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Economic data released in recent months generally points in the right direction. The headline number is first quarter GDP figures, which surprised on the upside with a 4.5% year-on-year growth1. The macro picture was buoyed by a strong recovery in consumption, especially in the service sector, leading to a more front-loaded recovery.
Chinese consumers are engaged in so-called “revenge spending”. Pent up demand from the pandemic has led to a V-shaped recovery in retail sales, which jumped 10.6% year-on-year in March – the fastest since June 20212.
Shoppers are spending on goods and services such as catering, clothing, cosmetics, and jewellery. This will not be a short-term phenomenon, as it is expected to continue over the coming quarters as some of the excess savings accumulated over the pandemic are spent due to the pickup in consumer confidence.
Away from retail activity, the other data point coming out better than expected relates to trade. Exports rose by 14.8% year-on-year in March, reversing a five-month decline, partly from strong ASEAN demand3. At the same time, the fall in imports also moderated considerably to just 1.4% year-on-year as imports of energy goods increased4.
Despite the rosy economic data, China’s outlook still faces uncertainties. The recovery is uneven: investment in property has yet to stabilise, private investment growth is shrinking, and it is unclear whether strong trade data is a short-term development against the backdrop of weakness in global demand. Another issue is pressure from the labour market, due to high levels of youth unemployment.


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Samsung sometimes has a tendency to have short term amnesia, forgetting a new product once a newer one gets released. That’s even more prominent with “experimental” but also very expensive like the Galaxy Round or even last year’s rather controversial Galaxy Fold.
This year, Samsung is trying to do well by Galaxy Z Flip owners and is rolling out new features and, based on Samsung’s announcement, could just be the start of more Flex Mode compatible apps for the foldable phone.
Earlier this year, Samsung released an update to the Galaxy Z Flip that also added a Flex Mode for its own camera app. In a nutshell, this splits the app’s UI into two so that you could prop up the phone at an angle, using the lower half as a stand while the upper half acts as your viewfinder. It is a simple yet ingenious use of the phone’s form factor and it’s reassuring that Samsung is now making another step forward with it.
This time, it’s announcing that the YouTube app has been updated to support this same Flex Mode layout. When folded at a right angle, the upper half lets you watch videos uninterrupted while you browse through YouTube independently on the lower half of the screen. Samsung promises that this mode is optimised for all sorts of YouTube video sizes and formats, though a typical 16:9 landscape video is clearly not that comfortable to look at.
Samsung boasts that this new YouTube feature is the fruit of its collaboration with Google, something that would have sounded almost unbelievable a few years back. More importantly, Flex Mode is available in the Android Support Library itself, allowing other app developers to add support for the Galaxy Z Flip. Provided they’re willing to do the work, of course.
The company also proudly described how working together with Google has made it possible to bring features like RCS, Live Caption, and Google Duo integration into its Galaxy phones. While an impressive achievement given Samsung’s reputation, it should really be the standard for all Android OEMs anyway, not just a notable and praiseworthy exception.

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It's not often that you hear upbeat news about the UK high street but clothing retailer Next has bucked the trend, reporting a 4.5% rise in sales in the six months to the 28 July. Business is so good, it seems, that the chain has decided to announce a 'modest increase' in its full-year profit target, from £610m to £620m at the top end of expectations.
Given the faltering performance of Next's neighbours in town centres everywhere, this is a rare note of high street optimism. Plans for shoring up the business are also afoot: in the statement, Next explains its intention to buy back around £200m worth of shares. This is in addition to the £112m it has already bought back, and will mean that the firm’s earnings per share will increase by around 6% more than the growth in profit. So a bunch of existing shareholders are about to get a decent windfall, too. Everyone’s happy!
But is Next jumping the gun with its revised profit targets? Today’s figures actually mark a turnaround for the brand as group-wide sales from August to Christmas last year were only up by a paltry 3% (traditionally retail’s busiest period). Sales at its 500 bricks-and-mortar UK and Irish stores actually fell by 2.7% in that time. The chain was given a thorough dressing down by competitors such as John Lewis, which enjoyed 6.2% sales growth in the period.
But, as it often the case with results, if you look behind the numbers, things get more interesting. Part of the reason Next's sales were disappointing in the run up to Christmas 2011 was because it was one of the few to avoid discounting until after Christmas. Margins were maintained and now, what little extra money the public are spending has a bigger effect on Next’s balance sheet. It takes guts to sacrifice sales for the sake of margins, but if the upturn ever comes, Next will emerge in a stronger position than many of its rivals.
Meanwhile, London retailers are complaining that the Olympics have dampened sales by as much as 30% compared with trading this time last year, as people avoid central London. This should be temporary, but it is nonetheless another unwelcome blow to the high street. Let’s hope August’s eerily empty streets will mean a spending rush once the Games are over. And that Next's silver lamé-lined predictions will come true...


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Forget about being fashionably late: Montreal Fashion Week was on the style calendar with an earlier-than-usual start this time around.
Organizers of the semi-annual style event opted to launch fall and winter 2011-12 collections a month earlier than the last time designs for the cooler seasons were unveiled.
In terms of timing, this puts them in closer company to high-profile fashion week events in the style capitals of Milan, Paris and Berlin and just prior to New York Fashion Week.
Sensation Mode co-president Chantal Durivage, whose company organizes Montreal Fashion Week, said it was important to stage the event during “a more strategic slot of time” on the international calendar.
It also involved talking with textile companies to see whether they could deliver products earlier to designers to ensure they’d have enough time to make samples and produce their collections, Durivage said.
With its ongoing partnership with renowned international fashion trade show Who’s Next and thoughts of involving Belgian and German designers in upcoming editions, the homegrown event is aiming to boost Canadian designers while broadening its reach to become a more global event.
“I think that Montreal Fashion Week is really strong on its niche, which is leading design,” Durivage said. “For us, it’s important to integrate more and more international designers that want to show to the North American market and this is where we’re going for the next few editions.”
The 20th edition of Montreal Fashion Week highlighted the work of up-and-coming Canadian talents alongside celebrated style stalwarts like Denis Gagnon and Marie Saint Pierre, who each presented collections to conclude the week on Thursday.
Mariouche Gagne of Harricana kicked off festivities with an off-site presentation at Bota Bota, a floating spa at Montreal’s Old Port.
Ralph Leroy, Nadya Toto and Rud, a new brand by leather goods retailer Rudsak, featured their collections at the main venue Bonsecours Market in Old Montreal.
Runway newcomers Micalla and Anomal Couture joined returning notables like Annie 50, Soia & Kyo, Dinh Ba Design, Envers par Yves Jean Lacasse, Bodybag by Jude and Cluc Couture.
Montreal label Barila featured its new collection along with costumes created for Opera de Montreal’s production of “Werther.”
Fashion Week again played host to Telio’s annual student design competition, which has the Great Canadian North as its theme this year. Designers created a luxury garment inspired by the Canadian Arctic with fabric supplied by Quebec-based textile company Telio.
Some 25 student-designers from across Canada vied for a total of $10,000 in scholarships at the event, hosted by dancer-choreographer Nico Archambault, the inaugural winner of So You Think You Can Dance Canada.
The 7th edition of Le Showroom, an off-runway showcase of designer apparel and accessories, was open to the public for a $10 admission. Fashion fans can also soak in the style showcase from afar, with the return of free, live streaming of select shows, and updates posted on blogs, Facebook and Twitter.
“For us it’s very important because at the end of the day, it’s the people that buy these clothes that want to be involved in Canadian fashion and that’s how we link with them during fashion week,” Durivage said.
Durivage said while the commercial aspect of fashion week is important, they’re happy to offer a broad range of style-related events beyond traditional runway presentations.
“I think it’s very pertinent to have conferences about fashion, about the industry here, about whatever subject that could be interesting for buyers and media,” she said. “We (also) want to show that there’s a part of the fashion that is pretty artistic and you have to see it, you have to experiment (with) it.”
“It’s a way to create a 360 (degree) experience around fashion and around this spirit we want to show at fashion week,” she added.
Montreal Fashion Week ran Feb. 7-10.
Montreal Fashion Week: http://montrealfashionweek.ca
Montreal Fashion Week on Ustream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/smm20


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Coldplay recently announced extra European tour dates for 2024 – and these are the ticket prices.
The group will continue their huge Music of the Spheres World Tour across Europe next summer.
This includes stadium shows in Dublin, Athens, Budapest, Rome, Lyon, Munich and Vienna.
They’re currently performing at stadiums across the UK and Europe as part of the tour, performing their biggest hits alongside new tracks.
Their set has seen them perform tracks including “A Sky Full of Stars”, “Yellow”, “Viva la Vida”, “Paradise” and “Fix You” to name a few.
The tour is also aiming to cut direct emissions from the group’s last tour in 2017 by 50 percent. Fans can also help power the show by riding energy-producing bikes at each concert.
Ahead of tickets going on sale this month you can find out how much tickets cost and release date info below.
This article contains affiliate links, PinkNews may earn revenue if you click through and purchase products through the links.
What are the Coldplay ticket prices?
It’s been confirmed that the ticket prices for the group’s show at Helsinki Olympic Stadium will be the following.
They start from €56.50 / €89.50 / €109.50 / €119.50 / €139.50 / €161.50 plus a delivery fee.
Fans can expect a similar price mark for all shows across the European tour.
When do they go on sale?
Fans can sign up for an exclusive presale at coldplay.com.
The presale for Athens, Bucharest, Budapest, Lyon, Rome and Helsinki will then take place at 9am local time on 25 July.
The presale for Dusseldorf, Munich, Vienna and Dublin will then take place at 10am local time on 25 July.
While general sale tickets will be released at 10am local time on Friday, 28 July.
What are the tour dates?
- 8 June – Athens, Olympic Stadium – tickets
- 12 June – Bucharest, Arena Națională – tickets
- 16 June – Budapest, Arena – tickets
- 22-23 June – Lyon, Groupama Stadium – tickets
- 12-13 July – Rome, Stadio Olimpico – tickets
- 20-21 July – Düsseldorf, Merkur Spiel-Arena – tickets
- 28 July – Helsinki, Olympiastadion – tickets
- 15 & 17 August – Munich, Olympiastadion – tickets
- 21-22 August – Vienna, Ernst-Happel-Stadion – tickets
- 29-30 August – Dublin, Croke Park – tickets


