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Turn to the nation's most objective and informative daily environmental news resource to learn how the United States and key players around the world are responding to the environmental...
By Pat Rizzuto
Oct. 5 — The process the Environmental Protection Agency uses to update the inventory of chemicals in the U.S. must be uncomplicated, small and large chemical manufacturers say.
“Our members want this to be as simple as possible,” Derek Swick, regulatory and scientific affairs manager for the American Petroleum Institute, told Bloomberg BNA Oct. 5. Among other ideas to keep the process simple, the institute proposes the agency use a real time online system during the inventory update.
Under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which amended the Toxic Substances Control Act on June 22, the EPA is required to update the single TSCA inventory by dividing it into two sections. The first will list chemicals that are active in commerce. The second will list chemicals that have been in commerce but currently are not.
Only chemicals that are on the active inventory can be made in, imported into or processed in the U.S.
The Lautenberg Act requires the EPA to release by June 2017 a final rule describing its inventory update process. Chemical manufacturers—and, if the agency chooses to include them, processors—will have 180 days to tell the agency what chemicals they have made, imported or processed over the last 10 years.
One year after the EPA updates the chemical inventory, it must publish a final rule describing its process to review all chemical manufacturers’ claims that the identity of the chemical they make be kept confidential. That final rule launches a process that could take up to 10 years during which the EPA will determine whether confidential business information (CBI) claims companies have asserted for chemical identities are warranted.
The confidential business information substantiation process EPA requires also should be kept simple, Swick said.
In a Sept. 16 letter, the Environmental Defense Fund said the EPA could increase the efficiency of its rulemaking responsibilities by combining into a single regulation both its inventory update rule and its CBI substantiation rule.
Swick said the statute required the EPA to update the inventory so that it knows what chemicals are in commerce and which ones aren’t. That mandate should remain the agency’s focus, he said.
The EPA doesn’t know how many chemicals are in commerce or which exact ones are, because once a chemical has been added to the TSCA inventory it remains there even if no one has made it in decades.
The TSCA inventory lists about 85,000 chemicals. That is a sharp contrast to the production volumes chemical manufacturers reported making in 2005 and 2011 respectively—7,080 and 7,690—the most recent years for which they submitted such data in accordance with the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule.
Chemical manufacturers have until Oct. 31 to report their production for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
In an interview with Bloomberg BNA and in a Sept. 20 letter submitted to the EPA, Swick said the EPA should combine the information it will have received as of Oct. 31 with the information it received about 2011 production.
The information about what chemicals have been in commerce since 2011 is a good starting point for the agency to establish an online portal, Swick said.
The portal would list every chemical that the agency knows has been in commerce since 2011 and each of those chemicals automatically would be on the active inventory, he said.
Once a chemical is on that active list, no other chemical manufacturer or processor should also have to report its manufacture or use of the chemical, Swick said.
A policy that allows just one company’s notification that it has made, imported or processed a chemical during the last 10 years would avoid using the inventory update for two purposes, he said. One would be finalizing the update and the other would be using the inventory update to create a list of companies the agency could target for industry fees, he said. The Lautenberg Act authorizes the EPA to collect industry fees for a wide variety of chemical oversight activities the agency engages in.
Dan Newton, senior manager for government relations at the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates, told Bloomberg BNA he was open to the idea that only one company would have to notify the agency that it made a chemical to ensure the substance was on the active TSCA inventory. The society represents chemical manufacturers that make small, custom batches of unique chemicals.
Like Swick, Newton said his trade association wants the inventory update process to be as simple as possible.
Both industry officials said the EPA should not use the inventory update process as a reason to challenge the ways chemicals are named on the inventory.
Determining how to name a chemical is a complicated process that can involve focusing on the atoms that make up the molecule and the ways they are connected or the source of the atoms—petroleum versus plant oils, for example. A chemical that is essentially the same chemical may have more than one name depending on the feedstocks from which it is derived.
Paul DeLeo of the American Cleaning Institute told Bloomberg BNA, “We don’t want a source that was previously available to be unavailable. Markets can shift very quickly.”
Chemical processors could have problems if a chemical with a source-based name were to be taken off the inventory due to a nomenclature challenge, said DeLeo, associate vice president for environmental safety.
Chemical processors, companies that mix chemicals into new products such as soaps, paints and waxes without causing a chemical reaction, may have to quickly shift the source of the chemicals they use due to the price of petroleum, palm oil and other feedstocks, he said. Or a temporary problem in getting a particular feedstock could require them to change the source of a needed chemical, DeLeo said.
DeLeo encouraged the EPA to include processors in the inventory update from the time the agency launches that process. “It’s easiest to give everyone the opportunity to participate,” he said.
The use of some chemicals, such as dyes and fragrances, can change over time to reflect consumer moods and preferences, he said. “Processors are going to want to know that materials they aren’t using right now, but have used, will still be available in the future,” DeLeo said.
Swick, from the American Petroleum Institute, envisioned a two-step inventory process.
“Reporting by processors should not be required,” he told the EPA in the trade association’s letter.
Mandating processor reporting is unnecessary and would impose a significant burden on these companies, because they would have to review 10 years of data about the chemicals they have purchased and used and could then conclude they don’t need to report, Swick said.
Processors should, however, have the opportunity to review the active inventory of chemicals and add actively used chemicals if necessary, he said.
If EPA establishes the online list that the petroleum institute recommends, processors would have that opportunity, Swick said.
The Environmental Defense Fund urged the EPA to require chemical manufacturers and allow processors to notify the agency of each chemical they have made or used over the last 10 years.
Any processor that forgoes the opportunity to notify the agency that it has used a chemical should forgo its ability to request that a chemical be moved from the inactive inventory to the active inventory, the environmental health organization said.
The processor also should forgo “any existing CBI claim for protection of [its chemical’s] identity,” it said.
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Copyright © 2016 The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Friday, May 16, 2008
After being vacant and an eyesore for months in Alum Rock Village, the former Bodega Market space is getting ready to re-open this summer. You probably noticed the bright new paint and modernized store front. Those are just a few of the upgrades that are taking place to make The Village Store ready for its first customers this August. According to San Jose's Redevelopment point person for Alum Rock, the new store will be a small grocery with fresh fruit and veggie bins out front, and a deli/eating area in the back. The new owners are reportedly trying to get things ready for the grand opening in time for the Alum Rock Salsa Festival, which is coming on August 2nd. The Salsa Festival will be a local street happening with a closure planned for Alum Rock Avenue in the village area. It should be fun!

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This year’s Festival of Marketing will see our key editorial themes come to life across two days on the Marketing Week Strategy and Leadership stage and beyond – with the help of some of the biggest names in the industry.
The company behind Mr Kipling and Bisto succeeded in turning around the fortunes of many of its brands thanks to strong agency relationships and a new strategy focused on creativity, innovation and consumers.
Many marketers are wasting valuable time and resources optimising for voice when there are much more strategic challenges that need dealing with first.
Virgin Media cancelled a planned ad shoot at the last minute over concerns about coronavirus and instead created a campaign to champion the spirit of the UK that it hopes will resonate because of the work it is doing behind the scenes.
Tom Fishburne is founder of Marketoon Studios. Follow his work at marketoonist.com or on Twitter @tomfishburne See more of the Marketoonist here
Calverley is taking on her first general management role after a 15-year career in marketing and has been tasked with securing a “sustainable and profitable future” for the sleep wellness company.
By embracing innovative technology and ideas, arts organisations are finding new ways to survive the lockdown and build engagement for the future.


