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NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- From any meaningful standpoint, the story at Best Buy (BBY) has not changed one bit since CEO Hubert Joly took over in 2012. I know I sound like I'm repeating myself, having written this same criticism throughout 2013 and 2014. But the reason is the company remains as screwed up as it was. The stock head faked on a magic carpet ride during 2013. This past holiday season proved more of the same and that will continue during and after the upcoming holiday season.
The Best Buy board of directors and Joly and their supporters at the company lack the vision to move the needle. Like so much of physical retail, Best Buy is mired in a culture of obviousness that encourages cosmetic tweaks while shutting out any talk of profound and potentially disruptive change.
For a more objective review of Best Buy's earnings, see this piece from TheStreet's always insightful retail guru Brian Sozzi.
To fully understand the Best Buy story, you have to look beyond this most recent earnings call. Wall Street tends to treat things as quarter-to-quarter surgical situations. A look to the past in Best Buy's case -- alongside this week's context -- proves this method to be inadequate.
Nothing Joly said on Best Buy's Tuesday post-earnings conference call suggests the company is doing anything other than what it did last year, which isn't all that different from the things Best Buy was doing two, three, five, 10 years ago. Here's the transcript of the call courtesy of Seeking Alpha. I have read it a dozen times searching for some sign that Joly subscribes to something other than retail business as usual. It's all about cost-cutting -- burning the furniture to build a fire as a Best Buy source put it to me last year -- and this feeble Renew Blue campaign, which does nothing more than put tinted windows, oversized wheels and spinning hubcaps on the dead and tired retail vehicle.


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With the public expecting more from product brands than ever before, consumer goods companies are paying close attention to their diversity and inclusion initiatives. Successful implementation of these initiatives can bring many benefits, including brand loyalty, employee retention and increased profitability.
A lack of clear goals and leadership accountability has hindered the advancement of diversity and inclusion in the consumer products and services industry. According to a 2019 study by Russell Reynolds Associates, only 32% of consumer goods executives said their leaders make a visible commitment to diversity and inclusion, only 32% communicate the importance of diversity and inclusion goals, and less than a quarter see leaders actually setting goals and holding themselves and others accountable.
With these observations, it is not surprising that few consumer goods executives feel their organizations are heavily invested in diversity and inclusion. A total of 40% of executives said they were aware their organization had an official diversity strategy; however, only 24% had a broad understanding of what that strategy actually was. The views were similar for inclusion, with only 23% believing their organization had an official strategy to foster an inclusive culture. A greater commitment from leadership to make lasting cultural change seems to be needed.
Trends since 2015
The Institute of Grocery Distribution Inclusion and Diversity 2020 report shows that more than 80% of the companies surveyed reported having diversity and inclusion as part of senior leadership conversations, while 50% said they have a strategy in place. The report also showed that 45% of companies had yet to formally establish their diversity and inclusion strategy.
A Canadian study in the same year by Boyden Executive Search found that only 23% of the CEOs in the consumer packaged goods sector were women, with many either founders or family members. Only 7% in the C-suite were Black, Indigenous or people of colour.
Latest diversity numbers
The consumer products and services industry compares favourably to other TSX-listed firms with regard to women director diversity levels. Data compiled for Osler’s 2021 Diversity Disclosure Practices [PDF] report shows that 25% of directors at consumer products and services companies in 2021 were women (up from 22% in 2020), compared to 22% for TSX-listed companies as a whole. On a per-board basis, the number of women directors was 2.11 for the industry compared to 1.83 for TSX-listed companies.
In terms of women executive officers, the number and percentage fell year over year in the industry. The Osler report shows that 21% of executive officers in the industry were women compared to 22% for TSX-listed companies. On a per-board basis, the industry number was 1.91 compared to the TSX-listed firm average of 3.30.
Breakdown of number and percentages of women directors in 2021
Breakdown of number and percentages of women executive officers in 2021
Best practices and sector leaders
Osler’s 2021 Diversity Disclosure Practices [PDF] report identifies Saputo Inc. as having at least 50% of women in director positions. Roots Corporation was listed as having more than 50% of women executive officers.
At their virtual sales and marketing symposium in June 2021, the Food, Health and Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP), the voice of Canada’s leading food, health and consumer goods manufacturers, held a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion. Participants agreed that, while their organizations may be at different stages on their journey, the diversity and inclusion discussion has been advanced to the highest levels in their organizations and is becoming a strategic priority. There was also consensus that brands need to be more authentic and to tell consumers where they stand in their journey.
In January, Unilever announced a three-part plan to fundamentally change the way it does business, committing to boost wages, increase the diversity of its suppliers, and train more skilled younger workers. By 2025, the company plans to spend more than £2 billion annually with suppliers owned and operated by those from underrepresented groups. By 2030, organizations that directly provide goods and services to Unilever must pay their workers a living wage.
Levi Strauss & Co. is pursuing stronger partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities in the U.S. to build a pipeline of more racially diverse talent. The company has also set the goal of requiring that half of the interviewees for open positions be racially diverse candidates while ensuring that they are interviewed by a panel of racially diverse leaders. For its part, Gap Inc. has publicly committed to narrowing the space between the diversity of its employees and the diversity of the U.S. population by doubling the representation of Black and Latinx employees in its U.S. headquarters by 2025.
At Bayer Canada, diversity and inclusion is an ongoing agenda item at monthly senior management meetings. The company has also made a commitment by 2025 to establish a 50/50 gender balance as an average across all management levels including lower and middle management.
Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. (GCPL), a global conglomerate with more than a billion customers, has the highest number of women board members of any listed company in India. The company has long believed that being diverse, particularly in having its employees reflect the diversity of its business and communities, contributes to greater growth and innovation. GCPL promotes inclusivity through affirmative stances on gender and LGBT+ rights, and by hiring from different backgrounds and skill levels.
At French food services company Sodexo, 55% of all staff are women. That is up from 17% in 2009. And 58% of Board members are women. The company runs 14 gender balance networks worldwide and they state that gender balance is their business and that their mission is to make it everyone else’s business as well.
The Leading Executives Advancing Diversity (LEAD Network) has been formed in Europe with the goal of attracting, retaining and advancing women in the retail and consumer goods industry through education, leadership and business development. The network believes that advancing women to leadership roles is essential for the business world to effectively address its future challenges.
The connection between a company’s diversity and that of its consumers is becoming stronger, and more and more consumer goods businesses are responding in a positive way. In the long run, this can only be good for a company’s recruiting and retention and its customer loyalty.

