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Mark Zuckerberg is known by the internet as being anything other than human. However, on Tuesday 27 April, the very man who holds the key to our data and arguably how we function as a society has shown signs of humility, announcing a set of new Instagram features. These tools could allow smaller businesses and content creators to be rewarded fairly for their work, allowing brands to collaborate outside of the sphere of influencers who have followings in the millions.
Instagram has announced several new tools to assist influencers to make more of an income off its platform. These features will include creator shops, affiliate commerce and a branded content marketplace, Zuck announced during his live stream with Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram. “We see a lot of creators setting up shops too, and one part of being a content creator business model is you create great content, and then you can swell stuff, and so having creator shops is awesome,” he added.
Although the release date is still unclear, ‘creator shops’ will be an extension of the platform’s already existing shopping feature, which allows businesses to sell products straight from the app. The marketplace will help match brands with creators whose content fits the audiences they’re trying to reach—potentially leading smaller influencers and content creators with niche audiences to finally land big partnerships. If everything goes to plan, this new feature could be a game-changer for the influencer industry.
During the same live stream, Mosseri also noted that the goal of the marketplace would be for Instagram to help brands discover emerging creators. “We should be able to help brands find creators that are uniquely aligned with the work they’re trying to do and vice versa,” he said.
Zuckerberg then went on to say how the new features could help enable up and coming talent to monetise and earn revenue from their content—noting it would help create a “creator middle class.” Presumably, he’s referring to content creators with a following above the average Instagram user but falling below the big-name influencers landing brand deals with international multi-million companies.
Although what he meant by this phrase is anyone’s guess, in keeping with his classic vague and unhuman style, Facebook’s CEO didn’t disclose how these deals might be structured. On the other hand, he did hint that the plan is to offer “very favourable terms” for influencers. He also added that they were “not building this from the perspective of us trying to make a lot of money.”
Okay, Zuck, it’s a nice gesture but we’ll have to believe it when we see it. It hasn’t even been two years since his company was slapped with a $5 billion fine over privacy violations which saw users at a “serious risk of harm”. But then again, everyone deserves a second chance, right? Or a third, fourth, or fifth one… right?
The announcement of these new features could shake up the platform as we know it. It could, if implemented correctly, shift the way influencers monetise their following on the platform. It’s not revolutionary—many of Instagram’s top creators, some of who amass a following in the millions, already run online shops and form partnerships with big brands. However, a lot of these partnerships happen off the platform, behind closed doors, leaving many influencers who have a moderately sizeable following one step behind.
These new features, particularly the branded content marketplace, could be a powerful tool to bridge the gap. It could make it easier for smaller content creators and businesses to land deals with brands. On the flip side, it will also give Instagram more control over its creator ecosystem and will incentivise influencers to spend more time on Instagram and less time on competing platforms. Ah, the “it’s not about the money” statement makes more sense now—it’s not about the money; it’s about keeping you on the platform while warding off competitors. Same-same, but different.
These new features are definitely something to watch; they could shake up the influencer ecosystem as we know it, which currently leans heavily towards those lucky enough to have an impressive amount of followers, leading in turn to numerous brand deals and big money. It’s welcome news for the next generation of content creators, entrepreneurs and small businesses and, hopefully, would allow smaller creatives to be fairly rewarded for their hard work. Could Mark’s Zucktatorship finally benefit someone else than the Kardashians? Let’s see about that.
A little over six months have passed since Instagram and fellow social media platforms have implemented the Sensitivity Screens feature in an attempt to censor images and videos representing and promoting self-harm. While the initiative initially only included photographic and video material, it has now been extended to censor drawings, illustrations, cartoons, and memes depicting or describing methods of self-harm and suicide.
The announcement followed the on-going call for action by Ian Russell, father of 14-year-old Molly Russell—the British teenager who committed suicide in 2017, whose Instagram and Pinterest accounts contained graphic material featuring self-harm. Throughout his campaign, Ian Russell has openly linked his daughter’s tragic death to Instagram’s lack of regulation when it comes to the spread of harmful content. He stated on several occasions that Instagram has played an evident role in Molly’s spiralling mental health: letting her entering an echo-chamber of hashtags, images, and groups encouraging self-harm and linking it to suicide.
By now, we all know how the algorithm works, one post about depression might be only a few hashtags away from others about suicide. As we naively scroll down our feed, it can be easier than expected to spiral into a hole of graphic imagery of cutting and bruising. This normalisation of self-harm could easily trigger a particularly vulnerable person. According to Russell, who has researched his daughter’s digital presence in search for answers, Pinterest was sending Molly automated emails featuring disturbing material. This evidently proves that social media platforms were not doing enough to block the spreading and sharing of disturbing content.
In an attempt to stem the proliferation of toxic content and the unforeseen consequences that self-violence images are having on users, Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, is improving the company’s effort to tackle the issue, by expanding the already existing ban to drawing and illustrations as well. Earlier this year, Instagram changed its policies and invested in new technologies that allowed the platform to block double the content, with 77 per cent of content being removed before even being reported. “To help us stay aware of new trends or cultural nuances, we meet every month with academics and experts on suicide and self-harm. (…) In the UK, we are working with the Samaritans on an industry-wide effort to shape new guidelines to help people in distress. Outside of Europe, we also have additional technology that helps us proactively find people who might be in need. We want to bring this to Europe but there are important legal considerations under EU law, so we’re working with our European regulator,” Mosseri said in an official statement.
But the ban also comes with some side effects. The Sensitivity Screen feature has also affected accounts promoting mental-health awareness and fighting the stigma surrounding the issue. Many profiles that use illustrations to educate and spread information on mental health, ended up having their posts banned due to the new regulations. As much as it’s necessary to prevent people from being exposed to harmful content, it’s equally fundamental to let users share their experiences and have a medium to reach out for help.
Once again, the elements responsible for mental health issues and suicides among teenagers are uncountable, and solely blaming Instagram would be a feeble attempt at simplifying an incredibly complex issue. Having said that, social media platforms have a responsibility when it comes to self-regulation, and the work of people such as Molly’s father shows how crucial it is to push aside social networks’ agenda and force platforms to regulate themselves more carefully. But Adam Mosseri and his team are not the only ones who have the obligation to make Instagram a safe place—users must scrutinise the social media platforms they use as well, and signal harmful content as soon as they come across it.


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Tesla shares dropped 5 percent Friday, a day after CEO Elon Musk sent out a tweet that appeared to mock the Securities and Exchange Commission, with whom Musk is trying to settle allegations of fraud.
Musk sent the tweet hours after the judge handling his settlement agreement with the SEC ordered both parties to explain why the court should approve it.
Musk and Tesla each agreed to pay separate $20 million fines to settle allegations that Musk misled investors in early August by tweeting that he had “already secured” funding to take Tesla private. As part of the settlement, Musk will step down as Tesla’s chairman for three years but will remain CEO and retain a seat on the board. The deal also requires that Tesla put in place a system for monitoring Musk’s public communications about the company, including his tweets.
Tesla was not immediately available for comment. The company’s stock has been volatile throughout much of 2018 and is down more than 12 percent this year. It reached a 52-week high of $387.46 on Aug. 7 when Musk tweeted his plan to take Tesla private. The stock fell as low as $260.56 the day after the SEC filed charges against him, and then climbed as high as $311.44 on Monday, two days after the parties agreed to settle.
As of Friday morning, shares were trading at about $268.
The post Tesla shares drop 5% after Musk mocks SEC on Twitter appeared first on USNewsRank.

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When legislators answer their home phone this weekend, they may get an earfull from a smoker. Most Iowa grocery stores are handing out fliers to people who buy cigarettes, urging them to ask their lawmakers to reject the proposed hike in the cigarette tax. The fliers list the names and home phone numbers of legislators. Iowa Grocery Industry Association president Jerry Fleagle says raising the cigarette tax may hurt many grocery stores. He says grocery stores in Iowa’s border areas now enjoy a “competitive advantage” because cigarettes are cheaper here when compared to neighboring states which have higher taxes. Fleagle says if the tax goes up, some customers will go across the border to another store to buy their smokes. Fleagle says it’s a “double whammy” because most people who go into a store to buy cigarettes usually buy something else while they’re there. Over one-thousand grocery stores are distributing the fliers to customers who buy smokes. “We’re letting people…that consume tobacco products…(know about) the tax increases that are being proposed and what they can do about it,” Fleagle says. “We’re just supplying…them with information that they can talk with their state legislators on.” The fliers are also being distributed to people who buy cigarettes at Casey’s stores around the state.
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Krones Inc. has launched the Krones Process Group North America to provide a more cohesive offering to the beverage, dairy, and food industries in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. The company’s holistic offering combines over 165 years of industry experience in design and implementation of turnkey process systems, including engineering, automation, installation, distribution, and lifecycle service.
With the launch comes the consolidation of W.M. Sprinkman’s production capabilities into its Elroy, WI facility and Trans Market’s Tampa, FL location. While the W.M. Sprinkman Waukesha facility is planning to close, its sales, engineering, and administrative functions will continue in the Waukesha/Milwaukee area. Other Krones Process Group North American offices will remain at their current New York, Florida, Texas, and California locations. The realignment is intended to further strengthen operational efficiencies with the launch of Krones Process Group North America.
“When we decided to acquire three process technology companies several years ago, we already had the vision of a strong, combined, high performing processing group in mind,” says Holger Beckmann, CEO of Krones Inc. “With our wide-ranging expertise and highest commitment to customer satisfaction, we expect to further grow the process technology segment in the future.”
PACK EXPO Connects – November 9-13. Now more than ever, packaging and processing professionals need solutions for a rapidly changing world, and the power of the PACK EXPO brand delivers the decision makers you need to reach. Attendee registration is open now.