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A city estate is to welcome a new shop which will sell "deeply-discounted" produce as part of ongoing efforts to address food poverty and waste.
Known simply as Community Shop, the new venture is due to open at the former Stocking Farm Youth Centre in Marwood Road in April.
As well as selling low cost-food and household goods and serving meals, families living with the consequences of the 'cost of living crisis' will also be able to seek welfare support there.
As part of the redevelopment, the new Community Shop will also provide a space for local people and organisations to hire and use.
In addition, a wide range of programmes and activities will be provided throughout the year aimed at bringing the community together and helping people learn new skills.
The award-winning social enterprise currently has eight stores across England, with all the high-quality produce donated by major retailers and local manufacturers, such as Ocado and Samworth Brothers.
All items sold there will have been deemed as 'surplus' and would otherwise go to waste.
Natalie Brown, Head of Community Shop said: “We know from our other eight stores that the support Community Shop provides makes a tremendous difference to the lives of local people and are excited to see the long-lasting impact this store will have on the community come April.
“This store wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our partners, especially Leicester City Council, Ocado and Samworth Brothers.
"By working together, we can make an even more significant impact on communities, which is why we encourage anyone interested in learning more about how to help make a positive social impact to get in touch.”
Revenue raised from in-store sales will be re-invested into the centre to provide members of the public with personal development support, with sessions including everything from cookery clubs and home budgeting, to interview skills and business courses.
The store will also house a community kitchen which will offer at-cost wholesome hot meals to members and their families, with children eating for free.
The project will create around eight new jobs for the local area, with the team working closely with the city council to generate further positive social and economic impact.
City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “I am really pleased that we have been able to work with Community Shop to help bring their first store to Leicester.
"By breathing new life into a long-underused building, it will provide a valuable new facility for people of all ages in Stocking Farm and be of huge benefit to the local community.
"This is just one important part of the exciting plans being developed for the future regeneration of Stocking Farm.”
Jonathan Wiseman, chief people officer at Ocado Retail said: “We’re delighted that Ocado, together with our customers, have helped fund the opening of three new community shops in the past year.
"Community Shop is a fantastic social enterprise that makes a real difference in local communities.
"We know that the Leicester shop will be another success and we look forward to providing further support in the form of surplus food and funds throughout the year.”
To learn more about Community Shop, and find out how to apply for free membership, click here.
Keep up with the latest news with our email alerts directly to your inbox. Sign up here.


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The highlight of the year for multihull fans is Europe’s largest show for these boats in La Grande Motte (18-22 April) in southern France.
The multihull sector continues to grow strongly, as the number of new models coming to La Grande Motte demonstrates with 60 boats expected for 2018. These are a wide mix of internationally built boats, so everything from world debuts of fast cats to the ever-popular cruising models from market leaders such as Catana-Bali, Nautitech, Leopard, Lagoon and several others.
The breaking news story is a merger between Dufour Yachts and Fountaine Pajot.
These market leaders—Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot and Leopard—continue to jostle for supremacy but lately they have been joined by traditional monohull builders who are seeking a market share. The breaking news story is a merger between France’s number one company for monohull sales—Dufour Yachts—with Fountaine Pajot to create a powerful multifaceted group.
Dufour had already announced its own catamaran program earlier this year under former founder Michel Dufour who had become involved again with the La Rochelle-based company. “We developed this project with the vision to match an elegant and comfortable catamaran with outstanding sailing abilities,” he said.
In partnership with Dufour designers’ Felci Yachts they unveiled the concept Dufour 48 catamaran at the Paris Boat Show last December. Michel Dufour sees space in the market for a bluewater cruising catamaran and intends to expand the range to models from 45 – 50 ft.
Another major production monohull builder—Hanse Yachts—has just bought out French cat builder Privilege Catamarans. Privilege CEO Gilles Wagner will remain in office at the luxury builder’s shipyard in Les Sables-d’Olonne (France) which will be expanded with Hanse’s new investment. These major monohull builders are all playing catch-up with Germany’s Bavaria Yachts that bought out French cat builder Nautitech in 2015 and has just released a new 47 power cat.
High demand for cruising boats is reflected in the stylish new models that will debut at the show. These include the versatile Fountaine Pajot 42, the Bali 4.1 sailing cat, the Bavaria Nautitech 47 Power cat and steady performer, South Africa’s Leopard, with its new Leopard 50 making its European premiere.
Amongst the performance models coming to the show this year will be McConaghy’s long-awaited MC50, Marsaudon TS5, Neel 45 Evolution trimaran and the slick revamped Outremer 51. Interestingly, Outremer owners Grand Large now own Gunboat and have set up business next door to them in La Grande Motte, so look out for glimpses of the carbon Gunboat 68 build as well as the 66 debut. Alongside them will be Asian company HH with its new carbon HH 66 that it claims will outperform any similar competitor.
Also on hand in La Grande Motte are designers, electronic companies, chandlers and often some legendary sailors to add to the heady mix that throng along the shores of this Mediterranean port.
Smaller yachts and beach cats usually abound as well, such as the exciting Corsair 760 trimaran this year, so there is something for most budgets. The setting amid the wild Camargue wetlands and the inland cruiser paradise the Canal du Midi is just one reason why we’re regulars at this show. Nearby is the ancient city of Montpellier with its grand squares and university spires, so a good base for visiting the show and for arriving by air.
Read more about Multihulls in our special issue #19:


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Gavl claims its app is the first app of its kind in Australia and New Zealand to be the “one-stop digital solution” for auction real estate sales.
Touting a position as “the world’s leading real estate platform for auction livestreaming and bidding technology”, Gavl says that since its launch in November 2016, it has streamed more than 10,000 auctions and achieved 4.5 million views from 52 countries, “allowing buyers from all over the world to bid and buy at auction”.
In Australia, in Queensland and New South Wales specifically, it is a regulatory requirement for real estate agents to register bidders prior to an auction, and Gavl says it has digitised this entire process, allowing agents to use the Gavl app to register bidders both remotely and onsite at auctions.
Gavl says it uses a “trusted and convenient” third-party software integration that verifies more than one million identities globally every month, to deliver a compliant method for customer onboarding and verifying identities, by integrating comprehensive global data sources, fraud detection and biometric verification.
Gavl co-founder Joel Smith, says: “The additional tools that Gavl provides on the app will ensure buyers and agents experience a smooth and convenient process. Having every step of the sales transaction done digitally from beginning to end, makes it accessible for potential buyers in any location. By including these new features, Gavl has become the one-stop shop to complete auction transactions.
“The ID verification is a great functionality that aids to minimise fraud through the use of data. With the foreign ownership laws in New Zealand, this feature enables us to efficiently ID verify potential buyers.
“Apart from simplifying the process, the new digitised features were developed to cater to all buyers, including those that are based remotely. We understand how much is done through smartphone apps these days, so we aim to make the entire auction transaction process highly accessible.”


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Company launches drones from roof of shopping mall
Alphabet Inc.’s drone subsidiary Wing is experimenting with launching its aircraft from the roof of an Australian shopping center just steps from stores providing goods for delivery.
Wing LLC has made more than 2,500 deliveries from a shopping center in Logan City to neighboring areas south of Brisbane, the company said in a press release last week. The test is being carried out in partnership with Vicinity Centers, which operates shopping centers across Australia.
“For the first time, we are co-locating our drones with businesses on their premises, rather than local businesses having to co-locate their goods with us in our delivery center,” Jesse Suskin, Policy and Community Affairs Manager at Wing in Australia. , said in the statement.
The experiment is an attempt to bring the corporate drone delivery model closer to the normal way small businesses operate. So far, in its Australian pilot program at the Grand Plaza Shopping Center in Logan, Wing has worked with companies selling sushi, juice, and tea-based drinks. A pharmacy is also starting to sell over-the-counter drugs and other items, the company said.
While it is too early to know whether such an arrangement could bolster the sag in physical stores, Vicinity sees the partnership as a way to grow its business, said Justin Mills, chief innovation and information officer at the company.
“The retail industry is evolving and Vicinity uses a test and learn approach in areas critical to the role of Australian shopping centers going forward,” Mills said in the statement.
Wing, Amazon.com Inc.’s Prime Air, and United Parcel Service Inc., along with dozens of small startups, are fighting to create a new business model that would use small unmanned planes to expedite the delivery of goods directly to customers. .
However, routine and widespread drone deliveries remain for years to come as companies grapple with factors ranging from the profitability of these companies to public acceptance. At the same time, the industry is still working on some of the finer points of potentially disruptive technology, such as how to prevent dozens of autonomous delivery drones from flying into each other. And regulators such as the US Federal Aviation Administration have yet to develop new rules allowing such flights.
An airstrip with room for at least 16 Wing drones has been installed on the roof of the mall, according to photos released by the company.
Wing has exceeded 100,000 deliveries to its test sites in Australia, the United States and Finland. The company also announced plans to expand its testing operations in the United States.
Wing is working with Virginia Tech on its US test program in nearby Christiansburg, Virginia.
The company operates a hybrid aircraft just over 4 feet long that can take off vertically and then fly horizontally much like an airplane. He carries a package in his stomach. Once the drone reaches a customer’s drop point, a cable lowers the package to the ground as the plane flies overhead.


