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Yen Jumps as Apple’s Rare Revenue Warning Triggers Risk-Aversion Mood
The Japanese yen jumped on Thursday in Asia after Apple Inc. issued a rare revenue warning that triggered a risk-aversion mood in markets.
The USD/JPY pair declined 1.5% to 107.21 by 11:23 GMT (04:23 GMT).
The gain in yen came after Apple lowered its forecast to $84 million in revenue for its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 29, underperforming analysts’ expectations of $91.5 billion.
The company initially forecasted revenue of between $89 billion and $93 billion.
Apple shares (NASDAQ:AAPL) tumbled in after-hours trade, as traders fled to the safety of the highly liquid yen. The yen also received some support this week amid weaker-than-expected PMI data out of China.
Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar index that tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies slipped 0.2% to 96.155.
The Australian dollar, often considered a gauge of global risk appetite, fell 0.6% against the U.S. dollar to 0.6946.
The U.S.-Sino trade talks later this month could potentially improve the outlook for the Aussie dollar, some analysts said.
“These talks need to yield agreement to a reasonably comprehensive deal as a minimum prerequisite for a recovery in global risk asset sentiment and a stronger Australian dollar,” said Ray Attrill, head of currency strategy at NAB in a note.
“If so, we’d expect Aussie dollar to be trading back reasonably comfortably above 0.70 before Q1 is out.”
Elsewhere, the USD/CNY pair rose 0.2% to 6.8861 as the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) has set the yuan reference rate for today at 6.8631, compared to yesterday’s rate of 6.8482.
UK services growth drops to two-year low in fourth-quarter in Brexit ‘stasis’: BCC
Businesses in Britain’s dominant services sector reported the slowest sales growth in two years during the final three months of 2018, another sign of a slowing economy ahead of Brexit, the British Chambers of Commerce said on Thursday.
Many retailers had reported difficulties in the run-up to Christmas, but Thursday’s findings — from Britain’s largest private-sector economic survey — point to a broader slowdown among businesses that rely on consumer spending.
Manufacturers also reported weaker sales growth, and orders slowed across the board befoe Britain’s planned departure from the European Union on March 29.
“The UK economy is in stasis,” BCC director general Adam Marshall said. “With little clarity on the trading conditions they’ll face in just two months’ time, companies are understandably holding back on spending and making big decisions about their futures.”
The Bank of England estimates overall economic growth slowed to 0.2 percent in the final quarter of 2018 from 0.6 percent in the three months before.
Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to overcome deep opposition to her Brexit plan in her own Conservative Party, raising the risk that no transition period will be provided to ease Britain out of its four-decade-long membership of the EU.
The BCC’s survey of more than 6,000 businesses was carried out from Nov. 5 to Nov. 26, before a lack of parliamentary support forced May to postpone a vote on her Brexit deal.
On Wednesday, a survey of manufacturing purchasing managers showed an unexpected pick-up in growth, but it was driven primarily by businesses seeking to stockpile goods in case of border delays following a possible no-deal Brexit in March.
Despite Brexit worries, most businesses in the BCC survey said they were finding it hard to recruit staff. Manufacturers reported the joint-greatest recruitment difficulties since the survey started in 1989, and the situation for services businesses eased only slightly from a record high in the third-quarter survey.
The BCC again urged the government to limit the scale of likely post-Brexit restrictions on immigration, after a public body advised politicians last month to bar most foreign workers earning under 30,000 pounds ($38,000) a year.
“Companies must be able to access skills at all levels without heavy costs or bureaucracy,” Marshall said.
Stock Market News
U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.08%
U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Oil & Gas, Telecoms and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.08%, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.13%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 0.46%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS), which rose 2.98% or 4.98 points to trade at 172.03 at the close. Meanwhile, Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) added 2.20% or 1.50 points to end at 69.69 and DowDuPont Inc (NYSE:DWDP) was up 1.94% or 1.04 points to 54.52 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which fell 2.26% or 5.63 points to trade at 243.49 at the close. The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) declined 1.99% or 2.38 points to end at 117.37 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) was down 1.07% or 0.82 points to 75.59.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Arconic Inc (NYSE:ARNC) which rose 10.08% to 18.56, General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) which was up 6.34% to settle at 8.05 and Coty Inc (NYSE:COTY) which gained 5.95% to close at 6.95.
The worst performers were Hologic Inc (NASDAQ:HOLX) which was down 6.52% to 38.42 in late trade, Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) which lost 3.91% to settle at 69.50 and NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:NRG) which was down 3.76% to 38.11 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:SGYP) which rose 93.15% to 0.220, Aoxin Tianli Group Inc (NASDAQ:ABAC) which was up 46.24% to settle at 1.3600 and Advaxis Inc (NASDAQ:ADXS) which gained 55.26% to close at 0.29.
The worst performers were Francescas Holdings (NASDAQ:FRAN) which was down 22.02% to 0.76 in late trade, Uxin Ltd (NASDAQ:UXIN) which lost 20.16% to settle at 3.88 and Draper Oakwood Technology Acquisition Inc Class A (NASDAQ:RBZ) which was down 17.31% to 1.72 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2185 to 910 and 48 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1950 rose and 728 declined, while 43 ended unchanged.
Shares in Draper Oakwood Technology Acquisition Inc Class A (NASDAQ:RBZ) fell to all time lows; losing 17.31% or 0.36 to 1.72.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 8.65% to 23.22.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.29% or 3.75 to $1285.05 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 2.64% or 1.20 to hit $46.61 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 2.34% or 1.26 to trade at $55.06 a barrel.
It’s more than just the trade war. Apple’s China business has been under pressure for a while
- China has been Apple’s “headache” for the last two years, said TuanAnh Nguyen, analyst at smartphone research company Canalys.
- Chinese players have been gaining market share despite an overall industry slowdown — global smartphone shipments fell for a fourth-straight quarter in the third quarter of last year, according to Strategy Analytics.
- The California-based iPhone-maker announced Wednesday it was lowering guidance for fiscal first quarter revenue and gross margin, hit primarily by “economic deceleration” in Greater China.
Apple CEO Tim Cook partially blamed a slowdown in China when he cut guidance for the smartphone-maker — but the company’s troubles in the world’s second-largest economy began even before trade tensions escalated.
China has been Apple’s “headache” for the last two years, said TuanAnh Nguyen, analyst at smartphone research company Canalys.
The iPhone-maker’s business strategy has focused more on a “tightly-locked ecosystem” of services and devices, which may work in mature markets such as the U.S., he noted. But it may not work as well in China, where the market is more fragmented and local rivals offer innovative alternatives for a lower price, he added.
Greater China is Apple’s third-largest market by revenue, accounting for about 18 percent in the fiscal fourth quarter.
The iPhone’s status as a highly sought-after brand in China has also turned the regional sales figure into a closely watched indicator of the country’s economic health. But even as Cook slashed the company’s revenue guidance and blamed it on Greater China’s economic struggles — exacerbated by trade tensions — there are other challenges Apple is facing.
According to Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments fell for a fourth-straight quarter in the third quarter of last year. But despite an overall industry slowdown, Chinese players have been gaining market share.
In the second quarter, Chinese telecom giant Huawei overtook Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone vendor, according to Strategy Analytics. Huawei maintained that edge in the third quarter, while other Chinese players Xiaomi and Oppo grew their global market share, the data showed. South Korea’s Samsung remains the global leader.
“There are … currently low incentives for end consumers in China to buy new phones in 2019 as they can wait for the 2020 5G smartphones,” Macquarie analysts said in a Dec. 12 note. The firm’s China technology and telecom research team expects domestic manufacturers to gain market share amid an expected third straight year of declines in China’s overall smartphone shipments.
For Apple, that competition may only grow.
Bitcoin Gains Despite Worst December in 7 Years
Cryptocurrency prices gained on Wednesday, despite Bitcoin having its worst monthly losing streak in seven years in December.
Bitcoin rose 2.2% to $3,825.30 on the Investing.com Index, as of 8:11 AM ET (13:11 GMT), after closing at $3,689 on Dec. 31, a 13% decline during the month. It was its worst month since November 2011.
Bitcoin closed down nearly 70% in 2018 and remains below the $4,000 mark. Digital coins fell dramatically towards the end of the year amid concerns of increased regulatory scrutiny and volatility.
Cryptocurrencies overall were higher, with the total coin market capitalization at $131 billion at the time of writing, compared to $125 billion on Tuesday.
Ethereum, or Ether, increased 9% to $150.60 and Litecoin was at $32.231 up 5%, while XRP jumped 3.4% to $0.36430.
Meanwhile, the UK is investigating 18 companies involved in digital coin sales, according to The Financial Times. The Financial Conduct Authority has not revealed the names of the companies, but says it suspects them of market irregularities. Another dozen or so companies were sent warnings over suspicions of investment scams.
In November the FCA had opened inquiries into 67 companies involved in digital coin offerings. The latest news indicates that 49 cases have been closed, with 39 given consumer warnings.
In other news, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) changed plans to debut a digital currency after tightening controls on cryptocurrency exchanges, Hindu Business Line reported on Tuesday.
“The government doesn’t want the digital currency anymore. It thinks it is too early to even think about a digital currency,” Hindu Business Line quoted an anonymous source as saying.
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Bulgari dares to dream with a reinterpretation of their B.zero1 collection
The Italian jeweller has elevated their iconic ring for 2022, which includes a sparkling diamond-set wave.
By Hayley Peppin
BULGARI WANTS US to “believe in the future” with a radiant reinterpretation of a classic jewel.
The Italian jeweller — whose loyal clients included the late great Elizabeth Taylor — have just unveiled a new look for the timeless B.zero1 collection.
To be launched later this month, Bulgari have taken their iconic and often milestone marking ring, and remodelled it for 2022.
“The new rendition fuses its legendary convention-defying spirit with the evocative force of its new inspiration,” Bulgari says.
Still retaining its distinctive central spiral — and Roman-style architectural forms — the new B.zero1 collection is further enriched with a sparkling diamond-set wave.
While subtle, the elevated design “adds a touch of sophistication” to a Bulgari icon — which appeals to a new generation.
Since 1999, the enduring B.zero1 collection has reportedly sold more than two million rings.
Its name is symbolic of change and new chapters with the “B” standing for Bulgari and the “zero” representative of the new millennium. Meanwhile, the number “1” stands for “infinite beginnings.”
Bulgari lovers and accessory aficionados alike will be able to purchase the three-band version in a metal of their choice — with 18 kt yellow, rose or white gold on offer. Thoughtful design consideration was given due to the personalised nature of jewellery — and our affinity with mixing and matching these days.
“Once more B.zero1 confirms itself as the jewel-icon of those who live life in their own terms, who have the courage to face challenges and conventions, to achieve their little and big goals with determination and audacity.”
For when you want to mark a impactful moment in life or simply spoil yourself — the iridescent new B.zero1 collection is but the perfect adornment to one’s finger.
“The new B.zero1 creation is there to commemorate the moment, every moment, and tell each and every one of us: dive with fierceness into yourself and give shape to your visions.”

