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The coronavirus pandemic has bought a new appreciation for the vital role transport and logistics workers fulfil in our everyday lives in our economy.
Transport and logistics play a vital role
Unlike many other workers, transport and logistics workers continued to work throughout the crisis. Their work was particularly vital at the start of the pandemic, when stockpiling ahead of lockdown placed great strain on existing supply chain and logistics operations.
Not only did the sector ensure food supplies, fuel and other essential goods continued to be available, it also took on additional duties, transporting essential supplies of PPE around the country. Very sadly, this stoicism has been reflected in the COVID-19 statistics.
Increased risk for transport and logistics workers
A study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that looked at the 4,761 deaths in the working age population (20 to 64 years of age) recorded between March 9 and May 25, 2020, found that – besides health and care workers – road transport drivers had some of the highest rates of death involving COVID-19 for men.
At a more granular level, taxi and cab drivers and chauffeurs had the highest rate – with 65.3 deaths per 1,000 men (or 134 deaths in total). Bus and coach drivers also had a significantly higher-than-average rate of death, with 44.2 deaths per 1,000 men (53 deaths), as did van drivers, with 26.7 deaths per 1,000 men (66 deaths).
How should we recognise the sector’s vital role?
In light of their efforts and the risks they take to keep our economy and lifestyles going, the work of transport and logistics workers has been recognised in many ways – from front covers on Vogue magazine, individual stories of appreciation, and a boost in tipping delivery drivers.
Now, a new survey by transport and logistics technology company CameraMatics sheds some light on the perception of this vital role by the drivers themselves.
CameraMatics founder Simon Murray explained, “We know that behind the scenes the Supply Chain is a mighty army of people, processes and machines operating around the clock. With the focus on thanking and appreciating key workers, we decided to find out how drivers working day and night to deliver essentials felt.”
The majority of drivers feel underappreciated
The survey found that 50.4 percent of UK drivers and 40.6 percent of drivers in Ireland feel that they aren’t appreciated. UK drivers are least likely to feel they are appreciated by the public, with just 28.7 percent agreeing they felt this way.
Some drivers took the opportunity to share their frustrations through the survey.
One UK HGV driver reported that, after working a 70-hour week, he was unable to get the necessary food for his family even though other keyworkers were given priority.
Seeing us through the pandemic
Nevertheless, not all drivers agreed that they needed public appreciation. One Irish respondent said, “We are still doing our job. It’s not like we are going into a COVID-19 ward with no PPE on us.”
Levels of satisfaction and appreciation will vary, depending on the situation of different drivers, of course, with some companies protecting and looking after staff better than others.
Throughout the pandemic there have been reports of drivers being spat on by the public, some companies ridiculing drivers who request better protection, and the effects of existing stresses that are being exacerbated by the difficult circumstances.
Time to work together
Only by continuing to work together with empathy and consideration and by taking the time to rigorously implement the new policies and processes designed to protect workers and the public will we be able to improve the levels of satisfaction and appreciation felt by workers throughout the transport and logistics sector.


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The State government in its new excise policy announced on Monday, has allowed annexes to the outlets for consumers to sit and drink
Liquor shops in municipalities and municipal corporations will double up as ‘bars’ from July 1 as the State government in its new excise policy announced on Monday, has allowed annexes to the outlets for consumers to sit and drink.
Earlier, the permit rooms attached to liquor shops were allowed only in villages with a population above 5,000. The facility will continue for such villages but will not be available to habitations with lesser population.
Other significant features of the new policy include provision of retailer margin from out of rounding off of maximum retail price on liquor bottles to the nearest Rs. five.
The rounded off figure was earlier claimed by the government. Depending on the brands, a certain margin will be given to the retailer now, excise officials said.
A privilege fee at eight per cent plus applicable VAT on the turnover of shops in excess of seven times the annual licence fee will be charged during the year.
The rule was earlier applicable on turnover in excess of six times the fee.
There is, however, no change in the annual licence fee per shop for different population slabs.
It remains Rs. 32.5 lakh for population up to 10,000, Rs. 34 lakh above 10,000 and up to 50,000, Rs. 42 lakh above 50,000 and up to 3 lakh, Rs. 46 lakh above 3 lakh and up to 5 lakh, Rs. 64 lakh above 5 lakh and up to 20 lakh and Rs. 104 lakh above 20 lakh.
The excise commissioner was permitted to relocate the unsold shops from any locality but he could not relocate them from higher licence fee slab to lower slab. They could be relocated in same slab or from lower to higher slab.
About 80 shops were proposed to be relocated although there were 617 unsold shops out of 6,596 shops in the State.
The policy envisaged that the method of selection for grant of shop licences of unsold shops would be by draw of lots like last year but the period of licence would be only one year. There will be no right of subsequent renewal beyond 2013-14.
The AP Beverages Corporation will continue to vend liquor in the retail market until the unsold shops are disposed of.

domain: news


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The telecom industry right now is beaming with the news of Reliance Jio Infocomm increasing its tariff plans, thereby indicating early signs of stability in the market, struggling to keep pace with low tariffs introduced by the Mukesh Ambani-owned company.
Jio’s most popular plan of Rs.399 for 84 days will now be available for Rs.459 and for the ones who still want to stick to Rs.399, the validity has been reduced to 70 days. As per the reports published on the company’s website, the changes have already been initiated from 19th October, days after indicating that some rates will be increased to garner higher revenue from subscribers.
In addition to this, as per the analysts, Jio, in order to gain high-end users, is also introducing sachets and offering more data to attract lower spending customers. This states of customers getting double the amount of GBs for its Rs.149 and Rs.509 packs. The Rs.149 pack, which initially did not attract quite a few users, will be now modified by offering the users 4 GB a month. For the ones opting for the Rs.509 pack, they are entitled to 2 GB data instead of 1GB per day. As per Jio, the plan brings high – speed data to subscribers at the lowest industry price of Rs.5.2 per GB.
This development i.e. the increase in the tariff rate by Jio is can be definitely proven positive for Airtel, Vodafone and Idea as Jio had been disrupting the market since its inception in September 2016, with its lowered data rates and free-for-life voice calls across the country, compelling the older operators to reducer rates to retain users at the cost of severe financial pressure. So, at least these incumbents will have some leeway to increase the rates.
Also, the telecom industry would now witness the cut-throat competition as Airtel and Vodafone have also introduced their Rs.399 schemes, following Jio. Airtel will now offer its 4G pack at Rs.399, with unlimited calls and 1GB data per day for 70 days. Similarly, taking a cue from Jio, Vodafone will be offering 90 GB data and unlimited local and STD calling for a period of 6 months from the date of recharge in its Rs.399 plan.
So, the counter-attack on Jio has been planned and after this, even Idea needs to plan something big. Lastly, as per the experts and analysts of the telecom industry, it is moving towards a structure where the market leader will have a 40% share, followed by 35% and 20%, for the No. 2 and No. 3, respectively and nobody will have any complaint about this. Further, an expert also added that “Increase in profitability is out of the question at the moment because of the way tariffs have gone down”.


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Marketing firms’ employees could pose accidental or intentional threats to database security, an expert has warned.
Paul Mutton, an internet services developer at Netcraft, pointed out that employees could represent a serious risk to data security whether by accident or design, so firms should ensure they have solid security measures in place.
He explained that with the increasing popularity of remote working, which could heighten the risk of data breaches, it is a good idea for firms to provide their staff with clear guidelines about data security.
“A number of companies are more proactive in taking measures to ensure data is safe by [using] manual web application tests, which generally uncover a lot of [things] which the automated tests wouldn’t uncover,” Mr Mutton said.
Rob Lovell, chief executive of ThinkGrid, recently said many marketers still lack a basic understanding of new technologies and may not be using the best means of keeping their business lists and consumer lists up-to-date.
Posted by Matthew Collins, Technical Director IT Data Cleaning, Hygiene, Analytics, Databases


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Using VMware as a Service
AVS, which launched about six months ago and is now available in three regions, including the U.S., allows customers to run VMware services through Azure. Lockard described it not as a short-term solution to get organizations through a transformation but as an offering that allows them to use VMware as a service, in perpetuity.
“It’s not just a steppingstone to data,” said Lockard.
The product offers a full VMware stack, including access to related third parties. The integrated service can be controlled either through Azure or through the VMware experience organizations are used to.
“The service handles a lot of things that you would have to do yourself if you were on-premises, like hardware repair,” Lockard said. “It really frees you up to think more about the applications rather than the platform they’re running on.”
Increased Efficiency and Lower Costs
The ability to move to the cloud with minimal disruption was a major reason why Lucky Brand decided to deploy AVS, according to CTO Kevin Nehring. He said via video that the company was feeling the digital pressure from online retail giants, but with thousands of stores, employees, and devices, the task of upgrading seemed daunting.
“We didn’t want to necessarily have to build new applications,” said Nehring. “We wanted to leverage what we already had.”
Lucky Brand was able to utilize what it already had in VMware, and then use Azure to connect all that data with “one pane of glass,” as Nehring puts it, from on-premises data centers to the cloud.
“We are really trying to bring data together, reduce costs and drive revenue,” he said, adding that the move has laid the foundation for what they’re trying to achieve in the future.
A Win-Win Partnership
Lockard acknowledged that it may seem strange to some that two of the biggest brands in the field are partnering up, but the decision makes sense for Microsoft, which wanted to wanted to deliver a product aimed at customers who may not want the headache of a learning curve.
“They like that environment, they have investments in it, and they don’t want to think about moving it,” he said.
“What we care about is that Azure is the best cloud for our customers,” Lockard said, “and that means supporting all the platforms that our customers want to run.”
While companies are still able to run all of the applications they are accustomed to on VMware, they’re now also able to utilize the full range of Azure services, giving them access to data storage, security, machine learning and more.
“AVS is Azure,” Lockard said, “So, you can really choose to bring some or all of your VMware applications to Azure.”
Find more of BizTech's coverage of Microsoft Ignite 2019 here.