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"In 2010 Cargill, a $130B international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services, initiated a project to reorganize the fragmented procurement function into a centralized Global Strategic Sourcing Function. One key missing element of a successful transformation was a spend visibility solution which could collect, categorize and disseminate spend data across the companies 70 plus business units, 30 plus ERP systems, 60 plus countries and more than a dozen languages. Cargill turned to Zycus’s spend analysis tool as their solution of choice.
Derek Batchlor will share Cargill’s approach to implementation of spend analysis tool and how they have been able to drive broad adoption of the tool by over half of the nearly 200 team members in Strategic Sourcing. "


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The apprehension was made at Chandni Chowk area in Muzaffarpur town, an Excise official said.
Moreover, being a state subject, the industry has to deal with multiple authorities to get a large number of clearances to do business.
The Excise Department’s special drive in the capital to check smuggling of illicit liquor and narcotic substances during Onam has netted a rich haul.
The maximum liquor sale of Rs 1.04 crore was recorded on Uthradam day at an outlet of the state-run Beverages Corporation (Bevco) at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur.
According to sources, the officials have informed that the government will not restrict any brands and sell them as per the demand.
Besides, floods that battered many parts of the district has also affected the sale of liquor.
As many as 468 bottles of illicit liquor, 100 litres of spirit and other items used in the manufacturing were seized.
Narayana Swamy visited Shantivan, a de-addiction centre in Vijayawada, which is being run by renowned psychiatrist Dr. Indla Rama Subba Reddy.
The study was conducted over three months covering over 5,000 women of different age groups.
For the past 12 years, KSBC has been engaging a private firm for supply and maintenance of thousands of electronic billing machines, in a deal that lacks transparency.
From October 1, 2019, all (these 56) wine shops will be run by the APSBCL,” G Nageswara Rao, Excise Superintendent, Ongole Circle told TNIE on Tuesday.
Andhra Pradesh Jana Chaitanya Vedika welcomed the State government’s move to abolish liquor in a phased manner.
The liquor was brought from Delhi to Ghaziabad in EMU train that operates in Delhi NCR.
The driver, a resident of Rohtak in Haryana, and hunt is on to nab him, the police said, adding that a case has been registered under the Excise Act.
'The income of the government from alcohol sale was Rs 4,244.50 crore in 2016-17. It has reached Rs 5,028.17 crore in 2018-19,' said Manish Sisodia.


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Owners’ busy lifestyles to blame for behavioural issues in pets!
Behavioural issues in pets are on the rise and a recent survey carried out by CEVA Animal Health, manufacturer of D.A.P.® for dogs and Feliway® for cats, has revealed that 94 per cent of veterinary professionals believe that owners’ lifestyles are the major cause.
Highlighting the scale of the problem amongst the nation’s pets, over three-quarters of those questioned believed that owners should spend more time with their pets to prevent these issues, while 89 per cent thought that owners were too busy to deal with their pets if they developed behavioural problems.
The fast pace of owners’ lifestyles is significantly affecting the stress felt by both dogs and cats and this is further exacerbated in cats by the social demands that pet owners put on them. Cats are solitary survivors that cope better with short, frequent interactions and like their own company. While they are popular for their independence, owners often like to have their pets’ full attention when they return from work which is at odds with their cats’ preferred behaviour patterns.
Behavioural issues can also result from changes in a pet’s environment and new experiences such as moving house, building work, the introduction of a new pet to the household, going to a kennel or cattery, travelling in a car, visiting the vets and stressful events such as Bonfire Night and Christmas. To help combat stress, nearly 65 per cent of dog owners avoid putting their pets in stressful situations, while 19 per cent choose to ignore their stressed dog.
“Our modern lifestyles are leading to stressed pets which, in the long-term, will exacerbate behavioural and medical problems,” says Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health. “If behavioural issues develop, it is important that owners seek advice before it is too late.”
David Ryan from the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors, comments:
“Dogs, cats and other animals can find it difficult to cope with the demands placed upon them by their owners’ lifestyles and many behaviour problems arise through a mismatch of owner expectations and the needs of their pets. A properly qualified behaviour counsellor can help owners understand and address the root causes of stress in their pets, allowing them to provide appropriate outlets for natural behaviour and improving quality of life for both pet and owner.”
D.A.P.® for dogs and Feliway® for cats can help comfort pets at times of stress and provide reassurance when encountering new experiences and unknown environments, helping to prevent the development of inappropriate or unwanted behaviour. D.A.P. ® and Feliway® are available as plug-in diffusers and sprays. D.A.P.® is also available as a collar for dogs.


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Despite major improvements in China’s IP laws and regulations in recent years, counterfeiting is still commonplace in the country and European SMEs wishing to do business in China need to adopt robust IP strategies in order to succeed on China’s lucrative market. In today’s blog post, we are taking a closer look at what are some extra IP protection measures besides registering your IP in China that European SMEs, engaged in cosmetics industry, can take to minimize the risks of counterfeiting.
As with companies in any economic sectors, cosmetics firms have much to gain from early protection of their IPR. Registering IP with Chinese authorities and customs before beginning any type of business activity in the country potentially saves SMEs lot of money as being able to build strong cases against any local firms which may try to steal their IP is only possible when IP is registered in China. Many would-be infringers, however, will move straight to counterfeiting and begin to create knockoff products in the hopes of profiting from SMEs hard work. In these cases, early IP registration is not always enough. Instead, complementary to early IP registrations, SMEs should also adopt a strategy which seeks to defeat counterfeiters through both attrition (by making counterfeiting extremely difficult to accomplish) and offensive action (by coordinating with authorities to conduct raids and launch investigations to halt infringement).
“Soft” Prevention Methods: IPR registrations, online sweeps, and consumer education
An SME’s first step in fighting counterfeiting should always be prevention, halting counterfeiters before they have a chance to create fake products, which will erode an SME’s profit margins and public goodwill. To this end, nothing is more effective than registering IP early. Registering trade marks, industrial designs, patents, etc. with the relevant Chinese authorities can give SMEs powerful legal recourses in the case of an infringement. For larger counterfeit manufacturers with proper factories capable of churning out thousands of counterfeit products a day, the risk of seizure of assets by administrative agencies or customs and awards of damages (or jail time) from People’s Courts pose a significant deterrent. Continue reading “Dealing with Counterfeiters in China’s Cosmetics Market” »


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Two years ago in June 2020 international sea freight costs started their slow climb to unprecedented levels. No importers with supply chains abroad were safe from ballooning costs.
Shipping from any manufacturing hub was affected, China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Turkey, and Mexico; the location just didn’t matter as long as goods needed to be loaded onto container ships and transported across the oceans.
Now, in June 2022, sea freight costs have started falling. What can we learn about this welcome situation?
Record high shipping costs
Most importers have been grappling with high costs ‘since Covid,’ but how high?
Let’s look at the Global Container Freight Index from Freightos as a guide:
After holding steady at around US$1,500 per 40-foot container on average for years until June 2020, costs rose steeply until they hit >US$11,000 in September 2021. That’s the global average. For popular routes like China/East Asia to the US West and East coasts, costs were even higher, around US$14-15,000 per container at their peak, and up to around an incredible US$20,000 if buying at spot freight rates!
🤓 We spoke to Jon Monroe a shipping expert on the Sofeast podcast about the causes of the sea freight costs in summer ‘21, so listen back to that episode to get an understanding of what caused the crazy cost increases.
A silver lining?
How about now, though? The silver lining today is that sea freight costs have been steadily falling since about November ‘21, and are now at around US$7,000. A 5x increase is better than 10x, so the costs are giving some respite to importers who previously struggled with unsustainable shipping costs for many, especially smaller businesses.
Note, however, that even now individual routes’ container costs are higher than the average figure, although not at the highs of 2021:
Why are container costs falling?
It is probably the combined effect of many factors.
- People are returning to the office and spending more on services, entertainment and eating out, instead of physical goods. This has some effect on the demand for containers which is, perhaps, not quite as high as it was when everyone was locked down.
- Factories have been busy making the standard shipping containers that are so badly needed. And shipyards have been busy making new vessels, as reported by Reuters:
In 2021, a record-breaking 555 container vessels worth $42.5 billion were ordered and 208 vessels worth $18.4 billion have been booked so far in 2022, according to the World Shipping Council, an industry group based in the United States.
Some of these vessels will be among the largest container ships ever built, stretching 400 metres in length and similar in size to the Ever Given, a cargo ship that got stuck and blocked the Suez Canal last year.
Maersk told Reuters that over the last year it had ordered 12 new large container vessels which are nearly four times the size of the Synergy Oakland.
- Lockdowns in key Chinese cities, most notably Shanghai which is home to the world’s busiest container port which was woefully affected, cooled Chinese demand for containers.
- Global growth has also been affected, first by the Covid pandemic, and now more recently by the awful Russian invasion of Ukraine which has been driving up commodity prices, oil in particular. These factors have had a dampening effect on sea freight costs.
- Shanghai is now open for business and eating though the lockdown congestion, though, and “there is a surplus of transpacific eastbound capacity, causing rates to drop, while Far East westbound rates remain stable.”
- President Biden is also waging war on shipping companies and has recently signed a law “directing the Federal Maritime Commission to prevent ocean carriers from unreasonably refusing to fill open cargo space with US exports [instead choosing to send empty ships back to Asia quickly to fill with exports to the States again, harming American exporters,] and to investigate late fees charged by shippers. Biden said the law would “at least marginally” reduce inflation. It doesn’t directly address elevated shipping costs that American importers and exporters have long complained are the heart of the problem, though backers of the bill predicted it would have an overall chilling effect on prices.”
What could cause prices to rebound?
Countries’ economies are roaring back into life, in the West at least, after Covid health restrictions like lockdowns and other measures have largely been dropped. This has kept demand for shipping high. The shipping companies won’t willingly wish to lower prices too much while demand remains very high.
We must consider that shipping companies suffered from heavy losses following the global economic crash of 2008 and suffered from all the cards being in the hands of buyers. The more cynical among us may argue that they’ve used the period of high demand during and post-Covid to claw back some of those losses in the form of extortionate prices…will they want to give that up?
According to Reuters, we aren’t out of the woods completely yet. They state that:
“Global port congestion is set to continue until at least early 2023 and keep spot freight rates elevated [and that] the COVID-19 outbreak has lengthened ship delivery times since 2020, pushing up freight costs, while the Russia-Ukraine conflict and lockdowns in Shanghai have added to supply chain disruptions this year.”
While shipping companies have been demonised, perhaps fairly, for raising prices so much, another issue that could affect costs moving forward is the lack of investment into land-side infrastructure:
“As long as America’s ports, rail yards and warehouses remain overloaded and unable to cope with the increased trade levels, vessels will remain stuck outside ports to the detriment of importers as well as exporters,” the World Shipping Council said. “Ocean carriers continue to move record volumes of cargo for our country and have invested heavily in new capacity — America needs to make the same commitment and invest in its land-side logistics infrastructure.”
This drives up demand, delays, and costs, and the shipping companies argue that they can’t be held responsible for that.
🤓 We discussed port-side difficulties in the USA with logistics expert Marshall Taplits in this episode of our podcast.
How to protect against volatile shipping costs?
Taking positive action seems to be the key strategy. The Reuters article suggests that “more than 60% or 65% of shippers were remaining on spot rates…[and] are not taking measures to deal with the new situation, this means they are prone to full supply chain risks.”
Rather than buying spot rates, it’s advised for “charterers [to] sign longer-term contracts with shipowners to overcome issues of volatile cost and availability. It’s no longer a case of going for three months or six months, one month, not even one year, but two to three years … because we want certainty in cost and certainty in space.”
Businesses shipping a lot may be able to negotiate a longer-term contract with freight forwarders or shipping companies due to the amounts of cargo involved. There have also been cases where corporates have been chartering their own ships, too, such as Walmart, Costco, Target, and others.
Businesses have also been altering their sourcing strategies to focus on reshoring or at least near-shoring, rather than having suppliers in East and Southeast Asia. This is only realistic for companies who are actually able to source the necessary components and materials in a nearby country, which may be possible for some products but certainly isn’t for most electronics. Companies who achieve this can benefit from reduced shipping costs, shorter lead times, and less need to keep as much money tied up in inventory over shipping from, say, China.
You may decide to buy components in bulk to keep them as inventory and avoid the need to ship as often.
Finally, using DfX principles to optimise product and packaging design for shipping (Design for Shipping) could help you shave kilos off the weight of one product unit to be shipped and help squeeze more into a single container if the packaging is able to shrink while still providing the same protection. This enables you to get better value from the same costs.
How have you dealt with high shipping costs? Have the reduced prices made a big difference? Have you considered sourcing and assembling in different countries to reduce the need for such a long supply chain? Let me know by contacting us or commenting, please.
This FREE webinar will empower you to transform your supply chain in China to reduce risks. Two industry experts, Renaud Anjoran and Paul Adams from Sofeast, talk you through how to gain control over your product’s quality, on-time shipments, long-term pricing stability, and continuity of supply.
Ready to watch? Register by hitting the button below:


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Steve Jobs links worth checking out
Yesterday, the world lost an innovator, an inspiration, an icon.
Here’s a small collection of links to recent articles, blog posts and photos that I found noteworthy, starting with a creative take on Apple’s logo. (Please see update at the end of this blog post for credit info on the logo).
A 9to5Mac blog post that quotes Walter Isaacson’s essay on Steve Jobs, giving us a glimpse into why Jobs opened up to the biographer. The essay will appear in a special Time edition tomorrow, and Isaacson’s Steve Jobs biography will be released Oct. 24.
Reaction from around the world: President Barack Obama said Jobs exemplified American ingenuity. Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon bemoaned the loss of “one of the most visionary minds of our times.” India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was “deeply saddened.”
Bloomberg’s interview with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who compares the impact of Jobs’ death to that of MLK and JFK.
The Denver Post’s gallery of 40 Jobs photos through the years. Photos 6 and 26 stand out to me.
UPDATE (5:38 P.M.): Just found out that Jonathan Mak, a 19-year-old in Hong Kong, created that awesome logo shortly after Jobs resigned as CEO in August. Mak noted in a recent tweet that the “design has led to a job offer.” Ashton Kutcher and many others are using the logo as their avatar.


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Gingrich Super PAC Airs Brutal Anti-Mitt Ad In Florida
Pro-Gingrich Super PAC Winning Our Future has released a new TV spot to air in Florida ahead of that state’s primary. It may be the harshest attack ad of the campaign so far:
Politico reports some $6 million is behind the ad campaign, meaning it could reach saturation levels in Florida’s (many) expensive media markets.
The buy comes in the wake of news yesterday that Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas billionaire who donated $5 million earlier this month to Winning Our Future, dumped another $5 million in via his wife to keep Newt ticking.


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Apple needs to remove mandatory SMS-based TFA
August 07, 2019
I recently did a security audit of my personal online presence and was shocked to find that Apple now makes it mandatory to keep your SMS-based two factor authentication after initially enabling it. Yes, that means that if the guy at the Verizon store decides to hand out a new sim card registered with your phone number to a fraudster, someone will have a great day at your expense.
At this point it’s fairly common knowledge that phone numbers stink as identity proof. The countless cases of sim-swapping incidents, primarily targeting cryptocurrency investors, are a visceral example of why we need to stop requiring SMS-based TFA. Google suite even has a guide for admins to disable SMS and voice codes on their company domains to curb this issue.
Sure, for the most part, phone-based-TFA is very enticing to an online business as it’s a great way to cut down on fake accounts. That being said, Apple, is it really necessary to make it mandatory? It looks like for the time being, the only way to get around this restriction is to go through the hassle of moving to a new Apple ID. The One Plus 7 looks very appealing right now…


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A new Carytown brewery helped Virginia’s beer industry hit a milestone last month and has struck a deal with an expanding distributor.
Garden Grove Brewery became the 100th actively licensed brewery in Virginia, after getting its license from the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in December.
Owners Ryan Mitchell and Michael Brandt have since begun brewing at their 3,800-square-foot space at 3445 W. Cary St. and they plan to open to the brewery and tasting room in February.
“Our business model is a taproom model,” Mitchell said. “We want to be able to sell as much as we can from our tap room.”
To get their brews on store shelves and in bar taps, Garden Grove has struck a deal with Richmond-based Free Run Wine Merchants. Garden Grove hopes to start off selling about four kegs a month to local restaurants.
“They have promised us that they will focus on us, and we’ll be key to them,” Brandt said of Free Run. “They plan to grow with us.”
John Paul Cheski launched Free Run in 2008, and today the distributor represents about 120 beverage makers and does business in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland.
Cheski said he has enjoyed Brandt’s home-brewed concoctions for years and that Free Run sees a lot of potential in getting into the beer scene.
“We’re a wine company, but as we’re growing as a company, we love beer and this is a national growth for us,” Cheski said. “There’s certainty no reason we wouldn’t want to be in that industry.”
Mitchell said a stout, India pale ale, saison, brown ale and a Belgian dubbel are in the works for Garden Grove’s opening day offerings. And Mitchell and Brandt also plan to unveil what they are calling “the sparkler.”
“It’s something Mike and I created,” Mitchell said. “The best way to explain it is it’s like a sparkling wine with the profile of a beer.”
Both brewers said they’re excited about the green light from ABC, but they said the road to the opening date hasn’t been without its challenges. Chief among them are some of the hoops of red tape new breweries have to jump through to get government approval to operate.
“We feel like it’s only been one year since they repealed Prohibition,” Brandt said. “You have to have a lot of drive and a lot of passion.”
The 100 active brewery mark was announced Tuesday by the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, an affiliate of the Virginia Manufacturers Association. The group made the announcement at its annual Craft Beer Caucus legislative reception.
The group said dozens of new breweries have launched in Virginia in recent years, particularly since 2012, when the General Assembly passed a law allowing breweries to sell beer by the pint for consumption on site.
That opened a new window for the brewery business model and has led to the rise of no less than seven new breweries in the Richmond region with at least three others in the works.


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LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Nov. 12, 2012) - This year, millions of Brits are expected to leave behind their home comforts to celebrate Christmas abroad and enjoy the festivities in far-flung corners of the world. Christmas and the New Year will most likely be particularly busy periods for UK airports, with over 3.5 million holidaymakers looking set to head overseas again this year for a winter break.
So, it seems that for many families, Christmas preparations this year could be less about untangling the lights and stocking up the freezer and more about packing the suitcases and finding the passports. And, whilst traditional winter sun breaks to destinations like the Canary Islands, Egypt and Goa remain a favourite - as well as 'white Christmas' ski holidays - city breaks are also becoming a surprisingly popular choice.
All of this means we can expect to see particularly big rushes at the airport on the days leading up to Christmas and the New Year, with Saturday 22nd December and Sunday 30th December likely to be key dates for travel.
With that in mind, now is the perfect time to start planning ahead for your family Christmas break - and perhaps to time your departure dates to coincide with off-peak days for a less stressful journey. Whether you opt for a classic winter sun getaway, a snow-covered ski break or a cosmopolitan weekend away in a bustling city, there's a whole host of great value deals available to destinations around the world from Cosmos.
Plus, as well as the excitement and magic of spending Christmas somewhere new and exotic, families could potentially save money by going away for the festivities. According to MoneySupermarket figures, Brits splashed out an average of £437 per person last year, with 72% of people saying that most of their budget went on gifts for others.1
However, with cheap package holidays from Cosmos - with prices starting at just £151 per person for a holiday to Portugal's Algarve in December, for example - families could save money on their festive budget this Christmas, not to mention giving the kids (and mum and dad!) an unforgettable holiday experience - a truly exceptional gift.


