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Retail Sales Send Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rate Lower with Euro (EUR) and New Zealand Dollar (NZD) Values Boosted
Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rate Suffers from Disappointing Retail Sales
Following yesterday’s Bank of England (BoE) meeting minutes the Pound has continued to trend well against many of its rivals. With strong indications of an interest rate rise on the horizon, speculators have been forecasting that August’s vote will see a more hawkish stance from two or three officials. However today’s lower than expected figures for both year-on-year and month-on-month retail sales look set to put a dent in the currency’s bullish run. Further to this disappointing showing, the outlook of a BoE rise in rates may become more a distant prospect than previously projected. Since the report was published the Pound has recorded declines against peers such as the Euro (GBP/EUR) and Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD).
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Greek Reform Approval Gives Euro (EUR) Exchange Rate a Lift
Greek MPs voted overnight by an overwhelming majority of 230 to 63 in approval of the conditions set by creditors in order to secure the country’s latest bailout, giving the common currency a boost across the board. By further quelling fears of a ‘Grexit’, this move provides a strong rallying point for the still-struggling Euro, even though scepticism remains and the long shadow of the Hellenic nation’s financial collapse continues to plague its prospects. Gains against a softening Pound and US Dollar, among others, nevertheless offer a positive outlook for the time being.
Housing Data of No Assistance to US Dollar (USD)
The ‘Greenback’ has seen a slip in the hours following the release of data relating to the US MBA Mortgage Applications figure, House Price Index for May and Existing Home Sales for June. With the House Price Index hitting the predicted 0.4%, remaining in line with the previous month’s release, and Home Sales higher than forecast at 3.2% the currency has still seen a disappointing return. As many of its currency peers enjoy gains today, the EUR/USD and New Zealand Dollar (NZD/USD) exchange rates are trending at a hawkish levels.
Australian Dollar (AUD) Falls Further Against ‘Greenback’ (USD) Today
The ‘Aussie’ continues to suffer from a disappointingly slow rise in consumer prices and a declining commodity market. Current gains against the US Dollar are doing nothing to salvage the damage as the AUD/USD exchange rate trends at a multi-year low. Confidence remains low as further losses seem more likely than a rebound in the face of comments by Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Glenn Stevens indicating that more rate cuts could be on the way.
Interest Rate Revitalisation for New Zealand Dollar (NZD) Exchange Rate
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s (RBNZ) decision to lower interest rates has pulled off a surprising resurgence in the value of the ‘Kiwi’. This seems likely due to a lighter cut than investors feared, with the OCR rate only going down by 0.25%. While this move has seen a number of pairings improving, in particular the New Zealand Dollar to US Dollar (NZD/USD) and Pound Sterling to New Zealand Dollar (NZD/GBP) exchange rates, this is merely helping the currency regain ground it had lost over the last few days rather than signalling a true revival of its fortunes.
Commodity Prices Continue to Leave ‘Loonie’ (CAD) Low
Hitting lows not matched since 2004 the Canadian Dollar struggles on in the wake of strong showings by many of its competitors. With the month-on-month retail sales for May due out later today, there may be a respite in sight for the ‘Loonie’, a strong showing could help bolster its value. In the wake of weaker than expected retail figures from the UK there has been a relative boost in the CAD/GBP rate, although CAD/USD remains trending low.


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Russia's Real GDP Growth to Return to Positive Territory in Q2 2016
On a year-on-year basis, Russia’s real GDP shrank 1.2% in the first quarter, according to the data released recently. Even if the additional working day in the first quarter due to the leap year would have flattened the growth rate in year-on-year terms, the output was not as subdued as consensus expectations.
Overall, the Russian economy seems to be starting to flatten out following a contraction in 2015, noted Wells Fargo in a research report. The Russian economic growth is expected to turn positive in H2 2016. Looking into details, the monthly data implies that the consumer sector might have started stabilizing. Retail sales declined 5.4% y/y in the first quarter following a double digit decline in the second half of 2015.
Last year, Russia’s consumer purchasing power dropped after the CPI inflation accelerated noticeably. As inflation has decelerated to “normal” rates, the purchasing power has not been extremely impacted like last year. A sharp acceleration in inflation in 2015 was partially due to ruble’s sharp decline, combined with the decline in energy’s price. Subdued economic activity has aided in decelerating CPI inflation. Also, the recovery of ruble’s value in the past few months has also helped in easing pressure on inflation.
The Bank of Russia got the leeway to lower its benchmark rate due to the sharp slowdown on inflation. The central bank cut its interest rate to current 11% from 17% in early 2015. According to several analysts, the central bank is likely to further loosen monetary policy in the months to come. Reduced interest rates will aid the economic activity through higher purchases of consumer durable goods, added Wells Fargo.
As mentioned earlier, Russia’s real GDP growth is expected to become positive again in H2 2016; however, the growth rate returning to 5% is unlikely to happen anytime soon. Foreign direct investment in Russia has become subdued due to geopolitical tensions, while lower oil prices have been a drag on energy sector’s production, noted Wells Fargo.

domain: news


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Driver Group says that its full year performance was in line with expectations.
The provider of dispute resolution and other services to the construction sector also says that its net borrowings at the end of September 2008 were significantly lower than the £1m reported at the half way stage.
The UK has done well with London showing a strong improvement. CMC, which was acquired in the second quarter is beginning to bear fruit in terms of cross-referrals nd new clients.
Middle East revenues have more than doubled. The rate of growth is expected to continue to be rapid.
The full year results will be published in mid-January.
At 72p a share, the company is valued at £19m.
© 2007 Aim Micro. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Natural pesticides developer Eden Research says that the EU has approved the three main active ingredients in its main product.
Increased sales of LED lighting products has boosted revenues at Advanced Power Components (APC) but the profit benefits are only starting to show through.
London-based residential property agency M Winkworth has signed a master franchise agreement for India.
New products will help to accelerate the growth of tracking and security products developer Starcom.


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The new feed is visible to multiple Google Pixel users and has slight differences from the previous version.
Google Feed is soon going to replace Google Now and back in June, the first images of the upcoming Google Feed pane emerged. However, back then, the new Feed page was spotted by just one user and as no other developments were seen, it was assumed that the update was still a while away and would eventually roll out to all users. While the original image showed a transparent new Feed, the latest leaks hint at something slightly different.
The new update has started rolling out to multiple users and many have been able to access it from the Pixel launcher. The previous launcher replaced the white background with a transparent background of the smartphone wallpaper with a black overlay. However, the latest images show more of a translucent design with a white background. However, it is a lot less transparent than the initial images that cropped up online. The wallpaper is hardly visible except for a tiny update. ALSO READ: Google Drive Backup and Sync lets you backup your entire computer: Here’s how it works
Users had also seen an interesting dual-pane setup previously, something Google seems to have ditched. The Google Feed page will now show the most important updates and link it to the users’ daily activities. The page, in terms of design, looks better put together and more compact than Google Now. Right on top are the Google logo and the Search bar. Below appear a host of information starting from the weather to reminders and upcoming flight/shipment updates (if any). If there’s nothing of importance, the page stays bare.
There is also a short-cut to the ‘upcoming’ section on the page. Right below the search, the user is presented with a host of search options ranging from weather, Eat & Drink, Entertainment, Food, Calculator and others. The actual Google app hasn’t changed though Google might integrate it with Google Feed with upcoming updates and for newer smartphones. The voice element in Google Now has been completely taken away from Feed and handed over to Google Assistant.
Google is yet to make an official announcement regarding the new update but as more and more features are rolling out to users, the announcement might not be too far off. As there have been discrepancies in the updates, Google has targeted the issue in the statement. Talking to Android Police, Google mentioned in the past, “The addition of Feed and Upcoming are now launched to a wide array of Android and iOS devices but is not currently available for a small subset of devices that have swipe access to the Feed from the home-screen. We look forward to sharing updates on this point soon.”


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By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2023
Discover Financial Services, a provider of credit cards, told Reuters it would allow its network to track purchases at gun retailers starting this April, making it the first credit card to move ahead with the initiative allegedly aimed at helping authorities probe gun crimes.
In September 2022, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) based in Geneva created a dedicated classification code for gun retailers, entitled “5723 – Gun and Ammunition Shops.” This code will give financial institutions the ability to track firearm and ammunition purchases made with a credit card.
“The decision to use the new merchant category code is eventually left up to the users in the industry,” the ISO representative said.
Gun control activists and liberal politicians, along with their RINO counterparts, claim the code will allow financial institutions to better assist law enforcement in investigating gun crimes because, as we all know, criminals always purchase guns with their own credit cards.
When the new code was created, credit card companies said they would work to implement the code while respecting privacy rights.
Visa, Mastercard, and American Express have yet to disclose their timetable for adopting the change; at the same time, Discover said it would include the new code in its next policy and product update to merchants and customers in April.
“We remain focused on continuing to protect and support lawful purchases on our network while protecting the privacy of cardholders,” Discover said in its statement to Reuters.
Sorry, Discover, this is an oxymoron. The system will be abused, and gun owners purchasing legal products will be punished.
A few lawmakers have spoken out against the code, arguing it “could” violate the privacy of U.S. citizens lawfully buying guns. The politicians we elect to represent us are paying lip service to the move, and as usual, gun rights groups are doing the heavy lifting trying to stop it.
That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism Counterstrategies, Firearms, and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, www.floridajolt.com, The Counterterrorist Magazine, Off Grid, American Thinker, Soldier of Fortune, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International. Contact him at [email protected].