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Wayback Burgers is celebrating summer 2022 with the launch of the new Works Dog and new Jalapeño Ranch Fries.
Story continues below
The Works Dog features a grilled hot dog served on a brioche bun, topped with onions, jalapeños, tomatoes and Wayback’s works mustard.
Jalapeño Ranch Fries feature the brand’s signature French fries drizzled in ranch and topped with jalapeños.
You can find Jalapeño Ranch Fries at participating locations nationwide through September 9, 2022, while the Works Dog will be available for a limited time while supplies last.
Image via Wayback Burgers


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The Swiss hotel where a guest recently paid CHF9,999 ($10,279) for a dram of whisky is investigating whether the liquor was fake.
In a statement, the Hotel Waldhaus am See near the popular resort town of St Moritz said it is taking very seriously the possibility that the whisky could be inauthentic and is submitting the bottle of 1878 Macallan for “extremely rigorous” testing.
The hotel was alerted to the possibility of fake whisky after connoisseur Serge Valentin questioned the bottle’s authenticity in a post on his website.external link
When a Chinese tourist purchased a glass of the more than century-old Macallan on July 29, the hotel uncorked what was believed to be the last unopened bottle of that vintage in the world.
The bottle had been purchased by former hotel owner Claudio Bernasconi 25 years ago for a “five-figure sum”, according to the hotel’s statement. Sandro Bernasconi, the current owner, wrote in the statement that “during all that time, we never had the slightest suspicion that the whisky could be fake”.
The hotel has contacted a renowned whisky tester in England to determine whether the remainder of the liquid in the bottle is authentic. The testing process could take several months.
The man who purchased the CHF9,999 dram of whisky will be reimbursed if the rare Macallan is found to be fake, the hotel statement said, adding that it would then seek legal action against the person who sold Claudio Bernasconi the bottle.
The Hotel Waldhaus is in the Guinness Book of Records for having the world’s largest collection of whiskies at 2,500.


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Fab 4X Brings Manufacturing Jobs to New York
With federal money going by the dozens or hundreds of billions under bailouts, with unclear benefits to taxpayers, it looks like New York just made a pretty solid deal. Fab 4X will employ about 1600 in the construction industry while it is being built. Construction begins early next year and will go on for over two years. Fab 4X, it is expected, will cost about $4.6 billion when everything is said and done.
Fab 4X will begin producing in 2011 or ’12 with 32nm process technologies, employing at least 1205 people full time by the beginning of 2014. 1465 people could be working at Fab 4X by the end of that year. The plant is also designed to smoothly update to 22nm production, down the road.
An economic impact study prepared by ESC Company predicts an extra 550 people will be working in direct relation with Fab 4X (security, cleaning, delivery, etc). Those 2000 people working at the Fab need to drive, eat, sleep, shop, and so on, and the study predicts another 4500 of these indirect jobs.


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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is breaking hearts — and stoking anger — around the world. As governments and individuals try to find ways to help the people of Ukraine, corporations also are taking their own stand.
Scores of companies that have done business in Russia for years or even decades now are making a sudden exit. They have decided that the price is too high to keep doing business with a nation that has fast become an international pariah.
Following are some of the largest U.S. companies that are exiting Russia, at least for now.
American Express, Mastercard and Visa
In a call with U.S. lawmakers, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine reportedly requested that U.S.-based Visa and Mastercard suspend operations in Russia. Soon after, the two credit card giants did just that, CBS News reports.
The following day, New York-based American Express followed suit and terminated business operations with Russian ally Belarus as well.
California-based Apple has suspended all sales in Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
On March 1, the third-biggest company in America said it was halting all exports into its sales channels in Russia. It also limited the use of Apple Pay in the country and removed the opportunity to download Russian state media outlets from the Apple Store outside Russia.
Boeing — the world’s largest aerospace company — announced March 1 that it was halting major operations in Moscow.
The Seattle-based manufacturer said it also was “suspending parts, maintenance and technical support services for Russian airlines.”
Coca-Cola and Pepsi
An iconic seller of soda and other beverages, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola can be found in virtually every corner of the world — but no longer in Russia.
In a short statement announcing the suspension of its business in Russia, the company simply said:
“Our hearts are with the people who are enduring unconscionable effects from these tragic events in Ukraine. We will continue to monitor and assess the situation as circumstances evolve.”
Rival soda seller Pepsi — based in Purchase, New York — also is suspending the sale of its beverages in Russia.
One of the biggest studios in Hollywood and an icon around the world, Disney has announced it will not release films — including the upcoming “Turning Red” from Pixar — in Russia for the time being.
In a statement, the Burbank, California-based company said the “unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis” were behind the decision to halt business in Russia.
ExxonMobil and Shell
Irving, Texas-based oil giant Exxon-Mobil says it is exiting the Sakhalin-1 project, an oil and gas operation on Sakhalin Island in Russia. ExxonMobil operated the project on behalf of an international consortium.
The company — the 10th-largest in the U.S. — also has dropped new investments in Russia, saying “we deplore Russia’s military action that violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine and endangers its people.”
Houston-based Shell is another oil company that has pulled out of Russia.
FedEx and UPS
U.S.-based FedEx and UPS — two of the largest shipping companies in the world — have suspended shipments to Russia.
However, a spokesperson for FedEx told CBS that the company continues “to provide domestic and export service in Russia where conditions allow.”
Ford Motor Co.
Detroit-based Ford says it “has significantly wound down its Russian operations” in recent years and has been focused on commercial van manufacturing and Russian sales through a joint venture. But given the events in Ukraine, the automaker is now suspending those operations in Russia.
In addition, Ford made a $100,000 donation to the Global Giving Ukraine Relief Fund that is earmarked for humanitarian aid to Ukrainians during the invasion.
Boston-based General Electric announced it was temporarily suspending support of Russian airlines but did not offer more details.
According to Reuters, GE said its decision was an effort to remain consistent with sanctions imposed by the U.S., UK and European Union.
Google and Meta
Google — owned by Alphabet, the ninth-largest company in the U.S. — has blocked Russian state media from all of its platforms. This includes the Google Play app store.
In addition, the California-based company no longer allows customers of sanctioned Russian banks to use Google Pay.
Meta — formerly known as Facebook and based in Menlo Park, California — also has blocked access to Russian state-controlled outlets across the European Union.
Harley-Davidson put the brakes on all motorcycle deliveries to Russia. In a statement to Fox Business, the Milwaukee-based company said:
“In light of the crisis in Ukraine, Harley-Davidson has suspended its business in Russia and all shipments of its bikes to the country. Our thoughts continue for the safety of the people of Ukraine and those impacted by the crisis.”
After being called out on social media for a perceived silence on the issue of Ukraine, Chicago-based McDonald’s announced it was temporarily closing all of its locations in Russia. CNN reports that McDonald’s had 847 locations in Russia as of the end of 2021.
In a statement, McDonald’s noted that it will continue to pay the 62,000 people it employs in Russia who “have poured their heart and soul into our McDonald’s brand to serve their communities.” However, the company went on to say “our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine.”
Netflix has pulled the plug on its service in Russia.
The Los Gatos, California-based company made the announcement after previously saying it was suspending all future projects and acquisitions in Russia.
Nike has stopped online sales to Russia and temporarily shuttered its stores there.
The Oregon-based company also told Reuters it was donating $1 million to relief efforts through the United Nations Children’s Fund and the International Rescue Committee.
Starbucks has suspended all business operations in Russia, including the shipment of its products.
In a letter to employees, Kevin Johnson, CEO of the famous Seattle-based coffee chain, said:
“We continue to watch the tragic events unfold and, today, we have decided to suspend all business activity in Russia, including shipment of all Starbucks products. Our licensed partner has agreed to immediately pause store operations and will provide support to the nearly 2,000 partners in Russia who depend on Starbucks for their livelihood.”
Disclosure: The information you read here is always objective. However, we sometimes receive compensation when you click links within our stories.


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Ethical Consumer: Consumers Urged To Boycott Three Climate Change Criminals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 29, 2007
CONTACT: Ethical Consumer
Mary Rayner and Ruth Rosselson on 0161 226 2929 or email
Consumers Urged To Boycott Three Climate Change Criminals
JUNE 29 - As Live Earth calls on individuals, companies and government to take
urgent action on climate change, Ethical Consumer calls consumers to
boycott three climate change criminals lobbying against a greener future.
Number 1 consumer boycott – Esso Petrol
Exxon – the company behind Esso petrol – is the only major oil company
to fund front groups that confuse science on global warming. Long the
target of climate campaigners, the company also refuses to invest in
clean, renewable energy. Exxon has donated millions of pounds to the
climate change denying EU think tank International Policy Network and
Centre for the New Europe since 1998.
Hanna Backman, researcher at Ethical Consumer, says: “The best
alternative is to leave the car at home, but failing that, of the major
oil companies BP (3.5) invests the most in renewable energy, and Murco
(9.5) comes out best in our Ethiscore ethical ratings – so refuel there
Number 2 consumer boycott – Kenco coffee - Another company delaying attempts to tackle climate change by funding
groups which claim that global warming is either a "myth" or not worth
tackling, is Altria (previously knows as Philip Morris).
Other brands owned by the Altria group: Philadelphia, Terry’s, Toblerone.
According to Hanna Backman: “There are so many alternative brands of
coffee out there – many of them fair trade – for consumers to choose
from. Cafédirect Fairtrade and organic coffee (16), Clipper Fairtrade
and organic coffee (14.5) and Traidcraft Fairtrade coffee (14.5) get the
best Ethiscore ratings.”
Number 3 consumer boycott – Nouvelle recycled toilet tissue
Consumers might be surprised to see a recycled toilet tissue brand in
the list, but its parent, Georgia-Pacific, came out worst in a WWF
report on sustainability in the tissue sector. Georgia-Pacific’s own
parent company, Koch Industries has been part of a team advising Bush on
developing a conservative “environmentalism for the 21st century”. This
“environmentalism” favoured deregulation and led to statements by Bush
that logging was good for forests and that dams were good for salmon.
Other brands owned by the Koch Industries group: Lotus Professional and
Hanna Backman says: “There are loads of alternatives to buying Nouvelle.
The most ethical of the widely available brands are Naturelle (9) or the
Co-op supermarket’s (5.5) recycled ranges. Ethical Consumer’s other Best
Buys, available at health food stores and online are the Natural
Collection (14.5), Traidcraft (14.5), Ecotopia (14), Essential (14) and
Suma (14) recycled brands.”
“There’s more to responsible consumption than just watching your own
impact. It’s also worth telling climate change deniers that you won’t
give them your money”, says Hanna Backman. “Consumers can email
companies through the Climate Criminals campaign page on the Ethiscore
“Promoting change by informing and empowering the consumer”


text: Our victim this week says he applied for a credit card at Sam's Club and didn't get it. But he did get a bill for almost $2600. Detectives and Wal-Mart security say these two men used that missing credit card. Take a good look. JPD says they have used the card to buy almost $2000 worth of electronics. Mainly dvd players and TVs. If you think you know who these two men are, call CRIMESTOPPERS, 935-STOP. Tell police what you know and you will be given a "tip number". That tip number is your ticket to cash. Hang on to that number, then in two weeks, call Sgt. Steve McDaniel to see if your tip was on the money. If it was, money is what you will get.


