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Michiganians flock to Ohio to enjoy state's reopening
Toledo — For the first time in months, Nawal Hamade enjoyed a salon pedicure Friday, although she had to leave Michigan to get it.
"It feels amazing," said Hamade of the pampering she received at Espres Nails and Spa salon in Toledo. "It feels like getting back to normal."
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday restarted parts of his state's economy, with selected businesses opening for the first time since he issued a stay-at-home order on March 22 in response to the coronavirus emergency.
Michiganians like Hamade of Temperance flocked across the border for goods and services still not available in their own state. Dozens of vehicles bearing Michigan license plates were parked outside Toledo businesses that reopened Friday.
"Staying at home was getting depressing," said Hamade, a 38-year-old construction worker who is laid off because of the coronavirus. "You gain weight. You can't see your relatives. This is really nice."
The first phase of the Responsible RestartOhio program allowed the reopening of restaurants and bars with outdoor seating, hair and nail salons, barbershops, day spas, tanning salons, and tattoo and body piercing parlors, although oral and nose piercings remain prohibited.
The next phase of Ohio's plan kicks in May 21, when indoor restaurants, gyms and other businesses are scheduled to reopen.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last week extended her stay-at-home order until May 28 and unveiled a six-phase plan to re-engage the state's economy.
The third phase of the plan began Monday, when some auto suppliers and other manufacturers reopened. Construction, real estate and outdoor work are also allowed during the third phase.
Whitmer is under pressure by various groups to expedite the economic reboot. Restaurateurs are pushing for the governor to allow them to reopen for dining May 29, although Whitmer said bars and restaurants will remain closed, other than for food takeout, until the state reaches the fifth phase of her plan.
Residents of rural Michigan also are lobbying Whitmer to immediately allow businesses to reopen in their areas, many of which have had a relatively small number of coronavirus cases. Whitmer said statewide restrictions are needed because of increasing coronavirus cases in West Michigan, the lack of hospital capacity in rural areas and the possibility of a second wave.
For Michigan to reach the fifth phase, coronavirus cases and deaths would have to reach “low absolute rates per capita,” hospital capacity would need to be “very strong,” and “robust” testing and contact tracing would have to be in place, according to a chart released by the governor.
Critics say Whitmer's plan is too vague about the criteria for reopening; she responded by saying numeric benchmarks were intentionally omitted to allow for flexibility. She added, "there's no textbook-specific number that will tell you it is safe to reopen a certain sector of the economy."
So, in the meantime, Michiganians like Hamade will have to cross the border into Ohio to enjoy certain goods or services — including pedicures and hair dyes, which she also planned to have done at the salon Friday, "to get some of the gray out."
"I understand why Michigan isn't open yet," she said. "It's about safety."
Brian Betz of Monroe disagrees. He said he went shopping Friday at Toledo's Franklin Park Mall "just to get out of the house."
"It feels great, but I wish our governor would open up Michigan," said Betz, 40, who strolled through the mall with his 45-year-old girlfriend, Kathy Burgess.
The couple said they adhered to Whitmer's original stay-at-home order, which prohibited people from visiting each other.
"We live about an hour apart; she lives in northern Michigan, and we went seven weeks without seeing each other," Betz said.
"We did what we were supposed to do," Burgess said. "Now it's time for (Whitmer) to do her job and reopen the state."
Hilary Wilcox said she understands that "Michigan is a little crazier" than Ohio as far as being impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Ohio has reported 26,954 COVID cases, with 1,581 deaths. That compares to 50,079 cases and 4,825 deaths in Michigan as of Friday.
"I'm just excited Ohio is opening up, and that I live close enough to drive here," said Wilcox, 31, who made the 75-mile trip from her Wixom home to enjoy her version of normal — an afternoon of lunch and shopping with her friend.
"I'm meeting my best friend, who's from Sandusky (Ohio), I'm going to return a pair of jeans, and probably go to Chick-fil-A," she said.
Rylee Rasmussen, 19, and her 14-year-old sister, Ragean Rasmussen, of Carleton in Monroe County said their shopping excursion Friday was their first since Whitmer imposed the original stay-at-home order March 24.
"It feels weird," Rylee Rasmussen said as she and her sister strolled through the Dick's Sporting Goods store in Franklin Park Mall. "We're not really looking for anything; we just wanted to get out."
Like most of the store's customers, the sisters did not wear masks.
"In Michigan, everyone wears a mask, but here nobody does," Rylee Rasmussen said.
Hamade wore a mask while getting her pedicure; it was required by the salon, which also took people's temperatures before allowing them to proceed beyond the front desk.
Hamade said she appreciates the precautions, because she contracted coronavirus in March.
"It knocked me out for about five weeks," she said. "It's horrible; it feels like you're having a heart attack. You can't breathe. You have a fever nonstop.
"I quit smoking last year. I'm glad I did or I probably wouldn't have made it."


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Double takes come with each new dining experience as customers gawk at Transmetropolitan’s new look. Wow, what, and whoa have been used to describe the new makeover as customers stall at the front of the restaurant.
The Clayton Street pizzeria reopened on March 22, 2012 with a sleek new design, and the community continues to learn about the new renovations.
Transmetropolitan’s renovations exemplify a nationwide trend of quick, transformative restaurant makeovers.
The New York Times reports that “fast-track reboots” are due to the poor economy. “This is the era of high-velocity restaurant makeovers where noteworthy establishments are born, or reborn, in the time is takes to make a batch of crostini.”
Restaurants experience quick and drastic makeovers for two reasons:
- The restaurant needs to earn more money.
- No one wants to see vacant and empty spaces from failed restaurants.
Restaurant makeovers give people hope because they speak to the “American love of second chances and magic-wand makeovers.”
Transmetropolitan’s New Look
Transmetropolitan’s makeover began March 10 and was scheduled to end March 18. The restaurant capitalized on spring break to make significant changes to the downstairs dining area, kitchen, and cashier stand.
The Athens Banner-Herald noted, “When the students are away, the contractors shall play.” And that they did. Co-owner Brian Colantuno said, “You won’t be able to help but notice [the renovations].”
The extreme renovations exceeded the original timetable, and the restaurant reopened on March 22. Colantuno attributed the renovations to Transmet’s upcoming 12 year anniversary.
The design accentuates width rather than length. Many downtown businesses struggle with this challenge because businesses spaces are long in length and short in width.
“We wanted to make it feel as though it’s wider,” co-owner Wesley Russo said. “We had everything running longways, which was kind of exacerbating the front-to-back feeling of the building.”
The managerial staff declined to comment about whether the 2012 failing health inspection score influenced the renovations.
The restaurant scored 69 percent on its Sept. 21, 2012 health department inspection. The health score increased to 89 percent on Oct. 1, whereas post-renovation Transmet received 95 percent on its March 22 inspection.
Interior Design Elements for Successful Restaurants
The top 12 best new restaurant designs, according to Architectural Digest, include design elements such as exposed brick walls, contemporary lighting, and clean lines. Transmetropolitan’s renovations utilize seven and a half of the 14 highlighted features.
The restaurant earns partial credit for mismatching art because the pieces are different, but they are all black and white and in matching mattes. Interior designer Caroline Jones said this creates a more cohesive feel than mismatching art intends to create.
Exposed beams, wood elements, and suspended light installations make Transmet more modern. Colantuno thinks the contemporary touches will create a more open feel.
Exposed beams maintain the casual ambience and contribute to the clean lines of the design.
Local artisan Mark Poucher crafted the new wood elements and helped with the overall design. He is known for his woodwork featured in Hotel Indigo.
Interior design professor Tad Gloeckler values natural design elements and commends Transmet on its use of woodwork. “Individual components are precisely engineered for simple functions, structural clarity, and/or striking appearance.”
Orbs are the most popular suspended light installations, and the new design features orbs above each table and around the kitchen.
Mixed Community Reactions
Reactions to the renovations have been mixed.
“People kind of walk in, and they look around, and they go, ‘Wow—it’s totally different,’” Russo said. “But I think people enjoy [it].”
Lauren Scott, a second-year student at the University of Georgia, is one critic of the design.
“Noooo!” she exclaimed after entering the restaurant for the first time since the renovations.
“I’m not a fan. I think the old design was more rustic and homey, and to me, it fit the personality of Transmet better.”
Russo noted that the new design elements change the atmosphere but for the better.
Channing Jones, a third-year student at the university, agreed that “the vibe of the place has totally transformed,” but she isn’t sure if it is for better or worse.
“The renovations are shifting Transmet from a seemingly classic, back alley pizza diner to a more upscale, chic establishment,” third-year student Davis Mastin said. “There are both pros and cons to this, depending on which direction the restaurant is looking to move towards.”
New Design, New Success
Social media and aggregation websites, such as Yelp, are not as useful in restaurant marketing as suspected. Online marketing, according to a new study by the NPD Group, influences only 6-8 percent of restaurant choices.
New restaurants are the winners in online marketing because they are fresh and exciting. If a restaurant can market itself as new, it reaps immense online yields.
The study revealed that “diners visited a new restaurant after viewing an online marketing campaign at twice the rate of diners overall.”
If Transmet can market the restaurant as new, there may be substantial financial rewards.
Megan Ernst would not have patronized Red Dress Boutique had it not been for a Facebook post.
The shop runs giveaways for customers who share a designated picture on Facebook. The first time Ernst, a junior journalism major at the University of Georgia, entered Red Dress was after winning an item through this system and shopped for more items while there.
“I realized it wasn’t as expensive as I thought,” Ernst said.
For small boutiques like Red Dress in Athens, Ga., walk-ins and window shoppers are still relevant, but the driving source of customers is shifting to social media.
“Social has now been adopted pretty much universally,” said Sarah Giarratana, a junior copywriter at IQ, a digital advertising agency. “It makes perfect sense. You want to be on people’s feeds, to remind them, to make them say ‘I want that.’”
The trend is clear. Over 80 percent of Americans now use a social network and with audiences moving online, local shops are doing the same. In a retail environment dominated by the low prices chain economics afford, small businesses are using social media to compete. It’s working, and Athens businesses are no different.
“We have people call in a few times a day saying they saw something on the Facebook page and asking the price of it and if we still have it in stock,” said Katelyn Moore, a sales associate with Heery’s Clothes Closet.
Name a social media platform and you’ll find a presence from Heery’s.
“There’s something for everyone– we do Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram. The majority of our focus is on Facebook because that’s where we see the majority of our results,” said Lindsay Lucas, the boutique’s Director of Marketing and Social Media. “None of it is hindering us at all, it’s only appealing to different people.”
Lucas, a three-year veteran of the shop, said this position was created for her upon graduation, so social media has been at an all-time high during her past year as director. Lucas runs giveaways directed through social media outlets and promotes merchandise with pictures, especially during seasonal shifts.
“When it’s cold outside still and people are looking forward to spring, that’s when people go a little crazy on the social media,” Lucas said.
All the hype– and the online interactions with customers– is far from anything Heery’s ever did when it was founded in 1959, but it’s proven worthwhile.
“We definitely see the results,” said Lucas, referring to increased store traffic and revenue.
Facebook is the dominant social media platform for Community Boutique, a vintage and sustainable fashion boutique in downtown Athens, but for owner Sanni Baumgärtner, it’s about selling an image rather than items.
“Customers ‘like’ things and they come in a week later just in general to see what we have,” said Baumgärtner. “I don’t know that we’re selling the individual pieces so much as we’re selling a general aesthetic and image for the store.”
Baumgärtner feels social media marketing is less likely to draw customers into the store for specific purchases because the at vintage stores, sizes are fixed.
“Someone may ‘like’ something, but it’s on a size four model and she’s a size ten,” Baumgärtner said.
Still, for Community, social media has been a marketing necessity for a small business operating on smaller funds.
“We started so low budget, there wasn’t ever a budget for paying for advertising,” Baumgärtner said. “I was a musician before I opened the store, so I was already familiar with the concept of promoting something on social media.”
But familiarity with social media for one purpose does not mean you know how to use it for another.
“Just because we’re native to it, because we’ve been using it our whole life, doesn’t mean we know how to use it,” Giarratana said of social media-based marketing. “There’s an immense amount of strategy.”
Giarratana suggests local storeowners pay attention to search engine optimization, keyword usage, tagging, hashtagging, user-generated content, including creating contests or opportunities where customers are asked to tweet out or post themselves using a product.
“The ones who are going to survive and thrive create engaging content,” said Giarratana, suggesting boutiques utilize trend forecasting and fashion advice.
Business owners agree.
“Rather than just putting tons and tons of stuff on there I think it’s important to create more content that’s meaningful,” Baumgärtner said. “People are on social media because they want to see what’s going on with their friends, they’re not on social media to see ads. We don’t want to overwhelm people.”
To differentiate their online presence from big chain stores, Baumgärtner recommends local businesses emphasize what customers already appreciate about their brands.
“I definitely think it is important for local businesses to keep it personal and maybe tied into local things,” Baumgärtner said. “That’s where we have the advantage over the big companies that have to be so global with their marketing.”
Giarratana says small businesses can improve their distinctive brands through social listening– monitoring posts and reacting to and replicating what people respond to and like best.
“People who run social media in boutiques should reach out and learn,” Giarratana said. “Find people doing it well and emulate that.”
There are customers to be gained from the effort, including students like Ernst.
“There’s a market of people who go to boutiques frequently, but there’s a second tier that sometimes have the money to spend but don’t spend all their time focusing on what to buy next,” Ernst said. “The social media aspect keeps people who wouldn’t necessarily be in the store every week engaged.”