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At 33 million certified units sold, the best-selling album of all time has achieved triple-diamond status -- the only album to do so.
With the release of blockbuster albums like Beyonce's "Lemonade" and Rihanna's "ANTI," 2016 was a big year for the music industry. But it was Drake's "Views" that took the top prize as the most popular album of 2016. According to Nielsen Music, the album garnered 4.14 million equivalent album units during the year.
Is "Views" on its way to being one of the top-selling albums of all time? To help answer that question, PrettyFamous, an entertainment data site by Graphiq, looked back at the most popular albums in music history.
To compile this list, PrettyFamous referenced the Recording Industry Association of America database of album sales/certification and sorted albums on the total number of certified units sold. Overall, 117 albums have reached diamond certification, meaning they have sold more than 10 million units.
Country star Garth Brooks has more diamond certified albums than any other artist. The Beatles come in second. But neither of those artists have an album in the top five. At 33 million certified units sold, the best-selling album of all time has achieved triple-diamond status -- the only album to do so.
Here's a look at the albums that have sold 16 million copies or more.
Note: Ties are broken first on the number of years between an album's initial release and diamond certification date, and then by the release year.


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Search giant Google has a knack for making products and services official days after leaks of the same surface online and the same holds true for the new redesign for Gmail. The company unveiled a fresh look for Gmail for G Suite business users a few days before the Google Cloud Conference kicks off.
The company says that the app is no more Gmail rather a combination of all of Google’s communication platforms: Gmail, Chat, Meets, and Rooms.
When will the new Gmail be available to all?
Currently, the new Gmail design is available as an early access preview to only a select number of users and will roll out to all G Suite users later this year. As for the consumer version of the mailing application, it seems there will be few changes in the short term. The company says that it is actively thinking about how it will get the experience to all of the customers who want it and are not part of the G Suite.
What does the new Gmail offer?
Javier Soltero, who works at Google, says that the new Gmail design works like an “integrated workspace” that will make it easier for users to switch between different modes of communication without having to launch multiple applications at the same time. You get a similar experience in Microsoft Team that not only offers you a well organised mailing system but also gives its users the option to scheduled voice and video calls and meeting that is well integrated within the app.
At the moment, Google will direct all of its focus on putting all of its communication tools under one app ie Gmail and the same should be available to you both on the smartphone and desktop version of the app.
The benefits of such a system would be that you will be able to set a Do Not Disturb across all your communication platforms at the same time. You will also be able to search chats as easily as you would on Gmail. The company says that these integrations will allow users to “quickly join a video call from a chat, forward a chat message to your inbox, [or] create a task from a chat message.”
The primary objective for Google to launch such a campaign is to take on the likes of Microsoft Teams and Slack at their own game so that it can provide its customer base with a holistic ecosystem for all of its organisational needs. Whether something like this appeals to users is what we’ll get to see at a later date.


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It's an exciting time to be a car enthusiast. Even as the rise of self-driving cars continues, there's a deluge of driver's cars coming down the pipeline that we can't wait to get our hands on. These are the cars that keep us awake at night with giddy anticipation.More
Ford blew everyone away when it showed off the gorgeous new GT at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. It's incomprehensibly pretty in person and promises to continue the legacy of Ford's greatest motorsport achievement. Hopefully it lives up to the looks and the name.
After years of financial instability forcing it to squeeze more and more out of the DB9 platform, Aston Martin finally has a successor in the DB11. Gone is the old naturally-aspirated V12, but the twin-turbo V12 that takes its place makes 600 horsepower, so we're not too upset. The DB11 looks the part, too.


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A picture may be worth a thousand words, but Donatella Versace isn't afraid to supplement images with talk. Or that's what seemed to be the case on Wednesday night, at least, when she spoke candidly about her decades-long career in promotion of her new book of photographs, "Versace," at the Times Center.
In conversation with InStyle Fashion News Director Eric Wilson, the Italian designer used images from the Rizzoli-published volume as touch points for discussing everything from appearing in another designer's ad campaign to the celebrity she'd (not so secretly) like to be. Read on for some of the highlights from the evening.
On working with legendary fashion photographers:
Versace has worked with some of the most iconic photographers in the industry, many of whom have photographed Versace herself. Though she was quick to praise the vision of everyone with whom the brand has worked from Jean Paul Goude ("he's truly an artist") to Steven Meisel ("with him, nothing was out of place"), she also shared choice tidbits about one of the most game-changing image-makers in the biz: Richard Avedon. "He was very difficult to work with," she said. "He pushed me. But he was such a perfectionist; what he turned out were like paintings, not pictures."
On being the reason Google Images exists:
The iconic green dress that Jennifer Lopez wore to the 2000 Grammy Awards was groundbreaking in and of itself, with its below-the-belly-button plunging neckline and translucent fabric — and this was before the "naked dress" became a red-carpet norm. But the fact that it helped launch Google Images cemented it in tech, as well as fashion, history. The day after the Grammys, searches for the dress were the most popular query Google had ever seen, but the platform hadn't yet developed an effective way to search photos. Thus, Google Images was born.
"We had no idea what was going to happen," Versace said of about the dress. "I did not realize; it went so quick. We sent it to her and she said, 'Boobs! It's so open!' But we told her, 'Put Scotch tape on it.'" The next day, the dress made history.
On Lady Gaga:
The two have a long relationship. First Gaga asked Versace to be in a music video, then Versace asked Gaga to be in a Versace ad campaign. "I asked her to play a part, and she said, 'I want to be you.' But I want to be her!" exclaimed Versace. Considering that Gaga has now written a song about Versace and has been reported to play the designer in season three of "American Crime Story," it seems the admiration is mutual.
On Versace being a brand for strong, powerful women:
Despite her frequent descriptions of the brand as such, and her quip that she "likes to be in charge in general," Versace also joked of herself: "I'm scary, not powerful."
On using music icons like Madonna and Courtney Love as models:
"They're women in charge, that's what I like about them," Versace said. But she didn't hesitate to share the difficulties of working with women who have their own voice, either. Madonna "didn't like taking direction," and Courtney Love had to be repeatedly asked not to touch the makeup on her face on a shoot. "It was a mess," Versace laughed.
On seeing other designers as friends rather than rivals:
Versace recently appeared in an ad campaign for Givenchy alongside artistic director Riccardo Tisci, and the fact that she was willing to rep a brand other than her own caused quite a stir. But her friendship with Tisci runs deep, and moderator Wilson brought up something Tisci had once said to him: "He told me that when he started working in Milan, he knocked on a lot of designer's doors, and the only one who would talk to him was Donatella Versace." Her response to that was simple: "I'm very proud of that campaign," she said. "Designers should talk to each other and exchange ideas. You can learn from each other. Always."
On the one thing she won't leave home without:
Her dog, Audrey. "She's really intelligent and never complains. I always bring her with me. If we go to a fitting and there are new models, she'll go by and be like, 'Don’t be scared!' She warms people up."


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41luxe CEO shares nugget on best outfit for post-Covid
The CEO of 41luxe, Halima Yunusa, has shared six nuggets from her expertise to help fashion entrepreneurs bounce back on their A game in the industry with a few tips.
These tips came following the gradual easing of the global pandemic that has since caused changes in today’s daily lifestyle, especially the fashion industry that has a new addition, nose mask.
As normalcy returns, with the introduction of the vaccines, social activities have begun to pick up without necessarily neglecting guidelines as given by the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), asking individuals to appear masked in public gatherings to curtail the spread of the virus.
For Yunusa, individuals may struggle to find a balance with their long embraced comfort zone and adopt the mask trend; hence, her tips.
“Start gradually,” she recommended. “Snapping back to reality isn’t magic, but baby steps are required. There are lots of fashionable items that still guarantee your comfort while staying classy.”
Some of the clothings she listed are: Palazzos, Maxi dresses and Kimonos fall into this category. “Palazzos are comfortable but extremely stylish, they have stretched the boundaries of comfort and sophistication, proving that you can look chic and be comfortable. They also add an effortless flare to your look.”
Maxi dresses, she hinted, are not only comfortable but often come in breathable fabrics. In her words, the maxi fashion is endlessly chic; you can make them classier by adding an exaggerated sleeve or some ruffles to give off a sophisticated vibe.
“Kimono: The Japanese inspired kimonos have gained global acceptance and have even been incorporated into indigenous trends. They are quite functional and stylish too; You can rock your Jeans and Tees and throw on a Kimono to touch up your look,” says the 41luxe boss.
On the trends of black face masks, Yunusa said seemingly one would be indulging the use of face masks for a while, and trying to find the right print to suit one’s own aesthetics, which can be exhausting to keep up with. “Hence, the need to opt for something less selective. The black face masks are versatile and don’t require a lot of thought on what to mix and match with.”
According to Yunusa, accessories can take your outfit from a 0 to 100 real quick. “They complement your look. Always punctuate your outfit with accessories, could be a scarf or a nice bag. You can create your unique style and see what works for you.”
When it comes to long sleeves, the fashion boss said no thanks to COVID, freezing weather is not the only reason to wear long sleeves but also a way to minimise contact with surfaces and even humans.
“Long sleeved dresses are a staple and so easy to pair. You could also experiment with gloves,” she suggested.
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The one stop power solutions
12:11 | 01/04/2017 Energy
(VEN) - Over the past few years, Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has been providing business firms with the services of its energy service companies (ESCO). Vietnam Economic News’ Dinh Dung spoke with Tran Viet Nguyen, deputy director of the EVN Sales Department, about the energy efficient solutions on offer.
The changing textile, garment export market
09:16 | 30/03/2017 Industry
(VEN) - Many textile and garment manufacturers had already received export orders in January for the entire first quarter, or even the first two quarters of the year, according to Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group General Director Le Tien Truong. He therefore forecast that the textile and garment market would warm up this year.
SMEs should be players in support industries
14:07 | 29/03/2017 Industry
(VEN) - The Thang Long Packaging Production Export-Import Joint-Stock Company is a spare part supplier for many domestic and foreign partners. Nguyen Minh Ngoc, the general director of the company, spoke with Vietnam Economic News’ Nguyen Hoa about difficulties facing businesses when joining the global supply chain.
Binh Dinh’s five-year industry promotion leap
10:39 | 28/03/2017 Local Industry
(VEN) - Five years after beginning to implement a government decree on industry promotion, Binh Dinh Province has accomplished dozens of related programs and projects, contributing significantly to the industrial growth in the rural province on the south-central coast of Vietnam.
Optimizing Vietnam’s golden population era
10:17 | 27/03/2017 Industry
(VEN) - Vietnam is experiencing a period known as the “golden population structure”, a period that occurs only once in the demographic history of each nation. What it essentially means is that until about 2040, the country will have the biggest labor force ever, after which the number of workers will decline while the number of retired people will grow.
Cheap imports challenge Vietnam coal
14:36 | 25/03/2017 Energy
The domestic coal sector is going through a tough time owing to serious competition from cheap imported coal, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has said.
Vinh Phuc Province develops support industries
11:20 | 24/03/2017 Local Industry
(VEN) - Hosting a number of big-name companies like Honda, Toyota and Yamaha, Vinh Phuc Province has become a destination for global producers of automobiles and motorbikes. With that in mind, the province has put in place a full array of mechanisms and policies in order to boost support industries.
Oil exploitation exceeds Q1’s target
10:50 | 23/03/2017 Petroleum
The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) produced about 6.45 million tonnes of crude oil in the first quarter of this year, exceeding its three-month plan by 5 percent.


