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Stakeholders interest is growing in non-financial performance of businesses and there is a deep realization that sustainability issues have a clear correlation with business outcomes and the ability of companies to create long-term value, as per a report. The report noted that investors continue to be among the key stakeholder groups driving momentum around environmental, social and governance (ESG) actions and disclosures. The range of ESG issues that investors look at continue to grow, encompassing diverse aspects such as carbon emissions, human rights record and board diversity. The report-The Evolving Non-Financial Reporting Landscape- by consultancy firm EY highlighted the importance of ESG related disclosures. It focused on the trends in the current ESG reporting landscape, the drivers for change, Indian scenario of increased disclosure requirements and future design of ESG reporting, among others. The COVID-19 pandemic has helped with widespread awareness on actions pertaining to ESG issues. A strong sustainability implementation is the only way forward into the new normal. The sharp focus on ESG is a consequence of the need for building better business ecosystems and bringing greater resilience for the future, it said. Besides, it found that while financial reporting has evolved on account of internationally recognized accounting standards around the world over a longer period of time, sustainability disclosure is more complex due to several reasons. There exists no formal boundary for sustainability topics. It varies across geographies, markets, industries and sectors with newer issues and frameworks being added continuously. This complexity of addressing several issues under varied frameworks highlights the need for an effective, integrated and concise non-financial disclosure, Shailesh Tyagi, partner, Climate Change and Sustainability Services, EY India said. It highlighted an important initiative launched at the World Economic Forums fourth annual Sustainable Development Impact Summit in September 2020, where a set of universal ESG metrics and disclosures were released to measure stakeholder capitalism that companies can report on regardless of their industry or region
Implementation of the National Education Policy, a four-year undergraduate programme and merger of College of Arts with the city government-run Ambedkar University will come up for discussion during the Delhi University executive council meeting on Tuesday, according to the agenda document. The implementation of the National Education Policy from 2022-23 and the four-year undergraduate programme were approved by the Standing Committee on Academic Matters and the Academic Council last week. They will come up for discussion in the meeting on Tuesday and are likely to be approved. The Executive Council (EC) is the highest decision making body of the university. The EC meeting takes up the proposals approved by the Academic Council and also some other matters that were pending from earlier meetings. The Delhi Cabinet in March took the decision to merge the College of Art, currently affiliated to Delhi University (DU), with Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD). The matter of de-affiliation of the College of Arts with DU will be discussed in the meeting, according to the agenda of the meeting circulated among the EC members. The setting up of DU Digital Infrastructure Support for Colleges and Departments (DUDISCAD) is also a part of the EC meetings agenda, the agenda read. The DUDISCD will be involved in assisting colleges and departments to develop in-house digital infrastructure. The university had earlier also said it will establish facilitation centres in Roshanpura in Najafgarh and Bhati Kalan in Fatehpur Beri on the land given by the Delhi government. The centres will save students residing in far-flung areas from a long commute to the university campus and will extend help in relation to examination and admission-related procedures. The university also has plans to set up a college in Fatehpur Beri for which the names of first woman chief minister of Delhi Sushma Swaraj, Swami Vivekananda, Veer Savarkar and Sardar Patel were proposed. In its meeting held on Tuesday last week, the academic council put forth five more names, including that of DU alumnus Arun Jaitley and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Council resolved that the name of these colleges\/centers may be given after the names of Sushma Swaraj, Swami Vivekananda, Veer Savarkar, Sardar Patel. The Council also suggested the names of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Savitri Bai Phule, Arun Jaitley, Choudhary Brahm Prakash and CD Deshmukh. After general discussion\/suggestions, the Council resolved that the vice-chancellor be authorised to finalize the name, read the agenda of the meeting. The vice-chancellor had constituted a committee for empanelment of Adjunct Faculty in the university departments and colleges, for value addition and internationalization of the academic activities, to engage the international adjunct faculty from their own resources to significantly enhance the teaching-learning Process in the University of Delhi. The discussion on appointment of international adjunct faculty is also included in the meeting agenda on Tuesday.
Union Minister for Labour and Employment Bhupender Yadav on Thursday launched the e-SHRAM portal to maintain a database of 38 crore workers in the unorganised sector. Through the portal, the government aims to register 38 crore unorganised sector workers such as construction labourers, migrant workforce, street vendors and domestic workers, among others. The registrations began from Thursday. It will not only register them but would also be helpful in delivering various social security schemes being implemented by the central and state governments. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sanctioned Rs 2 lakh accidental insurance cover to every registered unorganised worker on the e-SHRAM portal. If a worker registered on the portal meets with an accident, he\/she will be eligible for the amount on death or permanent disability and Rs 1 lakh on partial disability. A national toll free number – 14434 – was also launched to assist and address the queries of workers seeking registration on the portal As part of the initiative, the workers will be issued an e-SHRAM card containing a 12-digit unique number The objective behind the move is integration of social security schemes of the government. The details of the workers will also be shared with state governments and departments. A worker can register using his\/her Aadhaar number and bank account details, apart from filling other necessary information like date of birth, home town, mobile number and social category.
Samantha Akkineni The duo, christened ChaySam by fans, married in 2017 in a private wedding. Now, Samantha has spoken to Film Companion The actor said she did not respond to trolls She added that she didn She said everyone wanted her to respond during There were nearly 65,000 tweets criticising her, but she said she would speak only when she had to and felt like. Samantha added that she would not be bulldozed into saying something. The Family Man 2 However, the show was well received across India. Samantha also expressed her desire for a challenging role in any language. She said that she had been scared of a new industry, which she thought was alien to her. However, she is now trying to knock off all her insecurities and finding her feet in the South. As a result, stepping into a new atmosphere was scary. However, the response to Samantha said she was still a hungry actor looking for the next challenge and was open to any challenge, wherever it might come from. As for Naga Chaitanya, the actor will follow in his wife
Logistics for MSMEs: Ahead of the festive season, Amazon India is further strengthening its last-mile network. The company on Tuesday announced the launch of a new version of its Delivery Service Partner (DSP) programme in India that allows aspiring entrepreneurs to set up and launch their own package delivery business. DSPs are essentially local companies that Amazon partners with to deliver packages from a central location to the customers doorstep. The company already has over 40 such logistics businesses in the first batch of its DSP programme who would be supported through The company has also launched the new version of the programme in the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Brazil, and the Netherlands. The tentative startup costs can vary from Rs 1.5 Lac to 5 Lacs depending on factors such as preferred location, team size, entity type, etc. Subscribe to Financial Express SME newsletter now: Amazon said since the launch of its DSP programme, it has invested over $1 billion in technology globally and as a result, 2,500 small logistics companies have created over In India, the programme has over 300 entrepreneurs managing 1,500 DSP stations across 750 cities and creating jobs for tens of thousands of locals. The expansion was to increase storage capacity at the company5 lakh sellers, the majority of which are MSMEs, the company had said in July this year. Along with offering 43 million cubic feet of storage space to our sellers, this will create tens of thousands of direct indirect work opportunities,
Ease of Doing Business for MSMEs: Ratan Tata-backed mobile point of sale (POS) player Mswipe, which focuses on small and medium enterprise (SME) merchants, is looking to grow 3x in its POS-merchant and QR-merchant base in the coming three years as it looks to acquire an NBFC license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in FY22 to become a digital small finance bank for SMEs, Mswipe founder Manish Patel told Financial Express Online in an interaction. 5 million POS (merchants) which is around 3x from today by 2024 and another 3x of 1.1 million QR merchants by 2024. We want to be an SME-focused bank as there is currently no bank exclusively focused on SMEs in the country today. There are banks that are consumer-focused, or large enterprise-focused but no bank largely focuses on SMEs at this point in time, Mswipe currently has 6.75 lakh POS merchants. In line with its move for the banking license, the startup had in July this year appointed former Cashe CEO Ketan Patel as the company Mswipe intends to one-stop-shop for SMEs with respect to payment or finance needs, buy now pay later, direct lending, managing inventory, micro ATMs, etc. The move to enter loan offering to customers is seen as a move to boost income for fintech companies in comparison to enabling payments or processing payments. In June this year, BharatPe had reportedly acquired the NBFC license in partnership with Centrum. Other fintech startups such as OkCredit and Khatabook were also reportedly looking at NBFC license. Subscribe to Financial Express SME newsletter now: Of approximately 20,000 merchants we onboard every month, every single merchant will have access to this e-RUPI feature, e-RUPI is a one-time cashless and contactless payment mechanism launched by PM Narendra Modi in August to strengthen the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme. The scheme was launched to enable Merchants would be able to accept the code or SMS without any app or card intervention or even internet banking through e-RUPI developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
By Dr P.Swathi The path to recovery from COVID-19 is tiring, and it takes the right amount of rest and a balanced diet for the body to get back to its earlier health levels. Nutrition plays an important part in this journey for those suffering from COVID-19, as well as those recovering from the infection. As the virus comes with its complexity, the body usually weakens and takes a long time to get back to full recovery. Even during recovery, one deals with general fatigue and other complications on a day-to-day basis. Patients tend to suffer similar symptoms post-testing negative for COVID-19. They continue feeling weak, leaving them tired with even simple everyday tasks. Often they find it hard to concentrate or focus on their work, even after sufficient sleep. Around 30% of people recovering from COVID-19 are facing major complications due to various reasons. One of the major reasons is the use of steroids. Since high intake of steroids is needed to fight the virus, it leaves fewer nutrients in the body to rejuvenate it naturally. Another major reason is the deficiency of antioxidants, which affect the body in the long run. As a result, patients of COVID-19 suffer from fatigue, breathlessness, joint pains, hair loss, chest pain, weight gain, increase in sugars levels, heart palpitations, and blood infections, among others. Hence, it becomes important to make sure one consumes an adequate amount of carbohydrates, proteins and antioxidants. Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Selenium, Zinc, Glutathione, and Flavonoids, among others, are the antioxidants that the body generally needs for a healthy recovery. Regular consumption of antioxidants helps in preventing and managing heart diseases, balancing the pH levels in the body by pumping out the toxins through the kidney, thus contributing to the long life of the liver. Furthermore, antioxidants, also called free radical scavengers, boost one Antioxidants for cardiovascular diseases Flavonoids – Dark chocolates, tea, red cabbage, cauliflower P Coumaric acid – Orange, grape, papaya, barley, brown rice, cinnamon, peanuts, tomato, garlic, carrot Glutathione – Fish, chicken, egg, whey protein, nuts, legumes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, veggies Antioxidants for diabetes mellitus Vitamin A – Drumstick leaves, spinach, orange, papaya, carrot, betel leaves Glutathione – Fish, chicken, egg, whey protein, nuts, legumes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, veggies Antioxidants for Eye to meet vitamin to manage your CRP levels Good protein intake, anti-inflammatory foods, soluble fibre, nuts, fruits, antioxidants, iron, Vitamin C, Omega group (n-3, n-6 n-9), regular steam with hot water by add crystal salt and turmeric will help you manage your breathing problems A diet of low carbohydrate foods, including roots, tubers, whole grains, lentils, whole pulses, a lot of fruits, sprouts, veggies, nuts and oilseeds, will help manage your weight. Avoid foods like refined products sweets, sugars, and jaggery Complex carbohydrates, moderate protein, and food with high fibre and low fats, can help manage sugar levels. (The author is MS (D.F.S.M), Senior Dietician, Manipal Hospitals Vijayawada. The article is for informational purposes only. Please consult health experts and medical professionals before starting any therapy or medication. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)
Markets regulator Sebi has disposed of proceedings against statutory auditor of Fortis Healthcare in a matter pertaining to its alleged role in diversion of funds. It was alleged against Rashim Tandon, partner, Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP, the statutory auditor of Fortis Healthcare Ltd (FHL), that it had indirectly aided in misrepresentation and non-disclosure of material information in consolidated financials of FHL. An investigation was initiated in the matter of Fortis after an article published in February 2018 said promoters of FHL have taken at least Rs 500 crore out of FHL. Sebi had initiated investigation into the matter of grant of inter-corporate deposits (ICD) to three borrower companies. A forensic auditor was appointed to examine the alleged diversion of funds from FHL \/ its subsidiaries for the benefit of promoter or promoter connected entities. It was prima facie observed that Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP were the statutory auditors of the company during the period when misrepresentation of financial statements of 2016-17 and first quarter of 2017-18 took place and being signatory to the financial statements, it failed to comply with code of ethics and conduct the audit in accordance with the auditing standards. However, Sebi found that at the time when the statutory auditor had started the auditing, there was no reason for an auditor to be alarmed with respect to the issue of the ICDs since the same were being already provided over a long period of time as a regular business practice of FHL and its wholly-owned subsidiary and there was no default in regular repayment of them. The investigation of Sebi does not allege or establish that the auditor was even aware of the fraudulent scheme. On the contrary, it is observed from the investigation of Sebi that the Noticee had refused to sign unqualified unaudited financial information of FHL Group (which included FHsL) pending clarity on recoverability of the ICDs, which were not repaid as contracted on September 30, 2017, it added. FHsL here refers to Fortis Healthcare Ltd (FHL) and Fortis Hospitals Ltd. The auditors conduct do not indicate any mala fide and Sebi concluded that the charges levelled against the entity cannot be sustained and thus disposed of the adjudication proceedings.
Consumer durables brand Usha International has launched a new media campaign highlighting its range of kitchen appliances starring brand ambassador Keerthy Suresh. As part of the campaign, Usha has released four TV commercials across traditional and digital mediums. Aimed at amplifying connect and engagement with consumers across India, Usha The films, upto 35 seconds each, have been launched pan-India, with a focus on growing Usha They have the actor in a modern home-chef avatar who revels in the joy of cooking with Usha products. As per the company, the TVC will be run in various languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam for optimum reach and impact. It will be aired across a mix of vernacular GEC and news channels and followed by digital amplification across relevant platforms pan-India. ;list=PLhV0Uk5LDbT3zQrOZ8beOIDNcNRXFxhfyindex=24 ;list=PLhV0Uk5LDbT3zQrOZ8beOIDNcNRXFxhfyindex=25 We are making sure we reach and assist consumers in their journey of need recognition, information gathering, purchase, and post-purchase experience, by being present across all mediums of communication and ensuring an omni-channel presence for a seamless experience. South India, which is amongst the priority markets for Usha, with an evolved consumer base, high penetration of appliances, and an appreciation of the benefits of different categories of appliances and with this campaign, we are looking to further strengthen our connect with consumers and increase our brand salience not just in these markets but across the country as well, Read Also: Havas Creative launches digital campaign for JBL Follow us onTwitter,Instagram,LinkedIn,Facebook
Indian Railways records highest freight loading earning in August! Despite the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, Indian Railways has continued to maintain the high momentum in freight figures in terms of both, loading and earning during the month of August. According to a statement issued by the Railway Ministry, during August 2021, the freight loading by Indian Railways was 110.55 million tonnes which is 16.87 per cent higher compared to the month of August last year (94.59 million tonnes of freight loading for the same period). Apart from the noteworthy improvement in freight loading, Indian Railways has also earned an amount of Rs 10,866.20 crore from freight loading during the month of August 2021, which is 20.16 per cent higher compared to August 2020 (freight earning of Rs 9,043.44 crore). According to the Railway Ministry, the important items transported by the national transporter during August 2021 includes 13.53 million tonnes of Iron Ore, 47.94 million tonnes of Coal, 3.60 million tonnes of Mineral Oil, 5.77 million tonnes of Pig Iron as well as Finished Steel, 4.16 million tonnes of Fertilizers, 6.88 million tonnes of Food Grains, 6.3 million tonnes of Cement (excluding clinker) as well as 4.51 million tonnes of Clinker. The statement by the Railway Ministry further mentions that a number of concessions and discounts are also being given in the Indian Railways network in order to make movement of goods attractive. The Railway Ministry has further claimed that the speed of freight trains services in the existing rail network has been enhanced. According to the ministry, improvement of speed in freight trains leads to saving of costs for all stakeholders. During the last 19 months, the speed of Indian Railways freight trains has doubled, the ministry stated. Besides, the Covid-19 pandemic time has been used by the national transporter as an opportunity to upgrade all round efficiencies and performances, the Ministry of Railways added.


