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Analyst Predicts Apple Will Soon Discontinue The iPhone X
Wait - Is Apple Really Planning To Discontinue The iPhone X This Summer?
Why Is This Important?
Like a bad relationship that's been dragging on with no hope, it may be time to let go of the iPhone X and move on.
Long Story Short
Despite all of the hype that surrounded the release of the iPhone X when it was first announced, it seems that between the price, inability to deliver on time, all the heart-breaking cracked screens and security concerns, even the most die-hard Apple lovers were simply not there for the X. And now, the brand could be pulling the plug on the model as soon as this summer.
The iPhone X has only been in users' hands for a few months, but respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (who works for KGI Securities) is predicting some startling news: Apple may discontinue the X altogether as soon as this summer. Why? Well, it was clear back in September that sales were seriously lacking and now, KGI has revealed that they believe Apple will only sell about 18 million iPhone X units in Q1, which is waaay below the 30 million other analysts were predicting.
According to their intel, the Chinese market has a lot to do with the underperformance, as consumers are choosing to hold onto their models for longer periods of time. What's more, "the notched design on the iPhone X isn't yet compatible with many popular Chinese apps, leading many customers to see it as offering less usable screen space than 5.5-inch iPhone Plus models."
As for things picking up in the months to come, predicted Q2 sales aren't any more impressive, clocking in at what KGI believes will be just 13 million. These surprisingly low figures have resulted in them concluding that the iPhone X will actually "go to end of life around mid-2018" (after selling 62 million phones, rather than the predicted 80 million) and will NOT be kept around to be sold at a lower price point.
Like Apple Insider points out, this would be unprecedented in and of itself, as it "would be the first time that Apple has not retained the previous year's model to allow for a wide range of iPhones available at many price points." But apparently, people are more than happy with their cheap-o iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s and they don't want no iPhone X!
However, it's not all gloom and doom. KGI went on to add that Fall 2018 could see renewed interest in iPhones when THREE new models with lower price tags are introduced. "We believe the addition of 6.5-inch OLED and 6.1-inch LCD iPhone models will boost Apple's market share in China, and that the US$650-750 6.1-inch LCD iPhone will make it easier for users worldwide to own a 3D sensing and full-screen design iPhone which offers an innovative user experience." Bye bye, iPhone X, it's been real.
Own The Conversation
Ask The Big Question
Are Apple's (and iPhone's) golden years over?
Disrupt Your Feed
Three new iPhones are coming this fall, so it's time to say 'Bye bye, iPhone X, it's been real!'


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App-based private-hire transportation service Uber has been dealt a double blow this week as news of a data breach covering 57 million customers was quickly followed by the revelation that the company had known of the issue for the past year and had paid $100,000 to the attackers to keep the breach quiet.
Uber, already a source of much controversy over its aggressive marketing techniques, use of technological systems which attempt to evade regulatory oversight, insistence that its drivers are not employees, 'surge pricing' which can see fares raised to many times their previous levels during peak times, its provision of loans to purchase vehicles in developing nations which then prove impossible to repay as too many drivers attempt to service too small a target market, its capturing of location data on passengers even after they have exited the vehicle, and several high-profile cases of passengers being attacked by drivers who had not undergone even the most basic of background checks before being admitted to the platform, is now under additional fire over a serious data breach affecting an estimated 57 million of its customers - a breach which the company has been attempting to hide since 2016.
'Our outside forensics experts have not seen any indication that trip location history, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, Social Security numbers or dates of birth were downloaded' writes Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber's chief executive, in the company's announcement. 'However, the individuals were able to download files containing a significant amount of other information, including: The names and driver’s license numbers of around 600,000 drivers in the United States; some personal information of 57 million Uber users around the world, including the drivers described above. This information included names, email addresses and mobile phone numbers.'
While Khosrowshahi claims to have only recently learned of the breach, the New York Times details an attempt by executives at the company to cover up the breach - including the payment of a $100,000 ransom to the attackers in exchange for the apparently empty promise that the purloined data would be deleted. While a panicked ransom payment is one thing, however, the company is accused of going still further by tracking the attackers down, giving them non-disclosure agreements to sign, and disguising the payment as a 'bug bounty' payout to legitimate security researchers.
According to the NYT's sources, the deal was brokered by former chief executive Travis Kalanick, still a member of Uber's board of directors despite his ouster from the role in June this year over the company's toxic corporate culture, and since-sacked chief security officer Joe Sullivan.
October 14 2021 | 15:04

domain: news


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At a SXSW Interactive panel titled "The Mobile 2nd Screen in Video Games & Beyond," executives from Samsung and Ubisoft presented a necessary establishing question: What, exactly, is the first screen?
Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo have all touched on the concept — some more heavily than others — with their current and next-gen platforms. Microsoft has placed a heavy emphasis on SmartGlass, its companion application which supports its media applications and a handful of games. Nintendo's Wii U utilizes a second screen as its primary controller; although the device doesn't function away from the console with which it is paired.
Sony has arguably leaned the heaviest into the concept, having promised further implementation of Remote Play functionality between the PS Vita and PlayStation 4. Moreover, it announced a PlayStation App during its PS4 reveal event which would accompany the new console, allowing users to, according to a Sony press release, "see maps on their second screens when playing an adventure game, purchase PS4 games while away from home and download it directly to the console at home, or remotely watch other gamers playing on their devices."
Ubisoft senior director of strategic marketing Steve Carlin and Samsung Telecommunications general manager Neil Sharma said during the panel that console manufacturers and the gaming industry as a whole underestimates what phones and tablets can mean to living room gamers.
"When I look at it from the mobile industry, I would posit that the gaming industry calls the mobile platform 'second screen,'" Sharma said. "I would posit that it is the first screen. I would also posit that it's an inflection point that if it's not looked at carefully, the gaming industry's going to move by and miss it, and there are going to be companies that go out of business."
"...if it's not looked at carefully, the gaming industry's going to move by and miss it, and there are going to be companies that go out of business."
Smartphones and tablets are powerful enough to stand their ground against consoles, Sharma argued. They've got hardware that can support games gamers would consider hardcore while being accessible enough to casual gamers. They already have the technology built in to communicate with one another seamlessly, making them easier to move from your TV to your pocket.
Most importantly — especially considering the length of the current console generation — they're far more agile than consoles, allowing them to incorporate technology like NFC without having to wait several years for a hardware refresh.
"That's the state of that industry," Sharma told Polygon in an interview preceding the panel. "Outpace, out-innovate. We have so much technology on tablets and smartphones today; doesn't matter which company it is, it's just, that's the level of innovation. Right? Quad-core processor? It's in all of them. Two years ago, it's, 'quad-core processor? Are you kidding me?'"
Before joining Samsung, Sharma was a business development manager for Microsoft, where he worked to try and make Windows Media Player the dominant streaming media solution. It was a vicious battle between Microsoft's product and other big players of the field, who wrestled over quality improvements and deals with content producers who would stream their products on their respective services. It was a battle ultimately not won by quality, but by social integration and community; a battle won by YouTube.
Sharma said he worries that the gaming industry is falling into a similar pattern.
"When you use the word quality, you've actually plateaued," Sharma said. "You've come to an area where you can't bounce further. It's a good touchpoint to say, 'What else is going on out there?' I feel it as I walk around the gaming industry, I hear that a lot, 'Look at the graphics! Look at the quality!' I say, 'Okay, I've been through this in my lifetime. I've got to step back.'
"Think about what happened in the days of Nintendo vs. Sega Genesis."
"Think about what happened in the days of Nintendo vs. Sega Genesis," Sharma said. "History kind of tells itself there. Sega was the game. 78 percent of most living rooms that had gaming, Sega was it. Then Nintendo decides, 'You know what, we're going to do something a little bit different. We're going to create something handheld. And all the writers, all the journos, I remember it was very, very polarizing. A majority of them said, 'I'll take my Sega Genesis, thank you.' What survived, who survived?"
Sharma's arguments echo the theme of the gaming industry's presence at CES earlier this year. Several independent companies are developing solutions for big-screen gaming on a phone or tablet; companies which Sharma argues aren't "just scratching at the surface." Communication between those devices is getting more powerful, more complex, he says. Samsung's own Smart TVs will "get a bit smarter," potentially offering mobile devices a direct line into stationary displays.
"The platforms are there," Sharma said. "What you're talking about is disruption. It just takes one type of outlier to disrupt the industry enough for the mass to come in."


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Red is no longer the rage while sales of purple pants are up 54 per cent, store chain Debenhams reports.
Debenhams spokeswoman Michelle Dowdall said: “Men are relying on purple underwear to work its magic.
“Christmas is the peak time of year for men to buy sexy lingerie. Up until recently, they invariably chose red.”
Men are relying on purple underwear to work its magic
The shift in lingerie colour choices emerged when Debenhams examined sales figures and spoke to its team of in-store lingerie advisers.
Psychologists say red indicates an adventurous, outgoing spirit.
They say purple is the colour of good judgment and spiritual fulfilment – more suitable perhaps for the current economic climate.


