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Chinese authorities had implemented a very strict zero-Covid-policy to contain the spread of the virus, which had stifled economic activity, as only a handful of cases could shut entire factories and lockdown neighborhoods. However, the county moved away from these very restrictive measures and the positive impact on the economy is already showing on economic indicators forecasts.
After a sluggish growth of just 3% last year, the People's Republic of China (PRC) set the GDP growth target at around 5% for 2023 . According to its latest forecasts earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintained its GDP projection at 5.2% - a bigger expansion than the 2.8% projection for the global economy.
The rebound of the world's largest importer of oil, is also expected to push oil demand higher this year. Based on its latest monthly report, OPEC expects demand from China to have increased by 660,000 barrels per day in the first quarter, compared to Q1 2022.
Today's releases show that China's recovery maintains its momentum, with the National Bereau of Statistics (NBS), noting a "good start" in the first quarter . The economy expanded by 4.5% y/y in the first quarter, the strongest growth in a year and a much better performance compared to the previous reading (+2.9%). On a quarterly basis, GDP grew by 2.2%, after having stagnated in the prior quarter.
Industrial production grew by 3.9% y/y in March, which was marginally lower than expected, but marked a significant increase over the previous month (+2.4%). More to it, retail sales jumped 10.6% y/y, from just 3.5% prior, while for the entire quarter they rose 5.8% y/y.
Trading updates from luxury fashion brands last week, also highlighted China's comeback. The Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan) is the biggest revenue generator for Hermes (RMS.fr). The France-based firm saw its sales in the region jumping 22.5% year-over-year in the first quarter to €1.763 billion, driven by "a very good Chinese New Year".
Rival luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (MC.fr), which also derives most of its revenue from the same region (36% in Q1), saw a 14% increase year-over year increase there - rebounding from the 8% decline of the fourth quarter.
More luxury brands will release their quarterly updates soon, with my focus now turning to UK's Burberry (BRBY.uk) in around a month, as nearly 50% of its revenue came from Asia-Pacific in FY2022 . Back in January, the firm had announced a 23% decline in comparable sales in Mainland China, "due to COVID-19 related restrictions".
China's reopening is well underway, but there are headwinds. The country relies on oil imports and a tighter market could hinder the economic growth. A series of countries announced additional oil production cuts at the beginning of the month, which bring the OPEC+ reduction plan to over 3.6 million barrels per day (bpd) from May until the end of the year.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated last week that the surprise cuts will push supply down and aggravate an expected oil supply deficit in the second-half of 2023, which "augurs badly for the economic recovery and growth".
Furthermore, despite today's very strong data, some recent indicators create concerns for a potentially sluggish recovery. Factory activity expanded for the first time in month in January and accelarated in February, but lost steam in March, as Manufacturing PMI came in at 51.9, from 52.6 prior. Furthermore, the latest inflation data raised concerns over consumer demand. China's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by just 0.7% y/y in March, the smallest increase since September 2021.
Senior Financial Editorial Writer
Nikos Tzabouras is a graduate of the Department of International & European Economic Studies at the Athens University of Economics and Business. He has a long time presence at FXCM, as he joined the company in 2011. He has served from multiple positions, but specializes in financial market analysis and commentary.
With his educational background in international relations, he emphasizes not only on Technical Analysis but also in Fundamental Analysis and Geopolitics – which have been having increasing impact on financial markets. He has longtime experience in market analysis and as a host of educational trading courses via online and in-person sessions and conferences.
Retrieved 17 Apr 2023 https://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/publications/338.htm
Retrieved 17 Apr 2023 http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202304/t20230418_1938715.html
Retrieved 17 Apr 2023 https://r.lvmh-static.com/uploads/2023/04/lvmh_presentation_q1-2023-12-04-2023.pdf
Retrieved 17 Apr 2023 https://www.burberryplc.com/en/news/financial/2023/third-quarter-trading-update.html
Retrieved 17 Apr 2023 https://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/press_room/7120.htm
Retrieved 08 Dec 2023 https://www.iea.org/reports/oil-market-report-april-2023


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One of the notable advancements of the PS4 and Xbox One versions last year was the greater variety of animations included – not every pass looked like a carbon copy of the last. FIFA 15 Coins includes animations that extend beyond just hoofing a pass up field – you now get a sense of what the players think of that pass. They become frustrated at a misplaced ball and are appreciative of a well-judged pass. And apparently, there are over 600 emotional responses that can occur over the course of a match. Blimey. Buy FIFA 15 Coins is set to release on PC, Xbox One, PS4 and last gen consoles on September 26th, the same date rival football game Pro Evolution 2015 is also set to land.
15 years ago FIFA was under direct threat from Pro Evo, with pressure on EA Sports to produce enough innovative features to keep it fresh. Of course, FUT 15 Coins has helped its course over the years but the truth in the matter is the gameplay has always felt smoother, online additions have come quicker, and fans' satisfaction has been higher.Authentic Player Visuals' – that's the way it's being described. The lighting system has been rejigged to tease out the detail in the players' faces and bring of matches more in line with the quality of broadcast TV. The bodies of players have also been rebuilt – they have strong, powerful, and muscular physiques – and look more like real athletes.

domain: news


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Sales of new US homes plunge 14.5 percent in March
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of Americans buying new homes plummeted in March to the slowest pace in seven months, a sign that real estate's spring buying season is off to a weak start.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 03/21/14 --
Companies that pride themselves on being eco-friendly may have conflicted
ideas between marketing with ad specialties and maintaining their green
STEPHEN COLBERT GUESTS ON LETTERMAN'S SHOW
NEW YORK (AP) -- It was old meets new on Letterman last night.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Wanna buy some panties?
IN THE NEWS: STUDY SUGGESTS RETAIL PAYMENT SYSTEM BREACHES UNCOMMON
NEW YORK (AP) -- Some customers are still a little leery about swiping their credit cards after the massive theft of credit card numbers from Target this past holiday season.
Tonight on KTVL
12:30pm: The Bold and the Beautiful
1:00pm: The Talk
2:00pm: Let's Make A Deal
3:00pm: Rachael Ray
5:00pm: News10 at 5pm
5:30pm: CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
6:00pm: News10 at 6pm
6:35pm: Who Wants to be a Millionaire
7:05pm: Inside Edition
8:00pm: Survivor: Cagayan
9:00pm: Criminal Minds
11:00pm: News10 at 11pm
11:35pm: The Late Show, with David Letterman
12:37am: The Late, Late Show, with Craig Ferguson


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AT&T Getting Ready For The Loss Of iPhone Exclusivity?
According to Bloomberg, AT&T is concentrating on a lot of new handsets of late as a part of this strategy. The latest examples being the addition of a bunch of Windows Phone 7 powered handsets to its fold. There has also been a steady stream of Android based devices arriving on AT&T of late.
Bloomberg also noted that the arrival of these handsets has also resulted in significant retraining of its employees so that the shift from an iPhone centric network to one that offers more options to its customers, turns out to be a smooth process.
According to John Dwyer, senior vice president, sales operations and customer experience at AT&T, sales people in the urban areas will be subject to intensive four-hour classes while in rural areas they would be shown live video programs.
The company is also trying to be less reliant on its top selling smartphone during the holidays, adds the report. It was just a day ago that AT&T announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2010 where the company reported a record 5.2 million iPhone activations. The report was also significant in that it also said that more than 50% of new AT&T customers do not actually choose an iPhone these days. This figure was at 36% just a year ago.
Thanks to the iPhone 4 however, AT&T has managed to reach 92.8 million subscribers in the USA with it adding over 2.6 million users over the course of the last quarter. Verizon, which has a 93.4 million subscriber base added just under 1 million new subscribers during the same period. It is however estimated that Verizon could possibly sell up to 9 million iPhones in 2011 according to Charlie Wolf, an analyst at Needham & Co. in New York.
AT&T has always maintained that losing iPhone exclusivity is not a concern. What do you think? Do you think AT&T should be worried about Apple offering iPhone on Verizon's network? Share your views in the comments section below.
- AT&T CEO: Losing iPhone Exclusivity Not A Concern
- AT&T Raises Early Termination Fee For iPhone; Is It Losing iPhone Exclusivity?
- Analyst: AT&T May Have Extended iPhone Exclusivity With iPad Data Deal
- Rumor — AT&T Losing iPhone Exclusivity Next Week
- AT&T More Likely To Lose iPhone Exclusivity To T-Mobile