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Mobile payment provider Bango says its integration with Facebook is now live, enabling the social network to bill customers via their mobile networks in the UK, Germany and the USA.
The partnership was first announced in February and will be expanded to work in other countries later this year.
The vast majority of tablet computing devices - including the Apple iPad and the Amazon Kindle Fire - are not made by the company whose name appears on the device. Instead they’re made by contract or outsourced manufacturers based in Asia, according to a new report from IHS iSuppli.
It’s calculated that around nine out of every 10 media tablets will be outsourced this year.
Say what you like about the Apple iPhone 5, it’s certainly a popular phone.
Apple has just announced the new iPhone 5 has sold over five million units within the first three days of launch. In addition, more than 100 million existing iOS devices - iPhones, iPads and iPods - have been updated with the company’s new iOS 6 mobile operating system.
Apple has been named as the UK’s coolest brand, according to the 2012 CoolBrands survey. The annual survey combines votes from an independent ‘expert council’ with the opinions of around 3,000 members of the public.
Approximately 1,250 brands were shortlisted for the survey, which considers factors including style, innovation, originality, authenticity, desirability and uniqueness.
New research from Rackspace suggests the UK could be spending up to £1.1 billion per year extra
A new study suggests that online impulse purchases in the UK may have increased by £1.1 billion a year as a result of the shopping convenience offered by smartphones and tablet computers.
The figures from Rackspace Hosting indicate that 48% of UK adults who use smartphones or tablets for online shopping admit they’re buying things on impulse more frequently by using their handheld devices, resulting in an average £329 extra spent per person per year.


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Published February 10, 2010, Los Angeles Daily Journal – Is Toyota’s widely-publicized gas pedal recall the appropriate remedy that everyone has been waiting for, or is this merely a quick-fix approach to cover up a deeper rooted problem with its runaway cars? One thing is sure: With sales of eight models halted, and its pristine image for quality heavily dented, the manufacturer is desperate to get out of the death spiral that could shake its very core.
Good cause exists to question the manufacturer’s actions. Reports indicate that since 1999, Toyota and Lexus vehicles have been involved in 815 accidents related to sudden acceleration, resulting in 19 deaths – more than all other vehicle manufacturers combined. As the problem mounted, Toyota initially blamed the problem on poorly-designed floor mats, resulting in a recall of 5.5 million vehicles. Then, as the problem seemed to continue, Toyota changed its position and blamed a faulty gas pedal design for the problem, resulting in a recall of another 2.3 million vehicles and the suspension of sales for eight of its vehicles altogether.
But, CTS Corp., the supplier who has manufactured the gas pedals since 2005 and who is the primary recipient of Toyota’s blame, casts serious doubt on whether its products are to blame. As CTS points out, the sudden-acceleration problem dates back to 1999, years before CTS began supplying the gas pedal. It is also of note that CTS has been honored three times by Toyota since 2005 for exceeding quality expectations.
More doubt is cast on Toyota’s gas pedal fix by reviewing the U.S. vehicle safety records of the runaway vehicles. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, of the 2,000-plus complaints of sudden acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles from motorists, only 5% cited a sticking gas pedal as the source of the problem. The Los Angeles Times further reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the U.S. agency that governs federal vehicle safety, has conducted eight investigations into sudden-acceleration problems with Toyota vehicles over the past seven years, and found that none of the incidents were caused by a sticking gas pedal.
So, what is the problem? Some automotive safety experts fear that it is a latent defect in the vehicles’ electronic throttle system. And, this would explain why the problem is identified by vehicle owners as sudden acceleration, as opposed to the vehicle remaining at a constant speed when the gas pedal is no longer depressed. If a vehicle was traveling 65 miles per hour and the gas pedal stuck at that position, the car would continue traveling at that same rate of speed after the driver’s foot was removed from the gas pedal. A problem to be sure, but not the main issue complained of by motorists. Case in point is the August 2009 incident where off-duty California Highway Patrol officer, Mark Saylor’s, 2009 Lexus ES 300 accelerated to 120 miles per hour before smashing into the back of a SUV and bursting into flames, killing four occupants of the vehicle. One more important fact: The Lexus ES 300 is not one of the vehicles that are subject to the Toyota stop-sale.
If the actual problem is, in fact, a latent defect in the electronic throttle system, this could prove to be a much more costly and lengthy fix than simply adding a metal shim to the back of a gas pedal. Could Toyota be taking a course of action that puts economics ahead of human life? It would not be the first time a manufacturer has taken such a tact.
In the early 1970’s, Ford Motor Company was accused of knowingly allowing a dangerous gas tank design to be released on its popular Ford Pinto. After several Pintos exploded when struck from behind, resulting in numerous fatalities, Ford came under attack for not issuing a recall. However, concern turned to anger when it was alleged that Ford was said to have conducted a cost-benefit analysis, weighing the cost to repair the known faulty vehicles versus the cost of paying out the damage claims that were expected to arise. Nearly forty years later, the incident is still often referred to as an “episode of great corporate malfeasance.”
So what of Toyota’s decision to lay blame at the doorstep of the floor mat and gas pedal? Well, it’s highly questionable. While this may address the situation, much of the evidence points to a contrary – and potentially much more costly – problem. The question remains whether this is really a genuine effort to correct the problem, or whether it is an effort to show some kind of wide-scale solution that will enable the company to start selling cars again. This would certainly not be the first time Toyota has distorted the facts in favor of economic gain.
Whatever the case with the gas pedal fix, one thing is certain: If Toyota gets it wrong, it could very well turn a significant problem into a catastrophic one. One can only hope that all of the evidence pointing to this being an inappropriate wrong fix is wrong, and that this dark episode in consumer safety will be closed forever.


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- Alibaba inventory misplaced 1.8% to shut at $93.71 on Thursday.
- BABA shares bought off on the open on Friday however steadily achieve steam.
- SEC and Chinese language regulators have turn out to be optimistic over itemizing challenge.
Alibaba (BABA) inventory has begun to reclaim floor in Friday’s late morning commerce. Within the first hour, BABA bought off greater than 3.1% however is now buying and selling on the time of writing down 0.6% at $93.18. Shares of the e-commerce chief in China misplaced 1.8% to shut at $93.71 on Thursday. This was a lot better than a few of its friends as Chinese language shares have been discounted for the reason that authorities introduced a covid lockdown within the main industrial metropolis of Chengdu.
Alibaba inventory information
Alibaba has its operations dispersed throughout China, so it could be much less affected by a lockdown than another corporations. Moreover, e-commerce gross sales have typically spiked throughout lockdown situations previously.
This newest weak point in BABA shares is uncommon since two lengthy overhanging points have turn out to be kind of resolved previously month. First, SoftBank stated it might promote half of its stake in Alibaba to shore up capital after shedding badly on this yr’s tech sell-off. That information on August 11 led the inventory to realize as traders put this anticipated piece of stories behind them.
Second, worries over a potential delisting of its US shares has additionally simply been brushed apart. The SEC’s Public Firm Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has been scheduled to assessment Alibaba‘s inside audits starting in mid-September. With out being given entry to those public firm audits, the SEC stated earlier in the summertime that it must take away a whole bunch of Chinese language stocks from US exchanges. Now that this weight has been lifted via a preliminary cope with Chinese language regulators, the markets have anticipated BABA shares to start a reversal again towards $300 when its regulatory points started.
The PCAOB has sole discretion to pick out companies at will for audit critiques and challenge fines with out enter from Chinese language authorities, which is a primary within the nations’ relationship.
Alibaba inventory forecast
BABA inventory nonetheless faces many of the similar support and resistance ranges. The 9-day transferring common has lately overtaken the 21-day transferring common, so regardless of the latest sell-off, it appears a specific section of traders stays enthused.
A bullish goal for Alibaba share value is the August 26 vary excessive at $104.85. If that may be taken out, then the year-long $109.76 stage is the following in line. After that, the $120 stage that has lengthy offered severe resistance stands in the way in which. On the draw back, $82 and $78 stay two websites out there for assist. Slight assist will also be discovered for round $88.
BABA each day chart
The creator owns shares of BABA.