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Bossa Nova Robotics, a company founded by Robotics Institute PhD alumnus Sarjoun Skaff, announced Oct. 23 at the RoboBusiness Leadership Summit that it is producing mObi, the first commercially available robot that uses a unique locomotion technology pioneered by the Robotics Institute's Ralph Hollis in his Ballbot robot.
Like Ballbot, mObi has no wheels or legs, but balances and moves atop a large sphere, similar in size to a bowling ball. The robot balances dynamically, enabling the robot to be made both tall and slim. Its size, combined with the ability to move omnidirectionally, makes it particularly suitable for maneuvering in human environments.
"mObi is the pre-cursor for the future of personal robots," said Martin Hitch, CEO of San Francisco-based Bossa Nova. "Our unique ballbot technology will provide researchers and developers with an incredible platform for developing consumer-facing applications ideal for business and home environments."
Hollis, research professor of robotics, unveiled his Ballbot in 2006. The robot remains an active research project in his lab. Bossa Nova has licensed the technology from CMU, but the spherical-locomotion technology used in mObi is patented by the company.
mObi initially will be offered as a research platform. Bossa Nova's iLoveRobots division previously has produced toy robots that incorporated Robotics Institute technology.
The announcement was profiled in Gizmag on October 25: Bossa Nova Robotics unveils mObi personal ballbot


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Whereas rumors a couple of new iPhone every day as we grow a possible showdown approaching, coming website BGR with news about the current generation iPhone. News that sometimes can affect the iPhone 5. Deeply ensconced in an internal test version of iOS from a mobile operator is in fact support the 4G LTE network detected.Already distributed telecom network in America makes it possible to increase the internet speed when your phone uses less battery power.
The support was found in the property list (. Plist) of the internal iOS version. This file is usually the basic settings in your phone memory, not so fast that they lost.
It is now mainly in America there 4G network supports more bandwidth, which makes for faster access. In addition, the equipment to connect with generally more economical than the 3G antennas, which allows for longer battery life.
The discovery does not necessarily mean that the iPhone 4G comes four supports. With the number of rumors that circulate about the iPhone in May, it seems that Apple still too strong an opinion that only an iPhone 4 supports a new network. It could just mean that the iPhone 5 will use 4G LTE. Earlier this month, The Guardian wrote that the iPhone is 5 to several providers was on his way to be tested.
4G providers would probably motivate the 4G network in the Netherlands, faster to deploy.We can at the moment because not using it.


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If you have been looking for a smartwatch that looks as good as a traditional luxury timepiece but offers some features of a smartwatch, the kinetic self-charging Sequent watch might be for you.
After two years in development, the Kado Wallet is now available on Kickstarter and is claiming to be the world's thinnest charger. The product can be funded for $39 and is only 5mm thin.
The UP Core is an $89 single-board computer that has been funded through a Kickstarter campaign. The board goes up against the likes of Raspberry Pi devices and even performs better than the Pi 3.
With Alpha 3.0.0 looming on the horizon, Star Citizen now has over $150 million in funding thanks to its community, bringing it closer than ever to becoming the highest crowd-funded project ever.
The Light Phone is ready to be shipped to the wider public by the end of May. The handset is intended for those who want to free themselves from their demanding and vulnerable smartphones.
If you've ever wanted a piece of furniture that also featured a built-in game of Pong, look no further. While the original was digital, this version includes physical pieces that glide using magnets.
Facebook has unveiled that users will soon be able to start fundraisers for a variety of causes on the social network, and Pages will be able to accept donations during live videos.
If you've ever wanted to expand your smartphone experience to a larger screen, you might want to take a look at Superscreen. The $99 wireless display tethers via an app and works just like your phone.
If you've been looking to get your Ghouls ‘n Ghosts fix, Battle Princess Madelyn might just be what you're looking for. The game has been in development for a bit and is now headed to Kickstarter.
The Eye is a crowdfunded iPhone case that literally sandwiches an Android device and iPhone back to back. The case also includes many other nifty features, creating a standalone franken-phone.
If you've been curious about microscopic life, but have yet to purchase a full blown microscope, Foldscope might be an option for you. The paper microscope will be available for pre-order tomorrow.
ZTE could rethink the design and specifications of its crowdsourced smartphone, Hawkeye, as it failed to impress backers on Kickstarter due to the device's mid-range specifications.
If you have been wanting a gimbal to create smoother videos with your smartphone, the Steadicam Volt might be your affordable answer. The Kickstarter project can be funded for $139 USD.
The 5Q mechanical keyboard features a 104-key keyset and Omron switches, while notifications and other information can be streamed through the programmable RGB-lit keys. Pre-orders start at $229.
NuAns' Kickstarter campaign to sell the Neo worldwide reached just 20% of its target, with only 489 backers - but the company says it's "planning a re-launch with an updated version" of the device.
Japanese company NuAns has failed to achieve its Kickstarter goal of $725,000 for its NuAns Neo Windows 10 Mobile handset, managing to amass only $142,368 from 489 backers in 45 days.
With 18 days left on the Kickstarter campaign to make the stylish Windows 10 Mobile handset available worldwide, just 438 backers have pledged a total of $125,000 - well short of the $725,000 goal.
The NuAns NEO Windows 10 Mobile handset, with its unique design and covers, is finally going global. Those interested can get it for as little as $270 while supplies last on Kickstarter.
Krita 3.0 has been released, realising the goals of its successful Kickstarter campaign which it ran last year. Some of the stretch goals were delayed until the 3.1 release due later this year.
Pebble recently teased everyone on Twitter by announcing that they have some "juicy details" to tell us, and now we know what the company is up to: new Pebbles, and an interesting new accessory.
The highly funded Kickstarter project, Mighty No. 9, is finally making its way to consoles, after three years in development. The delayed title will see a global release in June.
If you missed your chance to purchase the Nextbit Robin on Kickstarter, the handset is now being offered at a special promotional price on Amazon. The promo will run from May 4th to the 10th.
In a move away from its original ARM-based boards, UDOO is launching an Intel-based maker board compatible with Arduino 101 shields and capable of running Linux, Windows or Android.
In the quest to automate everything in the home, Jalousier is launching a new module with sensors, a wireless connection, and a nifty app designed to integrate your window blinds once and for all.
While there have been solutions in the past, LMcable is offering a single cable solution that will charge microUSB and Lightning devices. The new cable is being funded on Kickstarter.
Donations for upcoming space exploration simulator 'Star Citizen' have reached $100 million, after almost three years of crowdfunding. This comes shortly after the major update to 'Alpha 2.0'.
If you're looking for a barebones device that offers great build quality and excellent battery life, the Janus One might be for you. But, as I discovered there are some major drawbacks.
The 'Janus One' is a new phone that promises up to 90 days of standby time and is the size of a credit card. The device is priced at $69 USD and is shipping in September.
Znaps is a new magnetic charging adapter that will allow you to convert your existing Lightning or microUSB charger; the adapter brings convenience and is reasonably priced at $9 USD.
'Shenmue III' has officially been announced but it won't be available from your local retail outlets. Instead, the long-awaited sequel is a project being funded by Kickstarter.
Famed producer Koji Igarashi left Konami to open his own studio in 2014. With the help of Kickstarter, he hopes to produce a spiritual successor to Castlevania, "Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night".
Kickstarter often offers smaller companies an opportunity to showcase their ideas and receive funding for projects. Tiko is a new 3D printer that aims to improve the experience at an excellent price.
Kickstarter has dumped Amazon Payments ending its long-term relationship with the payment platform, instead it has partnered with Stripe to process payments from next week.
An exciting Kickstarter project is currently seeking $65,000 as its funding goal. What does it do? It will allow you to play original Game Boy Classic games directly on your TV in full HD.
Although Logbar achieved more than three times their original Kickstarter goal, the Ring they promised would allow us to "control anything" doesn't appear to be able to control anything.
A Kickstarter campaign requiring $250,000 to be fully funded, will allow its creators to build a peripheral gaming device which will suck the blood out of you, literally.
Jolla phone owners get ready: a new accessory is making its debut. The new illuminated and magnetically attached keyboard will be available in the next day on Kickstarter.
A sleep monitoring device called Sense has broken the $1 million mark in just a week on Kickstarter, shattering an original threshold of $100,000. The sleek device will launch in November 2014.
The Earin earbuds are a unique piece of hardware that focuses on minimal design and superb sound. While the designers took a most minimalist approach, the result is far from boring.
The Lunecase by Concepter allows iPhone users to be notified of calls and text messages before their phone does by utilizing excess energy from the phone when it communicates with a network.
Lifelogger is a wearable that will attempt to capture everything in your daily lives and catalogue it. The device will be able to recognize text, faces, and voices. The device starts at $169 USD.
LIX, a second-generation high quality 3D printing pen is aiming to bring 3D printing into homes all across the world. The LIX is selling for $135 USD on Kickstarter and closes in 25 days.
A Kickstarter campaign has launched aiming to gain the financial investment for manufacturing a glasses-less 4K 3D television; Dimenco hope to bring the product to our stores this September.
M3D has surpassed its Kickstarter goal of $50,000 and will introduce affordable and easy to use consumer grade 3D printer to the market; the intial backing price was $199 USD and closes in 28 days.
What I thought would be an electronics board with LED control and perhaps FM functionality, unraveled into a world which included Bluetooth, WiFi, displays and controllers as well as advanced robotics
Ring is betting that you will want to control everything with your fingertip. By utilizing gesture recognition, Ring will be able to text, control your home, and more at the wave of a finger.
Email addresses, phone numbers, passwords and other user data have been stolen from popular crowdfunding platform Kickstarter after hackers infiltrated the site.
Mimoco, the creators of Mimobot USB thumb drives, have launched a Kickstarter to create character-based battery packs that recharge your mobile devices while you're on the go. Will they be successful?
Famous video game music composer Tommy Tallarico has started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund a third album. If you're a fan of video games, you owe it to yourself to check this out.