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Following a collection of incidents wherein packages had been misrouted, and underneath rising scrutiny from the Chinese language authorities, FedEx is searching for reduction.
Part producers around the globe are chopping off Huawei following an govt order signed by President Trump. In consequence, Huawei’s contingency plan may even see the sunshine of day.
FedEx is searching for reduction from being “basically deputize[d]” by the Division of Commerce, following President Trump’s efficient blacklisting of smartphone and telecom gear producer Huawei in Could. The position of Huawei and its subsidiaries on the “Entities Checklist,” which severely limits any enterprise interactions American corporations can have with the Chinese language cellphone big, has triggered numerous logistical issues for FedEx.
Days after the blacklisting, Huawei informed Reuters that FedEx diverted two packages from Japan addressed to Huawei’s Chinese language places of work to amenities in the US, and held different packages despatched from Vietnam to Huawei places of work elsewhere in Asia, with out authorization.
FedEx discovered itself once more within the middle of controversy following an incident wherein a (used) Huawei P30 was despatched from a UK author to the US workplace of PCMag.com, with it being marked “Return to Sender” attributable to “US authorities concern with Huawei and China authorities,” a label on the parcel indicated.
Notably, this incident considerations a used, overview pattern cellphone despatched between two individuals who don’t work for Huawei, making the circumstances for claiming a violation of the blacklisting tenuous, at greatest. FedEx known as it an “operational error” in a press release to Reuters, with that outlet additionally noting that “fears that China would blacklist FedEx because of this despatched its shares down 2.7 % on Monday.”
SEE: Vendor danger administration: A information for IT leaders (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
“FedEx believes that the [Export Administration Regulations] violate frequent carriers’ rights to due course of… as they unreasonably maintain frequent carriers strictly accountable for shipments that will violate the EAR with out requiring proof that the carriers had information of any violations,” the corporate indicated in a press release. “This places an inconceivable burden on a standard provider equivalent to FedEx to know the origin and technological make-up of contents of all of the shipments it handles and whether or not they adjust to the EAR.”
The assertion continues, “We’ve invested closely in our inner export management compliance program. Nonetheless, we consider that the EAR, as presently constructed and carried out, place an unreasonable burden on FedEx to police the hundreds of thousands of shipments that transit our community daily. FedEx is a transportation firm, not a legislation enforcement company.”
Huawei’s issues proceed to develop
Huawei introduced final week that it shipped 100 million smartphones in 2019 by Could 30, which is a tempo unlikely to proceed if couriers refuse to ship packages on account of blacklisting. Their laptop computer division is cancelling element orders amid rumors of exiting the PC OEM market totally, whereas web tech retailer Newegg is dumping the AMD Ryzen-powered Matebook D for $500, presently.
Final week, Huawei’s CEO Ren Zhengfei hosted the live-streamed panel dialogue “A Espresso with Ren,” a half-business, half-philosophical discourse in regards to the firm and expertise on the whole—largely avoiding dialogue of the most recent developments.


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French Connection is to continue increasing its ad spend over the next six months following a 15 per cent profit rise in the first half of the year.
The company will launch a range of men’s grooming products in partnership with Boots next month, and a range of branded Timex watches.
Its results for the first half-year to July 31 showed pre-tax profits up 15.4 per cent to £7.5m on turnover up 24.7 per cent to £87.4m over the previous year.
Chairman and chief executive Stephen Marks says an increased ad spend, up from £1.9m the previous year to £3.1m in the past six months, has contributed to its success both in the UK and the US.
“To achieve this continued high level of sales growth, it has been necessary to support the brand with a high level of marketing and ad spend. We will continue this policy into the second half of the year.”
French Connection ad agency TBWA GGT Simons Palmer has continued to create its controversial fcuk ads, most recently the “Everyone’s talking fcuk” execution, and a TV campaign.
The company is to open a 14,000sq ft store in Oxford Street later this year.


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BERKELEY, CA—Claiming that the eatery was already generating a buzz among locals with its “East Meets Mex” flavors, owners of the Bento Burrito location on Shattuck Avenue explained to reporters Tuesday how their new restaurant offers a totally unwanted twist on Mexican cuisine. “You’ll find all your favorite Mexican dishes on our menu, but with completely unnecessary alterations that no one wants or has ever once asked for,” said Bento Burrito founder Alex Cochran, noting that as part of the restaurant’s efforts to make arbitrary, superfluous Japanese substitutions, patrons would have no choice but to eat their house-made tortilla chips with wasabi instead of salsa. “Enchiladas are a delicious traditional Mexican standard, so there’s no need to add pickled ginger to them, but that’s exactly what we did. Or if you’re looking for lighter fare, simply stop in and shake your head at our tacos that come topped with a wholly uncalled-for pile of bean sprouts.” Cochran encouraged residents to check out the restaurant’s menu online, guaranteeing that every customer would be 100 percent infuriated by item names ranging from Teriyaquitos to Sake-ritas.
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Qualcomm has been shipping its 5G-support chipset to a no. of flagship phones. But, What about the mid-range phones. So, there is good news for all the users that Qualcomm is making Snapdragon 5G Chipset for mid-range phones. The Qualcomm 5G modem will be powered in some popular brands like Oppo, Vivo, Moto, Nokia, Realme and other phones. The company is planning to launch Qualcomm 5G Chipset soon. So, by which users can get 5G support in their mobile fastly. So, read the full article to know more about the Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G Modem Chipset:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 5G Modem Chipset:
As we all know that 5G support is currently available to Snapdragon 8 series. But, it is so expensive that why only flagship phones are coming with it. Therefore, after seeing all this Qualcomm has also planned to launch 5G support chipsets with new Snapdragon 6 and 7 series. It will be shipped in the midrange phones. Qualcomm has announced that twelve companies have planned to integrate with the new 6 and 7 series. The brands are LG, Oppo, Vivo, Moto, Nokia, Realme, Xiaomi, Lenovo and other brands. Qualcomm 5G-support chipset will come with a full range of 5G technology. As we all know that MediaTek has also announced 5G support chipsets this year. So, it will be a competition for both companies.
All three series of Snapdragon will support all the key region and frequency bands by which they can get better stability. The device using it will come with the whole range of mmWave and sub-6 GHz spectrum, 5G multi sim support, TDD and FDD mode, Standalone and non-Standalone with Dynamic Spectrum Sharing architectures. However, the Snapdragon 855 processor doesn’t come with the 5G modem as it is separate from main processor. So, Qualcomm is also directly putting it into the 8-series processor. Therefore, after 2019 all the Qualcomm powered phones will come with the new processor.
Qualcomm is going to release 5G chipset before 2020 because technology is growing day-by-day and 4G is also getting an old trend.
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Standard Acquires Veitch
READING, PA—Standard Offset Printing has purchased Veitch Printing and Veitch Digital Partners for an undisclosed amount of cash, according to the Lancaster (PA) Intelligencer Journal. The deal creates a company with a potential for annual sales of $25 to $30 million.
NewPage Going Public
MIAMISBURG, OH—Coated paper manufacturer NewPage Group is planning an initial public offering, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Associated Press reports that the offering price may be as much as $805 million. Some NewPage stockholders will sell shares as part of the IPO.
Impact Obtains ZipSort
MINNEAPOLIS—Direct mail marketing specialist Impact has acquired the statement processing, laser operation and lettershop capabilities of ZipSort Inc. Impact will bring all 102 ZipSort employees and equipment over to its operation. To support the new inhabitants, Impact will be adding 60,000 square feet to its facility. As part of the consolidation, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2008, Impact will continue to support current ZipSort clients and ongoing contracts.
Printer Adds XL 105 Presses
LOS ANGELES—Anderson Lithograph, a Cenveo company, has signed an agreement with Heidelberg to install two eight-color XL 105-8+LX sheetfed presses. They are expected to be installed and operational by July 31.
Grafitec, Adast Forge Deal
DOBRUSKA, CZECH REPUBLIC—KBA-Grafitec, KBA’s subsidiary here, has entered into a strategic alliance with Adast. According to the deal, Adast will discontinue the development, production and marketing of its own branded products to focus on providing KBA-Grafitec with parts and sub-assemblies. In exchange, KBA-Grafitec and other KBA production sites will purchase components from Adast when possible.
Partnership for Rider, SWO
CHICAGO—Printers Rider Dickerson and Service Web Offset have formed a mutual equity partnership. The firms purchased an equity interest in each other’s business as part of a long-term growth plan to specialize in turnkey print solutions. With the move, the two companies retain their independence and can offer web and sheetfed printing, binding and mailing.
Forger Gets Nabbed
OAKLAND, CA—Michael McGruder continues to get into trouble. After being arrested in March for passing fake bills, McGruder was found to have $250,000 in funny money and printing equipment used to produce the ersatz cash, according to the Associated Press. The Treasury Department and Secret Service, with the aid of information from McGruder, were able to find the operation in Alameda County.
Domtar, Unions Reach Deal
FORT MILL, SC—Domtar and the United Steelworkers Union have reached an umbrella agreement that covers economic and job security issues. The deal, which will be voted on by 4,000 members at 10 Domtar facilities, includes a successorship clause that protects workers’ jobs and contract if a Domtar plant is closed.
Imperial Gets Much Bigger
NEW BERLIN, WI—On the heels of relocating its facility from Milwaukee to an office park, Imperial Visual Communications has bolstered its capabilities with the addition of a new press, the Small Business Times reported. The move allowed Imperial Visual Communications to add a six-color, 40˝ Komori Lithrone press with coater.
Arandell Bolsters Capacity
MENOMONEE FALLS, WI—Arandell Corp. has increased its co-mail capacity to accommodate growing demand stemming from the 2007 USPS rate case. Jim Treis, Arandell’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, notes that the company places priority on client mail plans by offering customized solutions.
48HourPrint.com Adds Gear
BOSTON—Online business-to-business printer 48HourPrint.com has augmented its printing arsenal with a six-color, 40˝ Komori Lithrone sheetfed press. The overall package includes in-line aqueous coating, fully automated plate changers, scanning spectrophotometer, extended delivery and IR/air drying systems. Also acquired was a Kodak Magnus 800 CTP device.
Cadmus Strengthens Arsenal
CHARLOTTE, NC—Cadmus Whitehall Group, a Cenveo company, has added capacity and expanded capabilities across its Latin American production platform. In Costa Rica, the Impresora Delta plant is getting a new Heidelberg XL 105 press. Its Dominican Republic facility will install a second six-color, 40˝ Heidelberg CD 102 press and add UV printing capabilities. And, in Honduras, another six-color, 40˝ Heidelberg CD 102 joins a new Bobst gluer and a sheeter.
IMFS Opens New Center
LANCASTER, PA—Intelligencer Mailing and Fulfillment Services (IMFS) has opened a new 70,000-square-foot mailing and fulfillment facility at Greenfield Corporate Center. The move brings the company’s mailing and fulfillment operations under one roof and more than doubles the combined size and capacity of the previous facilities.
Quad Grows Co-Mailing
SUSSEX, WI—Quad/Graphics is expanding its clients’ opportunities to reduce postage costs by advancing the co-mailing capabilities across its entire manufacturing platform. At the center of the initiative is its new IntelliTrim technology, which allows multiple titles to be bound together on a single, conventional saddlestitcher.
Trade Secret Installs a Sunday
TORONTO—Trade Secret Printing has added a five-unit Goss Sunday 2000 press, the first web press for the Canadian trade printer. The 24-page, gapless press has a 57˝ web width and is equipped with a pinless combination folder and sheeter. It also includes Autoplate plate changing and Goss Web Center digital workflow modules, including automated presetting and closed-loop controls.
IWCO Direct Eyes Expansion
SCHAUMBURG, IL—IWCO Direct could soon be coming to the Left Coast. Jim Leone, a vice president with the Chanhassen, MN-based direct mail printing specialist, told a keynote audience at the Web Offset Association’s Offset & Beyond conference that California is a possible target for expansion in 2008. “Based on population density, we see the western United States as fertile ground for growth, as we continue to expand upon our geographic footprint,” Jim Andersen, IWCO Direct president and CEO, told PRINTING IMPRESSIONS.
DBO Adds Taskero Universe
LEBANON, PA—Donald Blyer Offset is one of the first commercial offset printers on the East Coast to implement Fujifilm’s Taskero Universe, a suite of performance analysis tools for providing quality control from prepress through the pressroom. Taskero Universe also provides real-time information on the status of prepress devices and their performance.
Staples Turned Away Again
FRAMINGHAM, MA—Corporate Express isn’t averse to negotiating a takeover. But the Netherlands-based company did reject rival Staples’ bid of $2.47 billion, saying the sweetened offer was still too low. The 10 percent increase in the offer still “significantly undervalues the business of Corporate Express,” the company contends.
Tribe Seeks Label Printer
OCEAN SPRINGS, MS—A Choctow Tribe is negotiating to bring a New England label printer here to Jackson County, where it owns First American Printing, according to the Biloxi (MS) Sun Herald. Such a move could result in the addition of 250 jobs to the First American complex. The tribe is targeting printers of pressure-sensitive labels, since 75 percent of First American Printing’s business is direct mail.
Xerox Donates $2 Million to RIT
ROCHESTER, NY—Xerox Corp. is committing $2 million to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to serve as a founding partner of The Golisano Institute for Sustainability. This investment in RIT by Xerox, which will be spread over five years, focuses on developing talent and fostering new sustainable technologies through research. RIT introduced The Golisano Institute for Sustainability last year following a $10 million commitment from B. Thomas Golisano, chairman and founder of Paychex Inc. and a member of RIT’s Board of Trustees. PI