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Spread across 1.3 million sqft – with 538,195 sqft of GLA housing 230 stores across six levels, the department store alone spanning over 113,021 sqft – ABC Verdun Mall is the biggest civil engineering project in Lebanon worth $300 million. Scheduled to open on July 27 this year, it is creating more than 2,000 jobs directly and indirectly.
Construction of Verdun Mall started two and half years ago amidst challenging times, yet the mall is already 85% leased – the tenants include the likes of Alshaya, Al Tayer Group, Apparel Group, AZADEA Group, Chalhoub Group, Landmark Group and Majid Al Futtaim – with the fully leased department store.
“Almost 35% of our tenants have already started shop fitting. Of course, we had very long and robust discussions with our longstanding partners, especially those from the GCC, owing to difficult times. What makes it special nonetheless is the fact that there has not been such an exciting project in Lebanon, which will also go a long way in consolidating the positioning of the retailers. Moreover, since the Lebanese consumers are quite avant-garde in their food preferences, it allowed us to introduce several new F&B concepts,” shares Frank-Matthias Kuntermann, deputy CEO, ABC Group in an exclusive interview with Rupkatha Bhowmick.
What more, the mall will house a garden – a lush courtyard, the Central Park on the third floor – spanning around 21,528 sqft surrounded by al fresco dining options, a unique feature for the neighbouring community residing in the southwestern part of Beirut at Avenue Verdun. Around 53,820 sqft has been allocated for entertainment, while also ensuring enough space for parking, around 1,700, alongside three pedestrian and four car entrances.
“The mall has been designed as a porous structure connected to its predominantly residential fabric. Further it will reflect the new retail design of the department store that we’ve been working on in collaboration with design agency KKD,” Kuntermann reveals.
“We have worked with KKD before on our department store in ABC Achrafieh Mall. The central pavement has been designed keeping in mind the traditional Lebanese culture made of clear sandstone with enough room for circulation so that people can easily navigate through different segments of the department store spread across four levels. While people can access the department store from the mall, there are separate entry and exit points for customers who come to visit the department store only,” he explains.
“Besides, ABC Verdun will also have an inside-out structure, akin to ABC Achrafieh Mall, for which the Group has worked closely with the Seattle-based architecture firm called Callisson to improvise the design elements,” he concludes.
ABC Verdun Mall composition (per mall segment)
|Mall segments||GLA (sqft)|
|ABC Department Store||107,640|
Read about Lebanon’s first shopping mall, ABC Achrafieh Mall, in the May edition of RetailME
Consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders of fashion retail are at aMay 11, 2022 | By Zubina Ahmed
The eight edition of the Retail Leaders Circle MENA, convened more thatMay 5, 2022 | By Zubina Ahmed
Lulu Group International recently introduced the world’s first AI-powered Food Delivery Robot
Eid Al-Fitr is an occasion to gather with your friends and family
Leading retailer LuLu Group further strengthened its presence in the Emirate of
Jones the Grocer, the Australian gourmet grocer and café chain, announces further
What is a perfect healthy snack for Ramadan? An assortment of dried
With Ramadan almost at it’s first week, we are wondering where can
In spirit of the holy month, Amazon announced that it will contribute
As consumer behaviour is changing and the demand for delivery is expanding,
As part of the ‘Gift an Iftar’ campaign, Festival Plaza, part of
The Michelin Guide, a book published by the French tyre company that
As the UAE eases pandemic restrictions and encourages the renewal of business
Papa John’s International, Inc. has announced a new partnership with ENOC Group
Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer
Leading Hypermarket retailer Carrefour – owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim
GMG, a global well-being company retailing, distributing and manufacturing a portfolio of
Some 88% of consumers in UAE and KSA have revealed that they
Have you thought of a situation when retail stores will offer refill
LEGO Certified Stores – owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim together
India’s leading retailer Reliance has called off its $3.4 billion deal with
Swedish home furnishings giant IKEA, has announced the opening of its first
Shopping while earning money or getting returns from a part of your
The UAE Cabinet on Monday announced a set of new visas that
The global online fashion market is now a $500 billion industry, with
Apparel Group expanded its footprint in Qatar, with the launch of 20

