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Mobile is the new Bank. The total value of payments made using mobile devices amounted to $503 billion in 2020. And now as we move to a fully connected society, the need for seamless payment integration and robust digital identity security to access the connected world is critical.
We gather senior leaders from MNOs, hardware and software manufacturers, brands and government officials from across the world who are actively looking for fintech solutions to streamline B2B and B2C processes, combat digital fraud and reduce the barriers to entering the metaverse.
The global fintech market is forecast to reach $190 billion by 2026 - we think, together with the connectivity market, it will grow even larger.
Financial technology is successfully competing with traditional financial methods to deliver better services. Whether you’re an established fintech company, or an ambitious startup – exhibiting here can help you connect with industry leaders and grow your business.
This is where fintech’s big names get bigger! In 2019, an exhibitor hosted an average of 60 meetings, rating them as excellent. And now you can connect with over 1,000 of the most recognisable brands. Get ready to unlock the value of exhibiting at the industry’s most influential connectivity event.
The GSMA’s Mark Callender discusses how the mobile industry and fintech are scaling and diversifying their respective offerings for further growth – and how MWC Barcelona is becoming the natural home of exploring innovation and disruption in fintech.
Nikolay Storonsky CEO and Founder of Revolut
“I am excited to share with Mobile World Congress 2021 how Revolut is preparing for the next step in our mission to build the first global financial super app – and what this will mean for consumers and businesses alike.”
Susan James RedHat
“There’s so many people here that have so many fantastic ideas, you’ll have the opportunity to process it over time and just the inspiration from so many different sources is just – I would say Unrivalled.”
Fintech is all about improving, innovating and evolving the financial industry. Explore some of our featured highlights and gain insights into the future of finance.
Covid has advanced the benefits of mobile, with subscribers growing to nearly 6 billion. While mobile networks are building a more connected future for all, how can we build networks fit for future purpose? Find out how mobile can remain the leading platform for future innovation in an ever-changing world.
The Covid-19 pandemic led to shifts in consumer behaviour, with a ‘new norm’ of purchasing from home rather than in-person. This session explores use case examples on the actions that have been taken by businesses in order to survive and thrive during changing times.
The GSMA’s Financial Services Community accelerates global collaboration and supports the vertical to address key challenges, leverage opportunities and learn new solutions from global markets. Network with like-minded participants and get involved!
This is the place for fintech innovators to showcase your vision and ambition to industry leaders and advance the union of financial services and information technology – as well as your business. Join us as we reconnect, reimagine, and reinvent.


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The company has unveiled a new dual camera solution that it says will bring features like bokeh-style depth refocusing and low-light shooting to “lower price mobile devices.”
The new system isn’t just hardware, it’s also software. Each image sensor captures different information, but it’s Samsung’s software algorithms that make it possible to stitch together a finished picture without relying on high-end hardware.
Samsung says its solution could bring dual cameras to entry-level and mid-range phones.
There’s a catch though: it sounds like you either get bokeh affects or low-light shooting, but not both.
Samsung will offer a 13MP + 5MP image sensor set that’s coupled with its refocusing algorithm for portrait mode-style depth effects. There’s also an 8MP + 8MP module that comes with the low light algorithm.

domain: news


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Ralph Lauren Flies, but Its Quarter Wasn’t All That
Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) jumped in early trading after the preppy clothing company reported better-than-expected earnings for its fiscal third quarter, reported Barron’s.
The firm reported $1.78 of earnings per share, beating expectations by 11 cents, according to the report. Revenue of $1.81 billion was better than the anticipated $1.75 billion. Lauren, now in its fourth fiscal quarter, said it foresees sales growth of 20 percent for its current fiscal year
Although shares gained 12 percent in early trading, analyst Brian Sozzi, chief strategist for NBG Productions, was not terribly impressed. He noted that the timing of the company’s expenses apparently accounted for part of the earnings beat.
“There were soft spots to the report that are at least warranting of a near-term reassessment on
the company’s valuation,” said Sozzi.
Here’s how shares of Ralph Lauren closed:
Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE:RL): RL shares recently traded at $171.49, up $14.42, or 9.18%. They have traded in a 52-week range of $105.11 to $164.55. Volume today was 5,736,544 shares versus a 3-month average volume of 979,739 shares. The company’s trailing P/E is 25.32, while trailing earnings are $6.77 per share.
To contact the reporter on this story: Gina Smith at firstname.lastname@example.org
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Damien Hoffman at email@example.com


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Lady Gaga launched her new Fame fragrance at Harrods Sunday night in the only way she knows how: with something daringly different adorning her body. The star prevented a long black dress from being disappointingly safe by wearing gold, claw-like rings on her hands. The gold and black theme is a nod to the... [more inside]
bottle of Lady Gaga’s first scent that sports the same colors and is the first ever black fragrance that becomes clear once it is sprayed onto the body. To work alongside the very unique gold claw the singer wore an auburn hairpiece and played down her make-up. While her outfit may not have caused controversy this time, her behavior certainly did.
The singer was booed at the launch after she failed to walk the full length of the specially-themed black carpet and greet the fans who had been waiting for up to four hours. However, competition winners were treated to a tea party with the star inside the store and dined on black macaroons. It’s unlikely this slip-up will harm sales of the scent, though, it’s believed to have sold six million bottles in its first week, making it the fastest selling fragrance after Coco Chanel. Fame clearly suits Lady Gaga well.


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The announcement last week from the European Commission that Apple would need to repay €13bn in unpaid tax was momentous. It should serve as a clear warning to multinational companies and national governments alike that we cannot carry with business as usual when it comes to aggressive tax avoidance and evasion.
In my view, and as I said at the time, the announcement was a watershed moment in our fight for tax justice. We had seen a couple of steps in the right direction, with state aid rulings involving Belgian brewer ABInBev and German chemical giant BASF, along with more significant findings against household names such as FIAT and Starbucks. But with Apple, a record ruling involving the most valuable company in world history felt like a game-changer: surely, now, significant changes were going to take place in boardrooms and governments around the world in their attitudes to fair taxation.
But two weeks on, little has changed. Coverage of the ruling has disintegrated into an anecdotal mention at the bottom of news articles promoting the latest advancement to the new iPhone. Gone is the outrage over Apple depriving Ireland of tax revenue equal to their entire annual health budget, replaced by outrage over them depriving consumers of their headphone jack.
Politicians gathered in Hangzhou this week to discuss global economic issues at the G20 summit, and you would expect the largest ever tax ruling and the associated public outrage would have forced tax avoidance and evasion to the top of the agenda. Allowing the world’s largest company to escape with a 0.05% tax rate at a time when people the world over are struggling through deprivation and austerity surely calls for meaningful action. This was an opportunity for the world’s 20 most powerful leaders to show that they understand public anger.
Instead, they offered us a few warm words. The same warm words, it turns out, that they offered us in 2013, 2014 and 2015. The ambition was appallingly low, and can basically be summarised as: “we will all work together to be a bit better”. No concrete action, no powerful statements, no plan.
Although at least the G20 leaders seemed content with the status quo, and offered some lip service about the need for change. Elsewhere, it feels like things are actually going backwards on the tax front. The Irish government have decided that they will challenge the Apple ruling and try by all means to not accept the €13bn in back taxes. And ahead of a crucial EU meeting in Bratislava, the Slovak government - currently heading the European Council - have been briefing out the need to be fairer on multinational companies - as if they’re the ones that are hard done by in all of this!
Some technology commentators have this week speculated that Apple’s sheer market influence can calmly walk through consumer disappointment at having to get wireless headphones, just as they did when they forced loyal customers to throw out their old chargers for a new slim-line port four years ago. But tax avoidance and evasion isn’t a gimmick, it can’t be a temporary outrage - it’s real and it severely affects people’s everyday lives.
We need to see genuine action along the lines that I called for in my European Parliament report almost one year ago. We need companies to report publicly on where they make their profit and where they pay their taxes; we need a blacklist of tax havens; and we need full transparency on who exactly owns what, when it comes to both companies and trusts. Those are the kind of things that finance ministers should be agreeing to at tomorrow’s meeting of European Finance Ministers – not trying to come up with a tax system that doesn't hurt Apple's feelings.


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DALLAS — Southwest Airlines Inc. has sued Chicago-based Orbitz, a new travel Web site backed by its major competitors, accusing it of providing incorrect information about Southwest's fares and flights.
Orbitz.com posts Southwest's published schedule and fares, but Southwest blocks it from selling the airline's tickets or displaying Southwest's online fares.
Southwest charged that Orbitz deceives consumers with its slogan that it offers "always the lowest fares," because Southwest said it often provides lower fares on its own Web site, southwest.com.
"We don't show their Web fares," Orbitz spokeswoman Carol Jouzaitis said Friday. "If we had them, we would show them. Southwest won't allow us to sell their fares."
"We want to display our lowest fares on our own Southwest.com site, which we have a significant investment in," said Ron Ricks, the airline's vice president of government affairs.


