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We Americans raised about 254 million turkeys this year, and ran up a $9.1 million turkey trade deficit by importing even more birds from Canada, according to the Census Bureau.
Over the weekend, Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker (D) challenged a tea party-affiliated critic to join him in living on food stamps for a week, and now it appears the challenge has been accepted.
Environmentalists are warning that Mexico, the cradle of corn, risks damaging its staple if the government gives US firms the green light to plant genetically-modified maize in huge swaths of land.
Todd Wilbur has been cloning some of America’s favorite name-brand foods for more than 20 years and here, he recreates the iconic filled yellow cakes.
There are only a few people who get it: the era of cheap food is over.
The Twinkie, it turns out, was introduced way back in 1930. In our memories, however, the iconic snack will forever be identified with the 1950s, when Hostess popularized the brand by sponsoring “The Howdy Doody Show.”
Without fail our rapacious nature kicks in every time there is talk of a major consumer shortage in the U.S. Earlier this month we saw New Yorkers selling gasoline for $15 per gallon to those stranded by Hurricane Sandy.
In the small Latin American country of Costa Rica, where agriculture is king and enormous corporate plantations have dotted the countryside, a subsidiary of Monsanto is making a push to plant several hectares of genetically modified transgenic corn i
Ideally, this Thanksgiving you are ordering your organic, free-range turkey from your local farmer. It doesn’t get any better than that does it? Actually, it does. Farmers markets are now featuring “Heritage Turkeys” for those wanting an even more
The blame game could lead us down a number of avenues, all of which take us back to the same answers. Those who have money to be gained from illness and disease. Now this is not some form of twisted joke, it is a real issue, and as hard as it may
This morning, Hostess brands, which makes some of America's most iconic snack foods, was forced to close its operations.
Pepsi Special claims to block the body’s ability to absorb fat. How does that work?
“The fat tax and the extension of the chocolate tax — the so-called sugar tax — has been criticized for increasing prices for consumers, increasing companies’ administrative costs and putting Danish jobs at risk,” the Danish tax ministry said
So, you are sitting in your climate controlled home, with lights, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heaters, fans, TVs, computers, home theater systems, running water, sanitary systems and all the other things that go along with modern life.
Your Scrambled Eggs Are Wrong, And Other Cooking Science Lessons From America’s Test Kitchen
Coconut’s saturated fat is made up of a unique blend of medium-chain fatty acids, which may offer certain health benefits. (Most fats in our diet are long-chain fatty acids). Unlike long-chain fats, medium-chain ones do not have to be broken down in
One must also account for the “invisible thorn,” which is wheat lectin – known more technically asWheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) — and which can cause a broad range of adverse health effects, even while being undetected through conventional screenings.
According to Daily Mail, a Nutella TV commercial shows a blonde mother worrying about the challenges of preparing breakfast for her family. Then she recommends Nutella as a “delicious hazelnut spread perfect on multi-grain toast and even whole wheat
The chemical companies and the junk food companies have done everything possible to hide the truth from Americans for the sake of their profits.
Lawyers for ABC News asked a judge to toss out a $1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by a South Dakota-based meat processor over a meat product that critics dub "pink slime," saying the news organization did not knowingly disparage the company or its
The people gathered around the side of a building on 3rd Avenue looked like refugees huddled around a campfire. Instead of crackling flames, their warmth came from more advanced technology: a power strip that had been offered to charge cellphones.
Farmer, author, and activist Joel Salatin discusses his new book, "Folks, This Ain't Normal," as well as sustainable farming, food policy, and solutions to America's food woes.
An effort may be underway to steal the election against Proposition 37.
America has over 44 million people on Food Stamps. The food stamps program's real name is Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
When I think of Dutch Oven cooking I usually have visions of campfires and Scout Camp, of apple cobbler and savory stews.
The UK government is trying to ban raw milk and sending police out to harass people who sell it.
The No on 37 campaign trying to prevent Californians from knowing whether or not the foods they eat contain genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) has sunk to a new moral and ethical low
Have you heard the myth that we need industrial agriculture to feed the world?
Eating a raw food diet is a recipe for disaster if you’re trying to boost your species’ brainpower.
Dear Editor: In the 1880s milk sold for $0.56 per quart or $2.24 per gallon which at the time was 0.112 oz of gold per gallon of milk.


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Sign, the messaging app whose USP is safe messaging, now reportedly has a neater technique to migrate chats over from previous Android gadgets to new ones. The characteristic, nonetheless, is for now solely obtainable within the beta v5.5.Zero model of the Sign. Sign gained reputation after a change in WhatsApp’s privateness coverage was introduced earlier this 12 months. Ever since, Sign has seen roughly greater than 50 million downloads on Google Play Retailer. The brand new characteristic ought to make the app simpler to make use of than earlier than as soon as a steady model is launched to most of the people.
In a report by TestingCatalog, Signal has now launched a neater and safer technique to migrate chats out of your previous Android gadget to your new one within the beta v5.5.0. Emigrate contacts, head over to Settings > Chats > Switch Account, the place a brand new display screen seems that guides the person with the migration course of. The method of migrating out of your previous gadget to the brand new one might be finished over an area Wi-Fi Direct connection.
Like WhatsApp, Sign additionally allows customers to speak utilizing a PC or laptop computer. However in contrast to WhatsApp, Sign’s use on the pc is proscribed to its desktop shopper. The desktop shopper requires at the least 64-bit Windows 7, macOS 10.10, or 64-bit Linux distributions supporting APT, reminiscent of Ubuntu or Debian.
Sign can be attempting its finest to mimic WhatsApp by bringing over a couple of options from the favored messenger service. Customers will now have the ability to set chat wallpapers in line with their preferences. Alongside, customers additionally get an choice to alter their ‘About’ info, which basically acts as a standing replace in WhatsApp Messenger.
As talked about, Sign began topping App Retailer and Google Play retailer charts after WhatsApp announced it will be rolling out an up to date privateness coverage and new phrases of service for its customers.
Does WhatsApp’s new privateness coverage spell the tip on your privateness? We mentioned this on Orbital, our weekly expertise podcast, which you’ll subscribe to through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or RSS, download the episode, or simply hit the play button beneath.

domain: news


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Canada-based functional beverage company Koios has launched four new flavours of its drinks range, expanding its product line to six flavours.
Marketed at Canada’s growing number of health-conscious consumers, the new pear guava, pomegranate acai, peach mango and blood orange flavours aid cognitive functions, according to the brand.
Koios says that it partnered with U.S. food scientists to develop a formula which would enhance short-term brain functions and enhance the long-term memory of consumers.
The formula does not include artificial ingredients, but does include the superfood lion’s mane mushroom, and L-Theanine, an amino acid that has a calming effect on the brain.
“Like any company, we are relentless in our pursuit to create the best products in their respective categories.
“Our newest iterations reflect this passion. From day one, we have been and continue to search for combinations of natural compounds that can support brain function, without over-stimulating consumers with caffeine.
“We wanted our packaging to be unique. We make functional beverages not energy drinks, so we made the packaging more simple, elegant and beautiful.
“We lead with our ingredients instead of our brand name. As consumers look for more natural products that can enrich their lives and the world...
thumbnail courtesy of foodbev.com


