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The holidays have arrived and everyone is preparing for the cold winter season and warm, cozy moments with family and friends. Luxury and beauty will be on the minds of many through the entire month of December by all those searching for the ideal present or the best memories.
From December 7th to December 17th, the ALPACA DEL PERU pop-up shop will be the main source!
THE LABELS OF PRESTIGE
The PeHModa project, was recently introduced through a collaboration between FTL MODA and the Office of the Trade Commissioner of Peru in New York.
It has been set up as a first retail activation with a strong focus on brands of excellence: KUNA, SOL ALPACA, LAMINI, LIMA SAGRADA, ANNTARAH, along with JORGE SALINAS, CLAUDIA BERTOLERO, MECHE CORREA, SUMY KUJON, all which will be showcased for New Yorkers to buy at what will probably be the most advantageous price of the next two years.
ALPACA DEL PERU AWARENESS
The activation mainly serves as the debut of the new marketing strategy for the promotion of ALPACA DEL PERU in the US, with a strong commitment from the Peruvian government to help raise awareness about the excellence of Made in Peru textiles and styles.
- Ready to Wear
- To Outwear
- And Accessories
…Peruvian vision and incredible craftsmanship have been integrated as key elements in the PeHModa project, that will progressively meet the love and passion of Americans, thanks to the excellence of materials and lines, and the re-discovery of comfort while wearing luxury items.
The ALPACA DEL PERU pop-up shop will be ready to offer a wide variety of styles and prices to meet the wishes, joy and excitement of New Yorkers preparing for the Holidays.
A satellite event to celebrate Peruvian flavors will take place at the Lightspace Studio in Bushwick on December 9th, with a carrousel of quinoa bowls and Pisco sour cocktails.


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News stories featuring Isobar:
October 24th, 2012
Digital agency Isobar has partnered with Proxama to offer NFC marketing campaigns to its UK clients. “NFC is a fantastic technology to build effective commercial relationships with customers,” says Penny Herriman, CEO of Isobar UK. “We are…
March 27th, 2012
Two of the twenty teams which took part in last weekend’s Isobar Create London NFC app development event have received kick-starter funding they will be able to use to turn their apps into commercial products.
February 16th, 2012
The third event in digital agency Isobar’s NFC hackathon series is to take place in London over the weekend of 24-25 March. Create London is sponsored by mobile network operator O2, is free to attend and offers participants the chance of winning a development fund kick-starter to help take their idea to market.
November 8th, 2011
Digital marketing agency Isobar is holding an NFC Hackathon in San Francisco later this month, to coincide with the Appnation III conference. The Create 32 event will follow a similar format to the Create 48 hackathon held in Boston in September and will start at 8am on November 30. Developers, hackers, and start-ups are invited to create new NFC applications in just 32 hours before demonstrating them to a judging panel.
September 27th, 2011
Forty-three developers produced nine prototype NFC applications at Isobar’s 48-hour hackathon in Boston, including systems for ordering drinks in busy bars and an innovative car parking app. Paula Berger was there for NFC World…
September 6th, 2011
The digital marketing agency is inviting developers, programmers and hackers to take part in a 48-hour NFC ‘hackathon’ in Boston later this month.
Feed for stories featuring Isobar.
• Find a list of all the companies and other organisations that have been featured in NFC World in our directory.

domain: news


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Avaya Inc. has generated a 2 percent response rate, twice what it expected, to an integrated direct marketing campaign to promote its first executive-level Internet round-table discussion on customer relationship management.
The campaign began last month to managers and directors of information technology departments as well as senior executives of Fortune 500 companies. Avaya, Basking Ridge, NJ, provides voice and data solutions and software. The round-table discussion was held last week, with 750 attendees. Avaya sent mail pieces to prospects while e-mail messages went to an internal database of current customers.
“When targeting this level of executive we have found that direct mail tends to be more effective,” said Jennifer Metz, senior manager of lead generation at Avaya. “And since Sept. 11 we have heard from the people that we target that they believe e-mail has been overused.”
The e-mails went to current customers, she said, because they would be more receptive to an e-mail since they were already familiar with the company. The mail piece looked like an invitation. The envelope was sealed with a gold sticker that read, “You are cordially invited.” The piece opened to reveal the round-table speakers along with the event's date and time.
A cover letter on a transparent piece of paper outlining the benefits of the round table was included. On the mail piece itself was a list of topics to be covered at the discussion along with a toll-free number and Web address that people could use to register.
Metz would not discuss the total number of pieces sent but said there were more direct mail pieces shipped than there were e-mails. Still, e-mail drew the higher response rate, though she would not break it out.
“We got a good response rate from both the direct mail and e-mail,” she said. “But the e-mail was better and that was probably because … this was not the first time they had contact with us.”
A response was categorized as someone who registered for the event.
The creative for both efforts was handled by Kern Direct, Woodland Hills, CA.


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Unless you've been living under a non wifi-connected rock, you might have heard that Google has a new logo.
On the first of September Google quietly and without word unveiled their brand new logo, delivered via an animated Google doodle of a hand scrubbing away at the old logo and revealing a shiny new one.
This makeover was met with a lot of animosity and disagreement as can be expected when you tamper with any element of a company as big as Google. However, a lot of the arguments have been that the new logo is very un-Google-y, and that it doesn't uphold the Google brand like the previous did.
On the contrary, it did what brands like Google do best: disrupt the norm.
It's important to keep in mind that this new logo is just one facet of a whole new Google identity. Google has not just received a superficial makeover, but a revitalisation from the inside out, and this new logo reflects that internal makeover in a way that the old logo just couldn't.
Generally speaking, when we see serif typefaces like the one used in the former Google logo, we tend to think of seriousness, tradition, and authority. These were all concepts that Google once prided itself on in the past. At the company's inception Google worked to be viewed as an authority of knowledge and tech, so a serious serif logo fit them just right.
But, times have changed, Google has evolved, and so has their identity. No longer do they take the most pride in their seriousness and authority, but instead they have transformed into a modern, curious, streamlined, and unconventional company and serifs just don't quite underpin that anymore.
By removing the knobby serifs and shedding the seriousness associated with them, Google has created a new visualisation of their brand. Now when we look at Google (through an unbiased viewpoint) we can instantly recognise that they are bold, modern, and accessible.
Google for years has been a paragon of simplicity. The six coloured letters that sit on the clean, white background, inviting you to search for anything and everything. This is what makes Google… well, Google.
This new design overhaul has tapped into this idea of Google being a beacon of simplicity by creating a new logo that reflects that. The sharper letterforms, the fewer awkward spaces between letters, the bold and consistent weight, it all adds up to create a simpler, sleeker logo that speaks to a simple and sleek company.
Google hasn't lost their rule-breaking 'tude either. During a 2008 interview with Wired, the original Google logo designer Ruth Kedar revealed that "We ended up with the primary colors, but instead of having the pattern go in order, we put a secondary color on the L, which brought back the idea that Google doesn’t follow the rules.”
This rule breaking ethos has been maintained throughout the new design as well, with their slightly rotated 'e' being dubbed "a reminder that we'll always be a bit unconventional."
This new logo is not just about looking good though, it has many more functional purposes as well, namely scalability.
Scalability was actually where the old Google logo hit some snags. Due to the finer lines and edges of the serif shapes, as the scale decreased, so did the readability.
The new logo however, thanks to its bold shapes and clean lines, is highly scaleable, which is an ever increasing demand in the world of design thanks to the rapid increase of wearable tech and rapid decrease in app icon sizes.
Overall, the new Google logo is by no means un-Google-y. In fact, it represents the current Google identity visually while also maintaining a high degree of functionality on smaller applications. And who said form and function can't mix?
So, what predictions do we have for the future of the Google logo?
If we look back over the history of the Google logo, we can see that Google doesn't follow trends, but it does follow wherever the wind is blowing. As technology evolves and new requirements and demands are made of companies like Google, their logo will expand and change to follow suit.
Google is by no means an old fashioned or conservative company, and while their logo has remained fairly consistent up until now, it hasn't been totally stagnant.
In 2013, during the rising trend of flat design, Google took what was then considered a bold step by removing the bevelled effects on each letter and flattening their logo.
At the time, this was a hotly debated move that was met with quite a lot of disagreement, particularly since this was during the time where a lot of companies had taken similar moves in flattening their logos. People immediately worried that this was Google gradually tearing away elements of what made them unique. Does any of this sound familiar?
But as people grew to understand, this was not Google's attempt to stay trendy, but rather it was an attempt to stay Google-y. The simpler, more streamlined letterforms and colours reinforced their ethos of simplicity, and the flattened logo aided its readability on smaller screens, as smartphone browsing became more and more prevalent.
While simply flattening the logo seems like such a trivial thing when compared to the total overhaul we've seen this month, it is definitely proof that Google is constantly evolving and adapting to new developments in the tech world as well as within Google itself.
For now, Google have thought a few steps ahead and prepared a logo that will survive them for the oncoming wave of wearable tech and the continued rise of smartphone internet browsing. But, that being said, this is not the first time we're discussing a change to the Google logo and I'm fairly certain that it definitely won't be the last.
Whether you hate the change of logo or absolutely love it, do keep in mind that if brands and logos never went through changes and evolutions, Google would still be known as 'BackRub' and their logo would still be a scanned image of Larry Page's hand. So, sometimes a little bit of a design shake up is a good thing.