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Acting US Secretary of Education John King recently apologized to educators, saying they have been unfairly blamed for some of the country's education woes. King says he is seeking to reset the administration's relationship with teachers.
Many people believe waking up early is the key to productivity, but your genes might disagree, writes Shana Lebowitz. Research suggests genetics plays a role in who is a morning person, though the study was based on self-reporting and is not considered conclusive. "[Y]ou shouldn't listen to 'blanket productivity advice' because what works for one person may not work for you," Lebowitz writes.
A New York high school with a later start time reported fewer tardy students and improved discipline, but no improvement in grades or physical and mental health, according to a study in the journal Sleep. Researchers also found the later start time did not necessarily mean students slept more.
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Timothy Massad said Friday that the swaps industry is partially responsible for the lack of clear, accurate data on individual transactions. "We expected the industry to develop standardized terms," Massad said. "That, unfortunately, did not happen."
Some of America's best-known seafood, including Maine lobster and New England clams, might struggle to survive in the face of rising global temperatures and increasing ocean acidification, research suggests. Scallops, salmon and sturgeon were also found to be extremely vulnerable to the shifting climate.
Female patients diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during childhood had a twofold increased likelihood of developing obesity in childhood and adulthood than those who didn't have ADHD, according to a study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Researchers assessed 1,001 individuals with and without childhood ADHD, all born between 1976 and 1982, and found no association between obesity and stimulant treatment among those with the disorder.
Bud Light, Doritos and the National Football League were the Super Bowl ad winners, with lighthearted and feel-good ads. Ads that took a more serious tone, such as those from SunTrust Banks, Social Finance and AstraZeneca didn't hit the spot. "It's weird to have a constipation ad in the Super Bowl," said law student Margie Truwit.
Most Target stores will have at least one cart with a special seat for shoppers whose medical conditions keep them from being able to sit in regular shopping cart seats, the retailer said. The carts, called Caroline's Carts, are designed to give parents of children with special needs an alternative to shopping with both a cart and a stroller. Other retailers including Cub Foods and Hy-Vee have added the carts at some stores.
Microsoft has officially launched its Internet of Things Hub, which is designed to help expedite the deployment of IoT projects in the enterprise. "Azure IoT Hub provides an easy and secure way to connect, provision and manage billions of IoT devices sending and receiving trillions of messages per month," said Microsoft's Sam George. "IoT Hub enables secure, reliable two-way communication -- from device to cloud and cloud to device -- over open protocols such as MQTT, HTTPS and AMQPS that are already widely used in IoT."
San Francisco-based Narus Biotechnologies, a startup developing neurological disease biomarkers for use in RNA-based diagnostics, will be bought by St. Louis-based Cofactor Genomics for undisclosed terms. The acquisition is expected to boost Cofactor's RNA testing abilities and support its development of RNA-based diagnostics for neurodegenerative disease and cancer.
BlackBerry confirmed Friday that it will eliminate roughly 200 jobs at its Ontario headquarters and in Florida. The company is in the midst of transforming itself from a hardware company into a mobile security and software services provider for businesses.
Next Tokyo is a concept that would create a cluster of man-made islands in Japan's Tokyo Bay. Its focal point would be a 5,577-foot tower that would become the world's tallest, able to house 55,000 people. Next Tokyo's goal is to mitigate the effects of climate change and help protect the city from flooding.
Federal regulators have made a mistake in their decision to allow almost a billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to be exported from New England, according to Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass. He said allowing gas to be transported by pipeline through the region for export won't benefit residents but will simply treat New England as a production highway.
The Transportation Security Administration now has or will soon receive access to the National Counterterrorism Center's Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment system. The agency will use the database to better screen airport workers, said Department of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth.
Aspen, Colo., is a popular spot for luxury travelers, but the winter vacation town also offers plenty for those on a budget. Visitors can enjoy skiing, taking a mountain tour, viewing exhibitions at the Aspen Art Museum, dining at casual restaurants and partying at Bootsy Bellows.


text: Sun Hung Kai Properties, the biggest Hong Kong developer by value, warned of a bleak outlook for the hospitality and retail sectors after its hotel business took a pounding in the second half of last year. The company’s hotel operating profit plummeted by HK$595 million, or 75.1 per cent, to HK$197 million, with a significant drop in revenue per available room as social unrest led to a severe decline in visitor arrivals. Its other businesses, from retail to telecoms and logistics, were also hit badly. The developer owns high-end hotels like the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, W Hong Kong, Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour and The Royal Garden. Its shopping malls have been forced to offer concessions to retail tenants as tourist arrivals plunged 98 per cent to 3,000 in mid-February. “In Hong Kong, external economic uncertainties, coupled with the latest [coronavirus] epidemic and local social unrest, will pose greater downside risks to the territory’s economy, particularly tourism and retail-related sectors,” said Raymond Kwok Ping-luen, chairman and managing director of the SHKP in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Thursday. “The operating environment of the hospitality industry worsened amid plunging visitor arrivals as a result of local social [unrest],” said Kwok. “The near-term performance of the group’s hotel portfolio will be exacerbated by the recent epidemic.” Hospitality companies in Hong Kong have suffered across the board. Hong Kong’s hotel valuations drop, vacancy rates soar, as tourists avoid city Sino Hotels saw profit fall 93.4 per cent to HK$6.4 million for the six months ended December 31, said chairman Robert Ng Chee Siong in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Wednesday. “Hong Kong’s economy has been challenging … due to unprecedented and exceptional circumstances where hospitality businesses have been operating under significant pressure,” said Ng. “Not only has tourist spending decreased, local citizens have turned more cautious. The hospitality industry has been impacted significantly.” Sino Land and its parent Tsim Sha Tsui Properties reported underlying profit rose 14.9 per cent and 16.1 per cent, respectively, for the six months ended December 31. The number of tourists coming to Hong Kong fell by more than half in November and December, Ng noted. Occupancy rates for the Conrad Hong Kong in Admiralty suffered the biggest dive, plunging by 35.2 percentage points to 55.5 per cent from the same period a year earlier. Kwok warned there is worse to come for the retail sector as the coronavirus outbreak delivers a further blow to its shopping centres like New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, after they became a virtual warzone during violent clashes between protesters and police last year. The retail sector in Hong Kong with downward pressure on retail rental, especially for shops and malls in tourist areas,” Kwok said. “The prevailing coronavirus epidemic has further hit both domestic and tourist spending.” Underlying profit for the six months ended December 31 fell 2.3 per cent on the year to HK$13.42 billion, excluding the effect of fair-value changes on investment properties. After incorporating the gains on investment properties, net profit sank 24.7 per cent to HK$15.42 billion Kwok noted that home sales in China have been “severely disrupted by the outbreak”, while telecom company SmarTone, owned by SHKP, reported operating profit down 18.2 per cent. The group’s transport infrastructure and logistics businesses fell 4.3 per cent. “With the global, Chinese and local economies all facing strong headwinds, corporates and businesses may elect to stay cautious in 2020,” said Tom Gaffney, regional managing director, Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong, at CBRE.


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[Kenya – UK]
Despite having a lower middle-income economy, the UK has established a window for Kenyan items including clothing and agricultural products to benefit from lower or nil tariffs.
This week, the UK designated 65 developing nations as recipients of a new bilateral trade agreement that lowers import duties on thousands of items from some of the world’s poorest nations in an effort to strengthen commercial ties, including Kenya’s neighbors Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and South Sudan. Kenya, however, was not included since it had been moved up from the list of the least developed nations.
However, according to a new agreement made under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), three nations, including Uganda, Kenya’s main trading partner in the area, are now able to import products from Kenya and re-export them duty-free to the UK.
According to the agreement, Kenya’s neighboring LDCs—least developed countries—will be permitted to purchase commodities in Kenya and export completed items to the UK.
This entails that LDCs may engage in value chains comprising components from 95 different nations and yet export their finished goods duty-free to the UK, according to the UK.
If products are duty-free in the EPA between the UK and Kenya and fulfill the EPA PSRs, an Ethiopian exporter to the UK, for instance, will be permitted to utilize materials from Kenya (an EPA nation) and consider those materials as coming from Ethiopia.