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Rebuilding the Nigerian Fashion Industry After Coronavirus
While the style capital of Africa remains shuttered, Nigerian fashion insiders have an ambitious plan to forge an independent path in a post-COVID world.
Like most Zoom calls, the first digital edition of Woven Threads began with a headcount confirming whose mic was on, who was online at the moment and who was trying to join in.
The two-hour live session included the founder of Lagos Fashion WeekOmoyemi Akerele, founder and CRO of Ruff n TumbleNike Ogunlesi, special adviser to the Nigerian president on Ease of Doing Business Jumoke Oduwole and several other fashion professionals in a conversation on how African fashion can adapt to a fast-changing world of ruptured supply chains and cheap foreign textiles.
Like in previous years, Woven Threads was actually meant to take place in real life with a series of workshops and interactive sessions as well as a pop-up store. Normally the event is a big deal, signifying the opening of the first of Nigeria's two fashion seasons. This year it signified an industry determined to change in the face of the global coronavirus pandemic.
Twice a year, fashion writers, editors, models, and insiders come to Nigeria for the bi-annual fashion season. In April, the draw is Arise Fashion Week, a four-day event that has played host to several distinguished names in the fashion industry including supermodel and Vogue's contributing editor Naomi Campbell, the editor-in-chief of British VogueEdward Enninful among others. Then in October the crowd returns for Lagos Fashion Week and GTB Fashion Weekend. This seasonal migration works as the informal framework for the Nigerian and arguably the African fashion calendar.
But the calendar looks a bit different in 2020.
"We are entering a phase of innovation and the unnecessarily wasteful elements of the industry are being weeded out."
Earlier this year, the outbreak of COVID-19 in Italy coincided with Milan Fashion Week, forcing many editors and reporters to book early flights back to their respective countries and others to shelter in place. In Nigeria, the pandemic has forced Arise Fashion Week to reschedule from April to October and Lagos Fashion Week Autumn/Winter shows to move to an entirely digital format.
As the number of coronavirus cases in Lagos rises, the fashion industry is experiencing a standstill. The first of its kind. Supply chains for designers who source their raw materials from China and Europe have been disrupted for an indefinite amount of time, while events that would have required people dressing up have been banned. The income of many designers, which many insist wasn't much previously, has taken a huge and unexpected hit. This has lead to some soul searching.
Adebayo Oke-LawalPhoto by Michael Oshai
"A lot of designers that depended on China, for example, are beginning to rethink their production cycle, resource access, and processes of creating." Adebayo Oke-Lawal, the creative director of androgynous fashion brand Orange Culture, tells OkayAfrica." The pandemic has shown that we need a lot of infrastructural development more so than ever before. Our supply chain needs proper investment and it's also shown on the brighter side how talented and innovative Nigerian designers are—from masks to numerous protective gear—everyone is finding a way to support and also create the necessities at this time."
Like Oke-Lawal, many industry experts believe that the pandemic will force African designers to change their supply routes and inspire them to switch dependency from Asian and European countries—which has largely been the norm—to sourcing locally.
''Turkey, Vietnam, India, China are fabric and production destinations for a lot of African designers," stylist and creative director of Style Infidel Studios, Tosin Ogundadegbe notes. ''I know designers who have their fabrics and production stuck in other countries as a result of the pandemic, leaving them with no other option but to source fabrics locally and make the best of what's being sourced. For the future, it'll still be both ways — sourcing locally and internationally — but sourcing from these other countries won't be as intense as it was pre-COVID-19."
"[Sourcing locally] has always been the more sustainable way to go," says Onyinye Fafi-Obi, head of communication for Lagos Fashion Week. "It will usher in more creative ways to sell to the consumer such as virtual consultations as opposed to being heavily reliant on in-person consultations." She continues, "more brands are also pivoting towards focusing on the Direct-To-Customer approach and gathering data on their consumers rather than relying on wholesale middlemen."
Onyinye Fafi-ObiPhoto by Jolaoso Wasiu Adebayo
It's clear that the Nigerian fashion industry, which has been under scrutiny in recent years, will have to adapt if it is to survive the pandemic. In recent years, designers and industry insiders have criticized the increasing numbers of fashion weeks in Nigeria questioning their frequency and lack of impact. Now thanks to the industry's pivot to digital during the pandemic, these fashion weeks are interrogated anew.
It is also an opportunity for these platforms to prove their importance to the fashion community and some are doing just this. Lagos Fashion Week, produced by Style House Files, witnessed an almost seamless switch from physical to digital with their Woven Threads digital series moving the focus from showing off the new clothes made for the season to imparting designers and fashion enthusiasts with knowledge and creating digital masterclasses, a timely need.
"The lockdown has revealed that events can be experienced in unique ways digitally." says Fafi-Obi. "This will be embraced with innovative ways to engage with the audience digitally during live fashion events. The strategy of fashion events during the COVID-19 lockdown will be heavily dependent on curation, innovation, and presenting something fresh because, with anything digital, there is a really small time frame to capture the attention of the audience and keep it."
Like many industries, the fashion industry is simultaneously looking into how it will survive during this pandemic—adapting itself to our new normal—and trying to predict what the world will look like post-COVID-19. Adapting will require new levels of technological dependency—online shopping, digital events and everything else that makes a compelling online presence. Brands can no longer afford to have defunct or non-functional websites, the experience must be optimum and seamless and for this, many suggest collaborations between Nigerian tech companies and fashion brands.
"In this new normal, tech and fashion need to co-exist." Fafi-Obi advises, "Collaboration with tech companies such as Paystack to seamlessly integrate a safe e-commerce payment system, putting away most of their cash flow in PiggyVest to generate interest or putting their stock on Facebook/Instagram shop." Despite the circumstances inspiring these changes, both designers and consumers see this as a positive change.
Tosin OgundadegbePhoto by Ibukun Williams.
More to that point, the word in the mouths of many is "re-evaluation." Many in the industry feel that this is the best time to get rid of elements that do not necessarily serve the greater good of the industry.
"We are entering a phase of innovation and the unnecessarily wasteful elements of the industry are being weeded out," Oke-Lawal says simply. There is also a need to reevaluate what customers of the Nigerian fashion industry would want in a post-pandemic world as well as who even are the customers of the Nigerian fashion industry.
Before the pandemic, African fashion was approaching its moment in the global fashion spotlight with a steady expansion of the industry and Lagos getting mentioned alongside international fashion capitals like Milan and Paris. While no one can accurately predict what the industry will be like post-pandemic, morale is still high and people are still optimistic.
"In this new normal, tech and fashion need to co-exist."
Like Onyinye, many believe the pandemic is the catalyst the African fashion industry needs to entirely shrug off western validation and find it's own way.
"The African Fashion industry will forge its path as opposed to its reliance on western fashion structures," Onyinye notes. "Looking inwards, we will continue to develop structures and platforms that work within the confinement and complexity of operating a fashion business in the continent. The pandemic has revealed that no one has all the answers and surviving will be dependent on every brand doing what works for them to stay afloat and alive. This notion will be carried into the Post-Covid19 world. More African fashion brands will be more in-tune with what works for their business and what doesn't. This will enable them to make more confident decisions concerning their value chain."
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The rate at which subscribers are leaving Israeli budget operator Golan Telecom has tripled since the company was sold to Electra Consumer Products, an Israeli air-conditioning, home appliance and consumer electronics manu-facturer, according to a report. In 2016, Golan lost 70,000 subscribers net. In the week before the deal, which was announced on 3 January, the operator lost 200 subscribers a day, and the pace at which subscribers were lost increased during the first week of January.
From its inception in 2012, Golan shook up the Israeli mobile market by dramatically undercutting the competition on price. In this way, it was able to capture about 10 percent of market share, while sharing Cellcom’s network. The acquisition by Electra will rescue Golan from massive debt, but it is scaring off a fast-growing number of Golan subscribers, who apparently foresee an end to the very low prices—a perception shared by market observers who hail the prospective rise in prices as a return to sanity, as it were. While there may be nothing Electra can do to staunch the bleeding of subscribers at the moment, the company should move aggressively to offer customers some tangible incentives to stay. Examples of such incentives could be new packages with creative plan features, customized offers tailored to the needs of certain customer demographics, special access to entertainment content. In the near term, generous limited-time promotions could also have a very beneficial effect for Golan.


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U.S. dollar chains report profit surge as downturn makes shoppers thrifty
By Uday Sampath Kumar (Reuters) - America's biggest dollar store chains reported better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, as cash-strapped consumers sought lower priced groceries and household items in a coronavirus-induced economic downturn. Sales at Dollar General Corp and Dollar Tree Inc remained robust even after the panic-buying surge at the start of lockdowns, with high U.S
By Uday Sampath Kumar
(Reuters) - America's biggest dollar store chains reported better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, as cash-strapped consumers sought lower priced groceries and household items in a coronavirus -induced economic downturn.
Sales at Dollar General Corp and Dollar Tree Inc remained robust even after the panic-buying surge at the start of lockdowns, with high U.S. unemployment pushing demand for cheaper cereals, vegetables and daily essentials.
The two dollar stores said sales of more discretionary items including clothing were also up, as households spent government stimulus checks carefully.
But with talks over the new COVID-19 stimulus package stuck in a stalemate, Dollar General warned that comparable sales could moderate from the current 15% growth levels in the coming months.
Smaller rival Dollar Tree remained optimistic for the year, but did not provide a sales outlook.
"We're going to be in a good position in the back half of the year and going into next year when customers are going to need us most as the extra benefits go away and with the unemployment rate where it is," Dollar Tree's new Chief Executive Officer Mike Witynski said.
While shoppers are spending more at dollar stores, they are making fewer trips, which according to Evercore ISI analysts is an opportunity for Walmart Inc and Amazon.com Inc to pull away customers with their better developed e-commerce operations.
Graphic: Performance at America's Biggest Dollar Stores https://graphics.reuters.com/DOLLARGENERAL-RESULTS/qmypmaanbpr/chart.png
Dollar General's second-quarter same-store sales rose 18.8% and beat estimates of a 15.1% increase, but that of Dollar Tree was not as strong, rising 7.2% and sending its shares down 5%.
Net income at Dollar General rose 84.6% to $787.6 million, or $3.12 per share, beating expectations of $2.44. The company said it had begun share buybacks and would repurchase an additional $2 billion worth of stock.
Dollar Tree, which owns the Family Dollar chain, said net income rose 45% to $261.5 million, or $1.10 per share, beating analysts' estimate of 92 cents.
(Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr and Arun Koyyur)
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Danish's photographs were not just documentation, but the work of someone who went down to eye-level, as they say in photographic parlance.
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police used teargas and water cannon to disperse people who had gathered in central Athens on Saturday to protest against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. More than 4,000 people rallied outside the Greek parliament for a third time this month to oppose mandatory inoculations for some workers, such as healthcare and nursing staff.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Two Turkish soldiers were killed and two were wounded in an attack on their armoured vehicle in northern Syria, and Turkish forces immediately launched retaliatory fire, Turkey's defence ministry said on Saturday. "Our punitive fire against terrorist positions is continuing," the statement on Twitter on said. It did not specify where the attack occurred, but media reports said it was in the al-Bab area.