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It's been a rough couple of months for the Arrow Coffeehouse.
The shop, located on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, was broken into four different times in less than three months by the same person.
Earlier this month, the coffee house's owner, Erica Escalante, posted security camera videos of the break-ins on her Facebook and Instagram accounts, asking people to help identify the culprit. The individual has yet to be apprehended.
Over the weekend, however, Portlanders gave $3,656 to a GoFundMe page organized to help get the Arrow reopened. The funds should help recover much of the shop's financial losses, but Escalante notes in a statement on the company Facebook page that there are still no clues as to why her store is being repeatedly targeted.
"There aren't a lot of words to describe my feelings for this situation," Escalante writes. "It is extremely unnerving and emotionally difficult to be woken up in the night to this kind of attack for the fourth time. I am 8 months pregnant with a family at home, and this has taken a toll."
While the store has taken every safety precaution possible, Escalante says she still worries about the store being broken into again.
"I cannot be one to judge anyone," Escalante says. "That said, it's hard to sleep at night and the possibility of this person returning again is scary."
Escalante asks that anyone with information about the break-ins contact Portland police.


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Regarding consumer confidence: curb your enthusiasm
in the Newsproject44 heralds API transaction milestone FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index hits a five-year high, but 2017 concerns loom Weekly diesel price average remains unchanged MIT CTL’s Chris Caplice Receives CSCMP 2016 Distinguished Service Award Corrugated recovered for recycling hits all-time high of 93% in 2015 More News
The Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell again. Every major component of the consumer sentiment index fell. Consumer confidence is inching itself deeper into the recession zone. The summer was a brutal season for consumer confidence.
In September, the consumer sentiment index inched up as the negativity related to the political bickering and finger pointing in Washington D.C. over the debt ceiling crisis started to wear off a little, said analysts at IHS Global Insight.
“The debt issues in Europe, increasing volatility in the equity markets, poor job prospects, and higher consumer prices are starting to chip away at consumer confidence once again,” reported IHS today.
This is not good news. However, since gasoline prices have fallen, households have some extra money to spend on other things. Consumer confidence is at recessionary levels; however, retail sales are still chugging along. Consumer spending would be significantly higher if consumer confidence were not so low, and if firms were hiring at a faster rate.
What is the logistics and supply chain community to make of all of this? Curb your enthusiasm, and soldier on.Logistics Management October 14, 2011
About the AuthorPatrick Burnson Patrick Burnson is executive editor for Logistics Management and Supply Chain Management Review magazines and web sites. Patrick is a widely-published writer and editor who has spent most of his career covering international trade, global logistics, and supply chain management. He lives and works in San Francisco, providing readers with a Pacific Rim perspective on industry trends and forecasts. You can reach him directly at [email protected]
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WMS Update: What do we need to run a WMS? Supply Chain Software Convergence: Synchronization Realized View More From this Issue


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Global shipments of wearable devices are forecast to increase by 25.8% year over year to $225 million (GBP 176.3 million) in 2019, according to the latest figures from Gartner. The research firm also predicted that that the end-user spending on wearable devices will reach to $42 billion (GBP 32.9 million) in 2019.
It has been estimated that 74 million smartwatches will be shipped in 2019 which will make them the top segment of all wearable device form factors, but as per Gartner, by 2022, ear-worn devices shipments will take over as the top wearables segment with 158 million units shipped compared with 115 million smartwatch shipments in 2022. Devices like Samsung’s IconX, Plantronics’ BackBeat FIT and Apple AirPods will account for more than 30% of all shipped wearables.
Alan Antin, senior director at Gartner said: “At the moment, the smartwatch market is bolstered by the relatively stable and higher average selling price (ASP) of the Apple Watch. But the overall ASP of smartwatches is expected to slowly decline from $221.99 (GBP 173.95) in 2018 to $210 (GBP 164.5) in 2022, due to lower-priced competitors and as higher volumes lead to reductions in manufacturing and component costs, while strong brands like Apple and traditional watch brands try to keep pricing stable.”
According to Forbes, ‘hearables’ could be the next wearable that will transform healthcare. In its recent article, Forbes pointed out the unique capabilities that ‘hearables’ offer and has also mentioned the fact that how these devices have already grown into a $5 billion (GBP 3.91 billion) market. Users can keep a check on their heart beats or even track their activities with the help of motion sensors simultaneously listening to their favourite music.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their IoT use-cases? Attend the IoT Tech Expo World Series events with upcoming shows in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam to learn more.


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Software to copy DVDs illegal, judge rules
Published 6:30 am, Sunday, February 22, 2004
LOS ANGELES — A federal judge has ruled that a software program that copies DVDs illegally violates the copyrights of Hollywood studios.
Judge Susan Illston ruled Friday in San Francisco that software made by Chesterfield, Mo.-based 321 Studios violates the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which prohibits the circumvention of anti-piracy measures such as the Content Scramble System protecting movies on DVDs.
The judge ordered the company to cease making or distributing such software within seven days of her order.
The company said it would appeal the ruling and ask for a stay.
"Despite today's ruling, 321 stands firm in our vow to fight the Hollywood studios in their effort to take away our customers' digital rights," said Robert Moore, president of 321 Studios.
The software company had argued that its products merely give consumers fair use of the movies they've purchased — backing up expensive copies of children's movies in case the originals get scratched or copying snippets of films for educational and journalistic use.
But the studios said the software unfairly uses unauthorized keys to unlock the copy protection software built into the DVDs — the same keys that duly authorized DVD players use to play the movies.
In her ruling, Illston agreed with the studios that the software violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and that the law does not violate the right to free speech or interfere with the fair use rights of consumers.
The Motion Picture Association of America, which represents the studios named in 321's lawsuit, praised the ruling.
Groups that had joined the suit in support of 321 said the ruling hurts the rights of consumers.


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VMware Puts Hypervisor Virtualization on Mobile PhonesBy Jessica Davis | Print
Desktop-as-a-Service Designed for Any Cloud ? Nutanix Frame
The VMware Mobile Virtualization Platform, a hypervisor built for the ARM processors that run mobile phones, was created with technology VMware acquired from Trango Virtual Processors. The VMware mobile phone hypervisor will work with Windows, Windows CE, Symbian and, soon, Android.Take a look around you at the supermarket, the coffee shop, or any meeting you happen to be in. Chances are that quite a few of the people around you have more than one mobile phone.
Looking to cut down on the number of devices that consumers and businesspeople carry, VMware has announced plans to launch a virtualization platform for mobile devices, or a mobile hypervisor. One of the benefits is that you will be able to store more than one profile (phone number, preferences, phonebook) on a single phone. That means you can ditch one of your phones and put both your personal and work profiles on a single device.
To make that possible, VMware is releasing VMware Mobile Virtualization Platform, built on technology that VMware acquired from Trango Virtual Processors in October.
The technology works with ARM processors, which are the brains behind mobile phones and many other embedded technologies, such as the processors used in most automobiles.
"We're looking at mobile phones as the next frontier," Srinivas Krishnamurti, VMware's director of emerging markets, tells Channel Insider. "We think the market opportunity is sizable. Fifty percent of all smart phones will have virtualization on them by 2012," he adds, citing figures from Gartner.
Krishnamurti points out that VMware has spent considerable time optimizing the mobile hypervisor to ensure that it doesn't end up consuming too much memory or power—two key issues with mobile phones.
"We see a future where the mobile phone is becoming PC, a wallet and a phone all bundled into one package," says Krishnamurti.
In addition to allowing multiple profiles on a single device, mobile phone virtualization will also let a user contain his or her virtual persona within a virtual machine, enabling much easier migration from one device to another when the user upgrades to a new phone.
"You don't want to start over every time you buy a new phone," Krishnamurti says.
VMware anticipates that the technology will simplify application development for mobile phones, enabling developers to write to the virtual machine instead of having to write separate versions for each mobile phone operating system.
"If they can package up as virtual machine, it simplifies their development and gives them a much bigger footprint on which they can land," says Krishnamurti. Currently the hypervisor supports Microsoft Windows, Windows CE and Symbian, and support is coming soon for Google Android.
Getting carriers to cooperate may be another story, however. If your employer uses one mobile phone carrier and you use a different one for your personal mobile phone, you may get left out in the cold in terms of being able to put both profiles on a single device. Krishnamurti says while it's technically possible to do so, VMware is in negotiations with mobile phone carriers to get their permission to enable it.
Meanwhile, it will be a little while before the technology is available in phones. Because it's an embedded technology, VMware does not anticipate an aftermarket market for the mobile phone hypervisor.
Rather, new phones will begin showing up on the market toward the end of 2009 with the technology already embedded. VMware is working with handset manufacturers to make that happen.