domain: news


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Mick Jagger's Girlfriend L'Wren Scott Found Dead
L'Wren Scott, fashion designer and girlfriend to Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, was found dead in in a New York apartment Monday morning.
According to preliminary reports of police authorities, as cited by Fox News, she died of an apparent suicide.
The 49-year-old fashion designer and former model was found hanged in her Manhattan apartment.
A spokesperson for Mick Jagger said that the Rolling Stones frontman was "shocked and devastated" by the news.
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The course will help students of any level develop a solid foundation of shooting the TAVOR platform. Experienced carbine shooters will find the course beneficial as well…
Jeff Foxworthy returns to the 2016 SHOT Show’s State of the Industry Dinner as the headline entertainment sharing his perspective on everyday life..
The Atlanta Police Department SWAT Team receives custom built Bergara rifles with Dead Air Sandman L suppressors. Based on the Bergara Heavy Tactical design the APD rifles are in .308 Win.
Ultimate Wild, a leader in providing high-quality outdoor and hunting products in the trail cameras, action cameras, protective gun/gear cases and nighttime illumination categories, selects…..
According to Sun Optics USA President Jim Gekeler, this partnership allows the company to provide an even wider variety of high-performance optics and shooting accessories to its customer base.
Las Vegas Bass Pro Shops, Tactical West Las Vegas and the Nevada Department of Wildlife will present two free seminars on firearm safety and training to help gun owners take steps to handle and…..
Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, the world’s leading manufacturer of high performance sports optics, has won the 2015 Petersen’s Hunting Editor’s Choice Award for the Best Budget Riflescopes with the…..
When gun controllers contend that they aren’t out to prohibit civilian access to firearms, but simply want “responsible” laws to keep guns out of the “wrong hands,” point them to the story of…..
MRC does it again! The Extreme X2 Rifle is a hard-working, all-weather hunting rifle set in the brand new Montana Rifle Co. synthetic stock.
Springtime will bring a new and exciting retail opportunity for outdoors enthusiasts in western Pennsylvania.
Ask you subject whether or not a man or a woman (any human being) has a legitimate right to self-defense. Does a person posses the legal right to defend themselves against unlawful attack?
Higginbotham’s story starts the way many gun owners’ do: when she purchased a firearm for self-defense.
The Joint Committee on the Judiciary has tentatively scheduled a hearing for Wednesday, October 21, to discuss legislation aiming to ban the intrastate trade in legal ivory and ivory products.
On September 24, the National Rifle Association submitted a letter to the California Fish and Game Commission objecting to the continued lack of established procedures and rules governing the…..
The West Virginia Natural Resources Police have solved an albino deer killing case in Boone County, thanks to help from Facebook users.
The fact remains that none of his solutions would have prevented this incident, or any of the other incidents they have taken advantage of call for restrictions of your rights…
This week, Guns & Gear, one of the top-rated television programs to showcase products for shooting and hunting, features accessories for your Stag Arms ARs, range-ready AR ammo from Barnes…..
This week on GUNTALK, a mother and son head to the FTW Ranch in Texas hill country to undergo a course that will put their rifles, and themselves, to the test.
Safari Club International is proud to announce Gaston J. Glock Style has renewed their corporate sponsorship.
Pheasants Forever’s Rooster Road Trip, an annual digital showcase of pheasant hunting on public land habitat & access projects, takes to the field October 19th through October 23rd.
As more Americans are carrying concealed firearms for self-defense, questions arise on what items—beyond a firearm—should be carried to be better prepared for all most situations.
World-renowned for its jerky cure and seasonings, Hi Mountain Seasonings’ President Hans Hummel and Senior Account Executive Brian Tucker join Scott Leysath, host of “The Sporting Chef,” to fish…..
Carpenter, a sales veteran with extensive outdoor industry experience, manages key accounts in the Midwest.
Weatherby will usher in a new era in ballistic superiority by introducing both a new cartridge and a new caliber of bullet to the Weatherby line, the 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum.
Can-Am has released a new full color catalog of it’s current offering of accessories for the hot new DEFENDER side by side as well as its line of ATV vehicles…
Despite having one of the world’s strictest gun control regimes, the UK’s gun control advocates and their supportive bureaucrats aren’t resting on their laurels.
In what can only be described as a blatant display of hypocrisy, two gun ban groups have started a petition to deny a federal grant for Project Childsafe, a gun safety program operated by the…..
The Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution is there for a simple reason: Our Founding Fathers wisely understood that even a national government of supposedly limited powers could overstep its…..
Yesterday, 65 U.S. House and Senate Members of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) and hundreds of leaders from the sportsmen’s community gathered in downtown Washington, DC for the…..
Madeline Singas, Acting District Attorney for Nassau County, New York, is a hypocrite.
In Virginia, one of the Bloomberg disarmist groups is attempting to shut down one of the few gun shops near the nations capitol.
Federal Premium and Anoka Ramsey Community College recently teamed up to earn a $227,712 grant from the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership.
Cobb County LEO’s put new Bergara precision rifles to the test on the range.
Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. announced the selection of Erin Kennedy as Director of Marketing, effective August 1, 2015.
Arctic Cat Inc. today announced its sponsorship of Patriots and Heroes Outdoors (PHO), a non-profit organization that provides outdoor activities and sporting events for Purple Heart recipients…..
Orion Coolers announces it has signed a sponsorship agreement with the Gun It with Benny Spies presented by Leupold television show..
Both chambers are set to vote on legislation that will fund the government until December 11, at which point a long-term budget deal must be reached. Here’s our take.
The Safariland Group (“Safariland”), a leading provider of a diverse range of safety and survivability products designed for the public safety, military, professional and outdoor markets, today …..
While Buck Wear may be the leading manufacturer of funny and fun-loving casual wear for the family that plays outdoors, it understands that breast cancer is serious.
Jeff Jones of San Antonio, Texas, honorable veteran and subscriber to Ammoland.com, won an IWI TAVOR® SAR Flattop Model.


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Week in review
NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke is expected to depart next year, Away CEO Steph Korey steps down amid criticism of fostering a toxic work culture and Tesla loses its third general counsel in the last year.
Every week we bring you an overview of the most important executive changes from around the world. This week, NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke is expected to depart next year, Away CEO Steph Korey steps down amid criticism of fostering a toxic work culture and Tesla loses its third general counsel in the last year. Read more about this and other notable executive changes:
NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke to Depart Next Year, Jeff Shell Expected to Succeed Him
NBCUniversal chief executive Steve Burke is expected to step down next year, and his most likely successor is Jeff Shell, who is now chairman of NBCUniversal Film and Entertainment according to Variety. Burke, who is also a senior vice president of NBCUniversal’s parent Comcast Corporation, has been planning his departure for a period of time, and in January unveiled a major shakeup of NBCUniversal’s top executive ranks that set up Shell to potentially replace him. Read more here.
Away CEO Steph Korey Steps Down Amid Criticism of Fostering Toxic Work Culture
Away, the trendy luggage brand that achieved unicorn status earlier this year with a valuation of $1.4 billion, said that its CEO and co-founder, Steph Korey, is stepping down. This comes just days after a report from The Verge highlighted the company’s toxic workplace culture and criticized Korey’s harsh treatment of employees citing several former company employees who described a culture of intimidation where employees were berated on public Slack channels. Read more here.
Tesla Loses its Third General Counsel in the Last Year
The executive exodus at Tesla continues as Jonathan Chang leaves the company to serve as general counsel at SambaNova, an AI chip start-up. Tesla has now lost three general counsels in the past year including Todd Maron who left the company in December 2018 and Dane Butswinkas who left the company in February 2019. Read more here.
Condé Nast Names Former Sotheby’s and Stitch Fix Executives to CFO and CMO Roles
Condé Nast has added new C-level executives to its leadership team after the appointment of Roger Lynch as CEO in April of this year. The company announced that Mike Goss, who was previously executive vice president and CFO of Sotheby’s, will be its new finance chief, and former Stitch Fix CMO, Deirdre Findlay, will assume the CMO role. Both Goss and Findlay will commence their position in January 2020. Read more here.
Salesforce Promotes Bret Taylor to President and COO
Salesforce announced that it is promoting Bret Taylor to president and chief operating officer of the company. Taylor has been the company’s president and chief product officer since November 2017. He joined Salesforce in 2016 when the company acquired Quip, the cloud-based word processing app that he co-founded with ex-Google tech lead Kevin Gibbs in 2012, for a reported $750 million. Read more here.
Who are your company’s unsung heroes? The superstars? The ones who get things done? Join your company on The Org and show off your team to the world!
❤ The Org


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Indonesia is building the world’s largest green industrial park in Bulungan, North Kalimantan, which will eventually produce batteries for electric vehicles, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo claimed on Tuesday.
Operations in the 13,000-kilometer Kalimantan Industrial Park Indonesia (KIPI) will be powered by green and renewable energy. This includes hydropower from Mentarang and Kayan rivers in North Kalimantan, although the transition to green energy will take time.
“This is the largest green industrial park in the world. This is Indonesia’s future,” Jokowi said when he toured the project site.
The area will see the development of industries such as EV batteries, as Indonesia advances with its downstream policy and bans the export of the unprocessed ores of key minerals. The president added that there would also be petrochemical and aluminum industries at KIPI.
According to Jokowi, green energy, coupled with the “green products” that the park will make grants KIPI a competitive power. And this would also make KIPI attractive to investors, particularly those related to green products.
“If everything goes well, everyone will surely flock here, any industry related to green products will look at this area,” Jokowi said.
Jokowi told reporters that he would continue to keep an eye on the progress, so the project remains on schedule. “There are no issues on site. All permits are complete and ready,” the president said.
EV Battery Dream
Indonesia seems to be making some progress in its dream of becoming a major EV battery producer.
Aside from KIPI, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) not long ago inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Western Australian government. The MoU was on exploring partnerships in critical minerals for battery and EV industries.
Australia is the world’s biggest lithium supplier. Indonesia is also the largest nickel producer in the world. Both minerals are a mainstay for EV batteries. According to Kadin chairman Arsjad Rasjid, the deal could pave the way toward the goal of becoming a major EV industry player.
“We should seize this opportunity to jointly develop a battery manufacturing plant in Indonesia using Australian lithium and lucrative investments to realize the potential of Indonesia’s nickel reserves and large workforce,” Arsjad was quoted as saying in a recent press statement.
Australian government data showed that the country accounted for 46 percent of the world’s lithium production in 2020. The US Geological Survey reported that Indonesia produced approximately one million metric tons of nickel in 2021.
Image Source: jakartaglobe.id


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The Australian Made Campaign (AMCL) has welcomed action taken by the ACCC against online ugg boot seller Happiness Road, trading as Koala Jack.
In October 2012, the Koala Jack website prominently displayed the green and gold Australian Made logo and other statements that the boots were made in Australia.
Following an ACCC investigation Happiness Road admitted that its ugg boots were all made in China. The investigation also revealed that Happiness Road was not authorised to use the Australian Made logo.
The company provided a number of court enforceable undertakings to the ACCC regarding its practices.
Australian Made Chief Executive, Ian Harrison, said it was pleasing that the ACCC recognised the value of the logo and the importance of cracking down on such misleading country of origin claims.
However he warned consumers, particularly tourists, to be particularly vigilant when buying ugg boots and other sheepskin products.
“Many companies and retailers in this industry are marketing their products with a veneer of ‘Australian-ness’ which can be misleading. Iconic Australian names and imagery, coupled with claims such as ‘Australian sheepskin’, ‘Australian owned’, ‘classic Australian’ and so on, give the impression the product is made here when in fact it may be fully imported” said Mr Harrison.
He added that another common practice is the removal of 'Made in China' tags from imported products.
“Consumers who are looking to buy a genuine Aussie product should search the Australian Made website, www.australianmade.com.au, to find companies which are authorised to use the Australian Made logo” said Mr Harrison.
The ACCC's media release on the matter can be found here: https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/online-ugg-boot-trader-provides-court-enforceable-undertaking-over-‘made-in-australia’
Australian Made Campaign welcomes action from ACCC on dishonest ugg boot seller
Tuesday, July 02, 2013


