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M&S: “This is not just food...”
We’ll send you a myFT Daily Digest email rounding up the latest UK retail results news every morning.
Today’s deluge of corporate news is led by Marks and Spencer, where after five consecutive quarters of growth, chief executive Stuart Rose has finally admitted the recovery is under way. He said this morning that like-for-like sales rose 5.6 per cent in the third quarter. But, as the ad says, “this is not just food”, it is also above all clothes, especially cashmere jumpers. Rose is a little downbeat about the year ahead, despite the strong Christmas sales figures from the British Retail Consortium, and this is holding the shares back today. But it just goes to show: you don’t have to go private in order to revive a struggling business.
The latest production figures from BP were slightly weaker than analysts expected, hovering around 4m barrels of oil equivalent per day for the third quarter in a row. The group is also suffering from falling oil and gas prices. The Q4 trading statement knocked 1 per cent off the shares.
The London Stock Exchange is fighting back against Nasdaq’s hostile document yesterday by announcing a 53 per cent rise in adjusted Q3 earnings, boosted by a rise in trading volumes and the number of companies listing. LSE shares, however, are unmoved at £12.81.
Shares in Cairn India, the Indian arm of Cairn Energy, fell 20 per cent in their debut this morning on concern that production from its Rajasthan fields could be delayed. Investors also baulked at its high valuation, which analysts noted was well above its local and international peers. Chairman Sir Bill Gammell admitted in an interview with the FT this week that there had been delays in talks with the Indian government over the Indian production schedule but he added: “I think that has been perceived to be a bigger issue than it is.” Cairn Energy shares, which have already fallen sharply on the weak oil prices and expectations of a poor debut for the Indian float, are off another 2 per cent.
Both Bovis Homes and Galliford Try reported higher selling prices and completions this morning as well as strong order books. We also have a strong trading update from Rightmove (shares up 10 per cent) and Savills.
We also have our second big interview of the week. Having had Stephen Green, chairman of HSBC on Monday, we have another big name lined up for tomorrow.
Rumours of the Day: JJB Sports shares are up on the story in City AM that Permira is stalking the troubled retailer. And ABN Amro suggests that Saint-Gobain of France may want to buy Wolseley’s US business or SIG.
Get alerts on UK retail results when a new story is published


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Australia tourism attracts Chinese travelers
Australia, 13th July: Australia happens to be the top destination for Chinese immigrants wanting to travel in the next couple of years, a latest report finds.
The survey undertaken by Visa PATA(Pacific Asia Travel Association) reveals that nearly half of the Chinese travelers expressed their intention of visiting Australia in the coming few years.
Famous for its huge open spaces, Australia is the favorite travel destination, at least for the new generation of Chinese people known as yuppies. Agreeing with the survey findings, chief of Tourism Australia, Andrew McEvoy, said that the middle class people of countries like India and China are coming to Australia in quite big numbers.
The survey involved 1,571 participants mainly from China. The increasing number of Chinese people coming to Australia to visit and travel will result in doubling the revenue from China from A$2.3 billion (equivalent to S$2.8). In the year 2010, Australian economy had got a total revenue of $2,3 billion from China with nearly 360,000 Chinese coming to Australia till the month of March 2010. Way back in 1999, Australia had got ADS (Approved Destination Status) and since then, China had become among the top five sources of overseas travelers for Australia.
The new Tourism Australia campaign titled ‘There’s nothing like Australia’ will be launched in China next month. It is being hoped that the Australia tourism campaign will prove quite favorable for Chinese wanting to visit and travel to Australia in the near future. The survey findings revealed the reasons given by Chinese travelers for choosing Australia as their favored travel destination included natural abundant sunshine, natural scenery and exotic beaches which were found in Australia in large numbers. Expected good results in the form of increased Chinese travelers to Australia are due to the hard work of Tourism Australia in building links with the travel industry of China.
The hard work seems to be paying off quite well, quipped McEvoy. There is more scope expected in the coming times as Chinese market has risen from being just in the top 10 to be place at number four in Tourism Australia.

domain: news


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April 5, 2011
Just when people start talking about how the economy is on the uptick, gas prices begin skyrocketing. Especially in the West CoastCalifornia has the highest average gas price in the country at $3.85 a gallon, according to the LA Times.
To help travelers deal with pump prices as high as $4.69 a gallon, Cali hotels are bringing back gas packages. It's like it's 2008 all over again!
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Spa are offering Cruising the Coast, a multi-destination package that includes a fuel-efficient car rental.
Read entire article on Hotel Chatter


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You are here
ANKENY, Iowa -- The board of directors of Casey's General Stores late last week approved a plan to prevent a hostile takeover of the Ankeny-based convenience store chain, which is currently a subject of interest of Canadian c-store company, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
A shareholder rights agreement, filed with federal regulators late Friday afternoon, will go into effect if any one shareholder obtains 15 percent of the company. Once triggered, the agreement, among other things, gives all Casey's shareholders except the "acquiring person" the right to purchase new stock at one-half the market price, the Des Moines Register reported.
As of Friday, BlackRock Institutional Trust Co. was the company's largest single investor, holding roughly 7.1 percent, according to the report.
Bill Walljasper, Casey's chief financial officer, called the action "a very customary step in a hostile takeover," one that will create "a dilutive factor" and make a deal more expensive for any potential buyer. Walljasper declined to provide additional comments when contacted by CSNews Online.
The action comes one week after Couche-Tard revealed an attempt to purchase the Midwest convenience store chain with an unsolicited $36 per share bid, and Casey's board unanimously rejected the offer. When making the offer public, Couche-Tard hinted at pursuing a hostile takeover if negotiations were not possible.
"What this basically does is it prevents Couche-Tard from making any kind of a tender offer for Casey's shares," J. Justin Akin, senior equity analyst with River Road Asset Management in Louisville, Ky., said in the report. "It forces them to deal with Casey's board rather than Casey's shareholders."
The tactic generally is "pretty effective," he added, noting it also risks upsetting Casey's shareholders, who might wonder whether company management is more interested in shareholder value or protecting its own positions.
"Casey's management does have a lot of credibility, but this is going to raise a lot of eyebrows," Akin told the newspaper.
Couche-Tard responded to the shareholder right agreement, calling again for negotiations.
"Our senior management team and legal and financial advisors remain ready to meet with Casey's and its representatives at their earliest convenience to discuss our proposal in detail," a company spokesperson said in an e-mails statement. "A meeting would be more productive than putting roadblocks, like a poison pill, in the path of our compelling proposal." A company spokesman declined to provide more information when contacted by CSNews Online.
In other Casey's news, the company also reported its March 2010 same-store sales results for stores open for one full year. For prepared food and fountain, same-store sales increased 7.0 percent, while grocery and other merchandise increased 1.4 percent in March 2010 compared to March 2009.
Same store gasoline gallons sold were unchanged in March 2010, reversing a five-month trend of negative same store gallon movement, the company stated. The average retail price of gasoline sold during March 2010 was $2.65 per gallon, while margins were above the company's fiscal 2010 goal of 11.0 cents per gallon.
March results reflect improving same store sales trends, relative to the past five months, amidst more favorable weather, the company stated, noting it was pleased with the increase in the grocery and other merchandise category, specifically since it went against a strong March 2009 that saw significant cigarette manufacturer price increases prior to the April 1, 2009 federal excise tax increase, Casey's stated.
Prepared food and fountain same-store sales were the strongest in nearly a year, thanks to a meaningful impact from improved weather and strategic price increases, according to the company.
Casey's Buys 10 Holiday Stationstores
Couche-Tard Lays Hostile Path for Casey's General Acquisition


text: European stock markets fell on Wednesday, mirroring earlier losses in Asia, as traders cashed in recent gains and chewed over mixed eurozone inflation figures. London's FTSE 100 index of leading companies dropped 0.89 percent to 6,452.40 points in afternoon trading. Elsewhere, Frankfurt's DAX 30 shed 0.21 percent to 7,949.40 points and in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.32 percent to 3,827.54. In foreign exchange activity, the euro slid to $1.2941 from $1.3035 late on Tuesday in New York. Gold prices decreased to $1,591.50 an ounce on the London Bullion Market from $1,594. In New York, US stocks also slipped in early trade despite a strong report on retail sales in February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down by 0.17 percent while the broad-based S&P 500 had slipped 0.22 percent and the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index was off by 0.24 percent. US retail sales picked up sharply despite a payroll tax hike, driven largely by a surge in gasoline prices, government data showed. Retail and food services sales rose 1.1 percent from January, the Commerce Department reported, much stronger than the 0.5 percent increase estimated by analysts. Back in London meanwhile, stocks were pulled lower by a number of companies going ex-dividend, which means that the stock no longer carries the right to the most recently declared dividend. "The FTSE 100 is ... weighed down by ex-dividend stocks and a general lack of market-moving events," said analyst Chris Beauchamp at trading group IG. Asian markets had mostly fallen earlier on Wednesday, with few catalysts to drive buying after recent gains, while Wall Street had provided a limp lead. "Despite strong employment numbers from the US last week, markets have been unable to muster much enthusiasm for another push higher," said Beauchamp. "However, the underlying theme of the year has been that each dip has been the signal for a new round of buying, especially when central bank support is taken into account," he added. Investor sentiment was meanwhile hit by worrying monthly inflation data which showed a growing gap between eurozone member nations. "CPI data out of Europe this morning gave traders cause to take their foot off the gas, as the widening gap in data between constituent eurozone members was drawn back into focus," said CMC Markets analyst Matt Basi. Official data shows that in February, inflation reached an annualised 1.0 percent in France but soared to 2.9 percent in Spain. That contrasted with a rate of 1.5 percent in Germany. "The conflicting backdrops make blanket monetary policy an impossible balancing act - particular given the disparity in growth forecasts between Germany and their poorer continental cousins," added Basi. However, Spanish inflation data was partly skewed by a sales tax hike that was implemented in September last year as part of austerity measures. In company earnings news on Wednesday, British insurance giant Prudential announced that net profits surged 55 percent last year, as it was lifted by solid growth in key market Asia, and ramped up its full-year shareholder dividend by 15.9 percent to 29.19 pence per share. Investors applauded the news, sending Prudential shares soaring by 5.73 percent to 1,088 pence in afternoon trading on the London Stock Exchange.