domain: news


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Facebook is hanging out at SXSW today and showing off some of its new Open Graph partners at its office in Austin. One of them is Viddy, which we referred to as the “Instagram for video” when it launched in April last year. With over 1.6M monthly active users, the app is taking its show to Facebook for the first time.
The company has been testing its Timeline integration with a few users and has already seen over 275M impressions of Viddy content through Facebook, according to Viddy Co-founder Brett O’Brien.
When I talked to O’Brien about Viddy joining Facebook’s Open Graph initiative, he shared some thoughts about what it means for Viddy and its community:
The real opportunity is around what Viddy is uniquely doing in mobile video, allowing you to capture video and share it easily. Now with Facebook Timeline, you have this incredible social canvas, a great place to share memorable moments of your life whether it be stories, photos, or in our case videos. We think videos are the most powerful type of media, and sharing them with your friends and family is a really powerful combination with the publishing power of Facebook.
As more companies start using Facebook Timeline to post media, the word “memories” and “moments” are being used at a rapid pace. The idea of placing a video on Facebook and allowing it to be seen way past the time you recorded it helps tell your personal story through the popular feature. When Facebook first announced Timeline I wondered out loud if the company was simply asking us for too much information.
As the feature rolled out to all of my friends, I’ve slowly seen them add things about themselves from their past. It seems like these folks aren’t posting these things to share with everyone necessarily, but using it to create a journal of their lives for themselves. The idea of letting your future children take a glimpse into your past digitally is something Facebook is counting on. By sharing videos with Viddy, your Timeline comes to life more than it would with simple text-based status updates.
The interesting part about Viddy is that other than limiting your videos to 15 seconds, the company provides you with simple editing tools and production packs which can make even the most mundane 15 seconds seem pretty awesome. O’Brien had this to say about Viddy’s approach:
The quality of the content on Viddy is so interesting and entertaining, however the video itself isn’t always so compelling. By giving you one-click editing tools and production packs, it makes the average video look really great.
When it comes to marketing its app, I’d have to say that Viddy is one of the best in the business at doing so. The company has partnered up with artists like T-Pain, movie releases like The Muppets, and New York Fashion Week participant Diane von Furstenberg to bring its app to all walks of life.
The company recently released a new series of production packs inspired by and in partnership with Linkin Park that let you add the band’s music and unique look to your own videos.


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VERY SPECIAL UPDATE BELOW
This is the news we’ve been waiting for!
The official release from General Motors:
GM Reaches Agreement to Sell Saab to Spyker
DETROIT – General Motors and Spyker Cars NV today confirmed that they have reached a binding agreement on the purchase of Saab Automobile AB.
“Today’s announcement is great news for Saab employees, dealers and suppliers, great news for millions of Saab customers and fans worldwide, and great news for GM,” said John Smith, GM vice president for corporate planning and alliances.
“General Motors, Spyker Cars, and the Swedish government worked very hard and creatively for a deal that would secure a sustainable future for this unique and iconic brand, and we’re all happy for the positive outcome,” Smith said.
As part of the agreement, Spyker intends to form a new company, Saab Spyker Automobiles, which will carry the Saab brand forward. The sale will be subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory, governmental and court approvals. Other terms and conditions specific to the sale will be disclosed in due time.
The Swedish government is at present reviewing the transaction and the related request for guarantees of a Saab Automobile loan that has been requested from the European Investment Bank. Assuming quick action, the transaction is expected to close in mid-February, and previously announced wind down activities at Saab will be immediately suspended, pending the close of the transaction.
“Throughout the negotiations, GM has always had the hope to find a solution for Saab that would avoid a wind down of the brand,” added Nick Reilly, president, GM Europe. “We’ve worked with many parties over the past year, including governments and investors, and I’m very pleased that we could come to such a good conclusion, one that preserves jobs in Sweden and elsewhere. GM will continue to support Saab and Spyker on their way forward.”
VERY SPECIAL UPDATE
At 5:09 this morning, which is 19:09 in Stockholm, I received a phone call from Victor Muller.
He had literally just signed the paperwork and told me personally that Saab is sold. This was his first call after officially signing the papers to purchase Saab Automobile.
Victor was incredibly gracious, stating that the efforts of the site, and by extension, the Saab community, were absolutely mind-blowing (that’s a quote) and made the whole process that much easier.
Of course, I’m feeling incredibly humbled and somewhat chuffed by all that, but it’s a community thing. SU is a focal point, but it’s nothing without a company to write about or a community to carry it along.
Congratulations to all involved.
Image: Gary McConnell


