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THE IRISH FAST food chain Supermac’s has said it will create more than 50 new jobs in a new major development in Moneygall in Co Offaly.
The town made famous by being the birthplace of US president Barack Obama’s ancestors, will see the development of a new €7 million travel plaza that will include motorway services along the M7 route from Dublin to Limerick.
The plans include the opening of Supermac’s and Papa John’s Pizza restaurants, as well other food outlets, a convenience shop and fuel pumps with the creation of more than 50 jobs.
Supermac’s also say that a further 70-80 jobs will be created by the development and building stages of the project on the 12 acre site.
The new development is expected to open early next year.
President Obama is expected to visit Moneygall when he arrives in Ireland next month.


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As talks between Amazon and Future Retail fell down, the ecommerce behemoth published advertisements in major Indian newspapers on March 15 accusing both Future Retail and Reliance of fraud.
Future Retail Limited (FRL) and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), according to the US-based ecommerce platform, engaged in fraudulent acts by failing to comply with court rulings. The commercials also claimed that the firms tried to "erase the dispute's substratum."
Amazon alleged that Future Retail and its partners had "consistently behaved in breach of the order made by the emergency arbitrator and reaffirmed by the Arbitral Tribunal" in an ad headlined "Public Notice."
"It has now come to light that FRL and its promoters have been attempting to eliminate the substratum of the dispute by purportedly transferring and alienating FRL's retail assets including retail outlets in favour of the MDA Group," the advertisement continued.
"Amazon hereby puts all persons concerned to notice that any attempt by FRL, and its prompters to transfer/dispose/alienate any of its retail assets is in violation of binding orders of the Arbitral Tribunal, which operate as orders of an Indian Court, and any party assisting or cooperating in such fraudulent and contumacious actions will be liable for civil and criminal consequences under law," the ecommerce player said in its ad.

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31 May 2022
The six largest economies of Southeast Asia – Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia – took a hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, with detrimental impacts on economic growth, unemployment, inequality and poverty levels.1
Up until 2020, the six countries – the ASEAN-6 as they’re termed – were collectively growing by between 5 and 6 per cent a year,2 but economic growth contracted in 2020, before partially recovering in 2021; a return to pre-pandemic levels is expected this year.3
Though challenges remain – not least in the traditional industries of tourism and hospitality – and the re-emergence of global macroeconomic factors looms large, the region’s fast-growing digital economy is helping power its post-pandemic recovery.4
Despite a GDP of close to $US3 trillion5 and a population heading towards 600 million6, the region is oft overshadowed by its powerhouse neighbours China and India, and remains one of the least understood.
A mix of developed and emerging economies, urbanisation and digitisation have been fuelling economic growth at a level consistently exceeding historical global averages, and income growth has been significantly increasing since the turn of the millennium. Around 15 per cent of its population live in one of six megacities, which together account for almost a third (30 per cent) of the region’s GDP.7
Until the pandemic, urbanisation and strong economic growth were reducing poverty – the proportion fell below 10 per cent for the first time in the past decade8 – and giving rise to a burgeoning middle class and a consumption-driven boom.
Yet half the population remain unbanked with no access to financial products, and a further fifth (18 per cent) are underbanked – lacking access to anything other than a bank account.9 The inaccessibility of the established banking system for many has provided the ideal backdrop for providers of digital financial services to step in and supplement its services.
Eager to trial their services is a young – half are under 30 years old – and digitally native population that spends around 8 hours a day online. Smartphone penetration is on the verge of crossing 70 per cent10 of the population and each year tens of millions of its people became first time internet users.11
The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a further catalyst when technology emerged as a critical means of reaching a population with health advice and allowing financial and commerce transactions to continue against a backdrop of lockdowns and mobility constraints. This saw an additional 60 million people in the region become online consumers throughout its duration.12
However, unlike in markets where banking access is more universal, the opportunity for fintech companies is not purely focused on converting consumers to digital alternatives but is often about addressing the challenge of providing a broader suite of financial services products. Those such as lending and wealth management services which have traditionally been once out of reach to consumers who have no previous experience with them and lack the credit histories required to obtain them.
So, whilst providers in the region started out with a focus on providing e-wallets to facilitate online and offline payments, they have broadened their functionality and in some cases are now replacing bank accounts and offer access to a broader suite of financial products, including savings and investment products, lending and insurance.
An example of one such product is Singapore-based Grab, which allows consumers to invest as little as $SG1 ($A1) at a time in fixed income funds through its app and offers users the convenience of being able to make cash deposits into their digital accounts whilst in its rideshare cars. They hand over their money to drivers who themselves are insured through fractionalised premiums paid only to cover the time that they are working for the company.
This has helped some – including Grab, but also GoTo (formed by the merger of Indonesian internet leaders Gojek and Tokopedia), MoMo, amongst others – increase user numbers over time. As has their metamorphosis into ‘superapps’ and a broader digital ecosystem of services that users would typically pay cash for – such as e-commerce, ride hailing, food delivery and mobile top ups.
The convenience and offering of these ‘superapps’ have led to their growing popularity amongst the population and a proliferation of providers that’s seeing digital payments fast becoming the norm for many of Southeast Asia’s consumers. It’s also helped propel the region to becoming one of the fastest-growing fintech markets in the world.13
Should they successfully convert a population with high smartphone penetration rates but traditionally dependent on cash to one that conducts and manages its spending online, they stand to capitalise on a digital economy that could be worth at least $US300 billion by 202514 (though post-pandemic estimates are that this could now be $US350 billion15) and a financial services opportunity of $US38 billion.16
Note: Combined revenue across six markets: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam
"Southeast Asia is a vast region with a large, urbanising, digitally savvy, yet underbanked population. Cash has been – and in many ways, remains – a dominant feature of everyday life, but digital finance providers are steadily bringing the under and unbanked in from the financial cold.
"However, unlike in other markets with more universal banking access, the opportunity for FinTechs doesn’t stop at e-wallets and online payments. Major payment platforms with captive user bases are increasingly monetising by providing a broad range of financial services to a significant segment of the population who have never had access to them until now.
"This is increasing financial inclusion and access to economic opportunity in the region, whilst also presenting an opportunity for companies and investors alike. As an investor, we are increasingly looking downstream past platforms to startups using technology to delivery financial products, from wealth management to insurance to credit, including alternative credit solutions such as buy now pay later."
Head of Technology Capital (Asia),
Macquarie Capital Principal Finance
The engine of the Southeast Asia economy is the 70 million micro, small and medium enterprises. Also underbanked17 and in the majority accepting only cash payments18 and paying their employees and suppliers in cash, they underlie the reason 60 per cent of the region’s Gross Transaction Value is cash based.19
Such dominance of physical currency is both the largest competitor to digital payment platforms and offers its greatest potential. These businesses face an online future and a requirement to develop the capabilities to accommodate the browsing and purchasing habits of young and digitally savvy consumers.
Cash usage is still dominant in Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia with a >50% contribution
Digital financial providers are – perhaps unsurprisingly – playing a key role in helping them make the transition. In addition to facilitating online payment, players like GoTo and Grab are increasingly key for small merchants, from simple initiatives such as introducing QR codes to accept digital infrastructure with minimal payments to providing access to new customers hundreds of miles away to fulfilment and logistics.
Accordingly, estimates are that the volume of funds flowing through digital wallets in Southeast Asia will more than treble from its current $US39 billion, to $US138 billion in 202520, as they increasingly encroach on the territory of cash transactions.
And as merchants digitise, it creates opportunities for the providers to facilitate financial services to these customers who have traditionally struggled to obtain financing or insurance, whether it is drivers for ride-hailing companies or restaurant partners for food delivery platforms.
Nimble fintech companies are particularly well-placed to innovate – especially in the lending space. Traditional banks are focused on providing credit, through loans and credit cards, but only to those with sufficient credit history. Fintech companies are able to develop their own credit scoring techniques and offer innovative products, such as ‘buy now pay later’ style offerings.
Where before it was impossible to lend to unbanked consumers and businesses as they had no or limited credit history, the use of digital alternatives to mainstream financial products allows providers to build up data on users’ financial management and spending patterns over time and use this to make future product and lending decisions.
Bringing such financial inclusion to a new generation is helping close the equality gap between those who have instant access to the broader digital economy and rapidly expanding world of ecommerce.
Access to savings, micro-loans and insurance products, for example, can also help people climb out of poverty by providing access to funding for education and training and stop them falling back into it by cushioning them when they experience income fluctuations or suffer from temporary or prolonged unemployment.
For businesses, digital payments themselves can help them manage cash flows, prove credit worthiness and attract new customers, whilst acting as a gateway to credit products that can fund growth and insurance that helps them mitigate risk.
Digital financial inclusion is associated with higher GDP growth Impact of digital financial inclusion on growth (in percentage of annual GDP growth)
Note: Annual GDP growth rates for countries with low (25th percentile), median, and high (75th percentile) levels of digital financial inclusion are shown, holding other explanatory factors of growth at their median levels.
At the national level, financial inclusion creates jobs, opens up new commercial opportunities, increases the standard of living, and can significantly reduce poverty rates21 and income inequality in developing countries,22 and is associated with higher GDP growth.23
Indeed, the World Bank cites access to mobile and digitally enabled payments as a necessary component, if a country’s population is to have financial inclusion, which itself the IMF describes as the bridge between economic opportunity and outcomes.24
Macquarie Capital has or manages investments in some of the companies named in this article.