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Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary and alum Kevin Harrington are named in fraud lawsuit over crowdfunding startup firms
Kevin O'Leary and Kevin Harrington of the ABC show Shark Tank have been named in a lawsuit from 20 people accusing them of promoting a 'predatory fraud scheme' involving startup firms focused on crowdfunding.
O'Leary, 67, and Harrington, 64, are accused of misleading entrepreneurs into investing into a pair of crowdfunding-based firms, named Ideazon and InventureX, according to legal docs reviewed by TMZ.
The 20 people suing claim that O'Leary and Harrington said that they could be featured on Shark Tank for their investments, but nothing panned out.
The latest: Kevin O'Leary, 67, and Kevin Harrington, 64, of the ABC show Shark Tank have been named in a lawsuit from 20 people accusing them of promoting a 'predatory fraud scheme' involving startup firms focused on crowdfunding
The plaintiffs called the investment a 'diabolical and brazen scam to defraud what is believed to be hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent, hard-working entrepreneurs out of their last dollar' in their legal complaint, Radar reported.
Ideazon and InventureX 'turned out to be nothing less than facades designed to lure in unsuspecting victims, extract their money and then virtually disappear under the guise of delays, minimal to no performance, and no results,' the plaintiffs said in their legal complaint, according to the outlet.
The legal complaint stated the investors 'were lured by the involvement, endorsement and credibility' of the TV personalities and 'bought into the dream, paid their money, and then went through agonizing months, if not years, of frustration and distress of trying to get their products launched and businesses started with no results.'
The plaintiffs said in legal docs their effort to recoup the monies led to more 'agonizing frustration' as they were subjected to 'more lies and deception ... money lost, time wasted and dreams gone.'
O'Leary (center) appears on Shark Tank with (L-R) Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Daymond John
O'Leary, a Montreal native, has been seen on the ABC series from 2009-2021
O'Leary appeared in a video to promote the investments, the plaintiffs said, as he's a 'partner and primary executive' of InventureX and 'endorsed the primary executives of both companies in the scam.'
O'Leary, a Montreal native, has been seen on the ABC series since 2009, while Harrington, a Cincinnati native, was seen on the series in its first two seasons.
The business-based reality competition also features entrepreneurs including Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran and Lori Greiner.


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Kim Kardashian Launches “Super Affordable” Line For Kids
Kim Kardashian is enjoying motherhood so much that she can hardly wait to dress up a whole new batch of babies in her signature style.
Kim is giving new parents the opportunity to dress their babies as adorably as she dresses Nori, but without the high price tag associated with North’s designer duds.
Kim confirmed on her Mobio INsider page that she’s designed a line of baby clothes for fashion-forward parents who don’t want to pay huge amounts of money for clothes that will inevitably end up covered in puke.
While Kim has shown off the high-end goods North has received from designers like Charlotte Olympia, Stella McCartney, and Giuseppe Zanotti on social media, she admits that she’s just as happy to put her bundle of boy in bargain basics as well.
Responding to a fan who asked whether or not Kim would ever consider picking up baby clothes at mass market stores like Target, she replied, “Absolutely! She wears everything. I even created a baby line, so there can be super affordable clothes for babies. It launches in March. Kids grow so fast. You need affordable clothes.”
While we may not get to see the full line until next month, the photos on the company’s Instagram account are just as chic as you’d expect from this fashionable family, from butterfly-print baby shorts to sweet ruffled dresses for toddlers.


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You have searched for expo
- Army holds expo in Coimbatore
Sporting the bullet proof jacket with the army green helmet, Satish Kumar S was posing for pictures with a 5.56m rifle at the PSG Institute of Management grounds where the Indian Army held an expo for the students of PSG Institutions and Coimbatore’s industries on Wednesday.
- National Silk Expo starts in Chandigarh
CHANDIGARH: Artisans from all over India of the Gramin Hastkala Vikas Samiti have come to Chandigarh to exhibit their ethnic weaves and traditional pure silk and cotton products in order to start of the festive season, with the theme, "National Silk Expo". The Gramin Hastkala Vikas Samiti founded by a group of artisans, designers, social activists, academics and environmentalists, attempts to promote exquisite traditional skill, cotton and creations of the weavers and encouraging them to be contemporary and economically relevant. More than 100 designers and weavers are part of this year’s exhibition which includes gorgeous Uppadas, Banaras silks, Gadwals, Dharmavaram, Jamdanis, Jamawars and Sambalpuris. From saris, dress materials, items of silk and cotton saree, suit dress material, fashion jewelry, home furnishing designer clothes from each region of the country, the exhibition provided shoppers with a kaleidoscope of India’s color, diversity and talent. Artisans from 14 handloom weaving States including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat , Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and many designers from metros working in collaboration with the weavers are displaying more than 1,50,000 variety of their work here. Starting from Wednesday the exhibition cum sale will continue till August 22 from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm at the Kisan Bhawan, Sector 35-A, Chandigarh. The Silk and Cotton handloom products on display have a range between Rs.500 and Rs.20,000 at the upper end for exclusive hand crafted sarees. Exhibits include Coimbatore silk, kanjeewaram silk from Tamilnadu. Bangalore silk, crepe & georgette saree, raw silk material from Karnataka; Kalamkari, pochampally, mangalgiri dress material, upada, gadwal, dharmawaram, pure silk zari saree from Andhra Pradesh; Tassar, kantha, bhagalpur silk dress material, block handprint, khadi silk, and cotton dress material from Bihar; Kosa silk saree, ghicha silk saree, mulbery raw silk, block printed silk saree from Chhattisgarh; Bandhani, patola, kutch embroidery, gujarati mirror work and designer kurti from Gujarat; Tabi silk saree, pashmina shawls, chinan silk saree from Jammu and Kashmir; Chanderi, maheshwari cotton and silk saree suit from Madhya Pradesh. Bomkai, sambhalpur from Orrisa; Bandhej, bandhni silks saree, jaipur kurti, block prints, sanganeri prints, kota doria from Rajasthan; Tanchoi, banarasi jamdani, jamavar, jamdani, brocket dress material, lakhnavi chikan from Uttar Pradesh; Shanti niketan, kantha saree, designer saree, baluchari, neemzari saree, printed saree, dhakai jamdani from West Bengal; Zari paithani saree from Maharashtra available at the exhibition. The Organizer of National Silk Expo, Jayesh Kumar Gupta said that the main social objective of the handloom exhibition was to promote weavers and encourage and provide a market to the handloom industry. “Through these exhibitions, we have been able to create good market for the weavers and their handloom woven ware, even in places where exhibitions are not feasible. The specialty of fabrics and prints from each state is different from the other. Such is the variety of the fabrics and designs in the exhibition.” He said. The exhibition’s motive is to get pure silk and cotton products direct from weavers to costumer without merchant.
- Photo expo in Hyd tomorrow
Hyderabad, May 12 () A three-day 'Photo Expo' and 'Broadcast & Film Expo' will kickstart here from tomorrow. Organised by city-based Villart, 'Photo Expo' will see participation by over 100 exhibitors from across India. Over 30,000 people including students, professionals, businessmen, etc.
- Expo organized by NGO help promote teracotta works
Thiruvananthapuram: The 1.5 metre long terracotta mural of "Last Supper" is one among the several works exhibited at the pottery expo being held at the Lalithakala Academy art gallery in Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan. Artisans Narayanan and Kumaran, who hail from Nilambur in Malappuram, said the mural was the result of their two months' work. Traditional pottery and terracotta murals had been the means of living for their families till a few years ago. The demanding nature of the work and low wages deterred the newer generation from engaging in this traditional craft. The exhibition is being organized by Helping Hands, an NGO, whic had been promoting them for the past 20 years. It will conclude on Monday.
- Works at Dasara expo ground gain momentum
MYSURU: Development activities at the Mysuru Dasara exhibition ground are on fast track with tourism minister Priyank Kharge showing interest in making it a major tourist attraction. Plans are afoot to keep the ground open and lively all through the year. The ground attracts lakhs of visitors during the three months of Dasara season every year. The Karnataka Exibition Authority is planning to hfacilitate exhibition and cultural activities on the ground all 365 days of the year. KEA has sent a proposal of projects worth Rs 28 crore to the tourism department. Development of a tourist plaza, a parking plaza and a food court on the ground are already under process. Shashikumar, CEO of KEA said that tourism minister Priyank Kharge has promised to earmark Rs 50 crore in the budget for development of basic infrastructure and tourist attraction places. "We have drawn a master plan to redesign the entire exhibition premises covering 80 acres. It includes the new as well as the ongoing projects. The tourist plaza and the mega parking zone will open before Dasara. If the master plan is approved and funds are released, the ground in the heart of the city will be open all through the year attracting tourists." Works on the Cauvery River museum are in progress. The museum will come up at the Kannada Karanji building in the KEA campus by the end of the year, he said. The Dasara tender through e-procurement will conclude on September 7. Outgoing KEA chairman R Murthy expressed his happiness over the development of the exhibition ground in his two years' tenure and said that the place will become a major tourist attraction in the days to come.
- Fashion jewellery and handicraft expo to attract overseas buyers
GREATER NOIDA: Union minister of state for textiles Ajay Tamta opened the 9th edition of Indian Fashion Jewellery and Accessories Show (IFJAS-2016) at the Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida on Thursday. While international buyers from countries such as USA, UK, Canada, Australia France, Germany, Italy, Japan etc participating in the exhibition, 250 manufacturers and exhibitors from across India are also displaying their goods at the event to attract overseas buyers. The three day event from July 21 - 23 is organized by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) and seen as a major calendar event in promoting Gautam Budh Nagar as an industrial hub. The exhibition that mainly focuses on fashion products like clothes, jewellery and accessories will also showcase the widest range of materials, products and designs in five categories comprising fashion jewellery, semi precious jewellery, fashion accessories, hand bags and fancy, embroidered shoes, imitation jewellery and shawls. Speaking on the occasion Tamta said that Indian exporters have shown good performance in increasing the exports of fashion jewellery and accessories, "yet they need to do more in maintaining quality, price and delivery of their products to face the competition from other countries." The aim of the exhibition, according to Dinesh Kumar, chairman EPCH is to provide a global platform for the Fashion Jewellery and Accessories sector of India so as to make a dent into the 16.3 billion-dollar world market and increase India’s share in this segment which is negligible at present. Describing it an important part of India’s export basket, Rakesh Kumar, executive director EPCH, stated that “India’s exports of fashion jewellery and accessories in the year 2015-16 was to the tune of Rs. 2755 crores, but still its share in the world market is very less and holding IFJAS is part of Council’s drive to promote and expand horizons of key verticals of the handicrafts sector which has tremendous potential to expand further," said Kumar. According to Rakesh Kumar ED, EPCH one of the highlights of IFJAS 2016 is setting up a theme based 'Trend Pick' under which new product range developed by participants of IFJAS for Autumn-Winter 2016 and Spring Summer 2017 will be on display. "This will also provide trend mood boards for Spring Summer 2017 facilitating exporters and buyers to understand general focus for fashion accessories and prints," said Kumar. Another highlight of the event is setting up of Young Designers Forum for providing business opportunities to upcoming designers for fashion jewellery sector. Apart from this, a special Focus Pavilion for North Eastern, Eastern and Western regions of India were on display with entrepreneurs from these regions displaying their products. With top importing nations for jewellery in the world being USA, Germany, UK, France, Japan, Switzerland, Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Hong Kong, Spain, Australia, Italy and Latin American, Indian manufacturers hope to expand their horizons with this exhibition. According to Kumar, exports of fashion jewellery and accessories from India went up from Rs. 2502 crore in 2014-15 to Rs. 2755 crores (US million $ 421) in 2015-16 registering a growth of 10.10%. While applauding the employment generating efforts for artisans and craftpersons in villages and livelihood to their families, Tamta suggested that new crafts be introduced in order to generate sustained employment opportunities. He further stressed on the development of crafts of Himalayan region such as promoting the North East. In order to provide insight into latest trends, forecast and online opportunities, seminars on trends for Spring Summer 2017 will also be held on July 22.