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Gartner, Inc, one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory company, recently published a report in which it identified the technologies that will "evolve in ways that affect corporate strategies, significant numbers of customers or employees will adopt or expect them, or will address particular mobile challenges that organizations will face." To read the whole report you'd have to shovel out 95 bucks---so instead of paying the pretty penny, we are bringing you a brief overview. Here are Gartner's top ten predictions for 2010-2011: Bluetooth 3.0 and 4.0 -- While Bluetooth 3.0 is now available to tap WiFi for faster data transmission, in 2011 Bluetooth 4.0 will introduce a new low-energy (LE) mode that will enable communication with external peripherals and sensors, says Gartner. Bluetooth 4.0 and its LE technology "will enable a range of new sensor-based business models in industries such as fitness, healthcare, and environmental control and will be used by handset and PC peripherals to enable new functions, such as PCs that autolock when users move away from them," says the research group. Earlier this month, the Bluetooth SIG announced that Bluetooth 4.0 devices will start arriving in the fourth quarter of this year.
The mobile web -- By 2011, over 85 percent of handsets will offer web browsers, says Gartner. Meanwhile, the growth in smartphones with relatively large and high-resolution screens will expand mobile web usage, making it possible to deliver some B2C applications using conventional Web tools without adaptation, says the research group.
Platform-independent mobile AD tools -- Because of the increasing diversity of mobile platforms over the next few years (no consolidation in sight, suggests Gartner), cross-platform application development (AD) tools will continue to be in high demand as a way to reduce software development costs, says the research firm. We're not sure which particular tools Gartner has in mind, but Nokia's Qt comes to mind as one contender.
App stores -- According to Gartner, app stores will play several roles in organizations' B2C and B2E strategies: as a distribution channel for mobile applications, as a commercial channel to sell applications and content, and as a conduit for providing new options for application sourcing. Links to the cloud are also said to be a growing app store trend.
Enhanced location awareness -- By the end of 2011, Gartner projects that over 75 percent of devices shipped in mature markets will include a GPS, enabling a wide range of B2E and B2C location-aware applications. The report cautions that organizations should be sensitive to local privacy regulations, and to ensure that the applications are "opt in."
Cellular broadband -- The performance of multimegabit wireless broadband, presumably referring to 4G services such as LTE and WiMAX (now available in mobile devices such as Samsung's Mondi MID, pictured), will continue to increase. This trend will expand the range of applications that no longer require fixed networking, while making cellular broadband a more effective fallback, says Gartner. 4G is also said to be expanding the viability of e-book players and media players.
Touchscreens -- Touchscreens will be included in over 60 percent of mobile devices shipped in Western Europe and North America in 2011, says the research firm. Other touchscreen trends are said to include the use of multi-touch interfaces and haptics.
M2M -- The "very fragmented" M2M (machine-to-machine) market is nevertheless growing at over 30 percent per year, with low-cost M2M modules enabling a wide range of new networked devices and business models, says Gartner. Key applications are said to include smart grid, meter reading, security/surveillance, automotive systems, vending and point of sale, remote monitoring, and track and trace.
Device-Independent Security -- A variety of security technologies, application technologies, and sourcing options are enabling a new app security model that is less tightly tied to specific devices and platforms, "and that, in many cases, do not require security tools to be installed on the client," says Gartner. Such technologies are said to include thin-client architectures, applications as a service, platform-independent forms of network access control (NAC), portable personality, virtualization, and hosted security services, such as "in the cloud" virus scanning.
You can purchase the entire report here for 95 dollars.


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Epson is a brand name synonymous to innovative and cost-efficient digital imaging technologies in the country and the rest of the world. For well over 30 years, the company has been in the business of creating printers, projectors, and other products that help boost productivity yet reduce costs without compromising quality.
The brand’s excellent portfolio propelled them to the top, and through the years, has allowed them to their maintain lead in various printer categories and in the projector market. With this continued success, Epson is thankful for the trust and loyalty of its customers. And to keep the momentum going, the company is planning to roll out more products integrated with Epson core technologies down the pipeline.
Epson Philippines Corporation (EPC) celebrates this steady feat through Epson Fusion, a thanksgiving event held annually together with members of the press in hidden gems across the country. In this year’s Fusion held in Apulit Island, El Nido Resorts in Palawan, EPC shared an overview of what is next for the leading digital imaging pioneer.
Epson’s Vision Statement 2025, is the next phase of development for the company worldwide. This goal drives Epson companies the world over to expand the scope of its efficient, compact, and precision technologies. The aim of this is to help free people from repetitive manual work and from unnecessary waste of time and effort.
During the event, Epson shared how it has been working to advance and fortify their core technologies for boosting innovations on its varied product categories. This includes their inkjet printers, projectors, point-of-sale printers, signage printers, and digital textile printers, all of which are being improved to support Epson’s vision for the next succeeding years.
Epson is keen on strengthening its focus on its four key areas of innovation, Inkjet innovation, Visual innovation, Wearables innovation, and Robotics innovation. This will allow them to ‘create a new connected age of people, things and information with efficient, compact and precision technologies’ through different markets including the Philippines.
World Leader in Digital Imaging Technologies
Epson is proud of their leading figures in the market. For Inkjet innovations, Epson gained a 51-percent market share, which made 1 out of 2 printers sold last year an Epson printer. The Professional Printers category continues to dominate with a reported 41-percent market share.
Moreover, Epson has also been the number 1 POS Receipt Printer for seven years running. For Visual Innovations, with education becoming more and more advanced and interactive, Epson shared that it has gained a 67-percent market share.
Notably, the company has also rolled out trusted innovations that continue to make waves in the market, including: its best-in-class digital textile printer, the Epson SureColor SC-F9270; the world’s first 25,ooo lumens laser projector; the Moverio line of smart glasses, which makes use of Epson’s world-leading 3LCD technology; among others.
With an ever-increasing portfolio of advanced products and robotics expansion, Epson vows to make the next decades even better.


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The store-in-store restaurant concept isn't exactly new, as fast food and fast casual chains have staked out the fourth wall of just about every local superstore, but it remains fairly fertile ground for casual and family dining eateries and represents what could be their next big expansion opportunity.
We're probably all familiar with the Subway shops and McDonald's inside Wal-Mart, and the Starbucks stores that have taken over Target counters, but we really haven't seen the broader dining concepts in the space, because their menus and style may not be able to meet the needs of the customer on the go.
That might be changing though. Last year, Bob Evans Farms (BOBE) announced that it will experiment with a new, non-traditional restaurant concept to open licensed locations in hospitals, universities, airports, malls, and corporate cafeterias under a new Bob Evans Express banner. The first one actually opened inside a BMW manufacturing plant in South Carolina serving a combination of self-serve and prepared-to-order menu items, along with selections from all three of its day-parts menu, a fancy industry term that refers to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A second one opened a short time later in its own corporate campus to serve as a learning center to expand the idea further.
The lines between restaurant, grocery store, and retail outlet are blurring as companies seek meaningful ways to capture greater amounts of the strained consumer's spending. The market watchers at NPD Group say restaurant traffic remained flat throughout 2013, although the average check was slightly higher than the year-ago period. It's looking a little better for this year, however, as traffic estimates run about 1% higher in 2014 with a 3% gain in spending.
Quick-serve restaurants, a category that covers both fast-food and fast-casual, fared the best with an 8% jump in traffic for the 12-month period ending in September, while categories like casual dining, midscale, and family dining haven't had any gains at all over the past few years despite a heavy promotional environment.
Supermarkets like Kings Food Markets are developing restaurant-style dining experiences similar to Whole Foods Market, where you can shop for your groceries and also grab a bite to eat, and Tops Friendly Markets has had a Tim Hortons in some of its stores for years.
Even pharmacy giant Walgreen (WBA 0.61%) began developing a line of fresh-food counters in its stores several years ago, showing there's greater acceptance of non-traditional stores. That means restaurants can reach more customers wherever they are while allowing them to expand their footprint at lower cost. Jamba (JMBA), for example, is already a pretty minimalist concept when it comes to floor space, but it's adding JambaGo kiosks in schools and in Target stores in a bid to keep growing. Burger King Worldwide (BKW.DL) may be experimenting with perhaps the most non-traditional format: home delivery.
Restaurants that already face steep cost pressures find it hard to justify building new stores in the face of slow traffic numbers, while the store-in-store concept should allow them to meet their needs for expansion while letting someone else foot most of the bill for the building. That could be reason enough to pull a chair up to the buffet of restaurant stocks that undertake this initiative.