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Chinese apple threat
Despite the threat of disease devastating orchards and pushing local growers out of business, the Federal Government has given the green light to apple imports from China.
Chinese fruit is already on supermarket shelves in the eastern states, with the product expected to arrive in WA within weeks, after Biosecurity Australia said the imported produce posed no threat.
Australia has not imported Chinese apples since the 1920s, and industry is worried the fruit will not have country-of-origin labelling.
“I was expecting to see a country-of-origin sticker, but only found the brand name ‘Great Wall’ on the imported apples, ” Apple and Pear Australia (APAL) chairman Darral Ashton said.
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“Our main concerns are that Australia remains free of pest and diseases and consumers are able to make informed buying decisions based on country-of-origin labelling.”
APAL board member and organic grower Jason Jarvis, who farms in Donnybrook, said fears of infestation by exotic pests indigenous to China and South East Asia had local growers deeply concerned.
Manjimup grower Alex Alban said fruit from Asia had Codling Moth and Apple Scab — to name but a few diseases — which could cause havoc in orchards.
“We will never be able to compete with China on labour costs, but I feel Australian consumers will continue to support locally grown apples, ” Mr Alban said.
Mr Alban decided three years ago to grow a new club variety, Jazz, and expects to harvest his first batch in April.
Developed in New Zealand, the Jazz is a cross between Royal Gala and Braeburn varieties.
“They are very hardy and have long shelf life, ” Mr Alban said.
“I am hoping that my investment in the Jazz variety is a safe hedge against Chinese imports and will offer better eating quality.”
WA Labor agriculture spokesman Mick Murray joined the chorus of opposition, and called on consumers to boycott Chinese apples.
“The importation of apples from China has understandably upset the local industry, ” Mr Murray said.
“Australia is known for its clean, green farming practises and I am calling on WA shoppers to continue to support the local industry.”
Mr Murray said he was pleased to hear that Coles and Woolworths had committed to supporting the Australian apple industry by refusing to stock the imported fruit.
In 2008–09, the WA apple and pear industry had a farmgate value of $57 million, with the State producing about 32,000 tonnes of apples during this period.
Horticultural adviser Marcel Veens, who has travelled the world analysing produce markets, said after Holland allowed imports of Chinese apples, local production had shrunk by 60 per cent over two decades.
“The Chinese apples are here to stay, ” Mr Veens said.
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Network for Learning has opened registrations for organisations interested in taking advantage of the N4L network, which will deliver high-speed fibre broadband to New Zealand schools.
Stories by Stephanie McDonald
Online retail sales lagged slightly in the 12 months to June 2013, according to the NAB online retail sales index, recording the weakest growth rate in the history of the index.
Melbourne IT has sold its digital recording division to Record Holdings for $6.3 million, resulting in a $1.2 million loss to Melbourne IT.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will review whether current backhaul regulations are adequate.
Premises in Darwin will be able to sign up for fibre National Broadband Network (NBN) connections for the first time this week.
Optus has switched on 25 new 4G sites in Adelaide and completed a major 3G expansion in the city, including upgrading 150 3G mobile sites.
Women make up just 20 per cent of the ICT workforce, compared to 45 per cent in all occupations, according to a study by the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency (AWPA).
Around 10,600 premises have been switched on to the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Tasmania today.
Service Stream has requested an extension of its trading halt on the Australian Stock Exchange amid reports it is looking to offload its Syntheo joint venture.
The federal government has set out provisions for government agencies using cloud without compromising security or privacy.
The federal government has injected $250,000 in funding for a National Broadband Network (NBN) training centre in Bendigo, Victoria.
Hewlett-Packard has been fined $3 million by the Federal Court for making misleading statements to customers and retailers about warranties.
Demand from providers for IPv6 services on the National Broadband Network (NBN) has been low, according to Tom Sykes from NBN Co.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is taking online group buying website Scoopon to court for allegedly engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct.
The government has introduced a new global roaming standard to avoid Australians encountering bill shock when they travel overseas – but some telco customers will need to wait years before they receive all the benefits of the changes.