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Just how big is the tool theft problem? And isn’t it just a problem for consumers and insurance companies?
The reality is that tool theft has an extensive effect throughout the market. At one extreme, frustrated hire companies are contemplating refusing to stock brands that don’t help them to tackle theft and increasingly savvy consumers and tradespeople are becoming equally picky about choosing brands that are potentially harder to sell on. On that basis alone, tool theft is a problem for the entire supply chain.
So, back to that first question: How big is the tool theft problem? Crime figures don’t go into enough detail to answer that question accurately, but there are plenty of indications of a huge black market for tools. The NFU Rural Crime Survey (2014) found tools to be the most targeted item, while £800m per year is lost by the UK construction industry due to theft alone, according to insurer Allianz Cornhill (Source: Construction National Magazine 2014).
Fellow insurer Zurich Site Security reckons less than 10% of stolen plant and equipment is recovered. And those insurance stats are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg.
Datatag’s Miles Taylor tells Torque: “Statistics compiled by insurance companies don’t take into account the scale of the problem. The stories of tool theft you see often hit one man bands and they don’t always make an insurance claim for them. Large companies don’t often claim either, with the excess often outweighing the total of the value of the stolen tools. It is seen as part of the cost of operating a business.”
Tool theft from consumers is much the same. Crime statistics don’t, ahem, drill down to exactly what has been stolen from residential properties.
While the statistics have their shortcomings, you don’t have to try very hard to find a story about a contractor or small business being hit by tool theft
and with little chance of recovering the stolen loot. Perhaps more tellingly, hire firms are so frustrated with bearing the brunt of tool theft costs that they have felt compelled to come up with a solution on behalf of the tool industry.
HAIL CESAR! – How a marking system fought construction site theft
Theft has threatened to hamper many industries, including construction. Back in 2000, plant theft was found to be a big enough problem that the Home Office set up the Plant Theft Action Group. The issue intensified in 2005, with the prospect of a forthcoming construction boom to ready London for 2012 after the UK won the bid to host the Olympics.
Industry cooperation came up with a new weapon in the fight against construction site theft by the name of CESAR. The Construction Equipment
Association and Agricultural Engineers Association joined to create CESAR – the official Construction and Agricultural Equipment Security and Registration Scheme.
“Datatag security marking is established in many markets, and we have over 120,000 pieces of equipment registered with us. For CESAR, we supply all the security marking technology and manage the database,” Taylor says. CESAR-marked equipment comes with tamper-proof ID plates and Datatag Anti-Counterfeit unique RFID chips or transponders embedded within it.
The CESAR identification plate allows for instant verification with a Datatag scanner and perhaps crucially, Datatag mini RFID transponders are also wired into other places within the machines – so even in the unlikely event that criminals managed to remove the ID plate, they’d still have to contend with multiple hidden transponders that could identify a stolen JCB or other big items of machinery within seconds.
Bolstered by Datatag Datadots applied to valuable parts and a forensic ‘DNA’ coded invisible solution, CESAR marked machinery is a headache for thieves and the black market.
CESAR was soon adopted by the big brands; Manitou became the first manufacturer to fit CESAR as standard to agriculture and construction equipment, in 2008. NU Rock followed, as did Merlo, Hanix and Bobcat before receiving the endorsement of Travis Perkins, JCB, John Deere tractors, Balfour Beatty and more. CESAR is now installed in over 40 factories globally, providing large plant equipment with traceability right from the production line.
According to the scheme, CESAR marked machinery is four times less likely to be stolen. There’s evidence to back that up, with theft of plant and
machinery down an average of 57% since a peak in 2010 and there have been some notable success stories, including the recovery of £1.1 million
worth of equipment in just two weeks in 2008. Stolen CESAR registered machines have their details circulated to police forces in 187 countries and so
successful is the scheme that it is believed that thieves are now targeting older machinery, manufactured before CESAR’s introduction.
Datatag’s Miles Taylor tells Torque Magazine: “The Cesar system is fitted as standard to many equipment manufacturers and it is featured heavily on
construction sites. It’s a significant theft deterrent and sites have seen theft drop, so it has been very successful.”
TOOLS STRIKE BACK: Introducing Micro-CESAR
So what about smaller tools? The hire industry is among those bearing the brunt of tool theft and this month’s Hire Convention in Loughborough is covered the topic heavily, the Hire Association Europe (HAE) tells Torque Magazine.
The Conference will also mark the official launch of the new Micro-CESAR. As with the original inception of CESAR, industry players are coming
together to tackle crime, only this time for tools. Rival hire companies including A Plant, HSS Hire, Speedy, Nationwide Platforms, GAP, Hewden and VP Plc, as well as the Construction Planthire Association, have held meetings to find a solution and a successful pilot project has proved the concept works.
Taylor explains: “It’s the hire companies and associations that came to us, they got the ball rolling. They have been pushing us to create a similar
system for smaller tools. The idea is that power tools will be marked at the factories, just like CESAR.”
The ultimate aim for Micro-CESAR is to have factory fitted RFID transponders so all small power tools are traceable and consequently much harder to sell on.
“We’re close to announcing the final package and we’ll be looking for more power tool manufacturers to work with us on implementing the scheme.”
Backed by the Construction Equipment Association (CEA), Micro-CESAR was first announced at the eighth Combined Industries Theft Solutions (CITS) Conference at the end of 2015 and attendees of this month’s Hire Conference will get to see the Micro-CESAR scheme in detail.
The first manufacturer to adopt the system is chainsaw, hedge trimmer and construction equipment firm Stihl. Stihl will go live with Micro-CESAR this month, including unique RFID tags and a tamper evident warning and integrated QR code on its range of cut-off saws.
“Hire companies are not prepared to put up with tool theft anymore,” Taylor tells Torque.
While Micro-CESAR isn’t going to put a stop to small tool theft overnight, there’s a chance that history will repeat itself for CESAR. Should other brands follow Stihl’s lead and begin marking products in factories, then the tool sector has every chance of mirroring the success the original scheme achieved on construction sites.


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The Private Label Issue – Pingo Doce
In the most recent edition of ESM, we spoke to retailers across Europe about their private label strategies, including chatting to retailer Pingo Doce about how Portuguese consumers are being more adventurous with their private label purchasing.
This article first appeared in ESM Issue 3 2020.
Pingo Doce, part of Portugal’s Jerónimo Martins group, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, with its private-label offering having been around for close to three decades of that.
Try European Supermarket Magazine PREMIUM – 30 Day FREE Trial.
A trial subscription gives unrestricted access to all premium site content, app content, weekly email content and European Supermarket Magazine digital edition for a full 30 days. Try it now!


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Grand Rapids firefighters investigate devastating fire at Lee Auto Export
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Firefighters are still investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed an auto-repair shop Tuesday night.
Investigator Ric Dokter said firefighters have not found evidence to suspect arson as a cause, but added that the investigation is not complete.
Fire investigators soon expect to review video surveillance to see if it provides any clues, Dokter said.
He said that the shop contained plenty of materials to burn.
The owner of Lee Auto Export, Trung Ly, has owned the shop for 15 years. Earlier today, he said: “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
The company is at 1515 College Ave SE, near Cottage Grove.
Ly said he lost customers’ cars and his own vehicles in the 8:25 p.m. fire.


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Business recovery is the prevalent theme for most if not all MSMEs. Now more than ever, they will rely on their incumbent banks to provide them with financial conduits so that they can revive their businesses in the months to come, and banks will play a crucial role in their recovery. MSME Lifeblood of Most […]
Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) have recently been pushed to even more relevance by the events that had transpired over the last year and are still prevalent today. Pushed by the on-going crisis, companies and their customers have jumped on the digitalization, and digital transformation wagon at an amazing speed. Companies were forced to accelerate […]
The Path to Digital Transformation Begins Here. Start Preparing Your Company's Digital Future Digital transformation has been accelerated by the events of the year that had passed and will be further accelerated by the things to come.
Anytime, Anywhere Banking that Delivers Real Customer Value A Digital First Banking and Fintech Company.
Geniusto International LTD, the parent company of Geniusto Philippines Incorporated, announced that it has successfully acquired GCP Software UK, a banking software and payment processing solutions company based in the UK.
Access to credit is the lifeblood of MSMEs to scale up their businesses and their brands. In 2021 there will be a huge surge in demand for credit as the world’s local economies scramble to recover. Demand for credit/loans will go up because of COVID-19. As regulators in the ASEAN region create or upgrade regulations […]


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Wine hit by consumer exodus
Growth theories debunked as analyst tells of
fall out at lowest price points
Wine volumes are "grinding to a halt" in the off-trade as cash-strapped consumers abandon regular purchases at the lower price points.
That's the grim conclusion of Nielsen analyst Stewart Blunt,
pouring cold water on theories that wine retailers are
benefiting from a trend towards home entertaining.
although duty increases had given the impression of growth in the market, the latest figures pointed to a mere 1% volume increase compared
with 5% at the end of last year.
"We're going through a period of adjustment," he said. "You've got the impact of duty coming in, exchange rates changing and, of course, the general downturn in the economy.
"Common wisdom has it that we can't afford to go out so often so we're drinking in , and you would expect the light wine market to be growing - but it's not."
He added: "The
fall out has happened at the bottom end of the market and has not been reflected in the higher levels. You have to wonder if a significant proportion of the population who were only buying at the £2.99 end have fallen out of the market.
Volume is grinding to a halt."
Sources estimate that in the past quarter
some 800,000 cases have disappeared from the wine market, despite the efforts of supermarkets to court budget-conscious consumers with deals such as three-for-£10. There are anecdotal reports of consumers trading down, but Blunt believes many
have given up discretionary purchases of wine altogether.
Latest Nielsen figures show that off-trade drinks volumes generally are now comfortably ahead of those in the on-trade, which continues to struggle.
The split is now 52%-48% in favour of the take-home market, with off-trade volumes up 3% and on-trade down 8%.
The figures, which cover the year to Aug 9, show that total liquor in the
off-trade saw the value of sales increase by 5% while the on-trade declined by 3%.
Australian wines remain the off-trade market leaders, despite registering no growth in the 12-month period. French sales were down 1% while the next biggest sellers, the US
and Italy, were up 7% and 12% respectively.