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Last week, news broke that Microsoft may be working on a Surface All in One, combining a full size PC display with a small computer in a stylish (hopefully) package. The initial reports came from the sometimes dubious DigiTimes, saying that Microsoft ... Read more
According to a new report from Digitimes, Microsoft could be working with suppliers to build an all-in-one Surface PC that could be released "in the third quarter of 2016 at the earliest."
Acer has recently announced its refreshed line of Z Series all-in-one computers at Computex 2015. These Windows 8.1-powered computers are designed to provide users with a relatively powerful computing experience in a package that doesn’t take too much space. The ... Read more
For those looking for a desktop computing solution that doesn’t take up too much real estate on your desk, an All-in-One (AIO) computer could be the perfect choice for you. Alternatively, mini PCs while small in terms of footprint still ... Read more
At CES, MSI has announced a refresh of their gaming laptops and all-in-ones. Now at the top of the line, gamers on the go can have a mechanical keyboard, 32GB of RAM, and dual GPUs starting at a whopping $3,400! From there, the laptops drop ... Read more


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- Ivy Mix
What do Bolivia's national spirit, a Hollywood director and a famous bartender have in common? On Sunday, May 1, they all could be at the Archives in Winooski — at least on Zoom.
Singani63 chief operating officer Jonathan Brathwaite, who lives in Hinesburg, is throwing a "relaunch event" for the brand, which was founded by filmmaker Steven Soderbergh in 2014.
Brathwaite hinted that Soderbergh might make an appearance via videoconference, joining native Vermonter Ivy Mix — an award-winning booze industry pro and author — who is flying up from Brooklyn for the event.
Mix and the Archives' own Sean McKenzie will whip up Singani63-based cocktails for the event, including two featured in Mix's book, Spirits of Latin America, which she'll be signing.
- Cocktail made with Singani63
Singani is a floral, smooth, un-aged brandy distilled from the aromatic muscat of Alexandria grapes at an elevation of at least 5,200 feet in Bolivia's Andes Mountains. The spirit is similar to pisco, a better-known drink from neighboring Chile and Peru, but falls in its own distinct category.
Bolivia is landlocked and relatively isolated; singani had been produced for 500 years but had never been exported. Soderbergh partnered with the Granier family in Tarija, Bolivia, to create Singani63 and bring it to the U.S.
The brand caught on in New York City, landing at top bars such as Please Don't Tell and Milk & Honey. By 2017, the spirit was listed by the Vermont Division of Liquor Control, meaning it could be distributed through state-contracted liquor stores.
Brathwaite had moved to Hinesburg and said he made it his "backyard hobby" to build the brand at local bars and restaurants, including Hen of the Wood, Prohibition Pig, Pizzeria Verità, Monarch & the Milkweed, Guild Tavern, Mandarin and the 126.
"The way you build any craft spirit brand is in bars and restaurants," Brathwaite said. "Then the pandemic decimated that part of our industry."
- Cocktail made with Singani63
During lockdown, Singani63 was still selling in 802 Spirits retail outlets but not at the level it had been in restaurants and bars — and not at the level necessary to remain listed by the Division of Liquor Control.
In 2021, with assistance from newly appointed liquor control commissioner Wendy Knight, Brathwaite got Singani63 re-listed and back in the state's warehouse.
The upcoming event is a reintroduction of sorts, for both hospitality pros and the public. "Although the event is called the Return of Singani, it's also celebrating the return of our industry," Brathwaite said. "We're going to come together and rejoice."
It's good timing for another reason, too: The U.S. government is on the verge of formally recognizing singani as a distinct subcategory of brandy — something Brathwaite and Soderbergh have spent the past eight years fighting for.
"I had to facilitate a bilateral trade agreement between Bolivia and the United States," Brathwaite said with a laugh. "This is bigger than Singani63 and even singani. It's the recognition of an entire country on the global stage."
The free event starts on May 1 at noon. Learn more at singani63.com.


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Berry's Jewellers double win
The UK awards, organised by watch industry title WatchPro, was a spectacular gala dinner in Central London. Covering every aspect of the watch sector, from business and brand, to retailers, this year’s awards recognised the successes within the industry across an array of different categories.Berry’s Jewellers won Family-Owned Watch Retailer of The Year and Retail Leadership Team of the year (Simon Oxby & Simon Walton). These latest accolades follow several notable industry awards wins over the course of the year for the family-owned business which is currently celebrating its 125th anniversary year.
Simon Walton, Managing Director of Berry's, commented on the win, "We're delighted to celebrate our 125th anniversary alongside the WatchPro Awards 2022. Receiving these awards demonstrates the hard work that the family and our incredible team at Berry's has put into the business. We also thank our customers for being the main driver of our success - we truly appreciate them all."
It's been be a great year for Berry's Jewellers, after also winning Watch Retailer of the Year accolade, and Retailer of the Year (six stores or more) in the UK Jewellery Awards 2022, where Berry's was praised by the expert judging panel for great in-store service, a thriving website, and a robust product selection, scoring a 92 per cent mystery shop score.
Berry's boasts boutiques across the nation, including York, Leeds, Newcastle, Hull, Nottingham and Windsor.
For more information, please visit www.berrysjewellers.co.uk