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Vanta, the leading trust management platform, announced today that it has appointed Jeremy Epling as its Chief Product Officer overseeing engineering, product and design, reporting directly to Vanta’s CEO Christina Cacioppo. Epling is the second C-Suite executive to join Vanta’s leadership team this year with David Eckstein coming onboard in February as Chief Financial Officer.
“Jeremy’s long track record of developing products used by some of the world’s leading companies including KPMG, Mercedes Benz, P&G, and Stripe, coupled with a depth of experience in bringing AI and intelligence-powered, multi-product offerings to market, are tremendous assets to Vanta,” said Christina Cacioppo, CEO, Vanta. “I’m excited to welcome Jeremy to our team as we continue building for our customers in Vanta’s next phase of growth and beyond.”
Bringing over two decades of building to Vanta, Epling joins Vanta from GitHub where he was VP, Product for Actions, Codespaces, npm, Packages, leading all things Code to Cloud. During his tenure, Epling more than quadrupled the engineering, product and design teams, as GitHub Actions scaled from zero to millions of global developers. Epling also led GitHub Codespaces, GitHub Packages, and npm, delivering security features such as supply chain security, improving and requiring MFA, and new provenance capabilities for npm. In addition to leading product strategy and execution, he was responsible for pricing and packaging, and oversaw GitHub’s cloud partnerships.
Prior to GitHub, Epling spent over 16 years at Microsoft, last serving as Principal Group Product Manager for Azure, empowering developers to continuously build, test, and deploy to any platform or cloud. He studied Computer Science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
“Vanta is synonymous with category creation – from pioneering automated compliance in 2018 to serving as the market’s leading Trust Management platform today,” said Epling. “The talent of the Vanta team is unmatched, with a customer-centric approach to building in our DNA. I’m thrilled to bring my 20 years of experience building and bringing products to market for small scale-ups and large enterprises to our customers. Together, we’re taking security checks from point-in-time assessments to continuous visibility, and, ultimately, powering businesses in the future of work.”
Epling joins Vanta during a time of significant product acceleration to meet demand from the company’s rapidly expanding customer base. To date in 2023, Vanta has added over 125 new integrations, for a total of nearly 200 across the most essential cloud applications in a company’s tech stack. With Vanta’s recently launched Vendor Risk Management (VRM) solution and Questionnaire Automation, customers can evaluate security in the buying process while closing their own deals faster — all in a single platform. In May, Vanta also announced an expanded partnership with CrowdStrike to improve compliance and security operations for organizations of all sizes.
In addition to its product and partnership acceleration in 2023, Vanta’s innovation has been recognized across a range of rankings and awards including the #17 spot in CNBC’s Disruptor 50 and Inc’s Best Workplaces.
Over the past year, Vanta has doubled its customer base, serving over 5,000 companies across 58 countries, while expanding its global footprint with offices in Australia, Ireland and the U.S. Vanta has raised $203 million in funding from leading investors Craft Ventures, Sequoia and Y Combinator, security industry pioneers like CrowdStrike, and leading cloud company investment arms Atlassian Ventures, HubSpot Ventures and Workday Ventures.
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Africa: Harvesting New Horizons
Africa is a huge and diverse continent that cannot be described with a single and unique narrative, as the gap between the richest countries and the poorest is substantial. But, despite the differences, there are also common concerns. For example, political risk still contaminates states and internal and cross-border conflicts affect dozens of them.
In this context, intra-African free trade and regional value-added cooperation is seen as the best first step in breaking the cycle of underdevelopment that is denying opportunities for African workers and businesses. The removal of customs and other barriers will encourage constructive interaction and peaceful cooperation. And alongside with boosting trade flows, it will validate the cross-border infrastructure projects the continent needs.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA), which was signed by 54 African countries, aims to double intra-African trade by 2035. Currently at 18% intra-continental trade is relatively low compared to 47% in America, 61% in Asia, 67% in Europe and 7% in Oceania. As a consequence, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) is set to become the world’s largest free trade area, with a single market with a combined GDP of $3 trillion.
Moreover, building sustainable energy, transport and digital systems for people, businesses and industries will support the development of modern and reliable regional value chains, which are key to enhance the consolidation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Improving efficient and safe connectivity between regions and promoting value-added production and enhancement of industrial competitiveness through digital means are key to advance continental sustainability. Moreover, developing logistic and transport infrastructures that are climate-neutral, as well as deploying sustainable energy production systems will significantly help the continent to grow from a sustainable and human point of view.
Great economic opportunities are waiting to be unlocked in Africa. However, from global trade wars to poor infrastructure, Africa’s economy is struggling to keep pace. Investors must see themselves as stakeholders in Africa, just as Africa must grasp the opportunity to become stakeholders in the global economy. Boosting private sector and investment capital towards Africa’s business opportunities that will come with trade liberalization and the consolidation of integrated regional value chains remains essential to speeding up sustainable economic growth and the creation of decent jobs in the region. In this context, increasing investor’s confidence in Africa yet depend on numerous factors such as enhanced policy reforms in areas like governance and rule of law, robust financial systems and transparent regulatory frameworks, or investment facilitation and capital protection, among others.
With a special focus on the socio-economic situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this new edition of the New Africa Business Development Forum aims to provide a platform for Business and economic cooperation, for informative and interactive sessions with the prime movers of infrastructure sector across various spheres like government, policy-makers, industry leaders, academia and future investors, to explore new potential areas in trade cooperation, integrated regional value chains, sustainable and green investments, as well as prospects and challenges for financial assistance and access to finance to the infrastructure players.
19th November 2020
12.00 - 13.30
New Africa Business Development Forum
Session 1 – African Continental Free Trade Area: What difference will it make?
The launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area follows years of negotiations and preparations and, more recently, it faced months of delays due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Despite these burdens, the Africa’s free trade became a reality on 1 January 2021 aiming at making easier to do business across the continent.
The agreement envisions to create one of the world’s biggest free-trade areas, opening up a market of more than 1.2 billion people, with a combined GDP of more than $3 trillion. This would create business opportunities and jobs across Africa, while reducing the cost of some goods in the shops and markets. Moreover, AFCFTA includes a single set of rules to be adopted by each member with the objective to accelerate intra-African trade and boost Africa’s trading position in the global market.
However, yet the ambitious liberalization agenda, some concerns have been also raised by African economies based on the fear that the agreement may serve a few countries and corporations in Africa at the expense of small economies and MSMEs and the limited production and productivity capacities of the smaller states. Moreover, despite the entry into force of the agreement, some critical elements remain yet to be further developed or accomplished, such as the pending ratification of 34 out of 55 Member States who are in the African Union, or the drafting of an annex outlining the applicable Rules of Origin legislation, which is key to secure a just and rules-based continental free trade area.
At the same time, the continent faces several challenges, such as low levels of trade specialisations, small economies, fragmented markets, and lack of industrial capacity. The need to overcome certain key challenges together with the opportunities ahead the new AFCFTA will bring to Africa will determine if the agreement becomes a transformative player to spur Intra-African trade and continent’s modernisation, or it fails to advance the necessary reforms to allow Africa to increase its competitivity in the international economy.
Key points for discussion:
- What difference will the AFCFTA make in the post COVID-19 era for people and businesses?
- To what extent COVID-19 pandemic has affected the initial implementation of the AFCFTA at the national and regional level?
- What opportunities the AFCFTA will bring to small enterprises and SMES, and in particular, to youth and women’s empowerment and their access to the labour market?
- How could small economies fully benefit from the agreement?
- Which are the main challenges to the full implementation of a comprehensive intra-African free trade area? And the opportunities ahead?
Speakers to be confirmed
Session 2 – Improving regional value chains
The closure of economies around the world due to the pandemic is seen as increasing the need for intra-regional trade and integrating African economies in more connected and integrated regional value chains, which have been heavily dependent on imports from China, Europe, US and elsewhere.
African countries need therefore to look carefully at how they create and capture value from their engagement with each other and the wider world. The traditional export-led growth model may be running out of steam for some countries, although China’s rising wage may yet still allow some low wage manufacturers in Africa to increase market share. African entrepreneurs have historically depended on imports from China and India because it has been very expensive to import goods from neighbouring nations so, therefore, smaller firms simply could not engage in intra-African trade. In this context, COVID-19 has demonstrated more than ever that Africa is overly reliant on the export of primary commodities, as well as on global supply chains, at a moment when the global supply chains were disrupted, which led to Africa’s suffering.
The recent entry in force of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA), which envisions to create one of the world’s biggest free-trade areas, opening up a market of more than 1.2 billion people, with a combined GDP of more than $3 trillion, creates a significant momentum for the consolidation of integrated regional value chains that aim to be more sustainable, green, digital and more services-led while it spurs the post-COVID-19 recovery.
Supply chains in many African nations are still not very good, the continent would need $90 to $130 billion of investment in infrastructure per annum to get the region to where it needs to be, nevertheless, only USD 50 billion is nowadays available. At the same time, building reliable and sustainable regional energy, transport and digital systems for people and businesses and industries will support the development of low-carbon and climate resilient value chains and competitive and resource efficient business and industrial environments that contribute to the sustainable development of the African Continental Free Trae Area. Developing strategic value chains, innovation ecosystems and green transformation remains key to underpin Africa’s sustainable economic growth and the creation of decent employment opportunities for the continent’s increasing youth population.
Key points for discussion:
- How can regional supply chains be improved to be more sustainable in the long-term?
- How could the development of an integrated regional industrial base be promoted?
- To what extent targeting regional synergies in value-added production and enhancement of industrial competitiveness could help boost connectivity and competitivity?
- What prospects and challenges to develop sustainable business and industrial environments?
- Which sectors are key to untap Africa’s business and industrial modernization? How can the AFCFTA advance transformative industrialisation and enhance value-added cooperation through regional value chains?
Speakers to be confirmed
Session 3 – Green investments and financial cooperation in Africa
Public and private investments are essential to stimulate business entrepreneurship and sustainable economic growth and diversification. It is critical that African countries develop their capital markets to raise additional capital required. There is a positive course for Africans and African businesses to chart by 2050, yet many opportunities will be up also to Europe and the Mediterranean region to capitalise on the opportunity.
The European Green Deal is the EU’s new growth strategy until 2050 that puts environment and climate change at the heart of the EU domestic and external agenda. The EU Green Deal has a strong external dimension which will be key to underpin future financial aid and external cooperation to other regions; and Africa’s vast renewable energy, natural and biodiversity potential makes the continent a key partner in the future to develop and implement sustainable solutions as its economy grows in line with 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.
EU’s vast array of political tools and financial resources can contribute to create sustainable synergies with Africa that help mobilise the continent towards the sustainable path, including but not limited to, policy and regulatory cooperation, green investments, budget support, green budgeting and procurement, diplomatic support, or financial engagement with the private sector. In this context, EU financial instruments could play a key role together with EU development finance institutions to help improve investors’ confidence in the region by increasing the mobilisation of European and non-European capital, as well as by spurring green and climate neutral investments in the region towards the decarbonization of key sectors and enhancing resource efficiency and waste reduction in value chains.
For instance, budgetary guarantees such as the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), includes a target to spend 25 % of its 2021-2027 budget on external financial aid supporting climate objectives; while the External Action Guarantee could provide up to 60 billion euros in guarantee operations to boost sustainable and green investments in the continent over the same period.
At the same time, African Fintech could become a key additional player to boost beneficial trade and investment in the region and to advance in the economic and human development of the continent. Giving greater access to funding and financial inclusion through digital means is essential to advance the development of the private sector in Africa and untap region’s potential.
Key points for discussion:
- The session will be dedicated to:
- What structural challenges are nowadays hindering investors’ confidence in Africa?
- Which policy reforms and integrated actions could be developed to improve investors’ climate and business environment in the region?
- How the development of FinTech could help boost Africa’s economic potential and sustainable growth?
- What role for EU financial aid and cooperation to boost green and sustainable development in Africa? To what extent domestic investors could benefit from these financial mechanisms?
- How could banking institutions help advancing digital financial revolution in Africa? And mobilising green finance towards key sectors such as transport, energy use or industry?


