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- Today’s main news: Coinbase to build a market surveillance system. Ripple receives 3rd securities lawsuit. Ethereum network clogged, experts blame FCoin. Binance suspends services for irregular trading risk alert. Indian court upholds ban on cryptocurrencies.
- Today’s main analysis: 3 most notable exchange-driven cryptocurrencies.
- Today’s thought-provoking articles: Bitcoin on the hunt for $7K. The two large cryptocurrencies up in 2018. The 15 biggest ICOs. Report advises EU regulators not to ban crypto.
- Coinbase to build a market surveillance system. The interesting thing here is they’ve hired a New York Stock Exchange executive to build the system.
- Ripple hit with another securities violation lawsuit. It’s looking pretty evident that Ripple is going to be regulated like a security.
- Bitcoin on the hunt for $7,000. Indications at this point are that it will likely hit it end of August, maybe sooner.
- 3 bullish signs for Bitcoin’s return.
- Steem blockchain froze for nine hours due to invalid transactions. Since March, I’ve been posting a mini digest of top crypto news on Steemit. I’ve grown to like the platform a great deal, but I noticed this outage as I was trying to make a post Monday evening. I made it Tuesday morning instead. Things have been rocking pretty steady since then.
- CoinText raises $600,000 in seed money.
- Tokenized securities are not secured by Delaware Blockchain Amendments.
- Ethereum network clog was caused by FCoin, some say.
- Is FCoin really to blame?
- The three most notable exchange-driven cryptocurrencies. This is an excellent read. One of these coins just launched this year. You’ll recognize them all.
- The only two large cryptocurrencies up in 2018. There’s still plenty of year left.
- The 15 biggest ICOs so far.
- Zcash, Verge, Dash to be integrated into WordPress and WooCommerce.
- Nebulas releases yellow paper for blockchain data.
- Vertex launches ICO aftermarket.
- Top 7 predictions for 2018 cryptocurrencies.
- Binance suspends services for irregular trading risk alert.
- EOS opens on Binance for deposits, withdrawals.
- Report advises EU regulators not to ban cryptocurrencies.
- Should you hold your Ethereum Classic?
- 40% of companies in regulatory sandbox use distributed ledger technology.
- Report tells government to use the blockchain for rebuilding trust.
- CEO predicts Bitcoin to hit $20,000.
- Slaughterhouse has tried blockchain technology.
- DAV Foundation joins Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative.
- Top Indian court upholds crypto ban.
- Zebpay bars crypto trading in rupee.
- Bangkok regulator issues framework for ICO portals and tokens.
- United States
- Coinbase to Build Its Own Market Surveillance System (Bitsonline), Rated: AAA
- Ripple hit with third suit for securities law violation (The Next Web), Rated: AAA
- Bitcoin Remains On Hunt for $ 7K Despite Price Pullback (CoinDesk), Rated: AAA
- 3 Bullish Signs Return For Bitcoin (Forbes), Rated: A
- Steem Blockchain Froze For Nine Hours Due To A Series Of Invalid Transactions (Billionaire365), Rated: A
- CoinText crypto wallet for BCH raises $ 600,000 in seed money (CoinGeek), Rated: A
- Tokenized Securities Are Not Secured By Delaware Blockchain Amendments (Forbes), Rated: A
- Controversial Ethereum Network Clog Exposed: Chinese Crypto Exchange at Fault (NewsBTC), Rated: AAA
- IS A NEW EXCHANGE TO BLAME FOR ETHEREUM’S NETWORK CONGESTION? (Bitcoinist), Rated: A
- The Only 2 Large Cryptocurrencies That Are Up in 2018 (The Motley Fool), Rated: AAA
- The 15 Biggest ICOs So Far (Inside Bitcoins), Rated: AAA
- Zcash, Verge, And Dash To Be Integrated To WordPress And WooCommerce (Smartereum), Rated: A
- Nebulas Releases “Nebulas Rank Yellow Paper” to Help Users Accurately Assess Blockchain Data (Global Coin Report), Rated: A
- Three most notable exchange-driven cryptocurrency tokens (Coin Insider), Rated: AAA
- Vertex Launches ICO Aftermarket (Bitcoin.com), Rated: A
- Top 7 Predictions for Crypto Currencies in 2018 (Tecsynt), Rated: A
- European Union
- Binance Resumes Suspended Services After ‘Irregular’ SYS Trading Risk Alert (CoinTelegraph), Rated: AAA
- EOS Open for Deposits and Withdrawals on Binance (cryptovest), Rated: A
- EU Report Advises Regulators Not to Ban or Ignore Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin.com), Rated: AAA
- Hold, Hold, Hold Your ETC As Ethereum Classic (ETC) Will Sell Well Above $ 100 By the End of 2018 (Smartereum), Rated: A
- United Kingdom
- 40% companies in Regulatory Sandbox Using Distributed Ledger Technology in UK (Coin Frenzy), Rated: AAA
- Use Blockchain to ‘Rebuild Societal Trust’ and Save £8 Billion, Report Tells UK Gov’t (CoinTelegraph), Rated: A
- CEO says bitcoin is likely to hit $ 20,000 following price SLUMP (Express), Rated: A
- Slaughterhouse Has Tried Blockchain Technology As A Regulatory Mechanism (Coin Idol), Rated: A
- The DAV Foundation Joins the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI) (Markets Insider), Rated: B
- Xiaomi disavows ICO linked to its name (CoinGeek), Rated: A
- Australian Crypto Exchange Launching XRP Trading Pairs Because XRP Is a ‘High-Quality’ Digital Currency (CryptoGlobe), Rated: AAA
- India’s top court upholds central bank ban against cryptocurrencies (The Next Web), Rated: AAA
- India’s biggest Bitcoin exchange Zebpay bars crypto trading in rupee following RBI diktat (Business Today), Rated: A
- SEC reveals framework for ICO portals and tokens (Bangkok Post), Rated: A
- ISRAELI STARTUP LAUNCHES VEGANCOIN, A CRUELTY-FREE CRYPTOCURRENCY (The Jerusalem Post), Rated: A
- President of Uzbekistan Signs Decree on Blockchain Integration, Tax Exclusions for Crypto (CoinTelegraph), Rated: B
Coinbase to Build Its Own Market Surveillance System (Bitsonline), Rated: AAA
Coinbase has hired a former New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) executive to create a market surveillance system for its platform. The move demonstrates Coinbase’s willingness to regulate itself and be transparent, with tracking systems such as this a rarity in the crypto world.
Ripple hit with third suit for securities law violation (The Next Web), Rated: AAA
Court documents signed last week reveal that Ripple Labs Inc. and its CEO have been served with their third securities fraud lawsuit in as many months.
In this latest suit, dated June 27, a private XRP investor alleges that Ripple Labs Inc. and its CEO Bradley Garlinghouse have conflated their token with its proprietary Ripple technology and even illegally profited from price increases the whole time.
Bitcoin Remains On Hunt for $ 7K Despite Price Pullback (CoinDesk), Rated: AAA
The leading cryptocurrency looked overbought yesterday, as per short-duration indicators, having rallied to $6,681 on Bitfinex on Monday – the highest level since June 22.
3 Bullish Signs Return For Bitcoin (Forbes), Rated: A
After testing the 6,000 mark for a couple of weeks, Bitcoin is back big time. The “people’s currency” gained close to 11% over the last seven days, heading to the $7,000 mark.
Is this comeback sustainable?
Steem Blockchain Froze For Nine Hours Due To A Series Of Invalid Transactions (Billionaire365), Rated: A
A series of invalid transactions resulted in an error in Steem blockchain, which held the network down for approximately 9 hours, creating restlessness among the users. Nevertheless, the startup informed via its account on the social network Twitter that the bug had been fixed and that the accounts of users and their tokens were not at any time at risk.
CoinText crypto wallet for BCH raises $ 600,000 in seed money (CoinGeek), Rated: A
In February, CoinText announced the launch of its Bitcoin Cash (BCH) wallet that will provide a vehicle for making BCH transactions without the need to be connected to an Internet device. It allows any device—even a simple cell phone or an active SIM card in an SMS-capable device—to send or receive the popular cryptocurrency, providing greater access to continue pushing BCH forward into the retail space. Now, CoinText said it has received over $600,000 in seed funding to help in the platform’s advancement.
Funding was led by Texas-based Yeomans Capital, which has also invested in OpenGarden, tZero and Factom.
Tokenized Securities Are Not Secured By Delaware Blockchain Amendments (Forbes), Rated: A
Tokenizing securities, including shares of stock and bonds, can eliminate friction and create efficiencies in capital markets. But contrary to many assertions, the Delaware Blockchain Amendments (which revised Delaware’s General Corporation Law to authorize the use of distributed ledger technology for the issuance and transfer of shares) do not provide blanket authority for shares of stock of a Delaware corporation to be tokenized.
Controversial Ethereum Network Clog Exposed: Chinese Crypto Exchange at Fault (NewsBTC), Rated: AAA
Over the past few days, Ethereum has been seeing an abnormal increase in the cost of transactions. According to Etherscan, miners have been collecting an average of ten times more fees over the past 5 days in comparison with days of ‘normal’ network activity.
Gas prices, which normally sit at around 5 Gwei, rose as high as 50 Gwei as users of the Ethereum network desperately tried to bring their transactions to the front of the pending transactions line. As a result, the average Ethereum transaction fee quickly rose from $0.2 to $3.5 within a matter of a short 48 hours, according to Bitinfo.
As users began to investigate this unprecedented rise in fees, they began to realize that there was an abnormal influx of Erc-2o tokens being transferred to a relatively unknown exchange called FCoin.
IS A NEW EXCHANGE TO BLAME FOR ETHEREUM’S NETWORK CONGESTION? (Bitcoinist), Rated: A
According to a fiery Twitter thread posted by Ethereum interface company MyCrypto, the bottleneck is the result of a disgraceful voting system introduced by new Chinese exchange FCoin.
In order to vote for a new coin to be added to the exchange, users must deposit tokens to FCoin — spending at least 85 gwei per gas to ensure that their transactions processes. The coin with the highest number of cumulative deposits at the end of the voting period will be listed on the exchange.
The Only 2 Large Cryptocurrencies That Are Up in 2018 (The Motley Fool), Rated: AAA
The big three in market cap — bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple — are down a respective 55%, 40%, and 80%, through June 30, and many of the largest cryptocurrencies (those with a market cap of $1 billion or higher) have followed. Without a well-defined purpose, cryptocurrencies of all sizes have struggled to differentiate themselves from the pack.
Binance Coin: up 70%
Ask anyone even remotely knowledgeable about cryptocurrencies to name what they believe the top-performing coin of the year is, and Binance Coin, the official token of the Binance cryptocurrency exchange, isn’t likely to be selected. Despite flying under the radar, Binance Coin has gained 70% since the year began.
Users who utilize the BNB coin receive discounts on their transaction fees over their first four years as follows:
- 1st year: 50% discount
- 2nd year: 25% discount
- 3rd year: 12.5% discount
- 4th year: 6.75% discount
- 5th and subsequent years: no discount
VeChain: up 15%
The only other large virtual token to have advanced in 2018 is little-known VeChain, which is up by 15% year to date.
The 15 Biggest ICOs So Far (Inside Bitcoins), Rated: AAA