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By Ben Luty
Earlier this month, Google unveiled the new model of their Pixel phone. While beautiful screens and many cool new features were presented, the devices lack a feature advertised pretty heavily on the previous model: The 3.5 mm headphone port.
Obviously, Google isn’t the first to do this. Apple shocked the world with the iPhone 7, which dropped the port with little-to-no explanation beyond claims that it was impossible to waterproof the phone without doing so. Samsung and Sony phones manage to do it, so that’s a ridiculous claim. Several smartphone makers have shown the “courage” it takes to remove the jack, with companies such as Apple, HTC, Motorola and Google all making the drop on their newest flagships.
Apple’s decision to announce a set of ($160) wireless earbuds alongside their new phones looked like a shameless cash grab, forcing the consumer away from their standard headphones. Google did the same thing this month, with the “Pixel Buds” releasing at the same price point. Sure, they include dongles in the box, but how do you expect to charge your phone and listen to music at the same time? Oh right, you’ll need to shell out another $45. On top of that flaw, nobody enjoys the unclean look of a dongle sticking out of their phone, and dongles are just another thing you’ll have to remember when you head out for the day.
I believe smartphone makers are designing these products specifically for wealthy businessmen with a wireless fetish. Wireless headphones (at the time of writing) are much more inconvenient to use for students, due to the annoyances of bluetooth connection and having to remember to charge them, and that’s without even mentioning the significantly steeper price for a quality pair of wireless headphones! The Airpods (in all their tiny, wireless glory) sound about as good as a $30 pair of Sony Earbuds – at more than five times the price!
Smartphone companies seem to think wired headphones are on the way out, but my personal experiences on Mizzou’s campus reveals that simply isn’t the case yet. While I’m positive wireless headphones will eventually be the standard for audio quality and convenience, right now the vast majority of people I see still walk to class with a cord dangling down the front of them. You don’t have to charge your three-year-old pair of Skullcandys during class to make sure you’ll have juice for the walk home. They are extremely easy to swap between devices, too – just unplug from your phone and plug into your laptop. Sit in the student union for 10 minutes and you’ll find that just about everyone is still doing this move instead of connecting bluetooth to multiple devices.
Look, smartphone makers. We’re all a bunch of poor college students here. You simply cannot expect us to pay around $1,000 for a smartphone and turn around to drop another $160 for your special earbuds. As long as it’s possible to pick up a cheap pair of wired buds from Wal-Mart, you won’t be able to get my money. There is not a more convenient way to listen to music right now than through the 3.5 mm headphone jack, and until the price, audio quality and convenience of wireless earbuds catches up, I’m afraid they won’t catch on.
Edited by Owen Brock, Elena Cruz and Elorm Nutakor


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Aichi Prefecture in Japan has had the country's highest rate of traffic deaths for 13 years in a row. Just last year alone there were 44,3691 accidents that resulted in deaths or injury and in the same year there were 50,101 arrests for smartphone use while driving.
It's a scary trend and government officials and Japanese companies are looking for ways to convince drivers in Aichi Prefecture to keep their hands off their smartphones and their eyes on the road.
As part of a safe driving program to help reduce the amount of traffic accidents, Toyota, a car company, Komeda Co., a coffee company, and KDDI Corporation, a communications company, have joined forces to create an app that they hope will incentivize drivers to keep their smartphones out of hand called Driving Barista.The app only works if you're driving in Aichi Prefecture. Using the phone's gyro sensor and GPS, the app can tell if the phone has been lying flat or tilted up by the user and how many miles the driver has gone without picking up the phone. Once a driver racks up 100 km without picking up their phone, they receive a coupon for a free cup of coffee at a Komeda Coffee Shop.
To use it, the driver opens and starts the app before starting to drive and then places their phone face down. Each time the driver uses the app, the kilometers driven with the phone facing down are added up and coupons are awarded after the first 100 km and then after every 200 km. If you pick up your phone while driving, it resets and you start back at 0 km.
The companies will also be promoting free traffic safety programs in the prefecture as part of the government's 2016 Autumn Traffic Safety Campaign for the next two weeks. According to a recent survey, 60 percent of the prefecture's drivers say they use their phones while driving. The companies hope that the app will make drivers more aware of how distracted they are when using their smartphones and help them to form the better habit of leaving the smartphone facing down while driving.
The program and app launch today and it's available for both iOS and Android devices.


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Investment Market Overview Q4 2021 takes a look at the investment market performance in 2021 and also includes a focus on what will impact capital flows in 2022.
€2bn was spent on Irish investment property in Q4, bringing the total for 2021 to €5.5bn. This is the second highest level of annual investment that has ever transacted reflecting underlying investor confidence in the Irish economy and property market throughout 2021. Recent global events cast some shadow over how the market will perform in 2022.
5 key takeaways from the Investment Market Overview Q4 2021
- €5.5bn was invested in 2021, €2bn of which closed in Q4
- 42% of total spend in 2021 was invested in residential investment assets
- 54% of spend in 2021 on retail assets was invested in retail parks
- The largest deal of 2021 was Blackstone’s acquisition of the Serpentine Buildings, which are let to Meta (Facebook), in Dublin 4 for €395m
- 5.6% – with pressures very much on the upside, inflation is a new challenge for the economy and markets in 2022


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Burger King is considering a shake-up of its international marketing operations following the appointment of global chief marketing officer and executive vice-president Chris Clouser.
Clouser, who started at the Diageo-owned fast food chain this week, has overall responsibility for creating and implementing international marketing strategies including research, new products, pricing, promotions, sponsorship, corporate communications and community relations.
A restructure of the company’s management, overseen by Burger King’s recently appointed chief executive John Dasburg, has already led to the departure of Mikel Durham, head of Burger King’s North American division.
The division has been scrapped as Dasburg builds a more “functional”, rather than geographical, management structure.
The restructure will result in more centralised marketing operations, which could lead to ads being brought to the UK from the US.
McCann-Erickson recently won Burger King’s US account from Lowe Lintas, but Lowe still handles creative work for the UK.
A spokesman for Burger King in the US says: “It is too early to say what will happen to [Burger King’s] ad agencies.
“But Clouser will be looking at the global marketing structure and it is likely marketing directors in other countries will have more contact with the US than before.”
Clouser’s most recent position was chief executive and executive board member of Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball Club.
He was also senior vice-president of advertising at Northwest Airlines when Dasburg was chief executive of the airline.


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Hello Drones, Meet Blockchain
Seems there isn’t an industry that isn’t currently caught up in the blockchain technology buzz. The drone industry is no exception. Some recent blockchain initiatives are looking to:
- Provide the ability to easily and efficiently share and rent drones.
- Decentralize the tracking of drones and provide greater transparency as to the whereabouts of drone flights.
- Develop an air traffic control system for drones.
Recently, Australian blockchain startup ShareRing took to Reddit to announce a partnership with DIJ dealers to create a blockchain-based drone rental service. The startup provides asset-tracking and payments services to “sharing economy” providers worldwide – including drones. ShareRing wants to be the “Amazon of the sharing economy,” using a distributed recording system based on blockchain technology. ShareRing will be partnering with DJI distributors in Australia in a pilot program to provide an online service to rent their drones to governments, corporations, and for events.
ShareRing is not the first drone-related company to leverage blockchain technology. Mota, the company that purchased rights to manufacture the Lily drone, says it has been experimenting with blockchain technology for drones. Mota Chief Executive Michael Faro envisions a future where blockchain could decentralize the system for tracking drones, while providing greater transparency as to the whereabouts of drone flights.
“Think of when we have hundreds of thousands of drones flying in one area at a time,” Faro said. “That’s hundreds of thousands of eyes in the sky. No centralized place should have a monopoly over such data.”
Faro said the blockchain data could make information on where drones are flying and who is operating available to the public worldwide. This would make the data auditable if there is a crash.
Distributed Sky, a non-profit with experts from Australia, Singapore, Russia, Germany and the USA has been working for the last two years to develop an air traffic control system for unmanned aircraft. Blockchain technology is leveraged to deliver a framework which can be used by all stakeholders in the commercial drone market. The three major components of the unmanned traffic management (UTM) system are:
- Registration system. This is developed using the Ethereum blockchain and smart contracts.
- Communication system. The team works with the most common protocol in the drone space – MAVlink. Developers plan to integrate Whisper protocol from Ethereum for real-time drone communication to increase cybersecurity protection of the system.
- Geofencing and traffic control. The map data is stored using p2p IPFS network and the drones can leverage it to avoid entering prohibited areas and crashing into obstacles.
Even Walmart is interested in drone-related blockchain technology. The retail giant is seeking to patent a system that uses blockchain technology to track packages delivered by unmanned drones. The patent application explains:
"In some embodiments, the delivery box may also include a delivery encryption system comprising a blockchain for package tracking and authentication. Package tracking by blockchain may include elements including but not limited to location, supply chain transition, authentication of the courier and customer, ambient temperature of the container, temperature of the product if available, acceptable thresholds for ambient temperature of the product, package contents placed in the container system (products & goods), or a combination thereof."
The patent authors detail how the technology could be used to establish identity within the package system. They explain that authentication and access may be restricted to specific blockchain keys to access the contents of a parcel’s payload, and may include specific times and locations.
As with a number of industries, it seems the potential of blockchain technologies is almost endless in the drone industry. From a safe integration of drones into the national airspace system to the use of a blockchain-enabled remote identification system to protect drone user information and any confidential information, it will be exciting to see any of these initiatives come to fruition. I know that I, as a drone enthusiast, will be tracking these developments closely.#FutureandEmergingTechnologies#Blockchain