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According to a new report from the travel company Kayak, the demand for Caribbean vacations is increasing.
Of the top 10 most searched destinations on Kayak’s US tourist open platforms, five are in the Caribbean.
These include Cancun, Punta Cana, Montego Bay, Aruba, and the Bahamas.
In fact, search interest in Caribbean travel for the past week has been close to 2019 levels, or 84 percent of the interest over the same period in 2019.
According to Kayak, this is likely due to relaxed restrictions on vaccinated travelers in certain destinations like the Bahamas.
“Summer travel searches are increasing, with searches increasing by up to 70 percent month on month,” Kayak said in his report.


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Although you could argue that pearls have always been a timeless classic when it comes to jewellery, they definitely haven’t been associated with high fashion a great deal in recent years, but all that looks as though it’s changing.
Stuff.co.nz highlighted the return of the pearl to a number of fashion house runways, including Chanel and Gucci.
Jeweller Karen Walker told the online publication what she thinks makes pearls stand out. “For me what makes pearls special is the feel against your skin. They’re silky and cool and like nothing else,” she asserted.
Ms Walker added that “there’s something so unique about a pearl’s look”. Another jeweller Clare Hammon agreed, suggesting that their irregular shapes and natural lustre “conjured up mermaids” for her when she started designing with them.
Jewellery designer Sarah Cotterall said that they “ooze understated luxury”, suggesting that they’re a perfect all-rounder and can be suitable to wear to the office and on an evening out, as well as to everything in between.
Another person who appears to be a fan of pearls is Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge has been spotted wearing pearl jewellery, particularly pieces that combine these with diamonds.
Speaking to the Express, gemologist Grant Mobley suggested that many of the Duchess’ pieces may be inspired by her late mother in law Princess Diana. He also stated that “we know from her jewellery choices Kate is a big fan of both [pearls and diamonds]”.
Pearls are, of course, a natural choice for any sea inspired jewellery and they work incredibly well in a variety of settings and as a complement to a range of other stones.


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Davidson urges May to drop migration target
Ruth Davidson has renewed her call for the UK government to scrap its ambition of cutting immigration to the "tens of thousands".
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In a speech in Glasgow, the Scottish Conservative leader said the target "has never been met and does not fit the requirements of the country".
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She argued that the UK needs to attract new people if it is to build a strong economy.
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And she urged Theresa May to prioritise the NHS over tax cuts.
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The target of reducing net migration to tens of thousands was set by David Cameron at the start of the coalition government in 2010.
But the goal has never been reached - with annual net migration to the UK currently standing at about 240,000.
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The Home Office argues that the public is in favour of lower immigration.
In a sign of her growing confidence and stature within the Conservative Party, Ms Davidson said she wanted to challenge the view that immigration is "some sort of problem to be fixed, a wrong to be corrected".
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She has previously warned her party that it needs to embrace a more open, liberal outlook in order to win over younger voters.
Ms Davidson told her audience at Glasgow University: "We should have the confidence to recognise that people from other nations wanting to come to our country is a sign of our success as a vibrant, prosperous culture.
"And we should acknowledge that, if we want to build a strong economy, then we need people to come here".
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Ms Davidson, who is expecting her first child later this year, said she wanted EU citizens who live in the UK to stay - and pointed out that she has a personal interest in ensuring this happens as her Irish fiancee is an EU citizen.
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She added: "I see neither the sense nor the need to stick to an immigration figure devised nearly a decade ago, which has never been met and does not fit the requirements of the country.
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"Setting an immigration target reduced to the tens of thousands is one thing when unemployment is running over 8%. Refusing to review it when the country nears full employment and sectors are reporting skills shortages is quite another.
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"Even if that target were to stay, I see no reason why overseas students should be included within the numbers counted".
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Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected repeated calls to take students out of the government's immigration figures.
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And the UK government has promised reforms to the UK's immigration regime once it is no longer tied to EU free movement rules after Brexit.
Unlike Westminster, there is cross-party support in the Scottish Parliament for increasing immigration in order to tackle the country's aging population.
The SNP's Growth Commission report, which was published last week, proposed giving tax breaks to skilled immigrants in order to attract them to an independent Scotland.
Ms Davidson went on to warn the UK government over its handling of the NHS, which is fully devolved in Scotland.
She said the health service was reaching a "tipping point" over funding, and that its long-term future needed to be secured in order to tackle the crisis of trust in politics and restore faith in "centre ground values".
She said: "The UK government has acted to reduce the tax burden on working families. It has honoured its promise to do so. Raising the income tax threshold has reduced taxes for millions of UK workers and has taken thousands out of taxation altogether.
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"But the UK government has a choice to make.
"And, if that choice is between extra spending on the NHS or introducing further tax breaks beyond those already promised, I choose the NHS."
What has the reaction been?
SNP MSP Gillian Martin said: "Ruth Davidson ironically makes a very strong case for how the UK is simply not working for Scotland, whether it comes to their damaging approach to Brexit, immigration, or austerity, the UK government are actively harming jobs, public services and living standards in Scotland."
And she claimed Ms Davidson had "no credibility" on NHS funding as "just a few months ago she was demanding tax cuts for the rich that would have cost the health service in Scotland £550m".
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Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said Ms Davison "offers nothing to the people of Scotland other than division".
He added: "The Tories have presided over nearly a decade of stagnating economic growth and declining living standards while simultaneously eroding hard-won workers and trade union rights".
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text: Ghana is currently enjoying a significant increase in internet penetration. According to the CEO of the ecommerce platform Jumia, 15 countries in Africa have shown such increases, with Ghana seeing the strongest growth. He added that this was good for the future of ecommerce in the country. It was also found that Ghanaian phone subscription levels now sat at 36.6 million, a number more than twice the human population of the country. However, fears over fraud have limited ecommerce growth in the past, but Jumia has said that it insists on “quality, competitive pricing and transparency from manufacturers”.


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After the Government intensified the exchange restrictions for tourism abroad and for expenses in dollars outside the country, it must be remembered that the Federal Administration of Public Revenues raised from 35% to 45% the tax withholding for those who spend in foreign currency with credit card, demand for foreign travel plummetedaccording to sources from the private tourism sector.
Travel Services spokespersons assure that the demand to travel abroad fell by 55% during the days after the new measures promoted by the Ministry of Economy. “We cannot give certainty that it will continue in this way, but we are not going to say that nothing happened,” they point out from the travel agency.
Added to this, the travel agency states that, on average, air tickets from Argentina abroad rose by 7 percent since the perception for expenses in dollars with a credit card rose 10%. “In destinations like The United States raises it to 10 percent, while towards Madrid 6.5 percent,” the sources noted.
Meanwhile, Despegar sources agreed in saying that “In recent days we have been able to observe a drop in the sales levels of some of the tourist destinations most chosen by Argentines, such as Miami, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro”.
“The measures discourage Argentines from traveling due to tax burdens and the constant changes that affect tourism. Announcements such as the rise in the tourist dollar cause the fiscal pressure imposed on the industry to exceed 80%, since other charges must be added to the country tax and 30%, such as the tax from the National Directorate of Tourism, fees (municipal, airports and others), check tax, VAT and Gross Income”, said Paula Cristi, General Manager of Despegar for Argentina and Uruguay.
Regarding the increase in prices, the Despegar agency affirms that the increase in perception affects only the rateThe other taxes and fees applicable to international air tickets are exempt from the calculation. “The recently reported increase of 10 percentage points represents approximately a 6% increase in the final price of airfare”they assure.
In addition, from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) they affirmed that air tickets will increase due to high fuel prices as it is inevitable that this will not impact tickets.
Industry sources told Infobae that is giving a “Tremendous combination”. They detail that the combination of the tax increase, the rise in the price of fuels throughout the world, and the crisis that Argentines are going through generate a complex reality, with international air prices on the rise.
Meanwhile, domestic tourism does not seem to feel negative impacts. In fact, Andrew DeyaVice President of the Argentine Federation of Associations of Travel and Tourism Companies (Faevyt) remarked that national destinations are registering very good numbers.
According to the expert, it is due to several factors. On the one hand, there is a rebound effect of government measures that channel money flows in, rather than out of the country. Those who were thinking of, for example, traveling to Europe, prefer to do so to Mendoza or Saltaby imagining some local points of interest.
On the other hand, the winter holidays are already happening, and Argentines had already booked their vacations in advance. As detailed by this medium, reserves in the country show a 15% increase compared to the pre-pandemic.
Another factor that comes into play is the expectation for the previewAccording to Deya, many Argentines are waiting for the official announcement of the tourism promotion program to take advantage of it during the mid and low spring season. This pent-up demand also has lenders who signed up en masse when registrations opened.