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Silicon Valley is training computers to see, hear and speak and cars and trucks to drive themselves.
Fake content is a genuine problem on the Internet.
Fund managers will be forced to sell down their stake in takeover target Tatts Group if they want to follow the strict rules around their mandates.
Filmmakers want $US25 to $US50 home rentals for newest pictures, but cinemas are resisting.
Willy Wonka's big idea was the ever-lasting gobstopper. Nestle has gone one better: low-cal Kit Kats.
Apple users who've been receiving a bunch of unwanted Calendar invites lately now have a workaround.
The tech start-up that gives cars self-driving capabilities has opened up its software secrets for all.
Taxi booking and payments-company, ingogo, is tapping shareholders for further funds and delaying an ASX-listing until the latter half of 20...
Banks will need to become "platforms" delivering financial services with various start-up partners but engagement is still relatively poor s...
ANZ's mobile payments system BladePay promises to resolve many of the headaches faced by hospitality businesses.
- 1. Tesla's Powerwall 2 can pay for itself in six years, then its electricity is free
- 2. IBM's Bernard Meyerson on how artificial intelligence predicts the future
- 3. Rule 40 and the absurdity of Olympic social media
- 4. The science behind those apps you can't stop using
- 5. Google Home v Amazon Echo: which is the best smart speaker?


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Toronto, ON, October 18, 2017 – Drone Delivery Canada ‘DDC or the Company’ (CSE:FLT OTC:TAKOF) is pleased to announce it has signed an agreement with Wolseley Canada Inc. to collaborate on the potential implementation of a drone delivery solution to expand Wolseley Canada’s distribution capabilities.
Using DDC’s logistics platform, the development, prototyping and testing will be focused on a customized Depot to Depot solution as well as a Depot to Customer solution in Wolseley Canada’s supply chain.
If the testing and development are successful to the satisfaction of both parties, the Parties intend to proceed with good faith negotiations of a definitive agreement once applicable government legislation is enacted (estimated Q4 2017 – Q1 2018). DDC shall be responsible for its own costs and expenses with respect to the testing and the development of the drone delivery logistics platform solution.
“We believe that we are the only drone delivery company in Canada to successfully achieve Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) testing and are very pleased to announce this agreement with Wolseley Canada, one of the leading plumbing and HVAC/R distributors in Canada. As drone payloads increase, we think drone deliveries will radically improve on-time delivery,” said Tony Di Benedetto, CEO of Drone Delivery Canada.
About Wolseley Canada
Wolseley Canada (www.wolseleyinc.ca) is a market leader in the wholesale distribution of plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, waterworks, fire protection, pipes, valves and fittings and industrial products. With its head office in Burlington, Ontario, the company has approximately 2,500 employees and 220 locations coast-to-coast. Wolseley’s team of sales and service specialists, an industry-leading e-business platform, and relationships with the best vendors and brands in the business, make Wolseley the professional’s choice across the country. Wolseley is also committed to being a good corporate citizen, while building and sustaining valuable community partnerships. Since 2004 Wolseley has been a national sponsor of Special Olympics Canada, and has donated more than $3.1 million through corporate sponsorship and employee fundraising. Wolseley is also an active supporter of Habitat for Humanity.
Wolseley Canada’s parent company, Ferguson plc (www.fergusonplc.com) is the world’s largest trade distributor of plumbing and heating products and a leading supplier of building materials. Ferguson plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: FERG) and on the FTSE 100 index of listed companies.
For more information, please visit www.dronedeliverycanada.com
About Drone Delivery Canada
Drone Delivery Canada is a drone technology company based out of Vaughan, Ontario focused on the design, development and implementation of a commercial drone logistics platform for government and corporate organizations. Drone Delivery Canada Corp. is a publicly listed company trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol FLT and on the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States under the symbol TAKOF.
Richard Buzbuzian, President, Drone Delivery Canada, Telephone: (647) 501-3290, Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
Bill Mitoulis, Investor Relations, Drone Delivery Canada, Telephone: (416) 837-7147, Email: email@example.com


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The details of O2 customers have been found being sold on the dark web. The revelation was unearthed by Victoria Derbyshire's BBC programme on Monday in which Mike Godfrey, a security researcher at Inisa security showed what one could buy on the dark web.
However, it was quickly shown that O2 hadn't been breached at all but those details had got there a different way.
The dark web refers to a series of private networks, inaccessible to those without the proper software or credentials, on which one can buy goods and services anonymously..
This is the water in which so much of today's cyber-criminality breeds. On there, one can buy false documents, guns, drugs, malware, or in this case, personal details.
James Maude, senior security engineer at endpoint security software firm Avecto told SCMagazineUK.com via email that “Personal data is the new digital currency for cyber-criminals and unfortunately everyone is vulnerable. As cyber-criminals do all they can to find new ways of accessing and using these sensitive details, the public and businesses need to counteract this by being aware of the threats and adopting good security practices.”
From those personal details, and thanks to the all-too-common habit of password re-use, willful cyber-criminals can often get into multiple accounts of an individual user by a method known as ‘credential stuffing'.
This appears to be the case here. The information was not actually stolen from O2 but was apparently taken three years ago from gaming website Xsplit
Matthias Maier, security evangelist at Splunk told SC that, “Once again, we see a situation where hackers have managed to re-use data from an older breach because users have recycled the same passwords. This shows how a single data breach can go on to impact other organisations. The challenge this highlights for businesses is the how employees or customers will unintentionally allow their credentials to be stolen or access hijacked. This has the potential to trigger security breaches and data leaks.”
However, added Richard Parris CEO of Intercede, this is not entirely the customers' fault:
“The customers affected by breaches of this nature are those who recycle their passwords across multiple identities but it's time that service providers stopped blaming their customers for what is grossly inadequate security. Simple password-based authentication just doesn't work – none of us can possibly remember enough complex passwords to make the approach viable.”
The BBC bought a sample of the details and contacted all those who it saw affected.
An O2 spokesperson released a statement to SC, saying “we have not suffered a data breach. Credential stuffing is a challenge for businesses and can result in many companies' customer data being sold on the darknet. We have reported all the details passed to us about the seller to law enforcement and we continue to help with their investigations.”
The spokesperson added, “We act immediately if we are given evidence of personal credentials being taken from the Internet and used to try and compromise a customer's account.”


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To celebrate the launch of Cornish Cinema Club's summer series of events, it's offering the first screening completely free.
Skylight Cinema is celebrating a summer of drive-in style screenings at Caerhays Estate, Dairyland and Porthmeor Beach, St Ives, with a completely free screening.
The showing of kids' favourite Zootropolis was originally a paid-for event but the company has now decided to offer it for nothing.
It will take place at Dairyland, near Newquay, on Wednesday, July 25, when you can watch it on a big screen from your car. Each car-load "buying" a ticket receives a bluetooth speaker for the film's audio.
Local food and drink suppliers will be supplying the refreshments. Gates open at 7.30pm with the film starting at 9.30pm.
Film fans have welcomed the free screening on Facebook though a few have questioned the late start time for a family film.
To book your FREE tickets head here - don't be confused by the details about payment, it won't cost you anything. Be quick, as the tickets will go quickly.


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Apple yesterday posted quarterly revenue of $58 billion for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 (Q2FY19), a decrease of 5% year-on-year. International sales accounted for 61% of the quarter’s revenue. CEO Tim Cook said that sales were weaker in developing countries than in developed ones. Product sales fell to $46.56 billion from $51.29 billion in the same quarter last year but Apple’s services division hit an all-time high of $11.5 billion in revenue, representing 16% year-on-year growth. iPhone and Mac sales declined year-on-year but iPad, wearables/home/accessories, and services all saw gains.
India is very important in long-term, Android dominance means opportunity: Cook
On a call with investors, Cook said India is a very important market in the long term, and its a challenging market in the short-term. “We have started manufacturing there which is very important. We would like to place retail stores there and we’re working with the government to do that. We plan on going in there with sort of all of our might. It’s not something that’s going to be on overnight huge business. But I think the growth potential is phenomenal.” Addressing the fact that Android is dominant in India, Cook said “it doesn’t bother me that it’s primarily Android business at the moment because that just means there’s a lot of opportunity there.”
Apple services now has 390 million active subscriptions
Cook said that the company now has 390 million active subscriptions fueling its services business, which will only grow with recently launched Apple News+, Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, and Apple Card. He added that paid subscriptions went up 40% across each geographic segment over the past year, and that the company expects the numbers to continue to go up over the next year. iPad revenue grew everywhere, including China, driven primarily by strong customer response to IPad Pro, Cook said. The tablet had its best quarter ever in Japan. Wearables grew almost 50% year-on-year, with the Apple Watch having its best results ever in a non-holiday quarter, and demand for AirPods continuing to outpace supply.