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Polish Post targets major e-commerce push, as it prepares for 2016 IPO
Polish Post has announced plans to double its income from e-commerce parcels over the next five years, as it seeks a stock market float in 2016. The state-owned national postal service in Poland released a brand new business strategy this week as part of preparations for an IPO, in which it stated its plan to become one of the top three parcel operators in the country by 2020.
The company said it wants to push its e-commerce parcels revenue up by 100% to PLN 1.5bn (EUR 367m).
As well as seeking to become “partner of choice” for online retailers, Polish Post said it sees banking and financial services, as well as digital services, as key elements in a bid to stabilize revenues hit by the challenges of running the universal postal service.
Polish Post faces potential competition for its role as designated operator of the universal postal service — rivals InPost have expressed interest in seeking the position — but said it aims to underpin its bid with a PLN 1.5bn investment in the development of its postal infrastructure up to 2019.
By 2020, the company said it wants to become the country’s largest integrator of parcel and courier services, electronic and traditional communication, financial services and e-government services.
Plans to go public in 2016 are expected to involve a minority stake in the company being put up for investors, with the Ministry of Treasury retaining a majority stake. The firm said the IPO would provide capital necessary for the further development of the company.
Jerzy Jóźkowiak, the Polish Post president, said: “The driving force behind the growth of the Polish Post Group will be courier and parcel services.
“We also intend to offer all the services required for e-business. We aim to provide the highest standards of postal services, which still account for the majority of our revenues.”
Parcel growth is key to Polish Post’s business strategy up to 2020
Among its plans to strengthen its position in the e-commerce parcels sector, the company said it intends to deploy 10,000 parcel collection points, as part of providing a “complete value chain” for the fast-growing e-commerce sector.
These collection points will include 1,000 self-service parcel pick-up points within the next five years, along with post offices and partner-run pick-up points.
Consumers shopping online will have various alternatives to access parcel services in the most convenient way, the company said. Online retail customers will also potentially benefit from banking and insurance services, as well as digital services, as well as Polish Post’s logistics services, the firm said.
Polish Post said it believed its parcel, logistics and e-commerce revenue will grow to the point where it draws level with traditional letter revenues by 2020.
In the Polish market for e-commerce delivery, Polish Post competes against carriers including DHL, DPD, FedEx and GLS. Rivals have been strengthening their operations in Poland in recent years, pushing for more convenience in home delivery as well as building capacity. Last year saw DPD acquiring domestic carrier Siódemka S.A., while FedEx bought local firm Opek in 2012.
Meanwhile, the company said it needs to work to stabilise its traditional postal revenue in the face of pressures from e-substitution — customers switching to digital communications.
Along with its PLN 1.5bn investment plans, Polish Post will put in place a cost-cutting programme to cut its cost by a further PLN 1.5bn a year.
Polish Post said it is now getting ready to bid for the continuing role as designated operator of the universal service, as organised by the government’s Office of Electronic Communications. It said it has the necessary infrastructure and provides “high standards of services in terms of timeliness and security of postal traffic”.
The firm also noted its preparations for operating if “exceptional” circumstances should occur.
Jóźkowiak said: “We are aware of Polish Post’s strategic role as the national postal and logistics operator, so our goal is to win the competition for the designated operator and provide customers with broad access to postal services and e-government services.”
The company noted its role as a socially responsible employer and the largest employer in Poland, and that it aims to maintain such a standard as it implements the new growth strategy, while adjusting the level of employment to its business needs.


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CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., June 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pazoo, Inc., (OTCBB Symbol: PZOO) is pleased to announce that a comprehensive television and on-line corporate branding campaign is set to begin middle-to-end of August 2012. Air time has already been purchased in local markets around the United States to place approximately 70,000 one minute TV commercials in strategic markets around the country.
There has been preliminary strategic /creative development for the production of two to three commercials. One commercial spot will focus on the Pazoo brand and its website. Another spot will feature a revolutionary approach to the "Expert" section on www.pazoo.com that is to be interactive and informative with a mission to improve the everyday life of people and their pets. Lastly, a third TV commercial is planned to focus specifically on certain product offerings that www.pazoo.com is planning to roll out through direct response programs – as a digital initiative as well as an infomercial. Pazoo hopes to become the premier health and wellness brand that people and their pets will know and trust. www.pazoo.com is the first fully functional portal with its sole focus on health and wellness products, services and information for people and their pets.
David M. Cunic, CEO of Pazoo, Inc., stated, "We have only scratched the surface and have only provided a sampling of what we will offer as a company. Please come back to our website again and again and see and experience the substantial expansion of our offerings over the coming days and weeks. Come join the Pazoo effort to improve your everyday life."
About Pazoo, Inc.:
Pazoo, Inc.'s web site www.pazoo.com provides a warehouse of competitively priced products and an array of experts delivering vital information to improve and enhance the enjoyment of living a full and enriching life. Featuring industry experts from the health and wellness industry as well as the pet industry, Pazoo.com offers a unique, multi-dimensional interactive web site where consumers can gain insights into health and wellness for themselves and their pets from leading industry experts. Also, our team of medical, fitness, nutritional and pet professionals seek to enhance our customers' wellbeing by offering a limited, but high quality, selection of merchandise, including fitness consumables, nutritional supplements, apparel, and wellness/safety products.
For Investor Relations:
Taylor Capitol, LLC
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE Pazoo, Inc.


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The new smartphone by the South Korean giant is expected to release later this year and if the rumors are to be believed, the device will have similar dual camera setup as of iPhone 7.
Samsung said the Galaxy Book will come with the same pen that's sold with its Galaxy Note smartphones. We have to rely till the company speaks about Samsung Galaxy Note 8.
Global shipments of the Galaxy S8 devices reportedly have reached over 10 million units so far, but it remains to be seen whether Samsung is able to ramp up its shipments of the Galaxy S8 in China, commented the sources. The leaked image only shows half of the device from the backside.
There's now not much information available on the specifications front, except that chipset could be Snapdragon 660.More news: Airlines group urges alternatives to extending electronics ban
More news: Ticket alert: Katy Perry tour coming to Miami
More news: Brent oil price exceeds $52/bbl
Although it's not that visible, the dual cameras on the back appear to be protruding a bit from the Galaxy C10's back. Both phones are said to support AI assistant Bixby and might come with a dedicated Bixby Button to activate the assistant expeditiously.
The juice pack for the Galaxy S8 will arrive equipped with a rechargeable 2,950mAh battery that provides more than 33 total hours of talk time, and if you are rocking to the Galaxy S8 Plus, then there is the accompanying 3,300mAh battery that should offer more than 39 total hours of talk time.
There's no sign of the fingerprint scanner on the back of the Galaxy C10, so it's likely it will still have a physical home button up front.
The name suggests that the refurbished Galaxy Note 7 will be targeted mainly towards hardcore Note 7 fans, who did not have the chance to use the phone for longer than a few months. The phone is paired with 6 GB of RAM.


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WestJet has unveiled its refreshed brand, including a national advertising campaign, its first three international Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner routes, and a new Platinum WestJet Rewards tier, at an event in downtown Calgary.
The refreshed brand image outlines WestJet’s global ambitions and heralds new products aimed at international and premium travellers. Called ‘Love Where You’re Going’, the new WestJet commercial can be viewed here.
“Today’s announcement marks a pivotal time for WestJet,” said Ed Sims, President and Chief Executive. “‘Love where you’re going’ embodies both the thrill of travel and the sheer ambition we at WestJet have for our airline. Our 13,000 WestJetters are unique assets, and what we deliver for our 24 million guests is something that cannot be replicated.”
Guests will start to see the updated brand image and positioning reflected in many of WestJet’s assets, including westjet.com, WestJet’s airport presence over time across Canada, and gradually across the fleet.
WestJet will launch its first three B787-9 Dreamliner non-stop routes from Calgary to London Gatwick, Paris and Dublin and London next year to become the first Canadian airline to base its Dreamliner aircraft out of YYC Calgary International Airport.
Finally, as part of the new WestJet, Sims also announced that WestJet Rewards will introduce a new Platinum tier, making it easier for WestJet Rewards members to get even more value from the frequent flyer programme as the airline heads global. The tier is targeted for launch later this year. Details on the new WestJet Rewards Platinum tier and other changes to the programme can be found here.