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Hotel revenue in Flint & Genesee saw increases in September and year to date, pointing to a strong tourism industry in the county.
Smith Travel Research (STR) reported that hotel revenue was up 6.3 percent in September, and up 2.7 percent year over year.
“The meetings, events and attractions bringing people to Flint & Genesee are boosting hotel revenue,” said Tim Herman, CEO of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, which includes the Flint & Genesee Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). “Any time we bring people here, it creates an economic ripple effect.
“Tourism brings in money for our restaurants, facilities, attractions, retail establishments, parks and more. What’s good for our businesses and visitors is ultimately good for our residents, as well.”
Some of the 2014 events resulting in big numbers of booked room nights included the Michigan VFW’s annual Department Joint Testimonial event in the spring and its summer state convention, both at Holiday Inn Gateway Centre in Flint.
“The VFW events accounted for about 600 room nights,” CVB Director Cheryl DeFrain said.
The Cannabis Cup at Auto City Speedway in July and the Hero Roundtable at The Whiting in September also drew large numbers of out-of-town guests. All these events are expected to return in 2015.
Following national trends, sports tournaments continue to draw huge numbers of people to Flint & Genesee, as well, DeFrain said. Our region hosted large tournaments this year in tennis, softball, baseball, hockey, football and soccer.
DeFrain also credits joint marketing efforts with partner Pure Michigan and its summer “Warm Weather Campaign” for the increase in tourism and hotel revenue.
“Our county has so much to offer in our warmer months, and the Flint & Genesee CVB has been working to promote our events and attractions in partnership with Pure Michigan,” DeFrain said. “This year, we targeted the Fort Wayne and South Bend, Ind., areas when marketing Flint & Genesee, and we believe this messaging was successful.
“Pure Michigan reported that the click-through rate to the Flint & Genesee CVB website was up more than 700 percent, so the interest in our region as a destination is certainly there.”
The CVB supports Flint & Genesee for all tourism needs including, but not limited to, lodging, motor coach tours, conventions, sport activities, reunions, weddings, car shows and clubs and individual tourism.
For more information, contact the Flint & Genesee CVB at (810) 600-1404 or email@example.com.


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Truck Camper Adventure is proud to present, The Climb Up Murphy Hogsback (Part II). Part I of this epic climb was posted last week and has been a big hit with readers and viewers. Unlike the last video, this video includes footage of the entire climb so that those who are interested can see everything from start to finish. The climb up Murphy Hogsback was one of the many highlights of the recently concluded three-day trip on the White Rim Trail at Canyonlands National Park. As you can see in the video, the climb is fairly steep and requires 4×4 low to get to the top. The video was taken with a Go Pro camera mounted to the windshield of my Ram 3500 pickup truck. The musical score, “Mars: The Bringer of War,” by Gustav Holst, adds suspense and intensity to an already thrilling video. Enjoy!
Truck Camper Adventure is proud to officially announce the 2016 Truck Camper Adventure Photo Contest. Like last year’s Truck Camper Adventure photo contest, this will be an off-road truck camper photo contest, meaning that no [read more]
Truck Camper Adventure is proud to present this interview with Nolan Sturgeon. Known on the truck camper forums as “Anutami,” Nolan works as a regional sales manager for a plumbing manufacturer and currently makes San [read more]


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Google Finally Discontinued The Instant Search Results, Did You Notice?Posted by Joe / July 27th, 2017 / No responses
Google Instant, launched in 2010, and finally discontinued on 26 July 2017. Google will longer show the instant search results as you type in the search box. It came so quick, the news first revealed on search engine land is now spreading all over the internet and almost everyone in the search industry knows it by now.
A feature that was called by Google a fundamental shift in the search is no longer to be seen while searching on the Google search engine.
What does Google say?
Probably the change will go unnoticed by most of the searchers on Google. The step was taken considering the grown up number mobile searches, over 50% to be exact. This is was a Google Spokesperson told Search Engine Land :
“We launched Google Instant back in 2010 with the goal to provide users with the information they need as quickly as possible, even as they typed their searches on desktop devices. Since then, many more of our searches happen on mobile, with very different input and interaction and screen constraints. With this in mind, we have decided to remove Google Instant, so we can focus on ways to make Search even faster and more fluid on all devices.”
Since the mobile searches are growing in numbers and Google is already trying to go mobile first with its approaches, it’s a decision that would help them to focus more on mobile specific optimization. So, removal of a desktop specific feature may not come as a surprise here. Hopefully, it will make the searches coherent across all the devices.
How would the searches be seen now?
Don’t confuse the Google Instant results with the search suggestions. The search suggestions are still there. It is just that now, as you type in, the automatic results won’t be showing. You have to click on search suggestions or hit the search or enter button to see the search results.
Finally, bringing the coherence between desktop and mobile search is what that Google says is the objective of this change.


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When stocks in the social networking company Facebook finally begin trading on Friday, the company will at that moment be worth a fortune. But that value will only be justified if Facebook makes profits for many years to come; a new poll suggests that about half of Americans think Facebook is a passing fad.
We'll know more later this morning with the latest retail sales figures for April. The forecast is for sales to be down after mild weather pushed extra spending into the first three months of the year. But at least one segment of the retail sector has been hanging on to growth.


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Kure Franchise—a wholly owned subsidiary of Kure Corp., which specializes in the global distribution of vaporizing pens, e-juices, and related accessories—has named Jonathan Benjamin its new CEO.
Benjamin will oversee global growth and positioning of the leading vaporium and lounge retailer and lead Kure’s aggressive franchise retail store expansion throughout the United States and internationally.
Benjamin’s hiring comes just weeks after Kure Corp. announced the completion of $4.7 million in capital financing from institutional and accredited investors to help fund Kure’s retail store expansion in the United States. The expansion will be accomplished primarily through franchising, and a campaign is planned to attract franchise candidates nationwide.
With more than 20 years of leadership experience, Benjamin most recently held the title of chief development officer at Huddle House, where he led a national development campaign for the family restaurant chain. He is credited with reversing the company’s previous decline in image and store count and significantly increased its remodel and growth trajectory.
Prior to Huddle House, Benjamin served as vice president of franchise sales at Corner Bakery Café, where he created a new franchise sales department and implemented new sales systems and processes that lead to record-breaking franchise growth.
“We knew we wanted a new CEO with energy, vision and a deep knowledge of franchise development to lead the business into new markets,” said Kure Corp. CEO David Peterson. “We all believe Jonathan is the perfect fit for Kure during this exciting time in the evolution of the vaporium industry.”
Benjamin’s immediate priority will assembling a team to drive and support the anticipated growth of the company.
“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to lead the Kure team as we focus on expanding the company into new markets,” Benjamin said. “I’m thrilled to be a part of a rapidly-emerging industry and to have the opportunity to help Kure establish a preeminent position in the premium juice and vaporium category.”
Kure has three Kure Vaporium & Lounge stores in the Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, and Boca Raton, Florida, USA, areas. Three additional Vaporium & Lounge locations are scheduled to open in the Charlotte area within the next three months.


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NEW YORK/ TAIPEI -- Huawei launched a second lawsuit against a U.S. government agency on Thursday as China's largest telecoms company stepped up its international legal and public relations offensive that seeks to convince the world that it does not represent a security threat.
The latest measure by Huawei seeks to overturn a decision last week by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission that labeled the company a "national security threat" and curtails the subsidized sale of Huawei products to rural U.S. customers.
"This prohibition violates the company's rights and violates laws that were enacted by Congress," Dennis Amari, director of U.S. government relations at Huawei, told the Nikkei Asian Review. "It definitely creates a stigma. Huawei is not going to be able to grow its business with the stigma hanging over it."
Huawei, which until this year had kept a low profile, has recently launched a slew of lawsuits around the world, including a defamation complaint in France and a court judgment against a Lithuanian newspaper. In February, it also threatened to sue the Czech government for saying its smartphones are not secure, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The latest lawsuit by the company, that has become a flashpoint in the ongoing U.S.-China trade dispute, has been filed in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. It argues that the Nov 22 decision by the FCC is "unlawful" and requests the court to overturn the order and provide other relief for the company, court documents show.
Huawei, the world's largest maker of telecoms equipment and second biggest maker of smartphones, has repeatedly denied it would spy for any government and has challenged the U.S. to provide evidence, which it says Washington has not done.
"Both FCC chairman Ajit Pai and other FCC commissioners failed to present any evidence to prove their claim that Huawei constitutes a security threat, and ignored the facts and objections raised by Huawei and rural carriers after the FCC first made the proposal in March, 2018," Huawei's Chief Legal Officer Song Liuping said during a livestream press conference from Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen, China.
Huawei's few remaining telecom customers in the U.S. are primarily small rural carriers, many of which have praised the company's products and said they would like to continue using them. Under the FCC ruling, equipment such as telecoms switchers from Huawei and ZTE, a second major Chinese company included in its decision, would have to be ripped out and replaced at a cost that the FCC has estimated would be close to $2 billion.
Michael Carvin, partner at U.S. legal company Jones Day which is representing Huawei, said the company's lawsuit alleges that the FCC decision is "illegal and unconstitutional." It also claims that the FCC singled out Huawei and ZTE but "never articulated or applied any consistent standard," which allowed it to "unfairly discriminate against [these] companies."
"There is an obvious lineage to what happened here," Carvin added. "Congress put enormous pressure on the FCC to take some action. And I think the FCC, although it's nominally independent, decided they were going to do Congress' bidding, come hell or high water. And they weren't going to let a lot of stubborn facts get in their way."
The FCC declined to comment.
Huawei's legal counterpunch is part of a multimillion dollar public relations and lobbying campaign by the company. But analysts cautioned that while the latest lawsuit might succeed in delaying implementation of the FCC decision, it was unlikely to win the company friends in Washington or elsewhere.
On Wednesday, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who met in London this week with U.S. President Donald Trump, vowed not to involve Huawei in Britain’s 5G telecommunications networks if it compromised the country’s ability to work with close security allies such as the U.S.
"The primary benefit to Huawei will be a possible delay in the implementation of the FCC rule," Julian G. Ku, distinguished Professor at Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, said. "This delay, while the court hears the case, might buy Huawei some time."
The lawsuit, which comes almost exactly one year after the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on charges of bank fraud, is the second time this year Huawei has taken the U.S. government to court. In March, it launched a suit against a ban on federal agencies buying its equipment. That case is still being deliberated.
Despite its restrictions from operating in the U.S. and from being subject to a ban on its use of certain U.S. technologies after Washington blacklisted the company in May, Huawei has said its business has been little affected.
The company, which employs nearly 200,000 people worldwide and generated more than $100 billion in sales last year, has also grown to dominate the market for superfast 5G wireless technology networks.