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China posts trade deficit
China swung to a surprise trade deficit in February, its largest in seven years, as the Lunar New Year holiday dealt a sharper blow to export activity than had been expected.
It was China's first trade deficit since March last year and its biggest since February 2004.
The deficit will be welcome news on at least one front for the Chinese government, helping dampen inflationary pressure. Cash inflows from the country's vast trade surplus over the past few years have been a root cause of a recent run-up in prices.
With tightening policies beginning to have an impact, China is confident that it can hold inflation to an average of 4 per cent this year, Ma Jiantang, the government's statistics chief, said today.
His comments followed a report in an official newspaper that bank lending in February was much less than expected, indicating that Beijing has scored some success in reining in credit issuance, a crucial part of its campaign to control inflation.
Until that number is confirmed, though, attention will be squarely on China's precipitous drop in exports.
China exports grew 2.4 per cent in February from a year earlier, the customs agency said today, well short of forecasts for a rise of 26.2 per cent. Imports increased 19.4 per cent, missing market expectations of a 32.3 per cent increase.
The government has in the past pointed to a narrower trade surplus as evidence that it is making headway in tilting China away from excessive reliance on exports, a shift that is seen as a crucial part of putting the global economy on firmer footing.
But many economists cautioned against reading too much into one month's trade data, especially in the first quarter.
Chinese exports typically slump at the start of the year, with the country's factories shut or running at half speed for weeks because of China's New Year holiday, which fell in the first week of February.
China ran a $6.5 billion trade surplus in January and averaged $15 billion a month last year.
With import growth set to outpace export growth, China was hoping to narrow its trade surplus for the third straight year, commerce minister Chen Deming said earlier this week.
China's trade surplus was $183 billion last year, down from $196 billion in 2009 and a record $295 billion in 2008.


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1 June 2002
Just Jeans has bought Melbourne-based fashion retailer Portmans from Bloom brothers Barry & Norman. Portmans has 86 shops and turnover of about $A100 million. It recently entered the New Zealand market, where Just Jeans is already established. Just Jeans, controlled by the Catalyst private equity group, also owns the Jay Jays and Jacqui E labels, and has turnover of more than $A500 million.


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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: CarMax emblem is seen on this illustration taken June 27, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) – CarMax Inc (NYSE:), the biggest U.S. used automobile retailer, agreed to pay $1 million to resolve claims by 36 states that it didn’t disclose open security recollects to shoppers earlier than promoting automobiles to them.
Thursday’s settlement adopted a multistate probe led by Illinois Legal professional Basic Kwame Raoul that started in 2014, amid issues that customers weren’t being warned about needed repairs and doubtlessly critical security recollects.
The accord requires the Richmond, Virginia-based firm to supply shoppers with hyperlinks and QR codes to search for recollects, and documentation that “clearly and conspicuously” discloses open recollects earlier than presenting different gross sales paperwork.
New York Legal professional Basic Letitia James, who joined the settlement, in a press release mentioned CarMax generally labeled automobiles as “protected” even when that they had been recalled for airbags or different security options.
“When somebody buys a automobile, they should know that it’s going to maintain them protected,” James mentioned.
In a press release, CarMax mentioned it has since 2014 disclosed recollects when promoting and promoting automobiles.
Chief Working Officer Joe Wilson added that CarMax just isn’t licensed to restore recalled automobiles, and tries to make sure that shoppers use manufacturer-authorized services.
CarMax mentioned it has greater than 230 shops, and bought about 924,000 used automobiles in its fiscal 12 months ending Feb. 28. 2022.


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A new report from Asia claims that Apple will not have an easy time getting the very-high-resolution display it needs for the iTV.
The report cites two obstacles for Apple. One, Ultra HD TV makers in Taiwan are booked up already for 2013 orders. That supply is going to China-based TV makers. Two, it's not clear if one Apple's favorite display suppliers, LG Display -- which provides displays for the iPad and MacBook Pro, among other Apple products -- will be ready for high-volume production this year.
"If LG...has ample supply of the technology, Apple may try to release the TV by the end of 2013 but is more likely to do so towards the beginning of 2014," according to the report.
Investment banking firm Jefferies cited similar timing for the iTV, in a.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said that he had expected an Apple TV event in March, followed by a launch in September or October. However, he now believes the launch will happen sometime next year as the company's display providers -- LG and Sharp -- are having trouble with yields.


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December 26, 2011
Lithuania's agricultural output rose 21.2% this year over 2010 to LTL7.922 billion (US$3.02 billion), preliminary data from the country's statistics office showed Friday (Dec 23).
The value of plant production increased by 38% to LTL4.402 billion (US$1.66 billion) and the value of animal production was up by 5.2% to LTL2.908 billion (US$1.10 billion), Statistics Lithuania said.
It attributed the growth in the value of plant production to increases of 8% in cereal production, 14.3% in rapeseed production, 10.7% in potato production and 20% in sugar-beet production, as well as a 27.9% rise in plant product purchase prices. The sharpest increases were in cereal prices, up by 47%, while rapeseed prices rose 37.6%.
The rise in the value of plant production was due to a 9.9% increase in animal product purchase prices, with livestock prices up by 20.2%, pig prices up by 8.4% and milk prices up by 13.5%.


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The electronics titans square off in a tangled tale of mobile technology, centered on Apple's iPhone
This free apps mimics the Play Store on your BlackBerry 10 device, giving you access to all your favorite Android apps.
Google's Verify Apps malware protection for Android is rolling out an update that will constantly monitor apps for suspicious behaviour.
To try and rack up advertising revenue from mobile developers, Yahoo is testing an ad unit that would be familiar to Facebook users.
CyanogenMod has crossed the rubicon to Apple Mac computers with an installer app for OS X.
After the latest update to BlackBerry 10, users can install Android apps with very little effort.
CyanogenMod's first baby step to mainstream acceptability has faltered, with the customisable Android software booted from the Play Store by Google.
By enabling the experimental ephemeral apps feature, you can launch apps without needing to first install them.
MyPebbleFaces makes it extremely easy to install custom Pebble watch faces directly from your iPhone.
A small-claims complaint asks Apple for a way to remove the automatically downloaded iOS 7 install file on iOS 6 devices and earlier, something that can take up space.
The BlackBerry Messenger app on your Android phone is scheduled to launch today, but missed the planned release time.


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The Blockbusters No One Talks About
Drugs like Nexium, Lipitor, Lovenox and Plavix lost patent protection years ago, but continue to generate blockbuster level sales. Here's a look at the blockbuster brands that have stood the test of (generic) time.
You may also be interested in...
Crestor Generics To Launch After 12-Day Delay
AstraZeneca's legal gambit results in almost two more weeks of sales for the statin even though the court ultimately agreed with FDA on labeling carve-out for orphan indication.
FDA approval of generic Lovenox sparks debate and lawsuit
The US FDA approval of the first generic version of Sanofi-Aventis's Lovenox (enoxaparin sodium) to Novartis' generics arm Sandoz, which uses technology from Momenta Pharmaceuticals, has caused a buzz because the agency has treated the application like a standard but yet complicated ANDA and did not require full clinical studies.
The 10 US Biosimilar Launches That Could Drive Big Savings By 2027
Biosimilar versions of drugs like Humira, Stelara and Eylea are among the products that could generate cumulative sales of $129bn over the next five years, according to IQVIA.


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THEY are the sweetie makers who know everything about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Staff at the factory which has been producing Edinburgh Rock since 1880 are celebrating after an entrepreneur from the Capital stepped in to save them from having to leave.
The 12-strong workforce at Ross’s of Edinburgh feared the worst when it emerged earlier this year that former chairman Graham Ross – great grandson of company-founder James Ross – had agreed a deal to sell the Loanhead-based facility after failing to convince his family to take over.
Mr Ross, who was preparing for retirement, said he hoped a buyer would come forward to snap up the brand name – but fears grew that a sale could see it move away from the Lothians for good.
Now businessman James Anderson has secured Edinburgh Rock’s future on home turf by buying the factory and keeping staff in their jobs.
Mr Anderson, who grew up in Murrayfield, said he was inspired because of the sweet’s historic links with his native city.
He said: “It’s an iconic brand and it would be a shame to just let it go. It was really just Graham’s age that led to him making the decision to retire and sell up – [the decision to buy] was about keeping the business going.”
Ross’s has operated in the Lothians for 135 years and its factory is the only one in the country currently making sticks of Edinburgh Rock.
Classic treats such as pan drops, soor plooms and rhubarb rock are among the firm’s other products.
Mr Anderson, who has a range of business interests across the Capital, said his immediate focus would be on consolidation.
“We would like to expand the product range and promote the business,” he said. “It’s a confectionery brand so we’d stick to a confectionery range but just increasing it slightly.
“All we’re doing is getting production back up and just fulfilling orders that are outstanding.
“It’s a very proud moment. This is a very well established company [and] it’s good that the company has been given an opportunity to continue.”
He added: “We’re looking to maintain the business as it was. We’re not looking to invest or hire immediately – we’re going to continue as is at the moment.”
Political figures have welcomed news that jobs and manufacturing activity generated by the firm will stay in the Lothians.
Colin Beattie, SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, said: “Obviously, I welcome anything that’s going to keep employment in the area.
“I did read about the demise of the original company, if you like, and it was quite sad because it’s been iconic for so many years – but I’m absolutely delighted that someone has stepped in to help it continue.
“I’m pleased for the people that are continuing in employment and that this iconic brand is continuing. Every job is a prisoner these days, in that you grab it, hold on to it and do not let it go.
“For Loanhead and wider Midlothian, this is a good thing.”