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Linda Descano, CFA®, EVP and Head, Corporate Communications & Executive Visibility, Red Havas
Even as many of us stayed home, life did not stand still this past year. Across industries, the pandemic accelerated change to light speed. Many of the trends our agency forecast in previous editions of our annual Red Sky Predictions report were sent freewheeling into fruition. Digital and social media, healthcare and technology, the workplace and travel—each was disrupted to the core, bringing a whole mess of challenges, opportunities and imperatives to communicators’ doorsteps.
In planning for our 2021 report, Red Havas thought leaders from around the world examined our takeaways from the year we surrendered to the present instead of trying to control the future. This past year helped us all to see more clearly what’s possible, what’s vulnerable, what can’t wait a day longer, and what we all stand to lose, as individuals and professionals.
In the wake of the most unpredictable year in modern history, we’ve pulled 10 predictions that will give shape to communicators’ new normal. These offer only a taste; the predictions can be explored in full in the 2021 Red Sky Predictions report here.
- Contactless communications
Expect the future to remain “phyrtual”—a blend of physical and ever-more-satisfying virtual. Once COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to the masses, we’ll get to cherry-pick the things we liked about the lockdown life—i.e., the ease of virtual baby showers or the perks of our work-from-home arrangement—while we give the others a big kiss goodbye.
- The comeback of community
Pre-pandemic, social media had evolved into a place to primarily consume often meaningless content and hash out political differences, playing a sad and decisive role in the polarized nature of society. Now, in spite of concerns about the implications on free speech, social has made a return to its original purpose—human connection—and will enjoy a new golden age of conversation and community-building.
- In comes the vaccinfluencer
“Get out the vaccine” is the new “Get out the vote” for influencers, as they’re being called upon to help lead society to the other side of a global healthcare crisis. Much like influencers were a force for good in the early days of the pandemic—encouraging people to stay home, wash their hands and thank healthcare workers—“vaccinfluencers” will be expected to demonstrate continued safe behaviors, spread public health information and encourage mass vaccination. Elsewise, they’ll be held accountable.
- Short form, long form, new form
As the “traditional” rules of content creation lose relevance due to new and disruptive formats, marketers around the globe will go from prioritizing content length and duration to thinking with end goal and experience in mind. Their focus will turn to how they can frame content to fit different channels and formats without being beholden to the supposed limitations of each. What we should be exploring instead are new forms of content such as playable content, tappable content, scrollable content, audible content and shoppable content. In December, for example, Walmart piloted in-app, livestreaming shopping on TikTok.
- The 5G factor
A disruptive leap beyond 4G, 5G will transform the digital experiences that marketers can create in the virtual world. Merging the realities of physical and virtual, 5G-enabled mobile technology will enable marketers to create live, lifelike, immersive experiences of concerts, sports events and much more.
- The rise of the empowered employee
Employees have recognized the power of their voice—internally and externally—rebalancing the “employment contract” in a time when public expectations and scrutiny of corporate behavior has never been higher. This is ushering in what stands to be the most sought after type of influencer—employees, whose EGC (employee-generated content) gives brands the kind of behind-the-scenes cred that consumers can trust.
- Mental muscle matters
Now that behavioral health is part of the mainstream conversation and the global marketplace, companies will take more responsibility for helping their employees nurture it. Both the media and shareholders will be watching closely because a more than ever a healthy workforce is an effective workforce. Look for more media interest and scrutiny, preventive mental fitness and health initiatives, employee engagement programs and personalized technology solutions.
- Travel light, travel right
Travelers will place greater importance on booking vacations that bring their family together safely. When they do go farther afield, they will choose opportunities to repair, replenish and regenerate local communities and natural environments in the places they visit.
- Brand experience becomes sense-ational
2021 is the year when experiential comes to its senses—delivering on the promise of activations that embrace the best of the physical and digital worlds to touch more of the senses at once. While voice will continue to explode, smell and taste will become even more prevalent given touch is a sense that will still be limited for the foreseeable future.
- The genomics generation
Breakthroughs in genomics will allow billions of people to live longer and healthier lives. Beyond pure pharma and healthcare companies, genomics will move into sports and nutrition, food and drink, skincare, activewear and beyond. Investors who understand its power on both personalized medicine and consumer health could well make a fortune in the coming years, as marketers become savvy about how to elevate the conversation to media and brands.
This year’s Red Sky Predictions report is intended to be a playbook for communicators and marketers who need help making sense of the lessons the pandemic has taught us so far. Even as we continue to face some harrowing unknowns, the lessons we’ve learned have fortified us and future generations. The brave pivots of individuals, organizations, industries and governments around the globe have shown us that agility and resilience are the insurance we need to press forward, that nothing matters if we don’t have our health—and one another.


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Weekly View - To pivot or not to pivot
The Fed delivered a second consecutive 75 basis-point interest rate hike last week, as expected. However, Fed chairman Powell assured markets that he is not on autopilot, indicating that the central bank will focus on future economic data and could slow its pace of rate rises in coming meetings. Markets took this as a policy pivot and rallied such that July was the best month for the S&P500 since November 2020. We are neutral US duration and US equities. The US inflation outlook remains uncertain however, given June core consumer prices (PCE) remained strong on the back of solid consumption and higher housing prices. Private sector wages rose by 6.5% on an annualised basis in Q2, leading 5yr5yr inflation expectations to jump significantly. Real rates came down as bonds rallied. While US GDP contracted for the second consecutive quarter in Q2, Powell pointed to the strong labour market to counter talk of a recession. August nonfarm payroll numbers this Friday will be important to watch for wage growth trends in the US. Meanwhile, Congress looks set to accept Senator Joe Manchin’s proposed USD433 bn spending package. The plan, coined the “inflation reduction act” will lower healthcare costs and raise investment in renewables, funded by a minimum 15% tax rate for big corporations, supporting our Green Marshall Plan theme.
Euro area growth of 0.7% in Q2 (quarter on quarter) was better than expected. But inflation remains stubbornly high at an annual 8.9%, particularly driven by energy prices. Russia’s reduction in Nord Stream’s gas flows to a mere 20% of capacity pushed European gas prices higher and prompted EU countries to agree to a voluntarily 15% reduction in gas consumption, although enforcement remains in question. Elsewhere, China is now attempting to alleviate its property crisis by creating a fund to encourage the completion of unfinished apartments and end mortgage-payment boycotts. The fund’s size is insufficient to fully resolve the property developers’ funding crisis, however. Meanwhile, presidents Biden and Xi discussed Taiwan in a telephone call and committed to a future in-person meeting. In Chinese markets, tech giant Alibaba is seeking a dual primary listing in Hong Kong, which the company hopes will allow it to keep its New York listing. This week, the main risk event will be Nancy Pelosi’s reported visit to Taiwan.
Finally, Q2 2022 earnings results showed some positive surprises at the sales level and resilient margins as consumer staples companies rush to raise prices despite fears of increased consumer resistance. Earnings per share on the S&P 500 are up 5.8% so far but top line growth is +13%, in line with our forecasts. There has been a wide range of outcomes in a stock picker’s market, with Walmart and Meta missing expectations, but Apple and Amazon faring better. Some key oil majors published their highest profits ever ahead of what will be a closely watched OPEC meeting.


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Automotive exports hit $2.5 bln in February
ANKARA - Anadolu Agency
Turkey's automotive industry exports amounted to $2.5 billion in February, an exporters association reported on March 6.
The Uludağ Automotive Industry Exporters' Association (OIB) said despite a 0.9 percent fall year-on-year, Turkey's automotive exports held top spot among other sectors.
The sector's share in Turkey's total exports stood at 17.2 percent, the statement said.
Passenger car exports registered a double-digit increase while other main product groups decreased in the same period.
Automobile exports surged 14 percent on an annual basis to $1.8 billion in February, followed by supply industry which saw a fall of 5 percent, reaching $847 million.
The EU market constituted 75 percent of all country's automotive exports last month.
"Automotive exports rose 1 percent to $4 billion in the first two months of this year," OIB chairman Baran Çelik said.


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Even before the fasting month, the weekly inflation in the country increased further.
Weekly according to Bureau of Statistics data Inflation rate reached a high level of 45.64 percent.
According to the report, the average price of tomato last week increased by Rs.9 to Rs.58, but in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, it was sold up to Rs.110. A bag of 20 kg flour became expensive by Rs.43 to Rs.1877. Shopkeepers in Karachi sold 3,100. They kept selling up to Rs.
The average price of a two and a half kilogram box of ghee of the Institute of Statistics increased by Rs 18 to Rs 1568. Sugar went up by Rs 2 78 paise per kg. The average price was 105 rupees 77 paise, but it was sold up to 110 rupees in different cities of Islamabad and Punjab.
When will the moon of Ramadan be visible?, Meteorology Department’s prediction
According to the report, last week potato went up to Rs. 52 after an increase of Rs. 2.26 paise per kg. However, the price of onion decreased by Rs. 25 per kg and the price was recorded at Rs. 132.
Live broiler chickens continued to be sold at Rs 404, down by Rs 26 and a half, while domestic LPG cylinder prices fell by Rs 66 to Rs 3,379.


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LG has agreed to license all of its LTE standard essential patents to Wiko's parent company, Tinno Mobile.
Latest from Campbell Kwan
The FTC has flagged concerns over the Nvidia-Arm deal, much like its UK and European counterparts.
An in-depth competition investigation into the Nvidia-Arm deal will commence after initial findings revealed 'real problems' with the deal.
The new fab is expected to start producing chips with the 22 and 28nm processes by 2024.


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Upcoming 7 days, Apple will pull again the curtain on the Iphone 14. The concern now is no matter whether or not there will be just about anything at all left to expose by then. Leaks proceed to spring each day, quite a few of which are now backing up earlier leaks. For instance, on Monday, leaker DuanRui claimed on Twitter that the Apple iphone 14 Pro will assist 30W charging.
In accordance to the Twitter user, a enterprise that helps make chargers not too long ago begun sending out new products to the media. Presumably, these 3rd-social gathering chargers are capable of achieving faster speeds than past Apple iphone chargers:
The person goes on to notice that the chargers use a Lightning connector. Rumors advise that Apple will change to USB-C in 2023, but put together for at minimum one more calendar year of Lightning ports. Apparently, the consumer also claims that the “peak power” prospective of Lightning is 27W. That would indicate that a 30W charger would still cap out at 27W charging speeds for an Iphone unless Apple updates the components to help quicker speeds.
Earlier this thirty day period, an additional Twitter leaker that goes by Jioriku built similar promises. According to Jioriku, every Apple iphone 14 model will help “30W charging for 30W or larger bricks for the 1st little bit of a charge cycle.” Just after that preliminary extend, the charging speeds will fall down to 25-27W. Definitely, Apple has still to ensure any of this.
Charging speed is a single place exactly where Apple has fallen far powering some of its major rivals. Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector is generally to blame, as it will under no circumstances contend with the speeds USB-C presents. OnePlus sells a 65W USB-C power adapter that it statements can cost its phones from 1% to 58% in 15 minutes. A whole cost requires just 39 minutes.
If you want to know what charging speeds the new Iphone 14 products actually assistance, tune in to Apple’s September launch party up coming Wednesday.
Additional Apple iphone protection: For more Iphone information, go to our iPhone 14 guide.


