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European Equities: German Industrial Production in Focus
Wednesday, 7th July
German Industrial Production (MoM) (May)
Thursday, 8th July
German Trade Balance (May)
It was a bearish day for the European majors on Tuesday, with the U.S markets reopening after Monday’s holiday.
The CAC40 and the DAX30 fell by 0.91% and by 0.96% respectively, with the EuroStoxx600 ending the day down by 0.52%.
Disappointing economic data from Germany and the Eurozone weighed on the majors as did lingering concerns over the Delta variant.
It was another busy start to the European session. German and Eurozone economic sentiment and German factory orders and Eurozone retail sales figures were in focus.
German Factory Orders
In May, factory orders slid by 3.7%, reversing a 0.2% fall from April with interest. Economists had forecast a 1.0% increase.
According to Destatis,
- Domestic orders increased by 0.9%, while foreign orders tumbled by 6.7%, month-on-month.
- New orders from the euro area decreased by 2.3% and tumbled by 9.3% from other countries.
- In May 2021, the manufacturers of intermediate goods saw new orders fall by 3.6%.
- Orders for capital goods tumbled by 4.6%, while orders for consumer goods rose by 3.9%.
- Excluding major orders, real new orders in manufacturing were 3.7% lower than in the previous month.
ZEW economic sentiment figures for Germany and the Eurozone disappointed.
Germany’s Economic Sentiment Indicator fell from 79.8 to 63.3 versus a forecasted decline to 75.2.
For the Eurozone, the Economic Sentiment Indicator fell from 81.3 to 61.2, which was worse than a forecasted decline to 78.9.
Eurozone Retail Sales
In May, retail sales increased by 4.6%, reversing a 3.9% fall from April. Economists had forecast a 4.4% rise.
According to Eurostat,
- Sales of non-food products increased by 8.8% and by 8.1% for automotive fuels.
- By contrast, food, drinks, & tobacco sales slipped by 0.3%.
- France and the Netherlands recorded retail sales of 9.9% and 9.3% respectively to lead the way.
- Compared with May 2020, retail sales jumped 9.0% in the euro area.
- The jump was driven by a 28.4% surge in automotive fuel sales and a 14.8% increase in non-food product sales.
- Food, drinks, & tobacco sales rose by just 0.1%.
From the U.S
Service sector PMIs for June also provided direction later in the day, with the market’s favored ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI in focus.
In June, the ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI fell from 64.0 to 60.1. Economists had forecast a decline to 63.0.
The Market Movers
For the DAX: It was a bearish day for the auto sector on Tuesday. BMW and Daimler slid by 3.41% and by 3.49% respectively, with Continental ending the day down by 3.26%. Volkswagen fell by a more modest 2.79%.
It was a bearish day for the banks. Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank saw losses of 3.53% and 3.11% respectively.
From the CAC, it was a bearish day for the banks. BNP Paribas and Soc Gen led the way down, falling by 3.19% and by 3.08% respectively. Credit Agricole saw a more modest 2.80% loss on the day.
It was also a bearish day for the French auto sector. Stellantis NV fell by 1.19%, with Renault tumbling by 5.43%.
Air France-KLM and Airbus SE joined the broader market in the red, falling by 1.80% and by 1.95% respectively.
On the VIX Index
A run of 3 consecutive days in the red came to an end for the VIX on Tuesday.
Reversing a 2.21% fall from Friday, the VIX rose by 9.09% to end the day at 16.44.
The NASDAQ gained 0.17%, while the Dow and the S&P500 ended the day down 0.60% and by 0.20% respectively.
The Day Ahead
It’s a quieter day ahead on the economic calendar.
German industrial production figures for May will be in focus going into the European open. With little else for the markets to consider early in the day, expect plenty of influence. Following the unexpected slide in factory orders, a marked decline in production would bring further economic uncertainty.
From the U.S, JOLT’s job openings are due out. The numbers will likely have a muted impact on the European majors, however. There will likely be some apprehension ahead of the FOMC meeting minutes due out after the European close.
Away from the economic calendar, the markets will continue to monitor COVID-19 news updates.
In the futures markets, at the time of writing, the Dow Mini was down by 55 points.
For a look at all of today’s economic events, check out our economic calendar.


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Xcel Brands Inc., owner of the Isaac Mizrahi brand, said the designer is teaming up with HP Inc. to create the Isaac Mizrahi Smartwatch. Designed by Mizrahi, the watch – through the Engineered by HP program – would use HP’s technology to build the watch.
On the fashion front, the smartwatch will have a round shape, large roman numerals and interchangeable leather bands. Available in two Swarovski Crystal-outlined faces in silver and gold-tone stainless steel, the bands will include five interchangeable colorways. The watch will offer features such as message notifications, social media connection and a pedometer. The styling and concept are based on allowing women to stay connected through just a glance at their wrists. Through the Isaac Mizrahi smartphone app, users will be able to customize how they want to be notified about social media platforms, incoming calls, texts, e-mails and meeting alerts.
On the technological front, the analogue movement with the digital display will have a translucent color-matched dial that hides the digital display when inactive, the company said. The dial will have luminous hands. The power will come from a watch battery that is expected to last several years, while the so-called “smart capabilities” have a five-day battery life, depending on actual individual usage.
Mizrahi said, “It’s hard to integrate something so modern and mechanical looking into a feminine look, and I wanted the design to be a hidden treasure.”
Sridhar Solur, general manager for wearables and smart platforms at HP, said, “As we continue to expand the Engineered by HP program portfolio, it is important for us to consider personal style, just as much as we expand the technology infused in these designs.” He added that the Mizrahi smartphone allows users to be fashionable, “without sacrificing the connectivity that is so necessary with the way we live today.”
According to Robert W. D’Loren, Xcel’s chairman and chief executive officer, the smartwatch, which will be the first one designed specifically for women, will be available this spring for $249.99. It will retail initially on QVC, and then become available at the better department stores that carry the Isaac Mizrahi line.

