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US/POLAND: Acquisitions buoy CEDC during 2006
Central European Distribution Corporation has reported soaring full-year profits for 2006 thanks to first-time contributions from acquisitions in Poland and Hungary.
CEDC, which is headquartered in the US but is Poland's largest vodka group, posted a 78% leap in operating profit to US$91.6m for the year. Revenues rose 26% to US$944.1m.
President and CEO William Carey said yesterday (28 February) that CEDC had spent the last year integrating the acquired business into the company. He said: "We succeeded in delivering outstanding results for 2006. As we move into 2007 our strategy of growing our own brands and exclusive imports to drive higher sales and margins will be our top priority."
Last year, CEDC bought a slew of distributors including Classic, which is based in the north-east of Poland. The company also made its first acquisition outside Poland with the purchase of the Hungarian business of Bols vodka.
Carey was upbeat about the company's prospects in the region for 2007. "We believe that the economic conditions remain strong in Central Europe, which should bode well for continued growth of our higher margin products."
Russian Standard Vodka is taking one of its vodka brands to India....
Blavod Extreme Spirits is planning to sell its US subsidiary to its CEO....
Bols plans to launch its Bols Grenadine brand in the UK market in October....
United Spirits is mulling an expansion of its vodka offering in its home market, according to reports....
Castle Brands plans to extend the recent packaging revamp for its Boru vodka brand to the UK in September....
Pernod Ricard's chief executive Pierre Pringuet has attended meetings with politicians on a recent trip to Sweden, suggesting that the French company remains interested in buying its rival Vin & Sprit...
Bacardi has lined up its first promotional campaign for Grey Goose vodka in the US....
Bacardi has disclosed plans to close its rum distillery in the Bahamas due to changes in trade agreements and competition....
- Industry is following the pack to patriotic party
- How has craft beer put the squeeze on world beers?
- The category today - Scotch Whisky I
- Today's Market Trends - Scotch Whisky II
- Key Brands Performance - Scotch Whisky IV
- Diageo unveils first European Johnnie Walker House
- Brown-Forman shuffles director pack
- Consumers want brands that challenge them - study
- Spirits can fill music industry gap - Jagermeister
- Heineken signs JV deal in Philippines
- Global Scotch whisky insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global RTD insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Soft Drinks Global Overview: Growth Opportunities Between Category Lines
- Adultifying Soft Drinks; Capitalizing on rising adult demand for non-alcoholic beverages
- Global travel retail insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends


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A new company in Texas is selling a precision rifle with a unique technology that allows even an inexperienced shooter to hit a target 10 football fields away. The price tag is a staggering $27,500.
Tracking Point describes the weapon as a smartgun, with a trigger wired to the scope so that the gun won’t fire until it’s locked on the target that’s been tagged.
The company also has a deal to sell about 1,000 of the guns to Remington, which is Chief Executive Officer Jason Schauble’s former employer. But the Remington model will be less expensive, running about $5,000 each.
Many of you have seen our Extreme Distance Hunting video where we showcase how Precision Guided Firearms can make ethical extreme distance shots on game. For our newest release, we wanted to showcase other incredible PGF features like tracking and hitting moving targets, extreme accuracy at varied distances, and shooting while flying.
Tracking Point charges from $22,500 to $27,500 for the different versions of its bolt-action rifle, which has a five-round magazine using .300 or .338 caliber ammunition.

domain: news


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Barbie wants girls everywhere to know that they can be anything they want.
On Thursday, Mattel, the toy's maker, announced three new dolls in its Inspiring Women Series(opens in a new tab). They're likenesses of the former number one tennis player in the world, Billie Jean King, jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald, and the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale.
The newest dolls are part of Barbie's attempt at addressing the dream gap(opens in a new tab), which researchers say limits girls' thinking about what they're capable of and starts around five(opens in a new tab) or six years old(opens in a new tab). To help combat this harmful thinking, Mattel launched its global initiative, the Dream Gap Project(opens in a new tab), in 2018 to provide girls with resources and support to help them dream big. In addition to raising funds(opens in a new tab) for girls' empowerment charities, the project includes dolls that are role models who broke historic barriers.
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“Billie Jean King is the definition of an inspiring woman, as she is not only a legendary tennis player, but also an equality champion. By shining a spotlight on her powerful story, along with Ella Fitzgerald and Florence Nightingale, we are continuing to show girls that they can be anything," says Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie and its dolls portfolio.
The three dolls are all available for $29.99 each(opens in a new tab) on Barbie's website. They're also for sale at Target, Walmart, and on Amazon. Previous dolls in Barbie's Inspiring Women Series have included Amelia Earhart, Katherine Johnson, Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, and Sally Ride.
This isn't the first time Barbie has diversified. The past five years have seen more than 170 new looks for Barbie, including 5 different body types, 22 skin tones, 76 hair styles, 94 hair colors, and 13 eye colors, according to a Mattel spokesperson.
More recently, in celebration of Black History Month, Barbie collaborated with Queen & Slim costume designer Shiona Turini(opens in a new tab) to release a four-part series of diverse Barbie dolls (many are black)(opens in a new tab), according to People. This comes 40 years after the debut of the first black Barbie doll in 1980(opens in a new tab).
Barbie, with her unrealistic body, pink convertible, and fancy dream house of yore, has gotten her fair(opens in a new tab) share(opens in a new tab) of criticism(opens in a new tab) over the decades. But, hey, she's trying.


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A Peterborough garden centre is taking legal action to move travellers on who have set up camp in the car park.
The travellers moved onto the car park at Dobies Garden Centre in Hampton on Wednesday.
Today, Nicholas Marshall, CEO, Dobbies Garden Centres said: “We will make representation at County Court today (Friday) to apply for a possession of property order, under common trespass laws.
“We will upgrade that application to the High Court, which if we are successful will allow us to appoint our own bailiffs. It is a great pity that it has to get to this stage, and that the police have been powerless to help rectify the situation on our behalf.
“We want to apologise to our customers and reassure that our staff are doing their utmost to ensure our customers continue to have an enjoyable shopping experience at our Peterborough garden centre.”


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Some of the technology sector’s biggest names captured much of the renewed investor enthusiasm, leaving small- and mid-cap companies in the dust. However, if you dig deep enough you’ll still find severely oversold tech stocks. To help us find them, I’ll use the relative strength index (RSI) to identify some of those still considered oversold. Usually, an RSI hovering around 30 or below indicates oversold status. At the same time, we’ll look to see whether the oversold conditions are warranted – or represent a perfect buying opportunity.
Oversold Tech Stocks: PayPal (PYPL)
Pioneering fintech company PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) is having a rough year. Although its recent earnings report fell short of estimates, PayPal’s industry dominance is still strong. PayPal maintains 41% of the global online payment processing market, with second-place competitor Stripe holding a measly 21%.
Furthermore, PayPal’s financials remain solid and sustainable, even if not spectacular. Missing analyst estimates, PayPal nevertheless reported a respectable 7% year-over-year uptick in revenue, a 2% margin increase, and an 11% reduction in non-operating expenses.
As the digital payment landscape evolves, PayPal remains a major player with its wide-reaching user base and established infrastructure. Factors such as the increasing preference for cashless transactions and the growing eCommerce market underscore the company’s long-term growth potential. Furthermore, PayPal’s recent stablecoin entry in the crypto markets ensures the fintech giant remains on a forward technological footing.
L3Harris Technologies (LHX)
Notably, L3Harris hit a solid 13% year-over-year increase in sales, reflecting its ability to navigate challenging market conditions and remain dominant amid changing market conditions. The company’s strategic foresight will also pay dividends after successfully finalizing its Aerojet Rocketdyne acquisition.
That acquisition is already paying off, as Aerojet Rocketdyne is among the most important players in the emerging space technology sector. For example, the company builds thrusters for NASA’s Orion project and high-altitude ballistic defense components. Under L3 Harris, the aerospace company will have greater access to new contracts alongside expanded logistic and manufacturing networks. Considering current stability and long-term outlook, the stock’s recent downturn is a viable entry point for this oversold stock.
Oversold Tech Stocks: Paycom Software (PAYC)
Paycom Software (NYSE:PAYC) is an online provider of payroll and human resource technology solutions that’s having trouble in today’s tighter labor market. While the stock is down 7% this year, recent developments paint an optimistic picture. In fact, the company’s second-quarter earnings outperformed expectations, showcasing its emerging adaptation to changing economic conditions.
Looking ahead, the future appears promising for Paycom. Management projections indicate significant earnings growth in the next few years, reflecting the company’s strategic positioning in a dynamic market. Additionally, their expectations point to increased cash flows and share values.
Robust quarterly performance and optimistic future forecasts suggest Paycom could rebound from its recent dip. As organizations increasingly adopt digital payroll and HR management solutions, the company’s offerings remain relevant and essential – and oversold. For investors assessing opportunities in the tech sector, Paycom could be a tremendous oversold stock to consider.
With back-to-school season here again, oversold EdTech company Chegg (NYSE:CHGG) is ready to capitalize on a wave of new and returning college students. Best known for its textbook rental service, Chegg’s stock is down 60% year-to-date. Still, there’s an upside for investors as Chegg explores more innovative products and expands past its current product offerings.
Chegg is jumping on the AI craze and will soon unveil an AI-powered homework tool. The new venture “will combine the best of generative AI with Chegg’s proprietary high-quality content and demonstrated ability to help improve student outcomes.” With many attributing the year’s tech resurgence to AI-powered enthusiasm, Chegg’s new move may serve to bring the EdTech giant back up to speed with the broader market.
In addition to its AI-focused product, Chegg signaled its commitment to shareholder loyalty through a new buyback program. As Chegg continues to evolve and explore AI-driven possibilities in the education sector, investors interested in education technology and innovation could find the company’s trajectory worth monitoring. With the company’s sell-off this year now could be an excellent time to consider this oversold EdTech stock.
Oversold Tech Stocks: ChargePoint (CHPT)
ChargePoint (NYSE:CHPT) fell 22% since Jan. That dip may be surprising, considering the broad electric vehicle (EV) market jumped 35% this year. The disparity between the two indicates that ChargePoint is oversold and poised for a comeback. As companies adapt to and surpass, restricted supply lines, a new EV rush will soon hit the roads and make ChargePoint a critical part of national (and global) infrastructure.
Further growth opportunities also stem from expanding subscriptions as customers seek convenient and affordable charging solutions. This, coupled with the company’s recent performance, outperforming its earnings estimates, underscores its potential.
Impressively, ChargePoint’s revenue surged by 57% year-over-year, reflecting the company’s ability to capitalize on the EV market. ChargePoint’s extensive charging network and revenue growth could attract investor interest as the world continues to transition toward sustainable transportation solutions.
Keysight Technologies (KEYS)
Keysight Technologies (NYSE:KEYS) is a diverse, and oversold, electronic test and measurement equipment manufacturer with an array of diversified software solutions. The company has faced a challenging year, with its stock dropping 24%.
In its recent earnings report, Keysight blew away expectations, but the stock took a hit based on a cautious outlook. While Keysight’s stock price has suffered, it’s important to consider the broader context. The field of electronics testing and measurement is vital for a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, electronics manufacturing, and research. Keysight’s products are crucial in ensuring the quality and reliability of electronic devices and technologies, and the demand for these solutions remains steady.
Investors evaluating Keysight should consider its strong track record in the industry, its ability to innovate and adapt to changing technological landscapes, and the fundamental importance of its products. Short-term market sentiments influence the company’s recent stock performance. Still, its foundational role within the electronics sector indicates potential for recovery and growth as market conditions evolve.
Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP)
Microchip Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MCHP) is a key player in the electronics industry, specializing in producing microcontrollers, mixed-signal, analog, and Flash-IP integrated circuits. Notably, the stock has displayed a positive trajectory, marking a 14% increase in value YTD.
The company recently beat analysts’ expectations in the latest quarter. Institutional investors are taking advantage of the strong performance and oversold status, with one financial service firm buying $4.8 million worth of stock. Despite the challenges posed by the economic climate, Microchip remains optimistic about its growth prospects for the upcoming quarter. This resilience underscores its strategic agility and ability to navigate market fluctuations.
Finally, Microchip’s position as an AI stock warrants attention. As industries increasingly integrate AI solutions, the demand for specialized microcontrollers and integrated circuits is expected to rise. Ultimately, investors should consider its consistent growth, financial stability, and potential for future expansion in emerging technology sectors.
On the date of publication, Jeremy Flint held no positions in the securities mentioned. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