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At its inception, Oakland's Eat Real Festival consisted of two things: taco trucks and beer. The impetus, said founder Anya Fernald, was to promote healthy local food that didn't bust your wallet. A longtime farmworker activist, Fernald generally supports the "good food movement" that's spawned such luxuries as biodynamic farming and Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto. But it doesn't quite fit her personality. "I find the whole gauntlet of food and wine events really boring, expensive, and repetitive," she said. "The values don't speak my language." Eat Real marketing director Susan Coss couldn't agree more. "As the economy began tanking last year we were looking at the reality of how people ate, which was — and is — on the go," said Coss. They decided that if one had to eat quickly and cheaply, taco trucks provided a better, more nutritionally balanced option than vending machines or fast-food joints. And the beer? Well, it just seemed like a logical beverage of choice.
The idea percolated, and the organizers thought, wouldn't it be great to address issues of food accessibility on a much larger scale? Their newly expanded Eat Real Fest includes 49 vendors on wheels, each selling a healthy dish priced between $1 and $5. It took a lot of jiggering to keep the prices down given Fernald's requirement that each cheap eat contain at least one "sustainable" ingredient. But in the end, the Eat Real crew figured out how to cut costs, limit deep-fried foods, and still source everything as locally as possible. The concept of "vending on wheels" gets a lot of latitude at Eat Real, which will include two bona fide taco trucks and about 25 other trucks hawking everything from burgers to smoothies. The remaining food peddlers will use carts, bicycle baskets, tricycles — even a modified baby carriage. A nearby farmers' market will feature fresh produce, cheeses, and cookies, while the beer shed will supply more than forty local microbrews (eight tastings for $20). Additional entertainment includes the canning, foraging, and cooking-from-scratch demos; hand-churned ice cream; live music; food-themed outdoor cinema; and Friday's butchering contest, at which three teams get fifteen minutes to break down the hind quarter of a steer.
Fernald wants to grow the event and ultimately generate revenue for local food-justice nonprofits (half the proceeds of this year's fest will go to People's Grocery, La Cocina, and Community Alliance with Family Farmers). She hopes that of the 25,000 projected attendees, about 10 percent will get inspired to alter their dietary habits. "You don't have to change your whole life," she said. "You don't have to start growing your own mung beans." In fact, it boils down to simple, everyday decisions like whether to pack a bag lunch or eat at McDonald's. Or, for that matter, a taco truck. Eat Real runs Friday, Aug. 28 (4-9 p.m.), Saturday, Aug. 29 (10 a.m.-9 p.m.), & Sunday, Aug.30 (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) in Oakland's Jack London Square. EatRealFest.com
Culture Spy - April 20, 9:52 AM
Culture Spy - April 13, 12:18 PM
What the Fork - March 24, 10:21 AM


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Food prices in Spain have experienced a significant surge, rising by 30.8% in July 2021 compared to the same month in 2019, before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. This information was reported by El Mundo, citing data from analytics firm Funcas. In fact, the overall prices in Spain have more than doubled over the past two decades, with a surge of 54.4%. Specifically, food prices alone have experienced a staggering increase of 79.3% during the same period. This rise in prices has affected various products, including sugar, potatoes, rice, canned fruits, and confectionery, with price increases of 44.2%, 38.8%, 22%, 19.4%, and 18.2%, respectively.
Furthermore, data from Mintec highlights that olive oil in Spain has witnessed the highest price increase ever, jumping by 115% year-on-year. This surge in prices can be attributed to several factors, including soaring energy, fuel, and fertilizer prices, as well as a decrease in the supply of certain commodities in the global market, as stated by Funcas.
Moreover, the prolonged drought that Spain has been experiencing since last summer has also contributed to the rising food prices. These severe weather conditions have posed a threat to the global olive oil supply, resulting in price spikes across the world. Unfortunately, this trend is expected to continue in the coming months, with El Mundo reporting that overall inflation in Spain is projected to reach 5% by December.
The impact of the price surge in Spain goes beyond the local market. It has implications for Spain’s economy and the daily lives of its citizens. The sharp increase in food prices can affect households’ ability to afford essential products and contribute to a decline in living standards. The rising cost of living can also have consequences for the country’s economic stability and social well-being.
It is crucial for policymakers and relevant authorities in Spain to closely monitor the situation and take necessary measures to mitigate the effects of the price surge. This may involve implementing policies to address the factors driving the increase, such as finding ways to stabilize energy, fuel, and fertilizer prices. Additionally, efforts should be made to manage the impact of climate change and extreme weather conditions on agriculture and food production to ensure a steady supply of essential commodities.
In conclusion, the sharp increase in food prices in Spain has become a cause for concern, with prices soaring by 30.8% in July 2021 compared to 2019. This surge in prices has affected various products, and the inflationary trend is expected to continue in the coming months. To mitigate the impact on households and the broader economy, it is crucial for authorities to address the underlying factors driving the price surge and ensure the stability of essential supplies.


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When you take a sweet taste of chocolate do you consider how it is made? More importantly who works in the plantations? 43 per cent of the world’s cocoa is produced in the Ivory Coast of Africa. Those plantations enslave children to do the work.
In the Ivory Coast there is an estimated 10,000 child slaves. A total of 100,000 children work in the cocoa industry in the Ivory Coast. It’s difficult to identify how many are slaves as they labour beside their parents. Adding to the confusion on the number of slaves is the fact children in large numbers go to work in the plantations to escape the poverty of Mali. The Salvation Army’s anti-slavery co-ordination Captain Danielle Strickland says that it’s the responsibility of the chocolate manufacturers to make sure that their company is not using cocoa paste obtained by child slavery.
Nestle, Cadbury Schweppes and Mars Confectionery are all manufacturers that can not confirm if their chocolate is free trade. That Kit Kat bar that you enjoy may have cocoa paste harvested by a child slave.
“Given that Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) produces 43 per cent of the world’s cocoa you could say there is a 43 per cent chance your favourite chocolate bar has some beans produced by child slaves,” Strickland said. “There is no doubt the issue is complex, but if you are producing something you have a responsibility to find out what you are buying.”
US Congress drafted legislature in which the chocolate manufacturing industry agreed to a voluntary protocol to end abusive and forced child labour on cocoa farms by July 2005. Little though has changed.
“The cocoa companies trumpeted a few pilot programs, but continue to purchase and reap profits from child labour cocoa,” the US-based International Labor Rights Fund reports. “These child workers labour for long, punishing hours, using dangerous tools and facing frequent exposure to dangerous pesticides as they travel great distances in the gruelling heat. “Those who labour as slaves must also suffer frequent beatings and other cruel treatment.”
The Ivory Coast government has pledged to reform its cocoa sector by March 2008.
The only way to be sure that the chocolate that you enjoy is not made from these type of plantations is by looking at the label. If the chocolate doesn’t have a Fair trade label you may be adding to the problem without realizing it.