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October 4, 2023
Footwear from Salvatore Ferragamo.Image credit: Marta Sarla, Ferragamo
By Staff reports
Italian lobby Altagamma is pressing ahead with its global strategy to promote the country’s luxury products and services with the launch of its fifth Altagamma Club, this time in the Japanese capital of Tokyo.
Share your thoughts. Click here


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10 May 12 UK:McDonald’s serves up ‘one a day’ fizzy drink for kids
McDonald’s in the UK has developed Fruitizz, a fizzy drink aimed at kids that provides one of their five daily portions of fruit and vegetables and offers an alternative to soft drinks such as Coke and Fanta.
The drink blends 60% fruit juice from grapes, apples and raspberries with natural sparkling water. It contains no added sugar, other than natural sugar from the fruit.
A 250ml serving contains 25 grams of sugar, which a McDonald’s spokeswoman claimed equated to approximately six teaspoons of sugar while a “similar-sized smoothie or a fresh juice would contain around seven teaspoons of sugar”.
Fruitizz will be served from the central drinks tower containing the other fizzy drinks, which includes the Coca-Cola brands. Research has revealed children thought drinks poured from the towers were more exciting and desirable.
Jill McDonald, chief executive and president of McDonald’s UK, said: “For the past three years, we have been working hard behind the scenes to create a fizzy drink that is unlike anything else currently available in high street restaurants.
“We tried and tested 80 formulations in order to create the right product that delivers nutritional benefit as well as a new, exciting taste.”
McDonald’s restaurants will serve the drink nationwide from 16 May. An “extensive” ad campaign by Leo Burnett, including TV, print and digital media starts on the same date.
McDonald’s pointed out that Fruitizz, which it piloted last year in Wales, was the latest new product in a series of improvements that have been made to its menu over the last decade.
Fruitizz takes a place on the Happy Meal menu alongside carrot sticks, fruit bags, mineral water and organic semi-skimmed milk.
McDonald’s claimed the average Happy Meal consumed in the UK last year contained 50% less salt, 21% less saturated fat, and 31% less sugar, compared with the average Happy Meal sold in 2000.


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Nine Inch Nails Fans Create Incredible Live DVD From Footage: Encourage Everyone To Share Widely
from the have-fun-with-it dept
You may recall that about a year ago, Trent Reznor jokingly mentioned that 400 gigs of high definition video footage of some shows from Nine Inch Nail’s previous tour had been released online “by a mysterious, shadowy group of subversives.” Not only that, he noted “I’ll bet some enterprising fans could assemble something pretty cool.” Now, of course it was Rezor’s own people who were “leaking” the content, but we’d been hearing all sorts of cool things about what they were doing, and on Christmas Eve they officially released what they had put together called “Another Version Of The Truth: The Gift.” It’s an amazing display of crowdsourced teamwork by a group calling itself “This One Is On Us,” a play on Reznor’s statement when he released “The Slip” as a completely free download, when he said “This one’s on me.”
As they note, it took 12 months, involving a “core team of dozens (with a network of thousands), spanning 3 continents, 4 languages, 5 specialist teams [and] countless sleepless nights.” And what did they come out with? Well, it’s a concert video that’s available in pretty much any format you might want (and they’re still adding more). In fact you’ll soon be able to get it in Blu-ray. But in the meantime, you can get it in standard DVD of dual layer DVD formats. You can get it for the PS3 or as a basic .MOV file. There’s a version catering to those who want to watch on an iPod, and (of course) it’s on YouTube.
And as we’re being told how awful BitTorrent is and how various torrent trackers and search engines need to be shut down, the folks behind this effort released it under a Creative Commons license, and people are being told that they “are encouraged to seed for as long as possible.” As for Reznor himself? He notes that he’s “blown away” and reminded (yet again) that Nine Inch Nails fans “kick ass.”
But Bittorrent can’t be used for any legitimate purpose, right? And musicians can’t possibly embrace what the technology allows? Once again, we’re seeing why those who embrace what technology allows will do just fine moving forward. It’s only those who think that the answer is to bring out the lawyers and try to hold back progress who will find themselves struggling to create business models that work.


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Victoria's Secret lights up New York City
The angels have arrived!
Victoria Secret headed home to the big apple for this year's greatest fashion extravaganza bringing with them some fresh new faces, here's looking at you Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid.
Held at the Lexington Avenue Armory, the pink carpet saw some of the industry's most famous faces who then took their place on the front row to celebrate Victoria's Secret's 20th anniversary. The show also marked the brand's largest fashion parade to date with a total of 47 models ruling the runway, which included 10 new angels.
This year's chosen musical acts were pop queen Selena Gomez, rising signing sensations The Weekend and British beauty Ellie Goulding. Each took to the runway to perform their latest hits, which added nothing but an extra dose of excitement to that special Victoria's Secret atmosphere.
The Victoria's Secret show airs on CBS America, Deccemeber 8.


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Although the Detroit-based auto industry and the United Auto Workers union are still a few months away from serious negotiations, early signs aren’t favorable for a labor contract settled on mutually agreeable terms. 575 more words
Tags » United Auto Workers
WARREN, Ohio (WYTV) — Hundreds of union workers gathered at a UAW hall in Warren Saturday.
They’re opposing a potential international trade agreement.
And two lawmakers are on their side. 291 more words
LORDSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Hundreds of union workers gathered at a UAW hall Saturday. They’re opposing a potential international trade agreement. And two lawmakers are on their side. 294 more words
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) – The leader of a union that represents Jeep workers in Toledo said Wednesday that he’s confident that the city and state have put together a package that will convince Fiat Chrysler Automobiles against moving Jeep Wrangler production. 233 more words
This is from The Daily Caller.
The employees of the NTN-Bower Corporation are making a wise decision removing the UAW parasite.
Leading up to a forth vote to rid themselves of the United Auto Workers, employees at an Alabama plant rallied Monday against their own union. 608 more words
Over the past year, the UAW has fought hard to represent workers at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee auto plant. Two months ago, they earned that right by securing membership from 45 percent of the factory’s workers. 416 more words
DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is moving several hundred U.S. hourly workers into a higher pay bracket after surpassing a cap on the number of lower-wage workers it can hire. 481 more words


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The Holiday Shopping Season Starts Now. Are Retailers Ready?
This week, everyone will be talking about Black Friday and Cyber Monday, PVH Corp.'s financial results and hunt for another brand to buy, and a new exhibition of vintage fashion at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Get your BoF Professional Cheat Sheet here.
Macy's Christmas window 2015 | Photo: Diane Bondareff for Macy's
Over 165 million US consumers plan to shop between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday
US consumers plan to conduct 46 percent of holiday spending online, according to a Piper Jaffray survey
87 percent of UK consumers plan to spend the same or more on holiday shopping, despite a weak economy, according to Accenture
The most important shopping days of the year (aside from sponsored "holidays" from Amazon and Alibaba) are upon us. Brands are approaching the five-day stretch between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday in a variety of ways, from ignoring it entirely (Deciem, REI) to blasting promotions at customers since late October (some department stores and big box chains). Though online spending is expected to once again surge, stores still see the holidays as the one time of year they can still bring in the crowds. The tradition of elaborate holiday windows at big-city department stores is evidence of that, though New York lost one this year when Lord & Taylor closed, and Barneys' once-innovative displays are endangered. The importance of Cyber Monday may also be on the wane. An NRF survey found fewer consumers plan to shop on Cyber Monday this year (42 percent vs 46 percent in 2018). The fact that Thanksgiving falls so late this year may be a factor; Cyber Monday is on Dec. 2, and a growing number of consumers prefer to wrap up their holiday shopping before December rolls around.
The Bottom Line: These days, if a brand is waiting until Black Friday or Cyber Monday for their big holiday sale, they're probably too late.
PVH Corp. Wants Another Acquisition. What Should They Buy?
Actor Noah Centineo for Calvin Klein | Source: Courtesy
With Calvin Klein’s ill-fated foray into luxury fading into the rearview mirror, parent PVH is looking to its future. That likely means a major acquisition, executives have told media and Wall Street analysts. It’s a fraught decision; competitors Capri and Tapestry, formed with the acquisitions of Versace and Kate Spade, respectively, have struggled to prove the merits of an American fashion conglomerate. PVH specialises in taking well-known American brands and providing the global supply chain and management expertise needed to grow them internationally. The pool of potential takeover targets is limited - DTC brands like Everlane may be too expensive, Ralph Lauren too big. Perhaps it’s time to dust off talk of a Tory Burch takeover?
The Bottom Line: PVH needs to demonstrate it has a plan for its current portfolio of brands before buying another one. Calvin Klein in particular is struggling, with sales down sharply in North America and a Moncler Genius-style collaboration strategy apparently discontinued.
The Fascination With Vintage Fashion
A Cristobal Balenciaga dress from 1961 | Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's display of items donated by fashion collector Sandy Schreier opens on Nov. 27
Fashion exhibits have drawn bigger crowds in recent years; The Costume Institute's "Heavenly Bodies" exhibit in 2018 set a record for the museum, with 1.7 million visitors
Fashion's current mania for nostalgia is changing the formerly sleepy market for vintage apparel. The Met's Costume Institute may in the past have competed for a collection such as Schreier's with a handful of fashion museums and private collectors. Now, collectors have their choice of institutions, auction houses, resale sites, high-end vintage stores and more, all catering to an increasingly global and demographic-spanning audience. It's not just early Saint Laurent or classic Chanel that's sparking bidding wars, either. The mania for all things '90s and early '00s, not to mention the rise of streetwear, has created a thriving market for much newer pieces.
The Bottom Line: As BoF's Chavie Lieber explored last week, the action is also rapidly moving online thanks to sites like 1stdibs and The RealReal. Even Sotheby's holds regular online fashion auctions these days.


