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DAY 20 OF INDIA LOCKDOWN
Biggest gainers & losers of the day: Bajaj Finance shines; media stocks rally 20%
The Nifty50 ended 0.7 per cent, or 102.4 points, higher at 15,737, while the BSE-Sensex closed at 52,300, up 0.7 per cent or 358.8 points.
COVID-19 count in India lowest in 60 days
The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,46,759 with 2,677 daily deaths, the lowest after around 42 day...
India brings forward target of 20% ethanol-blending in petrol to 2025
The government last year, had set a target for blending 10 percent etha...
View: A new India will have greener foreign policy
World Environment Day is an occasion for each one of us to reflect on our recent contributions to the health of our planet. Those with a stronger commitment have naturally been more energetic in their pursuit of green goals, both at home and abroad.
Battlegrounds Mobile India clocks 20 mn pre-registrations in two weeks
Battlegrounds Mobile India, a localised version of PUBG Mobile, received 7.6 million pre-registrations on its opening day and 20 million in two weeks, South Korean publisher Krafton says.
India’s diamond exports are expected to surpass $20 billion: Crisil Report
“The demand in the US and China is very strong and there is revenge buying by consumers,” said Colin Shah, chairman, Gem & Jewellery Export Council.
Little effect of lockdown, power demand on most days in Delhi was higher than last year: Officials
The national capital was locked down on April 19 due to a severe second wave of Covid cases, with shops, commercial establishments and institutions, except those listed as part of essential services, closed. Some restrictions were eased from May 31.
Daimler India Commercial Vehicles halts production for 3 days at Tamil Nadu plant
A small team, however, is working at the plant to continue essential operations, the company said in a statement.
India's fuel demand plunges in May on COVID-19 lockdowns: Data
Daily gasoline sales in May fell by about 19% from April while diesel consumption, which is linked to industrial activity and accounts for over two-fifths of India's fuel demand, fell by 19.9%, data compiled by state refiners showed.
Full list: Unlocking begins in some states, Covid curbs to remain in many others
States like Maharashtra, Haryana, Odisha, Telangana, Sikkim, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa have extended their lockdowns. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh have started easing restrictions.
Revocation of Article 370 biggest achievement of Modi 2.0: Survey
As per the ABP-C Voter survey, 47.4 per cent respondents said that abrogation of Article 370 is the biggest achievement, while 23.7 per cent feel that the Supreme Court decision on Ram Temple is the biggest achievement.
Retailers Association of India lists relief measure for the sector to minimise impact of lockdown
RAI has also requested to extend renewals of existing permits, licenses, NOCs and permissions including shops and establishments licenses, trade licenses, food licenses and others required for running of the malls, shopping centres, retail stores, restaurants and pubs for a period of 1 year.
Local lockdowns temper India’s economic activity in April
Google mobility indicators exhibited a dip across all major cities in April as compared to the baseline. E-way bills — an indicator of domestic trade — recorded double digit contraction at 17.5% month-on-month in April — and possibly pointing to a moderation in goods and services tax collections.
Record 20.66 lakh COVID tests done in a day in India: Govt
"With more than 20.66 lakh tests conducted in the last 24 hours, India has again set a new record of highest tests conducted in a day," it said. Over 19.33 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the country under the inoculation drive against COVID-19, the statement said.
Bengaluru: Four thousand COVID-19 patients died in just 20 days of May
After India's first Covid death reported on March 12, 2020, Karnataka crossed 4000-mark by registering cumulatively 4,062 deaths on August 17, 2020, which is just over six months during the first Covid wave.
Record 20 lakh coronavirus tests done in India in one day: Health Ministry
Cumulative recoveries have surged to 2,19,86,363 with 3,89,851 patients recuperating in a day. The national recovery rate has grown further to touch 86.23 per cent.
Telangana imposes 10-day lockdown
Telangana imposed a 10-day lockdown from Wednesday amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, after having resisted the recommendations of health experts and advice of the high court arguing that the number of cases did not come down in the states which had imposed such restrictions.
India conducting 18-20 lakh COVID tests a day: ICMR
Stressing that early testing, isolation and home-based care is the key to control transmission, Bhargava said, "The RT-PCR testing capacity is about 16 lakh per day in our laboratories and RAT capacity is also around 17 lakh per day."
SBI Research cuts India’s GDP estimates for FY22, sees peak of Covid 2.0 in May
SBI economists cut the FY22 GDP growth rate projections by 60 basis points as more states are enforcing restrictions.


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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
CONTAMINATED STRAWBERRIES: ARE THE DEER TO BLAME?
Unfortunately, the deers' droppings can be the biggest hazard. This lesson has been brought home by the recent outbreak of E.coli 0157 bacteria in strawberries from a farm in Oregon, USA (see previous post). During July, these strawberries were distributed in several counties in Oregon and sold at some 8 farmers' markets, 10 retail outlets, and over 40 roadside stands or farm stands. (For the known list of reseller locations see http://oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/strawberries.shtml).
Public Health officials say that maybe 10% of strawberry samples from one farm have been found to be contaminated. This is an unusually high rate of contamination. It is suspected that deer dropping may be the cause. The feces found near the strawberry plants is presently being tested for the same bacteria that caused the illnesses.
This wouldn't be the first time that Oregon deer have tested positive for E.coli 0157 - or, that strawberries have been found to carry this bacteria.
Joe Jaquith, the owner of this large strawberry farm, and a fourth-generation farmer is devastated. But what could he have done? I have seen deer leap over my 6 foot fence, seemingly with ease. Nothing we have tried seems to stop them.
To your good health,

domain: news


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James Packer's Crown Resorts Limited has forked out US$100 million ($141 million) for a tasty 10 percent ownership interest in restaurant and hotel company Nobu.
The other 80 percent will continue to be owned by the existing owners Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper.
Crown Chairman Rob Rankin said: “We see the Nobu brand as complementary to Crown Resorts’ global luxury entertainment positioning".
And the buy-in could lead to more Nobu restaurants in Crown's Australian operations.
"The Nobu business has an attractive near-term growth profile, with a number of new restaurant and hotel openings planned," Rankin said.
Packer could also choose to add to his hotel offerings by opening a string of Nobu hotels or potentially even a resort -- given the recent reports De Niro was scouting a site in the Philippines for that very purpose.
As part of the acquisition, Crown will nominate Mr Packer to join the Nobu board as one of four directors.


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Figure 2 shows that the per capita food loss in Europe and North-America is 280–300 kg/year. In Sub- Saharan Africa and South/Southeast Asia it is 120–170 kg/year. The total per capita production of edible parts of food for human consumption is, in Europe and North-America, about 900 kg/year and, in sub-Saharan Africa and South/Southeast Asia, 460 kg/year.
By Tyce Herrman, the first ever Climate Progress intern, in his first post
The agriculture sector is one the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, approximately 10–12% of the global total according to the 2007 IPCC Fourth Assessment Report on Climate Change.
Climate Progress’s ongoing series on food insecurity explores both how climate change is affecting agriculture and how agriculture is contributing to climate change. This post examines something close to our hearts (and stomachs): food waste.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released a study on food production last week that concluded 1.3 billion tons of food is lost each year. That’s one third of total global production. This inefficiency in food production and consumption reflects wasted energy and consequently unnecessary GHG emissions.
According to FAO, food loss in developing countries has multiple causes:
The causes of food losses and waste in low-income countries are mainly connected to financial, managerial and technical limitations in harvesting techniques, storage and cooling facilities in difficult climatic conditions, infrastructure, packaging and marketing systems. Given that many smallholder farmers in developing countries live on the margins of food insecurity, a reduction in food losses could have an immediate and significant impact on their livelihoods.
Food waste is rampant in the developed, rich nations of the United States and Western Europe, driven by overwhelming consumption demands on all levels of the supply chain (See the FAO graph above).
Farmers are forced to throw out produce that is not up to supermarket’s aesthetic standards and plow under whole fields of ripe produce if market prices aren’t sufficient to cover labor expenses. Produce farmers will often plant a secondary field in case the yields are not as high as expected. If yield requirements are met sufficiently with the primary field, the secondary field is simply plowed under.
Manufacturers dump whole pallets of food when supermarkets decline a purchase. Supermarkets throw out shelves of food when they’ve passed “best use by” dates, even though the food is still perfectly safe for consumption. In 1995, the USDA found that 5.4 billion pounds of food were thrown out by retailers.
Finally, consumers in the developed world notoriously throw out tons of unconsumed food they let rot — approximately 210–255 lbs per person. Food is viewed as an endless luxury to those who can afford it.
Climate Progress spoke with Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland, who pointed out that America actually exceeds the global average of one third and wastes about 40% of its total food production. This food production is highly resource intensive. As Bloom pointed out, “We are so removed from the agricultural process. Most people have no idea how many resources are used in farming.”
What does food waste mean in terms of climate change? “When we throw away 40%, 40% of resources invested goes for naught, for nothing” said Bloom. He estimates that “2% of all US energy goes to food we’re throwing away.” The vast amount of water, oil, and other resources that go into farming are squandered, and the gears of industrial agriculture spin with no purpose.
The FAO study on food waste calls for consumer patterns to drastically change in the U.S. and Western Europe. Bloom had several ideas that could shift our understanding and use of food.
- The federal government should outlaw organic matter in landfills altogether. This will require us to re-think food’s value and role and how wasteful we can be with our food. Bloom quips, “We’ll have to ban it eventually, why not now?” Norway and Nova Scotia have already banned organic matter in landfills.
- More incentives for farmers to harvest all they grow and not plow under crops like a more streamlined tax deduction process for food donations from farmers and retailers.
- A stronger government gleaning programs that could bypass some of the economic barriers preventing farmers from harvesting all their produce.
- Public awareness campaigns showing people ways to reduce waste and reconnecting them with agriculture
Changing food consumption patterns here and now in the United States and abroad will help reduce the inevitably rising pressure on food prices from climate change, peak oil, and changing diets. It would also have a significant impact on mitigating climate change. Bloom concluded that right now we are “aiding climate change from our kitchen trashcans.” Each of us can start by being more careful with what we eat, and most importantly, what we don’t.
— Tyce Herrman is a rising senior at Stetson University in DeLand, FL. He is pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science and a B.A. in Philosophy.