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Busan Port By the middle of this month (November), exports had increased by 2.2% compared to a year ago.
According to the Korea Customs Service, exports from November 1 to 20 were $33.79 billion, a 2.2% increase compared to the same period last year.
The average daily export amount considering the number of operating days also increased by 2.2%.
Monthly exports decreased from October of last year to September of this year compared to the same month of the previous year, but increased by 5.1% last month, turning positive ( ) for the first time in 13 months.
By item, semiconductor exports increased by 2.4%.
Semiconductor exports have been decreasing for 15 months on a monthly basis from August of last year to last month.
As semiconductor exports showed a stable increase from early to mid-November, there is a greater possibility that it will turn positive this month.
In addition, exports of passenger cars (20.1%), petroleum products (0.4%), and home appliances (25.6%) increased, while exports of steel products (-9.5%) and automobile parts (-3.6%) decreased.
From the 1st to the 20th of this month, imports amounted to $35.26 billion, a 6.2% decrease from the same period last year.
The trade balance recorded a deficit of $1.416 billion.
As of the 20th of this year, the cumulative annual trade deficit was calculated to be $19.527 billion.


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Cosmetics legal changes on the way?
Eric F. Greenberg | Attorney-at-Law
Cosmetics are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration with the lightest of touches. But when a Congressional hearing in March examined just how the Food and Drug Administration does what it does, the chances looked good that FDA soon would soon get the power to do more.
Cosmetics are defined in the law as “articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance,” plus components of any such articles, but not including soap. So that’s deodorants, lipsticks, perfumes, shampoos, skin moisturizers, make-up, and hair color, for example.
A review of the key features of current cosmetic regulation makes clear that the emphasis is on voluntary compliance:
- Cosmetic product makers are responsible for assuring the safety of their ingredients and products (though a few ingredient types are banned, such as chloroform and substances containing mercury), and thus they don’t need FDA’s OK before marketing products or using specific ingredients (except for color additives, which do require prior FDA approval or batch certification).
- Regulations call for cosmetics labels to feature some basic information, and it’s up to the companies to make sure they get that right.
- Cosmetics companies have no obligation to report adverse reactions to their products, as do drug or dietary supplement makers.
- If a safety issue arises about a cosmetic product, FDA can ask the makers to remove it, and if they don’t, FDA can take enforcement actions-seizure, injunction, criminal prosecution-against the companies and responsible individuals.
- FDA asks companies to register themselves with FDA, and about 1,600 have done so, and to voluntarily file ingredient statements with FDA, and the agency has lists for about 39,000 products, though FDA thinks that only about a third of manufacturers filed ingredients lists.
- Also, experts review the safety of cosmetics via another voluntary program, supported by both industry and FDA. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel has been operating since 1976.
In the March hearing, with several Congressional bills on the table to toughen cosmetic regulation, FDA said today’s cosmetics present new challenges. For example, many new types of cosmetic products have emerged, and an increasing number of countries are sending cosmetics to the U.S.
New ingredients that incorporate nanotechnology can potentially raise new and different safety issues as well, said FDA. Additionally, FDA is challenged when cosmetic products blur the line between cosmetics and drugs, either because they are labeled with drug claims (any effect on the structure or function of the body) or because they contain ingredients touted as ‘active’ that are also known as ingredients in drug products. An example, says FDA, is retinol in anti-wrinkle creams, also found in some OTC drugs. This is not a new issue, as FDA has been sending Warning Letters to makers of what industry calls ‘cosmeceuticals’ since at least the 1980’s, but it seems to ebb and flow over time.
So with these challenges old and new, FDA is asking for some changes in the law to allow it to do its job differently. It is asking Congress to allow it to require cosmetic makers to register with FDA and be required to submit their ingredients, rather than keeping that voluntary, and to charge a registration fee as well. FDA estimates that would give them $19 million in new money to work with to set up guidance and safety standards, and pursue needed research on the safety of some ingredients.
Even the key trade organization is asking for expanded FDA power. The Personal Care Products Council wants to see the voluntary safety review of ingredients made more formal and have FDA review the safety determinations by the independent CIR expert panel in past years. They support making registration and ingredient listings mandatory, and also want adverse reaction reporting made mandatory, along with Good Manufacturing Practices regulations to assure more consistent cosmetic-making.
The PCPC told the congressional committee it’s well past time to update the legal framework. They support these steps as part of the first significant legal change regarding cosmetics since 1938, when the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was first passed containing the key provisions of the present law.
Why would a trade organization advocate for more regulation, rather than less? Well, despite the prevalence of statements about government action always hurting business, sometimes exactly what an industry needs is clear, fair and actively enforced standards, especially on safety issues, to enhance consumer trust in the whole industry, and minimize competition with unscrupulous players. That helps thwart state laws, too, which don’t necessarily match one another and which might be tougher than federal standards. Indeed, California already has in place a cosmetic reporting law.
New regulatory requirements that differ from state to state can be expected to make business more complex and more expensive, especially for smaller players in an industry, but so might new federal requirements.
The safety of cosmetic ingredients has been a subject of controversy for some time. With even a big industry trade group calling for more mandatory requirements, it’s possible we’ll see real changes in the law in coming months or years. PW
Eric Greenberg can be reached at [email protected], and visit his firm’s Web site at www.ericfgreenbergpc.com.
This article is informational only and is not intended as, and should not be considered to be, legal advice.
Be sure to check for any updated information about the topics discussed in this article.


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PinMeTo is a strategic partner for Huawei’s launch of Petal Search. Huawei is the latest privileged partnership for PinMeTo to add to its growing list of integrated networks and directories, which includes Google, Apple, and Facebook.
For press release in Swedish: https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2020-10-01/platstjanstforetag-i-malmo-i-samarbete-med-huawei
Telecom giant Huawei has partnered with PinMeTo to populate Huawei’s newly launched Petal Search search engine with business listings. Brands with physical locations can use PinMeTo to submit their location information to Huawei, so their locations can be found in Petal Search and other Huawei products and services – which are used by an estimated one-third of the world’s population.
PinMeTo adds its partnership with Huawei to a growing list of privileged partnerships with major networks, including Google, Apple, Facebook, Foursquare, in-car GPS navigation services like HERE and TomTom, and more.
Huawei’s newly launched Petal Search is a full search engine optimized for mobile usage where any user can find news, videos, shopping, local businesses, sports, flights, hotels and many more. It’s likely to be widely used: Petal Search will come as the default search on new Huawei phones and also is compatible with all current smartphones, which are used by more than 700 million people worldwide and more than 70 million European users of Huawei Mobile Services.
About Huawei Consumer BG
Huawei’s products and services are available in more than 170 countries and are used by a third of the world’s population. Fifteen R&D centres have been set up in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India and China. Huawei Consumer BG is one of Huawei’s three business units and covers smartphones, PC and tablets, wearables and cloud services, etc. Huawei’s global network is built on almost 30 years of expertise in the telecom industry and is dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the world.
PinMeTo is a SaaS platform that connects multi-location brands with the biggest search, map, and social media platforms, letting them keep their business information up-to-date everywhere, manage their reviews, and maximize their social reach – all from one place.
Trusted by enterprise companies like H&M, 7-Eleven, and Hertz, PinMeTo is quickly becoming a global leader among location marketing and local SEO technologies.
For more information, reach out to:
Daniel Melkersson, CEO
+46 73 - 960 61 40 firstname.lastname@example.org
Erik Andersson, Communications
+46 73 - 960 61 42 email@example.com


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Perini Navi has launched Enterprise, its 52nd sailing yacht, in Viareggio, Italy.
Previously known as hull C.2173 this aluminium superyacht is the second hull of the new 50 metre series started in 2009 with Baracuda. Designed by Perini Navi in collaboration with Ron Holland, Enterprise will be ketch-rigged with aluminium masts supporting 1,400m² of sail.
Hong Kong's Edge Design Institute has designed a new concept for the yacht's interior, offering flexible layout that enables guest cabins to be easily transformed for different usages by the guests or owner. She can accommodate 10 guests.
Due for delivery in May 2012, Enterprise is currently for sale with HMY Yacht Sales, asking €32.5 million.