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Converging Patterns in Global Food Consumption and Food Delivery Systems
Across countries and income levels worldwide, consumers are choosing to spend their additional income on some combination of increased quality, convenience, and variety of foods.
Food delivery systems and consumption patterns in middle-income countries like China and Thailand are converging, or 'catching up' to countries with higher income levels.
Income growth has been a primary force behind converging global consumption patterns, but globalization of the food industry is also contributing.
With rising income levels and global expansion of food retailing and foodservice outlets, food consumption patterns, as measured by spending on different types of food products, appear to be converging across countries. Food products and multinational retail and foodservice chains from the U.S. and other high-income countries have become increasingly common in middle-income nations such as China and Thailand. For example, fast food sales in China more than doubled between 1999 and 2005, while sales from Western-style supermarkets increased almost sixfold, from $16 to $91 billion during the same period. Changes in food preferences and food delivery mechanisms appear to be mutually enforcing, with worldwide tastes and diets evolving along with increasingly modern food retailing and foodservice outlets. This cyclical relationship between food demand and delivery mechanisms is increasing the similarity of food delivery and consumption around the world—a phenomenon referred to as “convergence.”
Food Budget Shares Decline as Incomes Increase
The share of income or private consumption expenditure (PCE) spent on food is often used as an indicator for the relative well-being of a country. The difference between income and PCE is that income includes household savings. In poor countries, households tend to spend a large share of their incomes on food, leaving less income for other essential items such as health care, housing, education, and fuel. Households in high-income countries spend a relatively low share of PCE or income on food, which leaves sufficient income for other essential items, as well as recreational and cultural activities. According to Euromonitor data, in the U.S., for example, at-home food spending accounts for less than 10 percent of PCE, compared with China, where it accounts for 26 percent.
Similarly, within a country, although spending on food increases as income levels increase, the proportion of total income devoted to food declines. This phenomenon is known as Engel’s Law, after the 19th century German statistician Ernst Engel. The intuition behind Engel’s Law might be described as a “food first” budget allocation. Even low-income households must devote at least a minimum amount to meet the basic need for food. As income increases, households may spend some of that additional income on food, but will allocate proportionally more on other, nonfood items. For a given gain in income, the increase in food spending is larger at lower income levels than at higher income levels. This explains why, as incomes rise in lower income countries, their food expenditures tend to catch up with those of higher income countries.
Analysis of 2004-05 consumer expenditure data confirms the trend in declining food budget shares for the U.S. (see box, “Analysis Required Data From Several Sources”). Among four-person households, total food spending—including food away from home—is slightly over $2,500 per year among the highest income group, roughly double that of the lowest income group. However, average annual after-tax income in the highest earning households is more than eight times that of the lowest income households ($116,290 versus $13,290). Thus, the share of income devoted to food declines from 37 percent for the lowest income households to 9 percent for the highest income households, reflecting Engel’s Law.
A similar trend in declining food shares is noted across country groups with varying average income levels. Euromonitor International’s annual per capita food spending data (not including food away from home) for 67 countries, revealed that food spending increases from less than $200 per capita per year in low-income countries to $2,133 in high-income countries, while the food share of PCE decreases from 42 percent in low-income countries to 12 percent in high-income countries.
Increased Food Spending in the U.S. Favors Increased Quality, Variety, and Convenience
In the U.S., the rise in food spending as income increases is driven largely by food away from home, which captures two-thirds (65 percent) of the more than $450 increase in monthly household food spending between the lowest and the highest income groups. The highest income households spend nearly half (47 percent) of their food budget on food away from home, almost double the share among the lowest income households.
Among at-home foods purchased in grocery stores, spending on “other foods” rises the most with increases in income. This category includes high value-added foods such as frozen prepared meals, canned and packaged foods—including a variety of novel and ethnic products—snack foods, and nonalcoholic beverages, in addition to condiments, sugars and sweets, and fats and oils. Spending on “other foods” increased from $92 per month for the lowest income U.S. households to $161 per month among the highest income households. Interestingly, households in all income categories consistently spend the largest share of their food budget on “other foods,” followed by meats, fruit and vegetables, cereals and bakery products, and dairy products.
In contrast with the increased spending on “other foods,” spending on meats, cereals and bakery products, and dairy products remains fairly steady across household incomes until incomes reach $50,000 per year.
Similarly, U.S. spending on fruit and vegetables rises only minimally across income levels. Households in the highest income group—which have an average of $8,000 more in after-tax monthly income than households in the lowest income group and spend over $450 more on food—choose to spend just $26 more per month on fruit and vegetables, which translates into an additional 21 cents per person per day on fruit and vegetables. The small change in spending on fruit and vegetables may explain why many high-income households also fail to meet intake recommendations for fruit and vegetables, and suggests that income and prices are not likely the main factors behind the low consumption of fruit and vegetables among low-income households, as is commonly believed.
The dramatic increases in spending on food away from home and “other foods” suggest that, as income increases, U.S. households seek qualities such as taste, variety, convenience, and enjoyment. Whereas this may sometimes occur at the expense of greater nutritional value, this study is unable to look at changes in the nutritional value of diets in response to income increases.
What Global Food Spending Trends Can Be Observed?
If we compare average food spending of low-income countries with that of middle- and high-income countries, global trends emerge, some of which are comparable to those observed across income groups in the U.S.
As income increases across country groupings, consumers in those countries increase their food spending to purchase more calories, typically in more expensive forms. Per capita consumption averages 2,618 calories per day in low-income countries, 3,000 calories in middle-income countries (a 15-percent increase), and 3,348 calories in high-income countries (an 11-percent increase). Yet, food spending more than doubles from one country group to the next—from less than $200 per capita per year in low-income countries, to $440 in lower middle-income countries, to $914 in the upper middle-income countries, to $2,133 in high-income countries, which is 10 times higher than that of low-income countries—even as its share of income declines.
Lower income countries generally have diets that are high in starchy vegetable components (such as cereals or roots and tubers, which provide mostly carbohydrates) and low in animal products. Although the share of the food budget spent on cereals is similar (15 to 16 percent) across country groups, the contribution of cereals to overall calories decreases from 57 percent in low-income countries to 36 percent in high-income countries. This suggests that consumers in wealthier countries are substituting more expensive, higher quality, and value-added forms of cereals (breakfast cereals and baked goods) for the cheaper domestic staples (cornmeal or rice) to increase the quality, variety, and convenience of their diets.
Conversely, animal products, such as meat and dairy products, are considered a luxury in lower income countries due to their relatively high cost, compared with cereal products. While the meat and dairy food budget shares remain similar across country groups, 22 to 25 percent for meat and 10 to 12 percent for milk, their contribution to overall calories increases with rising income levels. Meat contributes just 4 percent to total calories in low-income countries, 7 and 11 percent in lower and upper middle-income countries, and 13 percent in high-income countries. Milk contributes 5 percent to total calories consumed in low-income countries versus 11 percent in high-income countries. The increased caloric contribution suggests that as income increases, consumers buy more animal products, thereby adding quality and variety to their diets.
The fact that rising incomes across countries bring large absolute increases in food spending but comparatively smaller increases in calorie consumption implies an increase in the cost per calorie. In low-income countries, 100 calories cost an average of 2 cents; the cost doubles to 4.2 cents in lower middle-income countries, doubles again to 8.3 cents in upper middle-income countries, and more than doubles to 17.4 cents in high-income countries.
There are many possible forces at work behind the rise in cost per calorie. Consumers could simply be buying more highly processed forms of food which may not necessarily be higher quality, just more expensive to produce. In this case, they are most likely looking for convenience. However, additional evidence, cited above, suggests that a country’s rise in cost per calorie—which occurs rapidly, at first, and then becomes more gradual—does reflect a demand for some combination of perceived quality (looks, sanitation, flavor, cultural preferences, perhaps even nutritional quality), variety, and convenience. Comparison of food budget shares and the calorie contributions of different food groups suggests that this increase in calorie cost is largely driven by a shift toward more expensive types of calories. Consumers are purchasing greater quantities of more costly foods, such as animal products in lower income countries, or organic produce in higher income countries. They are also buying more value-added forms of foods, and many are even spending money on zero-calorie items such as diet sodas.
In addition, foodservice sales data from Euromonitor International also substantiate a global trend of higher spending on food away from home as income increases. In 2005, annual expenditures on food service averaged $95 per capita in lower middle-income countries, $260 in upper middle-income countries, and $781 in high-income countries. Although the spending levels are lower in middle-income countries, the expenditure levels are growing very rapidly. In the fast food sector, sales have more than doubled in countries such as China and Indonesia, while developed countries such as Japan register slower growth rates of only 6 percent.
International Food Consumption Patterns Are Converging
Income growth, which is associated with increased demand for higher valued foods, is a primary force driving convergence in global diets. Consistent with Engel’s Law, for a given change in income, lower income consumers make bigger changes in food expenditures than do higher income consumers. For example, a 10-percent increase in income is estimated to increase meat expenditures by 1 percent for the average U.S. consumer, but 7 percent for a consumer in a middle-income country such as Thailand.
Larger income-induced changes in lower income countries drive the food consumption trend toward convergence. The term convergence implies a dynamic process—movement from different starting levels toward some common outcome. In the case of food consumption, the common outcome is some universal “ceiling” or “saturation” level of demand for a particular food or food group, which is achieved at high income levels. Convergence can be statistically estimated as the speed of food expenditure changes over time across countries. This speed varies considerably—growth in food expenditures between 1998 and 2005 was as low as 14 percent in Japan and more than 100 percent in Indonesia.
Regression analyses conducted on food expenditure changes point to a high degree of convergence between middle- and high-income countries, particularly for total food expenditures and meat expenditures. Although actual food spending levels are higher in wealthier countries, middle-income countries show faster growth in expenditures. Middle-income countries thus appear to be “catching up” to countries with higher expenditure levels, leading to convergence (low-income countries had to be excluded from this analysis due to lack of reliable data).
Globalization of the food industry, as measured by the expansion of multinational retail and food service chains, is also contributing to converging trends. The last decade has witnessed an unprecedented rise in standardized retail outlets such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and large discount stores in developing countries. For example, supermarkets accounted for 15 to 30 percent of national retail sales of food in Latin America before the 1980s, but 50 to 70 percent in 2001, registering in two decades the level of growth experienced in the U.S. in five decades. The food retail structure in Asia is undergoing similar rapid changes.
Similarly, Western-style restaurants and fast food chains are becoming more prevalent in middle-income countries, where increasingly urban and dual-income household demand for convenient food supports expansion of these outlets.
Whereas local tastes and diets typically determine what products are sold, consumer choices are also being influenced by products sold in these standardized retail and foodservice outlets, which are often owned by multinational companies operating in several countries. As a result, the evolving food delivery system is also contributing toward converging trends in global food consumption patterns.
Regression analysis confirmed converging trends in food delivery systems, as measured by sales from modern standardized retail outlets and the foodservice sector. Food sales through supermarkets and fast food service outlets in middle-income countries are moving toward the levels found in high-income countries.
Convergence analysis also provides an estimate of the “half-life” of progress toward convergence (i.e., the number of years required for progress halfway toward the steady-state level when convergence is assumed to have been achieved). There is remarkable similarity in the half-life estimates—between 16 and 21 years for total food service, standardized retail outlets, and food/meat expenditures across country groupings. Convergence in fast food sales, with a half-life estimate of 9 years, appears to be occurring much more rapidly than for any other type of expenditure. This is not surprising, given that, in the U.S., among all food categories, spending on food away from home showed the largest response to increases in income.
In summary, income growth and globalization of the food retail and foodservice industry are giving rise to increasingly similar food consumption patterns across the world. Food consumption patterns of middle- and high-income countries, as indicated by their food spending across different food types over time, are converging. The expansion of Western-style retail and foodservice outlets is modernizing the food marketing sector in developing countries. At the current rate, ERS estimates that in about 20 years, food purchases in middle-income countries through Western-style grocery stores will approach 50 percent of the level of the sales in higher income countries. Convergence in the foodservice sector is moving faster, with expenditures in middle-income countries expected to reach 50 percent of the level of high-income countries within a decade. However, given ERS research showing that the foods U.S. consumers choose to eat away from home, on average, are higher in calories but lower in nutrients than foods eaten at home, these trends have important implications for obesity and health in developing countries.
Analysis Required Data From Several Sources
Data for the U.S. are from the 2004-05 Consumer Expenditure Survey conducted by the Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for four-person households, using the 14-day diary of expenditures.
International data for 2006 were available from Euromonitor International for 67 countries, grouped according to income using the World Bank classification: low-income countries (4); low middle-income countries (20); high middle-income countries (17); and high-income countries (26). Extensive data are more readily available for developed countries, which skewed the sample toward the higher income group.
Euromonitor data on per capita food expenditures include spending on foods and beverages from grocery stores, but not spending on alcohol or foodservice institutions, such as restaurants and fast foods. Aggregate spending is divided by the country’s population to provide per capita spending.
Per capita calorie data were obtained from FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization. International data are not directly comparable to the U.S. data presented here, which include spending for both food at home and food away from home; and only four-person households, which, because of economies of scale, typically spend less per person than smaller households.
Data for convergence analysis were also obtained from Euromonitor International. Since the coverage of countries for historical data (1998-2005) on sales from retail and foodservice outlets were limited, this analysis only used data for 47 high- and middle-income countries.
Income and Diet Differences Greatly Affect Food Spending Around the Globe, Economic Research Service, December 1996, FoodReview, Vol. 19, Issue 3.
Processed Food Trade Pressured by Evolving Global Supply Chains, Economic Research Service, February 2005, in Amber Waves, Vol. 3, No.1.
Food Markets & Prices, by Hayden Stewart and Eliana Zeballos , USDA, Economic Research Service, March 2023