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Lula Hypermarket and Oxford Business Group team up for latest project
Doha, July 25, 2021: A new Covid-19 Response Report produced by Oxford Business Group (OBG) in partnership with the retail chain Lula Hypermarket, maps out Qatar’s successful efforts to strengthen food security and enhance self-sufficiency by stepping up domestic production capacity and easing reliance on imports.
Titled “Food Security in Qatar”, the report provides in-depth analysis of the topic, ranging from food production to retail, in an easy-to-navigate and accessible format, supported by key data and infographics.
The report explores Qatar’s preparedness for the food security challenges that accompanied the pandemic, which led to a sharpened focus on agri-tech solutions, such as vertical farming and hydroponic techniques.
The report is now ready to view and download at https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/news/report-how-has-covid-19-pandemic-impacted-qatars-food-security
In this section, subscribers will find coverage of the key role earmarked for food retailers in supporting Qatari farmers as they look to scale up production and move their goods to market quickly and efficiently.
With lifestyle-related diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, a concern, the report also considers the part that food retailers could play in ensuring healthy food options are widely available at affordable prices.
Other topical issues explored include the expansion of e-commerce offerings, which accelerated during the pandemic and are expected to support food security goals over time by ensuring essential food items are always available.
The report charts the critical role Lulu is playing in Qatar’s efforts to meet its self-sufficiency
targets, which include engaging closely with domestic famers to ensure a consistent and quality supply of local produce in its stores.
It also looks in detail at the measures Lulu implemented to keep both staff and shoppers safe during the pandemic, which included maintaining strict social distancing, implementing personal protection and hygiene procedures, and providing e-commerce and digital payment options.
In addition, the report includes an interview with Mohamed Althaf, Lulu Group International’s Director, in which he shares his thoughts on several topical issues, including the lessons Qatar learned from the trade restrictions imposed by some Gulf neighbours in 2017 ahead of the pandemic.
“Qatar diversified its sources of food imports, recalibrated various supply chains, upgraded logistics capabilities with a new port, streamlined cargo movements at the airport, and enhanced storage and cold-chain facilities,” he said. “As a result, the country was in a relatively resilient position in terms of food security when the pandemic began.”
Jana Treeck, OBG’s Managing Director for the Middle East, said Qatar’s food security initiatives dovetail well with global initiatives and targets from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, while its efforts to diversify the national economy were already delivering results before the Covid-19 outbreak.
“The pandemic has sharpened the focus on food security and the challenges relating to it, with the September 2021 UN Food Systems Summit expected to strengthen international engagement on how to combat this topical issue,” Treeck said. “Against this backdrop, we expect to see a rapid expansion in the global agri-tech market, with Qatar, alongside other markets in the Gulf, ripe for investment.”
The report on food security in Qatar forms part of a series of tailored reports that OBG is currently producing with its partners, alongside other highly relevant, go-to research tools, including a range of country-specific Growth and Recovery Outlook articles and interviews.
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Israeli based cannabis marketplace, Telegrass, has announced that they will begin allowing bitcoin payments.
Bitcoin is a form of electronic cash that transfers digital currency without a central bank or single administrator.
The announcement, which was made via social media, also explained that the company will begin charging sellers for some services.
Sellers will be able to promote their stock in one state for free, but they will have to pay to extend their range to other states.
The funds accumulated from the bitcoin transactions will go towards the paying of the staff, who have been working on a volunteer basis. It will also go towards promoting further public legalization efforts.
Telegrass is the largest cannabis community market in Israel and it promotes the legalization of recreational cannabis use in Israel on a network that connects buyers and sellers. It currently has more than 100,000 members.
Although recreational cannabis is going through snail pace decriminalization process, the cannabis market continues to grow. Israel is the home to many agricultural companies who have broadened their horizons by supplying pharmacies around the world with medical marijuana.[share-btn]


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MADISON, Miss. — The Alarm Co., a security provider based here, has joined Honeywell’s First Alert Professional Dealer Program.
Established in 1989, The Alarm Co. provides a variety of security and low-voltage system solutions to residences throughout the central Mississippi region. The company, which specializes in burglar and fire alarms, CCTV surveillance systems, access control solutions, home theaters and A/V systems, recently opened a retail store to provide the public easier access to its security, A/V and installation products.
Joining the First Alert Dealer program will help the firm better serve its customers and stay abreast of industry trends, according to The Alarm Co. Owner Tony Collums.
“Becoming a First Alert Professional Dealer will help us continue to build on our industry expertise,” he says. “It gives us the opportunity to collaborate across the largest dealer network in the country.”
The independent security dealer network has more than 500 participating installing security contractors nationwide. The program provides customized support in sales techniques and marketing strategies for intrusion, fire, video surveillance and access control systems in commercial and residential facilities.
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NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — How low will they go? The price war between Sprint and T-Mobile continues to rage on.
Sprint slashed the cost of its iPhone Forever plan to $1 a month for a 16 GB iPhone 6S on Thursday, and $5 a month for a 16 GB iPhone 6S Plus. The catch is you have to trade-in an iPhone 6.
The iPhone Forever plan lets customers lease iPhones from Sprint, and upgrade to a new device whenever Apple releases a new smartphone. Regular price for a 22-month commitment with a trade-in is $22 a month, and $27 a month.
Sprint’s latest deal comes just a few days after T-Mobile announced a huge deal of its own upgrade-anytime “Jump On Demand” plan.
T-Mobile cut its monthly Jump On Demand price from more than $25 a month to $5 a month for an iPhone 6S on Tuesday. The company also cut the price for the iPhone 6S Plus from about $31 a month to $9 a month.
Like Sprint, T-Mobile will only give you the promotional price with the trade-in of an iPhone 6. But, T-Mobile lets you upgrade up to three times per year — whether you want a new iPhone or any other smartphone.
The price wars have heated up as carriers have given up on two-year contracts. Cell phones no longer universally cost $200, and switching between wireless companies is easier. That means the deals have come pouring in.
Though Verizon and AT&T aren’t racing to the bottom on price, both are offering up to $300 ($400 on Verizon) for switching to their service and trading in an old smartphone. That gets you within striking distance of Sprint and T-Mobile’s monthly costs when spread out over the course of two years.
TM & © 2015 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.


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A credit crunch in sub-Saharan Africa is deepening the region’s on-going economic downturn, warns a new report by the Overseas Development Institute.
The ODI has estimated that private credit growth in the region has fallen to 7% in 2016, less than half of the 2014 peak of 15%. This is worse for oil exporters where, the report estimates, 2016 credit growth is 0.5%. This means that there is effectively no new private lending taking place in real terms.
The report, ‘The sub-Saharan Africa economic downturn and its impact on financial development’, also highlights how private international finance has become scarce and expensive. It warns Brexit is likely to make this worse by causing risk aversion in international financial markets. Savings are also being rapidly used up.
Report author Judith Tyson, Research Fellow at the Overseas Development Institute, said: ‘The collapse in oil prices and the slowdown in China that has driven the economic downturn in sub-Saharan Africa is now having a significant impact on financial markets in the region.
'We are seeing private finance for development in sub-Saharan Africa becoming more scarce and expensive which will have a negative effect on both short and long term growth.’
The report details how these trends have been strongest in oil-exporting countries, including Nigeria, and how failures in governance at public and private institutions in Kenya, Ghana and Mozambique added to the poor financial conditions.
The report goes on to warn that finance that is available is being used in sectors which have little impact on growth including extractives and middle-class consumer finance.
This is depriving manufacturing, trade and agriculture – the key sectors for economic growth and job creation – of the finance they need to grow.
Dr Tyson said: ‘There is a need for stronger policy to direct the scarce finance that is available into the priority sectors for economic growth rather than allow it to be frittered away.’
As well as improved credit policy, the report outlines a number of recommendations for policy-makers to in order to address the difficult financial conditions including:
- Greater anti-cyclical financing by governments and international financial institutions
- Improved macro prudential policy which is tailored for the sub-Saharan African context; and
- International co-operation to tackle illicit capital flows
Notes to editors
- The report ‘The sub-Saharan African economic downturn and its impact on financial development’ is to be published on Friday, July 15
- ODI estimates of 2016 credit growth figures are based on central bank or other regulator figures available for March-June 2016 including financial stability reports, periodic statements and one-off press statements and internal data from supervisory reports
- The figure for SSA credit growth in 2014 comes from the IMF’s World Economic Outlook database
For more information, to request a copy of the report or to interview the author Judith Tyson please contact James Rush on 07808 791265 or email [email protected]


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The new ad program would charge clients for every email address (or other piece of user data) they collect. The program is attractive to campaigns eager for that information, so when a staffer at the National Republican Senatorial Committee saw what appeared to be an Obama ad built on this technology on the RealClearPolitics website last month, she emailed a Google sales rep to ask about creating a similar ad campaign for Republicans.
The saleswoman, Sirene Abou-Chakra, replied by suggesting that Obama had a special deal.
“This is a pre-alpha product that is being released to a select few clients,” she wrote in an email, referring to the first stage of a product’s roll-out. “I’d be happy to get you into the beta if you’re interested.”
A similar email went out to at least one other Republican digital media firm, a Republican source said.
“It certainly raises some red flags that the Obama campaign appears to have been given special access to a new online advertising product,” said NRSC communications director Brian Walsh in response to an inquiry from POLITICO.
But Google spokesman Jake Parrilo denied strenuously that the Obama campaign had been granted special access to the pilot program, and chalked the email up to inaccurate “puffery” by the sales representative. The ad that appeared on RealClearPolitics, he said, was not a Google ad at all.
“This is an experiment and while we generally do not comment on those experiments we can tell you that we have not sold a single CPL [cost-per-lead] ad unit to any political candidates or committees,” said Parrillo.
And Obama campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt seconded the company’s account that the campaign had not purchased any ads or enrolled in the Google pilot program.
Google, whose chairman and former CEO Eric Schmidt was an informal adviser and support of Obama and sits on the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, has been accused in the past of favoring the White House. The Federal Trade Commission dropped an investigation into the company after a major privacy breach, leading some Republican groups to cry for an investigation — even as Google agreed to a tough 20-year FTC settlement on a second privacy breach.
After POLTICO asked Google about the suggestion of a special deal for the campaign, a Google spokesman forwarded a reporter correspondence between the company and the NRSC, charging - inaccurately - that the committee had been the source of POLITICO’s information.
The forward prompted Walsh to add that he is “concerned that Google shared a private email exchange with our committee and their company with the media.”
The pilot program at issue is a new type of digital advertising that Google appears to be preparing to launch in the third quarter of 2011.
“It’s a cost-effective, easy and scalable way to generate leads,” boasted Google in a marketing document about their new product. “Fewer steps for users means they’re more likely to complete your lead form.”
Parrillo told POLITICO that the Republican and the Democratic political ad sales teams at Google are kept separate and are unaware of the other side’s projects or deals.