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State Fire Marshals Issue Warning About ‘Hoverboards’
A lot of kids are asking for the new self-balancing, motorized scooters, better known as 'hoverboards,' for Christmas this year. But these come with a warning from the National Association of State Fire Marshals.
There have been reports that these hoverboards have burst into flames. The fires are said to have occurred in a number of other countries, but last month, a Lafitte, Louisiana, residence was badly damaged by a fire believed to have started when the scooter ignited while being recharged.
Last week, an Alabama man's scooter quickly erupted into flames as he rode down a sidewalk. According to a news release, video footage of the incident shows projectiles blasting from the scooter as it burned. The projectiles seem to be components of the device's battery pack.
In response to growing reports concerning the fires, the NASFM has issued an advisory to encourage consumers to research "whether the scooters are in compliance with applicable and accepted inspection standards before making a purchase."
"Unfortunately, the fire that occurred in Lafitte involving a hoverboard is not a unique occurrence," said State Fire Marshal Butch Browning, Jr., who also serves as president of the NASFM Board of Directors. "The sheer number of incidents occurring around the country, and abroad, is what prompted our organization to address this serious issue on a national level."
Buyers need to look for indicators of acceptance by recognized testing organizations, which may appear on the item's packaging. Consumers should also consider purchasing the items from reputable online and local stores that offer warranties.
Some other safety measures to consider are taking care that the hoverboards aren't overcharged or left unattended while charging, following the manufacturer's instructions when charging, and avoiding the use of improper or imitation chargers.
For more information, visit the NASFM's website.


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The auto company said that sale of some of its diesel cars in Delhi would be affected by the ban imposed by the Supreme Court. However, the company also added that the 2% loss would be reversed after the ban is lifted.
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Kirkland's Third-Quarter Sales Rise 4.7 Percent
November 3, 2011,
NASHVILLE, Tenn.-Third-quarter sales for specialty retailer Kirkland's picked up 4.7 percent to finish at $97.1 million, according to a preliminary report from the company.
The results for the quarter, which ended on Oct. 29, included a same-store sales decline of 3.6 percent. Kirkland's opened 13 stores and closed six in the quarter, bringing its total store count to 301.
Other Articles By Author
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HFN's DIGITAL EDITION
COVER STORY: HFN Turns 90
We commemorate HFN's 90th anniversary by paying tribute to the iconic retailer and supplier brands--and the people--that have helped the industry flourish, then and now.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
- Up & Coming Leaders - The home industry is in capable and visionary hands as this year’s 40 Under 40 list attests. Today’s young leaders span all disciplines and varied levels of operation.
- Omnichannel Retailing - In the Mobile App World, Time is Money


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Panasonic has developed the world’s first High Dynamic Range (HDR) capable ultra high definition (UHD) virtual reality (VR) eyeglasses which boasts a comfortable fit that makes users feel as if they were..
Tag Archives: Worlds-First
Nvidia and Asus will showcase the world’s first G-SYNC 360Hz display–the ASUS ROG Swift 360–at CES 2020. The ASUS ROG Swift 360 is specifically designed for esports competitions and features a 24.5..
AMD today announced the AMD Radeon Pro W5700, the world’s first 7nm professional PC workstation graphics card. The graphic card delivers new levels of performance and advanced features that enable 3D designers,..
Mitsubishi Electric Announces World’s First Ultra-Wideband Transmission Chip set with S/C/X-Band Capability
Mitsubishi Electric has developed the world’s first ultra-wideband transmission chip set with S/C/X-band capability, designed for multi-purpose wireless systems. The new chip set is expected to facilitate the downsizing of transmission modules..
Mitsubishi Electric develops World’s first compact metal corrosion sensor that can be mounted directly on printed circuit boards
Mitsubishi Electric has developed what is believed to be the world’s first compact metal corrosion sensor small enough to be mounted on printed circuit boards. Its simple structure, incorporating a thin metal..
A research team from Japan’s Osaka University led by Koji Nishida conducted the world’s first transplant of corneal tissues using induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells last month. The female patient..
Sony Announces Alpha 7R IV Camera with World’s First 35mm Full-frame 61.0 MP back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS image sensor
Sony today announced the latest addition to its acclaimed Alpha 7R series full-frame mirrorless camera line-up; the extremely versatile, powerful Alpha 7R IV (model ILCE-7RM4). Sony Alpha 7R IV is World’s first..
KT (formerly Korea Telecom) today unveiled the 5G wearable camera FITT 360 in Seoul. KT (South Korea’s largest telephone company) (presented the detailed specifications and functions of the FITT 360 in a..
Sony announces world’s smallest type 1/2.8 4K-resolution stacked CMOS image sensor for security cameras
Sony today announced the upcoming release of two new models of CMOS image sensors for security camera: the IMX415 type 1/2.8 4K-resolution stacked CMOS image sensor, which is the smallest of its..


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April 27 (Reuters) - Oreo cookies and Cadbury chocolate maker Mondelez International Inc’s first-quarter net revenue fell slightly less than expected, as higher prices in certain markets helped offset the impact of a strong dollar.
The company’s net revenue fell 16.8 percent to $6.46 billion in the three months ended March 31, declining for the tenth quarter in a row.
Analysts on an average were expecting revenue of $6.42 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Net income attributable to Mondelez rose to $554 million, or 35 cents per share, from $324 million, or 19 cents per share, a year earlier. (Reporting by Sruthi Ramakrishnan in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D‘Souza)


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In their latest report on Global Food and Drink Trends 2019, Mintel highlight the ever growing food to go markets and the opportunities this presents to food manufacturers. With today’s time poor consumers looking for natural and healthy food choices together with more sophisticated flavours, Mintel predict increased demand for packaged food products that will save the consumer that valuable commodity – time. Consumers will be more willing to pay more for “upscale” packaged food, and look for ever more innovative products that are not confined just to dinner time options and that do not sacrifice on quality.
Many people now consider themselves to be foodies but may lack the time, skills or environment to actually prepare the food themselves. We are all used to seeing the incredible range of foods paraded in front of us from the many cooking shows available to watch. Our experience and expectation of flavours and styles of cooking has increased significantly, and we are prepared to pay for premium foods that complement our lifestyles. Mintel suggest that this “creates and opening for more premium convenience packaged products designed for the food obsessed generation”. Whether its breakfast on the go, healthy snacks or premium dinner kit, packaging will play its part in future food trends.
With more understanding of the damage plastics can do to our environments and the drive to rethink the way we use plastics and improve the recycling capability of packaging materials, consumers will demand more sustainable and responsible packaging in the coming years. Manufacturers will need to look towards more bio based packaging materials that can also reduce food wastage. In a move towards more sustainability, companies will need to understand that issues such as climate change and plastic pollution are important to consumers and will dictate their purchasing habits.
Mintel claim that a new generation of modern convenience food is emerging in response to the rising demand for more healthy eating options, including food products that promote long term health and wellbeing. 2019 will see more products containing ginger, turmeric or green tea extract. The anti inflammatory properties of ginger are well known along with other medicinal properties, and turmeric is linked with improved brain process and lowering the risk of brain diseases. Seniors and adults will take a more active interest in products that can enhance health and general wellbeing and will expect fresh and healthy convenience food options that don’t sacrifice taste and quality.
So what does this mean for food packaging looking forward? The demand for upscale packaged food will increase, ready to consume or food or the go solutions will rise. Convenience will not be limited to just dinner time, creating even more opportunities for every meal or snack break. Solutions that help the consumer save time, whether that be planning, shopping or preparing foods will be expected by the consumer.
Technology solutions that support this increased demand by the consumer will be of paramount importance to manufacturers. The focus on reducing expense and containing costs will be as important as ever, but not at the expense of quality. Food companies need to find ways to improve productivity throughout the plant with the use of factory automation, whether that’s in the actual processing of the food or the packaging of the food. Automation needs to evolve to meet consumer requirements, and is now a necessity in the food industry to meet the challenges of quality control, production speed and volumes, increasing and forecasted labour shortages and of course profitability. Another factor influencing the decision to automate is the food retailers constantly changing demand for choice of product on their shelves. Providing this choice could mean a totally new product, new ingredients or processing requirements, or alternative packaging design and format to meet the expectations of the more environmentally aware and discerning consumer.
Automation is essential for the food processing industry, keeping costs down and food quality up, keeping up with the pace of change while addressing the fundamental issues and challenges faced in 2019 and beyond. This means upgrading existing equipment or purchasing new equipment. That can be a huge challenge when the cost of a square foot of a food plant is so expensive and fixed base cost is considerable. It is claimed that research evidence suggests that significant opportunities exist for automation to take place. As technology gets ever more clever and the ability to process complex and differing shapes becomes easier, more opportunities for further automation will become evident. In recent years, robotic and automation equipment has steadily found its way into most food processing and packaging facilities, and is already deployed in high volumes in the food processing and packaging industry, and this trend is expected to continue over the next few years.