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It’s pretty crazy to think that the fastest growing ride-sharing company in Australia, with over 20,000 drivers on its platform currently operates in a legal and regulatory grey area. While Uber has become a legal target in recent months and forced to pay millions of dollars in fines, this has had little impact on Uber’s success.
Now it seems the ride-sharing giant is likely to overcome a significant hurdle and officially become legal and regulated in NSW. This follows similar regulatory changes in the ACT.
This brings a few issues of the law to light: how did Uber manage to survive all these years operating in a legal grey area? And what kind of legal implications does this have on the NSW taxi industry and Uber itself?
How Uber has managed to operate in Australia
The law prohibits private, unlicensed taxi-drivers from accepting passengers for money, however Uber has managed to bypass these laws, and remain virtually unscathed. Since its launch in Australia in 2012, copious UberX drivers have been issued on the spot fines of up to $1,700, and Uber has been able to pay the fines on behalf of their drivers. These penalties are a small price to pay for the huge revenue generated by their average of 5 million rides per year.
The way that the law is structured also makes it difficult for the law to react to changes in today’s climate at a fast rate. While disruptive technologies and startups find it relatively easy to adapt to changes due to their fluid and flexible nature, the law stands inis a stark contrast to this, with its rigid structure and hierarchy. There are several checkpoints which must be passed before a new law is enacted or updated. The law is also reactive to legal issues. Errors or loopholes in the law often go undiscovered or discussed until there has been a contentious issue that has been brought to light through a case. This is why legal regulations of Uber have been so slow to be updated.
What kind of legal implications does the proposed law have on the NSW taxi industry?
Since Uber entered the market, it has already made a huge impact on competition in the taxi industry, offering consumers more competitive travel options and disrupting the monopoly of the taxi industry. The new laws which will be introduced next month will make traditional taxis more competitive and cheaper to obtain.
The government is predicted to significantly reduce the cost of obtaining a taxi licence from $20,000 to $10,000 and the prices are expected to drop even further within the coming months. Taxi owners will also be compensated for the loss of exclusive control of the market and the price of taxi plates which can cost upto $320,000.
With the new regulations, taxi drivers will retain exclusive access to waiting areas and the right to accept kerbside hails, while Uber drivers will only be able to acquire rides through the app.
What effect will this have on Uber?
Uber drivers will be forced to pay for a taxi-like licence and other servicing fees, such as a $600 application fee, and $50 accreditation fee. They will also be required to undergo extensive background checks, including a criminal record check, driving record checks and vehicle safety checks on a regular basis. There will also be services which allow customers to issue complaints about their Uber drivers.
Although it’s too early to say, the predicted regulations appear to be a win-win situation, for Uber, taxi drivers and consumers in general. However, I suppose we’ll have to wait and see how they work in practise.
Let us know your thoughts on the new NSW laws by tagging us #lawpath or @lawpath.


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On Wednesday, Italian brands Missoni and Fendi kicked off the first day of Milan Fashion Week, with designers once again forced to substitute the buzzing catwalks due to the COVID-19 pandemic for digital presentations.
Designers had to find new ways to attract fashionistas with their designs a year after Italy reported the first positive case of coronavirus in the north, leading to the first lockdown in Europe.
Missoni was the first fashion house to stream a video of its new womenswear, combining clothes for autumn/winter with those for spring/summer, renowned for its zig-zag “Fiammato”, or flamed, pattern and vibrant designs.
Models re-enacted social events, from bowling games to catch-ups with colleagues, at Milan’s Assago Forum, a venue that has been shut down for months.
In a variety of colors, they wore dazzling knits, loose trouser suits, long ribbed gowns and casual wear.
Some put on hats and scarves while others posed in the video swimwear, which was captured as if in an ongoing clip.
In what Missoni described as “a celebration of the return to a regular social life,” glittering party wear was also present.
“To illustrate the idea of the wardrobe, I mixed and matched pieces from different seasons,” creative director Angela Missoni said in a statement.
Milan Fashion Week runs until March 1 this season, with brands like Armani, Prada and Valentino posting videos of their collections on a digital platform.


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During its annual I/O developers’ conference last year, one of the more interesting announcements to come from Google was the Instant Apps feature, which allows users to run certain parts of Android apps even when they aren’t installed on their smartphones.
Instant Apps are like smaller versions of native Android apps that run instantly when you tap their URL, no installation needed. Once it’s closed, the app disappears from your phone leaving no icons on the home screen - though it does stay in your cache for a few hours in case you want to open the link again.
Now, Google has announced it is now opening up “a few” Instant Apps for limited testing. The company is looking to collect user feedback on a selection of applications from the likes of Buzzfeed, Wish, Periscope, and Viki.
"By collecting user feedback and iterating on the product, we’ll be able to expand the experience to more apps and more users," writes Google Play software engineer Aurash Mahbod in a blog post.
Instant Apps are useful for those applications you intend on using just the one time, like transit apps for cities you’re only visiting once. Instead of having to download and eventually delete them, you can quickly and easily use their functions without visiting the Play Store. It’s also a good way of checking out parts of an app before deciding whether to install the whole thing.
No word on when the Instant Apps feature will get a wider rollout, and there isn’t much information on how to test them right now. Google did say, however, that the full SDK will be available “in the coming months.”


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- Enter package details
- Choose the best offer
- Select a collection date
- Print and attach labels
Post-Christmas returns expected to increase 72% for “Takeback Thursday”
According to Royal Mail, returns of online goods on 2nd January, dubbed “Takeback Thursday”, were predicted to rise by 72% when compared to the average daily number of returns in December. For postal workers, thi...
Australia Post suspends services across Canberra and ACT
Australia Post has suspended mail services across Canberra and the rest of the Australian Capital Territory due to hazardous air quality. According to local health authorities, the air quality peaked more than 20 times hazar...
Emission-free cargo bikes used for deliveries in London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone
40 local businesses have transitioned to using emission-free cargo bikes in the London Bridge area, under the Bikes for Business scheme by Team London Bridge. Small local businesses, charities, hospitals such as Great Ormand...
Royal Mail share price tumbles after plans fall behind schedule
Royal Mail’s share price tumbled 14% last Thursday, after the company released its half-year results and warned that it could operate at a loss next year. The drop took around £320 million off Royal Mail’s s...
Royal Mail seeks High Court injunction to halt Christmas postal strike
Royal Mail is seeking a High Court injunction against a planned peak season postal strike, on the basis that the strike ballot was “unlawful and, therefore, null and void”. Members of the Communication Workers Un...
Delta first US passenger airline to offer door-to-door courier service
Delta Air Lines has become the first US passenger airline to offer door-to-door parcel delivery after teaming up with parcel company Roadie. The DASH Door-to-Door service will offer same-day delivery for time-sensitive goods...