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Modi missive to ministries on local electronic goods
In a move aimed at giving a boost ‘Make in India’ initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked his cabinet colleagues to give preference to domestically manufactured electronic products in government procurement. According to the new directive issued to all ministers from Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Saturday said, “A Committee of Secretaries has decided that all ministries and departments should identify department-specific domestically manufactured electronic products for procurement, and notify them within a fortnight.”
The order also said, “All government departments have been asked to adhere to a tender template already issued by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, for procurement of electronic items.”
The Department of Electronics and Information Technology has also been asked to put in place an online monitoring system for reporting by ministries/departments and state governments, on procurement of electronic products. This system, to be operationalised in a fortnight, will capture the break-up of domestically manufactured electronic equipment by value.
This latest move of government has raised eyebrows of India Inc. Dubbing the move as anti-industry, prominent industry bodies raised their reservations over the order. An official of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry said, “Since there are only a few Indian companies in the manufacturing of electronic goods, what will happen to products being manufactured by MNCs? This move of the government will discourage country-based MNCs.”


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Bentonville, AR (January 17, 2012) – Sam’s Club, the nation’s eighth largest retailer, today announced the launch of a new program with San Francisco, CA-based warranty provider SquareTrade and other partners to offer feature-packed mobile phone protection plans for Sam’s Club members. Priced at $59 for standard phones and $99 for smart phones, the protection packages include:
- Two year protection for normal failures including battery replacement
- Accidental damage protection including full liquid immersion with a $49 deductible
- A two year guaranteed buyback plan for up to 50% of the phone price.
- Next day replacement service
- Data backup service
- GPS locator software to track lost devices with a remote data clearing feature for smart phones
- 24/7 Toll-free Technical help from Sam’s Club Tech Experts
“Mobile and smart phones are part of today’s lifestyle and keep us connected, entertained and productive. At Sam’s Club we offer our member’s the best value on mobile phones and Smartphone hardware, accessories and connection plans. Our members have told us they want simple solutions to protect their devices.” said Huey Long, Senior Vice President of Sam's Club Technology Services. “By developing this program with SquareTrade and others to offer a value bundle of the most useful solutions, we are able to deliver on our goal to our Members to provide ‘Savings made Simple’.” Once purchased, Sam’s Club members have real time access to their total protection plan and technical support when needed via our toll free number and online.
“SquareTrade’s customer focused approach fits nicely with Sam’s Club approach to total member care.” explained Steve Abernethy, CEO and co-founder of SquareTrade. “We’re very excited to make our services available to Sam’s Club members, who should expect nothing but the best service from SquareTrade.”
About Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation’s eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million Members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Members save an average of 30 percent over traditional retailers. To learn more about Savings Made Simple®, visit SamsClub.com and look for Sam’s Club on Twitter, Facebook and our mobile app.
Founded in 1999, SquareTrade offers warranties that make sense, with fair prices and no-hassle service. The company boasts millions of customers who have consistently rated the warranty service 5-star reviews. SquareTrade was named one of PC Magazine's Top 100 Websites of 2010, is the winner of the 2011 Stevie Award for Sales & Customer Service, and the 2011 Golden Bridge Award for Best Customer Service. SquareTrade is privately held and headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit SquareTrade.com or find SquareTrade on Facebook.


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A SAVVY landlord has launched a £1.99 "Boris Menu" to entice Tier 2 drinkers who don't want to fork out on a "substantial meal".
The King's Head in Essex is offering bargain meals to lure boozers back in when lockdown lifts tomorrow - including beans on toast and hotdogs.
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Pub owner Matthew Arnold says the items on the "Boris Menu" are not the "most accomplished" but count as a substantial meal under Tier 2 restrictions.
Other meals to enjoy with a long-awaited pint include garlic bread or battered cod dippers for 99p.
Punters can also tuck into a £1.99 burger and chips or a vanilla cheesecake for just 99p.
Matthew told Essex Live: "Every time a new regulation is implemented it incurs a lot of time and cost for pubs to abide.
"It's the frustration that prompted the menu idea initially at the same time as catering for customers that don't necessarily want a large and costly meal each time they want to visit us."
Wetherspoons is also launching a new breakfast menu starting from £1.99 ahead of its pubs reopening tomorrow.
Customers will be able to choose from four new breakfast muffins – egg and bacon, egg and sausage, breakfast with bacon and sausage, and egg and cheese.
Pubs will reopen across England tomorrow as lockdown lifts and the tier system is re-introduced.
But there has been some confusion over Tier 2 rules, which state pubs must serve substantial meals or close.
The measures have sparked a debate over what counts as a substantial meal - with a bizarre row rumbling on over scotch eggs.
Most read in News
George Eustice told LBC yesterday the snack would count if there was table service - but Michael Gove tripped up three times when asked the same question.
He also offered 30,000 drinks-only pubs an extra £1,000 grant to try and help them make ends - "recognising how hard they've been hit by this in what is their typically busiest month".


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Andfjord Salmon Q2 2022 results anticipate revenue incoming by mid-2023
Dverberg, Vesterålen, Norway-based Andfjord Salmon is still not producing any revenue, but it’s getting closer to that critical milestone, the company said in its second-quarter 2022 results.
Andfjord Salmon released its first smolts into its first flowthrough pool at its farm in Kvalnes, Andoya, Norway, over the summer, and since the end of June, the salmon have grown from an average weight of 120 grams to around 400 grams in mid-September. The company is targeting mid-2023 for its first harvest, according to Andfjord Salmon CEO Martin Rasmussen ...
Photo courtesy of Andfjord Salmon


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US consumer prices were little changed in February, indicating that inflation continues to remain tame.
The consumer price index rose 0.1%, from a month earlier. That matched the increase seen in January.
Inflation in the US has remained low, held in check by slow economic growth and high unemployment.
The data comes as the US Federal Reserve begins its two-day meeting where it will release its latest monetary policy and economic outlook.
Core consumer prices, which exclude volatile food and energy costs, also rose 0.1% from a month ago, the US Labor Department said.
This article is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Corporation or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. Leveraged trading is high risk and not suitable for all. You could lose all of your deposited funds.


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Credit Suisse has predicted that a change to an index designed to help fund managers hold the right balance of stock to meet their goals is likely to see a net sell-off of AAPL shares to the tune of $1.3B. This scale of sales is expected to be large enough to cause a fall in the share price, reports Reuters.
The index concerned is known as the Russell Index, which classifies stocks as some mix of ‘growth’ and ‘value’ depending on their performance. Growth stocks are expected to generate higher returns at greater risk, while value stocks are those likely to generate lower returns at less risk. Apple is being reclassified as 92% growth and 8% value …
The move matters because value managers that peg their investments to the Russell indexes will be buying Apple while growth managers will be selling. Because there are more assets benchmarked to growth than to value, there will be net selling of Apple, said Meera Krishnan, U.S. index strategist at Credit Suisse in New York.
Reuters says that there are almost twice as many large funds geared to growth as there are ones geared to value goals.
Almost 1,900 large-cap growth funds own Apple shares versus fewer than 1,000 large-cap value holders, according to Morningstar data to the end of May.
The same thinking – that Apple is now a safer bet but one less likely to see dramatic growth – is believed to have been behind the $1B stake taken by Berkshire Hathaway, whose founder Warren Buffett had previously dismissed AAPL as too unpredictable a stock. Icahn, in contrast, got out of the stock completely last month.
Apple reported its first ever fall in iPhone sales in Q2, down 18% year-on-year, leading to speculation about Q1 representing ‘peak iPhone.’ I gave my own views on both that idea and Apple’s broader prospects in a couple of opinion pieces, but the market has – for now at least – made its views clear: AAPL ended 2.3% down at close on Friday. The stock has dropped 28% since its high in February 2013.
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520 jobs on the line as Topshop owner plans closure of 23 stores - including four in city
The Arcadia Group is to shut 23 stores in Ireland and the UK, putting 520 jobs at risk.
Four stores in Dublin are among those earmarked to close.
These are Topshop/Miss Selfridge at St Stephen's Green, Topshop/Topman at Jervis Street, Evans/Wallis in Henry Street and Wallis in Liffey Valley.
Stores in Galway and Cork will also go.
Dorothy Perkins, Burton, Topshop and Topman stores have been earmarked for closure as part of a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).
The group's proposals will also see rent cut at 194 outlets.
All the retailer's 11 Topman and Topshop stores in the US are also set to close.
Arcadia directors will meet creditors on June 5 to seek approval for the proposals. Some 75pc of creditors will have to approve the plans.
"Against a backdrop of challenging retail headwinds, changing consumer habits and ever-increasing online competition, we have seriously considered all possible options to return the group to a stable financial platform," said Arcadia chief executive Ian Grabiner.
"This has been tough but necessary for the business.
"We will ensure all potentially affected colleagues are kept fully informed as we seek approval from our creditors on today's CVA proposals."
Daniel Butters, partner at Deloitte, said: "Arcadia and its portfolio of fashion brands have faced unprecedented market conditions, which have significantly impacted the group's financial performance.
"These CVAs will provide a stable platform for Arcadia's experienced and committed leadership team to implement its turnaround plan and ensure the long-term sustainability of the group."
Speculation began early this year that billionaire Philip Green would look to either sell off the company or close stores.
In March, Arcadia confirmed it was exploring options to improve efficiency in the business.
Later that month it hired property advisers to assess its estate, while drawing up restructuring plans.