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What's Going on With AT&T's Net Addition Numbers?
Image source: AT&T.
All four major wireless carriers operate in both the consumer and enterprise space, but AT&T (NYSE: T) is the only company that breaks out its wireless business into two segments. At the end of the second quarter, AT&T reported 77.5 million total subscribers and connections for its business solutions segment and 54.3 million subscribers and connections for its consumer mobility division. Its 131.8 million subscribers gives it more than any of its competition including Verizon (NYSE: VZ), which has a total of 113.2 million retail connections.
But AT&T's segment reporting produces some interesting results when it comes to net additions. Last quarter, AT&T reported its consumer postpaid connections fell from 28.294 million to 27.862 million. But it somehow reported net additions of 72,000 connections.
Let's dive into AT&T's quarterly operating metrics in order to figure out what exactly is going on here.
When a subscriber loss isn't a subscriber loss
The discrepancy in AT&T's total consumer mobility subscriber count and its reported net additions is due to its business services. In an 8-K filing accompanying its earnings release, AT&T notes "Our business wireless offerings allow for individual subscribers to purchase wireless services through employer-sponsored plans for a reduced price. The migration of these subscribers to the ABS segment negatively impacted consumer postpaid subscriber and service revenues growth."
However, AT&T doesn't seem to count those consumers switching from consumer plans to business plans as a net loss for its consumer mobility segment. Nor does it count them as net adds for its business solutions segment. Business postpaid subscribers climbed from 48.844 million to 49.432 million last quarter, but AT&T reported postpaid net adds of just 185,000 for the segment.
Why that's important for investors
AT&T's business services are cannibalizing its consumer services. The problem is, as AT&T points out in its 8-K filing, customers are able to subscribe to the same service "for a reduced price." That means a decline in revenue and margins for AT&T even if it's not losing those customers entirely.
AT&T can make up for that reduced margin in the form of lower churn. Last quarter, business solutions wireless customers churned out at a rate of 0.91%. Postpaid consumer subscriber churn was 1.09% and overall consumer subscriber churn was 1.96%. The shift in its subscriber base to more business solutions customers helped lead AT&T to its second-lowest overall postpaid churn number (0.97%) ever last quarter.
That said, AT&T is in all likelihood the largest carrier servicing enterprises. (It's impossible to know for certain since none of the other carriers break out their results.) That makes it the primary target for the competition as the market for traditional consumers becomes more saturated. As such, the benefit in lower churn rates might not last.
T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) is already going after its connected devices segment by supporting its legacy 2G network through 2020 and offering free data to customers switching from AT&T through the end of the year. AT&T counts over 28 million connected device subscribers in its business segment.
Meanwhile, Verizon is seeing a larger percentage of its customers come from enterprises as well.
AT&T is already feeling the pressure from the competition. Postpaid business subscriber churn increased year over year in three out of the last four quarters.As the competition increases, AT&T may feel more pressure on its net adds or further margin compression due to the growing percentage of customers in its business solutions segment versus its consumer segment.
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Yesterday saw Apple hold another of their Keynote events, this time revealing to the world more information about the much anticipated Apple Watch (previously expected to be called the iWatch). It was an event tech-lovers around the world have been waiting for and on the commercial side, this could help to propel Apple to become a trillion dollar company.
So as promised, here’s everything you need to know about the Apple Watch:
When will it be released in the UK?
Apple will start taking pre-orders in the UK from the 10th April 2015, with the first shipments due two weeks later on the 24th April.
How much will it cost?
Prices range from a modest £299 up to an eye-watering £13,500.
How many models are available?
In total there will be 38 models for you to choose from across 3 different categories: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition (which includes the more expensive models).
There is also a choice of two screen sizes – 1.5inch and 1.7inch.
Specifications remain the same across all models – the main differences are to the strap design and some components of the case itself.
How long will the battery last?
Apple claim the battery should last around 18 hours, which means you should only have to charge it once per day (preferably while you sleep!). Apple have also announced that there is a backup battery so that the clock continues to function.
What can the Watch do?
Apple announced at the event that thousands of apps have already been developed for the Apple Watch. Facebook, Instagram, Uber and WeChat have all confirmed that they’ve already developed software specifically for the Apple Watch.
Apple were also keen to point out some of the other functionalities the watch offers, including using it as a touchless payment system, unlocking hotel rooms with it instead of using a key card and operating internet-connected devices with it.
The primary difference compared to a smartphone is that it also offers a huge amount of tracking capabilities, including your daily movements so you can monitor calories burned, distance covered etc.
Watch the official Apple Watch Trailer below:


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Transcript for Electric Car Investigation
Jobs jobs jobs since He was inaugurated President Obama has spent billions -- taxpayer dollars in an effort that was supposed to create millions of jobs. -- president under attack by critics who say all that effort hasn't created a significant number of jobs cost too much to. Tonight ABC's Brian Ross looked at two companies that received a billion in government loans and asks. What -- deal with it so far behind. Terry in the wake of the bankruptcy of the solar panel makers to Linda and the loss of a half billion dollars in taxpayer loan money. There's been a close look at other so called start -- Green companies that have received similar -- And in particular to electric car company said in total represent a billion dollar -- with taxpayer money. Cars the Obama administration says represent the future of the American road. They're sleek and expensive. This is the current 96000 dollar half electric half gas car. The creation. A famed European auto designer Henrik sister. Well it's a very very good looking -- -- -- the first district are off the line went to Leonardo DiCaprio. Other start up cars back the taxpayer money come from test all electric. It's roadster cost 109000. Dollars and its -- champion. -- Arnold Schwarzenegger and George -- But beyond the hype and the -- seriously. About whether -- billion dollars taxpayer money Obama administration has invested in electric car start ups are worth the risk. It is a major goal of the president as we can break our dependence on oil -- biofuels. Become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2050. The pace of the -- car He was only last week that the first forty of them were delivered two years behind schedule. With the -- himself giving Nightline a first look. It almost looks like -- -- -- even -- -- a four door sedan. And the prices just on -- 100000 dollars expensive it's expensive but -- forty horsepower. It's a luxury ride. The range on battery power is only 32 miles according to the EPA there -- little sister maintains it's closer to 52 months. If mistress as the car's style. Makes it different that other Green cars we want people to get excited emotionally about environmental friendly car. The decision by the Department of Energy to give this -- half billion dollar plus loan came with the promise that it would produce a smaller version car in Delaware. Creating 2500 jobs in vice president Biden's home state. This is seed money -- or return back to the American consumer. It billions and billions and billions of dollars in good new jobs. But so far the only cars being made of come off the line at this plant in Finland something the US government knew would be the case when the loan was approved. Fister says while the company make sure it only spends its taxpayer money in the US. It could not find any affordable place in the US to assemble its first line of cars. We're not in the business of failing we're in the business of winning so we make the right decision for the business that's -- them. That's fervent -- the company says it already employs 700 designers and engineers in the US. Decision to assemble the car in Finland. Was not received well by auto workers we talked with an occupied Detroit rally left the work should be done here not in them. Now Republicans in congress are questioning -- the Department of Energy approve the loan in the first place knowing in advance this drew would assemble his first cars and -- Not the US I think -- Department of Energy found out they couldn't do it in America it was time to pull the plug. As to the other electric car start -- getting huge taxpayer dollars Tesla almost another half billion -- It plans to build 20000 vehicles a year at the planet -- in California. Now being prepared for production to start next year. Test was future depends on the success of -- a family -- Model that's being seen here for the first time in -- little bit of a test track. Priced at around 57000. Dollars it to his style to compete with -- -- cars and BMW Anderson. While expensive there is a very robust market these are cars for -- wealthy Americans for average Americans. Well I don't know how you define -- -- wealthy test the vice president chairman O'Connell says the car will revolutionized auto -- This of out of all of this is the are -- -- -- -- big flat battery. That goes under the car provides a range of almost 300 miles before needing a charge us but some industry analysts including the auto columnist at fortune magazine say -- -- business plan. Doesn't work. The numbers just don't work Ryan I think unless test against the mark after going to be in bad shape in fact and test -- most recent filing with the securities exchange commission. ABC news and the center -- public and -- -- found this statement that the company expects continuing losses for at least the foreseeable future. If you don't make a profit leave it pay below. We will make a -- That's the plan and were executed despite -- is that posters change. Despite what we've -- -- securities exchange. The bottom line is that by their very nature all these start -- companies bring great risk. So it's a gamble every time the taxpayers' money is put on the board nothing is guaranteed. Except that there will be winners and there will be losers.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.


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Epic Games Has Acquired Fall Guys Developer Mediatonic
Fall Guys is now under the Epic umbrella.
Epic Games has officially acquired Tonic Games Group, the development company behind Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.
Epic shared the news while also confirming, "your gameplay isn’t changing and Epic will continue to invest in making the game a great experience for players across platforms."
Mediatonic also announced the news with a FAQ that is set to answer some of the biggest questions regarding the future of Fall Guys.
Alongside revealing that the Fall Guys team has already grown from 35 to 150, Mediatonic promised that "your gameplay isn't changing" and that this acquisition will help them bring a ton of features already seen in Fortnite and Rocket League, other games owned by Epic.
These features include account systems, cross-play, squad vs squad modes, and more.
While Mediatonic mentioned Fall Guys will continue to remain on Steam, it had nothing more to announce regarding a possible move to a free-to-play model.
As to why Mediatonic chose Epic, the developer said they've been "mutual friends for a while" and that the team has "a lot in common and share a lot of the same goals."
"It’s no secret that Epic is invested in building the metaverse and Tonic Games shares this goal. As Epic works to build this virtual future, we need great creative talent who know how to build powerful games, content and experiences," Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney said.
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is in the middle of its third season and has recently begun teasing season 4, which is titled Fall Guys 4041 and appears to have an '80s sci-fi theme.
Fall Guys has been a runaway success since it launched last year, even becoming the most downloaded PlayStation Plus game of all time.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to email@example.com.