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Amazon: Navigating the holiday season and expanding services
Holiday Return Policy Sparks Mixed Reactions: Amazon US has unveiled its return policy for the 2023 holiday season. Purchases made between November 1 and December 31, 2023, can be returned until January 31, 2024, while Apple products have a deadline of January 15, 2024. While this policy eases the return window for sellers, some argue it’s unfair, especially for high-value items.
Amazon SEND Launches in the US and Australia: Amazon’s cross-border carrier solution, Amazon SEND, is now live in the US and Australia. This service, which facilitates shipments from China to Amazon warehouses in destination countries, offers promotional benefits for new US sellers, including a $200 logistics discount.
Shopify: Tapping into the B2B market
Shopify Markets Pro Welcomes B2B Merchants: Shopify has enhanced its Markets Pro feature, enabling B2B sellers to efficiently manage orders, including shipping and returns. However, it’s worth noting that Markets Pro still doesn’t support B2B orders directly, requiring merchants to handle such orders independently.
Others: Innovations and market shifts
YouTube Introduces Shopping Enhancements: YouTube is rolling out new shopping features, including time-stamped product links in longer videos. Early tests in the US showed that viewers clicked on time-stamped product links twice as often as non-time-stamped ones. Additionally, creators can now bulk-add product links across their video library.
Digital Freight Company Convoy Ceases Operations: Convoy, a major US digital freight platform, announced its shutdown on October 19, canceling all orders and laying off most of its staff. Despite the halt in operations, bankruptcy hasn’t been declared, and the company is exploring strategic alternatives.
TikTok Ranks Second in Global App Downloads: In Q3 2023, TikTok was surpassed by Threads, a new social media app by Meta, in global app downloads. Despite this, TikTok continues to lead in user spending and maintains steady growth in monthly active users.
Wish Highlights Power Buyers: Wish released data on its “Power Buyers” – users who are highly active and spend more on the platform. Most of these users hail from Europe (26%) and the US (23%), with American Power Buyers contributing the most to Wish’s Gross Merchandise Value (GMV).


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Digital money transfer service MoneyGram (NASDAQ: MGI) announced on Wednesday it has teamed up with cryptocurrency cash exchange Coinme to expand access to bitcoin. According to Moneygram, the partnership will enable the cash funding and payout of digital currency purchases, as well as sales.
“The partnership will bring bitcoin to thousands of new point-of-sale locations in the U.S., with plans to expand to select international markets in the second half of 2021.”
MoneyGram also claimed that the collaboration with Coinme will provide a “fast and easy way” for customers to purchase bitcoin with cash and withdraw bitcoin holdings in cash. Neil Bergquist, Coinme CEO, spoke about the partnership by stating:
“By integrating its global infrastructure with our licensed crypto exchange technology, we can enable the purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies across its system using cash. This is a major milestone for the bitcoin and cryptocurrency communities, and for the millions of people who will benefit from a trusted, easy and affordable onramp to digital currency.”
MoneyGram went on to add the service will be available at select MoneyGram locations starting in the U.S. in the coming weeks. Additional countries and cryptocurrencies will be made available shortly thereafter.
MoneyGram describes itself as a global provider of innovative money transfer services and is recognized worldwide as a financial connection to friends and family. The company offers person-to-person money transfer and payment services in more than 200 countries and territories through a global network of approximately 350,000 locations, working with retailers, international post offices, and banks.


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“For start-ups, market disruption is a compliment — phrases like ‘changing the game,’ and ‘revolutionising the hospitality industry’ are thrown around conferences and news articles as markers of accomplishment.
But restaurateurs believe that when this disruption goes as far as to disrupt the normal competitive functioning of an economy — built on the principles of demand and supply — then such an intervention is “unethical.” [one of the restaurant owners, on Restaurant’s Logout campaign / via].
Should startups disrupt the food chain (i.e. kill everyone and become the boss of the mafia, which attracts massive valuation and branding premium)
Try to fit-in (and make the entire food chain efficient and a win-win for all)?


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Wind: 7 mph S
It's time to check in again on Katniss Everdeen and the rest of The Hunger Games bunch in, The Hunger Games:Mockingjay Part 1.
Gone Country Bar is hosting a tribute concert to fallen police officer Justin Winebrenner this Saturday, (tomorrow night) 11/22 with the Buck Naked Band (3 members of Buck Naked are police officers and 1 is Justin's former partner). There is no cover, but donations in any amount are being ac [ ... ]
Meet our sweet Ricky … Do not make the mistake of overlooking dogs who have been at the shelter for a long time. They are just as worthy of a home as any other dog there, and deserve a chance to show how GREAT they are! Ricky has been at the shelter since July! He is very anxious [ ... ]
Beyond The Lights is out, and is one of the most surprising movies of the year.
As we move closer to holiday shopping time, the list of new movies coming to your DVD store or streaming service is growing. This week there is something for everyone.
Halloween candy seems to be everywhere...here are a few tips to cut the amount of Halloween candy you eat.
According to a study, you should keep empty wrappers in plain sight while eating your Halloween candy.
Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, said that study participants ate almost half as many Halloween candies when they kept the wrappers in sight.
"Having a visual reminder of how much they ate, keeps you honest and eating less," Wansink said. "Your stomach can't count but your eyes can when they seen the empty wrappers."
Wansink also advised that instead of putting out a bowl of Halloween candy on an office desk at work or at home next to the sofa, it should be placed across the room because people will eat less if they have to get up and walk.


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Coronavirus impact: Piaggio donates over 11,000 ration kits to auto driver families
Piaggio Vehicles Pvt Ltd has distributed over 11,000 ration kits to auto drivers and each kit can feed a family for two months. The kits consisted of face masks, soaps, sanitisers and dry ration for the average requirement of a family with four members. Piaggio also distributed similar ration kits in April to around 1000 migrant workers in Pune and Baramati.
The company provided PPE and also installed a sanitisation infrastructure at Pune's Sassoon Government hospital. It also developed an isolation centre at Baramati Government Hospital. The company has also considered the existing owners of their products and extended the warranty and free service period by two months, this helped all those customers who could not avail these services because of the lockdown.
Diego Graffi, MD and CEO of Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. said, "In these exceptionally difficult times we stand with the auto driver & transport worker community to provide our relentless support. They are facing difficulties in this unprecedented COVID-19 situation. We had earlier announced an extension of the warranty for all our 3-wheeler customers and have now decided to support the most needy households of this community by taking care of their basic food security for a period of 2 months. Our dealers are also partnering with us and supporting us voluntarily in this distribution to reach out to the underprivileged drivers & their families. This is an unparalleled crisis that needs cooperation and support from all of us as a community and as a socially responsible organisation we are going to keep doing the best we can do for the driver community".