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Toyota unveils redesigned Corolla
It will include elements of the Corolla Furia concept car that debuted earlier this year at the North American Auto International Auto Show. The wheelbase will be extended by nearly four inches, with the wheels pushed farther out to the corners.
The front of the compact sedan will look more like its counterparts, the midsize Camry and the full-size Avalon. During last night’s reveal, company executives said the new Corolla was heavy on rounded corners and more precisely sculpted surfaces. LED headlamps are also new, making the Corolla the first compact sedan to offer them as a standard feature.
This will be the Corolla’s 47th year on the market. Its popularity has played a large part in making Toyota the world’s top automotive retail manufacturer. More than 40 million of them have been sold since 1966.
In the U.S, the Corolla is built in Blue Springs, whose facility started production in late 2011. Toyota also has a Corolla plant in Ontario, Canada. Only about five percent are imported from the company’s production facilities in Japan.
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Posts tagged with 'Tim Vanderhook'
Many online users and independent media-makers have taken for granted how much big companies have done for them. Independent voices have soared due to innovation in free tools, investment sophisticated platforms and much more. These companies will continue to support many new independent voices if they find profitable business models in doing so. If they pull back, it could ultimately hurt independent media.
The industry could also change if major technology companies successfully move into the content business. John Battelle of Federated Media has argued from the very beginning that Google is good for the news business. One of his primary questions about the future is whether Google will go into the content business full force. “I think that would make a lot of people think very hard about a lot of issues,” he says. Similarly, Nokia, which has a global market share larger than its three closest competitors combined, is transforming itself from a technology to a media company. (more…)


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Binance, the leading cryptocurrency exchanges by trade volume and one of the fastest crypto-to-crypto trading platforms has announced its new partnership with leading payment processing company Simplex that will allow Binance to enable payments through credit and debit cards.
This feature is now live on the Binance platform starting today January 31st according to a press release on the Binance blog. Binance users will be able to use both MasterCard and Visa to purchase the big four cryptocurrencies that is Bitcoin [BTC], Ethereum [ETH], Litecoin [LTC] and Ripple [XRP].
Accepting debit and credit cards is a move that has taken several cryptocurrency supporters by surprise. Binance, being one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, will ensure that purchasing crypto is more convenient as opposed to previous attempts that would require users to utilize other exchanges then send their assets to Binance to acquire an asset that was listed on the platform.
Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao broke the news to his Twitter followers by writing,
“Buy crypto with your credit card! In our testing, Simplex does not support all credit cards but does have a decent coverage. Good luck!”
According to the press release, CZ said that,
“We want to provide Binance traders with fast and easy access to crypto, in the most secure way possible. Partnering with Simplex allows us to instantly bridge the gap between credit card payments and crypto for traders globally. On Binance.com, you can now buy crypto with credit cards and start trading in minutes.”
Purchasing crypto using plastic was one of the most requested features on the leading platform but users could opt for the service on other leading exchanges such as Coinbase if their jurisdictions were supported. Binance only runs fiat-to-crypto services on its subsidiary platforms in Uganda and the recently launched Binance Jersey but not anymore.
Simplex is an Israeli-based FinTech company that “guarantees fraud-less payment processing solutions.” The company also has subsidiaries situated in the UK, USA, and Lithuania. Commenting on the partnership with Binance, Nimrod Lehavi, the co-founder and CEO of Simplex said,
“Easy and fast credit card payments, for mainstream users, is a key factor in wider adoption of crypto in general. We’re thrilled to partner up with Binance and together enable a much better, fast and easy experience.”
This move will boost the adoption of cryptocurrency by allowing for easier and faster access to digital assets through Binance which is one of the most widely adopted exchange and supports the trading of more than 150 digital assets.


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Chihira Kanae is greeting visitors to the worlds biggest travel fair in Berlin this week, answering questions and guiding people in the right direction. But one passer bys attempt to ask her out for dinner is met with silence.在本周于柏林举行的世界规模仅次于的旅游博览会上，Chihira Kanae热情接待在场的参观者们。此外，她还问参观者们的问题并为人们指明方向。
不过当一位路人企图邀她吃晚饭时，她却只以绝望对此。Thats because Chihira Kanae, despite her lifelike features and long brown hair, is a robot, the third version of a robot in human form developed by Toshiba and can only answer pre-programmed questions.这是因为，尽管Chihira Kanae外表栩栩如生，拔着一头棕色长发，但“她”毕竟个机器人。她是东芝研发的第三代人形机器人，并且不能问程序提早设置好的问题。She was joined at the ITB fair on Thursday by another robot host Mario, a small red and white robot made by French Aldebaran Robotics, showing how they might be put to use in the travel industry, such as checking in hotel guests.周二，她和另一个机器人Mario一起参与了ITB博览会。
Mario是一个红白相间的小型机器人，由法国的亚尔迪巴朗公司生产。本次展出表明出有了机器人将在旅游业中需要充分发挥什么样的起到，比如说为酒店旅客办理住进。The point is to make people smile and give them a unique experience. Its not to take the place of employees, Fabrice Goffin, co-founder of QBMT whose software powers Mario, told Reuters at the fair.QBMT的牵头创始人法布里斯·戈芬在博览会上向记者回应：“摆放机器人的目的是让人们微笑着取得独有的体验。
我们并没用机器人替代人类雇员的意思。”The Marriott hotel in Ghent has been trialling Mario, using him to hand out room keys, high-five guests and liven up meetings held in the hotel by reading out presentations. Marriott was keen to stress that Mario will not replace any human staff.根特市的万豪酒店早已在试用Mario，让他提交房门钥匙、和顾客拍手，以及在酒店主办的会议上朗诵展出稿来活跃气氛。
同时，万豪酒店也特别强调，Mario并会代替任何人类员工的岗位。For now its a great add-on service, Roger Langhout, general manager of the Marriot in Ghent, said.该酒店的总经理Roger Langhout回应：“现在这只是一种拓展服务。”A survey of travelers across Britain, France, Spain, Germany, Canada, Brazil, Japan, the U.S. and China, done by online travel and entertainment deals site Travelzoo showed that 80 percent of consumers expected robots to play a big part in their lives before 2020.在线旅行娱乐网站Travelzoo对英、法、西、德、特、巴、日、美、中的游客们展开了一项调查。
结果显示，80%的消费者期望在2020年之前让机器人在他们的生活中充分发挥最重要的起到。However, the survey also showed people still wanted the human touch when on holiday and in certain countries, such as Germany and France, consumers were more skeptical.不过，调查结果也表明，人们在渡假中依然必须和人类的认识。
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It may be pitched as the greatest online sales occasion of the year, however the majority of customers keen to get a deal throughout this weekend’s Black Friday to Cyber Monday sales are set to go shopping in traditionals stores. The revival of in-store shopping is being sustained by customers who wish to prevent postal hold-ups and aspire to touch and try out products following months of lockdowns. There is likewise bottled-up need in regards to human contact
, especially for Victorians, stated National Retail Association president Dominique Lamb. There is a component of tiredness when it pertains to online shopping. For Australian buyers it has actually constantly had to do with touching, sensation and the experience. Australians are set to spend lavishly $5. 6 billion throughout the Black Friday sales, with$2 billion anticipated to be invested online and the rest in bricks and
mortar shops, the association says. David Jones local supervisor for Victoria Magda Combrinck stated the outlet store was anticipating today’s sales to eclipse those on Boxing Day– in 2015 the 2 sales occasions were on a par with one and another. She stated foot traffic at David Jones’ flagship Bourke Street shop throughout November was up on in 2015, with consumers yearning the concrete experience of shopping in a genuine shop. We can see that through our individual shopping
also. They have actually been completely reserved since consumers are trying to find that interaction and aid with styling. Dianna Logiodice took a trip from Morwell to the CBD on Thursday to assist her niece Isabella Vartuli look for
a brand-new gown to use to a wedding event. It was the very first time the set had actually gone to the CBD considering that August. I like to see what it appears like, stated Ms Vartuli, 19.
I do not wish to invest excessive on something that does not look great and after that need to go through the inconvenience of returning it. Australia Post president Paul Graham stated while online sales had actually levelled out following the resuming of bricks and
mortar shops, he anticipated Black Friday/Cyber Monday online sales to eclipse in 2015’s event. We remain in good condition for it, however certainly every day is a brand-new day that we need to step up and provide, he
said. In a quote to stay up to date with unmatched parcel volumes, Australia Post will open a brand-new center in Botany, NSW, on Friday that can process 100,000 parcels a day, in addition to a brand-new parcel center in Tullamarine, Victoria, which is
beginning to process as much as 380,000 parcels a day. Daniel Agostinelli, the president of shoes seller Accent Group, stated he had actually wanted to see more sales activity on the very first day of the trading extravaganza, however was still anticipating a huge weekend as clients choose to purchase in-person. We believe that will continue right into Christmas, he stated. Individuals simply appear to wish to get out. However, he cautioned that the deals at his shops– that include Platypus
, Buzz and Sketchers– would not be as strong as in 2015 offered the supply chain crunch putting stock at a premium. We have not needed to go as deep as we did in 2015 to clear items, he stated. We have actually taken our foot off the pedal, and we ‘d rather truly promote complete rate as best as
we can through this period. Mr Agostinelli likewise anticipates shops to be hectic over the weekend Caleb Brown, the president of Clarks and Superdry operator Brand name Collective, concurred, stating he anticipated more buyers in shop to prevent shipping delays. There would be extremely couple of individuals in Australia that have not experienced some aggravations in shipping hold-ups,
he stated. For individuals that certainly wish to have products in their hot hands for Christmas, I believe they will enter into shop and protect what they can. Sandy Sahabandu takes pleasure in online shopping however does not like waiting on her purchases to show up in the mail. It takes permanently, the 35-year-old said. Ms Sahabandu, who is set to take a trip to the United States next week to go to household and urgently required brand-new warm clothing, went to the city on Thursday for an area of shopping.
While she paid complete rate for brand-new coats at Zara, she wished to buy some deals at other city retailers. Australian Retailers Association president Paul Zahra stated the Black Friday sales, which had actually come from the United States to connect the Thanksgiving vacation, had actually ended up being an international phenomenon accepted by Australian retailers. The occasion is renowned for having the greatest retail deals pre-Christmas and it’s getting in appeal every year, he said. Black Friday costs in Australia in 2015 was 50 percent greater than the year before. He stated computer systems, devices, video games, toys, clothes and cosmetics were anticipated to be amongst the most popular purchases throughout the Black Friday sales. However as foot traffic has actually developed in physical shops,.
We are asking consumers to be client and considerate to the retail groups who are eager to make this shopping experience safe and pleasurable, he said. Fascinating responses to bewildering concerns provided to your inbox each week.