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A lot can happen in a week when it comes to tech. The constant onslaught of news makes it nigh impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of this week’s top tech stories, from what to expect at IFA 2017 to Domino’s driverless pizza car — it’s all here.
IFA (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) is a consumer tech show in Germany that’s widely considered the CES of Europe. This year, we’ll almost certainly be treated to great products including new smartphones, smart home and Internet of Things devices, laptops, and more.
The show runs from September 1 to September 6, but press conferences from major manufacturers, like Samsung, begin on August 30. Here’s everything we expect from the show.
LG may have been one of the first smartphone manufacturers to release an edge-to-edge “bezel-less” phone in 2017, but the G6’s early release forced the company to use an older Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor. Nearly all other flagship phones utilize the superior Snapdragon 835 chip. Sales of the G6 haven’t been stellar, but the latest LG V30 smartphone may finally put the company on the right track. It features hardware specifications that match other high-end 2017 phones, and it continues the design trend of minimizing edges around the screen. In our LG V30 hands-on review, we found it to be a great phone all-around, with plenty of nifty features to love.
Read: LG V30 hands-on review
When it comes to information processing, computers tend to be way faster than we are. The same thing may be true when it comes to generating new plotlines for A Song of Ice and Fire, the series of novels better known to TV fans as Game of Thrones. After all, with six years having elapsed since his last book, 2011’s A Dance With Dragons, was published, author George R.R. Martin certainly appears to be in no rush to publish its follow-up. So it’s no surprise that the producers of the TV show are currently coming up with their own storylines.
That’s where the work of one computer science-savvy fantasy fan enters the picture. Colorado-based software engineer Zack Thoutt has trained a recurrent neural network (RNN) to predict events for the as-yet-unfinished sixth novel in the series, The Winds of Winter. As with the real-life writers on the TV show, the data set the RNN is gleaned from the roughly 5,000 pages of existing novels in the series. It was then set to generate chapters, with Thoutt kicking each one off by giving the AI a “prime word” to riff on, before letting it go off in its own direction.
It seems like every time we attempt to take a step toward better understanding our cosmos we are left with more questions than answers — a regular Bonini’s Paradox. Just a few years ago we didn’t even know that the cosmic phenomena known as fast radio bursts (FRB) — rare, bright, and inexplicable signals from beyond our galaxy — existed. And until recently, only one of these FRBs had been recorded on more than one occasion. However, last week, a team has recorded yet another repeating FRB.
The scientific community has been perplexed by these enigmatic signals for the past 10 years. Currently, the explanation behind these FRBs range from outbursts of neutron stars to some sort of propulsion system used by an alien civilization on the opposite side of the universe. Some have even suggested these signals are the result of dark matter — another space phenomenon we know very little about — smacking into black holes.
Did you know you can trade-in products like smartphones and tablets to Amazon and get store credit? The Amazon Trade-in program has been around for some time, but if you haven’t heard about it before, here’s how to use it.
Through the program, you can trade in a slew of different items — but perhaps the most important these days is the smartphone. If you’re in the market for a new phone, Amazon will buy your old phone from you to help offset the cost. Interested in the new Samsung Galaxy Note 8? Amazon could pay you up to $170 for a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, which could go straight to helping you buy your new phone.
Soon, you may not have to tip your pizza delivery driver anymore but not because the fast food industry is going tipless — rather, because it’s going driverless. That is right, your pies could soon be coming your way in autonomous delivery vehicles. That is, if you are ordering from Domino’s. According to The Verge, the pizza franchise partnered with Ford to test self-driving pizza delivery cars, hoping to gauge how well (or poorly) pizza enthusiasts respond to and engage with this newfangled technology.
Over the course of the next few weeks, some Domino’s customers in Ann Arbor, Michigan, will have the option of getting their pizzas delivered in a Ford Fusion Hybrid autonomous research vehicle. Alas, the car won’t be entirely without a driver (so you should probably still tip). All cars will be operated by a Ford safety engineer, and will actually have quite a few other passengers in the form of additional researchers who will be tasked with examining the last 50 feet of the drive and the customer experience.
What would the world be like if Amazon owned actual retail stores? We’re on the cusp of the answer to that question. Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Market has been finalized. Amazon now owns 431 Whole Foods supermarkets. But don’t worry — Whole Foods will still operate under its own brand, and remain headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company also assures loyal shoppers that it will continue to grow its team and create jobs by opening new stores and expanding support of local farmers and artisans.
The deal between Amazon and Whole Foods Market was announced in June. Deciding that competitors won’t be harmed and people will still have plenty of places to buy food, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) blessed the merger in late August, according to Bloomberg. On the same day, Whole Foods Market shareholders approved the deal, Reuters reported.
A 707-horsepower sport utility vehicle seems a bit out of step with a car industry that’s currently fixated on electrifying everything and even taking the driver out of the equation whenever possible. And to gas-mileage-be-damned enthusiasts, the concept of a high-riding SUV with super car-like capability is a bit of a curiosity. As we discovered in our 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk review, it’s a sentiment that hasn’t been lost on Jeep’s brass.
“You might be asking yourself the question, ‘Why make this vehicle?’” Jeep brand director Scott Tallon confessed to a room full of journalists before our test drive. With a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 under the hood, along with hardware from the likes of Brembo, Bilstein, and other racing name plates — this track-focused machine seems out of step for a company that built its reputation on crawling over rocks. But Tallon assured us that the Trackhawk’s actions would speak louder than words.
Life on this little space rock of ours is delicate to say the least. Be it an asteroid impact, pandemic, or casual nuclear launch, there are dozens of unique ways in which we could easily too go the way of the Dodo. While we’ve spent boatloads of money preparing for a cataclysmic extinction-level asteroid impact event, there’s a much more imminent threat lurking just beneath our feet. The Yellowstone supervolcano is due for an eruption and could send us back to the Stone Ages in just a few fiery moments — but don’t worry, NASA has a plan.
A study by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory concluded that the Yellowstone supervolcano, a massive pool of magma beneath the national park, is a much graver existential threat to life on this planet than any potential large-scale asteroid impact event. There are 20 known supervolcanoes on Earth with a major eruption occurring every 100,000 years or so. Here’s the bad news: An eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano could bury the bulk of the United States under tons of ash and lava, change the climate of the Earth for centuries, and potentially kill millions in the process.


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Virgin Media and Setanta Sports have announced that they are working together to launch a new TV channel, Setanta Sports News.
The new channel is expected to launch soon and will be available exclusively, and at no additional cost, to all of Virgin Media's digital TV subscribers.
Setanta Sports News will offer sports fans a breaking news, comment and analysis from across the world of sport and promises live location reports, interviews, studio-based experts and discussion shows.
In addition, Virgin are revamping their on-line sports offerings.
Visitors to virginmedia.com/sport will be able to watch free of charge highlights from all Barclays Premier League, Coca-Cola Championship, League 1 and League 2 matches.
As well as football, the site will continue to offer a range of editorial and exclusive content from all corners of the sporting world.


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A hacker group called Turkish Crime Family is claiming that it will wipe out over 200 million Apple accounts in the coming days if the company doesn't meet their demands. And it claims this is just the beginning of its campaign.
What is Turkish Crime Family?
The hacker group, based in Turkey is allegedly demanding that Apple pay them $75,000 in Bitcoin or else they will wipe out over 200 million Apple accounts, which they claim to have access to. Apple has denied that the group has breached Apple or iCloud.
In a conversation over email on Thursday, a representative of the group told Scoopwhoop News, that they have demanded $1,00,000 for each of their seven members or $1 million worth in iTunes vouchers that can be instantly resold at 60% of the original gift card value.
"Also, some private stuff that we have agreed not to publicize as we believe it may ruin Turkish Crime Family & Apple relations. The second thing is worth more to us than money," the unnamed representative said.
If Apple fails to give pay the ransom, the group has threatened to attack the accounts whose details they have on April 7 at 7 pm GMT.
Why are they doing this?
"We are doing this because we mainly to spread awareness for Karim Baratov and Kerem Albayrak, both of whome are being detained for the Yahoo hack and one of them is most probably facing heavy sentencing in America," the representative of the Turkish Crime Family wrote.
Karim Baratov, a 22-year-old Candian man of Kazakh origin, has arrested by the US for his alleged involvement in the Yahoo hacking that leaked information of 500 million accounts and allowed hacking into other companies. Baratov is scheduled to appear in court on April 5. Kerem Albayrak is allegedly accused of listing the Yahoo database for sale online.
The representative of the hacker group added that while they do not have a political motive behind this attack, they might attack a string of other companies.
The representative said:
"Our entire group isn't based on this single attack, we're a new criminal organization with a lot of resources & power.
How will they wipe off such a large number of different accounts on the same day?
The hackers claim to have the credentials of over 220 million accounts and with each day passing they are gaining more information.
"From our calculations if everything goes to plan we'll have enough power to factory reset 150 accounts per minute per script, our server strength can currently handle 17 scripts per server," the representative claimed.
Apple has denied the claims. The hacker group's representative claimed that they will act if Apple tries to get customers to reset their passwords.
"We are also determined that Apple will force their user's to reset their password to stop us. If they do not they are going to face really serious server issues and customer complaints," a spokesperson told Scoopwhoop News on Twitter.
The group also provided screenshots of its communication with Apple's security team and a YouTube video which shows them accessing a woman's Apple account to Motherboard.
However, the group's representative claimed that they haven't provided any of their communication to anybody as yet.
(Feature image source: Reuters)


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Justin Timberlake and Lizzo are among early investors in Hydrow, a rowing machine for at-home exercise.
Hydrow is a connected rowing machine that hopes to bring the experience of community to rowing at home. The company has raised $200 million in its latest round, which included funding from Justin Timberlake and Lizzo.
CEO Bruce Smith says a portion of the funding will go to making sure the company has enough product to meet holiday demands. The machines sell for $2,300, but Hydrow offers on-demand fitness classes and rowing instruction with a monthly subscription fee.
A report from Bloomberg in August suggests Hydrow may go public soon. The report suggests a merger with Sandbridge X2 Corp. would be valued at $1 billion if the merger happened. So far, Hydrow has declined to comment on reports of going public through a potential SPAC merger.
Hydrow is among one of many fitness companies raising capital from music celebrity investors like Justin Timberlake and Lizzo.
Peloton’s cycles and treadmills have attracted a lot of attention from investors. The company is also rumored to be working on its own rowing device, which may take precedent in an exercise fanatics’ home if they already have another piece of Peloton equipment. Smart exercise mirrors like Tonal are also offering a competing exercise experience for customers without a lot of space for dedicated exercise equipment.
The pandemic put the squeeze on gyms, night clubs, and other places where people gather closely. But according to a report from Wall Street research firm Jefferies, foot traffic to fitness centers is gradually seeing an increase. Gym visits are returning to 90% of their January 2020 levels, which shows people feel comfortable exercising together again.
“Although last year saw a rise in digital and at-home fitness, we believe this medium will continue to see a drop in utilization as things normalize and will serve as an accompaniment to the traditional gym experience going forward,” Jeffries analyst Randal Konik says.
Hydrow sales surged more than 500% in 2020 as consumers looked for at-home fitness solutions. Through June of this year, sales have risen 300% from the same period in 2020, pointing to more growth. Smith says expanding to the commercial segment to hotel gyms, apartment complexes, and other business settings is on the docket, too.