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Apple Goes After Toy Company For Making Lifelike Steve Jobs Figurine
January 6, 2012 10:01 AM
comment(s) - last by
Apple threatened In Icons company for making a Steve Jobs doll
Apple is no stranger to throwing lawsuits around, but instead of accusing another company of ripping off its products, it's now blaming them for ripping off its former leader.
In Icons, a Chinese company, recently created an action figure of Apple's former CEO Steve Jobs.
from pancreatic cancer complications back in October 2011.
The figurine is 12 inches tall and looks nearly identical to Apple's co-founder. It features Jobs' signature black turtleneck, blue jeans, sneakers, glasses, and even has interchangeable hands to show his different movements. The doll also comes with two Apples, one of which has a bite out of it, a "One More Thing" backdrop and a bar stool.
The doll is already up for sale on eBay for $135, and In Icons was set
to begin selling
it in February. However, if Apple has its way, the Steve Jobs look-alike won't make it to store shelves or consumer's hands.
According to Apple's letter to In Icons, the tech giant owns all rights pertaining to its founder, and the "likeness" of the doll falls under those rights. Toys that resemble the company's logo, appearance, likeness or someone's name are subject to a legal action if not made by Apple itself.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
1/6/2012 1:34:36 PM
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The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association commissioned an Economic Impact Study on the RV industry, released on June 7, 2016. The study found that the RV industry contributes about $49.7 billion in economic output or 0.28 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Through its production and distribution linkages, the industry impacts firms in 426 of the 440 sectors of the United States economy.
Nationwide, the industry is responsible for 216,170 jobs, both directly and inderectly, creating an economic impact of $37.5 billion. The full study results, along with each individual state and congressional district's economic impact is available on the website by clicking here .
Thu Sep 22, 2016
ELKHART, Indiana - A subsidiary of Elkhart-based Forest River Inc. is expanding operations in order to double production. Elkhart Coach is planning to move into a new location in the city later this year to meet increasing demand.
The move would allow Elkhart Coach to increase production capacity to more than 2,500 units annually. The company did not release information on how large the new facility will be or how many jobs would be created as a result of the expansion.
Elkhart Coach manufactures shuttle buses that can seat 15-25 passengers. The company says, in addition to increasing overall volume, the expansion will reduce the amount of time dealers have to wait for delivery.
Additional Information: http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/33138862/elkhart-bus-company-expanding


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Pork exports from Denmark continued to show modest growth for the first six months of 2015, reaching about 555,000 metric tons. That amount reflects a growth of 1 percent when compared to the first six months of 2014.
According to a recent AHDB Pork Pig Market Weekly newsletter, the increase in the amount of pork exported did not translate into a monetary increase in pork exports. The total value of those pork exports fell by 9 percent to around DKK8.4 billion (US$1.3 billion).
The European Union (EU) remains the primary market for pork from Denmark, with exports increasing 3 percent when compared to the corresponding time frame in 2014. Danish pork also saw a 7 percent increase in sales to Poland, a 15 percent increase in sales to Italy, and a 10 percent increase in sales to the U.K., while exports to Germany dropped by about 2 percent.
Outside of the EU, Danish pork exports saw a decline of about three percent. Denmark shipped about 12 percent more pork to China and about 25 percent more pork to Australia during the first half of 2015. However, exports to Japan, which remains the largest market for Danish pork, declined by approximately 25 percent.


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At least 14 people have died and 40 injured after a shopping center caught fire in the Russian city of Kazan, Interfax news agency reported on Friday.
The blaze broke out on Wednesday in a first-storey cafe before the building collapsed, trapping 25 people under the rubble, according to local media reports.
Emergency workers continued to clear away debris on Friday in Kazan, the capital of Russia's Tatarstan region about 800 kilometers east of Moscow.
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov said managers had failed to comply with fire safety regulations.
"Such tragedies do not happen without the guilty," he was quoted by Interfax as saying. "It is a great tragedy ... we do not know how many more people will be among dead."
Investigators have detained the shopping center's 30-year-old director and are looking into a wide range of theories, including arson, the news agency reported.
Igor Panshin, head of the regional Emergency Situations Ministry previously said that as many as 25 people may have been killed when the shopping center collapsed.
"There may be up to 25 people under the rubble of the burnt-out shopping center in Kazan. No one among them is alive," Panshin told Interfax on Thursday.
One rescue worker died whilst trying to save people trapped beneath the collapsed building, RIA news agency reported.
According to the regional emergencies ministry, foreign citizens from Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have been injured.


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The Vivo Y19 has been launched in Vietnam and in Thailand today, the smartphone was announced alongside the Vivo Y11 in Vietnam but only the few specs of the Vivo Y19 was shared. Great news, we now have the full specifications of the Vivo Y19.
In Vietnam, the Vivo Y19 is priced at VND 4,990,000 (approximately Rs 15,273.71) and is now available for purchase through Vivo official website. In Thailand, the smartphone is priced at 6,999 Thai Baht (approximately Rs 16,441.50) and pre-order started from today and it will go on till 10th November. The phone will go on sale starting from November 11. The Vivo Y19 comes in two colour options- Phong Phong Black (Magnetic Black ) and Morning Dew White (Spring White).
For specs, it comes with a 6.53-inch FHD + Halo display with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels, up to 90.3% screen-to-body ratio, dewdrop notch design and has 3D curved edge gradient design at the rear.
It is powered by an Octa-core Mediatek’s Helio P65 (MT6768) processor with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded via microSD card. It runs on Android 9 pie with Funtouch OS 9.1 on top, there is a triple camera setup on the rear.


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SILVERSTONE RACE CIRCUIT hosted its first ever motorhome sale auction on Sunday 19 May, 2013. The next one will be at CarFest in August.
Only motorhomes were sold off and this was part of its International Trophy Weekend at the famous Silverstone Circuit in Towcester, Northamptonshire.
Paul Sadler, motorhome specialist at Silverstone Auctions, said: “Silverstone Auctions is already well-known and respected in motoring circles for its sale of classic and competition cars, so now it’s very exciting to also offer our auction expertise in the motorhome market.
“For those new to the auction process, they can rest assured that they will enjoy total peace of mind when dealing with Silverstone Auctions. Whether buying or selling, it is incredibly simple and assistance is available throughout each step of the process.”
If you’re thinking of buying or selling through Silverstone Auctions, he says that they offer anyone buying a motorhome highly competitive rates of commission and HPI checks on all vehicles. They also make it easy to register and bid.
If you’re thinking of selling your motorhome through Silverstone Auctions, you’ll see your vehicle displayed in their sale catalogue, in print and online, plus attractive rates of commission. Nationwide collection is also available, along with a valeting service if needed.
[tl:gallery index=1 size=411×274]
Silverstone’s new motorhome auctions take place this summer
HELD IN SILVERSTONE’S NEW £27m BUILDING
The first sale of 2013 at Silverstone was based in the ultra-modern £27 million Wing building.
Paul Sadler said: “It’s just as exciting to be at CarFest in August, probably two of the most high-profile outdoor summer events in 2013, which attract many campers and caravanners who might be tempted to bid for a motorhome!”
For more information visit the Silverstone Motorhome Auctions website or contact Paul Sadler on 07711 402 565.
Updated 23 May, 2013


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Pretoria - Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Wednesday said
there would be further tax relief for small businesses and micro-enterprises.
He said the tax-free threshold for small business
corporations would be increased to R63 556, adding the 10% rate would be
reduced to 7%.
“The threshold up to which this rate applies is increased to
R350 000. For taxable income above R350 000, the normal 28% corporate rate
applies,” Gordhan said.
He said with effect from next month, qualifying
micro-businesses (within the R1m turnover limit) would be able to pay
turnover tax, VAT and employees’ tax twice a year.
This meant the number of returns and payments a year would
be reduced from about 18 to just two.
Several reforms of the turnover tax for micro-businesses
(with annual turnover below R1m) were announced in 2011.
The businesses would be given the option of making payments
for turnover tax, VAT and employees’ tax at twice-yearly intervals from March
It was further envisaged that a single combined return would
be filed on a twice-yearly basis from March 1 2013.
The number of returns required for these taxes would fall
from about 18 to only two a year in 2013.