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The Yale Bookstore is now carrying apparel made by Alta Gracia, an American-owned company that pays its workers in the Dominican Republic a living wage.
Along with 185 other Barnes & Noble-run college bookstores, the Yale Bookstore began carrying the label two months ago, manager Joseph King said. While clothing from Alta Gracia sells for the same price as other brands carried in the bookstore, the workers are paid three-and-a-half times more than the minimum wage in the Dominican Republic, according to the company’s website.
“Doing good can be good business — they’re not mutually exclusive,” company founder Joseph Bozich said at a press conference.
Instead of getting 80 cents an hour, which is the current minimum wage in the Dominican Republic, workers at Alta Gracia make $2.83 an hour, which enables them to provide their families with adequate food, clothing, shelter, health care and education, Bozich said.
Alta Gracia is also the first company endorsed by the Workers Rights Consortium, an independent labor rights monitoring organization, a company spokesman said.
At the Yale Bookstore, the Alta Gracia T-shirt sells for $17.98, the same price as a similar T-shirt made by Champion, another clothing brand. Joel Friedman, the vice president of general merchandise for Barnes & Noble, said the company has sent many signs to college bookstores to advertise the brand. So far, however, only a small rectangular sign stands among the piles of sweatshirts and T-shirts on the front table in the Yale Bookstore.
Two students interviewed said they were not aware that the bookstore now carries the brand.
“I have looked for clothes in the Yale Bookstore many times, but I am unaware of the Alta Gracia line,” Kristen Leung ’14 said.
[ydn-legacy-photo-inline id=”6125″ ]
Julia Hosch ’14 said if she were aware of the brand, she would buy an Alta Gracia T-shirt over a similar T-shirt for the same price.
While the Yale Bookstore manager King would not release specific sales numbers, he said the brand has sold “very well.” The bookstore at Duke University, which is not affiliated with Barnes & Noble, has purchased $250,000 of Alta Gracia apparel and cleared $31,000 over the past three weeks, said Jim Wilkerson, the bookstore’s director of trademark licensing and store operations. Wilkerson said the Duke bookstore has been aggressive with advertising Alta Gracia apparel, hanging banners from its ceiling and placing postcards about the company in every student’s mailbox.
At Campus Customs, located next door to the Yale Bookstore, manager Barry Cobden said his company supports Alta Gracia’s mission but will not actively seek to carry the brand. A Campus Custom T-shirt is $3 cheaper than an Alta Gracia T-shirt because Campus Customs’ clothing is printed on-site, Cobden said.
“There are a lot of unemployed people around this campus, so I would love to see T-shirts made in America,” he said.
One hundred seventy-five Barnes & Noble-run college bookstores are scheduled to sell Alta Gracia-made clothing in the next few months.


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Busy Brits hectic work and home regimes leave little room for 'me time' or even the simple comforts like cooking a meal from scratch or doing a decent food shop.
A study of 2,000 adults found our busy lifestyles mean niggling DIY jobs, recycling, exercising and catching up with our parents on a quick phone call taking a back seat.
More than a fifth reckon they are always running around after everyone else, while a fifth said parenting and taking care of their kids sucks up their free time.
But because of their busy routines, 44 per cent feel like they let others down with friends the most likely to suffer, followed by partners and children.
In fact, a fifth reckon they have been so busy that they have completely blanked helping someone out, with nearly a third not even having a moment to stop and help someone they knew.
Others wish they had more time to help out with their local community and finish off a book which they started months ago.
Mike Pickering, Co-operative social responsibility manager at The Midcounties Co-operative, said: "Our research found we really are a nation of 'busy Brits', never finding the time to do things which might make us feel more positive or make a difference to our world or communities.
"We particularly wanted to understand if people think they have enough time to adopt more eco conscious behaviour.
"So it was interesting to see that 45 per cent wished they had more time to be 'greener' such as shopping around for environmentally friendly products, reducing their single-use plastic waste or simply walking instead of driving.
"To help overcome the challenge posed by a shortage of time, we're continuing our 1Change initiative to reduce single-use plastic by encouraging people to make 1Change in 1Minute to demonstrate that even the shortest amount of time can be used to make a collective impact."
More than one in four would love more minutes in the day to start up their own allotment to grow fruits and vegetables, with nearly two-fifths wanting to make more time to get some fresh air.
And one in five wished they had a spare moment to take better care of the environment, but instead find themselves rushed off their feet and cutting corners as a result.
The study also found more than one in four adults work long hours, and even by the time they get home, 17 per cent have too many commitments outside of their job to get any time to themselves.
As a result, more than half wish there was more time in the day to support their loved ones.
If given the opportunity, it's not just one more minute Brits desire, as the research found the nation would love an extra hour and 17 minutes a day to accomplish more than they already do.
The additional seconds would make people feel happier, more relaxed and calmer - although one in 20 reckon they might even get bored by a longer day.
Worryingly though, 68 per cent still think about everything else on their to-do list in the rare moments of calm they do have.
And 54 per cent admitted to having an "I'll do it tomorrow" attitude.
It also emerged 46 per cent feel the same when letting someone down.
Nearly a fifth of those polled, via OnePoll, feel a sense of guilt when making a convenience purchase in single-use packaging, and one in four feel guilt-ridden for eating unhealthy food when strapped for time, or spending more money than they should.
Mike Pickering added: "Our 1Change initiative to reduce single-use plastic kicked off earlier this year and has seen many people pledge what change they will make to help tackle this challenge.
"As we know time is tight, we're now encouraging people to make a 1Change in 1Minute pledge to see what we can achieve collectively by just committing a short amount of time to the cause."
Top 30 things Brits don't have time for:
3. Getting outdoors e.g. for a long walk, visit local attractions
4. Spending time with their family
5. Sorting through old belongings
6. Tidying the garden
7. Cooking from scratch
8. Catching up with friends
9. Deep cleaning the home such as cleaning the oven or the fridge
10. Watching films
11. Cleaning the home such as dusting, wiping things down
12. Catching up on TV shows
13. Finishing some home DIY
14. Growing their own fruit and vegetables
15. Finishing a book they started months ago
16. Finishing decorating a room
18. Catching up on life admin
19. Booking holidays
21. Sorting out their appearance such as getting a haircut or painting their nails
23. Practicing a musical instrument
24. Helping out with local community events
25. Being more environmentally-friendly e.g. walking to the shop not going in the car
26. Going shopping for new clothes
27. Playing with their children
28. Booking things to do on holiday
29. Researching more environmentally-friendly supplies e.g. energy
30. Doing a proper food shop


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The other day, a second malware was discovered that runs natively on a Mac with an M1 chip, but Apple is reportedly taking steps to prevent further spread.
In response to this incident, Apple has told MacRumors that it has revoked the certificate of the developer account for signing the package and prevented other Macs from being infected anymore. Apple has also stated that Red Canary has repeatedly found no evidence that the malware delivered a malicious payload to infected Macs.
Apple has a Notarization system for apps distributed outside the App Store (so-called stray apps). This requires developers to submit their apps to Apple and notarize them for malicious content and code. An unnotarized app is blocked by the macOS security mechanism Gatekeeper and cannot be started, and if the developer account certificate is revoked, it can be prevented from starting after the fact.
The notarization system started with macOS Mojave 10.14.5 in May 2019, and the requirements have been tightened since February 2020 after the grace period has been set.
By the way, as a side effect, when the Mac application starts, it goes to the notary server to check, so when the load is concentrated on the server, it takes an abnormally long time to start the application, or it can not be started at all. There is.
Some studies have shown that while malware that runs natively on the M1 Mac can be easily created by simply compiling an existing one, most antivirus software has not been able to detect it. We hope that the notarization system and Gatekeeper will contain any threat to the M1 Mac (and future Apple silicon-powered models).
Rachel Maga is a technology journalist currently working at Globe Live Media agency. She has been in the Technology Journalism field for over 5 years now. Her life’s biggest milestone is the inside tour of Tesla Industries, which was gifted to her by the legend Elon Musk himself.