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If you think a talking smartphone app like Siri see-saws between useful and disappointing, IBM has news for you: Watson could be the cloud service you are looking for.
IBM is investing $1 billion into its super smart talking computer, Watson, in the hopes of encouraging developers to write apps for it.
On Tuesday, the company announced three winners of a contest to build Watson apps.
- GenieMD - Ask a medical question such as, "Can I take aspirin for my headache given my medical condition and prescriptions?" Hear an answer. Somewhat like a verbal WebMD.
- Majestyk Apps - A smart, interactive, educational toy for kids.
- Red Ant - A retail app that lets salespeople answer questions about any product in the store, from specs to customer reviews. Also lets salespeople recognize customers when they enter the store by identifying the app on their smartphone.
IBM says 400 companies in 43 countries submitted ideas for the contest. It gave 25 of them access to Watson to build a prototype and chose the winners from there. They won backing from IBM to turn their prototypes into actual consumer apps. Right now, IBM doesn't freely give access to Watson to any developer for messing around with. Developers have to apply to use it.
CEO Ginni Rometty has big plans for the smart computer. She reportedly wants to turn Watson into a $10 billion business, the Wall Street Journal reported.
This contest is one step to build awareness. IBM is also acquiring technology that could allow Watson to grow a personality, similar to the operating systems in the movie "Her."
IBM envisions Watson having "realistic conversations — everything from friendly chitchat to intense debate," Mike Rhodin, senior vice president of IBM's Watson Group, explained in a blog post last month.
Wrap it all up, and you have the potential of a talking computer that can do everything from keeping you healthy to keeping you company.
Get the latest IBM stock price here.


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New york Times Co noted Tuesday that advertisementadvertising spending was picking up faster than market expectations after the newThe s publisher beat Wall Street estimates for second–room resultsraising its shares by more than 6 percent.
The company has been packaging access to news reports and articles with a diverse portfolio of products, from podcasts and games to product recommendations, as it seeks to increase engagement and retain users.
Demand of advertisementvertisement spots is in a rebound after economic uncertainty forced companies to cut advertisement spent. Hospitality, travel and retail are among the sectors driving advertisement spend.
He New york Times full wait advertisementadvertising revenue will remain flat in the third roomwhile analysts estimate a drop of 4.1 percent, according to Refinitiv data.
TO rebound in marketGovernment spending helped the digital technology of the NYT. advertisementadvertising revenue grows 6.5 percent in the April-June period.
The company deployed advertisementProduct advertising throughout your package, including your games and sports. news offers The Athletic, boosting digital advertisement revenue, Chief Executive Officer Meredith Levien said on a post-earnings call with analysts.
“The bear case…probably focused on potential digital issues advertisementadvertising weak revenue and that’s not working,” said Vasily Karasyov, an analyst at Cannonball Research.
Analysts and industry experts expect the demand for advertisementvertising to increase in the second mid-year, as inflation cools.
NYT posted revenue of $590.9 million for the second roomcompared to estimates of $580.5 million.
The company reported an average revenue per user (ARPU) for combined subscriptions of $13.40, compared to a total digital-only ARPU of $9.15.
NYT advertisementded 180,000 digital-only subscribers in the second roomcompared to 190,000 in the first room. It has a goal of 15 million subscribers by 2027.
In a advertisementOn a fair basis, the company earned 38 cents per share, compared with estimates of 21 cents.
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LORDSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Senator Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, talked about Lordstown Motors and the company that is investing in its future.
Owners of the new electric truck plant turned to what’s known as a special purpose acquisition company for its funding. But recently, Brown questioned the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission about these businesses, which are also known as SPACS.
“Too often they make promises to local workers and local businesses in the supply chain, local communities and then don’t follow up on those promises,” Brown said. “I’m very concerned about these kinds of financial instruments.”
Brown says he and his staff will continue to watch over the progress of Lordstown Motors as it begins production.
In a statement Thursday evening, Lordstown Motors made the following statement:
The Lordstown team is hard at work building a limited number of vehicles for testing, validation and regulatory approvals for the remainder of this year and early next.


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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate might be done with development, but Nintendo is still releasing amiibo for it on a regular basis.
Now that the Minecraft amiibo Steve & Alex have been released, the focused has switched to the Final Fantasy VII antagonist Sephiroth. Masahiro Sakurai and Nintendo haven’t actually publically shown off the amiibo yet.
With this in mind, we’ve now got a photo (via @zaypiie on Twitter) – potentially giving us a first look. One reply suggests it’s from the Zürich Pop Con & Game Show, which took place on the weekend. There seems to be a crowd of people in the cabinet’s reflection, as well as amiibo below Sephiroth.
Keep in mind, this is just a photo plucked from social media – and we haven’t been given an official look at the Sepiroth amiibo just yet. Masahiro Sakurai’s only announced it. Following Sephiroth will be Pyra, Mythra, Kazuya, and presumably Sora from Kingdom Hearts.
Will you be adding the Sephiroth amiibo to your collection? Tell us down below.


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The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association commissioned an Economic Impact Study on the RV industry, released on June 7, 2016. The study found that the RV industry contributes about $49.7 billion in economic output or 0.28 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Through its production and distribution linkages, the industry impacts firms in 426 of the 440 sectors of the United States economy.
Nationwide, the industry is responsible for 216,170 jobs, both directly and inderectly, creating an economic impact of $37.5 billion. The full study results, along with each individual state and congressional district's economic impact is available on the website by clicking here .
Mon Jan 23, 2017
The second episode of Rollin' On TV has New England RV Dealers Association Executive Director Bob Zagami visiting with Robbie MaClure of Livin Lite as the two talk about K-Z RV's acquisition of Livin Lite, the company's line of aluminum trailers and more.
Then, Show Host Jeff Johnston takes viewers to the Vintages RV Resort in Dayton, Oregon, where campers can stay a night or a week in a vintage RV.
To watch the episode, click on the link below which will take you to the RV News Video Library.
Additional Information: http://www.rvmarketnews.com/pages/video_library


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3D printing technology has made several leaps and bounds within the last few years, especially in regards to the materials that can be used to create different objects. These days, even coffee grounds and beer can be recycled into art. Planetary Resources and their partner, 3D Systems, have just blown the competition out of the water for the most innovative material ever used: asteroid dust. The “asteroid-mining” company says this step is just the beginning for humans utilizing raw materials from outer space.
This week, Planetary Resources showed off its creation, which resembles the company’s Arkyd craft currently in testing, at 3D System’s booth at the Consumer Electronics Show booth in Las Vegas. They also discussed the innovation in an interview at the Engadget stage. The small spacecraft prototype’s origins are from a meteorite found in the Campo Del Cielo impact near Argentina. Its composition includes iron, nickel, and cobalt. To create the prototype the asteroid was pulverized and powdered before being transformed by 3D Systems’ ProX DMP 320 metals 3D printer.
Planetary Resources is far from its mission of eventually bringing terrestrial mining and manufacturing practices right out to the celestial sources of raw materials. CEO Chris Lewicki explained to Engadget, “Instead of manufacturing something in an Earth factory and putting it on a rocket and shipping it to space, what if we put a 3D printer into space and everything we printed with it we got from space?” He has confidence that we will one day be able to make this dream a reality. He and his teams are currently looking into how to effectively 3D print in zero-gravity. These advancements show how science fiction is slowly becoming less and less fictional.
Images via Planetary Resources


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Topic at the 2018 DC Summit
Lauren Benedict, an experienced digital media specialist that has led successful campaign efforts for Gallaudet University will share her tips and tricks in having a successful branding and marketing targeting specific audiences through social media platforms. She also will talk about how to increase one’s presence on social media platforms, sharing tips on how to increase followers and interest.
Former Digital Media Specialist @ Gallaudet University & New Creative Media Coordinator @ Dawn Sign Press
Biography: As the Digital Media Specialist, Lauren Benedict led the development of Gallaudet University’s digital communication strategy and coordinated the digital content creation for the University and president’s social media platforms. She also developed press releases, media advisories, email blasts, and branding messaging materials. Under her tenure, she increased Gallaudet University’s presence across social media platforms – 41,000 to 66,000 Facebook followers in 15 months, 800 Instagram followers to 12,500 followers (1,500% increase) and new 1,800 Snapchat followers in 8 months.