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On November 2nd, INVERS and mopedsharing.com launched the Global Moped Sharing Market Report 2021 during a digital round-table panel event. Report co-authors Enrico Howe from mopedsharing.com and INVERS CPO Alexander Gmelin discussed the results and implications of their study with industry experts Raymon Pouwels, Co-Founder and CEO at GO Sharing; Valerian Seither, Co-Founder of emmy and currently Managing Director at GoTo Germany; and Sebastian Schlebusch, Head of Market Development at Dott and speaker for micromobility at Plattform Shared Mobility. The panel agreed that density of available vehicles is key to success, that multi-modality is the way of the future, and that customer retention is increasingly important in an industry where competition is getting fierce. Read on for their thoughts on those topics and others in the following panel recap.
Following a brief overview of the top areas of growth and most apparent moped sharing trends outlined in the report, moderator Enrico Howe from mopedsharing.com engaged the panelists in a discussion on topics as diverse as the impact of the pandemic on the industry, different pricing models, the likelihood of market consolidation, and the current and future possibilities for using data collected by shared vehicles.
The entire presentation is worth watching to see the panel’s opinions and answers to questions from Enrico and the audience; here we will highlight the four trends that came up most often:
Customers are already multi-modal
One of the lessons that Valerian Seither learned from his successes in moped sharing is that while operators are beginning to embrace multi-modality by offering more than one type of vehicle for sharing, customers are already multi-modal and may be “sick of using different apps” for each different type of vehicle that they want to use. GoTo Germany will likely be adding cars and e-bikes to their platform in Q2 2022 to respond to those various needs, while some progressive cities are already offering multi-modal tenders for shared vehicle operations.
To be able to meet their customers’ and their cities’ needs for multi-modality, operators will need to weigh the pros and cons of adding variety to their fleets by building it themselves or by choosing a partner that complements what they have. The estimated payoff, according to Valerian Seither, may be a four or five-fold increase in revenue per customer.
Cooperation with cities is increasingly important
The initial “free for all” open market approach to shared mobility in cities has often been problematic, and we’re starting to see more regulation. Not all of the new regulation has been well designed; Sebastian Schlebusch quoted the first-come-first-served approach from Rotterdam that shuts out new entrants as well as the lowest-price approach by Zaragoza that “created a price war and not necessarily quality service” as examples of regulation that could have been designed better. He also emphasizes that it’s the industry’s responsibility to create the understanding that good regulation “creates a competitive environment but also creates reliability and investment stability.” The industry is currently very interested in the upcoming tender for Paris, which has the biggest moped-sharing market in Europe and whose tender may become a model for future European moped sharing.
Cooperation with cities will also be crucial when it comes to increasing the density of available shared vehicles. “Density is key” for customers according to Raymon Pouwels, and getting infrastructure in place is the key to more density according to Sebastian Schlebusch. Research shows that customers’ willingness to walk to the nearest vehicle drops significantly as distance increases; 100-150m should be the maximum distance to the nearest micromobility vehicle, which translates to 30-40 locations per square kilometer. To achieve this type of density, operators will need more access to public space, which is scarce and is fiercely protected by city officials. Organizations like Plattform Shared Mobility are working with governments at municipal as well as national levels to make sure the industry’s voice is heard when it comes to the vision and plans for public mobility.
Competition is fierce
The high level of competition in the market is making customer retention more important than ever. GoTo Germany is taking a community-based and emotional approach to their messaging and business so that their customers “open their app first” according to Valerian Seither. Operator multi-modality will likely strengthen customer retention, as customers prefer to have options or simply “may not want to get on a scooter in the rain.”
Intense competition will also likely lead to more market consolidation; we’re likely to see more mergers and acquisitions like GoTo Global’s recent acquisition of emmy – now called GoTo Germany. The panel didn’t give an exact guess as to when we will see more consolidation, but it was agreed that it’s definitely coming.
Finally, increased competition combined with the previously mentioned trend towards multi-modality may result in more pricing options for customers as operators look for differentiators. Subscription pricing may become more prevalent if single operators offer all the different types of vehicles that a customer may want to use.
In the end, the panel agreed that the biggest competitor remains the privately-owned vehicle. New entrants of other shared vehicles like cargo bikes and e-bikes into local markets may actually be helpful according to Valerian and Raymon, as they will help shift the culture away from private vehicle ownership and use and encourage people to use multi-modal shared vehicles instead.
Technology is driving changes at an impressive pace
Last year’s report indicated that 77% of the world moped sharing fleet is electrified; by the end of October 2021 that number was 97%, with the last major combustion-engine market (India) starting to also show clear signs of electrification. Alex Gmelin pointed out that while most operators are using their own staff to swap out the batteries in their electric scooters, the industry is noticing the success of sharing operators in Taiwan who created the infrastructure for users to swap the batteries themselves. Taiwanese moped sharing users have done 200,000,000 battery swaps themselves, and it should be expected that operators everywhere else will also want to implement similar systems and technologies to reap the associated cost savings.
New data and new insights from existing data is another area where the industry is likely to see technology-driven change soon. Alex predicts continuing insights from operational data such as fuel/battery levels, tilt angle to find fallen mopeds, and the status of helmets. He also expects operators to take actions and make adjustments based on user data such as the presence of passengers on shared mopeds (which can be determined by the status of the second helmet) or using driving analysis features and data to identify dangerous or irresponsible drivers. Finally, he’s fascinated by the potential of noise sensors, air quality sensors, or temperature sensors mounted on mopeds; this kind of “value added data” could be very useful to cities where the mopeds are operating.
Download the report for context, then watch the entire presentation for the panel’s complete opinions on the topics above as well as their thoughts on better connections between public transit and mobility-as-a-service (MaaS), the impact of integrating with Google maps, and how the industry was and continues to be affected by the pandemic.


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Mitsubishi UFJ Bank to enter cashless payment Dec. 4: 7:58
Megabanks will enter the field of cashless payments, where competition is intensifying. The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ has established a policy to start a payment service using smartphones at restaurants and hotels in cooperation with Recruit, which operates information sites such as gourmet and travel.
According to officials, Mitsubishi UFJ has agreed to jointly establish a new company with Recruit for cashless payment services.
The new company will develop a service that allows users to make payments using QR codes if users charge money from their bank accounts to smartphone apps.
We would like to encourage the introduction of services to restaurants, hotels and inns that are registered on information sites such as “Hot Pepper” and “Jalan”, which have many users.
The use of cashless payments is further expanding due to the point return system implemented by the government, but there are many companies entering the market and competition is intensifying.
Mitsubishi UFJ, which will be entering this time, will be a latecomer, but its aim is to make a comeback by using a network of high-profile information sites.
On the other hand, strict management is required for the handling of various data obtained through services such as payment history, and it seems likely that the new company will be able to build an information management system trusted by users.


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Apple would drop digital rights management (DRM) technology from the music sold through its iTunes Store if major record companies would allow such a move, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said in an online post at Apple's website.
Jobs also called on people unhappy with DRM systems - particularly European regulators who want Apple to open its FairPlay DRM to competitors - to push record companies to sell online music without digital-rights restrictions.
"If the big four music companies would licence Apple their music without the requirement that it be protected with a DRM, we would switch to selling only DRM-free music on our iTunes store," Jobs wrote in a post called Thoughts on Music. "Every iPod ever made will play this DRM-free music."
The comments from Jobs come at a time when consumers and European countries are pressuring Apple to loosen the tight ties between music sold at iTunes and Apple's iPod music player. Currently, songs sold through iTunes can only play on iTunes - a restriction common to other digital music retail services.
In his open letter, Jobs said creating a DRM system was a requirement by the major record labels if they were to agree to let Apple sell their music online. Apple's FairPlay lets users play protected songs on up to five computers and an unlimited number of iPods while burning playlists of purchased music up to seven times.
"Obtaining such rights from the music companies was unprecedented at the time, and even today is unmatched by most other digital music services," Jobs wrote.
"However, a key provision of our agreements with the music companies is that if our DRM system is compromised and their music becomes playable on unauthorised devices, we have only a small number of weeks to fix the problem or they can withdraw their entire music catalogue from our iTunes store."
Apple’s boss called DRM-free music "clearly the best alternative for consumers" and one Apple "would embrace in a heartbeat". But that decision hinges on what the four largest music companies - Universal, Sony BMG, Warner and EMI - decide to do, Jobs added. And right now, they're adamant that DRM technology be included with online music.
"Perhaps those unhappy with the current situation should redirect their energies towards persuading the music companies to sell their music DRM-free," said Jobs, noting that two of the four largest music companies have owners located in Europe, where much of the clamour over DRM has taken place. Another, Sony BMG, is half owned by German-based Bertelsmann.
"Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace," Jobs said. "Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."
A path that Apple won't embrace, however, is licensing FairPlay to competitors. That would require Apple to disclose proprietary technology to people outside the company, Jobs said, inevitably leading to leaks.
"The internet has made such leaks far more damaging, since a single leak can be spread worldwide in less than a minute," Jobs wrote. "Such leaks can rapidly result in software programs available as free downloads on the internet which will disable the DRM protection so that formerly protected songs can be played on unauthorised players."
Jobs also spends his open letter noting that it's difficult for a DRM system to work since music companies sell 10 times the amount of songs sold online via CDs with no DRM. Users can rip those CDs and upload those music files to the internet for others to download.
"So if the music companies are selling over 90 percent of their music DRM-free, what benefits do they get from selling the remaining small percentage of their music encumbered with a DRM system? There appear to be none," Jobs said.
Jobs also disputed the notion that DRM systems tie users to a particular music player or store. According to Jobs, Apple has sold 90 million iPods and 2 billion songs - or 22 songs purchased for every iPod ever sold. By Jobs' math, that accounts for less than 3 percent of the music stored on an iPod capable of holding 1,000 songs that's filled to capacity.
"It's hard to believe that just 3 percent of the music on the average iPod is enough to lock users into buying only iPods in the future," Jobs said.


