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Francois said “Throwing money at football won’t help unless it’s accompanied by genuine reform. Any aid should be focused on lower leagues and youth development.”
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Tom said “To become profitable, Netflix has to put up prices and spend less on content — and it can’t really spend less on content, at least at the moment."
He added “There were two things stopping Netflix from being basically unstoppable. One was the debt situation — and that’s gone now. The other was that Netflix does not, and probably is never going to, make truly local content.It makes an increasing amount of stuff in Britain with UK producers, but with an international audience in mind.”
Francois said “The number of subscribers remains limited. For such a launch, we could have hoped for several hundred thousand users. The churn rate for digital services is high, hence the importance of a successful launch."
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year was held virtually, with announcements revolving almost exclusively around the pandemic and addressing changing consumer needs. The evolving use of tech at home was a particular focus for brands as consumers are now demanding more of their homes than ever before.
Following a record 2020, ecommerce was a topic that garnered a lot of attention, with retailers emphasising the importance of a consumer centric 'digital first' strategy, accepting the fact that ecommerce is going to be bigger than it ever has been.
Amid increased tech use at home, moves to ban third-party cookies and impending regulatory changes to data collection in the US, the conversation around data and privacy was more prominent than ever before. First-party data is going to be more valuable, even if tracking restrictions limit what can be done with that data.
Claire said “There is no platform that would offer a financial inducement [to the Trumps], apart from an obscure one we don’t know about yet. There are a few giant cash machines in the world, and we know what they’re called: Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Netflix. Trump isn’t going to get a $100m deal from a broadcaster... ”
She added “I knew the Trumps in the 1980s. They’re the most ridiculous people. They’re very secretive, they behave as if they are very special people. They will become recluses, they will see each other, with a tiny court. But I really don’t think they will be able to raise any money.”
Karen said “It’s something that’s very valuable to some customers but not to others, so it makes perfect sense to price differentiate."
Claire said Murdoch has long held an interest in India. “Over 20 years ago, James Murdoch was amongst the first to recognize the economic future of India and to invest significantly in bringing modern media to India."
She added "It makes a lot of sense for him to ride a new wave of interest and investment in remote education, remote health and remote working in one of the economies with the most potential for those services."
Netflix believes that it no longer needs to raise external financing for its day-to-day operations. This has come quicker than expected—a product of the pandemic, fuelled by an extra $4.8 billion in streaming revenue (+24% on 2019) and aided by the production shutdown and proportionally lower marketing spend
Baked into Netflix’s confidence for the future is the knowledge that the pandemic has allowed greater exploitation of price rises, given the residual lower churn
While Disney+’s content slate is impressive, Netflix has countered it with breadth alongside scale and a massive 2021 film schedule that given it is not geared for the box office, will be a more diverse offering than that of the major studios
The UK entered 2021 in the grip of a dangerous third wave of the pandemic, despite Lockdown 3.0 over Christmas, driving down trips taken by people to depressed levels last seen in Lockdown 1.0, reducing economic activity for Q1.
Time spent at home closely tracks the severity of lockdowns and mandates to work from home (WFH). Underpinned by the UK’s advanced digital infrastructure and services, WFH is providing resilience to Gross Value Added (GVA) creation, while staff in B2C activities are furloughed.
The City of London is emblematic of the potential for outsourced GVA creation under WFH. Its skilled and highly paid staff are too valuable to employers to risk exposure to the virus. WFH, largely preserving GVA, will anchor the future of work.

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It was an antsy weekend for the iPhone crowd. Friday’s leak that Google was updating its application with voice-enabled search left many waiting for Apple to unleash the most radical evolution in search since, well, search arrived. As of Monday morning, no app had been released, but the chatter over the prospect of rendering the keyboard obsolete ensued.
Google’s promise is big. In a demo video, Mike LeBeau of the Google mobile team taps the application and asks the phone to answer an image search (“pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset”), a fact-finding search (how big is a giant squid?), and even a local search (“movie show times” – the phone knows his geo-location). He sums it up by saying, “Faster Web search with fewer keystrokes.”
This got me to thinking about how the most accepted tech tools might go the way of the typewriter. Will the next generation’s vintage shops have a quaint selection of computer keyboards and mice? If this seems far-fetched, let me introduce you to Grumpy Old Internet Guy.
Grumpy Old Internet Guy is a Gen X developer, raised on a healthy diet of Microsoft products and services. It wasn’t until a year or two ago that he shifted from .Net to Open Source. And while he embraced blogging early on, he snubs new-fangled microblogging platforms such as Tumblr and Twitter. “Why can’t the kids just write well-thought posts like everyone else?” he huffs. I won’t even touch his sentiments on texting and instant messaging. He is not alone. A a look in the digital mirror reveals an entire generation of e-mail-obsessed Gen X-ers, whose Blackberry-trained fingertips lament the iPhone touch screen.
Which brings me to Gen Y. While we all fawn over their connectivity, it is important to note that they are not as chained to the desktop as we are. According to a recent study conducted by IBM, 15- to 30-year-olds would much rather access the Web from a mobile device. For them, being connected doesn’t mean being chained to a desk or even toting around a laptop. It means spending as little time as necessary with machines of any kind.
So when it comes to e-mailing, social networking or even searching, an interface that requires typing too much is a waste of time to these folks — and they are right. Anyone who has suffered through an endless e-mail chain to get a single piece of information knows that isn’t as efficient as instant message or text. And, if there is anything more efficient than these short-form typing activities, it is voice, one of the oldest communication technologies known to man.
Of course, large corporations are still struggling to embrace IM and texting, let alone voice recognition, as valid business communication tools. That being said, this is nothing new. Grumpy Old Ink Well Guy probably complained about new fangled type writers, just as Grumpy Old Typewriter Guy complained about computers.
Still not convinced? There just might be a few other benefits to voice recognition software. As we reclaim our voices, perhaps our eye-strain and carpal tunnel syndrome will subside.


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Stellar (XLM) Becomes Fourth Largest Cryptocurrency Overtaking Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
Stellar Lumens Becomes The Fourth Largest Cryptocurrency Overtaking Bitcoin Cash
Bitcoin Cash (BCH) did not have a good week, and it might not even recover from this situation. Stellar Lumens (XLM) has just surpassed Bitcoin Cash as the fourth largest virtual currency in the market. Back on November 19, Bitcoin was traded under $5,000 and it has affected the whole cryptocurrency market.
According to CoinMarketCap, Stellar Lumens has been one of the best performing virtual currencies in the last seven days. When most of the top 50 cryptocurrencies are registering losses of over 25%-30%, Stellar Lumens is losing 24%. XRP is the best performing cryptocurrency in the last week losing only 12%.
At the time of writing, Stellar Lumens has a market capitalization of $3.86 billion dollars and each XLM coin can be purchased for $0.20 dollars. At the same time, Bitcoin Cash has a market capitalization of $3.73 billion dollars and each BCH coin can be purchased for $213 dollars. In the last 24 hours, Bitcoin Cash lost more than 41% of its price.
In order to avoid confusion, CoinMarketCap took the decision to merge the market capitalization of Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Cash ABC, one of the implementations that emerged after the network upgrade from November 15.
During the last months, cryptocurrencies experienced very stable prices. Bitcoin reached the lowest volatility in almost a year. However, things changed since the beginning of November when Bitcoin Cash started to grow before the network upgrade.
At the same time, during the last week, XRP was also able to surpass Ethereum (ETH) as the second largest virtual currency in the market after Bitcoin. XRP has a market capitalization of $18.22 billion dollars and Ethereum $13.96 billion dollars. Bitcoin, instead, remains as the largest market cap digital asset with almost $80 billion dollars.
Stellar Lumens is growing in the market with different partnerships and projects all over the world. One of the most important companies working with the Stellar platform is IBM, which is developing different projects alongside Stellar.


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Zerodha glitch is trending on Twitter, after a technical issue i the platform has led to several stock holding displaying a profit, and other displaying not applicable or zero. These glitches led to some users of the Indian financial services platform believe that they had won a “lottery”. Several such viewers took to social media to speak of the problem.
“With today’s technical glitch, my ITC stock holding showed a 100% profit. Once in a century phenomenon,” says Avinah Chaturvedi. “Why can’t you spend on technical infrastructure to solve this problem once and for all, instead of continuously giving poor experience to the users? Besides the customer support also have no knowledge on how much time it takes for resolution of this problem,” says another user.
Zerodha has, however, responded to the issue saying “The average price of holdings for some of our clients may display either as N/A or Zero on Kite. We are working on resolving this issue, in the meanwhile, please refer to the average price on Console.” Nevertheless, the problem is yet to be fixed as users continue to raise the issue on social media platforms.
Zerodha Broking Limited is an Indian financial services company that offers retail and institutional broking, currencies and commodities trading, mutual funds, and bonds. Founded in 2010, the company is headquartered in Bangalore and has physical presence in several major Indian cities. As of December 2020, Zerodha was the largest retail stockbroker in India by active client base, and contributes upwards of 15% of daily retail volumes across Indian stock exchanges.