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Capitec launches virtual banking card
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DURBAN - Capitec has launched a virtual card which is one of many easy solutions for the modern consumer.
According to the bank, customers never have to worry about lost, stolen or duplicated bank cards again because of the virtual card and it is the answer to safe online shopping.
Capitec is now expanding its digital offering to clients with the launch of a virtual banking card.
The card is a completely digital bank card that is saved on a client’s Capitec banking app and is safer than a physical card as no-one can steal or duplicate it.
“While savvy online shoppers will quickly take to the flexibility and ease of virtual bank cards, these cards can especially benefit all those who have been weary of online transactions in the past,” said Francois Viviers, Executive of Marketing and Communications at Capitec.
He added, “The virtual card is available to all our clients. They just have to activate it on our new banking app. It can also be set as the default card for scan to pay transactions and loaded for payment onto app.”
Added to the virtual card’s security benefits, is the ability to stop it immediately if a client has any security concerns, they can stop the virtual card in an instant and apply for a new one on the Capitec app.
The virtual card’s limit can also be set by the client on our app, and can quickly be changed depending on the client’s need.
Clients can create their virtual cards on the Capitec app. As the card is stored in the app, clients do not have to visit a branch to get their virtual cards. The virtual card is free to download and to use, and there are no virtual card fees.
It is not a duplicate of the client’s physical debit card and has a different number and CVV. It is in fact a new, virtual debit Mastercard that is linked to a client’s Global One account. Clients can manage the virtual card and its limits on the Capitec app.
Steps to activate a Capitec Virtual Card:
1. Sign in to the Capitec Bank app
2. Tap Cards in the bottom tab bar
3. Choose Virtual Card in the top-right corner
4. Tap Add Virtual Card button, then follow the sign-up steps to complete.
BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE


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Coffeelicious in Dordrecht has been awarded first place the Misset Koffie Top 100 coffee rankings, which judges the best coffee companies from across the Netherlands. The judged said of this years winner that Coffeelicious gave customers a whole round traditional coffee experience.
A member of the notorious Italian 'Ndrangheta' mob has been arrested in a large-scale sting operation directed at mafia operations in Europe. The 46-year old Marc B., who runs a restaurant in Amsterdam, was arrested in February on suspicion of involvement in the mafia, including the delivery of cocaine to the Ndrangheta, De Volkskrant reports.
Supermarkets in The Netherlands are still, despite promises to change the situation, selling broiler chickens. Animal rights organization Wakker Dier reports that most supermarket stalls are still full of factory farm chicken meat.
A new café is in the final stages of being built, and is almost ready for business. De Ceuvel in Amsterdam-North just needs to gather a little more money before it hopes to be the first fully-sustainable café, Het Parool.
Better prices means more and more Dutch people are going across the border to Germany for their food shopping.


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Affiliated forum SoCal logo
Keiretsu Forum showcases SoCal, a pill-sized surgical robot that swims in your body, AI software that solves the fair financing gap, and Japanese startups
LAS VEGAS, NV, United States, December 29, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Investor-Led Startups Launch ShowStoppers Launchit (https://www.showstoppers.com) Featuring Keiretsu SoCal Startups and pitch for funding and coverage by journalists. It will take place on Thursday, January 5, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Bellagio Hotel.
Keiretsu Forum SoCal (https://www.k4socal.com) introduces journalists and investors to:
• Endiatix, https://www.endiatx.com — The Pillbot™ is a multivitamin-sized robot that swims through your body with diagnostic and surgical instruments.
• SolasAI, https://www.solas.ai/ — AI software tool used by leading US lenders and Fortune 50 companies to close and close the equitable lending gap. Compliance with Federal, State and Local Regulations. Risk management, governance of models and analytics.
• Three Japanese start-ups selected by Keiretsu’s jury of investors and journalists out of 10 pitched at ShowStoppers LaunchIt, a previous event in Las Vegas featuring JETRO. Companies at this previous event on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 are organized by ShowStoppers’ partner, his JETRO (https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/). A startup that expands its business to the global market.
Shortly after ShowStoppers LaunchIt, journalists will be able to meet with each company at ShowStoppers, a press-only event on Thursday, January 5, 2023, from 6-10pm in the Grand Ballroom of the Bellagio Hotel.
The start-ups are organized and guided by ShowStoppers’ partner Keiretsu Forum SoCal. It is a region within Keiretsu Forum, a global network of over 3000 accredited investors organized into 64 chapters, with capital, technology, talent, resources and deal flow to date, healthcare and $1 billion in seed, early and late stage companies driven by medical devices, consumer products, environment and emerging technologies.
For information on the affiliated forums of Southern California, please contact Cindy Fraley at [email protected], +1 949-899-4849.
Now in its 27th year, ShowStoppers (https://www.showstoppers.com/) is a global leader in the production of press and business events across the US, Europe and Asia. Each event hosts product launches, sneak-hit previews, and demonstrations for select journalists, bloggers, industry analysts, financial analysts, venture capitalists, and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and start-ups exhibit to generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brands and reach new markets.
ShowStoppers hold official press events at CE Week, IFA, MWC and NAB. Partnered with CTA, IFA, GSMA, CEATEC. We produce events at CES, IFA, MWC, NAB, CE Week, CEATEC and other trade shows. ShowStoppers streams online and broadcasts live events monthly.
For more information on how you and your company can meet the press at a ShowStoppers press event, please contact Lauren Merel (mailto:[email protected], +1 908-692-6068) or Dave Leon (mailto:[email protected]) ) +1 845-821-6123.
For press registration, please contact Steve Leon at mailto:[email protected], +1-310-936-8530.


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Fair-skinned finalists . . .
The Miss India pageant ignited a controversy this week over the country’s obsession with fair skin. A collage published by the Times of India showed the 30 final-round contestants all sharing the same fair skin tone. ‘Colourism’ has been a long-standing social problem in India. Lighter-skinned individuals, particularly women, are perceived as having higher social status than their darker-complexioned peers. A recent survey found that 38 per cent of men and 72 per cent of women in the Indian city of Mumbai have tried skin-lightening products.
Booming market or a serious global health concern?
Asia makes up half of the US$22-billion global skin-lightening industry, a market that is expected to grow to US$31.2 billion by 2024. According to theWorld Health Organization, nearly 40 per cent of women in China, the Philippines, and South Korea have used skin lighteners. But this booming business is raising public health concerns. In 2017, Japanese cosmetic company Kanebo paid damages to 18,000 women who developed blotches after using the company’s whiteners. Common skin-lightening ingredients such as mercury and hydroquinone can cause skin infections, liver damage, depression, and even psychosis.
Canadian regulations imposed, but paradigm shift needed
Skin-lightening products and services are commonly found in Asian and African immigrant communities in Canada. In 2018, Health Canada reminded Canadians to consult a health professional before using skin-lighting products, and added high-concentration skin-lightening ingredients to the Prescription Drug List. However, travel and online shopping platforms make it easy for people to bypass such restrictions. Canada should focus on the demand side of this issue by encouraging people to appreciate the beauty in all skin tones.


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CH&CO retains Food Made Good rating
CH&CO has retained the maximum three-star Food Made Good rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). The top rating was secured across the diverse catering and hospitality business, with the overall score attained increasing by 4% to 74%.
CH&CO became the largest and most diverse contract caterer to be awarded the top rating by the SRA in 2018. The Food Made Good rating framework measures sustainability across 10 areas under three key themes of sourcing, society and environment.
Clare Clark, sustainability business partner for CH&CO, said: “The past two years have been exceptionally challenging in the hospitality industry. The fact that we have been able to continue to improve our sustainability practices and gain significant advances in our scores is testament to the dedication of our teams and the culture of sustainability that we are cultivating.”