ICOs have gained further momentum this year, raising US$13.7 billion through 537 campaigns in the first five months of 2018 alone, according to a new report by PwC and Crypto Valley.
- EOS – US$4.1 billion
- Telegram – US$1.7 billion
- Dragon – US$320 million
- Huobi Token – US$300 million
- HDAC – U$258 million
See the rest at the original source.
Zcash, Verge, And Dash To Be Integrated To WordPress And WooCommerce (Smartereum), Rated: A
There appears to be a green light to digital currency adoption in the ecommerce industry, as Zcash (ZEC), Verge (XVG), and Dash (DASH) are said to be integrated to WordPress, WooCommerce, and Easy Digital Downloads. This adoption came to light via MyCryptoCheckout – a digital currency gateway that lets users receive digital currency settlements directly into any wallet they want.
The digital currency gateway attracts a zero percent transaction fees. It also features over forty-five digital currencies including Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and many more. Verge (XVG) has been getting a lot of integrations and partnerships lately.
Nebulas Releases “Nebulas Rank Yellow Paper” to Help Users Accurately Assess Blockchain Data (Global Coin Report), Rated: A
At the end of June, Nebulas Research made its Nebulas Rank Yellow Paper public. The document discusses a value ranking mechanism that is used to assess the importance and relevance degree of blockchain members and elements. The algorithm represents an important research achievement for implementing search index ranking and value assessment in a distributed ledger technology (DLT) infrastructure. Nebulas Rank is the first multi-dimensional value ranking instruments created for DLTs. The tool can measure the value of apps and information by taking into account liquidity and propagation of application-based addresses and smart contracts.
Read the yellow paper in full here.
Three most notable exchange-driven cryptocurrency tokens (Coin Insider), Rated: AAA
As an ERC-20 token, BNB functions using Ethereum‘s blockchain and is kept to the standard that is held to all tokens on the network. BNB’s main function is as a payment structure for the exchange, whereby users can pay for costs such as trading fees on the platform which, for the first year of the token’s implementation, came with a 50% discount on all trades.
A major criticism of Tether is that the exchange allows margin trading using the coin as collateral, which means that there is a great deal of power that Bitfinex possesses regarding the coin, which is not aligned with the element of decentralization – a factor which the cryptocurrency community holds highly.
Like the Binance Coin, the Huobi Token, is an asset native to its exchange. The coin was launched in February of this year with initial trading commencing in April and the coin has gained a monumental amount of popularity since its release, reaching doubling volume levels within a month of the launch.
Vertex Launches ICO Aftermarket (Bitcoin.com), Rated: A
The concept that Vertex is promoting is quite simple. To avoid misunderstandings in the market on every side, reduce the number of projects that are not viable and discard scams outright, there must be a platform that can perform extreme vetting of these projects before they get funding. Vertex will do exactly that, as it builds on its extreme vetting mechanism to deploy a fully functional ICO aftermarket.
Top 7 Predictions for Crypto Currencies in 2018 (Tecsynt), Rated: A
1. Crypto Regulations and Blacklisting
It began last year and will continue in 2018 – more and more countries, banks and organizations decide to push into a view the stricter regulations for the usage of cryptocurrencies. And it’s worthless to say that some of that regulations aren’t helpful in this highly speculative emerge of ICOs. One of the instruments, in this case, will be blacklisting.
2. To Blockchain or not to Blockchain, that is the question. The answer is – Off-chain
Among other predictions for crypto, 2018 will bring us the off-chain thing – non-blockchain data storing. But it would be on Ethereum and not on Bitcoin platform. There are many reasons for such offchain payment networks, like Lightning, rising firstly on Ethereum.
4. Unicorns, beware of the slaughter
It’s obvious that there is no economically rational reason to justify the existence of 45+ crypto unicorns.
6. The trend of Non-fungible tokens
While non-fungible tokens are individual and the market has an ongoing demand for them. One can use such tokens to sell real estate, law and securities services, financial shares and bonds, art and insurances, play games or collect various items
7. Get used to ICO boom
As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, the era of wild-ICOs-west has begun in 2017. So it’s only reasonable that predictions for crypto in 2018 promise the crazy profitable opportunities for both ICO startups and investors.
Binance Resumes Suspended Services After ‘Irregular’ SYS Trading Risk Alert (CoinTelegraph), Rated: AAA
The temporary suspension was due to an alert over “irregular” Syscoin (SYS) trades “from a number of API users.” Binance subsequently chose to suspend trading, withdrawals and other account functions, as well as to take a series of further measures in order to protect its users.
Syscoin for its part notified the public in a tweet yesterday that its developers were investigating a “possible issue” on the Syscoin blockchain, saying that it itself “asked for exchanges to halt trading while [its team] investigate[d].”
EOS Open for Deposits and Withdrawals on Binance (cryptovest), Rated: A
A couple of weeks after the EOS mainnet launch, Binance deemed the network safe enough to open deposits and withdrawals. This frees up funds for voting, possibly for speculation on RAM prices as well.
EU Report Advises Regulators Not to Ban or Ignore Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin.com), Rated: AAA
The European Parliament last week published an in-depth analysis entitled “Virtual currencies and central banks monetary policy: challenges ahead.”
The report reads:
Policy makers and regulators should not ignore VCs, nor should they attempt to ban them. Both extreme approaches are incorrect.
Read the full report here.
Hold, Hold, Hold Your ETC As Ethereum Classic (ETC) Will Sell Well Above $ 100 By the End of 2018 (Smartereum), Rated: A
Ethereum Classic is on the way to triple digits so if you’re thinking of selling off, don’t. Ethereum Classic has proven to be a rather strong cryptocurrency over the months. The price spike in the wake of the Coinbase listing announcement contributed to reassuring the Ethereum Classic community that the cryptocurrency is a worthy contended. As Coinbase announced that it would be listing Ethereum Classic (ETC), there was an unprecedented positive sentiment in the price and volume of ETC.
40% companies in Regulatory Sandbox Using Distributed Ledger Technology in UK (Coin Frenzy), Rated: AAA
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), UK has revealed the 29 companies that have been successful in applying to the fourth cohort of the regulator’s sandbox, where 40 % are using distributed ledger technologies (DLT) as per an announcement on July 3
Use Blockchain to ‘Rebuild Societal Trust’ and Save £8 Billion, Report Tells UK Gov’t (CoinTelegraph), Rated: A
Read the report in full here.
CEO says bitcoin is likely to hit $ 20,000 following price SLUMP (Express), Rated: A
Clem Chambers, CEO of ADVFN, said he thinks bitcoin will hit highs of $20,000 again but warned it will “probably” drop in price before rallying.
Slaughterhouse Has Tried Blockchain Technology As A Regulatory Mechanism (Coin Idol), Rated: A
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has carried out a trial of blockchain implementation in a cattle slaughterhouse that continued lasted two months. It is regarded as the first case of financial technology applied in the food sector.
The DAV Foundation Joins the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI) (Markets Insider), Rated: B
DAV Foundation, the blockchain startup building a decentralised global network for autonomous vehicles, has joined the Mobility Open Blockchain Initiative (MOBI), a peer-to-peer ecosystem to make transportation more affordable, safer and widely available.
Xiaomi disavows ICO linked to its name (CoinGeek), Rated: A
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has indicated that it has absolutely no connection nor has it authorised an initial coin offering (ICO) scheme selling a token apparently pegged to the phone maker’s stock price. This is yet another case of a fraudulent ICO which is looking to gain access to financing in a deceitful and underhanded manner—sadly the case with the majority of ICOs these days.
Australian Crypto Exchange Launching XRP Trading Pairs Because XRP Is a ‘High-Quality’ Digital Currency (CryptoGlobe), Rated: AAA
Currently, this exchange supports Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Litecoin (LTC), and Ether (ETH), but from 7 July 2018, it is adding support for XRP.
India’s top court upholds central bank ban against cryptocurrencies (The Next Web), Rated: AAA
The Supreme Court of India has shut down appeals for a temporary stay on a ruling that would force financial institutions to cease all cryptocurrency related operations, declared in April.
The move sees any entity regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) be prohibited from engaging in all services related to cryptocurrencies – such as the buying and selling of virtual currencies. Facilitating transfers of virtual coins is also to be included in the restrictions, as reported by Times of India.
India’s biggest Bitcoin exchange Zebpay bars crypto trading in rupee following RBI diktat (Business Today), Rated: A
In a major fallout of the RBI’s April-5 circular, which banned banks from providing financial services to crypto exchanges operating in India, Zebpay, the country’s biggest digital exchange for trading in Bitcoin and virtual currencies, on Wednesday said it has disabled the rupee deposit and withdrawal options on its mobile app. The latest announcement comes after the company recently urged its customers to withdraw money, saying that “if Zebpay bank accounts are disrupted (after July-5 deadline), rupee deposits and withdrawals will become impossible.”
SEC reveals framework for ICO portals and tokens (Bangkok Post), Rated: A
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has released a regulatory framework for issuing and selling digital tokens through initial coin offerings (ICOs) along with announcing the ICO portal process,…
ISRAELI STARTUP LAUNCHES VEGANCOIN, A CRUELTY-FREE CRYPTOCURRENCY (The Jerusalem Post), Rated: A
VeganNation is based on a few main pillars. The first is economy, which includes food, food sharing and commerce.
Vegan e-commerce is another pillar, from clothing to accessories, to cosmetics.
The platform will also be space for content sharing, of media, recipes, news and blogs.
When members join the platform, they will be provided with a “passport” – VeganNation’s digital wallet.
President of Uzbekistan Signs Decree on Blockchain Integration, Tax Exclusions for Crypto (CoinTelegraph), Rated: B
The President of Uzbekistan has signed a decree on the development and integration of blockchain technology, cryptoassets, and crypto mining with the goal of modernizing the state administration system and advancing digital economics in the country. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree “On measures for digital economics development in the Republic of Uzbekistan” on July 3.