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CLEVELAND — Solar energy customers claim they were misled, and they paid for a service that never lived up to the sales pitch. So, News 5 Investigators dug deep into a company called PowerHome Solar that’s seen hundreds of complaints from irate customers across the country.
“So, this is what we paid nearly $30,000 for,” said Mark Mondello from Suffield, who stood in his driveway staring up at his roof. He told us his solar project has been a nightmare with PowerHome Solar. “I imagine a day when they’re not there and I’ve got a new roof."
“(The system) might have saved us about $15 a month, said Mondello. “Nowhere near what that guy, our salesman said.”
PROMISE OF DRASTIC DROP IN BILLS
Mondello told us the PowerHome Solar sales guy told him his 15 solar panels would drop his electric bill drastically.
Mondello’s Attorney Sean Steward said that’s a common complaint from customers who have contacted him.
“The output that was promised versus what’s actually delivered, and it’s every single person who calls (us) has the same story,” he said.
Mondello told us when he’s tried to get some answers to his problems, there’s been very poor customer service.
“You don’t mind taking our money, but now that we’re calling you on garbage products, now you can’t help us?” Mondello said.
He’s also angry about the contract where it states what the salesperson tells the customer is “hypothetical only.”
“We were never told, 'We’re going to send our sales rep out to pitch our product, but don’t trust them,'” said Mondello.
COMPARING BILLS BEFORE & AFTER PANELS INSTALLED
When we analyzed Mondello’s electric bills comparing the same months year over year, we found before the panels, he averaged $158/month. With the panels, he saves a little on electricity, but when you add in costs of the system in a 20-year loan, he averaged $296/month.
“We’re paying double for electricity now (with the electric bill and loan payments) when we were initially trying to save money,” said Mondello.
MORE FRUSTRATED OHIO CUSTOMERS
We found even more people across Ohio angry with PowerHome Solar and feeling trapped in its system.
“They said…your energy bill is going to be reduced. It hasn’t been reduced,” said Shawn Lowry from Cincinnati.
“I want them to take their stuff,” said Amanda McQuade from Beavercreek. “I want the battery gone. I want the panels gone. And I want the loan gone.”
“It’s been 36 months of Hell and I don’t even know what to do anymore,” said Vince Petric from Cincy.
PROBLEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
“I want to try to prevent other victims from being created,” said Jordan Kleinsmith, who created a site called PowerHomeLawsuit.com after he said he had his own problems with the company.
Kleinsmith said he’s organized people from around the country with PowerHome frustrations and linked them with consumer rights watchdogs. “I'm actually being held hostage in this contract that represents nothing of what was promised to me,” said Kleinsmith in disbelief. “And I really have no way out of this?”
Our research found hundreds of complaints against PowerHome Solar filed with the Better Business Bureau, lawsuits in courts, and other issues like what Mondello described concerning the contract. He said during the salesman’s visit there was no paper copy for him to read and review the $26,000 agreement. He said it was just the PowerHome Solar employee holding an iPad and swiping through the language.
“He would talk about the contract verbally,” explained Mondello. “And he’d say, ‘If you agree, sign right here.’ And then he’d start talking about the next aspect of the contract.”
PowerHome Solar has recently changed its name to Pink Energy.
“I tell people, I said they rebranded for a reason,” said Lowry. “Don’t do it.”
A HIDDEN-CAMERA INVESTIGATION
We wanted to see what is said during a sales visit these days, so we called Pink Energy out to a local home with our hidden cameras rolling.
The salesman talked about electric bills. “A lot of our customers they…tell us they didn’t expect the bill to be as small as it is currently,” he said.
He talked about maintenance if something goes wrong.
“Once you with us, we family. You’re one of us,” said the salesman.
He even talked about PowerHome Solar CEO Jayson Waller.
“He’s around, but yeah, we try to get people that are more relatable, if that makes sense,” said the PowerHome Solar employee.
“He’s not relatable?” our investigator asked.
“It’s not that he’s not relatable,” said the salesman. “I think when he started, they grew so fast and maybe he wasn’t anticipating, you know? And a lot of things went wrong.”
POWERHOME/PINK ENERGY COMPANY RESPONDS
We asked Pink Energy for an on-camera interview with Waller, but instead, it sent a statement saying, in part, the company has “experienced some bumps along the way,” that it’s “working nonstop… to address any issues,” and it's implementing many new “trainings and policies.” [Read the full statement below]
In a recent letter to customers, Waller promised a number of things, including “an independent investigation into sales associates not following… guidelines or ethics policy.” [Read full letter below]
During the in-home visit with our investigator, the salesman told us, “I’ll contact our Senior Account Manager and then they’ll design a system…just for your property.”
We tried to get a written solar panel quote, but the company never put anything in writing.
Meanwhile, Mondello is suing PowerHome Solar. He and many other PowerHome Solar customers said the company should be held accountable.
“I should be getting customer service,” said McQuade. “It should be working. And I should be getting what I was told I was going to get.”
“Just steadily starting to see the service failures and failures to meet these commitments,” said Kleinsmith.
“We trusted these people to do what was right and we trusted also that if something did go wrong that they were going to fix it if it did and they haven’t,” Mondello told us.
Pink Energy said in the last year it has made adjustments to things like contracts so they are more easily understood.
Here’s more information from the company:
“Over the past few years, Pink Energy has grown significantly and has experienced some bumps along the way. We have been working nonstop to investigate and address any issues brought to our attention and have developed and are implementing many new trainings and policies to ensure we are moving forward with a relentless commitment to our customers’ satisfaction.”
-Pink Energy Spokesperson
- There are a number of factors that can have an impact on electric bills, including utility rate changes, energy usage changes, battery and additional equipment purchases, time of year, and system issues requiring service. In order for us to assess why a customer is experiencing an outage or lower than expected system performance, Pink Energy needs to review individual cases, as each situation is unique. If there are concerns as to production, we can remote check the system, review the customer’s last 12 months of energy bills, and do an on-site physical service check, as necessary. Please note, in many areas, production drops off in the winter months.
- Installing and servicing residential solar systems is an involved process (involving municipal permits, interconnection processes with power companies, and service/warranty elements) and resolving issues can take time, especially when participation by third parties, like utilities or inspectors, is required. This reality has never been more true than it is now while we all still manage the many impacts the pandemic has had. In addition, we are working through a supplier issue that has caused some product, installation, and replacement delays for many customers. However, Pink Energy remains committed to resolving its customers’ concerns and is ready and willing to work with each and every person you are in contact with to see if we can address any remaining issues. Customers are encouraged to reach out to email@example.com with any questions.
- Pink Energy sales team members go through a rigorous training process and are held to high ethical standards. In the last year, Pink has made several changes to its sales process and contracts in an effort to make them more customer friendly and easy to understand. There are several touchpoints with the customer before an agreement is final to help ensure they fully understand what they are signing up for.
- Pink Energy is expanding our customer service team to better and more quickly respond to customer inquiries and have hired a leader with 30 years of experience in sales and customer service to run this team.
- The lawsuit website you reference was started by Mr. Jordan Kleinsmith. Pink Energy serviced his system and it is working properly and functioning within industry tolerances and in accordance with his contract, as validated here [solarreviews.com]. Pink Energy has made numerous attempts to resolve his issues, but he has refused to engage with us. We do not believe he is looking out for the best interest of our customers and has a personal vendetta against Pink Energy’s CEO.
- Pink Energy strives to provide the utmost level of customer service throughout each customer’s journey.
Jayson Waller letter to customers:
Dear POWERHOME SOLAR Community,
Over the past few years, POWERHOME SOLAR has grown significantly and, as with any fast-growing company, we have experienced some bumps along the way. But we are committed to doing better and delivering on our commitments to each and every one of our customers. We have been working nonstop to investigate, understand, and address any issues that have been brought to our attention, and have developed and are now implementing many new trainings and policies, specifically around sales and customer service, to ensure we are moving forward each day with a renewed commitment to our customers. Here’s how we are taking action.
- All our sales team members have recently reaffirmed their ethical pledges and will be required to reaffirm them annually. All sales team members will also be required to retrain on sales and ethics policies every 60 days.
- We have engaged an Am Law 100 firm to perform an independent investigation into allegations of sales associates not following our sales guidelines or ethics policy.
- We are assembling an internal ethics committee to regularly audit our sales practices to ensure all our ethical standards are upheld.
- We will soon be instituting a minimum 7-day (longer if required by applicable jurisdiction) penalty-free cancellation period in order for customers to have additional time to review their contract and decision to purchase.
- We have been and will continue to revamp and improve our sales processes, and we are placing a renewed focus on ethics, honesty, and quality control. This includes: a third party review of all sales training materials and requirements, including the incorporation of advanced ethics courses; recording and regularly auditing the sales team’s interactions with customers and a secret shopper program to ensure our guidelines and trainings are being followed; incorporating state of the art technology into our sales process for quality control; and a new team that is responsible for following up on all recent sales to confirm customers understand what they have agreed to.
- We are expanding our customer service team to better and more quickly respond to customer inquiries and have hired a leader with nearly 30 years of experience in sales and customer service to run this team.
- We will launch a digital customer portal to give customers real-time insight into project status and timelines and provide a post-install communication and support tool.
- We have extended our workmanship warranty for all existing and future residential customers to 10 years.
We are committed to improving for our customers and helping them invest in cleaner, greener sources of energy. Thank you for standing by us. We’re here to help. Please reach out to our customer service team at any time: firstname.lastname@example.org. Thank you,
CEO, POWERHOME SOLAR