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Looking forward to latest and eye-catching mobile technologies? 2015 has everything for you as this year a lot of mobile technologies will be introduced. Go through this blog and see what 2015 holds for you.
Here, we are in the third month of the year, and people can’t take their eyes-off as a lot of innovative mobile technologies are introducing one-by-one. Across the world, techies are eagerly waiting for upcoming Wi-Fi standards, updated UE design, Google Glass, Apple iWatch and more.
2015 has a lot of innovative mobile technologies that will surely make you stun. For mobile technologies, 2015 could be a successful year, but it is not easy to estimate that how these products can change the business and consumer world.
Therefore, we have listed 2015’s most attractive Mobile technologies that you should not miss to check-out, so you can go through it and check highly anticipated mobile technologies that are gracing this year:
Whenever any tech discussion goes on, the name of Google Glass surely comes into everyone’s mind. Currently, the product is going through an extremely rigorous testing, and it has only been released in the US market, and it is set to be released in other regions of the country by mid 2015.
However, the capabilities of this innovative glass described as the best due to mind numbing. It will be completely fun-loving to see all the businesses incorporating it into their daily processes. You can picture a smart device that places the web and various smartphone dead center in your view as you can view the world.
Apple Still has not confirmed the exact release date of Apple iWatch, but it’s slated for release sometime in spring next year. For all the busy users, who want the smooth device and industry growing power of the iPhone in a flexible smartwatch, Apple’s iWatch is perfect for them.
Although, competitors have their own particular smart watches, having access to all iPhone features in a great wrist watch. Businesses everywhere are going to be pleased with having smart-phone capabilities to their wrists as the possibilities are quite probable.
Advanced UE Design:
We all know that some of the best mobile applications provide a great user experience – attained by some techniques and methodologies like quiet and simple” design or “playful and casual” interfaces.
A lot of designers are there, who are working on making applications that take into account some mobile challenges like partial user attention, interruption and some others that feature a particular “wow” factor, augmented reality for instance.
Upcoming Wi-Fi Standards:
One of the best things that is coming this year is new Wi-Fi standards. Standards like 11ad, 802.11ac and 11ah will increase the performance of Wi-Fi in the coming year and make it a good selection of telemetry apps along with equipping Wi-Fi with new services.
In the upcoming years, Wi-Fi infrastructures will need to shoulder more demands as various Wi-Fi devices are implemented in entities, cellular transfer becomes more mainstream. Apps like location sensing need denser access-point installations.
As we all know that HTML5 currently airs a lot of security and implementation risks, but it is only necessary that as HTML5 matures over time along with its tools. As it matures, the popularity of its hybrid and mobile web applications increases. Apart from these challenges, HTML5 development will be a highly required technology that is especially useful for businesses providing applications across several platforms.
When it comes to LTE’s successor LTE (Long Term Evolution) Advanced, it is a cellular technology, which boosts spectral efficiency and has the capability to push cell phone networks to speak down-link speeds of nearly 1Gbps with reduced latency. If you are one of those mobile users, who always desire for bandwidth, LTE-A is the answer as the device comes with new features like LTE Broadcast that allows network operators to begin offering new services.
High-Imprecision Location Sensing:
Being a capable enough to provide contextual and relevant information and services to particular individuals, needs the location information to even a few meters. Applications that can pinpoint your actual indoor location are using technologies like ultrasonic beacons, geomagnetic, imaging and Wi-Fi.
Day-by-day, the use of wireless beacons has been increasing constantly specially with the new Bluetooth Smart standard. In a short period of time, technologies like smart lighting are likely to be in the limelight. Indoor location will boost to another generation of highly personalized services.
Thus, above mentioned impressive mobile technologies will soon land in the market, so techies should make themselves ready for these high-end technologies.


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Director Augustine Frizzell Wants to Make ‘Stoned Alone’ an “Emotionally Well-Balanced Christmas Film” [Exclusive]
Posted on Tuesday, August 7th, 2018 by Jack Giroux
The recently announced Home Alone riff, Stoned Alone, is in good hands with director Augustine Frizzell. Frizzell’s feature directorial debut debut, Never Goin’ Back, is an acclaimed and wonderful A24 release that should raise expectations for 20th Century Fox’s R-rated, Ryan Reynolds-led stoner comedy. Frizzell recently told us about the importance of the Christmas classic, making a holiday stoner comedy with some heart, and more.
Below, read what the director had to say about her Home Alone riff.


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AOL has announced a new international leadership team, as it looks to re-shape the business in the wake of an “extraordinary” period of mergers and acquisitions.
The company was acquired by US telecoms giant Verizon in June, before itself signing a 10-year advertising partnership with Microsoft covering nine markets, and then acquiring Millennial Media last month.
The goal? To be “the most important media technology business in the world”.
In pursuit of this aim, AOL has appointed four former Microsoft Advertising heads to lead its operations in the markets where the merger gives it a significant boost in scale and talent.
Markus Frank, Christina Lundari, Raul de la Cruz and Marcos Swarowsky will head up the newly-integrated operations in Germany, Italy, Spain and Brazil respectively, while an announcement is expected soon about its French business.
In Japan, ex-Microsoft boss Hirotaka Sakashita will report into Hanazaki Shigeharu, CEO of AOL Platforms Japan, while Hamish Nicklin continues to head up the UK business, with Stuart Flint as commercial director.
“Operationally it has been a big lift. Everybody has an enormous sense of enthusiasm around the possibilities”
In the international team, Phil Duffield – who joined AOL in 2013 as part of its acquisition of Adap.tv – becomes head of international demand, overseeing all sales revenue on a programmatic and IO basis.
Reporting into Duffield, Penny Harris becomes head of multinational sales, with AOL looking to compete with the likes of Google and Facebook with a bolstered multi-market sales operation.
Elsewhere, Henk Van Niekerk becomes be head of publisher services, international, and will be responsible from bringing AOL and Millennial Media’s respective publisher services teams under one roof.
Jo Bury has been appointed head of international business development, and Donna Hindson, previously marketing director for Microsoft Advertising UK, becomes international head of field and channel marketing.
Speaking exclusively to M&M Global, Graham Moysey (pictured, above), head of AOL International, admitted it had been an “extraordinarily busy” time – but claims advertisers will be won over by the newly “supercharged” AOL.
Here is what Moysey had to say about the Verizon, Microsoft and Millennial Media deals, and AOL’s opportunity to cement its place as a “top three” global digital media player.
Moysey on… the Verizon deal
“The biggest piece to fall was the Verizon acquisition. It really was testament to the tools that AOL has built up over the six years Tim [Armstrong] has been running it. Verizon was our largest advertiser, and got an opportunity to work very closely with us and look under the hood as we rolled out a more comprehensive programmatic platform. It discovered that AOL is very tightly aligned with the areas they are focused on, namely content and technology media tools.”
On… the Microsoft partnership
“It immediately changes the scope and scale of the offering that AOL has. We not only bring on board an enormous amount of inventory globally, we also immediately become a number three player in most of those markets, and number three globally.
“We’ve taken on a huge amount of talent through that partnership, so it has given us enhanced footprints in markets like Germany, Spain and Italy – where we had existing operations, but we’ve now buttressed those businesses.”
On… the Millennial Media acquisition
“This is exciting from the perspective of talent. Not as many folks are coming over as with Microsoft, but a significant amount from a lot of our strategic markets. The UK will serve as a hub for EMEA, and Singapore as a hub for APAC. From a product perspective, AOL has had a slight blind spot in terms of inventory and sophistication in mobile, so we’re really excited about the Millennial offering.”
On… building a new-look international team
“Operationally it has been a big lift. Everybody has an enormous sense of enthusiasm around the possibilities. From my perspective, I’m seeing huge energy levels. There is risk there, but the positivity and enthusiasm is by far outweighing it.
“If you’re a sales person, or a product person, or a marketer, I think the idea of being able to expand your portfolio and emerge the other side [more skilled] is a huge opportunity. Overwhelmingly, clients and agency partners are encouraging the integration, and that helps people to stay really positive.”
On… AOL’s future
“Right now, I don’t see AOL as a brand going anywhere. It has 100% brand recall globally. Our responsibility is to make sure the composite parts of that brand continue to perform well, and then there will be a positive halo effect.
“It’s about delivery – delighting our consumers from an engagement perspective, and also our customers from an advertising solutions perspective. And, to be frank, I think the brand takes care of itself.
“We have very lofty ambitions around being one global media company – that as a mission statement is ambitious, and really motivates the staff.”