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Inspired Thinking Group (ITG) has been named one of the top 10 UK companies for international sales growth.
The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200, published in the 11 June issue of the newspaper, measures the expansion in companies’ overseas business over the previous two years.
ITG, which provides marketing technology and multichannel marketing services to numerous global blue-chip brands, was placed tenth in the prestigious league – and topped the table for a Midlands-based company.
CEO Simon Ward said: “Over the past three years, a key focus for us has been transforming ITG from a largely UK-based business to a truly global enterprise.
“We now have offices in New York, Chicago and throughout Europe. Our unique marketing automation technology has attracted international brands who need full visibility of their global operations.”
ITG’s automation software, Media Centre, enables retailers and brands to manage and view every aspect of their global marketing activity, delivering real-time reporting of the status and cost of every job across every channel.
It enables outlets across the world to order customised marketing assets that are guaranteed accurate and brand-compliant.
Media Centre is supported by a vast range of marketing support services including a 220-seat, 24/7 multichannel artworking studio, advanced eCRM and programmatic marketing from its Fort Dunlop, Birmingham head office and central London hub.

domain: news


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JUDGMENT DAY: Wella AG is expected to comment on whether it accepts Procter & Gamble’s increased public offer for its 78 percent of voting rights today. Last week, P&G raised its offer for Wella’s preferred shares by $3.85 to $71.50. In...
JUDGMENT DAY: Wella AG is expected to comment on whether it accepts Procter & Gamble’s increased public offer for its 78 percent of voting rights today. Last week, P&G raised its offer for Wella’s preferred shares by $3.85 to $71.50. In March, P&G signed an agreement to purchase 77.6 percent of the voting stock in Wella from its founding family majority shareholders at a cash price of $109.18 per share. At that time, P&G said it would make a tender offer of $67.65 for the preferred shares, a markup of only 0.25 percent. P&G upped its bid in a move that looked to garner support from Wella’s board.
A LEAGUE OF HER OWN: The stylings of celebrity hairdresser Sally Hershberger will soon be available in a new Manhattan salon under her own name. Located in the trendy Meatpacking district between the Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney boutiques, the second-floor space is currently under construction and measures 1,800 square feet. A soft opening this summer will be held for select VIPs; an official launch is scheduled for fall. The salon will serve as a place where “Hershberger can develop new looks and work on her clientele,” according to publicist Brooke Wall. The New York location is Hershberger’s second outpost — the Sally Hershberger for John Frieda salon opened three years ago in L.A. Much like the L.A. salon, which features palm trees and is designed around a pool, the Manhattan space will be conducive to the trendy neighborhood’s rough-around-the-edges environment. Industrial minimalist is the architectural theme, with flat-screen TVs and concrete countertops accenting the raw space. In addition to sharing her time between the L.A. and N.Y. salons and serving as one of the industry’s most sought-after editorial hairstylists, Hershberger remains very active in the development of mass hair care products under the John Frieda brand. Hershberger was instrumental in developing the company’s Sheer Blonde and Beach Blonde hair care lines.
POLISHING UP: Ji Baek, owner of Manhattan’s three Rescue Nail salons, is launching a line of nail polishes, as well as a three-item treatment line. The color line features 28 shades, which Baek described as the most “classic and neutral nail colors for our clients.” Sheer White, Opaque Pink and Moulin Rouge are some of the basic shades offered, and then there’s Chinoisse, an orange/red shade Baek said was inspired by one of her favorite designers, Alexander McQueen. The treatment system includes a prep, base and top coats, which are designed to prolong nail polish life. In addition to selling the new items in her salons, the new wares are now available in Barneys New York and will retail for $18 per nail polish and $45 for the treatment system.EBAY MOTHER’S DAY: Jergens is auctioning off autographed photographs of celebrities pictured along with their mothers or daughters as part of a Mother’s Day charity promotion happening this week on eBay. Proceeds from the sale of prints of the likes of Joan and Melissa Rivers; Britney Spears and her mom, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler and her mom will be donated to the Starbright Foundation. The auction, held at eBay.com/Jergens is scheduled to end Sunday.
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye
“It’s passion that helps get anybody to a certain point and it’s what’s propelled me,” said Kith founder @ronniefieg, one of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables who are changing the face of retail, fashion and beauty. Fieg, who opened a Manhattan flagship on October 7, began his career at age 13 as a stock boy and salesman for footwear chain David Z. “I think staying true to [my] beliefs, hard work and passion have gotten me to where [Kith] is today.” See the rest of the 40 at WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
25-year-old @samweaving is about to break out this fall, starring in Netflix’s horror film “The Babysitter,” fittingly out today on Friday the 13th. That’s not the only place you’ll be seeing her, though — Weaving’s got a role Showtime’s “SMILF” and another alongside Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Though she’s got a full plate at the moment, there’s one role she’s got her eye on: Marilyn Monroe. “I’m a little too young at the moment, but it’s on my bucket list,” the actress told WWD (📷: @dandoperalski) #wwdeye
BFF's Poppy Jamie and Suki Waterhouse celebrated the launch of their bag line Pop x Suki at Nordstrom last night. "The line is really about our friendship, and how we are so different but complement each other," said Waterhouse. 👯 (📷: Katie Jones) #wwdeye
After designing the new @louisvuitton and @bulgariofficial flagships and a @chanelofficial boutique opening in Japan, @petermarinoarchitect has another project on his plate: The Lobster Club. Located in the Seagram Building, it’s the famed architect’s first restaurant project in New York, serving up modern Japanese brasserie-style cuisine. Bronze hues, bespoke material detailing, blush and chartreuse tones and a heavy emphasis on Picasso can be seen throughout. Mark your calendars for Nov. 1 for the much-anticipated opening. (📷: @clint_spaulding) #wwdeye