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TNT Express saw a 13% drop in EMEA operating profit in the third quarter, despite a 3,2% turnover rise, due to “challenging trading conditions in Europe”. The parcel firm, which last week received a statement of objections from the European Commission ahead of its acquisition by UPS, did not perform as well in its EMEA operations as it had during the same period in 2011, its Q3 trading results revealed. Reported operating profit margins fell from 6.4% in Q3 2011 […]
The ongoing threat of strike action at Royal Mail has encouraged many of its customers to switch to rival carriers, while growth in new contracts has slowed, the firm admitted in its half year results.
Wincanton has reversed heavy losses and is “back on track” – despite a 9.6% fall in turnover – after a turbulent two years that saw it sell its loss-making European activities and exit a poor performing market in the UK.
City Link is launching two new cross-border packet delivery services as it continues with its plans to become a ‘one stop shop’ for customers.


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Pets at Home says seamless shopping and customer loyalty focus helped raise profits and sales
Pets at Home today said that its investment in seamless shopping and a focus on customer loyalty were delivering results as it reported a half-year rise in sales and profits.
The animal care retailer, a Top50 retailer in IRUK Top500
research, said that developing its omnichannel capabilities had enabled it to manage its inventory better while it had also improved its handling of deliveries. At the same time, it said, it had improved its online customer experience with resulting improvements in online conversion and average transaction volumes and value.
Some 50% of online orders, it said, were now picked up in store.
The retailer has also made loyalty a focus through its VIP loyalty club, which uses personalised communications to target and upsell customers. VIP customers enjoy exclusive access to its first subscription service – on regular deliveries of flea treatment.
"We have seen a strong start to customer sign ups, the majority of which are incremental sales from pet owners who have never previously purchased flea treatments from us," said Pets at Home group chief executive Ian Kellett in its half-year statement.
The retailer says innovation supports customer loyalty – which it achieves through introducing new products – and that fun and educational events such as children's pet workshops give customers more reason to visit its shops. By the end of the period it had 427 Pets at Home stores, including eight opened during the half year.
The update on multichannel strategy came as the retailer reported sales of £441.3m in the 28 weeks to October 13. That's 9.1% up on the same time last year. Pre-tax profits of £46m were 12.4% ahead of the £40.9m reported a year earlier.
Ian Kellett said: "We are pleased that our investment in seamless shopping is delivering results with increased volumes, basket spend and the launch of our first subscription service.
"In a more difficult trading environment, we continue to build Pets at Home for the future and are confident in the long term outlook for our unique offer in the resilient pet market, in particular, the developing potential of our Services business as we see it mature and grow."


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A new Gaming Music Grammy Awards category has been added, Hogwarts Legacy Reviews are out, and Horizon Call of the Mountain has gone Gold.
Guerrilla, the renowned game development studio, has exciting news for all the fans eagerly awaiting the release of Horizon: Call of the Mountain. The game has officially gone Gold, marking a significant milestone in its development. For those unfamiliar with the term, going Gold means that the game is now in a stable and polished state, ready to be burned onto a master disk and prepared for distribution. It's a moment of celebration for the development team, as their hard work and dedication have brought the game to this stage.
Horizon: Call of the Mountain is set to be released exclusively for the highly anticipated PlayStation VR 2, which is scheduled to launch on February 22, 2023. The game promises to take players on an immersive journey through a stunning and expansive virtual world. With its breathtaking visuals, captivating storytelling, and innovative gameplay mechanics, Horizon: Call of the Mountain has already generated a tremendous amount of excitement within the gaming community.
In other exciting news, the long-awaited Hogwarts Legacy game has finally had its reviews released, and the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Developed by Portkey Games, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Hogwarts Legacy offers players a chance to experience the magical world of Harry Potter like never before.
The game has received high praise from reviewers across the board, with many stating that it is the best Harry Potter game to date. The attention to detail, immersive gameplay, and rich narrative have all contributed to its success. Fans of the franchise can now look forward to diving into Hogwarts Legacy when it releases on February 10, 2023.
Furthermore, players who opt for the Digital Deluxe Edition or higher will have the privilege of playing the game a day earlier. This early access provides an exciting opportunity for eager fans to be among the first to explore the intricately designed halls of Hogwarts and embark on their magical adventures.
The world of video games continues to evolve and garner recognition from various corners of the entertainment industry. In a significant move, the Grammy Awards have introduced a brand new category to honor the best score in a video game. This recognition demonstrates the growing appreciation for the artistry and craftsmanship involved in creating music for interactive experiences.
The inaugural winner of this prestigious accolade is none other than Stephanie Economou, acclaimed for her outstanding composition work in Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The haunting melodies, epic orchestrations, and immersive soundscapes she crafted for the game have left an indelible impact on players and critics alike.
This new Grammy category signifies a milestone for the gaming industry, highlighting the importance of music in creating captivating and emotionally engaging experiences. It opens the door for composers and musicians to receive mainstream recognition for their contributions to the gaming medium. As video games continue to push artistic boundaries, it is both exciting and inspiring to witness their influence on wider cultural spheres.
Looking ahead, it will be fascinating to see which other game soundtracks receive recognition in this new Grammy category. The inclusion of gaming music in such esteemed award ceremonies serves as a testament to the industry's growth, innovation, and cultural significance. It encourages further exploration and appreciation of the musical aspects that enhance gaming experiences.
In conclusion, the gaming world is abuzz with excitement and noteworthy developments. Guerrilla's Horizon: Call of the Mountain reaching Gold status marks a significant achievement for the development team, signaling that the game is ready to be released. The highly anticipated Hogwarts Legacy has received rave reviews, solidifying its position as one of the most promising Harry Potter games to date. Lastly, the introduction of the Gaming Music Grammy category highlights the recognition of game soundtracks as a vital and artistic element in interactive entertainment. These updates demonstrate the continuous evolution and cultural impact of the gaming industry, paving the way for even more remarkable experiences in the future.
For a visual summary of today's gaming news, complete with engaging gameplay footage, check out our YouTube video below. It's a quick and entertaining way to catch up on the highlights!
I hope you enjoyed this comprehensive dive into the latest gaming news. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it's always thrilling to be at the forefront, sharing these updates with fellow enthusiasts like you.
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Futurist and Google exec Ray Kurzweil thinks that once we have robotic implants, we'll be funnier, sexier and more loving. Because that's what artificial intelligence can do for you.
There are a ton of new movies and TV shows hitting Netflix in October. Also, the beginning of October sees lots of titles going offline.
The next version of Apple's Mac software is available for download. CNET explains where you can get it and how to use it.
Commentary: Back in June, I signed up for Apple Music, eager to make it my one-and-only music service. But after just a few weeks, I jumped ship for Spotify. Here's why.
From the Cheapskate: Ads are a necessary evil of the Web, and the truth is they're just not that evil, especially if they conform to AdBlock's Acceptable Ads guidelines.
For most of 2015, the dwarf planet has been beaming a mystery back at us. Now NASA has an educated guess that might surprise you.
Some of the changes Google made to its new Nexus duo reveal how the company is correcting the missteps it took with the Nexus 6.
Find free Wi-Fi hotspots without using any data at all.
Thanks to Apple's new iPhones, the next wave of super-high-def video won't flow from Hollywood or pro sports leagues. It will bubble up from people like you.
From the Cheapskate: Before you plunk down money for Office 2016, consider whether you can get by with a free suite -- or even Microsoft's free online version!