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Mopar has announced it will release its Jeep Performance Parts Ultimate Dana 44 AdvanTEK axles for the Wrangler in November.
The 2018 Jeep Cherokee has launched to motoring media in Australia and goes on-sale here in October priced from $35,950+ORC.
Stuart Martin’s 2018 Jeep Cherokee Review with Price, Specs, Performance, Ride and Handling, Ownership, Safety, Verdict and Score.
Practical Motoring’s first drive 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Review with pricing, specs, performance, ride and handling, safety, verdict and score.
Isaac Bober’s 2018 Jeep Compass Trailhawk Review with pricing, specs, performance, ride and handling, verdict and score.
Infotainment is growing in importance and complexity, this week, we review the Jeep Compass 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system.
FCA Australia has issued a recall for more than 2300 tow bars fitted to WK Jeep Grand Cherokee models after May 31 2017.
Jeep and Mopar have teamed up to produce seven Easter Jeep Safari concepts for the annual event in Moab, March 24 – April 1.
The all-new Jeep Wrangler goes into right-hand drive production later this year and has officially tested in Australia.
Dean Mellor’s 2018 Jeep Compass Review With Pricing, Specs, Performance, Ride And Handling, Safety, Verdict And Score.
The Jeep Compass launched to the media this week in Australia and the brand is excited, but is Jeep doing the right things in Australia to win back trust?
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee has had its global reveal at the Detroit Motor Show overnight showing off its new look and engine.
The 2018 Jeep Compass has been awarded a five-star ANCAP rating… the compact SUV is on-sale now.
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk has been revealed ahead of its global debut at the Detroit Motor Show in January.


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Swart tapped as president; Hunt named COO; and Tuthill hired as CCO.
Swart, who has 30 years of industry experience, has served as regional director of sales and operations for Viking Freight; vice president of sales for UPS Freight; and most recently 10 years as chief operating officer for A. Duie Pyle.
Paxxal Inc., a provider of shipping platforms, has announced the appointment ofEllwood P. Hunt III as chief operating officer effective Aug. 1. He will have global responsibility for manufacturing, logistics and operations.
Hunt, who has more than three decades of operational experience, most recently served as senior vice president of manufacturing and product development for IGPS Logistics, the world’s largest plastic pallet rental company. He also held key roles at Teph Seal Auto Appearance, CHEP and PepsiCo.
Robert Sappio, chief executive officer of SeaCube Container Leasing Ltd., announced Wednesday that Greg Tuthill had been hired as chief commercial officer to drive strategic global growth.
Most recently, Tuthill, who has 30 years of industry experience, served as senior vice president and chief operating officer for CMA CGM America. He began his career in 1988 with American President Lines Ltd., followed by stints with APL, NYK Line and TOTE Logistics.


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Home > IP News
Google and Samsung have signed a global patent cross-licensing agreement aimed at reducing "the potential for litigation" and enhancing innovation.
The deal will cover "a broad range of technologies and business areas" and apply to both existing patents and any filed over the next decade.
Both companies already work together closely, with Samsung using Google's Android mobile operating system.
Samsung called the deal "highly significant for the technology industry" and said it reduces the likelihood of Google and Samsung facing each other in court over intellectual property disputes.
The move is also expected to strengthen their position against rivals such as Apple, which has filed multiple lawsuits worth billions of dollars for alleged patent infringements.
"Samsung and Google are showing the rest of the industry that there is more to gain from co-operating than engaging in unnecessary patent disputes," Seungho Ahn, head of Samsung's Intellectual Property Center said in the statement.
Samsung, which is the world's largest smartphone maker, faces lawsuits from Apple in the US and South Korea over mobile technology patents.
Apple has claimed that Samsung and its best-selling line of Galaxy smartphones copied its designs for the iPhone.
Their global patent dispute has dragged on for the past few years and both Apple and Samsung's chief executives are scheduled to meet for mediation in mid-February.
The number of patent lawsuits filed has increased as the market for smartphones and tablets has expanded globally.
Another high-profile case involves the Rockstar consortium - which includes Apple, Microsoft and Sony. It sued Google and six other smartphone makers that use the Android operating system.
Eight lawsuits were filed in the US over patents relating to Google's mobile technologies and user-interface design.
Google is also engaged in a dispute with Apple through its Motorola Mobility unit, which owns a large patent collection.
To counter this, technology giants have looked to increase their number of patents, as well as sign deals similar to the one announced by Google and Samsung.
Last year, for example, Samsung and Nokia extended a patent licensing agreement for an additional five years, while Apple and HTC also announced a 10-year licensing deal in 2012.
Analysts say such moves create strength by numbers.
"The more patents you have the more protected you are from litigation," Andrew Milroy, an analyst at consultancy Frost & Sullivan said.
"I'm not sure if the agreement means Samsung can use Google patents and vice-versa. But if they are collaborating it protects them from litigation, since the pair of them together is a stronger unit."
To continue reading, click here.


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AD Ports Group’s SAFEEN Feeders has entered a strategic agreement with Invictus Investment to own and operate five dry-bulk vessels in a bid to introduce an international dry bulk shipping service.
The entities will acquire the ships together through special purpose vehicles, which will be owned by SAFEEN Feeders and Invictus Investment with stakes of 85% and 15%, respectively.
The firms will initially spend $126m (AED463m) on the new vessels, which will vary in size.
Starting in September, the vessels are anticipated to enter service within six months. Plans are also underway for future growth plans and additional vessels.
The companies will also create a joint venture (JV) to operate the international dry bulk shipping service.
SAFEEN Feeders will own a 51% stake in the JV while the remaining 49% interest will be held by Invictus Investment.
With an initial focus on the Red Sea and Pacific corridors, as well as the Indian sub-continent and the Black Sea region, the JV will also offer its commercial bulk shipping services to other companies across the globe.
As part of the JV agreement, Invictus Investment will commercially run the vessels and add its large existing trading volumes to the programme.
AD Ports Group managing director and group CEO Captian Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi said: “Under the guidance of our wise leadership, AD Ports Group continues to invest in new initiatives that stimulate economic diversification and support the recovery of international trade.”
Meanwhile, SAFEEN Feeders has also signed a charter agreement with Bangladesh-based Saif Powertec for three vessels.
SAFEEN Feeders will invest around $102m (AED375m) to buy the vessels, which will be chartered to Saif Powertec at pre-agreed rates for 15 years.
Starting in November, these vessels will operate on global routes to and from Bangladesh.


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PHILADELPHIA — PinkBox, the Philadelphia-based sex toy vending machine startup, is gaining speed out of the gate and, along with it, great media exposure.
Making its debut earlier this month, PinkBox partners up with bars, clubs and other establishments that cater to an adult audiences to sell its products — from condoms to vibrators to restraints all priced from $4 to $99 — out of a machine, taking cash and accepting all major credit cards.
PinkBox, bragging in its promotions as North America’s first and only exclusive sex toy vending machine company, is counting on customers who are seeking “high quality, competitively priced adult toys, when they what them — right now … at your establishment.”
For now, PinkBox offers its vending machines only in the Tri-state region in the Northeast.
“Our machines have a slender footprint that won’t rob you of vital space, and we’ll consult with you to customize the product selection to suit your clientele,” the company says.
Dr. Timaree Schmit, a noted sexuality educator and chief communications officer for PinkBox, told WHYY News that the vending machines might get some blank stares at first but they merely offer one more option for consumers.
The vending machine debuted earlier this month at the Philadelphia Burlesque Festival.
“We love the boutique stores where you can go in and talk to someone who is educated in products and the materials and that sort of thing,” she said. “We love those sorts of places. They are not open 24 hours a day, however, for the most part.
“They also have higher overhead costs because they are brick and mortar. And if you buy stuff on the Internet, even if you have the fastest delivery possible, it is not going to be instantaneous. You can't use it half an hour later.”
Schmit discusses PinkBox and its new concept further in a WHYY News report available here.


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Will it launch with the same massive hype as "Pokémon GO"?
The world went insane when it was first announced that Niantics will be working on an AR Pokemon game and now it looks like it is time for the Harry Potter fans to get excited as well as it was announced that Niactics will be working on a new AR game called Wizards Unite based on the Harry Potter universe.
When we first covered the game's reveal reports stated that it would be similar to Pokemon Go and Ingress in that it would require players to explore the real world using their phone's Global Positioning System via location-based events and challenges.
Very few games could hope to dethrone Pokémon GO, but Harry Potter Wizards Unite just might.
Niantic says the game will leverage the full stack of its platform while giving it the opportunity to create new technology and gameplay mechanics. "The beloved Harry Potter stories have captured imaginations worldwide for more than 20 years and soon we'll turn the fantasy into augmented reality, allowing fans and their friends to become wizards and witches".
"By exploring real-world neighbourhoods and cities across the globe, players will go on adventures, learn and cast spells, discover mysterious artifacts, and encounter legendary beasts and iconic characters", said a press release about the new game, according to MobileSyrup. Interactive Entertainment, and WB Games San Francisco. And luckily, we won't have to wait too long to get virtually ~sorted~ and start turning our smartphones into wands, because the game is tentatively set for a 2018 release, which is right around the corner. Harry Poter: Wizards Unit will be published by Niantic, and is probably coming some time next year.