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MANHEIM has found that if money was no object, 60 per cent of motorists would prefer to buy a British car.
Findings by Manheim Auctions shows that almost one in five motorists consider where a car is built when thinking of its ‘British-ness’, as well as its heritage and ownership of the company.
When asked to name the most ‘British’ car, the original Mini (pre 1980) came top, but interestingly the Ford Focus, a car never manufactured in the UK and owned by the American car giant, came fifth.
Only three truly British cars made it into the public’s top 10 ‘British’ cars: the Mini (pre 1980), Jaguar E-type and Rover 75.
The top 10 poll of ‘British’ cars includes:
- Mini (pre 1980)
- Rolls Royce
- Aston Martin
- Jaguar E Type
- Ford Focus
- Ford Fiesta
- Rover 75
- BMW Mini
- Vauxhall Astra
‘There are many cars associated with Britain when in fact they’re not strictly British. The Ford Focus has never been built in the UK, nor is it owned by a British company, but the Ford brand which celebrates 100 years in the UK this year is one that is considered by many to be ‘British’,’ said Craig Mailey, marketing director, Manheim Auctions.
‘What’s really interesting is that the tide has turned and motorists would, if they could, buy a British car.
‘There’s definitely been a shift towards buying home grown products in other sectors, be it food from British farmers or furniture made by British craftsmen from British materials, and if money was no object, cars would be included too.’


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Daimler & Qualcomm, Wireless in-wheel motor, Schaeffler, ORNL.
Inductive charging collaboration: Until now it seemed that Daimler and BMW were working together with Brusa to develop inductive charging technology. But now Daimler announced that it will team up with Qualcomm to develop wireless charging solutions based on the latter’s Halo WEVC technology.
Wireless in-wheel motor: Japanese researchers say they have successfully developed the world’s first in-wheel motor system for electric cars that transfers electricity from the battery to the in-wheel motor wirelessly. It features a transmitting and a receiving coil located ten centimeters apart.
Schaeffler joins Formula E: As the exclusive technology partner of Team ABT Sportsline, Schaeffler is already developing an electric motor of its own for the second Formula E season and will be shaping the entire powertrain system of the motor and transmission for the race car. The first components will already be tested in the next few weeks.
New solid-state electrolyte: Researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory say they have developed a promising new solid-state electrolyte for rechargeable batteries with lithium-metal anodes. The material (Li7P2S8I) stands out due to its high ionic conductivity and chemical stability.
Renault, Hyperloop, Schaeffler, Chevy Volt.
Twizy truck: On Twitter, Renault posted a picture of its Twizy featuring a one square metre large cargo area. The six-wheeled Twizy delivery concept was conceived as part of the VELUD (Electric Vehicle for Sustainable Urban Logistics) project and will first be tested in Paris. If it ever makes serial production, remains to be seen.
twitter.com (photo) via autoblog.com
Hyperlooping Texas? Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced he wants to build a test track for the Hyperloop train – most likely in Texas. There, students and companies will be able to test their prototypes that run up to 4,000 mph. Musk is even considering an annual pod racer competition. The deal with Texas is also part of Tesla’s move to the U.S. state to allow Tesla stores.
Schaeffler showed its line-up of engine technologies in Detroit, allowing carmakers to meet 2025 CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements. It also presented a close-to-production vehicle based on a Ford Kuga that already meets the standards due to its mild 48V hybridization.
automotiveworld.com, automobil-industrie.vogel.de (in German)
Prius fighter? The new Volt’s drivetrain has two motor-generators with its total drive power of 111 kW (149 hp). While one motor acts as a 45-kW generator, it can be used as a second motor to provide extra torque. Green Car Reports believes it could be GM’s technological answer to the upcoming new Prius.
Schaeffler, Kulan, University of Maryland, University of Texas, TNO.
Mild-hybrid SUV: Schaeffler will show the second phase of its concept car based on an all-wheel-drive, midsize SUV at the North American International Auto Show in January. Including a 48-volt system and other innovations, the vehicle already meets 2025 CAFE requirements.
Electric donkey: Shown at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover earlier this year, the Kulan electric utility concept was created by a German consortium of 14 companies and research organisations and is designed for transporting loads around farms. With just about 4 kW from two electric motors – one in each rear-wheel hub – it is able to carry one tonne of cargo.
Li-ion research: Researchers at the University of Maryland say they have improved the cycle life of silicon-carbon composite electrodes by 300 percent. This was achieved solely by the chemical tailoring of the interface between the silicon and the carbon with atomic oxygen.
Lithium-sulfur research: Researchers at the University of Texas have found that using phosphorus pentasulfide (P2S5) as an electrolyte additive enables the direct use of commercially available bulk Li2S particles as high-capacity cathode materials for Li−S batteries. According to the researchers, this could significantly decrease the manufacturing cost of Li−S batteries.
Intelligent e-bike: The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) has developed an electric bike that is able to detect oncoming dangers and warn its rider by vibrating either the handlebars (danger from the front) or the saddle (danger from the back). The radar and camera-assisted safety bike could be available to customers within the next two years.
Proton Motors, Schaeffler, Carbon fibres, ZeroTruck.
Fuel cell range-extender: The 25 kW fuel cell system HyRange 25 FC can power buses, as well as light and heavy duty vehicles. But Proton Motors hopes to mainly use it as a range extender for EVs. The modular system is based on Proton Motor’s PM400 fuel cell stack and can be combined to 50 and 75 kW configurations.
Automatic pedelec gear shift: Schaeffler will present its Fag-Velomatic for (e-) bikes at the Eurobike show. The transmission comes with the Velodaptic app that gathers GPS and performance data. The FAG-Velomatic measures cadence, force, speed and gradient for shifting, while cyclists can also adapt their profile via the app.
Talking carbon: According to Reuters, South Korea’s GS Caltex wants to meet with Tesla, which has entertained the idea of using carbon fibres for some time now. Meanwhile, a study by the German army (Bundeswehr) reports that fumes emitted by burning carbon fibres (i.e. when in a crash) could cause cancer.
reuters.com (Tesla), ndr.de (Bundeswehr)
Electric truck conversion: ZeroTruck is converting medium-duty trucks. The company’s Electric Drive Integration System (EDIS) is funded by the California Energy Commission but has been in operation since 2010. The system has a top speed of 70 mph and a range of up to 80 miles.
– Feedback –
Most clicked link on Thursday was the 200-dollar electric bicycle made from scrap in Mumbai.
Schaeffler, Prodrive, RocketSkates, BMW.
Gears for efficiency: Schaeffler presented its latest concept vehicle STEP2 at the Silvretta electric car rally. Their converted electric Golf’s new two-speed transmission is said to use six percent less energy, than similar vehicles with a single-gear drivetrain.
Silicon carbide converter: A consortium of British companies led by Prodrive developed a high-frequency DC-DC converter with a efficiency of 98.7%. The converter, which is currently fitted to a Tata Vista test vehicle, acts like a hub connecting high voltage battery, motor, a super-capacitor bank and 12-volts auxiliary system.
Wearable mobility is what Acton classifies their RocketSkates as. These skates are not propelled by rockets but by small electric hub motors, allowing for a speed of up to 12 mph. Within just 24 hours, their Kickstarter campaign raised more than enough money to fund the project.
Time-saving repairs: The BMW i3 is a revolutionary car, also in terms of fixing it after an accident. Instead of just pounding out damaged parts, the CFRP panels need to be replaced completely. Because this takes less time, the i3 is not any more expensive to repair than a BMW 1 Series car.
Schaeffler/Continental, PEM fuel cells, Nigeria.
48-volt concept: At the Vienna Motor Symposium, Schaeffler and Continental presented a mild hybrid in what they dubbed the ‘Gasoline Technology Car’ (GTC). Based on the Ford Focus the GTC is said to use 17% less gasoline than a conventional compact car.
Less platinum, longer life: Researchers at the East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai found that new platinum-iridium alloy catalysts for PEM fuel cells led to a “drastic” improvement in durability and stability while using 50% less platinum.
Even less platinum: A new electrospinning/electrospraying (E/E) technique for fuel cell electrodes results in high power densities with ultra-low platinum loadings. The method which produces a nanoparticle cathode catalyst layer has been developed by researchers at Drexel University, USA.
Nigeria’s first electric car has been built by student Segun Oyeyiola. His conversion of a VW Bug features a solar roof and is said to come with enough range for the family’s daily errands.


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Farmers in Nwoya and Yumbe Districts are rejoicing at the construction of a fruit factory that will help them no longer have to watch their fruits rot because of a lack of market or sell them at very cheap prices so as to minimize losses.
This is because the government of Uganda has constructed fruit factories in Nwoya and Yumbe Districts respectively, which will help farmers in creating value addition for their fruits by processing them into juice, which they can sell in Uganda or export to other countries, hence increasing the chances of making profits from their produce.
Through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), the government has since earmarked Shs19 billion for the Nwoya Fruit Factory.
Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, revealed this recently in Kampala while witnessing the sale of high-quality mangoes produced by Nwoya Farm owned by Delight Uganda Ltd and supported by NAADS.
He revealed that the factory is being constructed in partnership with Delight Uganda Ltd, manufacturers of Cheers juice, Nwoya District Local Government, and Nwoya Fruit Growers Cooperative Society.
The Minister noted that once the fruit factory starts operating, over 5,000 fruit out growers from eight sub-counties in Nwoya District will benefit from the project because they will have a ready market for their fruits.
“The 12 metric ton per hour factory will add value to the mangoes, oranges, and guavas grown in Nwoya and neighboring districts,” said Ms Khadija Nakakande, the NAADS spokesperson.
She added that; “The installation of the processing equipment will be done in phases starting with 8 metric ton per hour for mangoes and oranges, and later 4 metric tons per hour will be installed.”
Nakakande noted that; “Our aim as NAADS is to increase production for the import substitution through value-addition, improve incomes of farmers and their families. We shall still continue supplying seeds to the farmers.”
She also noted that; “The works would have started exactly at the start of this financial year, but we have been held back by the nationwide lockdown since our team that was meant to travel to the UK to inspect the plant before shipping could not travel in March due to the global travel restrictions.”
Speaking about the same project, Dr. Samuel Mugasi, the Executive Director NAADS, said the process of procuring a contractor is underway and the construction of the factory is set to commence soon.
The Publicist has since learnt that the equipment for the factory will be supplied by Alvan Blanch, a British manufacturing and project engineering company that specialises in post-harvest crop processing.
The Yumbe Fruit factory Project
As the government finalizes preparations for the construction of the Nwoya Fruit Factory, farmers in Yumbe District are ready to start supplying fruits to the newly constructed Yumbe Fruit Factory, which is set to be commissioned by President Yoweri Museveni in December this year.
The project, which is also being overseen by NAADS, has enabled the government to construct a 6 metric ton per hour factory in Yumbe District, West Nile.
The factory is a value addition initiative by the government to increase sustainable production, productivity and value addition in key growth opportunities.
According to officials from NAADS, the government has so far invested Shs8.9 billion into the project to establish and operationalize the fully equipped mango processing facility.
On Monday 6th July 2020, NAADS together with partners in the establishment of the factory including Uganda Development Corporation, Food and Nutrition Solutions Ltd (FONUS), Yumbe District Local Government and Aringa Fruit Farmers’ Cooperative Society limited carried out a technical test of the processing equipment in preparation for the official commissioning in December 2020.
During the technical testing, the Executive Director of NAADS Dr. Mugasi, appealed to the people of West Nile to ensure sustainable and continuous production and supply of quality mangoes to the factory at equitable prices, so as not to render the factory dysfunctional.
Dr. Mugasi said; “The construction works are over 90 percent of the project with equipment fully installed. The remaining works include tiling, construction of the fence, and compound. The factory is expected to be commissioned in December 2020.”
According to Dr. Mugasi, the factory is designed based on the local mangoes grown in the West Nile region. It will be a ready market for the farmers with some companies already making offers to buy mango pulp that will be produced by the factory.
The facility, which is expected to begin operations in October 2020, was constructed in partnership with a private investor, Food and Nutrition Solutions Ltd (FONUS) and Aringa Mango Farmers’ Cooperative Society based in Yumbe district.