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Dell Inc.'s board was expected to vote late Monday night on an offer, led by founder Michael Dell, to take the company private for about $24 billion, people with knowledge of the matter said.
The deal may be announced early Tuesday, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the process is private. The offer values Dell at $13.50 to $13.75 a share, two of the people said.
Shares of the Round Rock, Texas, personal-computer maker fell 36 cents, or 2.6%, on Monday to close at $13.27, giving it a market value of about $23 billion.
Silver Lake Management would invest more than $1 billion in the buyout, and Microsoft Corp. about $2 billion, one of the people said. The person said Chief Executive Michael Dell would contribute his 15.7% stake, valued at more than $3.6 billion, and cash, giving him the largest stake. Several banks would lend a total of $15 billion.
The company has struggled to keep pace with competitors such as Apple Inc. in mobile electronics. It also has been slow to come to terms with the shift in business demand toward cloud computing, where storage and software are delivered at low cost over the Internet.
Going private may help the third-largest PC maker speed up attempts to revive growth and compete more effectively without the scrutiny of public investors.
Spokesmen for Dell, Microsoft and Silver Lake declined to comment.


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The days of new wellness tourism records in Austria are over. According to the publisher of independent wellness hotel guide „Relax Guide“, the struggling economy combined with an increased competition led to a stagnation in room prices. This does not come as an encouragement to guests, because such a stagnation can lead to sharp declines in quality and thus local wellness tourism suffers.
The average price increase compared to previous year was at 1.04 %, which was even below the inflation rate. “This is the lowest increase we have seen so far,” said Christian Werner at the presentation of the 17th “Relax Guides”. In the 20 previous years, the average price increase was at 4.3%, last year it amounted to 6.6%.
Guests are not going to reap any benefits, as such a stagnation will probably lead to a decline in housing quality. “It is not hard to imagine how service and food quality will suffer as a result,” said Werner. Consequently, most wellness hotels were not able to improve their performance in 2015. 49 hotels, which were examined by “Relax Guide” for the most recent edition, received comparably worse scores than last year. Only 29 hotels were able to improve their services.
However according to Werner, especially quality can save a wellness tourism establishment from losses. Hotels, which at least received the Lily Award from the testers (the Guide’s quality seal), were able to succeed in spite of higher room prices. “Guests are aware that wellness does not come cheap. This is why they are willing to pay more for consistently high quality,” remarked Werner.
The main point of criticism for Austrian wellness tourism remains the large discrepancy between promised quality and reality. “We had to deal with processed food, unacceptably small sauna zones, and primary roads in front of hotel entrances. Or pools which could hardly fit ornamental fishes,” said Werner.


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Every Friday, Clark answers a viewer's e-mail question.
What's the best VoIP phone deal for a small business?
There's a phone service that I've been using for years called Ooma. You pay as little as $100 to $200 to buy the device, which provides phone service for the life of the Ooma service. (I long ago expected the service to go bust, but it just keeps on going!)
The way Ooma works is that you plug it into your high-speed Internet connection and then you plug your phone into the Ooma unit. You don't even need a computer. Ooma offers all the normal calling features like caller ID, call waiting, etc., and there's no monthly bill. You just pay a $3 monthly FCC pass-through charge and that's it for the life of Ooma.
The question I get that gnaws at people is about the call quality. I've always said that Ooma offers phone calling that is much better and clearer than a traditional monopoly phone company.
The June 2012 issue of Consumer Reports ranked phone services and the absolute highest score again went to Ooma, for the second year in a row!
On the other hand, Consumer Reports gave a different VoIP provider, MagicJack, poor scores on reliability, call quality and customer service. But the pricing makes it the cheapest option for local and long distance calling. The first year is effectively $60 and each year after that is $30.
Click here for more information from Clark on VoIP phone service.


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President Donald Trump said he would increase tariffs on Chinese imports in an escalation of a trade war between Washington and Beijing that rocked stock markets on Friday. See full story.
Dow ends more than 600 points lower as U.S.-China trade war intensifies
U.S. stocks fall sharply Friday as President Donald Trump says he’s “ordering” U.S. companies to start looking for “an alternative to China” after Beijing imposed more retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. See full story.
The dirty secret about most ‘fixer uppers’
The findings of a new survey appear to go against the interests of the company that paid for it. See full story.
‘It is an act of insanity to stay in the U.S.:’ Why this 63-year-old teacher ditched Massachusetts to retire in the highlands of Panama
You can live on about $2,000 a month, experts says, and Panama has a generous ‘pensionado program.’ But there are drawbacks. See full story.
The Trump era could wind up like the 1930s
If the past is prologue, then the situation that President Trump finds himself in—and our country finds itself in—increasingly resembles what we’ve seen before See full story.
‘With my limited time left, I want to invest in a new kitchen — both as a gift to my wife and as something positive and new to lift my spirits, since I’m largely confined to our home.’ See full story.


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All remaining U.S. states with COVID-similar community mask demands have not long ago lifted them, and in mid-April, a district decide in Florida ended a federal mask mandate on trains, planes, buses or other community transportation. For the to start with time in about two decades, shoppers can store, exercising, vacation, perform and lounge in community spaces with out wearing a mask, irrespective of new surges in COVID bacterial infections.
Since the onset of the pandemic, most eating places, grocery shops and retail outlets have adopted point out and national tips by necessitating masks. But as these mandates have been lifted, providers have develop into liable for identifying and speaking their mask insurance policies to consumers, and a quantity have ongoing to advocate that staff and people mask up to prevent the unfold of COVID.
There are quite a few motives businesses could even now would like to have a retail outlet mask plan: To start with, the virus remains remarkably transmissible and unpredictable COVID hospitalization in Maine has been high recently, regardless of a population vaccination price of 80 per cent. Organizations may perhaps want to guard the health and protection of their workforce to stay away from complications that may perhaps crop up if they have a larger sized COVID outbreak. Second, stores want to catch the attention of enterprise and enchantment to a broad spectrum of prospects who might have various comfort and ease stages with heading maskless. In accordance to an Affiliated Press poll performed in late April, 49 percent of U.S. grown ups were in favor of requiring masks for cafe and retail outlet staff who interact with consumers, and 56 percent assist them for men and women touring on airplanes, trains or public transit.
As behavioral scientists researching shopper conduct, we dug further into public reaction to mask guidelines and uncovered that firms are threading a tight needle people use mask insurance policies, or lack thereof, as a proxy for a company’s political identity, major people to punish or reward a organization based mostly on the indication that’s on the doorway. Numerous enterprises experienced during the pandemic—many to the issue of completely closing—making it all the far more very important for organizations to steer clear of alienating significant segments of buyers.
Currently, and for the indefinite long term, COVID is continue to between us, and we do not know if the future variant will be delicate or lethal. In the absence of governing administration mandates, which proficiently defend businesses from currently being politicized for a mask policy, companies that want to administer a mask plan must choose a nuanced method to prevent buyer backlash. Larger organizations must established their procedures at the corporate stage to be constant throughout all merchants and places of work. Organizations ought to also converse that they are issuing a plan in buy to keep their employees balanced so they can preserve their enterprise open to serve the local community. Behaving consistently and speaking the apolitical motives of a coverage can decrease company politicization and buyer retaliation.
As aspect of our investigation, we surveyed 5,560 individuals across eight research during the COVID pandemic to appraise customer reaction to organization policies concerning mask putting on, and how this sort of policies influence both consumers’ beliefs about the business enterprise and their curiosity in procuring there. In our studies, we requested people to appraise retailers with storefront indications speaking that masks are demanded, suggested or not necessary or where the indicator does not talk a mask plan (and simply claims “we are open”).
We persistently identified that consumers inferred that outlets experienced a political identification centered on their mask policy. Suppliers overtly not requiring masks ended up perceived to be conservative, even though suppliers with mask specifications had been perceived to be liberal. Those that lacked a plan have been perceived to be neither liberal nor conservative, while suppliers with a mask suggestion fell somewhere in among a little liberal and neutral. Importantly, these perceptions were being incredibly secure across demographic groups or political ideologies. Almost all people endorses the stereotype that a firm with a mask coverage is liberal.
Despite this basic belief, we also come across that general public responses to shop policies are continually polarized, much like partisan responses to govt guidelines. That is, irrespective of whether buyers infer that having a mask policy follows a political agenda relies upon on consumers’ personal political ideology. Conservative consumers in the research believed that outlets with mask guidelines were politically enthusiastic and hence sought to punish the retailers by expressing a drive not to make purchases. On the other hand, liberal shoppers considered the retailers ended up just undertaking the appropriate matter for public well being and hence sought to reward them with patronage.
Responses to these mask guidelines have improved substantially in the earlier couple weeks as mask mandates have been lifted. Early in the pandemic, when the norm (and the general public wellbeing guideline) was a mask need, recommending but not requiring a mask was the most effective coverage for firms: it appealed to liberal consumers by advocating mask putting on, but also appealed to conservative individuals by featuring freedom of choice.
When indoor mask mandates ended up issued at the state and nationwide amount, lots of people argued these laws would hurt business enterprise. We noticed the reverse. Considering the fact that companies ended up remaining compelled to administer a mask mandate, people did not understand them as advocating a political stance. The corporations had been basically viewed as pursuing the law. Therefore, governing administration mandates permitted enterprises to effectively keep away from alienating shoppers, although also expanding compliance.
Now that mask mandates have been lifted, we see that a company’s mask coverage sends a substantially more robust political sign than it did previously in the pandemic. Mask demands are now seen as additional liberal and politically motivated across the spectrum, and mask suggestions are no more time the greatest solution from a organization standpoint, as they fail to attractiveness to conservative customers (whilst they even now charm to liberals). As a result, the most effective way to carry out COVID insurance policies has come to be considerably extra nuanced.
There are three strategies in which organizations, in particular all those in conservative areas, can connect a store mask policy without the need of currently being considered as overtly political. First, a corporate-degree policy. Not only does it set a precedent to handle all buyers similarly, but a company method also shields managers at the neighborhood level from adverse reactions from conservative consumers. As our exploration shows, mask mandates are additional attractive to conservatives when the plan is attributed to exterior resources (for instance, a federal government mandate or a greater enterprise coverage), consequently shifting the responsibility and blame absent from the retail outlet by itself.
2nd, companies can attribute mask insurance policies to small business issues, these as maintaining their staff members balanced and their doors open. This can support consumers notice that there are nonpolitical motives at participate in, in switch encouraging better patronage and compliance.
3rd, companies might also look at if their intraorganizational or operational capabilities currently signal a liberal political ideology (for illustration, a grocer known for organic and natural, honest-trade merchandise) and talk insurance policies steady with that ideology. In addition, organizations that have a mission to progress social fairness and wellness may advantage by speaking their organization mission statement along with their mask plan. When a mask coverage is aligned with a more substantial business perception procedure, it may perhaps be perceived as a firm wishing to behave continuously, which can in the long run lead to increased trust and patronage.
Given that the novel coronavirus was 1st identified in the U.S. in early 2020, there have been more than 81 million conditions and probable extra than one particular million fatalities. Whilst cases have dropped considerably in recent months, the virus’ unpredictable nature continues to challenge businesses’ ability to function safely and securely and appeal to a huge vary of clients. And this needs a nuanced tactic to COVID procedures.
This is an feeling and evaluation report, and the views expressed by the writer or authors are not automatically individuals of Scientific American.