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Honda Foundation, Inc. donates Supplies to Typhoon-hit Homes in Catanduanes
Valentine's Day Treat Like No Other. HFI representatives and HFI Executive Director Marilyn Rubio, personally handed over the supplies to typhoon-hit families in San Andres, Catanduanes with the assistance of Catanduanes Masonic Lodge 291 and San Andres Mayor Peter Cua last February 14, 2021.
Tanauan City, Batangas – February 14, 2021 – To help communities affected by Typhoon Rolly and Ulysses last year, Honda Foundation Inc. (HFI) recently donated construction supplies to rebuild homes in San Andres in Catanduanes.
With the assistance of the Catanduanes Masonic Lodge No. 291 and the local government unit, HFI reached out to about 100 families from Barangay Alibuag, Belmonte, Bislig, Bon’ot, Cabcab, Cabungahan, Catagbacan, Lictin, Lubas, Manambrag, Puting Baybay, Rizal, Salvacion, Tibang, and Timbaan.
Each family received galvanized steel sheets for their roofing needs, sets of marine-grade plywood, Coco lumber, and umbrella nails. In addition to these materials, Honda Foundation also gifted them with Honda souvenirs.
“The year 2020 has been a challenging year for our country. Aside from the current pandemic, some of our countrymen were also affected by a series of typhoons. May these simple donations serve as a hope for the people of Catanduanes. After all, we want to contribute to the concerted efforts dedicated to helping these communities recover. Indeed, no one should be left behind,” said Susumu Mitsuishi, President of Honda Philippines, Inc.
Catanduanes Masonic Lodge 291 representatives awarded HFI Executive Director Marilyn Rubio a certificate of appreciation.
The beneficiaries of the HFI donation initiative show the construction supplies they can use to rebuild their homes.
Through its CSR arm, HFI, the Honda Group of Companies in the Philippines, composed of Honda Cars Philippines Inc, Honda Philippines Inc, Honda Parts Manufacturing Corp., and Honda Trading Philippines, answers the call for Bayanihan, especially during trying times, such as calamities, among others. As “One Honda,” the company aims to contribute to see Filipinos rise and rebuild by coming together and working hand in hand for a brighter tomorrow.
HFI also oversees and manages Honda’s other CSR programs and activities, such as promoting road safety, protecting the environment, supporting the youth, and addressing local community needs.
For more details about Honda products and promos, visit us at www.hondaph.com and follow our Facebook page, Honda Philippines, Inc. and Instagram, @hondaph_mc.
Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI), the No.1 motorcycle manufacturer in the country, was awarded as the big winner in the recent Motogarahe Moto Awards 2022....READ MORE
Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI), the No.1 motorcycle manufacturer in the country, rides north of Metro Manila to share the joy of mobility in its latest flagship store in Caloocan....READ MORE


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Europeans tune in to net TV
But 100mbps pipes are needed for full potential
Close to half of all Europeans watch TV over the internet, and 57 per cent want to access the net, according to research released today by Motorola.
Broadband users in France, Italy, Germany, Spain and the UK were asked whether they watch recorded TV broadcasts or view previews and clips over the web.
The survey also asked whether broadband subscribers expected to use other services, such as video calling, from their TVs. As many as 45 per cent of Europeans expect to do so by 2012.
The survey did not, however, distinguish between computer users accessing TV content over broadband from their PCs, and those who used a commercial internet TV service and set-top box to view video on demand.
"The data shows that there is a significant appetite from consumers for video, whether it is on a PC or through a set-top box," said Karl Elliott, European marketing director for Motorola's Connected Home Solutions division.
"Consumers want to take control of what they watch and when, and are embracing [the technology] now."
Motorola sees IP-enabled set top boxes, often in combination with a Freeview-style digital terrestrial TV tuner, as a key driver for video on demand and PC-TV integration.
Such boxes would allow viewers to flip between TV channels, on demand content, the internet and IP-based services such as video calling or VoIP.
Elliot also expects consumers to use their set-top boxes to connect to portable media players or mobile phones for viewing on the go. Currently, 80 per cent of Motorola's IPTV set top box sales are in Europe.
However, such developments are going to demand significant increases in bandwidth, both for internet access and for device to device networking in the home. Motorola is already working on incorporating the 802.11n Wi-Fi standard into its hardware, according to Elliott.
But triple play (voice, video and internet) services with support for high-definition TV needs an internet pipe of at least 50Mbps to the home, with telecoms operators likely to roll out 100Mbps networks over the next few years.
The growth in high-bandwidth content will have other consequences, however. Internet service providers are likely to have to upgrade their back haul networks, caching servers and other technologies to support higher speeds. And businesses will need to adapt to an environment where content, from business information to training, is increasingly delivered online at high quality.
"A lot of people said that the internet would simply be a distraction at work," said Elliott.
"It does need to be managed, but businesses should be prepared to make the investment in order to gain a competitive advantage. If staff have 100Mbps links into their homes, they won't understand why they don't have it in the workplace."
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Dell Unveils Hardware and Software Aiming for Businesses
Dell Inc. (DELL) is releasing a product combining hardware and software as newly hired President Marius Haas targets businesses to try and halt a sales slump by expanding demand for the company’s data center gear.
Dell will deliver a computer system that integrates server, storage and networking in the same box, Haas said at an event in San Francisco. With that approach, Dell will be able to knit together technology from its acquisitions, Haas said.
The executive, who joined Dell in August from private- equity firm KKR & Co. and spent a decade at Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ), oversees development and marketing of Dell’s data center servers, storage, and networking gear. The company is relying on that division to help compensate for the growth slowdown for personal computers.
“Investors are underestimating Dell’s enterprise potential,” Haas said at a press conference.
Global PC shipments shrank by 8.3 percent to 87.5 million in the third quarter, according to market researcher Gartner Inc., signaling a shift by consumers and businesses toward smartphones and tablets, and away from the products that were once Dell’s bread and butter.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at email@example.com


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Minimob will exhibit at G-Star, Busan, Korea, on November 16-18.
You can find us @ BtB area, on the 3rd floor, Booth #R65.
Email us at email@example.com to arrange a meeting with our team!
It was a propitious return visit to Beijing, and the sprawling Chinese National Convention Centre (CNCC) for Minimob — having originally launched its marketing platform for developers there at GMIC in 2013. Yet, how much has changed, both for Minimob — and the China smartphone market as a whole! On this occasion, Minimob is now a private company with specific Chinese-speaking staff (eponymously entitled the China business Group, or CBG) which has been tasked with engaging the vast – and commercially compelling Chinese App market.
Minimob now supports GAID for Android devices and IDFA/IFA for iOS devices, which enable accurate control over tracking and targeting while circumventing privacy concerns for mobile device users (GAID and IDFA/IFM are the unique, user-specific, anonymous and resettable identifiers for advertising purposes that have been established by Android and Apple, respectively). In addition, as it has become a rather common practice for affiliates to assign unique ids to each of their traffic sources, Minimob has recently been equipped with the ability to collect such information from our supply side affiliates, and utilize it. READ MORE
For registering to the minimob platform, all you need to have is a valid email account. Just navigate to minimob’s login page and select ‘Create Account’. Then, enter your First and Last Name, your Company, a valid email account and a password. Upon clicking ‘Create Account’, an invitation will be sent to the given email address. READ MORE
Dear App Developers,
Just a brief note to confirm the closing of the PPI period for the running year.
More exciting features and bonuses from one of the world’s fastest-growing mobile marketing and advertising platforms will be announced in 2015.
The minimob team
The mobile advertising industry continues to evolve at rapid pace — even as we close out 2014; it reflects the relentless pursuit of revenue that publishers and developers need; in order to fire their passion, or sustain their businesses, and ideally both. READ MORE
It’s fair to say that InternetQ does get around a bit when it comes to trade shows, and this year has been no different!
Following its highly successful presence at the mother of all mobile conferences, the GSMA’s Mobile World Congress, InternetQ strongly promoted Minimob at ad:tech in Singapore, generating business leads and attracting a new group of direct advertisers to the platform. READ MORE
Are you hungry for the latest Android insight? Then chew over some of the detail in this tasty new Infographic! Yes, the snackable data contained in this delicious overview of the Android O/S landscape offers our developers some real food for thought! READ MORE
The Cost-per-Install (CPI) model is gaining ground as advertisers (developers, ad agencies, etc.) increasingly embrace it to promote mobile apps. Under this model, advertisers will pay a fixed amount only after a user has downloaded and opened the application. Cost certainty and passing on the burden of campaign optimization to the advertising networks drive the model’s increasing popularity. READ MORE


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WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) – A dramatic increase in the cost of eggs is impacting nearly every budget, but especially local businesses
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture said this is due to the outbreak of the bird flu. Two local bakeries told KTVE they are both feeling the effect.
“The egg prices have increased over the last year. It’s been an impact trying to keep our prices affordable while being able to stay open. It’s been a struggle,” said owner of Bake 318, Monica Smith.
The brutal Avian flu, or bird flu outbreak, has killed over 43 million egg-laying hens across the country, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“You have to get them from retail or wholesale. You can’t just go and get them from somebody and their farm fresh,” explained Smith.
The Cupcake Shop is another bakery impacted by the surging prices of eggs. But, the co-owner of the shop, Kevin Wayne Bauthman, says they can’t afford to cut back on some of the popular items.
“We don’t overproduce because we can’t afford to waste, so we kind of take more about order. Certain recipes do require more eggs. For example, Red Velvet costs more eggs for us, but we can’t afford to get rid of that because it is so popular.”
But regardless of the soaring egg prices, these local shops say they will keep their prices stable for their customers.
“You have to be able to still afford things, but not gauge your customers’ prices because you want people to come back, and keep trusting you and as a local business and not someone who is charging ridiculous prices,” said baker at Baker 318, Morgan Miller.
The United States Department of Agriculture predicts that egg prices will start to fall now that the holiday baking season is over, and as farmers begin to rebuild their egg-laying stock.