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Page 8 of 190
Nov 20 2013: After falling for three consecutive months, US bookstore sales rose 6.3% in September, to $1.30 billion, according to preliminary estimates released Wednesday morning by the Census Bureau.
Nov 19 2013: William Weaver, who has died aged 90, was the greatest of all Italian translators. Before him, the professional translator was considered little better than a superior sort of typist. Weaver helped to bring the art of translation out of obscurity and give it a literary ...
Nov 18 2013: Barbara Park, author of the Junie B. Jones series, died Friday after a long battle with ovarian cancer, according to a statement released Sunday by Random House Books for Young Readers. She was a longtime resident of Scottsdale, Ariz., where she lived with her husband,...
Nov 17 2013: British author Doris Lessing died today, aged 94.
She became the oldest winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature when in 2007, at the age of 88, she won the award for her life's work. Her best-known works include The Golden Notebook, Memoirs of a Survivor and The ...
Nov 15 2013: More than 700 authors have signed up to handsell their favorite titles at over 400 independent bookstores during Indies First on Small Business Saturday, November 30. Last week, the American Booksellers Association launched an interactive map of participating Indies ...
Nov 14 2013: Google has defeated a legal action mounted to stop it scanning and uploading millions of books.
In 2005, the US Authors Guild sued Google alleging that its plans to create a digital library amounted to massive copyright infringement.
In its defense, Google said ...
Nov 07 2013: To the astonishment of many independent booksellers, yesterday Amazon announced a program whereby indies and other retailers can sell Kindle e-readers and accessories and, in some cases, receive a percentage of sales of e-books bought on devices purchased at stores...A ...
Nov 06 2013: Charlie Trotter, author of many cookbooks whose eponymous Chicago restaurant was considered one of the finest in the world, has died of a brain aneurysm aged 54.
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Tag: iPhone 4G
Apparently iPhone 4G just is an unofficial name. Yesterday the latest generation of iPhone series: iPhone 4 was unveiled by Steve Jobs at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
iPhone 4G will be coming in soon. Have you prepared some gadgets for it? Check out the Ivior iPhone 4G wooden dock, perhaps you need it.


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AExperts from IHS Markit share an overview of key industry trends impacting the global automotive aftermarket during the annual Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), Oct. 30 – Nov.1, 2018 in Las Vegas. Presentations include on vehicle technology and connected cars.
“We look forward to sharing our deep expertise and insights with industry leaders during AAPEX,” said Mark Seng, global aftermarket practice leader for IHS Markit. “Our aftermarket solutions provide an analytical view of the global market – in more than 100 countries around the world — as it continues to grow and evolve,” he said. “With this analysis of NAFTA and trade, technology, aftermarket and commercial vehicle trends, our customers and other aftermarket suppliers, distributors and service providers can use our perspective to take advantage of business development opportunities in a timely manner.”
Technology Transforming Transportation hosted Tues., Oct. 30, 2-3 p.m., The Venetian, Marco Polo Room 703 will focus on how technology is transforming the automotive industry. Jeremy Carlson, principal automotive analyst and manager, autonomous driving and new mobility, will discuss how automated and connected driving technology will create numerous opportunities to rethink personal mobility. He also will cover consumer adoption, regulation, and technology readiness and availability, and how it will influence the transformation of transportation. Advanced Driver Assist Systems, automated driving, autonomous technology, and connected and shared mobility also will be covered.


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Engagement on Facebook has fallen slightly by three minutes in 2018 and is unlikely to recover in 2019, according to new eMarketer insights.
The research firm published revised engagement rates for Facebook after the social media network has promoted changes to the way content should be consumed across its site.
Adults in 2019 are expected to spend around 38 minutes a day using the platform across all devices. In 2020, daily time spent on the platform is expected to drop to 37 minutes.
Although these adjustments appear small they may have an effect on advertisers and consumer engagement with ads across the site.
Debra Aho Williamson, a principal analyst at eMarketer, expects the loss in users to be driven by the younger generation, but also Facebook’s downranking of clickbait post and videos to promote healthier social media time.
“Less time spent on Facebook translates into fewer chances for marketers to reach the network’s users,” Williamson added.
Meanwhile, engagement on Snapchat has levelled out. eMarketer had previously projected a rise in the time spent on the platform, but users have become weary of the app’s redesign and are flocking to Instagram instead.
Time spent on Snapchat is expected to remain at 26 minutes a day until 2021.
Instagram appears to be in a much stronger position with user time expected to grow, reaching 27 minutes in 2019. Time spent is likely to increase by one minute each year until 2021.
The rise in engagement is likely driven by features such as Stories, video and also influencer content.


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Apple said Thursday that Verizon Wireless would begin selling the iPad at its stores on Oct. 28, reports the New York Times. The announcement is the latest sign that the relationship between Apple and Verizon is warming up. Verizon is expected to begin selling Apple’s iPhone early next year. Verizon will not be selling 3G versions of the iPad, which work over a cellular data network. Instead it will sell bundles that include the iPad’s Wi-Fi models and its own MiFi mobile hot spot device, which essentially allows users to connect to the Internet in any place that has 3G...
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The Copyrights Group and Dolea Ltd are happy to announce the launch of a unique Paddington-themed recyclable drinking straw collection, that unlike traditional paper products won’t go soggy when sitting in a cold drink.
Following the UK’s decision to ban the use of single-use plastic straws, Dolea’s inventor, Mr. Mika Salomäki, embarked on a journey towards a plastic-free future by creating safe recyclable paper straws using no chemicals, including no glue.
Dolea’s unique production process enables a four-colour print on the straws, making them safe, as well as fun and long lasting for children.
This collaboration includes a series of bright and engaging collectable straws featuring a range of Paddington designs, whilst being kind to the environment.
This partnership aligns with Copyrights’ Bear Kind initiative inspired by one of Paddington’s core values of kindness, as it contributes to building a more sustainable and kinder world.
Mr Patrick Aberg, SVP Licensing at Dolea, says: “Who would be better for this unique product than Paddington. Sustainability is what we need to manage the future challenges and by partnering with such a well-known brand such as Paddington, it is a great way to ensure they also remain fun and engaging for fans.”
Henry Foulds, Head of New Business Development at The Copyrights Group, says: “We are delighted to be partnering with Dolea to offer this truly Bear Kind initiative to fans in the UK, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and we are sure they will prove to be very popular.”


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Vishal Amin and Emma Allen, lead inventors at strategic innovation consultancy ? What If! explore how banks are no longer in competition with each other, but with all companies with which people entrust their money.
Financial Services is no longer a safe haven for inertia, and change is knocking on the door. Banking consumers used to be broadly static. The old challenge for marketeers was how to disturb the inertia. But, coming out of recession, something has changed. Category by category, we see that consumers are getting used to exploding their own habits and driving the change.
The internet is buzzing with articles highlighting that retail banking’s recovery from the economic downturn has been hindered by non-banking players entering their market. A whole host of start-ups, together with the Silicon Valley behemoths, are using technological advancements to introduce consumers to alternative, consumer-driven solutions to the typical current/savings account model, changing the way people save, share and spend their money.
In fact, in many cases, consumers are not even aware that they are shifting their mindsets and developing new behaviors. Take the gift card market as a prime example: it currently accounts for £5 billion a year in sales in the UK and is growing at 10 per cent a year, yet many consumers do not even acknowledge this product as competition to their high street bank account. These new technologies and behaviors will, over time, circumvent three basic banking functions; payment, storing money and transferring funds between consumers.
The bigger threat looms from players that are also competing for deposits. The risk is heightened by the fact some of the players have every day, meaningful relationships with consumers. Take Transport for London’s Oyster Card – reports recently surfaced outlining how £100 million was stored on ‘dormant’ Oyster cards, indicating that consumers are adapting new behaviors that could directly impact deposits.
Even retailers like Starbucks, who now process one third of their sales in the US through their own loyalty card platform, are thinking differently about their payment strategy, bringing to the forefront the reality that banks maybe losing the payment battle. Payments typically account for a quarter of a bank’s revenue, but the market is becoming increasingly competitive with $1.2 billion invested through the venture capital community in 2013 alone. iTunes, which has its own payment platform, recently reported estimated revenue of $16billion, with growth expected at 20 per cent year-on-year, and that is not even taken into consideration the potential impact of the new Passbook features which further revolutionize payments.
Even the more financially-focused players who were once considered niche are becoming bigger than most banks: PayPal now has over 150 million ‘accounts’, and growth was reported to be 20 per cent in Q2 this year. Take the behaviors of the next wave of SMEs, emerging from the 70 per cent of millennials who have a side ‘gig’ to earn some pocket money. The majority are leveraging online payment solutions like PayPal, instead of opening traditional business banking accounts, which seem more flexible and suited to their needs.
More far out, future challenges may well come from consumers themselves who increasingly rely on the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’. Young consumers are more often turning to their families to provide loans to cover day-to-day spending, educational costs, even deposits for new homes. In turn, parents are having to review their financial situations with a huge market growing in ‘equity release’. This issue is further heightened by an increasingly common financial need to support elderly parents through care as our population ages these are all areas where banks were traditionally the first port of call… New businesses that support this behavior are likely to come out on top, especially given that the most recent innovation in mortgages, the offset mortgage, was introduced decades ago.
These risks have been recognised by leaders across the industry with three quarters (77 per cent according to ?What If!’s recent report, Eyes Wide Shut: Leading for innovation in post-recession Britain) of them admitting their business model rests too heavily on fading revenue streams and half (47 per cent) believing they need to fundamentally rethink their business model. However, only 17 per cent rank innovation as their top business priority. The lack of focus on innovation as the solution raises concerns, especially given that the majority of new entrants to the market are approaching the target in a radically different way: using fresh thinking and not being held back by legacy infrastructure, regulatory mindsets and crippling overheads.
Many senior leaders believe regulation will slow disruption in this market and as a result believe time is on their side, but players like Atom and Osper have different ideas. They are targeting consumers with a new tailored vision which they have paired with a supporting portfolio of digital banking services. P2P lending, which was also seen as a niche player, has continued to grow and now has been seen as a vehicle to support investment in small businesses from the UK government with Funding Circle recently receiving another £40 million. These new innovative businesses are not letting regulation limit them and rightfully so. We seem to be entering a new world where regulation will evolve and shift to fit a new consumer need and environment: the impact of taxi disrupter Uber is testament to that.
Banks have responded by developing consumer-focused marketing campaigns, becoming more ‘digital’ and realigning their infrastructure for survival. Often however, these digital movements are shallow-cutting innovations, that although act as a successful acquisition strategy, do not ignite loyal users that drive value, for example Barclay’s Ping It. This is because is not part of a joined up innovation strategy, or underlain by any iconic actions that make customers take note of an overall strategic redirection. Instead the truth is a digital offering seems often to be used as a tool to reduce branch services and, as a result, staff, rather than a real growth mechanism. The result is in fact the opposite of the objective of growth innovation. It serves to alienate those customers who are more resistant to change, and doesn’t deliver for those who are more innovation and tech-savvy.
If banks are to survive in this new age they need to fundamentally reassess their ecosystem and broaden their view of their ‘competitive set’. This will help them identify a genuine customer-centric solution that allows them to make the most of their current strengths and identify their key weaknesses. Whether this involves extending their relationship with consumers beyond the point of payments and deposits, enabling some of the workarounds that exist in the market today or maximising on the use of the vast amounts of current and historical data they own, they need to each find their edge and a reason to exist. This also needs to be overlain by a truly cut through and simplistic proposition. Simplicity is what banking consumers and crying out for. This is illustrated by the success of Santander’s 1,2,3 account with it’s easy to understand offer – Santander posted a 48 per cent increase in profits in the first quarter, 2014, which it for the most part attributed to 63,000 customers switching to this current account (Santander Press Release).
All this points to the fact it’s time to take off those blinkers that are created by old mindsets, constrained by existing infrastructures or leaning on historical competitive plays. Otherwise they will suffer the same fate as players from other related markets whose business model was turned upside down through the digital age.
Vishal Amin and Emma Allen, lead inventors at strategic innovation consultancy ?What If!