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At 1pm AEDT on Wednesday 13th April 2022, two of Australasia’s senior cruise industry leaders appeared in an exclusive Travel Daily Event to discuss the past and future of the sector.
After more than two years of international cruise ships being banned from Australian waters, the local cruise sector has finally received a green light to recommence operations. The Federal Government will lift its biosecurity emergency declaration on 17 April, and states and territories are gradually getting on board.
This special event saw Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia MD Joel Katz and Jill Abel, CEO of the Australian Cruise Association, discuss all things cruise including their journey during the pandemic, the current state of the start-up, protocols, destinations and much more.
Events are in partnership with the Travel Community Hub
To view this unmissable session see below.


text: Cape May County was only one of two coastal southern New Jersey counties were tourism sales revenue actually went up last year. That announcement was made by Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno during a presentation in Atlantic City. She says Cape May and Monmouth counties both saw an increase in tourism sales in 2013 even though many merchants say the tourism economy was sluggish at best. Tourism growth last year was centralized in central New Jersey.


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Posted August. 19, 2009 08:45,
A fierce debate has erupted over whether domestic rates for mobile phone use are the most expensive worldwide.
Surveys conducted by the Korea Consumer Agency and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development say Koreas cell phone rates are the worlds highest. In the wake of media coverage of this news, telecommunications providers are claiming that the survey methods employed the agency and association are misleading.
President Lee Myung-bak promised a cut of 20 percent in mobile rates in his 2007 presidential campaign, so the debate will figure prominently in this years parliamentary inspection of the administration.
○ Japanese survey
The Japanese Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry conducted a study on world telecommunication rates that The Dong-A Ilbo obtained. The study said mobile charges in Seoul were relatively lower than those in seven other major cities in the world.
The report compared telecommunications rates in Seoul, Tokyo, New York, London, Paris, Dusseldorf and Stockholm in March.
Seouls mobile rates were the lowest for light users, or those who used an average of 44 minutes and sent seven text messages per month, among the seven cities except Stockholm. New York had the highest rates followed by those in Paris and Tokyo.
Those who use voice services for 95 minutes and send 385 text messages and 16,000 packets of data are charged with the third-lowest mobile rates. Heavy users also pay moderate bills for using voice services for 246 minutes, sending 770 messages, and utilizing fixed-fee data services.
When the average use rate for subscribers was applied, the rate in Seoul was 1.60 dollars a month, lower than those in Paris (four dollars), New York (three dollars) and Tokyo (2.10 dollars).
○ Different results from different survey methods
Citing Merrill Lynchs global wireless communications matrix, the Korea Consumer Agency and the Fair Trade Commission said late last month that Koreas mobile phone rates were the highest among 15 surveyed countries.
The OECD also said Tuesday last week that Koreas mobile rates are relatively high.
The discrepancy arises from different survey methods, as does the reflection of differing purchasing power parity among countries and foreign exchange rates. Because of this, the domestic sector for wireless communication has no confidence in such results.
An industry source said that for light users, the OECD compares each countrys lowest rate for monthly use of 44 minutes, adding, If we offer a discount system for users who use 44 minutes a month, Koreas rates will be the lowest among OECD countries.
Another problem is the lack of model to appropriately reflect Koreas unique culture of mobile phone use. The average mobile phone traffic in Korea is 313 minutes a month, much higher than that of heavy users surveyed by the OECD.
Japan has developed its own standards to compare rates and utilizes the comparison data in devising policies.
○ Room for rate cuts
The domestic wireless communication industry can cut mobile charges if it wants to because of the monopoly in the market with steep entry barriers. The sector posted an operating profit of 12.1 percent on average last year.
Though mobile providers say they cannot afford a cut since they have to invest in next-generation communication facilities, they spend most of their profits to expand market shares. In the second quarter of the year, SK Telecom, KT and LG Telecom spent up to 40 percent of sales revenue on marketing.
The Korea Communications Commission is reluctant to push mobile carriers to reduce rates. It wants to produce a discount effect by promoting competition among mobile carriers and introducing more rate systems.
Mobile operators, however, are under heavy pressure to cut their rates after Korea Communications Commission Chairman Choi See-joong mentioned a plan to cut rates in the wake of the OECD reports findings.
Choi will hold a seminar tomorrow with the Korea Information Society Development Institute on cutting domestic rates for mobile phones.


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Temple and Webster: As good as it gets?
Is this as good as it gets for online furniture and homewares retailer Temple and Webster?
The group Tuesday reported a sixfold increase in profit for the December half-year thanks to its continuing ride in the COVID-driven jump in online buying.
The retailer told the ASX that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) jumped 556% to $14.8 million for the six months to the end of December.
That will see the company easily top EBITDA for 2019-20 of $8.5 million
Sales more than doubled when compared to the prior corresponding period, up 118% to $161.6 million, though this was much a slower growth rate than in the early months of the half when sales were growing by 160%.
The half revenue figure was almost equal to 2019=20’s full year total of just over $176 million.
But directors remain upbeat about the rest of the year, telling the market that the second half “has started strongly, with January’s revenue growth tracking in excess of 100%.”
"We will continue our reinvestment strategy, investing into growth areas of the business to cement our online market leadership and drive market share,” directors said.
How much in excess wasn’t given but from now on the company, like so many of its peers will comparing current sales (and earnings) with a period in 2020 when they surged strongly as COVID hit and the economy was locked down.
T&W grew revenue in 2019-20 by 74%, with second half revenue up 96% and 130% growth reported for the June, 2020 quarter.
Going on those figures the final quarter of this financial year is where Temple & Webster will see revenue slow sharply.
CEO Mark Coulter said in Tuesday’s release; "While 2020 remained a challenge for the country, we are proud that many Australians continued to turn to Temple & Webster for their furniture and homewares needs. It is great to see our revenue growth translating into operating leverage and significant profit growth.
"This allows us to accelerate our investment into areas such as data, technology, private label and brand awareness to further differentiate our proposition”.
“Our strategy of being a category specialist, with a clear customer offering built around the biggest and best range of furniture and homewares in the country, combined with the most inspirational content and services and a great delivery experience and customer service, is working.
"The advantages of being the online market leader are apparent as we continue to grow our market share” said Coulter.
The company had more than $85 million in cash on hand at the end of December, more than double the $38 million at the end of last June.
No mention of a dividend.
The shares fell 4% to $10.59 in what could be a sign of investor belief that the days of rapid growth in online spending are over and it's back to the trenches.


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In yet another sensational incident in Guwahati, unidentified miscreants on Friday evening robbed a jewellery store in Kalapahar area.
The robbery took place in broad daylight at MK Jewelers in Kalapahar area. The miscreants looted jewellery worth several lakh rupees. They also took away cash from the jewellery store, said an employee.
As per the reports, the miscreants entered the jewellery store with two pistols and one dagger. They were reportedly wearing helmets.
Meanwhile, the police reached the spot and initiated an investigation.