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Tuesday Apr 15
GM Sets Price For Heavy Duty Pickup CNG Conversion At $9,500
GM's is converting heavy duty Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 pickups to run on compressed natural gas for $9,500, adding to their CNG-capable fleet that already includes their van lineup and soon the Impala sedan.
Tuesday Apr 15
Car and Driver
2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD CNG: Bi-Fuel Redux [Update: Pricing Announced]
Update 4/15/14: Chevrolet has announced that the bi-fuel/CNG option will add $9500 to the sticker price of Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD pickups.
The Globe and Mail
Deals of the week: A behind-the-scenes look at the pickup price wars
Savvy shoppers who follow the car market as closely as Deals of the Week will have spotted an evolving mini-crisis at General Motors - and it has the potential to save buyers thousands of dollars.
High Country trim joins Silverado Heavy-Duty pickup lineup
Chevrolet has announced that the range-topping High Country trim will soon be available for the Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD pickups.
Stung by Ram, Chevy steps up truck spiffs
After the Ram pickup outsold the Chevrolet Silverado in March, a General Motors spokes-man said it was easy for Ram to "buy market share" with incentives.
Lincoln Daily News
GM boosts truck discounts in April after sales lag Chrysler
General Motors Co again boosted discounts on its full-size Chevrolet Silverado pickups after being outsold in March by Chrysler's Ram 1500.
Stung by Ram win in March, Chevy further juices Silverado incentives
Chevrolet is extending its March Truck Month promotion into April, boosting lease incentives and increasing consumer savings on certain models of the Silverado.
The Auto Channel
Chevrolet Silverado Named Lowest Cost-to-Own Pickups
March 27, 2014: Chevrolet is the Best Value Truck Brand in America, according to data analysis firm Vincentric, which also named the Silverado 2500HD a Best Value in America while finding the Silverado family has the lowest cost to own of any full-size pickups.


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September 12, 2011
HAVANA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- New decrees and regulations approved last May to ease self-employment restrictions came into force Saturday, according to the Official Gazette of the government.
The new regulations extended categories of legal private activities, such as street vending, insurance agents and party organizers.
Private street vendors are now allowed to sell farm products. In the past decades, only the government was allowed to purchase, distribute and sell food.
The new regulations also cover important issues of social security taxes, labor hiring and house rental.
Self-employed workers are now allowed to make social security contributions over 10 years compared to two years in the past.
Self-employed women aged 60 or above and men aged 65 or above are exempted from the obligation of joining the special social security program, and the taxes they paid to the program will be returned.
Small business owners are exempted from payment obligations for the first five workers they hire.
Another change is the reduction of minimum monthly tax for renting rooms, from 200 to 150 Cuban pesos (7.08 to 5.31 U.S. dollars).
Landlords may also apply for a three- to six-month license suspension, during which they may conduct necessary repair work or refurbishment.
Small private restaurants and coffee shops are also permitted by the new decrees to place a maximum of 50 tables compared to 30 in the past.
So far, over 320,000 Cubans have chosen to try their fortune in private businesses which are emerging in Havana and changing the country's economic landscape.


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Epic Games VP Mark Rein has slammed suggestions that huge budgets are required to create next-gen games, revealing that forthcoming Xbox 360 title Gears of War has cost "around $10 million" to produce.
Speaking at the London Games Summit, Rein said that it's taken a team of 20 - 30 people around two years to complete work on GOW - arguing that despite claims by some industry figures, it's still possible to create next-gen titles using medium sized teams and without gigantic budgets.
GOW, he continued, "wasn't cheap but didn't cost the crazy figures you hear other companies quoting of $20, $30 million". Rein made similar comments in an interview with GI.biz last year, where he accused "big companies like EA" of "going around trying to scare people".
When asked by an audience member how much GOW had cost to produce, Rein replied, "So far, around $10 million, maybe a little less.
The Xbox 360 was a fantastic console in its day with some truly classic titles, but what are the seven best games for the console?


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Apple Company and Refuses to Unlock the Phone
According to US media, a judge in the & quot; Apple & quot; The company has ordered the Federal Investigation Agency FBI & quot; This will support access to an iPhone information that was used by one of the attackers in the deadly attack last December in San brnar Dino. San Bernardino area in California Syed Rizwan Farooq and his wife at a welfare center Tashfin was killed when police fired 14 people were killed in two. Authorities have been investigating the issue of whether the attackers had any contact with the militants or not, but they were on a secret code Rizwan iPhone could not get access to the information contained therein.US magistrate Sherry said in his judgment that & quot; Apple & quot; Companies are to provide software that deleted messages in written form to enter the wrong code ten times if it can ignore the automatic system. The FBI now has found different codes to access the phone’s data and the danger was that he would not be facing delete information contained in this.He is for the court said that the new software should be configured in such a way that it Rizwan phone and order if the company considers that it is & quot; bad & quot; If they submitted in response to five days. Because of growing concerns about security of personal information Apple had strengthened the secret codes of the program in 2014. The Government has made a complaint that a strict security system, it is difficult hurdle in the criminal investigation of San Dino as he has faced the most difficult investigations related to national security. Apple the company has announced plans to appeal the ruling to the US Supreme court has refused to recognize the court order. We oppose the order, which also effects the recent lawsuit.I access data in any iPhone to get the secret code and can be ten times if the wrong code is entered automatically delete all data. The appeal says that the staff can not access the data. The move was followed by the revealing of appeal from Edward from the US government surveillance.The US Federal Bureau of Investigation Agency I said Rizwan Farooq important information from iPhone and Apple in order to find a way to get the data with the help of the security software. The FBI maintains that encryption technology this phone is the phone that the material could not be opened until they come to know it.He said that such technology pose widespread problems with the law enforcement agencies. FBI Farooq first phone to which such change is to try as many times as you want to test code without risk to die investigation data. It also requires that the phone be able to quickly test different mixtures have to be smoothed the way for code changes to the code. Found that it is more likely that the company will challenge the court order. Tough battle against Apple in the past has fought to have access to personal data of users.This undermined confidence in the company say that the customer Will be. Apple on your website is placed on the use of all instruments which iOS 8 and then we, the government’s search warrant based on the iPhone OS data extraction is not responsible for the files have to remove it from the the code to the user who does not have Apple.


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If you needed further validation of sneaker mania’s rising trajectory, get this: After auctioning off the world’s finest works of art, international mogul Sotheby’s has now harnessed the potential of antique sneakers as as prized collectibles. By partnering with streetwear marketplace Stadium Goods, the auction house has assembled a selection of 100 of the rarest sneakers ever produced.
Headlining the first-ever sneaker auction was a rare pair of Nike “Moon Shoes”, which fetched a record sum of $4,37,500 (~Rs 3.01 crore). The title was previously held by a pair of autographed Converse shoes – believed to have been worn by Michael Jordan at the 1984 Olympics – which sold for $1,90,373 (~Rs 1.3 crore) in California two years ago . Today, the honor goes to Canadian entrepreneur and car enthusiast, Miles Nadal, who spent $8.50,000 (~Rs 5.8 crore) on 99 of the 100 most wanted sneakers. “I am thrilled to acquire the iconic Nike ‘Moon Shoes’, one of the rarest pairs of sneakers ever produced, and a true historical artifact of sports history and pop culture. When I initially acquired the other 99 pairs from this auction last week, I knew the Nikes were meant to continue to be part of this remarkable collection, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.I think sneaker culture and collection are about to have a breakout moment,” he said in a statement.
Also known as the Moon Shoes, the record-breaking Waffle Racing Flats are one of only 12 pairs ever made in the world. The waffle pattern on the sole is credited to Nike co-founder and legendary track coach Bill Bowerman. In an effort to improve his students’ performance on the track, he often used his free time to improve the design of athletic shoes. While tinkering with his wife’s waffle maker, he came across the winning idea of cushioned traction on soles by pouring rubber into the mold. Once the prototype was deemed successful, 12 pairs were made for runners at the 1972 Olympic trials, and Nadal’s latest acquisition would be the only pair still living in unworn condition today.