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Directory launch unites chamber
The 2014 Port Hedland Information Directory was launched by the Port Hedland Chamber of Commerce last month.
The event was held in the courtyard of The Esplanade Hotel and was attended by a variety of representatives from local businesses and organisations.
PICTURE GALLERY: Directory launch unites chamber
The launch also doubled as an opportunity for the PHCCI to introduce and welcome its new president, The Esplanade's general manager Andrew Ziems, to the position.
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Farmers should be talking more about the freshness of the food they produce and the health benefits eating it can offer, according to a report.
AHDB has published a consumer insight report which suggests shoppers are increasingly looking for food which is “fresh” or “natural” – a trend which could offer the UK agricultural industry opportunities.
The report, Health through the eyes of the consumer, found although “enjoyment” and “practicality” remain the key drivers for the majority of meal choices, health as a reason for choosing food is up 14% on five years ago.
See also: How consumer trends may affect your farm
The trend is so significant that Mintel research reveals 25.3% of all new food product launches in 2016 had a health claim.
Shoppers are also starting to show a greater willingness to cook from scratch so they have greater control over the food they are eating, it said.
Steven Evans AHDB senior analyst said: “The consumer landscape is changing and so are expectations.
“Health is incredibly important and, by the end of 2016, the proportion of food servings in the home chosen for health reasons stood at 32%.
“It’s an area which is growing at a faster rate than that of enjoyment so it’s certainly a trend to watch.”
Mr Evans said it was important to note health could mean different things to different people.
“One area more obvious than others is it’s consumed for a focused health benefit such as being high in fibre or a good source of calcium.
“However, the strongest rise in the past 12 months came from those looking for more natural and less processed food, which we believe points to consumers wanting greater control over what’s going into their meals.
“This provides a good opportunity for producers of fresh and chilled products – especially those who can clearly communicate their health messaging to consumers.”
The report highlighted that even traditional products should shout hard about the health credentials they offered.
For example, Weetabix already is tapping into the trend by referencing the fact it is high in protein on its packaging.
The report said there could be an opportunity to promote red meat by focusing on the fact it is naturally rich in protein and the majority is sold as a fresh product.
“Findings from AHDB’s Consumer Tracker point towards red meat standing behind chicken and fish in consumers’ stating it’s ‘good for you’,” it said.
“Ensuring consumers are aware of the vitamins and minerals red meat can provide alongside any ‘protein’ messaging may assist health motivated purchases.”
Results from AHDB’s Consumer Tracker (in January 2017) run by YouGov also showed 43% of consumers picked up on butter’s natural credentials as a positive point.
Only 21% of those surveyed thought of butter in terms of “it’s not good for you”.
Cheese also scored well for calcium (59%) and being a good source of protein (52%) indicating it could be a good platform to drive consumption, rather than taste.


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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 21
Some 17 companies with the Kazakh capital were registered in Turkey from January through March 2021, which is by seven companies more than in the same period of 2020, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) told Trend.
The total capital of the Kazakh companies registered in Turkey reached 2.002 million liras ($245,116) from January through March 2021 compared to 3.1 million liras ($379,553) in the same period of last year.
Meanwhile, most of the Kazakh companies were registered in Istanbul (11 companies) with a total capital of 1.3 million liras ($159,167).
Seven companies were engaged in wholesale and retail trade, two companies – in the field of construction.
The remaining companies with the Kazakh capital operate in other sectors of the economy, TOBB said.
In accordance with the data, the total capital of seven companies registered during the reporting period in the field of wholesale and retail trade amounted to 1.05 million liras ($128,558).
(1 USD = 8.0659 TL on April 21)


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Italian gourmet chocolate manufacturer Venchi has opened its first Asian airport outlet – its 25th store in China – at Shanghai’s Hongqiao International Airport.
This store is part of Venchi’s rapid Asia-Pacific expansion, with the company having opened 12 stores in China, Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia last year alone.
This year, Venchi targets to open 29 more stores in Asia-Pacific with Shanghai Qiantan Taikoo Li next. It is also planning to debut in Nanjing, Osaka, Nanjing, Malaysia, Taipei, and Jakarta.
The 82.5sqm Shanghai Airport store features a signature pick-and-mix chocolate wall and a lounge area for domestic and international travellers seeking premium Italian confectionery.
Marco Galimberti, MD at Venchi Asia Pacific, said he believes Asia is the company’s future and now is the perfect time to invest.
“Never let a good crisis go to waste is our motto. We didn’t allow Covid to affect our plans as we know sooner or later the situation will resolve. Instead, we powered on and adapted to the climate we now find ourselves in,” said Galimberti.
“By the end of this year, Apac will be Venchi’s largest market outside of Italy, with the highest number of stores.”
The company said its investments in Hong Kong and the wider Asia-Pacific region stems from its realisation that the current market situation is more stable, and rental rates have become more favourable.


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Silicon-dominant extreme fast charging (XFC) technology firm StoreDot has confirmed its battery cells offer consistent and reliable winter performance.
Recent laboratory tests show StoreDot’s silicon battery cells reach 80% capacity when charged at -10°C with standard charging speed.
StoreDot’s battery cells have been tested and have shown a consistent discharge rate and an adequate driving range, even in sub-freezing conditions, it claimed.
At a temperature of 14°F (-10°C), the cells delivered over 85% of their full range capacity. Even in the extreme cold of -4°F (-20°C), the cells still provided over 70% of their full range capacity, the firm announced.
StoreDot has recently announced its anticipated milestones for 2024, which includes the demonstration of the world’s first EV pack equipped with XFC technology, shipping prismatic B-samples to OEMs, and expanding operations in the US on the path toward commercialisation.
The company also said it was on track with production-readiness of XFC cells that can deliver 100 miles charged in 5 minutes this year. The company aims to achieve 100 miles charged in 4 minutes in 2026, and 100 miles charged in 3 minutes by 2028.
Dr Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot, said: “Our latest tests have demonstrated that our batteries can outperform traditional cold weather range and charging limitations that often hamper electric vehicles in colder climates.
“Although all lithium-ion batteries tend to lose capacity in extreme cold, our innovative design that uses silicon-dominant anodes minimizes this loss.
“Our batteries deliver optimal driving range even in most extreme, subzero conditions. With our revolutionary technology drivers can now conquer winter’s toughest challenges, ensuring a smooth driving experience in any climate or conditions and eliminating winter range anxiety.”
Image from Shutterstock


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Wal-Mart-bashing appears to be a national sport these days, with legions of Wal-Mart critics growing faster than the retail empire can build new stores. In particular, the company's labor practices are a lightning rod for criticism. So it's no wonder that the company has struck a rather defensive note regarding a rumored interest in robotic labor.
I got a dose of Wal-Mart's defensive posture first-hand last week when reporting a feature story News.com published today on the future of inventory-checking robots. After an executive at Frontline Robotics informed me that Wal-Mart is eyeing robot technology, I called Wal-Mart for confirmation.
Wal-Mart representative Christi Gallagher, the company's spokeswoman on supply chain and technology issues, took my call. She also happens to be the media point person on labor relations and employment litigation.
As soon as I mentioned robots, Gallagher seemed eager to end the call. "We are not looking into robots in any way, shape or form," she said abruptly. I tried probing for more, but she had nothing further to offer.
The response was curious because, when a public relations person is faced out-of-the-blue with questions on a random topic like robots, he or she would typically pause, jot down some notes, and say something along the lines of, "Gosh, I have no idea about that, but I'll check into it for you."
And I am apparently not the first to hit a Wal-Mart nerve with a robot story. As I noted in today's story, the company's attorneys took a particular interest in an eWeek report in May about a robot Wal-Mart is apparently testing in a Utah store. The robot, developed at Utah State University, is designed to guide visually impaired shoppers and locate products for them.
Wal-Mart's lawyers called the university after it learned of the story, and a university representative then retracted earlier statements about Wal-Mart's interest in investing in further development of the robots.
So why is Wal-Mart so touchy about robots? My hunch is that Wal-Mart's interest in robots goes far beyond helping the visually impaired shop. I think it's intrigued by the notion of using robots in its warehouses, distribution centers and stores to monitor and check inventory -- a job mostly done by people today, as one Frontline Robotics executive noted.
"After hours, robots could run around stores in a systematic pattern and take a complete inventory of all the shelves," said Rob Richards, chief operating officer of Frontline. "We have people now that do that."
But to my mind, robot-talk is the least of Wal-Mart's labor woes, which include accusations of sexual discrimination, low pay, poor benefits, worker safety violations and child labor law violations. The company has also been embroiled in widespread overtime pay disputes and is in trouble with the Department of Labor over employing illegal immigrants.
So, Wal-Mart, relax about robots!


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Cofactor has expelled new selling information associated to a holiday selling season, and privately Black Friday. Rather than Black Friday being a singular day, a news found retailers have stretched Black Friday into a incomparable ‘season,’ that starts as early as October.
Cofactor totalled selling information from tip retailers like Target, Macy’s, Toys R Us and others from Oct by November, and found a incomparable series of deals, widespread over a longer duration of time, might have resulted in reduction consumer seductiveness by a time Black Friday indeed arrived.
For Oct 2015, Cofactor found a 7 percent expansion in a series of accessible deals, and a 6 percent boost in visits on heading retailers’ websites, compared to Oct 2014. While this boost in deals resulted in increasing traffic, it may have also caused ‘consumer fatigue’ by November. Specifically, Cofactor found website trade decreased 16 percent in visits on heading retailers’ websites in Nov 2015, compared to final November.
On Thanksgiving day, website trade was down 33 percent over final Thanksgiving, and on a morning of Black Friday (through 8 a.m. executive time), website trade was down 34 percent compared to final year. Overall trade for Oct and Nov total was found to be down 9 percent over 2014.
While altogether website trade was down for a year, Cofactor found trade to sell sites around smartphones increasing in both months. Specifically, in Oct 2015, there was a 39 percent boost in mobile phone visits, and a 3 percent diminution in inscription visits to retailers’ websites, when compared to Oct 2014.
In November, there was a 6 percent boost in smartphone visits, and a 26 percent diminution in inscription visits year-over-year to tradesman websites. Combined, a dual months saw an altogether boost in mobile phone visits to retailers’ websites of 17 percent over final year, and a diminution in inscription visits of 18 percent compared to 2014.
Even so, Cofactor found reduction users searched for deals on their mobile inclination on Thanksgiving day. To be specific, there was a 15 percent diminution in smartphone visits, and a 48 percent diminution in inscription visits to tradesman websites on Thanksgiving, when compared to final year. According to Cofactor, this means over 210,000 reduction people visited retailers’ websites on smartphones, and over 224,000 reduction people visited retailers websites on tablets on Thanksgiving day than final year.
Readers: Did we hunt for deals on Thanksgiving or Black Friday around your phone or tablet?
Top picture pleasantness of Shutterstock.