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After a decade-long wait, the gaming world's anticipation has peaked with the leak and subsequent official release of the Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) trailer. Rockstar Games, facing an unexpected leak on social media, moved quickly to release the trailer on their official channels, offering fans a tantalizing glimpse of the game's much-anticipated return.
A Decade in the Making
The 90-second trailer, though brief, showcased what the creators at Rockstar Games have been developing over the past ten years. The game, whose development is reportedly costing two billion dollars, is set to become the most expensive in gaming history.
Its official presentation is scheduled for 2025, keeping gamers eagerly waiting for what promises to be an extraordinary gaming experience.
Intriguing Details from the Trailer
The first trailer of GTA 6 has already given fans much to talk about.
Notably, for the first time in the series, one of the protagonists is a female character named Lucia. She, along with a male character, forms a "Bonnie & Clyde" duo, adding a new dynamic to the game's narrative. The trailer also features a variety of vehicles, including cars, planes, and ships.
A particular yellow car, briefly seen at the 33-second mark, has caught the attention of fans, who speculate it is the same vehicle from GTA Vice City, hinting at possible connections to previous games. Another detail that has intrigued fans is a character resembling the real-life criminal known as the Florida Joker, aligning with the game's inspiration from Florida and Miami.
This addition suggests a deeper integration of real-world elements into the game's narrative. Social media seems to play a significant role in GTA 6, with various scenes depicting live broadcasts and selfies, reminiscent of platforms like TikTok.
However, the extent of social media's integration into the gameplay remains a mystery. Other small but notable details in the trailer include the option to order non-alcoholic beer, humorous signs on facility doors, and references to modern payment methods like Apple Pay.
Anticipation and a Longer Wait for Some
The gaming community is abuzz with anticipation for 2025 and future trailers that will reveal more about this long-awaited title. However, PC gamers may have to wait longer, as GTA 6 has been confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, but a PC version has not yet been announced.


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Southeast Asian countries’ unilateral efforts will be far from enough to boost tourism to pre-pandemic levels
For ASEAN countries, the COVID-19 conundrum this spring has become even more difficult, exacerbated by the Omicron variant and Russia-Ukraine conflict. The region’s key tourism industries have been among the hardest hit, and are now regarded by these governments as the launch pad for economic recovery.
Now that the answer, reopening borders to international tourists, is becoming increasingly clear to leaders of these countries, that move is only the easy part. Unilateral effort by ASEAN alone will hardly boost its tourism to pre-pandemic levels.
When Border Control Becomes Unaffordable
In early 2020, Southeast Asia was one of the first regions to be affected by the outbreak of COVID-19 “because of its close geographical proximity and business travel, tourism, and supply chain links to China,” according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). By early May 2020, nine of 10 ASEAN countries had closed their borders, blocking entry of all foreign visitors.
The travel ban soon proved extremely costly. Before the pandemic, the GDP contribution of tourism in the region had reached US$393.12 billion in 2019, approximately 12.4 percent. In Cambodia alone, the figure was 32.7 percent. No one doubted that the inability to receive international tourists would deal a devastating blow to the region’s tourism and overall economy.
A March report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) calculated how badly the world’s fifth largest economy had suffered. Behind the around 4 percent regional GDP decline in 2020, severely disrupted tourism played a significant part. In Thailand where tourism normally accounts for a fifth of the country’s GDP, the share dropped by almost two-thirds to 6.78 percent that year, resulting in its GDP shrinking by 6 percent.
Findings from Fulcrum, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute’s new analysis site, are even more astonishing: From 2019 to 2020, international tourist arrivals and tourism receipts fell by 82 percent and 78 percent respectively in Southeast Asia, making tourism in the region one of the most impacted sectors.
In 2021, Southeast Asia’s economic recovery was slower than predicted, while tourism remained far from normal as countries did not lift all travel restrictions. According to Ganneesh Ramaa, vice president of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), despite positive domestic travel sales, Malaysia’s tourist and hospitality sectors continued to contract last year.
As Deutsche Welle called it last December, Malaysia’s tourism sector “faced collapse” as an expected rush of international tourists never happened despite the government’s efforts to gradually open its popular tourist attractions such as Langkawi and work with international airlines to restore long-dormant connections.
ASEAN countries desperately need speedy recovery of tourism, and it is not just about GDP figures. Ordinary people in this region cannot afford to wait any longer.
ADB’s report showed another alarming finding: In a region with a population of more than 680 million, the pandemic pushed 4.7 million people into extreme poverty last year, which means they could earn less than US$1.90 a day. Citing the International Labour Organization (ILO), it also estimated that 9.3 million Southeast Asians became unemployed that year, and job scarcity was predicted to be 4.1 million in 2022, far from a strong enough recovery.
Again, one of the major obstacles is tourism. Before the pandemic, the number of jobs in Southeast Asia directly linked to this industry had increased by around 46.5 percent to nearly 16 million. In just one year, countries like the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam lost nearly a third of tourism sector jobs, affecting more than 1 million people, explained ILO in its research last November.
While people are losing their jobs as a result of closures of hotels and tourist attractions, ten-year high inflation caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict is making life even harder. Sacrificing tourism for Omicron control now seems too high a price to pay, so hard choices are being made with little hesitation.
Hard Choice, Easiest Step
“It often takes some time to attract tourists after the reopening period,” said Tran Doan The Duy, director general of Vietravel Travel Company. “Tourism businesses, especially those involved in international tourism, should increase their promotion and advertisements. It’s necessary to promote both domestic and international tourism to ensure sustainable growth of the tourism industry.”
When Vietnam decided to fully open its borders to foreign visitors this May, Tran was cautiously optimistic. As an industry veteran, he is well aware that opening the borders is only the first, and easiest, step.
In the first quarter of 2022, Vietnam received nearly 91,000 international tourists, up 90 percent against last year. The country’s tourism industry aims to receive 65 million visitors including 5 million from other countries. Compared with more than 18 million foreign arrivals in 2019, a long way remains to reach the “good old days.”
The same has happened in other ASEAN countries. Receiving as many international tourists as the pre- pandemic level requires more than the unilateral effort from these countries, because opening the door is one thing, but attracting guests to come and consume is another.
Tourists from China have constituted one of the biggest shares of foreign arrivals for years (22 percent in 2019). Before 2020, China was the largest source of tourists for Thailand, the second-largest for Indonesia, and the third-largest for Malaysia. Obviously, the return of Chinese tourists is “key for these destinations to be sustainable in the long run,” said Haiyan Song, associate dean of Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management, to Fortune in February.
However, because of the current global pandemic situation, China has been sticking to the dynamic Zero- COVID policy, and Chinese people are advised to avoid non-essential overseas travel. Considering the required quarantine on their return and the affected consuming power as a result of the downward pressure on the domestic economy, Chinese tourists are still unlikely to flock to ASEAN countries in the near future.
The outbreak of Russia-Ukraine conflict might also thwart the efforts of these governments. Russia is another major source of tourists to ASEAN countries. Before the pandemic, Russia was the sixth largest source of tourists to Vietnam and seventh largest to Thailand. And their consuming power was even stronger: For Thailand’s tourism industry, Russians were the third largest source of revenue.
Even this February when the conflict broke out, Russians contributed 8.6 percent of tourism arrivals to Thailand, making Russia the largest source of tourists that month.
As more international sanctions are being imposed, this source is also at stake. Almost all the international flights of Russian airlines have been canceled, making it much more complicated to travel from Russia to tourist destinations. The resulting ruble depreciation and high inflation make international travel even more expensive for Russian tourists.
Even the lack of access to credit cards could make their overseas consumption much more inconvenient, and sanctions on Russian banks mean they are not able to withdraw money in other countries, further discouraging them from traveling overseas.
Alongside factors from outside Southeast Asia, ASEAN countries have to deal with other domestic challenges ahead, especially the rising inflation in their markets, which is of course exacerbated by the current situation in Russia and Ukraine. If the costs of both running business and touring are too high to bear, the effect of an open border will only be further offset.
Fully reopening borders is the first step ASEAN countries must take towards a vision of tourism normality. Then, Southeast Asia must become better prepared to navigate more complicated challenges, both domestic and global.
By Hu Yukun


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Microsoft has already announced that the upcoming Xbox One Elite Controller would be released sometime in October. Now, a number of online retailers, including the Microsoft Store, have narrowed down the release date to October 27. That happens to also be the same day Microsoft plans to release the highly anticipated Xbox One shooter Halo 5: Guardians.
That release date certainly cannot be a coincidence, if it turns out to be accurate. Microsoft and Halo 5's developer 343 Industries want the game to be a huge hit for the eSports market, and launching the game alongside a controller designed for pro gamers would show their support for this growing trend in the industry.
The Xbox One Elite Controller will have, among other things, interchangeable rear paddles and hair trigger locks. Owners will also be able to save custom controller profiles on an app.