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BEIJING -- Growth in China's industrial production slowed in April even as the government continued to ramp up stimulus efforts, showing that a rapid recovery in the world's third-largest economy isn't yet ensured.
China's industrial output in April rose 7.3% from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday. Although slower than March's 8.3% growth and beneath market expectations for an 8% rise, the April growth rate was still much faster than the 3.8% rise for the January-February period.
While the government's stimulus spending and massive expansion of bank lending have helped to boost new investment, China's exports continue to decline sharply. Economists say that with many projects just getting on stream, the stimulus spending is likely to have a bigger impact on industrial demand in months to come.
"We believe China's growth recovery remains intact and the dip in April is likely to be temporary," Goldman Sachs economists said in a note.
The April figure still indicates that economic growth in the second and third quarters of the year is likely to be stronger, at least in quarter-on-quarter terms, than in the first, said Ha Jiming, chief economist of China International Capital Corp. Gross domestic product grew 6.1% from a year earlier in the March quarter.
"April marks a return to a normal level," after March's industrial output was artificially boosted by factories returning to operation after a long break in February, Mr. Ha said.
The slowdown was most apparent in heavy industry. Crude steel output fell 3.9% in April from a year earlier, deeper than March's 0.3% drop, with production of iron and aluminum also declining. The weakness in such energy-intensive businesses likely contributed to the 3.5% decline in electricity output in April, which extended March's 1.3% decline.
But output of other key industrial metals like copper, lead and zinc posted gains against the year-earlier month. Analysts said the mixed picture from April shows that China is still struggling with frail demand conditions.
Meanwhile, China's retail sales in April rose 14.8% from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said separately, holding steady with March's 14.7% rise.


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With the world population set to grow to 10 billion people by 2050, is truly sustainable agriculture a possibility?
Chemical pesticides have been contentious since they first came into existence. They have become an essential part our food supply — helping drive economies forward, increasing crop yields and global food output. However, controversies around their safety still exist.
Organically farmed produce is on the increase. This has inevitably led to a renewed interest in the scalability of organic agriculture, and so, questions whether there’s enough land to feed the world through organic means need to be asked. Just how realistic is it for us to feed a growing population without the use of pesticides used to keep pests and diseases at bay?
One of the reasons why chemical pesticides are accepted is that they help increase food supply without the need to increase land mass. In theory and in practice, they are efficient. Even when we consider the rise of 'superbugs' which are immune from the chemicals we spray on crops, they more often than not still have a positive impact on the agricultural sector.
But with claims that neonicotinoids are harming dwindling bee populations, clean water supplies being contaminated, and dwindling global biodiversity, maybe we need to think again about using agricultural chemicals so much. Despite all these concerns, studies show that globally pesticide use is increasing.
Is there such a thing as sustainable use of pesticides?
As with most industries, technology may hold the answers to creating a world in which chemical pesticides are used sustainably. But traditional methods can also help. When it comes to technology, a more targeted approach could help to avoid chemicals contaminating land, water supplies, and reduced biodiversity.
Drones could become a major contributor. Using drones, it is possible to accurately target individual crops with the pesticides they need to survive. This can avoid overspill, reducing the risk of affecting plants that don’t need pesticides, as well as reducing the amount of chemicals that end up in the soil, and subsequently water supplies.
Another aspect where technological change could be useful is vertical farming. Not only can it reduce the physical footprint of farms, it can improve efficiency — especially when in terms of pesticide use. But whilst could be part of the answer, technology cannot be the sole solution.
For thousands of years, humans have introduced insects, animals and funguses into agricultural settings for crop protection. The same could happen today.
Through the introduction of specific species, we can not only reduce the use of chemical pesticides, we can also help to make sure that crops can be grown at the scale needed to feed an increasing global population.
Beyond this, chemical companies may need to produce less harmful chemicals that are more efficient too. It was only half a century ago that we were spraying crops with DDT.
To keep on top of bugs becoming resistant to chemicals, innovation needs to occur. But companies will need to go further than efficiencies, especially as more people become increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of the food they eat. Chemical pesticides need to be proven to be safe, ecological and effective.
Can organic feed the world?
Some environmentalists claim that it’s possible to fully meet the world’s needs through organic farming alone. The issue here is that organic farming produces, on average, lower crop yields than industrial farming methods which use chemical pesticides.
There are some examples that do, however, point the way to the future. India has been using modern farming techniques — particularly those using pesticides — to enable it to increase yields to feed a huge and growing total population.
The Indian state of Sikkim, however, is undergoing a radical experiment using only organic farming to drive the economy, and improve the lives of people in the region. Overall health has increased in the state. However, there have been some complaints that output has decreased. Despite this, the state won a UN award just last week for the progress made.
The Sikkim experiment was on the whole successful, with the Indian government subsequently pumping $119million to spread organic farming across the country. Since then, demand for organic produce has increased. Not only is an example for India, it is an example that should be explored across the globe.
Another aspect of food production that could, and most likely will, be transformed is through the increase in vegetarianism and veganism. We now know that globally we need to reduce the amount of farmed meat produced — see the warnings made by a University of Oxford-led research report released last week. If more people choose to eat less meat, there will be more land to grow organic beans, pulses, fruits and vegetables, which will in turn reduce the number of chemical pesticides. Even if everyone went vegetarian, we would still need some pesticides to ensure lasting crop health.
Ultimately, if we are to meet increasing demands for food, we need to change the way we eat as well as the way we farm.
Mixed use agriculture: a realistic future?
Chemical pesticides are always going to be controversial, much like GM foods and vaccinations. But the reality of our situation — an increasing population with increasing demands — will mean that they are always going to play a part in global food production.
With more efficient organic farming, greater use of technology, technological innovation within the chemical sector, and cultural change, the worries over the future of food production could, in some part at least, be reduced.
For more fascinating insights into the ever-changing world of the life sciences sector, stay tuned to all SRG Blogs.


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CD Projekt Red released yet another hotfix for Cyberpunk 2077 on Friday — albeit a very tiny one.
Hotfix 1.12 is only available for Windows PC players and solves two major issues: “fixed a buffer overrun issue” and “removed/replaced non-ASLR DLLs.” As far as patch notes go, that’s not very transparent or helpful to the average consumer. So here’s what this patch actually does.
Both the buffer overrun issue and non-ASLR DLLs focus on file security for mods. CD Projekt Red added official mod support to Cyberpunk 2077 at the end of January. But only a few days later, the studio tweeted about potential security vulnerabilities that could be introduced alongside mods. That means players could potentially download mods or external saves that could give their real-life PC a real-life virus. The removal of the non-ASLR DLLs should better protect players who want to enhance their Cyberpunk 2077 experience with help from the community while not putting their device — and their personal information — at risk.
Hotfix 1.12 comes as part of CD Projekt Red’s roadmap to improve the game ahead of free downloadable content. But this is not the first time in the past month that CD Projekt Red has had to target a hotfix at problems introduced by a previous patch. Patch 1.1 offered a lot of good changes, but also introduced another game-breaking bug for players. CD Projekt Red quickly followed up with hotfix.
Players should see another large patch, Patch 1.2, later this month.
Correction: A previous version of this article suggested the buffer overrun issue could improve performance for some players, or that it was solving a memory leak issue. We’ve since corrected the mistake, and made it clear that both changes improve Cyberpunk 2077’s security, not its performance.


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For Mike Esposito and the nearly 200 employees at Auto/Mate Dealership Systems, 2018 was about getting over their unusual 2017.
The company had planned to sell to a competitor, CDK Global and the plan was announced in early 2017. The deal was set to close, pending federal regulatory review. But in March 2018, the Federal Trade Commission said it was opposed to the deal, claiming it would stifle competition and the two companies canceled the deal.