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When Andrea Lieberman launched A.L.C. in 2009, the fashion world quickly embraced her vision for the modern woman’s wardrobe. But long before Bergdorfs and Barneys started stocking her designs, Leiberman was already an established industry player.
The Parsons graduate actually started in retail with her own NYC boutique Culture and Reality, which sold bits ‘n pieces inspired by her extensive travels. Eventually Lieberman’s discerning eye led her into the world of styling, where she skyrocketed to fame working with big name clients like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson. In fact, Lieberman was responsible for J.Lo, who was a client of hers at the time, wearing that now-iconic green Versace number to the Grammys.
We caught up with Lieberman to learn more about how she seeks inspiration everywhere from Africa to New York and how she built her brand.
Vogue and the CFDA have assembled another promising bunch of young labels to compete for a chance to win the coveted CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund this year. As usual, the 10 finalists represent various aesthetics, categories, and levels of prominence. Some may be more well-known than others, but given the number of applicants those judges have Read more →
The winner will receive a cash prize and mentorship from an industry veteran. Joseph Altuzarra took home the top prize ($300,000) for 2011, while runners up Pamela Love and Creatures of the Wind got $100,000 each. All three of them got to design a capsule collection for J. Crew. And, it was all documented on a Hulu show.
Now, the following designers will embark on a series of challenges over the next few months, including presenting to a panel of judges, creating a one-of-a-kind piece for Tiffany & Co., and staging a runway show in Los Angeles at the Chateau Marmont. The winner and runners up will be announced at a gala dinner November 13. So, without further ado, the finalists are…


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L'ABUS D'ALCOOL EST DANGEREUX POUR LA SANTÉ. À CONSOMMER AVEC MODÉRATION.
NYNY #PFW PARTY AT SILENCIO
Last Fashion Week at Silencio, Once again Tommy and the NewYorkers nailed it! Dope Party with friends and hotties. Photos: … Read more
“La Famiglia” – Pasta Party at Le Bon Marché
A few nights ago Le Bon Marché celebrated the launch of “La Famiglia,” its Italian-themed fall exhibition, with a Pasta … Read more
MAN / WOMAN 5-year anniversary special cruise
The international & human scale fashion trade show MAN / WOMAN has celebrated his 5-year anniversary this Saturday during a … Read more


text: California would become the first state to require warning labels on sodas and other sugary drinks under a proposal a state lawmaker announced Thursday. SB1000 would require the warning on the front of all beverage containers with added sweeteners that have 75 or more calories in every 12 ounces. The label would read: ‘STATE OF CALIFORNIA SAFETY WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay.’ Democratic Sen. William Monning, who proposed the bill, said there is overwhelming research showing the link between sugary drinks and those health problems, adding that the wording was developed by a national panel of nutrition and public health experts. The bill has the backing of the California Medical Association and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. ‘The goal of the warning quite simply is to give consumers the right to know what are well-established medical impacts from consuming these beverages,’ Monning, from Carmel, said in a telephone interview. ‘We’re talking about a public health epidemic that will take more lives than gun violence.’ The Latino Coalition for a Healthy California and the California Black Health Network also are sponsoring the legislation, citing the heavy consumption of sugary drinks and associated health problems among minorities. A bill similar to Monning’s was introduced last year in Vermont, but it has been held in the Committee on Human Services since April. The Vermont bill would require manufacturers to put warning labels on beverages that contain sugar or other artificial additives. CalBev, the California arm of the Washington, D.C.-based American Beverage Association, noted that the industry already posts calorie counts on the front of many beverage containers as part of its ‘Clear on Calories’ campaign that began in 2010. Also, drink bottles already have detailed ingredient lists and nutritional information.


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New findings highlight just how hard it has been for the FDA to keep potentially unsafe supplement ingredients off the market.
By Rebecca Robbins, STAT
WASHINGTON -- A Dallas company that had been ordered to recall a dietary supplement pill because of links to liver damage has been indicted along with several of its executives on charges that they intentionally misbranded their products and deceived…
By Eric Tucker, Associated Press
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The international game development agency Amber has opened up two new offices in Asia.
One of the firm’s new offices will be based in Taipei in Taiwan, and the other will be in Manila in the Philippines. Both have been described by Amber as ‘part of the strategy to accelerate the company’s global expansion, following its investment round at the end of last year’.
Amber Taipei will work on art, programming and game design, and led by general manager Jason Chein will aim to get Amber more experience and involvement in AAA game development. Chein used to work at companies like Amazon, Electronic Arts and Microsoft, where he oversaw several key initiatives including the Xbox 360 launch in Asia.
Amber Manila on the other hand will be more of a development services division, working on quality assurance, localization, certification, player support and art. That team is led by general manager Mel Songco, who has held also held a variety of global and regional leadership positions including at Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard and Vivendi Games.
“The Asian market has always been on our development roadmap for several reasons,” said Jaime Gine, CEO of Amber. “First and foremost, we have been attracted by the extremely talented people who can augment our development capabilities and help us become better at creating games. At the same time, being present on a new continent allows us to respond to the needs of our clients more quickly and efficiently.”
Following the studios’ openings, Amber now has an active development presence in Taipei, Manila, Bucharest, Botoșani, Montreal, Guadalajara, Kyiv, Warsaw, San Francisco and Los Angeles, which gives them quite an expansive reach when it comes to industry talent.
In 2022, Amber reported a record turnover of 45.4 million dollars, which was an increase of more than 52% compared to its previous business year, so its current growth strategy seems to be paying off.


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Although PC Game Pass has been available for some time in the main Microsoft and Xbox markets, the truth is that there were still a good handful of countries in Latin America (and Europe) in which the subscription service had not been launched. Now, Microsoft has confirmed that, via Xbox Insider, Users from another 40 countries will be able to enjoy the service.
At the moment, yes, it does so in format preview. Includes access to all games available in the Microsoft PC Game Pass subscription for a special trial price for the first monthbut then it will cost the same price as the regular subscription.
Access to the program preview of PC Game Pass will be available from today February 28. Users who want to try the service must register in the Gama Pass preview via the Insider Program within the Xbox Insider Hub app for PC. Once registered, you will have access to over a hundred games. Plus including new Xbox Game Studios releases from day one, Bethesda games, access to EA Play and exclusive subscriber benefits on Riot Games.
There are already more than 80 countries in which PC Game Pass is available
In total, as we say, there are 40 new countries that will have this service available, spread across almost all regions, including America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Costa Rica
- The Savior
- north macedonia
The PC Game Pass library is renewed every month with new content and, as Microsoft has announced, there will be new releases next April. Minecraft Legends will launch on Tuesday, April 18; Redfall, the expected shooter of, arrives on May 2; and the arrival of the big games from Xbox Studios is expected next fall.
Along with the announcement of the arrival of the service in these 40 countries, Microsoft has confirmed that PC Game Pass is now available in 86 countries around the worldeither. It is undoubtedly one of the most widely available subscription services on the market.