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Samsung will host a Galaxy Unpacked event on February 9, where the Galaxy S22 series smartphones and the Galaxy Tab S8 series tablets are expected to be unveiled. The Korean conglomerate hasn’t disclosed anything about these products yet, but thanks to past leaks, we know pretty much everything about the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy Tab S8 ranges. However, a new leak about the S22 and Tab S8 series by Twitter user Dohyun Kim (@dohyun854) leaves little to the imagination.
This massive leak contains more than three dozen images that are likely screenshots from the media briefing presentation, with personally identifiable information redacted. You can check out the images below to learn more about the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+ and Galaxy S22 Ultra codenamed R0, G0 and B0 respectively (the entire S22 series is codenamed “Rainbow”).
Samsung Galaxy S22 Series Leaked Press Material
And here are the images for the Galaxy Tab S8, Galaxy Tab S8+, and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Series Leaked Press Material
Dohyun Kim also leaked the official introduction videos. Here’s one for the Galaxy S22 smartphones. However, it is not clear, and the original music has also been changed to hide the source’s identity.
The The video of the Galaxy Tab S8 also has other music, but it’s not blurry. You can check it out below.
These materials also confirm that the Galaxy S22 phones (except the vanilla model) and Galaxy Tab S8 slates support 45W charging, but you’ll have to buy the 45W power adapter separately to get those charging speeds.
This post Huge leak from Samsung Galaxy S22, Galaxy Tab S8 series leaves little to the imagination
was original published at “https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s22_series_galaxy_tab_s8_series_specs_features_massive_leak-news-52931.php”


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- Huawei has quietly released EMUI 12.
- Android skins come with a lot of UI changes and new features.
Huawei has quietly Announce The new version of EMUI software for global users. EMUI 12 inherits EMUI 11, with a more concise user interface and many new functions. The appearance of the latest Android skin is inspired by Hongmeng OS 2.0. Although Huawei is also expected to introduce a new operating system to its existing phones, the company does not seem ready to completely abandon EMUI.
EMUI 12 design and UI changes
EMUI 12 comes with a redesigned interface. Huawei uses more rounded corners and gradients while sticking to black, blue, and white formats. The new animation also makes the UI look more vivid. Huawei said that it was inspired by the way celestial bodies move in the universe. EMUI 12 also allows users to use a slider to adjust the thickness of the font on the phone.
related: The best Huawei phones you can buy right now
Users can now swipe down from any screen to open the control panel. Here, they will be able to quickly access audio playback, Wi-Fi settings, Bluetooth, shortcut switches, etc. There is also a new Device Plus section in the control panel, where users can click on the MatePad/MateBook icon to activate multi-screen collaboration with Huawei tablets and laptops. This will allow users to make phone calls, send messages, view photos, and edit files on the screen of a tablet or laptop.
The notification center is also separated from the quick access panel. It now appears by swiping down from the upper left corner of the screen.
Distributed file system
EMUI 12 also introduces a new distributed file system. It provides instant access to photos and phone documents on a laptop. Huawei stated that this experience is similar to accessing a disk drive on a laptop without any cables. However, this feature is limited to certain Huawei phones and MateBooks running PC Manager 11.1 or later.
Seamless video call
Finally, EMUI 12 introduces a concise but niche productivity technique that can improve its existing MeeTime video calling capabilities. It now supports cross-device integration, allowing users to seamlessly transfer video calls from mobile phones to Huawei Vision TV. Of course, the latter is only available in a few countries/regions, so this feature is not what most Huawei users will ultimately like.
EMUI 12 availability and eligible devices
Unfortunately, Huawei has not yet announced the launch roadmap for EMUI 12. We also don’t know which phones can get the new software. The company previously announced a stable Hongmeng OS 2.0 update for 65 devices. However, as far as we know, the list is still limited to devices launched in China.
We will update this article when Huawei announces more details about the launch of EMUI 12.


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TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 Routers Arriving in 2023 Before Wi-Fi 7 Even Launches
TP-Link, a prominent name in networking solutions, has announced their plans to release their Wi-Fi 7 routers in 2023. This news comes even before the official launch of the Wi-Fi 7 standard, highlighting the company’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve.
Wi-Fi 7 is set to provide users with significant advancements in data transfer speeds, reliability, and overall connection quality. With more smart home devices and connected gadgets than ever before, it is imperative that our home networks adapt to support these growing demands.
The TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 routers are poised to deliver these improved features, ensuring a smoother and faster online experience for users everywhere. By committing to this new technology ahead of its official launch, TP-Link demonstrates their dedication to providing cutting-edge products to consumers.
In anticipation of the increased demand for Wi-Fi 7-enabled devices, several other companies are also exploring ways to adopt this new standard. This early adoption will help pave the way for quicker and more efficient internet connections in the future.
While we still have a few years before we see Wi-Fi 7 routers from TP-Link on store shelves, this announcement has undeniably stirred up excitement among technology enthusiasts and created a sense of urgency among competitors. As more companies catch up with the latest advancements in networking technology, users can look forward to faster connections and enhanced productivity at home and work.


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Ahead of God Of War’s release on January 14, developers have confirmed the game will now feature Auto Sprint, Auto Sprint Delay, Always on Reticle, and Full Keyboard/Mouse remapping.
“This is a step forward, and part of our initiative to bring more accessibility to all SMS studio products,” said lead UX designer Mila Pavlin. “We are really investing in studio process and increasing accessibility across the board,” she added in a followup tweet.
I’ve had folks ask about accessibility options for the upcoming God of War (2018) PC release, which comes out in 10 days(!) SO: new features are Auto Sprint, Auto Sprint Delay, Always on Reticle, and Full Keyboard/Mouse remapping. This link has more info:https://t.co/lDajYgMTbr
— Alanah Pearce (@Charalanahzard) January 5, 2022
According to the Playstation website, aspects of the game like text size, control sensitivity and sound will be fully adjustable, as are the camera and motion effects.
“Creating an accessible world for gamers motivates us and inspires our work,” said Hermen Hulst, Head of Playstation Studios. “We aspire to craft gaming content that not only delivers immersive experiences, but also allows gamers to create meaningful connections as we have so much in common through the shared joy of play.”
God Of War was originally released on Playstation in 2018 but is set to come to PC later this month.
The announcement came via the official PlayStation Blog, with developer Santa Monica Studio’s senior community manager Grace Orlady saying “Our primary goal when bringing God of War to PC was to highlight the exceptional content the team created and leverage the powerful hardware that the platform offers to create a uniquely breathtaking and high-performance version of the game.”
Christopher Judge, the voice actor behind Kratos, recently revealed that Ragnarok was delayed due to an illness he faced in 2019.
Judge added that he received “nothing but love and support” from Sony Santa Monica, who “never said a word about the delay, and what caused it”.


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Major victory in battle over ASDA equal pay
Employment tribunal has ruled that lower paid women who work in Asda stores can compare themselves to higher paid men who work in ASDA's distribution centres
Posted on 14 October 2016
An employment tribunal in Manchester has today ruled that lower paid women who work in Asda stores can compare themselves to higher paid men who work in ASDA’s distribution centres.
The judgment follows a hearing at Manchester Employment Tribunal which took place in June this year.
The decision by Employment Judge Ryan will allow over 7,000 store workers to proceed with their claims for equal pay against Asda in the UK’s largest ever private sector equal pay claim.
Law firm Leigh Day are currently representing former and current employees of the supermarket chain, mostly female, who feel they have been paid less than others within the organisation despite carrying out roles of equal value.
Asda had initially tried to stop the claims from proceeding in the employment tribunal, arguing that they should be heard in the High Court, however, the Court of Appeal ruled that the employment tribunal is the appropriate place for the women’s claims to proceed.
Employment Judge Ryan ruled after a two week hearing that the predominantly female store workforce can compare themselves to male colleagues.
The claims against Asda brought by Leigh Day could see workers recovering over £100 million going back to 2002 and may now be followed by new claims from workers awaiting this judgment.
Lauren Lougheed a lawyer in the employment team at Leigh Day, who is representing the Asda claimants, said:
“This is a dramatic victory for the workers we represent. Asda tried to argue that because the shops and distribution centres were in different locations, with different pay arrangements, that Asda could pay the men what they like.
“However, the employment tribunal found that Asda, the employer of both men and women, could have made sure that there was equal pay between men and women if they wanted to, but chose not to.
“This judgment will have far reaching implications on other supermarket equal pay claims including those we are bringing on behalf of around 400 Sainsbury’s workers who are in a similar situation.”