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April 2016 Digital Issue: Next Big Thing
Although we cover many powerhouse brands at CGT, oftentimes, I have a soft spot for the smaller up-and-coming brands. The thrill of making a discovery that will later grow into something huge is what makes the annual Standout SMB issue rewarding. And, the list this year does not disappoint. These companies range from a handful of employees in a few regions, to almost surpassing the $1 billion mark in revenue. They have a drive for growth and fully leverage technology, new insights and deep consumer connections. Whether you’re with a big or small company, this section has a lot of great best practices, and just plain inspiration.
This issue also features data and insights case studies starting with Oakley. Known primarily for its high-performance sport sunglasses, the company also manufactures apparel, footwear, goggles, headwear and other sports gear. Here, the company unveils how it uses analytics to improve its trading partner relationships. Whereas, Amplifon Group — known for its Miracle Ear brand — reveals how it senses data for complete supply chain visibility.
Finally, at the end of last year, I mentioned some big changes coming for CGT and we’re already making some progress. Our parent company has now become Stagnito Business Information + Edgell Communications, through a merger that was announced in February this year. And, that’s the just the beginning. We’re excited to see (and announce) what’s to come!


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Few watches have created as much hype as the olive green Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/01, which replaced the blue-dialed version of the same watch earlier this year.
As WatchPro reported yesterday, they are as rare as hen’s teeth, and the first example to reach auction — lot 152 at Antiquorum’s Monaco sale later this month — will set a new secondary market price for the reference.
That price could be ten times the £26,000 that authorised dealers have to charge, a situation that Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern admits is a problem.
“Already there is talk of the 2021 green-dial Nautilus being sold on for more than 10 times its retail price,” he says in an article written for Britain’s Daily Telegraph.
Antiquorum is selling an unworn piece that is still in its factory sealed plastic bag.
That ought to be impossible because authorised dealers are instructed to remove the packaging as a measure designed to make sure the watches are sold only to people that will treasure them.
“We try to avoid selling to people who will flip the watches like this but it’s not easy to control. When I decided to do this dial, I knew demand would be high and I accepted it. People will be disappointed that they can’t get one,” Mr Stern says.
An authorised dealer speaking to WatchPro said he will be allocated two or three of the green Nautilus watches for his single store for the whole of 2021.
He said he is going to extreme lengths to research and decide which of his best customers would get one.
When it comes to buying a unicorn watch like the Nautilus, even being related to Patek Philippe’s president doesn’t help.
“Even my sons are asking, ‘Can I have one?’,” Mr Stern reveals. “But the answer is no. On the positive side, though, it’s part of the beauty and myth of Patek Philippe,” he shrugs.
Discontinuing the feted blue dial Nautilus 5711/1A-010 was supposed to take some heat out of the secondary market fervor, but the insanity has simply shifted to the replacement green model, and exploded.
Mr Stern defends the decision in the Telegraph article. “Some would say that deciding to stop production of the iconic blue-dial Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A-010 was a mistake, but to me it was necessary. We don’t want to produce too many of any single reference as this will lower the value, which is not good for our collectors. Another potential danger with such a strong reference is that it can turn you into a mono-product brand and that is not what I want. If suddenly the market decides that it has had enough of the design, I need to be sure that we have many others in our arsenal. But you know, I’m not stopping the entire Nautilus line, just this one reference. And, of course, I have a plan B. I’m not going to stop such a piece without having another idea — I may be crazy but not that much. You have to wait a little bit but, yes, something else is coming.”


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The pharmaceutical supply chain has developed a set of integrity protections against fraud, using transparency and accountability in aid of human health. The same can apply to food, if a choice is made to do so.
DEFRA collects large amounts of data on the food chain, especially around meat products, and the Government has now announced mandatory CCTV in abattoirs. While it collects a great deal of data, it still publishes very little of it in a form that is accessible and usable to the citizen in the supermarket.
From data that is already mandatory and collected, but not available, it is possible to see every regulated step of the batch of meat as it turns into the packet of mince in your hand.
We saw a failure a few weeks ago with eggs – how does a citizen know whether the eggs in their fridge may have been affected? Without factual information, they are reliant on trusting that the system really worked during a recall, when the recall is solely because the system already failed. It is not a trust generating scenario.
People may believe that British products may be more inspected and trustworthy than others elsewhere, but there is currently no competitive advantage to that. Only with Government showing what standards are met can the public see that they have been met. What does the British flag on food actually mean?
Where there are false assertions made, and proven, then other products of the perpetrators can be clearly shown as affected, and those unaffected have peace of mind based on knowledge and fact. It is insufficient to know that it shouldn’t be a problem – it is necessary to know that it wasn’t.
As Avaaz push a petition against the farmer whose neglect caused the death of 20,000 pigs burnt alive in a fire, the farmer who treats their animals well get the benefits of being seen to do the right thing. Those who choose otherwise are also seen to do so.
DEFRA’s data transformation project has done great work to make this possible – the next step is easier than the previous ones.
As the UK considers the basis for future trade arrangements, it would be a step forward for them to be based on evidence and knowledge, not merely political hope.


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CJ ENM Becomes Warner Brothers’ Exclusive Licensing Agent In Korea And Reveals Upcoming Releases
CJ ENM has been chosen as the exclusive agent for the licensing of Hollywood film studio Warner Brothers in Korea.
On December 12, CJ ENM said, “As the only domestic licensing agent of Warner Brothers, we plan to use pre-existing and new intellectual property to release collaboration products, sell consumer-linked products, release various products, and carry out marketing activities.”
As Warner Brothers’ licensing agent, CJ ENM will be in charge of the licensing negotiations and contracts for classic animations including “Looney Tunes,” “Tom & Jerry,” and “Scooby Doo,” as well as its subsidiary DC Entertainment’s “Batman,” “Superman,” “Wonder Woman,” “Justice League,” “Harry Potter,” and “Fantastic Beasts.”
“Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” products will be released at the end of this year and a new licensing product for the DC franchise will be released in the first quarter of 2019 including various products for fashion, household items, kids, and “kidults.”
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the creation of “Batman,” “Aquaman,” “Shazam!” and “Wonder Woman” in 2019, various promotions are being planned using DC Comics’ new film image, design, and videos.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” which premiered in November and is based on J.K. Rowling’s books, is linked to the author’s previous works “Harry Potter.” CJ ENM is planning to roll out various marketing projects using the design, logo, and images ahead of the release of licensed products at the end of this year.
Warner Brothers’ Managing Director of Asia Bianca Lee said, “We have high expectations for this partnership with CJ ENM. I think it will be a good experience for Warner Brothers’ world-class products to reach Korean consumers with CJ ENM’s strong network and experience in various content collaborations.”
After being selected as Warner Brothers’ Korean agent in October, CJ ENM held the “2018 Warner Brothers Licensing Business Information Session” to introduce Warner Brothers’ main brands and present its overall business plan on licensing products.
CJ ENM Animation Business Department’s Director of Content Business Park Hyun Il said, “I’m looking forward to the big synergy effect of CJ ENM working with powerful global brand Warner Brothers and their domestic licensing. CJ ENM will utilize its domestic licensing know-how and Warner Brothers’ outstanding IP to launch various licensing products to expand the domestic licensing market.”


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Jennifer Lopez on what she learned from Warren Buffett — and other tips from celebrities on how to become a successful entrepreneur
- The Hollywood Reporter released its second annual list of the top 40 celebrity entrepreneurs.
- THR surveyed some of the biggest stars about their thoughts on running a business.
It's become common for celebrities to start their own brands and businesses apart from their singing or acting careers, and many have gone far beyond just putting their name and face on a product — like Jennifer Lopez's skincare brand JLo Beauty or Seth Rogen's' Houseplant.
The Hollywood Reporter released its second annual list of top celebrity entrepreneurs last week, in which it asked top celebrity entrepreneurs about their best business advice, inspirations, and products they wished they'd come up with themselves. Several A-list stars weighed in, and Insider compiled some of the most interesting answers.
1. Ryan ReynoldsSome of Reynolds' successful ventures include Mint Mobile and Aviation Gin, which he sold to the leading alcohol company Diageo in 2020 for $610 million.
The "Deadpool" star said the biggest lesson he'd learned as an entrepreneur was to never miss a learning opportunity: "Resist the urge to win in favor of learning. Seeking to learn from someone you disagree with is often more valuable than 'winning.'"
2. Jennifer LopezLopez's skincare brand JLo Beauty and footwear and handbags line JLO Jennifer Lopez Collection at DSW have cemented the movie star and two-time Grammy nominee as a successful entrepreneur in the beauty and fashion spaces.
Lopez said the best business advice she'd ever received came from Warren Buffett: "A brand is a promise." She said her overall mission with her businesses, which also include the film and TV production company Nuyorican Productions and her expansion into body care with her Targeted Booty Balm this year, was to see an impact "in the next generation of entrepreneurs that we inspire and help open doors for."
Lopez also mentioned that she wanted to increase inclusion in business, not just in entertainment, saying that creating "more seats at the tables of opportunity in a different sector than entertainment" was one way she was exploring a new side of herself as an entrepreneur.
3. Seth Rogen
Rogen's marijuana brand Houseplant had so much website traffic when it launched in March 2021 that the site crashed from the demand.
After founding the business with Evan Goldberg, Rogen said he'd learned how to scale without compromising on product quality. "There is a direct correlation between scale and quality — learning how to maintain the level of quality that is imperative to us while still growing our company has been wildly beneficial," he said.
When asked what product he wished he'd come up with himself, Rogen said, "You seen these fucking iPhones?" but also added that the best business advice he'd ever received was to "be focused."
Correction: November 29, 2022 — An earlier version of this story misstated Jennifer Lopez's award history. She's a two-time Grammy nominee, not a two-time Grammy winner. The story also misspelled Warren Buffett's name and misidentified the gin brand associated with Ryan Reynolds. It is Aviation Gin, not Avian Gin.
If you work in Hollywood and would like to share your story, email Eboni Boykin-Patterson at email@example.com.
- A Google engineer of 8 years says his 'spidey-senses' detected incoming layoffs — and felt 'isolated' when his 'faceless' severance email arrived
- A Google employee of 11 years says he and his wife stared at each other in 'disbelief' when they realized they'd both been laid off by the company
- A Google recruiter says he discovered he'd lost his job after a call with one of his candidates suddenly disconnected
- Google may release Pixel Tablet Pro with Tensor G2 chip
- BMW launches its 3rd gen BMW X1 in India
- YouTube Music on the web gets mood filters
- Premium segment contributed 35% of overall smartphone market revenue in 2022
- US industry urges FM to rationalise, simplify direct and indirect taxes in India