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Mark Wahlberg is venturing into the auto sales business by launching his own Chevrolet dealership in Columbus, Ohio.
The rapper-turned-actor is teaming up with his longtime friend Jay Feldman, a businessman who already owns eight franchises in and around Detroit, Michigan, to open the Mark Wahlberg Chevrolet showroom.
"I am continuously looking for ways to innovate my brand and engage in businesses I am passionate about," the Ted star shares in a statement.
"I love cars and the chance to work with an experienced, proven dealer-operator like Jay and represent an iconic brand like Chevrolet inspired me to get involved."
The pair actually started its search for the perfect first dealership in early 2017, and Mark and Jay are now making plans to open further locations in the near future.
"The Wahlberg brand is all about America," Feldman adds. "Joining forces to sell and service Chevrolets with the magnetic draw of the Mark Wahlberg name allows us to do something special for the state of Ohio and the greater Columbus area."
In a video message to fans on Facebook, Mark explained the new project is a dream come true, smiling, "I've always been a car fanatic (and) now I'm able to be part of such an amazing iconic, American brand."
Wahlberg, 47, has been expanding into various industries outside of Hollywood in recent years.
Together with his brothers, actor/singer Donnie and chef Paul, he owns fast food chain Wahlburgers, which has branches across the U.S. and even boasts its own reality TV show. He also previously joined forces with rap mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs to launch the electrolyte-enhanced water brand, AQUAhydrate, and Mark, who is known for his dedication to fitness, also recently unveiled his own line of natural supplements, called Performance Inspired, which is marketed at young athletes to help them become stronger and faster.


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Walmart currently operates a variety of formats in China, including shopping malls, Sam’s Club stores, and Huisafe supermarkets. Since entering China, Walmart has donated RMB 150 million to China’s charitable causes.
How did Walmart help China?
Wal-Mart has aided China’s abuse of labor rights and its violations of internationally recognized norms of fair trade behavior by providing a vast and growing conduit for the distribution of artificially cheap and subsidized Chinese exports to the United States.
Does Walmart get everything from China?
Walmart China “firmly believes” in local sourcing with over 95 percent of their merchandise coming from local sources. In America, estimates say that Chinese suppliers make up 70-80 percent of Walmart’s merchandise, leaving less than 20 percent for American-made products.
Why did Walmart go to China?
Walmart was founded in the United States by Sam Walton. … Walmart entered China in 1996 with its first location in Shenzhen. By adapting its’ business model to cultural differences and sourcing locally, Walmart China was able to avoid some of the pitfalls that foreign retailers are facing in China.
Where does Walmart get their produce from?
The vast majority of its suppliers are in the United States. However, the supply chain for Walmart stores is global, with suppliers in the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong, France, and other countries.
Who owns Walmart now?
Currently, Walmart is owned by the Walton family. They own about fifty percent of the business and a net worth of more than two hundred billion dollars. The shares and ownership interest are managed by institutional investors Walton Enterprise LLC and the Walton Family Holdings Trust.
Does Walmart chicken come from China?
The majority of Walmart’s chicken comes from processing plants run by third-party corporations such as Tyson and Maple Leaf in 2021. … However, much of the chicken sold in Walmart is usually free-range, cage-free, and locally sourced.
How many US companies are owned by China?
On October 2, 2020, when this table was last updated, there were 217 companies with a total market capitalization of $2.2 trillion. There are eight national-level Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) listed on the three major U.S. exchanges.
Is Walmart moving out of China?
US multinational retail corporation Walmart has refuted an online rumor that it will move its global supplier business unit from China to India, saying the news is “completely wrong” and is “based on misunderstanding.” … The company also dropped plans to expand its wholesale business in India, media reports said.
Has Walmart been successful in China?
Walmart does not break out net sales for China, but noted that operating income did increase for the region. The company also said its higher-end membership Sam’s Club stores saw double-digit comparable sales growth in China.
Where is Walmart China?
Walmart China. Walmart has been at the forefront of retail modernization in China since 1996, when we opened a hypermarket and Sam’s Club in Shenzhen. We now serve communities nationwide as a leader in omnichannel retail.
Where does Walmart get their potatoes from?
Walmart get their potatoes from Idaho and travels about 2,300 miles. The potatoes are organic since it’s on the packaging.
Where does Walmart get its eggs?
The company has pulled eggs from those suppliers from its shelves here. The suppliers, who also distribute elsewhere in Missouri and in Illinois, are Sparboe Farms, Dean Foods, Hillandale Farms and Cal-Maine Foods. They provide eggs to Walmart stores in 20 states.
Where are most of the products at Walmart made?
Most of the products we source for our retail businesses in the U.S. and other major markets like Mexico were made, grown or assembled domestically. For example, two-thirds of merchandise sold in Walmart U.S. and 93% of merchandise sold in Walmart Mexico fall in this category.


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Tens of tens of millions in transactions reportedly frozen
A ransomware attack that strike London-primarily based money solutions program provider Finastra late very last 7 days carries on to reverberate, with stop-end users telling Laptop or computer Business Overview that tens of millions of bucks in money transfers failed to arrive on time.
CEO Simon Paris apologised to shoppers this 7 days for challenges with missing money wire transfers, after Finastra – the world’s third-largest fintech, with a sweeping world-wide purchaser base – was forced to pull servers offline. The organization is now performing extra time to check out to restore solutions, and system transactions lost in the attack.
See Here for History on the Assault
Paris stated: “We feel the attack arrived intentionally even though we concentrated on shifting the majority of our world-wide workforce, including numerous thousand of our colleagues in the Americas, to safer perform from residence procedures in light of COVID-19.”
He extra: “The cyberattack… led us to acquire significant counter-measures to guard our shoppers, their data, and the integrity of our hosted methods and purposes. We feel the attack arrived intentionally even though we concentrated on shifting the majority of our world-wide workforce, including numerous thousand of our colleagues in the Americas, to safer perform from residence procedures in light of COVID-19.”
Email messages from afflicted shoppers suggest that Finastra is performing extra time to guarantee missing transactions arrive. Just one afflicted was Tim Hand, a retired banking veteran who expended above 30 yrs in the organization, including as a Main Running Officer.
He advised Laptop or computer Business Overview that the proceeds from his dwelling sale in the US experienced “vanished in cyberspace” as a outcome of the incident.
He stated: “The bank I am utilizing has a connection to the British firm [Finastra] that does the wires they have an on-line portal they use to initiate the wires. Someday very last Thursday things just commenced to disappear, some wires received issued some situations – thoroughly initiated – have resulted in resources apparently just trapped in cyberspace. I take pleasure in that many banking companies are jogging with very short staff appropriate now, but I am yet to receive an rationalization from any individual. I could have to vacation resort to legal action.”
[Current: Inside minutes of us publising this report, Mr Hand advised us that his resources experienced arrived, incorporating: “It is my knowing that some of the missing wires have been missing identification information so they experienced to be processed and sorted out manually (which naturally took some time).”]
A Finastra spokesperson advised Laptop or computer Business Overview: “As you know, at all over 7am GMT / 3am EST on Friday March 20, 2020, we made the conclusion that it was vital to voluntarily acquire our servers offline. This of class has an effect on the wire system. We are performing intently with our consumers to assessment their unique circumstances, with regards to which wires transferred and which did not. We are assured that this will be solved as we perform via methods to get well or total these transactions.”
Just one staffer at an additional bank advised us: “A whole lot of wires have been badly delayed. Tens of tens of millions truly worth. They seem to be coming via now in drips and drabs now.”
Finastra’s CEO stated in his Monday assertion: “During the incident, we worked all over the clock, aiming to guarantee the least-achievable disruption for our shoppers and associates. We provided normal updates to guarantee that you experienced the most up-to-date necessary information and, as we restore our solutions, I want you to know that our workforce was, and constantly is, a hundred% concentrated on our shoppers and their organization wants.
“Throughout these very last ~seventy two hours, my extended govt workforce and I, as nicely as our total discipline and purchaser assist teams, have fielded a great number of phone calls and conversations with shoppers and associates to keep them appraised in real-time. Customers and our ecosystem are, and constantly will be, at the center of our universe. On behalf of all of us at Finastra, please acknowledge my apologies for any inconvenience.
“We will perform relentlessly to honor your have confidence in put in us, each one working day.”