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Kishore Biyani wants to own your pantry and control your kitchen.
The 55-year-old businessman who built the Future Group into one of India’s largest retailers now has grand ambitions to put together a big grocery business.
The lynchpin of Biyani’s plan would be a network of 40 food-processing units that will churn out everything from spices and flour to snacks and beverages. These products, along with a range of brands that the Future Group already hawks, will then be pushed through the massive nationwide distribution pipeline that Biyani has been steadily building.
It may seem like Biyani is trying to do too much, but his rationale is simple: ”Till you don’t own your supply chain and own brands, you cannot make money.”
By 2021, Biyani plans to more than triple the company’s turnover from Rs22,000 crore in 2015 to Rs75,000 crore. He expects biscuits and soaps alone to earn him a sizeable Rs20,000 crore by then. The food and consumer goods business currently generates Rs2,000 crore for the group.
For the last two decades, much of Biyani’s retail success has revolved around selling brands produced by others. For instance, Big Bazaar, a widely recognized chain of over 200 hypermarkets retails everything from food and grocery to apparel and footwear. But profitability is restricted in the grocery business because margins are low.
With his own brands, Biyani looks to boost margins, improve revenues, and transition from being just a retailer. “We will be among the top three fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies in the country by 2021,” Biyani said in March.
At the heart of the plan is Future Consumer Enterprise (FCE), the group’s FMCG arm. The Mumbai-based firm is in charge of setting up the 40 factories. The first of these is already operational in Tumkur in the southern state of Karnataka.
FCE is also helming the partnerships with local and international consumer goods companies to expand Future Group’s grocery portfolio. Currently, FCE sells 31 brands and 350 stock-keeping units (SKUs), but Biyani plans to take that number to 1,000 SKUs.
The entire range of grocery products—those produced in-house as well as through partnerships—will be sold not just at Future Group stores but also across other supermarket chains, including Tata’s Star Bazaar.
If that doesn’t sound disruptive enough, Biyani is also a staunch backer of Ramdev, the yoga guru and entrepreneur setting India’s consumer goods market alight over the last one year with his Patanjali brand. In 2015, Biyani welcomed the entire range of Patanjali products across his stores, making Future Group the first large retail chain to do so.
Biyani’s new ambition to move beyond retail will be based on the bedrock of his grocery store network. By 2021, Future Group looks to grow its chain of supermarkets to 4,000. Right now, it has over 600 supermarket stores, mostly in northern and southern India.
“We need a front end to sell whatever we make,” Biyani said.
In the last two years, Future Group has made some big moves to expand its footprint. In 2014, it acquired 140 stores of the Bengaluru-based grocery chain Nilgiris. Last year, it invested in Bharti Retail’s Easyday, another chain of over 330 neighbourhood supermarkets. And the third brand of supermarts under the Biyani stable is KB’s Fairprice.
Earlier in August, Future Group was reportedly in talks to buy More, a chain of 500 supermarkets owned by Mumbai-based Aditya Birla Retail (ABR) that is focused on western India.
But Biyani denied the move, stating that his company will focus on its existing brands. “We want to grow through our existing brands KB’s, Nilgiris, and Easy Day,” he said.
But India is not an easy market for the grocery business. The market is dominated by small mom-and-pop shops that thrive in local neighbourhoods. Also, grocery retailing typically works on thin margins (between 8% and 10%); for big retailers, running big stores can translate to high costs.
Still, Biyani’s grand plan may be coming at the right time.
By 2020, retail trade through supermarket chains in India is expected to triple to $180 billion, according to estimates by the Boston Consulting Group and the Retailers Association of India.
On his part, Biyani—often likened to Walmart founder Sam Walton—finally has had some clarity after two decades in business. Calling this transition a “re-birth” of sorts, Biyani now wants to “look at ourselves as a consumer goods company, selling fashion, food, and other products, having various delivery formats to distribution.”
He has cast his net wide.


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Aaron Harding's favorite shirt is a simple black T-shirt that makes President Obama look like a rock star.
Festooned with red and blue rhinestones, Obama looks outward with interest, concern and empathy all rolled into one furrowed brow. The word "Hope" is written in a bold font below the iconic image.
Harding, 48, a street vendor in Brooklyn, N.Y., hopes that Obama will do well, in part because he also hopes Obama's image will sell more pins, shirts, bobblehead dolls and calendars.
"He's like a superstar," says Harding. "People wear this stuff like a badge of honor."
Obama has been elected and sworn in, has put up a swing set and planted a garden on the White House lawn, yet people still are wearing and buying election paraphernalia.
A "Hope" pin there. A shirt that reads, "Yes We Did," there. Five months after the election, people still are campaigning for Obama.
"It's an identity marker," says Angela Aidala, a sociology professor from Columbia University. "It's the same thing as wearing a Rolling Stones T-shirt or Yankees cap."
Aidala, who volunteered for the Obama campaign in Ohio, says wearing political buttons offers a sign of solidarity.
A lot of people apparently bought their parts from Harding at his two-table superstore stationed near Brooklyn's Borough Hall. On Election Day, Harding says, he sold 5,000 Obama pins and hundreds of T-shirts.
That topped off an election season in which, he says, he sold anywhere from 500 to 1,000 Obama pins a day, at $5 a pop. Even so, he resists taking that sun-drenched vacation because, he says, business can fluctuate.
But he does admit that sales of Obama merchandise are slowing. Like the auto industry, Harding has been forced to change his business model. He cut the cost of pins in half, from $5 to $2.50, and buys T-shirts that focus more on Michelle Obama, who is growing in popularity.
"You need to change with the times," he says. "Obama sells, but Michelle is heating up."


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While many believe that the vSTB is primed to replace the STB, others disagree, and the assessment of both continues.
Here’s a look at the conversation.
The STBMany favor continuing with the STB for the time being simply because it works. As the device is directly plugged into a television set, there is not much room for error.
According to Erwan Nedellec, Senior Expert on Audio Video Devices at French mobile company Orange, the vSTB is just not there yet and they’re sticking with STBs for now.
“We need improvements in the vSTB approach before we can be confident of a great user experience with it and before we can go any further with this idea,” he said.
UK media consulting firm Decipher also feels that the cloud isn’t ready for prime time.
“There is an assumption that because of Smart TVs and OTT apps like Netflix we are moving to a ‘cloud’ TV world, but that is one whole generational leap away. Before then we have a decade where the super STBs dominate home media,” explains Nigel Walley, Decipher MD.
A 2013 study from Multimedia Research Group, Inc., found that “overall demand for set-top box products has remained healthy and is projected to remain solid for the next few years.”
Futuresource Consulting, which recently released “The Global Set-Top-Box Market Update Report,” appraised the STB market at $20 billion.
The Cloud/vSTBThe cloud is appealing because of its massive storage space. While a physical STB could become filled to its capacity, a vSTB utilizes online servers and operates as the hardware would in the interpretation of IPTV content. It also negates having another bulky product in the living room, and is said to increase overall efficiency.
A vSTB generally takes the form of software for a connected device or television.
German company Telekom Innovation Laboratories believes that “[virtualizing] the set-top box enables quicker innovation cycles and cost savings,” stating that the “robustness of the technology and its acceptance by users were tested, comprehensively and successfully.”
TV technology provider Digisoft.tv launched their version of a vSTB last autumn, and said at the time that a vSTB is “easy to update, and delivers multi-room efficacy with a network PVR. We believe that the virtual STB should be part of any IPTV strategy.”
At the 2014 TV Connect Event, Siemens unveiled its OTT SWIPE® vSTB app, claiming the technology “reduces operational costs [and] improves time to market.”
It seems that it’s still yet to be seen what will come of the vSTB.To learn more about this debate, check out this panel discussion held by executives at this year’s Connected TV World Summit, titled “How Realistic Is The Virtual Set-Top Box.”
Author: Brian Cameron
Image credit: Flickr


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We’ve been talking a lot about data standards. Last year, Cook proudly announced that we were among the first companies to adopt GS1 data standards by applying Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) to all of our products. We were also honored to be recognized for that effort earlier this year. Clearly, we’re invested in this issue, but would you believe that the process to adopt a global data standard started all the way back in 2000?
Fourteen years ago, our IT systems were getting in the way of our ability to do business efficiently. Our company was growing quickly and with each new manufacturing plant or distribution center came a new IT system and business process. The different systems didn’t speak the same language, so it became difficult to coordinate how our products moved around the world. And, we knew that if we were having trouble internally, that it had to be affecting our customers and, most importantly, their patients.
We decided to make a change in order to improve patient care. In 2000, when we started this process, we had 376,000 unique product numbers. That translates to 376,000 labels, 376,000 IFUs, and 376,000 marketing pieces. In reality, all those numbers represented only about 20,000 unique products. It took many years, but we streamlined our internal systems, cleaned up our data, and applied the GS1 global standard to all of our products.
Ensuring that products can be easily tracked from our warehouses to the patient’s bedside is crucial to preventing clinical and administrative errors. Too often, expired or recalled products are used on patients because healthcare simply doesn’t have a way of managing product data as it moves through the healthcare system. These are the very real problems that adopting data standards will help solve.
Regulatory agencies around the world are looking seriously at how best to use data standards to improve patient safety and reduce the overall cost of healthcare, an effort which we applaud and support. We know from experience that making a commitment to adopt data standards globally can bring valuable benefits to all members of the healthcare system.
“It’s a journey. It’s constantly changing, it’s constantly moving,” said Chuck Franz, our chief information officer. “We should all be in the room for the same reason: to improve patient safety. And along the way, we can cut healthcare costs. We can improve the supply chain.”
Fully adopting data standards has been a long journey for us. Adopting data standards across entire healthcare systems will be an even longer one. But we think it’s a worthy goal, with valuable benefits for patients and the supply chain. We’re in for the long haul.