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Aviation services company dnata has signed a long-term agreement with specialised ground service equipment provider Adaptalift.
Under this new agreement, the company will take ownership of dnata’s entire motorised fleet across six Australian ports, modernising the fleet via a strategy of replacement, renewal and refurbishment.
The renewal aspect of the program is already under way, with orders placed with major manufacturers for contain/pallet loaders, pushback tractors, conveyer belts and baggage tractors. As part of the push to modernise, dnata has also committed to switching some operations from diesel to alternative power sources, including an all-electric baggage fleet in Adelaide. Moreover, they will introduce vehicle telematics to improve safety and maintenance tracking and proximity warning systems on some machinery.
The CEO of dnata, Daniela Marsilli, said the agreement allowed dnata to expedite the modernisation of all the ground services equipment as well as, “add innovative technological solutions in the areas of safety for our operators, clients and their aircraft plus protection of the motorised assets themselves”.
Importantly, Marsilli added: “Our operating costs will improve along with increased utilisation and reliability, which ultimately improves service to our valued customer airlines”.
Headland Machinery, specialist in quality, reliable automated vertical storage and retrieval systems, will showcase its wares and market offerings at MEGATRANS2018 this May.
With a strong history of supplying and servicing machinery to a range of industries across Australia and New Zealand, the Australian-owned and operated business is a welcome fit to the inaugural supply chain and logistics trade event in Melbourne.
Also joining the line-up is vehicle and logistics technology specialist Caltex Telematics.
Caltex Telematics’ fully integrated technology to provide insights on the performance of both vehicles and drivers. The company’s systems are configurable and can identify potential issues early to help keep fleets running safely and efficiently on the road.
Simoco Wireless Solutions will bring wireless solutions and communications technologies expertise to MEGATRANS2018.
The business specialises in building communications networks for industry sectors where reliability, integrity and clarity are of utmost importance, including utilities, transport, government infrastructure and public safety.
Find out more about exhibiting at and visiting MEGATRANS2018 here.
In the US, automotive manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has announced the launch of a new alliance focused on developing autonomous electric vehicles for parcel delivery, ride sharing, on-the-road e-commerce and more.
The alliance already has the support of US-based e-commerce company Amazon, ride-share companies DiDi and Uber, automotive manufacturer Mazda, and restaurant chain Pizza Hut.
Together, they will reportedly collaborate on vehicle planning, application concepts and vehicle verification activities.
Akio Toyoda, President, TMC, revealed that the new e-Palette alliance will leverage Toyota’s Mobility Services Platform (MSPF) to develop a suite of connected mobility solutions and a flexible, purpose-built vehicle.
“The automobile industry is clearly amidst its most dramatic period of change as technologies like electrification, connected and automated driving are making significant progress,” said Toyoda. “Toyota remains committed to making ever better cars. Just as important, we are developing mobility solutions to help everyone enjoy their lives, and we are doing our part to create an ever-better society for the next 100 years and beyond.
“This announcement marks a major step forward in our evolution towards sustainable mobility, demonstrating our continued expansion beyond traditional cars and trucks to the creation of new values including services for customers.”
In the near term, the Alliance will focus on the development of the new e-Palette Concept Vehicle, also unveiled at CES by Toyoda. It is a fully automated, “next generation–battery” electric vehicle (BEV) designed to be scalable and customisable.
Toyota plans to conduct feasibility testing of the e-Palette Concept in various regions, including the US, in the early 2020s, and hopes to have the vehicle on location at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.
Shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics ASA (WWL) will sell its inland transportation and technical service business in Australia to Australian vehicle storage and transportation company Prixcar, in exchange for a 20 per cent ownership share in Prixcar.
WWL will remain an active participant in the market through board representation and close cooperation with Prixcar.
Prixcar provides finished vehicle logistic services in Australia with a nationwide footprint. Its primary focus is inland transportation and technical services for the auto segment, complementing WWL’s focus on the heavy truck, rolling equipment and machinery segment. The joint business is expected to have an annual turnover in excess of $250 million and a team of over 1,000.
“This transaction and our new partnership with the Prixcar Group will increase the scale and geographic reach of our Landbased activities in Australia, providing our customers with an enhanced product,” said Craig Jasienski, President and CEO, WWL ASA.
Alan Miles, Chairman, Prixcar Services, added, “The joining of these two companies – both sharing similar values with a strong focus on safety, people, innovation, environment, and our customers – will assist in enabling the group to further expand its ability in creating value for its employees, customers and business partners, offering an expanded range of both services and locations.”
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals in Australia, and expected to close in Q1 2018.
The transaction does not include WWL’s Terminal business, for example the Melbourne International Ro-Ro Automotive Terminal (MIRRAT).
Truck manufacturer Isuzu has announced its support of multi-modal supply chain event MEGATRANS2018, joining the show as a Platinum Sponsor.
Isuzu, a market leader in the Australian transport industry for 28 consecutive years, joins key partners including the Victorian Government and the Port of Melbourne in supporting this inaugural trade show event, which takes over the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre 10-12 May, 2018.
With a focus on connected vehicles and a technology-driven display in the works for MEGATRANS2018, Isuzu is aiming to set a new benchmark in the wider supply-chain industry.
“The discussion and hype surrounding autonomous, or driverless, vehicles and technologies continue to build both overseas and here in Australia,” said Phil Taylor, Director and COO, Isuzu.
“Disruptive technologies appear to be becoming more prevalent with each new year, fundamentally changing the way the market will look at the road transport industry over the next few decades.
“There is one thing that I know for certain, whatever the technology, or the timeframe – Isuzu will ensure that Australian truck operators have access to the latest innovations in truck technology that are suitable for Australian operating conditions, driving better safety outcomes for all road users and improving air quality, productivity and the bottom line for the operator.” Logistics & Materials Handling is an official Media Partner of MEGATRANS2018.
Hoist company Rotary has announced it has built a new distribution foundation to support its presence in Australia, with Precision Automotive Equipment becoming the local Master Distributor and offering an extensive lift range plus sales and service.
When buying a Rotary hoist, customers receive a three-year warranty as standard as well as access to a comprehensive Australian national service and support network, explained Rod Wilkinson, Manager, Precision Automotive Equipment.
“As the world’s most trusted hoist and recommended by OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), you can have confidence you are investing in the best quality solution for your heavy-duty workshop needs,” he said. “With Precision as the new Master Distributor, the industry will now also benefit from the fantastic service and support network that reflects Rotary’s pedigree.”
Deutsche Post DHL Group will double the production capacity of its own electric vehicles – the StreetScooter electric van – from 10,000 to as many as 20,000 by the end of 2017.
In addition, the company is now also selling its own electric vehicles – which have so far been optimised for postal operations and delivery purposes – to third parties.
At least half of this year’s annual production is planned for external prospective buyers of the vehicles, the company has shared.
In future, DHL hopes to sell its vehicles to municipal authorities, strategic partners and large fleet customers in Germany and the rest of Europe, aiming to at least double its own StreetScooter fleet from the current 2,500 vehicles this year.
“The large demand for the StreetScooter and our own ambitious climate-protection goals have encouraged us to further expand our commitment in the area of electro-mobility and to also make our expertise available to others,” said Jürgen Gerdes, board member for Post – eCommerce – Parcel, Deutsche Post DHL Group.
“As a result, we are confirming our aspiration to remain the engine of electro-mobility and to become market leader in green logistics.”
Dematic, a leading global supplier of integrated automated technology, software and services to optimise the supply chain, today announced the acquisition of NDC Automation, a transition period locally, and globally as Dematic, and will continue to deliver the highest quality AGV solutions for Dematic customers.
Ulf Henriksson, Dematic President and CEO stated, “We are pleased to announce the acquisition of NDC Automation, which enhances our ability to design, deliver and deploy global AGV solutions that move, store and/or retrieve goods.”
“The NDC portfolio expands upon an existing portfolio that will dynamically optimise the movement of raw materials or finished goods as they move throughout a facility, including software that provides real-time information addressing material flow metrics.”
Headquarted in Australia, NDC Automation has been providing AGV solutions for companies located in Australia and New Zealand for more than 40 years. The company has pioneered major advances in the areas of safety and vehicle navigation for its customers.
Glen Borg, Dmeatic CEO ANZ/ASEAN commented, “This acquisition further enhances our offerings to the global marketplace, complementing our storage equipment and logistics IT technologies and providing our customers with expanded flexible, scalable and modular solutions.”
“The NDC Automation team is excited to join the Dematic organisation and leverage our technology, deep breadth of experience and provoking thought leadership in the area of goods transportation,” stated Tommy Eklof, NDC Automation CEO.
“We look forward to offering our combined technology solutions to create competitive advantage for the Dematic and NDC customer base.”