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CZI conducts manufacturing survey
THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has engaged researchers to conduct this year’s manufacturing sector survey, which is expected to take a sectoral approach on value chains.
Early this year, CZI identified 18 value chains that need to be prioritised to revive the economy.
The identified value chains among others include cotton-to-clothing, beef-to-leather, juice-to-can or horticultural farm-to-juice value chain and fish-tofork.
CZI chief executive officer Mr Clifford Sileya said the results of the survey would be released in October ahead of the 2017 national budget presentation by the Government.
“We are presently recruiting researchers (university students) for the manufacturing sector, which will start in earnest given that we’re now beyond our annual congress for this year.
“This year’s survey will take a sectoral approach based on the value chains that we’ve identified,” he said, adding that the focus is on value chains in line with this year’s congress theme, which focused on ‘Strengthening value chains for sustainable industrialisation and economic development”. The CZI congress ended in Bulawayo last Friday. Mr Sileya said results of the survey would be released in October so that Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa can capture industry’s concerns into the 2017 fiscal policy statement.
“Since the beginning of the year, industry has been seriously challenged in terms of boosting operational capacity.
‘‘Investment in industry is still very dry and this year it has been exacerbated by the cash crisis,” he said.
While capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector stood at 34,3 percent in 2015, Mr Sileya said some firms have this year managed to improve their capacity to competitive levels. “Despite low capacity utilisation levels in the manufacturing sector, some companies are doing very well in relation to stimulating productivity. For example, we’ve companies in sectors such as food and beverages, edible oils and the dairy industry. “Improvement in capacity utilisation levels can be attributed to improved power supply in the past six months as well as co-operation between industry and the Government for instance on the Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016,” said Mr Sileya. The manufacturing sector among other operational challenges is grappling with lack of working capital to invest in new machinery as well as high cost of borrowing and weak demand associated with the prevailing liquidity constraints.
Minister Patrick Chinamasa


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U.S. Manufacturing Output Rose in August Amid Surge in Autos
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. factory production rose in August amid broad-based gains that included automakers, providing support for economic growth this quarter, Federal Reserve data showed Friday.
Highlights of Industrial Production (August)
The data showed overall improvements in factory output, led by motor vehicles and parts, primary metals and machinery. Energy output rose at the fastest pace in four months, led by gains in consumer and commercial products.
The numbers are in line with other recent reports indicating strength among U.S. producers as demand continues at a solid clip. The Institute for Supply Management’s gauge found manufacturing jumped to the highest since 2004, with orders and production rallying.
Although overall manufacturing output missed economists’ estimates, levels are still elevated. The factory data also show resilience in the face of supply constraints, wage pressures, higher prices and supply-chain disruptions amid global trade uncertainty. At the same time, this year’s corporate tax cuts bode well for companies while a strong job market is encouraging household spending.
The factory-use rate of 75.8 percent is still 2.5 percentage points below its long-run average, the Fed said in the report.
The Fed’s monthly data are volatile and often get revised. Manufacturing, which makes up 75 percent of total industrial production, accounts for about 12 percent of the U.S. economy.


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On Monday Apple will hold a conference for developers WWDC 2019. Now cupertinos just finishing the last preparations for the coming event. In particular, workers are completing the decoration of the building in which the conference will be held.
Especially for 2019 WWDC Apple took the building of the exhibition center McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. Over the past few days the main facade and the surrounding streets were decorated with banners and flags — they are all made in the same style as the invitations for WWDC 2019.
It is worth noting that many see in the design of the invitations and banners direct allusion to the main innovation iOS – the long-awaited dark theme. However, cupertinos could “encrypt” in the design of the WWDC 2019 and something else. In the past the company has repeatedly behaved in this way.
According to rumors in the framework of the forthcoming event, Apple will show iOS 13, Mac OS 10.15, tvOS 13, watchOS 6, but several “iron” novelties. For example, a modular Mac Pro.


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Martin SFP BryantFounder
Martin SFP Bryant is the founder of UK startup newsletter PreSeed Now and technology and media consultancy Big Revolution. He was previously Martin SFP Bryant is the founder of UK startup newsletter PreSeed Now and technology and media consultancy Big Revolution. He was previously Editor-in-Chief at TNW.
Barcelona in Spain is set to become the first European city with widespread support for contactless payments.
A partnership between Visa and Spanish bank La Caixa will see more than one million new cards that support contactless payments issued. 500 ATMs will be upgraded and 15,000 new point-of-sale terminals will be installed on local businesses’ premises. The technology will also support NFC (near-field communication) payments using mobile phones.
Using the system, payments of up to €20 can be made simply by waving the card close a contactless terminal. Above €20, a PIN is required. The roll-out will begin in the next few days, and La Caixa hopes to have 50% of its Barcelona customers equipped with the new cards by the end of February, with all the cards having been issued by the end of the second quarter of the year.
The Barcelona project follows a similar partnership between Visa and La Caixa in Spain’s Balearic Islands.
Contactless payments look set to take off in 2012. In the UK, McDonalds and Starbucks already accept this quick and painless payment method, whilst in the US initiatives like Google Wallet, which supports contactless payments from supported smartphones, are gaining traction. Google’s solution is already supported by a number of businesses and services around America, including New Jersey Transit.
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The Nasdaq rockets to new highs as FAANG names fuel tech. Plus, it’s clash of the titans, mogul style. Why Disney versus Comcast isn’t over yet. And what’s the next recession going to look like, and how do you protect yourself? Plus, are half the S&P 500 companies under threat from digital disruption? Author Nikki Barua on how legacy firms can fight back. Catch The Final Round at 3:55 ET p.m. with Jen Rogers, Yahoo Finance markets correspondent Myles Udland, and Yahoo Finance Editor-in-Chief Andy Serwer.
Winners and losers
Stocks in the red include La-Z-Boy as the furniture company’s earnings topped expectations, but revenue missed the mark, Oracle as the database and cloud software firm’s guidance missed the mark, and said it would stop providing a revenue breakout for its cloud business, and Starbucks — shares are getting roasted as the coffee chain announced comp store sales growth that missed Wall Street estimates, and that it would close 150 U.S. stores.
Stocks in the green include the Walgreens as the pharmacy chain will replace GE on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Winnebago as the RV maker beat on both the top and bottom lines, and Tesla — shares getting a boost after a rough couple days as Business Insider reports internal documents reveal the automaker has made 6,000 Model 3 cars so far in June.


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Nestlé USA today announced that it has agreed to acquire Sweet Earth, a plant-based foods manufacturer based in Moss Landing, Calif. The acquisition gives Nestlé immediate entry into the plant-based foods segment, which is growing by double digits and expected to become a $5 billion market by 2020. Sweet Earth’s portfolio spans all meal occasions, diversifying Nestlé’s offering beyond its existing category leadership in meals and snacks.
Launched in 2011 by co-founders Kelly and Brian Swette, Sweet Earth’s award-winning frozen meals, burritos, breakfast sandwiches, and chilled plant-based burgers and proteins are sold in more than 10,000 stores, including independent natural grocers, Whole Foods, Target, Kroger and Walmart.
“In the United States, we’re experiencing a consumer shift toward plant-based proteins. In fact, as many as 50 percent of consumers now are seeking more plant-based foods in their diet and 40 percent are open to reducing their traditional meat consumption,” said Paul Grimwood, Nestlé USA Chairman and CEO. “One of Nestlé’s strategic priorities is to build out our portfolio of vegetarian and flexitarian choices in line with modern health trends. With unique and nutritious food for all times of the day, Sweet Earth gives Nestlé a leading position in this emerging space.”
Sweet Earth produces its product lines (48 items) in a 40,000-square-foot facility at its Moss Landing headquarters. Sweet Earth’s on-trend products feature global flavors and plant-based proteins like seitan (wheat-based), tofu and legumes like lentils, chickpeas and beans. Sweet Earth’s products span three core platforms: entrees, breakfast and plant-based proteins, called Righteous Meats®. The products are wholesome, nutritious, and include a variety of vegan and ethnic-inspired choices such as General Tso’s Tofu and the Curry Tiger Burrito.
“Our products meet the demands of flavor-forward consumers who want more plant-based foods, especially millennials who want convenient, real food and flexitarians who are looking to include more vegetables and plant-based proteins in their diet,” said Kelly Swette, Sweet Earth Chief Executive Officer. “Nestlé’s acquisition validates what forward-thinking consumers and retailers have been demanding for a while -- more wholesome and sustainable choices.”
Sweet Earth will continue to be led by Kelly and Brian Swette; the business will remain independent with support from Nestlé USA’s Food Division.
The Sweet Earth acquisition follows Nestlé’s recent equity stake in Freshly, a direct-to-consumer delivery service, and continues the company’s evolution into new products and categories to match changing consumer preferences.
About Nestlé in the United States
Nestlé in the United States is committed to enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future -- for individuals and families, for our thriving and resilient communities, and for the planet. Our diverse portfolio of foods and beverages provides nutritious options for every member of the family, and supports both the first 1000 days of life and healthy aging for people and pets.
Nestlé in the U.S. consists of eight main businesses: Nestlé USA, Nestlé Waters North America, Nestlé Nutrition, Nestlé Professional, Nespresso, Nestlé Health Science, Nestlé Skin Health and Nestlé Purina PetCare Company. Together, these companies operate in more than 120 locations in 47 states and employ over 51,000 people. In the U.S., Nestle product sales topped $27 billion in 2016, making it the largest Nestle market in the world. For more information, visit Nestleusa.com or Facebook.com/NestleUSA.