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Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Oculus, is reportedly planning to launch 4 recent virtual reality (VR) headsets by 2024.
The primary is the Project Cambria headset, a more powerful device than its current Quest device, which is able to launch in September. A new edition of it would then are available 2024.
The primary version of the headset will reportedly cost above $799, based on a Meta spokesperson quoted by The Information. Features include high-resolution image quality for typing emails or code inside a virtual reality environment.
The headsets will run Meta’s Android OS and be as possible as a low-end laptop, however the important point of the headset could be that it’s capable of do full-colour passthrough that may allow it to perform mixed reality experiences.
The 2 other headsets will are available 2023 and 2024, but details about these will not be yet clear.
In addition to the virtual reality headsets, Meta can also be set to release Nazare AR glasses in 2024 alongside a less expensive pair called Hypernova.
This will likely be paired with a wrist band that reads the stimulus sent from the brain to the hand with a purpose to control the user interface through thoughts, based on technology Meta bought from a startup called CTRL-Labs.
Nazare will reportedly work while not having to be connected to a smartphone, while Hypernova will pair with a smartphone for messages and notifications. Latest AR glasses could then are available 2026 with a 3rd pair in 2028.
The primary pair of glasses are expected to come back with 3D graphics and a big field of view but could possibly be heavy – weighing as much as 100 grams.
Meta didn’t reply to a request for comment from The Independent before time of publication.
Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has been clear about his ambitions for augmented reality and smart glasses, reportedly calling them a “holy grail” device that may “redefine our relationship with technology”.
One former worker told The Verge that “Zuck’s ego is intertwined with [the glasses]” and that he “wants it to be an iPhone moment.”
The corporate, and Mr Zuckerberg, hopes that augmented reality devices will release it from the influence of Apple and Google – but doesn’t foresee high sales. Reportedly, sales are expected within the low tens of hundreds.


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Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India ( HMSI) will soon introduce two new editions of the Navi - Chrome and Adventure in India soon. It is expected that the company might launch the two new editions later this year. The company showcased the crossover concept at the 2016 Auto Expo and the Navi was offered in three variants- Street, Adventure and off-road. The Honda Navi has been designed and developed by the company's R & D unit and is offered with various customisation options.
The company has customised the new editions of the Navi and the Adventure edition receives a windscreen at the front, motorcycle hand guards, luggage box, crash guard and dual tone seat covers. The Navi Chrome edition with all black paint colour receives features such as head lamp protector and a crash guard along with chrome bits on the body. The two new Navi editions Adventure and Chrome will carry the same engine as in the current Navi, a 109.19 cc, 4-stroke engine with Honda's HET( Honda Eco Technology), which is capable of delivering 8 hp of power and 8.96 Nm of torque.
Honda launched the Navi in 2016 priced at Rs 39,500, ex-showroom, Delhi. The Adventure and Chrome editions will command a slight premium over the standard variant and the Navi Adventure is expected to cost approximately Rs 46,000, while the Navi Chrome might be priced at Rs 43,000, both ex-showroom, Delhi.


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Comment from Hargreaves Lansdown’s Susannah Streeter on the threat of inflation to financial markets
Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, says:
“The spectre of soaring inflation is once again hovering over London’s financial markets. Soaring gas prices are threatening to ignite fresh failures in the energy sector and worsen the supply chain crisis.
Worries have pushed the FTSE 100 even further away from the psychologically important 7,000 mark. A winter of discontent could be looming, as the shortage of labour across the UK intensifies, while the country also grapples with rising covid infection rates. With recovery stuttering, while prices rise, it’s feared the lethargy of stagflation could emerge upon an unstable economic footing.
China’s strong arm approach to business, now being flexed over the mining industry is also creating nervousness, after Beijing said it might use tools to stabilise red hot commodity prices. Anglo American, Rio Tinto, Antofagasta and Glencore were among the biggest FTSE 100 fallers in early trade.
There are also lingering worries about Evergrande the Chinese property conglomerate given the continued freefall in its shares, and concerns are mounting that it could collapse, which would reverberate right across the industry.
In the UK, it is energy firms teetering on the brink and although business minister Kwasi Kwarteng is attempting to reassure consumers and businesses that gas supplies will continue uninterrupted if another supplier falls, it’s clear the situation is near crisis point.
High global demand for gas as a transition energy source as coal plants close has pushed up global demand, but output hasn’t increased given the need to meet carbon emission targets. Maintenance issues at some sites and lower solar and wind output have been poured into an already volatile mix, causing fresh spikes in prices.
Already there has been knock on effect on food supplies due to the shortage of CO2, causing yet more problems for an industry already reeling from port delays and driver shortages. Warnings have been coming thick and fast and the latest missile has been thrown by Confederation of British Industry. The CBI has said labour shortages will be an inflation driver if they don’t come hand in hand with an increase in output and wants rule changes for more workers to come from overseas to plug the emergency gap.
On the FTSE 250, JD Wetherspoon and The Restaurant Group were among the biggest fallers in early trade. Both hospitality groups are likely to be hit hard by looming hospitality shortages and expected food price inflation which are likely to eat into margins.
This is all unpalatable food for thought for the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, meeting this week. For months members have been singing from the same song sheet underlining that higher prices should be transitory. But with producer price inflation soaring, shipping costs showing little sign of cooling, commodity prices heating up, and job vacancies tipping one million, there is a growing chance that higher prices will stick around for longer. If they do, more members may move quickly to vote for a rate rise sooner than expected next year, but it would be an unpopular course of action with looming tax rises already hard to digest for many consumers. The HL investor confidence survey showed that confidence that interest rates are going to be higher has risen this month, across short & long term, with two thirds of investors now expecting a rate rise within a year.”


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HTC Desire X: Turbo Android phone on sale now!
Last month, we got hands on with the HTC Desire X, HTC’s new mid-range Android smartphone packing Android 4.0 and a slick new design. Now, we’re happy to report, it’s gone on sale in the UK for the first time. But just how much will it set you back?
As of right now, you can order the HTC Desire X SIM-free or on contract. Both Clove and Unlocked Mobiles are stocking the new smartphone, priced up at £228 and £217.98 respectively. Considering you’re getting a sharp four-inch screen and a dual-core processor for your money, that’s not a bad bargain at all.
On the contract side of things, we’re seeing the HTC Desire X starting at just £13.50 per month with no upfront cost on O2, with unlimited texts, 50 minutes of calls and 100MB of data.
All in all, the HTC Desire X is shaping up to be an impressive effort for those who’d prefer something slightly less oversized than a Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and a lot less expensive than the iPhone 5. We’ll bring you a full HTC Desire X review in due course so stay tuned.


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Gametraders has listed its top 10 pre-order titles for the last half of 2009.
The Marketing Manager for Gametraders, Chad Polley said, “We are very excited about the remainder of 2009 – the first half of the year certainly had some quality new releases including Sims 3, Infamous, Street Fighter IV and Prototype which is now being backed up by an even stronger second half line up of quality titles. “
“We expect the range of and quality of these upcoming titles to have broad appeal and will certainly help drive sales across the industry” added Polley.
Below are the most anticipated Top 10 Pre-Order titles:
- Xbox 360 – Halo 3 ODST
- Multi Format – FIFA 10
- Multi Format – Assassins Creed 2
- PC – Starcraft 2
- Multi Format – Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
- Multi Format – DJ Hero
- Wii – New Super Mario Bros
- Xbox 360 – Forza Motorsport 3
- Multi Format – Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympics
- PSP – Final Fantasy Dissidia


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Boycotting Chinese products in India has been a recent thing in the country. On the other hand the sales of Chinese smartphones and consumer electronics brands are increasing rapidly. This is ironic but the Sales of Chinese companies during the sale on Amazon and Flipkart have doubled compared to sales earlier this year. In fact there were some products that went out of stock.
One Plus India said that Amazon has confirmed that the recently launched One Plus Nord smartphone was the best-selling phone during the Amazon Prime Day Sale 2020 held on August 6-7. A Realme India spokesperson said that sales of smartphones have increased during the sale. Gross merchandise value (GMV) is expected to do more than 400 million business.
During the Amazon sale, the company said that Real Me’s wired earphones were the best sellers and all work from home products were also sold well. According to the tweet by Xiami India chief Manu Kumar Jain, the company’s four smartphone models have been sold in large numbers, not only that the smartphones were out of sale in seconds / minutes. According to Jain, some models had their stock finished less than 15 seconds after it started selling.


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EghtesadOnline: Caretaker of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran says exporters who hire commercial cards have abused loopholes in export rules and incur extra costs on export formalities.
EghtesadOnline: Trade between Iran and EU member states during the first half of 2019 stood at €2.56 billion to register a 76.01% plunge compared with last year’s corresponding period.
EghtesadOnline: The Central Bank of Iran has obliged importers who use subsidized currency to sell their goods via a transparent distribution network, according to a CBI official.
EghtesadOnline: Local banks saw a significant rise in the volume of bounced checks during the last calendar month ending July 22, according to the latest reports published on the Central Bank of Iran website.
EghtesadOnline: In a letter to President Hassan Rouhani, private sector representatives have called on government to give more authority to the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran with regard to issuing export guarantees, according to the EGFI chief.
EghtesadOnline: In a report on the misuse of the National Development Fund of Iran, the Majlis Research Center says a large part of the sovereign wealth fund has been used in sectors outside the purview of the fund.
EghtesadOnline: Head of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture says lopping off zeros from the national currency will not produce the desired results unless the initiative is intertwined with structural reforms.
EghtesadOnline: Traditionally influenced by domestic currency rates, Iran’s gold market has moved away and taken a different route since the past week amid soaring prices in global markets.
EghtesadOnline: After a 2-day delay, the first phase of using fuel cards at the filling stations commenced on Tuesday (August 13) in four mega cities, namely Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan and Tabriz.
EghtesadOnline: Tax will be levied on products that cause environmental damage in their manufacture or use, an official with the Iranian National Tax Administration said.