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Fresh Express has updated its line of salad kits to meet continued growing demand for delicious healthier eating options. The brand’s newest products include two new Chopped Kits and two new Gourmet Café Kits:
New Chopped Kits
New Gourmet Café Kits
“Today’s consumers demand great tasting and nutritious meals, often ones that can be made quickly on a busy weeknight. Capitalizing on the trend in which one in three people are eating Greek yogurt, three of the new Fresh Express products have dressings made with Greek yogurt. By pairing a great-tasting lettuce base with Greek yogurt salad dressings, Fresh Express is able to provide consumers what they want – delicious and healthy eating options,” said Robert Stallman, Vice President, Marketing & Innovation at Fresh Express.
Chopped Kits and Gourmet Café bowls are great for a quick and smart lunch or dinner: Choose from the new Sweet Kale or Southwest Chopped with Greek Yogurt Kits paired with baked chicken for an effortless weeknight meal. Everything you need for a flavorful and crunchy salad is in the bag. Just add your favorite lean protein for a well-rounded dish. Or, choose the new Mediterranean or Santa Fe Gourmet Café single serving kits with the all essentials for a workday lunch.
By Richard Thompson
Beets are getting a whole new look this year, emphasizing their nutritional benefits while being featured in products that appeals to shifting consumer tastes. Similar to the way kale appealed to consumers last year, beets are being marketed as the new super trendy vegetable, grabbing the attention of food retailers and restaurateurs who are selling more items with beets in them than in previous years. Beet products are becoming so popular that this year’s list of sofi Award finalists include two different beet products that were up for three different awards between them.
The past five years have seen beets become more common place as people are more educated about them, says Natasha Shapiro of LoveBeets, known for their popular beet-featured product lines. Adding to the 20 percent increase in distributorship they have seen in the last year is their variety of beet juices and line of beet bars. The Love Beets health bars are coming in Beet & Apple, Beet & Cherry and Beet & Blueberry with all three made gluten-free and with clean ingredients. “We are making beets more fun, accessible and upbeat,” said Shapiro, “We’re modernizing the idea of beets.”
Blue Hill Yogurt, whose Beet Yogurt is a sofi finalist, combined the earthy sweetness of beets with the acidic tangyness of yogurt for a natural and unique trend that could push people looking for something new in milk products. Amped with raspberries and vinegar to maximize the natural earthy sweetness of the beet, Blue Hill wants people to think outside of what is normally thought of with beets and yogurt. “This is a savory yogurt that offers some sweetness, but not fruit-like sweetness. It’s a great afternoon yogurt,” said David Barber, President of Blue Hill.
Beetroot Rasam Soup from Cafe Spices, another finalist for the sofi Award, is competing in two categories, New Products and as a Soup, Stew, Bean or Chili Product. The colorful soup that pairs roasted beets pureed into a tomato base with tamarind, garlic, chiles and mustard seeds is an inspiration from the company’s culinary director and chef Hari Nayak.
Featuring naturally occurring nitrates that help extend exercise performance, fitness communities have long embraced the healthy benefits of beets. Coupled with social media and a general health conscious mindset in consumers, appreciation of beets has spider-webbed through mainstream markets, according to Shapiro. “Its the one vegetable people feel strongly about, Shapiro said, “At events, people just want to share their experiences about beets.”
Adam Kaye, Vice President of Culinary Affairs for Blue Hill, who worked with Dan Barber on their sofi nominated Beet Yogurt, goes one step further. Kaye has seen the appreciation of beets growing beyond it being a fancy potato and finds the whole vegetable incredible. “There is something about the beet that straddles the savory and the sweet,” said Kaye, “You can taste the earth in beets.”
By Lorrie Baumann
Coached by a generation of chefs with television shows, consumers have learned to ask for fresh, local and organic products. Grocers are now teaching them to look for those at the grocery store as well as the farmers market.
“I think people are buying local now more than ever,” said Pat Brown, CEO of the Natural Markets Food Group, which includes Mrs. Green’s Natural Market, Planet Organic Market and Richtree Natural Market restaurants in New York, the Mid-Atlantic, Chicago and Canada. Consumers are asking more questions now about where their food comes from, Brown said. “It forces the hand of the retailer to go out and get that product…. Organic sales are growing at a high rate as well, but the consumer is interested in buying food in their neighborhood from people who grow it in their neighborhood.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, total local food sales last year amounted to $6.1 billion, of which only $1.31 billion in sales occurred directly from farmers to consumers through farmers markets, u-pick farms and farm stands. Sales from farms that passed through the hands of intermediates – restaurants, distributors and retailers – grew from $2.7 billion in 2008 to $3.35 billion in 2012.
In the nationally representative 2011 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends Survey conducted by the Food Marketing Institute, more than four out of five of the surveyed grocery store shoppers reported that they purchased local foods occasionally, while almost one out of 10 says they purchased local foods whenever possible. The Specialty Food Association reported in its “The State of the Specialty Food Industry 2015” report that, according to specialty food manufacturers, “Local and all-natural products continue to be the most interesting to consumers. More than half of the manufacturers cited ‘local’ as a claim that interests consumers most today, with almost half of them expecting growth in local products over the next three years. “
Those who buy local foods are doing it because they want food that’s fresher and tastes better, and they want to support their local economy rather than because they’re concerned for the environmental impacts of transporting food long distances. In a 2012 study, scientists found that grocery shoppers were more willing to pay extra for food labeled “local” than they were for foods labeled “certified organic,” “certified fair trade” or with a note about the food’s carbon footprint.
Some of those shoppers, particularly those who are white, upper to middle class and convinced that their buying habits can “make a difference,” are looking to farmers markets to supply their desires for fresh, local food – mainly produce – driving growth in the number of farmers markets across the country by 180 percent between 2006 and 2014. In 2014, the USDA counted 8,268 in the United States. State and local governments are encouraging the trend too. As of 2014, 26 states had state farmers’ market associations designed to provide the markets with technical assistance, and there were 65 state and regional or local Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters in 21 states organizing outreach events and local food guides to promote locally produced food and farmers.
Grocers have taken notice. Almost three quarters of the retailers surveyed by the Specialty Food Association said that “local” is of great interest to consumers today, with more than half of them saying that they expect growth in that segment over the next three years. “Over the past five to six years, the focus on local, natural and organic has really taken hold among food retailers,” said Jim Hertel, Managing Partner for food retail consultants Willard Bishop.
Natural Markets Food Group has begun contracting directly with local farmers to provide produce to its markets in the Northeastern U.S. “At the peak of the season in the Northeast, we will be 65 or 70 percent local produce. That farmer used to sell produce in farmers markets… It’s exactly why we’re growing, that we’re able to create relationships with local farmers and bring their product in,” Brown said. “Other markets are doing the same thing.”
The Rising Tide Floats All Boats
While not necessarily local, sales of organic products are following the consumer preference for fresh, trustworthy products. “That’s true both of natural foods retailers as well as more traditional mainstream food retailers, whether it’s Walmart, which has significantly ramped up emphasis on organics, especially value-priced organics,” said Hertel. “There’s been a recognition by retailers that consumers are interested and also that it’s an area where the margins are greater, so profits are greater.”
Sales of organic food in the United States totaled $35.9 billion in 2014, an 11 percent increase from the previous year, according to the latest data from the Organic Trade Association, which reported that total U.S. sales for organic products amounted to more than $39 billion in 2014, breaking previous industry records.
Sales research by the OTA shows sales trends for organic products growing at double digit rates for several years, compared to about a 1.5 percent projected growth rate for other foods. “The growth rates of traditional product lines are much smaller,” Hertel said. “The Millennial generation is very interested in healthy eating, and to them, that means natural and organic as well as less processed food.”
The majority of American households in all regions of the country now make organic products a part of their supermarket and retail purchases, according to the new research from the Organic Trade Association.
Retailers report that the demand for organic produce that prompted entry into the market by Walmart and Kroger is causing stress on the supply chain and making it harder for smaller retailers who have less buying power to compete for supplies that are limited by the amount of acreage that farmers have dedicated to certified organic growing methods and the length of time it takes to obtain organic certification on new fields. “The supply chain for organic product has become difficult at best because the bigger chains are getting into the market. The demand is causing outages and shortages occasionally,” said Brown. “Bigger growers are pleased because it’s easier and cost-effective to contract out an entire crop to a large buyer. The buying power of a big company like that impacts those who’ve been selling product for a long time.”
Imports of organic produce from Mexico are helping to ease the shortages and meet the demands of American consumers who’ve been long trained to expect their grocers to supply whatever food they want whenever they want it. “There’s a lot more organic farming in Mexico now than even five years ago,” Brown said. “There are gaps in some products, but generally, you can get organic produce year-round now because there’s so much organic production in Mexico now.”


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The Ford F-150 Raptor finally has some competition. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has confirmed that the Ram Rebel TRX off-road performance pickup truck will go into production sometime before 2022. The announcement was made during a presentation of FCA’s latest five-year plan during an investor meeting in Italy.
No further details were given, but if the production truck stays close to the original TRX concept, it could be a contender. Introduced at the 2016 State Fair of Texas, the TRX concept boasts a 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi V8 with 575 horsepower, as well as beefed-up suspension and aggressive styling.
A production TRX could be the perfect rival to Ford’s F-150 Raptor, which has the uncanny ability to cover rough terrain at high speeds. The only truck currently in production with a similar skill set is the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, but it’s a smaller midsize model. The TRX will likely be based on the Ram 1500, making it more of a direct rival to the Raptor. With a powerful V8 engine under the hood, it should be able to match the Ford’s pace.
Online chatter indicates that the V8 may be different than the TRX concept’s, but in a good way. Motor Authority points out that an official press photo of the interior of the 2019 Ram 1500 shows the clock reading “7:07,” a possible reference to the 707-hp “Hellcat” Hemi V8 currently installed in other FCA vehicles. Ram has denied plans for a Hellcat-powered truck in the past, but perhaps the brass have changed their minds.
Posters on the Allpar forums claim the TRX will share a new generation of aluminum Hemi V8s with other FCA products — including a resurrected Dodge Viper sports car. The new engine family is rumored to include a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter Hemi with 520 hp, and a second-generation Hellcat engine maintaining the same specifications as its predecessor.
In other Ram news, the brand will introduce redesigned versions of its 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty trucks at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show. That will just be the tip of the iceberg for FCA’s five-year plan. The Italian-American automaker will also introduce a plethora of electrified models across multiple brands, including Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Jeep. Maserati will get an electric sports car based on the 2014 Alfieri concept, while Alfa will get a new range-topping supercar called 8C — with a 700-hp hybrid powertrain.
- Ford recalls over half a million vehicles over safety issues
- Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe first drive review: Do-it-all plug-in
- Off-roading in a plug-in Jeep is like hiking with A/C
- Jeep built a monster electric prototype to show what EVs can really do off-road
- Ford will sell some Explorer SUVs with missing features