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The Jaguar F-Type has been fairly popular for its handsome design and borderline-illegal exhaust note. But the Indian-owned British sports car has been growing a little old in the tooth, not even counting the fact that it’s actually based on a shortened XK platform that dates back to 2006. Which is why Jaguar decided to update the 2020 Jaguar F-Type Coupe and Convertible. While the classic platform remains the same, the new models get a better design, more tech and powerful engines but they ditch the manual transmission option.
Right after revealing cars like the XE SV Project 8 and XJR575, Jaguar has taken a step in the opposite direction of the performance scale by downsizing the engine of the F-Type sports car. This new cat on the block will now come with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine capable of 296 hp, putting the F-Type in the odd position of competing with both the Porsche 911 and the Porsche 718.
If you look beyond the hype, the Jaguar F-Type isn’t anything ground-breaking when it comes to sports cars. Based off of a decade-old chassis with carryover engines, its claim to fame was always the noise rather than the dynamics, at least when compared to various rivals. So we weren’t expecting a whole lot from the SVR version of this car. But boy were we wrong.
Jaguar first rolled out the svelte F-Type roadster in mid-2013, and since then the leaping cat has steadily bolstered the line-up, adding a coupe derivative, all-wheel-drive versions and extra powertrain choices -– all in keeping with the company’s objective to offer an “F-Type for all tastes” (or, to put it another way, maximise the company’s return on investment in developing and building the car). The latest addition to the range is the hardcore F-Type SVR — allegedly lighter, faster and more agile than the F-Type R.
The Jaguar F-Type Project 7 made its debut at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed on 26 June as a concept car, but it has now become the first Jaguar performance vehicle from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations team, produced in a limited-edition run of “up to” 250 units. It apparently pays tribute to the three-time Le Mans-winning D-type, which in 2014 celebrated its 60th anniversary year. The Project 7’s name pays homage to Jaguar’s seven outright Le Mans wins. The car is now on sale in the GCC.
The Jaguar F-Type has become a sort of figurehead for the once-fading British luxury carmaker, leading the charge as the brand redefines itself as a more aggressively-sporty alternative to typical premium choices. The 2-door sports car debuted less than two years ago, but more variants have been added to the line-up this year, namely an all-wheel-drive option and a manual gearbox. We drove these new versions in the outskirts of New York this summer.
Jaguar is one of the few brands that often sets up track days for potential as well as existing customers, to show a side of their cars that wouldn’t be apparent in a regular test-drive. Their latest event was held at the Yas Marina circuit a couple of months ago, and the media was invited to have a go at their range of cars as well.
The Jaguar F-Type seems to just keep getting better. First they give us the F-Type Convertible with that insane exhaust note, then they increased the oomph factor with the coupe, and now they give us a manual gearbox. Other updates for 2016 include all-wheel drive options for the V6, power upgrade for the V8 convertible and more standard equipment.
As I was flying back from the Jaguar F-Type Coupe media drive in Spain, I sat next to a random passenger who happened to be an Australian mining engineer. He told me an equally random story. He asked me why the width of a Space Shuttle’s high-tech booster rockets are what they are. Apparently it’s because the rockets had to be transported via train tunnels, thereby limiting them to that size. What decided the width of the train tunnels? The width of the train tracks. What decided the width of the train tracks? The makers of the train wheels and axles.
You’ve probably heard that the Jaguar F-Type Coupe just had its world debut at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show this morning. What you didn’t know is that it had its UAE debut this morning as well!
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Just hours before ICANN’s Costa Rica meeting kicks off, the US National Telecommunications and Information Administration has cast uncertainty over the new gTLD program by throwing another of its now-traditional last-minute bombs.
CLICK HERE for the updated story.
It’s canceled the request for proposals that was expected to lead to ICANN being awarded a new IANA contract – the contract that enables it to approve new top-level domains.
In an amendment to the November RFP posted last night, the Department of Commerce said it “hereby cancels RFP SA1301-12-RP-IANA in its entirety.”
In a notice on the Federal Business Opportunities web site, it added:
Request for Proposal (RFP) SA1301-12-RP-IANA is hereby cancelled. The Department of Commerce intends to reissue the RFP at a future date, date to be determined (TBD). Interested parties are encouraged to periodically visit www.fbo.gov for updates.
ICANN’s current IANA agreement is due to expire at the end of March and, by my reading, the NTIA has used up all of its options to extend.
Many expected ICANN or the NTIA to announce that the new contract had been awarded to ICANN yesterday, or when the Costa Rica meeting officially kicks off this coming Monday.
For the RFP to be canceled now without explanation hangs a huge question mark over ICANN’s ongoing ability to approve new gTLDs.
There are already community murmurs about ICANN extending the current gTLD application window beyond its current April 12 deadline, and this development may feed such rumors.
This is a developing story, but at the moment it appears that yet again the NTIA’s last-minute attention-seeking bombshell has stolen the show before the show even begins.
UPDATE: Shortly after this story was published, the NTIA released its rationale for the cancellation. Read about it here.
ARI Registry Services has managed to persuade another client to come clean about its dot-brand gTLD plans.
According to a report in the Australian press, Perth-based carrier/ISP iiNet plans to apply for .iinet using ARI for application support.
The report also states that rival telco Optus is mulling its options, while Telstra is saying it will not apply.
ARI has previously announced Singapore telco StarHub and the Australian Football League as dot-brand clients.
The domain name co.com has been put up for sale by domain investor Paul Goldstone.
The domain, which received 4.5 million unique visitors and 14 million page views in 2011, will be brokered jointly by DomainAdvisors and SellDomains.com, according to a press release.
I can immediately think of two companies that should be interested.
It might be a very smart move for .CO Internet, the .co registry, to buy the name and wildcard the third level in order to capture .co typo traffic.
It’s also exactly the kind of address CentralNic – which sells third-level names under domains such as us.org and uk.com – likes to use as a pseudo-gTLD.
If these two and others get into a bidding war, Goldstone could wind up making a packet.
DomainAdvisors CEO Tessa Holcomb said she expects the domain to fetch a “multi seven-figure” price.
Russia’s internationalized ccTLD, .РФ, lost 18% of its registered domains under management after its first launch anniversary, according to the registry.
Coordination Center for ccTLD said that the registry peaked at 954,012 names on December 28, but DUM had dropped to 779,264 by February 15, a 174,748 domain decline.
While the Center spun this as lower than expected – some experts had apparently predicted 25% to 30% of the early-adopter names would expire – it’s still relatively high.
Telnic deleted about 15% of its names during .tel’s first junk drop, the most recent in the gTLD space, for example.
The Russian registry has also made an eye-opening set of stats related to .РФ available on a new web site.
It reveals that just 33% of .РФ domains resolve to a web site (any web site, presumably including parking) while 29% do not even have name servers.
Talk about a U-turn.
FairWinds Partners, the company behind the Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, has gone from using CADNA to oppose ICANN’s new gTLD program in its entirety to name-dropping the organization in sales pitches encouraging companies to defensively apply for “dozens” of new gTLDs.
According to an email pitch forwarded to DI by a reader today, the company is recommending potential clients apply for new gTLDs defensively, then drop out of the process after May 1 if it turns out their competitors are not aggressively pursuing new gTLDs.
The pitch appears to be tailored to the specific potential client – pimping keyword gTLDs relevant to its industry as well as dot-brands in general. Here are a few extracts (typos in original):
Many majors brands applying for at least one new gTLD – some more than a dozen. They don’t necessarily plan on using them straight away, but it is important for businesses to secure the option to leverage new gTLDs as most major businesses will.
FairWinds (through our non-profit advocacy group CADNA – the Coalition Again Domain Name Abuse) has actually been the strongest opponent of this program for years. That said, given the sheer number of businesses that are participating, it is something that brand owners can’t sit out on and businesses have decided to work with us as FairWinds is known to be the leading voice of the brand owner community on this topic.
So you know, many of our clients are exercising what we are calling the “behind the curtain” strategy. This involves applying for a new gTLD and if it turns out that your competitors don’t apply as aggressively as we think they will, you have the option to pull the application and receive a 70% refund on the application fee. This might be the right strategy for generic extensions like those listed above. That said, I highly recommend you apply for and follow through on .application as several brands in your space will most likely apply for their primary .BRANDS.
There’s nothing positive in the pitch – no praising the speculative SEO or branding/marketing benefits of new gTLDs, for example.
It’s a fully defensive, FUD-based sales call of the kind commonly served up by more established members of the domain name industry.
The fact that CADNA is mentioned – I’ve found that FairWinds is usually keen to draw a bright line between itself and the organization, even though they share management – makes this all the more remarkable.
For the record, I do feel slightly bad for singling out FairWinds here.
It’s not actually bad advice – the strategy it proposes is sound – and I’m certain the same and worse FUD tactics are being used today by other new gTLD consultants and registries.
But it’s interesting because as recently as May 2011 CADNA was calling for the new gTLD program to be scrapped, saying ICANN “has not managed demonstrate a need for new gTLDs, nor that the benefits will outweigh the costs, particularly for brand owners and consumers”.
At least its sales pitches are consistent with that view, I suppose.
FairWinds’ Singaporean conversion may not have been Damascene, but it was certainly opportunistic.
UPDATE: I’ve changed the headline to reflect that it’s FairWinds, not CADNA, that’s doing the selling. While I think the article makes that clear, not everybody reads beyond the headline.