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Chevrolet Spark EV Priced Below $25k After $7,500 Federal Tax Credit
November 27, 2012 2:25 PM
comment(s) - last by
Spark EV will come with an 8-year/100,000 mile battery warranty
We've talked about
Chevrolet's Spark EV for quite some time
. Over the past year, numerous details have been revealed about the vehicle. Most recently, it was revealed that the vehicle's 130hp/400 lb-ft torque electric motor was good enough to
propel it to 60 mph in less than eight seconds
Today, we've learned that General Motors has priced the vehicle at "under $25,000" when tax credits are taken into account. In other words, we're expecting that the vehicle will actually priced at $32,495 before the $7,500 federal tax credit is applied.
For comparison, the
Ford Focus Electric
are priced at $35,200 and $39,995 respectively before the $7,500 federal tax credit kicks in. Depending on where you live, the Spark EV might also quality for
state tax credits/rebates
that would knock the price down even further.
According to GM, the Spark EV features a 560-pound lithium-ion battery pack that is warrantied for 8-years/100,000 miles. This should be enough to give peace of mind to customers who plan on keeping the vehicle for more than the typical 5-year loan period.
The Spark EV will also be the first vehicle that features SAE Combo DC Fast Charging capabilities. This allows the Spark EV to reach 80 percent of its charge within 20 minutes. Getting recharging times down to reasonable levels is a critical in the adoption of electric vehicles in the U.S. and this is a much needed step in that direction.
“The Spark EV battery has undergone more than 200,000 hours of testing in our global battery systems labs,” said Pamela Fletcher, Chevrolet executive chief engineer of electrified vehicles. “It is extremely durable and has undergone the same abuse tolerance testing as the Volt battery.”
GM still hasn't provided us details on how far the Spark EV will travel on a charge, but we expect to learn more details closer to its Summer 2013 launch.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
Yes sir, push those impractical vehicles
11/27/2012 5:56:05 PM
Ya gotta love the balls of the criminals in DC. They have no problem pissing away billions of tax payer dollars on pet projects that are impractical, unsustainable and often irrational.
Anyone who works and pays income taxes will be paying more to support these pipe-dreams even if you never buy one because you are subsidizing those who do buy these absurd forms of transportation.
Apparently it has not occured to anyone that there are no charging stations for these vehicles. Your tax dollars will pay for those also, to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. Then in 10 years all of this "tech" will be trash and thrown out and we'll start all over with more wasteful spending.
Until the criminals in DC are removed from office, this country is only going to continue to descend into Hell.
"If you mod me down, I will become more insightful than you can possibly imagine." -- Slashdot
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Minister says Brexit could lead to abolition of VAT on tourism: A senior cabinet minister has said the Brexit referendum vote could lead to a cut in the rate of VAT levied on tourism. John Whittingdale, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, speaking at a British Hospitality Association (BHA) summit in London said: “If we wanted, for example, to abolish VAT on accommodation or attractions, we could now do so. We couldn’t have done when we were in the European Union.” The remarks by the minister, who oversees tourism and hospitality in the UK, were warmly welcomed by representatives of businesses from across the UK industry. Whittingdale echoed remarks by Nick Varney, chairman of the BHA and chief executive of Merlin Entertainments, who said: “Tourism and leisure can continue to grow under Brexit. Initially a weaker pound will encourage visitors and also exports will flourish. We should seize the moment and lock in that competitive advantage with a permanent cut to VAT for accommodation and attractions, and possibly in the future also for restaurants.” He said once uncertainty had died down British tourists would feel encouraged to spend more in this country and visitors from Europe would be more likely to visit the UK. Varney is a leader of the Campaign to Cut Tourism VAT, which calls on the government to reduce the rate of tourism VAT from 20% to 5%. Across Europe, 31 different countries, both inside and outside the EU, already enjoy the benefits of a reduced rate of tourism VAT, meaning Britain is losing ground to competitors. The announcement is a boost to the campaign, which has already secured the support of 160 MPs across all parties and the support of the three devolved administrations across the UK. Tourism and hospitality accounts for 9.0% of the UK’s GDP, and is the sixth biggest export. The industry employs 10% of the UK’s workforce and has created one in five new jobs in the past five years.
Wagamama to launch first restaurant in France as part of multi-restaurant franchise deal: Wagamama will open its first restaurant in France later this year after signing a multi-restaurant franchise and development agreement with Cases Loisirs-owned company W Restaurants France. Visitors to the restaurant in Paris will be able to enjoy a variety of new and classic dishes from Wagamama’s menu, with the venue featuring an open kitchen and iconic canteen-style benches. Wagamama international managing director Brian Johnston said: “We are very excited to be working with W Restaurants France and Cases Loisirs to bring the Wagamama brand to France. We look forward to bringing our fresh, Japanese-inspired cuisine to even more diners, and will continue to reinforce positive eating by using fresh ingredients served in atmospheric surroundings.” Wagamama now operates more than 150 restaurants in 18 countries.
BrewDog unveils new profit share scheme: Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog has unveiled its new profit share scheme that is available to all employees. The company said any team member who signed up to its Unicorn Fund will receive a 10% share of profit that its part of the company makes. It has also added other new benefits, including enhanced maternity and paternity pay. The company stated: “We are going to share our profits with our teams. The Unicorn Fund (the name for our new profit share plan) is an amazing opportunity to share in the success we all work so hard to create. Any crew member who signs up will receive a share of 10% of profit that BrewDog makes. People who work at our brewery will share in the brewery profits and our bar teams will share the profits of the specific bar they work in, meaning our teams are empowered to act like business owners, and benefit like business owners too. Alongside this, our ‘people team’ have added a new series of staff benefits to our already awesome packages. With enhanced maternity, paternity and adoptive leave we are also offering childcare vouchers for crew members who have the next generation of craft beer fans at home. In addition, BrewDog staff can now get discounted membership on gyms, assistance with buying computer equipment and mobile phones and we’re also offering a fantastic bike scheme to help out those who would like a healthier, greener way to get to work. We are proud to be a company full of committed, enthusiastic and hard-working people, and these enhanced benefits fall on top of all the other perks of working for BrewDog; the fact that we are a living wage employer, offer private health insurance for full-time staff, enhanced pension contributions, discounts in our bars and online shop, fund staff to sit all levels of the Cicerone exam, and give a four-week paid sabbatical every five years to whoever would like it. We are doing all of this with a single thought in mind. To become the very best company in the world to work for. And then some.”
Greene King to roll-out Barrel & Stone pizza partnership to Pub Partners portfolio: Greene King will roll-out its partnership with pizza company Barrel & Stone to more venues in its Pub Partners portfolio. Currently, four Greene King Pub Partners venues offer Barrel & Stone-branded pizzas, with the partnership set to be rolled out to 12 more. As part of the arrangement, Barrel & Stone provides all kitchen equipment, including a stone-baked pizza oven, while Greene King licensees and staff can receive training and access to an online ordering portal. Greene King said a tie-up with Barrel & Stone at Local Hero pub the Rose and Crown in Tewin, Hertfordshire, led to sales of more than 3,000 pizzas in six months. Greene King Pub Partners managing director Clive Chesser said: “The option of partnering with Barrel & Stone has been well received by the pubs because of how easy the whole process is and the high quality of the products. With zero capital outlay, it is ideal for all types and sizes of kitchens. It’s a brilliant retail partnership we can only see growing further.” Barrel & Stone co-founder Russell Hardiman said: “Our offering is an excellent revenue booster to existing operations or as a standalone concept and we are incredibly happy with the results our existing partners have experienced.”
Joules Brewery doubles footprint with land purchase, secures Market Drayton presence: Joules Brewery has doubled its footprint after completing the purchase of a site next to its Market Drayton brewery, while securing its position in the Shropshire town. The brewery site is currently 1.5 acres, including 15th century inn The Red Lion and a bowling green. The newly acquired land is also about 1.5 acres. Joules managing director Steve Nuttall said: “This new site doubles our footprint and will allow Joules many options for the long term. As we are in the heart of an ancient town, our options for extending are very limited so this purchase future-proofs our continued presence in the town and our importance as a Shropshire brewer with access to the essential Market Drayton aquifer, our mineral water source.” Joules chairman Mark Heappey said: “We now have a site over three acres in the heart of the town with access to the high street. We are very much part of the fabric of the town.”
Brightonians celebrate as Luke Johnson puts the ‘Palace’ back in pier: Brightonians are celebrating after sector investor Luke Johnson, executive chairman of Brighton Pier Group, announced he is renaming the company’s recently acquired tourist attraction. Previous owners The Noble Organisation caused controversy in 2000 when it changed the Palace Pier name to Brighton Pier, a move many in the city and The National Piers Society refused to recognise. However in April, Johnson’s Eclectic Bar Group acquired the pier, with the company renaming itself Brighton Pier Group. Now Johnson will rename the pier itself as Brighton Palace Pier. General manager Anne Martin told The Argus: “We have always recognised and been grateful for the local support for the ‘Palace’ part of the name, so we decided to make the change. We kept the Brighton part in there as it’s so important, particularly with overseas advertising.” Martin said of Johnson: “He has lots of ideas and clearly loves the pier. He’s got a big picture of it hanging on his office wall, so he is very proud to be part of it. I think his greatest strength is he understands the business. He loves the history, heritage and quirkiness but can see opportunities to develop and change. He sees a great future for the pier, otherwise he wouldn’t have bought it. We are thinking of a Christmas market for local producers and there will be space for pop-up shops throughout the year.”


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“There are valuable opportunities for business and brand growth in strengthening our strategic focus on consumer preferences that are growing in momentum and driving purchasing choices, by delivering market-leading and innovative solutions to meet these needs, through our portfolio of loved billion-rand brands”, says Zayd Abrahams, chief marketing and strategy officer at Tiger Brands.
The Jungle Oats RTD range also meets the growing need amongst consumers for foods that are convenient and offer functional benefits such as heart and digestive wellness. A recent study by consumer research organisations, Kantar and Mintel, indicates that more than half of consumers would like their diet to help maintain health and wellbeing including brain function and immunity.
The study also concludes that close to 80% of South Africans value affordable foods made with natural ingredients.
“Jungle’s roots lie in the belief that health is wealth. One hundred and three years since the founding of the brand, we continue to build on the trust and love for Jungle by bringing to market products which serve our consumers’ needs for health and nutrition, affordability and quick and easy snacking,” adds Dumo Mfini, category managing director: Superfoods at Tiger Brands.
The Jungle Oat RTD range is a functional breakfast or snack with five flavours offering specific functional benefits:
A plant-based on-the-go snack, the Jungle Oat Drink range is said to be the only one of its kind in the local market.