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Wall Street Journal Takes Back The iPhone 5c Supply Chain Cuts Story
By Karla Danica Figuerres | October 18, 2013 9:08 PM EST
On October 16, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) initially released the article "Apple Cuts iPhone 5C Orders," authored by Ian Sherr, Lorraine Luk and Eva Dou. The report conveyed supplier cuts less than one-third from the Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. and 20 percent from the Pegatron Corp.
Upon release it becomes big news all over the Internet albeit it is below par conceived interpretations of unverified data. In that same report, the Wall Street Journal failed to mention the number of iPhone 5c they had been creating, the total number of models it originally planned to create this quarter and the number of models it will produce as a response to its production yields.
WSJ further speculated that the reduced orders fuelled the less-than-expected demands and Apple's pricing strategy. On that same day of October 16, WSJ changed the controversial headline to "Apple's Dual iPhone Strategy in Doubt". The revised article cited an Orange executive stating that the iPhone 5c is not doing very well as anticipated because of its high price and the iPhone 4S is still a cheaper choice. Nonetheless, Orange still did not mention the number of models it was retailing of every iPhone model.
Despite Tim Cook's warning during Apple's January quarterly earnings conference that analysts should not base their predictions on supply chain "checks" in 2013, analysts issued "supply chain check" reports that led to erroneous headlines all over the Internet.
Also, apart from supply chain checks, several reports were made on the iPhone 5c cuts in China and US, which is again, an implausible conclusion to draw given that iPhone 5c is outselling Samsung Galaxy S4 in four major U.S. carriers and the iPhone 5c remains in the top three smartphone models.
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UrduPoint | 24 June 2020
Europe-China summit shows investment deal should not be expected anytime soon
by Umer Jamshaid
The 22nd EU-China summit had its purpose in moving the two sides closer to a long-negotiated investment agreement, but instead revealed the scope of tensions and differences that dominate the relationship amid COVID-19, the Hong Kong security law controversy, Europe’s dependence on Chinese imports and varying perceptions of what transparency is
BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd June, 2020) The 22nd EU-China summit had its purpose in moving the two sides closer to a long-negotiated investment agreement, but instead revealed the scope of tensions and differences that dominate the relationship amid COVID-19, the Hong Kong security law controversy, Europe’s dependence on Chinese imports and varying perceptions of what transparency is.
The summit was held on Monday via video conferencing. Representing the EU were Council President Charles Michel, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell, and representing China were Premier Li Keqiang and, for only the part on exchanges, Chinese President Xi Jinping.
EU BETWEEN SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS
Europe, symbolically located between the US and China on the world map, found itself caught in a trade war cross-fire between the two. The Old World’s fears were aptly phrased by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a speech at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit last week.
"I know that there’s fear in Europe that the United States wants you to choose between us and China. But that’s simply not the case. It’s the Chinese Communist Party’s that’s forcing this choice. The choice isn’t between the United States; it’s between freedom and tyranny," Pompeo said.
Engaged in a commercial and political conflict with Washington, Beijing has been very assertive in seeking support from Brussels, but the summit made it somewhat clear that Europe refuses to get caught in a vice between the two powers. Until now, European diplomacy was all smiles to Beijing, but it seems Brussels is now aligning itself with Washington as one can gather from harsh resolutions in support of Hong Kong and accusations of China over disinformation and COVID-19.
"Europe will not be the battleground of the United States and China," European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton said on Sunday, while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tried to give this stance a softer diplomatic wrapping by saying that Brussels values the relationships with both, but also expects reciprocity from both.
At a press conference following the talks, von der Leyen gave some details of what they had discussed. They apparently touched upon a little bit of everything that is going on in the world, including bilateral relations, Hong Kong, COVID-19, climate change, Afghanistan and the Iran nuclear deal, but it came as no surprise that the central topic was the long-awaited bilateral Comprehensive Investments Agreement on market access asymmetries.
Since 2013, when the EU and China launched talks for such an agreement, the EU has been preparing the ground brick by brick. The treaty’s purpose is to provide European companies with access to China’s market under non-discriminatory conditions that currently prevent them from competing on equals with Chinese companies and other foreign companies.
According to von der Leyen, the summit was "very intense, frank and open," and for the bilateral relations to be able to develop further, they must "become more rules-based and reciprocal, in order to achieve a real level playing-field."
"Engaging and cooperating with China is both an opportunity and necessity. But, at the same time, we have to recognise that we do not share the same values, political systems, or approach to multilateralism. We will engage in a clear-eyed and confident way, robustly defending EU interests and standing firm on our values," Michel said.
The stumbling block was on subsidies: Europe accuses China of heavily subsidizing its industries without any transparency. The EU wants fair competition, hence the call upon Beijing to "sign the bilateral Agreement on Geographical Indications in the coming weeks and see its entry into force in nearest future." This agreement, negotiated at the 2019 EU-China summit, will provide protected market access to products from specific geographic areas, such as Polish vodka, Prosciutto di Parma and French Champagne from Europe vis-a-vis Pixian Dou Ban (Pixian Bean Paste), Anji Bai Cha (Anji White Tea) and Panjin Da Mi (Panjin rice) from China.
According to Gilles Lebreton, a member of the European Parliament and a law professor at the University of Le Havre, both sides have bargain potential to move the deal ahead.
"EU re-industrialization is underway in the ’strategic sectors’ defined by the Competitiveness Council. In the European Parliament there is a consensus on its necessity. The Commission has finally opened its eyes to the distortions of competition caused by China," Lebreton told Sputnik.
"Obviously, this will heighten tensions with China, but I think China will be forced to let us do it, because the EU is still more flexible than president Trump and the US! In return, China will keep a free hand with Hong Kong," the lawmaker further opined.
With regard to the Hong Kong anti-sedition law, the European representatives reiterated the already traditional "grave concerns at steps taken by China to impose national security legislation from Beijing," saying that Brussels "considers those steps not in conformity with the Hong Kong Basic Law and China’s international commitments."
For the EU, Hong Kong is not only a matter of human rights violations and breach of UK-set One Country, Two Systems principle, but also a matter of economic interest. As noted by Michel, half of all European investments in China go through Hong Kong and there are 1,600 European companies operating in Hong Kong, which the EU does not want to see trapped in political tensions between Beijing and the autonomous region.
CHINA’S SILENT ECONOMIC EXPANSION
Over the years, China has managed to acquire shares, in some cases the majority of them, in many European companies in a seemingly opportunistic manner.
For example, in the midst of the Greek economic crisis in 2016, Chinese shipping firm Cosco bought the majority stake of the Piraeus port of Athens. Speaking of political implications, just under two years later, Greece announced it was joining the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s flagship monumental global trade project. Media in Europe released article upon article about the perceived "Chinese threat," with reported maneuvers targeting Accor, Toulouse Airport, Coface in France, Kuka in Germany, Pirelli in Italy, and Syngenta in Switzerland.
Until 2019, when the impact of US sanctions became hard to ignore, China has invested more than 60 billion Euros annually ($68 billion) in Europe. Chinese acquisitions in Europe plunged 94 percent in June 2019, to $2.6 billion, their lowest level in eleven years. Since then, Chinese take-overs have ebbed.
But China remains the EU’s second biggest trade partner after the US, and the EU is still China’s first. China supplies the EU with industrial and consumer goods, machinery, equipment and clothing, while EU exports to China are predominantly machinery, equipment, motor vehicles, aircraft, and chemicals. The two trade on average over 1 billion euros a day, but both have their concerns in this regard.
The EU would like to reduce certain imports area to bring back its internal market healthiness. For example, the EU textile industry has suffered a blow caught in a vicious circle as European companies producing textile machines, such as Picanol in Belgium, sold them mainly to China, and the EU then buys clothing produced on these machines at an incredibly lower cost compared to clothing in Europe.
China, for its part, is concerned about the new European legislation on foreign investments, especially Chinese acquisitions. As put by Chinese Envoy to the EU Zhang Ming, "Beijing hopes that the EU will create a fair, impartial and non-discriminatory environment for investment," attaching a warning that said "Capital is very sensitive and cannot be fully controlled - in the event of a change of wind, the capital will vote with its feet."
When Donald Trump came to power and decided to "make America great again" by trying to repatriate industrial activities, especially those based in China, the EU scoffed at Trump’s attitude as if to say "How ridiculous in a globalized world!" For his part, Trump started a trade war with China, which is still on.
The coronavirus pandemic showed the Europeans how incredibly dependent they are on China: pharmaceuticals, chemical agents, masks, hospital accessories, respirators are all coming from China, and less so from India. This is due, above all, to discouraging fiscal policies and high cost of labor in Europe. Europe has lost much of its industrial base. Tens of thousands of deaths due to COVID-19 could have been avoided if Europe’s decision-makers had not taken deindustrialization so lightly.
So after decades of nonchalance and active trade with China, Europe might be pressing its foot on the brake, especially in light of Washington’s allegations that China is to blame for creating the virus and letting it slip into the world from a laboratory in Wuhan, a central Chinese city from where the first reports about the pandemic came last December.


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As previously announced, Canopy Growth (TSX: WEED) (OTC: TWMJF) closed its acquisition of Mettrum after the close of business.
We are extremely pleased that we have been able to complete this acquisition. With Mettrum now under the canopy, our cannabis product offerings, brands, production capacity, financial strength, and growth potential, both in Canada and abroad, is truly unparalleled.
Bruce Linton, Chairman & CEO, Canopy Growth
The company also issued a press release announcing its adoption of its new trading symbol, WEED. The company debuted trading in April 2014 with the symbol TWD when it was known as Tweed. Upon closing the Bedrocan Cannabis acquisition in September 2015, it renamed the company to Canopy Growth and adopted the CGC symbol.
Canopy Growth to Trade as WEED on the TSX
Company to Celebrate with Market Opening Bell Ringing Ceremony
SMITHS FALLS, ON, Jan. 31, 2017 /CNW/ – Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: CGC) (“Canopy Growth” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that its share ticker will change to TSX:WEED upon the commencement of trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) on February 1, 2017.
“Patients, investors and Canadians as a whole are more accepting of the cannabis sector today than ever before,” said Bruce Linton, Chairman and CEO of Canopy Growth. “This is owed to a lot of factors, but we are proud to have played our part in introducing a once-stigmatized topic into Main Street and Bay Street conversations. From our beginnings in an abandoned chocolate factory, to our funding of research to our countless doctor interactions, we have always taken pride in putting people at ease to open the door to a more meaningful conversation. Now, over three years later, we’re thrilled to be marketing WEED on Bay Street.”
The ticker symbol change comes at a transformative time for Canopy Growth. On January 27th, 2017, shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour of a previously announced acquisition of Mettrum Health Corp. All conditions of an arrangement agreement dated November 30, 2016, as amended, and previously announced by the Companies on December 1, 2016 have been met and the transaction is now officially closed. With Mettrum under the canopy, the Company has created the largest legal cannabis business in the world. Moving forward this means additional production capacity, physician outreach opportunities, research, jobs and economic stimulus across Ontario and Canada.
With a strong portfolio of diverse national brands, unparalleled diversified production capacity, and a strong financial position, Canopy Growth is poised to continue its growth trajectory to meet the demand of domestic and international cannabis markets.
Canopy Growth team members from across the country will “ring the bell” to open trading on the TSX on February 1, 2017. The CGC team is looking forward to celebrating the acquisition of Mettrum, a new ticker, and is looking forward continued to Future Growth.
Watch it here in real time here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGUI5rWwLMo or on BNN television.
An archive of the ceremony will also be made available at http://www.tsx.com/news/market-opens.
About Canopy Growth Corporation
Canopy Growth is a world-leading diversified cannabis company, offering diverse brands and curated cannabis strain varieties in dried and oil extract forms. Through its wholly‑owned subsidiaries, Canopy Growth operates numerous state-of-the-art production facilities with over 650k square feet of indoor and greenhouse production capacity. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names in Canada and abroad. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com.
Original press release: http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canopy-growth-to-trade-as-weed-on-the-tsx-612341993.html