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LAS VEGAS--Hulu CEO Jason Kilar was trying to make a point about why Hulu is Hollywood's best option against online piracy. But he needed something to illustrate copyright violations.
That was when YouTube appeared.
During a presentation Wednesday at the National Association of Broadcasters 2008 conference, Kilar stood in front of an image of a YouTube Web page that featured a clip from the TV show Felicity. Kilar told the audience, "the only way to get (Felicity) is from unauthorized sources."
He noted that at Hulu, TV and film companies could promote their content online using high-quality video and enable fans to share it legally. The message was unmistakable: Hulu is a better place for content owners to post videos than YouTube.
It wasn't that long ago that executives from both companies downplayed any rivalry. They said that Hulu focused on long-form, professionally made content, and YouTube, acquired by Google in 2006, was built on short, user-generated clips. That fantasy is obviously being dropped, at least by Hulu.
Anybody operating an online video destination competes with YouTube. The site casts an enormous shadow as people go there for entertainment, news, political discourse, you name it. Most importantly, few other video sites have acquired audiences large enough to attract big advertisers.
Naturally, Hulu must endeavor to cut into some of YouTube's market share if it hopes to one day acquire a big audience of its own.
But this is what Hulu is up against: ComScore estimates thatin February were at YouTube. And YouTube denies that Hulu owns any advantage at helping content owners cash in on their content.
"We're happy to partner with any and all content creators to do with their content as they wish; monetize it, track it, or pull it off the site," Ricardo Reyes, a YouTube spokesman told the Associated Press.
NBC Universal, which jointly owns Hulu with News Corp., has also taken up the fight and has been playing up the differences between Hulu and YouTube.
Last week, Jeff Zucker, president of NBC Universal,of its ad inventory only a month after opening to the public. He then took a thinly veiled dig at YouTube.
"to be on something where you know what you get," Zucker said, "and not on something where you could be advertising (next to a video of) a cat on a skateboard."
At NAB, Kilar told the audience, with the YouTube Web page still behind him, that unauthorized copyright clips posted to the Web didn't make content owners money. Hulu, on the other hand, offered video producers a way to monetize their video content while still enabling them to share it.
Like YouTube, Hulu users can embed their video player anywhere on the Internet. Hulu videos have been embedded more than 100,000 times on more than 12,000 Web sites, Killar said.
The start-up also has deals with 50 content partners, including, MGM, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros., and Lionsgate. Kilar said that Hulu continues to try to convince ABC, Viacom, and CBS to join as well.
Hulu is barely getting off the ground, but NBC and News Corp. have the kind of financial muscle--as well as lots of content--to one day build this YouTube-Hulu contest into a battle royale.


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CLEVELAND - Generic drugs often save you a lot of money over name-brand pharmaceuticals. But over the last year or so, prices of some generics have skyrocketed by hundreds or even thousands of percentage points.
People with full health insurance coverage don't notice any difference in their co-pays, but those who have to pay for drugs out-of-pocket are seeing big changes.
Patrick Gunn is getting a headache trying to treat it. His migraine medication costs are skyrocketing.
"Each time I went back it seemed to go higher," he said. "The first time, the out-of-pocket was like $9, the second time I went back it was like $12, then I went back and it had gone up to $40."
It was a similar problem for John Popow. His costs were fluctuating wildly, from $100 a tube for a prescription skin cream, to $5 for the same tube.
In the last year, several generic medications spiked in price. A popular skin rash medication, nystatin, tripled. Another anti-inflammatory increased 5,000 percent, from $6.50 to $293.
INTERACTIVE: Click here to see the rise in the cost of prescription drugs over the past five years: http://on.wews.com/TAOQkB
One reason for the skyrocketing prices is fewer generic drug manufacturers.
"There's one or two manufacturers remaining," said Tom Nameth at Discount Drug Mart . "Then their price would thus go up exponentially."
Insured patients may not have noticed the difference, but that doesn't mean you won't pick up the cost.
"Eventually, the price of insurance might go up to either the company or the individual," said Nameth.
WEB EXTRA: Click here to see which discounts are offered at major retailers: http://on.wews.com/TIRjDD
If you need to buy a pricey generic out-of-pocket and can't afford it, talk with your pharmacist. Many will call your doctor and switch you to a cheaper alternative. Or switch pharmacies. The North Coast Health Ministry in Lakewood helped John Popow find a new one.
"Dr. Tomsik was able to actually look up and see which was the cheapest place for me to go as a patient," he said.
Another option is to contact the pharmaceutical company directly. They may offer 30-day free trials or a small discount on the price for a limited time.
A new survey from Consumer Reports found that an increasing number of people without prescription drug coverage are taking potentially dangerous measures to save money on their health care. Two-thirds said they put off a doctor's visit or declined a medical test because of cost, while others reported cutting pills in half to save money, which lowers the effectiveness of treatment.
INFOGRAPHIC: Click here to see the results of Consumer Reports' survey: http://on.wews.com/RmpkLF


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Amneal Takes Control Of Kashiv Specialty In $100m+ Deal
Points To Value Of 505(b)(2) Pipeline And Complex Generics Experience
Amneal will take a majority stake in Kashiv Specialty Pharmaceuticals after striking a deal worth potentially more than $100m for a 98% stake in the hybrid 505(b)(2) and complex generics specialist.
You may also be interested in...
Amneal has acquired India’s Puniska Pharmaceticals in a deal worth $93m, with an aim to “more than double” its injectables business by 2025. Meanwhile, in the third quarter the company has reported growth in its generics and specialty segments, with Amneal looking to enter the biosimilars market next year.
Amneal has broadened its complex generics portfolio by gaining FDA approval for its generic version of ophthalmic combination medicine TobraDex.
Amneal says it is taking initiatives to improve its generics margins by improving its manufacturing and supply chain, after its generics segment was sales drop by 11% in the first quarter. Amneal is aiming to deliver six to seven high-value products annually, while the company is also looking to launch three biosimilars in the next couple of years.


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One month trial of reusable metal bottles delivered sharp reduction in number of disposable bottles bought by employees
Giving employees reusable water bottles delivers a major drop in the number of plastic water bottles they buy, accountancy giant PwC has discovered. Over the course of a one-month 'Give me tap' trial...
Final Leaders Briefing of the year to take place on Tuesday 26th November
Swedish automaker launches first electric car as it revs up climate plans
Advice for the sixth carbon budget - which will be the first to follow net zero pathway - scheduled for September 2020
Breaking: Brexit deal announced, reports suggest 'level playing field' on green rules could be maintained
Boris Johnson declares deal will allow UK to 'move on to other priorities like the cost of living, the NHS, violent crime and our environment', but questions remain over whether agreement can secure Parliamentary majority


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State-Mandated GMO Labeling – Let Freedom Ring?
As the U.S. went into a historic holiday over the weekend to celebrate its freedoms, the July 1 effective date of Vermont's GMO labeling law brought questions of the nation's freedoms to a completely different – and very personal level.
Does America's freedom mean that each of the 50 states can implement food labeling laws to fulfill consumers' right to know what is in the food they eat? Or does such state-mandated GMO labeling amount to "compelled speech in violation of the First Amendment" as is being put forth by industry groups suing to block the Vermont law? And do consumers really understand the freedoms they stand to gain –and lose – through such laws?
The fight isn't new, of course. Since Vermont citizens passed the GMO labeling law in May 2014, there has been controversy over the state mandate. But, even while most of the major food companies have preparing for the law's enactment, many thought – or hoped – it would be knocked down before it could become law.
It came close – with the Senate introducing and voting 68-29 last week to move forward with bipartisan legislation that would create a national GMO labeling law and pre-empt that of Vermont or any other state legislation. While mandating GMO disclosure, the legislation would not require specific labeling/wording, but would enable options such as that of a symbol or web link on the label; would allow small companies to simply list a phone number or website; and would exempt very small manufacturers, restaurants, and some meat and dairy products.
As was expected, the Senate began the process of invoking cloture on Wednesday, resulting in a 65-32 procedural vote, which, according to the New York Times "is now widely expected to get final approval in the Senate as early as this week." But the vote was not without theatrics or controversy, with money being thrown onto the Senate floor from anti-Monsanto protestors in the gallery rallying against senators for taking money from Monsanto.
However, because the vote did not occur before July 1, Vermont's law went into effect, and the consequences and uncertainties of the legislation to begin to appear.
One of the first was the pre-July 1st announcement by Coca Cola that it would stop selling some of its lower volume products in the state, at least temporarily, due to the mandated state-specific labeling. And just this week, word came out that suppliers for the grocery chain Price Chopper will stop sending 3,000 products to its Vermont stores "from Cadbury chocolates to Entenmann’s donuts to Pepsi products, because companies don’t want to pay the added cost of labeling the foods." Additionally, because retailers who make food (i.e., in the deli) must identify and label any GM ingredients, the law is causing these retailers – large or small – to implement new practices, policies, and, in some cases, equipment. All of which is likely to also increase prices for Vermont shoppers.
Whether or not Vermont voters realized the full extent of the impact of their vote, it is moving forward and set for enforcement in 2017…
Unless, of course, it is pre-empted by a new national law, or a court ruling deems it unenforceable before then. However, even should the Senate legislation pass, it then has to pass the House of Representatives; and with Congress leaving for its summer recess in mid-July, there is not a lot of time for the bill to become law.
So Vermont's GMO labeling is law, but just how long it will stand and how much freedom it grants or takes away is certain to remain contentious no matter which side of the state line you stand on.
About The Acheson Group (TAG)
Led by Former FDA Associate Commissioner for Foods Dr. David Acheson, TAG is a food safety consulting group that provides guidance and expertise worldwide for companies throughout the food supply chain. With in-depth industry knowledge combined with real-world experience, TAG's team of food safety experts help companies more effectively mitigate risk, improve operational efficiencies, and ensure regulatory and standards compliance. www.AchesonGroup.com


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Aussie Restaurant Is Giving You FREE FOOD For Every Gold!
There’s a nation getting excited about the games.
And then there is this.
Pizza restaurant chain Vapiano are so excited that they are giving away a free pizza or pasta for every gold medal Australia wins in Rio!
To be eligible, customers must register to become a ‘Varian Fanatic’ and once registered; customers can get a free dinner for every gold!
We can’t see any better way to celebrate than with carbs while our athletes and swimmers carve out their abs.
The restaurant has stores in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria and the promotion is running for the entirety of the games.
National pride has never been so good.
You can register here.