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A new flagship Apple Store location in Los Angeles, Apple Tower Theatre, is nearing completion and will open to the public on June 24.
The Apple Tower Theatre store will be located in a historic theater in L.A.'s Broadway Theater District. When it opens, it'll be Apple's first retail location in Downtown L.A.
"Once a groundbreaking cinema, Apple Tower Theatre represents the creativity and innovation that both Los Angeles and Apple are known for," Apple said of the store. "The first Apple Store in downtown LA, this will be the place where you can discover new products, find inspiration, and let your creativity shine."
Apple has been renovating the Tower Theatre for several years now. Back in 2018, the company shared a mockup of what the interior could look like.
At the time, Apple said that the location will be in the "upper echelon" of Apple Stores and would be unlike anything else in the city. Part of the design could incorporate the theater's historical Renaissance Revival architecture, while incorporating new theatrical touches.
Apple also said that the brick-and-mortar store would host events meant to draw hundreds of people. The store would take advantage of L.A.'s role as a media and cultural center to host talks by experts in TV, movies, and music.
Originally built in 1927, the Tower Theatre itself was the first theater in the city to be wired for sound. It has long been unused and is only known as a local landmark in L.A.'s Broadway Theater District, which boasts about a dozen theaters.


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The Mass Effect 3 Wii U port isn’t done by BioWare, it’s handled by new Australian studio Straight Right. They’ve been working on Mass Effect 3 for the Wii U for a while now, and that’s not the only Wii U game they have in the pipeline for Nintendo’s new console. According to studio CEO Tom Crago, they’re working on two more Wii U projects. One is a brand new IP for the new console, while another is based on a “big franchise that will come out in 2013”. EA has several “big franchise” games coming out in 2013, the biggest of them will be Battlefield 4.
Regarding Mass Effect 3 on the Wii U, Crago said that the game has been in development for a year now, and will look just as good as its PS3 and Xbox 360 counterparts. Crago said that first and foremost, they didn’t want to “screw up” the original game. They focused on staying true to the original title, while trying to enhance it with the new Wii U technology and features found in the GamePad controller. The game is currently in the polishing stages, and will be a launch title later this year.
Check out the recent Mass Effect 3 Wii U gameplay video, showcasing some of the new GamePad features.
- Nintendo kicks off Paper Mario Color Splash a
- PS4 surpasses Wii U in lifetime sales in Japa
- Paper Mario Color Splash gets new story trail
- The original Pikmin is coming to Wii U eShop
TAGS: EA, mass effect 3, Nintendo, wii u


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According to a new study that was presented at the virtual meeting of the American society for nutrition, there are more than 25 percent of children and adolescents consumed calories "leer" and come from added sugar and fat. Among the main sources of empty calories, soft drinks and fruit drinks, biscuits, Pizza and ice cream.
In comparison to 2007/2008 to 2015/2016 has been observed a downward trend in the proportion of empty calories, which was mainly due to a decrease in sugar consumption from soft drinks and fruit drinks. Nevertheless, consumed by children and adolescents of all studied age groups, more than 25 percent of their energy from empty calories, the percentage increased with age. Older adolescents were empty calories especially from foods such as Pizza and sweet pastries, while they were drinks in younger children more fruit and Milk.
The scientists propose against the unhealthy diet measures, such as placement of nutrition knowledge on children and adolescents stronger marketing of healthier food, different product composition and a better access to healthy food in case of reduced availability of less healthy foods.
In a follow-up study, the researchers want to investigate how the most important energy and calorie sources differ according to family income, and whether the addition of fats and sugars in drinks affects the calorie intake in children and adolescents.


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Paychex profits, revenues up
- For the quarter ending Aug. 31%3A Revenues were %24666.8 million%2C up %2453.7 million or 9%25.
- Profits%3A %24171.3 million or 47 cents per share%2C up %248.5 million or 5%25.
- Stock%3A Closed Wednesday at %2443.88%2C up %241.47 or 3.5%25.
Profits up. Revenues up. Paychex Inc. started its fiscal year 2015 on a roll.
The Penfield-based back-office business services firm announced its latest quarterly earnings Wednesday. And for the three months ending Aug. 31, the company continued what has been a four-plus year trend of revenues and profits consistently up year over year.
"We're off to a good start in 2015," CEO Martin Mucci said in a conference call Wednesday.
Paychex's numbers also beat Wall Street expectations. The company had revenues of $666.8 million, roughly 8 percent more than Wall Street analysts had forecast. Its payroll business, which represents nearly two-thirds of its revenues, was up 4 percent. Its human resource services business was up 17 percent, as the company added clients and through new products.
The economics world often looks at companies like Paychex and its chief rival, ADP, as bellwethers of the economy. Paychex Chief Financial Officer Efrain Rivera said checks per payroll were up about 1 percent, indicating what the company has seen for the last several years — namely that small and midsized businesses are adding people, but relatively slowly.
However, Rivera said sales to newly formed businesses have been growing over the last few quarters. "It looks like you're getting better business formation," he said.
Added Mucci, "We're still not at the full new business creation we were pre-recession. It's certainly up, but it's not where it was."
After expenses, Paychex profits were up and beat Wall Street estimates by a penny per share.
"Management under Mucci's leadership is executing a solid game plan," said William Shaheen, head of Rochester wealth management firm Whitney & Co. "Despite weaker than anticipated jobs growth the company has been able to continue to grow revenue. Paychex has close to a monopoly situation as the small business provider of payroll services.
"Most small businesses do not like change for things like payroll providers as they are too busy with the daily operations to want to spend time changing service providers," Shaheen said. "Therefore, Paychex, as they have done recently, is able to raise prices to maintain margins and increase revenue. As long as the service provider provides quality service the customer will maintain loyalty.
"If the employment picture improves along with higher interest rates, the forecast becomes even better."


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Simplify3D and Dremel today announced a partnership between the companies to expand the printing capabilities of the popular 3D20, 3D40, and the new 3D45 Dremel 3D printers. This announcement comes shortly after the introduction of Simplify3D Version 4.0, which introduced a multitude of new features to the industry-leading software program.
Teams from Simplify3D and Dremel have been collaborating for months to optimize their combined hardware and software capabilities. Dremel, part of the $48 billion Bosch global manufacturing conglomerate, has been inspiring and empowering makers since 1932. Dremel 3D printers [LINK: https://digilab.dremel.com/products] are backed by a 1-year warranty and world-class support from Dremel Experts. The addition of powerful 3D printing software from Simplify3D further extends the capabilities of Dremel printers, making them an ideal choice for prosumers, businesses and education. “Users have been asking us for a slicing software that can take their 3D printing to the next level. With our new partnership and compatibility with Simplify3D, users can now do that.” – Satish Subramanian, Marketing Manager for Dremel DigiLab.
The Dremel-Simplify3D collaboration reflects that both companies are committed to delivering a great customer experience. Simplify3D provides one-click access to pre-configured settings that have been optimized for Dremel printers. For more extensive printing projects, Simplify3D offers a wide range of tools that provide greater control over the printing process. With more control, customers can improve the quality of their prints and tackle more complex projects.
Simplify3D offers unique features that are particularly important to Dremel customers in an education environment. Schools often purchase multiple types of 3D printers to expose students to different printing techniques. Simplify3D already supports over 400 different 3D printers, which means that schools can use a single consistent software interface to operate all their 3D printers. This allows students and teachers to simplify their workflow and focus on mastery of the 3D printing process.
The new compatibility of Dremel and Simplify3D allows prosumers, businesses and educators to expand their printing capability and improve the quality of their results. The compatibility is available immediately to all Simplify3D customers and Dremel 3D printer owners.


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The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV was officially unveiled all the way back in September 2022. Since then, General Motors has been relatively quiet regarding any updates of the upcoming all-electric crossover. However, GM recently confirmed that the production timeline of the Equinox EV is still on track.
According to GM’s Q1 2023 earnings report, the 2024 Equinox EV is still on track for a Fall 2023 launch. A limited-edition 2RS variant will be available first, and will be later followed by a slew of LT and RS trims.
Interestingly, even with the launch of the Equinox EV just on the horizon, General Motors has yet to take any reservations. That being said, dealerships are currently managing their own individual reservation lists.
As a reminder, the trim range of the 2024 Chevy Equinox EV will eventually consist of five trim levels, including the 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, 2RS, and 3RS. Range estimates will vary depending on trim level and configuration, ranging anywhere from 250 miles to 300 miles on a single charge. FWD is equipped as standard, while an eAWD configuration is available. Maximum output for FWD units – delivered via Ultium battery and Ultium Drive motor technologies – is rated at 210 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, eAWD units boast output figures of 290 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque.
Under the skin, the Equinox EV rides on the GM BEV3 platform, which it will share with the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV and 2023 Cadillac Lyriq. Production will kick off later this year at the GM Ramos Arizpe plant in Mexico. Pricing is expected to start around $30,000 for the base 1LT trim. In other GM EV-related news, production of the Chevy Bolt EV and Chevy Bolt EUV will end later this year.