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Egyptian ex-partner threatens to sue Sainsbury's Supermarkets
Wealthy Egyptian businessman Amr El Nacharty has threatened to take legal action against Chief Executive of UK supermarket group J Sainsbury's, Sir Peter Davis.
Former chairman of Sainsbury's Egyptian operations, Nacharty claims he was left in the lurch when the company pulled out of the Arab state in 2001, reported Evening Standard . He is demanding that Davis pay him for tax liabilities, which could amount to as much as 100 million British pounds ($169 million).
Sainsbury's set up shop in Egypt in 1999, partnering with Nacharty and his Edge Mart food chain. The company rapidly opened over 100 stores, hired 2,500 employees and stocked more than 15,000 product lines in its shops. The total investment was roughly £100 million.
Cairo’s small shopkeepers claimed that the huge store was driving them out of business and used the Sainsbury family's connections with Israel to fuel local antagonism. Demonstrations quickly turned into riots and stores were attacked. In response to the violence, Davis sold the business back to Nacharty.
After spending £51 million on stock acquisition and nearly the same amount again on business development, Sainsbury’s Egypt admitted to operating losses of £10 million in the first half of 2000.
Nacharty, an industrialist with interests in property and telecommunications, is arguing that he was left with exposure to unpaid taxes and other possible liabilities. “Mr El Nacharty is determined to pursue this matter through the courts in Egypt and the UK until he achieves full restitution,” said his spokesman.
News of the potential lawsuit marks a double blow for the struggling food chain. Sainsbury's reported 0.2 percent drop in second-quarter like-for-like sales as its rivals enjoyed a boom during the same period. Sainsbury's Supermarkets was established in 1869 and currently operates 535 stores throughout the UK. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)


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Published: October 24, 2021 | Updated: October 24, 2021
What a difference! Kirsti and Tony say “we feel like new” after undergoing £14,000 makeover
Kirsti Davies has to almost pinch herself.
Just six weeks separate the pictures, above, and left.
But her new beaming smile following a full dental reconstruction says it all.
The mother-of-five has rediscovered her confidence after years of feeling self-conscious about her teeth.
She said: “It’s just amazing.
“I feel very happy and like a new woman.”
Kirsti, 49, and business troubleshooter Tony Ford, 48, pictured right before his treatment, were chosen from over 100 applicants for a top to toe makeover.
Worth more than £14,000 each, the package included teeth, skin, nails and nutrition through to personal training and fitness, a new wardrobe of clothes and a professional photoshoot.
The final results were revealed to astonished family, friends and supporters at a ceremony at Canford School.
Tony, pictured, said: “I’ve tended not to smile much in the past because I’ve never been happy with my teeth.
“That’s all changed now.”
The free-to-enter Ten Years Younger contest – first reported on Dorset Biz News – was organised by Dental Concepts to celebrate its new clinic in Canford Cliffs, Poole.
The practice teamed up with leading Dorset businesses to offer a complete transformation package.
Kirsti and Tony had not visited the dentist for around 15 years.
Dr Manish Chitnis, Practice Owner, Dental Concepts, and his team used the latest Digital Smile Design computer technology for the teeth transformation.
Kirsti, pictured with her five daughters last Christmas, underwent around 15 hours of treatment.
It was spread over several days with a full mouth rehabilitation involving upper and lower teeth.
Tony, who has been the President of Poole Chamber of Trade and Commerce since 2016, received about ten hours of work including porcelain veneers.
He said: “Manish and his team have been just amazing.”
Dr Manish, pictured right, said: “It’s a question of self-pride and happiness.
“The difference in Tony and Kirsti from when we first saw them couldn’t be greater.
“They have got their confidence back and feel happier as a result.
“We see this so often in the work we do.”
Apart from the work by Dental Concepts, worth over £6,400 each, the £14,000 makeover package also included::
- Visits to RKB by Dr Rory to use the latest technology to boost skin and complexion, valued at over £5,000.
- For Kirsti a complete wardrobe makeover from the Perfect Dress Company to provide styling tips and advice and a new wardrobe of clothes with up to ten new outfits to complete their new looks, valued at over £1,000.
- House of Heels matching the new outfits to shoes with ten new pairs of shoes valued at over £400.
- For Tony new suits, shirts, trousers, shoes and accessories to the value of £1,000 with Ashes.
- A makeover from Barbara Cox Nutritionist so each winner could feel amazing from the inside out worth £500 per person.
- Personal training and fitness sessions to tone up and feel fitter with 90N20 EMS Training valued at over £700 each.
- Tara Sanger Make Up Artist completing the transformation with makeup tutorial and makeover valued at £350.
- Tiger Lily Nails to ensure each winner’s new look is completed to the tips of their fingers valued at £500. The package included six treatments with natural face firming technology, a luxury manicure and gel polish and a podology pedicure and gel polish.
- Hair, colour and restyle for Kirsti by Stephanie of HNB Salon in Canford Cliffs worth £200 and also complete male grooming package worth over £100 for Tony.
- Finishing off with a professional photoshoot with David Wheeler to ensure both Tony and Kirsti had photos of their experience to look back on worth over £500.
Dr Manish described the final makeovers for Tony and Kristi as “fabulous”.
He added: “Working together with these other professional businesses has been so rewarding.”
Tony’s partner, Sonia, pictured, said: “He really is a changed man.
“It is not just how he looks.
“I can see the difference in his confidence.
“It is quite amazing.”
Founded in 2010, Dental Concepts now has practices in Dorset (Canford Cliffs), Hampshire (Andover, Southampton and Whitchurch) and Mumbai, India.
They are owned by Dr Manish and his wife, Dr Shilpa Chitnis.
Dr Manish said business had increased by between 80 and 100 per cent over the last 18 months.
“It’s a combination of people not going on holidays and choosing to spend their money differently but, also, the emphasis on appearance because of communications like Zoom.
“Skin, teeth and hair are all subject to much closer attention and that has resulted in more business for us,” he said.


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In just three years, HUAWEI AppGallery has become the world’s third-largest app marketplace.
Looking back, HUAWEI opted out from using Google Play Services on their products after legal scrutiny in the United States. HUAWEI was undeterred as they launched their own app marketplace, the AppGallery, several weeks after. Today, HUAWEI’s AppGallery continues to grow, and expand and is loved by its loyal customers, most especially the Filipino community.
According to HUAWEI, AppGallery serves 580 million monthly active users across 170 countries and regions worldwide.
As an act of gratitude, HUAWEI has been organizing raffles for old and new HUAWEI AppGallery users since June of this year.
In fact, last August 27, 2022, they raffled off the HUAWEI P50 Pro, MatePad Pro 12.6, and a grand prize of a brand new Toyota Innova 2.8G DSL A/T car! To get a chance to win amazing prizes, HUAWEI invites you to join the Huawei community and check out the AppGallery.
Congratulations, HUAWEI AppGallery!


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Redheads may soon get their own iPhone emoji
A new emoji will finally put redheads who use iPhones on the same level as brunettes, blondes, and other hair colors that have been celebrated with a tiny animated head.
The Daily Mail reports the big bosses in Silicon Valley are set with the sole purpose of adding a ginger emoji to iPhones as early as next week.
An online petition was started in Scotland after redheads were left out of the most recent Apple emoji release last month.
Supporters of the ginger emoji movement say over 20,000 signatures have been added to the petition.
While a ginger emoji has been available for Android devices since 2015, the same option has not been afforded to the millions who own an iPhone.
But that will all change soon... hopefully.