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Nintendo is preparing to release a new update for its game Super Mario Maker 2, which is based on episode design. The developer shared a trailer for the update that will include the new World Maker mod in the game.
Nintendo’s Switch console-specific game, Super Mario Maker 2, gets a new mode called World Maker with the new update. The new mode, as the name implies, allows players to create different worlds in the game.
The World Maker mode of Super Mario Maker 2 allows not only creating individual levels, but also connecting them to small worlds. Players can now create 8 different worlds up to 40 levels. Nintendo also released a new trailer that shows all the changes coming to the game this week, including the World Maker mode.
In addition to World Maker, SMM2 is a super Mario Bros. It also includes the new SMB2 mushroom, which turns it into 2 forms, and allows players to take on enemies like in the NES classic. Also Super Mario Bros. Frog Suit from 3, New Super Mario Bros. Super Acorn and Boomerang Suit costumes from U are also added to the game.
On the other hand, new masks are coming that change Mario’s abilities, including the Goomba mask, the Bullet Bill mask, and the Red Pow Box. Koopalings will also be included in this update, allowing to add some variety to boss battles. Finally, a new Cursed Key item such as Mechakoopa from SMB2 Phanto will be added to the game. The new update of Super Mario Maker 2 will be released tomorrow for Nintendo Switch players.
Super Mario Maker 2 – World Maker update:


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This week’s PR news in brief (31 July – 4 August)
Here is a round-up of the essential PR stories, people news and account wins that have been announced over the past week.
Europe’s largest sweet shop, Kingdom of Sweets, has handed its consumer PR account to Frank. The agency’s first project will be to launch the chain’s new 10,000 square foot “mega store” in central London.
Integrated communications agency One has secured the PR and social brief for Hoover floorcare and small domestic appliances following a three-way pitch. The firm has represented Hoover’s major domestic appliances business for more than a decade.
The Lifestyle Agency has been appointed for the launch of cocktail bar chain Mahiki’s new central London venue in Kensington next month. The agency has also secured a raft of new accounts including Polynesian restaurant Pufferfish, luxury florist Hayford & Rhodes, shoe brand Unicorn Sands, ski resort operator Vail Resorts and Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa.
Little Red Rooster has been appointed as the retained PR agency for UK TV platform Freeview. It will be responsible for raising awareness and understanding of the brand’s smart TV offering, Freeview Play.
Carousel PR has won a five-way pitch to deliver PR and social media for East Coast Concepts – the Manchester-based company behind restaurant brands Neighbourhood and Victor’s.
Mason Williams Communications has been appointed to handle the consumer PR brief for Kidtropolis, a children’s event which will take place at ExCeL London in October.
Service supply chain and field service technology company ByBox has appointed B2B PR and communications agency Limelight to build its profile and support its growth strategies within the UK and overseas.
MESH Theatre Co, the UK-based theatre company founded this year by Sally Woodcock, has handed its PR brief to Three Little Birds. The agency will represent MESH for its debut production of the WW1 story Journey’s End.
Social media marketing agency Influencer has enlisted YouTube star Caspar Lee as chief innovation officer.
Allison+Partners’ executive vice president and head of consumer technology Jordan Fischler and real estate lead and Seattle general manager Richard Kendall have both been promoted to the partnership team. Partner Zach Colvin has been promoted to the newly created position of chair, California.
Citigate Dewe Rogerson provided strategic communications advice and implementation for Polish telecoms company Play Communications during its recent IPO.
Brighton-based corporate communications agency Foco was launched this week by co-founders Michael Taggart, John Shewell and Nick Sturman.
The Capital Conversation, a new weekly business TV show airing at 7pm on London Live, launched on Tuesday, hosted by Seven Hills co-founder Michael Hayman.
K&H Comms has launched a lifestyle division with Anna Olszewski-Lewis at the helm. Its first major project will be the launch of Passo, an LA inspired Italian restaurant in London.
- Pictured: Hoover’s Freedom Pets 2-in-1 Cordless Vacuum Cleaner


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New arthroplasty revision system launched in Europe and U.S.
Orthofix Medical, a medical device company with a spine and orthopaedics focus, has announced the U.S. and European full market launch of the OSCAR PRO Ultrasonic Arthroplasty Revision System.
Read the full article at: www.med-technews.com
Who We Are
Omnica Corporation is a privately-held design, engineering, and medical product development firm located in Irvine, California. The 28-person company is staffed with full-time employees and has been in operation since 1984. Our speciality is custom product development for the medical industry and industrial fields.
Our expertise is developing complex medical devices.Technical personnel at Omnica includes designers, mechanical engineers, electronic and software engineers, advanced R&D specialists, regulatory staff (for FDA documentation), machinists and model makers.


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Walt Disney World may be upgrading their transportation system in a big way. A couple weeks ago, we learned about plans underway to develop a gondola transit system at the resort which would transport guests between select theme parks and resorts. Now, we are hearing reports about a driverless shuttle system that could be in the works as well.
In a story first reported by the LA Times, Disney is planning to test a driverless shuttle system that would transport passengers through parking lots. The first test would be conducted later this year in cast-member parking lots. Then, if all goes well, park guests could start using the shuttle system sometime in 2018.
Two autonomous shuttle manufactures are being considered by Disney. Both Phoenix-based Local Motors and Paris-based Navya, companies design autonomous, electric-powered shuttles that can hold up to 15 passengers and travel up to 25 mph or more. The vehicles use programmed radars, lasers and cameras for navigation and to keep the shuttles in a designated zone. The shuttles are also customizable and could be themed to each theme park.
At this time, there are no plans to use this system at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.
Disney did not return emails and phone calls from the LA Times seeking comment.


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Corpus Christi, located in the Gulf of Mexico, is the most expensive destination in Texas based on the cost of lodging, according to a recent survey conducted by CheapHotels.org.
Life House Delivers Ultra-Luxury Hospitality With High Profitability At The Wheatleigh Hotel In The Berkshires
In November 2020 Life House assumed the management of the historic Forbes Five-Star Wheatleigh Hotel and its AAA Five-Diamond restaurant in the picturesque Berkshires. Since taking over management in November, Life House has increased RevPAR by 76% over the prior operator's "Pre-COVID" performance, decreased operating expenses by 32% on an apples-to-apples basis, and simultaneously increased guest satisfaction scores - demonstrating that Life House's technology and operating systems are able to empower great hospitality, not only automate costs.
Following months of trials, MGM Resorts is adding cutting-edge enhancements to its Convene with Confidence program, one of the meeting industry's most comprehensive health and safety plans, designed to get businesses back to doing business in person.
According to a recently released report from the Global Wellness Summit, 2021 is expected to be year of the "travel reset" where travelers get back on the road and go "slower, nearer and more mindfully," following the unprecedented impact of COVID-19.
Strategic Solution Partners Continues To Expand Its Consulting Team In Finance, Design And Investing
Strategic Solution Partners continues to expand its hospitality consulting division with experts in key fields of finance, design and investment that can bring innovation and change to hotel owners, management companies, and restaurants.
hihotels by Hospitality International, a recognized leader in franchising of conversion and new build hotels for economy lodging, is pleased to report that the company signed and/or activated four properties into the system during the first quarter of 2021.
Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on Friday's announcement that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will substantially relax the guidance .
The U.S. Leisure & Hospitality sector gained 280,000 jobs in March and the industry's unemployment rate now stands at 13.0%—compared with 916,000 jobs gained and a 6.0% unemployment rate for the overall economy, according to the monthly employment report released Friday by the Department of Labor.
Aimbridge Hospitality, the leading, global, third-party hotel management company has been selected by owners Ethan Capital to manage the newly opened 288 room property.
Crescent Hotels & Resorts has added the DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomfield Hills Detroit to its award-winning suite of major hotels and resorts. The hotel, formerly known as the Kingsley Inn, underwent a stunning renovation and reopened under its new brand in 2018.