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The Dallas-Fort Worth area missed out on Amazon HQ2.
But the tech giant will still be bringing hundreds of jobs to North Texas, according to an announcement from the company on Tuesday.
Amazon has picked Fort Worth's Alliance Airport for one of its new regional air hubs. The air hub, which will be operational next year, will bring the jobs and also a new facility at the airport for Amazon Air, the company's airline distribution system.
Amazon Air director Sarah Rhoads called the Alliance air hub a "first of its kind" facility, which is under construction and being built specifically for Amazon Air.
"We are excited to build a brand new facility from the ground up at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport," Rhoads said in a statement.
The city-owned Alliance Airport is a large hub for cargo planes, including FedEx. Amazon Air, which launched in 2016, operates 40 planes. The company's central air hub will open at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport next year.
Amazon already has a presence in the Alliance area in far north Fort Worth. A 3,000-employee fulfillment center, where orders are sorted, packaged and distributed, opened in Haslet in 2013. The company later opened a 1,000-employee fulfillment center north of Alliance Airport.


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Mary Barra marked her first day on the job as chief executive of
Such grace under pressure is one of the reasons GM’s first female chief executive is so popular among employees, who’ve endured years of turmoil and executive churn. As my neighbor, a longtime GM worker, remarked about Barra’s rise after 33 years with the automaker, nobody’s looking over their shoulder or worrying about yet another management change. “Everybody knows Mary. Everybody likes her.”
What about investors, though? They seemed disappointed by GM’s forecast of modest profit growth in 2014 as it continues to focus on trouble spots around the world. GM shares fell 64 cents (almost 2 percent) Wednesday, one day after it announced it would issue its first quarterly dividend since 2008. The 30-cent-a-share payout will come in March.
Global car sales will grow about 2 percent, to more than 85 million vehicles, GM said, adding that U.S. sales will likely be 16 million to 16.5 million light vehicles, up from 15.6 million last year.
GM plans 15 new or refreshed vehicles in the U.S. this year, and 17 in China, though most will come later in the year, helping GM’s earnings in 2015. The carmaker hopes to break even in Europe by mid-decade.
In related news, GM named Chuck Stevens as chief financial officer, replacing Amman.


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Iran introduced quotas on retail gasoline sales and also raised prices on it beginning November 15, National Iranian oil products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) said in a statement.
Report informs citing RIA Novosti that thus the owners of private vehicles will be able to purchase 60 liters of gasoline per month, owners of dual-fuel vehicles 30 liters. A separate quota is provided for taxi drivers is 400 liters of gasoline and half the fuel for dual-fuel vehicles. For motorcyclists at a quota price, 25 liters of gasoline are provided. There are quotas for trucks and ambulances. At the same time, the cost of a liter of gasoline as part of the quota increased by 50%, to 15,000 Iranian rials per liter (about USD 0.13 per liter). Each additional liter of gasoline, that is, outside the quota, is more expensive - 30,000 rials per liter. Iran is a country with one of the largest oil reserves in the world, but due to problems with oil refining, it was forced to export gasoline to the country until recently. However, as Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangane stated at the beginning of 2019, the country no longer has a shortage of gasoline and does not need its import, which stopped in the fall of 2018. Iran itself, according to him, could already export processed fuel. The previous time, quotas for gasoline were introduced under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.


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Couche-Tard announced its first branded EV chargers are now open in Canada, located in Ange-Gardien, Quebec.
The company plans to deploy 200 charging sites across its gas station locations in North America.
As an introductory offer, the EV chargers will be free to use for a limited time. The launch and set-up of the chargers was a team effort by Couche-Tard. VP of Operations for Eastern Canada, Pierre Peters, had this to say:
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who worked on this project, from operations, e-mobility, global fuel and other global teams who made this possible. We are very proud of this first charging site with our branded EV Couche-Tard chargers, and this marks another important step in our journey with EVs in Quebec and Canada.
Couche-Tard’s sister brand, Circle K, launched its first EV charger in North America in Rock Hill, South Carolina, last month.
However, this is far from the first EV charging station for Alimentation Couche-Tard. Circle K in Norway opened their first EV charger four years ago, and the company is taking lessons from their European brands in their North American launch.


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Lynas to seek legal review of licensing conditions in Malaysia after six-month extension granted
KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Australian rare earths producer Lynas Corp today said it plans to seek a legal review of its licensing conditions for its refinery in Gebeng, Pahang that requires it to remove its radioactive waste from Malaysia.
Putrajaya had recently extended Lynas Malaysia’s licence, allowing the cracking and leaching plant to operate until January 1 next year after the company filed an appeal with Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.
“Lynas has made significant investments in its Malaysian facility and will seek review through these processes in respect of the conditions to ensure that Lynas is treated fairly and equitably as a Foreign Direct Investor and as a significant employer and contributor to the Malaysian economy,” it said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last night confirmed that Lynas Malaysia had been granted an extension under conditions that must be strictly adhered to.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang agreed to vary the conditions based on an appeal submitted by the company over four conditions imposed by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board.
Chang is expected to provide additional information regarding the extension today.
Lynas was previously required to remove the “cracking and leaching” of lanthanide concentrate out of Malaysia by July 1 and to restrict its advanced materials plant to only refining intermediate materials following public concerns regarding the refining processes due to potential environmental and health hazards, particularly the release of radiation.
However, Lynas has repeatedly maintained that its refining process does not release extraordinary levels of radiation to the environment around its Gebeng facility, which is said to account for half of all rare earth produced outside of China.
Rare earth elements are essential for producing high-tech applications such as electric vehicles, smartphones, and military equipment; global supply is currently controlled by China which accounts for 80 per cent of the market.


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Consumers in Grays Harbor County will pay a higher sales tax rate on purchases starting Sunday, Jan. 1, with the increase going to support criminal justice and public safety. Voters approved the increase last August.
Some cities have already announced plans to hire additional law enforcement officers with the new revenue.
Shoppers in the cities and unincorporated areas of Grays Harbor County will pay three-tenths of 1 percent more in sales and use tax. The new sales and use tax rate will be 8.8 percent in unincorporated areas and the cities of Cosmopolis, Elma, Hoquiam, McCleary, Montesano, Oakville, Ocean Shores and Westport. The new rate in Aberdeen will be 8.93 percent. For example, a $100 purchase will cost shoppers an additional 30 cents starting Jan. 1. The new rates put Aberdeen above the state average for sales tax, about 8.9 percent.
According to the Proposition 1 ballot title, “At least one third of this additional funding shall be used to preserve the current level of criminal justice or fire protection purposes, and to provide for anticipated future needs.” The proceeds from this increase are split – 60 percent for the county, 40 percent for the cities.
Local and state retail sales and use taxes are the largest revenue producer in the state, bringing in more than $12 billion in 2015. The most current numbers available are from April 1-June 30 and show Aberdeen had just under $100 million in taxable retail sales during that time frame. Unincorporated Grays Harbor County reported over $50 million; Cosmopolis $3 million; Elma just under $15 million; Hoquiam nearly $19 million; McCleary $3 million; Montesano nearly $13 million; Oakville just over a million; Westport a little more than $11 million; and Ocean Shores nearing $30 million.
According to the Department of Revenue, Grays Harbor County has received more than $9 million in tax revenue distributed to cities and unincorporated areas of the county so far this year. The most went to Aberdeen, just over $3 million. Hoquiam got almost $600,000, Ocean Shores more than $800,000. Rounding out the list are Cosmopolis, about $114,000; Elma, just shy of $500,000; McCleary, a little more than $100,000; Montesano, $417,000 and change; Oakville, a little more than $50,000; and Westport, just under $375,000.
The last time Grays Harbor County raised local sales tax rates was in April 2014, according to a statement from the Washington State Department of Revenue. They have a mobile app that can show the appropriate sales tax in any location of the state. Download the version from Revenue’s website: http://dor.wa.gov/TaxRateMobile.


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- Report: Ranbaxy may sell generic Lipitor rights if unable to get FDA approval
- Generics face new and long-standing issues
- Ranbaxy generic Lipitor launch delayed as Watson launches authorized generic
- Report: Mylan looks to block Ranbaxy from making generic Lipitor
- Dr. Reddy's launches generic asthma, allergy, bronchospasm drug
GURGAON, India The CEO of Ranbaxy Labs will step down next week, the Indian generic drug maker said Thursday.
Ranbaxy said Atul Sobti would leave the positions of CEO and managing director on Aug. 19, while president of the company’s global pharmaceutical business Arun Sawhney would serve as managing director beginning Aug. 20.
“We are extremely grateful for the significant contribution Mr. Sobti has made to Ranbaxy ever since he joined the company,” chairman Tsutomu Une said. “Under his leadership as CEO and managing director, Ranbaxy has realized various opportunities to repeat the strong operating performance while continuing to manage key challenges.”


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Mcapital, the lending arm of Mswipe, today named Rohit Agrawal as Chief Executive Officer.
Rohit, holds more than 15 years of experience in financial services and lending, will spearhead Mcapital with a view to achieve Rs 1,000 crore AUM by March 2024
In his new role, Rohit will expand Mswipe’s core payments business by building a robust merchant financing and small loans vertical through Mcapital. He will also oversee the adaptation of innovative technology in creating new credit products for SMEs.
Rohit’s appointment is a crucial step towards strengthening the core leadership team at Mswipe.
Rohit, a CA by profession, joined Kotak Mahindra Bank in 2006. Since then, he has worn many hats including working for the bank’s mid-market business and heading its e-commerce and new-age business.
Mswipe CEO Ketan Patel said, “We are delighted to welcome Rohit, whose vast experience in the lending business will accelerate our ongoing efforts to provide small merchants with quick and easy access to formal credit. I look forward to working with him in developing cost-effective and consumer-friendly solutions for small merchants and expanding our lending business. Rohit’s understanding of the industry will be invaluable for the growth of our company and its vision of transforming into a digital SME bank.”
Also Read: Mswipe, OneCard partner to offer EMI at POS
About his new role, Rohit Agrawal said, “I am excited on my appointment as CEO of Mcapital and I look forward to building a sizeable, profitable and risk-efficient lending business. Together, we are committed to strengthening the merchant ecosystem in India and making SMEs our preferred partners.”