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7 Mar 2022
Strong Women, Strong Cooperatives, Strong Coffee
A group of Rwandan women are bucking usual gender stereotypes by producing a coffee grown and processed entirely by women. Now they have succeeded in getting their coffee placed in one of Germany’s most popular retail chains.
Women’s contribution to society is fundamental to solving many of the challenges we are facing today. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that closing the gender gap in agriculture would reduce the number of undernourished people by up to 150 million, and could increase agricultural output in developing countries by up to four percent. Yet women often work the land but don’t own it, are excluded from membership of cooperatives, access to credit or many other services, and are financially dependent on their husbands.
Not so in the mountainous coffee growing region of Huye in Southern Rwanda. Here, close to 3000 women are growing and exporting their own 100 percent women’s coffee, getting better incomes and more financial independence as a result.
Angelique’s Finest is a Fairtrade certified coffee grown and processed entirely by women. The coffee is grown by 2,852 female farmers, who are members of six cooperatives. By taking charge of the production and processing, the women reap the proceeds of their work, earning 55 percent more per kilogram of coffee sold than if they sold the beans as green coffee.
Angelique’s Finest is named after Angelique Karekezi, Managing Director of RWASHOSCCO, a company owned by the cooperatives which organises the sale of the women’s coffee on the international market.
“Women can do anything that men can do. They only face structural barriers to do so,” says Angelique. By being members of the cooperatives and selling their coffee through RWAHOSCCO, the women can earn their own money and no longer have to depend on their husbands due to the better prices they earn. Being able to sell their own labelled coffee on the international market makes the women farmers very proud, she explains. “They identify even more with their product now”.
One of the women to benefit is Niragire Serapia. The 54 year old and mother of three children has been a member of Maraba cooperative since 2008. Through the extra money and the Fairtrade Premium she has been able to build her own house and offer her children a better quality of life. “Angelique’s Finest is the solution for me. It gives me money to pay school fees for my children, pay my health insurance, buy clothes, and be able to solve my family's problems.”
With 656 Fairtrade certified coffee organisations and women only making up 15 percent of their membership, it is critical for women to gain more opportunities to reap the economic benefits of the more than €90 billion coffee industry. The Fairtrade Standards include strong requirements on gender equality, and aim to enable more women and girls to access the benefits of Fairtrade. As part of our 2021-2025 global strategy, Fairtrade aims to increase women’s participation in cooperatives. One example is the Women’s Schools of Leadership, enabling women to learn business, negotiation and finance skills, and to take on leadership and committee roles within their cooperatives and communities.
Strong and independent cooperatives are also better placed to meet the needs of their customers and to sell their products on the global market. Since Angelique’s Coffee was first launched in 2018, the brand is going from strength to strength. This International Women’s Day, leading German retailer, dm-drogerie markt (DM) will promote the women’s coffee in their 800 stores (previously it was only available online).
“Seeing our coffee being sold on hundreds of store shelves is a dream come true!” Angelique says. “It is another milestone in the success story of our women-only brand on the German market and a victory in our continued struggle to ensure that the lives and livelihoods of our women farmers are changed for the better."
Angelique’s Coffee is sold in Germany through Kaffee Kooperative, based in Berlin and Kigali. The social business is formed on the tenants of revolutionising the coffee trade, with more value creation being shifted to the producers themselves.
See and hear more of the women’s stories on Instagram.


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Black Professionals in Tech Network partners with Canadian companies to support Black tech workers
The Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN) has partnered with eight Canadian companies, including TD Bank, Bell Canada, and Rogers, pledging “to create a more reflective, supportive and transformational space for Black tech professionals in Canada.”Other new BPTN partner organizations include Hootsuite, Rangle.io, Top Hat, PointClickCare, and MaRS Discovery District.
“Tech will lead the future economy, and these companies are leading the way for tech.”Founded in 2017, BPTN is a Toronto-based networking platform designed to support the advancement of Black tech workers and combat systemic racism in the tech industry.
It aims to help bridge the tech talent gap by giving Black developers, engineers, sales, and marketing professionals access to sponsorship, training, and networking opportunities.
We’d like to encourage our friends at other Canadian tech companies to do the same.”RELATED: Canadian tech and innovation leaders launch new anti-racism coalitionCounting over 10,000 members, BPTN is the largest network of Black tech talent in Canada.
Image source Black Professionals in Tech Network via BPTN’s website
Disclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated & summarized by a computer program and has not been created by StartupAround.
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The European Commission has recently been talking up the Single Use Plastic (SUP) proposal whose tenets include banning certain plastic items. However, it has come to light that the Commission’s own Regulatory Scrutiny Board impact assessment of the report (which was revised following the negative assessment which greeted the previous draft) still raises questions over the coherence and evidential basis of the policy.
At the Packaging Chain Forum meeting in Brussels on 17 July, Sarah Nelen (DG Environment at the European Commission and lead in SUP proposal) addressed the SUP proposal, stating that Commission recognises the EU needs to take its responsibility to lead the global reduction of marine litter. The policy, according to Nelen, is not against plastics but prioritises promoting reuse systems that keep the materials in use for longer. Meanwhile, the proposed SUP legislation focusses on billions of units because they do more damage than the total weight of plastics leaking into the environment according to impact assessments.
However, the Commission’s second Impact Assessment (published without fanfare in April 2018) seems to suggest that a number of the basic principles require substantiation. Under an assessment of ‘positive with reservations’, it makes the following observations:
(1) The revised report still does not substantiate where and why the existing legislation falls short of addressing the identified problem drivers, especially for legislation that is not implemented yet or is currently being reviewed.
For single-use plastics, the analysis of the current policy framework (section 2.4) should clarify to what extent plastics end up in the oceans as a result of a lack of ambition of current legislation or because of weak implementation. It should also demonstrate that introducing measures to reduce the occurrence of each of the 10 most found single-use plastics is more effective and/or efficient than strengthening the existing legislation or its implementation.
(2) The case for taking action at EU-level on marine litter has been reinforced in the revised report. However, some of the arguments could be further strengthened. Besides cross-border protection of the environment, the revised report cites market fragmentation as the legitimation to introduce Europe-wide measures. However, it does not prove that fragmentation indeed poses a problem either for the market or for addressing marine litter.
(3) The report discusses the harmful effects of the 10 most frequently found single-use plastics as a group, while it foresees measures for each of the items individually. It should therefore show that each of these items is sufficiently harmful to warrant the proposed measures. This is particularly relevant for those items that are found less frequently, as they represent only a small proportion of the macro plastics in the seas.
(4) A number of options address recycling of macro plastics, which does not directly tackle the main problem of plastics in the seas. While recycling improves the use of natural resources, it does not in itself reduce littering or increase the percentage of waste returned to ports. The report should re-assess the appropriateness of including such options.
(5) The revised report has clarified the use of statistics on plastics in the seas. However, there remain inconsistencies in the data that are not highlighted in the presentation. In particular, different parts of the report state that single-use plastics represent half of all items (plastics and non-plastics) on the beach, but also that they represent half of the count of plastic items, which cannot both be correct. More generally, the report should avoid imprecise and/or unfounded assumptions and statements. Additionally, the report should explicitly mention the large uncertainties of plastic items, which cannot both be correct. More generally, the report should avoid imprecise and/or unfounded assumptions and statements. Additionally, the report should explicitly mention the large uncertainties of the modelling and its assumptions regarding the effectiveness of the proposed measures.
The Regulatory Scrutiny Board published a negative assessment of an earlier draft of the report in March 2018, in which it questioned the robustness of the presented data:
The problem description should explain what problem the initiative wants to tackle: the mass of marine litter in the ocean, or the number of plastic items on the beach or in the ocean. Given its limited impact on the mass of marine litter, the report should clarify that the approach is meant to tackle the most hazardous marine litter, including a discussion of the harm done. Additionally, the report needs to convincingly demonstrate and motivate why the scope of the initiative has to be limited to the top 10 single use plastic items and lost or abandoned fishing gear. The report should demonstrate the relevance of the list of 10 items and that it is future proof, in particular in comparison to national and international initiatives. The report should check the consistency and qualify the robustness of the various figures on marine litter and plastic marine litter in the main report and the annexes. The analysis of impacts and comparison of options should reflect the revised problem analysis.
Packaging Europe showed the latest Impact Assessment to Graham Houlder, coordinator the CEFLEX project, a multi-stakeholder initiative working to increase the circularity and recycling of flexible plastics across Europe. When asked for his reaction, Houlder said:
“I certainly question if it is appropriate to start introducing bans for certain plastic items when the Commission’s own Impact Assessment still raises concerns around the consistency of data and insufficiently substantiated claims. It’s concerning that the Commission seems to be presenting the revised impact assessment externally as positive when it calls for further data and evidence. Are they intending to ignore these concerns, many of which echo those raised by industry? As many of these items are already covered in the Circular Economy Legislation and still need to be transposed into national law, wouldn’t it be more appropriate to strengthen the focus on the implementation of the new collection and recycling policies before introducing new legislation in the same space? The Commission has rightly identified “Circularity” as the desired end goal for all materials and widely supported full value chain initiatives like CEFLEX clearly show how industry is working to deliver this this vision without the need to ban certain items.”
The new rules propose to introduce a plastic ban in certain products ‘where alternatives are readily available and affordable, single-use plastic products will be banned from the market.’ The ban will apply to plastic cotton buds, cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers and sticks for balloons which will all have to be made exclusively from more sustainable materials instead. Single-use drinks containers made with plastic will only be allowed on the market if their caps and lids remain attached.
It also introduces consumption reduction targets. Member States will have to reduce the use of plastic food containers and drinks cups. They can do so by setting national reduction targets, making alternative products available at the point of sale, or ensuring that single-use plastic products cannot be provided free of charge. Meanwhile, producers will be required to help cover the costs of waste management and clean-up, as well as awareness raising measures for food containers, packets and wrappers (such as for crisps and sweets), drinks containers and cups, tobacco products with filters (such as cigarette butts), wet wipes, balloons, and lightweight plastic bags. The industry will also be given incentives to develop less polluting alternatives for these products. Member States will be obliged to collect 90% of single-use plastic drinks bottles by 2025, for example through deposit refund schemes. The policy also includes labelling requirement and awareness-raising measures.
When the policy was announced, First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, responsible for sustainable development said: "This Commission promised to be big on the big issues and leave the rest to Member States. Plastic waste is undeniably a big issue and Europeans need to act together to tackle this problem, because plastic waste ends up in our air, our soil, our oceans, and in our food. Today's proposals will reduce single use plastics on our supermarket shelves through a range of measures. We will ban some of these items, and substitute them with cleaner alternatives so people can still use their favourite products."
Vice-President Jyrki Katainen, responsible for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness, added: "Plastic can be fantastic, but we need to use it more responsibly. Single use plastics are not a smart economic or environmental choice, and today's proposals will help business and consumers to move towards sustainable alternatives. This is an opportunity for Europe to lead the way, creating products that the world will demand for decades to come, and extracting more economic value from our precious and limited resources. Our collection target for plastic bottles will also help to generate the necessary volumes for a thriving plastic recycling industry."