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What are the regulations for importing gold coins, medals, and bullion into the us gold coins, medals, and bullion may be brought into the us however, under regulations administered by the office of foreign assets control , such items originating in or brought from, cuba, iran, and sudan are prohibited entry. New delhi: the finance ministry on friday said at present it has no proposal to lower customs duty on gold from the current 10 percent currently, there is no proposal to reduce the customs duty on gold, minister of state for finance nirmala sitharaman said in a written reply to the lok sabha. Import tax on gold: find latest stories, special reports, news & pictures on import tax on gold the government is weighing options to increase import duty on gold imports of automobiles, textiles may be curbed in bid to reduce current account deficit 15 sep, 2018, 0803am ist. A lower import duty would also help in curbing gold smuggling, which the industry says is likely to rise after the hike in sales tax on gold jewellery from july 1 now the current account deficit is improving and this decision (to reduce import duty) should be taken into the budget, manoj dwivedi, a joint secretary at india's commerce. “the only way to reduce gold imports is to increase the import tariff and one can hope that demand then goes down,” said madan sabnavis, chief economist with credit analysis & research ltd.
The so-called gold monetisation scheme is a good idea to reduce gold imports and deploy india’s huge domestic stocks to meet fresh demand for the yellow metal. The country is the world’s second biggest gold importer after china and the precious metal accounts for india’s second biggest import bill after crude oil the monetisation scheme is aiming to reduce the import costs and help meet domestic demand from consumers. The trade gap was at usd 1014 billion in december - lower gold imports narrows down trade deficit to usd 992 bn january trade deficit is also lower than the previous month's figure the trade.
Indian jewelry sector urges govt to reduce gold import duty indian gold demands declined 24% in q32017 after witnessing three quarters growth this has hampered the earnings of this sector. Subscribe to goldorg connect and subscribe with the world gold council using your social media account or email address get regular updates delivered to your inbox from the world gold council. The finance ministry on friday said at present it has no proposal to lower customs duty on gold from the current 10 per cent “currently, there is no proposal to reduce the customs duty on gold. A lower import duty would also help in curbing gold smuggling, which the industry says is likely to rise after the hike in sales tax on gold jewellery from july 1 now the current account deficit is improving and this decision (to reduce import duty) should be taken into the budget, manoj dwivedi, a joint secretary at india`s commerce. Trade deficit narrows to $992 billion on lower gold imports - helped by a sharp fall in gold and silver imports, india's trade deficit declined to $992 billion in january from $1897 billion recorded in the corresponding month of last year, government data showed tuesday january trade deficit is also lower than the previous month's figure.
Gold imports by india tumbled last month after the world’s biggest user restricted shipments and increased taxes to contain a record current-account deficit and halt a plunge in the currency. Ways to reduce gold import ruchi gupta [email protected] what is gold content:- various uses of gold relation between price of gold and other economic factors importance of gold in india why increase in demand of gold in india import of gold in india. Till the import duty on gold is reduced substantially, difference in prices between global and indian gold will continue to make smuggling a lucrative business despite the arrests the country needs to think innovatively to curb this menace. A lower import duty would also help in curbing gold smuggling, which the industry says is likely to rise after the hike in sales tax on gold jewellery from july 1. The all india gems and jewellery trade federation, in its recommendations to the union budget 2015-16, had also asked the government to reduce the import duty on gold from 10% to around 2%, considering the expected decline of crude oil prices in 2015.
The so-called location swaps would also reduce the need for imports in gold-mad india on average, indians bought 23 tonnes of gold a day - the weight of a small elephant - until about a year ago. Nris taking gold to india customs duty on import of gold to india by passengers is currently 10% indian origin passengers or those holding valid indian passports are eligible to import gold provided they are coming to india after a stay abroad of at least six months. Moderation in gold import to lower cad in 2013-14: rbi the reserve bank monday said the current account deficit (cad) will moderate in the current fiscal on account softer global commodity prices and recent measures to dampen gold imports.
Consumption tax consumption tax is imposed at the rate of 8% on, in general, all goods imported into or manufactured in japan the amount of consumption tax payable on imported goods is calculated on the basis of the customs value of the goods plus customs duty payable and, where applicable, other excise taxes payable. The import tax rates range depending on the type of product, for example, consumer products and luxury goods are highly taxed while machinery, equipment, and raw materials, tend to receive lower taxes and even tax exemptions. Lower gold prices have also triggered more buying the combination of tighter quotas and an uptick in demand caused the premium for gold in china over the international gold price to jump as high as $46 in the past few weeks, according to data from wind information. Government think-tank niti aayog has suggested the government brings down import duty on gold from the existing level of 10 per cent and also slash the gst rate on the precious metal from the current 3 per cent.
Goods imported into uk from a non-eu country must be cleared for customs when they reach the uk’s borders (international airports or sea ports) what alternative means can we use to reduce import vat burden in uk is vat refundable when the goods imported into uk are not sold. Steps taken by goi to reduce its quantum the government may take more steps to reduce gold imports such as banning sale of gold coins by banks the rbi imposed curbs on import of the yellow metal by banks it also put restrictions on banks and nbfcs for providing loans against gold coins as well as units of gold etfs the government increased. Potential reasons for the recent decrease of the gold price it was reported that the central bank of cyprus could eventually sell gold reserves in order to reduce debts many sources cited this as a cause for the drop of the gold price the commodities guru jim rogers sees the 50% increase of the indian import tax rate on gold at the.


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Sunderland bingo tycoon scoops £400m jackpot: Tombola founder Phil Cronin sells UK’s biggest online bingo site to Paddy Power
A British entrepreneur has hit the jackpot after selling his online bingo business for more than £400million.
Sunderland-based Phil Cronin set up Tombola in 1999 and turned it into the country’s biggest online bingo site. The 57-year-old yesterday sold the company to Paddy Power owner Flutter for £402million – with all the proceeds going to him and his family.
A Sunderland AFC fan who studied at Durham University and Harvard Business School, Cronin will leave the company when the deal completes.
Man alive: Sunderland-based Phil Cronin set up Tombola in 1999 and grew it into Britain’s biggest online bingo site
The £402m windfall comes more than half a century after his father Frank started printing bingo tickets in the 1960s.
Speaking to the House of Lords in 2019, Cronin said: ‘I was first involved with bingo working for my father’s printing company, making bingo blowing machines with ping pong balls inside. I have spent my whole career involved with bingo.’
Tombola, which sponsors ITV’s I’m A Celebrity, has 400,000 players mostly in the UK and raked in revenues of £164million and profits of £38.5million last year.
The business has recorded revenue growth of around 25 per cent a year for the past five years and has more than 700 staff.
The group’s Sunderland headquarters, Tombola House, boasts a harbour-view cafe, gym and large central atrium.
Tombola, which sponsors ITV’s I’m A Celebrity, has 400,000 players mostly in the UK and raked in revenues of £164million and profits of £38.5m last year
The family moved into bingo in the 1960s when Frank Cronin’s small stationery and printing business Edward Thompson received an order for bingo cards for a parish fundraiser.
The Sunderland-based company became the world’s biggest supplier of bingo tickets, supplying most of the UK’s bingo and social clubs by the end of the 1970s.
Phil Cronin worked for the family business before setting up Tombola, which started out printing bingo tickets.
Tombola launched its first online bingo game in 2006. Announcing the takeover, Flutter chief executive Peter Jackson said: ‘As the time comes for Phil to hand over the reins, I would like to thank him for building the success story that the business is today.’
He added: ‘Tombola is a business we have long admired for its product expertise, highly recreational customer base and focus on sustainable play.
The brand aligns closely with Flutter’s safer gambling strategy, a key area for us.’ Flutter, which also owns Betfair and Sky Bet, has 3.1m online customers in the UK and Ireland and 625 betting shops.
The company has lagged behind rivals in offering bingo, having been focused on sports betting, and said the takeover would enhance its offering. Tombola has a ‘highly engaged customer base’, it said.
It touted Tombola’s responsible gambling approach that saw it become the first in the UK to introduce stake and deposit limits. The takeover comes amid pressure for gambling firms to


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A mouse-infested takeaway boss was fined after pest droppings were found near food preparation surfaces.
Iraqi Huda Karim, boss of the Parliament Road takeaway, pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching food hygiene laws.
Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard how Karim had called in pest controllers eight times in the eight years she has owned the business.
She was charged with failing to put in place procedures to control pests, failing to keep the premises in good condition and failing to protect food from contamination.
A translator was present at the hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
Trading standards inspectors searched the takeaway on December 16 last year and found mouse droppings littered through the shop.
Catherine Cunningham, prosecuting on behalf of Middlesbrough Council, said droppings were found on food preparation surfaces, on the floor and behind the refrigerator.
“She has owned the business since 2008 and she visits the business once a day,” Ms Cunningham said.
“When the officers visited the premises the droppings were in plain sight.”
The shop voluntarily stopped trading while pest controllers were again called and reopened days later.
Defending Karim, John Spooner said: “This pizza shop is the life-long ambition of this lady and her husband.
“They came here from Iraq 22 years ago. The shop had a five-star rating until this.”
The court heard the mother-of-five has been suffering from ill health, including diabetes and depression, and Pizza Pizza earns the family £200 per week.
Presiding magistrate Martin Trent said: “We want to give you the benefit of the doubt where ever possible.
“We recognise that there’s no evidence of contamination of actual food.
“We recognise that you have had personal difficulties with your health.
“You understand that you must maintain standards for the people who come to Pizza Pizza.”
Karim, of Gresham Road, Gresham, Middlesbrough , was fined £65 for each of the three offences.
She was also ordered to pay £30 charges and £775 costs.