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From what we've been hearing, the Galaxy S8 will come in two display sizes - 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch.
Samsung is bent on recovering from the debacle caused by the Galaxy Note 7's exploding battery by correcting mistakes that led to the recall of millions of units of its flagship.
As per speculations that new Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone is all set for launch on 29th March 2017.
CAS sanctions Russian athlete Savinova for 4 years for doping
Mariya Savinova has been banned from athletics until 2019 after she was found guilty of doping for over three years. Semenya will also become a two-time world champion if she is awarded Savinova's gold from 2011.
In terms of cameras, it's still unclear whether the Galaxy S8+ gets the same cameras as its standard model, which is expected to come with a 12MP primary camera with f/1.7 aperture along with an 8MP selfie shooter.
It is not surprising that there are a lot of rumors about the Samsung Galaxy S8 since a lot of enthusiasts are expecting a lot from it. If GFXBench is to be believed, both the front and rear cameras will be capable of capturing videos in 1080p resolution. Samsung will dispatch its latest smartphone, the Galaxy S8, at an event in NY late one month from now, as per the latest report from The Wall Street Journal. The size of each phones screens will be significantly bigger, but the physical size of the phone won't be. There's also a USB-C connector on the bottom, which would be a first for the Galaxy flagship. Samsung is reportedly using a new 18:9 aspect ratio so they'll be a little longer than before, but not too wide so they'll be easy to hold and use still. With no home button, the fingerprint scanner could be moved to the back of the device. The page just showcases some queries about Samsung apps, software upgrade and lock, power which are expected to be implemented on the handset. But since both new models are expected to feature displays with curved edges, can the larger one still be called "edge"? Regardless, it seems everything except that Samsung won't uncover the telephone at the current month's Mobile World Congress appear in Barcelona, which it has customarily used to exhibit the most recent in its Galaxy S line. There will be a 6GB RAM variant as well with 64GB or 128GB internal storage option.
- Consumer price inflation set to see upside pressure: Crisil
- Yale To Rename Calhoun College For Grace Hopper
- India's largest state Uttar Pradesh goes to polls
- Jack Clifford and Jack Nowell start for England against Wales
- City keen to keep Aguero
- Fights to watch to get primed for UFC 208
- After Trump, White House releases list of 78 terror attacks 'under-reported'
- Netflix Reveals That Nearly Half of All Couples Cheat
- The Leicester City Fairytale has Come to an End
- Is it the end of Carmelo's NY nightmare?


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Falling Bottles or Trees: Two Rulings on Fault
By The Associated Press
Published: June 11, 1989
THE state's highest courts have decided two cases involving falling objects, ruling that a city is not to blame for a falling tree but that a supermarket can be held liable when a display collapses on a shopper.
The Supreme Court ruled last week that Stamford had no liability for injuries when a tree fell on an occupied car. In an unrelated case, the Appellate Court ruled that a woman was rightly awarded $56,000 when a supermarket display of grapefruit juice collapsed on her.
In the supermarket case, the woman, Holly Holody, sued First National Supermarkets, owner of Edwards Food Warehouse, after sustaining back injuries. Five bottles hit Miss Holody on the head when she reached for a bottle in the middle of a three-tier display that appeared to be braced by cardboard dividers.
Miss Holody suffered permanent partial disabilities, missed a month of work in late 1984, and incurred medical bills of $4,000, the court found. Unsafe Display of Juice
A jury in Superior Court in Hartford, after hearing testimony from a safety engineer, found that the store had displayed the juice unsafely and awarded $56,000 damages.
On Monday, the appeals court upheld the verdict in favor of Miss Holody and rejected the supermarket's argument that the award was excessive.''
The falling tree involved two women who sued Stamford for injuries they suffered when their car was struck by a rotten tree.
The women, Joann Roman and Madeline Roman, won a jury verdict in Superior Court in Norwalk that the Appellate Court overturned. The Supreme Court upheld the reversal. The appeals court ruled that even though Stamford took responsibility to care for roadside trees in its charter, it was not liable for negligence in taking care of them.


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Bowing to the inevitable, Kickstarter has launched a statistics page, ending the need for laborious data scraping in order to find out how the funding platform performs. It is now perfectly apparent to everyone that the majority of gaming projects fail, with just 695 successes to tot up against 1,364 failures for a 33% win rate. That said, games are ranked fourth in terms of overall money raised, despite being the eight most numerous category overall. Interesting stuff for those keen on small to mid-sized development and alternate funding.
Buy our t-shirts, yeah
They're far more stylish than your average video game website tat.


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Cisco is setting up an epic showdown with fellow tech titans as it prepares to enter the $50 billion server market.
According to the New York Times, Cisco is readying a new server product with sophisticated virtualization software that will compete directly with products from Hewlett-Packard, Dell and IBM among others. Padmasree Warrior, the company’s chief technology officer told the Times it’s not about declaring all out war but just looking for opportunities in times of transition.
“We see this not as a new market, but a market transition,” she told the Times. “Any time there is a major transition occurring, there will be large companies that have to compete in some areas.”
Cisco is apparently looking for new businesses after seeing some slowing in networking, a high-profit area which it dominates. The key is new virtualization software that allows data centers and servers to be more intelligent and efficient. Cisco apparently believes it can create a system that melds software and hardware together making a customer’s various data centers work as one.
This is not to say that HP and others are sitting by idly. While no one commented for the Times story, HP has been working on building up its ProCurve networking business, which will go after Cisco’s primary market.
Under CEO Mark Hurd, ProCurve has gotten a lot more attention and is now the second most profitable unit for HP after printer ink. It’s a different approach than under Carly Fiorina, HP’s former CEO who used to sit on Cisco’s board of directors and encouraged HP to sell Cisco networking gear.
The showdown may have been inevitable considering these two very profitable companies have to answer to shareholders, who want to see continued growth. It’s going to be interesting to see how these two giants and erstwhile partners compete as they actively go after each other’s customers. Game on.


text: Aftermath from yesterday`s hammering hail proves painful for property owners but good for business. Callers flooded KQ2`s phone lines to report hail damage to their cars, and they weren`t they only ones who took a beating. Mother Nature wasn`t selective when sending hammering hail through the Midland Empire. New car lots lining the Belt highway took quite a beating. "Some of them have some good dents on them," Tony Franklin, Anderson general manager, says. Franklin assesses the damages on the Susuki lot. He says his dealerships will offer one "hail" of a sale to help get rid of the hail-peppered property. "On the ones that are really bad, we`ll give the customer the choice of either taking the check--the discount--or repairing it back to new, and then a lot of times they`ll decide, well hey I can live with a few dents, fix half, take a little discount," Franklin says. Franklin hopes between insurance money and more people looking to make a deal, Mother Nature`s wrath could actually benefit business. "Our insurance guys will be in here over the next couple of days, and they`ll just have an assembly line. We`ll run all the cars through, they`ll have one guy on each side of the car just making the adjustments--they`re called adjustors obviously--and then they determine how much the dents are worth, and then we`ll have an exact number that we can offer to the customers," Franklin says. It`s the same story at Car City. "I know it sounds cliche but everything must go, and that means huge savings," Julie Love, Car City business development manager, says. If you can live with a few nics and dings, Franklin says the savings could stack up. "You could save $3-5,000 on the right car," Franklin says. Houses also sustained serious damage. "The siding is completely destroyed," Steve Goban, homeowner, says. That means big business for Russell Smith, owner of a guttering and vinyl siding repair shop. "As soon as that hail hit, I knew I was going to be really busy, and I`m booked up all day today and all day tomorrow, just nothing but siding bids," Smith says. Smith measures the height and length of Goban`s hail-damaged home so Goban can claim compensation from insurance.