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As another challenging but immensely successful year for Irish business, in a domestic and global context, draws to a close we are delighted to release the Business & Finance 100, celebrating the ‘100 Most Outstanding Irish Companies of 2019’. The Index comprises the best performing, most innovative, and fastest growing companies.
It is no secret that Ireland’s economy has been gaining strength year on year from the dark days of the recession and at almost full employment, it’s a testimony to the country as a whole but to these companies in particular—driving as they are the immense success of the nation through the success of their business. The Business & Finance 100 comprises some well-known company names, as can only be expected—companies such as Smurfit Kappa, Aer Lingus, Primark and CPL—as well as newer companies that are constantly innovating, increasing their reach and scope and making waves such as Netwatch, Transfermate and eShopWorld.
Business & Finance are proud to recognise the Business & Finance 100 in the magazine, online and as an integral part of the Business & Finance Awards. The new decade is shaping up to be an exciting year and we look forward to reporting on the successes of these companies as they continue to flourish.
Forklift manufacturer and material handler solutions provider Combilift announced 200 new jobs in 2018, at its new €50 million global headquarters in Monaghan. Combilift currently employs 550 people in manufacturing its forklifts and material handling products. Established in 1998, Combilift currently exports 98% of its products to 85 countries through its international dealer network of 250.
Cpl is a global Irish company founded by Anne Heraty, CEO; it is a recognised leader in temporary and permanent recruitment and has a US office in Boston, Massachusetts. In the US, Cpl caters to Irish corporates based in the US and local US companies. Cpl work closely with US companies setting up European operations and actively support the IDA in their marketing activities. Stephen Mullin, Group Sales Director, in the contact for Cpl’s US activities and works with US and Irish companies across their global network of 41 offices in 11 countries.
Formed through a merger in 1970 of two leading Irish public companies, Cement Limited (established in 1936) and Roadstone, Limited (1949), CRH is one of the world’s leading building products and materials companies and Ireland’s largest company. Oldcastle, its North American arm is the largest building materials company in North America with more than 1,700 operations in 50 US states and 6 Canadian provinces.
DAA’s principal activities include the operation and management of Dublin and Cork airports, global airport retailing with our subsidiary ARI, and international aviation consultancy with DAA International. The company is State-owned and headquartered at Dublin Airport. The group’s profits rose by 6% to €133m in 2018 while turnover increased by 5% to €897m, with good growth in commercial activities, aeronautical income and increased sales at its international businesses.
Dalata was founded in 2007, by Pat McCann, CEO, with the acquisition of 11 leasehold hotels. The strategy was to build a strong base in Ireland, expand into the UK, and at a later stage into mainland Europe. The financial crash in 2008 changed everything. A young company like Dalata would not be expected to survive such an event. In 2009 there were 900 hotels in Ireland. By the end of that year, 300 of those hotels were insolvent. In all this chaos Dalata spotted an opportunity. As banks appointed receivers over hotels, they needed someone to manage these hotels. Dalata took on the management of 37 hotels on behalf of these banks. Virtually overnight Dalata became the largest hotel operator in Ireland. Cognizant that at some point the banks would need to sell on those hotels at well below replacement cost, the decision was made in 2013 to float the company on both London and Dublin stock exchanges, raising €520m in equity from fund managers in Ireland, the US, the UK and Europe to acquire hotels across Ireland and in the UK. Today Dalata owns 30 hotels, leases 10 hotels and have 3 management contracts with a total of 9,046 rooms. In the five years since listing the company’s revenue has grown five-fold from €79m to €394m and EBITDA has grown from €6m to €120m, and it is the largest hotel company ever to exist in Ireland with the two largest hotel brands, Clayton Hotels and Maldron Hotels.
Dale Farm, Northern Ireland’s largest farmer-owned dairy processing cooperative reported a 19% jump in pre-tax profits in July, with the announcement of its latest financial accounts showing £12m (€13.3m). The Group also grew its turnover by 5.6 per cent in the 12 months to March 2019, up to £509 million.
Dale Farm is made up of more than 1,300 dairy farmers across the North, England and Scotland. The Group’s activities span the food chain, from providing farm inputs and services, to collecting and marketing its members’ milk supplies, manufacturing an extensive range of dairy consumer and food ingredient products, and distributing these to both the domestic and over 40 export markets world-wide.
Established in 1980 in Waterford, the family-owned business exports to over 50 countries, supplying major retailers, manufacturers & foodservice operators across the globe. It now has over 7,000 employees in 12 countries, including 10 sites in Ireland and 12 sites in the UK. Dawn Meats processes over 300,000 tonnes of meat per annum, supplied by over 30,000 farmers; it contributes approximately €1.67 billion per annum to rural Economies in Ireland and the UK. It was the first food processor to achieve National Standards Authority of Ireland’s “Business Working Responsibly” Mark across all Irish plants this year, and was joint winner of the Diversity & Inclusion category at the Bord Bia Food and Drink Awards 2019.
International sales, marketing and support services group DCC operates through four divisions: LPG, Retail & Oil, Healthcare and Technology. Headquartered in Dublin, it operates in 17 countries, employing approximately 11,500 people. DCC plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100. In its financial year ended 31 March 2018, DCC generated revenue of £14.3 billion and operating profit of £383.4 million.
Since inception, Diaceutics’ focus has been on precision medicine and improving the testing ecosystem to ensure more people with life-threatening illnesses are given the right treatment at the right time. Today, more than 42% of all drugs in late-stage development are dependent upon biomarker testing. However, sub-optimal testing practices mean many patients are missing out on the chance to be put on these potentially life-saving medications. Diaceutics’ services help pharmaceutical companies to pinpoint risks and challenges that can get in the way of effective testing and make it difficult to reach all the patients that need to be on specific drugs. In doing so, Diaceutics is revolutionising patient healthcare by improving the commercial success of precision medicine drugs and the last 12 months have been the company’s most successful yet.
Following its IPO on the London Stock Exchange in March, Diaceutics is securing the funding to achieve its vision of better patient testing everywhere. This includes an investment of £1m in the acquisition of 16 million additional patient records per annum. On top of that, the company celebrated its expansion into Asia with the establishment of its Asian HQ in Singapore in January. Diaceutics estimates that there are currently more than 300 targeted oncology drugs in late stage development across the major Asian markets. The company will support the launch of–and access to–precision therapies in China, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and Taiwan.
Founded by Chairman Mark Roden in 2006, Ding enables expats to send mobile phone credit top-ups to friends and family back home. The Dublin-based firm has 200 employees worldwide, with offices in New Jersey and Miami in the US, as well as Dubai, Dhaka, Paris and Bucharest, and is preparing to add 100 new staff by 2021. They work with over 400 mobile phone operators in over 130 countries. Accounts for Ezetop, the unlimited company that owns Ding, show Net revenue rose 10 per cent to $38.3 million last year.
Donnelly Group is Northern Ireland’s largest independent car retailer, with eight dealers across cities and towns such as Belfast, Enniskillen, Newtownabbey, Omagh, Dungannon and Eglinton. Donnelly Group dealerships distribute Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Volkswagen and Toyota, as well as nearly new vehicles from the likes of Audi, Nissan, and Honda.
Terence Donnelly, executive chairman of the family-owned Group, received a lifetime achievement award at the Mid Ulster Business Excellence Awards in November 2019, recognising the growth of the company, which sells more than 15,000 vehicles a year from its nine locations, and employs more than 700 people staff.
DPS Group is a global consulting, engineering and construction management company, serving high-tech industries around the world. DPS employs industry experts in key locations in Europe, the U.S., Asia and the Middle East, bringing world-class resources and the latest innovative technologies to every project. Offering specialised architectural, engineering and construction services to the advanced technology, process chemical, industrial and life sciences sectors, they work with semiconductor, solar, nanotechnology, pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and process industry clients.
The Dunne family has a rich history in Irish retail, having first opened a store in 1944 on Cork’s Patrick’s Street. The chain is now one of the country’s major retail outlets, battling with international players such as Tesco, M&S, Aldi and Lidl, and frequently retaining pole position as Ireland’s favourite supermarket. Kantar Worldpanel’s research for the 12 weeks to 3 November 2019 show Dunnes’ growth of 4.4% was again the fastest among the three biggest retailers. Ireland’s largest supermarket also increased its market share by 0.4 percentage points, bringing it to 22.8%.
Since 1992, Margaret Heffernan has been at the helm of Dunnes Stores. Her leadership has rejuvenated the brand, fostering partnerships with Irish fashion and homewares designers in recent years, and will be noted as one of Ireland’s great transformation operations.
Eir is the principal provider of fixed-line and mobile telecommunications services in Ireland with approximately 2 million customers. The company has the most extensive telecommunications network in Ireland both in terms of capacity and geographic reach. Eir provides a comprehensive range of advanced voice, data, broadband and TV services to the residential, small business, enterprise and government markets.
Eir has a mobile division which operates under the eir Mobile brand. The wholesale division, Open eir, is the largest wholesale operator in Ireland, providing products and services to over 70 national and 25 international wholesale customers across a range of regulated and unregulated markets. Revenue for the year ended 30 June 2019 was €1.25 billion and Adjusted EBITDA was €578 million.
End of year results announced by eir in September 2019 revealed results in line with expectations. The company experienced continued year on year growth in fibre broadband, postpay mobile, TV, sport and product bundling.
Founded in 2011, ElectroRoute is a homegrown Irish energy supplier aiming to liberalise markets through analysis and new practices in electricity & gas trading. The company also offer client services for renewable energy firms, and has begun to open offices overseas: a UK office was established in 2017, and ElectroRoute now plans to enter the Japanese power market where its principle owner, Mitsubishi Corporation, is based. Registered in Donegal, the company is headquartered in Dublin with a team of over 60 energy professionals.
With a commitment to renewable energy, Energia’s wind division now provides 25% of Ireland’s wind power. The company is a leading supplier of electricity for Irish businesses – its business customer base now exceeds 60,000. Energia forms part of Viridian Group which provides energy services both in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The firm has previously made large investments into conventional electricity generation: its Huntstown Power Station can generate up to 20% of the island’s electricity needs. The group now also operate a large number of wind farms concentrated in the north and south of the country.
The company formerly known as Bord Gáis Éireann, Ervia form the background of Ireland’s gas-supply network. A commercial semi-state, Ervia is a key supplier of both services and infrastructure for gas and water in Ireland through its subsidiaries Gas Networks Ireland and Irish Water. In addition, the group’s Aurora Telecom business supplies dark fibre broadband using newly-developed fibre optic technology. Headed up by Group CEO Mike Quinn, the group was suggested as a potential new operator for the National Broadband Plan by Fianna Fáil.
The original: the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) is Ireland’s oldest state-owned electricity company. Historically operated as a monopoly, the group has liberalised in recent years to become a commercial semi-state body operating in competition with other energy suppliers. One of Ireland’s largest companies, the group employs in excess of 7,000 people, and it provides electricity to over 1.4 million customers. The company ESB currently generates 43% of the island’s electricity capacity and holds a regulated asset base of €9 billion.
eShopWorld powers global eCommerce growth for leading retail brands across industries, from apparel and footwear to cosmetics and sporting equipment. The company’s powerful technology platform and extensive logistics network opens up over 200 global markets and delivers a hyper-localised experience to shoppers on behalf of the world’s most popular retail brands. The company is a partner of Facebook for brands advertising on the social network allowing them to reach more shoppers internationally.
Revenues are set to increase by approximately €130m, or 30-35% in 2019, with an increase in headcount to 350 (+100 year-on-year). A number of significant projects have been completed, including a move from a monolith infrastructure to a microservices infrastructure, and a series of client specific growth initiatives. eShopWorld has also successfully onboarded a significant number of new clients in 2019.
In eShopWorld’s key regions, Europe grew by more than 21 percent, North America by 25 percent and Asia in excess of 100 percent. ‘Rest of World’ saw growth of more than 1600 percent from a lower base, reflecting the group’s increasing penetration into emerging markets on behalf of its clients. Europe accounted for almost 60 percent of sales while North America drew 36 percent of sales in 2018.
Also, over the last year, the company invested in a new headquarters for the company’s US base and in early 2019 it doubled its group headquarters in Dublin to 24,000 sq. ft. under a three-year lease.
Northern Ireland-based Fane Valley Co-operative was formed over 115 years ago, and is now recognised as one of Ireland’s most progressive agri-food concerns. The group hold a range of interests across the sector, including red meats, breakfast cereals, animal feed, and livestock services. 100%-owned by its 1250 shareholders, the Co-operative has annual sales which top £525 million which flow from its locations across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, and England.