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Consumers Vote With Dollars
While I’d be the first to acknowledge that investing is a qualitative as well as a quantitative venture, I’ll also confess I’m a scientist when it comes to stock-picking. I use facts, figures, data and charts to pick apart and reassemble a company’s odds of success. Yet, I’ve become sold on Ford not so much based on a balance sheet and hopeful expectations in Europe, but based on something perhaps more important.
Consumers love Ford. Maybe it’s justified, and maybe it isn’t. Either way, auto buyers are committed to the brand, to the point of planning on buying one when it comes to their next auto purchase.
It’s not just a perception either — auto owners have said it. In a Consumer Reports survey published in January of this year, Ford topped the “most likely to purchase” list of automobile brand names; 16% of the U.S. populace was leaning toward Ford as the maker of their next vehicle. Ford scored second — only behind Toyota (NYSE:TM) — in overall brand quality in the same survey.
In a separate survey performed by Polk at the beginning of the year, Ford was the best-scoring automaker name in terms of overall brand loyalty. As it turns out, more than 61% of current owners of Ford-family cars (Ford, Lincoln, Mercury) had owned one of those brands before purchasing their current vehicle.
Throw in the fact that there are more Fords on U.S. roads than any other manufacturer’s — 17.2% of the nation’s vehicles to be exact — and what you have is a clear winner on the battlefield of consumers’ minds.
In other words, Ford might be a great investment simply because it makes great cars. I guess the classic investment theses never really go out of style.
Normally, I’d not be impressed by these kinds of opinion polls, as consumers have a funny way of saying one thing and then doing another. It’s also pretty safe to say European auto buyers don’t quite have the same affinity. Yet, the kind of loyalty numbers Ford puts up in the U.S. might well be enough to stave off major problems until Europe regroups … and it will.
In the meantime, excessive fears about Europe’s auto market and an underappreciation for what Ford is doing domestically have made the stock a bargain in my eyes — not merely cheap.
As of this writing, James Brumley was long F.


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The Credas team are pleased to announce that Geraint Rogers has joined the company as their new Chief Strategy Officer.
Geraint joins Credas from Equifax UK where he “previously held the role of Product Director for Identity, Fraud and Financial Crime.”
With almost 30 years of experience “in product development working across banking and risk/compliance including senior strategy roles at LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Experian,” he will help Credas further enhance their proposition.
Geraint will be “joining CEO Tim Barnett and CTO Kevin Smith on [their] executive board.”
Company CEO Tim Barnett commented:
“Geraint will join a superbly talented team and help blend effective Identity and Compliance tooling with meaningful user experiences. The adoption of IDV technology and digital identities are rapidly expanding and Geraint will help Credas stay at the forefront of the market.”
Geraint Rogers added:
“It’s a real pleasure to have joined the excellent team at Credas as Chief Strategy Officer. I am proud to be able to contribute to the next steps in the team’s journey. There is so much opportunity for Credas to make a difference, driving innovative and agile solutions to market; expanding the value to new sectors; ensuring that end-user experiences remain focal to outcomes as the pace of digital change accelerates.”
As a board member of the Open Identity Exchange, Geraint has “helped shape industry standards for interoperable digital identities and wallets.”
Having recently been certified against the UK Government’s Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework, Geraint will “play an instrumental role in the launch of our new Digital Identity wallet later this year.”
As noted by its management:
“No matter the market or sector, Credas can streamline your onboarding process using market leading-technology to revolutionize the way you manage compliance and due diligence.”
Credas claims that it “simplifies complicated processes, helping you verify your customer’s, anywhere, and in real-time.”
Credas reportedly “uses facial recognition, document authentication and numerous global data checks to provide real-time identity verification solutions.”


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Oppo is on the verge to announce a new flagship smartphone featuring a rear quad-camera and a lot of other premium specifications. After Oppo Reno 3, Reno 3 Proa, and Reno 3 Vitality Edition, another flagship device is around the corner. Oppo Reno 4 has already appeared in multiple leaks for the past few weeks revealing some unknown details. Similarly, in a new leak, an image was posted on Weibo showcasing the smartphone’s design consisting of four rear cameras placed vertically.
Must See: Oppo patents a smartphone design with physical QWERTY Keyboard
Moreover, it will support 5G as seen on the promotional object present in the leaked photo. The smartphone also features intuitive bubbles like a quad-camera module on the rear side of the smartphone. Three lenses can be seen vertically in a single line, and the fourth sits by the side of three sensors. The LED flash is present aside from the camera lenses. The image also details about the two color options of White and Black for Oppo Reno 4.
There were no more details about its pricing or the launch date, but we expect some more unknown information to surface before its launch.
Oppo Reno 4 will compete against all the premium flagships like OnePlus 8, Xiaomi 10, upcoming iQOO Z1, and others. It is expected to hit the market with a price range of less than $550.
We have to wait for some official launch to clarify the actual details. Stay connected with Gadgetsay for more!