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Capcom's upcoming action RPG Dragon's Dogmahas totally gotten my attention, and I had an absolute blast playing it last week. Afterwards, I got a chance to chat with the game's producer, Hiroyuki Kobayashi. Take a gander!
Capcom has uploaded new screenshots from its high-definition Resident Evil remaster for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. There's a greater range of scenes and mutated enemies in this batch, including a Crimson Head, Lisa...more
Apparently Capcom is going forward with yet another crossover with the Monster Hunter series -- Madoka Magica, an anime that started off as a TV show, then became a manga and spawned three movies. Weapons like Mado...more
There's certainly been intrigue surrounding Resident Evil: Revelations 2. Since its existence was leaked a few months back and several cryptic images of a derelict prison made the rounds, there has been speculation about what...more


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Stop-start technology also in the cards
According to, GM is gearing up to enchance its line of light-duty pickups, literally.
Speaking with Jeff Luke, executive chief engineer for pickups (and also a Canadian), the outlet was able to gleam some interesting information for the next model year, including transmissions with significantly more gears and other technologies that could increase fuel economy significantly.
The 2014 model year trucks employ six-speed automatic transmissions. For 2015, the trucks could receive possible 9- or 10-speed automatic transmissions GM has been developing in conjunction with Ford. Also, stop-start engine tech, more advanced gas and diesel hybrid powertrains, and the use of aluminum may be in the cards later in the truck’s lifespan.
From The Detroit News:
“You’ll see these kinds of technologies over the next few years, a whole array of neat, new technologies, some focused on fuel economy, some focused on capability,” Luke told reporters at an event.
Luke stated updates to both pickup and SUV lines would continue year-after-year. This could be in response to the Silverado and Sierra not doing as well as expected since launching last year.
Official details will be released in the next couple months with 2015 models going on sale late this year.


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House of Fraser has become the latest department store chain to post record sales over Christmas, pointing to better-than-expected festive trading for most non-food retailers.
The 60-store chain said its strong performance means it is on track to grow its underlying profits to more than £60 million for its financial year ending this month but said it “remains difficult to predict” when consumer sentiment will improve. It grew its sales at stores open at least a year by 6.3% over the six weeks to January 5, boosted by its menswear, handbags and beauty departments.
The listed department store Debenhams is expected to unveil robust Christmas trading tomorrow, while underlying sales powered ahead by 13% at rival John Lewis over the five weeks to the end of December.
House of Fraser chairman Don McCarthy said: “We are pleased to report another record performance despite a more competitive environment.”Reuse content


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On this week’s all-star episode, the possibilities for an Apple car are front and center. You'll hear two distinct views on whether such a thing might happen, and the Night Owl has been skeptical. First up is Jonny Evans, Computerworld's "Apple Holic," who clearly doesn't believe any of it. He'll also talk about Apple Watch, the possibilities for an iPad Pro, a version with a display of 12 inches or more, and the state of the music industry and digital music.
You'll also hear from Bryan Chaffin, co-founder and co-publisher of The Mac Observer, who has a decidedly more positive view to present on an Apple motor vehicle. As someone who helped spark the current stories on whether or not Apple is working on such a product, he'll present some fascinating insights. Bryan will also talk about the promise of Apple Watch, about future proofing such a gadget, and he'll also cover Apple's approach to security. A key point, that Tim Cook says that companies such as Google regard you as the product, whereas Apple's products are the hardware and services they sell.


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Whisky Distillery Tries a Wee Dram of Biofuel
(Reuters) A small Scottish whisky maker is aiming to turn its by-products into biofuel and become the world’s first whisky distillery to fuel car and trucks in a move which could see Scotland’s 100-plus distilleries feed a new 60-million-pound industry.
Independent whisky maker Tullibardine has linked up with Edinburgh Napier University to produce biobutanol, and a spin-out company from the university, Celtic Renewables, is looking at two sites to build a processing plant in central Scotland.
The distillery is supplying by-products to a plant at Redcar in northeast England to refine the process, which could help met the Scottish government’s targets on carbon emissions and the European Union’s on the use of biofuels.
Tullibardine, some 50 km north west of Edinburgh, supplies sugar-rich ground barley, known as draff, and yeasty liquid, or pot ale, both of which are by products from the fermentation and distillation processes in whisky making.
Distillery managing director Douglas Ross currently spends 250,000 pounds a year to dispose of these by products spreading them on fields or making them into animal feed, so for him it replaces a cost with environmental and commercial benefit. READ MORE


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The Canadian cannabis stocks industry is on the rise, with increasing demand coming from recreational and medicinal users.
Predictive Index analyst Jason Zandberg believes that, by 2019, the market will be worth $4.6 billion and will reach $7.4 billion in the first years.
That being said, under the Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR), there are currently 34 licenses to grow and sell, while there are 22 licenses to sell cannabis oil. Although marijuana is still illegal in Canada, the wheels are in motion to have it legalized in the spring of 2017.
With that in mind, the following are the 10 top performing cannabis stocks in Canada year-to-date, according to Cantech Letter.
1. THC Biomed (CNSX:THC)
THC Biomed started in 2012 under its first name, THC Medical Systems. In 2013, the company was granted permission to conduct research and development for scientific purposes with medicinal marijuana.
Currently, the company is waiting to receive the sale portion of its license from Health Canada in order to sell medicinal marijuana, however in September the company announced it had signed a letter of intent to acquire a clone shipper for $1 million, which would enable the company to transport live plants.
2. Maple Leaf Green World (TSXV:MGW)
In addition to medicinal marijuana in Canada, Maple Leaf Green World announced its first shipment of product in California back in September.
The release noted harvesting of the second crop will begin in November, with shipment taking place in December, while seeding for the third crop will be cultivated in November with harvesting expected in March 2017.
The company says it is expecting to target six harvests per year, beginning in 2017.
3. Emerald Health Therapeutics (TSXV:EMH)
Last year, Emerald Health Therapeutics received a supplemental license–through its wholly owned subsidiary, Emerald Health Botanicals–to produce cannabis oil as well as capsules. Recently, the company announced a private placement with Emerald Health Science of up to 4,411,764 units, at a price of $0.68 each.
Year-to-date, shares of Emerald Health have steadily increased over 240 percent to $0.75.
4. Tetra Bio-Pharma (CSNX:TBP)
Previously Grow Pros, Tetra Bio-Pharma has been in the business of developing dried medicinal cannabis over the last decade with a focus on treating pain. Its shares have seen a year-to-date increase of 200 percent to reach $0.18.
In other news, the company announced in October 2016 that it had entered into a non-binding agreement for a draw-down equity facility of up to $2 million.
5. PharmaCan Capital (TSXV:MJN)
PharmaCan Capital–doing business as Cronos Group–has 100 percent interest in two projects: the Peace Naturals and In the Zone. Peace Naturals is licensed to produce and sell medicinal marijuana, as well as cultivate cannabis oil, while In the Zone is licensed to cultivate medicinal marijuana.
In October, the company took its first step in global expansion as Peace Naturals shipped its first export to Germany.
Shares of PharmaCan have also increased significantly year-to-date, rising 300 percent to reach $1.26.
6. Aphria (TSXV:APH)
In April 2016, Aphria became Canada’s medical marijuana leader, when it entered into a $6.5-million deal to acquire 360,000 square feet of existing production space. Since then, Aphria has partnered with Mass Roots (OTCMKTS:MSRT) to become one of the first international partnerships between cannabis companies.
The company is also the first public licensed medical cannabis producer to report cash flow from operations and earnings in consecutive quarters.
With that in mind, shares of Aphria have increased over 198 percent year-to-date to $3.88.
7. Aurora Cannabis (TSXV:ACB)
Aurora Cannabis is new to the TSX Venture Exchange and, since joining, its shares have increased over 3,800 percent to $2.17.
The company was officially issued its license to sell in November 2015 and claims it is the lowest cost-per-gram licensed producer in Canada.
8. Cannabix Technologies (CSNX:BLO)
Cannabix Technologies is currently focused on developing tools for law enforcement and the workplace to detect THC in breath.
With that in mind, in October the company announced an update on the development of its FAIMS instrument for detection of THC, noting that the beta 2.0 version has been updated with greater sensitivity, improved performance by the square waveform generator.
The company’s shares have also risen significantly–a 293 percent increase year-to-date to $0.65.
9. Supreme Pharmaceuticals (CSNX:SL)
Through Supreme Pharmaceuticals’ wholly-owned subsidiary, 7ACRES is a federally licensed producer of medical marijuana. In September, the company announced the issuance of 130,000 stock options at a price of $0.77 each. Before that, Supreme Pharmaceuticals had closed a private placement of $14,949,755.
Year-to-date, shares of Supreme Pharmaceuticals have increased steadily by 136 percent to $1.18.
10. Mettrum Health (TSXV:MT)
Last, but not least, is Mettrum Health–whose shares have increased 116.32 percent to $4.11.
Mettrum Health announced in September that it had entered into an agreement with Cannabis Care Canada to sell its wholly-owned subsidiary Mettrum for $7 million, in addition to entering into a three-year product supply agreement.
Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates.
Securities Disclosure: I, Jocelyn Aspa, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Editorial Disclosure: Mettrum Health is a client of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid for content.