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Private equity's test drive
The battered auto sector has become a hotbed of private equity investments; buying hot rods or lemons?
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- It's a sector facing staggering global competition, expensive union contracts, fickle consumer tastes and a looming burden of tougher environmental regulation.
It's a cyclical industry that's rarely produced great returns.
So the last place you might expect to find smart-money private equity investors sniffing around is the auto industry.
But there they are. There's a ton of interest in the sector right now, with many of the nation's top private equity firms looking not only at Chrysler Group, put up for sale by its parent, DaimlerChrysler (Charts), but also at auto parts makers such as Delphi and Lear.
DaimlerChrysler executives are reportedly ready to meet with officials from some of the nation's top private equity firms, including Blackstone Group and Centerbridge Capital Partners, which are teaming on a bid, as well as Cerberus Capital Management.
Canadian investment firm Onex Corp. and Canadian auto parts maker Magna International (Charts) are also reportedly talking about a joint bid, and some reports have private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings joining that effort.
And last week financier Kirk Kerkorian announced a $4.5 billion bid for Chrysler, saying he wanted to team with the union and Chrysler management to give them equity in the automaker in return for cutting labor costs.
Despite all those efforts, private equity's interest in Chrysler is almost modest compared to the push in auto parts. Management of auto parts maker Lear (Charts) has accepted a $36-a-share cash offer from financier Carl Icahn, although shareholders still have to consider the bid, which values the company at slightly below market price.
Wilbur Ross, who did well buying up bankrupt and troubled steelmakers, has moved on to buying up parts makers. And Cerberus, Appaloosa Management and Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund are among the private equity groups that have pledged $3.4 billion in new financing to bankrupt parts maker Delphi, contingent on it reaching new labor deals with its unions.
The private equity buyers are basically betting they're buying on the cheap, and that either the break-up value of the companies or better times ahead will help them earn a relatively quick return on their money.
Whether that bet will pay off, though, is a subject of some debate.
Some industry experts think that this is a good time for private equity to be climbing behind the wheel.
"The assets involved are relatively inexpensive," said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research. "The timing is right."
For Chrysler, Cole says he thinks the company, along with rivals General Motors (Charts) and Ford Motor (Charts), will soon win significant cost savings from the United Auto Workers union when their current contracts expire in September. For the auto parts makers, many have already won cost savings and now stand to benefit as their customers trim the number of suppliers they use.
"Things will soon restructure to the point where they're profitable," said Cole. "The private equity guys see this happening. That tells them this is the time to move, before it becomes obvious. Sometimes they guess wrong, but I don't think they are."
But other experts say there's still plenty of risk involved for buyers kicking the tires.
Kevin Tynan, auto analyst with Argus Research, said while he thinks the auto parts sector has some bargains, he's got doubts about whether Chrysler can be turned around. He thinks the only way Chrysler makes sense for private equity buyers is if they break up the company to sell off the more valuable parts, such as the Jeep brand or the company's state-of-the-art vehicle design center.
"The parts of the company are probably worth more split up than there is an upside potential of trying to resurrect all three brands," he said, referring to Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. "To fix it, you are being asked to do a lot on both the product side and the cost side. To execute both of those things, I'm not sure it can be done."
Tynan said he doesn't believe Chrysler or any Detroit automakers, for that matter, will get nearly enough from the United Auto Workers on health care costs and flexibility that they need to compete with Toyota (Charts) and other Asian automakers.
"Where they need to be and where the union will be willing to go in terms of concessions, I don't think there's a happy medium between the two points," said Tynan. "I'm not sure they can afford a strike, so I don't know if they can push that hard to get what they need."
But Cole believes union leadership recognizes that concessions are needed, even if they're unpopular with the rank-and-file. He's expecting some kind of deal to cut much of the high costs hanging over the Big Three. "The union cannot afford to take anyone down. They'd be taking themselves down at the same time," said Cole. "The equity bidders knows that."
Erich Merkle, director of forecasting at IRN Inc., an automotive consulting firm serving suppliers and investment firms, among others, said he doesn't think the outlook is as tough as it appears.
He said that if the winning bid is less than $5 billion "that's buying Chrysler at a pretty deep discount.
"Things are not as bad as the Germans would make them appear," he said. "When you look at where they are today and where they'll be 12 to 24 months from now with the new product they have in the pipeline, I think it's crazy for them to unload Chrysler at this point. I certainly think the UAW will have to give something in terms of concessions."
Merkle said he thinks it's possible DaimlerChrysler will decide that none of the bids for Chrysler provide a fair return on its $37 billion purchase, and that it will decide to hang on to the unit it bought in 1998. But others believe a sale is inevitable.
"I think Daimler wants Chrysler to be gone," said Cole. "It's pretty easy to split apart. That means the assets might be available at a lower cost."


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JAPAN - Beef imports in Japan registered a reduction in volume this year compared to last year, largely due to the fall in US shipments, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) have reported.
However, MLA reported that Japanese beef imports showed a significant increase in value, proving the market’s ability to keep up with global beef prices despite its slow economic growth.
Imports from US remain subdued
Beef intake from the US during October declined 30 per cent year-on-year to 13,319 tonnes swt, with a large fall in frozen beef volumes – down 44 per cent to 6,190 tonnes swt (shipping weight - Ministry of Finance, Japan).
Import volumes and average values of brisket/shortplate in both chilled and frozen categories eased significantly, as there have reportedly been high inventories of these products in the market.
Year-to-date volumes from the US amounted 136,736 tonnes swt (down 16 per cent from last year), valued at 99.5 million yen (down 2 per cent), with the market share also declining to 33 per cent, from 37 per cent in 2014 (both in volume terms).
Australia’s share now 59 per cent
Year-to-date import volumes from Australia were steady year-on-year, at 241,361 tonnes swt (up 1 per cent), but increased 27 per cent in value, at 126.3 million yen. Australia’s market share, as of October 2015, stands at 59 per cent (54 per cent in 2014).
Total value up 13 per cent for year-to-date
In total, beef shipments to Japan for the first 10 months of 2015 totalled 412,365 tonnes swt, 7 per cent below last year, but the total value of the trade has in fact increased by 13 per cent, to 283 billion yen (A$ 3.27billion).
Other key suppliers to the market include New Zealand (year-to-date volume down 31 per cent year-on-year, to 14,683 tonnes swt), Mexico (up 27 per cent, to 10,475 tonnes swt), and Canada (down 37 per cent, to 7,761 tonnes swt).TheCattleSite News Desk


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New E-Comm Partnership Bridges Gap Between Retail and Direct-To-Consumer Sales
A collaboration between e-commerce platforms Quivers and NuORDER allows brands to automate in-store pickup for online orders
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
As omni-channel sales strategies continue to evolve for brands in the outdoor space, more partnerships are cropping up to help brands get their goods to consumers in creative, flexible ways.
A new collaboration from e-commerce platforms Quivers and NuORDER does just that. Dubbed “Ship-to-Store” (STS), the innovation is an integration between commerce management software Quivers and B2B order-writing platform NuORDER. STS makes it possible for consumers to choose a “ship to store” option during checkout on a brand’s website, allowing products to be picked up at a local retailer even if they’re purchased online. According to Sam Cook, CCO at Tecnica Group, this allows brands to “meet the consumer’s desire for a meaningful, local, in-store experience,” while still completing sales on brand websites.
Here’s how it works, according to Quivers and NuORDER. The STS fulfillment option populates for customers during checkout on brand websites, even if the product is currently out of stock at the retailer where it will be picked up. This can happen, the two companies said, because even if an item is out of stock at the retail level, it may still be in stock in a particular brand’s NuORDER account. When a customer selects STS, “Quivers creates a purchase order on behalf of the selected retailer in NuORDER. Once the brand fulfills the NuORDER purchase order, the retailer can release the item for pick-up by the consumer.”
Of course, the process only works for brands that use NuORDER to organize their wholesale business—and NuORDER isn’t the only player in the space. Others, like Elastic Suite, also have wide adoption in the outdoor industry.
Still, it’s a step forward for brands trying to deepen their omni-channel strategy and support retailers while still giving consumers the flexibility to buy products how they want to.
“In order to meet the expectations of consumers, brands need to sell online directly to consumers, and must ensure the product gets into the hands of consumers how and when they want,” said Ruben Martin, co-founder and CEO of Quivers. “Our new Ship-to-Store capabilities with NuORDER are a big forward step to connecting all parts of the commerce ecosystem including DTC, B2B, online, and offline. It’s not just about connecting it all but doing so in a radically consumer-centric way that creates a seamless experience.”
Quivers, touting the achievement of the new partnership, is calling STS a first-of-its-kind solution.
“While some brands and big chain retailers have offered STS at their owned corporate stores, brands haven’t been able to offer ship-to-store and in-store pickup with their large independent retail network, until now,” the company said. “This integration is the first of its kind and integrates B2B, e-commerce, and physical retail in exciting ways.”


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Making festive cookies—and licking the bowl—is a time-honored holiday tradition. But while you likely know that raw eggs carry a potential Salmonella risk, it isn't safe to sneak bites of batter even if you opt to use another binding agent. As The New York Times reports, uncooked flour can make at-home chefs ill, according to a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Authors investigated an E. coli outbreak in late 2015 and 2016 that caused 63 cases of illness in 24 states, and ultimately led to the recall of more than 10 million pounds of General Mills flour and dozens of products that contained the ingredient. They concluded that strains of E. coli bacteria can live in raw flour (in addition to moist food like hamburger meat and produce), and might be more of a widespread health hazard than researchers had previously realized.
"Linking this outbreak to flour was challenging," the report says, according to CNN. "Consumption of raw or undercooked flour is not included on most routine state and national foodborne disease questionnaires, so epidemiologists were not initially able to assess whether case patients had consumed raw flour."
Public health officials ended up having to conduct in-depth interviews with 10 afflicted individuals to identify flour as the culprit ingredient, according to Science News. Sure enough, two of them recalled eating raw cookie dough right before falling ill. Two bags of flour used to make the treats were traced back to the same production plant, and a subsequent analysis located strains of E. coli.
E. coli can stay dormant in flour for months, but re-activates when it's added to eggs, oil, and water. Bakers can avoid infection by heat-treating raw flour, washing their hands with hot water and soap after handling it, or (sorry) by simply not giving into temptation and sneaking a bite of batter mid-baking session.
[h/t The New York Times]