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Fortnite has carved out a huge portion of the online gaming pie in the time it has been live. And now Fortnite creator Epic Games will be headlining the PC Gaming Show 2019 keynote event. The event is set to take place live at The Mayan Theater in Los Angeles on June 10, which is one day before the show officially opens on June 11. The event will also include new updates from Warframe s developer Digital Extremes, Tripwire Interactive, Perfect World Entertainment and others. Also Read - Epic Games gets $250 million investment from Sony; values the company at $17.86 billionAlso Read - OnePlus announces partnership with Epic Games for an enhanced Fortnite experience
According to a report by PC Gamer, the show last year was viewed 4.7 million times and received a whopping 241 million impressions on social media. That made it one of the most-watched events at E3 and it was the only event that was dedicated to PC gaming. This bodes as really impressive numbers considering that PC gaming is usually not the focus when these events are organized. This is owed to the fact that PC gaming does not usually earn the developers as much as consoles do in terms of sale of titles. Also Read - Epic Games confirms Unreal Engine 5 compatibility with Nintendo Switch
On the part of Fortnite, it recently introduce a new update which brought about the season 9 of the game that provides gamers with the ability to get around locations very fast with the newly added Slipstream wind transportation system. This new season introduces new locations along with new weapons, like the Combat Shotgun, Unvaulted Grenades. Besides these some weapons and items have been vaulted like Clingers, Buried Treasure, Pump Shotgun, Poison Dart Trap, Scoped Revolver and more.
There were some new additions this time around as well which include Air Vents, Fortbytes and more. Additionally, disconnected players will be allowed to stay in the gaming world for about 60 seconds, which is a boon because random disconnections can happen. As always there have been a ton of bug fixes that include resolving problems related to Pirate Cannon camera, Turbo building after gliding, misplacement of launch pads in mid-air and more.
Also, the Reboot Card deposit sound effects will no longer play in replay mode and the Reboot Van card sound effects will no longer be heard when a squadmate disconnects. The incorrect health gain information in the UI if the player canceled the consumable close to completion time has also been fixed. Jittery movement issues have also been dealt with.
WATCH: Android Q How to Install
Fortnite s newest season also introduced a limited time mode rotation feature. This includes three modes, Trios, Solid Gold, and One Shot. The update will improve frame rate on Nintendo Switch, particularly when large numbers of characters are onscreen. The issue of invisible characters after skydiving has also been addressed. Players will also notice better tactical audio when inside player-built structures and improvements in explosion audio.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - Jameson Inns Inc. JAMS said Monday it signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by an affiliate of JER Partners for $2.97 a share cash, or $371 million. Jameson, of Atlanta, said the offer is a 30% premium over the May 19 closing price of Jameson shares. Jameson said its board approved the deal and will recommend shareholders approve the sale.
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A pub restaurant is offering pie lovers the chance to design their own pie which will feature on their menu to celebrate British Pie Week next year.
The Chef & Brewer brand, which has over 100 pubs across the UK, is calling for budding bakers to take part in the pie-oneering competition, which also offers a fabulous foodie-inspired weekend break for the winner.
Finalists will win a family meal at their local Chef & Brewer before going into a nationwide vote on the Chef & Brewer Facebook page.
The overall winner, as voted by members of the public, will also see their pie on Chef & Brewer’s seasonal menu in March to celebrate British Pie Week.
Liz Colledge, Chef & Brewer brand manager, said: “The humble pie is a British classic, and we’re looking for a new take on the traditional dish to feature on our menu - who better than the great British public to design it?
“We’re hoping to see some mouth-watering entries, so we encourage all pie fans to get creative and get entering!” Participants can enter by using the Perfect Pie app on the Chef & Brewer Facebook page, www.facebook.com/chefandbrewer.


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Tom Heine, CEO of Aljex Software, announced that Ken Pehanick has joined the company as vice president of logistics technology. Pehanick is a supply chain executive, expert, and frequent speaker with over 25 years of experience.
Most recently, Pehanick served as executive vice president, technology, for the TransVantage Group of Memphis, Tenn., providers of transportation management systems and freight payment auditing as well as third party logistics services. Pehanick came to TransVantage when that company purchased Integrated Global Logistics, LLC, a third-party supply chain software and consulting company Pehanick led as president.
“We’re very pleased to have Ken with us,” Heine commented. “His expertise and talents will benefit all of our customers. Ken will sharpen Aljex’s focus on the real-world needs of transportation providers with a strategic eye toward the total supply chain on one hand and profit for our clients on the other.”


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Posted Wed Jun 23, 2010 at 08:00 AM PDT by Tom Landy
The pulse-pounding international intelligence thrill ride enters the high-definition game this August.
Vivendi is bring 'The Diplomat,' starring Dougray Scott, to Blu-ray on August 10.
Inspired by real incidents, the story spans the globe from London to Sydney to Tajikistan, taking audiences through an explosive chain of events that will keep them on the edge of their seats until the stunning end.
Specs and supplements haven't been confirmed yet, but suggested list price for the Blu-ray is $19.93.
You can find the latest specs for 'The Diplomat' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where it is indexed under August 10.
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.


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Pineapple Growers Demand Regulatory Institution
THE country’s pineapple growersare asking the government to create aninstitution to assist and regulate theirindustry, the daily La Nación reported.The recent expansion of the country’spineapple industry has created theneed for regulation, according to AlexisQuesada, manager of the AgricultureMinistry’s (MAG) national pineappleprogram. The sector would like to seethe creation of a pineapple institute similarto the Costa Rican Coffee Institute(ICAFE) and the National BananaCorporation (CORBANA).Last year, Costa Rican pineappleexports totaled $208 million, surpassingcoffee exports ($191 million) to becomethe country’s second-largest agriculturalcash crop behind bananas. During thefirst half of this year, pineapple exportsreached $145 million.By the end of the year, Quesadaexpects there will be 26,000 hectares(64,250 acres) of pineapple plantationsin Costa Rica – 179% more land than in1998.Since the pineapple export boombegan that year, thousands of farmershave switched to growing pineapples.There are now 1,200 small and mediumpineapple exporters — four times asmany as five years ago. Pineapples arenow grown in the Northern Zone cantonsof San Carlos, Sarapiquí, Guatusoand Upala and in several parts of theEastern province of Limón.
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4/4/2012 8:03:04 AM
Olympus Corp. (7733), the Japanese camera maker that admitted to a 13-year cover-up of investment losses, said it received capital alliance offers from Sony Corp. (6758), Fujifilm Holdings Corp. (4901) and Terumo Corp. (4543) Olympus got offers from “more than three” potential partners and may decide as early as next month whether to form a tie-up, President-designate Hiroyuki Sasa said in an interview in Tokyo today. He didn’t name the others. The company plans to release its business plan as early as May, he said at Olympus headquarters.
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In more than one way, BMW said that 2021 was a record-setting year.
The premium automaker's full-year sales tally of 336,444 was up 20.8% from 2021 in a market that rose just 3.3% but it built more cars in the U.S. than that.
The Spartanburg, South Carolina, factory produced 433,810 SUVs for local sales and export to over 120 countries, which was an increase of 20% over last year and more than 2019's output of 411,620 vehicles.
BMW Group has invested more than $11 billion into the facility, which is its largest in the world.
The fact that the Plant Spartanburg team set a production record during a very unpredictable year is a testament to the commitment and flexibility of our associates, said Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. BMW had secured enough semiconductor chips to maintain production at the key facility, unlike many automakers struggling with supply chain issues.
BMW's global sales chief Pieter Nota told Automotive News that they had the right quantities committed early on for 2021. We have a deal with chipmakers to secure several million semiconductors per year. The factory also built a record of approximately 70,000 electrified vehicles, which include hybrids and plug-in hybrids, and BMW's global sales of 2,213, 795 were the most ever.
Some high-end brands, including Lamborghini, Bentley and Rolls-Royce, reported their best years ever in 2021, as parts supplies for their high-margin vehicles were prioritized by their parent companies.


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Lentil demand could support more acres
A spokesman for the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council says lentil acres in the U.S. have a lot of room for growth.
Vice President of Marketing Pete Klaiber tells Brownfield even though lentil acreage has doubled twice in the last decade, a growing global middle class and increasing domestic demand continues to support the market. “We have seen a major surge in domestic pulse usage and exports continue to be strong as well, so despite the fact we doubled our production this year, we’re seeing it absorbed. The pace of absorption has picked up just as much.”
He says lentils are grown in the northern tier of the US from eastern Washington across to western North Dakota and production issues in India the past two years led to record prices. “Essentially we have finished our marketing year with our bins almost empty as exports to India have surged over that time.”
Klaiber says eventually the market will cool off but he doesn’t believe this is the year for it to happen. He says major wheat growing regions of Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and South Dakota have the potential to add more acres.
AUDIO: Interview with Pete Klaiber


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SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco Police are looking for help in solving a theft that took place at an art gallery in the Jackson Square neighborhood near the Transamerica Building.
It's an area full of upscale shops, many sell antiques. The owner of Foster Gwin Gallery says he thinks the theft happened while he was in the store.
"We have never had a theft in 26 years," said Collier Gwin, the shop owner. But during the first weekend of this month, he says the front door was left ajar when he and two employees were moving sheetrock and other items into the store for a remodeling project.
"Somebody must have seen us moving things in and out. We were vulnerable. It would take just one minute. They dashed in, grabbed the pieces. Maybe they had a backpack," says Gwin.
He says it wasn't until Monday when he returned to the store that he noticed the antiques were gone.
"It was a perfect storm kind of a thing. It was like a hit and run," said Gwin.
The stolen items include three vases from Greece dating back to 6th Century B.C. and two lacquered boxes from Japan from the 1800s.
Gwin says most of the pieces are about eight inches tall and weigh less than a pound. The total value is estimated at $50,000.
"You always feel vulnerable when something happens like that. It's always a little scary," says Gwin.
On August 1, just steps from Gwin's shop, someone broke the window of Daniel Stein antiques and stole items there, including silver candlesticks.
Police say they have not ruled out a link between the two incidents nor other possibilities such as whether this could be an inside job or someone who works in the area.
"You never know where the investigation could lead , the suspects in this case could be responsible for the one just down the street," said Officer Grace Gatpandan with San Francisco Police.
Gwin says the front door is locked even during business hour and that patrons have to be buzzed in.
He says he has an alarm system and motion detectors. Gwin plans to install surveillance cameras inside and out.
"Getting with the new world, we'll be getting more security than in the past," says Gwin.
Police say they are looking at surveillance video from nearby businesses.