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0328 New COVID Waves Impact Beef Exports
The U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Joel Haggard who lives in Hong Kong says local authorities want to continue a COVID zero goal, but it appears the city of Hong Kong has abandoned its plan to test every resident for COVID three times for a period of over 9-10 days, which was scheduled to start at the end of March.
“So, where does this leave our meat business here in Hong Kong? Despite glimpses of easing strict social distancing measures remain in place, at least until April 20th. Local regulations require all restaurants outlets to close by 6 p.m., and no more than two dinners per table. So, Hong Kong’s restaurants sector is reeling right now, and hundreds of outlets have closed. Take away and retail are thriving, but supply chain issues there have slowed the delivery of food stuff to the public.”
Meanwhile, Haggard noted in mainland China, officials are very concerned about rising case counts there, triggering a host of city-wide lockdowns in the southern portion of the country.
He says this is impacting meat imports in China in several ways. First, he noted in cities where strict lockdowns are in effect, visiting restaurants is just not possible.
“And the second impact is on the movement of imported meat for ports to central warehouses and then out to end users, creating a net negative for overall meat consumption in imports. Everyone’s hoping this wave will be short-term and the return to normalcy will return soon.”


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1 Sept 2021
Inflation of Raw Materials Slowed Down German Factories
The Index Today
A survey showed on Wednesday that German manufacturers are struggling to meet the strong demand for industrial goods in August due to the low supply for raw materials and components such as semiconductors which are caused by inflation.
IHS Markit’s final Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for manufacturing, which is fifth of Europe’s biggest economy, fell at 62.6 from 65.9 last July 2021.
It is recorded as the lowest in six months but still comfortably above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction.
Previous data show that the German economy rebounded in the second quarter with a recorded rate of 1.6% growth compared to the previous 3 months as new variants of COVID-19 cases raised an alert to consumers to record savings piled up during the lockdown in winter.
The German government is expecting the economy to grow 3.5% this year and 3.6% next year, however, supply bottlenecks and rising COVID-19 cases are leading German companies a blurry view for this to happen.
IHS Markit economist Phil Smith said, “Growth in output has now fallen behind that of new orders to an extent previously unseen in over 25 years of data collection.”
The supply of bottlenecks led to rising backlogs of work resulting in falling stock levels and acute price pressures across Germany’s large manufacturing sector. Among the items most often reported by survey participants as having an increase in price were aluminum, electronics, plastic, steel, and timber.
“Still, many goods producers are hopeful that conditions will have improved come next summer, and a further steep rise in employment levels shows that efforts are still being made to expand capacity and prepare for higher output in the future,” Smith added.


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Since the last few weeks, a mysterious Nokia smartphone named Nokia 5.1 Plus has been making rounds on the web. Firstly, the CAD renders of the device were leaked and later on, it was said that the 5.1 Plus would be the global version of the recently launched Nokia X6. Finally, the smartphone has passed Chinese regulatory TENAA website, which revealed the entire spec-sheet of the handset. The Nokia 5.1 Plus will not be a global version of the Nokia X6, instead, it will be touted as the Nokia X5 is some markets. Also, the specifications of the Nokia X5 are nowhere close to the specs of Nokia X6. But the overall design of the smartphone will be similar to that of the Nokia X6 though, including the display notch. The model number of this upcoming smartphone is TA-1109.
First and foremost, the Nokia X5 or the Nokia 5.1 Plus will have a 5.86-inch display with a resolution of 720 x 1520 pixels. The resolution clearly states the device will have a notched display and might carry an aspect ratio of 19:9. The device will measure 8mm in thickness and weighs 160 grams. Also, it will be launched in three colour options- Blue White and Black. The Nokia X5 will have a 3000mAh battery inside.
Furthermore, the TENAA listing also revealed that the handset comes with a 2.0 GHz processor, which could either be the MediaTek Helio P23 or the Helio P60, as rumours suggest. Also, there are some possibilities that the handset will come with a Snapdragon 625 SoC under the hood. But the actual chipset was not revealed in the listing.
The device will come in 3GB, 4GB and 6GB of RAM options, while the internal storage will extend up to 64GB only. So there are possibilities that the Nokia X5 will be available in 3GB+32GB, 4GB+64GB and a 6GB+64GB configurations. There will be a microSD card slot as well for storage expansion up to 128GB.
As usual, the device is listed to boot Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. Cameras on the Nokia X5 include a 13MP rear shooter and an 8MP front-facing camera. The rear camera will be capable of shooting 1080p videos, and it's a CMOS sensor. We're not sure whether the lens will be certified by ZEISS or not. Connectivity options in the Nokia X5 include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. The device will not come with CA support.
So this is the complete spec-sheet of the Nokia X5 aka Nokia 5.1 Plus. Maybe HMD Global will skip the Nokia 5.1 in some markets and launch the Nokia 5.1 Plus as it did with the Nokia 7 and Nokia 7 Plus. But it's interesting to see how well the Nokia 5.1 Plus fits in HMD's product lineup.


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- The prevalence of arbitration clauses in consumer financial products and services;
- What claims consumers bring in arbitration against financial services companies;
- If claims are brought by financial services companies against consumers in arbitration;
- How consumers and companies are affected by actual arbitrations; and
- How consumers and companies are affected by arbitration clauses outside of actual arbitrations.
Read the CFPB's press release.
Read the Request for Information on Arbitration.


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8 February 2016 - Janet Bird
The Government has announced plans to relax Sunday trading laws in England and Wales, allowing businesses to open for longer.
Announcing the move, Business Secretary Sajid Javid said the measures were designed to allow local authorities to help struggling high streets.
Under the proposals, which are being put forward as amendments to the Enterprise Bill, local authorities will be given the power to change Sunday trading laws in their areas to meet the needs of local communities.
They will be able to restrict longer opening hours to specific areas, or zones, such as High Streets and town centres.
Currently, small shops of 280 square metres or less in size can open at any time but larger stores can only trade for six hours between 10am and 6pm.
Mr Javid stressed that shop workers who want to opt out of working on Sundays for family or faith reasons would be able to do so.