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NEW YORK, NY, Mojiit, a new technology startup from PingTank co-founder and serial entrepreneur Jeremy Greene, has announced today that it has closed on angel funding.
Mojiit, a new technology startup from PingTank co-founder and serial entrepreneur Jeremy Greene, has announced today that it has closed on angel funding led by former National Football League and Baltimore Ravens player Ed Reed. Reed helped lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl win in 2012 before retiring from professional football in 2014. The strategic investment will help drive growth and innovation for Mojiit, one of the industry's first companies to combine emojis with hologram technology.
"All of my conversations seem to be in emojis," said Reed. "I'm thrilled to announce this new technology and to be able to push it forward and change the game with Jeremy and the team."
Mojiit was created by Greene in 2017 and enables technology users to project 3D hologram emojis via smartphones. Users can choose from a range of popular emojis styles to illuminate and share with friends. Prior to Mojiit, Greene was a co-founder of the popular social network application PingTank, created in 2014. He has since been an active innovator and thought leader on app and smartphone technologies in addition to launching the new venture.
"It's exciting to once again be on the forefront of new technology and ideas with Mojiit," added Greene. "I am thrilled to have Ed among our investors and am looking forward to bringing 3D hologram technology to mobile devices."
For more information about Mojiit, visit mojiit.com
Founded by serial entrepreneur and PingTank co-founder Jeremy Greene, Mojiit is a 3D overlay technology company for smartphones and mobile devices.
(c)2011-2020 by Massinvestor, Inc. For contact info, please check out our about


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Last month, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association provided the Federal Communications Commission with an update on the number of CableCards that have been deployed since the FCC’s integration ban was put in place in July 2007.
The top-10 cable operators have handed out more than 456,000 CableCards for use in retail devices. In the NCTA’s previous report in September, the tally stood at 443,000 CableCards.
Cablevision, Charter Communications, Comcast Corp., Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable – which serve nearly 80 percent of the cable subscribers in the country – accounted for more than 430,000 CableCard deployments.
Overall, the top-10 MSOs have deployed more than 17.75 million cable operator-supplied set-top boxes with CableCards since the integration ban was put in place.
In more than 27 months, cable operators have deployed almost 39 times as many CableCard-enabled devices than the total number of CableCards requested by customers for use in retail devices over the last five years.
The FCC’s mandate that cable operators put CableCards into digital set-top boxes was supposed to help consumer electronics devices have “common reliance” on cable operators’ networks, but cable operators have viewed the CableCards as an added expense.
Also last month, the NCTA sent a letter to the FCC in regard to the development of a retail market for set-top boxes, which included the need for two-way devices. The Dec. 22 letter was in response to a notice of inquiry earlier that month. In the Dec. 22 letter, the NCTA asked to be included in discussions about developing a retail environment for set-top boxes.
“NCTA welcomes the opportunity to further examine these questions as part of a notice of inquiry, which can delve into the myriad issues that must be addressed in developing an approach to retail availability that has a chance to succeed,” the letter said. “The Commission has already raised some thoughtful proposals on possible new approaches on navigation device issues, and we provide below some additional ideas on how the Commission might approach this area. These various proposals raise a host of technical, economic, practical, legal and regulatory questions that will require input from all stakeholders and are not yet ripe for rulemaking.
“The Commission should focus on whether, and to what extent, such proposals reflect current and projected marketplace realities and truly accommodate demonstrated consumer preferences.”


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The bridal market of India is one of the most important contributors of the Indian economy. Earlier in 2020, when COVID-19 began to tighten its grip in India, all the major businesses succumbed to the deathly virus, including the luxury wing of Indian fashion. The country went (and is still going) through a financial crisis, which has directly affected consumer behaviour. India is known for its big fat Indian weddings and all the grandeur that it comes with, but because of the lockdown, the scale of these wedding drastically went down, and some are even postponed without an estimated date.
Brides no longer have to dress for the thousands of guests, but does that change how she will choose her wedding ensemble? If yes, how does it affect the bridal market of India? Answering all our pressing questions in a detailed conversation with Femina, couturier Tarun Tahiliani breaks it down for us.
Bridal couture is one of the most profitable pillars of Indian fashion, how has the ongoing pandemic affected the business?
All businesses except pharmaceutical and medical have been affected tremendously, not to forget, the migrants’ catastrophe. With the current economic depression and only limited guest-permit weddings, there won’t be many occasions celebrated to the scale that we know because there is a whole new consciousness that has set in. And like a domino, the consumption for occasion wear will not only witness a decline, but we are also prepared that some may not consume at all after being shaken by this global crisis, which is still galloping. Post a global crisis; everyone is going to be low key, more conscious, and cognizant of re-usability.
Adapting to the new normal, are virtual/at-home appointments, contactless delivery, and digital store tours the new way to go?
There’s always a charm of seeing something in person—from the intricacy of the craft to the look of the garment on the body. However, the world is constantly evolving, and we will have to move with times as focusing on digital has become key to any business. I think with online consultations; people get a good idea of what the clothes will look like on camera and Instagram. We have been doing online consultations with NRI or out of town brides/grooms who may not have been able to visit the country or have had only one visit to the store, and the rest of the communication has happened via emails, numerous phone calls and video chats. It is tough to feel and gauge the weight of things, the lightness of the fabric virtually. The most important thing that defines the brand like ours is what the clothes feel like when you are in them.
Wedding processions are being scaled down, does that also mean a reduction in the grandeur of the bridal outfit?
The grandeur has been reduced; the gatherings are intimate, the clothes will be lighter and/or upcycled from mother or grandmother’s wardrobe. So, the format in which we are headed is already very sustainable at its core. People will not be wearing the kind of clothes they used to, and that will, in turn, affect the way we produce. As for the brides and grooms, since they will not be on a stage, everything will be looked at and appreciated from much closer. This dials up the need for intricate, good quality, and beautiful ensembles
Couture designers are now heavily relying on e-commerce; do you think this will be a permanent shift? If so, how does this affect the future of physical stores?
As a direct impact of the lockdown, we most certainly saw an increase in online sales as early as April. However, given the business we are in, it has to be an amalgamation of online and offline experience, eventually. We realised early on in the pandemic that there has to be synergy between online and offline. People are researching online and then reaching out to us and requesting to connect them to our stores. Traffic is already improving in our stand-alone stores.
Fashion films and audience-less virtual shows have replaced the houseful runway shows. How has that affected the business?
In July of this year, we showcased our 2020 Bridal Collection—Pieces of You—over Instagram Live, in what became the country’s first-ever full-length digital fashion showcase. We then also showcased our first fashion film Infinite to celebrate the milestone 25 years of Tarun Tahiliani studio. Even though we pulled it off successfully, watching a fashion show on your laptop screen or phone is not even a patch on attending a show. A live show is immersive, one that can never be replicated digitally. Our live shows are attended by a maximum of 400 to 500 people, including the media, and most of the world consumes them digitally. So, really, except for those 400 to 500 people, everyone would be privy to the same experience that they would normally have.
Come October, and the air is agog with festivities and celebrations. Some of our most important festivals fall in this month, and the mood all over is always celebratory. While Femina is back with its annual festival special issue, we now take you through on how to make the most of everything in the 'new normal'. Download our October issue for FREE now!
Photograph: Provided by PR
Also Read: Tarun Tahiliani’s First Digital Show, An Archive Of His Journey Of 25 Years


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As they tend to do each year, the lovely guys and gals of Apple are teasing us with a reminder that the company is participating in the usual Black Friday festivities. There are no details about actual deals just yet, so we'll just have to use last year's deals as a reference point.
On Black Friday 2011, as a post by 9to5 Mac's Mark Gurman reminds us, Apple discounted $101 from a variety of Macs, while iPads were discounted by $41 to $61. Back then, you could also snag an iPod Nano marked down $11 or an iPod Touch that was priced as much as $41 less than usual. There were also some small discounts on accessories such as Apple's AirPort devices, Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad and so on, as well as on a selection of third-party accessories.
Apple's been fairly consistent when it comes to the discounts offered each Black Friday, so we expect that this year won't be too different. The discounts basically sweeten purchases you might've already been planning to make, but they're not huge drops in price. Frankly, the reason the annual sale is newsworthy is because it's hard to find Apple products marked down anywhere, ever — not just on Black Friday.
Apple's Black Friday deals will be part of a one-day event, taking place on Friday, Nov. 23. You'll be able to start shopping online after 3 a.m. ET/midnight PT. If you prefer to walk into a good ol' brick-and-mortar store, then keep in mind that Apple's retail locations will have extended hours during the shopping event.
Want more tech news or interesting links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.


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Apple has posted a new page on the iTunes Music Store called “Great Albums/Great Prices,” which offers a selection of albums priced at $6.99. “We’ve got a vast selection of up-and-coming artists at a great price, so you’re guaranteed to find new music you love without putting a dent in your wallet,” says Apple.
AOL has launched a revamped version of its Windows Media-based online music store, adding music videos, new subscripton options, and a library of more than 2.5 million tracks. Meanwhile, Sony Ericsson said it plans to develop its PlayNow service, currently used for downloading ringtones, into a digital music service.
SophosLabs is warning consumers of a bogus iPod email that lures users into opening a malicious attachment. The spam email claims to be a notification that an iPod has been shipped to them, and their account has been charged almost $500.
Taylor Hicks has settled a lawsuit he filed against a Nashville producer to stop selling songs on iTunes that Hicks had recorded before his American Idol victory. The singer won possession of the master recordings of the songs and agreed not to pursue further legal action.