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Apple has settled a long-running class action lawsuit by workers that accused the company along with Google and other tech companies of entering illegal non-poaching agreements.
Associated Press reports that a judge has given the green light to a $415 million settlement after rejecting an earlier settlement as inadequate.
Judge Lucy Koh had rejected an earlier settlement offer, saying it didn’t offer enough compensation to about 64,000 workers affected by the case. She cited evidence of a corporate conspiracy to make it difficult for tech workers to negotiate better jobs at rival companies… Koh said she was satisfied this week after the companies increased their earlier offer of $324.5 million. She invited final comments on the deal before she grants final approval at a hearing on June 9.
If the settlement gets all final approvals, it will allow Apple, Google, Intel, Adobe and others involved in the case to avoid going to trial.
Last month reports surfaced that Apple was facing another lawsuit related to poaching employees, specifically from A123 Systems. In the lawsuit, the company claimed its former engineers breached their non-compete contracts, while Apple had engaged in “unfair competition.”
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Advertising Age Article Abstract
Anheuser-Busch's Super Bowl Lineup Led by Stella Artois
Mother, Anomaly, DDB Get Nod for Spots in Big Game
CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Anheuser-Busch's Super Bowl advertising lineup will have a slimmer, more international feel this year. For the first time, A-B will plug an import in the big game -- premium Belgian brew Stella Artois. And instead of running nine ads over the course of five minutes, as it did last year, A-B will air five ads over three-and-a-half minutes. ...


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The Toys "R" Us Bankruptcy - Why Most Analysts Are Wrong and It’s CEO Just Might Be Right
Toys “R” Us, "The World’s Greatest Toy Store," filed for bankruptcy protection last week, the latest in a string of suffering merchants that includes Kmart, Circuit City, Sports Authority, and Bed Bath & Beyond.
The New York Times is Winning at Digital
The NYT just released a blockbuster earnings report attributable heavily to their digital transformation. Insiders share the five key secrets to their surprising success.


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eircom passes half-way mark with Ireland’s largest WiFi network
2,300 of 4,000 eircom WiFiHub hotspot locations are now in service across Ireland
eircom announced today, that it is more than half way through the roll out of its nationwide network of WiFiHub hotspots.
More than 2,300 of 4,000 planned eircom WiFiHub locations are already operational across Ireland. According to eircom, the wireless hotspot network sees 1.2 million unique logins and is used by approximately 330,000 devices.
The busiest location is the free eircom WiFiHub at Dublin Airport, with the Stillorgan Leisureplex another busy Leinster location. In Munster and Ulster, McDonald’s tops the list with its branches in Cashel and Letterkenny. The Connaught title goes to Supermac’s in Eyre Square, Galway.
In recent months eircm’s WiFiHub network has expanded to include locations such as cafés, bars restaurants, hair salons as well as some medical and dental practices.
Cathal O’Dalaigh, head of broadband at eircom, said, “We are committed to rolling out our WiFiHub service to more and more businesses to ensure people can access the internet at convenient locations with a service that provides real benefits for users as they move around the country.”
eircom has expanded its free broadband network by partnering with a number of businesses. The WiFiHub hotspots have been installed at branches of AIB (180 locations), Topaz (123), Irish Rail and DART (94), Supermac’s (92), BWG (95, including Spar, Eurospar, Mace and XL), McDonald’s (81), Londis (39) and Burger King (23).
The wireless hotspots also make eircom’s services available at cultural locations, such as the Skibbereen Heritage Centre in Cork, as well as in sporting and entertainment venues as diverse as Finn Harps F.C. in Galway, Dublin’s Vicar Street and several cinemas across the country.
Mr O’ Dalaigh added “We are investing heavily in our network and are currently trialling our 4G network which will be launched in the autumn, coupled with our investment to improve our 3G network and the continued roll out of our WiFiHub service our customers will be able enjoy greater connectivity over a range of mobile solutions”
eircom’s WiFiHub is a service which allows eircom broadband, eMobile and Meteor customers to connect to the internet via wireless hotspots free of charge. Non – eircom customers can also register to use the service at competitive low cost rates.


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Ather has recorded its highest-ever monthly sales in India. The EV maker sold 3,787 units last month as compared to the 3,779 units it sold in April.
Bengaluru-based electric scooter maker, Ather Energy has recorded its best-ever monthly sale in May 2022. The company recorded sales of 3,787 units last month. While this does not indicate a massive jump as compared to the 3,779 units that it sold in April. However, the number does show a significant increase from the 2,591 units in March.
The company currently has two products in its lineup – the 450X and the 450 Plus. Ather has been amongst the pioneers who kicked off the EV movement among two-wheelers in India. Both the products in Ather’s lineup have seen steady growth both in terms of popularity as well as sale in the country. The 450X and the 450 Plus come as a well-rounded products, ranking handsomely in major aspects including features, top speed, range and charging time.
It's worth noting that the sale of electric vehicles has been on a rise due to several factors including sky-high fuel prices and the low running cost of an electric scooter.
In addition to manufacturing, the company has also taken significant measures to bolster EV charging infrastructure in India. The manufacturer recently partnered with Magenta ChargeGrid, one of the most prominent EV charging infrastructure providers in India. This is in addition to its recent partnership with Statiq where the brands are aiming to install charging stations in the entire north region, with a special emphasis on the NCR region. The company said that this bolstered network will result in a more robust network of chargers for future usage and thus work in joint favour of the partners Statiq and Ather Energy and their users.


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Merchants’ “lack of routing choice” in e-Commerce costs them “billions of dollars each year”, according to the Merchants Payment Coalition (MPC). The MPC is a trade group that represents gasoline, supermarket, convenience store, as well as other retail chains.
Larger merchants have been pressing for the Fed to make much-needed changes to the current rules that govern transaction routing and pricing.
Earlier this year, on May 7, the Fed welcomed comments for a “proposed clarification” to its rules on enforcing the 2010 Durbin Amendment that determines that merchants can have two “unaffiliated networks” in order to route card-not-present transactions.
Evidently, there have been numerous claims from merchants that larger banks were sending online debit transactions to Mastercard or Visa networks first, instead of alternative debit switches like NYCE, Pulse, or Shazam. It is a widely known fact that alternative systems offer considerably lower pricing and better security.
A Decades Long Debate
A debate has been waged for decades in terms of how much credit network behemoths Mastercard and Visa can charge for their credit and debit transactions. Debit transactions were reeled in by regulations, thanks to the legislative efforts by Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin.
Despite litigation efforts over many years, credit card transactions are still less regulated. A total of six merchant groups have filed comments in support of the Fed’s proposal to clarify the debit routing rules. The Connecticut Food Association expressed their views in the following statement from the association’s president, Wayne Pesce:
“While my members are overwhelmingly utilizing competitive routing for instore transactions, they do not enjoy the same access to competitive debit networks when the card is used online and in mobile transactions, The Board’s proposed clarification will do that, and simply clarify that Visa and MasterCard must compete for retailer business, regardless of where the transaction happens.”
Many merchants have cited the massive shifts to online purchasing as a result of the pandemic. COVID-19 is also blamed for the rising costs of doing business. Both the cost of accepting debit cards as well as the growing barriers to accessing competitive networks is impacting businesses as well as customers.
The Opposing Side
On the other side of the coin, almost 30 people sent in a form letter opposing the clarification of the Fed’s rules. They argued that it would “negatively impact” community banks.
A letter from Jodi Deuser on a June 24 letter stated:
“My community bank is particularly vulnerable to regulatory changes which combine new compliance costs with reductions in fairly-earned revenue. This expansion of the routing requirement to all card-not-present transactions and accompanying mandate that we accept PINless transactions effectively creates a price cap on the revenue community banks receive to participate in these transactions.”
An Ongoing Issue
Currently, a very small percentage of online debit transactions are routed to “alternative switches” because a few of the largest banks do not have the technology that can send payments “without accompanying PINs” to those systems.
The MPC argued that the Fed should “lower the cap” that the Durbin Amendment has placed on the fees that large banks can charge merchants for all their debit transactions.
Under the current law, those institutions that have more than $10 billion in assets are limited to a fee of no higher than 21 cents, an allowance of a penny for fraud prevention, and .05% of the sale to recover fraud losses.
Long Road Ahead
Merchants have long argued that the Fed’s pricing allowance for banks has been “too liberal” based on the language of the law. What’s more is that they have paid “billions” more than they should have, if the Fed actually complied with the Durbin Amendment.