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PARIS — Don't expect Boucheron, the jewelry house owned by France's PPR, to dwell on its storied past next week when it kicks off festivities to mark its 150th anniversary.
Jean-Christophe Bédos, the Place Vendôme jeweler's president, said he wanted to use the occasion to focus on the future. To wit, he challenged his team of house designers to formulate a no-punches-pulled collection of exceptional high jewelry.
"We want the anniversary to be an occasion to celebrate our energy and passion," he explained. "It's not the time to look to the past and reissue archive pieces."
The resulting collection — called Enchanting Boucheron, with prices from 1 million euros, or $1.48 million, to 3 million euros, or $4.4 million — will be unveiled to press and clients starting Monday in a town house here on the Place François 1er that, conveniently, belongs to PPR owner François Pinault.
Word has it that the jewels will be presented alongside paintings from Pinault's personal collection of modern and contemporary art. "It should be memorable," said Bédos, declining to give details.
Meanwhile, more than 100 of the house's best clients have been invited to a dinner Monday evening here. Julianne Moore is expected to attend.
Boucheron has been on a roll recently, with sales increasing at a healthy clip, thanks to the boom in demand for high jewelry in markets such as Russia, Asia and the Middle East.
Bédos wants to build on that momentum. For the anniversary, two high jewelry collections — instead of the traditional single offering — and a raft of limited edition products and a new watch will be introduced. The second high jewelry offering will be presented during the couture in Paris in July.
The watches — many in limited runs — include made-to-order pieces dappled with diamonds. Girard Perregaux, the Swiss manufacturer with which Boucheron recently signed a partnership, provided all of the movements.
But the high jewelry is likely to garner the most buzz. "Usually we have budget restrictions when creating a high jewelry collection," explained Bédos. "This time I gave our designers carte blanche. No limit."The result is 30 pieces testifying to the house's technical prowess. There is, for example, a necklace — requiring eight months of work — of diamonds and sapphires with rubies placed in golden snakes' mouths. Another necklace of diamonds and emeralds boasts secretive disk-top pods that open to reveal hidden gems. And yet another diamond and sapphire necklace comes with Art Nouveau-style flowers carved in amethyst and aquamarine. One flower detaches to double as a vial to be filled with fragrance.
One of the more curious pieces is a white gold mask — dappled with sapphires, emeralds, diamonds and flowers fashioned out of amethyst and aquamarine adorned with a detachable aigrette of heron feathers.
"Our hope with the collection is to affirm what we are capable of creating today," said Bédos, who will travel around the world this year to host multiple private client dinners as part of the anniversary celebrations. "We are preparing for the next 150 years."
@chanel and @pharrell dropped what’s being dubbed as the world’s most exclusive sneakers yesterday. The Adidas Originals NMD Hu, which Williams designed in collaboration with Chanel and @adidasoriginals, has a waiting list of over 120K people who pre-registered online at chanelatcolette.fr –– and only 500 pairs are on sale. The singer predicted the resale value of the shoes could reach $40K. Read the full interview on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: Dominique Maître)
@imanshumpert is diving deeper into his creative endeavors and relaunching his clothing line, Post 90s, and is helping to raise money for the hurricane victims in St. Maarten with a jersey he’s designed with his brother. The Cleveland Cavaliers player talked to WWD about kneeling during the national anthem, working with fashion brands and how he wants to be more than an @nba player. Read the interview on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)
Not only does #TheProfit return to CNBC tonight, but @marcuslemonis has launched @shopmarcus, a new shopping and lifestyle retail experience in Aspen and Chicago, with more locations to come. The retail stores offer in-store stylists and a variety of contemporary womenswear selections.
“It’s life, I’m going to face it,” @mingxi11 sighed. “I fell, but you know, I think the most important thing is that I get back up. I had the love, the help from my sister — the girl next to me Gizele [Oliveira] — she’s so nice. When I went backstage everybody was trying to comfort me like ‘Oh Ming, it’s OK.’ I’m really, really touched. I think it’s them who gave me the courage to go back on stage for the finale,” Xi told WWD of her fall at the @victoriassecret fashion show. (📷: David Fisher) #wwdfashion #vsfashionshow #victoriassecret
@louisvuitton tapped @therealpeterlindbergh for its latest city-centric photo book, which is part of a series called Fashion Eye. The primarily black and white book captures the spirit of Berlin in 57 images shot between 1989 and 2019. “Berlin is an inspiration for me, more than a city. I mean @millajovovich is simply Berlin!” said Lindbergh. #wwdfashion
“You know, I think audiences expect a certain performance so I have to deliver to them what they’re expecting to a certain degree. But I’m also a different actor and a different person, I have my own spin on the character,” says @noahegalvin of his takeover of the leading role in “Dear Evan Hansen” following the departure of @bensplatt, who originated the role. Read WWD’s interview with the 23-year-old actor on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
For pre-fall 2018, @etro created richly-colored wonderland, using tapestries, textiles and wallpapers from the Eastern world at large. The line featured floral and graphic prints and jacquard motifs, like this two-piece look featured here. #wwdfashion (📷: Giovanna Pavesi)
@kith is moving into children’s. The men’s and women’s streetwear brand has launched Kidset, a Kith kids line located in New York at 64 Bleecker Street. The line includes mini versions of staple Kith pieces like the Astor bomber jacket and the Kith box logo sweatshirts, along with a wall that can display up to 120 pairs of shoes from @adidas, @newbalance, @timberland and more. #wwdfashion
“I just wanted to create this fully rounded character, but I do think what excited me most was just the opportunity to give a group of people representation that I feel needs it. I like to do characters in projects that stand for something and Karolina definitely does, so that was really exciting to me,” @ginnygardner says of her new role in @hulu’s “The Runaways.” Gardner plays Karolina Dean, a queer superhero, which is a rarity for @marvel. Read more about Gardner’s character on WWD.com #wwdeye (📷: @dandoperalski)


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So it isn’t just in the UK Amazon manages to wangle itself free of what it should pay in tax. In a recent US court ruling, some nutty US judge reckons it’s ok for Amazon to siphon off profits through to Luxembourg. Had Amazon lost, reports are rife all the Amazon...
The Bum Gun
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Rabinowicz emerging as ad industry's point man on education
When Daniel Rabinowicz entered the ad world shortly after getting his MBA from McGill, he was shocked at how little university graduate studies had prepared him to compete in a highly skilled workforce.
"I got virtually no practical training to prepare me for my career in advertising," said Rabinowicz, who has since vaulted through the ranks to become president of Cossette Communication Group's Montreal office. "And my sense from talking to other people in industry over the years, is that the situation has not improved."
Training an effective workforce is one of the key challenges facing Canadian businesses in an information economy. In few areas is the need for specialized personnel as clear as in the advertising industry.
New media buying technology, constantly changing graphic and Web design software and increasingly sophisticated market research techniques, are creating a preference among ad agencies for highly specialized employees, rather than the generalists that the business schools are producing.
Rabinowicz has played a key role in two dossiers to ensure that universities start picking up the slack. Last year he helped push for the establishment of a new graduate program in marketing communications, at École des Hautes Études Commerciales (HEC). And currently he is lobbying universities to integrate case studies from this year's Cassies awards, into an MBA level text. As a result Rabinowicz is emerging as the ad industry's point man on education.
"I have always had a penchant for the university milieu. I taught a course at HEC several years ago. But I devoted so much time to it, that it was cutting into my work and family hours, so I had to stop," said Rabinowicz. "I loved it and often thought I would eventually go back to teaching. But it never happened."
But Rabinowicz's teaching experience and his increasing involvement in human resource issues as he rose through the ranks of Canada's largest ad agency, have heightened his awareness of manpower training and education issues.
"Employee turnover is very high in our industry, with rates of 20% and even more in many companies," said Rabinowicz. "That means employers are constantly faced with the need to integrate new people. That means ongoing training."
The roots of the ad industry's needs for specialized employees are many. But one of the most important was the huge down-sizings of the 1980s and 1990s that saw many of the consumer products and packaged goods companies such as Proctor and Gamble, relinquish their role as finishing schools for industry professionals.
"In the past, many of the consumer products companies, would hire kids out of university, and give them a broad training in marketing, said Rabinowicz. "Eventually they would end up getting hired away by advertising agencies and smaller companies."
But after the bigger marketers began to cut back manpower training, no one came in to fill the void. "When I was president of the Association des Agences de Publicité du Québec, (AAPQ) we commissioned a study of educational practices in some of Canada's rivals, said Rabinowicz. "We found that Canada was the only country surveyed that did not have a university program that specialized in advertising."
This finding led the AAPQ to approach several universities about designing a graduate diploma, for business students who wanted to specialize in marketing and communications. A deal was eventually cut with HEC.
"The 38 students who joined the program for its first year, are getting a great hands-on education, taught by some of the top professionals in the industry," said Rabinowicz." In addition to a review of basic marketing concepts, students get more hands on training such as how to set up a client briefing, prepare a media plan and manage electronic print production.
"Part of our deal with the university, was that in addition to the money we contributed, AAPQ members also agreed to give employees time off the teach the courses, said Rabinowicz, who in addition to his duties at Cossette, will also be co-chairing this year's Cassies awards.
The awards recognize company's effectiveness in advertising campaigns. Rabinowicz's post is the source of another of his initiatives on the education front, which involves collecting information from the winning companies, and creating case studies which are to be used in university text books.
"I can't make a specific announcement now, but we are having detailed talks with certain academics, and I am confident we'll succeed," said Rabinowicz. "If students use real life examples in their text cases, they'll have a much better understanding about the challenges they will face when they graduate."
Photo caption: With his key role in several high-profile dossiers, Cossette Communication Group's Daniel Rabinowicz is emerging as the advertising industry's point man on education.
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