extensive network. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes two Boeing 747-8 freighters, 24 Boeing 777 freighters and six B777-300ER mini freighters.
Qatar Executive is the private jet charter division of Qatar Airways Group. Luxury jet services are available for worldwide charter on board the operator’s wholly-owned business jet fleet. Qatar Executive is the launch customer for Gulfstream’s G700, the world’s first commercial service operator of the Gulfstream G500 and largest commercial operator of the G650ER worldwide. Qatar Executive’s service portfolio also includes aircraft management, maintenance and Fixed Based Operator services.
For further information, please contact:
Qatar Airways Group, Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +974 4022 2200
Source: Qatar Airways