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Congratulations to Montana's Scott Bush! He is our July winner, chosen at random from the names of all those who tried out the July ASE Question of the Month, sponsored by Federated Auto Parts.
Our August question is based on our July "Train
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Movie industry braces for major hit due to coronavirus
The film industry is on pace to lose billions of dollars due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak around the world, according to analysts.
Why it matters: In the U.S., the largest box office in the world, consumers who are spooked by the virus have little incentive to leave their houses to see a movie if they can stream something at home. In China, the second-largest global box office, most theaters have been temporarily closed.
Driving the news: The opening of the latest James Bond movie "No Time To Die" has been delayed. The original April release date was postponed until November due to coronavirus impact, according to a statement.
- Thousands of theaters in China have been closed due to outbreak. The Chinese box office has so far lost an estimated $200 million in 2020.
Studios are beginning to rethink their rollout strategies, especially as many are reliant on Chinese box office revenues.
- Disney has delayed the China release of its live-action remake of "Mulan," which was expected to be a major money-maker.
- Other award-winning films like 1917, Jojo Rabit and Little Women have been removed from the Chinese release schedule.
- Some studios have had to halt production of films in places that have been impacted by the virus. Paramount delayed production of Mission: Impossible in Italy.
By the numbers: The corornavirus outbreak is causing movie theater stocks to tumble out of fears that the virus will keep movie-goers away from theaters. Most theater-chain stocks are down by 25%-40% over the past six months, with major dips occurring within the last month.
The global box office hit a record high last year, thanks mostly to growth in China. The North American box office brought in $11.4 billion, its second-highest year after 2018, while the Chinese box office totaled $9.2 billion, growing faster than North America.
- Analysts predicted that the Chinese box office would soon surpass the North American box office as the largest globally, but that's unlikely to happen this year due to the virus.
Between the lines: The virus has also caused major entertainment companies to issue warnings to investors of the possible hits to theme parks, resorts and cruise lines.
- Shanghai Disney announced on Jan. 25 that it would temporarily close due to the coronavirus. It has yet to issue a reopening date.
- Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan have already experienced temporary closures.
- Disney Cruise Lines have implemented precautionary restrictions.
The big picture: While the out-of-home entertainment industry is expected to suffer, in-home entertainment is anticipated to thrive, as more people will be staying home, likely glued to their televisions.
- GroupM's Brian Wieser, one of the top global advertising industry analysts, predicts that television advertising sales may experience a boost due to increased viewership, but outdoor advertising like billboards and subway posters "may be worse off with lower levels of foot traffic in many places."


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Google introduced multiple new things at I/O keynote such as the brand new Android M, Android Pay etc. Along with all these, the company also announced its intention to make the Play Store more family-friendly. For that purpose, the software giant has decided to add an age and interest filter that will allow users to search and browse content that is appropriate and relevant and thus contribute towards improving the overall experience.
Along with the said filters, there is a brand new Family button in Apps, Games and Movies/ TV that will allow you to access only the family friendly content in each. The Books section similarly has a Children’s Books button. What’s more, the company has also added a family homepage that will have charts, recommendations and searches connected to the family catalogue.
For the kids, Google has added a special feature that will allow them to look for and find content associated with their favorite television characters such as Spongebob and even Peppa Pig.
Parents can also keep and eye on and control what their kids are doing by using the all new features that allow for controlling downloads, purchases or streaming of mature content. There are also the family star badges, which can tell about the specific age range of any app, movie or book.
The new family friendly Play Store will roll out to devices across the world within the coming week or two.


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By Staff Writer
Facebook may eventually be the biggest corporation in the world
(INTELLIHUB) — Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s Chief Executive Officer has been dubbed the 13th richest person in the entire world, says reports.
In fact Bloomberg just reported:
Facebook Inc. (FB)’s market value exceeded $200 billion to put it among the world’s biggest corporations, as investors bet on the company to capitalize on the future of mobile advertising.
Facebook shares rose 0.8 percent to $77.89 at the close in New York, valuing the company at $201.6 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That made it the 22nd-largest company in the world, behind Verizon Communications Inc. and ahead of Toyota Motor Corp.
The stock has jumped 9.3 percent since July 23, compared with a 0.7 percent increase in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, after Facebook reported a 61 percent increase in second-quarter sales to $2.91 billion. Mobile promotions accounted for 62 percent of ad sales, up from 59 percent in the prior period.


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Since becoming a member of the distributed ledger consortium R3 in 2016, Toyota has been quiet about its technique for blockchain tech – but when its presence at CoinDesk’s Consensus 2017 convention is any indication, that would quickly change.
Announced yesterday solely on the convention, Toyota Research Institute (TRI) unveiled a three-pronged strategy that exhibits it believes blockchains will reshape interactions within the automotive provide chain.
The huge reveal is bolstered by new particulars on months of behind-the-scenes work with companions together with MIT Media Lab, BigchainDB, Commuterz, Gem and Oaken Innovations, all of whom are working with TRI on particular blockchain tech purposes.
But going again additional, although, Chris Ballinger, director of mobility companies and chief monetary officer at TRI, traces all of it again to an “a-ha moment” that opened up his thoughts to the potential energy of the know-how and its attainable purposes for Toyota.
“Everybody’s journey has this common feature, they hear about it, they say how stupid, and then they meet someone who they respect and is smart and say maybe there’s something more to this, and that they learn more,” Ballinger stated in a brand new interview.
Still, with a background as a financial economist, Ballinger admits to being a bit predisposed to the concept that even the world’s brightest minds cannot fairly provide a definition for cash, why it capabilities and the way the system of economics we now have right this moment got here to be.
Ballinger informed CoinDesk:
“My a-ha moment was that people use lots of things for money, there’s lots of things people say are near-monies. But basically in all those different types of money, there’s only one that’s a bearer instrument, and that’s cash.”
Starting from the belief that bitcoin may eliminate financial middlemen, Ballinger stated he turned all in favour of exploring the concept of making use of blockchain to new ideas.
“The realization was the value was linked with the transaction, and this means that the transaction itself is a bearer instrument. And therefore all these problems tend to fall away, and it’s all the other middlemen,” he continued.
Still, whereas he is come to an analogous perception as many startups and enterprises, Ballinger detailed a singular philosophy for making use of it to the mobility sector – the phrase chosen to not restrict the concept to private automobiles, however encompassing many types of mobilized transportation.
Elsewhere, Ballinger mentioned his frustrations with the prevailing state of the blockchain trade, and what he described as an surroundings the place actual progress is commonly undermined by firms searching for publicity.
“It’s fairly easy to put an asset on a blockchain. But, people put out a press announcement that they’ve put greeting cards on a blockchain – so what?” he remarked.
Rather, he voiced his perception that what is going to make blockchain work at scale is a group of firms all supporting the community, a improvement he termed a “minimum viable ecosystem” – a homage to the “minimal viable product” philosophy.
“The whole point of platform economics is that the network effect matters. The type of asset on the chain doesn’t matter. More and more, the focus needs to turn to creating an ecosystem, and so I began to think about what does that mean for our industry, how do you create that work in an industry,” he stated.
In this fashion, Ballinger stated TRI’s huge presence at Consensus 2017 was to showcase its work, create buzz and produce extra consideration to what it stated have been its lesser publicized purposes.
Ballinger additionally put ahead a imaginative and prescient suggesting a core perception: that the world’s current automotive fleets are an underutilized asset.
Blockchain know-how, he stated, opens up the concept for the sharing financial system to increase to new networks, probably creating alternatives for car homeowners – and for Toyota as an organization – to rethink the way it derives worth.
“The vehicles and the entire mobility infrastructure can be used more efficiently. It’s hard to monetize your car. The empty seat in a car, it’s pretty hard, the frictional information costs of doing that are prohibitive,” he stated.
In this fashion, he sees the broad financial advantages a automobile allows being damaged off and cut up into distinct markets. Ballinger pointed to potential marketplaces for automotive knowledge, with funds despatched for the show of promoting and even to leap forward of somebody in visitors.
For now, nevertheless, he stated the message from TRI is extra modest.
Asked what he want to say to these within the conventional transportation ecosystem, he stated: “Come join us.”
Ballinger went on to say:
“The future of mobility is shared, connected and autonomous, and when you think about what technologies are needed for that world, you think of the infrastructure, the IoT-blockchain angle.”
Image Credit: APISITH / Shutterstock.com


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EDWARDSVILLE — Five people were charged with separate Collinsville retail theft felonies by Madison County officials on July 13.
Ashley N. Buneta, 27, of Collinsville, was charged with retail theft over $300, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on June 17 Buneta allegedly took groceries and health and beauty products from the Collinsville Walmart. Bail was set at $15,000.