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The global chocolate makers across the world have increased their business with new innovative designs, rich flavors, and high-quality ingredients. According to the new report, the demand for premium chocolates has increased its growth by 35% in 2021 and also witnessed steady growth due to various innovations in the global chocolate market. Are you looking for the best chocolate manufacturers in Asia? BakeMate is one of the largest Chocolate manufacturers and exporters of the finest chocolates, flavored chocolates, center-filled chocolates, creamy chocolates in India. Nowadays chocolate makers are desired to come up with new consumer needs and next-generation chocolate flavors.
A Taste of the Future
When it comes to confectionary flavors and textures, consumers look forward to a truly indulgent experience. Moreover, the texture is being paid more attention to these days in the new market trends such as crispy chocolate layers, and larger chocolate chunks. The new innovative ingredients include nuts, vegetables, cereals, citrus flavors, unusual fruits, florals, and rare cocoa. Chocolate is being one of the most popular and widely consumed sweet treats in the world, with North American nations devouring market share, followed by European countries.
Trends and Innovations in the Industry
- New Chocolate Trends changed Global Chocolate Market in 2021
- Healthy chocolate desserts to drink
- Premium Cacao discovery
- Huge demand from the obese and diabetic population
- Clean and healthy ingredients
- Looking for spices & herbs
- Combination of different flavors
- Natural ingredients from the organic products
- High-demand for Organic Cocoa
- Taking innovative forms
- Next level indulgence
According to the latest reports, the global chocolate industry was worth over $100 billion in retail sales around the globe in 2020 and continues to rise. Over the next 5 years, the global chocolate market is witnessing growth sales on average about 4.4% every year. North America, Asia Pacific, and Western Europe are the top 3 regions and account for over 70% of sales worldwide.
Demand for Unique Chocolate Flavors to Drive the Global Chocolate Market
- More than 83% of consumers look premium chocolate that needs to be tasty and good for health
- Approximate 55% of consumers agree that various chocolates textures and flavors are more premium
- 43% of Global consumers want new chocolate flavors like coffee/tea/cocktail/alcoholic
- 67% of consumers want to know more details about where their chocolate comes from and what flavor it is.
- 75% of Global consumers desire to try new and exciting chocolate experiences
- Around 11% of consumers want to eat ‘Salty’ or ‘Spicy’ chocolates, with growth in Botanical flavors including spices, florae, and herbs.
- 61% say Chocolate with authentic and clean labels are more trustworthy
In recent years, the growth of the global chocolate industry has been enhanced in large part by raising awareness of the all health benefits of certain types of chocolate and gaining the most popularity in all across the world. As per the reports, the global chocolate market size stood at USD 114.33 billion in 2019 and it is expected to raise USD 136.42 billion by 2027, by a CAGR of 2.3% during the period from 2020 to 2027.
Whether consumers are looking for the world’s largest Chocolate manufacturers or premium chocolate suppliers, Bakemate.in is one of the best chocolate manufacturers, suppliers, and exporters based in (Hyderabad) India.


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iPhone production in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou is reportedly still “proceeding well,” even though lockdowns and restrictions are being imposed in the area. That assurance comes from managers at Foxconn quoted by Henan Daily (via Bloomberg).
Zhengzhou is following the lead of Shanghai in imposing new restrictions in the area, as residents have seen lockdowns and been subject to mass COVID-19 testing. However, Foxconn’s massive “iPhone City” assembly plant is seeing only limited disruptions.
“Production at the Foxconn campus is proceeding well with some 200,000 workers,” the newspaper said, citing Foxconn managers within the compound. The Taiwanese company is cooperating with local government and putting measures in place to ensure worker safety. “The supply lines haven’t been affected by Covid.”
Some areas in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone have been placed under quarantine effective immediately, and people in the area must remain in their homes and are not allowed to leave them.
China has been using rolling lockdowns in its attempt to curb the spread of the virus, and those lockdowns could impact Apple’s manufacturing schedules. While no iPhone or iPad shortages have been experienced, there have been delays in MacBook deliveries. Production has also been halted at plants run by Apple suppliers Quanta and Pegatron in eastern China, also due to Covid restrictions.
Foxconn was in March forced to suspend production for several days at its Shenzhen facilities as a city-wide lockdown prevented residents from leaving their homes. However, they were able to resume operations as employees lived and worked at the plant in a bubble-type environment.


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The proposed merger of online fashion apparel and accessories retailer Myntra with the country’s top e-commerce firm Flipkart seems uncertain as Mukesh Bansal, co-founder and CEO of Myntra, wants to operate independent of Flipkart post merger, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing a common investor of the two firms.
To further complicate things, Myntra also reportedly wants a cash infusion of $150 million into the company in order to expand its operations as well as achieve its growth plans.
"We are not sure the deal is going to happen," Subrata Mitra, partner, Accel Partners, told WSJ. Accel Partners is one of the three common investors in both the ventures (the other two being Tiger Global and Sofina). Mitra also represents the VC firm on the board of both the Bangalore-based companies.
It may be noted that while rumours about the possible merger have been doing the rounds for some time now, this is the first time an investor has openly acknowledged the same.
As reported first by VCCircle, a negotiation for the proposed merger was on track even after Myntra raised $50 million more early this year. Earlier, the proposed deal was said to be an alternative to the funding round.
The deal is being championed by Accel Partners and Tiger Global, to drive synergies. Currently Flipkart and Myntra compete in the apparel retail side of the business.
What do the companies stand to gain?
“The DNA of the two companies is very different as one is defensive and other is offensive. Flipkart is like Lionel Messi (a Barcelona striker) trying to score a goal while the other is like a line backer,” Mitra had mentioned in an earlier interview with Techcircle.in. “So if you were to draw global parallels, Flipkart is more like Amazon, while Myntra is like ASOS,” Mitra had said.
In February this year, Myntra had raised $50 million (about Rs 300 crore) in a financing round led by Premji Invest, along with new and existing investors. Since its launch in 2007, the company has raised close to $75 million from investors, including Accel Partners and Tiger Global.
In comparison, last October, Flipkart had raised an additional $160 million (Rs 990 crore) in the fifth round of funding. This fresh funding took the total funding for Flipkart so far to over $540 million.
For Flipkart, the deal could mean potential synergies in driving its own lifestyle vertical. Even if Myntra stays a separate site, its team could collaborate to drive the apparel unit of Flipkart through backend synergies.
While Flipkart is already the country’s top e-commerce firm, it is believed to be a bit player in the fashion e-tailing business.
Fashion e-tailing is dominated by Myntra and Rocket internet-backed Jabong. Merchandisers who have been stocking fashion apparel with both Myntra and Flipkart say the latter is doing well for sports apparel as a sub-category.
Boosting that vertical could be important to seek better valuation in the future as and when it seeks a public listing.
For Myntra, the proposed deal could take out the pain point for going to the market again for fresh funding in the future. This could especially come handy in its fight against Rocket Internet-backed Jabong, which also raised fresh money recently.
As such both firms can gain from the deal, which explains why the investors are keen on seeing it through. But a scenario where Myntra agrees to the deal but remains totally separate may not be of much help to Flipkart and that could be a deal breaker.
The risk of not marrying
There is always the potential of a rival running away with the cake. Amazon has just added apparel to its Indian marketplace and Snapdeal is also boosting its presence. If Amazon acquires Jabong, it could create a big challenger for both Myntra and Flipkart.
(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)


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Fast Profits From Fast Food
At the end of October, Burger King released its newest burger, the Big King, which was claimed by many commentators to be a direct assault on McDonald's iconic Big Mac.
So far, reviews have been mixed on the new burger. However, most reviewers agree that Burger King has definitely made a disruptive move by bringing this new offering to market.
What's more, this new burger was brought to market just after Burger King announced blow-out quarterly results that beat expectations. Unfortunately, McDonald's also released data at around the same time which revealed that the company's same store sales were stagnating .
All in all, this presents a very interesting picture. Now, from an investment perspective, Burger King looks more attractive than its larger, more established peer.
Indeed, Burger King has recently been proactive in meeting changing consumer demands through offerings like SatisFries and the new Big King. The company is also cutting back on its advertising spending, instead focusing on a series of media stunts, like the offer to buy Elvis Presley's former Beverly Hills home for $3.69 million -- it's no coincidence that the Big King burger is also priced at $3.69 .
In comparison, McDonald's has been slower to change its menu to meet consumer demand. In fact, one of the company's most recent menu additions, chicken wings, made headlines for not meeting expectations due to pricing and taste issues.
What's more, McDonald's is having to raise prices on its Dollar Menu to feature items in the range of $1 to $5. Unfortunately, it appears that selling items for $1 or less has pressured the company's bottom line. It is unclear what affect this will have on sales. The dollar menu accounts for around 13% of McDonald's annual sales, so the company risks alienating consumers if this new menu style does not go down well .
Peers also driving for change
Wendy's has also been working hard to rejuvenate its menu offering like Burger King, and so far the results are encouraging.
Wendy's recently reported third quarter company-operated same-store sales growth of 3.2%, which came in lower than the 3.9% predicted by analysts. However, the company did raise its full-year earnings estimate from $0.20-$0.22 a share to $0.25 a share. What's more, management reported that sales of two of the company's new menu offerings, the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger and the Pretzel Pub Chicken sandwich, were impressive .
Franchising for profit
Like Burger King, Wendy's is also changing its business model to a franchise-based structure. This means that the company is selling off company-owned restaurants to franchisees to ensure a more predictable cash flow and higher margins. The company plans to complete the sale of 425 company-operated restaurants by the second quarter of 2014.
So far this strategy has worked extremely well for Burger King. Indeed, although at the end of the fiscal third quarter Burger King's revenue had declined nearly 40% year-over-year, earnings before interest, tax depreciation, and amortization, or EBITDA, expanded nearly 10%. What's more, the company's EBITDA margin widened from 36% to 60% during the same period.
These figures are highly promising for Wendy's investors and indicate the kind of returns that could be ahead. In addition, Burger King's new franchise model has allowed the company to become highly cash generative. In particular, the company's cash balance has expanded 56% year-on-year at the end of the third fiscal quarter .
These returns are impressive, more so than those of McDonald's, which is struggling to grow both its top and bottom lines.
All in all, it is worth noting the changes that both Burger King and Wendy's are undertaking to rejuvenate their businesses and improve profit margins. In particular, new menu offerings and complete franchise based business models are driving both sales and cash flow, which in the long-term should lead to impressive shareholder returns. However, perhaps it's time to avoid McDonald's for now.
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The article Fast Profits From Fast Food originally appeared on Fool.com.Fool contributor Rupert Hargreaves has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Burger King Worldwide and McDonald's. The Motley Fool owns shares of McDonald's. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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Norwegian energy company Norsk Hydro said Vianode, a company owned by Elkem, Hydro and Altor, decided to invest in its first industrial scale plant for sustainable battery materials at Herøya in Norway.
Investment is around NOK 2 billion ($ 190 million), a statement said.
The plant will produce anode graphite for about 20,000 electric vehicles (EVs) per year by 2024. The investment is the first phase in a larger investment plan. There are preparations for a second phase plant which will provide battery materials for two million EVs per year by 2030.
The statement said graphite materials from Vianode are produced with up to 90% lower CO2 emissions than today’s standard materials. Their performance characteristics improve the properties in batteries. This includes faster charging, increased range and longer service life, as well as increased safety and recyclability.
Stian Madshus, general manager of Vianode, said Europe is facing a significant shortfall of graphite materials towards 2030, which Vianode aims to address with its offerings.
Its products are developed in high temperature processes, closed production systems, lower energy consumption and access to renewable energy.
Vianode has operated an industrial pilot in Kristiansand, Norway, since April 2021.
It will be recruiting approximately 100 new workers, bringing the total workforce to around 160 by the end of 2023. The second phase plant could double this by the end of 2026.
Photo: Vianode’s first industrial scale plant for sustainable battery materials