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Apple chip supplier’s solid performance shows resilience in trade fight
[TAIPEI] Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) projected current-quarter revenue ahead of estimates, as the Apple Inc supplier shrugs off a smartphone slump and US sanctions on Huawei Technologies Co to ride demand for cutting-edge chips.
The world's largest contract chipmaker expects sales of US$9.1 billion to US$9.2 billion in the September quarter, according to an online presentation, ahead of average projections for about US$8.9 billion. The Taiwanese company earlier reported a fall in June-quarter net income to NT$66.8 billion (S$2.9 billion), surpassing the NT$65.7 billion estimated.
TSMC's solid outlook may allay fears of a persistent global chip downturn as Washington and Beijing clash. Its technological edge in chipmaking may help it grab an outsized portion of demand for advanced high-performance semiconductors, particularly as countries roll out ultra-fast fifth generation wireless networks.
Orders for crypto-mining gear are expected to help TSMC's third-quarter sales, according to Morgan Stanley, which recently lifted its target price on the stock by 9 per cent. The typical year-end ramp up of iPhone manufacturing and a new chip-product cycle from Advanced Micro Devices Inc could also buoy the top line.
"The guidance shows that management is confident on the recovery of demand in H2, possibly boosted by new orders from AMD," Bloomberg Intelligence Charles Shum said. "And, we expect the gross margin can return to 50 per cent" by the fourth quarter.
TSMC and its industry peers are grappling with a plateauing smartphone market, efforts by top customer Apple to move beyond hardware, and US tech-export curbs that have hammered No 2 customer Huawei. It previously reported a 4.5 per cent slide in first-half revenue - its worst January-to-June performance since 2011.
As the world's largest player in the business of made-to-order chips, TSMC is a barometer for the broader industry as well as Apple, which accounts for about a fifth of its revenue. Its shares stood largely unchanged before the announcement and have gained more than 12 per cent this year.


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WASHINGTON, Sep 14 (Reuters) China will work with the United States to ensure the safety of exported toys and other goods, a top Chinese official said, but Beijing still insists it is not solely to blame in recent safety scandals.
Wei Chuanzhong, vice minister of China's General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), said the lengthy talks with US agencies in Washington this week were productive.
''Through sincere and close cooperation between our two countries, the US consumers could get more and more Chinese products with high quality,'' Wei told reporters.
Chinese and US officials will meet again this fall as they prepare two agriculture and environment agreements they hope to sign during an economic summit in Beijing in December.
Wei pointed to a litany of steps China has taken against tainted or unsafe pet food, toys, toothpaste and fish, like blacklisting unscrupulous firms and a new English-language Web site on product safety, but he gave few details on steps the two nations would take together to head off future problems.
But after meetings with health, agriculture, environment and other officials here, including a brief discussion with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, China still sees threats of ''trade protectionism,'' and puts much of the onus for keeping consumers safe on the U.S. government and private sector.
The lion's share of Chinese-made toys recalled in recent weeks were unsafely designed by companies such as Mattel Inc, Wei said, suggesting that only 15 percent of recalled toys were corrupted by Chinese firms' use of lead paint.
China also stresses that it is not alone in struggling to regulate surging exports. In recent weeks, Beijing has complained of dangerous or subpar shipments from the United States, from potato chips to homing pigeons.
Wei said melamine, a dangerous chemical that turned up earlier this year in pet food shipments to the United States, had been found in China's imports from Australia and Peru.
Wei also sees conflicting regulations as another obstacle. The United States allows a drug called ractopamine to be used to grow more lean hogs but the drug is banned in China. It's the opposite situation with an antibiotic common in Chinese seafood farming, he said.
The recent safety scares linked to Chinese goods have added another wrinkle to the two countries' valuable, but complex, trade relationship.
With China posting a massive trade surplus with the United States -- 233 billion dollars last year -- many lawmakers here are stepping up the pressure for Beijing to reform its currency.
This week, Wei also met with Sen. Dick Durbin, who is one of Congress' most outspoken advocates of reforming US safety rules, increasing funding for the meagerly staffed Consumer Product Safety Commission, for instance.
Beijing has invited Durbin to China to clear up what Wei saw as ''prejudice'' and ''misunderstanding'' in their hourlong meeting. A Durbin aide, suggesting the senator will reserve judgment on China's pledges to clean up past mistakes, said the Illinois Democrat had not decided if he would accept.
The Bush administration is now sketching out its own reform plan.
A special import safety panel is due to present President George W.
Bush with specific suggestions in November.
Administration officials stress they cannot inspect every product imported into the United States. Annual imports now total 2 trillion dollars.
REUTERS PD ND0842


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- The CDC has told individuals in high-risk groups to prepare for extended stays at home.
- High-risk groups include individuals over 60 years of age as well as people with diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
- Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have updated their stance on the risk that the coronavirus infection COVID-19 poses to individuals in high-risk groups. With the virus spreading in bursts around the United States, the CDC now says that individuals over the age of 60 and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes should be prepared for extended isolation at home with no traveling.
The US Government has shied away from even discussing the possibility of a large-scale lockdown but other, harder-hit countries have already taken that drastic measure. On Monday, Italy announced a country-wide lockdown, and China had extensive quarantine rules in place for weeks in order to curb the spread of the illness.
Of the over 100,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection, those who suffered the greatest health concerns were in high-risk groups such as the elderly. Those with heart disease and diabetes should also consider themselves included in this group. This is often the case with viral infections, but dealing with a large-scale outbreak like this new coronavirus has made things particularly difficult.
Shortages of testing kits, supplies, and price gouging for common household goods has placed increased stress on individuals looking to protect themselves from long-term impact. Those with compromised immune systems or existing health conditions may feel like they shouldn’t travel to stores in order to purchase the supplies they need, instead choosing to rely on online sellers who are, in some cases, jacking up their prices.
“It’s fair to say that, as the trajectory of the outbreak continues, many people in the United States will at some point in time, either this year or next, be exposed to this virus and there’s a good chance many will become sick,” Nancy Messonnier of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases told reporters. “This seems to be a disease that affects adults and most seriously older adults. Starting at age 60, there is an increasing risk of disease and the risk increases with age.”
The CDC’s advice to those in high-risk categories is to stock up on medication for their existing conditions and ensure they have enough groceries and other vital household items on hand for an extended stay at home. Since it’s difficult, if not impossible, to estimate the length of time such a voluntary lockdown could or should last, the CDC can’t offer any specific guidance on how large such a stockpile should be.
In states where the virus is spreading, retailers have already seen hoarding behavior. You don’t have to look far to find reports of empty shelves for things like bleach, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies. This, of course, complicates things further, and makes it more difficult for individuals in high-risk groups to stock up on the items they need ahead of time.


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The U.S. dairy program, administered through federal and state governments, subsidizes milk production and regulates dairy prices. The current system costs taxpayers more than $4 billion per year in subsidies and adds millions of dollars to the grocery bills of American consumers and to the costs of food product manufacturers.
By boosting prices, the dairy program encourages overproduction. It also penalizes more efficient farmers in the futile attempt to prop up smaller dairy farmers and stem the tide of decades of changes in the dairy market.
In order to preserve domestic prices above the world prices for dairy products, the U.S. government maintains prohibitively high tariffs on imported dairy products. That invites scorn and retaliation from our trade partners and is one more agricultural program that exposes the United States to charges of hypocrisy as it seeks to paint itself as a country in favor of free markets and opportunity for all.
A better policy would be one that allows farmers to make their living, like other entrepreneurs, from markets rather than a government check. As Congress prepares to draft a new farm bill, world dairy prices are unusually strong. Thus, this is the perfect time for the government to fundamentally reform dairy policy in the United States with minimal “disruption” to dairy farmers.


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Announced Saudi telecom company STC in a tweet on her official Twitter that she in the process of choosing the activation e-eSIM built inside phones new iPhone in Saudi Arabia soon, also waiting for support in other countries such as Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates as announced by some telecommunications companies, such as are Vodafone and Etisalat.
Electronic chip, or compact eSIM will sing to you from the use of traditional slide, you don’t need to buy a new chip every time you want to move to another telecom operator or to change the figure, as will not encounter hassles in the change and replacement of the slide, all of this will end up with eSIM!
How the company operates e-tourism eSIM is?!
Chip eSIM is a slide connection be included (Embedded) within the motherboard of the phone or smart devices in general, and has the same function of the traditional slide, but surpass it by several ways the most important being not having to change the information stored on them are adjustable meaning that the user can through the settings to choose the number and the telecommunications company that would like to participate as that can also change the number and company easily just by settings or contact your service provider, and you can also add more than one number without the need to replace the SIM or buy a new one.
The state provided eSIM
According to the official website of Apple there are 10 states in the support provided eSIM so far are actually from the United States, Britain, India, Spain, Germany, and others.
There’s no Arab country even now supports a slice eSIM, but they seem to be present in the near future in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, plus other Arab states such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait, according to official statements also for telecom operators in those states that still have also conducted the test. Can be used provided the eSIM next slide normal also.
Devices that contain provided eSIM
Currently there are several devices containing slice electronic communication eSIM such as iPhones XR and XS and XS Max and some iPads and phones Google Pixel 2 and 3 and which also contain the port for a connection to the normal SIM in addition to an hour Apple’s smart TV and Samsung Smart correct recent.
If you are a developer and publish your apps via the news app to reach for a large segment of Arab users to reason across the following mail: firstname.lastname@example.org will your app soon in the list of news apps if level befitting the user.
Do you want more apps and news?
Apps and news apps for Apple, Android and not available on our pages via social networks, follow us on our various Facebook and Twitter , and Google Plus , and Youtube , and Instagram , The Telegram