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On May 8, we explored ANN INC.'s efforts to foster a new generation of women leaders through CGI. This week, we talked to another fashion giant—Patrizio di Marco, president & CEO of Gucci. The fashion house is scaling up its dedication to women's rights by leveraging its fragrance collection, celebrity star power, and point-of-sale technology in a Commitment to Action launched last year through CGI.
As part of their CGI commitment, Gucci is partnering with P&G Prestige to expand CHIME FOR CHANGE—the girls' and women's empowerment campaign founded by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and Salma Hayek Pinault—and recently pledged $1 million to fund projects that support equal rights through the sales of five iconic Gucci fragrances. Each product, available online and in thousands of stores across the globe, will have a unique code allowing consumers to allocate a $5 donation toward advancing education, health, or justice for girls and women.
Di Marco spoke to us about the role that women play in Gucci's success and the company's approach to gender inclusion.
PENNY ABEYWARDENA: Give us a quick snapshot of your company's efforts to empower girls and women, both internally and externally.
PATRIZIO DI MARCO: Women are at the core of Gucci as a brand and as a business, from our clientele to our executive leadership. Our parent company, Kering, strives to set the example for gender equality in the workplace. Gucci continues to evaluate our HR practices, including recruiting, employee development and benefits, to serve women and foster a culture of support at all levels. We also participate in Kering’s mentorship program, which pairs senior managers with high-potential women to provide support for the development of our female talent, facilitate their access to senior positions, and help change managerial culture.
The company’s increasing commitment to girls’ and women’s issues was brought into further focus through our philanthropy as a result of the 2013 launch of our CHIME FOR CHANGE campaign. Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, along with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Salma Hayek Pinault, founded the campaign to raise funds and awareness for girls’ and women’s empowerment in the areas of Education, Health and Justice.
Through CHIME FOR CHANGE, we have funded 310 projects in nearly 80 different countries across 101 nonprofit partners to date. To further demonstrate our commitment to girls’ and women’s issues, Gucci partnered with P&G, who produces our fragrances, to make a 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action
. Together we have created an innovative consumer activation aimed at increasing awareness and raising funds to support further CHIME projects.
ABEYWARDENA: Why has this focus on girls and women been important to Gucci?
DI MARCO: A focus on women’s and girls’ empowerment exists throughout Gucci’s DNA: from our parent company Kering, through our Executive Leadership and employees, to our customers and partner organizations. Gucci has a long history of engagement on women’s issues, including a 10-year global partnership with UNICEF in support of girls’ education; the Spotlighting Women Documentary Award with the Tribeca Film Institute; and the Gucci Award for Women in Cinema with the Venice Film Festival. Gucci is also actively involved in the Kering Foundation, created by our parent company, which is dedicated to stopping violence against women and to improving women’s lives.
Women’s issues are the world’s issues, so making a difference for girls and women is important to Gucci and our consumers around the world. Although different geographies and cultures face diverse challenges, we believe girls and women everywhere deserve the right to go to school, to access the health care they need, and to feel protected and given the chance for equal opportunity. We do not just view investing in girls and women as a charitable activity, but also as a part of our business. Gucci is led by a powerful female executive—our creative director Frida Giannini. And many of our other top executives are women.
We do not just view investing in girls and women as a charitable activity, but also as a part of our business. Gucci is led by a powerful female executive—our creative director Frida Giannini. And many of our other top executives are women.
ABEYWARDENA: What are some of the challenges Gucci has faced in its efforts to empower girls and women? Are there any examples of where you’ve had to change course?
DI MARCO: Since the launch of CHIME FOR CHANGE, we have met countless inspirational girls and women, non-profit leaders, high-profile advocates and individual supporters. We have encountered a few instances in which we needed to step back and recalibrate, focus and prioritize where we believe we can have the greatest impact.
One of our key learnings has been to enable our community to choose projects that are important to them, but to keep that choice simple. We have more than a hundred nonprofit partners, but have narrowed our focus to projects addressing three priority pillars: Education, Health and Justice. More so than “change course” we have had to “stay the course.” From the beginning, we knew we wanted transparency, accountability and impact to be key themes for CHIME FOR CHANGE, and we have worked to maintain those principles across all of our activities. Because of our crowdfunding partner, Catapult, the CHIME community can choose exactly where their donations go and track the results. Through impact reporting, we are able to hear about the change this is enabling around the world. Thanks to CHIME FOR CHANGE, 75 sex trafficking victims have been rescued, 600 people in Ethiopia have access to clean water, more than 1,550 women in Darfur have been trained to build their own stoves, and hundreds of girls in at-risk communities have received scholarships for their education—and those are only four examples.
ABEYWARDENA: What are some of the mistakes or pitfalls you’ve seen in the way that the private sector invests in the issues pertaining to girls and women?
DI MARCO: As a global company, Gucci could choose to simply write a check; however, there are so many other ways we are able to make an impact. We saw an opportunity as a globally influential brand to use our voice, partnerships and influence to help promote girls’ and women’s issues as a priority. Every organization has a unique set of skills and experience that can be applied in new and innovative ways, and
that’s what we aim to do with CHIME FOR CHANGE.
ABEYWARDENA: How and where do you think the private sector can better measure the outcome—the successes and the shortcomings—of their girls and women initiatives?
DI MARCO: I think many companies have an even greater opportunity to maximize the impact of the work they are doing for girls and women. Of course it is important for companies to give financial support, but that is only one way to measure our philanthropic impact. As a global brand, when we consider our employee network and our client engagement opportunities in every region, we see a vast sphere of influence. It is our goal to create advocates for the campaign across all of our constituents. We have so much more potential in this regard, but we are already seeing a groundswell of support. The pride and emotional connection to the brand that this inspires is invaluable.
Those working in the private sector should also not forget that their support of women starts right in front of them in their own board rooms, stores and offices. We should continue to emphasize the value of recruiting talented employees and pursuing gender equity.
ABEYWARDENA: Why has Gucci chosen to participate in CGI’s Girls & Women efforts, and what do you hope to get out of our focus in the year ahead?
DI MARCO: It has been an honor to be a part of the Clinton Global Initiative network. Working within CGI’s girls’ and women’s programming has enabled us to connect to other passionate organizations, both for- and non-profit, focused on creating meaningful change. We’ve found valuable intersections with many new and existing partners.
As an example, Francois-Henri Pinault, chairman of our parent company, Kering, had the important opportunity to participate in a special convening about girls’ and women’s strategy at the September 2013 Annual Meeting, alongside notable leaders in the space including Theo Sowa, Melanne Verveer, Valerie Jarrett, and Secretary Clinton. We are honored that the Gucci and Kering family is able to be a part of the progressive conversations that CGI encourages, bringing together private sector, government and the development community.
(WATCH: Francois-Henri Pinault joins Secretary Hillary Clinton, Valerie Jarrett, and other leaders at the Girls and Women Strategy Session, during the 2013 CGI Annual Meeting)
ABEYWARDENA: What emerging or future opportunities do you anticipate within your sector for engaging girls and women as both consumers and producers of your goods?
DI MARCO: Companies must make a conscious effort to engage women as both consumers and as employees. Women are the largest growing economic force in the world.
From a workforce perspective, it is simply common sense: we cannot afford to neglect 50 percent of the talent pool. Women have brought some of the most creative and innovative ideas to Gucci, as I’m sure they have for many other organizations. A company that is attractive for talented women has a strong competitive advantage—gender diversity plays a major role in the global performance of any organization. For these reasons, companies must continue to reevaluate internal practices and cultural norms to ensure women are working in environments in which they can thrive.
About Patrizio di Marco
Patrizio di Marco, 51, was appointed Gucci’s president and CEO in January 2009 having originally joined Gucci Group in 2001 as president and CEO of Bottega Veneta.
Di Marco’s comprehensive 20-year career has yielded an extensive knowledge of and unique sensibility for the luxury marketplace. His professional experience is truly international, having held senior positions in Asia, Europe, and America at various of the world's most respected luxury brands.
After starting his career at the sportswear division of GFT, di Marco spent five years in Japan where he worked as Prada’s CFO and marketing & merchandising director. From 1993 to 1998, di Marco was president and CEO of Prada America. He was then named senior vice president of marketing and communication at Louis Vuitton Americas, where he further developed important ties to the U.S. market. Prior to joining Gucci Group, he was president and CEO of Celine, Inc.
Over the last five years, under his tenure, revenues at Gucci grew more than 60% and today the brand has achieved higher-level positioning and exclusivity, recapturing the more knowledgeable client as it continues to attract aspirational customers.
Di Marco has given new life to the long lasting values of the brand—which include the mission of Made in Italy, outstanding quality and superior artisan craftsmanship—while perfectly combining them with its fashion authority and versatility. That duality is also complemented by an increasingly firm commitment to ensuring that all aspects of our business are run responsibly and with integrity.