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That Guerrilla Games, the creators of the middling Killzone franchise for PlayStation, are working on a brand new IP for the PlayStation 4 is well known- multiple job listings, alongside leaks which have shown that they seem to be working on what looks like an action RPG featuring dinosaurs (no, really) means that it’s a bit of an open secret at this point.
There were many people who expected the IP to be officially announced at the PlayStation Experience event that Sony held last weekend; however, there was nary a sign of it, and while many took to asking Guerrilla Games about their new game, they refused to talk about it at all.
Their exact quote, and I am not kidding about this, was, ‘Absolutely not,’ in reference to discussing their new project. [ At 28:00 minutes in the video above]
Which is… well, I mean, at least they are honest about it. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage and information.
Share Your Thoughts Below (Always follow our comments policy!)


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A MELBOURNE investor has lined up a tidy earner in a central High St, Belmont shop with a new four-year lease.
The buyer secured the 83sq m commercial building after a short two-week campaign, Darcy Jarman, Geelong West agent Simon Jarman said.
“That was on the market for $339,000 and we sold it close to that figure,” Mr Jarman said.
“Which worked out to be a 5.1 per cent yield for the purchaser, who was an investor out of Melbourne,” he said.
Shop 4/108 High St, Belmont is located between Mt Pleasant Rd and Regent St with common off-street customer car parking.
A longstanding tenant signed a new four-year lease in February.
More from news
THE lack of a tenant meant that agents had to secure an owner-occupier for a 268sq m Newtown freehold near Kardinia Park.
Darcy Jarman, Geelong West agent Simon Jarman said the Commercial 1 shop at 356 La Trobe Tce, Newtown, was initially offered at auction late last year, but sold last month to a Melbourne-based owner occupier for an undisclosed price.
“We sold it to an owner occupier looking to open up their business in the property,” Mr Jarman said.
“We had good interest since we auctioned it last year but because it was vacant we had to fund an owner occupier looking to buyer,
“Given there was no tenant, investors didn’t look at it seriously,” he said.
The shop has three street frontages and a building with 160sq m of retail floorspace.
A CENTRAL Lara property which presents as a development opportunity has sold after a two-week campaign.
Colliers International, Geelong agent Ben Young handled the sale at 23 Clover St, Lara.
Mr Young said the property sold for circa $350,000.
The 897sq m block is zoned Commercial 2 and has a 100sq m shed at the rear.
It is located in an industrial estate close to the Lara train station and near the suburb’s main Centreway shopping centre.


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After turning skilled in September 2017, Connor will put on adidas headwear, attire and footwear
BASINGSTOKE, HANTS (4TH Oct, 2017) – adidas Golf, an trade chief in efficiency attire and footwear, at this time introduced the signing of Scottish golf skilled Connor Syme. Connor’s deal will embrace adidas headwear, attire and footwear and now turns into the most recent member of the adidas Golf roster of athletes.
Connor has loved a profitable novice profession each as a person and representing Scotland. He had a really sturdy novice profession together with serving to GB&I elevate the Jacques Leglise Trophy in 2013. Along with many workforce successes, Connor reached the semi-finals of The Novice Championship in 2014, received the Australian Novice Championship in 2016, and reached the quarter finals of The US Novice in 2017. He additionally certified to play in The Open Championship in 2017 and rounded off a terrific novice report by being chosen for the forty sixth Walker Cup matches the place he put in a stellar efficiency in opposition to the U.S. workforce. He completed his novice profession within the prime 10 on this planet rankings.
I’m completely honored to be becoming a member of the adidas household. I’ve beloved the model all my life and was proud to put on the 3-Stripes while enjoying for Scottish Golf. The plans adidas Golf has for the model on this new chapter may be very thrilling and I can not wait to put on the brand new TOUR360 shoe I’ve heard a lot about.
– Connor Syme
Connor was awarded Scottish Novice Golfer of the Yr for 2017 and started his skilled profession in nice fashion by ending tied for twelfth at The Portugal Masters in September, top-of-the-line debut performances lately on The European Tour. Connor tees up this week at The Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship.
Connor has a shiny future forward of him following what has undoubtedly been a outstanding novice profession. He makes a terrific addition to our already stellar roster of athletes and we’re excited to work collectively as his profession unfolds.
– Tim McNulty, international sports activities advertising director, adidas Golf
This signing sees Connor be a part of an already spectacular steady of pros together with world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, reigning Masters Champion Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Jon Rahm and 2017 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Yr Xander Schauffele.


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Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) has re-launched its 'one-stop-shop' freedom camping website in a bid to encourage responsible camping.
The website provides information about freedom camping including where travellers can camp, the rules and regulations in different regions, and tips.
The relaunch follows the government's announcement of $8.5 million in funding for freedom camping management last week, which included earmarked funding for camping sites in tourist hotspots.
TIA chief executive Chris Roberts said freedomcamping.org was a valuable investment teaching visitors how to be respectful and safe while travelling.
"Campers are an important sector of the New Zealand's tourism industry. They travel widely through the country, tend to stay a long time and spend money on a wide range of goods and services," Mr Roberts said.
Freedom campers were likely to also use commercial operators for part of their stay, he said.
While the information was already out there, Mr Roberts said the website made it easier to access.
"One of the big challenges is that the rules are different as you move from one council area to the next around the country," he said.
"There's no easy answers for someone travelling around the country on what they can do and where they can do it."
That's where the website was expected to step in.
"We have a vested interest in making sure that they are well-equipped to enjoy the classic Kiwi camping experience, while respecting our natural environment and host community," Mr Roberts said.
"The website re-launch is one step towards managing freedom camping in a way that benefits everyone."
It's a Responsible Camping Forum initiative produced alongside the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust.


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PARIS, Oct 1 (Reuters) – If art imitates life, then life is
an oversized quilted Chanel purse mounted on a wall – at least
That was the impression made on Tuesday at Chanel’s
Spring/Summer 2014 Paris ready-to-wear show, where the runway
was decked out as an art gallery filled with contemporary art
installations featuring the luxury brand’s products and logo.
PARIS, Sept 30 (Reuters) – Transparent fabrics, fluid shapes
and a smattering of daisies took to the runway at Stella
McCartney’s ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris on Monday, as
the British designer sought inspiration in easy, airy looks for
McCartney is known for an understated approach, and her
Spring/Summer 2014 collection unveiled in the ornate setting of
the Opera Garnier for Paris Fashion Week did not waver from
PARIS, Sept 27 (Reuters) – A colourful yet eerie pleasure
garden greeted guests to the Dior fashion show in
Paris on Friday, as artistic director Raf Simons introduced “a
new tribe of flower women” to the ready-to-wear scene.
For Dior’s spring/summer 2014 show at Paris fashion week,
Simons took inspiration from the interplay between the natural
and artificial worlds for his exploration of modernity that
featured asymmetrical shapes and loose silhouettes.
PARIS (Reuters) – Interpol issued a wanted persons alert at Kenya’s request on Thursday for Samantha Lewthwaite, a British citizen dubbed the “White Widow”, without mentioning any suspected role in the Nairobi mall attack.
The international police agency’s so-called “red alert” notice said Lewthwaite, 29, is wanted by Kenya on charges of possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit a felony dating back to December 2011.
PARIS, Sept 9 (Reuters) – In “the prettiest dining room in
Paris,” hidden behind gilded glass doors at the opulent Le
Meurice hotel, Michelin-starred French chef Alain Ducasse is not
interested in spectacle.
As Ducasse and his head chef, Christophe Saintagne, launch a
new menu that eschews over-worked, over-decorated and overly
pretentious food, understatement is even the order of the day in
the centrepieces – an heirloom tomato set atop a copper mold.
“I am French,” explains the young man in the YouTube video carrying a Kalashnikov and wearing a kufiya cotton headdress as he sits in front of a waving black-and-white flag of al Qaeda.
PARIS (Reuters) – “I am French,” explains the young man in the YouTube video carrying a Kalashnikov and wearing a kufiya cotton headdress as he sits in front of a waving black-and-white flag of al Qaeda.
“Oh my Muslim brothers in France, Europe and in the whole world, Jihad in Syria is obligatory,” says the fair-skinned youth with sandy hair, wispy beard and southern French accent, imploring viewers to join him and his younger brother in Syria.
PARIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – France said on Sunday it could not act alone against Syria after the United States stepped back from the brink, making Paris the last remaining top ally in the Western coalition to hesitate over punishing President Bashar al-Assad.
After President Barack Obama delayed an imminent strike by deciding to consult Congress and the British parliament vetoed any involvement, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault is to discuss with senior lawmakers on Monday how to respond to allegations chemical weapons attacks were launched by Assad.
PARIS, Aug 27 (Reuters) – France’s top administrative court
lifted a sales freeze on Mercedes vehicles on Tuesday, dealing a
blow to the government in a bitter row over German carmaker
Daimler’s use of a banned chemical.
In a temporary injunction ordering the resumption of
Mercedes registrations within two days, the Conseil d’Etat
voiced “serious doubt” over the legality of the two-month freeze
affecting several key models.
PARIS (Reuters) – French limbless swimmer Philippe Croizon spoke of his huge relief on Tuesday after his stolen custom-made wheelchair was found dumped in a parking lot.
Croizon, a quadruple amputee famed for swimming the English Channel, said a bus driver had called him to say he had handed it over to police.