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A bit of extra security with two-factor authentication is never a bad thing when it comes to your online accounts, and it looks like you can now count Amazon as one of the latest companies to support the security measure. The company is now offering the option for users to turn on two-factor authentication, bringing an added layer of security for Amazon accounts.
According to Engadget, Amazon says that support for the security measure was added a couple of weeks ago following a private beta. You'll need to enable two-factor authentication in "Advanced Security Settings" on your account. Once enabled, you can use something like Google's Authenticator app to generate a code that you enter in addition to your password when logging in.
Overall, it's great to see more companies adding support for two-factor authentication, and especially for a company as large as Amazon.
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American Eagle Outfitters preps for a new distribution center
September 10, 2013 02:19 PM
Apparel retailer American Eagle Outfitters Inc. plans to open a new distribution center in Pennsylvania that can accommodate the retailer’s growing e-commerce sales as well as shipments to its stores.
Scheduled to be operational by July 2015, the new distribution center will have more than 600 employees and double the approximately 300,000 square feet devoted to fulfillment at its current facility in Warrendale, PA, which the retailer will close. American Eagle Outfitters is No. 64 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide with $476.0 million in 2012 online sales, a 25% increase from $373.6 million in 2011. E-commerce sales are a major reason for the new facility.
The new center will be in Hazleton, PA, about 280 miles east of Warrendale, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The Warrendale distribution center will close in part because it does not have the physical space to accommodate e-commerce fulfillment and because it only serves stores, the company says.
Opening the Hazleton distribution center is necessary to keep pace with American Eagle Outfitters’ e-commerce growth, the company says. Hazleton is a more favorable location, given its proximity to the Eastern U.S. transportation network, a spokeswoman says. “There is no opportunity to expand the distribution center to upgrade Warrendale’s capabilities to handle both direct-to-consumer and retail,” she says. “Without that capability we would not have a shared inventory model and a single view of inventory, which is critical to our omnichannel strategy and growth.”
Once the Hazleton distribution center is open, it and another warehouse with more than 1 million square feet in Ottawa, KS, will handle American Eagle Outfitters’ store and online fulfillment needs, the spokeswoman says. “Our goal is to provide a seamless shopping experience for our customer from beginning to end, which is facilitated by having a single view of inventory,” she says.


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Oxfam urges U.S businesses to re-focus operations to benefit communities & employees amid COVID-19
Author: Irit Tamir, Oxfam America, Published on: 8 April 2020
“What’s the role of business in the COVID-19 crisis?”, 2 April 2020
[B]usiness has an important role to play in addressing the health and economic impacts [of COVID-19]. [T]he Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs from 181 leading US companies, said it was re-defining the purpose of the corporation for the benefit of…communities, employees, suppliers, and customers.
Some companies are adopting paid sick leave policies [and are]… [closing] their stores [whilst]…still paying their employees (Patagonia), [and] other[s]…are keeping stores open, playing down the risk of the virus. [Some] small businesses…are [also]…providing flexibility for their workforce to choose between reduced hours or applying for unemployment insurance, while availing themselves of new paid sick time funding…
[Businesses should]: [ensure] paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave…; avoid major layoffs…; deliver safe and healthy working conditions; including proper protective equipment…; lobby for universal healthcare…; put an immediate moratorium on executive bonuses, share repurchases, and dividend payments…, engage with workers, directly or through unions and advocacy groups…[etc.]
[Additionally to]…, call on the administration to invoke the Defense Production Act to ensure business is producing the products needed to fight the pandemic, including protective equipment, testing, medicines, and other necessities…[and that] they…are affordable and accessible to all. As we work to rebuild our economy, we must ensure that it serves all of us, not just the top one percent. The private sector can—and must—be a partner in that transformation for our future.
Related companies: Patagonia


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Honda finally unveiled the 2023 Honda Civic Type R after teasing the new hot hatch for months. Honda unveiled the new Civic Type R at an event in Los Angeles, but it still didn’t give up any specs.
All that we know for now is that the 2023 Civic Type R will be powered by a modified version of the current car’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is mated to a six-speed manual transmission with automatic rev-matching. Honda only says that the updated engine is “even more powerful and responsive” than the current version, which has 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.
One performance upgrade that we can see are the new 265/30-series Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires with 19-inch wheels, which is a change from the outgoing model’s 245/30 tires with 20-inch wheels.
Just like the powertrain, Honda is keeping the details about the chassis upgrades to a minimum as well, an only states that it has “enhanced suspension and steering performance.” We already know that the new Civic Type R out performs the last generation, since the 2023 CTR set a new front-wheel drive track record at the Suzuka Circuit. Brembo brakes are used again to keep everything under control.
One of the big criticisms about the last-generation CTR was it’s boy racer styling that was a bit too aggressive. The good news is that Honda has toned down the styling with a cleaner look, which makes it look a bit more upscale. At the rear there’s still a large wing and we’re happy that Honda kept the three exhaust tips in the center. Just like before the driver and front passenger get sportier seats that are wrapped in a suede-like material.
Inside the upgrades are similar to the current Civic hatchback with a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 9-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Overall it appears that Honda didn’t mess with much of the Civic Type R, with the biggest change being a less polarizing exterior.
Honda hasn’t announced the pricing for the 2023 Civic Type R, but it will arrive this fall.
Image Source: otomobil / Shutterstock


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Nearly a hundred high street stores are set to close by Hays Travel as part of a “consolidation” of its UK retail business.
The third national lockdown has forced the company, as a major tour operator, to suspend flights and vacations.
Hays Travel is slated to close 89 stores after breaking the rule about stores acquired over a year ago from the failing Thomas Cook.
This affects 388 employees who are offered alternative work.
Jonathon Woodall, Chief Operating Officer, said dtg: “Our first priority is to continue serving our customers and we provide the highest standard of customer service through our retail, telephone and online businesses.
“We are continuing our robust two-year business plan and we remain ready for the rebound when it comes to that.”
Dame Irene Hays, Owner and President of Hays Travel added, “We always intended to review the performance of our stores at the end of the license period. We were hoping business would recover in January and it is not.
“So far we’ve done everything we can to keep jobs and business safe, and we’ve developed a number of options for those at risk of redundancy to help as many colleagues as possible.”
Among other things, employees are given the opportunity to join the homework department at Hays Travel, to work from home or to take on positions in other shops where there is a vacancy.
Last summer, Hays announced that up to 878 jobs would be cut as the pandemic devastated the travel industry.
Hays surprised many in October 2019 when he acquired all of Thomas Cook’s 555 travel agencies across the UK after the 178-year-old company went out of business.
In response to news, the TSSA travel union says it is “a sad but inevitable move” and accuses the government of recklessness.
Manuel Cortes, General Secretary of the TSSA said: “Today’s announcement of the closure of 89 Hays Travel stores is a sad but inevitable step. With the coronavirus widespread and the usual January summer vacation not being booked, the travel industry continues to suffer.
“The coronavirus has fundamentally changed the way we live and travel, but the government has acted recklessly. We should have introduced border restrictions and effective tests, track & trace measures last spring if the virus levels could have been checked.
“We are witnessing the death of our loved ones, the death of the high street and the chronic mismanagement of our economy by this conservative government. Lives and livelihoods are lost every day as Tory friends fill their pockets with government contracts. The government must be held responsible for this shameful record. “


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BCCI has no position to play in meals decisions of gamers, says board treasurer Arun Dhumal
After the controversy over the Indian Staff’s new dietary plan for Kanpur Check, Arun Dhumal, the treasurer of the Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) has mentioned that the board has no position in selecting and deciding the group’s menu. He additionally emphasised that the gamers are free to decide on their meals they usually can eat no matter they wish to.
Earlier, experiences said that BCCI had requested the gamers to not have beef or pork within the new dietary plan for the upcoming Kanpur Check on 25 November in opposition to the Blackcaps. A couple of experiences additionally talked about that the BCCI had requested the gamers to eat solely halal meat.
“This (weight-reduction plan plan) has by no means been mentioned and won’t be enforced. I don’t know when this determination was taken or if it was,” Dhumal was quoted as saying by India Immediately. He added that as per his information the board had by no means issued any pointers associated to weight-reduction plan plans of the gamers and had no position in figuring out the identical.
Dhumal additionally talked about that the halal meat concern has by no means been delivered to board’s consideration.
The difficulty sparked a large row on social media. Followers slammed BCCI for dictating the meals decisions of group India’s gamers. Some social media customers additionally criticised the Indian cricket board for selling halal meat.
This isn’t the primary time that dietary plans had been shared. It’s a traditional follow that the cricket groups share their safety, logistics requests to the host board earlier than the match. The dietary plan is a specific listing of meals objects most well-liked by a group. The BCCI often makes requests for halal meat on abroad journeys.
The Males in Blue and New Zealand are about to lock horn in a Check collection for the primary time because the World Check Championship last earlier this 12 months. The primary Check will begin on 25 November in Kanpur.
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EXCLUSIVE-Pfizer is mystery bidder for rare disease drugmaker Sobi -sources NEW YORK/ LONDON, April 30- Pfizer Inc is the mystery bidder for Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB, the rare disease specialist which disclosed this week that a potential buyer had made a preliminary offer, people with knowledge of the situation said. Sobi did not identify its potential acquirer when it revealed on Monday that it had received an approach, but Biogen and...
| By: Olivia Oran, Ben Hirschler and Pamela Barbaglia
UPDATE 2-Teva lifts 2015 earnings forecast as pursues Mylan bid *Q1 adjusted EPS $1.36 vs $1.25 forecast. *Raises 2015 adjusted EPS forecast to $5.05- $5.35. TEL AVIV, April 30- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries raised its 2015 earnings forecast after beating first-quarter estimates, and said it would devote "all necessary resources" to its $40 billion- plus bid for rival Mylan Inc..
| By: Tova Cohen
UPDATE 1-Teva lifts 2015 earnings view after better than expected Q1 *Q1 adjusted EPS $1.36 vs $1.25 forecast. *Raises 2015 adjusted EPS forecast to $5.05- $5.35. TEL AVIV, April 30- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, which is seeking to acquire rival Mylan Inc for over $40 billion, raised its full-year earnings outlook after posting a bigger-than-expected increase in first-quarter profit.