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by Xinhua writer Wu Liming
BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Recognition of China's full market economy status has long become an obstacle hindering development of China-European Union (EU) relations.
On Wednesday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged the EU to recognize China's status as a market economy, and asked EU leaders to look at bilateral relations from a bold and strategic perspective.
It is known to all that China and the EU have established a comprehensive strategic partnership, and accordingly they should regard each other as strategic partners, or to put it simply, sincere friends.
Since eruption of the global financial crisis and the debt crisis in Europe, China has offered help to Europe. For instance, China sent several delegations to Europe to purchase huge amounts of goods and services in 2009, aiming to boost Europe's economy. Since last year, China has purchased bonds of several European countries, trying to save nations deep in a debt crisis.
By contrast, it is a pity that the EU side still shows no sincerity on the issue of recognizing China's market economy status.
Over the years, many EU leaders have repeatedly said they "were preparing" to recognize China's status as a market economy, but to no avail. Several other EU leaders, more often than not, held high the excuse of "technical criteria," saying the issue is a "sheer technical problem."
All in all, the EU side has played and is still playing the trick of postponement, practicing protectionism in the name of fair trade.
As a matter of fact, such tricks bring no benefit to the EU itself. Instead, an early recognition of China's market economy status is a choice the EU side should seriously consider at present.
For one thing, China's market economy status will be recognized by the whole world by 2016 based on rules of the World Trade Organization.
Therefore, the earlier that the EU announces its recognition, the earlier it could demonstrate its sincerity toward China, winning more popularity and friendship among the Chinese people.
In the meantime, such a move would benefit the EU itself in its economic transformation and restructuring. The EU's economy and China's complement each other considerably.
In fact, recognition of China's status as a market economy needs political will from the EU side.
The so-called "technical criteria" have set an obstacle to China. But ironically, several other countries that the EU has recognized as market economies, even some EU countries, fail to reach the "technical criteria."
In addition, some developed Western countries, like New Zealand, have acknowledged China's status.
The EU is China's top trading partner, while China is the EU's second biggest. So whether the EU recognizes China's status or not does not have a big impact on China-EU economic cooperation.
However, just as Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying has put it, to recognize China's market economy status at an early date will be a question of political judgement, and "a question of promoting mutual trust."
The Chinese people hope that EU leaders could show their strategic vision, political wisdom and sincerity to facilitate expansion of overall China-EU relations.


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Inflation may pave the way to a new era of globalisation
It could give the world some new hope. Price surges in the 19th and 20th centuries spurred the use of innovative technologies and changed government policies. For example, the steam engine opened up continents and oceans with railroads and steamships; the container cut the cost of moving goods after the 1970s; Harold James, a professor of history and international affairs at Princeton University, analyses the potential positivities wave of globalisation could bring.
From Financial Times


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The accused person has been arrested and despatched to 14 days judicial custody.
GST officers have unearthed tax evasion of ₹ 832 crore by manner of manufacture and clandestine provide of gutkha/pan masala/tobacco merchandise and arrested one person, the Finance Ministry stated on Sunday.
“The Central GST Delhi West Commissionerate has unearthed evasion of GST by way of manufacture and clandestine supply of gutkha/pan masala/ tobacco products without any registration and payment of duty.”
“On the premise of proof gathered, shares seized and confessional statements recorded the whole duty evasion is estimated to be approx ₹ 831.72 crore. Further investigation is in progress,” the ministry stated in an announcement.
On the premise of searches on the premise of manufacture, it was discovered that unlawful manufacturing of gutkha/pan masala/tobacco merchandise was happening.
Around 65 labourers had been discovered working on the unlawful manufacturing unit. The completed product of gutkha was being equipped to varied states in India.
The searches resulted within the seizure of completed gutkha and uncooked supplies equivalent to chuna, sada kattha, tobacco leaves, and many others, valued at ₹ 4.14 crore roughly, it added.
One person has been arrested within the matter on the premise of his involvement within the manufacture and provide of items with out situation of any bill with the intention to evade tax, in addition to in transporting, eradicating, depositing, retaining, concealing, supplying, or buying items in violation of the GST regulation provisions, it added.
The accused person has been arrested and despatched to 14 days judicial custody. Further investigation is underway to establish the important thing conspirator/s of the case and to get better the tax dues concerned, the ministry added.
The Delhi GST zone has detected evasion of ₹ 4,327 crore within the present monetary yr and 15 individuals have been arrested in these issues.


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10 Second Headline of the Week - Feb. 3, 2017
STEPHEN POLOZ SPEECH AT UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
- The artificial low rates and bulging government debt is ‘crushing’ our animal spirit.
- Canadian economy has excess capacity (’slack’), and a stronger Canadian dollar is a headwind for the export sector.
- Geopolitical risk, including President Trump, makes it harder to know if policy is on track and it is ‘ill-advised’ to reduce interest rates on economic models alone.
- Old models have provided little insight to the new world and BoC is looking for new models with longer term trends.
- Oil shock has delayed growth in the Canadian economy until at least the fall of 2018.
- Interprovincial ‘free’ trade would add 0.5% to CDA’s GDP.
- President Trump wishes to accelerate NAFTA negotiations; wants ‘fair’ trade.
- U.S. President unleashed a barrage of criticism against key trading partners, including: Germany, Japan, China, Australia, Mexico and Iran.
- Indications that the U.S. President is prepared to jettison two decades of ‘strong U.S. dollar’ policies.
- EU is particularly focused on trade deals with Asian countries, including those that signed up to the Trans-Pacific-Partnership (TPP) trade deal.
- Mexico is interested in trade deals with the EU, its third largest trading partner, as well as partners from the TPP including Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.
- China has interest in joining the TPP after the exit of the U.S.
- U.S. companies including Facebook Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Google are concerned about President Trump’s recent order on immigration and are offering help to adjust it.
- More than 25 U.S. companies formed a coalition to support: lowering income tax from 35% to 20%, excluding export revenue from taxable income, and imposing a 20% tax on imports.
- Over 120 trade groups launched a separate coalition against the proposed border-adjusted tax, claiming it will force companies to pass the increase to customers, boosting prices for goods.
U.S. EMPLOYMENT DATA (JANUARY)
- Unemployment rate is 4.8% versus 4.7% in December.
- Labour force participation rate rose to 62.9% versus 62.7% in December, indicating more people are entering the job market because of increased optimism about their employment prospects.
- Average hourly earnings increased only 0.1% versus 0.2% in December; 2.5% Y/Y.
- Private payrolls increased 237,000 compared to market expectation of 175,000, while retail payrolls surged 45,900, the biggest rise since February 2016.
- Revisions to November and December showed the economy created 39,000 fewer jobs than previously reported.
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Feb. 10, 2017 →


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Oakland, California (PRWEB) November 10, 2017
If you’re serious about fitness, bodybuilding, CrossFit™, or other athletic pursuits, you need to know about Six Pack Fitness, the fitness gear company that’s revolutionizing the scene for athletes and fitness enthusiasts everywhere!
Six Pack Fitness is not only leading the way in innovative designs that are both designer quality and functional, they are also giving back to their community through charitable donations this holiday season.
As their latest way to pay tribute and thank the brave men and women in the Marine Corps, Six Pack Fitness is donating 350 of their best-selling contender bags to GOV X, a partner company that supplies the best fitness gear and other products to military personnel.
“These men and women are out there sacrificing every day to protect our freedom back here at home,” said Misha Breyburg, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Six Pack Fitness “The least we can do is send a few bags to say thank you for being away from your family and friends during the holidays!”
GOV X will supply the donated Six Pack Fitness contender bags to the Marines stationed at Miramar base who are not able to get back home for the holidays.
About the Six Pack Fitness
Six Pack Fitness creates iconic bags, luggage, and meal management travel gear for serious athletes and fitness enthusiasts. They provide stylish and innovative solutions for those who live and breathe fitness. Designed to keep every athlete organized and prepared, Six Pack bags help you focus on training hard, eating right, and living fit.
Chief Executive Officer – Six Pack Fitness
1999 Harrison St., Suite 2675
Oakland, CA, 94612


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USDA pressured over ‘downers'USDA is under increasing pressure to meet the threat of mad cow disease. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is calling on USDA to permanently ban the slaughter of downed cattle to protect the food supply. Of the cattle that have tested positive for the disease, the group says every one has been a downer-an animal too sick or injured to walk on its own.
"The downer ban put into place by the Agriculture Department at the end of December 2003 kept these sick animals out of the meat case, preventing another economic catastrophe for the cattle industry," said HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle. "The recent talk by USDA and industry officials of weakening the downer ban should end today."
Labeling debate continuesFood industry representatives in Washington are promoting a bill establishing voluntary country-of-origin labeling guidelines, hoping to head off tougher, mandatory rules.
"We have long supported voluntary, market-driven, country-of-origin labeling with oversight from the US Department of Agriculture," said Hunt Shipman, executive vice president of government affairs and communications at The Food Products Association (FPA). "This legislation - which establishes criteria for domestically produced foods to use labels displaying US origin - is a sound, workable approach to providing consumers with this information."