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The move by Gehe, which wants to further strengthen its leading position in Europe, comes after AAH unsettled investors with two disappointing trading statements.
A successful takeover would also give Gehe, already the leading wholesale pharmaceuticals company on the Continent, a sizeable foothold in Britain. Despite its problems amid the ongoing price war, AAH is the UK leader with a 29 per cent share of the wholesale market for prescription and other over-the-counter medicines.
Criticism of management is at the forefront of Gehe's reasoning why AAH's shareholders, who until yesterday had seen the value of their investments drop considerably since before Christmas, should accept the bid.
Dieter Kammerer, chairman of Gehe's management board, said: "We are making a generous offer to shareholders who have suffered from the poor performance of the company. It appears that, in terms of profitability, AAH is failing to keep up with its competitors."
Gehe is 50.2 per cent-owned by the private Franz Haniel & Cie, but has share listings on several bourses in Germany. The company is valued at DM 3.31bn (£1.42bn) and turned over DM7.4bn and made pre-tax profits of DM113m for the six months to last June.
Against that, AAH's operating profits from continuing operations in the year to last March eased from £39.3m to £38.5m. However, the inclusion of acquisitions, most notably of retail pharmacies, enabled AAH to report a 7 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £40m.
Initial reaction among analysts was that Gehe's move made industrial sense, but the offer price might not be quite enough to win the day. AAH shares climbed 122p to 431p yesterday, a 2.6 per cent premium to the bid price and a level they traded at late last year before being sent tumbling by a disappointing 14 per cent fall in interim profits to £16.4m.
The shares fell sharply, and touched a year's low of 282p earlier this month after AAH warned about trading in two non-core divisions, and also announced the theft of £3m of cheques, since recovered.
John Padovan, chairman of AAH, countered Gehe's attack on management's ability. "We are confident we can work it out right by ourselves," he said.
While most of AAH's trading problems have been in non-core businesses, the company has been feeling the squeeze of margins in the competitive wholesale market.


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Tesla Delivers First Semi Electric Trucks To PepsiCo
Tesla Inc. has delivered its first Semi, a heavy-duty electric truck, to its customer PepsiCo Inc. during an event at its Nevada Gigafactory.
The delivery of 500-mile fully electric Semi truck comes five years after the launch of the truck’s prototype in 2017.
During Thursday night’s Semi Delivery Event at Tesla’s Sparks, Nevada factory, CEO Elon Musk, with Dan Priestly, the senior manager for Semi truck engineering, kicked off deliveries.
The event showcased at least 5 Tesla Semi electric trucks, of which 3 were white trucks, one with Pepsi and one with its snack foods unit Frito-Lays branding.
Tesla’s all-electric class 8 truck, Tesla Semi, was unveiled in 2017, with a plan to start production as soon as 2019. However, the plans got delayed for years due to various reasons. In 2020, Musk had said that Tesla’s own battery cells, which were under development, would not reach high-volume production until 2022, and would eventually affect the Cybertruck, Semi, and Roadster programs.
In April this year, the company said it plans to release the Tesla Semi EV in 2023, along with its long-awaited electric pickup Cybertruck.
However, in August, Musk tweeted that Tesla 500 mile range Semi Truck will start shipping this year, while Cybertruck will start shipping next year.
In early October, Musk announced that the luxury electric vehicle maker has started the production of Tesla Semi electric trucks, and the first delivery will be to food and beverages giant Pepsico starting December 1.
On November 26, Musk tweeted that Tesla had completed a 500-mile drive with the Semi weighing in at 81,000 pounds.
Soon after the Semi launch in 2017, PepsiCo, the first customer to receive and use Semi trucks, had placed orders for 100 Tesla Semi electric trucks to add to its fleet. The company was expecting to take deliveries of 15 Tesla Semi trucks initially, for a project to turn its Frito-Lay Modesto, California, site into a zero-emission facility.
Last year, Tesla had installed a Megacharger station for the trucks at Pepsi’s Modesto facility.
According to Tesla, the truck can drive 500 miles on a single charge, fully loaded. The semi truck’s features include driver’s seat in the center of the cab rather than on one side, as it helps to accelerate much more quickly than traditional semi trucks. It has three electric motors, and also a new, fast-charging system.
At the event, Musk said a new megawatt ultra-fast chargers will be used to quickly refill the truck’s batteries, which will also be made available for Cybertrucks when the pickup truck goes on sale.
CNBC earlier had reported that the truck was expected to cost $180,000, and that it would qualify for a tax break of up to $40,000 under a U.S. subsidy program.
Even though Semi was the first fully electric heavy-duty truck to be announced, similar trucks were launched into the market during its development period, including electric trucks by Volvo-owned Renault Trucks, Daimler as well as Nikola.
Source: Read Full Article


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Today: Twitter’s stock jumps despite a rocky day for Wall Street.
Also: Google’s life sciences company ramps up efforts to disrupt diabetes. Apple teams up with Cisco in a move to sell more iPhones and iPads to business customers.
The lead: Twitter’s stock gets an upgrade
Twitter’s stock took a beating in the last year, falling below its IPO price amid concerns that the company isn’t attracting more users and uncertainty about who will take the reins as the company’s permanent CEO.
But on Monday, as Silicon Valley tech stocks and others tumbled, Twitter’s stock stayed in the positive.
Bob Peck, a SunTrust Robinson Humphrey analyst, upgraded Twitter’s stock from “neutral” to “buy,” noting that he was “cautiously optimistic” about the tech firm because there are efforts underway that could help the microblogging site attract more users and ad dollars.
The company’s stock was up more than 5 percent throughout the day. Twitter’s stock closed at $27.79 per share when the market closed, an uptick of 3.58 percent.
“While Twitter has near-term challenges and our estimates are in line with (Wall Street’s), we think user metrics have at least stabilized and can grow…,” Peck wrote in a note on Monday.
The company is partnering with Google so tweets showed up in search results, working on a project called “Project Lightning” to make live events easier to follow, testing a buy button, teaming up with Google’s ad system DoubleClick, among other efforts.
As of June, the microblogging site had 316 monthly active users.
On Sunday, more than 47 million tweets were sent worldwide three hours before and during MTV’s airing of the Video Music Awards. Rapper Kanye West’s acceptance speech for the Vanguard Award in which the artist announced he’s running for president in 2020 dominated the conversation on Twitter.
Meanwhile, the company is still searching for a permanent CEO while its founder Jack Dorsey, who is also CEO of the mobile payment company Square, runs the tech firm. Former Twitter CEO Dick Costolo stepped down from the position in July.
Peck wrote in the note that he expects that Twitter will make an announcement around Labor Day about the company’s management.
Yahoo, Netflix, Google, Apple and other tech firms saw their stocks dip in the red by the time the market closed.
SV150 market report: U.S. stocks dip, capping off a rough month
U.S. stocks dropped on Monday, closing out their worst month in years as concerns about China’s slowing economy and a potential hike in U.S. interest rates continued.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 114.98 points, a decrease of 0.69 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index shaved off 51.82 points on Monday, down 1.07 percent.
“Emerging markets don’t look that great, the Fed is going to raise rates, and Europe is still gradually emerging from recession,” David Lebovitz, global market strategist for J.P. Morgan Asset Management told The Wall Street Journal. “There are a lot of wild cards out there, but we’re still optimistic” on stocks, Lebovitz added.
Google’s life sciences company is partnering with French pharmaceutical company Sanofi SA and the renowned Joslin Diabetes Center to disrupt the disease . The internet search giant, which also introduced an app to connect Android smartwatches with Apple’s iPhone , is facing accusations from the Indian competition commission that it’s rigging its search results. Google’s stock closed down 1.8 percent at $647.82 per share.
But that wasn’t the only partnership a tech company announced on Monday.
Apple is teaming up with Cisco in an effort to sell more iPhones and iPads to business customers. The San Jose tech company would ensure that corporate Internet connections relying on its hardware deliver content quickly and securely to the Apple devices, the Associated Press reported. Apple’s stock was down 0.47 percent on Monday, closing at $112.76 per share.
Video-streaming service Netflix isn’t renewing a U.S. deal with Epix, but Hulu has struck a deal with the cable network, allowing it to expand the shows and movies it offers in October, the Los Angeles Times reports. Netflix’s stock closed at $115.03 per share, down 2.21 percent.
Tesla’s stock was slightly up, closing up 0.23 percent at $249.06 per share. The electric car manufacturer is urging the Obama administration to talk to President Xi Jinping about rules that bars foreign automakers from building cars in the country without a Chinese partner.
Silicon Valley tech stocks
Up: Twitter, VMware Inc., Intel, SolarCity Corp., Tesla, HP.
Down: Gilead Sciences Inc., Yahoo, Netflix, Facebook, Google
The SV150 index of Silicon Valley’s biggest companies: Down 14.38, or 0.87 percent, to 1,631.91.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index: Down 51.82, or 1.07 percent, to 4,776.51.
The blue chip Dow Jones industrial average: Down 114.98 or 0.69 percent, to 16,528.03.
And the widely watched Standard & Poor’s 500 index: Down 16.69, or 0.84 percent, to 1,972.18.
Sign up for the 60-Second Business Break newsletter at www.siliconvalley.com.