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EA decided to show a little more of Star Wars Battlefront at their pre-E3 press conference earlier today. The game is still a ways off, but it seems as if they’re taking their newfound responsibility for the franchise very seriously. Battlefront really cannot come soon enough.
Star Wars Battlefront is currently planned for a spring 2015 release.
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this week in horror
This Week in Horror - November 6, 2017 - Pet Sematary, Horror ...
Starry Eyes duo Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch will take over the Pet Sematary Remake, 2017 was the best year for horror movies ever, and James O'Barr will be heavily involved in the upcoming The Crow film. It's THIS WEEK IN HORROR with Whitney Moore!Posted by Bloody Disgusting on Tuesday, November 7, 2017


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Out of shape: From gyms to yoga centres, the pandemic has completely transformed the fitness industry
A health crisis has thrown the fitness industry into disarray. Can it beat the Covid storm again and find its feet?
West Bengal govt shuts down malls, restaurants, gyms; bazaars to remain open for limited hours
Activities related to the electoral counting p...
Bengal government shuts down malls, gyms, beauty parlours, restricts gatherings amid rising covid cases
Amid COVID surge, West Bengal Governm...
COVID-19: Punjab extends night curfew by 1 hour; bars, cinemas, gyms shut
The new restrictions, which also include closure of all malls, shops and markets on Sundays, coupled with the ones imposed earlier, will remain in effect till April 30, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said after a COVID review meeting here.
Arvind Kejriwal to hold meeting over COVID-19 situation
A senior government official said, "The chief minister has called a meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in Delhi at 4 PM today. Health Minister Satyendar Jain and senior government officials will be present at the meeting at the Delhi Secretariat."
SMEcorner founder can’t wait to go on a family holiday; found a silver lining in the lockdown
Samir Bhatia misses the joy of getting on a flight and seeing new places.
Karnataka relaxes curbs on gyms, allows 50% occupancy
Restrictions were imposed on many public events in its order on April 2 believing that public gathering could lead to the spread of coronavirus, which is rising alarmingly in the state.
Is working out at home not working out for you anymore and want to head back to the gym? Here's a guide to help you decide if it's a safe idea
Drop in physical activity and weight gain in people during pandemic puts them at health risks.
Nike-sponsored gym, support staff & nutritionists: A look inside one of the world's top eSports empire
Explosive growth has turned competitive video gaming into professional sport.
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Health & fitness trends in 2021: Corporate wellness, online gyms & virtual stress management to rule
The radical shift in the mode of work has highlighted the importance of health.
This chairman believes fitness leads to happiness, enhanced his home gym during lockdown
MMG and CPRL Group Chairman's health has been his number-one priority.
Hoping to hit the gym again?
Many gym-goers have switched to e-tutorials to continue their workouts, while a majority of fitness enthusiasts have adopted running, cycling and Yoga as their mode of workout. However, for all these workouts too, following social etiquettes are a must! Dr Anita Mathew, Infectious Disease Specialist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund speaks to IANSlife to share some precautionary measures against Covid-19 to be taken before, at and after the gym.
Gyms, yoga institutes allowed to open in Delhi
One weekly market per day per zone in all three Municipal Corporations/NDMC/Delhi Cantonment Board has been allowed from September 14 to September 30 (except containment zones), the Delhi Government said.


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Information shared via Nintendo’s third quarter 2021 financial report revealed the staggering success of Switch.
Nintendo, the venerable Japanese gaming giant, has released its financial statistics for the third quarter of 2021. We can view the sales of Nintendo’s consoles, games, and other items in the last quarter thanks to this, in which the Nintendo Switch reached a historic milestone.
The Nintendo Switch surpasses two titans
From October 1 to December 31, more than 10.67 million Switch units were sold, according to the financial report. Nintendo Switch stands at 103.5 million units worldwide. It has now outsold both the Wii family of consoles and Sony’s venerable original PlayStation in terms of lifetime sales.
This is also the first time we have official distribution statistics for the current generation’s third model, the Nintendo Switch OLED Model, which has been available since October. From October through December, this model with its seven-inch OLED display as well as various other upgrades, sold a total of 3.99 million devices.
Thus, the breakdown looks like this. The standard Nintendo Switch accounts for 78.89 percent of sales, while the Nintendo Switch light accounts for 17.27 percent. Meanwhile, the new Nintendo Switch OLED accounts for 3.85 percent.
The strongest series include Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon
During the third quarter, the Japanese firm sold 85.41 million video games, bringing the total number of titles sold to 766.41 million since its inception.
One of the most significant contrasts between the Nintendo Switch and other Nintendo systems is that the Switch does not rely on a small number of titles but rather has an evergreen library. As a result, the system provides stable game sales over time without the requirement to get titles from prominent franchises on a regular basis.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as expected, is the game that has sold the most copies in the third quarter. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which has also become the franchise’s best-selling title in history, is just behind it. Games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Pokémon Sword/Shield are next on the list. This Pokémon iteration has also become the second best-selling game in history, after only Pokémon Red/Green/Blue from 1996.
The data for Q4 has yet to be provided, and it will be available before the summer. We’ll be keeping a watch on the Switch’s future to see whether it sets any new gaming records.


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Ovarian cancer drug nabs FDA approval; Senate committee to investigate opioid manufacturers; Allergan's acne drug reports positive Phase-III results
The FDA approves Valeant's psoriasis drug; PhRMA to review its membership criteria; Lions Health announces pharma and health and wellness jury presidents
To drive the point home, the ads even feature an image of an actual case of shingles. The blistering red rash appears on-screen for several seconds.
The firm will handle communications for scar treatment Mederma and is already managing the product launch of cellulite-treatment product Cellfina, the 10-year anniversary of injectable Radiesse, and introducing a product line.
73% of derms take industry money; Area 23, Klick Health, and UnitedHealthcare win big at the MM&M Awards; IPG launches healthcare media agency
- In Merck video, woman says a cure is the greatest invention
- Five things for pharma marketers to know: Monday, April 24, 2017
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- How pharma marketers are using behavioral science
- Veeva and QuintilesIMS tussle over customer reference data
- Genentech urges broader adoption of value-based payment models
- Some brands thought to shift online ad dollars, creating uncertainty for WebMD
- Study: Medical-marijuana laws lower prescription drug usage