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Virgin Holidays is to take on 100 apprentices to work in its shop as it marks the opening of its 100th store next month when it’s second standalone high street premises opens in Maidenhead.
The move was announced by the long-haul specialist’s managing director Amanda Wills on stage at the Institute of Travel and Tourism conference in Barbados.
As part of an expansion of the group’s Branson Centre in the Caribbean Virgin also made a donation on behalf of every ITT delegate to fund a chef from the conference’s hotel, Hilton Resort, to attend university.
Wills told the conference that apprenticeship scheme was being run in conjunction with the City of London Corporation, with the successful candidates being paid to work in stores four days a week.
She said the first standalone store in High Street Kensington was already a success and was trading profitably six months after opening and its concessions in Debenhams and House of Fraser stores were a low-risk retailing model.
As a result of its store programme Virgin has employed 400 people in the last two years, Wills said and the expansion would continue with the operator expected to have 110 stores by the end of the year.
Wills said the concept underlined the firm’s commitment to innovation and supporting young people in the industry.
“We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the opening of our Maidenhead ‘holiday emporium’ next month than by giving a new opportunity to 100 young people at the start of their career.
“We’ve all read the shocking statistics of how hard it is for that age group to find work and receive training, and we see this as a very positive investment in the next generation of customer service champions.”
Asked about her philosophy for a successful travel retailer Wills said it was vital brands listen to what their customers want.
Dismissing the potential threat from a move into travel by the likes of Facebook or Google, she said Virgin was about delivering impeccable service, something “that does not happen if you buy from faceless unpackaged dot com”.
“I believe our industry is an industry of excuses. We have always got an excuse about something. The biggest challenge we have as business leaders is the changing customer behaviour. Ignore it at your peril.
“People are coming from a frame of mind that they want to talk to brands that they can trust but talk to them in a way that really is flexible.
“One in four people have taken some form of direct action in the past year or knows someone who has – that means people want to be heard and that’s how they want to deal with brands. They want to be listened to and want brands that they can trust.
Wills spoke about a new anachonomy in which people want to be heard and said firms that understand and react to this will be the ones that flourish in the future.
She used electronics giant Apple and sports clothing manufacturer Nike as examples of brands that do this well, doing things for customers that maybe would not have been done if it was down to pure economics.
“We are a profitable company. We are in long-haul, which is a difficult market to be in with the rising costs we are facing like fuel and APD, but we are profitable because our customers know us, love us and come back and we can make higher margins because we offer more.”
All post are the individual views of the respective commenter and are not the expressed views of Travel Weekly.
By posting your comments you agree to accept our Terms & Conditions.


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Month 26, 2004
Krannert School prof, MBA students issue bullish forecast for tech
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. A Purdue University Krannert School professor and his MBA students have published their second yearly book-length forecast on high-technology trends that will pay dividends for both businesses and consumers.
Patrick Duparcq, a Krannert School of Management marketing professor, said the top three high-technology trends will be growth of broadband Internet access, an increased number of wireless networks and large-scale implementation of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags for retail applications.
Duparcq, director of the Center for E-business Education and Research (CEER), said 35 percent of U.S. Internet users and 75 percent of Korean users have fast home Internet access through DSL or cable connections. The forecast predicts more than 50 percent of the world Internet population will have broadband access by 2008.
"This will cause other emerging technologies, such as digital media distribution, smart homes and Internet phone calls (voice over Internet protocols or VoIP), to take off," Duparcq said.
Duparcq and his students predict wireless networks, known as WiFi, will proliferate in both business and home settings.
"The technology is plug-and-play and costs less than $50 for an access point in the home," Duparcq said. "The demand created by multiple home personal computers will drive the acceptance of this technology. Currently, 75 percent of large corporations have wireless networks somewhere in the organization, if not company-wide. By 2008, we forecast that 50 percent of all private Internet users will have a wireless home network."
Duparcq said big retailers, such as Wal-Mart and Target, and big government agencies, such as the Department of Defense, are demanding that their largest suppliers apply RFID tags, to pallets and cases by early 2005. RFIDs are microchips attached to an antenna that picks up signals from and sends signals to a reader. RFIDs will replace barcoding and provide retailers and suppliers better and more timely data stretching from the factory to the consumer.
By using RFID technology, Wal-Mart could potentially save up to $8 billion annually through streamlining its supply chain and reducing overstock and replacing products on its store shelves more quickly, he said.
"The bottom line on RFID is that lower costs for the retailer and increased levels of customer service will win over some lingering concerns about privacy," Duparcq said. "We forecast that by 2008, unit costs of RFID will fall below five cents, and the total market will be $5 billion annually."
Other trends Duparcq and his students foresee are growth in digital entertainment and media centers, VoIP, a continuing double-digit growth in online retailing, and online music and movies. The forecast also includes the effects of e-technologies on the health-care, automotive and airline industries, as well as considering e-enabled products, telecommuting and customer relationship management issues that have implications across industries.
"'The Krannert Technology Forecast 2004-2006' is the second forecast based on MBA student research we've published," said Duparcq. "We wanted to take the standard research paper and give it more meaning to students who can take this book to recruiting interviews. It's also an outreach vehicle for our center and the school that we distribute to our corporate partners and recruiters, guest speakers and the media."
Duparcq's Center for E-business Education and Research is part of the E-enterprise Center in Purdue's Discovery Park. CEER's mission is to enable students, faculty, government representatives and businesspeople to understand the effects of e-business and e-commerce on the business environment through cross-functional education, research and outreach initiatives and allow swift response to significant industry changes.
Writer: Mike Lillich, (765) 494-2077, mlillich@purdue edu
Sources: Patrick Duparcq, (765) 494-4461, email@example.com
Gina Niemi, administrative assistant, (765) 494-4398
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; firstname.lastname@example.org
Note to journalists: The Krannert Technology Forecast 2004-2006 is available to journalists and businesses by contacting Gina Niemi at Purdue's Center for E-business Education and Research at (765) 494-4398, email@example.com.
A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2004/duparcq-forecast.jpg


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More from The Register
LG picks up US smartphone crumbs, gains on Apple and Samsung
Cupertino's iPhone 6 bounce starts to wear off
Silicon Valley sides with Samsung in anti-Apple patent war
Fruity firm's litigation is ruining tech innovation, apparently
Samsung goes to US Supreme Court to wriggle out of paying Apple millions of dollars
South Koreans really do not want to pay out those damages
Apple in eyebrow-raising threesome with TSMC, Samsung for iPhone 6S
Two slightly different A9 processor brains made for new mobes
Samsung enterprise alliance case studies
Download this paper to see how being a SEAP partner has benefited companies such as Citrix and Aviva.
Magic Quadrant for Client Management Tools
IBM BigFix is recognized as a leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for the fourth year in a row.
Empowering E-commerce against unpredictable demand
Exploring common challenges facing E-commerce platform and B2C website managers planning for the holiday shopping rush and bolstering services to meet customer demands.
Hyperconvergence facts and FAQs
Learn how hyperconvergence integrates storage with compute resources to provide a more efficient data centre with higher resource utilisation.


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IPAF has officially launched their new ePAL mobile app for operators of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and mast-climbing work platforms (MCWPs), which aims to bring training certification into the digital era and reduce the environmental impact involved in issuing the International Powered Access Federation’s (IPAF) PAL Card and certifications.
Soft launched back in April, IPAF’s new app is free to use and features the first ever digital IPAF PAL Card, operator log book, and operator safety guide. It also provides operators the latest best practice tips and safety information, and allows operators can share their qualifications with site managers quickly and easily.
The ePAL app is a major step forward in IPAF’s ongoing drive to boost sustainability, as it shifts away from issuing plastic, credit-card-sized PAL Cards to every training candidate successfully completing or renewing an IPAF operator course. The app also phases out paper certification of qualifications and replaces the printed paper version of IPAF’s operator safety guide.
Peter Douglas, IPAF CEO and managing director, says, “A typical year’s output in terms of IPAF PAL Cards and certificates issued used to amount to a 130-meter (426-foot) stack of printed plastic and paper, shipped from supplier to IPAF to the IPAF Training Center, and then on to candidates. Then, after five years, the candidate would dispose of it and start again!"
He continues, “The new app will lead to us reducing the number of steps in processing a PAL Card and cut down on all that waste, as well as the expense, delays, and carbon emissions involved in shipping items around the globe needlessly. Developing an operator app has been a key priority for IPAF since I took up post in 2019, and we were excited to team up with IPAF member, Trackunit, to bring its considerable technical expertise to bear to roll this out."
Søren Brogaard, CEO of Trackunit, says, “The app allows IPAF to communicate directly with operators and offers them a digital platform to record, show, and share their qualifications and operating experience worldwide. ePAL is a commitment to enable collaboration between the operator and the digital ecosystem ... We can also use the app to encourage and make it easier to report an accident or near-miss incident through the new IPAF reporting portal. My hope is we can all contribute to building a safer, digital future for operators.”
The app is available now in the UK and Ireland. It is initially offered in English with other languages to follow, and is available for Apple iOS and Android devices. The app will be updated with additional features as usage demands and developing technology allows.
Information provided by IPAF and edited by Alexis Sheprak.