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Enterprise awards: Do you have takes to be a what it winner?
Their names read like a who's who of British business - easyJet founder Stelios Haji- Ioannou, Sir Bill Gammell, boss of Cairn Energy, and Charles Dunstone of The Carphone Warehouse.
Passion: Retail winner Mike Jatania says the awards keep him focused.
They are all previous UK winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. And the international accountancy giant is launching the 2009 awards this week to coincide with the inaugural Global Entrepreneurship Week.
More than 70 countries have signed up to a celebration of enterprise that will include events and activities aimed at promoting entrepreneurship. In Britain these will include masterclasses by successful business owners and Women's Enterprise Day on Wednesday.
The Ernst & Young awards, backed by Financial Mail and now entering their 11th year, celebrate business owners who combine an ability to take risk and innovate, with strong leadership skills and strategic vision.
There are regional and national competitions culminating in a global final in Monte Carlo in May.
Richard Harpin of domestic insurance services group Homeserve, who won the overall title at the national final last month, will be Britain's representative.
Richard Hall, leader of the UK awards programme, believes each stage of the event has a different significance for the participants.
'The event is about celebrating entrepreneurship, but it is aligned to individual countries, areas and local culture,' he says.
'At regional level the sense of achievement comes from competing against local peers and rivals.
At national level it is more about sector peers, while at international level it is about global peers across many different sectors.'
Some winners of the UK awards, such as Linda Bennett of shoe firm LK Bennett and Cobra Beer founder Lord Bilimoria, have gone on to become household names.
Dragons' Den stars Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones were past regional finalists.
Mike Jatania, chief executive of toiletries manufacturer Lornamead Acquisitions, won this year's national award in the retail and consumer category.
He has built up the family business, based in Camberley, Surrey, to own more than 40 consumer brands, including Yardley, Woods of Windsor and Harmony hairspray.
The company, which has a turnover of £320 million, employs 400 people around the world.
Jatania, 43, from Paddington, west London, says: 'When trading becomes more challenging, it is awards like these that keep my focus, my drive and my passion for business alive.
'I hope they can inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to realise that they can achieve their ambitions.'
Hall expects the financial crisis to have some influence on the next crop of finalists. 'The awards serve as a barometer,' he says.
'We expect to see businesses that have been opportunistic in terms of the current climate in the 2009 finals.'
• For more information about the E&Y awards, visit eoy.co.uk or call the Entrepreneur Of The Year inquiry line on 0845 604 1012.
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British poultry farmers, producers and retailers came together to share developments, knowledge and good practice in poultry meat farming at the 2017 Poultry Meat Conference in Daventry, Northamptonshire on 19 September.
The annual conference offered a great opportunity to celebrate our successes, acknowledge the key role of our professional workforce in feeding the nation and share developments and technological innovations that are taking our sector from strength to strength.
Representatives from PD Hook Hatcheries, British Poultry Council, Elanco, Crowshall Veterinary Services, Cobb Europe and Aviagen addressed the conference on the challenges and opportunities offered by Brexit, the urgent need to address Britain’s future food security and sustainability and shared practical advice on breeding, rearing and processing methods that prioritise bird health and welfare.
The poultry meat sector reiterated its commitment to producing safe, wholesome, and nutritious food for Britain without compromising our food values and standards.
Industry delegates talked about the ways in which the sector is looking at optimising its food production systems and stimulating investment to produce more British food.
Our member businesses emphasised the need to increase productivity across our supply chains while embracing technological innovations and investing in upskilling our workforce.
The conference was chaired by Patrick Hook, PD Hook Hatcheries. Speakers included: Shraddha Kaul, British Poultry Council; Jonathan Lambert, Elanco; Ian Lowery, Crowshall Veterinary Services, Nigel Strain, Cobb Europe; Dan Pearson and Graeme Dear, Aviagen.
The conference was sponsored by MSD Animal Health, Cobb, Aviagen, PD Hook Hatcheries, For Farmers and Elanco.
Did you know?
• Nearly a billion birds are reared for food every year, providing half the meat that the country eats.
• We take nothing in Government subsidies and yet offer over £1 billion in tax contribution to the Exchequer.
• Our economic contribution has increased by nearly 50 percent in the last five years with a £4.6 billion gross value-added contribution in 2015.
• Our sector sustains a total of 87,700 jobs, of these, 37,300 people are employed directly in poultry meat.


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Karachi August 25, 2021: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has observed that the price in the shares of certain companies has increased substantially during the last three months and asked them to submit reason for this substantial increase.
PSX has issued notices to TPL Corporation Limited, Dewan Textile Mills Limited, Dadex Eternit Limited, Dewan Farooque Motors Limited, Dewan Farooque Spinning Mills Limited, Pakistan Synthetics Limited, Pace Pakistan Limited, Towellers Limited, Data Agro Limited, Maqbool Textile Mills Limited, Frieslandcampina Engro Pakistan Limited, First Imrooz Modaraba, Popular Islamic Modaraba and TPL Properties Limited.
A L S O || R E A D
Criminal or Civil Proceedings Against Hascol Will Be Done: SECP
PSX have asked the companies to furnish the reason or any material information in company’s knowledge which have resulted in this substantial price movement.
PSX clarified that in case of any material/price-sensitive information that is likely to affect the market price/volume, companies are required to share the same to the exchange for its dissemination to all market participants as prescribed under law.


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Heinz statement on Highbury's acquisition of Leamington plant
Heinz is bringing in Burger King CEO Bernardo Hees as its next top executive, signalling what may be the first of many changes planned by the ketchup maker's new owners. (AP / Toby Talbot)
A letter of intent has been signed with a Canadian company to acquire Leamington’s Heinz facility.
In a news release Thursday, Heinz stated they’ve signed the letter of intent with Highbury Canco Corporation, who will act as a co-packer for Heinz.
H.J. Heinz Company of Canada, Ltd.
Leamington Factory Update – February 27, 2014
Quote From Heinz
“Heinz is pleased to announce that we have signed a letter of intent with Highbury Canco Corporation, a Canadian company (Highbury Canco Corporation), to acquire the Heinz Leamington facility and for Highbury Canco Corporation to act as a co-packer for Heinz. The signing of this letter of intent is great news for Heinz and for Leamington, Ontario and is subject to the successful completion of the full transaction. A testament to the hard-working town of Leamington, Heinz received many expressions of interest in the facility, and we are pleased we were able to identify a strong new partner for the community and for Heinz,” said Michael Mullen, Senior Vice President of Corporate & Government Affairs at Heinz.
Quote from Highbury Canco Corporation
Pradeep Sood, representing the Principals of Highbury Canco Corporation said: “The Leamington Plant has an excellent workforce and Ontario’s farmers are amongst the best in the world. We believe that our investment will be the cornerstone to providing Ontario’s agricultural products around the world, not just in Canada.”
“Under the terms of this letter of intent, we will continue to manufacture certain identified Heinz products and as well provide certain distribution and logistics services to Heinz in Canada. In the next few weeks, we look forward to working closely with all our strategic partners including local farmers, the workforce, the local community and all levels of government to finalize the agreement with Heinz.” said Mr. Sood.
For further information please contact:
Senior Vice President of Corporate & Government Affairs
H.J. Heinz Company


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Following three successful flash sales, Huawei is geared up to present the brand new Honor 7X for open sale from Saturday onwards. Users can now purchase the gadget without any fuss of registration or rushing in within a timeframe. The earlier flash sales were conducted on Amazon India, and Huawei claims that the number of registrations for these sales exceeded a million. Open sales will also occur on the same platform.
The smartphone is priced at Rs. 12,999 for 32GB variant and Rs. 15,999 for the 64GB variant in India. Amazon offers no-cost EMIs, 80 percent off on Kindle eBooks up to Rs. 300 and a combo Airtel data offer with up to 90GB of free data along with the product, adding to the enthusiasm of customers. Honor 7X ships in Aurora Blue, Midnight Black and Platinum Gold colour variants.
P Sanjeev, Vice President Sales, Huawei India-Consumer Business group made the following statement on the company’s decision to go for open sales: “After three blockbuster sales, we have received many requests for another sale for our Honour 7X and are humbled by the response received.”
“Owing to a great response we had extended the sale till 4 pm in the last flash sale held yesterday and have now decided to go ahead with an open sale. For our consumers who could not buy the device during the previous flash sale(s), can now get their hands on the global bestseller on Amazon.in starting 23 December.”
Each piece comes with a 5.93” full HD+ (1080×2160 pixels) IPS display, and is powered by HiSilicon Kirin 659 octacore SoC with four Cortex A-53 cores clocked at 2.36 GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.75 GHz, coupled with 4GB RAM. The dual-SIM donned gadget runs on EMUI 5.1, based on Android 7.0 Noughat.
The camera part is a combination of dual rear camera and an 8-megapixal front camera. The rear camera combo includes a 16-megapixal primary sensor and a 2-megapixal depth sensor, along with PDAF and LED flash. Memory can be expanded upto 256 GB in a hybrid dual-SIM setup.
Honor 7X sports versatile connectivity options including 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v4.1, GPS/ A-GPS, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and Micro-USB. Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, digital compass, fingerprint sensor and proximity sensor are on board.