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This year’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition will expand its mission of inclusion to feature the Ladies of the WNBA.
Coming to newsstands on May 19, the new 2022 edition will highlight the Ladies of the WNBA, including soccer player Megan Rapinoe’s partner – Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm.
This is who we are; this is the makeup of our league,” Sue Bird said in the announcement.. “We represent a variety of things: of course women, women of color, members of the LGBTQIA2+ community, and much more.
“The [Swimsuit] issue for so many years has been iconic and has represented a lot for women. Now you are seeing an evolution in what that can mean and what that can look like, and I think the WNBA players being a part of that is what makes it special. There is no better group of women to showcase that evolution,” she added.
Bird later described herself as a “passionate athlete and basketball player” who is “becoming more educated and passionate about other things like discussing the inequalities and inequities in our lives – not just for athletes but for all women, all people of color.”
“It’s been pretty cool to grow up and see what speaks to me and that’s what more than an athlete means: everyone is more than what they do,” she added.
Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart, who recently welcomed a daughter with her wife, Marta Xargay, also said that the “WNBA has always been at the forefront of social issues.”
“And we continue to be leaders in this space because we always have fought for more—and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon,” she said.
“I want to be the best role model I can for Ruby,” Stewart said of her daughter. “I want her to see the impact women play in society—in sports and outside of sports.”
The W is in the house! Ἴ The women of WNBA traded in their uniforms for swimsuits & made all our swishes come true. Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, Nneka Ogwumike, Te'a Cooper & Didi Richards will be featured in our 2022 issue-hitting newsstands on May 19th. https://t.co/4cf2Jgqg9w pic.twitter.com/09cutvJl5V
— Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@SI_Swimsuit) May 9, 2022
This past January, Sports Illustrated said that brands that create change for women will soon be “certified as a Changemaker.”
“All brands who prove they are creating change for women will be certified as a Changemaker, which is defined as a brand who has made, is making and will make progress for women by May 2022 when the annual SI Swimsuit Issue hits stands. Each changemaking brand will then be able to purchase a space within the print edition, which will only feature adverts showcasing the progress each brand is making to build equity for all women,” the publication said.
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Things are changing in Waterloo. The summer is drawing to an end and Research In Motion is in the very early stages of the biggest BlackBerry device launch of the brand’s storied history. BlackBerry 7 smartphones — which include new Bold models, Curve models and Torch models — will be sold by more than 225 carriers around the world this year and into 2012. But RIM’s BlackBerry 7 device launch is also significant for another reason, of course: it is the end of an era.
The BlackBerry smartphones launching across the globe right now will be the final batch to feature RIM’s BlackBerry software as we know it today. Late to the party though it may be, RIM’s top management has finally come to realize that its competition as long-since passed it by. Apple owns smartphone profits, Google owns smartphone market share, and RIM has seen its handset business decline in several key regions quarter after quarter. How did the tide turn so quickly? The explanation is beyond simple: RIM, like Nokia and Microsoft, grew complacent and sat idle while younger, hungrier companies revolutionized the smartphone industry. And now these companies must start anew.
Nokia and Microsoft have joined forces in their effort to regain market share and mind share from Apple and Google, leaving RIM to take its journey alone. This is not an unfamiliar position for the company, however. What started as a small VC-funded firm that launched the Inter@ctive Pager in 1998 to combat SkyTel would later go on to help shape the smartphone industry. But technology grows exponentially and RIM did not, so here we sit today.
Analysts and pundits are mixed when it comes to RIM’s chances moving forward. Some believe Google and Apple have built a lead that is insurmountable in the near term, and RIM will continue to stagger until a sale is forced. Others believe RIM’s BlackBerry 7 device roll-out coupled with the vendor’s continued success in numerous international markets will hold the company steady while it prepares the first wave of QNX smartphones that will right RIM’s ship. I once found myself somewhere in between these two camps, but I’m now leaning toward the latter.
BGR Editor-in-chief Jonathan Geller reviewed the BlackBerry Bold 9900 earlier this month, and he found the hardware to be a breath of fresh air while RIM’s stale software left much to be desired. Of course, regardless of where the tide takes him, Geller will always have a soft spot for BlackBerry devices and as such, I really didn’t get to spend much time with our early unit since he wouldn’t let it out of his sight. T-Mobile sent us a Bold 9900 recently, however, and I’ve been using it since the device arrived. My thoughts on the 9900 align closely with Geller’s, so there’s no need to review the phone again. But I did want to cover one aspect of the new Bold because I think it may have bigger implications than many believe.
In a recent feature, I called the BlackBerry PlayBook my favorite tablet and explained how well it is suited for my personal use. Beyond that, however, I also said how much I like the PlayBook hardware. While most seem to prefer the rock hard aluminum case on Apple’s iPad, I really enjoy the soft-touch rubberized plastic RIM used on the PlayBook. The device is very solid, save for the Playskool power button up top, and weight distribution is perfect.
And now, we have the Bold 9900. As someone who handles a ridiculous number of phones — and who apparently may never have children as a result — I feel perfectly comfortable calling the Bold 9900 is one of the most gorgeous pieces of smartphone hardware I have ever seen. Falling short of Apple’s iPhone 4 perhaps only due to the grease-magnet carbon fiber-look plastic inlay at the center of the battery cover, the Bold 9900 is fantastic. Forget about the creaking, plasticky BlackBerry smartphones of old; this is a new chapter in RIM handsets. The smooth face surrounded by a brushed metal bezel is luxurious, the soft-touch rubberized areas on the back feel perfect in the hands, and the keyboard is absolutely unrivaled. But the most important takeaway from RIM’s Bold 9900 is this: RIM has changed.
As simple as it sounds, this is a big confidence booster for me. RIM finds itself where it is today thanks largely to the company’s inability to adapt to a changing market. The company was late with 3G phones because it didn’t want to compromise battery life. Meanwhile, 3G smartphones became commonplace and rendered 2G devices slow and painful to use. RIM was late with touchscreens because rebuilding its operating system for touch input was a daunting task to say the least. Of course while RIM was resisting, touch devices swept the market and now we may never again see a flagship smartphone without a touchscreen.
RIM’s previous high-end phones have been fantastic engineering feats, but the quality of RIM’s hardware was never on par with the likes of HTC or Apple. The Bold 9900 is a completely different story.
When I envision a device with the Bold 9900’s build quality, RIM’s fresh new QNX-based operating system and an the ever-expanding Android application ecosystem available via RIM’s Android app player, I really like RIM’s chances. Add on competitive entry-level QNX phones to pick up where RIM’s new Curves left off, and the tide may very well turn sooner than we think for RIM.


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VISITORS to this weekend’s Ballarat Antique and Vintage Fair will find everything from a cup and saucer to a house full of furniture or a car.
Fair organiser John Markworth said the event was the largest and longest-running of its kind in Australia and would attract thousands of people.
Some would travel from interstate just to be a part of it.
“Collectors are very extreme, they’d rather collect than eat,” Mr Markworth said.
“We have the collectors who have a particular thing they collect and they’ll be first in the long queue tomorrow morning to size up that elusive piece.
“There are also the people who appreciate the workmanship that goes into the antique pieces.”
The event will be staged at a new venue, the Ballarat Function Centre, after outgrowing its former home down the road.
Mr Markworth said an old warehouse at 501-503 Dowling Street, Wendouree, had been transformed into the largest exhibition space in Ballarat.
“We’ve been able to create a new venue that the town really needs,” he said.
Dealers from around Australia will attend the fair, where there will be 132 stalls offering “a bit of everything”, from vintage jewellery and clothing to a German micro-car.
“It’s a cross between a motor scooter and a car and it was all the rage in the mid 50s and early 60s,” Mr Markworth said.
“A vehicle like that would bring easily the price of a new Holden.”
He said the dealers had saved their best pieces for the annual fair, now in its 44th year.
“We don’t really know what’s going to be here until it’s all unveiled,” Mr Markworth said.
“There’s no telling what will turn up.”


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Thanks to a viral social media plea, a kid from a 10-year-old meme is now an official Popeyes ambassador.
Known as the Popeyes meme kid, a picture of Dieurnest Collin, age nine, giving side eye while in line at a New Jersey Popeyes went viral on social media platform.
Ten years later, Collin, now 18 and a division II football player for Lake Erie College, took to Instagram with a public plea to join forces with the brand again, writing “@popeyes I JUST WANNA TALK BUISNESS."
The post quickly gained popularity, generating over 175 thousand likes.
Within days, Popeyes responded with “Let’s get this bread(ing),” followed by an announcement that the chicken brand signed Collin to an NIL sponsorship. These deals allow college athletes to profit off of their “names, image and likeness” (NIL).
As a part of the deal, Collin will be featured on a Popeyes billboard near his hometown in New Jersey. Other terms of the arrangement were not disclosed, but I hope it includes plenty of chicken sandwiches!
Social media: Connecting consumers to brands
At the 2022 Chicken Marketing Summit, Danette Amstein, co-founder and managing principal, Midan Marketing, discussed the importance of social media moments in reaching consumers and keeping chicken as the protein at the center of the plate.
“Some of us love it and others hate it. But let’s be real, it needs to be part of our strategy. Because that where they’re spending time,” she said.
Today’s consumer has the same attention span as a goldfish – about six seconds. And, while the adage used to be that it took seven times for a message to stick with consumers – that number is now 21.
This makes it more important than ever to find ways to reach consumers where they are and in a multitude of ways. Another recent example of this is the recent Raising Cane’s collaboration with competitive eating champion, Joey Chestnut, to celebrate National Chicken Finger day.
Attend the 2023 Chicken Marketing Summit
The 2023 Chicken Marketing Summit will be held at Hotel Effie Sandestin in Miramar Beach, Florida on Monday, July 31 – Wednesday, August 2, 2023. Serving a unique cross section of the chicken supply chain, Chicken Marketing Summit explores issues and trends in food marketing and consumer chicken consumption patterns and purchasing behavior.
For more information and to attend, visit: www.wattglobalmedia.com/chickenmarketingsummit/.