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Along Freret Street, between the smartly renovated restaurants, shops and bars that have emerged in recent years, a new group of storefronts is under renovation, signaling the arrival of yet another wave of small businesses moving in. Before Hurricane Katrina, about 40 commercial properties in the area were occupied, a number that rose to about 60 in the years after the storm. Now at least five more are on the way.
It's been five years since neighborhood leaders successfully encouraged the City Council to designate Freret from Napoleon to Jefferson Avenue as an "arts and cultural overlay district," welcoming nighttime establishments that meet certain standards, such as limited operating hours. The resurgence, also fueled by the post-Katrina rebuilding drive, now is ensconced.
Among the businesses soon to open are three music clubs, an artisanal sandwich shop and a coffee shop. While a previous class of businesses owners was attracted by the potential of a once-thriving, but long moribund corridor and its stock of empty buildings, the new arrivals say they are inspired by the activity they already see on the street.
"There's so much talk and hype about Freret Street right now," said Toni Arnona, who along with her brother Vincent, is renovating a former boxing gym site into a sandwich restaurant called Wayfare, which they hope to open in January. "It's been a really neat experience building something, seeing it come together."
Shanekah Peterson also is looking to Freret as the place to reopen the Funky Butt, the jazz club she ran on Rampart Street before Katrina. She lost her home in the storm and was displaced to San Antonio for a few years, but always longed to restore the business and return to the music scene.
"I'd been looking and looking and looking," for the right spot, she said. "It was just very important to me to find a location that was true to what the Funky Butt was."
Freret Street works, she said, because neighbors support development, it has a mix of different businesses, it's close to universities and it's spaced nicely between the Oak Street corridor and Tipitina's. Peterson hopes to open by Mardi Gras.
"You have a lot of foot traffic," she said. "It's very difficult to have a business and expect it to flourish when there are no businesses."
Another music venue under construction, Publiq House, will feature live performances in an art deco-inspired setting, and will have a full-service bar. Publiq House is taking shape in a building that formerly housed a Canal Villere grocery store with a goal of opening in the coming weeks.
"It was an area where a lot of young entrepreneurs were coming out," said Publiq House co-owner Rhett Briggs. "Everybody's got their own little niche in there. It was really organic and it's a very tight-knit little neighborhood. It's kind of a group business environment."
Meanwhile, Scott Solo is developing the Rook Cafe, a coffee shop where he expects paintings to cover the walls and board game tournaments to unfold in a gathering space at the back of the shop. And Micah Burns and his partners are developing Breezy's as a venue for "experimental" music. The business is named in honor of Robert Borsodi, an icon of the city's coffeehouse and poetry scene who ran a gathering place on Freret before his death in 2003. Borsodi's spot was called Breezy's, Burns said, because the building had so many holes in the walls.
"It's a cool place that kind of disappeared and we wanted to keep it alive," Burns said.
Both the Rook Cafe and Breezy's are aiming to open by Mardi Gras.
Neal Bodenheimer, who was one of the first to bet on the resurgence of Freret when he opened the cocktail bar Cure in 2009, said he and his partner are blown over by the fast pace of development on the street.
"It's going better than we expected," he said. "We thought it would take longer."
Just a few years ago, Freret Street suffered from blight, stagnation and an aura of grittiness, he said. Now, the strip is full of "craft" businesses that focus on producing detail-oriented, high-caliber food, drinks and other offerings.
The growth presents a new kind of challenge for the corridor: to maintain a balance -- for example ensuring that music clubs aren't clustered too densely and that other kinds of businesses, such as boutique shops, have room to join in.
"I always hold my breath when new businesses open because I want to make sure they're of quality," Bodenheimer said.
Greg Ensslen, a real estate developer and longtime leader in Freret business and neighborhood groups, said the upcoming music venues will add needed evening entertainment options. "We have some retail people kind of poking around the edges," he said, suggesting another potential draw.
The special zoning district for Freret also helps harmonize the businesses with neighbors, Ensslen said. It outlines size limits for businesses, allows only two cocktail lounges per block, prohibits adult businesses and sets closing times at 11 p.m. for restaurants, midnight during the week for entertainment venues and 2 a.m. for music on weekends. Some of the incoming business owners said they sought approval of their plans from Freret Neighbors United before proceeding.
The monthly Freret Street Market, the annual Freret Street Festival and Friday Night Fights, which take place in the parking lot where the market convenes, all have helped rev up the neighborhood, Ensslen said.
Solo said he expects to procure soup ingredients for his coffee shop at the market.
"This is largely a self-directed revolution," Ensslen said. "There's a bunch of us all pulling in the same direction."


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Each side will get two hours to make their case to the eight-member jury, with Apple up first.
As a refresher, Apple is suing Samsung over five patents and seeking in excess of $2 billion. Samsung, for its part, argues it did not infringe, that Apple’s patents are invalid, and that Apple’s damage claim is a “gross exaggeration.” Samsung has also countersued Apple for infringing two patents.
For more background, here’s our cheat sheet on the case.
Come back at 9 am PT for all the fun. In the meantime, here’s some theme music.
Update, 9:25 a.m.: Apple’s lead attorney, Harold McElhinny, is making his closing, starting by telling the jury how things came to be where they are.
He promises to try to help the jury with what he says is a difficult task.
McElhinny begins by recounting the early days of the iPhone.
“These products were created by true geniuses, people like Steve Jobs,” he said, noting that Jobs mentioned at its January 2007 introduction that Apple had filed for dozens of patents on the iPhone. That, McElhinny says, essentially put rivals on notice that they could not simply copy the iPhone.
But, he said, that’s what Samsung did.
He then points to some of the juiciest of what Apple calls the “copying documents,” including a 2010 memo where Samsung described a “crisis of design” as well as to a meeting later that year where Apple accused Samsung of copying and told it to stop.
9:28 am: McElhinny is also describing the three Samsung entities that are being sued in the case — Korea’s Samsung Electronics and two U.S. subsidiaries. One company not being sued directly, he notes, is Google.
“Google is not a defendant in this case,” McElhinny said. Of course, Apple itself introduced testimony that Google has agreed to indemnify Samsung on at least two of the patents at issue in the case and to take over defense of the related claims.
9:33 am: McElhinny is also trying to shoot down Samsung’s defense in the case that the patents at issue should be ruled invalid because they were obvious. You can’t use hindsight, he tells the jury.
9:35 am: Some other key points from the early moments of Apple’s closing include the fact that Apple invented the five patents it is suing over (Samsung purchased the two it is counter-suing Apple with).
McElhinny notes that top Apple executives came in person to testify while no one from Samsung’s Korean parent company testified in the case.
9:39 am: McElhinny is now going patent by patent through each of the five patents, laying out the documents and witness testimony that go to the notion that each of the accused patents is actually infringed by Samsung’s products, that the infringement is willful and also that Apple’s patent is valid in the first place.
“The fact that it acted willfully is beyond dispute,” McElhinny said, though of course Samsung does indeed dispute this.
10:04 am: After going through four out of five patents, Apple lawyer McElhinny takes a break, drinks from a water bottle and asks the jury, “Having fun yet?”
10:08 am: McElhinny finishes on the specifics of each patent and is likely to go on to damages. Before that, he said he wants to call out a red herring.
McElhinny notes that whether Apple uses the patents in the case is irrelevant. “The issue in this case is Samsung’s conduct,” he said.
The other is, of course, Google. But McElhinny says that Samsung’s conduct — not Google’s — is the issue.
“At the end of the day Google should not be an issue for you,” McElhinny said.
At the same time, Apple is making the argument that it matters that Google is defending Samsung. Apple is also making an issue out of the fact that Samsung said under oath that it was not seeking indemnification from any party even though emails introduced in the case show that it was already having discussions on that point with Google.
10:10 am: On to damages.
“This is the heart of this case,” McElhinny said. He makes the same argument he used in the first trial that there are two ways that Samsung can win the case. One, if the jury finds that Apple doesn’t infringe. That, he said, is a reasonable way to win the case.
However, McElhinny said if the jury awards only a small amount of damages then it will have won the case.
10:19 am: McElhinny is making the case why Apple deserves lost profits rather than just a royalty for some of the infringed products. There are two kinds of damages Apple is seeking — lost profits and a “reasonable royalty.”
One type of lost profits can be awarded either for devices Apple would have been able to sell during the time Samsung would have had to take certain products off the market to redesign them. The other, known as “diminished demand” lost profits, applies to devices Apple could have sold had it been competing against a Samsung device that didn’t have the patented feature.
If the jury determines that Apple isn’t entitled to lost profits for a certain phone found to infringe, it is required to determine a “reasonable royalty.” Samsung argues that Apple is only entitled to this type of damage. Even there, the sides are way apart on what would constitute a reasonable royalty with Apple seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in such damages. Samsung, meanwhile, says roughly $38 million would be reasonable compensation even if all of Apple’s patents are found to be valid and infringed.
10:30 am: McElhinny argues that Samsung’s conduct and internal documents bely its contention that Apple’s features are minor and not worthy of a substantial royalty.
He also reiterates that Samsung sold 37 million allegedly infringing phones, or enough for each resident of San Jose to have 37 phones.
And with that we get our first pause, a 15-minute morning break.
10:47 am: And we are back, with McElhinny still talking damages. He’s going through the standard test for what constitutes a reasonable royalty and offers the jury a handy chart of what the jury verdict form would look like if they filled it out exactly how Apple’s damages expert believes it should be. (How thoughtful!)
There are also charts from Apple’s damages expert with lower damages amounts based on different possible conclusions the jury might reach, even if it doesn’t fully take Apple’s stance.
10:54 am: McElhinny is nearing the end of his part. “Bringing this lawsuit was Apple’s last choice, it’s last option,” McElhinny said. “Apple cannot simply walk away from its inventions …. We are counting on you for justice.”
With that, Apple concludes, though it will be back later to answer Samsung’s counterclaim.
10:58 am: Samsung’s Bill Price kicks off Samsung’s closing though he notes that he will share the argument with three other colleagues.
Price notes that Apple has thrown around words like copying and stealing to inflame the jury’s passions.
“They have to get you a little angry to justify this number,” Price said.
Price also argues that Apple’s iPhone itself doesn’t use the exact patented claims at issue in the case. He showed a chart showing that three of the five accused patent claims were never in the iPhone and one is no longer in the iPhone.
“You can’t copy if it’s not there,” Price said.
11:02 am: Price contends that Apple is misinterpreting Samsung’s documents to paint a false portrait.
In one document that Apple cites as evidence of copying, the words attributed to Samsung are actually the company saying what they were hearing from carriers. However, extending that quote shows Samsung saying that blindly following the carriers’ advice is a recipe for going out of business.
11:07 am: Samsung isn’t alone in using Android, Price notes, adding that most hardware makers have done so.
“The Android platform is the world’s alternative to iOS,” Price said.
Every patent that Apple is accusing of infringing is part of the core Google experience, Price says, noting that the Galaxy Nexus, whose software was developed entirely by Google, is accused of violating all five patents at issue in the case.
11:20 am: I’m starting a separate story on Samsung’s closing. You can follow along here.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.