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FORT LEE, N.J. – June 23, 2023 – MyRegistry.com, the world’s leading universal Gift Registry software provider, has announced its partnership with Georg Jensen, a luxury Danish brand of silverware, flatware, home products, gifts and jewelry. U.S. customers will now be able to create, manage and share Georg Jensen Gift Lists for any event—not only the traditional lifetime milestones and celebrations, such as weddings and baby showers most often associated with online gift purchasing, all thanks to the new partnership.
This collaboration will help Georg Jensen further grow its customer base and penetrate the U.S. market. Despite being in the United States for nearly 100 years, Georg Jensen will now be offering gift registries to its customers in the U.S.—for the first time ever! And with the U.S. gifting market expected to reach around $95.65 billion by 2025, according to digital software company Gitnux, which analyzes data and statistics to predict the latest trends in software, marketing and business management, the timing couldn’t be better.
Courtesy of Georg Jensen
The partnership aims at enhancing the gifting experience for customers. Georg Jensen’s Director of Marketing & Digital Sales Jakob Mose Olesen explained how a seamless gifting experience is critical to improving the entire customer experience online. Noting that the brand’s products are “extremely giftable,” it was especially important for Georg Jensen to find the right strategic partner that would give its customers flexibility, convenience and breadth of choice. MyRegistry’s platform did just that.
“This is just a natural extension for us to offer the registry,” Jakob Mose Olesen said.
Mose Olesen added that despite being known as an iconic bridal brand, the company is focused on much more than just wedding registries. He says customers are already creating Gift Lists for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, and housewarmings. Graduations and confirmations are also popular gift giving milestones for Georg Jensen’s clientele.
Nancy Lee, president of MyRegistry.com, said, “We are so happy to partner with Georg Jensen and are excited to introduce a new generation of U.S. customers to the company’s iconic design and impeccable craftsmanship through MyRegistry’s technology.”
This partnership marks one of the first major steps Georg Jensen has taken in recent years to reclaim its intimate and enduring relationship with the company’s loyal customer base, while also increasing brand awareness and broadening its reach. Mose Olesen hopes that the launch of its registries will lead to even more best practices, specifically referral and loyalty programs.
“It’s a great opportunity to also get into younger demographics,” Mose Olesen explained,” but that’s not really a primary focus. The focus is to make it easier for people to obtain Georg Jensen.”
“We are thrilled about our new partnership with Georg Jensen,” Lee added. “We share their values of impeccable quality, design, and craftsmanship and look forward to helping them deliver the ultimate Gift List experience to their customers.”
Georg Jensen joins MacKenzie-Childs, Simon Pearce and Waterford as a partner with MyRegistry.com. MyRegistry continues to be the world’s only always-on, anytime Universal Gift Registry provider, with the availability to add gifts from both online retailers and physical stores via MyRegistry.com’s mobile apps, to sync store registries from across the web, to share registries with customizable URLS via social media, to create cash funds for just about anything and to add charity gifting.
This partnership between Georg Jensen and MyRegistry hopes to make creating and managing Gift Lists a seamless and hassle-free exercise across continents, ultimately delivering an exceptional experience to all customers.
MyRegistry.com is the largest universal Gift Registry and Gift List software provider that allows consumers to create one centralized registry or Gift List for any gifting moment, from milestone events like weddings and baby showers to birthdays, holidays and housewarming occasions. We make it easy for friends and family to get you the gifts you really want while saving retailers the hassle of dealing with returns with our easy to implement technology for both consumers and retailers. MyRegistry.com – All stores, One registry.®


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Excerpt from PhocusWire
Google is gearing up for the summer travel season.
The company on Monday announced new tools to help travelers save money on their flights with a price guarantee, browse hotels more easily and stay organized as they search for that ideal getaway.
PhocusWire was first to report on the pilot program in which Google is offering to give consumers a refund on flights if the airfare purchased drops before departure. Monday’s announcement confirms that policy while also unveiling Google’s other new tools.
First among those is a new way to browse hotels.
“If you search for something like ‘Soho London hotels’ and tap to view more, you’ll find a new option to explore each property in a swipeable story format,” Google vice president of travel products Richard Holden wrote in a blog post. “From here, you can tap through photos of the hotel and get a sense of what to expect on-site. With a single tap, you can also save the hotel, pull up more details about the area or view a summary of what people find notable about the property. When you’re done, just swipe up to continue browsing.”
Another new feature set to launch on desktop globally starting next week automatically organizes places users have searched on Google Maps by city with a “Recents” tab. Travelers can share them with friends or save them to a new list. The lists and recent places will be saved when users return later.
For the flight price guarantees, the pilot program for now includes only select routes where Google is confident prices won’t go lower before the flight departs. If that happens by at least $5, Google will pay the difference to the consumer in Google Pay, where it can be used to make purchases online, to transfer to another Google Pay user or to transfer out to a bank account.
Click here to read complete article at PhocusWire.


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Yahoo Finance autos reporter Pras Subramanian breaks down Porsche Cars North America CEO Kjell Gruner’s latest comments regarding the automaker’s 2023 outlook and new restoration facility for classic car owners.
JARED BLIKRE: Also, Porsche has been in the news today about an expansion of its classic business. And Pras, you spoke to Kjell Gruner, President and CEO of Porsche Cars, North America. What did he have to say about this?
PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: Yeah, Kjell Gruner, yeah, yeah, the Porsche US CEO. So you know, they’re investing in the classics business. But also, before we get into that, I want to talk about IN the business right now. They had a crazy, great record 2022, right? So the question is, is that performance bleeding into 2023? Here’s what Kjell had to say about that.
KJELL GRUNER: You know, It was a record quarter. It was the record December. That shows you that we started this year with a lot of momentum.
So the brand is very strong. The product pipeline is very fresh, very attractive. Our new cars, the Carrera [INAUDIBLE]– that car has a great reception end of last year at the LA Auto Show, the world premiere, a lot of momentum.
And this year we will for instance get the new Cayenne, which will be super important for our business. So the brand has a lot of momentum. There’s a lot of love for the brand both from our sides– we love what we do. Our dealer partners do that and the customers as well.
PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: So Porsche would have sold more cars like the Taycan EV if not for supply constraints, Gruner said.
JARED BLIKRE: All right, well, Porsche is opening a new expanded Porsche Classic facility at its Atlanta headquarters. And can you tell us something about that?
PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: Yeah, yeah. So you know, Porsche had a great year last year, but they know where their bread is buttered, right? It’s the classic car business, their enthusiast fans.
They love these air-cooled Porsches. So they investing in that business there to kind of assuage those fans. But in a $50 million new facility that will refurbish and renovate these classic cars, but in order to really compete with this– sorry– to interact with these customers in a more one on one way. So, here’s what he had to say about that.
KJELL GRUNER: It comes from the core of the brand. It is something that we love. And then obviously, it’s always great when you do things that are also economically feasible because that makes them sustainable. That means you can do them over time, and that also means you can invest in them. So, you can see that with our expansion of our campus here in Atlanta, so there, we invest a lot into our classic business.
PRAS SUBRAMANIAN: So he says it’s sustainable, but the US is Porsche’s largest classic market– over 300,000 cars. And they sell 80,000 parts for those cars. So it’s a business too.
JARED BLIKRE: It is. But when we talk about some of these older vehicles too, I just– I’ve had uncles tinkering in the driveway with these things. We’re talking about a new era. There’s just a lot more, I guess, infrastructure that people need to gear up for in the EVAs. So Pras Subramanian, thank you for that.


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The whales — called Little White and Little Grey — were captured in Russian waters and sold to Changfeng Ocean World aquarium in Shanghai over ten years ago.
Thermal springs and mud therapy on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast
Roses and gold, forest green and sparkling azure blue, and after the first snows the gleam of bright white: for every season in Bulgaria there are captivating colors and unforgettable experiences to match.
With the lifting of some restrictions in some areas of Europe anglers have been able to go fishing again. But experts are worried about the environmental impact
Europe's fishermen bring billions of euros to coastal economies but critics say unrestricted fishing threatens vulnerable species.
Postcards heads down to La Mer, Dubai's newest beachfront development to check out the vintage-style beach huts, water sports, restaurants, bars, fashion stores and street art.
They say certain fishing methods are seeing the dolphins accidentally killed.
Here’s how to spend a full day at one of the city’s most popular seaside spots
EU sponsors clean-up operations, but a change in mentalities is the key to success
Images of rubbish piling up in the ocean can be a depressing sight. But the good news is that there are signs that cleanup campaigns are having an impact.