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FREDERICK, Colo. – The town of Frederick is a growing community north of Denver that in previous decades was known for its agriculture.
But as the metro area has grown and real estate prices have soared, it has become home for commuters and for manufacturing companies such as Aqua-Hot, an Airxcel brand and a supplier of hydronic heating systems for the RV industry.
Aqua-Hot is getting ready to celebrate its 40th anniversary in January, having spent most of those years in Frederick. And now the division of Airxcel is set to spend many more years, having moved into a 44,000-square-foot headquarters building that will house its operations, manufacturing and distribution center.
The building is about twice the size of the old location, but in essence triples the usable manufacturing and storage space due to a smaller area devoted to offices.
During a tour of the facility Wednesday morning, Mark Davis, business unit manager for Aqua-Hot, detailed some of the benefits of the new layout.
“The open office space really makes it efficient for collaboration between our teams,” he said. “We can get something done without having to send five emails.”
Selma Salihagic, general manager of Aqua-Hot, said that the new facility also has four loading dock doors, which makes it easier to load and unload shipments than at the old single-door facility.
“The supply chain is still very unstable, but we are able to meet an on-time delivery to our customers of 98%,” she said.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony later in the morning, about 100 Aqua-Hot employees and managers, local dignitaries and media lauded the company’s decision to remain a part of the Frederick community and build upon the legacy started when Harold “Hap” R. Enander built his first heating system.
A one-man operation, he sold the units out of his own RV for a time before business took off.
Although she declined to give specifics, Salihagic said the company has plans for a new product line in the coming months.
Airxcel President and CEO Jeff Rutherford said the new facility will allow Aqua-Hot to further build upon the parent company’s three pillars of unparalleled service to customers and suppliers, being product experts and being committed partners.
“In the long term, these things will pay off,” he said. “This didn’t happen by accident. It’s part of a vision that we’ve had as a company for 32 years.”
Other speakers included Frederick Mayor Tracie Crites, Weld County Commissioner Kevin Ross and Upstate Colorado President and CEO Rich Werner.


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The revelation of Volkswagen’s deception has left consumers, politicians, national authorities, and environmental organisations reeling. Trust in big business and industry has taken a nosedive, but it is not the first time a big company has deceived consumers and authorities, and it is unlikely to be the last scandal. Given the lobbying power of car manufacturers in both the EU and USA one should not be surprised that companies cheat to avoid complying with legislation, what might be surprising is that Volkswagen spends money on developing a software system aimed at deceiving instead of actually developing technologies to reduce emissions. The reactions have been one of condemnation and discussions about how to prevent this in the future is slowing emerging.
The scandal has also led to loss of confidence in test reports from consumer organisations and national regulators. Consequently, national agencies and regulators in the USA and in several European countries have said they will retest the cars under real life conditions instead of laboratories. Moreover, MEPs have called for stricter emissions control and the Commission has said it is monitoring the case. The Commission has already proposed a law which aims to narrow the gap between laboratory tests and real life tests.
Traditionally, car manufacturers have close ties to governments, they represent big economic interests and work places, as such governments have taken an active interest in where new car plants will be located and they have been known to bail out ailing car companies. The economic powers of car manufactures are still evident today, especially in terms of lobbying power. Indeed the close relationship between the German car industry and governments is well known in Brussels, where German government have been known to lobby on behalf of the German car manufacturers, similar many German MEPs have opposed stronger environmental standards for the car industry. According to Politico this close relationship between the automotive industry and policy-makers extends to the European Commission. The 2014 EU regulation on CO2 emissions for passenger cars is a good example of intense German lobbying. The regulation requires new cars on average to emit 95 g CO2 /km by 2020. However, the German car manufactures, especially Mercedes and Daimler, which represent premium cars, were opposed to the targets and dates, instead they tried to lobby for loopholes such as super credits. Crucially, Chancellor Merkel and the German federal government supported their industry.Nevertheless, the Commission’s initial standards were adopted by the European Parliament, in February 2014, with an overwhelming majority of 499 votes in favour, 107 against and 9 abstentions against, and the regulation was adopted by the Council the following month.
According to the European Commission; “Cars are responsible for around 12% of total EU emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas.”
The report, which reveals the Volkswagen deception show that the affected diesel cars pollute up to 35% more than US standards on nitrogen oxide allow. Given the limited share of diesel cars compared to total number of cars, the environmental impact is manageable and although the US report did not reveal any problems with BMW, there have been speculations that this deception could be a much wider industry problem, in which case the negative environmental impact will be much higher. Whilst there are various regulators and research organisations that measures actual pollution and emissions, it is problematic if industries, in general, are providing inaccurate figures because this could ultimately affect climate change targets, as it might be necessary to impose stricter standards to ensure environmental damage do not exceed the targets recommended by climate scientists and those agreed by governments, the UN and the EU. This clearly links into the up and coming COP21 in Paris, where governments have to decide on new measures to combat climate change.
The question is to what extent the car industry will be able to continue to do dominate environmental policy-making, or has the car lobby lost some of its power as a consequence of this scandal or will the car companies eventually regain their power vis-à-vis political policy-makers? This will depend on how consumer groups and environmental groups are able to utilise the window of opportunities to lobby for stricter legislation and how inclined policy-makers are to listen to these groups instead of Volkswagen and the rest of the industry, which still represent strong economic interests and jobs. Environmental groups have generally been very critical of the car industry and its lobbying power, which have left environmental groups marginalised as economic interests, i.e. competitiveness and jobs, always weigh more than environmental protection.
Based on previous corporate scandals in the long term this scandal will not change the power of car companies, and their interests will soon be heard instead of environmental or consumer interests. The close relationship between Brussels and automotive industry, between the German federal government and Volkswagen has been shaken but when the dust settles it will be back to normal again. Indeed Volkswagen spent Euro 3.3 million on lobbying in the EU in 2014, and is likely to increase this amount in 2015 as part of its damage control, where it needs to work closely with politicians, regulators and consumer groups to demonstrate that it can change and can be trusted again.


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Professional nurserymen Johnsons of Whixley have supplied plants worth more than £75,000 for an award-winning holiday development close to the glorious beach at Bude, Cornwall.
Johnsons supplied plants to Darwin Escapes for the modernisation of the company’s Sandymouth Holiday Resort, over a period of six months.
The supply included 9,000 shrubs and 8,000 hedging transplants, along with hundreds of herbaceous plants.
The Sandymouth resort recently underwent a substantial modernisation process, resulting in facilities being extensively updated alongside the introduction of a Go Active programme offering family friendly activities.
The complex has won the Family Fun Cornwall category in the prestigious Hoseasons Annual Awards. It includes a choice of luxury holiday lodges and static caravans, an on-site restaurant, swimming pool and an outdoor gym.
Sandymouth was a recent winner in the the Relax and Explore Cornwall category at the 2018 Hoseasons Awards.
Ellie Richardson, Johnsons of Whixley’s marketing co-ordinator, said: “It’s wonderful to be involved with another Darwin Escapes project.
“Another Darwin Escapes resort we worked on in 2016 won ‘Best Large Park in Britain’ at the 2017 Hoseasons Annual Awards and it was great to be associated with this. We also recently supplied plants for the company’s Norfolk Woods Resort & Spa, which is noted for its luxury and high standards.”
Johnsons of Whixley, based between York and Harrogate spanning 150 acres of land, is one of the UK’s largest and longest-established commercial nurseries.
Rigby Taylor has expanded its product management team of industry...
A newly built secondary school in the North East of England has...


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Combining Pantaloons and Madura Garments gives you a very powerful platform, a strong company financially to fuel further growth with powerful in-house brands.
Britain's top equity index moved further away from this week's six-month lows, lifted by well-received results from Associated British Foods and Barratt Developments.
Fast Retailing Co Ltd said on Monday it has closed the online Uniqlo store that it opened in April on China's popular JD.com Inc.
The value for the entire block is expected to be about Rs 1,800 crore as per Wednesday's trade, in which Eicher's shares closed atRs 18,209.
Sweden's OKG, a part of E.ON group, said it would decide in the third-quarter whether to permanently shut down two nuclear reactors at its Oskarshamn plant
Key World Cup sponsors including McDonald's, Adidas and Budweiser expressed strong concerns Wednesday after global football body FIFA was enveloped by a new corruption scandal.
Primark plans to open its first shop in Italy next year, expanding into its tenth European market, owner Associated British Foods said on Thursday.
Net sales of Madura Garments the owner of brands like Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly and Peter England, have grown a 18% compounded rate over the last three years.


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Nelly Bassily | September 29, 2008
Aloyse Tine can readily explain the health benefits of baobab products. If you have a belly ache, you eat the baobab fruit, he says. If you are tired, you eat the baobab leaves.
Mr. Tine is a Senegalese farmer who has been selling baobab for many years. He used to haul baobab fruit from his rural community of Fandene to the market in nearby Thies. Three years ago, he started selling to a local company that dries and exports baobab fruit pulp. Selling to this firm – called the Baobab Fruit Company – boosted Mr. Tine’s income. He can now afford to send his children to school.
Farmers and wild fruit gatherers like Mr. Tine are poised to see demand for their product, and presumably their income, jump, now that Europeans have realized the nutritional value of baobab. Earlier this year, the European Union approved the import of dried baobab. The dried fruit is destined for cereal bars and health drinks.
Laudana Zorzella is one of the operators of the Baobab Fruit Company. She says there has been an “explosion in demand” for dried baobab fruit. Currently, the company purchases up to 200 tonnes of locally harvested fruit. But the company will be looking to collect a much larger harvest next season. Across Senegal, the company could take in as much as 13,000 tonnes of baobab fruit, Ms. Zorzella says.
The demand for baobab is driven by European health consciousness. Studies have shown that a serving of baobab fruit has three times as much vitamin C as an orange, more calcium than a glass of milk, and a slew of other vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.
But some conservationists fear that, in the rush to get baobab to the European Union, the African tree could be overexploited. Although some farmers have cultivated the tree, most baobabs grow in the wild. Some are reputed to be thousands of years old. Improper fruit harvesting or lack of care to the environment surrounding the trees could hurt their survival and make them unavailable for local use.
Ms. Zorzella has no such concerns. She says that if baobab trees become a source of revenue, people will have a strong incentive to protect them. Mr. Tine says that people in his village are very protective of their baobab. He explains that, as new baobabs sprout spontaneously, care is taken to allow them to grow. Cattle herders often cut the baobab leaves for animal feed. Mr. Tine says that villagers are trying to stop this practice to ensure that the trees will produce fruit.
The baobab tree holds a central place in African life and lore. It’s sometimes called the “upside-down tree” because its spiny branches look almost like roots. One tale holds that, after the world was created, each animal was given a tree to plant, and the hyena planted the baobab upside-down. For centuries, all parts of the baobab tree have been used. While the fruit and leaves are eaten, the seeds are pressed to extract cooking oil and the bark can be used to make rope.
Click here to see the notes to broadcasters on baobab