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Despite the challenges posed by the rising second wave of the COVID pandemic, the Indian Railways has outshined itself by closing the year with record freight loading and earnings.
In the closing month of this fiscal year 2020-21, Indian Railways surpassed the previous year’s loading that is 1224.45 million tonnes (MT) compared to last year’s 1205.04 million tonnes (MT) which shows the growth of 2%. The earning of Indian Railways for this fiscal year stood at INR 16634.9 crores from freight loading compared to last year’s earning INR 113477.9 crores which sees the growth of 3%.
For the Month of March 2021, the Indian Railways’ loading showcased a growth of 24% as compared to last year. The loading for this year was 122.19 MT compared to last year’s loading for the same month was 98.76 MT. Furthermore, Indian Railways showcased a similar trend in its earnings from freight loading which also grew by 24%. Railways earned INR12137.22 crores from freight loading compared to last year’s earnings for the same month (INR 9806.09 crores).
On day-to-day basis, as on 31st March, 2021 (morning), the freight loading of Indian Railways was 3.24 million tonnes, which is 35% higher compare to last year’s loading for the same date (2.4 million tonnes). On this date, Indian Railways earned 364.92 crores which is also 53% higher compared to last year’s earnings for the same date (239.14 crores).
The steady growth in freight loading and earnings shown by the Indian Railways despite the many challenges put in by Covid are a result of the continuous effort put in by the Railways in turning the pandemic into opportunity.
Offering of concessions/discounts in Indian Railways are among the factors attributed to this achievement.
It may be noted that improvements in freight movements will be institutionalised and incorporated in the upcoming zero-based time table.


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In the current crypto landscape, industry giants Fidelity and BlackRock are vying for dominance in the race to launch spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs. Amidst this intense competition, a newcomer, Alex The Doge (ALEX), is making significant strides by capitalizing on the positive market sentiment. Let’s delve deeper into this unfolding saga.
The Clash of Titans: Fidelity and BlackRock
Fidelity and BlackRock are established powerhouses in the financial world. Their move towards launching spot Bitcoin ETFs is evidence of their recognition of the burgeoning potential of cryptocurrencies. They understand that these digital assets can no longer be ignored as they continue to reshape our financial systems.
However, launching a spot Bitcoin ETF isn’t without its challenges. Regulatory hurdles have historically been a barrier for firms attempting to introduce such financial products. Yet, both Fidelity and BlackRock remain undeterred in their pursuit.
Alex The Doge (ALEX): A New Contender
While these industry giants battle it out, newcomer Alex The Doge (ALEX) is exploiting this opportunity to carve out its own niche in the crypto landscape. ALEX has been riding on the wave of positive market sentiment, rapidly gaining traction among investors.
Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies that focus solely on financial transactions, ALEX aims to foster a community-driven ecosystem where token holders can actively participate in decision-making processes via a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO).
Why ALEX Is Gaining Ground
One might wonder how ALEX is managing to gain ground amidst such fierce competition from industry giants like Fidelity and BlackRock. Part of its success can be attributed to its unique value proposition – fostering a community-driven approach that empowers its token holders with voting rights on various issues relating to the project’s development.
|Voting Rights for Token Holders
|Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO)
Moreover, as opposed to being just another digital asset with speculative value, ALEX aims at creating real-world utility by establishing partnerships with different brands and platforms where users can redeem their tokens.
Capitalizing on Positive Market Sentiment
The growing interest in cryptocurrencies has created an environment ripe for projects like Alex The Doge. As we witness industry giants like Fidelity and BlackRock showing faith in cryptocurrencies by venturing into spot Bitcoin ETFs, it fuels positive sentiment across the market.
This positive sentiment acts as a catalyst for new projects like Alex The Doge that are seeking to innovate within their niche space while offering something unique to their community.
As we navigate through this exciting period in the crypto landscape marked by intense competition among industry giants like Fidelity and BlackRock for spot Bitcoin ETFs, projects like Alex The Doge are seizing this opportunity to make their mark.
Innovative projects like Alex The Doge underline how blockchain technology extends beyond mere financial transactions – they symbolize an era where communities can come together through decentralized platforms and actively shape their collective futures.


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SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLES
April cheer: Utility vehicle sales surge 43%
The auto industry has reported its first month sales, with a surge in specially utility vehicles. The surge has been boosted by new launches.
Petrol SUVs clinch 13% of utility vehicle sales in FY16 in sharp contrast to 2% in FY12
Some industry executives said the trend started when ...


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The models which will go through the overhaul fall in the Dyna and Softail category
Earlier we had reported that the American leisure motorcycle brand – Harley-Davidson is experiencing dropping sales worldwide. We also added that the company have hopes from the 2018 lineup which will be much more advance. Now, we have acquired reports about the updates these motorcycles will go through. 2018 Harley-Davidson models lying in Dyna and Softail category will come with the all-new Milwaukee-Eight engines
Milwaukee-Eight is an engine which is developed by the blokes working at Harley-Davidson which has been implemented in some of the models till now. Combining the older mechanism, which includes 45-degree V-angle and pushrod valve actuation, with the modern technique, this new unit now has four valves per cylinder. This makes the engine more efficient as compared to older bikes which would earlier fall short on power.
The engine is divided into three categories which are codenamed as 107, 114 and 117 which come with the capacity of 1746cc, 1868cc and 1923cc, respectively. All these engines will be mounted by distributing them in various Softail and Dyna models across the Harley-Davidson portfolio.
2018 Harley-Davidson models won’t just get improvised on the engine but the handling will also be much better. Owing to the all-new frame and chassis, which reduces its weight by up to 16 kgs, and the new under-seat single shock, the handling of the 2018 Harley-Davidson models will improve considerably.
2018 is going to be the 115th Anniversary of the company since it has got incepted. To celebrate this, a range Anniversary editions will be out. This range includes Breakout S Anniversary, Fat Boy S Anniversary, Tri Glide Ultra Anniversary, Heritage Classic S Anniversary, CVO Ultra Limited Anniversary and Ultra Limited Anniversary.
We hope making these changes will help the iconic brand regain its position and the sales will hike worldwide. The entire lineup of 2018 Harley-Davidson models is expected to be unveiled by the end of this year and we wait for it eagerly.


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Mondelēz International to Present at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference
Source: Nasdaq GlobeNewswire / 24 May 2018 13:50:31 Europe/London
DEERFIELD, Ill., May 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mondelēz International today announced that Chairman and CEO Dirk Van de Put will speak at the Bernstein 34th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference on Thursday, May 31, 2018, at 10 a.m. EDT. A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available at https://cc.talkpoint.com/bern001/053018a_as/?entity=80_FN4FJTD.
About Mondelēz International
Mondelēz International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) is building the best snacking company in the world, with 2017 net revenues of approximately $26 billion. Creating more moments of joy in approximately 160 countries, Mondelēz International is a world leader in biscuits, chocolate, gum, candy and powdered beverages, featuring global Power Brands such as Oreo and belVita biscuits; Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka chocolate; and Trident gum. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor’s 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDLZ.
Contacts: Michael Mitchell (Media) +1 847 943 5678 firstname.lastname@example.org
Shep Dunlap (Investors) +1 847 943 5454 email@example.com


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Battlefield 1943 is here and it looks like Electronic Arts was a little unprepared for its reception. When the game went live on Xbox Live Arcade yesterday its servers were almost immediately overloaded due to the massive amount of people trying to play. The result was many folks were unable to join the fun. EA is actively working to fix the problem, though, on both XBLA and the PlayStation Network.
On the game's official UK forums, a DICE (the developer) team member writes: "Good News, the game is incredibly successful beyond even my expectations. We have reached server capacity, but the bad news about this now some people can't join unless someone leaves. But don't worry, we are adding more servers ASAP to Xbox and in preparation PS3 that should start going up ASAP with priority on Xbox 360.
"We have also isolated the issue and [are] improving until we have close to 0 packet loss."
DICE says it has the full support of EA to add as many servers as it takes and more to make sure everyone can play Battlefield 1943.