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Aston Martin accelerating to ‘sustainable ultra-luxury e-brand’
British iconic sports carmaker Aston Martin Lagonda says it’s pushing the accelerator with its new ‘Racing.Green‘ strategy to become a ‘world-leading sustainable luxury brand’ with a fully electric line-up from 2030. It touts a ‘clear roadmap to electrification’ with the first hybrid electric car commencing deliveries in 2024, the first Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) targeted
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Urjit Patel took over from Raghuram Rajan at the helm of the Reserve Bank of India, where he will oversee the transition to an interest-rate setting panel guided by an inflation target.
Patel assumed charge on September 4, the monetary authority said in a statement yesterday. As Rajan’s deputy for three years until he became the 24th governor, Patel drew prominence for leading a review of the RBI’s mission that led to an overhaul of the 81-year-old institution. He will now need to navigate between the government’s likely expectations of an interest-rate cut in the face of slower economic growth and key state elections, and inflation that has breached the central bank’s target.
He could also face pressure to ease up on a $120bn bad-debt cleanup, which has eroded bank profits and slashed bonuses. Patel’s first test will come on October 4 – a scheduled monetary policy review - where investors will gauge if governorship reduces his traditional reticence.
Now that Patel, 52, has taken up the top job, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration will need to fill his previous post of deputy governor in charge of monetary policy and communication, while also announcing its representatives on the proposed monetary policy committee.
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With airline fleets grounded, plane recyclers bet on parts boom
Qatar fiscal strength limits vulnerability from oil price shocks, says Moody’s
Good time for small businesses to go digital: says entrepreneur
Nomura CEO signals more job cuts in Europe to reverse losses
RBC eyes more private-equity dealings in 2019 to gain edge
Europe markets test investor nerves in roller coaster ride
Foxconn to begin assembling top-end Apple iPhones in India in 2019: Source
Japan factory output falls, sales slow as risks to economy rise
Nissan to make fewer cars in China as demand slows


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Under-pressure department store Debenhams is making plans to close 20 store this year at part of a controversial insolvency procedure designed to slash rents.
The chain – which has stores in Plymouth, Exeter, Torquay and Truro – is looking at entering a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) and has entered talks with its banks to increase loans ahead of a quarterly rent payment which is due on March 25, 2019.
A CVA would allow Debenhams to renegotiate rents with landlords and speed up shop closure plans. It is understood that the company is running out of options on £520million of bank borrowing.
Debenhams has declined to comment on store closure plans, but if the firm was to shut stores as part of a CVA it would put the South West units in the firing line, particularly because Sport Direct boss Mike Ashley is eyeing up a take over.
He already has a huge stake in the chain, and also bailed out House of Fraser in 2018, and there is the possibility he could end up combining the two outfits, with the possibility that Exeter and Plymouth, which have both, could suffer closures.
Debenhams announced in October 2018 that it was increasing a store closure plans from 10 to 50 shops - putting 4,000 jobs at risk - which would take place during the next three to five years.
At the time, Debenhams said it was not ready to release a list of stores it was looking to shut. But under a CVA, that closure programme would be accelerated and 20 shops could be boarded up in 2019. The company is expected to update shareholders on its progress within the next few weeks.
The Debenhams stores most at risk
Colliers International's research predicts these 45 Debenhams stores are most at risk of closure:
Barrow In Furness (there are two)
The Fort Birmingham
Bury St Edmunds
Debenhams has 165 stores and employs about 25,000 people but has been hit hard by the turmoil affecting many retail operators.
The firm has a hefty rent bill of about £290million, which is 10 times its underlying profit in 2018.
It is in talks with lenders including HSBC and Barclays, but they are likely to insist on Debenhams raising cash from existing shareholders.
Mr Ashley has already offered a £40million loan, secured on Debenhams’ assets, which would give him control without having to make a full-blown takeover bid.
In 2018, Debenhams was downgraded by credit ratings agency Moody’s amid falling sales and profits.
The chain, which issued three profit warnings in 2018 and said it was also looking at closing floors, was cut down from a B1 rating to B2 because of a deterioration in profitability on the back of pressure on sales and margins in a “highly competitive trading environment”.
Debenhams was also among retail’s Christmas “losers” having reported a sharp fall in sales during the crucial trading period, when it said customers had been seeking discounts and left their shopping late.
Why Debenhams is in trouble
In a detailed rationale for for downgrading Debenhams in the summer of 2018, leading credit agency Moody’s listed a number of factors which are problems for the company, but also some of its strengths. These include:
Reasons to be fearful
Falling profitability – In June, Debenhams revised its profit guidance for the 2018 fiscal year downwards for the third time since January.
Falling sales – The company's gross transaction value has fallen by 1.6 per cent in the first half of 2018. Declining in-store sales in the UK have not been fully offset by international and online revenue growth.
Slashing prices – The need to remain price competitive with lots of competitors, some of which are in financial difficulties and thus discounting aggressively, has adversely affected margins.
Reasons to be cheerful
Moody’s also noted Debenhams established market position in the UK, backed by a portfolio of well-invested department stores in prime locations; diversified product ranges including clothing and non-clothing products; growing online and international sales; and the progress being made in respect of the Debenhams Redesigned strategy.
It said sales fell 5.7% in the 18 weeks to January 5, 2019, and reported like-for-like sales in the 18 weeks to January 5, 2019, fell 5.7%.
In the shorter trading period, the six weeks to January 5, 2019, like-for-like sales were down 3.4%.
Chris Janes, Investment Manager at Brewin Dolphin, said: “The business is really struggling.
“While Debenhams says it will deliver on profit guidance against a volatile market backdrop, high street sales are in almost terminal decline and footfall was weak over the crucial Christmas period.
“The group is approaching a crunch point in the next 12 months: it has indicated discussions over refinancing have commenced with lenders, but stories are already circling that they will demand a restructuring of the business. It is, nevertheless. clear that significant change and investment is required if Debenhams is to secure its future.”


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As part of parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ €5 billion (£4.43bn) investment programme, Maserati will extensively upgrade its production facilities, but everything will continue to be built in Italy. The firm has invested €800m (£666m) in adapting its Mirafiori factory for electric vehicle production, and anticipates that the facility will “strengthen its position as a world hub dedicated to the electrification and mobility of the future, with a large proportion of its capacity allocated to the production of the brand’s new electrified cars”.
The flagship Alfieri supercar, however, will be built at Maserati’s headquarters in Modena. It is expected to launch later this year in fully electric form, before becoming available with a high-output hybrid powertrain and potentially a pure-petrol option.
In 2021, a new SUV will be launched to sit below the Levante. Said to play a “leading role for the brand thanks to its innovative technologies”, it requires an investment of around €800 million (£708m) for the construction of a new production line that will open next spring. The first pre-series cars will emerge early in 2021. A convertible version of the Alfieri will arrive that year, too.
Still unconfirmed but previewed in a leaked product plan last year will be an all-new Levante and Quattroporte saloon, due in 2023.
Construction of a new paint shop, which is claimed to be “equipped with innovative, low enivironmental impact technologies”, has already begun in Modena. This will even allow Maserati customers to watch their car going through the paint process. A further development is a dedicated customisation workshop.