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MANILA CITY – The News Source of Choice in the Philippines, The Manila Times conducted its multisectoral sustainability forum in partnership with InfiniVAN, Inc. on May 25, 2023 at Admiral Hotel M Gallery with the theme, “Encompassing Sustainability, Future-Proofing the Economy.”
The highlight of this event is productivity and sustainability among various industries in the Philippines mainly in tourism. The Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco was the keynote speaker who shared her insights on the current stand of the country’s tourism industry.
Sec. Frasco mentioned the department’s achievements and the seven goals she intends to accomplish, one of which is the cohesive and comprehensive digitalization and connectivity in the Philippines. This aligns to InfiniVAN’s Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) Project which aims to serve the underserved island and far-flung areas with fast and improved Internet connectivity.
Thus, by June 2023, 46 destinations out of 94 are expected to be powered up with faster and free connectivity – making the country more versatile and growth-oriented while promoting economic development.
Moreover, as presented by Sec. Frasco, Philippine Tourism can be the Tourism Powerhouse in Asia. Bringing the idea that more potential and opportunities are on its way. Furthermore, helpful perspectives are also discussed by industry experts focusing on sustainable development and productivity in nurturing the potentials of different sectors.
Overall, the Internet is a growing need for everyone, for every island. And developing it leads to the anchor of success and sustainability for the country.
InfiniVAN towards Internet of Islands achieving multi-cultural sustainability
InfiniVAN as an Internet provider that delivers 100% guaranteed speed and reliability in different market types, also paves its way to the betterment of connectivity in remote areas here in the Philippines through the PDSCN, the $150-million connectivity project with a total cable distance of 2,500+ kilometers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao aims to provide reliable fiber connection in previously unserved and underserved sites.
This will power up different organizations, regardless of business scale, who often face challenges in reaching wider markets, can now expand their businesses beyond their localities. InfiniVAN’s Internet of Islands in the form of the PDSCN enables them to tap into e-commerce platforms, showcase their unique products and services, and access a global customer base. It empowers local artisans, farmers, and craftsmen to grow economically, preserving our rich cultural heritage while embracing the opportunities of the digital age.
Thus, PDSCN also opens a stream of revenue opportunity for the local Cable TV Operators from different parts of the country by delivering them an effective and efficient Internet accessibility and connectivity.
InfiniVAN, Inc. is a Congressionally-franchised Philippine Telecom Company (R.A. 10898) and an affiliate of Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed IPS, Inc. (TSE: 4390).
About InfiniVAN, Inc.
InfiniVAN, Inc. provides a business Internet user experience that is at par with global standards, delivered via end-to-end Fiber Optic Network Infrastructure that is fully redundant and backed up by experienced and reliable management and technical support teams.
Mhiduel Navarro (0915) 534-2297 firstname.lastname@example.org


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Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) last week posted global retail sales growth for May of +18 per cent year on year, driven by strong results across key regions.
Models such as the Discovery Sport, XE and the F-Pace are all performing above expectations. It was the best May ever for the firm.
Across different markets, JLR sales were up 28 per cent year on year in China, 23 per cent in the UK and 24 per cent in Europe (so much for Brexiters' claims of Europe being a 'dead duck' - auto sales are growing strongly there). The US lagged with growth of "only" eight per cent.
The performance in China was especially interesting, with sales up to 9,300 units, with Land Rover up 29 per cent and Jaguar up 22 per cent. This is an impressive performance given the maturing automotive market in China and recent slow down there.
The ramping up of Discovery Sport production in China (the second model to be produced there after the Evoque) and the launch of the long-wheel base Jaguar XFL will boost JLR sales in China further.
The XFL caters for local tastes where business men and women with chauffeurs want more space to do office work in the car as they are driven around (and get stuck in monster Chinese traffic jams).
Globally, Jaguar retail sales were up 90 per cent to over 10,600 units driven by the XE small executive saloon that sold 3,100 units in May and the launch of the F-Pace crossover that sold a remarkable 3,000 units globally. The F-Pace is simply flying out of showrooms and is the 'must-have' premium crossover of the year.
When the F-Pace was launched, Jaguar design supremo Ian Callum said that boosting familiarity with the Jaguar brand was key in broadening the brand's growth: many people outside key European, North American and Asian markets simply aren't aware of the famous brand.
For this reason, the F-Pace shares a front-end family look with other Jaguar cars and takes many styling cues from the F-Type sports car.
People need to recognise Jaguars on the road first, Callum has said, if they’re to become familiar with the brand and, eventually, go out and buy one.
Overall, the XE and F-pace models accounted for close to a third of Jaguar's global sales for the month and is a very positive reflection on how good these new models are. Indeed, the waiting list for the F-Pace is over six months in some markets.
Other Jaguar models such as the XF, XJ and F-Type continued to see a sales decline of between nine per cent and 16 per cent. Overall, the strong growth in the new F-Pace and the XE models is likely to outweigh the underperforming models like the XJ and is thus likely to deliver continue growth for the Jaguar brand.
It also raises a question of where Jaguar should be going. The SUV/crossover market is set to expand rapidly in coming years around the world. Even in China, while car sales rose slowly at the back end of 2015, SUV sales have jumped.
JLR has been far too slow to get Jaguar into the crossover market (nearly 40 per cent of Audi sales are expected to be crossovers in the near future) and the F-Pace needs to be the first of a range of Jaguar crossover models of different sizes. Next out of the block should be a smaller E-Pace.
The key point is that the crossover charge should be a priority for Jaguar, with any new platforms being able to be used for sporty crossovers as well as luxury saloons (think of any new XJ saloon, for example).
Looking forward, JLR's new model cycle continues to look very promising. The new Discovery is expected to launch in the third quarter of JLR's next fiscal year and a new mid-size Range Rover model (rumoured to be called the 'Range Rover Velar' and based on the same underpinnings as the F-Pace) is expected in the quarter after that. Both should sell well, as should any new Jaguar E-Pace compact SUV (especially so given the ongoing shift towards smaller SUVs in cities).
So far this year, Jaguar has sold nearly 50,000 units, up 60 per cent on the same period in 2015, and this is only really a start for Jaguar which has for a long time underperformed in the JLR stable. It now has a raft of attractive models and more are needed.
Land Rover, of course, remains by far the dominant brand in the Jaguar Land Rover stable: 34,300 Land Rovers were sold in May, representing sales growth of six per cent. So far, though, this year, Land Rover volumes are up by 16 per cent, to 196,600 units, many being premium-priced SUVs bringing healthy margins to JLR.
JLR wants to release a raft of new or updated products over the next five years. The firm does not publicly discuss long-term sales goals but it’s thought to want to achieve at least one million in sales by 2020 - which would be about half the current annual volumes of BMW.
As I've noted before, what's important here is that the firm now has strengths across different markets and with its impressive product line up, can – probably for the first time in its history – cater to different tastes in different markets and can ride out shocks in different parts of the world.
There's no room for complacency, of course. Indeed, the Chinese slowdown last year in part stimulated the launch of an ambition cost reduction programme at the firm, called 'Leap 4.5'.
Overall, after a difficult period a year ago owing to the sharp slowdown in the Chinese premium auto market and the Tianjin Port explosion, Jaguar Land Rover is on a roll again.
* Professor David Bailey works at the Aston Business School


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Nintendo DS News
100 millionth Nintendo DS shipped
By Hector Cortez Mar 12, 2009, 17:06 GMT
Nintendo today announced that the 100 millionth Nintendo DS has been shipped to a distributor or a retailer as of March 6, 2009.
Nintendo today announced that the 100 millionth Nintendo DS has been shipped to a distributor or a retailer as of March 6, 2009. The combined total consists of Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi sales.
Original launched in late 2004, the system's dual screens, touch screen and voice-recognition capabilities revolutionized the gaming industry. Many were skeptical of Nintendo's plans, convinced that it would go the way of Nintendo's failed Virtual Boy. Fortunately for The Big N, gamers worldwide loved the system's unique gaming experiences and the rest, as they say, is history.
As of Dec. 31, 2008, there were 83 DS titles whose global shipment exceeded 1 million. Seven of these titles topped 10 million. New games like Nintendogs and Brain Age quicky climbed the sales charts, while traditional games like New Super Mario Bros. and Mario Kart DS showed why they're still relevant even after all these years.
The third iteration of the Nintendo DS hardware, Nintendo DSi, launches in the United States three and a half weeks from now on April 5. Nintendo DSi includes two cameras and the ability to record, manipulate and play sound files.