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17 Sept 2013
Regional Trade Agreements Could Hurt China Exports
Hong Kong Could Help Mainland Boost its Competitiveness
China has been among the major beneficiaries of an open, multilateral trade system, particularly since its accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, according to Mr Kwan. “Between 2000 and 2012, mainland China’s total trade grew 715 per cent, making it the world’s largest exporter and second-largest importer. The mainland’s share of world trade has also jumped, from one per cent in 1980 to 10 per cent in 2011.”
The increase in the number of exclusive trade blocs, however, could dampen Chinese mainland exports, according to Mr Kwan – especially if the mainland fails to join such large RTAs as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
HKTDC Principal Economist (Global Research) Daniel Poon noted that a dozen countries, including the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada and Singapore, are now involved in TPP negotiations. The TPP market represents nearly 800 million people and a combined GDP of more than 38 per cent of the world’s economy. “If secured, the pact will certainly become one of the 21st century’s most important trade agreements,” said Mr Poon. He added that, if the mainland is excluded from the agreement, its export competitiveness could slump. “Countries like Vietnam, Malaysia and Japan could put more pressure on Chinese exports to the US. Industries that would likely suffer include footwear, clothing, vehicles and related components, as well as machinery equipment.”
Hong Kong Role
Mr Kwan said the mainland needs to adjust its economic structure to cope with today’s complicated trade environment. “Hong Kong,” he said, “could help the mainland enhance its competitiveness, particularly in the services sector.”
“The mainland must continue to boost domestic consumption,” added HKTDC Deputy Director of Research (Greater China) Pansy Yau. She noted that the mainland’s urbanisation drive has expanded production and fostered a growing consumer class.
Based on figures from the top 30 mainland cities, the urban population rose 12 per cent between 2006 and 2011, while GDP more than doubled. “As the consumer class continues to grow in these cities, the size and depth of the retail market will increase swiftly,” said Ms Yau. She added that, since the mainland’s urbanisation policy focuses on expanding small and medium-sized cities, “this will draw in more residents and create jobs. In other words, the growth of second- and third-tier mainland cities will be rapid.” Ms Yau suggested that companies targeting the Chinese market should rethink their retail strategies and reach out to consumers in smaller cities. She also said that these smaller mainland cities offer business opportunities for Hong Kong companies specialising in medical services, childcare, elderly care and other areas.
Export Confidence Down
Mr Kwan revealed that the HKTDC Export Index had dropped to 42.1 in the third quarter. A reading below 50 indicates a pessimistic sentiment during the quarter and signals a contraction in Hong Kong exports over the short term. “This negative sentiment was spread across all major industries and markets,” said Mr Kwan. “Except for the watch-and-clock sector, all major industries showed a positive procurement sentiment, which may indicate export improvement over the long term.”
Video: “Finding Opportunities Under Regional Trade Deals” – http://youtu.be/Uxj2n0BsFJE
Please contact the HKTDC's Corporate Communication Department:
Tel: (852) 2584 4216
About the HKTDC
A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers . With more than 40 global offices, including 11 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises trade fairs and business missions to connect companies with opportunities in Hong Kong and on the mainland, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com.


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Puzzle Quest: Galactrix Flash Demo Out
Sample a flash version of the highly-anticipated puzzle game.
D3Publisher has released a free flash demo for Puzzle Quest: Galactrix, its highly-anticipated puzzle game that blends in RPG and strategy elements. D3Publisher hopes that this demo will give you a good idea of what to expect out of Galactrix before it officially releases on February 25.
To get a sample of what the unique title has to offer, visit the game's web site.


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The National Retail Federation is out with its typically optimistic prediction for the coming holiday season. This year the NRF expects retail sales during November and December to increase between 3.8% and 4.2% over the previous year. Sales are expected to reach somewhere in the neighborhood of $727.9 billion and $730.7 billion, excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.
Is there any realistic hope that retail will hit that mark? Let’s look back at the 2018 holiday season when the NRF was calling for a 4.3% to 4.8% increase. When all was said and done, the retail market grew only 2.1% year-over-year, making holiday 2018 the slowest season since 2009.
In this year’s statement, NRF chief economist Jack Kleinhenz noted the difficulty in making predictions in what he termed an increasingly “uncertain macroeconomic environment.” Nonetheless, he put on his rose-colored glasses and came out with a forecast for strong growth this holiday season.
“There is significant economic unease, but current economic data and the recent momentum of the economy show that we can expect a much stronger holiday season than last year,” Kleinhenz said. “Job growth and higher wages mean there’s more money in families’ pockets, so we see both the willingness and ability to spend this holiday season.”
These annual NRF holiday predictions are getting to feel a bit like “Groundhog Day” and the forecasts resulting from it about as reliable as Punxsutawney Phil’s. That is why I called Paul Walsh, IBM’s global director of consumer weather and climate strategy, for the real holiday forecast.
Walsh explains that he is not an economist but that NRF’s economic model, which the release states is based upon employment data, wages, consumer confidence, disposable income, consumer credit and previous retail sales, may be underestimating an increasingly important factor affecting retail sales. That is the weather.
After posting, an NRF spokesperson provided a statement that Kleinhenz, a former president of the National Association of Business Economists, relies on a complex economic model. And while the release only states six indicators are included, his model “consists of well over a hundred, including weather.” The spokesperson also added Kleinhenz “does not make-up numbers to give a good spin for the retail industry.”
Shoppers respond to the weather
“Weather has a significant impact on our emotions and the way we feel which translates into retail sales,” Walsh told me. “When it gets cold, it flips the switch into thinking about holiday shopping. When it is 90 degrees in Atlanta in October, it doesn’t feel like its time to start buying things for winter.”
The weather will have a profound effect on both retailers’ topline and bottomline results this year, as it did last year. “Retailers have always known weather has a big impact on results. But what’s changed now is that because of our greater data assets and technology, we can integrate those insights into retailers’ enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, so they have the right products in the stores at just the right time,” he continues.
What Walsh sees in the clouds for the holiday shopping season is an unseasonably warm October and November which will slow demand for winter and holiday season goods. It will be the exact opposite from last year when October and November were unseasonably cold. Since retailers traditionally use the previous year to model the next, retailers are likely to be overstocked in winter goods before consumers start shopping.
The risk then is for retailers to respond to markdown pressure early in the season, putting margins at risk. “By being too aggressive in markdowns early in the season, when demand finally kicks in December, they may well have given away too much margin early in the season,” he believes.
December’s colder weather can help drive positive comps from last year for seasonal apparel and hardlines, but that might skew spending away from non-seasonal gift items. Further, retailers’ December results may be mitigated by fewer shopping days this December compared to last year.
Retailers’ comps ignore the weather
The problem with predictions that don’t accurately factor in weather is that retail comps assume the weather will be the same year-over-year, which it rarely is.
“When retailers are able to integrate weather into their replenishment and markdown forecasts, they can predict what they will need where and when they will need it, so they have the right stock levels. With weather data added, the accuracy of those systems are increased by 20% to 25%. The benefits can be really significant,” he says, referring to a study that IBM conducted entitled “Just Add Weather.”
“Our rule of thumb is that a 1% increase in a demand forecast’s accuracy for a billion-dollar business can net out to about a $10 million benefit from improved in-stock positions and reduced mark downs,” Walsh says. “By adding weather into a demand forecast for seasonal product categories, we’ve seen companies increased forecast accuracy more than 20%.”
“This is what we call the ‘forecast factor’ and it is becoming super-critical for retailers to understand,” he continues. That is because both retailers and consumers have greater access to better and more predictable weather forecasts. “Everyone has a super weather forecaster in their pocket, called a smart phone,” he quips.
One retailer that understands this powerful forecast factor is the U.K.’s Marks & Spencer. “They are using weather to create more resilience in their supply chain. They get weather reports from us daily and use that information to make decisions every day affecting distribution and pricing,” he shares. He also noted how a national drug store chain uses advanced weather data to engage with customers where symptoms are likely to flare up and prescriptions will be need to be filled.
“CEOs, CFOs and stock analysts are beginning to recognize the influence of weather,” Walsh comments, as he points to a recent memo from Credit Suisse analyst Michael Binetti.
“Early cold weather in October is among the best upside drivers in the retail toolkit,” Binetti wrote. “And that early cold weather happened in October 2018. From here, we fear that industry commentary is poised to deteriorate in the near term. We’re increasingly cautious on the softlines retail stocks in the near-term, particularly for companies that expected a significant inflection in 4Q to get to their 2019 annual targets.”
Weather is ever changing but it is also much more predictable than ever before. “While you can’t do anything to change the weather, you can change a lot of things in business to make it have less of a negative and more of a positive impact on business,” Walsh says.
Snow for Christmas?
In closing, I asked whether we’d see snow in December and if so, how much, because nothing makes shoppers feel more like Christmas than snow. “Our long-range forecast is indicating a relatively cold December and also a relatively wet December for the East. And when those two things are combined, it increases the risk of more snow than last year,” he says and adds, “Footwear retailers call snow ‘white gold’ because it gets people to shop.”
When that snow falls will also impact holiday sales results. If it happens on a weekday, it could stimulate heavier weekend shopping for cold weather items. If it falls on the weekend, however, it will keep shoppers off the roads and out of the stores. And retailers’ weekend performance will become more critical this year, since there will be six fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, including two fewer weekend shopping days.
“For the next three months, it’s going to be famine-then-feast with a warm October and November, then a cold December,” he predicts. This will be the opposite of last year when it was feast during October and November followed by famine in December.
The retailers that will pull ahead this year will be those that have their eyes to the skies with a steady dose of weather-related data fed into their internal ERP systems. “The best retail and CPG companies today are integrating this kind of knowledge into supply and demand chain systems which enables them to be more proactive and responsive,” he concludes.
Note: This article was updated @ 5:30 p.m. Oct.8 with a statement from NRF received after original posting.


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Barakà, historic brand of men’s luxury jewelry featuring state-of-the-art technology and engineering, continues the retail developing in Russia by inaugurating a new flasgship store in the centre of Moscow.
The flagship store is situated inside the Novinsky Trade Center, Novinsky boulevard 31, one of the most important shopping and business street of the Russian capital.
In the flasgship store, all the jewelry Collections are available in all colours and materials variant.
Alberto Muraro CEO of Barakà comments on the new boutique opening:
I am very happy about this new goal that allows us to get closer to our clients, by offering a better service in such an important market for our brand.