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AT&T will start offering a mobile 5G device – powered by its standards-based mobile 5G network built over mmWave spectrum – in the US on December 21.
AT&T said its 5G will be available in select areas. AT&T will expand the 5G business once ecosystem is ready with devices.
Verizon, the first operator to go live with a 5G service, has launched its first 5G network earlier this year as a home broadband replacement.
AT&T says its 5G network will be more traditional to mobile wireless networks. AT&T notes in its release that this device will require a 5G compatible data plan. AT&T did not reveal details about these new data plans.
AT&T is in the process of building two 5G networks using mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands. The mmWave network is ideal for faster speeds in less dense areas. The current launch will be on mmWave spectrum.
AT&T’s 5G customers will see enhancements in coverage, speeds and devices in phases. 5G+ will be faster than standard LTE.
AT&T will be offering NETGEAR Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot on mobile 5G+ network to early adopters.
AT&T is offering free mobile 5G device plus 5G data usage — at no cost — for at least 90 days to select businesses and consumers.
Customers can buy the Nighthawk for $499 upfront and 15GB of data for $70 a month on a compatible plan and no annual commitment, next spring.
AT&T’s 5G+ will be available in dense urban areas. If the customer is outside of 5G+ network coverage they can access AT&T’s 4G LTE network and 5G Evolution which is in 385 markets on the NETGEAR Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot.
“We expect that our initial adopters will be innovative, growing businesses,” Mo Katibeh, chief marketing officer, AT&T Business, said.
AT&T’s mobile 5G will be on sub-6 GHz bands. AT&T will launch mobile 5G next year, when the 5G smartphones are ready. The sub-6 GHz bands will be better suited for covering larger areas.
AT&T has already announced that it will have two Samsung 5G phones next year as well, one in the first half of the year and one in the second half. The first Samsung phone will not support both technologies. The second Samsung phone will work with both 5G technologies.
“It’s early on the 5G journey and we’re ready to learn fast and continually iterate in the months ahead,” Andre Fuetsch, president, AT&T Labs and chief technology officer, said.
AT&T’s standards-based mobile 5G network is live in 12 cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Fla., Louisville, Ky., Oklahoma City, New Orleans, Raleigh, N.C., San Antonio and Waco, Texas.
AT&T plans to deploy mobile 5G in parts of these 7 additional cities: Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orlando, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif — in the first half of 2019.
AT&T is marketing its latest improvements to its 4G LTE network as 5G Evolution and its mmWave 5G network as 5G+. The new Netgear hotspot will support AT&T’s 4G LTE and 5G Evolution networks in addition to the 5G+ network.


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More poultry price-fixing accusations: This time, farmer pay
- Poultry growers have filed a class action lawsuit accusing Tyson Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride, Perdue Farms, Koch Foods, Sanderson Farms and subsidiaries of each company for conspiring to suppress compensation paid to farmers, according to Meat + Poultry.
- The complaint claims the poultry processors agreed to share detailed data on grower compensation with each another in an effort to keep grower compensation below competitive levels.
- The suit also says that the poultry processors agreed not to solicit or hire farmers from other poultry companies in an effort to keep competition at bay.
The poultry industry has been having a rough couple of months. Last November, the Georgia Dock Pricing Index's numbers were called into question, and the investigation eventually led to the index's demise. The poultry industry has since announced a new pricing index, and it seemed that the storm had passed. Now comes this class action lawsuit from farmers who refer to the industry's major companies, a group they refer to as "the Cartel."
Price fixing accusations aren't new to poultry at this point, but the case will still ruffle feathers at the Federal Trade Commission. When consumers make choices about what food products to purchase, they expect that the price has been determined freely on the basis of supply and demand, not by an agreement among competitors.
A spokesperson from Tyson Foods denies the claims and cited a 2015 study by Dr. Thomas Elam, president of agricultural consulting firm Farm Econ LLC, which showed the average farmer payments per pound of chicken have increased almost 53% since 1990.
- Meat & Poultry Poultry processors face lawsuit over grower pay
Follow Keith Loria on Twitter


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One Kings Lane, the online retailer of home goods and lifestyle brands, has leased the entire 51,576 s/f8th floor at Jack Resnick & Sons’ 315 Hudson Street for its new Manhattan headquarters, bringing the Hudson Square office building to 100 percent occupancy.
The firm, which presently has offices at 205 Hudson Street, expects to relocate to its new facilities at the beginning of 2016.
Peter Gross, of Douglas Elliman Commercial, represented the tenant in the lease negotiations, while Brett Greenberg and Dennis Brady represented the building’s ownership in-house. Asking rents at the building are in the mid $70’s per square foot.
Founded in 2009 by Susan Feldman and Alison Pincus, One Kings Lane today has 11 million members and a staff of more than 350 employees serving offices in New York and San Francisco.
“This transaction reflects the continuing desirability of the Hudson Square neighborhood, and the establishment of 315 Hudson Street as one of the top destinations for creative tenants in New York City,” said Jonathan Resnick, president of Jack Resnick & Sons, who noted that his firm’s Hudson Square portfolio — a total of nearly one million square feet at 250 and 315 Hudson Streets — is now fully leased.
Other tenants at 315 Hudson, which is LEED and Energy Star certified and most recently Wired Certified Gold, are nonprofit conference producer TED Talks, online advertising company Intent Media, and luxury fashion retailer Moda Operandi.
The Resnick Organization is planning a major renovation at 315 Hudson Street over the next few years. It will feature a renovated lobby, a landscaped usable green roof, new windows and upgraded building infrastructure and mechanical systems.
Over 300,000 s/f of office space and approximately 25,000 s/f of retail space will be marketed in conjunction with the redevelopment.


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| Nov 9, 2012
| 8:14 AM
On Thursday evening, it suddenly became impossible to purchase most e-books on Amazon. It was possible to buy hardcovers, paperbacks and audiobooks, but not most Kindle e-books from the online retailer's website. The purchase of most Kindle e-books had...
| Jun 28, 2013
| 6:00 AM
It is hard to imagine a more gentlemanly trade than the buying and selling of old books. The very word "antiquarian" evokes tweedy, bespectacled fellows moving between dusty shelves to pull down some esoteric intellectual treasure. But as Travis McDade...
| Jun 11, 2013
| 1:41 PM
We're swamped with social media sites. There's Facebook and Twitter, Tumblr and Path. And Instagram, and Pinterest. For book lovers, there are Goodreads and LibraryThing. Do we really need another site?
Some of the biggest social media sites...
| Jun 4, 2013
| 2:00 PM
The Department of Justice began presenting its case against Apple Monday in a New York City courthouse. "Apple knowingly and actively participated in a scheme to raise e-book prices," DOJ lawyer Lawrence Buterman said.
Apple is the last defendant...
| May 23, 2013
| 7:45 AM
Those clinging hopefully to the old Borders books gift cards stashed in their drawers or wallets are out of luck, a Manhattan federal judge ruled Wednesday. According to Reuters, there are about $210.5 million worth of such cards that had not been used by...
| Jul 10, 2013
| 7:57 AM
A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Apple conspired with publishers to set the prices of e-books. Apple, the judge found, “played a central role in facilitating and executing that conspiracy” and will pay damages to be set at a future trial....
| Jan 28, 2013
| 11:26 AM
The American Library Assn. announced its 2013 book award winners Monday at its annual national conference, held this year in Seattle. While the best-known awards are the John Newbery Medal and the Caledecott Medal, there are dozens of awards, each of...
| May 20, 2013
| 6:00 AM
TEHRAN -- Elections are scheduled in Iran for June 14, the first presidential balloting since the disputed 2009 vote. Iran’s Guardian Council, an oversight body, is expected to release the list of vetted candidates this week. The Times sought out...
| Feb 8, 2013
| 8:20 AM
Publisher Macmillan announced Friday that it is settling its case with the Department of Justice in its lawsuit over e-books. The DOJ had accused five major publishers and Apple of conspiring to set e-book prices; Macmillan was the last publisher to agree...
| Jun 3, 2013
| 8:14 AM
Apple headed to court Monday, as its e-book price fixing trial begins. The U.S. Justice Department alleged last year that Apple had conspired with five publishers to set the prices for e-books when it was planning to launch the iPad and enter the e-book...
| May 6, 2013
| 2:38 PM
A Whale of a Tale Bookshoppe in Orange County will close it doors at the end of May. Owner Alexandra Uhl promises that the children's bookstore will reopen elsewhere in Irvine in the coming months -- but in a smaller location, with fewer hours.


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Xiaomi is on track to launch its next Mi series phone, the Mi MIX 2S and the launch date has been fixed for March 27. Ahead of this, the company has released a couple of video teasers, which have found their way to the popular site Weibo.
The teasers still don’t disclose any details about the phone more than what has been speculated already. But then, teasers are expected to do only that; just leave hints.
Accordingly, in the Mi MIX 2S teaser one finds paintings by great artists like Van Gogh and in between is an image that suggests a face recognition scanner below the unlock button. The other teaser indicates that the camera section might have AI based support features, while the images of popular paintings dot the background.
It is predicted that there may not be too much tinkering with the overall design of the phone when compared to the predecessor Mi MIX 2. The few changes or improvements can come in the camera section, where, apart from the AI integration, as mentioned above, the vertical dual camera setup in the rear similar to the one found on the iPhone X can be sighted on the Mi MIX 2S.
There is also a rumor that the notch on the front screen for the selfie camera, again, taken from the iPhone X will be there; however, some sources deny this.
The phone will come with the wireless charging facility and the panel in the rear therefore will be of glass. The latest CPU, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC will be the processor fitted on the Mi Mix 2S.
Its predecessor, Mi MIX 2, comes with a 5.99-inch touchscreen display and is powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. It sports 6GB of RAM with 128GB of internal storage that cannot be expanded. As far as the cameras are concerned, the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 sports a 12-megapixel primary camera and a 5-megapixel front camera.
For the rest of the particulars of Mi Mix 2S, including importantly the pricing etc., one has to wait till March 27.