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Aaron’s Inc. (NYSE: AAN) will increase the size of its board of directors from eight to 10.
Brian R. Kahn, managing member of Vintage Capital Management LLC, will take become a director May 20.
Matthew E. Avril, former president of the Hotel Group of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. will later be appointed to the board.
Vintage will vote its shares in support of all of the Board’s director nominees at the 2014 Annual Meeting. The Board also formed a new Operational and Financial Advisory Committee that will provide input on matters related to Aaron’s core business. The founding members of the Committee will be Ray Robinson, Ron Allen and Kahn.
Aaron’s will also continue to review its corporate governance practices as well as work to explore opportunities, as appropriate, to reduce its operating expenses.
On April 21, Aaron’s dropped its lawsuit against former suitor Vintage Capital, Atlanta Business Chronicle reported.
A week earlier, Vintage pulled its unsolicited $2.3 billion bid to take over the Atlanta-based furniture, electronics and appliances rentals retailer. Aaron’s said the withdrawn bid influenced it to drop the suit. (Click here to read more of that story).
Aaron’s has more than 2,130 stores in the United States and Canada.


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Buffalo Wild Wings is raising wing prices as chicken costs soar
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Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. says it will increase the price of its wings to offset the soaring costs of chicken.
The Golden Valley-based company said it will raise its "Wings Tuesday" promotion to 50 cents per in-bone wing at company-owned locations, up from 45 cents. Buffalo Wild Wings also may increase prices for its Boneless Thursday promotion.
Buffalo Wild Wings also said it will update its menu in July — two months earlier than expected — with an overall price increase of 1-3 percent.
"We don't do that lightly. We wait until we really see some sustained price increases which we have seen," CEO Sally Smith said on a conference call as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
While Buffalo Wild Wings (Nasdaq: BWLD) reported strong quarterly sales and profits on Tuesday, rising chicken prices are threatening its bottom line. Bone-in wing prices are $1.92 per pound, up 57 percent from a year ago, the Journal reported. Bone-in chicken wings account for about 20 percent of the restaurant chain's commodity costs.
Smith said she thinks the company has "some room" to raise prices without upsetting customers because overall menu price increases have been in the 1-3 percent range each of the last several years.
>Click here to read the Journal's story.
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New Delhi, Apr 11 (PTI) Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia will review the GST preparedness of North Eastern states this week as the government gears up to roll out the new indirect tax regime from July 1.
As part of his four-day visit to the region, Adhia will reach Guwahati on April 13 where he will meet the state government officials to review IT preparedness for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The Revenue Secretary will also meet representatives of trade, industry and business to explain in detail issues surrounding the new indirect tax regime and remove doubts and confusion, if any, concerning GST and related legislations, the Finance Ministry said in a series of tweets.
Adhia will also visit Arunachal Pradesh where he will hold meetings with the state government officials to review its IT preparedness for GST.
The Centre has already passed the Central GST (CGST), Integrated GST (IGST), Union Territory (UT-GST) and compensation to states law in Parliament. Now, states will have to pass the State GST (SGST) bill in their assemblies.
The GST Council, comprising Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and state representatives, has decided on a four-tier tax structure -- 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. On top of the peak rate, there will be a cess on demerit and sin goods.
The Council will meet on May 18-19 and decide on the fitment of goods and services in these tax slabs. PTI JD ABM


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- YouTube signs three video stars to combat Amazon’s Twitch and fast-growing Facebook in game streaming CNBC
- YouTube signs on exclusive streaming deals with 3 big gaming creators: LazarBeam, Muselk and Valkyrae The Washington Post
- YouTube says 2019 was ‘best year yet’ for gaming with 35M video uploads 9to5Google
- YOUTUBE SIGNS GAMING CREATORS LAZARBEAM, MUSELK AND VALKYRAE TO EXCLUSIVE LIVE STREAMING DEALS Gamasutra
- Facebook Gaming Livestream Outperforms Twitch, Mixer AList
- View full coverage on Google News
Source: “gaming” – Google News
Sharing information is key – iMalikah Cat Art News in UK. Social Commerce and Social Media Management playing a big part.


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UAE branch of Maria Group International acquires one of the oldest telecom companies in the region
Dubai: UAE based subsidiary of Maria Group International (MGI Blockchain Technology LLC) has acquired one of the oldest telecom companies in the region- CITI Telecommunications LLC, for an undisclosed amount. The deal included the transfer of all staff and marketing activities to MGI, with the purchase set to strengthen the businesses’ IT and communications arm.
MGI Global CEO Mr. Thanveer Ummer said that the acquisition was in line with the multinational company’s long term strategy and that the company’s digital marketing brand ‘yospace’ is already proving to be a valuable asset to the conglomerate.
Mr. Dilip Paliyath, head of the company and now Global CTO for MGI said “We have always kept pace with the rapid advancement in technology and how people communicate with one another. By being a part of MGI, we will be able to increase our reach and growth. We are glad to be part of the group and look forward to continuing to launch innovative and cutting edge products.”


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Titan, US union call for restrictions on ‘Russia-linked’ tires from India
1 Mar 2023
Letter to president Biden says Russian oil products are key ingredients in India’s OTR tires
Chicago, Illinois – US off-the-road (OTR) tire maker Titan Int. and the United Steelworkers (USW) union have called for import restrictions on competitive products from India due to their links to Russia.
In a 27 Feb letter to US president Biden, Titan president and CEO Paul Reitz said the imports of Indian OTR tires to the US had increased by nearly 38% year-on-year in 2022.
According to the statement, issued jointly with the USW, the uptick was a direct result of an Indian government's decision not to ban the imports of Russian oil products.
These products, noted the Titan leader, include materials such as carbon black “which is a key ingredient in the production of OTR tires.”
Last year, a new threat had emerged from Indian producers: their ability to leverage access to “cheap, sanctioned Russian petroleum products to drive down tire prices,” said Reitz.
“Thus, a country that is able to access plentiful supplies of low-priced oil will have a significant advantage in the market for OTR tires,” he argued.
India, continued the letter, ramped up imports of Russian oil over the past year, to over a million barrels a day – 33% higher than in 2021.
During the same period, it said, Indian exports of OTR tires to the US have grown by 37.6% year-on-year.
“Access to plentiful quantities of low-priced Russian oil has artificially lowered the costs of production for our Indian competitors and spurred a harmful flood of OTR tire imports,” Reitz commented.
Claiming that India’s practice “directly harms US producers and workers,” he called for "intensified efforts to bring light to and close loopholes in the issued sanctions to Russia.”


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America's trade deficit shrank more than forecast in March as imports fell in percentage terms by the most in seven years and outpaced a decline in shipments overseas.
Tesla (TSLA - Get Report) shareholders have experienced a rollercoaster ride already in 2016, and investors are jittery going into Wednesday night's first-quarter earnings report from the electric carmaker.
U.S. worker productivity decreased for a second straight quarter and employer costs for labor climbed by the most in more than a year.
Kevin Tsujihara says the studio feels "great" about its growth outlook and vows to continue focusing on reducing costs, while Time Warner executives also predict a strong upfront and discuss a possible cable-style Hulu service.
Struggling teen apparel retailer Aeropostale Inc (AROP.PK) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday, succumbing to years of losses as shoppers moved on to fast-fashion retailers and online competitors.