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Suzuki GB is delighted to announce that it will be supporting this year’s Motorcycle Off-Road Experience (MORE), as the industry comes together to promote the muddier side of motorcycling.
Suzuki and the MCI will be providing world class trainers to help those new to off-roading find their feet, and after their launch to critical acclaim toward the end of last year, the Japanese firm will also be bringing along a fleet of new RM-Z250 and RM-Z450 machines for people to use across the four days.
The four ‘experience’ days, brought about by the MCI and major motorcycle manufacturers, and the AMCA, ACU and BSMA, who govern off-road motorcycle sport, will take place at Brake Hill Farm in Northampton from 13 to 16 June, 2013.
Suzuki’s Marketing Manager, George Cheeseman, said ahead of the event, "The Motorcycle Off-Road Experience is a great way for people to try their hand at riding motorcycles off-road, and we’re delighted to be supporting such a great, industry incentive. There are a lot of people new to riding, or existing road-riders, who have either never really given riding off-road any consideration, or have never had the opportunity to give it a go. But this is a great, cost effective way of sampling the delights riding motorcycles off-road can bring."
The Motorcycle Off-Road Experience is open to anyone over the age of 16 and new to off-road riding, and for just £15 you receive a morning or an afternoon of riding, including kit hire and tuition from a world-class instructor.
Registration opens on Thursday 16 May at 9am, and for more information head to www.rideoffroad.co.uk
For further press information please contact the Suzuki GB Press Office (Motorcycles), Tel: 01525 270600. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SuzukiBikesUK and follow us on twitter: @SuzukiBikesUK
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The 500,000th car from HMMR is the Solaris.
Hyundai Motor Manufactures the 500,000th Car
at its Russia Factory
- Russia’s most loved car, the Solaris, is the 500,000th car
- More than 6,200 manufacturing-related jobs created by the facility
August 15, 2013 – Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Russia (HMMR) in Saint-Petersburg held a ceremony for the production of its 500,000th car. A red Russia-exclusive Solaris sedan with an automatic gearbox and 1.6-liter engine is the anniversary car. The Governor of Saint-Petersburg Georgy Poltavchenko and General Director of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Russia Shin Myeong Ki as well as dealers and customers attend the celebration, but the guests of honor were the employees of the plant. The employees were given a special mention during the ceremony for their dedication and efforts without which the plant’s success would not have been possible.
The ceremony marks the company’s achievement of 500,000 manufactured cars within a period of two years and a half since the start of mass production in January 2011. By the end of 2011, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Russia increased production capacity up to 200,000 cars annually and since then, provided more than 2,200 job opportunities for locals. Currently, high level of automation and robotization of the production process ensures high quality of manufactured cars and appropriate working conditions for employees at the plant.
In collaboration with Russian suppliers, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Russia reached a 47 percent rate of localization, creating more than 4,000 working places. Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Russia has also become one of the largest tax payers in Saint-Petersburg in 2012, according to the Committee for Industrial Policy and Innovations. The plant is also a leader eco-friendly industrial management with air and water purification systems in operation and recycling of waste materials such as metal and plastic.
The 500,000th car from the assembly line of HMMR is the Solaris, which has truly become the people’s car in Russia in just two years and a half since its release. In record time, the Solaris won over Russian customers, becoming a bestseller among foreign cars and receiving the Car of the Year award in Russia twice – in 2012 and 2013.
About Hyundai Motor
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Motor Group, with more than two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Hyundai Motor - which has seven manufacturing bases outside of South Korea including Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, India, Russia, Turkey and the U.S. - sold 4.4 million vehicles globally in 2012. Hyundai Motor, which employs over 90,000 worldwide, offers a full line-up of products including small to large passenger vehicles, SUVs and commercial vehicles.
Further information about Hyundai Motor and its products is available at http://worldwide.hyundai.com and www.hyundaiglobalnews.com .
Global PR Team
+82 (0)2 3464 2152 ~ 2160


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Nigerian telecom firms are set to rake in more revenue at this yuletide season as Nigerians increase the volume of calls and date consumption.
According to industry observers, the Christmas season gives subscribers more time to explore social media and watch videos that consume their data. And by doing this, many spend more on data than they usually do, without even knowing it.
For telecom operators in Nigeria, the fourth quarter has always been a period of harvest in terms of revenue.
For instance, a look at MTN Nigeria’s financials for the last 3 years shows consistent revenue growth in the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter of 2019, MTN’s revenue jumped by 8 per cent from N288.9 billion recorded in the previous quarter to N313.2 billion. Similarly, in 2020, the telco’s revenue increased by 10 per cent to N370.6 billion compared with the N337.6 billion recorded in the preceding quarter of the same year.
In the fourth quarter of 2021, MTN’s revenue also grew by 8 per cent from N414.9 billion in the third quarter to N448 billion.
Airtel Nigeria’s financial records also show a similar pattern of growth in the last quarter of every year.
For the quarter that ended December 2019, Airtel posted $355 million in revenue showing an 8.5 per cent growth over the $327 million it recorded in the preceding quarter. Airtel also ended 2020 with 9 per cent revenue growth for the last quarter of the year at $412 million.
Its results for the quarter that ended December 2021 also showed a 6 per cent revenue growth to $476 million compared with the $450 million it recorded in the previous quarter.
According to the President of the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, aside from Nigerians penchant for talking and greeting people on the phone for Christmas, December is always a holiday period and this allows people to spend more time on social media, especially, a video platform like TikTok.
“Interestingly, this is also the time the telecom operators usually come up with one promo or the other, which encourages people to spend more. It’s a win-win for the subscribers and the telecom operators.”
An IT expert, Mr. Jude Okwonkwo, believes that the uptake of 4G and now 5G by the subscribers will continue to push up their spending.
While only MTN Nigeria has so far rolled out 5G in Nigeria, all the telecom operators are currently expanding their 4G network to ensure that more Nigerians have access to faster internet service.
As part of strategies to boost the company’s revenue this quarter, MTN’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, recently disclosed that the telco would expand its 4G service to achieve 80 per cent population coverage before the end of this year.
He said the company would also deploy additional 362 5G sites, and bring 5G to more smartphones.


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Pinterest’s co-founder and design chief Evan Sharp is stepping back from operational duties at the San Francisco-based social media group to join Sir Jony Ive’s new company LoveFrom.
Sharp is joining a small but growing team of designers at LoveFrom, which Ive launched after leaving his longstanding role as Apple’s top designer in 2019.
Sharp founded Pinterest alongside Ben Silbermann, who is the company’s chief executive, and Paul Sciarra, who left in 2012. He worked as chief design and creative officer, helping to launch the online scrapbook and image search platform more than a decade ago.
He will remain on Pinterest’s board and continue in an “advisory role”, the company said on Thursday.
“What job will ever be able to compete with leading Pinterest? None,” Sharp wrote in an internal memo to Pinterest staff.
“But when I think about how to create a life that I love, one thing is clear to me: I really, really want to grow as a designer and product builder. That’s why I’ve made the decision to work with the designer Jony Ive at LoveFrom. This chance for me to learn alongside the very best at their craft is a tremendous opportunity.”
His departure comes after a difficult year for Pinterest, which has faced criticism over its internal culture while also struggling to capitalise on the pandemic-driven uplift to online activity, which has driven up the share prices of its social media rivals.
With a market capitalisation of $33bn after the close of trading on Wednesday, investors are valuing Pinterest far below its peers Twitter, at $50bn, and Snap, now worth $118bn.
Pinterest’s stock has lost almost a quarter of its value since the start of 2021, after July’s earnings report revealed user growth that fell short of Wall Street’s expectations. Despite more than doubling its revenues year on year in the three months to June, a 5 per cent decline in monthly active users in the US worried investors, wiping around $8bn from its market value in a single day.
The San Francisco-based company has also become embroiled in allegations of gender discrimination. It paid $22.5m to settle a lawsuit from a former executive, Françoise Brougher, last December. Pinterest did not admit to any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
More than two years after Ive announced his departure from Apple, LoveFrom has begun to reveal more about its plans in recent weeks. Ive and his longstanding collaborator Marc Newson have lured several designers away from Apple, including Chris Wilson and Eugene Whang.
Last month, LoveFrom signed a deal with Exor, parent company of Ferrari, as the supercar maker works on its first electric vehicle. Ive also revealed that he is working with billionaire philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective, which invests in education, immigration and climate change.
This week, LoveFrom launched its website, featuring a custom typeface developed over the past two years with Peter Saville, the British graphic designer who rose to prominence in the late 1970s and 1980s for his work on album sleeves for Manchester bands Joy Division and New Order.
Credit: Source link


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Microsoft is looking to improve their Office suite and start driving some additional interest in their product. The company has spent the last several months boasting and building up their Office apps for iOS, Android, and even Windows Phone, sort of – but the focus is now shifting toward Windows 10 and their next fleet of tablets, phones, and even desktops in 2015. That being said, the company introduced the Office 2016, which would become available in the second half of this year – and would be another edition of the company’s flagship Office product that has become a mainstay in the computer software space.
A little more interesting though was the introduction of Microsoft Office suite as Universal Apps, which is said to employ some differing techniques as it relates to input. Obviously, with traditional computers or laptops, input via mouse or keyboard is expected – but with more devices going “touch-first” it is about time for the office giant to create a touch-first product as well. The touch-first version of Office will be available on all tablets and smartphones running Windows 10, and will be free for those individuals as well. As for an official name, the company is calling the touch-first version of Office – “Microsoft Office for Windows 10.”
It’s been said that the company is using a lot of universal code, or code that can be easily reworked throughout the entire mobile experience – whether someone is using a small smartphone, or a larger tablet. However, the company does believe that they will be installing some sort of additional features and technology for larger tablets that can essentially run a full-blown version of Office. Some have even said that from a design standpoint, as well as a coding standpoint, this newest edition to the Office family will feature a lot of similarities between Android, and iOS.
Microsoft unveils HoloLens running Windows Holographic and Surface Hub
However, that should not come as a surprise since it is now becoming standard practice to maintain the same “look” throughout all forms of the office platform. Whether it is running on iOS, Android or Windows – the experience and look has to feel equal. Microsoft clearly understands that though since they have spent as much time as they have to ensure that the iOS and Android experiences are that of the Windows experience.