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Winnebago Industries Inc. reported a net loss for its fiscal second quarter, as profit margins were driven down by heavy discounting coupled with a rise in raw material costs.
Interestingly, Wall Street seemed to focus on Winnebago’s healthy order backlog. In a conference call today (March 15) following the Forest City, Iowa-based company’s earnings release, Winnebago’s President, Chairman and CEO Randy Potts noted that “we are better positioned with the model year changeover, which occurs in the third quarter, being essentially sold out of current model year products.” Winnebago shares were up significantly in yesterday’s trading.
Regarding Winnebago’s discounting, Potts explained that it implemented cost-cutting to “secure additional volume in the quarter and minimize production shutdowns, which would have resulted in additional unabsorbed overheads and higher inventory.”
He added, “A winter seasonal slowdown in conjunction with the excess motorized industry capacity created a competitive environment that negatively impacted earnings.”
A rise in raw material costs also dented Winnebago’s bottom line. Potts noted that the company opted not to pass on those costs, again pointing to the “competitive nature of the marketplace.”
As a result, Winnebago reported that gross profit margins shrank to 5.2% from 10.6% in the same period last year.
While admitting the quarter was “disappointing,” Potts said there are reasons to be positive about the remainder of the fiscal year. “We are cautiously optimistic about growth in the general economy, given the improvement in consumer confidence, employment and housing starts,” he said.
Winnebago also will be resurrecting its Dealer Days in May after a four-year absence, according to Potts. “This gives us the opportunity to showcase all of our redesigned products for dealers,” he said.
While profits were down, Winnebago posted 23.5% growth in revenue during the second quarter, in part driven by its towable division. The company purchased Sunnybrook RV Inc. in late 2010 then followed with the launch of its Winnebago towable brand last summer.
Winnebago delivered 562 towable units, up from 85 units in the previous year. The company is expecting continued improvement in travel trailer and fifth-wheel sales, particularly heading into the prime selling season.
Motorhome deliveries also increased, up 10.1% in the quarter to 1,001 units compared with 909 the year prior. All categories outpaced the previous year.


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Google/AOL deal done
CNN/Reuters is reporting that the much talked about $1B deal is now a reality and the contracts are inked.
The most talked about part of the deal–that AOL has talked Google into using graphical ads on their otherwise pristine search results pages is discussed in the CNN article as “[allowing] AOL to sell graphical ads to Google’s fast-growing ad network.” Google’s ad network, of course, is AdSense not AdWords. Either the NYTimes got it wrong when they claimed that AOL wanted Google to show ads on Google’s SERPs or CNN doesn’t know what the ad network really is. Hopefully, clarification of this will be forthcoming.
Either way, Google just achieved a major coup. As was pointed out a little while back, AOL has been pivotal in several wins over the last year. Though they’re never the main reason for anyone to do anything, AOL often serves as the tipping point that makes a deal just that much better. AOL’s walled garden and loyal user base bring incredible traffic. Furthermore, part of the agreement deals with how AOL will be working to make their internal pages more accessible to Google’s spider, increasing Google’s already impressive index even more in a way that the other search engines can’t compete with.
Some aren’t so sanguine however. Investor Carl Icahn rated the deal “disastrous” because the deal could undermine a merger later on for the two companies. Mr. Icahn’s group holds a 3.1 percent stake in Time Warner, the parent company of AOL.


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CEAT's association with Cricket continues; signs 3-year bat endorsement deal with Ishan Kishan
Having learnt his cricket on the streets of Patna, 17-year old Ishan Kishan debuted with the Ranji trophy against Assam in December 2014. Since then, he has risen as a trustworthy captain, having led India into the U-19 World Cup finals.
NEW DELHI: Tyre manufacturer CEAT has signed three year bat endorsement deal with wicket-keeper and left-handed batsman Ishan Kishan, the company announced in a press statement.
Having learnt his cricket on the streets of Patna, 17-year old Ishan debuted with the Ranji trophy against Assam in December 2014. Since then, he has risen as a trustworthy captain, having led India into the U-19 World Cup finals.
He is also a part of team Gujarat Lions for the upcoming IPL 2016. He also plays for Jharkhand in Ranji trophy.
Commenting on the association, Anant Goenka, MD, CEAT said, “Our objective is to identify young talent and support them in their international cricketing journey. Thus we have signed the very-promising Ishan Kishan as CEAT’s youngest on-field representative. We are confident that he has all the required qualities to progress as a well-rounded cricketer.”
Disembarking on his journey, Ishan Kishan said, “CEAT has indeed played a significant role in nurturing the cricketing talent pool of India. I am honoured to be associated with the CEAT cricketing family, and look forward to a long innings!”
Not very long ago, CEAT had announced its tie-up with Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma for a bat association.
Earlier this year, CEAT also partnered with IPL for the Strategic Time Out segment and brought former Australian international cricket legend Brett Lee on board as their digital brand ambassador for CEAT Cricket Ratings.
German luxury carmaker Mercedes Benz, which has recently launched its second electric offering EQS 580 sedan for India, said that while the electric car is manufactured in Germany, India is the only country to locally assemble the EV outside of the home country. With this, Mercedes will also be the first and only luxury carmaker to assemble an EV in the country, thereby giving it an edge over its rivals in terms of pricing.
According to a complaint filed by Vivek Gupta, the Chief Financial Officer of JBM Group, Sector 44, it was on Friday that he received messages on WhatsApp requesting to transfer certain sums to bank accounts indicated in the messages.


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American Eagle Outfitters has unveiled Offline by Aerie (actually spelt OFFL/NE), a new sub-brand “offering a complete collection of activewear and accessories built for real movement and real comfort,” it said.
The coronavirus crisis has disrupted the seasonal pattern for high-end collections, but many labels are sticking as close to a regular schedule as possible. And on Friday, Burberry unveiled its SS21 pre-collection.
After giving us a sneek peek in Paris and Chicago, Nike on Monday revealed Virgil Abloh's latest Air Jordan creation for women, as well as where sneaker fans can get their hands on it when it releases later this week.
Leave it to Alessandro Michele to make a collection video unlike anything we’ve seen before; one whose cast was composed of the creative team that designed the actual clothes and accessories on display.
On Tuesday, the Milanese luxury label unveiled its latest collection with a presentation film lensed by five photographers and artists, five different perspectives for five different wardrobes celebrating Prada's DNA.
Finally, after 15 weeks of runway confinement, Etro staged fashion’s first, proper, live fashion show in Milan on Wednesday before a real – and not virtual – masked audience practising social distancing.
Available exclusively through Bhldn, the collection includes wedding gowns, cocktail looks, an overskirt, flower girl dresses, and one bridesmaid dress, all designed using Paige's extensive bridalwear expertise.
Jacquemus has announced plans to stage an actual live runway show in a secret Paris location next week, making it the first physical catwalk event by a deisgner in the city since France went into lockdown.


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Abercrombie & Fitch CEO gets $4m to curb jet use
Thursday 15 April 2010
Abercrombie & Fitch is paying its chief executive $4m (£2.5m) to compensate him for curbing his use of the company's corporate jet.
The US preppy fashion retailer has altered the employment contract of Michael Jeffries, who is also its chairman, to limit his use of the aircraft to $200,000 a year. If he exceeds this amount, he must reimburse Abercrombie & Fitch.
His use of the aeroplane cost $1.1m in 2008 and averaged $850,000 a year between 2006 and 2008. But Mr Jeffries would have to pay back a "pro-rata portion" of the lump sum if he quits before 1 February 2014, according to a filing at the US Securities and Exchange Commission this week.
Mr Jeffries is not alone in enjoying the luxury of a corporate aircraft, although many firms have trimmed their usage in recent years.
Arguably the most notorious example was in November 2008, when the three chief executives of the ailing automotive companies General Motors, Ford and Chrysler flew into Washington on separate aircraft for crunch negotiations with the US government about bailing out the car industry. Following a public outcry, the three travelled by car to subsequent meetings.
In Britain, Chris Ronnie, the former chief executive of JJB Sports, came under scrutiny for his use of the company aircraft during his troubled tenure at the chain between June 2007 and early 2009.
After he left, JJB came close to collapse in the spring of last year but was saved through a series of restructuring measures.
Mr Jeffries has been chief executive of Abercrombie & Fitch since 1992 and is credited with turning around its fortunes by focusing on colourful and fashionable clothing for young people. He received a pay packet of $23.4m in 2009, boosted by performance-related bonuses and share awards.
In the year to 30 January this year, group sales at Abercrombie & Fitch tumbled by 16 per cent to $2.93bn.
In 2007, the company opened its first European store on the corner of Savile Row in London. The shop's heavily scented interior and pumping music has been compared to a nightclub. It attracts snaking queues of teenage girls who often take photos of its topless male models on the front door.
Abercrombie & Fitch also courted controversy for its policy of employing staff who look like models. In 2009, it paid a former employee with a prosthetic arm £9,000 for unfair dismissal.
Abercrombie & Fitch's stablemate, the fashion brand Hollister, has 13 branches across Britain.
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Israel-Palestine crisis: ‘We just want it to end… We don’t deserve to live like this’
Israel-Palestine crisis: Eight killed in Gaza Strip cafe while watching World Cup semi-final
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