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Ford has been producing large quantities of personal protective equipment for use by frontline workers and those sickened by COVID-19 since the pandemic began earlier this year. The automaker has shipped out hundreds of thousands of these life-saving pieces of equipment thus far, to the point where it’s actually winding down ventilator production because there’s a national surplus. But now, those of us that don’t fall into those aforementioned two categories can purchase our own Ford face masks for personal use, at least if we live in Europe.
FoMoCo has made its quite fashionable face masks available online as part of its “lifestyle collection,” which also includes things like hats, drink ware, and various Blue Oval apparel. The “everyday” Ford face mask sports the company’s famous Ford Blue hue, with the traditional Ford logo in the upper left hand corner.
There are a host of other styles available as well, including a face mask with a camo pattern, one with a “Built Ford Tough” logo, and a Mustang mask for pony car lovers. The automaker is also selling a storage box for the masks, so owners can take them along wherever they go.
As is the case with most face masks these days, these are CE-certified, but not medical grade. They’re simply a way to reduce the risk of spreading germs via droplet infection caused by coughing, sneezing, or speaking.
The Ford face masks are available in small, medium, or large sizes and are made from 100% polyester, with cotton/spandex straps. The cost is 9.65 Euros, or $11.47 U.S. Seven packs with a storage box are also available for the cost of 63.36 Euros or $75.25. As of right now, it seems that only European customers are able to purchase these masks, however.
Since it looks like we’ll be wearing masks in public for the foreseeable future, these Ford print pieces seem like a nice way to tout our Blue Oval pride. And maybe take a break from those plain old boring prints we’ve been wearing over the last few months, too.


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AT&T Refreshes Prepaid Data Pricing, Offering 1GB for $25
AT&T today announced a net set of prices for customers of its GoPhone prepaid service. Starting April 22, customers can get 50MB of data per month for $5, 200MB for $15, or 1GB for $25. The data packages may be added to the GoPhone $50 unlimited talk and text plan for smartphones, and the $25 unlimited text with 250 minutes GoPhone plan.
AT&T's GoPhone Intros Unlimited Slow Plan
AT&T today made one of its postpaid plans available via its GoPhone prepaid brand. The new AT&T GoPhone Unlimited service plan costs $60 per month and offers unlimited everything at reduced speeds.
AT&T and Verizon Change Up Prepaid Offerings
AT&T and Verizon Wireless have recently made changes to their respective prepaid services and taken dramatically different approaches in the process. AT&T's GoPhone customers now have more options than ever, while Verizon Wireless Prepaid customers have even fewer options.
AT&T's GoPhone Service Adds More Data to Plans
AT&T today made its GoPhone prepaid service plans more attractive by adding more high-speed data without changing the price points. The $45 plan improves from 2 GB of LTE data each month to 3 GB, and the $60 plan improves from 5 GB to 6 GB.
AT&T Rebrands GoPhone as 'AT&T Prepaid'
AT&T today relaunched its GoPhone prepaid service under the brand name AT&T Prepaid. AT&T Prepaid does not require contracts, activation fees, or credit checks, and allows customers to take advantage of month-to-month service.


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AirMap and senseFly partner to advance safety for commercial drones
AirMap, the world’s leading airspace management platform for drones, and senseFly, the world’s first choice producer of mapping drones, today announced that they have partnered to deliver AirMap’s airspace services to senseFly’s eBee fixed wing drones and albris quadcopter.
AirMap’s airspace platform services will be directly integrated into senseFly’s eMotion flight and data management software, providing professional operators and their drones with critical information and tools to enable safe missions.
AirMap’s industry-leading situational awareness data include airspace rules and advisories, locations of critical infrastructure, and real-time alerts about nearby manned air traffic flying in the surrounding airspace. senseFly drones will also begin leveraging AirMap’s flight planning tools and solutions for Unmanned Traffic Management, including technology that will allow senseFly drones to submit digital flight notices to more than 125 airports.
“senseFly is pushing the boundaries of drone innovation, demonstrating the tremendous potential of intelligent drones to help us do business and benefit our everyday lives,” said AirMap CEO Ben Marcus, who also serves as the industry co-chair for the FAA/industry Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team. “We’re excited to partner with senseFly to realize safe, efficient commercial drone operations.”
“senseFly solutions are designed from the ground up to maximise the operator’s efficiency and minimize risk, which is why our drones weigh only an average of two pounds and include a plethora of failsafes,” said senseFly CEO Jean-Christophe Zufferey. “By partnering with AirMap and adding industry-leading airspace intelligence to the mix, we are taking another big leap forwards and ensuring that our customers’ commercial drone operations are safer and more effective than ever.”
senseFly’s professional aerial imaging drones have flown nearly 400,000 successful flights to date, mapping over 49 million acres across seven continents. While a human operator can take control at any time, senseFly drones are typically flown automatically, capturing photos and landing themselves. Following the creation of a terrain-adjusted flight plan in eMotion, the company’s latest eBee Plus drone can fly for 59 minutes and map up to 15 square miles on one battery charge.
The AirMap platform powers the vast majority of the world’s drones, providing the industry’s most comprehensive, reliable, and real-time airspace information and services. Millions of drones and hundreds of drone manufacturers and developers rely on the platform to access and share the data they need to fly safely in low-altitude airspace. More than 125 airports use AirMap’s airspace management dashboard to open surrounding airspace to drones, view past and current drone flights, accept digital flight notices, and communicate with drone operators.
eBee X Approved for Operations Over People by Transport Canada
senseFly, the global leader in fixed-wing drones, is proud to announce that its flagship eBee X fixed-wing drone was approved for operations over people by Transport Canada, as defined by the regulatory body’s standard 922.06 Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) safety assurance designation. The designation is part of Transport...
New AES-256 Encryption Standard, Multispectral RTK Added to eMotion 3.9.0
senseFly is excited to bring you its latest eMotion flight planning software release, version 3.9.0. This latest version provides overall improvements to users as well as notable security enhancements, including the introduction of Advanced Encryption Standard 256 (AES-256), and MicaSense RedEdge-MX RTK functionality. Enhanced security 256-bit encryption is a...
Enterprise Partnerships with Trimble and Microsoft Drive senseFly Strategy Forward
senseFly, the global leader in fixed-wing drones, has announced new strategic partnerships. The organisations include Trimble and Microsoft and demonstrate the capability and suitability of senseFly’s fixed-wing drones and drone sensors for precision agriculture. “Trimble and Microsoft are major players in the agriculture sector, and these relationships are a...


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No Max Payne for Remedy
Remedy may have fond memories of the Max Payne series they created, but the developer have no plans to make a return to Take-Two's IP.
"Max was a long process for us obviously as well," franchise head Oskari Hakkinen told VG247.
"We sold the IP to Rockstar who are now doing their interpretation of Max Payne. I haven't seen it. I mean, I've seen the screenshots [of Max Payne 3], and you know what? Rockstar don't make bad games.
"Rockstar make awesome games, and, rightly so, they're going to make their own interpretation of Max Payne and it's not going to be a Remedy game. But it'll be awesome, because it's going to be Rockstar."
Max Payne 3 is out out at the end of 2010.
- Resident Evil: Revelations 2 may be coming to the PS Vita
- Destiny gets its first raid today, the Vault Of Glass
- Assassin's Creed: Unity co-op trailer arrives
- Lukewarm Destiny reviews could cost Bungie 2.5 million USD
- Borderlands multiplayer comes back to life on Steam
- Saints Row creative director Steve Jaros announces he's off to join Valve
- We want to rebuild a player-first culture says EA CEO Andrew Wilson
- WWE 2K15 gets delayed on next-gen
- Playground to add eight new cars to Forza Horizon 2 on launch day, VIP and Car pass details announced


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One of the largest superyachts in Australia is being auctioned this weekend. Bids started at $1. Now you’ll have to cough up more than 3 million dollars to make it your own.
The yacht, Mistress, was built by luxury Italian yacht firm Benetti, and was launched in 1991. It was refitted in 2017 and 2022. Mistress is 46-metres long and has a jacuzzi, various drink quaffing areas, a sauna, gym, and sundeck.
It’s French on the outside and Italian on the inside, (exterior styling is by French designer Zuretti and interior styling is by Italian designer Stefano Natucci).
Lloyds Auctions chief operations officer Lee Hames said of the upcoming auction: “The superyacht industry is seeing wait times of anywhere between three and five years, so now is your chance to skip the queues just in time for Christmas.”
Hames also said: “This superyacht is truly impressive to witness, it has come all the way from Malta in the Central Mediterranean and is sure to turn some heads when it goes to auction this weekend.”
According to Lloyds, bids started at $1 but are now well into the millions thanks to strong demand.
Even in the world of superyachts, Mistress is pretty rare: she’s one of only 488 superyachts in the world in the 45-50 metre size range (9News reports) and has above-average speeds for her size.
According to Yacht Charter Fleet, Mistress has plenty of toys, too. They write: “Mistress knows a thing or two about fun on the water, with a selection of water toys and accessories for you and your guests to enjoy whilst on charter.”
“Take to the sea on the Jet Skis offering you power and control on the water. Also there are two kayaks – a tranquil and relaxing way to pass the time. If that isn’t enough Mistress also features scuba diving equipment, bikes and snorkelling equipment.”
Mistress also reportedly featured on Below Deck and has won multiple awards. That being said, it certainly wasn’t one of Below Deck’s most loved yachts, with little information about its role in Below Deck being available online.
She can take up to 11 guests across six cabins, and up to 10 crew members in separate crew quarters.
Bids started at $1, Lloyd’s said, but – according to Yahoo Finance – have now reached more than $3 million, with the last known asking price reportedly more than $6 million.
Mistress will go to auction on Saturday, December the 3rd, at 10am AEST. It’s currently located on the Gold Coast.
- ‘Below Deck’ Star Reveals The Dark Side Of Working On A Private Superyacht
- F*ck France: Australia Is The Next Big Thing In Superyachting
The post Unloved ‘Below Deck’ Superyacht Up For Auction In Australia appeared first on DMARGE.