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The family of Mr. To Van Khiem, 52, Head of Khe Coc village in Tuc Tranh commune, Thai Nguyen province, makes thousands of USD per kilogram of processed tea by feeding plants with chicken eggs and honey.
The days up to the Lunar New Year in 2022 were hectic for To Van Khiem, who was busy with trucks carrying tea to customers.
The favorable weather conditions in 2021 helped his 1.5ha tea plantation yield high-quality items suitable for sale to Europe. The tea tree sales bring in 300-500 million VND annually to his family.
In the area of Phu Luong in Thai Nguyen province, hundreds of families have prospered thanks to tea plantations. More than 4,000 hectares of tea cultivation in four communes of Phu Luong district, with an annual production of more than 42 thousand tons, is anticipated to bring in 1,200 billion VND from the four big tea regions in Thai Nguyen province…


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How ChatGPT Can Take E-Grocery Personal Shopping Assistants to the Next Level
Ever visited a grocery store, activated your mobile app, and received personalized item suggestions with prices and additional insights? Shoppers at supermarket chain Kroger have.
Store sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) technology are enabling customized mid-purchase product recommendations to be expected by consumers. The question on small and mid-to-large store owners' minds now is how do they close the gap in personalization capabilities between supermarket giants Amazon.com, Walmart, and Kroger with theirs.
ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot, has made considerable strides in innovation, productivity and disruption across industries not limited to retail. The natural language processing algorithm is on everyone's tongues for its ability to respond to prompts and provide access to data without the user having prior analytics or coding experience. While the tool isn’t perfect, some helpful customer-facing applications are already being investigated.
Let’s take a look at the potential of ChatGPT’s AI and what grocers can do to prepare for its arrival.
AI for the Ultimate Personal E-Grocery Shopping Assistant
A lot of thought goes into a busy parent’s weekly shopping basket, including budget, nutrition, kids’ unique taste buds, cooking simplicity, and prep time, all dampening the room for recipe inspiration. Amazon and Instacart are already exploring the uses of ChatGPT in their e-grocery shopping processes — and something as simple as healthy meal recommendations is a strong start.
Stores leverage OpenAI’s technology to provide a virtual shopping assistant. Customers can ask the chatbot questions as broad as “lunch ideas” to as narrow as “cheap, healthy risotto recipes for four.” The tool responds by generating lists of ingredients based on the customer’s request, as well as suggesting relevant questions to further narrow down their search.
Convenience and personalization were among the top five qualities shoppers looked for in 2022. Ideally, they wanted to buy all their goods in one place (up 44 percent since 2021), and from high-protein to low-sugar, they've been getting increasingly selective about the healthiness of their purchases. For this reason, store-owned chatbots that can push out recipe ideas unique to the customer, with all items available in their stores, will be a game-changer for the industry.
How Can Grocery Stores Prepare for the Chatbot Takeover?
While tools such as ChatGPT support nonanalytical users to digest the data, for them to work requires quality and complete data. With data ownership and visibility into online and offline sales, grocers will be in a good position to implement AI-powered tools to support customer requests and enrich their shopping experience.
Grocers' ability to easily integrate chatbot features into their e-commerce site or customer-facing app and support personalization strategies will depend on their tech stack. That’s why many use industry-specific platforms which support grocers to have control over their customer-facing solutions with full access to their data.
The lack of in-store inventory visibility for grocers using nonintegrated third-party applications can damage both the e-commerce and physical store shopping experience. Grocers must take ownership of their e-commerce presence and inventory analytics to ensure they only promote available products and use their platform’s rich data to optimize the experience for shoppers.
AI developments like ChatGPT will significantly impact how shoppers plan their meals and select goods, but the tool’s success will depend on grocers' ability to keep track of stock levels alongside. The future of personalized promotions is already here, and grocers of every size will need to get to grips with inventory management to survive.
Bagrat Safaryan is the co-founder and CEO of Local Express, an end-to-end food e-commerce platform.
Related story: Delivering Growth: Top Strategies for E-Grocers to Have in Mind
Bagrat Safaryan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Local Express, a SaaS vertical for the Food and Beverage (F&B) industry which specializes in providing eCommerce solutions to independent retailers and enterprises seeking digital transformation. Since starting the company in 2017, Bagrat has been on a mission to bring turnkey e-commerce solutions to grocery stores and food retailers across the country using the Local Express platform.


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"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare," the latest edition of the blockbuster video game franchise, debuted to $600 million in sales over the first three days after its launch, Activision-Blizzard said on Wednesday.
A soft reboot of "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" from 2007, the military action game topped three-day sales figures for every other "Call of Duty" release on current consoles and ranked as the best-selling launch in Activision's history, the company added. It also ranked as the top-selling game at the premium $60 price point in 2019.
"Call of Duty is once again the top-selling new premium game of the year, proving the enduring nature of the franchise across console, PC, mobile, and esports," Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement. "In its first three days of release, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare more than doubled the box office opening of Joker."
"Modern Warfare" added updated features to the "Call of Duty" franchise, including cross-play multiplayer support among all consoles and PCs. The release also altered the divisive "Call of Duty" micro-transaction model, scrapping randomized loot boxes – a source of frequent criticism from consumers and growing scrutiny from lawmakers – in favor of a "battle pass" to sell post-launch content.
Activision-Blizzard said earlier this month that "battle pass" and in-game store content would be cosmetic-only and would not impact competitive balance for players.
"Through the first three days, Modern Warfare has more total players and total hours played than any Call of Duty opening release in the last six years. More importantly, our players are having a great time playing," Activision President Rob Kostich said. "Congratulations to Infinity Ward and all our teams involved on an incredible game and its spectacular launch. We also want to thank the community for your incredible support. The launch of Modern Warfare is only the start. There's much more to come."
Earlier this month, the company confirmed that "Modern Warfare" would not be released in Russia, where state-run media outlets have slammed the game’s depiction of the country’s role in the ongoing military conflict in Syria.
The game’s three-day sales figures rank among the most successful video game launches in recent memory. Last year, Take-Two Interactive’s acclaimed “Red Dead Redemption 2” pulled in $725 million in its first three days.


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OnePlus teased plans of launching a foldable phone a few weeks ago, and it looks like the brand won’t pull any punches with its first outing.
According to 91Mobiles, the company’s first foldable phone — referred to as the OnePlus V Fold — will carry aggressive camera hardware borrowed from sister company Oppo’s Find X6 flagship. Add in some other impressive specs, and OnePlus’ first foldable is shaping up to be a beast.
The OnePlus V Fold could have a killer camera
For reference, the Oppo Find X6 offers a 50-megapixel optically stabilized main camera, sitting alongside another 50MP snapper for ultra-wide photography. While that is impressive in itself, OnePlus is trying to leapfrog even the Google Pixel Fold with a periscope-style telephoto camera that has a massive 50MP camera at the back.
However, 91Mobiles’ report says the OnePlus foldable will offer a 32MP telephoto camera instead of the Find X6’s 50MP sensor. Megapixel figures aside, it’s the mechanism here that matters. Every foldable phone out there features a standard telephoto zoom camera that offers a limited optical zoom range.
But phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and Pixel 7 Pro pack a periscope-style telephoto camera that bends the incident light at a right angle and passes it through a tunnel before it falls on the sensor. This mechanism allows the lens elements more space for position adjustment, delivering a higher lossless zoom range as a result.
Take, for example, the Oppo Find X6, which delivers up to 120x digital zoom range — even higher than the 100x zoom offered by the camera behemoth that is the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Assuming the leak indeed turns out to be true, the OnePlus V Fold will be the most powerful foldable phone in the market in terms of camera capabilities.
The only other phone that would stand toe-to-toe with the OnePlus foldable will reportedly be the Oppo Find N3, another foldable phone which serves as the template for the OnePlus V Fold. It is plausible that the Oppo Find N2 successor will be sold in the Asian market while the OnePlus V Fold will get a wider release in the West, including the U.S.
Other leaked specs also impress
The latest leak also predicts a 20MP selfie camera atop the cover display and a 32MP camera housed inside a hole-punch cutout on the inner foldable screen. Talking about the display, the OnePlus V Fold might serve an 8-inch foldable panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.
Assuming Oppo doesn’t deviate significantly from the Find N2’s design, its successor – and the OnePlus V Fold, by that extension – will go for squarish aesthetics similar to the Google Pixel Fold instead of the portrait symmetry favored by Samsung and Vivo foldable phones.
Lastly, rumors suggest a fairly capable 4,805 mAh battery for the OnePlus V Fold. It will reportedly be out in the second half of 2023, and it looks like OnePlus is going all-out for its inaugural entry in the foldable segment, which already sounds appealing. But it would be interesting to see how much OnePlus is going to charge for the phone
If one goes by the brand’s history of selling top-tier hardware at competitive prices, the OnePlus V Fold is destined to undercut the $1,800 foldable gladiators from Google and Samsung. However, the brand’s recent approach with the likes of the OnePlus 10 Pro and OnePlus 11 are a sign that it wants to duke it out with Samsung and Apple in their high-price arena without cutting any corners.