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Thursday, the Mauritius Central Statistical Office announced that the export price index rose 2.3% sequentially in the fourth quarter. The increase was mainly due to rise in prices of miscellaneous manufactured articles by 1.8% and food and live animals by 3%.
On an annual basis, export prices declined 2.6% in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, import prices dropped 8.6% sequentially in the fourth quarter and it was up 5.5% compared to the previous year.
During the period, the terms of trade index increased by 8 percentage points to 75.
In 2008, exports value in nominal terms dropped 7% to Rs. 46.72 million, while total imports excluding aircraft and transactions of the Freeport increased 10% to Rs. 132.56 million.
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TW Special Report
ITMA 2023 will be held June 8-14, 2023, at the Fiera Milano Rho fairgrounds in Milan, Italy. Milan is hosting ITMA for the sixth time since its inception at the now 19th edition of the show. ITMA is owned by the European Committee of Tex-tile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) and is organized by ITMA Services.
The show is regarded as the largest and most comprehensive global textile machinery trade show. Held once every four years, ITMA has evolved into a platform for emerging trends, innovative solutions, new knowledge and best practices. It is also known as a place to network and establish new relationships, as well as rekindle relationships and catch up with old friends.
The overall theme for ITMA 2023 is “Transforming the World of Textiles.” Four sub-themes under this umbrella title include advanced materials, automation and digital future, innovative technologies, and sustainability and circularity.
On the tails of a global pandemic, organizers and exhibitors aren’t daunted by the current clouds of a global banking crisis and the war in Ukraine, among other economic difficulties. ITMA Services recently reported that the 200,000 square meters of exhibition space reserved for the exhibition at the Fiera Milano Rho is 100-percent booked by exhibitors. More than 1,600 exhibitors from 44 countries are expected in Milan and there is a waitlist for exhibition space of some 100 companies.
“Since the last ITMA exhibition in Barcelona in 2019, the world has changed drastically due to the coronavirus pandemic and geopolitical situation,” said Charles Beauduin, chairman of ITMA Services. “Despite various disruptions, we are glad that space in ITMA 2023 is fully booked. Companies are buoyant about the outlook of the market with most borders now fully open.”
With Italy as the host country, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT) reports Italy-based exhibitors are fully committed to ITMA 2023. “Our manufacturers are very confident about next June’s event,” said ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi. “As shown by the figures on the Italian presence at the event: Almost 400 Italian exhibitors, about 36,000 square meters, with an increase in the occupied surface area of over 20 percent compared to the previous edition held in Barcelona. 30 percent of the total exhibition area at ITMA 2023 will be taken up by Italian machinery manufacturers.”
ACIMIT is promoting the activities of its members at ITMA 2023 under the theme “Shaping the Future.” “Shaping the future is a concept that aims to show how Italian manufacturers are key players in the development of the entire textile supply chain, able to outline virtuous paths that testify to the proactive nature of the entire sector and that enables the future of the sector to be shaped through the three pillars, technology, digitalization, and sustainability, which are also the key themes of ITMA 2023,” Zucchi explained.
Zucchi did caution that positive results in 2022 for Italy-based machinery manufacturers — includ-ing production and export increases of more than 10 percent year-on-year — do not cancel out obstacles companies continue to face. “The critical issues following the COVID-19 pandemic have been amplified by the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict,” Zucchi noted. “Even in this early 2023, unfavorable conditions to business still exist, such as high inflation, constraints on the functioning of value chains, and energy commodity prices above the average of recent years. However, forecasts prepared by our Economic Office show an improvement in the second half of the year and in the 2024-26 period, which gives us hope.”
ACIMIT suggested that ITMA 2023 could be a driving force to stimulate investment in the global textile industry.
At a recent press conference to discuss ITMA and why it is the “greatest show on earth,” Cornelia Buchwalder, secretary general of the the Swiss Textile Machinery Associa-tion —the representative body for Switzerland’s producers of textile equipment, systems and services —reminded attendees that ITMA serves as a benchmark of progress in the textile industry.
“Not only for us, but for the visitors from the textile manufacturers, ITMA is vitally important, and a major element in the overall development of the textile industry world-wide,” Buchwalder said. “The 2023 ITMA is fully booked — clear evidence of its continued appeal as the essential marked place for textile machinery. … ITMA remains a four-yearly milestone in technology, where industry visitors rightly expect to see the best and latest ideas from their suppliers.”
Like ACIMIT, the Swiss Textile Machinery Association also reports robust participation from its member companies at ITMA 2023. “… its importance is underlined by the participation of more than 50 Swiss exhibitors, most of which are members of the textile machinery association. We will be there in Milan, because we know it’s the perfect opportunity to show the world what we offer,” Buchwalder emphasized.
She also pointed out during the press conference that while much information is available online today, there still is nothing better or more exciting than seeing a new machine running live and in person. “Live demonstrations at timed intervals are often crowded with eager visitors —for a good reason,” Buchwalder said. “It’s the way to be inspired and find solutions that could literally change your business outlook, and actually grow your profits.
“Ultimately, ITMA is a celebration of achievements of the global textile community, and an opportunity to foster the kind of innovative developments that future generations will be proud of,” she concluded.
ITMA offers plenty for visitors to do and see. The comprehensive range of exhibits spans some 20 sectors of the textile industry. The sector plan color codes exhibits to help visitors find what they are most interested in seeing at the show (See Figure 1).
Innovation is the name of the game, and ITMA offers several ways for visitors to learn about the latest textile innovations. The Start-Up Valley is a new initiative featuring companies in early stages of developments “with new and game changing solutions and technologies to support and inspire innovation for the textile, garment and fashion industry.” Sixteen start-ups were selected by an expert panel from a pool of applicants.
ITMA 2023’s Research & Innovation Lab forms a hub for innovation at the show. The lab features 20 organizations from 11 countries to showcase new developments from educational and research institutions as well as the industry. The Innovation Video Showcase also will highlight innovations in materials, and textile and garment technologies offered by exhibitors.
In addition, the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award will recognize the achievements of the global textile industry in advancing sustainability using innovative solutions and notable research.
Visitors to ITMA 2023 also can take advantage of the education offerings hosted by ITMA as well as partner organizations (See “Collocated & Associated Events”). This year, ITMA is hosting the complimentary Innovator Xchange event. The sessions will focus on the ITMA Innovation Award winners and finalists as well as the four ITMA sub-themes of advanced materials, automation and digital future, innovative technologies, and sustainability and circularity. ITMA also is again offering the Textile Colourants and Chemicals Forum as well as the Nonwovens Forum. Partner events include the ZDHC Impact Day 2023 and Planet Textiles.
Organizers have launched the ITMAconnect platform for 2023 show participants. The year-round sourcing platform and knowledge hub is now open and comprises five main facets — an agenda to view, bookmark and register for ITMA events; artificial-intelligence powered business matching to pair people, companies and products for in-person meetings; exhibitor digital space to learn more about the participating companies; a schedule to view and manage meetings and events; and a smart messaging system for chat and video calls with exhibitors. The platform allows visitors to engage prior to the exhibition, and conversations will also be able to continue after the event.
ITMA is hosting 45-minute onboarding webinars for visitors to learn about the ITMAconnect plat-form. Upcoming sessions take place April 11, April 27 and May 9. Visit the ITMA website to learn more and RSVP for a session.
In addition, the ITMA website now features a smart exhibitor list with integrated floor plan. This inter-active floor plan allows visitors to explore and locate exhibitors on the show floor while learning more about the product offerings.
Register To Attend
Visitor registration is currently open. To encourage visitors to register ahead of time, ITMA is offering an early bird rate through May 7, 2023, on its website. Visitors may purchase a one-day pass for 40 euros and a seven-day pass for 80 euros. After May 7, rates rise to 55 euros for a one-day badge and 95 euros for a seven-day badge. On site rates are 85 euros to attend for one day or 125 euros to attend for all seven. Students are welcomed anytime June 10-14 at a discounted rate of 25 euros for a five-day badge. The show is open June 8-13 from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. each day. On June 14, the show opens at 10:00 a.m. and closes at 4:00 p.m.
Looking Forward To Innovations, Collaboration
“Our visitors can look forward to ITMA 2023 to preview the latest innovation,” said CEMATEX President Ernesto Maurer. “We hope that textile and garment manufacturers, brands and retailers will take this opportunity to meet at ITMA to source and collaborate with leading members of the textile industry. In addition, they can also gain insights into industry trends and developments at various complementary events.
“Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword; the industry has to move faster to adopt the sustain-ability agenda to secure the future of their business,” Maurer also noted. “During the pandemic, many of our members channeled their resources into R&D activities. ITMA 2023 is perfectly timed to offer our exhibitors an opportunity to showcase these new products and cutting-edge technology. If, and when, R&D is paired with sustainability efforts, this will be the formula for success.”
Colocated & Associated Events
Thursday, June 8
ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award Presentation
(By invitation only)
Launched in 2015 by CEMATEX, the awards honor collaborative efforts in innovative and sustainable products in two categories —Industry Excellence and Research & Innovation Excellence.
Friday, June 9
ITMA Textile Colourants and Chemicals Forum
10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The fourth iteration of the forum will cover trending subjects in the textile colorants and chemical industry including reducing carbon footprints in chemical treatment, improving dyehouse output treatment, fiber fragmentation and working towards safe and sustain-able chemistries. Content is aimed at brands and retailers; color and chemical specialists; dyestuff, color and chemical manufacturers; sustainability managers; and technical engineers and dyehouse managers. Featured keynote speakers are Prasad Pant, director, South Asia, ZDHC Foundation, India; and Sophie Mather, co-founder and executive director, The Microfibre Consortium, England. Registrants must be ITMA 2023 visitors with a valid ITMA badge. The forum has an additional registration fee of 219 euros (or 189 euros with a supporting organization preferential rate). VAT at the prevailing rate, if applicable, will be added to the registration fee.
Innovator Xchange — Presentation by ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award Winners and Finalists
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Winners and finalists of the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Awards will present their innovations to a wider audience. Innovator Xchange events are free to attend with a valid ITMA 2023 visitor badge.
Saturday, June 10
ITMA Nonwovens Forum
10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
The forum focuses on expanding nonwovens applications and integrating nonwovens manufacturing into current manufacturing operations. Topics cover nonwovens machinery and processes, emerging applications, trends and the latest innovations in nonwovens manufacturing with sustainability in mind. Dr. Bryan Haynes, technical director, Global Nonwovens, England-based Kimberly-Clark Corp., will present the keynote speech. Registrants must be ITMA 2023 visitors with a valid ITMA badge. The forum has an additional registration fee of 219 euros (or 189 euros with a supporting organization preferential rate). VAT at the prevailing rate, if applicable, will be added to the registration fee.
Innovator Xchange —Advanced Materials
10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
ITMA’s Innovator Xchange offers visitors the chance to learn about the innovations on display at ITMA as well as gain insight from industry experts in four trending areas over four days of sessions. The keynote speaker for the first session, Advanced Materials, is Parikshit Goswami, professor of Technical Textiles at the University of Huddersfield, England. Goswami’s areas of expertise include flexible materials and chemistries for functionalizing textiles. Innovator Xchange events are free to attend with a valid ITMA 2023 visitor badge.
Sunday, June 11
Innovator Xchange —Automation & Digital Future
10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
ITMA’s Innovator Xchange offers visitors the chance to learn about the innovations on display at ITMA as well as gain insight from industry experts in four trending areas over four days of sessions. The keynote speaker for the second session, Automation & Digital Future, is Kevin McCoy, vice president Made, New Balance Athletics Inc., Boston. McCoy is a product expert with experience in footwear development from ideation to mass production. Innovator Xchange events are free to attend with a valid ITMA 2023 visitor badge.
Partner Event — ZDHC Impact Day 2023 organized by the ZDHC Foundation
The ZDHC Impact Day 2023 will highlight the organization’s efforts, achievements and impact over the past year. The group also will share its new strategy for the next seven years including the Roadmap to Zero until 2030. The event is open to ZDHC contributors, friends of ZDHC and selected industry stakeholders. Contributors receive two free tickets. The fee for in-person attendees is 599 euros, and 199 euros for virtual participants. Attendees must have a valid ITMA 2023 badge.
Monday, June 12
Innovator Xchange — Innovative Technologies
10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
ITMA’s Innovator Xchange offers visitors the chance to learn about the innovations at ITMA as well as gain insight from industry experts in four trending areas over four days of sessions. The keynote speaker for the third session, Innovative Technologies, is Dr. Jess S. Jur, director of Ecosystem Technology, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America Inc., Cambridge, Mass. Dr. Jur leads efforts to discover advanced textile technologies for the defense market. Innovator Xchange events are free to attend with a valid ITMA 2023 visitor badge.
Partner Event — Planet Textiles Day 1, organized by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Planet Textiles is an international sustainability conference organized by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC). This year’s two-day event will cover the latest Higg Index updates, the role of manufacturers in driving change and the future of science-based targets, as well as explore innovations in circularity, sustainability measurement, decarbonization, and more. Participants must be registered ITMA 2023 attendees with a valid ITMA badge. Tickets cost 340 euros for non-governmental organizations/non-profit personnel, 750 euros for SAC members, and 850 euros for non-SAC members.
Tuesday, June 13
Innovator Xchange — Sustainability and Circularity
10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
ITMA’s Innovator Xchange offers visitors the chance to learn about the innovations at ITMA as well as gain insight from industry experts in four trending areas over four days of sessions. The keynote speaker for the fourth session, Sustainability and Circularity, is Germán García Ibánez, head of Sustainable Raw Materials & Circularity, Edificio Inditex, Spain. García Ibánez is focused on sustainable raw material sourcing strategies, next generation materials, dyeing technologies, textile-to-textile recycling, traceability and impact measurement. Innovator Xchange events are free to attend with a valid ITMA 2023 visitor badge.
Partner Event — Planet Textiles Day 2
8:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.