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Chinese buys House of Fraser
The Chinese retail mogul Yuan Yafei has bought an 89 per cent stake in the department store chain House of Fraser in a £480m deal, including debt. The sale was unveiled two weeks ago but only signed over the weekend. HoF said Mike Ashley would not be entitled to a seat on the board even if his deal to buy the remaining 11 per cent from Sir Tom Hunter is completed.
Albemarle & Bond to be told its fate
Albemarle & Bond’s 900 staff are set to find out their future this week with Sir Peter Burt, the former boss of Bank of Scotland, expected to buy the pawnbroker out of administration. However, Sir Peter’s Promethean is not expected to take on all of A&B’s 183 branches. PwC confirmed a deal is expected this week. Promethean was not available to comment.
What the Sunday papers said
Scottish vote could hit rail link
A vote for Scottish independence could derail plans for a high-speed rail link between London and Glasgow, a Cabinet minister has warned. A report on the third phase of HS2, which would take the line into Scotland and could cut an hour off the journey between Glasgow and London, is due later this year.
The Independent on Sunday
Co-op’s stake in bank set to fall
The Co-operative Group’s stake in its troubled banking arm could fall below 25 per cent. The mutual, which is expected to unveil its own £2bn-plus loss this week, owns 30 per cent of the bank, but is only expected to fund part of its share of the bank’s planned £400m fundraising, meaning its stake will drop.
Mail on Sunday
Tesco’s board under pressure
Tesco’s investors are lining up replacements for its chief executive, Philip Clarke. Although top investors in the supermarkets group have not called for Mr Clarke to go, the former Dixons boss John Browett and Unilever’s Dave Lewis have been suggested as successors.
The Sunday Times
Wages creep above inflation
Official figures on Wednesday are set to show annual growth in weekly earnings of 1.8 per cent in the three months to February, taking wages above inflation for the first time in four years. The figures come as forecasters at EY Item reckon the country is set for a “long time of low inflation”.
The Sunday Telegraph
The Week ahead
Debenhams publishes half-year results on Tuesday, months after issuing a stark profits warning when a hoped-for surge in Christmas sales failed to materialise. Margins were lower partly because the department store cut prices in order to compete amid an unprecedented wave of promotions on the high street.
Tesco’s chief executive Philip Clarke will have a tough job convincing investors things are moving in the right direction when the supermarket delivers full-year results on Wednesday.
Analysts on average expect to see underlying pre-tax profits at the group shrink by 15 per cent to around £3bn for the full year.Reuse content


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The US Mission in Nigeria, in partnership with Ascend Studios Foundation, has commenced the training of 250 female entrepreneurs under the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE).
The AWE is a US government initiative that supports women entrepreneurs around the world.
In a statement on Tuesday, the US mission stated that the 250 women entrepreneurs were selected from over 15,700 applicants, representing a cross-section of industries from fashion to health and agriculture.
Kathleen FitzGibbon, US embassy chargé d’affaires, explained that the AWE was designed to empower female entrepreneurs to fulfill their economic potential, and create conditions for increased stability.
FitzGibbon expressed the US government’s commitment to supporting women to break barriers, gain financial independence, and create pathways to prosperity.
“When women are economically empowered, they re-invest in their families and communities, strengthening the social fabric of society and education and skill levels of the workforce. This multiplier effect spurs economic growth and enhances stability,” FitzGibbon said.
Jumoke Olowookere, a 2019 graduate of the academy, shared her success story with the new participants.
“The AWE programme connected me to the right networks and resources and my dreams grew bigger. Today, as an upcycling entrepreneur, I am the founder of Nigeria’s first waste museum,” she said.
Over the next three months, participants will have access to the DreamBuilder platform, a blended business training course developed through a partnership between Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, and Freeport-McMoRan, a global copper mining company.
In addition, participants will connect with business leaders, women entrepreneurs and mentors, who will facilitate lessons related to business management such as preparing business plans and raising capital.


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More than one million e-readers and more than half a million tablet devices were received as gifts over Christmas, according to research released today, with Amazon and Apple the leading suppliers of e-readers and tablets respectively.
According to the analysis one in every 40 adults in the UK received an e-reader as a Christmas present. The data, based on a YouGov survey of 2012 adults in the week after Christmas, indicated that 1.33 million e-readers were gifted over the festive period, 92% of which were Kindles, making Amazon’s e-reader the most popular choice this Christmas. The research suggests that just over 100,000 rival e-readers were sold.
The research showed the devices were more popular with women than men, with 61% of people receiving them being women. The results also showed an age-bias, with Amazon’s Kindle being twice as popular with the over-55 age group than the 18-24 age group.
Tablet sales were also buoyant at Christmas. YouGov's modelling suggests that more than 640,000 tablets were gifted to adults, 72% of them Apple iPads with 60% of the Apple products being gifted to women. Non-Apple-branded tablets were relatively more popular with men.
The survey was taken between 28th December 2011 and 3rd January 2012.
More than one million e-readers sold over Christmas:


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The company added that its strategic review indicated that the supply chain and procurement hit was too much. Meanwhile, HP's PC unit performs well.
When Meg Whitman took over as CEO, she promised a quick decision on the PC division. She delivered.
Overall, HP's move makes sense--at least in the short term. Keeping the PC unit removes a lot of uncertainty for corporate technology buyers who were likely to go with vendors such as Lenovo and Dell. By eliminating that uncertainty, HP can move ahead.
HP's PC unit is profitable, but analysts noted that the business has imploded. In other words, HP couldn't sell the PC division and a spin-off wouldn't have been a boon to shareholders in its current state.


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Recent leaks of iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro have revealed two very different phones. While the standard iPhone 14 models will inherit the same design, chipset and rear cameras as the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 Pro models will advance with upgrades to all three departments and increase prices to match them.
The iPhone14 is likely to be a game changer with its loyal customers eagerly awaiting release. Image: Pixabay
The Apple iPhone 14 could have split release dates instead of a single release date reported by several privileged sources close to Apple. Due to the blockade in China, many of Apple’s key vendors are expected to meet deadlines and this could lead to delays, sources suggested.
The difference in the launch dates of the iPhone 14 has appeared all over the world, as mentioned by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC).
“My latest channel checks suggest that Apple has not changed the delivery plan for the iPhone 14 models since the Shanghai blockade. The iPhone 14 Max is behind, but is currently still under control and suppliers may work hours extraordinary to catch up with the calendar, “Ming-Chi Kuo tweeted.
However, Ross Young, one of the industry’s most accurate experts, replied that “shipments of iPhone 14 Max panels have always been behind.”
Read also: Apple iPhone 14 to have satellite connectivity for emergencies
The split release is not the first time
In any case, it will not be the first time that the iPhone has adopted this strategy. Earlier, Apple had adopted the same strategy for the iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 Mini. The split sales strategy was also adopted for the initial sales of iPhone 8 / iPhone X.
Kuo also disputed a recent ET News report that supply problems have forced Apple to install a front-facing camera module for the iPhone 15 a year earlier at great cost.
“This report is not entirely consistent with my understanding,” Kuo explains. “If LG Innotek became the supplier of front-facing cameras for the iPhone 14 in 2Q22 (second quarter of 2022), it would be almost impossible to keep up with the development schedule for the iPhone 14 2H22. I think Apple already had chosen LG Innotek and Cowell as iPhone 14. front camera suppliers in 4Q21 (fourth quarter of 2021) at the latest “.
This is in line with Kuo’s previous claims that global production of the iPhone 14 is “currently under control.” That said, both Nikkei Asia and Haitong International Securities analyst Jeff Pu believe that supplies of the iPhone 14 Max will be delayed by almost a month, according to a Forbes report.
Golf between the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Pro
Split release or not, recent leaks of iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro have revealed two very different iPhones. While the standard iPhone 14 models will inherit the same design, chipset and rear cameras as the iPhone 13, the iPhone 14 Pro models will advance with upgrades in all three departments and price increases to match.
Also read: Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, tweets about photos taken by TN students with iPhone
If the reports are to be believed, the iPhone 14 Pro will be priced at $ 1099. On the other hand, the iPhone 14 Pro Max will be priced at $ 1199.
IPhone 14 Pro models are expected to have an A16 chipset. However, iPhone 14 (non-Pro version) models are expected to have the A15 chipset. The A15 chipset is currently available for iPhone 13 models. The A16 chipset is expected to provide faster processing than the A15.
In addition, the iPhone 14 series will consist of four devices and will not include the mini version. This means that all devices will have a screen larger than 6 inches. The iPhone 14 series will include iPhone 14 (6.1 inches), iPhone 14 Pro (6.1 inches), iPhone 14 Max (6.7 inches) and iPhone 14 Pro Max (6.7 inches).
price of iphone 14 in india
In India, mobile sales websites are priced at Rs 99,990 on the iPhone 14 and predict September 8 as the launch date. Although they are careful and call it an “unofficial date”. According to 91mobiles.com, the Apple iPhone 14 has three cameras: 48 MP and 13 MP dual primary cameras and 13 MP front camera, and includes the first 48 MP camera sensor that can record 8k videos.
Read also: Apple starts production of iPhone 13 in India through Foxconn
The iPhone 14 is configured with a Hexa-Core processor (dual core, 3.1 GHz, Firestorm + Quad-core, 1.8 GHz, Icestorm) compatible with an Apple M14 motion coprocessor. The device also features a 5nm Apple A14 Bionic chipset that combines 6GB of RAM and an Apple GPU, as well as a non-replaceable 3815mAh lithium-ion battery.
It has flagship features like dust proof and water resistance. However, “the internal storage is only 64 GB (not expandable) and the battery power is quite average,” he says. The phone is expected to be available in black and gold.