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Bangladesh wants ‘quota’ in Indian cotton exportOctober 22nd, 2010 - 1:00 pm ICT by IANS
Dhaka, Oct 22 (IANS) Bangladesh will demand a separate quota in India’s export of raw cotton to ensure adequate supply for its garment sector, the prime foreign exchange earner of the country, in view of rising prices.
“We’ll demand a separate quota for raw cotton during the bilateral trade talks with India,” the Daily Star newspaper Friday quoted Commerce Minister Faruk Khan as saying.
Khan is currently in New Delhi leading a 23-member business delegation.
The cotton price has reached its all-time high up to $1.19 a pound in the international market this month, which troubles Bangladesh and China — the two countries that depend on cotton imports for their textile industries.
Bangladesh textile industry experts say that crop damage by floods in Pakistan, the world’s fourth largest cotton producing country, and a restriction put by the Indian government on its cotton exports have led to the price spiral.
Khan said Bangladesh wants to settle the cotton supply issue with India so that the country remains ‘immune’ to any Indian ban on the commodity’s export, the newspaper said.
- No more FDI in Bangladesh garment sector - May 16, 2011
- Textiles sector calls for stable growth policy - Jan 19, 2011
- Bangladesh criticizes India's ban on cotton export - Mar 08, 2012
- Bangladesh registers 40 percent hike in apparel exports - Feb 20, 2011
- Dhaka apparel sector seeks relief - May 29, 2011
- Textile workers demand ban on cotton yarn export - Nov 20, 2010
- India- Bangladesh sign MOU to establish Border Haats - Oct 23, 2010
- Bangladesh's exports to India to double by June - Feb 20, 2012
- Maharashtra cotton farmers to meet Sonia on export ban - May 15, 2011
- Exports to India can be doubled: Bangladesh - Sep 07, 2011
- Indian ban pushes Bangladeshi spinners to Australian cotton - Jun 08, 2010
- Cotton farmers demand lifting ban on exports - May 02, 2011
- Stop FDI, says Bangladesh's garments industry - May 06, 2011
- Bangladesh weavers strike work, demand Indian yarn - May 13, 2010
- Dhaka looks globally for yarn after Indian export ban - Apr 25, 2010
Tags: adequate supply, bilateral trade, business delegation, commerce minister, cotton exports, cotton imports, cotton price, crop damage, daily star, exchange earner, faruk, floods in pakistan, garment sector, indian cotton, indian government, member business, raw cotton, textile industries, textile industry, trade talks


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SAN FRANCISCO, CA, (March 16, 2020) – Revinate, the global leader in guest data management and intelligence, today announced that following a successful pilot at Nizuc Resort & Spa, Grupo Brisas has selected Revinate’s entire suite of products to drive guest feedback and personalized guest marketing across its 13 properties in Mexico.
Grupo Brisas selected Revinate Guest Feedback, Marketing and Hotel CRM because of the vendor’s deep expertise in the hospitality industry and its proven ability to drive revenue.
Corporate Director of IT Gustavo Alfonso Bolio Gómez, says, “First, we wanted a partner that could integrate with our existing platforms, including our PMS. Second, we wanted a partner that understands the complexity of hotels and offers roles-based views, reports and permissions. Finally, we wanted a solution that lived up to its claim of driving revenue and could prove ROI. After our pilot, we can confidently say that Revinate checks all the boxes and is easy for our employees at both the corporate and property level to use.”
Marc Heyneker, Co-founder and CEO of Revinate says, “I am so happy to welcome the entire Grupo Brisas portfolio to Revinate. During the pilot, it was clear that this team understands the power of using guest data to drive revenue and loyalty. I couldn’t be more proud to have them using our entire product suite and am looking forward to watching their success.”
Revinate is the global leader in guest data management and intelligence, bringing hotels closer to their guests. Founded in 2009, Revinate counts tens of thousands of the world’s leading hotels as customers and has won numerous awards for its software as a service (SaaS) solutions, including 2019 and 2020 Top Rated Email Marketing and CRM Product by Hotel Tech Report.
For more information, visit www.revinate.com.


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Twenty-six foreign nations show their wares at the Osaka (Japan) Trade Fair - considered the largest of its kind in the Far East - opened Apr. 12.
Twenty-six foreign nations show their wares at the Osaka (Japan) Trade Fair - considered the largest of its kind in the Far East - opened Apr. 12. Officials expect the Fair attendance to total 200,000 by closing day Apr. 26.
US Ambassador Douglas MacArthur opened the 350,000 dollar American Pavilion, whose main building was brought to Osaka from the Tokyo 1959 Trade Fair. West Germany, Czechoslovakia, South Vietnam, Brazil and Australia also have their own pavilions.
Other Government-sponsored exhibits are from Britain, France, Italy, Sweden and Nationalist China. Czechoslovakia, with a showing of huge specialized lathes and delicate glass stemware, and East Germany are the only communist countries to take part. The Soviet Union put on a spectacular display at the last Osaka fair in 1958 centering around its sputniks, but was absent this time.
Contracts concluded on the first day totalled GBP47,970,000 (GBP47,970) compared to GBP35,000,000 in 1958, trade fair officials said, Machinery was the star of the show, with 74 per cent of the booths occupied by machines of all sorts.


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Morris Selvatico were appointed to bring the frozen yoghurt brand ’Twisted’ to life with a playful interior near Bondi Beach.
October 11th, 2010
Project name: Twisted Frozen Yoghurt
Project Team: Morris Selvatico
Square Metres: 40 sqm
Location: 36 Hall Street, Bondi Beach
Type of development: Retail
Completed: Sep 2010
From the architects:
Yoghurt enthusiast Cassandra Spies has developed the coolest frozen yoghurt this side of the moon!
Created from the “nostalgia of running after the ice cream truck on a Sunday afternoon as kiddlywinks” explains Cass, Twisted Frozen Yoghurt is all about the purest, creamist yoghurt flavours without all those calories!
Unlike the UK and USA with familiar brands such as “Snog” and “Pinkberry”, Australia is relatively new to the frozen yoghurt craze.
Morris Selvatico were appointed to bring the Twisted vision to life and create a brand that would make its mark in the Australian market!
With store number one located in world-renowned Bondi Beach, Morris Selvatico wanted to create an interior that would stand out from the crowd and provide a springboard for the brand to rollout stores.
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Australia’s leading producer of solid-engineered oak flooring has recently launched a new suite of innovative resources to support creativity and ambition in the architecture and design community.
For Living Edge, B-Corp certification was the next appropriate step in a long journey focused on building a truly sustainable and socially responsible business. In 2023 they achieved certification at their first pass, giving customers a new level of environmental assurance and the company an important milestone to celebrate across two decades of staff-led, sector-leading sustainability practices.
The leading furniture supplier solidifies its Asia Pacific expansion with an immersive new showroom space.
Explore the captivating realm of molo, the world-renowned design studio led by Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen. molo’s acclaimed soft collection celebrates a unique fusion of art, design, and architecture and – crucially – sustainability.
Nendo has redesigned a women’s hat store in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, creating a hat cloud.
Luis De Oliveira of furniture makers De La Espada recently visited Sydney ahead of the opening of the new Winnings flagship showroom. We took an exclusive tour of the new space and spoke to the Portuguese designer about his passion for timber furniture.
Melbourne’s Kozminsky celebrates its 165th birthday with a killer collaboration with 7 of Australia’s most unique and sought after designers.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Graduates’ portfolios embodied their commitment to harnessing design as a force for social improvement at the DIA’s Graduate of the Year Awards 2023.
The Fuld Nesting Chair from Herman Miller elevates the experience of a nesting chair while enabling flexible configurations for workspaces.
The DIA has made an urgent call to arms to interior designers, proposing that the profession urgently needs to be considered for licensing under the NSW Building Bill 2023 to allow interior designers to practice in their full capacity.


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Proactive CRM leader Getscorecard has debuted the GetScorecard Proactive CRM and Sales Management System for SMBs, redefining how a smaller business can use tech to grow.
Customer Magazine has awarded the WalkMe Guidance and Engagement Platform the Contact Center Technology Award, honoring firms that have embraced tech as a key tool for customer service.
Global media company TMC, has honored Enghouse Interactive Communications Center 8.0 with the 2014 CUSTOMER Contact Center Technology Award, presented by CUSTOMER magazine.
Cloud CRM company Salesforce is pushing deeper into data integration with its latest innovation. Salesforce1 Lightning Connect aims to make it easier to integrate any data source with its platform.
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Ahoy, mateys! There will soon be a new ship in town, just waiting for any pirates who want to venture into Woodland Aquatic Center.
“A couple of years ago we had to take the pirate ship out of Woodland pool because of safety concerns,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “Now we’re commissioning a new ship, and it’s first-rate!”
A Parks and Recreation team relied on input from residents at last year’s Woodland Arts Fair.
Today the City unveiled a conceptual design for a new ship.
“Next summer, pirates will be able to slide, climb, get sprayed and more in Woodland pool,” Gorton said. “It is really going to be a chance to have fun,”
Councilmember Hannah LeGris, who represents the Woodland Park area, said, “We are thrilled to have the crown jewel of Woodland Pool back and ready to sail out next season!”
The new ship is expected to cost about $500,000 and is being funded with federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
The design will be on display at the Woodland Art Fair, which begins on Saturday, August 20th, 2022.
Woodland Art Fair, which has taken place for 46 years in Woodland Park, is an annual favorite of Lexingtonians. This year’s fair features 190 artists, 24 food and drink vendors, and 14 different musicians and dance groups performing.
“Parks & Recreation is sailing through an exciting and busy year,” Lexington Parks & Recreation Director Monica Conrad said. “We are excited for a new ship to dock at our popular Woodland Aquatic Center. It will enhance what is already one of our most utilized parks in the city. We just wrapped up our 32nd annual Ballet Under the Stars at Woodland Park earlier this month, and Woodland Art Fair kicks off tomorrow with an amazing array of vendors and food options!”
LeGris said she is looking forward to the fair. “Woodland Art Fair is one of the most anticipated events at the Park each year. I know that people from all around the state are coming out this weekend in support of the arts.”