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With 79 percent of respondents saying they are nervous and anxious, according to JWT’s latest AnxietyIndex survey, Argentina is among the most anxious of the 16 countries we’ve surveyed over the past year. The poll of 328 Argentineans aged 18-59, conducted in January, found that two key drivers of anxiety are the state of the economy and the cost of living.
Argentineans are accustomed to economic turmoil—they’ve lived with various forms of economic crisis for decades. And Argentina, which is not experiencing the same recession as most of the world, has been grappling with permanent price fluctuation under the ghost of inflation since the 1970s. So consumers are adaptable, expanding and shrinking their spending in accordance with the times. But the concept of saving money has lost credibility—people don’t believe it’s possible to save much. As a consequence, they feel that a happy life with friends and family is more important than focusing on money and materialism.
The opportunity for brands is to offer optimistic messages and a positive brand experience, standing out by counteracting the negativity dominating Argentinean society. For example, communicating from a positive point of view, Walmart’s proposal “Save money. Live better” tells customers that by saving, they can actually have a more enjoyable life. Click here to download the full Argentina AnxietyIndex report from the Trends and Research page.


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P4, operator of the Polish mobile network Play, posted PLN 3.72 billion revenue in 2013, up by 4 percent year-on-year and PLN 707 million EBITDA. The number of Play clients last year rose by 24 percent to 10.7 million, which stands for 19 percent of market share.
In Q4 alone, P4’s EBITDA reached PLN 211 million as it grew 4 percent quarter-on-quarter while revenues reached PLN 979 million, up by 4.5 percent q/q.
The company expects further revenue growth in 2014 after deceleration last year caused by reduction of wholesale Mobile Termination Rates.
From Warsaw Business Journal
Orange and mBank reach deal on mobile banking
Orange buys 2.4 MHz frequencies from Polkomtel
Deutsche Telekom buys GTS
Consumer watchdog fines mobile operator zł.8.2 mln
Poland has 55.5 million mobile phone subscriptions
Poland’s PM owes Putin one
BY Remi Adekoya
A day full of possibilities
BY Andrew Kureth


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Single apps for all travel needs, passport free travel, and mobile app check-in are the top three new travel norms expected by travellers in the 2020s, according to new research by Agoda.
With the continued advancement of technology, revolutionary travel apps, and better connectivity, people expect a lot more from their travel experience in the next decade, said the OTA in a statement.
Specifically, South-east Asians expect these technological advances to simplify travel, according to the survey which polled over 16,000 adults between December 12, 2019 and December 18, 2019. Half of all respondents in Indonesia (56 per cent), Singapore (54 per cent), Malaysia (53 per cent), Taiwan (50 per cent), the Philippines (48 per cent) and Thailand (48 per cent) consider this to be the norm in the next decade, compared to only a third of people in the UK and the US (33 per cent).
One in two South-east Asians also view mobile app check in, which allows guests to skip the registration queue, download their room access key and go straight to their rooms, as the norm in the 2020s, with Singaporeans (54%), Filipinos (53%), Malaysians (58%) and Thais (49%) most expectant of this trend.
Meanwhile, Singapore (50 per cent), Vietnam (47 per cent), the Philippines (45 per cent), China (44 per cent) and Australia (41 per cent) are the top five origins most likely to see a future with passport-free travel. In the UK and the US, they are less expectant of this advancement, with only one in five respondents expecting it to be the norm within the next decade.
Timothy Hughes, vice president of corporate development at Agoda, said that “the 2020s will be defined by the power of data and machine learning. This will enable companies like Agoda to provide personalised, more relevant recommendations to make booking travel even easier”.
He added: “Asian travellers, in particular, are enthused by, and expectant of, technology developments that enhance and simplify their travel experience. Asian-based companies are now leading the world in technology adoption and development to achieve this. I expect to see Asia press ahead with that lead in the 2020s – especially in areas such as video and augmented reality, improved mobile services with more chat and voice solutions, and payments to help bring the ‘unbanked’ online”.
Universally, people want to increase the amount of travel they undertake in the 2020s, with 40 per cent of respondents globally wanting to explore more of their own country, while 35 per cent is keen on international travel.
There is also a growing trend in responsible tourism, with more than a quarter of respondents desiring eco-friendlier travel choices in the next decade.
Travellers from Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia are most keen to make eco-friendlier choices, perhaps in light of the recent closure of Maya Bay in Thailand, and the Boracay rehabilitation programme in the Philippines.
Travellers in the 35-44 and 55+ age groups are most likely to want to explore their own countries and territories more (40 per cent and 42 per cent respectively), with those from China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, the US and Vietnam choosing domestic destinations as their top three wishlist destinations for the coming decade.
Meanwhile, South Korean and Japanese travellers see themselves taking more solo trips in the next decade, while Taiwanese and Indonesians would prefer taking a sabbatical or gap year.
Asian destinations dominate the global travel wishlists for the next decade, as travellers from both Asia and the West showcase a growing curiosity for Asian countries, with Kyoto emerging as the world’s most desired destination to visit in the 2020s, followed by Bangkok and Bali.
Travellers in the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia want to cross off their own capital cities from their travel lists. Meanwhile, only travellers from South Korea, the UK, and Australia didn’t choose a domestic destination on their travel wishlists for the next decade.
American and British travellers alike are most excited about visiting New York in the coming decade, with New York also a top three choice for travellers from Australia, Japan and South Korea. Both Malaysian and Indonesian travellers would like to visit Makkah by 2030.


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Sharp is equipping its new flat-panel TVs with hard disks and the capability to receive television programming from the Internet, according to a report last week in Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper.
Sharp's new liquid crystal display TVs will allow viewers to watch traditional TV programs, surf the Internet, and view broadband video on a large, HD screen — all with the push of a remote-control button.
The Internet Aquos lineup, which goes on sale in Japan later this month, comprises of 32- and 37in models. Each size has two drive options: a 500GB HDD that can record high-definition programs, and a 250GB version that can record only analog terrestrial broadcasts.
In addition to TV programs, digital photos and music can be downloaded and stored on the drives.
Sharp's Internet Aquos models have two separate hardware units: a TV and a computer. The two-unit setup will give users flexibility in laying out the systems.
The company has yet to announce when the sets might appear in the United States.
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Last year we got the Porsche Design Huawei Mate 9, a rebadged version of the Mate 9 Pro, with a fancy new paint job, a weird custom theme, and a ludicrous 256GB of internal storage. Oh, and a $1500 price tag.
This year, the Porsche Design partnership continues, and so does the astronomical pricing of the co-branded handsets. The Porsche Design Huawei Mate 10 — once again, based on the "Pro" variant of that phone — will sell for €1,395 when it's made available in November.
Like last year, the PD Mate 10 is effectively a supercharged Mate 10 Pro.
So what's different? Well, the new Mate 10 PD sports a murdered-out black paint job on the outside, with (thankfully) more subtle Porsche Design branding where the Huawei logo would usually sit. Around the back, there's a more ostentatious "PD" logo around the camera area, along with a distinctive cutout that provides some visual differentiation compared to the plain old Mate 10 Pro.
On the inside, Huawei has bumped up the RAM to 6 GB, while storage, once again, sits at an enormous 256 GB. And on the software side, you also get some moody Porsche Design-themed icons and wallpapers.
With Huawei focusing on the Mate 10 Pro for the U.S. and UK this time around — not to mention the largely identical design and paint job — the allure of the Porsche Design model may be lessened. That being said, the Porsche Design partnership is arguably more about creating a halo effect around Huawei's smartphones, as opposed to shifting PD-branded phones in large numbers.
Check out the Porsche Design Huawei Mate 10 below. And for a closer look at the phone it's based upon, head over to our Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro hands-on preview,
Microsoft teaming up with Samsung for gaming and XCloud could be HUGE
At Samsung's 2020 Unpacked event, the Korean tech giant announced a partnership with Xbox. Details are scant, but what could it mean for the future of Microsoft's gaming platform?
Samsung takes folding phones mainstream with the Galaxy Z Flip
Last year's Galaxy Fold was very much an experiment for Samsung is an entirely new product category, but in just a year's time, the Galaxy Z Flip has debuted with the makings of a mainstream hit. If you ask me, that's mighty impressive.
Would you rather have the Galaxy S20+ or Note 10+?
The Galaxy S20+ and Note 10+ are two of the best Samsung phones you can buy in 2020. If you could only choose one, which would it be and why?
Protect your precious Pixel 3a with perfectly priced cases!
No matter your taste, your phone needs a case, and the affordably-priced Pixel 3a is no exception.