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Thursday 27 June 2019
London’s business confidence jumped as domestic and export sales recovered during the second quarter of the year.
This is the message from the first set of results from the Q2 round of polling released by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry as part of its ‘Capital 500’ Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), and is based on results from a survey of 503 London businesses, representative by size and broad industry sector.
20% of London businesses reported increased domestic sales over the last three months (14% in Q1) while the number reporting declining sales fell, resulting in the biggest jump in the QES index for two years.
Similarly, 21% of exporting London businesses saw export sales increase over the last three months, again with the number reporting declining sales falling, causing the QES index to move back into positive territory.
All business confidence indicators also increased in this quarter, the first time this has happened this year, and expectations for the wider economic outlook also improved, although still remain gloomy overall.
David Frost, Chief Executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said:
“It is great news to see London’s businesses bounce back from the discouraging results of the first quarter of the year. The economy of this city is hugely resilient, and its innovative and dynamic firms continue to create wealth.
Of course the wider picture remains uncertain and businesses’ broader view of the economy is not positive. That will remain the case until there is clarity about the terms and timing of our exit from the EU. No deal remains a very real possibility and government and business need to work together to be ready if it happens.”
T: +44 (0)207 203 1897
M: +44 (0)7827 241528
NOTES TO EDITOR:
- The full Q2 Capital 500 results will be revealed at an event on Monday 1 July.
- ComRes interviewed 503 London Business decision-makers online between 10 May and 11 June 2019. Data were weighted to be representative of all London businesses by company size and broad industry sector. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.


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California issues stay-at-home order alert. What you need to know about COVID-19 rules
California authorities sent a cellphone text alert Tuesday to two major regions of the nation's most populous state to tell millions that the coronavirus is spreading rapidly and asking them to stay home except for essential activities.
The noon blast to the state-designated 11-county Southern California region and 12-county San Joaquin Valley region was sent by the state Office of Emergency Services.
The text also urged people to wear masks and physically distance.
Both regions came under increased restrictions this week after the capacity of hospital intensive care units dropped below 15%. The restrictions will remain in effect for at least three weeks and require reduced capacity at essential businesses as a surge of new coronavirus cases threatens to overwhelm hospitals.
Dropping to so few available beds is concerning for local hospital systems as COVID-19 cases are predicted to continue to increase. The two regions join several counties in the San Francisco Bay Area, which implemented similar stay-at-home orders without waiting to cross into the threshold that would require action by the state.
We know you have questions, and we’re here to help. Here's what we know about California's regional stay-at-home orders:
When do I have to wear a mask?
Californians are required to wear masks when they are outside their homes and exposed to other people, according to the state.
This means you should be wearing a mask when you are walking down a street where you will cross paths with others, when you pick up a to-go food order, when you go shopping, or when you wander across the street to say "hello" to a neighbor as they are putting up holiday decorations, among other scenarios.
The exception is when you are clearly by yourself, such as riding in your own car alone or hiking with no other people around. In an instance such as hiking, you should still carry a mask with you in these moments in case you encounter others while hiking.
Do we have to physically distance "100%" of the time?
Similar to the mask mandate, Californians are expected to physically distance "100%" of the time from anyone who is not part of their household.
However, anytime you interact with people not in your household, you should maintain 6 feet of distance between yourself and the other person.
Tracing:California unveils voluntary smartphone tool to trace COVID-19 cases
Inland Empire:How will the COVID-19 vaccine be distributed? State offers new clues
This means if you are grocery shopping, stay 6 feet away from other shoppers. Don't crowd the avocado display, just wait your turn. If you are standing in line to check out or to get into the store, keep 6 feet of distance between yourself and others in line.
This also means if you plan to defy the state order and socialize with people not in your household, do so outside and stay 6 feet away from them (and, of course, wear a mask).
What has to close?
- Indoor and outdoor restaurant dining
- Hair salons, barbershops, nail salons and other personal care services
- Cardrooms and satellite wagering
- Museums, zoos and aquariums
- Movie theaters
- Bars, breweries, distilleries and wineries
- Indoor recreational facilities
- Family entertainment centers
- Overnight stays at campgrounds
- Food, drink or alcohol sales at outdoor recreational facilities
- Use of hotels and lodging for tourism and leisure is prohibited.
What stays open?
- Critical infrastructure sectors
- Retail, although at a reduced capacity and counties can impose tougher rules than the state. The new order lowers capacity of general retail and shopping centers to 20% and standalone grocery stores to 35% capacity.
- Restaurants for takeout and delivery service
- Entertainment production including professional sports without live audiences, except for Santa Clara County. It has its own order banning contact sports, which has forced the San Francisco 49ers to temporarily relocate to Arizona for December home games.
- Schools that are already open for in-person learning
- Outdoor areas like beaches, parks, and hiking trails
- Outdoor recreational facilities that facilitate "physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise"
- Medical offices, dentist offices
- Child care and prekindergarten
- Outdoor church services
How does this stay-at-home order differ from the spring one?
All retail stores will be allowed to remain open, at a reduced capacity, as will outdoor spaces like parks and beaches.
How will the order be enforced?
The order will work only if most Californians comply.
Newsom said he's seen support for enforcing the order from a number of local officials, although he acknowledged that some have said they're not planning to enforce the rules. Newsom said he will withhold pandemic funds from counties unwilling to enforce rules or adopt measures to reduce the spread of disease.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has doubled down on his opposition to the orders. Bianco posted a video statement decrying Newsom's plans to impose shutdowns across the state and repeating his objection to penalizing those who don't follow the new protocols.
In an interview with The Desert Sun, Bianco said forceful rules are not the best way to enforce state-mandated safety protocols.
“Honesty and appealing to them to do the right things,” Bianco said, is the best way to get the public to comply with state aims.
If the Riverside County Sheriff isn't enforcing the order, can businesses just stay open?
Riverside County's enforcement policy is to attempt to educate businesses first.
Depending on the business, either the county's legal team or its department of environmental health will reach out and walk through the newly mandated rules to educate them on what modifications need to be made, said Brooke Federico, Riverside County spokeswoman.
Bianco:Riverside County sheriff spars with critics after decrying stay-at-home order
Video:Riverside County sheriff calls stay-at-home order 'ridiculous'
"This is an educational approach and we’ve found that most all businesses contacted come into voluntarily compliance," Federico said.
However, if a business continues to defy orders, the county can take civil court action, which it has done already during the pandemic, Federico said.
The action can include a cease-and-desist order or a temporary restraining order from the court.
How long does the order last?
For Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, the order will last at least until Dec. 28 — and will only lift, at that time, if available ICU capacity projections for the following month reach 15% or greater.
The Bay Area orders are expected to remain in effect through Jan. 4, unless crowding in the region's intensive care units improves earlier than anticipated.
The order could span longer than those timelines if cases do not improve, though.
Can I meet my friends for outdoor activities?
The simple answer is: No. The state's order says you should not meet friends for even outdoor activities, at least through the end of the year.
However, if you are going to, use safety precautions. For example, if you want to walk around your neighborhood or go for a hike, do so in a less crowded area, wear a mask the whole time, and walk with 6 feet of distance between yourself and your friend.
Earlier in the pandemic, health officials offered safety guidelines for hosting outdoor, socially distanced gatherings such as wine nights or bonfire beer nights. However, officials are now strongly urging people not to host any gatherings at all, even if they are outside.
(If you are going to break the rules anyway, wear a mask, stay outside, stay 6 feet apart, keep the visit short and don't spend time eating or drinking during the visit since that requires you to remove your mask.)
Can I go visit my family for the holidays, or vice versa?
The state is asking people to stay at home and not mix and move around. Part of the recent surge in California was caused by travelers from out of state.
"All nonessential travel we are ordering to be temporarily restricted," Newsom said.
More:What are travel rules in Southern California for the December shutdown?
The directive to cancel nonessential travel plans is a requirement, not an advisory. The requirement really isn't enforceable, but Dr. Mark Ghaly, the California health and human services secretary, said he hoped that labeling it a requirement would encourage compliance.
Only essential infrastructure workers are allowed to travel in regions under the stay-at-home order.
Can I stay at a hotel?
Hotels cannot be open for tourists and leisure in the regions that are affected by the shutdowns, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.
"Lodging can be used only for essential workers only," he said.
But hotels don't have to close altogether, because people who are traveling for essential work-related purposes can make reservations. Specifically, it allows hotel and lodging for essential reasons only, defined as supporting "critical infrastructure sectors," including workers in healthcare, food, agriculture, energy, utilities, transportation, communications, government operations, manufacturing, financial services and the entertainment industry.
Quarantining and isolating are also allowed at hotels, as of guidance on the state's COVID-19 website as of Monday night. The state has a travel advisory that's been in place since mid-November advising those who arrive from out-of-state to self-quarantine for 12 days after arrival, and that also goes for Californians traveling out of state and return home.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "continues to endorse quarantine for 14 days and recognizes that any quarantine shorter than 14 days balances reduced burden against a small possibility of spreading the virus."
How many people can be in a grocery store?
General retailers are limited to 20% capacity and standalone grocery stores to 35% capacity.
If you're racing to finish Christmas shopping or just trying to knock out weekly grocery shopping, plan extra time to wait in line outside as stores will be required to monitor their capacity.
Additionally, try to stock up on food and household items to limit the amount of times needed to go grocery shopping over the next few weeks.
Are golf courses closed?
For now, the sport does remain open. According to the state, "outdoor recreational facilities" can operate outdoors "without any food, drink, or alcohol sales."
More:Even with newest California shutdown orders, golf can stay open in state
Masks need to be worn in common areas like pro shops and clubhouses. At places where other golfers might gather, like the first tee, masks also need to be worn.
While Los Angeles County seems to be the strictest in terms of who can and can’t ride in a cart together, the idea remains that only single riders should be in a cart where enough carts are available, and dividers can be put in carts when two riders not from the same household must ride together.
Are protests allowed?
Yes, however state guidelines "..strongly recommended that those exercising their right to engage in political expression (including, for example, their right to petition the government) should utilize alternative channels, such as the many online and broadcasting platforms available in the digital age, in place of in-person gatherings."
How crowded are the intensive care units?
They're getting more crowded than ever, and unless something is done to turn the tide, California's intensive care unit capacity will be overwhelmed.
Mortality rates can dramatically increase when ICUs are stretched beyond capacity, and officials have already warned there are a limited number of doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers adequately trained in intensive care.
Hospital:Eisenhower Health braces for influx of coronavirus patients, staffing shortage
Ambulances:San Bernardino County no longer sending ambulances to every 911 call
Quality of care can decrease substantially if hospitals are forced to transfer critically ill patients to other parts of the medical facilities that are not normally designed to care for such patients.
Nearly 20,000 Californians have died after being infected with the coronavirus, responsible for the worst global pandemic in more than a century. Unless the current surge in cases is turned around, California's death toll could double by the end of winter.
What is the goal of this stay-at-home order?
California's hospitalizations already are at record levels, and the state has seen a roughly 70% increase in ICU admissions in just two weeks, leaving just 1,700 of the state’s 7,800 ICU beds available.
The goal is to avoid the nightmare scenario of people lined up outside hospital emergency rooms, patients struggling to breathe alongside those seeking care for non-life-threatening ailments, and not enough staff to take care of them. With that tragic scene in mind, Newsom imposed an overnight curfew, a ban on nonessential travel, and issued stay-home orders in regions where open ICU beds have dipped below 15%.
Why use a regional approach?
The regional approach is being used because that's how hospitals and health care delivery systems work when some hospitals reach capacity, Ghaly said. When one county is full, it leans on a nearby county for help.
This is how the state's regions are defined under the new order:
- Rural Northern California: Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity
- Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma
- Greater Sacramento: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba
- San Joaquin Valley: Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne
- Southern California: Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura
Why are the regions grouped as they are?
The five regions are broken up into what the California Department of Public Health refers to as "health officer regions." The regions were grouped based on common features and they are meant to illustrate how collaborative health care systems work together across county lines, Ghaly said.
“Certainly, the southern part and San Joaquin regions are seeing significant loads in the ICUs from COVID-19, and they have a small percentage of beds open,” Ghaly said. “In the north, there is a higher percent of beds open.”
However, not everyone is happy with how the regions were grouped together.
Three counties northwest of Los Angeles are planning an attempt to separate themselves out of the Southern California region.
Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties plan to seek approval to create a smaller Central Coast region if the tri-county ICU capacity exceeds 15% in the next three weeks, the counties said in a statement Monday.
At that point, the three counties will ask to be assessed on the tri-county ICU capacity and not overall Southern California region capacity.
“We believe it’s reasonable to have the Central Coast as one region instead of including our county with over half the state’s population in the current Southern California Region,” Ventura County Executive Officer Mike Powers said in a statement.
Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.