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In a speech by FCA chief executive Nikhil Rathi at UK FinTech Week, he said it was the regulator’s role to “secure the right balance between a financial sector that is globally competitive, works for consumers, and is secure over the long-term.
“Here, we are drawing on lessons from project innovate, which has shown that once authorised, [digital] firms continue to need higher levels of support from the regulator and, often, enhanced oversight.”
Currently, new technology firms are treated in the same way as those with a long track record. This move aims to culture closer communication post-authorisation to provide support and intervention where needed, said Rathi.
The FCA will also start to invite year-round applications for the sandbox, and introduce a consultative development scheme, which allows digital firms to evolve in step and with oversight from the regulator. So far, over 500 innovating firms have been supported by the regulator, around a third of those that applied, with 137 passing through the sandbox.
Of those, over half successfully completed their test and the regulator said those tests that did not go as planned, they provided intelligence about what works and what doesn’t, without risk to consumers or markets. The products include new ways to pay, insure and access advice and regulatory technology allowing firms to manage the compliance in the issuance of digital assets or deal with anti-money laundering requirements.
This work also informed the regulator’s decision to ban the sale of crypto derivatives to retail consumers because the majority lost money, despite significant price increases in the underlying assets.
Threat to regulate social media and search firms
Rathi said the regulator has already called for the government to better protect financial consumers online saying online search and social media firms need to take responsibility for ads promoting risky or fraudulent investments.
The regulator wants to reverse these firms’ exemptions from the financial promotions regime which expired when the UK left the EU.
“We see no reason why different standards should apply to a search engine or social media compared to a newspaper. If these platforms choose to display and profit from adverts for risky – and in some cases fraudulent – investments, they should also comply with financial promotions rules,” he said.
The regulator will act if these platforms fall short, he added.
Yesterday, the regulator also announced two key digital hires to lead its drive to “build a data-led regulator able to make fast and effective decisions”. Ian Alderton will shortly start as chief information officer and Ian Phoenix as director, intelligence and digital.
UK fintech has grown spectacularly with revenue rising to £11bn in 2019 – almost doubling in only four years and accounting for almost 10 per cent of the global total.
This morning, the Bank of England and the Treasury announced plans to set up a taskforce to explore the possibility of a central bank digital currency, according to the BBC.
The aim is to look at the risks and opportunities involved in creating a new kind of digital money, mirroring the value of sterling.
Issued by the Bank for use by households and businesses, it would exist alongside cash and bank deposits, rather than replacing them.


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2023 Nov, 20 Abu Dhabi, UAE
Abu Dhabi, UAE - EX-Sports, your all-in-one gaming and live content hub, is thrilled to announce an exclusive offer for its registered users: free exclusive access to the livestream of I-1GX World Muaythai Grand Extreme, on the 21st November 2023 from 19:30 - 23:30pm HKT. This special offer is available to all EX-Sports users who have a registered account, which is free to create..
Unlocking the access is as simple as downloading the EX-Sports app from the IOS App Store or Google Play Store, creating a profile, and then signing in at the time of the event.
Once the event starts, users just need to open the app, sign in, scroll down, and click on the livestream to start watching.
"EX-Sports is dedicated to enriching the sports journey for enthusiasts globally. Our unique livestream event represents one of the numerous initiatives we're undertaking to fulfill this commitment," announced Toli Makris, Chief Executive Officer of EX-Sports.
As a pioneering 360-degree sports tech company and fan engagement platform, EX Sports encompasses a digital collectibles marketplace, live streaming, gaming, and more. The company is committed to promoting niche sports through innovative technology, fostering connections between fans and athletes, and introducing new ways for engagement, revenue generation, and growth.


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Atrenne, a Celestica company, announced it has earned ISO 13485:2016 certification for medical device design.
Based in Brockton MA, Atrenne is a leader in designing, developing, and deploying industrial embedded computers. Achieving ISO 13485 certifies the company for the design of medical products including components, integrated assemblies and embedded computing platforms.
"ISO 13485 certification enables us to expand our expertise in systems design to help our global healthcare customers deliver products at the highest levels of quality and demonstrate full regulatory compliance," said Chris Boutilier, President and CEO. "We have been serving customers in highly-regulated markets for almost 50 years, and are excited that we can now apply our commitment to quality and rigor to help medical device companies overcome design challenges and meet the high demand for their products."
Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007
Nolan Johnson recently spoke with Duane Benson at Milwaukee Electronics and Screaming Circuits. Duane was pointing out a trend in moving designs into production, which he termed “revise or wait.” This excerpt provides a preview of our exploration of similar topics involving supply chain issues, lead times, and proceeding forward despite the supply challenges.
I-Connect007 Editorial Team
In a recent conversation with Ventec’s Alun Morgan, the I-Connect007 Editorial Team discussed, among several topics, semiconductor packaging developments. Industry insiders will know that, when you get Happy Holden and Alun Morgan talking about emerging technology trends, there will be insights shared.
Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007
At SMTA Dallas, Andy Shaughnessy stopped by the booth for The Test Connection, to find out from Bert Horner why the company has evolved into spending more time educating and consulting with their customers when it comes to testing new designs.


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More Elk Creek critical minerals, alloys
Metal Tech News – May 31, 2023
Last updated 5/30/2023 at 3:10pm
NioCorp looks at using Elk Creek scandium in Al-Sc alloys; increased niobium, titanium recoveries could boost economics of future mine.
From the launch of a project aimed at producing incredibly strong and lightweight aluminum-scandium alloys, to significantly improving the recovery of niobium and titanium, NioCorp Developments Ltd. has released a flurry of promising new developments t...


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WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) - Consumers felt a little better this month than last about their current and future financial situation, the University of Michigan reported Friday.
The researchers' monthly measure of consumer sentiment improved in early December to 85.8 from 83.9 for November.
This was the third consecutive monthly increase, following a plunge in September as the nation absorbed the tragedy of the terror attacks.
The current conditions index stood at 95.9 in December compared to 95.3 last month, the group said.
Meanwhile, consumer expectations improved as well, registering a reading at 79.3 versus 76.6 in November.
"Consumers evaluations of current economic conditions have remained largely unchanged since September," said Richard Curtin, director of the university's consumer research center. "Indeed, consumers' expectations of the current state of the economy remain as negative as ever recorded."
The researchers will release a revised figure for December at the end of the month.
"This index has been in disagreement with the Conference Board's consumer confidence index, which has continued to decline," noted economists at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray.
A separate report issued today raises the risk that job cuts could continue to sour consumer attitudes.
The unemployment rate rose to 5.7 percent in November, the Labor Department said Friday, as a larger-than-expected 331,000 jobs were lost that month. The jobless rate is at its highest since August 1995, when it also reached 5.7 percent. Economists expected the rate at 5.6 percent after a reading of 5.4 percent in October. Get the full story.
"The [consumer sentiment] outlook index is much more important because it is forward-looking and it clearly signals people believe the worst is over," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist with High Frequency Economics.
He added that the stock market's gains are helping to improve consumer sentiment, which still remains below levels seen before Sept. 11.
The vast majority of consumers expect conditions to improve in the coming months, but about half expect the economy to remain weak throughout 2002. Confidence in the government's ability to reduce unemployment has tumbled from 47 percent in October to 35 percent in December.


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You are here
The Award Winning Commerce Platform - Drupal Commerce
We are delighted to share the news that our partners Commerce Guys, creators of Drupal Commerce, have won the grand prize at this year E-Commerce Awards for Kickstart 2.0 and a host of other accolades.
- The grand prize at the E-commerce Awards 2013, the largest event in Europe dedicated to eCommerce and cross-channel distribution.
- The gold prize in the technology category of the E-Commerce Awards 2013.
- The gold prize for best new electronic commerce solution software product at The American Business Awards, also known as the Stevies.
- The bronze prize for best new product or service of the year at The International Business Awards, the International Stevies.
“Our expertise lies in providing online merchants with the powerful, responsive and innovative eCommerce solutions that they need. These recognitions are just another testament to our goal of meeting the necessities of modern e-retailers.”
said Frédéric Plais, CEO of Commerce Guys.
About Commerce Guys
Featured in Gartner Inc.’s Cool Vendors in E-Commerce 2012 and 2013 reports, Commerce Guys is the creator of Drupal Commerce, one of the fastest growing eCommerce solutions with over 30,000 active sites worldwide. Drupal Commerce is a revolutionary software integrating commerce, content and community to create engaging Web experiences that bring e-retailers more traffic to drive more commerce.
iKOS and Commerce Guys
Almost four years ago Ryan Szrama (VP Community Development for Commerce Guys) invited Richard Jones (iKOS' Technical Director) to Paris for the inaugural Drupal Commerce sprint. Richard joined by Nick Abbott and Glynn Reid headed to Paris for a day and ended up staying for three; such was the energy and momentum.
As Richard recalls
This was a crucial time for iKOS in terms of eCommerce as we were about to ditch Uber Cart and were actively seeking alternative technologies
We were loathed to look outside Drupal as even then we believed that Commerce should be transactional layer built around Drupal's core principles and not separate from Content and Community.
Today we couldn't be prouder of being part of such a thriving community and seeing Commerce Guys realising the vision that we were so privileged to witness the birth of.