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In about a year, Amsterdam has gone from a city that tolerated marijuana tourism to one that is actively trying to keep out the newly out-of-bounds.
Washington, D.C., which legalized recreational marijuana use in 2015, has always had a limited number of legal pot shops. But in recent months that number has grown, to 23 as of July. It’s not surprising, then, that the nation’s capital might become a mecca for cannabis tourism. But the city’s mayor is looking to ban tourists from buying weed legally. As travel restrictions ease, this European city wants to ban cannabis tourism
Stung by an influx of U.S. tourists who are visiting for the sole purpose of enjoying the legal cannabis market, Copenhagen, Denmark, city officials are trying to pass a law that would ban non-residents from consuming weed in the city. The ban would also extend to the city’s cannabis cafes, preventing non-residents from buying cannabis there. Background According to the “New York Times”, “Copenhagen has had a love-hate relationship with cannabis for decades.” In the early 00s, the city government was eager to implement a cannabis coffeeshop system, stemming from a desire to stem the growing influence of organized crime, and a “grassroots effort to liberalize cannabis laws.” The cityAs more and more people get vaccinated, travel is becoming a priority. And for cannabis users, there is one particular European destination that is likely to top that list. The European Union announced Wednesday that it will reopen its borders to vaccinated travelers, including Americans and other countries that have had time to vaccinate a significant portion of their populations. The EU will allow visitors who have received EU approved vaccines (Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson) to travel without being tested or quarantined. It is very useful for Americans who are vaccinated and want to travel and try other things after a year of pandemic.
When it comes to marijuana, enthusiasts may need to rethink their decision to travel to Amsterdam, a city that has been one of the world’s most popular destinations for decades. In January, Mayor Femke Halsema said she would consider banning marijuana tourism in the province and allowing only local residents to attend cannabis-related events. Before the coronavirus pandemic, Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, welcomed more than a million tourists a month, most of whom hoped to make a stop in one of the city’s famous cafes. The cafes, especially in the centre, are mainly for tourists, says Halsema. The growth of tourism has only increased demand and attracted hard drug crime. We can be an open, welcoming and tolerant city, but we can also be a city that makes life difficult for criminals and hinders mass tourism. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Netherlands is currently a level 4 risk country for COVID-19. Because of the current situation in the Netherlands, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk of infection and spread of COVID-19 variants and should avoid travel to the Netherlands, the CDC said. While the cannabis industry has benefited Amsterdam by generating revenue, supporting dispensaries, and spreading a culture of fun and freedom, concerns about COVID-19 could lead the mayor to take a more conservative stance. This may be the boost the city needs to protect itself from the spread of COVID-19 infection and to fight drug-related crime.Amsterdam, known for its history of marijuana use, is considering its own restrictions on cannabis consumption. In a city that thrives on tourism, officials say pot cafes are as much a nuisance as a draw for tourists. The cannabis-friendly city is considering new rules, including banning tourists from most shops and cafes. If enacted, the restrictions would be among the most restrictive in the nation.. Read more about are amsterdam coffee shops open to tourists and let us know what you think.
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It’s National Vegetarian Week, and from shopping to home-eating, UK foodie habits are on the move, says IPP, one of Europe’s leading poolers of sustainable wooden pallets from market gardens to supermarkets.
Phil Storer, Coventry-based IPP’s UK and Ireland director, said: “The wooden pallet has become a barometer of trends. Everything that moves in the supply chain, from farm to fork, does so on a pallet so quickly reflects the nation’s trends and tastes.
The company has highlighted dramatic shifts in eating habits that pre-date the crisis, and the shift to plant-based vegan and vegetarian meals have never been more popular, rising a staggering 388 per cent between 2016 and 2018, says the company – making the UK the biggest consumer of non-meat products.
This has not dented the UK appetite for barbeques, as plant-based substitutes are also taking their place alongside the traditional meat dishes.
Covid-19 has also had a dramatic impact on eating habits. Figures from the Kenilworth-based Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board show that Britons are eating 503 million more meals at home as a result of the closure of pubs and restaurants – a 38 per cent increase on pre-lockdown trends.
The research also shows rises in demand for cooked breakfasts, as families are spending more time together in the mornings instead of rushing off to work and school. The AHDB figures show an additional £32 million spend on breakfasts, including cereals and an even bigger spend – £163 million – on lunches.
A further £113 million was spent at dinner and almost £200 million of additional snacks were consumed, largely as a result of pester power and having all children at home.
The figures stack up in terms of pallet movements, with one IPP food producer recording a 37 per cent increase in demand for pallets for April alone, which relates to an additional 11 per cent over the year.
According to IPP, our shopping habits used to be ‘little and often’ as recently as last year, as many householders did not know what they were eating for dinner that night before 4pm on the same day.
But although Covid-19 has in part changed this to one-stop weekly shops to maximise social distancing, a shift was already taking place away from online shopping – although the crisis has once again increased this demand.
One theory is that bulk-buying came back into vogue for environmental purposes, in order to reduce CO2 emissions from too many shopping trips, a trend that goes hand-in-hand with consumer demand for less single-use plastic packaging.
Many suppliers to supermarkets, including IPP, were also looking at better collaboration with retail customers and haulier businesses, encouraging more efficient transport and reduce empty running, the inefficient supply chain journeys with no payload.
Phil Storer added: “Now we are seeing dramatically different shopping and eating habits, which is being mirrored in the numbers of sustainable wooden pallets our customers are factoring into their supply chains.
“Yes, Coronavirus is a factor, particularly in the last month, but many of these trends were already taking form long before the crisis took hold.”


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Home prices in Toronto have slowed but are still up 1.6 percent since this time last year and home sales have fallen 16 percent during the same period of time, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board.
Business owners looking to supplement the expensive price of renting office space in Toronto should consider conducting business operations out a self storage unit.
“Transactions have been down on a year-over-year basis since June, after being up substantially in the last half of 2011 and the first half of 2012,” said Ann Hannah, president of the Toronto Real Estate Board, the Toronto Star reported. "Some buyers pulled forward their decision to purchase, which has impacted sales levels in the second half of 2012.”
The land transfer tax required by the city is making many potential home buyers put off purchases, the source reported.
Jiffy offers businesses plenty of options for Toronto storage, whether one needs to store filing cabinets or office supplies. What's more, the company is currently holding a contest for a new iPad 3, which is a device that just about every business person could use to help improve productivity.


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Audi Group achieves operating return on sales of 10.5 percent in the first half of the year
- Revenue of €25.2 billion and an operating profit of €2.6 billion in the first six months of the current financial year
- Board Member for Finance Axel Strotbek: “We are keeping to our forecast for the year as a whole.”
- Luca de Meo, Board Member for Sales at AUDI AG: “We will continue to grow this year despite the sometimes difficult market conditions.”
Audi continues to pursue its strategy of consistent growth. Between January and June, the carmaker delivered around 780,500 cars bearing the four-ring emblem – 6.4 percent more than in the first six months of the previous year. At €25.2 billion, the Audi Group’s revenue in the first half of 2013 has attained the high level of the previous year. The operating profit during the same period, at €2.6 billion, was slightly below the previous year’s figure of €2.9 billion. With an operating return on sales of 10.5 percent, the Ingolstadt-based company is again working at a highly profitable level within the competitive environment.
“Despite challenging economic conditions, we are keeping to our forecast for the year as a whole. We are also investing heavily in new products, developing innovative and revolutionary new technologies and expanding our worldwide production capacities,” emphasizes Axel Strotbek, Board Member for Finance.
Board Member for Sales Luca de Meo has announced that Audi expects to achieve the sales target originally set for 2015 already this year. “We will continue to grow this year despite what are sometimes difficult market conditions. In 2013, we want to deliver more than 1.5 million Audi brand cars to our customers.” The new Audi A3 family and the Q3 and Q5 SUVs are expected to contribute significantly to that effort.
In the first half of 2013, Audi delivered 780,467 Audi brand cars (2012: 733,216) – an increase of 6.4 percent and a new record-breaking figure as well. Nonetheless, the company has not been able to completely bypass the tough economic conditions. At €25,234 million (2012: €25,022), Audi Group revenue in the first half of 2013 was at the previous year’s level.
The cost of sales increased as a result of the growth in volume to €20,190 million (2012: €19,881) and distribution costs rose to €2,284 million (2012: €2,209). In all, the company generated an operating profit of €2,644 million (2012: €2,871) – a decline of 7.9 percent.
With an operating return on sales of 10.5 percent (2012: 11.5), the Audi Group once again exceeded its strategic target corridor of eight to ten percent in the first half of the year, making it one of the most profitable companies in the automotive industry. The company generated a profit before tax of €2,974 million (2012: €3,175). That corresponds to a return on sales of 11.8 percent (2012: 2.7).
Despite high up-front costs for new products, innovative drive technologies and the expansion of the worldwide production network, Audi financed all investments in operating activities – as in previous years – entirely from its own resources. The cash flow from operating activities for the Audi Group in the first six months of this year amounted to €3,236 million (2012: €3,241).
Research and development expenditure from January to June increased to €1,995 million (2012: €1,701) – an increase of 17.3 percent on the previous year. The expansion and renewal of the product portfolio played an especially important role here. In addition to the new A3 Sedan that will be introduced to the market in autumn, Audi will begin delivering the new A8 to dealerships before this year ends as well. The Audi flagship model reinforces the company’s claim to leadership with features like the Audi Matrix LED headlights – a world first in lighting technology. The brand with the four rings also sets a trailblazing standard in the automotive industry with Audi connect. The models of the A3 family will network even faster with their surroundings in the future via LTE data transfer technology. At the same time, the company is preparing for the market launch of new cars with alternative drive systems including the new plug-in hybrid Audi A3 Sportback e-tron, which will roll out to dealers in 2014. Audi will use these and other innovations to fulfill CO2 regulations and delight customers worldwide.
At €13,536 million (2012: €13,377), net liquidity at mid-2013 was slightly above the corresponding figure for June 30, 2012.
Revenue for 2013 as a whole should slightly exceed that of the previous year as a result of the growth in delivery volumes. The company meanwhile plans to achieve an operating return on sales at the upper end of the strategic target corridor of eight to ten percent despite considerable up-front costs for expanding the worldwide production network as well as higher expenditure for new cars and technologies. Audi plans to continue covering the high investment volumes for locations, products and new technologies out of the cash flow of operating activities in the future as well.