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A consortium of technology firms and banks operating under the name Marco Polo is piloting a trade finance solution based on distributed ledger technology after a successful proof-of-concept.
Trade finance technology specialist TradeIX and enterprise software firm R3 have been working with core banks BNP, Commerzbank and ING since September last year and, since then, have been joined by Standard Chartered, DNB of Norway, and Finland’s OP Financial Group.
The Marco Polo initiative has developed a post-shipment trade finance solution powered by TradeIX’s TiX platform and R3’s Corda blockchain technology. It makes possible end-to-end, real-time, seamless connectivity between trade participants, eliminating data silos which prevent free flow of information thereby reducing inefficiencies and discrepancies.
The initial focus is on risk mitigation based on the matching of trade data, payables finance, and receivables finance.
“The tests ING ran as part of the proof-of-concept enabled us to see the value this solution could deliver in three separate areas of trade financing. The technology ran fast and smoothly and the positive results showed us we are on the right track and ready to take the next step by entering into a pilot,” said Ivar Wiersma, head of innovation at ING Wholesale Banking.
Microsoft’s cloud is part of the foundation of Marco Polo. Connie Leung, senior director, financial services business lead Asia, Microsoft, said: “Heavy paper processing across complex supply chain processes are a significant burden to businesses. The industry has been looking for solutions to simplify and digitise trade, making supply chain ripe for the benefits of blockchain technology.”


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Ever since Gearbox Software announced Borderlands 3 around two weeks ago, fans have been hungry for every new detail or piece of information. It’s going to be the first mainline current-gen title in the franchise after all, and expectations are riding high.
In a recent post on PlayStation Blog, Gearbox Software Art Director Scott Kester revealed several improvements that will be incorporated in Borderlands 3. Co-op in the upcoming game will receive much-needed quality-of-life updates, including:
- Regardless of your respective levels or mission progress, you and your friends can play together online or on the couch (yes, apparently there will be split-screen local multiplayer as well).
- Both you and your friends will be able to deal “a meaningful amount of damage”.
- Each player will receive their own discrete loot stream so you don’t have to worry about someone stealing that loot you have your eyes on.
- However, players can also opt for the classic Borderlands co-op style if they prefer, where loot is shared and matchmaking are more restrictive
Borderlands 3 is slated to release for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC (timed Epic Games Store exclusivity) on 13 September 2019. A Borderlands 3 gameplay reveal event will be happening on 1 May 2019, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, you can rewatch the announcement trailer below for now.


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Firehouse Subs will open its first Lilburn location on Sept. 11, in the r shopping center on Lawrenceville Highway that also holds .
For tonight, the new business will hold a special VIP night to invite the community inside before the big opening day, according to information from a media representative of Firehouse Subs.
The first 50 customers to bring by the attached coupon will receive a free medium sub sandwich, chips and a medium drink. The pass must be printed.
The event is 6 p.m. - 8 p.m, and the address is 4145 Lawrenceville Highway, Suite 16.
About Firehouse Subs:
Firehouse Subs was founded in Jacksonville, Fla., by former firefighting brothers Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen. There are 527 locations of the restaurant chain. The restaurant chain aims to reflect authentic firefighter heritage.
In 2005, Firehouse Subs created the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation with the mission of providing funding, life-saving equipment, and educational opportunities to first responders. The nonprofit has given $4.5 million to hometown heroes in 31 states and Puerto Rico.