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The new iOS 7 beta rolled out by Apple on Monday contains significant evidence to support the speculation that the next-generation iPhone, expected to be named the iPhone 5S, will have a fingerprint sensor built-in to the Home button.
A folder called "BiometricKitUI.axb" was spotted in the fourth beta of iOS 7 beta by Hazma Sood, along with an accompanying text string describing an image of "a person holding an iPhone with their right hand while touching the Home button with their thumb." A second image has the same description, but the person holding the iPhone in the opposite hand.
In addition, also described in the text is an image of "a fingerprint that changes colour during the setup process." This will be accompanied by a status indicator that will tell the user when the recognition process is complete.
A fingerprint sensor could be used to help improve the security of the iPhone to allow safer mobile payments. It could also be used in conjunction with Apple's Passbook app.
This is not the first we've heard about the possibility of a fingerprint sensor in the next iPhone. Last year, Apple bought AuthenTec, a company that specialises in security systems such as fingerprint scanners, which sparked speculation about the introduction of such technology in future iOS devices.
An Apple job listing in April also hinted that the company is working on fingerprint sensors for an upcoming device.
Numerous reports have suggested that the introduction of a fingerprint sensor could contribute to delays expected to plague the iPhone 5S. Trusted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has said that the technology, which is expected to be built underneath the Home button, poses multiple technical challenges for Apple.


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U.S. Construction Spending Inches Higher In March
(RTTNews) - A report released by the Commerce Department on Monday showed a modest increase in U.S. construction spending in the month of March.
The Commerce Department said construction spending inched up by 0.1 percent to an annual rate or $1.731 trillion in March after rising by 0.5 percent to a revised rate of $1.729 trillion in March. Economists had expected construction spending to increase by 0.7 percent.
The uptick in total construction spending came as spending on private construction rose by 0.2 percent to an annual rate of $1.380 trillion.
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Spending on educational construction slid by 0.8 percent to a rate of $80.3 billion, while spending on highway construction fell by 0.4 percent to a rate of $103.1 billion.
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The Bank of Japan started its two-day policy meeting Thursday, with policymakers expected to keep intact its ultra-loose monetary policy to beat deflation and its economic assessment stating that the domestic economy is “recovering moderately.”
The central bank is likely to continue easing its monetary grip to stimulate the economy in order to achieve its 2 percent inflation target in around April 2015 as consumer prices have started rising.
Consumer prices excluding fresh foods rose 0.8 percent in August from a year earlier for the third straight monthly increase on higher gasoline and other energy prices, posting the highest margin of increase since November 2008.
The nine-member Policy Board is also expected to discuss the economic impact of the sales tax hike next April announced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this week. The government will raise the 5 percent levy to 8 percent.
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.


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The head of the agricultural economic bureau FEMI IBIROGBA reports on the full industrialization and addition of the cost of some crops as gaming shifts in the efforts to develop the economy.
Cocoa, cashew, palm products and peanuts were the main foreign exchange trades in Nigeria before and after independence. At the peak of cocoa production, the country produced more than 400,000 metric tons a year before the decline. Palm oil and peanuts were also produced in large quantities, in which a total of more than 70% of the population are employed.
Cashew nuts are mainly exported, but only nuts with cucumbers, based in Ilorin, Kvar, as one single major cashew processing enterprise in the country. According to experts, the export of raw cashews-nuts affects employment and economic prosperity.
Yam and cassava, with Nigeria as the largest producer, have acquired huge economic and commercial status.
To increase productivity and industrialization for economic growth and development, experts, entrepreneurs and farmers called on the government to pay attention to the following crops and their added value.
Cassava and its value chain
From Asia to Africa, cassava has become a multipurpose plant, used not only as animal feed, but also as industrial raw materials.
Growing and processing cassava has created and can still create many jobs in Nigeria, increase exports, attract foreign investment and promote the industrialization and modernization of several rural areas. Being an excellent source of starch and flour, cassava has a huge potential for development, and companies like Thai Farms and Allied Atlantic Distillery are already exploring the industrial use of the crop.
Cassava has a competitive advantage for ethanol because of its lower production costs and a simpler ethanol processing technology. For this reason, it is expected that during the current decade, the area of Chinese cassava production will expand to about 600,000 to 800,000 hectares, and outsourcing for industrial use will increase demand for Africa and, in addition, Nigeria, the world's largest root vegetable producer.
Cassava is particularly suitable and relatively cheap for baking flour. It is quite suitable for the production of modified starch. Modified starch is the main product among starch derivatives, as it has become a new raw material in many industries.
Coordinator of the African Agricultural Technology Fund (AATF), Ilorin, Kvara, Mr. David Ayodele, said that the industrial demand for cassava as raw materials is so high that most processors produce below the capacity.
However, Dr. Okechukwu Richardson, cassava producer at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), proposed to mechanize the production of cassava and effective weed control to increase the average yield per hectare from 10 to 35 tons and reduce the average cost per ton. Thus, he said, more jobs will be created, and poverty will be drastically reduced.
Drinking his tent with Richardson, Ayodela said that the complete mechanization of the production of cassava, from planting to harvesting, will lead to increased productivity and greater economic activity and will lead to a production demand for labor, hence creating jobs.
For example, he explained that in factories that currently produce less capacity, more young people can be attracted if they have more crop roots for processing, and that they will need more marketing and distribution staff, which will have a positive impact on the economy.
If a mechanical seed drill was used to land the bar, he claimed that the plant population would be maximally increased to about 12,500 stands. This, he added, will increase tonnage per hectare.
Therefore, the government should pay special attention to improving cassava production in the country, to cover and disseminate new weed control technologies coming from universities, IITA and other research institutions to farmers through extension services.
Managing Director of FDH AgroVet, Mr. Femi Akinwale, described cassava as underutilized for animal feed in the country. Kassava chips can be used to replace a percentage of corn in the feed. He added that this will further strengthen the industrial use of the crop, strengthen production and contribute to the economy.
Corn is a very competitive crop. Intensive animal husbandry and subsequent food needs of animals cause great demand for corn in feeds, in addition to other industrial uses, creating intense competition between humans and animals for harvest as a powerful source of energy.
According to the evidence and program verification team, the Department of Health and Development of the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, said that corn contains about 72% of starch; 10% protein; and 4% fat, providing an energy density of 365 kcal / 100 g and grown all over the world, and the US, China and Brazil – world production with about 563 out of 717 million metric tons per year.
Corn can be processed into various food and industrial products, including starch, sweeteners, butter, beverages, glue, corn food, industrial alcohol and fuel ethanol.
Improved varieties are approved, registered and published by the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) through the Committee on the Production of National Cultures and Animals, which is conducted by NACGRAB in Ibadan. The best of the newly released varieties should be multiplied and supplied to farmers at subsidized prices to increase yields per hectare on average from 2.5 to 8 or 10 tons per hectare.
Yam Improving Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) The IITA has announced that Yam is considered the most important source of dietary calories in Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Ghana and Nigeria. He also said that the crop makes a significant contribution to protein in the diet, ranking third as the main source of nutrition. Consequently, pits are important for ensuring food security (as a basis for at least 60 million people) and generating income; 31.8% of the population in Nigeria and 26.2% in Ghana depend on the pits for food and income.
Despite its importance in the economy and life of many people, the pit faces several limitations that significantly reduce its potential to support rural development and meet the needs of consumers as an affordable food product.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe, said that one of the most difficult obstacles in the production of pits was the creation of a pile, as conventional agricultural implements could not be used for a heap pit. Nevertheless, the National Center for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) developed and manufactured a machine for pile heaping. This requires a rapid multiplication of the prototype and preparation of manufacturers for mass production.
Other problems include the inaccessibility and inaccessibility of high-quality seed pits, post-harvest losses on the farm, low soil fertility, the untapped potential of markets for pits (goods and seeds) for small farmers, the inaccessibility of adapted varieties for the stressful conditions of savannahs of agro-ecology, diseases and pests and limited opportunities for small farmers, mostly rural women, in the production and marketing of pits.
Globally, Africa's contribution to the supply of grain is modest: corn – about 5%; rice, 3%; and wheat, 3% at the end of the 2000s (FAOSTAT 2013). But Africa is a leading player in the supply of cassava with 50% of global production and a pit with 95%, pointing to the government where Nigeria has competitive advantages.
Dr. Robert Asiedu, Director of IITA in West Africa, said: "The lack and high cost of a high-quality seed pond is the main obstacle in West Africa, as the food security of millions of people depends heavily on the availability and availability of seed tubers."
Traditionally, farmers use tubers as seeds, which is inefficient and costly. High production costs are associated with the use of seed tubers, which account for about 30% of the total yield and 63% of the total variable value produced during the cultivation season. Moreover, most tubers are of low quality, containing pests (nematodes) and pathogens (virus), which reduce the yield of tuber pits, added Asiyedu.
Economy of pits
In Nigeria pits are a food and cash culture. It also plays an important role in ensuring food security and the livelihoods of 60 million people in the West African region. The crop is cultivated mainly in agroecology of the deduced, moist and southern Guinea savannahs. About 48 million tons of pits (95% of the world supply) are produced on 4 million hectares annually in the region, mainly in five countries: the Benin Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo, and only in Nigeria account for 70% world offer yams.
Thus, the current administration of Nigeria should investigate high-spread propagation technologies such as grape cuttings, aeroponics and bioreactor technologies designed to make yams seeds affordable at competitive prices and to solve quality, speed and multiplication problems in seed-line production.
Yamskie farmers should also be included in the program of the Anchor borrower, and the minister should make deliberate efforts to promote the full industrialization of pits in finished and semi-finished products that could make a significant contribution to the economy, rather than exporting raw pits.
In Nigeria, there is a population that can consume most of the product, and the remnants must be sent to industrial use if the government really sees agriculture as a means of diversifying the economy.
As of 2001, when the former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Adeumi Adesina, was in charge of the ministry, he set a target in the framework of the Agrarian Transformation Agenda (ATA), called the "Cocoa Conversion Program", aimed at doubling the production of cocoa in Nigeria from 250,000 to 500,000 metric tons by 2015.
Cocoa production in Nigeria has reached over 450,000 metric tons in circumvention of independence, but since then, about 200,000 tons have been mined. ATA's efforts were not only to close the gap between Nigeria and its peers in Ghana, which produces about 850,000 tons and Cote d'Ivoire, which annually produces about 1.3 million metric tons, and also activates the local use of the harvest, the administration was called "economically developed economy".
However, Managing Director of Multitrex Integrated Foods Plc, Mr. Dimeji Ovofemi, said that cocoa production did not increase to 250,000 tons per year.
He explained that the sector of the value chain of cocoa is in crisis situations in comparison with the cost of production; the search for raw materials due to competition between the exporters of raw beans and processors; and an epileptic food source, everything comes from the wrong or not implemented a good policy.
The president of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sayin Riemann, also acknowledged that, although accurate data are practically impossible due to the lack of a commodity council, Nigeria produces approximately 240,000 to 250,000 tons of cocoa beans.
The most unfortunate thing, he added, about the cocoa industry in Nigeria – the reduction of manufacturing companies from 27 to 5 years, saying that the existing ones can produce only about 15 percent of installed capacity.
He urged the federal government to intervene in the case involving the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and Multi Trex Integrated Foods Plc so that the company could resume operations and re-absorb workers in the cocoa processing plant, urging the government to cancel interest accruals on the company's loan while in AMKON.
The National Cashew Federation of Nigeria (NCAN) disclosed earlier this year that the total cashew nut income in 2017 exceeded N144 billion, while production increased from 90,000 metric tons in 2011 to about 220,000 metric tons.
The president of the association, Tola Faser, who informed the journalists about this, said that it was a breakthrough.
"It was more than twice as high as production was from 2011 to 2017," he said.
However, the proceeds from the export of cashews were mainly on raw cashew nuts to India, China and European countries. This, a farmer in Oyo State, Mr. Feofil Faroonby, said that this could mean more revenue if processing enterprises were established in the country, saying that this would mean more jobs and avoidance of economic leaks.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Audu Ogbe, recently told reporters in Lagos that the export of raw cashews will be stopped by August 2019, which says little about what the government will do to achieve this.
Dr. Akin Olonihuwa, a former vice-rector of the Kabi Agricultural College in Kogi, also believed that adding value would help to increase investment in nut production and have a positive impact on employment, wealth creation and improved living standards.
However, one Mrs. Adela Ovolabi, a commercial cashew farmer in Ilorin, Kvara, stated that the government should go beyond the usual cacophony of declarations without any action, saying that the development of the cashew chain and cocoa should be taken seriously.
Vegetable producers still import raw palm oil into the country. A few years ago, the federal government stated that it remained firmly committed to the high tariff of the 35 per cent import duty imposed on Crude Palm Oil (CPO) to develop the agricultural sector and diversify the economy.
This was achieved when the Palma Oil Coalition Association, including the National Palm Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), the Nigerian Palm Oil Producers Association (OPGAN), the Forum of Plantation Owners of Nigeria (POFON) and the Vegetable & Food Producers Association of Nigeria (VEOPAN ), called on the government to prevent the massive import of raw palm oil into the country.
Nevertheless, it became known that the products are still imported, which hinders the reverse integration of processing companies and emphasizes the struggle with the economy.