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FDCPA CLASS-ACTION COMPLAINT ACCUSES COLLECTOR OF OVERSHADOWING
- Does threatening to permanently disconnect an individual’s suspended cell phone service constitute overshadowing? That particular individual is alleging that it does, accusing a collector of violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in a class-action lawsuit.
NCLC PUBLISHES GUIDE OF STATE CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS GOING INTO EFFECT IN 2022
- The National Consumer Law Center has published a guide of all the state consumer laws that are currently scheduled to go into effect at some point in 2022, providing a handy reference to anyone who needs to be aware of such changes.
FTC PUBLISHES BIENNIAL REPORT TO CONGRESS ABOUT DO NOT CALL REGISTRY
- The Federal Trade Commission has published its biennial report to Congress detailing information about the national Do Not Call registry, which now has more than 244 million phone numbers on it, while also revealing that consumers filed more than 5 million complaints during the 2021 fiscal year, with robocalls being the source of the overwhelming number of complaints.
COMMERCIAL COLLECTION AGENCIES OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Commercial Collection Agencies of America has elected its new Board of Directors and has announced the slate of officers of the organization.
WORTH NOTING: Tips to help you deal with your financial anxieties … A debate is raging — is it ok to use a gift card as a tip? … One employer is facing a lawsuit after paying a departing employee in pennies by dumping them in his driveway … A list of three better questions you should ask in your next job interview … A lot of people are grappling with how to care for their “pandemic” pets … If your dream is to drive a car in the shape of a peanut across the country, this is for you … Americans are tired of COVID-19 and are ready to spend … The best gadgets from CES that you can buy right now … A look ahead to the final weekend of the NFL’s regular season.
The founder of LinkedIn on innovating
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Battery-powered vehicles may eventually deliver a knockout blow to the internal-combustion engine, but auto makers and suppliers are developing counterpunches that will extend the life of the more than century-old technology that put the world on wheels.
The internal-combustion engine (ICE) is getting help from a tactic that seems simple on the surface, but is complex in practice – putting vehicles on a diet.
Materials that are lighter than steel, but were once too costly to replace steel for major applications in vehicles, are becoming more common. The use of aluminum, magnesium and carbon fibre is expected to grow to represent as much as 40 per cent of the body structure and closures in a vehicle by 2030, compared with 14 per cent currently.
Regulations that will require auto makers to reduce their carbon emissions (burning less gasoline means a reduction in emissions) are one key reason behind the trend.
The use of lighter metals is more than a temporary trend designed to stretch out the life of internal-combustion engines. Internal-combustion engines are by far the dominant method of propulsion on the road and are expected to continue to dominate well into the next decade, so auto makers need to find ways to make them more efficient as the rules on emissions become more stringent.
Reducing the weight of vehicles equipped with internal-combustion engines helps cut emissions while car companies work on making battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) more affordable and making them available in more market segments.
"The regulatory pressure to improve fuel economy is expected to accelerate the evolutionary rate of the introduction of lightweight materials into the vehicles," says a study by the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think-tank located in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Cutting weight helps improve the efficiency of internal-combustion engines, but will also be useful in battery-powered vehicles because the range of BEVs can be extended if they're lighter, says Evan Hirsh, a PricewaterhouseCoopers auto industry consultant.
"If you lighten the load, it helps both [technologies]," Mr. Hirsh says. "It helps more on internal-combustion engines because you're really pushing up against two barriers – you've got more metal and weight in the ICE, so it's more important there."
It will take a combination of improvements to internal-combustion engines and the growth of battery-electric vehicles to meet the new fuel economy and emissions regulations, says Tim Skszek, senior manager of government partnerships for Magna International Inc.
Auto makers are tapping Magna and other Canadian parts makers such as Linamar Corp. and Martinrea International Inc. to find ways to trim weight, and the parts companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars developing components or systems that are both lighter and stronger than steel.
"We know without even having a discussion that if we can make something lighter, it probably means less material, which means we can be more competitive on pricing," says Rob Wildeboer, executive chairman of Toronto-based parts supplier Martinrea International Inc. "Our customers will listen to that every day of the week."
Linamar officially opened a North Carolina plant last week with joint-venture partner Georg Fischer Ltd., that will make magnesium cross car beams beginning in 2020.
One of Magna's innovations is the ultralight door module, which makes greater use of aluminum than existing vehicle doors.
The beam inside the door that prevents a vehicle piercing the door in a T-bone collision is made of aluminum instead of steel. Switching that piece alone provides a two-kilogram saving on each door, Mr. Skszek says as he displays the concept at Magna's U.S. headquarters in Troy, Mich.
The replacement of traditional steel by aluminum and other materials cuts the total weight of the door by 15.5 kilograms and the entire weight of the car by about 60 kilograms if an auto maker chooses Magna to supply all four doors.
"We really like the combination of a high-strength structure – equivalent in performance to a steel structure and also being 42 per cent lighter than the current model," he says.
When Magna began the project in December, 2015, it examined various materials and combinations of materials as a way of cutting the weight in a car door. It studied carbon fibre, cast aluminum parts and a combination of stamped aluminum with a cast structural aluminum part.
The cost to replace steel was lowest when using the combination of aluminum stampings and the cast structural part. It was $2.59 (U.S.) a pound more than steel, which is considered a fair tradeoff.
The other advantage for auto makers is that Magna can assemble and supply the entire door, Mr. Skszek adds.
For car companies, that "really minimizes their labour, which is high cost and it also minimizes the square footage in their assembly plant or their trim plant," he says.
When Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV replaced the Town & Country minivan with the Pacifica, it substituted aluminum and high-strength steel for traditional steel in several body components, including sliding doors and rear liftgates.
The Pacifica weighs 113 kilograms less than the vehicle it replaced. That improves fuel economy to 12.4 litres/100 km in city driving and 8.4 litres/100 km on the highway from 14.1 and 9.5 litres, respectively, on Town & Country models.
Mr. Wildeboer says the material used in vehicles doesn't matter to Martinrea, which has grown as a metal stamper and supplier of fluid systems.
The company makes a traditional steel-cross member that weighs 18.7 kilograms. A solid aluminum version weighs 15.4 kilograms and a hollow aluminum version checks in at 12.4 kilograms.
"On a pure electric vehicle or a hybrid, you're got battery trays and a bunch of things that you would not put in a pure ICE vehicle. We know how to do that type of stuff as well."
Hybrid vehicles need gas lines and fluid systems, "so we're pretty agnostic," he says.
Mr. Hirsh cautions that the takeover of the roads by BEVs is far from imminent, pointing to the high costs of batteries. He forecasts that by 2027, just 3.8 per cent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. market will be battery-electric, up from a fraction now.
"If you do all the math and you line up how much somebody has to pay for an internal-combustion engine versus a battery-electric vehicle, [the BEV] just costs more," he says.


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Apple appears to be looking into new ways to expand its health-related features. This time it focuses on its popular AirPods, according to a new report. In the future, in addition to filling your head with tunes and podcasts, the earbuds may take your temperature, monitor your posture and help improve your hearing.
The news comes on the verge of a possible new AirPods 3 release, expected as part of Apple’s “Unleashed” event set for October 18. But the new health elements mentioned in the report are far from being in production. They won’t be a feature of Apple earbuds anytime soon.
And the new report, in The Wall Street Journal, indicated uncertainty over whether the hearing-improvement function differs from AirPods’ current “Conversation Boost” feature. The function amplifies the voice of a person speaking to the AirPods wearer.
Future AirPods with health features: timeline unknown
The health functions “aren’t expected by next year and might never be rolled out to consumers or the timing could change,” the WSJ said.
That could mean Apple’s exploratory effort is just that — not a feature set planned for production within a year or two.
If and when AirPods acquire health-monitoring functionality, it goes right along with Apple’s continuing efforts to develop health and fitness applications.
Most of the development has focused on Apple Watch, which currently can measure blood oxygen, sleep data and physical activity levels. The wearable may add blood pressure, temperature and blood sugar monitoring, as well as deeper sleep analysis, according to reports.
Few details known
The WSJ report lacks much detail about the new health functions and how they’ll be implemented.
Products already exist for reading temperature from the ear and using digital sensors to monitor posture. No great leap should be necessary to add the functions to AirPods. And Apple has already shown interest in having AirPods help the hearing-impaired. But the devices lack FDA approval for that purpose (so far).
And the prognosis for health-feature development is usually uncertain because medical regulatory standards are hard to meet. As a result, companies like Apple run into delays in rolling out health-related functions in products.
This came up with the Apple Watch 7’s ability to read a user’s temperature. Apparently in the works, as The Verge reported, but it did not appear in the Apple Watch 7 specs when Apple announced the new wearable in September.


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Motorcycles This is Harley-Davidson's first electric bicycle
Harley Announces Let’s Ride Challenge
Harley Announces Let’s Ride ChallengeDubbed the Let’s Ride Challenge, Harley says the whole deal is meant to showcase the power of riding. It aims to do that through riding-related activities which can earn participants entries (or points) for a chance to win prizes, including a custom 2020 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S motorcycle as well as weekly drawings for additional prizes.
Harley-Davidson’s first foray into the ebike market is the Serial 1, a sleek piece of two-wheeled machinery set to be available in March 2021. The Serial 1 has fat white tires, a relatively thin black frame, brown leather seat, light-up logos, and a flexible brown chain running from the pedals to the back wheel.
The new ebike comes from Serial 1 Cycle Company, a Harley-Davidson brand borne out of an internal R&D program. It’s led by President Jason Huntsman, Vice President Ben Lund, and a handful of other Harley-Davidson veterans.
We learned Harley-Davidson was working on some kind of ebike initiative after executivesat the company’s Annual Dealer’s Meeting in August 2019.
Harley-Davidson Bronx definitely delayed, may be canceled
Harley-Davidson Bronx definitely delayed, may be canceled originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Aug 2020 13:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
There’s no word on how much the Serial 1 will cost, but it’s likely to be in the few-thousand-dollars range. Harley-Davidson expects the ebike market to grow significantly over the coming years; it was already worth more than $15 billion in 2019, according to today’s.
There’s a countdown on thethat runs out on November 16th, and that’s likely when pre-orders and pricing information will go live.
Harley-Davidson details and prices for Serial 1 electric bicycles .
Harley-Davidson details and prices for Serial 1 electric bicycles originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Nov 2020 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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A restaurant in Dubai launched the special biryani plate that served in a large golden plate and is adorned with edible 23 carat gold leaves. Guess how much it costs?
A restaurant in Columbia has introduced a burger which is bathed in a layer of 24-karat gold. The price of the viral creation will surprise you!
Prized in China for its alleged health benefits for hundreds of years, nests made from swiftlets' saliva are being mixed into coffee!
A team of researchers has tried to clear the air around burgundy or summer truffles, a type of mushroom that ranges among the most expensive foods in the world, being contaminated by radioactivity.