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Today Capcom took to the digital stage as part of Geoff Keighley’s big, not-E3 Summer Game Fest 2023 extravaganza. Capcom has been on a bit of a hot streak lately, with hits like the Resident Evil 4 remake, Street Fighter 6, and Monster Hunter Rise. So today was an opportunity for Capcom to either keep the good times going or signal that the hot streak might be cooling down.
Which was it? The full video is just below, or continue on for our round-up of everything Capcom revealed, announced, and presented, and let us know in the comments.
Capcom opened the show with a mention that this month is its 40th anniversary as a company before replaying the same Path of the Goddess trailer it showed at the Xbox showcase. The publisher says the colorful action game is running on the RE Engine.
Apparently, the Deep Log, a digital bank containing Mega Man X memories, is under attack. Oh no! It’s up to over 100, upgradeable Mega Man characters to team up and somehow save the Deep Log. This new Mega Man adventure is coming to mobile devices and PC in 2023.
Capcom had more details to share about this “more immersive version” of the hit remake. On PS VR2, Capcom says you can use motion controls to parry enemy attacks with your knife. Resident Evil 4 VR mode will be free DLC only available on PS VR2.
Remember that cool-looking sci-fi game Capcom announced back in 2020 for PS5? Well, it’s been delayed again. “It is with a heavy heart that we must further postpone the release of Pragmata,” said Capcom at the end of a new trailer. No new release date was given for the game, which isn’t a great sign...
Capcom had a new trailer for the upcoming remaster of its beloved cult mystery game, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. But you don’t have to wait to play this new remaster, as Capcom also announced a new demo is out now. The full game is out on June 30 for Xbox One, PS4, Switch, and Windows.
Good news for all you courtroom anime fans, Capcom has a new remastered collection of Ace Attorney games in the works. This time it bundles improved versions of Apollo Justice, Dual Destinies, and Spirit of Justice into a single collection. It launches in early 2024 on Xbox One, PS4, Switch, and Windows with support for seven different languages.
To celebrate the company’s previously mentioned 40th anniversary, Capcom has launched a “digital theme park” called Capcom Town. This odd thing will include playable, classic Capcom games and other activities. It’s kind of cute, but considering how slim this show felt, it also stood out as a sign that maybe we didn’t need a full showcase, Capcom.
Next month, on July 14, Capcom’s dino-killing co-op shooter Exoprimal launches on console and PC. So Capcom had a lot to show and say about the upcoming game, which will be launching on Game Pass on day one. Considering how silly and weird this game looks, that’s probably a good idea.
Capcom also confirmed a second open beta will be happening between June 16-June 18 and it will feature new content, including 10-player missions.
Capcom ended the short showcase with a new look at its upcoming Action-RPG sequel Dragon’s Dogma II. Well, first we had to watch the previous trailer for the game, but then we got some new info on how the sequel’s pawn system will work and a better look at some new gameplay. No release date for this highly anticipated follow-up, but it’s looking good!
Kotaku is covering everything Summer Game Fest, from the main show on Thursday to other events happening throughout the next week. Whether you’re into larger-than-life triple-A games or intimate, offbeat indies, you can keep up with all things SGF here.


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Sex sells, this has been known since the dawn of modern advertising. Airlines and travel companies use images of attractive people on beaches or ski slopes in their marketing, display images of attractive cabin crew on billboards and some airlines are racier then others … but few cross the line. The airlines that do cross the line of catchy to tasteless are those who play on shock value, such as Ireland’s Ryanair and Spirit Airlines in the United States … but Air India, India’s conservative national flag carrier’s new ad campaign for the New York – Mumbai route may push the boundaries farther than even Ryanair and Spirit Airlines.
Over the past few years Air India has struggled in the U.S. market, facing new competitors. New York, once a strong hold for the airline now faces competition from United Airlines, Jet Airways, Delta (via Amsterdam) and other carriers, offering more connections, alliance partners and better marketing. The cash strapped Air India has been seeking ways to win back its once lucrative routes and regain control of their brand image. Brand image is important for all companies and especially important for airlines.
Air India’s image has been tarnished for number of reasons over the years, but the latest released potential advertising campaign for the New York market misses the mark. The advertisement depicts a surprised black man seemingly about to engage in oral sex with a white woman, as an angry Indian lady, with an Air India baggage tag on her bag, is poised to walk out. The tag line of the ad reads “Daily Direct Flights Between New York and Mumbai. Now reach home faster.”
It is unclear if the advertisement is being released, however a source close to Air India’s North American marketing team has stated this ad was created by a creative firm working with Air India, using stock imagery, and submitted to the airline. Rohit Rao, of AeroBlogger, was informed that the ad was presented to Air India and the executives were horrified by, however the airline states, “the possibility that the advertisement may be used in the future cannot be ruled out.”
Catchy ads capture our attention, sexually suggestive ads keep our attention, but offensive ads tend to tarnish brand image … and an airline with a tarnished brand image, desperately seeking to be seen as a top tier travel experience in the skies does not need to be associated with any of the messages conveyed in this advertising for Air India.
Below is the racy and offensive Air India ad.


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Miyoko’s Creamery’s New Lunchbox Favorite: Dairy-Free Cheese Sticks
The vegan cheese company Miyoko’s Creamery just debuted its lunchbox-oriented vegan cheese sticks. The Plant Milk Cheddar Sticks bring a familiar snacktime favorite to plant-based families, sourced completely from Miyoko’s Plant Milk made from coconut oil, oats, and chickpeas. The vegan cheese sticks also contain fava beans, hemp seed butter, and pineapple to enhance flavor profile and nutritional value.
“For a while now, parents have asked us when we’ll introduce more family-friendly snackable options, and we’re very excited to launch Vegan Cheddar Sticks,” founder and CEO of Miyoko’s Creamy Miyoko Schinner told VegNews. “These vegan cheese sticks allow us to continue on our promise of delivering all the goodness of plant milk and with no added flavors; they also have two grams of plant protein. Earlier this week, we gave our social media followers a sneak peek at the new Vegan Cheddar Sticks and the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.”
The product will be launching on Miyoko’s website this month before the product makes its retail debut. The company plans to begin distributing to Whole Foods Market initially this June and July, but soon after, other retailers across the nation will begin stocking the vegan cheese sticks. Miyoko's is aiming to release different flavors, providing a variety for the new plant-based lunchbox item alongside a “never before seen” vegan cheese. The cheese sticks are now available on the website for $4.99 per six-pack.
Miyoko’s Creamery has quickly become a fan favorite in the plant-based cheese and dairy industry. The company created a buzz when it opened a grilled cheese pop-up in San Francisco, serving free vegan grilled cheese using its dairy-free cheese and butter without letting on that the sandwich was vegan. Since then, the company’s success has accelerated and now Miyoko’s offers an extremely diverse catalog of products including nut-based cheese wheels, butter, multiple flavors of cheeses, and dairy-free cheese spreads.
The vegan cheese company is making strides to legitimize the plant-based dairy market, hoping to encourage US and global consumers to try plant-based foods. Earlier this month, Miyoko’s revealed its largest and most extravagant advertisement by taking over three electronic billboards in Times Square. The billboard advertisement reads the tagline “Milk Plants Hug Cows,” and will be running until June 2th7.
The company itself is extremely outspoken about its position in the market. Schinner has used her brand to advocate for vegan and social justice movements as well as to challenge the US government to focus on climate solutions especially regarding food production. From activism to lunchbox snacks, Miyoko’s is paving the way for plant-based dairy in a mission to promote its importance while also providing tasty vegan cheese for all consumers.


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It’s November 7, at least in the US, and that means it’s N7 day, which in turn means it’s time for more Mass Effect: Andromeda news.
We got our first taste of the next Mass Effect at E3 earlier this year, with the news our previous progress won’t impact the new universe. Then at the Playstation 4 Pro announcement we got to see the first proper gameplay demo running on the new machine. Well today we have a proper cinematic trailer, and it’s certainly looking slick.
If you were gobsmacked by how gorgeous that trailer looked, that certainly makes two of us. And while most of the time we should apply a little scepticism when it comes to trailer visuals versus the end product, the video ends by disclosing that the footage is not only captured in-engine, but is “representative of game experience”. Most of the time trailers make a point to say that while it’s “captured in-engine” or “running on a PS4”, the footage is “subject to change” or “pre-alpha” or some other term that covers their bases should things need to be changed come launch day.
But not this time; it’s written there, clear as day. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen it stated so plainly like this before.
So there you go, that’s the kind of visual quality we can expect from Mass Effect: Andromeda. It may take a high end PC to get it there, who knows, but that’s what it should look like and EA and Bioware can be held to that. I almost commend them for saying it, because hopefully it means they’ve held off on showing the game until it’s been ready to be shown in the state it will release in.
Sadly Mass Effect: Andromeda isn’t releasing until Spring 2017 (Australian Autumn), and will be available on Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC.