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As a massive fan of Christmas , farmer Becky Houzé couldn’t resist taking the festive spirit up a notch or two.
She had already made a big yuletide statement with her herd of Jersey cows, Carol, Holly, Mary, Noelle and, er, Mariah Dairy.
Now the dairy divas have been cow-ordinated with eye-catching Christmas jumpers .
All have been kitted out with matching designs ahead of Christmas Jumper Day on Friday, December 13 (details below).
Becky said she was determined to make her own a festive dairy tale come true.
“We love Christmas at the farm!” she said.
“If I had it my way, we’d play Christmas carols from October.
“This year we took the opportunity to “cast off” an all new look for the girls to help get into the festive spirit.
“With just 15 days to go until Santa comes to town, we’ve definitely got the Christmas feeling.”
Becky’s cows are being used by Visit Jersey to promote the island as a Christmas visitor destination.
As well as festive markets, Jersey has an iconic Christmas Day swim.
Louise Ashworth, marketing head at Visit Jersey, said: “It’s a very dairy Christmas here in Jersey this year.
“Jersey cows are an iconic part of the island’s history and culture.
"We’re excited to be celebrating this with Becky and her girls as we ‘moo-ve’ into the festive season.”
Jersey cows, with their big eyes and long lashes, were seen as ideal models for the outsized cow jumpers.
As well as farming and fishing, knitting was once one of Jersey’s main industries.
It was so popular that men had to be banned from knitting in Jersey during the peak fishing season from August to September.
Because of the popularity of Jersey wool, knitted jumpers came to be called jerseys, after the island – the first recording of a jumper being called a jersey was in 1837.
- Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day is taking place this year on Friday, December 13. To take part, wear a fabulously festive knit and sign up to donate £2 to Save the Children at christmasjumperday.org


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This morning in Japan, Square Enix announced a new subsidiary specializing in cloud gaming. The business is named Shinra Technologies, after the antagonistic corporation from Final Fantasy VII, and will be headed by former Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada.
Shinra is in conversations with developers to make use of its services, no specifics have yet been offered. It’s unclear so far what sets Shinra apart from other cloud gaming options like OnLive and PlayStation Now.
The service is scheduled to go into technical beta in early 2015 in Japan. North America will get its turn later in the year.


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MLB The Show 22 Franchise Mode may finally be getting some attention as it's been added to the Feature Premiere schedule just a few weeks before launch.
With some fans worried about Franchise Mode being neglected, it looks like there will indeed be some upgrades revealed on the next MLB The Show 22 Feature Premiere.
MLB The Show 22 Franchise Mode added to Feature Premiere on March to October
MLB The Show 22 is just a few weeks away from launch, but the hype for this year's game has been rolling for well over a month now.
As has become the new yearly standard, that means a new Feature Premiere each Thursday with a deep dive from developers into some of the new features and changes this year's game is getting.
These have very much been a work in progress, with the Feature Premiere on various gameplay updates being delayed slightly that same day due to last-minute edits for the reveal of those features.
It was around that time that a subtle change got made to the upcoming MLB The Show 22 Feature Premiere schedule, which had been revealed weeks before.
Originally, that schedule stated that the March 17, 2022 Feature Premiere would be on March to October and Presentation while Commentary was getting a full Feature Premiere of its own on March 10, 2022.
In the following weeks it was changed without much mention as they shifted Presentation to be combined with the Commentary reveal, and Franchise Mode suddenly joined the schedule with March to October.
Franchise Mode new features may be too light for fans
The reality is we won't know for sure whether the changes are enough until they've been revealed, but the way Sony San Diego has gone about this is solidifying uncertainty among some fans.
As we dove into recently, the lack of Franchise Mode even being mentioned on the Feature Premiere schedule immediately caused concern by many who felt the mode was being neglected.
With the last-minute nature of it being added, it may signal that MLB The Show 22 put more attention on March to October at the expense of any major Franchise Mode upgrades.
With that being said, last year the combined Feature Premiere on both game modes did dive into several shared features between the two including their completely redesigned depth chart.
Upgrades like that from last year will likely anchor the mode for several years, but if Franchise Mode only gets minor changes that may not be enough for some prospective MLB The Show 22 players.
For more articles like this, take a look at our MLB The Show page.