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The fact that people don’t know is that hackers can use some other devices aside from the internet to do cybercrimes.
According to a cybercrime expert, Ravedeep Sodhi, devices such as microwaves, pen drives and car stereo GPS can also be used as a hacking device by uploading a virus in the said systems.
In India, there was 90% growth in cybercrime seen. Sodhi said that the significant increase in cybercrime rate was due to people’s lack of awareness.
Sodhi added that it was 10 years ago when internet was used in hacking. At present, the hackers’ attention has turned to pen drives and microwave ovens. Several incidents of heart pacer hacking have been reported while an incident of a running car hacking was reported at the University of California. Later on, car stereo GPS has been used as a hacking device as well. In fact, from the time that a buyer gives personal information during online purchasing, the buyer’s provided information can also be misused by hackers.
Sodhi reminded that people should be more careful regarding cyber bullying and cyber stalking. Based on the gathered data, people at younger age are more prone to cybercrime. More often, minors aged 11-year-old onwards are more prone to cyber zone since they are more exposed to internet and usually innocent, making them possible victims of cybercrimes.
To avoid such cyber bullying, parents are highly recommended to keep a closer monitoring to their children’s online activity while drivers having a car stereo GPS navigation system in their vehicle must be extra keen in observing the system.
Some automakers that provide such car stereo GPS navigation system is the Toyota, therefore vehicle owners of such brand should monitor the device. If ever owners noticed something unusual with their Toyota car GPS navigation system or if they feel like their identity is being misused, don’t forget to take a screenshots and immediately report to the cybercrime cell.
Cyber bullying includes harassment or threatening through messaging or e-mails, social networking sites and cyber media.
Bored in driving? A car radio is what you need. Visit us online at www.elinz.com.au and learn more about our car gadgets.
Original Image Resource: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/automotive/car-audio-system-sound3.htm


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Data from this month's update shows signs of recovery in most cities and large towns, but for a few, significant challenges remain.
Showing 11–20 of 37 results.
While retail and hospitality account for the largest shares of jobs on furlough across the country, the export base of some places has been particularly affected, raising concerns about their ability to bounce back.
Drawing on lessons from the first lockdown, there will likely be large differences between how the high streets of cities across the UK recover as restrictions begin to lift.
The pandemic has made levelling up four times harder and it risks levelling down otherwise economically successful parts of the country as well.
Data on credit and debit card spending levels where people spent the most in the run up to Christmas.
Despite claimant count remaining unchanged or declining in almost every city and large town over the past month, places are entering this second lockdown in a much weaker position than in March.
Job postings are slower to recover where more people work from home and high-street footfall remains low, making it harder for redundant workers to find jobs.
In the UK, competition for jobs has risen most in places where work was already hardest to find, raising concerns about widening geographic inequality.
Our recent paper 'Levelling up Local Government in England' sparked much debate. Here’s a round-up and response to the main themes.
This report sets out how the Government should use the devolution white paper to reorganise and simplify local government to level up the country.


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Sponsored Podcast: DP World’s new London Gateway berth
Over the past year we have heard so much about the need for more UK ...
The Berth Three announcement will enable the use of an additional 400 metres of quay length with a dredged depth of 17 metres alongside. DP World London Gateway port can easily handle the largest containerships and has developed innovative technology to ensure the port remains open in bad weather.
The 'mother of all BAFs' looms for shippers as green targets advance
First shipper uses new land-air corridor ex-India for Bangladesh exports
Maersk idles more ships while NOOs see a rebound in demand
Container shipping can see ‘green shoots’ of freight demand recovery
Forwarding M&A round-up: plenty of action making smaller headlines
Shippers advised to give strike-hit port of Hamburg a miss
Some ocean trades stabilising, but transatlantic rates still falling
Retailers warn of challenging orderbooks amid continued high inventory
Mind the (income) gap with Mærsk, DP-DHL & Kuehne – DSV the safest
K+N will take financial hit to 'create critical mass' for smart labels
Another rail strike in Germany to add to European freight troubles
Boost for Hong Kong air cargo volumes as ban on vape traffic is lifted
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Second German district in lockdown because of local outbreak
Tuesday, 23 June 2020
A second German district will go in lockdown again following a local coronavirus outbreak in a meat packaging plant.
With approximately 200,000 inhabitants, Warendorf borders the Gütersloh district, which was put in lockdown again earlier on Tuesday.
Both districts, located in the North Rhine-Westphalia state, asked their inhabitants to only have contact with people in their own household and maximum one person, until 30 June.
Cinemas, cafes and fitness centres are closing down. Going to a restaurant is still possible, but only with members of the same household. Schools and kindergartens had already closed in Gütersloh, and will close in Warendorf as well from Thursday, according to local media.


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E-cigarette use may lower the number of cigarettes smoked, but smoking just one to four cigarettes every day tremendously will increase the chance of cardiovascular disease in comparison with not smoking. The extent to which decreasing cigarette smoking with vaping leads to quitting is unknown. Randomized managed trials have not proven that vaping is efficient for quitting smoking. A 2016 meta-evaluation based on 20 completely different research discovered that smokers who used e-cigarettes had been 28% much less prone to quit than those that had not tried e-cigarettes.
Around half of e-cigarette company web sites have a minimum age notice that prohibited underage people from coming into. The revised EU Tobacco Products Directive came into impact in May 2016, offering stricter laws for e-cigarettes. It limits e-cigarette promoting in print, on television and radio, along with lowering the level of nicotine in liquids and lowering the flavors used. It requires the purchaser for e-cigarettes to be a minimum of 18 and doesn’t permit shopping for them for anyone less than 18 years of age.
Why Choose Vaporfi Digital Cigarettes?
E-cigarette commercials are additionally in magazines, newspapers, online, and in retail shops. Between 2010 and 2014, e-cigarettes had been second solely to cigarettes as the highest advertised product in magazines. As cigarette corporations have acquired the biggest e-cigarette brands, they presently benefit from a twin market of people who smoke and e-cigarette users whereas simultaneously presenting themselves as agents of harm discount. This raises considerations in regards to the appropriateness of endorsing a product that directly profits the tobacco trade. There is not any proof that the cigarette manufacturers are selling e-cigarettes as a part of a plan to phase out traditional cigarettes, regardless of some stating to wish to cooperate in “hurt reduction”. E-cigarette advertising for using e-cigarettes as a quitting device have been seen within the US, UK, and China, which haven’t been supported by regulatory bodies.
In 2019, a vaping business organization launched a report stating that a attainable US ban on e-cigarettes flavors can doubtlessly effect higher than a hundred and fifty,000 jobs around the US. While advertising of tobacco merchandise is banned in most countries, television and radio e-cigarette advertising in a number of international locations may be not directly encouraging conventional cigarette use.
How A Lot Nicotine Is In Juul And Different E
The up to date Tobacco Products Directive has been disputed by tobacco lobbyists whose businesses could be impacted by these revisions. As of 8 August 2016, the US FDA prolonged its regulatory power to include e-cigarettes, e-liquid and all associated products. Under this ruling the FDA will evaluate sure points, together with ingredients, product options and health risks, as well their enchantment to minors and non-customers. A photograph ID is now required to purchase e-cigarettes, and their sale in all-ages merchandising machines just isn’t permitted within the US. E-cigarette and tobacco firms have recruited lobbyists in an effort to stop the US FDA from evaluating e-cigarette merchandise or banning current merchandise already in the marketplace. Studies pertaining to their potential impression on smoking discount are very limited.
“We noticed the market’s sudden recognition that the cigarette industry appears to be in deep trouble, disrupted by the rise of vaping,” Mad Money’s Jim Cramer acknowledged April 2018. “Over the course of three quick days, the tobacco stocks had been bent, they have been spindled they usually had been mutilated by the realization that digital cigarettes have turn out to be a serious menace to the old-faculty cigarette makers,” he added.
- Some have advocated bans on e-cigarette sales and others have instructed that e-cigarettes may be regulated as tobacco merchandise but with less nicotine content material or be regulated as a medicinal product.
- A 2016 World Health Organization report found that the scientific proof for the effectiveness of vaping for quitting smoking is “scant and of low certainty”.
- Finally, the recent news of vaping-related illnesses requires swift research and efficient steerage to protect the public’s well being.
- Some healthcare teams and coverage makers have hesitated to advocate e-cigarettes for quitting smoking, because of limited evidence of effectiveness and safety.
- Healthcare organizations in the UK in 2015 have encouraged smokers to strive e-cigarettes to assist them give up smoking and also encouraged e-cigarette customers to give up smoking tobacco totally.
- Continuous and rigorous implementation of conventional tobacco control measures, corresponding to taxation, clear indoor vapinger.com air policies and public training is also essential.
In the US, six giant e-cigarette companies spent $59.three million on promoting e-cigarettes in 2013. In the US and Canada, over $2 million is spent yearly on promoting e-cigarettes online. E-cigarette websites often made unscientific well being statements in 2012. The ease to get past the age verification system at e-cigarette company web sites permits underage individuals to entry and be uncovered to marketing.