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LONDON/ROTTERDAM – Unilever announced on Monday that, further to the announcement made on 2nd November 2017, it has completed the acquisition of Tazo brand from Starbucks.
Under the asset purchase agreement, Unilever has acquired the Tazo brand and all related intellectual property, signature recipes and inventory for US$384 million. The transaction represents a multiple of 10 times pro forma EBIT. Tazo had sales of US$112.5 million over the past year*.
Starbucks, which bought Tazo about 18 years ago for $8.1 million, said it wants to focus on its Teavana tea brand. Although Starbucks has been shutting down stand-alone Teavana stores, it still sells its teas in stores.
Founded in 1994, Tazo has a strong position in Specialty Black, Green and Herbal teas, as well as liquid concentrates focused in the Chai Latte segment. The fast-growing specialty tea segment makes up 48% of the total US$1.6 billion (FY 2016) at-home tea category and trends suggest it will become more prominent in the future**. Tazo is sold primarily in grocery, mass and convenience channels in the US and Canada, and is offered in formats including packaged teas, K-Cup® pods and bottled ready-to-drink teas.
“With its strong appeal to millennials, Tazo is a perfect strategic fit for our US portfolio that includes exciting new brands such as Seventh Generation, Dollar Shave Club and Sir Kensington’s,” said Kees Kruythoff, President, Unilever North America. “Tazo’s solid position in the fast-growing specialty tea segment, coupled with Unilever’s tea expertise, presents a fantastic growth opportunity.”
“TAZO® represents another strategic addition which strengthens our tea portfolio towards high growth segments. Its artfully crafted specialty teas perfectly complement our global tea business, which includes Lipton, Pure Leaf, PG Tips, T2 and our recent addition, Pukka,” said Kevin Havelock, President of Refreshment, Unilever.
*LTM 6/30/2017 Tazo Net Revenue is $112MM ($112,471,883). **Unilever calculation based in part on data reported by Nielsen through its ScanTrack Service for the tea category for the 52-week period ending 12/17/16, for the total U.S. market, xAOC, according to the Unilever custom product hierarchy.


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Demonitsation: Spas and parlors do brisk business with old notes
- Spas and beauty salons accepting old notes
- Business has increased by 20%
- Have attracted new customer base for their membership
While the queues seem endless at ATMs and banks, some businesses like spas and salons are doing brisk business by accepting old notes.
According to a report by the Economic Times, spas in Delhi and Bangalore, have seen a spike in their business.
From accepting old denominations for beauty and spa packages to products and more, and even attracting a new consumer base, the demonitization effect is a positive one for salons and spas.
“We are raising an invoice for every service offered, so accepting the currency notes is not an issue for us. People who are using the big demonination notes are the ones who are opting for the expensive services we offer at the salon.” Sushil Chandra, manager at Jawed Habib Hair and Beauty Salon, Khan Market told Economic Times.
Besides this, there have been many takers for their membership programmes. Under this, customers can avail services at a later date.


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Douglas Blakey reveals the 50 most innovative and powerful people in European digital financial services.
Douglas Blakey, editor of Retail Banker International and chair of The Digital Banking Club, is acting as chair of the judging panel. Other judges are:
- Alessandro Hatami – founder, The Pacemakers and former innovation director, Group Digital, LBG.
- Daryl Wilkinson – managing director, DWC.
- Fred Crawley – chair of the DBC for Collections.
- Jerry Mulle – sales and marketing director, ieDigital, and co-founder, DBC.
- Jonathan Minter – chair of the DBC for vehicle finance.
- Roy Vella – digital expert and consultant.
Personality of the Year
- Anne Boden – CEO, Starling Bank.
Digital Innovator – Collections
- Martin O’Donnell – Capquest, digital strategy lead.
Digital Innovator – Motor Finance
- Chris Rowthorn – MotoNovo Finance, COO.
Power 50 Winners
- Jason Bates – co-founder, 11:FS and Monzo.
- Tomasz Motyl – chief innovation officer, Alior Bank.
- Mark Culleton – head of channel adoption, Allied Irish Banks.
- Mark Mullen – chief executive, Atom Bank.
- Tamar Yassur – head of digital banking, Bank Leumi.
- Garvan Callan – director, strategy, digital & innovation, Bank of Ireland.
- Anna Znamirowska-Stączek – director, mobile banking, Bank Smart Poland.
- Paulette Rowe – MD payments, Barclaycard.
- Ramki Sankaranarayan – director, product management – digital banking, Barclaycard.
- Hilda Jenkins – digital experience and engagement director, Barclays.
- Teppo Paavola – chief development officer, BBVA.
- Rupert Lee Browne – chief executive, Caxton FX Ltd.
- Will Beeson – head of operations & innovation, Civilised Bank.
- Nick Ogden – executive chairman, ClearBank.
- David Fleming – digital director, Cooperative Bank.
- Spiros Margaris – senior advisor, F10 Fintech Incubator.
- Matthias Kroner – CEO, Fidor Bank.
- Sophie Guibaud – vice president European expansion, Fidor Bank.
- Duena Blomstrom – founder, Emotional Banking.
- Samir Samir Desai – founder, Funding Circle.
- Josh Bottomley – global head of digital, HSBC.
- David Urbano – director, ImaginBank.
- Carlos Sanchez – founder, ipagoo.
- Sebastian Siemiatskowski – CEO, Klarna.
- Claire Calmejane – director of innovation, Lloyds.
- Terry Cordeiro – head of product management transformation, Lloyds.
- Melissa Meshkat – head of digital, Marks and Spencer Bank.
- Jacek Iljin – managing director, mBank.
- Roberto Ferrari – chief digital and innovation officer, Mediobanca Group.
- Tom Blomfield – co-founder, Monzo.
- Gemma Godfrey – CEO and founder, Moola.
- Paul Horlock – director of payments, Nationwide.
- Eileen Burbidge – partner, Passion Capital.
- Hannah Nixon – MD, Payment Systems Regulator.
- Gary Wilkinson – CEO, Redwood Bank.
- Kevin Hanley – head of innovation, Royal Bank of Scotland.
- Blythe Masters – senior advisor blockchain, Santander.
- Marta Marin Romano – corporate head of multichannel, Santander.
- Michelle Kent – UK director of digital, Santander.
- Chris Gledhill – founder, Secco.
- Lotta Lovén – head of digital, Swedbank.
- Chris Adelsbach – managing director, Techstars.
- Alessandro Hatami – co-founder, The Pacemakers.
- George Bevis – founder and CEO, Tide.
- Pol Navarro – director of digital innovation & transformation, TSB.
- Daryl Wilkinson – director, customer propositions, Unity Trust Bank.
- Roy Vella – MD, Vella Ventures.
- Sabrina Del Prete – digital transformation director, Williams & Glyn – RBS.
- Giles Andrews – co-founder and executive chairman, Zopa.


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Initiative to identify Africa’s top tech disruptors
AYO Technology Solutions (AYO), in partnership with the SA Innovation Summit has launched the AYO Scaling Africa Series, an initiative aimed at empowering technopreneurs.
According to a statement from the organisers, the series will identify and support digital and tech businesses from South Africa – those that disrupt the ecosystem with novel ways to solve business and everyday needs for communities across Africa.
“The AYO Scaling Africa Series will provide Series A funding-seekers, with high growth strategies and a sustainable competitive advantage, a chance to build capacity and grow. It aims to provide exposure, access to new markets, funding and scaling opportunities, and business support. Entries open on 6 April 2021 and are open to technopreneurs across all industry verticals,” reads an excerpt from the statement.
The top five finalists will participate in a virtual pitching den in July and have the opportunity to share their stories in a roundtable discussion and showcase their offerings at the annual SA Innovation Summit event taking place on the 21-23 September 2021.
Audrey Verhaeghe, Chairperson of the SA Innovation Summit said: “The fast-growing digital entrepreneur is an agent of change on the continent of Africa, we are honoured to be showcasing them at the Summit in 2021”.
Up for grabs is a chance to win R100 000, to be considered for equity investment, gain exposure and market visibility for a business, as well as opportunities for funding and business support.
Jeni Kostova, Marketing Executive at AYO, who will also be on the selection committee, observed: “Africa is ripe for exponential growth accelerated by advancements in technology. This is already a well-established fact. However, although we are a continent of innovative minds and invention, accessing funds to scale a business is not always the easiest to achieve. This is where AYO comes in and we are therefore delighted to be partnering once again with the SA Innovation Summit, to lead the charge on taking innovation to the next level in South Africa, sustaining its growth and the positive impact in terms of the economic democracy technology can enable.”
A report entitled, ‘Africa Tech Venture Capital Report’ shows that 347 African tech start-ups raised US$1.4-billion in 2020. The report emphasises the need for increased collaboration to strengthen the continent’s start-up ecosystem.


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One of the biggest buzz of this year is about to come true. Come June 2014 and you did be able to see yet another Internet giant joining the arenaread more...
Apple Changes iOS 4.1 Released Date from September 8th to Coming Soon [Updated]
Today’s morning, we told you that Apple confirmed that iOS 4.1 will be released on September 8th. But now, Apple changed the release date from “September 8th” to “Coming Soon” on the UK and France websites of iPhone’s software update page. So what do you think?
Steve Jobs announced iOS 4.1 in his conference last Wednesday, and said that iOS 4.1 will be released “Next Week”, he didn’t mention exactly when. iOS 4.1 should bring a lot of feature to iPhone and iPod touch including Game Center, HDR photos, uploading videos via WiFi, and it fixes proximity sensor issues and Bluetooth connectivity system.
Update 1: Apple Releases iOS 4.1 for iPhone and iPod Touch here.
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Aston Martin is increasing power and improving the appearance of its next generation of exotic sports cars. Will this make the current models less seductive to buyers, tempting them to hold out for what is coming next? Who cares, they look amazing!
What will the next generation of Aston Martin flagships look like? Word is they could be much meaner.
Judging by reports and photos of the next generation of Aston Martin cars, they will certainly please current fans of the brand and attract new ones. Both the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Rapide S will be packing more power and be tweaked to look a bit meaner on the streets.