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Cannabis Sales Headed for Record High
U.S. cannabis sales is estimated to rack up $57 billion by 2030. But hold on: That figure could top a whopping $72 billion if the 18 additional states that seem likely to legalize activate their markets.
It’s a stunning projection by New Frontier Data in its new report that analyzes the current U.S. cannabis economy, which includes potential state market activations, consumption trends, product innovation and sustainability efforts. The factors fueling record market growth are strong consumer demand, an influx of newly operational legal states, the normalization of cannabis consumption, and increasing mainstream recognition of the plant’s therapeutic and wellness potential.
Assuming legalization happens in all 18 potential markets by 2030, 47% of total demand would be met by legal cannabis purchases, up from 27% in 2021, indicating continued disruption of illicit markets.
NY to Give Licenses to Cannabis Offenders
New York State is making history, launching a first-of-its-kind approach to the cannabis industry that takes a major step forward in righting the wrongs of the past. Governor Kathy Hochul, the Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management introduced the Seeding Opportunity Initiative which would provide key opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs and individuals that have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs. Notably, the proposed regulation would give individuals with previous cannabis convictions and their family members, the first opportunity to apply for conditional adult-use cannabis licenses.
The application portal will open as early as Summer 2022, and the first set of licenses are expected to be distributed by late Summer or early Fall. Successful applicants will be given access and support to renovated or renovation-ready locations for dispensaries in high traffic areas.
Senate Bill Promotes Marijuana Research
The Senate in late March unanimously approved a marijuana bill—but not the federal legalization measure that advocates have been eagerly awaiting. Rather, it’s a modest piece of legislation simply meant to promote research into marijuana.
The bill—sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA)—is titled the Cannabidiol and Marihuana Research Expansion Act. It would streamline the application process for researchers who want to study the plant and to encourage the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop cannabis-derived medicines.
It would also allow physicians to discuss the risks and benefits of marijuana with patients and require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a report on those potential health benefits, as well as one on barriers to cannabis research and how to overcome those obstacles.
Drug Testing Rates on the Decline
A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that drug testing rates at U.S. workplaces have fallen dramatically over the past quarter-century.
The survey of 80,000 workplaces, revealed, as expected, that the transportation, warehousing, and utilities sectors, which are federally regulated and have high safety standards, had testing rates far higher than the rest. Among the sectors with the lowest rates of testing were accommodation and food services; arts and entertainment. Somewhat surprising, educational and financial services also reported lowered testing rates.
Supply, Staffing Shortages Result in Increased Retail Prices
Fuel prices are up. Plane fares are on the rise. Even Dollar Tree has raised its prices to $1.25.
And if your store is in line with about three-quarters (73%) of small business owners, you’ve also been forced to increase selling prices. According to a survey from NFIB Research Center, inflated prices are primarily the result of supply chain disruptions and/or increased compensation due to staffing shortages. Of businesses that raised prices, 44% went up by 10% or more. Eighty percent of small business owners experiencing supply chain disruptions reported that the disruption is causing lost sales.
QR Codes add Digital Interaction to Customer Experience
One of the lasting pandemic-related changes in consumer behavior could be the adoption of the QR code. The little box with the puzzle-like lines, allows consumers touchless access to product information by scanning the application with a smartphone.
A report from Datassential noted younger consumers were more familiar with the technology, and that businesses focused on Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z should be looking at how QR technology could be incorporated to reach them.
While restaurants adopted QR codes as a sanitary alternative to traditional menus, retailers could also benefit amid current worker shortages, as the QR code can add a valuable educational component to customer service initiatives. QR codes could also be used for digital payments, and if connected to loyalty or other shopper programs, could provide consumer insights businesses. Given that 67.3 million Americans speak a language other than English, one lesser-known function of QR codes is that they can direct customers to content in their preferred language, as determined by the settings on their mobile device.


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Microsoft Buys Skype for $8.5 Billion
The days of large cash transactions are over, brah. Back in the day before computers, banks (you know, the institutions consumers and companies use to handle their money) used very, very large denomination bills to transfer money. There used to be a $100,000 bill, but that was back in the 20's, and in that time, there was no such thing as an $8 billion company. Thus, never, ever, ever, EVAR, no matter what time period, would a company use paper money to purchase something in the billions - or even millions - of dollars.
What this article means is that Microsoft will not be trading shares to buy the company. A l...
What puzzles me more is the lack of reaction from those adamantly opposed to the AT&T/T-Mo merger. Why is MS gobbling up others less bothersome to those that complain about AT&T "monopoly"?
This forum is closed.


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So what's to blame here? CNN reports researchers think it's linked to the adoption of smartphones, and the big increase in mobile data consumption, which is causing people to pay less attention to the road:
The thing that has changed dramatically in recent years is smartphone use. The volume of wireless data used from 2014 to 2015 more than doubled, according to the Wireless Association.
Drivers and pedestrians who are distracted by their smartphones are less likely to be aware of their surroundings, creating the potential for danger.
"Somebody staring at their phone for two seconds at 40 mph has covered a very long distance," Retting said. "It's not hard to imagine a pedestrian at the wrong place, wrong time, never being seen by the driver."


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New research has emerged around maple leaf extract being used to avoid wrinkles, much like Botox does … minus the injections. Senior investigator of the new study, Professor Navindra P. Seeram,
Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences within Kingston’s University of Rhode Island, gathered his colleagues to focus on the therapeutic aspects of the maple leaf. He explained that Native Americans had once used red maple tree leaves within their medicine system, which made the team question why they should ignore this leaf.
Medical News Today revealed that even studies in the past have boasted about the health effects of maple tree leaves, and this new study focuses on the dermatological benefits it may provide.
As the study team explains, a maple tree leaf’s elasticity is caused by a protein within known as elastin. As person ages, an enzyme referred to as elastase reduces this protein, which causes wrinkles. The team was curious to see if maple leaf extract, which they took from maple trees, would block elastase’s activity. The team’s focus was within the leaves compounds, called glucitol-core-containing gallotannins (GCGs).
Within the research, the team looked at GCGs’ ability to inhibit elastase’s activity. The team used computational analysis to see which GCGs could effectively stop elastase.
The study revealed GCGs that comprise multiple galloyl groups were far more effective at blocking elastase.
The team is eager to transfer these findings and extracts into skincare products, and have already created a formula that has these GCGs, dubbed “Maplifa”; it would be like a plant-based Botox alternative that would appeal to clients who are eager to use natural skincare products.
While many botanical ingredients generally come from the Mediterranean, India, and China; red maple and sugar maple grow exclusively in the eastern regions of North America. According the Seeram, this might also help boost local economies in these areas, thanks to skincare products that use maple-based ingredients.


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Will enter production on 2016.
It was never really in doubt that Jaguar would put the C-X17 concept into production, but now the all-new upcoming model has been officially confirmed and even has a name: The Jaguar F-Pace. Talking of the compact SUV, Ian Callum, Jaguar's Design Director said: "It offers a unique combination of Jaguar sports car inspired exterior design, fused beautifully with a thoroughly practical and spacious luxury interior. The F-Pace is our family sports car."
The name comes from Jaguar's historic maxim: 'Grace, Pace, and Space,' and the British firm believes its first performance crossover will be "the ultimate practical sports car, [and] one of the most innovative Jaguars we've ever developed. The F-Pace has now begun its engineering and development testing program ahead of the new model going on sale in 2016," confirmed Andy Goss, JLR's Global Sales Director. For now, only this teaser image has been revealed but we don't imagine it will look too different from the C-X17 concept.


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The John Lewis Partnership warned it will continue to cut costs as it outlined a new growth strategy aimed at reviving profits.
The retail giant, which runs the John Lewis department store chain and Waitrose grocery arm, said it wants to save £300 million each year by 2022 by further streamlining its head office and operations.
Last year, the company said it aimed to secure £100 million in annual savings.
The announcement comes months after it revealed plans to shut eight John Lewis stores with the loss of 1,300 jobs and the closure of four Waitrose stores in a move which hit 124 jobs.
Last month, the group told staff they would not receive a bonus for the first time since 1953 after it dived to a £635 million pre-tax loss for the six months to July, following a £470 million write-down on its stores.
On Friday, it said it plans to restore the bonus once its annual profits return to £150 million.
The company said it has set a target for profits to reach £200 million in the next two years and £400 million by 2025.
Growth is set to be boosted by expansion, with the group revealing plans to secure 40% of its profits from new areas by 2030.
It said it is investing £100 million to rapidly grow its financial services arm, with customers able to secure retail credit across its business from early next year.
The company also said it is pushing forward with plans to expand into housing, highlighting that it has identified 20 potential sites which could be used for private housing.
The partnership is also planning to invest £1 billion over the next five years to drive growth in its online operations.
Its online activities grew during the pandemic, with its Waitrose arm rapidly expanding its delivery operations as its partnership with Ocado came to an end.
On Friday, Waitrose also announced plans to expand its rapid delivery service through Deliveroo.
John Lewis Partnership chairwoman Sharon White said: “We’ve seen five years of change in the past five months, and Waitrose and John Lewis have responded with great agility.
“Our plan means the John Lewis Partnership will thrive for the next century, as it has the last.
“We’re adapting successfully to how customers want to shop today, while showing the partnership is improving lives and building a more sustainable future.
“We’ll share our success with our customers, partners – who own the business – and our communities.”


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Textile and apparel exports from Egypt are likely to see a decline this year as several manufacturers, especially in the cotton textiles industry, have reduced production, reports Fibre2Fashion. In February, Egyptian member of parliament, Enas Abdel Halim confirmed that 30 percent of the country’s textiles factories have closed as a result of the recession and deteriorating economic conditions in the country exacerbated by the pandemic.
Egyptian textile and apparel exports declined 29 percent to $2.3 billion in 2020 and, according to Fibre2Fashion, exports are expected to drop 15 percent to $1.9 billion in 2021. Just-Style reports that the country’s plans to attract foreign investment in its garment and textile manufacturing companies have been delayed as a result of the pandemic, but the government is investing in the industry’s growth by acquiring new machinery to modernise ginning mills. Last year, Cairo-based The Holding Company for Cotton, Spinning, Weaving and Clothes signed a contract to establish a new spinning factory in Egypt, anticipated to be one of the largest spinning factories in the world with more than 182,000 spinning wheels and an average production capacity of 30 tons per day.