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News updated for HTC’s Android phones.
Today marks an important step in bringing mobile internet one step closer to the desktop experience. Adobe has just unveiled their plans on bringing Flash Player 10 to Windows Mobile, Google’s Android, and Nokia’s Symbian operating systems. Note for the record that Apple’s iPhone is currently not included in their plans. Adobe has seen the error of their ways and has realized how much potential the current generation of smart phones have. Andy Rubin, from Google, made an appearance at Adobe’s press event to show off the Flash Player 10 capabilities on the t-mobile G1.
Adobe did note that Flash Lite is still going to be supported since not all current devices will be able to use the Flash 10 Player. Kevin Lynch (Adobe) boasted: "Our goal (was to make) a billion phones Flash-enabled by 2010," Lynch said. "We’re actually going to get 1 billion Flash-enabled phones by 2009."
Since launch, people have been asking how much the G1 costs HTC to make. Today, CNN.com is reporting that iSuppli’s latest study revealed that the HTC made T-Mobile G1 includes $144 worth of components and materials. Inevitable, the article compared these costs to those of the iPhone, which is estimated to cost $160 to produce a 8GB model. CNN does not give any details on which components make us the price difference, but we can tell you that adding an 8GB flash chip to the G1 would bring the price within a dollar or two of the iPhone.
There has been a lot of criticism over the ad campaign T-Mobile rolled out for the G1 when it launched. the simple commercials on TV really didn’t generate much excitement or feature the capabilities the G1 has. All they told us is that you could to Google searches with the G1. Today, T-Mobile has launched an all new online ad campaign on AOL’s online network of sites. This includes the main AOL site and a slew of their affiliated media and blogging sites. The price tag on this new ad campaign is rumored to be $1.5 million. I’d be surprised if you have not already seen the ads. I was just over on www.autoblog.com and T-mobile has taken over 5 out of the 6 ad spots on the site. I guess they want to make sure you don’t miss it.
T-Mobile has been experiencing some technical difficulties with their G1 customers today. When customers signed up to pre-order the G1, they were required to sign up for a data plan ass well. It turns out though that they decided to give everyone a "free trial" period of T-Mobile new 3G network. The free trial period expired today and customer’s accounts should have automatically switched over to the data plans that they selected when they purchased the phones. Unfortunately things are not going as smoothly as T-Mobile expected. G1 customers are reporting that their 3G and edge internet connections are not working.
I experienced the same thing right around noon today. I checked my account online and found that there was no data plan associated with my account. A quick call T-Mobile customer support and they were able to add my data plan back onto my account, but it seems that customers who have had the data plan dropped from their account could wait up to 48 hours until the internet connection starts working again.
Have you lost your internet connection on your G1?
We all know that the U.K. will be the next market to get their hands on the G1 this year. But who’s in line after them. T-Mobile is the smallest of the national carriers in the U.S. but they are by far the largest global cell phone provider. And since they are based in Germany, it only seems fair that our friend on the other side of the Atlantic get a chance to get their finger prints all over the G1’s glossy screen. At the moment, the only thing we are basing this educated guess on is the Android roadmap (which yesterday revealed that a virtual keyboard is on the works). According to the document, a German localized version of Android will be ready some time before the end of the year. There’s no guarantee that the G1 will be hitting the streets of Germany before January 1, 2009, but keep in mind that only 3 months ago there were rumors that the G1 would not even launch this year. Anything is possible with Google!
So we are still in the first real day of the Android era, but we are already hearing about complaints with the T-mobile G1. The main gripe seems to be that the G1 loves the battery so much that it doesn’t want to share any of the juice with you. There is some truth to this, but that’s not what we are worried about at the moment. The second main complaint about the G1 is the lack of a virtual keyboard on the screen. The full QWERTY is simply amazing. I”ve been typing away all day and have gotten used to the fact that they key are a bit too flush to the surface. But it’s a bit annoying, having to slide open the G1 every time I want to enter in some data. A virtual keyboard would make the G1 a dat bit more user frienly and would allow user to use their device with one hand.
At the moment, Android does not support any virtual keyboard, but that may soon change. It turns out that the Android roadmap has somethign in store for us that should be released in Q1 of 2009. Here are some of the details from the site:
This feature will enable support for input methods other than physical keyboards, for example soft keyboards. IMF will also enable application developers to provide IME (see below) applications based on the framework.
Input method engines (IME)
IME will support soft keyboards, a dictionary of suggestions, and a suggestion algorithm. The Android platform may contain few reference IMEs, and developers can provide IME applications through the Android Market.
Since today is the official launch of the T-Mobile G1 (the first phone to run on Google’s new Android OS), it only seems appropriate that Google has released some details on the official application store for Android. Developers posting their apps up on the Android Marketplace will be able to start charging for their work soon. It turns out, Google has revenue sharing scheme just like Apple. Developers will have to fork over a one time fee of $25 which allows them to post, manage, and update their apps of the Android Marketplace. Then, all revenue that they take in will be split 70/30. For those of you who are thinking "Man, Google just for a bit greedy" think again. The 30% will actually be going to the service providers as a "Thank you" from Google for using Android powered phones. The 30% should be more than enough to cover any additional data charges that T-Mobile or any other carrier will incur from all those data intensive programs that have started popping up on the marketplace today.
Now…. back to my G1.


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Uncle Drew is the face of NBA Live 14.
"I'm so proud to be the face of this franchise as it makes its much-anticipated return,” Irving said in an EA Sports statement. “I've been on the court with the development team and I've seen first-hand some of the amazing things EA Sports is doing with NBA Live 14. The fans are going to love it."
EA is attempting to unseat NBA 2K, which has had a vice grip on basketball gaming for quite a while now. And ironically enough, their cover athlete this year? LeBron James. Irving is supposed to be the player that makes Cleveland forget about LeBron. EA Sports is hoping he can do the same to the 2K monster.


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The Legendary Fourth Installment is Being Reworked.
Metroid Prime 4, the game every Nintendo fan has been waiting for, has apparently been scrapped with development starting from scratch. In a recent video posted just this morning, Nintendo’s Senior Managing Executive Officer, Shinya Takahashi, has announced that development on the highly anticipated game will be rebuilt from the ground up. The latest installment in the Metroid franchise will involve Retro Studios as developer, with producer Kensuke Tanabe working alongside them.
This may come as a disappointment to some fans. But as Shigeru Miyamoto once said, “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.” With the original Metroid Prime developers at the helm, there is no doubt that whatever comes to light will certainly please longtime fans of the franchise. Take Breath of the Wild for example. The game was supposed to come out in 2015. Added development time led to a delay. However, in the end, the delay proved to be well worth it. It most certainly helps that Nintendo has had a good track record with publishing decisions. Certain companies wouldn’t put the time or effort into a move like this and simply cancel the game. But “Ninten-does what Ninten-do,” and has chosen to help put the time and effort into making this game come to the fans. Good for them.
Retro Studios meanwhile has been a bit silent in the past couple of years. Their last game was 2014’s Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze. While they did help port the game to the Switch, not much was known about their current projects until today. There is currently no word on who will be directing the project, but producer Kensuke Tanabe has worked on previous entries in the series. So, his involvement is already starting to spell good progress. In the end, we may not see gameplay footage at this year’s E3, but who knows. Nintendo always has a few surprises up its sleeve.


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This article was originally published by HousingWire, an HW Media publication dedicated to serving mortgage and real estate professionals.
Credit reporting agency TransUnion announced on Monday that it was making an equity investment in FinLocker’s $20 million Series A round, inking a partnership agreement designed to give consumers more control and access to their credit data while letting lenders and servicers leverage FinLocker for lead nurturing and conversion.
With the partnership, TransUnion will provide credit report information to FinLocker and provide updated credit and consumer information through its lead generation and servicing solutions. TransUnion will also package its marketing suite of solutions to identify high-quality leads for originators, the company said.
“Companies in the mortgage industry are driving a digital-first evolution by leveraging new technologies to create innovative products and experiences and this partnership helps us uniquely differentiate ourselves in the market,” said Joe Mellman, senior vice president and mortgage business leader at TransUnion. “Buying a home is typically the largest purchase a consumer will make over their lifetime so it is essential for consumers to have all the information they need at their fingertips to secure a mortgage at the right time.”
The partnership means consumers will be able to collect and permission their financial information ahead of getting a mortgage and make an offer on a home with a loan commitment from their lender, the companies said in a press release. Consumers will have access to educational resources and a personalized financial health dashboard.
Consumers can access FinLocker through their financial institution via desktop or mobile app and manage their financial information though a personal data and document vault or locker.
For lenders, the partnership means they can educate consumers and streamline the application process, as well as gain deeper insights into consumers’ actions and behaviors. This provides lenders with the information they need to make smarter risk decisions and uncover new opportunities to drive growth, the companies said.
In their press release, the companies noted the “massive growth” in the mortgage industry this year due to low interest rates.
“A consumer’s personal information is the key to unlocking new economic opportunities,” said Peter Esparrago, cofounder and CEO of FinLocker. “However, the current processes for securing credit can make it difficult for consumers to leverage their data assets to their full potential. TransUnion is well-positioned within the financial services industry to partner with FinLocker to pursue these avenues of growth and bring a more streamlined approach to the loan application and approval processes for both lenders and consumers.”


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- Tuesday, 3 February 2015
For several months now there has been predictions about when, not if, search on mobile will overtake desktop. As long ago as March 2014, Matt Cutts of Google predicted this would happen in 2014. Whilst it didn’t quite happen, there is little doubt that mobile search will now surpass desktop in Q1 2015.
Tags: inCase, mobile app
Posted in associate news
- Tuesday, 5 August 2014
A young solicitor entrepreneur is seeking crowdfunding for an online documents business that will offer instant contracts via a mobile app and alert customers by e-mail to relevant law changes.
Tags: mobile app, online documents
Posted in Latest news, Market monitor, News, Technology
Delivering messages that impact work colleagues is probably the hardest thing law firm leaders have to do, especially to older generation lawyers approaching the end of their careers.
The ‘rule of six’ has been in place since 14 September, with fines levied for those who break it and now we are seeing even more drastic restrictions reimposed. So what does this mean for the UK’s cyber-security?


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A Cwmbran sweet retailer has been prosecuted for selling fake Wonka chocolate bars for £3 which were actually repackaged supermarket-value bars.
Sweet66 Ltd pleaded guilty to eight offences of breaching trademark legislation and misleading consumers.
An investigation, led by Torfaen Council's trading standards, found that Sweet66 Ltd were selling fake Wonka chocolate bars for £3 that were actually repackaged Smart Price chocolate bars from ASDA, which they had bought for just 30p.
Newport magistrates court heard Sweet66 candy store in Cwmbran Shopping Centre had duped consumers and was fined £400 and ordered to pay £1000 towards the prosecutions costs.
Sweet66 Ltd, which is owned by Mr Alexander Gwillym, 39, of Llantarnam, Cwmbran, started selling the counterfeit chocolate bars in September 2012 and continued to do so, despite advice from the council's trading standards service.
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Winter sunshine with cloud creeping in during the afternoon and a frosty night ahead.
The Revd Canon Joanna Penberthy has been consecrated as Bishop of St Davids in "an historic" day for the Church in Wales.
Temperatures will tumble under clear skies tonight with a widespread frost developing.