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Litchfield citizen's group wants land use laws to limit retail building sizes; study could cost $10K
LITCHFIELD >> PLAN Litchfield, a citizen's group concerned over the size of a planned new Stop & Shop has until Friday to decide whether it will pay the fees in order to move forward with an attempt to limit the size of retail buildings by proposing a land-use amendment that would limit the size of new retail buildings to 12,000 square-feet.
Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission told members of PLAN at their regular meeting on Monday that the fees in order to move forward would cost PLAN $10,000. Should the commission not receive the appropriate payment by Friday a public hearing tentatively scheduled for Nov. 5 would not occur and the application would be considered incomplete.
Members of the citizens group, whose acronym stands for Protect Litchfield Action Network, proposed the amendment to Planning & Zoning Commission members at their last meeting in September.
Planning and Zoning Commission chairman Susan Lowenthal told the members of PLAN what they have done is jumpstarted the process by the commission and proposed specific language that has to be justified in order for the commission to act on it and it has required them to set a public hearing and make a decision.
"By your actions and your application on Sept. 12 you give us no input, we have got to get the technical review like any other applicant who is asking us to do something and there are consequences to what you're asking, you have to justify it," said Dr. Lowenthal. "Without the proper expertise we will not be able to properly act on your proposed language."
Dr. Lowenthal said without their willingness to provide the commission with the fees like any other applicant to properly review this, the application will be incomplete.
"If we set the public hearing you have forced us to spend time, you will have an incomplete application," said Dr. Lowenthal. "That is the bind that we're in."
Dr. Lowenthal said the Stop & Shop application before they withdrew paid the commission over $10,000 and the commission used that money to get the review that said there are zoning violations so they withdrew.
"I think everybody has to be treated the same," said Dr. Lowenthal. "This is really serious business and I understand your intent when you get down to the nitty gritty we have to do this right."
Dr. Lowenthal said because the group has thrown it into their lap without the additional homework they might have done, the commission is doing it, they have to do it.
"I am wondering if by imposing the same cost on us as you will on a super market you aren't just precluding future citizens from coming before you," said PLAN member Michelle Crow.
Dr. Lowenthal said PLAN has provided them with the data all of that needs to be checked, they would need to look at this and say 'okay, if somebody is unhappy with this change, what are the criteria that the Planning and Zoning Commission used to approve or not approve your numbers here.'
"What you have done by doing this, you have forced us into a time that we have to act, your application has jumpstarted what we have embarked on," said Dr. Lowenthal.
Dr. Lowenthal said this isn't anything any different than any other application.
Members of PLAN told the commission they would discuss this before making a decision on whether to go forward with this amendment proposal.
If the town were to adopt a new limit on the size of buildings before the Stop & Shop plan is resubmitted--it was withdrawn so some issues of compliance could be addressed--then the 39,000-square-foot structure proposed could not be considered.
If however, the plans are filed again before PLAN's amendment is considered, it would not apply to Mr. Greenberg's initiative no matter the eventual outcome with the suggested limitation.
The Litchfield County Times reached out to Mr. Greenberg last mongth and asked if he was concerned about PLAN Litchfield's amendment proposal. He declined to comment.
However, Mr. Greenberg did indicate that the plan would be re-filed before the limitation suggested by PLAN goes to a vote.
This summer, Mr. Greenberg, in conjunction with Stop & Shop, proposed building one of the chain's supermarkets in the Village Green plaza, to replace the existing supermarket in an adjacent plaza on West Street (Route 202).
The proposal was withdrawn so that compliance issues identified by Litchfield's land-use staff and consultants could be addressed, and the proposal is expected to be resubmitted later this year.
In the meantime, members of PLAN Litchfield have submitted the application to change the regulations governing the size of new retail buildings in town.
The group is proposing 12,000 square feet as adequate size for new retail buildings.
Ms. Crow said last month, the current zoning regulations allows for a new building of up to 52,000 square feet. She said her group chose as a limit square footage that is consistent with the existing buildings in town.
Among the compliance problems being addressed are that the Stop & Shop plan has too small of a rear yard, an improper drainage plan and insufficient parking.


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New York City-based Sprinklr has announced a major upgrade to its Experience Cloud (EC). The upgrade, which consists of the general availability of eight new integrated products, completes the platform's transformation from social platform to customer experience platform. Continue reading...
Hootsuite is bringing Adobe and its 90 million digital visual assets into its social media management ecosystem. The Vancouver, BC-based social media management platform announced today an integration with Adobe Creative Cloud and Adobe Stock, which includes 90 million stock photography assets...Read more
Eleven months ago the tech world was abuzz with rumors flying that Salesforce might buy Twitter. Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff had called the still struggling social media company an “unpolished jewel,” a “great brand” and the proposition of acquiring it “a once in a...Read more


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AT&t said on Thursday it will repair 2 million cars in 2019, a sign that the wireless carrier is returning to its roots after being the No. 3 company in 2017.
The company, which last year reported a net loss of $6.4 billion, has been trying to make amends with customers and customers of its former parent company, Comcast Corp., which bought it for $85 billion in 2008.
AT&TS chief executive Gary D. Roberts said the new program is aimed at “building up our fleet of service providers.”
AT&Ts goal is to get cars serviced in two years, Roberts said, and not a month or two.
AT &ts fleet is “full of customers that we’re trying to keep,” Roberts said in an interview.
“It’s our belief that this is going to help us to grow our fleet faster.”
AT &t has been struggling to keep pace with rivals Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast.
Verizon said in February it was pulling out of the U.S. after years of service cuts.
AT.com also has struggled to keep up with competition from Sprint Corp. and T-Mobile US Inc. AT users have complained of slow service in recent months.
The Wall St. Journal first reported AT&ts plans to begin servicing cars in October.
AT said it will spend about $500 million to begin that work.
AT’s announcement comes as AT&tg has been expanding its fleet of automotive service providers.
It will begin leasing new cars and trucks to other service providers, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. AT had said it planned to hire more than 5,000 people by the end of 2019 to run its fleet.
AT was already investing in new services for its service providers and was looking to add more.
AT has a $30 billion acquisition commitment from Tesla Motors Inc., the biggest U.K. car maker, to build a fleet of self-driving cars.
AT is also buying a significant portion of Tesla, including about 90% of its fleet, to bolster its self-parking service.
ATs acquisition of Tesla also includes a stake in Lyft Inc., which has grown into the largest ride-hailing service in the world, and a stake that allows the company to access more than 1 million drivers from a single vehicle.
AT and Lyft have also been trying unsuccessfully to get a deal with Uber Technologies Inc., a rival to Uber.
The companies have clashed on several occasions.
AT will acquire Uber as part of a $1.6 billion acquisition in 2019.
AT says it will provide its existing self-service cars, trucks and vans to Uber, but the ride-sharing service will still need to be in business for AT to operate.
AT already owns about 3% of Uber, which it says is one of the most valuable brands in the auto industry.
AT shares rose more than 10% to $52.40.


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Pounds, Euros, Rupees, Dollars, Rands and Shekels—and the various names of cash—are not things of the past even in an increasingly digital world. Yet, understanding cash trends is not so simple. Take India for example. Since 2016 there has been a push by the government for citizens to embrace digital transactions and move away from cash.
Yet the use of cash has increased in India even as digital payments increased. In fact Indian demand for cash will grow 23% by 2025, with the value of cash withdrawals hitting a massive $1.2 trillion (an increase of 65% from 2019 transaction values).
This dynamic between the increase in digital payments and what it means for cash is happening in most countries including South Africa. There are some exceptions like Sweden and China, where digital payments already make up the majority of purchases.
The notion of a cashless society has been talked about for decades, but, for many reasons, cash remains an essential part of most countries’ economies and their consumers’ lives—even as digital payments gain ground.
The importance of cash transactions around the world
Every country has different cash trends as well as some similarities. Let us take a closer look at some of them.
Japan: Despite Japan being the number one technologically advanced country in the world, cash remains a big part of Japanese society for many reasons. In fact the use of cash in Japan reveals some of the country’s interesting cultural and lifestyle trends.
For example there is the common use of Tansu Yokin—the Japanese widespread practice of keeping large amounts of cash in dresser drawers. You might think that sounds like a great way to get someone to break into your home but that reveals something else about Japan—it is safe.
It is not uncommon for someone to carry large amounts of yen in their wallets. If they lose it, it is often returned with the money untouched. There are also hundreds of thousands of small, family-owned businesses that rely on cash in addition to the natural disasters that have knocked out power making people wary of digital payments. It is easy to see why cash is still so important to the Japanese way of life.
The United States: Many Americans still use cash although most use credit and debit cards more to pay for things like groceries. According to the Federal Reserve, currency in circulation is increasing at a rate not seen for over 70 years with $2.07 trillion USD in circulation.
In a survey done recently 1,000 U.S. consumers were questioned about their payment preferences including cash. Of those surveyed, 37% said they prefer cash to any other forms of payment. And of those who said they prefer cash, 39% said it was to prevent overspending with 34% saying that they saw cash as a safer way to pay (less chance of fraud compared to digital payments).
South Africa: While cash is still king in South Africa, digital is slowly gaining ground. Mobile payments are becoming much more common with Apple Pay signalling its intention of entering the country’s market.
Without question cash remains the most trusted and recognizable form of payment particularly for older generations and for people who own and operate small markets and businesses in South Africa.
How financial institutions address cash in a digital world.
Financial institutions (FIs) are in a unique position as consumer demand for digital payments and the convenience they bring has increased substantially. But consumers still want access to cash particularly in South Africa.
As the leading independent deployer of ATMs in South Africa, Spark ATM Systems, with over 4500 ATMs owned and operated in South Africa, the demand for cash particularly during Covid-19 has increased significantly. It is clear that cash is very much the dominant method of concluding transactions in South Africa.
So, which is more important for a bank; cash or digital? Neither wins that award. During the pandemic, FIs have had to quickly pivot both their cash management operations as well as upping their digital game to enable consumers to access more banking services via their own devices.
The need to get a handle on the digital world which began before the pandemic has seriously accelerated and is now a top priority for FIs.
For cash, it is largely about not running out of it at the ATM. The reason for that is clear; every year consumers withdraw over $12.6 trillion USD from 3.1 million ATMs globally. That equals to cash withdrawals of $400,000 every second.
The biggest trend of all to monitor is – CHANGE.
There is no debate that change is happening every day. The world that was yesterday and today is not the same world we will wake up to tomorrow. While the digital wave and or the Industrial Revolution is upon is, cash is still very much King in many of the countries around the world.