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Thanks to device makers like Acer, the convertible notbook is alive and well. NotebookReview has the details on a pair of new models
An industry analyst claims to have some of the details of the much-rumored smaller version of the Microsoft Surface Windows tablet that's supposedly in development.
The Microsoft Surface Pro is probably the best-known tablet running Windows 8 Pro. Watch our video showing this powerful computer in action.
Toshiba gave the world a first look at its next tablet running Windows 8 Pro. The WT310 is going to have an unusually large display, a stylus, and an SSD.
Smaller versions of the Microsoft Surface Windows tablets are going to be unveiled in late June, according to an unconfirmed report.
There's a new version of the Dell XPS 10 that adds built-in very high-speed wireless networking for easy Internet access on the go.
The Microsoft Surface Pro went up for sale in February, but since then, this Windows 8 tablet has been available in just a handful of countries. That's going to change soon.
Our sister site SearchConsumerization says that, despite mobile computing's explosive growth and valuable benefits, the Microsoft Windows operating system will be an enterprise mainstay for the foreseeable future.
Images have leaked out of an Acer model that could be the first mid-size Windows 8 tablet.
Dell has not given up on Microsoft's oft-maligned Windows RT operating system, and is working on follow-ups for its current tablet running this operating system.
Various reports suggest that Windows 8.1 may include a "boot to desktop" option that bypasses the OS' tile-based "Metro" interface and brings users straight into desktop mode. Get more from TechnologyGuide.
It's not official, but some details have leaked out on the Acer Aspire P3, a tablet that will apparently have much in common with the Microsoft Surface.
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Bosch reached total net sales of 6.8 billion RON in Romania
Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, ended its 2020 fiscal year with almost 2.2 billion lei (448 million euros) in consolidated sales in Romania, thus registering a growth of approximately three percent compared to the previous year. The total net sales of 6.8 billion lei (1.4 billion euros) in Romania, including sales of non-consolidated companies and internal deliveries to affiliated companies, remained at a level similar to the previous year.
“In 2020, the Bosch Group in Romania achieved a notable result despite the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the drop in the automotive production”, said Mihai Boldijar, general manager of Robert Bosch S.R.L. and the representative of the Bosch Group in Romania. “In fact, we performed better than initially expected, thanks to the remarkable effort made by the entire organization, the extraordinary commitment and resilience of our associates, but also thanks to the close collaboration with our partners”, continued Boldijar. With a very good first quarter, Bosch in Romania has made a successful start to 2021. “Despite the challenging market environment, our forecast for the current business year in Romania remains positive”, Boldijar added. The company is implementing a wide range of measures to ensure that associates are protected against coronavirus infection and to secure the continuation of its business operations. The number of associates employed at Bosch in Romania stood at around 8,160 as of December 31, 2020.
Bosch invested in Romania a total of approximately 487 million lei (roughly 100 million euros) in 2020 – mainly in the further development of its Mobility Solutions manufacturing plants in Cluj and Blaj. The Bosch Automotive Electronics plant in Jucu, Cluj County has increased its production and warehouse capacity by investing more than 85 million euros in 2020.
Since its opening, the Bosch plant in Cluj has delivered over 250 million high-quality automotive parts to international customers. Furthermore, the manufacturing site in Blaj has opened in November 2020 its own Bosch Medical Center, in collaboration with the medical company Elisa Med. This is the first Bosch medical facility in Romania performing health care services on 600 square meters. Bosch associates and their first-degree family members can benefit from the wide range of services. The plant in Blaj manufactures high-tech products for industrial technology and sensors for automotive industry. In addition, the plant in Blaj became in 2020 the global Bosch leadplant for knock sensors.
Bosch is successfully conducting development activities in Romania since 2013. The Engineering Center in Cluj registered a rapid growth in the last years. Young and dynamic, the Cluj location is the place where talented software, hardware and reliability engineers work on state-of-the-art technology projects like automated driving, electric and connected mobility, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. Currently, roughly 1,000 associates are working at the R&D center in Cluj. In addition, Bosch plans to expand its software campus with a second building. The new modern office building – planned to be ready in 2023 – will be connected to the existing facilities and will support the location’s further growth in the field of automated and connected mobility.
In the Mobility Solutions business sector, after a sales drop in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Automotive Aftermarket division recovered well in the first quarter of 2021, outperforming the market. This year, the division celebrates 100 years since the opening of the first Bosch Service in 1921. Bosch’s service network counted more than 400 car service workshops in Romania in the previous year. In addition, the Energy and Building Technology business sector registered a positive development last year as the Bosch Thermotechnology division continued its double-digit sales growth in 2020. Main growth drivers are the new range of condensing gas boilers for residential buildings, the newly launched Air Conditioning Solutions, and the industrial boilers segment. Since 2007, the Bosch Service Solutions division in Timisoara delivers comprehensive services in 18 languages to internal and external customers. Bosch in Timisoara runs multiple programs for the digital transformation. The company offers tailored software solutions by using new technologies like Robotic Process Automation or artificial intelligence, which eliminate repetitive tasks and increase quality and efficiency.Furthermore, Bosch opened last year in Timisoara a new strategic purchasing hub driving key supplier management and contract negotiations. In 2021, in order to sustain the constant growth of its operations, Bosch Service Solutions plans to hire more than 500 high level specialized associates in the fields of software development, IT Help Desk, customer experience, controlling, accounting, purchasing and sales. Furthermore, the Consumer Goods business sector also had a good performance in 2020. The Bosch Power Tools division saw a strong double-digit growth in 2020 on all product segments – professional power tools, for home and garden, measuring tools and accessories. Moreover, the division launched last year on the Romanian market the range of professional tools equipped with the new BITURBO technology – the brushless high-performance motor together with the ProCore18V batteries. With this technology, cordless power tools can even outperform the corded ones. Moreover, BSH Electrocasnice continued the trend of recent years, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, managing a double-digit growth in 2020, both in large and small home appliances. Since 1999, BSH sold over 5.4 million home appliances on the local market. In autumn 2020, the company launched the global image campaign #LikeABosch, which promotes technologies that can turn any user into an everyday hero, with the help of innovative solutions for a healthy and sustainable life. Registering a real success, the image campaign will continue in 2021 with Chef Sorin Bontea as brand ambassador for Bosch home appliances in Romania. In the Industrial Technology business sector, Bosch Rexroth salesdivision was the main partner of the national Factory 4.0 Conference in Romania in 2020, which aims to promote the benefits of Industry 4.0. The company is a reliable partner for energy efficiency projects, offering its customers smart industrial solutions such us CytroBox, the compact hydraulic unit that can be easily integrated into connected manufacturing facilities and requires up to 80 percent less energy than conventional drives.


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USA: Sara Lee says workers confirmed wrong US Foodservice payment records
US food company Sara Lee announced today that an internal review of its relationship with Royal Ahold's US Foodservice unit has revealed that three salespeople independently confirmed to US Foodservice's auditor, Deloitte & Touche, inaccurate amounts payable to the Ahold unit.
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'Castlevania' announced for full Season 2Trevor Belmont will be back for a second bout of vampire hunting in the second season of animated adaptation "Castlevania." Taking its name and characters from a video game franchise of the same name, Netflix's "Castlevania" launched July 7.
China's Tencent shrugs off impact of play-time limits, shares riseThe company said on Sunday "Honour of Kings" players below 12 years of age would be limited to one hour of play time each day, while those aged 12 to 18 years would be limited to two hours a day, responding to concerns from teachers and parents that some children were addicted to the game.
Virtual Reality gaming dominates E3 2017With new virtual reality systems, gamers will be climbing into colossal war machines to battle high-tech armies, wandering mutant-infested post-apocalyptic wastelands and going toe-to-toe with demons in new offerings unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo this week.
E3 2017 shows a glimpse of gaming's futureE3, the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, opened Tuesday in Los Angeles with thousands of video game enthusiasts, analysts and industry representatives in attendance to play and show off the latest technology that will soon be hitting store shelves.
E3 2017 puts fans in focusVideo game giant Electronic Arts on Saturday courted fans with titles such as "Star Wars Battlefront" and snatched the spotlight ahead of a major industry trade show in Los Angeles.


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Why Infiniti's brand-new petrol engine could be the breakthrough the company needs
first Infiniti, Q45
Infiniti struggled to prove itself a rival premium brand , however the arrival of the brand-new petrol engine having a power of V6 in addition to economy of diesel fuel can change which
I was just in a quick trip to Japan to look to the future of Infinity , April ‘s brand outstanding. If you know so much about the brand, you are most likely to forgive for being too cynical about its prospects.
After all, Infiniti launched in 1989, the same year, where Lexus , in addition to had the same goals: Brand brand-new, dedicated to luxury, quality in addition to high-end service dealer. however while Lexus incorporates a history of high-profile types in addition to a reputation for quality Mega, Infiniti did not have nearly brand recognition of its rival.
will be not surprising. Infiniti has been almost entirely confined to the United States. which’s also never had anything like distinct products which benefited by Lexus within the last quarter of the last century. He was also a fair few oddities, such as in 1990 between the United States in addition to the market Infiniti G20, which was a copy of the design of the brand-new European market badge in addition to then Nissan Primera.
within the 2000s in addition to various other purposes Infiniti to be a direct competitor for BMW . which launched a truly iconic FX coupe-crossover in 2003 in addition to appreciated Kber- G Coupe. Based on both the rear drive mid-ship Front (FMS) platform, which has been the engine in a Great position again within the engine compartment.
tried them in Japan, where both the first-class driving. However, the global credit crisis in 2008 Infiniti thwarted attempts to achieve the speed of take-off in addition to diminished global sales to about 0,000 units in 2009.
Infiniti up, however. In last year’s 215,250 cars which sold worldwide, about 16% for the previous 12 months, in addition to which time, the first to break through the 0,000 unit mark.
The United States remains the largest market, where he described the sale of 147,0 units, up 14% in 2015. China will be a brand-new market for the brand, however buyers are less traditional in addition to smaller luxury cars are starting to take to Infiniti, with 40,0 cars sold there last year, 34% more than in 2014.
Western Europe will be still a problem for the brand, with only 7,000 units were sold in 2015, despite the fact which which will be a significant 45% by the previous year – in addition to Mercedes-Class based Q30 slot in addition to QX30 Cross have yet to get properly rolling.
Infiniti in addition to Daimler also opened a plant in Mexico next year, which will make QX30s for sale within the United States. With the market going crazy to move operations compact, which seems which the last batch of sales of Infiniti.
which consists of a large part of the show I attended in Japan by the heads of companies in an attempt to convince journalists which Infiniti incorporates a real philosophy which can be built over the next few years also renewed its collection complete product.
which’s very difficult to try to build a convincing “brand-new” premium brand, especially those which are in fact 27 years old. The brand-new Infiniti “summed up the brand values ’up in three words:” Human’, ‘bold’ in addition to ‘forward’. You can feel roundtables endless reports in addition to fat marketing which have been created in order to reach which.
painful, Chinese journalist claimed in a press conference which he had been at the launch of the Cadillac, which also published a brand keyword “human” in addition to “daring”, which shows how difficult which will be for teams of executives cars in addition to the owners of Master in Management Business to create authenticity.
Even so, he was very convincing which Infiniti has been a long time lead in helping in addition to autonomy of the driver. “Keep on helping” in 2001. Lane “Lane Departure Warning” was introduced in 2004 in addition to directed by conduction in 2014.
promote what he needs will be however also what can be given Infiniti’s launch rumors variable -compression- gasoline engine ratio. which was the technique under development in April for too long, in addition to what can be collected, which will actually deliver on the promise of performance in addition to refined V6 petrol engine in addition to the fuel economy of modern diesel four-pot.
which might be the first world, in addition to which kind of technological breakthrough which does not actually build a brand image. I understand which the engine will be installed on the next QX50, which will be the global intersection with exceptional Internal space. in addition to imagine which the QX30 engine within the future. which will give a very tempting alternative to the German public for the machine
Infiniti incorporates a long way to go before which, however a technological breakthrough real – those which have meaning to the average driver – will be much better to build the brand of the important data which endless way . which must be a priority for the Infiniti marketing of which brand-new engine, in addition to the fact which which will be a breakthrough large-scale engineering properly.
by by Autocar RSS