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AAPL Wavers In Shaky Market
The market is wavering today on fears for Greece, however, factory activity expanded at a faster pace than expected in September as production and hiring increased. Shares of AAPL are wobbling as well. Catalysts include the launch of the iPhone 5 tomorrow (see below); likely update of the in the spring of 2012; continued growth of the Mac business line; mobile adoption in China and other emerging markets; iCloud / iOS 5 rollout and adoption; the continued evolution and next generation of Apple TV; and new platforms such as mobile advertising (iAd), books / publishing and social (Ping). Shares of trade at 9.9x Enterprise Value / Trailing Twelve Months Free Cash Flow (including long-term marketable securities).
It's Tim Cook's Time To Shine (Reuters)
Tim Cook finally gets his chance to stride out from under Steve Jobs' shadow, and he could not have picked a better time or device to mark his unofficial debut as Apple CEO. The latest generation of the iPhone is expected to see the light of day tomorrow, just in time for the holidays. Even in a dismal economy, consumers should again line up in droves for a souped-up device that also marks Cook's first major product launch since taking over from Jobs in August.
Apple To Ship Over 100 Million iPhone Units Next Year (All Things Digital)
Janney Capital Markets analyst Bill Choi believes that Apple will ship 84 million smartphone units this year alone. Next year, iPhone shipments will reach as high as 107 million units, an increase of 27%. In Apple's fiscal second quarter ended March 26, the company sold 18.7 million iPhones. In the fiscal third quarter ended June 26, iPhone sales hit 20.3 million. Choi says that iPhone is currently shipping to 105 countries and 228 carrier networks.
Samsung Looking To Ban The iPhone 5 In Korea (The Korea Times)
According to a new report, Samsung "is seeking a complete ban" on iPhone 5 sales in Korea even before the device is released in the market stating that it's in violation of Samsung's wireless technology related patents. Executives are very confident about “a big breakthrough” provided the Korean giant wins in Germany. Apple is Samsung’s largest customer for NAND flash memory and custom-built A4 and A5 processors. As such, Apple has been reportedly looking at alternative suppliers and considering TSMC for future supplies.
Apple Seeking Worldwide Music Rights For iCloud (CNet)
Apple is attempting to shore up last minute deals with various record companies that would net Apple international music licenses for its upcoming iCloud service. If the company is successful in achieving these deals, an announcement to that effect could be made at Apple’s upcoming media event tomorrow. As it stands now, no deals have yet been signed, but the negotiating parties are reportedly close to signing on the dotted line.
iOS Dominates Mobile Browsing, Mac Market Share On The Rise (Net Applications)
Net Applications released its Market Share for Mobile and Desktop report for September. Some highlights:
- Despite Android outselling iPhones, devices with iOS continue to have the largest mobile Internet market share, topping out this week at a record 54.7% based on data gathered from 40,000 websites. And the competition trails far behind: JAVA ME comes in at 18.5%, Android at 16.3%, Symbian (Nokia) at 6.1%, while Research in Motion has only a 3.3% share.
- The Mac saw one of its sharpest gains in the past year and was up nearly half a point in desktop share to 6.5%. Apple's stake in computers has grown by nearly a quarter in the past year. Nearly all of the gain was at Windows' expense.
Still significant gains to be had on the personal computer side.


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Next week the world’s biggest automakers will descend on the Big Apple for the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). Among the many anticipated new debuts will be the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which the Japanese automaker teased with the above photo.
Besides the photo though, Toyota isn’t dropping any hints about the RAV4 Hybrid, and this will be the first time the brand offers a hybrid version of the popular compact crossover. The only hybrid “utility” vehicle with a Toyota badge at the moment is the seven-passenger, $50,000 Highlander Hybrid, and while our review found that it delivered great fuel economy for a big SUV, it’s priced way beyond what most people can afford.
Toyota did build the RAV4 EV briefly in a partnership with Tesla, though it was only available in California as a compliance car (albeit one with a small but devoted following). However, the Lexus 300h shares the same chassis as the RAV4, and it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for the 2.5 liter engine and Synergy Hybrid system to make the jump into a cheaper Toyota. That could boost the RAV4 to up to 35 MPG, though there’s also a chance an all-new hybrid drivetrain could find its way under the hood.
We’ll find out a week from today!


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The two golliwog dolls up for sale at the Kaiapoi Collective in North Canterbury.
When Jacqui Buchanan was given two handmade dolls to sell in her North Canterbury shop, she did not anticipate a backlash.
Buchanan is the face behind The Kaiapoi Collective – a gift shop giving retail space to more than 60 local groups and individuals to sell their creations.
On Friday she advertised the dolls on her Facebook page.
“Beautiful, handmade dolls only two in stock,” the post read, above a photo of two golliwogs.
* Golliwogs removed from Far North market amid racism complaints
* That’s A Bit Racist documentary film crew racially abused in South Island city, producer says
* Threats of violence and abuse follow story about golliwog dolls sale
Golliwogs are made from black fabric and have black eyes bordered with white, red lips, white teeth, frizzy hair and minstrel dress. They began appearing in the late 1800s.
A Human Rights Commission spokeswoman said golliwogs were offensive because “they perpetuate the sort of stereotypes that often underpin racism”.
The word golliwog was not used in post and Buchanan said she had simply admired them for the workmanship, including hand-painted clothing.
“They were just beautiful, I couldn’t wait to put them up.
“I didn’t think anything of it until I saw a message about it, then I just panicked – I had absolutely no intention to upset anyone … I’m Māori myself, for goodness’ sake.’’
It was up to an artist to decide what to create, she said, just as much as it was up to customers to decide what they wished to purchase.
As for the dolls, they were snapped up within five hours of being on display – an English woman bought them to send home to her mother.
Buchanan did want to identify the person who made the dolls, but she stood behind them and her decision to sell them.
She would not refuse them if one of the artists wished to sell them again, she said.
“We are all one, at the end of the day.’’
Buchanan agreed it was important to learn from history, but only with a view to moving forward together – not with the intention of erasing the past.
The dolls’ original creator, Florence Kate Upton, based the design on a black minstrel doll she played with in her childhood home in New York.
Minstrelsy was an American form of entertainment developed in the early 19th century which featured comic skits, music and dancing to mock people of African descent. Minstrel shows were largely performed by white Americans in blackface makeup.
Human Rights Commission spokeswoman said golliwogs were both “inappropriate and offensive” because they reinforced negative and insulting stereotypes.
She urged people to take time to understand the history and origins of the “offensive icons”.
University of Canterbury Māori and indigenous studies senior lecturer Garrick Cooper said it was “not OK” to sell golliwog dolls as they were a symbol of the racialising of black Americans through caricatures.
He said given the widespread knowledge of the golliwog and the racial connotations associated with them, deniability was not a plausible excuse.
The two dolls sold in Kaiapoi were replicas of Stitchbury Ltd golliwogs.
She stands three metres tall, a racial anachronism in corrugated iron. (Video first published in July 2020)
Carol Eastgate, who previously directed Stitchbury, said she made and sold the dolls for more than 20 years but stopped in 2013.
She was not happy to hear the dolls were still being sold.
“Times changed, peoples’ thoughts changed, they just were not acceptable anymore. I did not want to sell a product that upset people.”
The sale and use of golliwog dolls has often caused public outrage over the years.
In 2018, a Waiheke Island gift shop-owner faced backlash after claiming golliwog dolls she was selling were not racist.
That same year, Riverstone Kitchen near Oamaru also came under fire for selling the controversial doll.
McDonald’s Te Awamutu held a raffle fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House charity in which a golliwog was being displayed as a prize in 2017.


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Online grocer Ocado has seen deliveries disrupted by a major warehouse fire in Hampshire as it announced plans for a one-hour delivery service.
The company said that nobody had suffered injury but a proportion of its mechanical handling equipment and some of its robotic grid had been damaged.
Ocado said that orders that had already left the warehouse will be delivered as normal but all other orders had been suspended.
“We will assess the damage this incident has caused to the Andover CFC and will update further as appropriate,” said a company spokesperson. A suspected cause of the fire was not specified.
The Andover facility opened at the end of 2016, choosing the site because of its direct access to the A303, while Erith, near the M25, opened in mid-2018.
The fire came the same day that Ocado announced plans for Zoom during an investor presentation for its full year results, which will offer a range of around 1000 products within 60 minutes of an order.
The grocer said the proposition would be powered by its automated fulfilment capabilities and “wide-ranging distribution network.” It will offer small batches with “competitive pricing”, aiming to tap into the sub-£60 order section of the market.
The initial trial will take place from March in West London. Ocado did not say how long the trail would last.
Recently Ocado has been the subject of speculation that it would sign a new deal with Marks & Spencer. Details in the Mail on Sunday report were vague at this stage but suggested that Ocado could effectively replace its range of Waitrose products with M&S ones. It also mentioned M&S potentially buying distribution centres, delivery vans and lorries from Ocado in a technology supply deal.
However, the grocer did not discuss a potential agreement in its results. These showed revenues of £1.6 billion for the year, up from £1.4 billion in 2017. However, EBITDA was down to £60 million from £75 million due to increased resources spent on developing the Ocado Smart Platform, staff costs and the opening of a new fulfilment centre in Erith.
In its December results, Ocado reported rising revenues due to the added capacity from its automated fulfilment centres.


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Bakersfield police are asking for help identifying a woman suspected of stealing several items from a Walmart in Northwest Bakersfield.
Police said the woman entered the Walmart at 1249 Allen Road on around 6:45 a.m. on July 12, took items on display and then fled.
Police describe the woman as being in her 30s, with a heavy build, with long black hair. She was wearing a shirt with a “23” logo, blue jeans, and has a tattoo on her right arm.
Anyone with information on the woman’s identity is asked to call Bakersfield police at 327-7111.


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Mobile gaming spend will surpass PC and Consoles
Mobile gaming revenue is well on its way to surpass that of PCs and consoles by the end of 2016. Once considered a joke, and nothing to be taken too seriously by many hardcore developers in the traditional gaming industry, it is now demanding attention from them. Many have embraced the swift ascent of the mobile gaming market and are aggressively developing for it. Others are still in a somewhat state of denial.
According to CNBC, mobile gaming is projected to total $36.9 billion dollars of revenue in 2016. PC gaming is in second with $31.9 billion in sales and consoles are in a close third with $29 billion.
In the coming years, the cellphone industry will finally recognize this emerging trend and start producing more specific phones to accommodate gamers. You’ll start to see less emphasis placed on camera resolutions and optics and more on the GPU and CPU capabilities of the phone directly correlated to gaming.
The allure of mobile gaming is simple. Gaming on the go. You can’t carry around your desktop or PC with you everywhere you go. However, your smartphone is with you all the time. Every minute of downtown you have could be spent playing your favorite game. It is that “ease of use” that is propelling mobile gaming to unprecedented heights.
[image courtesy: AliExpess.com]