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A year in review and look ahead at the market Down Under. Editorial is provided by License! Global’s Australian content partner, The Bugg Report.
Talent agency N.S. Bienstock has been appointed as the licensing agent for Veria Living, a media brand devoted to health and wellness.
The new 3D Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction is set to open at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park this spring.
Motor oil brand Mobil 1 has partnered with NASCAR driver Tony Stewart to bring back the classic car film Smokey and The Bandit.
Scooby-Doo is joining forces with the North Shore Animal League America’s Tour for an animal adoption tour across the U.S.
The owner of Albertson’s grocers has announced plans to buy competitor chain Safeway in a transaction valued at $9 billion.
Women's sports apparel brand Tail Activewear has launched a new line of collegiate licensed merchandise.
Nine West, a division of The Jones Group, and the fashion magazine InStyle are expanding their limited edition footwear collaboration.
Xcel Brands has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Signal Brands to create a line of Isaac Mizrahi New York suitcases and travel accessories.
Striker Entertainment has tapped Next Games to create a mobile game based on the AMC’s zombie drama series “The Walking Dead.”
Reckitt Benckiser's Air Wick brand has launched the new Familiar Favorites air freshener collection inspired by the scents of brands.
1,800 brands from consumer goods categories like publishing, sports and food will be highlighted in the new Brands and Agents area of Licensing Expo.
American Kennel Club has appointed 4Licensing as the exclusive worldwide licensing agent for its portfolio of brands.
MGA Entertainment is planning Real Bratz, a U.S. advocacy campaign aimed at inspiring girls with messages of excellence.
The Joester Loria Group, licensing agent for PepsiCo North America, has secured a new food extension for SoBe Lifewater.
WWE has teamed up with The Bridge Direct for its first-ever range of construction toys.
Ice cream shop Baskin-Robbins has launched its first-ever line of freezer bars in partnership with Jel Sert.
Unilever is bringing Girl Scouts cookies to Breyers ice cream.
Guru Studio has appointed two new agents for its preschool series “Justin Time”-Knockout Licensing and Super RTL.
Zodiak Kids has tapped Wonder Forge for Tickety Toc games, in a deal brokered by Established Brands.
Nelvana Enterprises and Manhattan’s Hôtel Plaza Athénée are teaming up to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Babar with a yearlong promotion.
©2014 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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Japan's Computer Entertainment Suppliers Association (CESA) has announced final attendance totals for this year's Tokyo Game Show. The four day show, held from Thursday to Sunday, saw record attendance overall, but suffered drops from last year in general attendance.
Over the four day period, the show saw a total of 193,040 attendees. In comparison, last year's three day show saw attendance of 192,411.
This year, the first two days were business only, for press and members of the industry. 29,783 people made the trip out on the first day, followed by 32,390 on the second day. In comparison, last year's single business day saw a total of 39,645 attendees.
General attendance was way down on the first public day of the show. Compared to last year's 84,823 (12,246 with child tickets), the first day of this year's show saw just 64,795 attendees (11,829 child tickets). The second public day saw a slight drop, with 66,072 attendees (15,347 child tickets), down from 67,943 (10,637 child tickets).
The CESA was apparently expecting numbers similar to this. Despite the extra day, the firm had projected a total of 180,000 attendees.
As reason for the drop in interest, many point to the debut of the PS3 last year as having driven curious consumers to make the trip out to the show. In addition the Wii was shown for the first time at the show (although it wasn't playable) and big games like Blue Dragon also made their debut.
Next year's show is scheduled for early October 2008. Will a PS3 and Wii stuck in a heated battle for next generation supremacy get Japanese audiences to come out for a day of gaming?


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The Nokia 6 just went on sale for the first time in India and was sold out in less than 1 minute – just like it did in China.
The flash sale took place at Amazon India and had gathered more than 1 million registrations. The next flash sale is at 12PM on August 30 – exactly one week from now. The price of the phone is INR 14,999 ($235).
There’s no word yet how many devices were available in the flash sale.
Source | Via
Full Story (EN):More …
Prevod Srpski:Prevod teksta (SR)
Prevod Hrvatski:Prevod teksta (HR)


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Microsoft announced that it will begin selling the Xbox One without the Kinect last week. The dis-Kinected console will hit retail on June 9 for $399 in North America and £349 in the UK. Following the news, GameStop began offering special trade-in prices for Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles in exchange for in-store credit towards the cheaper Xbox One. Microsoft also revealed that it will no longer keep media streaming app like Netflix and Hulu Plus behind its Xbox Live paywall, though it confirmed to Joystiq that free-to-play and subscription-based games such as The Elder Scrolls Online would still require the paid Xbox Live subscription to play.
"The good news for us is it sells more units. We'll sell a lot more units, because like we shared earlier, we're driving a lot of the growth, and that means there will be more [Xbox One] units out there to put software on," Bartel added. GameStop reported total global sales of $2 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2014 (ending May 3, 2014), which amounted to a seven percent increase year-over-year.
- Key specs
- Game format Optical disc, Downloadable
- Online features Multiplayer, Voice chat, Video chat, Store, Browser
- Drive capacity 500 GB
- Controller type Wired, Wireless
- Motion controls Camera / optical
- Video outputs HDMI
- Released 2013-11-22


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2 Sisters: UK food security is under threat and the shopper ultimately loses
Ranjit Singh Boparan, the owner of 2 Sisters Food Group and Bernard Matthews, says the decision taken by a major UK supplier will ultimately compound the food inflation environment for shoppers and his businesses will have no choice but to swallow the increases.
Mr Boparan said: “This is a price shock just like we’ve seen with energy and all companies and households are feeling the pain right now. What is very sad is that it’s the UK shopper who will ultimately pay the price and CO2 suppliers are, in effect, holding consumers hostage.”
CO2 is a vital component in food production. It is used in the despatch of poultry and in packaging to extend shelf-life. CO2 is also vital in cooling systems for refrigeration purposes.
According to 2 Sisters analysis, the UK uses approximately 2000 tonnes of CO2 a day. With plants in Billingham and Wilton due for imminent closure, this accounts for 1300 tonnes alone. The current import capacity from Europe is around 600 tonnes, resulting in a huge supply squeeze and a £1m a week on-cost.
Mr Boparan added: “This is a very serious situation we are facing. Once again, UK food security is under threat and the shopper ultimately loses - we simply have no choice other than to pay to keep supply. C02 suppliers are saying these increases happen immediately. They say it’s a take it or leave it situation.
“When poultry cannot be processed, it means birds must be kept on farms where there is a potential implication for animal welfare. The overall effect is welfare is compromised, and there is a reduced supply. My businesses are resilient, and we will navigate our way through this current CO2 crisis in partnership with our customers and suppliers. But make no mistake - negotiation is not an option here with the suppliers.”
Mr Boparan has urged the Government to take the current crisis seriously. He added: “This is clearly a National Security issue and has to be dealt with as a matter of urgency. I’d like to see an acknowledgement of the problem and action to regulate the CO2 market, or at least consider price capping.”
Twelve months ago, Mr Singh made his first public intervention on the CO2 supply issue, arguing the crisis, coupled with the continuing lack of labour supply, could jeopardise food supplies and ruin Christmas.
In September 2021, a commercial decision by CF Industries to halt fertiliser production at two plants in the UK (at Stockton-on-Tees and Ince in Cheshire) – where CO2 is the main byproduct – meant normal food processing and production plants owned by Mr Boparan was under threat.
At the time, Mr Boparan said: I’d like to see CO2 supplies prioritised for the food sector so UK supply can be maintained and for the Government to support these fertilizer plants who are saying they’ve switched off because of the rising price of natural gas. It really beggars belief when such a key infrastructure operation can arbitrarily decide to switch off the taps because of price inflation. It is irresponsible and catastrophic for our sector. We can’t just down tools because of inflation. In my businesses, you have to roll up your sleeves as best you can and tackle it head on. Giving up and saying ‘inflation is too high’ is not an option.”
A 616,000 head (-4.3%) contraction in the female breeding flock accounted for most of the total r...


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Launched in March 2015 to tackle the interconnected problems of food waste and hunger, 412 Food Rescue recently celebrated a major milestone: 10 million pounds of food rescued. That’s the amount of good food that the tech nonprofit has prevented from being wasted by redirecting it to households in poverty and nonprofits serving food-insecure populations in western Pennsylvania. Since this March, 412 Food Rescue has also rapidly adapted its operations to respond to emergency food needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Focusing on the logistical challenges of retail food recovery, where 40 percent of food waste occurs, 412 Food Rescue uses its eponymous app to coordinate a flexible network of volunteer food recovery drivers, called Food Rescue Heroes, who pick up surplus food from grocery stores and restaurants and deliver it to the places where it is most needed. 412 Food Rescue works with 800 food retailers, 600 nonprofit partners and over 12,000 volunteer drivers in the Pittsburgh area alone.
In March, 412 Food Rescue began pivoting to help those hardest-hit by the pandemic and its economic fallout in Western Pennsylvania. The organization launched a home delivery service and was recognized by Fast Company magazine with a World Changing Ideas award.
412 Food Rescue’s new Home Delivery services have enabled volunteers to bring food directly to 1,500 vulnerable households, mostly seniors and those experiencing mobility challenges. The organization also launched Community Takeout to financially support local restaurants and service workers while providing 15,000 meals for people in need. Partnering with several local nonprofits, the 412 Food Rescue team also coordinated food delivery to school bus stops, bringing 24,000 meals within safe walking distance of students who depend on free and reduced lunch programs.
Contributing to these efforts have been the 2,800 new volunteers who have downloaded the app since March in Pittsburgh alone.
The technology platform is also licensed by food rescue organizations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Vancouver, B.C. The nonprofit aims to serve 100 cities by 2030, recruiting 1 million food rescue heroes by the end of the decade.
“We have always strived to be not just a platform, but a movement,” says 412 CEO Leah Lizarondo. “Solving these huge problems of food waste and hunger requires all of us to stay engaged, and it has been thrilling to see our communities rise to the challenge, especially in recent months. Even amidst social distancing, we are more connected than ever.”
She adds, “It has been a joy rescuing our first 10 million pounds of food with the people of greater Pittsburgh, and we look forward to many million more.”