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Some background info: You may have heard that there's currently an effort underway to boycott Goya products after the company's CEO, Robert Unanue, praised Ivanka's dad. “We're all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder," he said. “And so we have an incredible builder. And we pray. We pray for our leadership, our president, and we pray for our country, that we will continue to prosper and to grow.” Celebrities and politicians, including Chrissy Teigen, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have all expressed their support for boycotting the brand.
Now Ivanka, who also serves as a senior adviser to the president, has weighed in. She posted an image of herself holding a can of Goya beans across her social media platforms with the caption, “If it’s Goya, it has to be good. Si es Goya, tiene que ser bueno.”
The online response was swift…and harsh. Some questioned the ethics behind a government official appearing to endorse a brand. “White House advisor Ivanka Trump promoting Goya seems like it could raise potential ethics issues since executive branch employees other than the president are prohibited from using public office ‘for the endorsement of any product, service or enterprise,’” researcher and writer Anna Massogolia tweeted.
“Senior advisor to the president endorsing a product - using the company’s own advertising line. Ethics rules do not allow it - and pretty much unimaginable in previous administrations,” MSNBC correspondent Chris Jansing wrote.


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WagonR comes with new look
Kathmandu, November 25:
Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL) has given a new look to its popular brand WagonR, with major changes in the front, rear and the interiors, states a press release issued here by Arun Intercontinental Traders (AIT).
“The new WagonR, which is 10 per cent more fuel-efficient compared to the earlier one is launched today,” the company said adding that it is also launching WagonR Duo, which can run on petrol and LPG. The running cost of Wagon R Duo run by LPG is about 33 per cent less than the running cost of a petrol-run one in the same category. The new WagonR has been styled and designed entirely by Indian engineers at Maruti, claims the company.
Some of the changes made in new WagonR are the head lamps, front hood, bumper, fenders, new turn lamps, and body side moulding.


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2022 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo Wagon Revealed
Adding to its current lineup of impressive electric vehicles (EVs), Porsche has revealed a new Taycan model that offers something special to U.S. buyers.
Porsche shared the 2022 Porsche Taycan GTS and Taycan GTS Sport Turismo on Tuesday, just ahead of this year’s L.A. Auto Show, according to CNET.
The Porsche Taycan GTS features a starting price of $132,750 USD, with the GTS Sport Turismo starting at a price of $134,650 USD.
Customers can begin ordering both the Porsche Taycan GTS and GTS Sport Turismo immediately, with deliveries expected to take place in 2022’s second quarter.
While Porsche’s Sport Turismo models feature a low-bodied station wagon-like design and are available in countries around the world, the company’s Taycan GTS Sport Turismo will be the only Sport Turismo station wagon-like vehicle from Porsche available in U.S. markets.
The Taycan GTS Sport Turismo produces 590 horsepower with two permanent-magnet electric motors, including launch control. It falls between Porsche’s Taycan 4S, which offers 462 horsepower, and the Taycan Turbo, which boasts an impressive 670 horsepower.
On its interior, the GTS features suede seats and trim, with a standard glass roof that can be upgraded to an electrochromic roof with modifiable opacity.
In September, Porsche reported huge demand for available models of the Porsche Taycan with many customers seeing wait times of up to six months.


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Electronic dance music (EDM) giant SFX Entertainment continues to grow, as it adds to a stable of well attended concerts around the around the world and signs up new advertising and streaming music partners. But profits and cash flow continue to be elusive for the company, which is subject to a $5.25 a share takeover bid by founder and near 40% shareholder Robert Sillerman.
On Monday evening, SFX reported a 48% rise in second quarter revenue to $121 million, driven by ticket sales at live events such as Life In Color Austin, Kingsland Amsterdam, Rock In Rio Vegas, Electric Zoo Tokyo, Tomorrowland Brazil and Mysteryland USA. Other sales, which including digital music streaming and marketing partnerships with brands like
SFX reported an operating loss of $27.8 million during the second quarter and an overall net loss of $48 million, a figure that amounts to 52-cents a share. As a result, cash and cash equivalents at the company, excluding $13.6 million in proceeds held on behalf of third party ticketing clients, ended the quarter at $38.6 million. That comes in spite of SFX's $15 million capital raise in mid-June. As of the end of the first quarter, SFX had cash and cash equivalents of $45.8 million.
In SFX's quarterly 10-Q, the company said it may need to raise additional capital in the next six months to meet its planned operating and working capital needs." Further on in the filing, the company added:
Our existing working capital and internally generated cash flows may not be sufficient to fund our planned operating and working capital requirements, including our payment of debt-related requirements for the next twelve months without additional sources of cash and/or the deferral, reduction or elimination of significant planned expenditures. However, we believe our access to existing financing sources and established relationships with our investment banks will enable us to continue to meet our obligations and fund ongoing operations.
On a basis of adjusted pro forma EBITDA, SFX lost $6 million, putting year-to-date losses at $15.3 million. At the end of the first quarter, SFX provided a 2015 guidance of between $55 million-to-$65 million million in pro forma adjusted EBITDA, however, the company made no mention of that guidance in its second quarter results.
The company also provided no new updates on founder Sillerman's $5.25 a share tender.
"Unless an alternative transaction is reviewed and approved by the Company’s special committee of independent directors, the previously announced merger transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2015, subject to the approval of a majority of the Company’s stockholders, excluding Mr. Sillerman and his affiliates, as well as the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions," SFX said in a press release, echoing previous statements.
The lack of new information into SFX's tender comes as Sillerman has until Aug. 13 to produce SFX financing commitments on his tender. Currently, investors and analysts are expressing concern that Sillerman may not make good on the tender, or that he may ask for a price cut. SFX shares closed Monday trading at $2.36, less than half the price of Sillerman's tender. Shares rose nearly 4% in after-hours trading.
As FORBES has reported, a series of quizzical transactions and delays to Sillerman's SFX tender, combined with disappointing earnings figures, have weighed on the company's shares. Some moves such as the mid-June secondary offering, and a more recent suspension of music royalty payments to artists from SFX's steaming service, Beatport, have also raised alarm about the company's financial health.
Last week, DJ's and music distributors were surprised when Beatport said it would suspend supplier payments for the second quarter due to Sillerman's take private bid. On Friday, Sillerman then reversed course and told suppliers SFX would make good on those payments this week.
Symphonic Distribution, a digital music distribution firm, posted a note from SFX and Sillerman that stated:
It was confirmed today that Beatport’s label supplier payments, which have been delayed temporarily via a hold at SFX Entertainment, will be processed next week.
We deeply regret any hardships this delay has placed on members of the creative community – especially independent labels and artists, who are the lifeblood of electronic music culture and who have been long standing partners and suppliers to Beatport since 2004. We are truly sorry this has happened, and that we allowed payment distribution to get caught up in unrelated matters.
While the majority of payments were delayed, some payments were made before the hold went into effect, and those included payments to major labels and some labels participating in the new Beatport streaming service. This was not preferential treatment in any way, but we understand how the optics may illustrate just the opposite.
Beatport is nothing without creative partners. We remain indelibly committed to serving the electronic music community and providing tools and resources for DJs, producers, and labels around the world to reach their fans and develop their careers. Anything that gets in the way of that mission must be dealt with swiftly so we can all get back to focusing on our core goals. To that end we appreciate the assistance of AFEM during the process this week and we look forward to continuing the growth of Beatport in support of the electronic music community.
Robert F.X. Sillerman, Chairman & CEO, SFX Entertainment
“I regret that unrelated elements made Beatport delay some payments for the first and only time in its more than 10 year history. The way we handled this was inexcusable and should never have happened. The thousands of creators who have made Beatport what it is today deserved better, and I am deeply embarrassed, both personally and professionally, by what has happened.”
Mark Lawrence, CEO, AFEM
“It’s been a difficult and delicate few days leading up to this positive outcome. I can’t commend Beatport enough for the way in which they have handled the resolution and I am pleased that AFEM was able to support both its member labels and Beatport."
In the wake of earnings, investors holding SFX shares are left to wait until Thursday when the extended time clock on Sillerman's ability to produce financing on the go-private bid expires.
That day, or in days subsequent, investors will learn whether he makes good on the offer, or if they will be thrown another curve ball in what's been a disappointing run on public stock markets.