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Legos are colourful, fun and and they can keep you busy for hours, but Legos can also cause huge damage to the environment.
A recent study published by the University of Plymouth in the UK shows how millions of plastic Lego pieces end up in seas and oceans around the world and how these colourful, plastic toys can take up to 1300 years to disintegrate.Some of them were flushed there; one U.K. insurance company estimates that children flushed some 2.5 million Lego pieces down the loo between 2006 and 2016. Other bricks arrived there in 1997, when a wave slammed a cargo ship and dumped 67 containers of Lego bricks — or about 5 million pieces — overboard.
Although the pieces were discoloured and slightly worn down, they seem to have survived their underwater adventure mostly intact, which was surprising even to those who were conducting the study. Based on the level of wear and tear, the scientists were able to estimate that Lego blocks would survive underwater for between 100 – 1300 years!
Legos are made from a material called acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which seems to be a virtually indestructible substance that is really bad for the environment. If you have ever stepped on a piece of Lego, you know just how solid it is! Over the years, Lego has faced a lot of negative publicity for using ABS and has claimed that they will move to using more sustainable materials by 2030, but that might be too late.
How did all these Lego pieces get into the sea anyway?
There are several not-for-profit agencies in the UK that are trying to clear up lost Lego pieces from the sea and from beaches around the country, but unfortunately, it is possible that these popular toy bricks will be washing up on the shore for centuries to come unless we all start to be more aware and start caring for the environment and marine life.