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While most cruisers are positive, ask them what bugs them most about cruising and one of the answers will be “the Internet.”
On ships, Internet access can be slow, lose connections and cost a lot. Prices can range from 55 to 75 cents a minute and, in 50-to-500-minute packages, the cost is adjusted by the number of minutes.
Viking Cruises, the new name covering both Viking’s river and ocean cruises, has determined that Internet connection bugs passengers so much that it’s offering free web service on the Viking Star, the first ocean-going ship that’s to launch in 2015. On Viking’s river ships, the Internet is always free, as the ships are within yards of shore so connections, while balky at times, are local.
But Viking isn’t alone in improving Internet access. On many ships you can now connect from anywhere — your room, the bar and so on — and the cost is usually the same. This happens in an age when all generations are connecting online to family and friends, including by streaming video, and expect Wi-Fi to be faster and cheaper.
Royal Caribbean’s chief information officer Bill Martin, in a recent interview with Information Week, indicated his company increased its bandwidth sevenfold this year, enabling more guests to be online simultaneously. The cruise line is currently piloting fibre-like service on Allure of the Seas, with test packages for $49.95 a day, or a seven-night unlimited data package for $179. Minute usage rates are 65 cents.
After an engine room fire on Feb. 10, Carnival’s Triumph was left adrift in the Gulf of Mexico. Since then, Carnival has spent $300 million on engineering upgrades and fire suppression equipment to help prevent such incidents.
Now, Carnival is rebranding the company and, according to president and CEO Gerry Cahill, it’s stepping up with a strong guarantee.
“The Great Vacation Guarantee is designed to provide an assurance to those (passengers) who, if they are dissatisfied for any reason, have a simple and hassle-free means for receiving a full refund and more,” said Cahill.
Unhappy passengers simply notify the guest services desk within 24 hours departure to receive a full refund of their fare plus 10 per cent, along with complimentary return air transportation from the next port of call. They’ll also get complimentary ground transportation and hotel accommodations (if necessary), along with a $100 shipboard credit to be used on a future Carnival cruise.”
The guarantee covers cruises of three to eight days to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Canada and New England departing through April 30, 2015.
Obviously, the idea is to encourage people who have never tried Carnival — for whatever the reason — to give it a whirl.
Phil’s Pick of the Week
Since they were launched as the world’s two biggest cruise ships, the popularity of Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas has kept price points higher than most ships in the fleet.
Here’s a reasonable deal, with prices available at time of writing and based on per-person, double occupancy. It’s a seven-day cruise on Allure of the Seas and leaves Dec. 1 from Fort Lauderdale. Ports include Labadee (Haiti), Falmouth (Jamaica) and Cozumel. Starting price: $690 (balcony, $819).
See a cruise travel agent or go to Royalcaribbean.com.
Visit portsandbows.com for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behind-the-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Phil Reimer may be contacted directly at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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[UPDATE] Konami To Host 2nd Annual Pre-E3 Show
They must open their Christmas presents early too.
UPDATE: Spike TV and GameTrailers.com will be carrying the event, via an exclusive deal with Konami. "Select elements" of the show will be broadcast on Spike TV at 1am, this Thursday, May 31st. This will be followed by the entire Pre-E3 show going up on GameTrailers.com at 1:30am the same night/morning.
The accompanying press release also indicates that a brand new gameplay trailer of Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance will showcased, along with the announcement of a brand new major game set for release in 2013.
The original story follows below.
Konami just can’t keep a secret. For the second year in a row, the Japanese developer/publisher will hold a “Pre-E3 Show,” that will showcase trailers and announcements concerning their new games, developer interviews and more.
“Konami’s [second] annual Pre-E3 show underscores the company’s commitment to providing the biggest and best content that fans have been waiting for throughout the year, in advance of the world’s marquee video game conference,” saidTomoyuki Tsuboi, President of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
The show will take place on May 31st at 10:30pm PST. No word has been given at this point as to how the show will be broadcast, but an attached image in the press release includes the company’s E3 website, so it would be a safe bet that they’ll be streaming it from there at least.
With the recent reveal of a Zone of the Enders sequel and rumblings that Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance will be playable on the show floor, Konami may be prepping for a big year. What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.


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US credit card issuer Providian Financial has sold its interest in financial comparison Web site GetSmart.com to Lending Tree for an undisclosed amount.
GetSmart.com, which has been owned by Providian since 1999, offers consumers access to a range of loan products including mortgages, home equity loans, credit cards, and auto loans from more than 100 financial service providers.
Warren Wilcox, Providian's vice chairman of marketing and strategic planning explains the disposal: "GetSmart is a brand which, on a stand alone basis, is a non-strategic asset for Providian."
LendingTree will acquire the GetSmart brand when the deal completes in December. The firm says it expects to continue to maintain the relationships with lenders on the GetSmart network, and also offer the GetSmart platform to the more than 200 lenders on the LendingTree exchange.
Doug Lebda, founder and CEO of LendingTree, says the two brands will complement each other, as they offer distinct value propositions to both lenders and consumers looking for online loan options and alternatives.
"LendingTree brings to the table the company's expertise in filtering technology, solid lender relationships, and well-established marketing partnerships which we feel will add significant value to the proposition for GetSmart lenders and consumers as well," he says.


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Youtap, a global provider of contactless mobile payments and financial services software, has launched a QR code solution and smartphone apps for mobile money services in Africa and Asia.
15 hours ago
Government needs to review its policies and legislation on Information Communications Technology (ICT) to ensure that all South Africans have universal affordability and access to communications services.
4 Mar 2014
National carrier South African Airways (SAA) is investigating the possibility of using the in-flight relief pilot programme as a meaningful way of developing future pilots.
4 Mar 2014
South African Breweries (SAB) gave its appointed distributors exclusive territories‚ shielding them from competition from its own depots‚ in an effort to ensure their sustainability in exchange for the investments they were asked to make in terms of land‚ buildings and vehicles‚ SAB's distribution services manager testified this week.
Amanda Visser 1 Aug 2013
Aiming to take a bigger chunk of the business process and technology outsourcing market, Imperial Logistics has formed a new division, Resolve, from the amalgamation of group companies Volition and e-Logics, their associated businesses and some existing managed services capacity in the group.
29 Jul 2013
OR Tambo International Airport has unveiled the Oliver Reginald Tambo Memorial exhibition, which is aimed at honouring one of South Africa's national heroes and extraordinary freedom fighters. The permanent exhibition, situated at the airport's International Viewing Deck, aims to bring to life Oliver Reginald Tambo's legacy of selfless character and great teachings.
26 Jul 2013
Imperial Logistics' operating company, TFD Network Africa, won the category for the best project over R10 million at the fourth annual Green Supply Chain Awards in Johannesburg. The awards are a joint initiative of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport: South Africa (CILTSA), the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) and Supply Chain Today magazine.
14 Sep 2012
Several streets will be closed to traffic in the Cape Town city centre ahead of the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Thursday, authorities have warned. President Jacob Zuma will deliver the annual speech during a joint seating of the National Assembly to be broadcast at 7pm. There will also be parking restrictions around the Parliamentary precinct on Plein Street.
7 Feb 2012
Although most economists are downgrading their 2012 SA gross domestic product (GDP) forecasts, a resurgent seasonally adjusted Kagiso Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) in January could mean a revising of forecasts upwards in coming months as production finally catches up with strong consumer demand.
2 Feb 2012
The trend of purchasing goods on the internet will play an increasingly significant role in boosting the demand for express courier delivery.
31 Jan 2012
Billions of dollars will be needed to upgrade and maintain the North-South Corridor road network said President Jacob Zuma.
31 Jan 2012
According to a Business Report report, a multi-million plan to build a supply base to service oil rigs at Saldanha Bay has been scuppered, after Transnet National Ports Authority changed the conditions for the shipping firm wanting to build it.
31 Jan 2012
According to the Cape Times, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) said during a presentation to Parliament that a planned major revamp of Cape Town's rail system will include the modernisation of the national rail system and the replacement of all trains and the construction of new depots and stations. Subject to the government approving its budget, the R123 billion project is set to create 65 000 jobs.
4 Nov 2011


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Raisin growers who’ve invested in mechanization reaped the benefits this season as the federal government tightened borders and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials marched into agricultural operations with a vengeance.
“Labor was definitely an issue this year,” says Stephen Vasquez, Fresno County farm advisor. “It was tough for growers to get crews, and if they did get them, they were often short of what they needed for the job.”
Approximately 40 percent to 50 percent of the industry is already mechanized to some degree, according to Vasquez. “Most of the mechanization is in the form of continuous tray production. Only about 10 percent to 15 percent have gone to a true DOV system.”
The initial investment to install a DOV system is prohibitive for most growers, according to Glen Goto, CEO of the California Raisin Bargaining Association. “DOV technology has been of limited interest due to the high initial investment of planting a vineyard. There are some vineyard conversions from traditional to DOV, but the typical Thompson Seedless grape does not mature early enough to allow the product to fully dehydrate on the vine.”
Although there were some problems with imbedded sand this year, raisin harvest progressed without too many hitches. “Yields were down a little more than growers anticipated, but it wasn’t too bad,” Vasquez says.