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© Artwork hand printed by Hannah Cousins, exclusively for Vogue Business
A mobile game called Aglet that lets players buy, collect and trade digital sneakers drew 30,000 players in its first three weeks, selling out of all of the (digital) inventory of Yeezy Red Octobers. Three pairs of rare Yeezy Cheetahs were purchased by one player for a total of approximately $200.
Founder Ryan Mullins, Adidas’s former director for digital innovation and future trends, says his long-term vision for the game is to expand it into a fashion platform through which brands like Nike and Adidas can discover new talent as players design their own shoes. “I want to start with a niche that I know people are fanatical about — and that is sneakers,” says Mullins. This spring, amid the pandemic, Aglet secured $1.8 million in seed funding.
The sneaker industry, which is expected to reach $95 billion by 2025, is often a step ahead in fashion-tech adoption. This is partly due to a digital-first audience that is more receptive to new technologies. “Kids have grown up leveraging digital tools and their unique properties to propel sneakers and streetwear to never-been-seen cultural influence,” Mullins says.
Sneaker brands also have traditionally had an innovation mindset, says Aaron Levant, CEO of Ntwrk, a mobile video shopping startup backed by those including Live Nation and LeBron James. “The sneaker industry, especially brands like Nike, prides itself on product innovation. When the core ethos of your culture is innovation, then those things permeate through to other processes,” he says. Ntwrk recently sold out of 500 editions of a digital-only augmented reality sculpture that resembles an Air Jordan for $2.99 each.
Many luxury brands are playing catch-up, Levant adds, and can learn from the sneaker industry. “If the big brands continue to view ‘digital’ as a website where you can purchase something as quickly as possible, they will be in trouble,” Mullins says.
Levant says that when penetrating markets of passionate communities, especially millennials and Gen Z, it’s important to “go to them” rather than trying to entice them to “come to you”. He also advises brands to create a new, completely different environment for them entirely. For example, the Ntwrk app broadcasts live videos designed for Gen Z, in which they can comment on the host’s content in real-time, or click to buy. In August, the Los Angeles startup will broadcast a mobile-only design and culture festival, with celebrity hosts, DJ sets and — naturally — sneakers, streetwear and other items for sale.
“They are streaming music, playing games. They have an enhanced digital ecosystem in multiple parts of their life — where it’s probably more natural to integrate with these types of innovations,” he says, adding that this could be as simple as embracing social commerce on Instagram, Snapchat or TikTok. For example, Belarus-based Wannaby, the creator of augmented reality sneaker try-on technology, just linked up with Snapchat to bring AR commerce to the platform’s 229 million users.
Ntwrk promotes upcoming drops with a countdown clock and lets viewers comment during video streams, which promote only one, or a few, items at a time.
Levant points to the recent Louis Vuitton collaboration with video game League of Legends, for which the brand created in-game skins, as an important step. “That was pretty shocking to me because sportswear brands have been late in moving into esports and gaming. It's definitely still sneakers in the lead, but luxury is changing its ways”.
Mullins says that sneakers and streetwear are an important “flex” even in digital spaces like the game Fortnite, where “skins are almost equally as important as your physical outfits in real life”. With Aglet, he sees digital sneakers as a way to acquire new users and build engagement and, similar to the AR sneaker sold by Ntwrk, it’s a way for players to own, interact with and share something that they might not have access to in the physical world. Aglet also has a limited supply of virtual shoes, and players can resell and trade them with other players.
Just like physical goods, Ntwrk’s digital-only products are sold in limited quantities. Levant compares this approach to selling prints of art as it’s a way to create value and urgency and to encourage a collector’s mindset.
When the core ethos of your culture is innovation, then those things permeate through to other processes.”
Wannaby’s brand clients report that users who use its AR sneaker try-on technology are twice more likely to make a purchase; one client reported an up to 30 per cent decrease in returns according to the company. “AR excels in telling the customers the story of the shoes and letting them interact with them,” says Wannaby CEO Sergey Arkhangelskiy, adding that the shoes act as a bridge to other product categories, which are in development. He’s even coined a term for it: “AR-keting”.
While Arkhangelskiy says he is “100 per cent sure that we will see the rise of purely digital and virtual fashion items”, he adds that it remains to be seen what the applications will be for brands — besides sharing to social media.
On sneaker resale site StockX, buyers place bids and sellers place “asks”, and when a bid and ask align, the platform places the transaction automatically. This leads to dynamic prices that reflect market value. The Detroit company has since expanded into “IPOs”, or initial product offerings, to release new products. Prices are determined through a blind auction in which buyers anonymously bid their highest price; the number of items in stock determines the final sale price. For example, if there are 20 pairs, the top 20 bidders will win and the price for everyone, called the clearing price, is the 20th bid. May and June were the site’s two biggest buyer months in the company's history, and this month it announced that it had surpassed $2.5 billion in lifetime gross merchandise value as it expands to other categories.
StockX customers bid on individual sizes. This recent initial product offering garnered nearly 14,000 unique bids, with an average price of $415.
StockX’s approach makes for fair drops and pricing in that they don’t require people to be in one place at one time, physically or digitally, and items don’t sell out, says vice president of global cultural marketing Tom Woodger. In May, the platform hosted an IPO for New Balance 650 X No Vacancy Inn sneakers; 92 per cent of the winners got a pair for less than they bid. The clearing prices ranged from $325 to $500 (depending on size) — the highest in StockX IPO history and three times the suggested retail price.
Luxury brands could use the IPO model as an alternative to discounting, with people bidding on the price they're willing to pay, Woodger says, but he cautions against drops that are too confusing. “Drop culture is becoming so mass that every brand is trying to stake a claim within it,” he says. “There are too many trying to overcomplicate and play in the space unnecessarily.”
Woodger recommends that brands iterate on the format of drops to keep customers engaged, rather than creating negative experiences, such as when bots claim all the shoes or products are sold out. Last month’s collaboration between Dior and Jordan Brand is one example: customers selected one item to buy and a Dior store from which to pick it up. If their entry was chosen, they received a QR code to pick it up, tied to their ID.
“Luxury is learning that it's not about price; it's about value. People are willing to pay what they deem the value to be, and so the price almost becomes irrelevant.”
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The innovative Californians who developed the nationwide Century 21 network of franchised real estate brokerages are applying the same technique to an entirely different commodity: used cars.
They have begun selling franchises for a chain of used-car dealerships to be known as Triex, a name they hope to establish across the nation as a recognized symbol identifying their dealers just as Ford or Pontiac identify cars.
Triex dealers will sell used cars the way a real estate broker sells houses: on consignment from the owner, for a fee. The buyers will get a high-quality used car and a nationwide dealer network ready to stand behind a limited warranty, according to Triex executives.
Jim Cummings, former president of Century 21 and now president of Triexcellence Inc. of Santa Ana, Calif., the parent company of Triex, said Triex is developing "a complete image program" to put its novel idea across to sellers, buyers and dealers.
He said he and his partner, Century 21 founder Arthur Bartlett, together own 65 percent of Triex and are "probably two of the nation's most formidable experts in conversion franchising," which means adding a franchised trade name to an existing business.
According to Cummings, Triex franchises will be awarded only to new-car dealers who also sell used cars on their own lots. He said 20 dealers in the Los Angeles area and two in Phoenix already have plunked down the $10,000 fee to buy a Triex franchise, and marketing is now beginning in Dallas.
Marketing of franchises in the Washington area is expected to begin some time next year, Cummings said.
Triex says it expects to build a nationwide network of 3,000 to 5,000 dealers within five years.
The company's promotional literature quotes Cummings as saying "what America needs is a whole new way to buy and sell used cars." In fact, it appears to be the dealers who need a new way to buy and sell used cars, because most of the 11 million used cars sold in the country annually change hands in transactions between private individuals, and the dealers get nothing.
According to Cummings and dealers who have bought Triex franchises, the system works like this:
The owner of a car five years old or less who wishes to sell it turns it over to a Triex dealer on consignment. The dealer does not buy it, which means he ties up no capital; instead, he holds it on his lot for 30 or 60 days and, if it is sold, he delivers a prearranged amount to the owner. That is roughly similar to the process by which real estate brokers "list" houses owned by individuals, acting as agents and making money only if a sale is completed.
According to Triex, the advantages for the seller are freedom from advertising and paperwork, freedom from strangers visiting his or her property, and the presumed probability of a quick sale to a buyer attracted by the reputation for integrity that Triex says it plans to build.
For the buyer, the advantages are the acquisition of a car meeting Triex standards instead of an unknown quantity, a limited warranty on the vehicle, a selection of cars available in one place, and access to the financing and insurance that an established dealer can provide. Triex says that buying from one of its dealers saves the customer from contact with "some used-car dealers of possibly questionable veracity."
For the dealer, the advantages are the percentage of the take, as well as such ancillary benefits as increased showroom traffic and additional service work performed to bring the cars up to Triex standards.


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Pictured: An outdoor ad on the busy Gran Via in Madrid.
Flights from Cork to Madrid are being promoted to tourists in a campaign highlighting Cork Airport as a key gateway to both the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East. Millions of potential ‘culturally curious’ Spanish visitors are being targeted through this campaign, which includes radio ads targeting 1.4m listeners over a two-week period, eye-catching outdoor ads on Madrid’s Gran Via and metro stations, online ads and social media activity through the Iberia Express Facebook and Twitter channels.
According to Tourism Ireland, Spain is the fifth largest market for Irish tourism. Figures have grown ‘significantly’ over 17 years, rising from 90,000 Spanish visitors in 2000 to a record 443,200 last year. The organisation aims to capitalise on this growth through a range of promotional programmes in 2018.
“We are delighted to partner with Iberia Express, to highlight ease of access from Madrid to Cork and to help grow tourist numbers from Spain this year,” said Barbara Wood, Tourism Ireland’s Spain Manager. “As an island, the importance of convenient, direct, non-stop flights cannot be overstated – they are absolutely critical to achieving growth in inbound tourism.”


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Smaller gem-set versions of men’s watch models, often with mechanical movements switched for quartz, have too often been merely an afterthought to address the women’s market. Watch manufacturers are now learning that they can no longer simply “bling it and sling it”.
All told, women’s watches retailing for $3,000 and above experienced an impressive 21 percent increase in spending during the three months ending April ’19* – indicating a robust market for female self-purchasers. Looking at what attributes drove growth at the higher end, we see women gravitating towards mechanical/automatic watches and dress watches, both up double digits. Women’s watches with plain dials, stainless steel cases, and non-diamond bezels are all experiencing double-digit growth.
The majority of women are shopping for and purchasing watches in-store**. When women do make a watch purchase online, they are more likely to shop a retailer website than purchasing directly from a manufacturer – unlike their male counterparts.
Bottom line, the female consumer is becoming better educated about the work, craftsmanship and detail involved in creating and manufacturing a living, breathing mechanical watch – resulting in an exciting opportunity for manufacturers. Retailers are acknowledging this trend, and creating women’s watch clubs with informational events dedicated to the female collector.
As the fashion segment continues to be cannibalized by smartwatches, higher value mechanical watches present a viable alternative that is keeping women shopping.
*Source: The NPD Group / Retail Tracking Service
**Source: The NPD Group / May 2019 Omnibus


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Pair promote positive action in Sussex with innovative advent campaign
Two friends have come up with an innovative way to encourage positive action and bring people together after a '˜divisive' year.
Jen Storey, of Falcon Close in Shoreham and Jo Prior, of Pound Lane in Upper Beeding, have created an online advent calendar for their Action at Advent campaign, which suggests one different positive action – such as using less plastic or buying Christmas presents locally – which individuals and businesses can take each day leading up to Christmas.
Jo, 38, who owns Bagelman with her husband Anthony, said: “It’s a way of letting people know what they can do and how they can help.
“This year in particular a lot of people have become politicised and it can be difficult to know what to do with all that energy, but there are quite small, simple actions people can take in their everyday lives.”
Each December day has a different theme, such as homelessness or recycling, and the website links people to related charities and businesses in Shoreham, Worthing and Brighton – such as Worthing Churches Homeless Project or Shoreham food initiative the Sunflower project.
Self-employed Jen, 37, said: “Sometimes people want to help but don’t know how to and there are many amazing organisations that are so busy, they don’t have time to promote themselves.
“This is a way to sign post them to groups desperately in need of help.”
The mothers, who met earlier this year when they joined a campaign to make school meals healthier, came up with the nonprofit, collaborative calendar idea in November and said they developed it quickly thanks to their complimentary skills – Jen has experience setting up websites while Jo has contacts among businesses.
Have you checked out our new Christmas section yet?
It’s packed with ideas and tips to ensure you make the most out of the festive season.
There’s recipes, suggestions for presents and everything from choosing your tree to recycling your packaging and paper.