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- 36+ 0- 4
An All-American Brawl
Rome wasn't destroyed in a day. In Rome, New York, Black Friday 2011 took a twisted turn during one of their electronics sales. At Walmart, Robert Perry was arrested for disorderly conduct after taking part in a fight after midnight, which is exactly when the deal started.
Two women, Laurie Underwood and Melinda Wishart, were taken to the hospital for back injuries after two fights broke out after midnight. When the clock struck 12, it was chaos, and the pushing and shoving landed at least one man in prison.
- 19+ 1- 2
Bargain Shoppers Send 11-Year-Old to Hospital
Is a bargain worth trampling a precious 11-year-old girl?
In 2013, Black Friday at a New Boston Walmart was a horror-filled shopping event thanks to crazed customers. HIPAA laws prohibit the release of the girl's name, but an 11-year-old female was trampled at the scene.
The injuries landed her in the hospital, where she was transported and later released. Luckily, the police were quick to respond, as the first call of a trampled child at Walmart came in at 7:56pm and they were on the scene by 8:01.
- 5+ 7- 4
Black Friday Shoppers Trample Girl
Welcome to Muskegon, where every Black Friday, people swarm stores in stampedes. Evidently, it doesn't matter who is in your way; it could even be a teenage girl in a Wal-Mart who's victim to the shopping madness.
On Black Friday 2011, a Wal-Mart SuperCenter became a scene of minor injuries for the girl. While there were rumors that she had been stabbed or shot, the truth was that people rushing to an electronic department sale knocked her over and stepped on her repeatedly. She was taken to the hospital.
- 4+ 10- 7
Cali Walmart Becomes Scene of a Shooting
Just before 2 am, Black Friday shoppers got into a fight in the parking lot of a Walmart near Oakland, California. The San Leandro customers were confronted by thieves who wanted their items and, after they refused, one of those thieves pulled out a gun.
While one fired and wounded one of the victims, the other suspect fled the scene. The one who was arrested was in his mid-20s, while the gunshot victim was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.
- 39+ 0- 4
Clarksville Woman Trampled
In Tennessee, 32-year-old Amy Serna had been waiting in line since 8pm. At a quarter to midnight, before the doors even opened at Toys R Us, the poor woman was completely trampled.
Pinned between a shopping cart and a cement wall, Serna claims "There was no representative, no security." The mother of two went to the hospital were she was treated with an aching back, head injuries, and a swollen knee.
After four hours waiting on the line, management recommended she leave the store after all the chaos.
- 38+ 0- 4
Cop Ends Up in Hospital After Walmart Brawl
A Rialto Walmart brawl landed a police officer in medical care on Black Friday 2013.
Thanksgiving week took an odd turn when three separate fights took place at the same Walmart in Rialto. When cops tried to break up one of those three fights, the two men brawling it out ended up breaking the cop's wrist. The injured officer was treated and released the same night, but one shopper said "This is my first Black Friday and my last."
L The List


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Another day, another payment card data breach. In what's now becoming routine news, this morning retailer Bebe is confirming a security incident that took place over the busy holiday shopping period in November which saw attackers stealing customer's names, account numbers, expiration dates and verification codes from cards swiped in stores. The breach occurred during the dates of November 8, 2014 and November 26, 2014, and affected those shopping in the retailer's stores located in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company says that international stores, as well as those shopping online or on mobile, were not affected. Bebe currently operates 174 retail stores including the on-line store bebe.com, and 35 bebe outlet stores. We've asked the company to confirm, specifically, how many were attacked in the regions where the breaches were discovered. The hack was first reported by the Krebs on Security blog on Thursday, which said that data gathered from several financial institutions and one underground cybercrime shop suggested that thieves had stolen credit and debit card data from Bebe's in November, and that customer payment card data was already being resold online. Like other hacks which took place at major retailers including Target, Neiman Marcus and Michael's, it's likely that the thieves took advantage of security holes in Bebe's cash register systems. Typically, thieves hack into these systems and plant malware that records mag stripe data when cards are swiped through machines, explains security expert Brian Krebs. In statement released this morning on Bebe's website, the retailer says that it has alerted its payment processor which is now working with the credit card companies so they can alert account holders. Additionally, Bebe advises customers to review their accounts for unauthorized activity and contact their bank if they see fraudulent charges. The retailer is also offering customers free credit monitoring services for a year at no charge. (Details on the Bebe sited linked above). Bebe has not yet said how many consumers were affected by this data breach, though we put this question to the retailer this morning and will update if they respond. In the meantime, the company CEO offered this statement: "Our relationship with our customers is of the highest importance," said CEO Jim Wiggett. "We moved quickly to block this attack and have taken steps to further enhance our security measures." Bebe is now one of many retailers whose customer payment data has been stolen. Target's breach during the 2013 holidays affected 110 million consumers. Home Depot's breach saw 56 million accounts compromised. Staples, Neiman Marcus, grocer Supervalu and restaurant P.F. Chang's have also come under attack in recent months. To some extent, the problem is that retailers like these have large investments in dated point-of-sale systems running older software which may not have been kept up-to-date with the latest patches, or the retailers may have been lax on security procedures. But an even bigger concern has been that the U.S. continues to use less secure "mag stripe" cards when the rest of the world has moved to chip and PIN. If there's any silver lining to these data breaches, it's that they've accelerated retailers' timelines when it comes to converting their payment terminals to support chip and PIN cards. Home Depot said it would covert its stores by year end. Target, Walgreens and Walmart have also promised to adopt chip and PIN technology ahead of the official U.S. October 2015 deadline.
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ASH GROVE, Mo. — COVID-related closures and regulations have been a year-long normal, but they have been controversial.
Mama Loca’s Cafe in Ash Grove, Missouri, is thankful while other businesses are struggling with the effects of the pandemic.
“Our city, the City of Ash Grove, was not as strict with their rules as the City of Springfield was,” said Dolores Coble, the owner of Mama Loca’s Cafe. “So the mask ordinance was in place to our customers if they wanted to wear the mask and our staff if they wanted to wear the mask we 100% wanted them to.”
To handle all of the business Mama Loca’s was getting locally and from surrounding places under the masking ordinance, it is expanding. The restaurant has taken in the old bank of Ash Grove building next door, which has been vacant for 40 years.
“They were completed in 1894 as one building,” said Coble. “In 1941 they were split.”
The plan is to renovate and rejoin the two in order to double Mama Loca’s capacity.
“We have been very happy with the business that we have had,” said Coble.
The pandemic and restrictions are easing in surrounding areas, but the owners believe their growing group of customers will keep coming back for more.
“We need to shop mom and pop. We need to shop in small town America,” said Coble. “Small town Missouri. There are a lot of people that are working so hard to keep their businesses through this.”
The cafe owners said it will be an expensive and time-consuming project, but if all goes well, they hope to have the addition open next year.


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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has once again fined Airtel and 9mobile with a combined sum of ₦136 million for violating a number of regulations.
The new fine is in connection to rules such as the unilateral disconnection of an interconnect carrier, automatic renewal of internet subscription and the Do-Not-Disturb directives.
NCC in the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Report for Q1 2019 affirms that Airtel and Etisalat have failed to adhere to the above industry regulations.
In the report, NCC states that it had found Airtel contravening the Quality of service provisions by disconnecting an Interconnect carrier — Exchange Telecommunications limited — without getting the necessary approval which warranted a fine of ₦121 million.
9mobile, on the other hand, defaulted in the case of automatic renewal of internet subscription. According to the report, 9mobile said that the breach was as a result of a previously undetected and isolated failure on its internet subscription platform.
However, the commission did not find the excuse acceptable and sanctioned 9mobile for the act with a fine of ₦5,001,000.
Last year, the telecom regulator issued a directive that automatic renewal of internet subscriptions should not be carried out without the consent of the subscriber.
Both Airtel and 9mobile were found guilty of going against the Do-Not-Disturb directive, which protects subscribers from unsolicited Value-added Services (VAS) and they are both fined N5 million each.
With effect from July 1, 2016, NCC introduced the 2442 Do-Not-Disturb short-code activation for subscribers to opt-out of receiving unsolicited text messages and a toll-free line was provided for consumers to report whenever their activation isn’t being honoured.
This fine comes in the wake of seemingly regular fines placed on telecom giants in Nigeria. It can be recalled that MTN just finished settling the payment for the fine imposed on them by the NCC in October 2015.


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Morgan Vineyard celebrates harvest with grape stomp
Published 12:00 am Monday, September 17, 2007
FROM STAFF REPORTS
The Morgan Creek Vineyard in Harpersville celebrated its harvest this year with the seventh annual grape stomp. The Brammer family owns the local vineyard, where they grow grapes, make wine and distribute it to stores all over the state.
The event was highlighted by live music, an opportunity to pick your own muscadine grapes and stomp them in barrels and a Lucille Ball look-alike contest


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Ford on Tuesday announced the recall of nearly 400,000 Ranger pickup trucks equipped with Takata airbag inflators after government regulators indicated that they are at risk of exploding.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said another 5 million vehicles would likely be added to the already massive Takata recall, which previously affected 19 million vehicles made by 11 automakers.
The initial recall involved inflators that can expand with too much force and send metal fragments into vehicle interiors.
The inflators on the 2004, 2005 and 2006 model year Rangers were not thought to pose that danger, but officials this week attributed a December fatality in a 2006 Ranger to shrapnel from a Takata inflator.
An expanded NHTSA recall of Takata-equipped vehicles is also likely to include a similar Mazda pickup along with models from Volkswagen and Audi.
Ford said that the recall affects 361,692 trucks in the U.S. and 29,334 in Canada. Ford dealers will replace the driver side airbag inflator free of charge.
Ford stopped U.S. production of the Ranger in 2011, but reports indicated that the model could be poised for a comeback.