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TORONTO • Sears Canada Inc. announced an anticipated big payout to shareholders on Tuesday after reporting a wider third-quarter loss but its first increase to same-store sales since 2008.
Despite a broader loss on one-time restructuring and asset impairment charges, Sears Canada intends to distribute a $509-million special dividend, or $5 a share, on Dec. 6 to shareholders of record on Dec. 2 — a distribution widely predicted in recent weeks after the retailer announced a series of recent property deals.
Sears Canada 51% owned by Sears Holdings Corp., closed stores, sold real estate and shed assets in the third quarter ended Nov. 2. The retailer, whose sales have fallen for seven straight fiscal years, said this month it would sell its 50% stake in eight Canadian properties for about $315-million just weeks after it announced the closure of its downtown Toronto store and four other locations in the city as part of a $400-million agreement with its landlords.
Shares closed at $17.87 Tuesday afternoon, up $1.07 or 6.37%. They were up as high as $19.89 earlier in the day — a level unseen since July 2011.
Sears Canada’s shares have soared 32% in the weeks since the latter deal was announced, as investors and analysts speculated Edward Lampert, CEO of Sears Holdings, would direct the retailer to disburse a hefty portion of those gains to shareholders.
Mr. Lampert is not involved in the operations of the Canadian unit, but he controls 55% of Sears Holdings stock and directly owns 28% of Sears Canada.
“His combined effective ownership of about 50% gives him immense influence over the day-to-day activities of Sears Canada,” CIBC retail analyst Perry Caicco said this month. “The fundamental weakness of the retail offering causes Sears Holdings to occasionally repatriate cash from Sears Canada, which forces Sears Canada to monetize properties.”
Sears Canada posted a net loss of $48.8-million, or 48¢ per share in the third quarter ended Nov. 2, compared with a loss of $21.9-million, (22¢), in the same period a year ago. The latest loss included a one-time charge of $42.8-million.
Revenue fell 6% to $982.3-million. But same-store sales, which strips out the effect of annual changes to square footage, rose 1.2%, an indication more consumers are buying Sears’ improved merchandise assortment.
Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and non-operating activities was $7.3-million compared to $3.9-million for the third quarter last year.
“October was our strongest month of the quarter, during which we adjusted our plans to market conditions and experienced double-digit same store sales increases in both our apparel and accessories and home and hard lines categories,” said chief executive Doug Campbell.
Excluding the $42.8-million in non-recurring items taken in the quarter, the retailer was able to reduce expenses by 8.6% year over year, he noted.
“This demonstrates the progress we are making in executing on the value levers that most directly drive our business: merchandising value and efficiency value.”
Keith Howlett, analyst at Desjardins Securities, said the key challenge for Sears Canada is to reduce its infrastructure in order to fit its rapidly shrinking retail business. The retail business has generated $17.7-million of adjusted operating earnings on nine-month revenue of $2.8-billion.
“The share price is sustained by the underlying value of owned real estate and below-market leases in the hands of other retailers,” he wrote in a note to clients.


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Kazakhstan updates list of Kyrgyzstan firm banned from food import
The list includes such Kyrgyz companies as Shin Line, Talas-Sut CJSC, Elimai, Ak-Sut and Tuunganbayev FE, according to the Kazakh Agriculture Ministry.
Kazakhstan returned more than 400 tons of fruit imported from Kyrgyzstan on October 24. Out of 59 cases of import of quarantine products, 41 were recorded from Kyrgyzstan.
In 11 of them, production was imported without a mandatory phytosanitary certificate (93.3 tons of apples and pears, 21 tons of grapes and 4 tons of beetroot). ■


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by Wolf Richter, Wolf Street: So let’s see how we can put a positive spin on this.
Ford, GM, Hyundai and others tried hard to curtail their sales to rental car companies, or whatever. That’s was the theme among analysts on Monday, after automakers reported crummy June new vehicle sales.
What really happened?
Rental car companies continued to trim their fleets as they’re traversing their own structural hell, squeezed by ride share companies and falling used car wholesale prices. They’re not buying as many vehicles anymore because they don’t need more, regardless of what automakers are trying to do to sell them more.
Retail customers are switching to used cars that are competing often on the same dealer’s lot with new vehicles. They’re particularly after recent-model year cars that look similar to new cars but sell at much lower prices. Dealers buy them at auctions around the country, where rental car companies and leasing companies are selling them. Used vehicle sales are expected to set a record this year north of 41 million vehicles. This is particularly eating into new car sales, the mainstay of rental car companies (rather than new truck sales).
Consumers do this because they’re stretched to the limit by new car prices that continue to rise, even as wages cannot keep up. Edmunds reported that in June:
The average monthly payment jumped to a record of $517 (up from $510 in May) The length of the average auto loan rose to a record 69.3 months And the average amount financed jumped by $631 from May to $30,945.
The fact that negative equity on trade-ins hobbles from record to record doesn’t help matters. So something has to give.
And this is what gave:
Overall car and light truck sales in June fell 3% year-over-year to 1.474 million vehicles, according to Autodata. This is the number of vehicles sold and delivered by dealers to their customers, or delivered by automakers to their large fleet customers. It was the sixth month in a row of year-over-year declines. Truck and SUV sales rose 4.1% to 933,378 units. But car sales plunged 13.2% to 541,982 units. For the first half, sales are down 2.1%. Truck sales up 4.6%; car sales down 11.4%. Sales to fleet customers dropped 7.8% in June, not because automakers refused to sell them, but because fleet customers cut back their orders. Retail deliveries dropped 1% in June. The Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of sales (SAAR) in June fell to 16.51 million light cars and trucks, the fourth month in a row below the 17-million mark, and the lowest since February 2015. So regardless of how this is being dressed up, it’s not propitious.


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The Dutch department store chain has joined The Climate Pledge, a global partnership to accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis. In concrete terms, de Bijenkorf has committed to becoming climate-neutral by 2040, ten years earlier than stipulated in the Paris Agreement.
De Bijenkorf is one of the 86 new signatories of The Climate Pledge, which now brings together more than 200 companies to fight against global warming. “It is encouraging that 86 companies – including some of the biggest household names in the world – have joined The Climate Pledge and committed to accelerating their actions to tackle climate change and doing their part to create a carbon-neutral economy”, said Christiana Figueres, former head of the UN Climate Commission and co-founder of Global Optimism.
To meet the target, de Bijenkorf will take action in several areas at once. For example, by 2025, all materials used must originate from certified sustainable sources. In addition, the chain will pioneer circular business models in the areas of resale, rental and repair. Finally, the retailer wants to involve and inspire partners, customers and employees through the platform bearing a name that translates into the future is green: detoekomstisgroen.com.
Signing the climate pledge also means that the department store chain will regularly measure and report greenhouse gas emissions. It will also have to implement strategies for efficiency improvement, the use of renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions. Any remaining emissions can be offset under certain conditions to help achieve the targets.


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November 11, 2012
HTC's Fall From Grace
Joe Mullin, Ars Technica
In a surprise weekend announcement, Apple and HTC report that they have ended all their patent disputes. The financial terms are confidential, but HTC has been on the losing end of the legal action, so it's hard to believe the Taiwanese company didn't pay something to Apple.
The Apple-HTC battle has been going on since 2010, and it hasn't been going well for HTC, at all. HTC lost a case to Apple in late 2011 at the International Trade Commission, although it quickly worked around Apple's win on what it called a minor user-interface patent. HTC's own trade commission case against Apple phones failed. Despite those setbacks, less than three months ago, HTC was assuring reporters that it intended to keep fighting Apple.
TAGGED: HTC, Apple


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Reliance Jio is set to hit the broadband market again. Last year, soon after the launch of Reliance Jio, the company also announced the testing of fibre-to-home service in Mumbai and Pune but did not give any details about its launch.
Now with some new additions on its recharge page for consumers, the company hints that the launch date for the service might be getting closer now.
Starting today, the consumers would witness two new options on the Jio website - Home broadband and Jio Link. Clicking on those options will not reveal more details, however, during the launch of the Jio mobile network, Chairman Mukesh Ambani had said that the company would launch a fibre network capable of 1Gbps speeds.
The Home broadband has an image of an internet router while the Jio Link looks like a TV set top box. Reportedly, Jio is also planning to enter DTH market and Jio Link could be the name of the service. The leaked pictures of Jio's set top box have also surfaced on web recently.
It is possible that when the Jio Fibre launches formally, it will be offered for free for three months, similar to how Jio 4G was given in September last year.


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French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday he would launch a national subscription to raise funds to rebuild the Notre-Dame Cathedral, which partially burned down in a fire on Monday, according to Thenational.ae reports.
“We will rebuild Notre-Dame,” the president said.
In a speech at the scene on Monday night, Mr Macron described Notre-Dame as “our history” and “the epicentre of our lives”. “It’s probably part of France’s destiny and it will be our project for the years to come,” he said.
Mr Macron said France would be looking “beyond our borders” for help to restore the masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
The French government has yet to give details of the international fundraising scheme. An appeal has also been launched by the charity Fondation du Patrimoine, a private organisation working to protect French “cultural and natural” heritage.
Fundraising has already begun, with some high-profile pledges being made. Funds have reportedly already hit 300 million as two billionaire families made pledges.
Businessman Bernard Arnault’s family, which owns the LVMH luxury goods group, said they were donating the money to “show their solidarity at this time of national tragedy”. The French family pledged to donate €200 million (Dh829.3m) to rebuild the landmark cathedral, which is 850 years old.
French billionaires Francois-Henri Pinault and his father, Francois, said they would be giving more than €100m to help with the “complete reconstruction” of the central part of the structure, where the main spire was located.
Francois-Henri Pinault is the chief executive of Kering group, a company that owns fashion brands Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, and is married to Mexican-American actress Salma Hayek.
The US-based French Heritage Society said it too was establishing a restoration fund. A page has been set up on its website to receive donations.
Japan’s government said on Tuesday it would consider sending support to the French government. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the damage to Notre-Dame was a “loss to the world and our hearts ache”.
A number of unofficial fundraisers have been launched on crowdfunding websites including gofundme and JustGiving, raising thousands of pounds.