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Rates and demand at all-time highs as Year associated with the First-Time Buyer kicks in
- Price of property arriving at market increases by a substantial 2.9% (+£8, 324) this thirty days, striking a fresh record of £299, 287 and surpassing the record set in October 2015 by over £2, 700
- Housing need higher than ever before as Rightmove traffic strikes record amounts, with visits up almost 20% year-on-year in January
- Encouraging 5% uplift in brand new properties coming to industry compared to exact same time last year resulting in the greatest total number of newly-listed properties at this time of the year considering that the 2008 credit crunch
- The entire year of this First-Time Buyer: Government initiatives and low interest perspective now aligning with an increase of home choice for first-time purchasers, with 10% year-on-year leap in the wide range of two beds or a lot fewer arriving at marketplace
The price of home arriving at market has actually hit a unique record significantly less than two months to the brand-new year’s seasonal upturn. Brand new seller asking rates have increased by a considerable 2.9percent (+£8, 324) this thirty days, regardless of some enhancement within the stability between offer and demand. There's been an encouraging 5percent uplift when you look at the wide range of new properties visiting industry set alongside the previous year, which will help to generally meet a few of the record demand from home-movers. brand new supply of typical first-time customer domiciles has increased most, up by almost 10% this month, a welcome boost alongside various other initiatives for the people looking to get onto the housing ladder in 2016.
Miles Shipside, Rightmove director and housing market analyst feedback: “The new year’s marketplace features hit the surface running in many places, continuing final year’s momentum and resulting in the price of home coming to the marketplace striking a brand new large. Numerous agents reported large amounts of sales in November and December and properties offering more quickly, so it’s motivating to see signs of replenishment of residential property, particularly in the first-time buyer industry. But despite the evident veneer of marketplace buoyancy, those considering putting their home on the block must do not be too positive with regards to preliminary asking price, since many buyers are still naturally becoming extremely selective about their future house.”
Record prices and demand with a few recovery in supply:
The previous record price high ended up being set in October 2015 but this has today already been surpassed by £2, 738, pressing the typical new seller selling price to £299, 287. Need for housing as assessed by traffic on Rightmove and enquiries to representatives can also be at record amounts. there have been over 127 million visits to Rightmove in January, up by almost 20percent on January 2015, with phone and mail enquiries to representatives also at an all-time a lot of over 4.9 million within the month.
A consistent feature of recuperating marketplace within the last few years has been the method of getting residential property coming to market neglecting to hold rate with need. These day there are welcome signs and symptoms of fresh offer increasing using volume of new properties arriving at industry is at the highest degree considering that the recession of 2008. However, it ought to be mentioned this is patchy by area with only four areas above the 5per cent year-on-year average uplift, namely London, south-east, south-west and Yorkshire & the Humber. When you look at the West Midlands brand-new stock is actually down by 0.3% and Wales and also the North West have observed an uplift of just one% or less, restricting fresh option for buyers within these regions.
Shipside explains: “While even more properties are coming to market discover small anecdotal proof tax-shy landlords attempting to sell up. It is more likely contains extra first-time vendors who're often hoping to bag a buy-to-let investor before the April stamp responsibility hike, or joining others who tend to be deciding that 2016 is the 12 months to trade up. Those trading up are not any doubt urged because of the stable interest rate outlook reassuringly communicated straight from the Governor’s lips.”
The Year of the First-Time Buyer
The sector seeing the highest amount of brand-new properties coming to the marketplace could be the typical first-time buyer property with two bed rooms or a lot fewer, up by 10per cent this month compared to the exact same month just last year. 2016 may be the 12 months of first-time customer motivated by low interest, projects particularly Help to Get, and buy-to-let investors facing progressively damaging taxes.
Shipside observes: “For the 2nd thirty days running the highest boost in availability of houses arriving at market is properties with two rooms or a lot fewer, usually the target buy of first-time purchasers or buy-to-let people. There clearly was a 10% uplift in new offer when compared to exact same period in 2015, indicating all areas have significantly more fresh option inside industry than today last year. Areas outperforming the nationwide average with more than 10% even more newly-marketed domiciles with two bedrooms or a lot fewer are London, East, South East, south-west, West Midlands, and Yorkshire & the Humber, of course this trend goes on the increased competitors among brand new vendors might help to temper price rises. Increasingly More agents are stating a wholesome return in first-time customer figures, along with the cards progressively stacked within their favour 2016 could turn out to be the year associated with first-time purchaser.”


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Samsung recently revealed that it had teamed up with TikTok to bring fresh experiences to your TV and now more smart TV users can get in on the fun with the new TikTok app for Google and Android TV devices.
The TV app makes TikTok a shared experience, inviting the whole family to watch viral TikTok content from the comfort of their couch on a larger screen. This includes short videos from TikTok’s ‘For You’ page and content from creators you already follow.
The app also features the #LearnOnTikTok tag that debuted on Samsung smart TVs in December. The tag is packed with cooking hacks, fitness tips and fun facts to keep you learning new skills while you’re stuck at home.
If you’re interested in what Samsung had to say about the app, make sure to check out our interview with Head of TV for Europe Nathan Sheffield.
Of course, the TikTok TV app is no longer limited to just Samsung TV users, with a wide range of Google TV and Android OS device TVs, including smart TVs, streaming sticks and projectors now offering support for the app.
“We’re excited to bring the creativity and joy of TikTok to Google TV and other Android TV OS devices across Europe”, said TikTok UK general manager Rich Waterworth.
“The TikTok on TV experience will be a new way for people to come together and enjoy videos from some of our most popular content categories on the big screen. Whether it’s learning a new skill or just having some fun together watching what you love, now more than ever, I feel this is a brilliant way for people to be able to enjoy their favourite TikTok content together at home”.
How to install TikTok on your Google TV or Android TV:
- Open the Google Play Store on your TV
- Search for “TikTok”
- Click to install the TikTok app
- Open TikTok
- Log in to your account or click “Watch now” to watch videos without an account
The TikTok TV app is available now for Google TV and Android TV users in the UK, France and Germany.


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The share price of Ashok Leyland jumped over 9 percent on Friday after the company turned profitable in the March quarter of FY21. The company posted a profit of Rs 241 crore in Q4 with recovery in sales. It had posted a net loss of Rs 57 crore in the year-ago period.
The stock rose as much as 9.4 percent to its day's high of Rs 129.35 per share on the BSE.
The flagship company of Hinduja Group posted an 83 percent rise in net sales to Rs 6,972 crore in Q4 from Rs 3,814.16 crore in the year-ago quarter.
During Q4 FY21, the company's medium and heavy commercial vehicles (MHCV) volumes surged 111 percent YoY, better than the industry growth rate. The company also said its MHCV truck market share for Q4FY21 has improved to 28.9 percent from 27.6 percent in Q4FY20.
However, for the full year FY21, the company reported a net loss of Rs 314 crore when compared with a net profit of Rs 240 crore in FY20. Revenue for FY21 came in at Rs 15,301 crore as against Rs 17,467 crore in the previous year as the total MHCV industry volume for FY21 declined by 28 percent.
“We have seen a recovery in Q4FY21 and the overall performance has been better. However, with the sudden onset of the second wave, the challenges for the industry continue. We are better prepared this time,” said Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland.


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Epic Games, the creator of the immensely popular video game Fortnite, launched an antitrust challenge against Apple and Google last week that has rapidly escalated into an all-in corporate clash that could spell catastrophe for the losing side.
If Epic loses, it stands to forfeit up over half of the revenue from its flagship property. If Apple and Google lose, they risk being deemed monopolies and broken up in a way that Silicon Valley hawks in Congress have been dreaming of.
The fight began as a calculated trap set by Epic. Fortnite had been, up until Thursday of last week, available on both the Apple and Google app stores and integrated with the app stores’ payment processors. Seemingly unhappy with how both tech companies take a 30 percent cut from app revenues, Epic pushed through a surprise update to its game that introduced in-house payment processing, cutting Apple and Google out of the transaction.
This was a daring bluff, given that both companies expressly forbid independent payment processing. Yet Epic had good reason to feel dissatisfied with the status quo. The Apple app store, which sees some $60 billion worth of digital purchases each year, is the only way in which Apple device users can download apps. This means the 30 percent fee is mandatory unless a developer is willing to entirely forgo the enormous iOS market.
For a small independent developer, the convenience of a tried and true delivery method like the app store might be worth the fee. For a household brand like Fortnite, however, Apple’s policies mean millions in lost revenue in return for very little added value. Google is less restrictive and allows outside apps, but Epic claims that going outside the Google Play pipeline introduces intolerable inconveniences for users.
In response to Fortnite getting its own payment processing system, both Apple and Google delisted the game from their respective app stores. This was no small commitment: Fortnite is the Apple app store’s top grossing game, making around $3 million in revenue per day (of which close to $1 million goes to Apple).
It turns out that Epic had been preparing for its bluff to be called. The company reacted by immediately filing separate antitrust lawsuits against Apple and Google. This was accompanied by an aggressive publicity campaign, in which Apple was derided in a video titled “Nineteen Eighteen-Fortnite” (a parody of Apple’s own “1984” advertising campaign against IBM) and Google was taken to task for its past motto of “Don’t be evil.”
Epic’s strategy is obvious: channel resentment toward Silicon Valley among the public and on Capitol Hill into a cause célèbre and force Apple and Google to back down. Given the recent tech CEO grilling by Congress, the mood in the air seems to favor the game developer.
The two tech companies remained quiet for the past few days, doing little beyond releasing pro forma statements insisting that everything would return to normal as soon as Epic reversed its Fortnite update. Now, however, Apple has lost its patience. The tech giant is attempting to throw the book at Epic, accusing it of a battery of app store violations, including making its Fortnite update notes too generic.
Epic announced in a tweet Monday that Apple has expanded its punitive measures beyond Fortnite and is now threatening to cut Epic off from the iOS and Mac development programs unless it returns to this fold. Epic is the developer of Unreal Engine, an incredibly popular game engine that is integral to the livelihoods of thousands of independent game developers. Excluding Unreal Engine from the iOS development program would potentially be as damaging for Apple as it would be for Epic. Such a threat can only have been made out of frustration or even desperation, and Epic is sure to argue in court that the threatened retaliations are only further proof of Apple’s monopoly position.
A ruling against the tech giants could have enormous ramifications, allowing developers to keep billions in annual revenues. It would also turn this fight into a precedent-setting antitrust case that could provide momentum for further action by third parties. It might normally take Congress to give Apple or Google a bloody nose, but this time a fellow corporation will have to do.


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Capcom’s Monster Hunter 4 won’t be seeing its March 2013 release date as planned. Instead the highly anticipated 3DS game will be pushed back till mid-year around Summer 2013. No exact release date has been given.
Capcom have stated that they’ve made this decision to further improve the quality of Monster Hunter 4 and make sure it lives up to everyone’s expectations, the company said in a statement.
Though keep in mind that this is only the Japanese release date. A western port of the game could take much longer considering that the UK release date for Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate Edition on the Wii is scheduled for March.