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The Lawyer’s new China Elite report contains the most detailed research available on the PRC legal market and contains unparalleled insight into the country's leading law firms. They vary in size, practice focus and geographic coverage, but they all share one common quality – ambition... Read more
This year, The Lawyer’s annual ranking of the largest UK law firms by turnover is available as an interactive, digital benchmarking tool. For the first time this will allow you to manipulate each data set against the metrics of your choice.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has posted the largest percentage change in turnover among the magic circle for the 2012/13 year, with the outlook for the top 50 firms remaining positive despite fears of a major slump across the profession.
While turnover appears to have stagnated at Linklaters, which claimed a 1 per cent increase to £1.195bn (5 July 2013), and at Allen & Overy, which put turnover up 0.8 per cent to £1.19bn (4 July 2013), Freshfields has seen revenues rise by 7.2 per cent to £1.221bn.
Meanwhile, Freshfields has also seen the biggest hike in average profit per equity partner, posting a 7.6 per cent jump from £1.229m last year to £1.398m in 2012/13 (5 July 2013). That said, Linklaters also saw PEP rise by 6.5 per cent from £1.243m to £1.261m. At A&O PEP stayed flat at £1.1m.
Those firms in the The Lawyer UK top 50 that have posted figures have largely seen an uptick with the exception of Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW), where turnover dropped 2.5 per cent to £95m and PEP 2 per cent to £402,000 (1 July 2013).
Those with chunky revenue increases in the The Lawyer UK top 50 have achieved growth largely driven by mergers. Clyde & Co, for instance, saw revenues up 17.5 per cent from £287m to £336.6m (11 June 2013) as a result of it being the first full financial year since the 2011 merger with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert (8 August 2011).
DWF, meanwhile, posted a whopping 84 per cent revenue hike to £188m from £102m (6 June 2013) thanks largely to its £3.5m rescue takeover of failing firm Cobbetts in a pre-pack deal in January (31 January 2013).
RPC outperformed its peers in terms of organic growth, driving up revenues by 20.7 per cent from £68m to £82.1m (11 June 2013). The firm made its first move into the Hong Kong market in the last financial year, after hiring a five-partner team from rival Clydes (4 April 2012).


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AMD to host APU 14 in China; embracing China for growth
Apr 18, 14:11
AMD will host its APU 14 event in Beijing, China in May with several AMD executives set to deliver keynotes. AMD's partners will showcase their latest innovations, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.
Windows tablets gaining traction in Japan
Apr 15, 14:34
Sales of Windows-based tablets in Japan have been rising as vendors have been aggressively releasing Windows 8.1-based 8-inch models since October 2013. In February 2014, 15.7% of Japan's tablet sales were contributed by Windows-based models, up significantly from a year ago and also larger than the...
Acer CTO retires
Apr 8, 11:45
Acer CTO David Lee has retired, and the notebook business will be fully handled by business general manager Jackson Lin, according to sources familiar with Acer's personnel changes.
Each smartphone sold to contribute US$10 to TSMC revenues, say sources
Apr 3, 15:46
The contribution of each smartphone sold worldwide to the revenues of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expected to reach US$10 soon due to an increase in chips used in smartphones and the production of high-priced 4G chips, according to industry sources.
HP ships 7 million notebooks in 1Q14; may return as largest vendor
Mar 31, 21:37
Hewlett-Packard (HP) is expected to have shipped seven million notebooks in the first quarter, one million units more than expected and will have a chance to return as the largest notebook vendor worldwide, surpassing Lenovo, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.
Digitimes Research: DSC ASP rises 9.6% in March
Mar 27, 15:31
According to Digitimes Research's latest digital still camera (DSC) pricing tracker, global DSCs' average selling price (ASP) was up 9.6% on month and reached US$309 in March, matching Digitimes Research's previous analysis that the global DSC ASP will continue to rise in the future as most DSC vendors...
Wistron sees over 20% drop in 2013 profits
Mar 27, 13:55
Wistron has announced revenues of NT$624.01 billion (US$20.41 billion) for 2013, down 5.14% on year. with gross margin reaching 4.84% (up 0.31pp), net profits NT$5.75 billion (down 20.62%), and earnings per share (EPS) NT$2.51.
Microsoft and Dell sign patent licensing agreement
Mar 27, 11:41
Microsoft and Dell have announced a patent licensing agreement allowing the companies to share technology and build on each other's innovations. It is the continuation of a nearly 30-year business relationship between Microsoft and Dell.
Intel places orders for 16 million education tablets with Taiwan makers
Mar 24, 22:36
Intel is pushing aggressively into the education tablet market and reportedly placed orders for 10 million units with Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) and six million units with Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) recently, according to sources from the upstream supply chain. Intel, ECS...
Apple pushing automated production
Mar 24, 13:37
Apple is planning to have its iPhone batteries fully manufactured on automated production lines in 2014 to reduce its manpower demand. The move is expected to trigger other brand vendors to follow suit, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.
Digitimes Research: March analysis of tablet market
Mar 24, 11:53
China-based Huawei and CoolPad have both recently launched their new low-price high-specification phablets in China, aiming to grab shares from the high-end phablet market. Both vendors have adopted similar online hunger marketing strategies for the devices.
Asustek Taiwan sales agents worry about competition from ADI
Mar 21, 12:11
Asustek Computer has set up Asus Digital International (ADI), a joint venture with e-commerce operator Uitox specifically for marketing and selling its Zenfone smartphones online. But Asustek's retail partners are concerned that ADI may extend its businesses from smartphones to notebooks, tablets and...
Two Acer employees probed over suspected insider trading
Mar 19, 14:06
Acer has confirmed that its headquarters was searched by prosecutors on March 18 over alleged insider trading with two of its employees under investigation. Acer stressed that it was an isolated case involving some individuals.
Smartphone cooling module demand may remain weak until 2015
Mar 17, 22:01
Despite having received orders for tablet heat pipes, Taiwan-based cooling module makers are still not able to land orders from most smartphone vendors and are unlikely to do so until 2015, when demand for 4G LTE smartphones is expected to start picking up, according to sources from the cooling module...
Digitimes Research: Google Glass for medicare?
Mar 14, 15:18
Wearable devices' functions have extended from the traditional area of information management to health management. This trend was highlighted by many smart health-monitoring bracelets showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2014.
Digitimes Research: 12-inch tablets facing development hurdles
Mar 14, 15:01
Brand vendors have started showing interests in large-size tablets since early 2014. In addition to Apple's rumored 12.85-inch tablet, Samsung Electronics has already launched a 12.2-inch Android-based enterprise tablet, while Asustek Computer is planning to release a 13.3-inch dual-OS tablet.
Notebook shipments of Taiwan players from 2006-2014
Mar 13, 16:20
Taiwan makers produced over 90% of the notebooks worldwide in 2008. The top-five notebook makers – Quanta Computer, Compal Electronics, Wistron, Inventec and Asustek Computer – contributed 88% of the shipments from Taiwan.
Acer February revenues up sequentially
Mar 11, 11:42
Acer has reported consolidated revenues of NT$24.47 billion (US$808 million) for February, rising by 13.98% on month but dropping by 12.93% on year. Its conslidated revenues for January-February reached NT$45.94 billion, slipping on year by 15.62%.
Taiwan PC vendors facing brain drain
Mar 10, 12:19
Several international PC brand vendors' moves to set up or expand R&D operations in Taiwan are expected to trigger a brain drain for Taiwan-based brand vendors, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.
Digitimes Research: Notebook players see on-month shipment drop in February
Mar 6, 16:15
The global top-five notebook brand vendors and top-three makers both suffered 0-3% of on-month shipment declines in February, a range similar to that a year ago. The decline in February was caused mainly by inventory adjustments in the month. As for March, brand vendors are taking a more conservative...
Digitimes Research: MWC 2014 shows new tablet trends
Mar 6, 15:22
The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014 demonstrated some new trends of the tablet industry: tablets with phone functions are starting to catch attention from brand vendors; some major brand vendors are developing tablets for the niche market, a sign of their concerns over the future tablet market; and...
PC shipments to fall by 6% in 2014 and decline through 2018, says IDC
Mar 5, 15:17
Worldwide PC shipments fell 9.8% in 2013, slightly better than a projected decline of 10.1%, but still the most severe contraction on record, according to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. Fourth quarter results were slightly better than expected, but the outlook for emerging markets has deteriorated...
Taiwan market: Channel retailers unlikely to meet 1Q14 sales goal
Mar 3, 21:37
Taiwan's channel retailers are expected to have difficulties achieving their sales target for the first quarter as back-to-school demand in February was weaker than expected, according to sources from channel retailers in Taiwan. Although they achieved a strong performance in January, estimated weak...
Is a US$25 smartphone possible?
Feb 25, 15:31
Mobile World Congress (MWC) kicked off with a bang, with Mozilla announcing a US$25 smartphone built around a turnkey solution that features silicon from China-based Spreadtrum and software from Firefox.
MWC 2014: One market focus will be Atom and LTE combo for Intel
Feb 24, 22:01
At an Intel news conference for Mobile World Congress (MWC), Intel president Renee James introduced two Intel Atom processors, an LTE-Advanced communications platform, and announced multiyear agreements with Lenovo, Asustek Computer and Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) to expand the...
Intel to cut a deal with Apple for Fab 42?
Feb 13, 14:27
With shipments of desktop and notebooks in the doldrums since 2010, Intel's PC processor business has been in decline. Meanwhile, AMD and others are taking aim at the Intel-dominated server business with ARM-based MPUs. At the same time, Intel has struggled to gain access to the fast-growing market...
Acer to have over 30% tablets manufactured by China makers in 2014
Feb 12, 22:01
Acer is expected to outsource over 30% of its tablet manufacturing to China-based makers in 2014 since China makers already have mature technologies, but are more competitive in terms of price compared to Taiwan-based makers, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.
Upstream PCB firms post revenue growth in January
Feb 10, 20:30
Replenishment demand for smartphones before the 2014 Lunar New Year buoyed January sales at upstream PCB suppliers including Co-Tech Copper Foil, Fulltech Fiber Glass, Topoint Technology and Aurona Industries.
Worldwide smartphone shipments top 1 billion units in 2013, says IDC
Jan 28, 13:25
The worldwide smartphone market has reached another milestone, shipping one billion units in a single year for the first time. According to IDC, vendors shipped a total of 1.0042 billion smartphones worldwide, up 38.4% from 725.3 million units in 2012. This aligns with IDC's most-recent forecast of...
Asustek to see shipments of 20 million notebooks in 2014
Jan 27, 21:58
Asustek Computer's notebook shipments are expected to reach 20 million units in 2014, up from 18.5 million units in 2013, while its tablet shipments are expected to remain at 12 million units with orders for Google's Nexus 8 tablet, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.