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A retailer’s plan to erect a sign outside its new Huntingdon branch has been criticised by council officials as ‘excessive and incongruous’.
Supermarket chain Lidl is in the process of building a new branch in Stukeley Road, a development which could bring dozens of jobs to the town.
As part of the process, the retailer applied to Huntingdonshire District Council to install two wall-mounted signs and a totem sign, which was set to be almost 20ft in height and illuminated.
Lidl argued that a precedent for totem signs already existed in Stukeley Road, with Tyre Pro, Murketts Vauxhall and Stukeley Retail Park all having erected similar signs, albeit of slightly smaller scale.
But district council planning officer Tara Everson disagreed with the retailer, saying that the area in which Lidl plans to open is less industrial and closer to the conservation area of Huntingdon.
Rejecting the application for planning permission, Ms Everson said: “The proposed totem sign, by virtue of its six-metre height, proximity to the road and illumination, on an important gateway into the town centre conservation area, would be excessive in scale resulting in an unduly prominent and incongruous feature within the street scene.
“This would be harmful to the character of the area.”
Lidl’s plans for the two wall-mounted signs were approved, however. The supermarket has six months to appeal the decision to the Planning Inspectorate.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Is too much weight given to the conservation area in planning decisions? Send your thoughts to Hunts Post, 30 High Street, Huntingdon, PE29 3TB or e-mail email@example.com


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| Oct 22, 2013
It's 7:18 a.m.at Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, N.Y., and John Goodman is yawning.
The ursine actor is up early for a shoot at the studio's Stage K, an 18,000-square-foot facility where he's shooting "Alpha House," a new TV series in which he...
| Oct 23, 2013
| 2:16 PM
Can Harvard Lampoon give its Hobbit parody the same title as a local author's? The Wobbit is another example in a spate of duplicate titles that have been coming down the cultural pike.
Paul Erickson was doing that thing that writers do —...
| Nov 27, 2013
| 6:30 AM
HONG KONG - Home shopping giant, Amazon is to begin offering movies online in Japan from this week.
The company, which has previously sold electronic books and music will offer a selection of local and foreign films which can be either rented or...
| Dec 2, 2013
| 6:16 PM
WASHINGTON — Amazon.com Inc. and other online retailers suffered a legal setback on Cyber Monday as the Supreme Court turned away their challenge to a New York law that requires Internet companies to collect sales taxes.
Delivered on one of the...
| Nov 4, 2013
| 7:12 AM
On June 10, 1861, Union and Confederate forces lined up against each other in the Battle of Big Bethel, the first planned engagement of the Civil War. Led by Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler for the North, and Col. John Bankhead Magruder for the South, the...
| Oct 18, 2013
| 3:59 PM
While most of us were being squeaky-clean in our online activities, a rather dirty war recently broke out in cyberspace over the selling of dirty e-books on Amazon and elsewhere. The affair raises numerous issues of non-prurient interest.
| Dec 3, 2013
| 2:12 PM
Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos staged a technology demonstration over the weekend, aiming to show how quickly a half-baked idea with several years of obstacles ahead of it could garner fawning attention from the news media.
Answer: about two nanoseconds....
| Nov 6, 2013
| 2:23 PM
Amazon on Tuesday announced a program, called Amazon Source, making its Kindle e-readers, tablets and accessories available for independent bookstores to sell to their customers. The bookstores can purchase the devices at a discount and then, in some...
| Nov 6, 2013
| 2:26 PM
Amazon.com wants to help out the corner bookstore.
The Seattle Internet giant on Wedneday introduced Amazon Source, a program that enables independent booksellers to earn money from the sale of Kindle e-books -- if they sell Kindle devices and...
| Nov 14, 2013
| 12:15 PM
For readers interested in biographies and memoirs, Biographile.com is a must-bookmark website. This publisher-agnostic site, maintained by Random House, includes reviews, roundups, breaking biography news and essays from historians and authors writing...
| Nov 19, 2013
| 10:07 AM
Amazon announced a free software update for Kindle Paperwhite that will add several new features to the e-reader.
Amazon said the update would be delivered over the air automatically in the coming weeks, or via download from its website.


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Super Talent thumb drives work with Vista's ReadyBoost
One of the many benefits touted in Windows Vista is ReadyBoost, a new feature that allows the OS to use flash drives as pseudo-RAM in order to increase performance. However, in order for this to work, you have to use certain types of high-speed thumb drives. Today, Super Talent announced some of the first drives compatible with ReadyBoost: the $30 RBST-1GB and $60 RBST-2GB. The company says in a press release that the flash drives will begin shipping early this month -- which should be, like, any day now.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.


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The UK has the X-Box factor – London Games Festival highlights the economic impact of the gaming sector
They become crazed, with eyes glazed, oblivious to everything around them as they play the machines,” thundered George Foulkes, Labour MP for South Ayrshire, in 1981, during the furore surrounding Space Invaders and other arcade games that were said to be transforming the nation’s youth into mindless, truanting zombies.
Well, it possibly hasn’t escaped your notice that the days when a pearls-clutching moral majority passed Foulkes’s hastily drawn-up “control of space invaders and other electronic games” bill through parliament are well and truly gone. Today, the UK games industry (more than 2,000 UK-based games companies) is worth £4.2bn, catering for 31.6 million Brits, operating across every platform from phones to PCs, consoles and virtual reality headsets, making us the sixth-largest games market in the world.
The UK industry’s success stories are legion, from Eidos (Tomb Raider) to Rocksteady Studios (Batman: Arkham Knight – the fastest-selling game of 2015) and Edinburgh-based developers Rockstar North, whose Grand Theft Auto V is the fastest-selling entertainment product of all time, grossing $1bn (then £625m) worldwide in three days.
Underscoring such triumphs – and during the same month that Nintendo launches its new console, the Nintendo Switch – the London Games Festival returns for its second year, beginning 30 March. Organisers are expecting to draw 55,000 attendees during the 11-day extravaganza, which has already brought over £8.5m in potential investment to the capital.
Opening the festival, EGX Rezzed at Tobacco Dock focuses on British independent talent (hotly anticipated games include Yooka Laylee, which raised $1m via Kickstarter in record time), while other events include the British Academy Games Awards, and the Games Finance Market, which connects developers and content creators with investors and funders.
“It’s fantastic to see the festival expanding in scope, reach and ambition, and connecting London-based talent with overseas investment partners,” says London mayor Sadiq Khan, who fully supports its mission to make the city “the world capital for video games”.
Long may the UK be invaded.
London Games Festival 2017 will take place from 30 March–9 April
Articles related to London Games Festival


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FIFA no longer wants to give only one manufacturer to license rights in the future.
Electronic Arts football game series will not bear the name FIFA from next year, because the license agreement with the same name International Football Association seems to be not renewable. This is not yet confirmed, EA has already secured the rights for a new name: EA SPORTS FC. FIFA, in turn, has now published a statement in which it does not respond to the negotiations with the publisher, but outlines its own future plans regarding video games and esports.
Accordingly, in the future, one wanted to set up broader and deviate from these areas to grant only one manufacturer to license rights, as has been the case for many years. FIFA is optimistic and enthusiastic about the future in the gaming as well as eSports for football and it is clear that this must be an area that is occupied by more than one party, which controls all rights, it says. Technology and mobile companies now actively fight for a shortcut with FIFA, their platforms and global tournaments.
Furthermore, the association says that with several industrial representatives, including developers, investors and analysts, in conversations to set up a long-term plan for the video game and esports sector as well as generally the area of interactive entertainment media. So it could be that in the future there will be several games of different manufacturers with official FIFA license. Whether EA will still be included will show.
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Remember last week how we covered a handful of new announcements by Japanese RPG developer Imageepoch? There was great question as to whether or not these games would ever make their way to North America or Europe and it was not looking very good. That however has quickly changed as Ryoei Mikage, who is the CEO of Imageepoch, has announced a partnership with NIS America.
Speaking with Dengeki Online, Ryoei Mikage described that release plans for their newly announced games will be handled overseas solely by NIS America inside of North America and Europe. The games will be fully translated into English and be treated as full releases by NIS America. May I say that this is quite a quick announcement considering more often than not JRPGs are released in Japan, and either never see an American release date, or release a year later at the best.
The reason that Mikage happened to choose NIS America for handling their releases is because of NISA’s Disgaea sales that exceed 150,000 – 200,000 copies sold. While that number is very small compared to blockbuster releases, for games like Imageepoch is making that is quite impressive to them. Looks like Imageepoch’s announcement that they were planning to revitalize the JRPG genre is true.
The games in case you forgot that have been announced, and therefore are to be localized are Tale of the Last Promise, Chevalier Saga Tactics, and perhaps most exciting of all; Black Rock Shooter: the Game. One can also note that Black Rock Shooter has seen zero release overseas so it will be interesting to see how well these will be handled. Keep in mind that these games were just announced in Japan by Imageepoch so expect a nice little wait after they get released. Black Rock Shooter itself is set for a Summer 2011 release date so no news as to when the localization can even be expected. But hey, at least we know one is coming!