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There comes a time when I just want to vomit and never ever look at certain topics in the tech/gadget world. That day has come for Apple. Frankly, I’m just sick and tired of the rumors about this and that that seem to pop up every single day. Last week there was a rumor that Apple would hold an event at the end of this month. And now rumors say the iPhone and iPod Touch will see a $100 price drop. If you’re going to drop the price of something then why don’t you flippin’ do it when you announce your new products? The 8GB iPod Touch is supposedly being dropped from the lineup as well. The price drop could be as early as this month, but we might not see it until mid-April. We’ll put out our feelers.
Weekly Roundup: Uber responds to sexual harassment claim, NASA discovers Earth-like planets| Anna Escher
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Punch plans wet-led growth as it re-enters the market for pub acquisitions:Punch has said it is focusing on wet-led growth as part of its acquisition strategy. Following the sale of 1,900 pubs to Heineken last year, Punch, which was acquired by Patron and May Capital last August, is beginning a strategy of growth through acquisition to add to its current estate of 1,300 pubs. The news follows the acquisition last week of the 54-strong Gavin George-led Laine Pub Company by Vine Acquisitions, backed by Patron Capital and May Capital. Agents Everard Cole, James A Baker and Matthew Phillips Surveyors have been retained to seek new sites for the company. Everard Cole director Jon Heald said: “Punch is committed to growing its estate through selective acquisitions and is back in the market to acquire businesses and property that will complement and enhance the current estate. Our exciting brief is to acquire wet-led pubs that are suitable for the managed or leased estate, doing at least circa 250-plus barrels a year and minimum net sales of more than £6,000 per week.”
Cote looks to dispose of Limeyard and Jackson & Rye sites: French brasserie Cote is examining plans to dispose of restaurants trading under its Limeyard and Jackson & Rye brands. Cote, which is owned by private equity firm BC Partners, said the plans had yet to be finalised but stressed they did not include the main Cote-branded operation, which has 92 sites, which it said was performing resiliently in tough market conditions. Propel understands all options are being considered for the six restaurants still open, including continuing to trade. A Cote spokesman said: “As a result of recent and well-documented headwinds for the restaurant sector, we have taken the decision to explore a range of options for a very small number of Jackson & Rye and Limeyard restaurants. In some instances we have closed or sold outlets and we are working hard to find viable options for others while continuing to support those that are trading well. Our Cote restaurants continue to perform well, which is testament to the strength of that offer in what remains a very challenging environment.” Last month, Cote closed its last remaining Jackson & Rye site outside London – in Guildford – three months after closing its Kingston site and scrapping plans to take the brand to Birmingham. The four remaining Jackson & Rye sites are in Bank, Chiswick, Richmond and Soho. Cote bought Jackson & Rye in January 2016 alongside all-day California kitchen brand Limeyard, which has sites in Ealing and Staines. Jackson & Rye was originally led by Gordon Ramsay Holdings head chef Mark Askew and former Hakkasan operations chief Hannah Bass and was initially backed by restaurateur Richard Caring.
Caravan to open Fitzrovia site for fifth venue, launching ‘to go’ concept as part of offer: Caravan, the restaurant, bar and coffee-roasting concept, is to open its fifth site, in Fitzrovia, central London, which will include a new Caravan-To-Go concept. Founders Miles Kirby, Laura Harper-Hinton and Chris Ammermann will open the venue in July in the former BBC Radio 1 recording headquarters. Caravan Fitzrovia marks the group’s first shift towards a more centrally based location. In a nod to the building’s history, the basement will house a “record room” hosting private dining. Upstairs, a large bar will weave through three dining rooms. Caravan-To-Go is the new expansion of the take-out offer. The company’s in-house sourdough bakery and croissanterie, based at its soon-to-open flagship roastery near King’s Cross, will create a weekly changing patisserie range. There will be a variety of breakfast and lunch dishes alongside healthy drinks and craft coffee. All Caravan-To-Go transactions will be cashless. Alongside Caravan-To-Go, the team will launch a reusable lunchbox and coffee cup scheme. Meanwhile, new dishes on the main restaurant’s all-day menu will include green falafel with pickled and grilled cauliflower, radish, garlic sesame and chilli; and crispy duck with taramind caramel, celery, shallots, cucumber and coriander. The wine list will focus on organic and biodynamic producers.
Brighton-based Indian restaurant The Chilli Pickle to start expansion with Guildford launch: Award-winning, Brighton-based Indian restaurant The Chilli Pickle is to start expansion by opening a second site, in Guildford, Surrey. Husband-and-wife team Alun and Dawn Sperring, who launched the concept ten years ago, will open the 125-cover restaurant in High Street at a site that housed the last venue outside London for Cote’s Jackson & Rye brand but closed last month. Replicating The Chilli Pickle’s Brighton venue, the Guildford site will offer an Indian market-inspired feel and feature hand-painted Tamil stencil graphics and roadside-style posters. Last year, The Chilli Pickle partnered with investment and advisory firm Imagine Capital to inject funds into expanding the brand. The Sperrings said: “The key for us is to retain the essence of who we are with a creative edge and attention to detail and to keep it as a family vocation. Our regular Indian research trips enable us to keep our brand fresh and retain the confidence of our customers – wherever we are.”
Cotswolds Distillery to open first off-site shop as it hits £2m fund-raise target: The Cotswolds Distillery, which produces artisan gin and whisky, is to open its first off-site shop as it hits its £2m fund-raise target. The distillery has signed a lease on a site in Bourton-on-the-Water. The company launched the campaign on crowdfunding platform Crowdcube last week to “build brand awareness and long-term growth”. The company is offering 6.23% equity in return for investment. So far, 464 investors have pledged £2,001,460 and the campaign is now overfunding with 22 days remaining. A company spokesman said: “One of the elements of our plan for growth is to open our first off-site shop in a key strategic location in the Cotswolds. As our first off-site location, the shop will focus on our core products – Cotswolds Dry Gin, Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky and Cotswolds Cream Liqueur – but we’ll also introduce some new products and formats including miniatures and gift packs. Even though Bourton-on-the-Water is a beautiful, small, quintessentially British town, it receives huge numbers of international tourists every day, especially in the summer. We are incredibly excited about the prospect of meeting visitors from all over the world and introducing them to our spirits so they can take home a taste of the Cotswolds.” The Cotswolds Distillery was founded by chief executive Dan Szor, while directors include Richard Watling, former senior director at Allied Distillers and Diageo. The distillery’s products are sold in Harrods, Majestic Wine and Waitrose in the UK and exported to 28 countries with average sales growth exceeding 100% per annum. The Cotswolds Distillery’s sales growth was £280,000 in 2015 rising to £3.4m in the past 12 months. Ebitda was £145,000, while the company’s destination distillery in Stourton attracted 28,000 visitors in 2017, an 85% rise compared with the previous year.
Try Market Halls launches ‘next-level’ Fulham food hall: Try Market Halls, the company launched by former property investor Andy Lewis-Pratt and Simon Anderson, the restaurateur behind London’s Pitt Cue Co, has opened the first of its “next-level” food halls. Market Hall Fulham has launched in Fulham Broadway tube station entrance hall featuring nine operators, a bar and a 180-capacity communal dining area. Operators include Calcutta Canteen from chef Asma Khan, who operates Carnaby restaurant Darjeeling Express; Thima by Farang, a first permanent site for former Smoking Goat head chef Seb Holmes’ concept; Asian-inspired ice-cream parlour Soft Serve Society (second site); Yard Sale Pizza (fifth site); Press Coffee (fourth site); smoked meat brand Hot Box (second site); chicken sandwich concept Butchies (second site); Fanny’s Kebabs; and Hawaiian poké specialist Ahi Poké (fifth site). Anderson told Hot Dinners: “We studied the local area and pulled together a varied roster of traders, from local favourites to street food stars, which we hope will please everyone.” Try Market Halls is looking to open two further sites in London – in Victoria and Oxford Street – and is also eyeing sites in Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh and York.
Plant-based restaurant concept CleanSlate begins £150,000 fund-raise to launch and grow brand: Plant-based restaurant concept CleanSlate has begun a £150,000 fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Crowcube to launch and grow the brand. Founder Zoey Henderson, who has previously opened juice bar and coffee shop ventures in London, is offering a 16.67% equity stake in return for the investment. The pitch states: “CleanSlate will bring plant-based eating into the London cafe culture – a creative menu and an inclusive environment that champions the ingredients used, not the ones left out. From your morning coffee and a gooey brownie to flavourful pasta and a glass of wine, CleanSlate will be a destination for all. Due to ethical, environmental and health benefits, we feel adopting a plant-based diet is not a fad or trend that will go out of fashion. We see this as the beginning of a more sustainable lifestyle movement that is here to stay. I have started two businesses in the artisan coffee and fast casual sector and now wish to develop into the plant-based market by showcasing an all-day dining concept that puts plant-based eating into the mainstream using artisan products and innovative twists on healthy, delicious and familiar foods.”
Whitbread appoints new senior independent director: Whitbread has appointed Richard Gillingwater as a non-executive director and senior independent director with effect from Wednesday, 27 June. Gillingwater will fill the vacancy left by Adam Crozier’s appointment as chairman in March. Gillingwater has spent much of his executive career in corporate finance and investment banking with Kleinwort Benson, BZW and Credit Suisse First Boston, where he rose to become chairman of European investment banking. In 2003 he moved out of banking and became chief executive of the Shareholder Executive, a body set up to manage the government’s portfolio of investments. He has considerable board experience and is currently chairman of Janus Henderson Group and SSE, non-executive director of Helical, and pro-chancellor of the Open University. Crozier said: “Richard has played a key role in guiding many boards through periods of growth, M&A activity and restructuring. His experience will be of great value to Whitbread as we continue the transformation of our two businesses, Premier Inn and Costa, and as we pursue the demerger of Costa, which will provide shareholders with investments in two distinct, focused and market-leading businesses.”
London-based macaron ice cream sandwich pop-up Yolkin goes permanent: London-based macaron ice cream sandwich pop-up Yolkin has opened a permanent site. Founder Sammie Le first started selling her ice cream macarons at Rupert Street’s Street Food Union market in 2015. Now she has returned to the same street to open her first bricks and mortar site having previously agreed a deal with landlord Shaftesbury. The 450 square foot site, which has seating for 18, features vintage reclaimed wood and biodegradable cutlery. The macaron ice cream sandwiches are inspired by south east Asia flavours with a western twist. These include matcha and oreo, pandan and coconut, lychee, black sesame, purple yam and Hong Kong milk tea. Julia Wilkinson, head of group restaurant strategy at Shaftesbury, said: “Yolkin has already proved to be an exciting addition to Chinatown London and is a huge hit with our visitors. The brand has amassed an impressive following on social media with its brightly coloured, highly-Instagrammable desserts and added to the buzz of the opening by implementing a successful launch through these platforms. Its attractive macaron sandwiches fit in perfectly with Chinatown London’s growing offer of Asian-inspired dessert operators.”
Drinks group Pure Wild Spirits passes 50% mark in £500,000 fund-raise to accelerate growth: Drinks group Pure Wild Spirits has passed the 50% mark in its £500,000 fund-raise on crowdfunding platform Growthdeck. The company is seeking a combined investment through Growthdeck and capital investment company 24 Haymarket to fund expansion into premium retailers, bars and restaurants and initial exports to New York. So far, six investors have pledged £255,000. The company launched the UK’s first birch sap spirit, Freya, in 2016, releasing a second flavour last November. The group owns the rights to all aspects of its products, including branding, recipe and bottle designs, and said it has opportunities to add new lines to its range. Birch sap has been listed as a new spirits category, and Pure Wild Spirits founder David Wallwork said Freya was showing signs of “disrupting” the market, with strong traction in premium bars in London, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and an imminent launch into Italy and New York.
Kent-based operator acquires Dartford pub for second site: Kent-based operator Yvonne Rickards has acquired her second site. Rickards has taken on the lease of The Court House in Dartford in a deal brokered by agent Christie & Co. Rickards, who owns the Merry Chest Café in nearby Bean, said: “I am very happy to have completed on The Court House and added it to our other business located only a few miles away. We aim to bring back a good pub to the local community.” James Hughes, business agent at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, added: “I was delighted to facilitate the leasehold transaction on behalf of Garry Simpson, which will see this iconic pub reopen with a successful operator at the helm. Pubs that are still viable businesses are all too often snapped up by developers to be converted into housing or other alternative uses so it’s fantastic in this case to be assisting in reopening the doors on what is a magnificent pub.”
Manchester-based Turkish restaurant to open second site, in Rawtenstall: Manchester-based Turkish restaurant La Turka is to open its second site, in Rawtenstall. Owners Zaf Kesici and Ishan Guler will open the venue in Bank Street. The restaurant, which will create about 20 jobs, will cater for up to 100 people across two floors and include function rooms on the upper floor. The menu will include mezze, tapas, kebabs, seafood dishes and pasta risotto, along with Turkish wine and cocktails. It will also offer live entertainment including belly dancers and musicians. Kesici, who moved from Turkey to England in 1997 and now lives in Manchester, told the Lancashire Telegraph: “We set up the concept for the people who have visited Turkey on their holidays and want them to get the same feeling when they are here – a holiday feeling.”
Scotch distilling returns to Borders after near 200-year absence: Distilling has returned to the Scottish Borders for the first time since 1837 with the official opening of The Borders Distillery in Hawick. Three Stills Company (TTSC), founded by former William Grant & Sons employees Tim Carton, John Fordyce, Tony Roberts and George Tait, raised £10m in investment in 2015 to build the distillery on a 1.3-hectare site overlooking the River Teviot, creating 19 jobs. The distillery comprises a visitors’ centre, shop, events space and bar with lounge seating. At full capacity it can produce up to two million litres of pure alcohol. Barley used for distilling is entirely grown in the Scottish Borders, while process water is drawn from the water table and cooling water from the river. TTSC already has two brands on the market – blended scotch Clan Fraser and Lower East Side, a blended malt scotch. Carton said: “This is a seminal moment for our business. In addition to being the first scotch whisky distillery to operate in the Scottish Borders since 1837, we are now in a position to contribute to the growth of this fine industry. Scotch whisky is again experiencing exciting times, with growth fuelled by new and more mature markets.”
Norwich-based Gotts Leisure lines up second city site: Norwich-based Gotts Leisure is lining up its second site in the city. The company has submitted a licensing application to the city council to launch the Red Rock Cafe in Prince of Wales Road. The application stated: “The target age group is the over-25s, although the music, lighting, decor and furniture is intended to appeal to an older demographic so the average age of our customers will be 35-plus. The business model is purposely different from what is currently available in this part of Norwich and aims to broaden the make-up of people attracted to the city centre late into the night.” The venue would be open daily from 10am until 4am, reports the Eastern Daily Press. Gotts Leisure currently operates the Fluke bar in the same street.


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Many powerful tablets are now competing in the market, but it seems that two devices will emerge victoriously. Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 and Samsung's upcoming Galaxy TabPro S is set to go head-to-head against each other. Now, here are the latest details about their release date, specs and features.
Let's start with Samsung Galaxy TabPro S. The latest tablet from the South-Korean tech company has been rumored to be running on Windows 10, according to PC Advisor.
As for its release date, the same article from PC Advisor said the device will likely launch in March 2016. Tech experts found that Samsung has a tradition of launching new tablets during March. Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 was made available in March 2014.
The new tablet is set to have a fantastic display features. It will boast a 12" Super AMOLED screen that will run at either 2,560x1,600 pixel or the next frontier for portable displays at 3,840x2,400 pixel. Many gadget lovers will love its lighter and slimmer body.
It also rumored that the device will come with S Pen tool, which is proven to be popular among Samsung devices. The processing power of the tablet will run on an Intel Core M processor and with 4GB RAM capacity-- to equip the device during heavy usage and multi-tasking. Also, the tablet will sport a Quad-core 1.9 GHz Cortex-A15.
Furthermore, the new Samsung tablet will have USB Type-C, which will aid the device for faster charging time.
The previous Samsung Galaxy TabPro had a retail price around $660 during its release and currently sits around $440 in the market. Tech experts estimate that the new TabPRO S will be priced around $600-850 during its initial launching.
On the other hand, let's take a look at Microsoft's Surface Pro 4. The Redmond company's latest 2-in-1 laptop makes numerous iterative improvements over its predecessor, as it is lighter, thinner and more powerful than the Surface Pro 3.
Surface Pro 4 is available for purchase in the US and Canada since November last year.
Microsoft has slimmed down the 2-in-1 tablet at 12.3-inch to accommodate more screen and has more room for Office and other applications. From Surface Pro 3's 2,160 x 1,440 pixel-resolution display, the latest gadget boasts a 2,736 x 1,824 pixel-resolution display.
The gadget comes in two versions, depending on the user's preference. Buyers can have a Surface Pro 4 with Intel's Core i5 or Core i7 processor. It can also be configured with a lower or higher amount of storage and RAM. Moreover, enjoy bigger storage capacity at 1TB.
Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is available in the US, Australia and UK for the price of $899, as per reports from Tech Radar.