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For the past eighteen years, Marc Jacobs has corralled elaborately costumed fashion people around the eggnog bowl each December for his legendary holiday party. Thrown with a healthy dose of irony (as evidenced by Marc’s camel-toe, pigeon, and pig costumes from the past three years, pictured above), it’s probably the most fun fashion party of the year. This year’s “Rock and Roll Circus” party was scheduled to take place at the Rainbow Room on December 10. But yesterday Jacobs’s business partner, Robert Duffy, sent out an e-mail saying the party has been canceled because of the current economic climate. “It pains me as this has been a Marc Jacobs tradition for the past 18 years. Hopefully it will be reinstated next year,” Duffy wrote. Blasphemy! We guess it’s a shrewd business decision, but, Mr. Duffy, we would like to point out the economy didn’t stop Diesel from throwing giant “Rock and Roll Circus”–themed parties a few weeks ago in seventeen cities. And gleefully broadcasting them live to the world on the Internet. If the world needs anything right now, it’s the cheer derived from camel-toe costumes. And when people are cheery, they shop more and the stock market goes up or something, right? God, this news sucks. But hey — Obama won!
No Holiday: Marc Jacobs, Robert Duffy Nix Party [WWD]
Related: Marc Jacobs Themes Next Holiday Party ‘Rock and Roll Circus’


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Indiana companies landed at least $55 million in venture capital in 2015, according to a national survey released Friday, a three-year high that suggests venture interest in high-growth Hoosier businesses is on the rise.
Sixteen companies Hoosier secured $54.9 million in venture funding last year, according to The MoneyTree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association, based on data from Thomson Reuters. A 17th company, Keg Logistics LLC, is also on the list but didn't disclose its financing figure.
The 2015 sum tops the $49.8 million and $23.4 million landed in 2014 and 2013, respectively.
"The $55 million is a lagging indicator. The encouraging leading indicator is the number of very talented people in our state choosing to work in high-growth, early-stage businesses," said Mike Fitzgerald, a former ExactTarget executive who is a founding partner at venture studio High Alpha.
"We are seeing people who could work just about anywhere decide to jump in early and help grow a business. Venture investment has a way of finding and backing the most talented people, and I believe this bodes well for Indiana."
Venture investing activity was actually tens of millions of dollars higher in Indiana than MoneyTree figures indicate. For instance, software company MOBI, which helps enterprises manage mobile-device fleets, raised $35 million in equity capital for expansion efforts. High Alpha raised $35 million from well-known venture firms across the country to create and grow enterprise-software companies.
In the past, officials behind the MoneyTree survey said some investments are excluded based on its methodology.
For the companies that were on its list, IT-infrastructure company Scale Computing's had the biggest deal, raking in $18 million. Blue Pillar, which sells energy-management software, raised $14 million, and contextual marketing company SmarterHQ raised $8 million.


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After being launched in 2014, according to the report, the low cost smartphone initiative is not doing very well. In India, less than 1 million Android One handset have been sold in the country. The rumor said that because the low spec that the manufacturers offered to the users.
In Indonesia, the status of Android One project is not so different, eventhough it might be better than in India. One of the main problem for Evercoss One X, Nexian Journey 1, and Mito Impact A10 is that mostly they are focusing to sell at online stores. While the fact is, Indonesian users still prefers to go to phone shops, see and hold and play the demo units with their hands before buying the product.
But the slow selling of Android One doesn't make Google quit their campaign. According to Google, they will carefully identify their errors and taking steps to make it right.
Hopefully their Android Two will be so much better. A decent spec, good price, and availability on the market. Not only at online stores.


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Xiaomi patent shows a foldable phone similar to the Motorola Razr
Motorola, Samsung, Xiaomi and TCL are all making flip the new foldables
It looks like foldable phablets like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold are already passé. The new trend is for normal-sized smartphones that fold in half, and Xiaomi is already working on its own.
China’s National Intellectual Property Administration website shows it’s granted Xiaomi’s new foldable design patent, which was filed in August. Unlike Motorola’s new Razr, which has a notch and massive chin on the inside display, Xiaomi’s design shows a top bezel for front cameras and no chin at the bottom.


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30 years ago, everything began in a small garage in the middle of the Swabian Alps – with an idea and the courage to start something new. Rehm Thermal Systems is now a global enterprise, as well as a leader in technology and innovation in the thermal systems sector, particularly in the field of reflow soldering systems. The existing website has now been completely redeveloped in time for the company’s anniversary and has been designed to make it more modern and user-friendly, as well as easier to navigate. The new website will go online on 1 April – the same date as the company’s 30th anniversary. A countdown can be seen on the company’s current website.
The company will be celebrating its anniversary by hosting a technology days event at the company headquarters in Blaubeuren-Seißen. The event will be held on Wednesday 7 October and Thursday 8 October 2020. The technology days will be followed by an open day on Friday 9 October, at which guests who are interested in finding out more can visit the company’s premises, including the new building which will be completed in the coming months.
Also of interest:


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Metro Railway is in talks with banks for the introduction of ATM cards that would also work as smart cards, allowing people to take rides without purchasing tickets. This was announced by Metro general manager Vishwesh Chaubey at a seminar on ‘Future Cities’ organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Friday. Metro is also on its way to launch a mobile app that will allow phone users to purchase tickets and simply flash the screens at smart gates for rides.
“We are already holding talks with Axis Bank to develop something that will double up as an ATM card and can be used for entering Metro stations. We are also discussing the revenue-sharing model with the bank. Not only will such a card ensure efficient operations in the Metro network and help in getting rid of long queues at booking counters, but will also require fewer booking clerks, resulting in substantial cost-saving,” Chaubey said.
The Metro GM also highlighted efforts being made to maintain financial viability. These include revenue from advertisements, stalls, ATMs and food stalls at stations. Mobile service providers will also be allowed to set up communications equipment at stations. He also spoke of Kolkata’s population growth and the role of Metro to cope with the transportation problem that is likely to surface by 2030.
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Hyderabad: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has issued an order to freeze the bank balances, worth Rs. 64.67 crores, of Zanmai Lab Pvt. Ltd. which owns the popular cryptocurrency exchange WazirX.
WazirX actively assisted around 16 fintech companies, accused in the loan app scam, in laundering the proceeds of crime using the crypto route.
Loan app scam
ED is conducting a money-laundering investigation against a number of Indian NBFC companies and their fintech partners for predatory lending practices in violation of the RBI guidelines and for using tele-callers who misuse personal data and use abusive language to extort high interest rates from loan takers.
Various fintech companies backed by Chinese funds could not get NBFC license from RBI to conduct lending business. So, they signed MoUs with defunct NBFCs to piggyback on their licenses.
Fintech firms diverted funds through WazirX
After the criminal investigation began, many of these fintech apps shut shop and diverted the huge profits they earned. During a fund trail investigation, the ED found that a large amount of funds were diverted by the fintech companies to purchase crypto assets and launder them abroad. These companies and the virtual assets are untraceable at the moment, the ED said.
Summons were issued to the crypto exchanges. The maximum amount of funds were diverted to WazirX exchange and the crypto-assets purchased were diverted to unknown foreign wallets.
The case against WazirX
The ED found that Zanmai Labs Pvt. Ltd.—the company that owns WazirX crypto exchange—has created a web of agreements with Crowdfire Inc. (USA), Binance (Cayman Islands), and Zettai Pte Ltd. (Singapore) to obscure the ownership of the crypto exchange. Earlier, their managing director Nischal Shetty had claimed that WazirX is an Indian exchange that controls all the crypto-crypto and INR-crypto transactions and only has an IP and preferential agreement with Binance. But now, Zanmai claims that they are involved in only INR-crypto transactions, and all other transactions are done by Binance on WazirX.
WazirX works from a Cloud-based software (@AWS Mumbai), all employees work from home, and the registered office is a two-chair co-working Wework space. Also, all crypto-crypto transactions are controlled by Binance which also does not have any known office or employees and rarely responds to queries, the ED added.
According to the ED, despite giving repeated opportunities, WazirX failed to provide crypto transactions of suspect fintech app companies and reveal the KYC of the wallets. Most of the transactions were also not recorded on the blockchain.
WazirX said prior to July 2020, they did not even record the details of the bank account from which funds were coming into the exchange to purchase crypto assets. No physical address verification was done and the source of funds of their clients was not checked. No EDD was done and neither were STRs raised.
Following the non-cooperation of the WazirX director, a search was conducted on 3 August and it was found that the director, Sameer Mhatre, has complete remote access of the database of WazirX. Despite that he is not providing the details of the transactions relating to the crypto assets, the ED said.
It further said lax KYC norms, loose regulatory control of transactions between WazirX and Binance, non-recording of transactions on blockchains to save costs, and non-recording of the KYC of the opposite wallets has ensured that WazirX is unable to give any account for the missing crypto assets. Further, it has made no efforts to trace these crypto assets, the ED said.