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The FCC’s orderly disruption: A look back at some major decisions taken to improve US video viewing habits
The last fifteen months at the FCC have yielded some of the most consequential policy decisions since the commission’s founding in the 1930s. From net neutrality to redefining what constitutes an MVPD, commissioners have consciously pursued positions that promote innovation and foster competition across an industry that currently offers consumers very little choice.
Last month, the FCC took its most progressive action yet in a 3-2 vote of the commissioners. Colloquially described as “unlocking the set-top-box,” the regulator has effectively torn down an institutional barrier to true consumer choice in pay TV. Now, cable is BYOB—bring your own box.
The significance of the unlocked box is actually amplified by two preceding FCC policy positions that would have a profound impact on the TV industry.
First, net neutrality. Set aside initial court rulings, and focus on the impact this could still eventually have, keeping in mind the US still lacks sensible, forward-looking Internet regulation entering the age of IoT.
A permissible creation of fast lanes by ISPs and the ability to charge media owners for faster throughputs could very well replace programmer carriage fees as the most lucrative aspect of content distribution. One need not look beyond the Netflix-Comcast relationship to understand the long-term value of an ISP customer, relative to that of the video sub.
Second, the FCC’s move at the end of 2014 to redefine Multichannel Video Programming Distributor (MVPD). Removing the need for physical distribution infrastructure from the definition of MVPD could prove disruptive in its own right. This opens up the competition for video subscribers to any number of firms capable of sustaining multiple “linear” streams of content, meaning a purely internet-based programming distributor could compete with your cable company. (The FCC also defined “linear” for the first time in this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking).
The introduction of streaming services like SlingTV from DISH are just the tip of the iceberg, with a proliferation of cloud MVPD services (and even new MVPDs, altogether) in the coming months and years.
The Democratization of Content
And now, the FCC’s third installment: the consumer should be able use her Apple TV or TiVo Bolt as a primary cable box; possibly even a gaming console. For context, there are more gaming households in the U.S. today than there are households paying a cable bill each month.
Unlike most MVPD set-top-boxes, these third-party platforms have been built around user experience and an agnostic facilitation of content discovery. And, unlike the MVPD boxes, there isn’t a wholesale restriction of competing video services by the incumbent video service provider. It’s the pure democratization of content.
It’s fantastic for the consumer, liberating even, but it will be disruptive to traditional ad sales models, particularly those models that reliably link providers and geographic reach.
Fragmentation Demands Agility
When neighborhoods are inevitably serviced by a multitude of MVPDs, the result will be a diffusion of geographic scale at an order of magnitude tens-of-times greater than the fragmentation challenges cable interconnects resolved two decades ago. This time around, however, it will require dynamic, inventory management platforms to help MVPDs fully monetize these audiences, as their business models increasingly transition to that of the digital publisher.
While “BYOB” could foster the innovation and facilitate the competition consumers want, unanticipated consequences could ensure a decade of continued disruption in content distribution.
The mistake to be made today is to assume this transformation is years away. It was less than two years ago that Nielsen reported the universe estimate for multimedia device households (e.g. Apple TV) as “N/A” in its 3Q’14 quarterly Total Audience Report. What is clear is that the pace of change among consumers’ viewing behaviors is accelerating on a curve that makes reliable trending painfully difficult.
Fortunately for MVPDs, the ad tech solutions they need to ensure stability in their ad business were designed precisely for such an environment.


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A nonprofit is shifting its warehouse operations after leasing nearly 10,000 square feet of industrial space in Pennsauken, brokers with Vantage Commercial announced.
The owner of a soon-to-be-updated shopping center in Gloucester County has secured five new tenants for the property, according to a team with Vantage Commercial.
Vantage Commercial has brokered the sale of two commercial properties and a single-family home in southern New Jersey, working on behalf of a family estate.
A new restaurant is coming to a former Panera space at a Burlington County shopping center, under a deal arranged by Vantage Commercial.
A pharmaceutical inspection company has leased nearly 22,000 square feet of industrial flex space in Mount Laurel, in a newly announced deal by Vantage Commercial.
A provider of salon suites has leased nearly 10,000 square feet at an Ocean County shopping center, according to a broker with Vantage Commercial.
A local investor in Atlantic County has added to his portfolio with the purchase of five buildings with nearly 12,000 square feet of medical office space, according to the broker in the deal.
An e-commerce business has leased nearly 21,000 square feet of warehouse and office space in Pennsauken, in a newly announced transaction by Vantage Commercial.
Crescent Business Center at 7300 North Crescent Blvd. in Pennsauken — Courtesy: Vantage Commercial


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Bentley is preparing the most expensive supercar
The British and their studio Mulliner prepared for the release of an expensive car, which is estimated at $1.26 million.
The novelty will be presented at the end of this year in a limited edition - 10 copies. It remains unknown whether this is either a new model or a particular version of an existing car. Bentley Design Director Stefan Zilaff told the media that the new vehicle would gain an advantage over the "standard" cars.
On the power plant information is similarly small. In theory, under the hood will be a traditional gasoline engine, and not a rechargeable hybrid installation, like the one that Bentayga PHEV has.
By the way, the official debut of the third generation Bentley Flying Spur with a fully-managed architecture will take place very soon. The car will have a twin-turbo V8 and a 6.0-liter W12 for 635 "horses."


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A 1994 Audi Quattro convertible that was owned by the late Princess Diana is going to be going up for auction soon. The convertible was the family car in which Princess Diana was photographed in a many times driving with her husband, Prince William, and son, Prince Harry, during 1994.
Princess Diana's 1994 Audi Quattro is expected to auction for £20,000 – £25,000 British pounds, which is roughly $31,000-$38,000 American dollars. However, the car could go for a lot more. COYS, the auction company handling the sale of the Audi, mentioned there has been interest from around the world and particularly the US for the car and COYS hadn't officially released the news about the auction until yesterday. People are talking and clearly want this car it seems. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to own a piece of Royal History.” said Chris Routledge, Managing Director of COYS.
The Audi is in immaculate condition and has only 21,000 miles on the odometer. I a pretty sure those were easy miles and that the car was well maintained. Of course I doubt whoever buys the car will do much driving in it and most likely will keep it with a nice collection of collectible vehicles.
The auction for Audi is set to take place at Blenheim Palace on June 29th. The car will be on display for a month at Grange St. Paul’s Hotel (10 Godliman Street, London EC4V 5AJ) in London. Visitors to the hotel will have the opportunity to leave a sealed bid for the Audi Quattro once owned by Princess Diana. All sealed bids then will be given to the auctioneer at Blenheim Palace. COYS and Grange Hotel are planning a competition where the lucky winner will be driven in the car at the Blenheim auction, entertained to lunch and will then attend the auction. Ah, the joys of bidding on royal vehicles.


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Il Giardino della Meraviglie
12 Jan. 2010
WHITE KIDS TO DEBUT IN MILANA new trade show dedicated to size 0-12 kids’ apparel and accessories is set to debut in Milan.
WHITE Kids, Jan. 24-26, follows the success of WHITE Donna (womenswear, Feb. 28-Mar. 1) and WHITE Homme (menswear, Jan. 17-19) and three seasons of kidswear being shown in “Il Giardino delle Meraviglie.” Massimiliano Bizzi, owner and creator of WHITE events, said his organization expects the new show "to become a regular event on the international fashion calendar.”
Within the new show also will be the launch of BLav, a 0–4 kids’ apparel and footwear line, designed by Lavinia Borromeo. An impressive environment of a greenhouse-cum-winter garden will surround this brand new Made in Italy line.
The special guest of the event, meanwhile, will be I PINCOPALLINO, celebrating its 30th anniversary with its new F/W 10-11 collection and a dreamlike installation featuring white decorations and suspended mannequins from iron cables. In all, WHITE Kids will present at via Tortona 27 a selection of over 50 companies including American Outfitters, Chipie Kids, Closed, J Brand, Mauro Grifoni Kids, Momino, Petit Bateau, Seeds, Star Chic, Start Rite, T-Shirt T-Shops and T&T.
An open space without divisions and barriers to separate companies from each other will define the unique concept of the exhibition inspired by US colleges and created according to environmentally-friendly criteria, as with all other WHITE salons. The space has also been designed to convey a harmonious yet ludic atmosphere that is ideal for the young consumers for whom the show is dedicated. A North American inspiration also characterizes the fast food area offering made in Italy organic treats.
—Maria Cristina Pavarini
|Back to home|


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A 54-year-old Louisiana woman appeared in federal court on charges of distributing diet pills containing controlled substances after representing them as natural products. On March 22, the woman was convicted of three federal offenses each of distributing controlled substances and providing interstate commerce with misbranded drugs. The jury reportedly reached the verdict after a trial that lasted seven days. Her fate will now be in the hands of the judge presiding over the proceedings, and her criminal defense attorney is likely focused on presenting mitigating circumstances at the sentencing hearing.
The controlled substance in the diet pills was identified as Sibutramine, which was also present in Meridia — a dietary product linked to stroke and heart attack risks, and banned nationwide in 2010. According to court documents, the defendant was aware of the controlled dangerous substance in the pills but continued to market and sell them to unsuspecting customers. Evidence apparently indicated that the woman gained about $100,000 from the scheme, which continued from 2009 through 2014.
It also came to light that the defendant obtained the diet pills from her accomplice, who imported it from China. He then supplied his distributors — of which the now convicted woman was one — who, in turn, marketed them to consumers in multiple states. The diet pills were sold under several different brand names.
According to U.S. Attorney Walt Green, sentencing can include forfeiture of proceeds, restitution, fines and incarceration that may be followed by supervised release. Under such circumstances, the ongoing support of an experienced criminal defense attorney can be invaluable. When a Louisiana resident is facing the wrath of the government and all its resources, a strong advocate will do everything reasonably possible to obtain the best possible outcome under the circumstances.
Source: heraldguide.com, “Hahnville woman busted selling drugs as diet pills”, Anna Thibodeaux, April 8, 2016