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Mary-Kate Olsen Shows Off Her Wedding Ring During a Smoke Break With Ashley
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were spotted taking a smoke break together outside an office building in NYC on Tuesday. The 29-year-old twins wore matching floor-length white coats while chatting on the street and clutching large coffees. Mary-Kate's wedding ring was also visible; the fashion designer and former actress married French businessman Olivier Sarkozy in Manhattan on Nov. 27 after getting engaged last year.
In addition to her big wedding, Mary-Kate and her sister made news this week when it was finally revealed how their absence from Fuller House would be explained. The twins famously rejected an offer to reprise their role as Michelle Tanner on the Netflix reboot, and Us Weekly reported on Monday that cast members will mention that "Michelle is now living in New York City and working on creating her fashion empire," a nod to the Olsens' real-life gigs as designers for The Row and Elizabeth and James. Keep reading to see Mary-Kate's wedding ring during her day out with Ashley.


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Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of Japanese live-action superhero Ultraman. Godzilla, meanwhile, celebrated its 60th birthday last year. Producers of consumer goods are seizing on these two monumental events by releasing special lines of merchandise with the branding of the Ultraman series - a favourite of the young and old for a half century - and Godzilla, the one and only kaiju (Japanese for monster).
'Ultra Eye' replicated
Dan Moroboshi, the protagonist in the television series "Ultra Seven," a sequel to the "Ultraman" series, uses an eyeglass-shaped gadget called the "Ultra Eye" to turn into the eponymous hero. Aoyama Optical Co., Ltd., which is headquartered in Sabae, Fukui Prefecture, has produced eyeglass frames which resemble the Ultra Eye.
The item, named "Ultra Seven & Black Ice" (¥50,760 (S$556), tax included), was made in collaboration with the producer of the series, the Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd. (Shibuya Ward, Tokyo) and released in April. The frames are handmade by seasoned craftsmen using lightweight but durable material. The red and silver colors and the somewhat angular form are reminders of Ultra Seven himself. It was wildly popular with fans when it was released and sold out in about a month. Emboldened by the demand, the manufacturers have increased production.
Who made the sake?
The Ultraman series was created by the late Eiji Tsuburaya, the founder of Tsuburaya Productions. Ninki Inc., a sake brewery in Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, near Tsuburaya's hometown, has brought "Ninki-Ichi brand Earth Invasion" junmai daiginjo sake (¥1,542, tax included) to the market. Junmai daiginjo is top-quality sake made only from highly polished rice. For promotion purposes, the brewery has created an accompanying story line in which "Alien Mephilas" and two other monsters - all villains from the television series - make the junmai daiginjo together.
A share of the money earned by the sake goes to children who have suffered from the Great East Japan Earthquake and to other causes through the Ultraman Foundation, a charitable fund partly run by Tsuburaya Productions.
For all ages
Tsuburaya Productions and its parent company, Fields Corp., launched a new licensing business in April, which they call "A Man of Ultra." The project targets adult fans and consumers who might think flashy character designs are a bit too much. They have signed licensing contracts with 17 companies, including apparel makers, which have accepted terms to develop designs linked to the Ultraman series, but not replicate the actual characters.
One such licensee is Japan Blue Co., Ltd. of Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, known for its made-in-Japan "Momotaro Jeans" denim brand. "A Man of Ultra and Momotaro"-branded sports jersey with "TARO 06" printed on the front to indicate that "Ultraman Taro" was the sixth hero of the series went on sale June 8.
3 generations of fans
Why are Ultraman and Godzilla-related merchandise gaining fresh prominence all of a sudden?
Hiroshi Fujita, a business producer in the Intellectual Property Division of Tsuburaya Productions, provides some answers. According to Fujita, the Ultraman series consists of 16 separate television series, each featuring a different hero, and has been shown on and off for about 50 years. A brand-new series called "Ultraman X" is to be released in July.
Against this backdrop he says: "Ultraman has been deemed 'Japan's hero' and is loved by three generations, which means there are adult enthusiasts as well. It also has fans worldwide. 2016 will mark the 50th year since its first broadcast and would be a great opportunity for its popularity to grow once again. That is why Ultraman-related goods are starting to show up."
In the meantime, Godzilla, which has become a Hollywood star, also has a strong fan base abroad. It celebrated its 60th birthday last year and will see a new Toho-produced movie released in 2016. It will be the first Japanese Godzilla release in 12 years and is certain to make news.


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Facebook Privacy Breach. Again.
Facebook was in the news again for a data privacy breach. The company ran a programme wherein they were paying adults and teens $20 per month to allow the company to track their phones including browsing history, physical location and private messages. The scheme, Facebook said, was intended to improve its products.
The news did not go down well with Apple and they blocked Facebook from installing its internal apps on iPhones.
The next flagship phone from Samsung; the Galaxy S10, will be revealed on February 20, 2019. There are some pretty big rumours flying around regarding what technology Samsung might have been able to cram into the alleged 4 models heading our way.
OPPO launched in Australia at the end of 2014 but it has been one of the world's largest smart phone brand. It's popularity is mostly due the fact that it offers bang for the buck.The Oppo range of smartphones offer premium functionality and features for half th eprice of the top-tier devices.
If you are considering OPPO but are confused here is an overview of their current smart phones.
Samsung Galaxy S10 poised for BIG changes!
On the tenth anniversary of the Samsung Galaxy the South-Korean company is slated for a major announcement.
Are you looking for a telecom provider that best suits your requirement? Or are you plain frustrated with coverage issues and less than average customer service? We've all been there! All major cities in Australia are covered by most networks, however mobile coverage in rural Australia can be reduced with little to no coverage at all. Speaking to network providers can help you understand what network to choose especially if you live or plan to live in rural areas. Also consider how much data you may need or if you'd like to go on a contract or go pre-paid.
The mobile phone industry does a fantastic job of motivating people, young and old to part with their money on a biannual or annual basis. It's pretty rare that people hold on to their old phone for very long. There are obviously exceptions to the rule. In fact, I recently just upgraded from the iPhone 4S (pretty good effort!). But there is no doubt that it's far more common for people to upgrade their phones than to hold onto them. And that's exactly what phone companies are counting on.
Apple has smashed all iPhone price records with the announcement of their latest trio of iPhones. The super-sized XS Max with a price tag of $2000 breaks last year record price for the iPhone X by more than $500. The XS is quite identical to last years X and the XR is the "cheapest" of the three.
There were rumours around cancellations of the iPhone x and the iPhone SE and the release of three new phones. The latest on this is that mac rumors has now updated its report saying that it is the fabled SE 2 that has been dropped. Apple was rumored to launch an iPhone SE 2 this summer, but the company is yet to unveil such a model.
Mobile phones are something that a lot of people need in life from teenage years through to adulthood. While every consumer has different reasons for needing a mobile phone, chances are in order to initially obtain one or upgrade to the next desired model, most of the time you're required to sign into a mobile phone plan with a contract lasting 12-24 months. While this might not be an issue, if something were to go wrong with your products or services, you have certain rights to help you that can include being able to break your contract or allow you to pay your bills in a flexible manner under certain circumstances.


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Uzhgorod on the eve of Easter: a line for milk (PHOTO)
On the eve of Easter, Uzhgorod residents are busy shopping. Those who did not have time or could not stock up at low prices last week, go to the markets. There, of course, there is high demand for food. Although, sellers, as usual, inflated prices before the holidays.
In these days, there is an insane demand for almost all food products. For example, today uzhgorod.in recorded an unusual scene: an entire line of customers formed to the woman who sells fresh milk on Hrushevsky street.
There has not been anything like this for a long time ...
Дмитро Тужанський: угорській громаді Закарпаття потрібні гарантії їхніх прав та увага української влади як до повноцінних громадян
8 December 2017 21:13


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As predicted, Apple has announced that it will be transitioning away from Intel based architecture and switching over to its own Apple SoC in the form of Arm.
It's a rumour that's been gaining traction for quite a while and it was officially confirmed last night at WWDC 2020. The company laid out its roadmap which detailed new operating systems and the new hardware and processors that are yet to come.
Apple CEO Tim Cook explained that the transition will take two years with the first Arm based systems expected to be available by the end of this year. He also explained that Intel based Macs will continue to be supported for the foreseeable future which is nice and vague for anyone who has recently invested in a new Mac.
With plenty of enthusiastic talk, Tim Cook said that the addition of Arm would take the Mac "to a whole new level" explaining that it will allow them to better integrate hardware and software, giving them more control over the innovation cycle which should lead to better performance and lower power usage. Of particular note, Apple reckons it could lead to higher performance GPUs for Mac - something that the company is far from renowned for right now unless you want to pay a considerable sum. Of course, for now, this is all conjecture but we're assuming Apple isn't deliberately on a path to failure so there must be some accuracy to such reports.
Alongside the announcement, Apple also unveiled its next MacOS - Big Sur. That's already been built to take advantage of Arm and Apple based silicon with all the native apps specifically designed with it in mind, as well as Intel-based systems. Adobe and Microsoft also showcased Creative Cloud and Office running on the new architecture.
It's a huge move no matter how you look at it even with Apple keen to stress that it's launching an Universal App Quick Start Program for developers keen to move their apps across to Arm.
Big Sur will also be a huge change, promising to deliver the biggest update in more than a decade with a "spacious new design" that aims to make navigation easier, native support for all iOS and iPadOS apps (thanks to Arm) and a number of useful features that you may well have seen elsewhere but with a typical MacOS flourish.
Expect some big shakeups in the near future for Apple, hopefully with a better and more efficient architecture in the long term.
October 14 2021 | 15:04