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In their start to the new trading year on Tuesday — markets closed on Monday for the New Year’s holiday, palladium tumbled while gold, silver and platinum gained. Gold was the biggest daily winner, scoring a more than 6.5-month high.
Gold for February delivery tacked on $19.90, or 1.1%, to settle at $1,846.10 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The settlement was gold’s highest since June 16.
“Safe-haven demand is featured to start the new year, along with technical buying amid bullish charts. Risk aversion is keener early this week as global stock markets remain wobbly amid concerns about weakening economic growth in 2023 for major industrialized countries,” Jim Wyckoff, a senior analyst at Kitco Inc, said in a daily research note.
Gold futures traded between $1,831.30 and $1,856.60. They climbed 1.2% last week, trimming their 2022 loss to just 0.1%.
Silver for March delivery rose 19.6 cents, or 0.8%, to end at $24.236 an ounce. Silver futures ranged from $24.09 to $24.78. They climbed 0.5% last week, lifting their 2022 gain to 3%.
In other precious metals prices on Tuesday:
April platinum settled up $10.40, or 1%, to $1,093.30 an ounce, trading between $1,080.80 and $1,108.70.
- Palladium for March delivery plunged $105.10, or 5.9%, to $1,692.90 an ounce, ranging from $1,674 to $1,816.50.
Last year, platinum soared 12.1% while palladium dropped 6%.
US Mint Bullion Sales in 2022
Published United States Mint bullion sales last changed on Dec. 29. Below is a sales breakdown of U.S. Mint bullion products with columns listing the number of coins sold during varying periods.
|US Mint Bullion Sales (# of coins)|
|August||September||October||November||December||2022 Sales||2023 Sales|
|$50 American Eagle 1 Oz Gold Coin||47,500||47,500||59,500||6,000||4,000||850,000||0|
|$25 American Eagle 1/2 Oz Gold Coin||2,000||0||2,000||0||0||75,000||0|
|$10 American Eagle 1/4 Oz Gold Coin||4,000||4,000||2,000||0||0||140,000||0|
|$5 American Eagle 1/10 Oz Gold Coin||20,000||15,000||15,000||0||0||575,000||0|
|$50 American Buffalo 1 Oz Gold Coin||22,500||44,500||39,500||4,500||0||410,000||0|
|$1 American Eagle 1 Oz Silver Coin||850,000||833,000||1,258,000||1,407,000||59,000||15,963,500||0|
|$100 American Eagle 1 Oz Platinum Coin||1,000||0||0||0||0||80,000||0|


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Wireless equipment player, Ubiquiti Networks, Inc.’s (UBNT - Free Report) shares have charted a steady upward trajectory in the recent times, having appreciated 8.3% in the past year. This is in stark contrast to its industry, which has declined 6.1% on an average, over the same time frame.
Broadly speaking, Ubiquiti designs, manufactures and sells broadband wireless solutions globally. In fact, the company’s shares have actually appreciated manifold when compared with the industry average over the last five years.
Let’s dig in to find the company’s economic moats and explore why it has been outperforming its peers consistently.
Ubiquiti’s Community Forum
To begin with, the company stands out from its competitors as it has a unique business model and marketing strategy. Ubiquiti actually relies on community evangelism and word of mouth marketing, instead of using highly-paid sales persons. The company is committed toward reducing its operational costs by using this self-sustaining mechanism for rapid product support and dissemination of information by leveraging the strength of Ubiquiti Community.
Consistent R&D Outlay
Ubiquiti also spends significantly toward research and development activities for developing innovative products and state-of-art technology. The company regularly launches innovative products at a fraction of the cost of the competing firms. Its unique business model helps regulate a highly efficient R&D culture.
The company has impressive design capabilities, including hardware design and software design. The company’s strategic product launches at disruptive prices have helped it beat rivals to a great extent.
Ubiquiti has by far the best operating margins among its peers, with consistent net margin expansion over the last five years. It competes with players like Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO - Free Report) , the Aruba arm of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE - Free Report) , Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. and Huawei. Ubiquiti currently boasts a net profit margin of nearly 30%.
Robert Pera, Ubiquiti’s founder and CEO, has long since maintained that his focus is on the long-term success of the company, and not on quarter-to-quarter earnings, revenues, or cost variations. He owns about 71% of the company.
Figures Don’t Lie
In its last reported fiscal fourth-quarter 2017 results, Ubiquiti’s revenues steered past the higher end of its guidance and also grew 23.1% on a year-over-year basis. Its adjusted earnings also rose 8.7% year over year. Refreshingly for a technology company, there is hardly any difference between its GAAP and non-GAAP earnings, due to a conspicuous lack of stock-based compensation.
Have a look at the company’s bottom line trend over the past five years compared to the industry average.
The company also released optimistic guidance for fiscal 2018, with projected revenues of $1.0-$1.15 billion and earnings of $3.70-$4.30 per share. At the mid-point, this translates to earnings growth of about 30%. Currently, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2018 earnings is pegged at $3.40 a share on sales of $946 million. This indicates that the company’s is positioned very well for the future.
We believe that Ubiquiti’s strength basically comes down to disruptive price, performance and innovation. The company is simply selling its products for less because it has trumped its competitors with superior product design and also because it has been an extremely responsive company when it comes to adding features desired by competitors.
Ubiquiti currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Most of the Australian beef exporters and Korean beef importers and wholesalers reported this week that conditions in the Korean beef market had improved in the last few weeks – albeit from a very sluggish level in previous months.
Ahead of Chuseok (30 September) demand is slowly picking up, resulting in higher average prices for imported beef cuts in the Korean wholesale market.
However, it is expected that domestic beef will solidify its presence in the market in the next few weeks, primarily due to increased production and lower prices.
Lotte Mart, one of Korea’s major retailers, said that 57% of their beef sales from 1-15 August this year was Hanwoo (domestic), compared to 37% in the same time last year – increasing almost 26% year-on-year (Yonhap News).
The retail chain stated that this was the first time domestic beef sales outstripped imported beef in their stores during the lead up to Chuseok since 2007.
Lotte Mart also commented that 100 grams of Hanwoo sirloin was currently selling at KRW5,900 (A$4.94) - compared to KRW6,900 (A$6.07) the same time last year.
Back to News Headlines


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She’s already got quite a pretty trinket in the form of her $8M engagement ring from Kanye West. But there can never be enough whistles and bells for Kim Kardashian, or ‘Fancy Nancy’ as her sisters like to call her. The 33-year-old added a few more on Thursday when she stepped out in Calabasas wearing sandals covered in rows of bells.
The mother-of-one kept her outfit plain, just the figure-hugging black dress. After experimenting with an Audrey Hepburn style fringe for a commercial shoot this week, then her favourite slicked back look on Wednesday… Kim wore her hair loose yet voluminous. Speculation is rife that Kim and Kanye will marry in Paris.
Although the big day is just over a month away, Kim is keeping tight lipped about the specifics of the wedding. The happy couple are said to be eyeing up Chateau Louis XIV in Louveciennes, 14 miles outside of Paris. The so-called chateau may look like a castle from the 17th century but it was in fact built just six years ago.
However even the guests aren’t sure if this is where the nuptials are taking place as Kim and Kanye are keeping everything under wraps. Guests won’t know the venue until they get to Paris,’ the insider told Us Weekly. ‘She hasn’t even told her sisters.’ One thing everyone can’t wait to find out is who the 33-year-old is wearing and what her dress will look like.
A source told the publication that she may well pick one of her favourite designers Azzedine Alaia, and added: ‘Be prepared for crazy outfits.’ However Kim sparked suggestions that she will marry the rapper in Balmain on Tuesday. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star shared photos from the Chateau Louis XIV along with the fashion house’s creative director Olivier Rousteing.
What’s more, she has been wearing Balmain while exploring the French capital with her future husband. Kim and Kanye, 36, are parents to 10-month-old daughter North and will be tying the knot on May 24.


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The UK smart home market is experiencing exponential growth, with revenue projected to reach £4.1 billion by the end of the year. Connected home products – lighting controls, thermostats, blinds, audio controls and more – are providing homeowners with significant lifestyle benefits, and the demand for these continues to skyrocket. Now, more than ever, homeowners are turning to electrical professionals as trusted advisors that are able to deliver the complete connected-home experience.
The Lutron PRO programme has been designed to help residential contractors grow their business with Lutron through direct engagement with their local distributors and sales representatives. And as a Lutron PRO, will be eligible for a company listing on Lutron’s Where to Buy website.
The next generation of Electrical Contractors
It is essential that electrical contractors have a high-level knowledge of the UK smart home market and an understanding of the key factors in residential lighting control specification and installation. Today’s smart homeowners demand a wireless solution, allowing personalised lighting and blind control for any and all rooms. As part of the Lutron PRO programme members will have access to exclusive training resources and marketing materials through a personalised myLutron account.
Another benefit of the programme is that members can use this as a stepping stone to upskill and continue their training and development beyond the RA2 Select residential products, with the option to take training courses on other products within the Lutron portfolio including HomeWorks, for luxury residential projects and Vive, for commercial opportunities.
Delivering quality service to the end customer
‘This programme is beneficial for contractors, and the end customer’. Customers who choose Lutron PRO contractors will qualify for an additional year of full extended warranty. Lutron PRO members will have early access to the latest Lutron news and products
“We live in a connected world, and homeowners expect to control all aspects of their lives, including their smart home technology, from their devices. Today, a contractor’s success will largely depend on being seen as a trusted advisor that is able to meet these expectations,” says Steven Detmer, Residential Product Manager at Lutron. “The Lutron PRO programme offers us the opportunity to provide contractors with the training and support necessary to capitalise on this growing market opportunity.”
Sam Brown, Director at SRB Electrical & Security LTD enjoys using Lutron products, “As a small company we were looking for new products to help us bring modern smart lighting controls into the home and the commercial sector. We decided to invest in learning about Lutron’s RA2 Select & Vive solutions, by buying products and installing in our own home and workplace. Having this first-hand experience helps us educate our customers on the benefits of these products, including how reliable, flexible and simple they are to understand and use.”


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Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery now has his own beer-brewing YouTube show -- and in the first episode, he creates a unique brew out of a very unexpected collection of ingredients.
Inspired by the wastED movement, Sam Calagione and chef Mario Batali create a garbage-based brew. They use the past-its-prime produce from Batali's Eataly restaurant in Chicago to make their own craft beer. Then they serve the food-salvaging beer at the restaurant, along with a dessert course built entirely on the wastED philosophy.
Every year, approximately 40% of the food produced for human consumption goes to waste in the U.S. The food waste movement is a huge opportunity for restaurant and food retail managers to eliminate inventory wastage in their operations. By crafting new waste-utilizing products that conscientious consumers will feel good about buying, the food industry wins on two fronts.