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The Sustainability revolution is being driven by some truly innovative trends. Astute business leaders see social ills, environmental degradation and the climate crisis as both serious threats and opportunities. A growing number of organizations are adopting forward looking strategies as a competitive necessity. For public facing brands the pressure is even greater. According to an EDF survey more than 80 percent of business leaders indicated that they believe consumers will increasingly hold companies accountable for their environmental impacts.
A growing number of companies are seeing the value of doing good. As suggested by corporate actions last year there is every reason to believe that corporate engagement in sustainability continues to grow. It is not overstating the case to say there has been a wave of corporate goodness. A wide range of sectors are getting involved including the beer industry led by companies like Aisha and the tech world led by companies like Apple.
Apple is not the only tech company that is showing leadership. In addition to engaging sustainability in their supply chain, manufacturing and logistics processes, companies like Dell are reducing their energy consumption through virtualization, cloud computing and data center design. By leveraging a more mobile workforce Dell is decreasing the need for offices and business travel thereby further diminishing their footprint. They have also adopted an innovative approach to packaging that includes collecting and recycling plastic waste from the ocean.
Reporting and transparency
Transparency is a fundamental component of sustainability and companies now have access to powerful tools to help them with disclosure. With GRI, the future of integrated sustainability reporting looks bright but there are still some hurdles that need to be overcome. One of the most significant has to do with the fear of disclosure. While companies like to laud their success they are often circumspect about disclosing their failures. However, if we are to unleash the full power of transparency companies must get over their fear of reporting failures.
There is growing interest in sustainability performance as as demonstrated by websites like the one from Envonet.com that publicly reports on corporate environmental disclosures. Disclosure offers reputational benefits for those who are serious about sustainability while it is a risk factor for those who are not.
Power of collaboration
A World Economic Forum report describes climate change as a risk factor and the same report argues that businesses benefit from engaging in “collaborative multistakeholder action”. The Global Risks report is but one of many publications that highlight the immense potential of partnerships and collaboration.
As cited by Forbes,
the EDF poll demonstrated that over three quarters of executives
surveyed think that sharing data with outside parties will lead to
better business outcomes.
We are seeing promising results from public-private efforts including in the realm of wastewater management. Other examples include Google’s partnership with the World Resources Institute (WRI) to create a free global database of power plants. Analyzing this data will help manage air pollution. It can also drive investments in low carbon technologies. Earlier this year EDF announced plans to develop and launch a free open source methane detecting satellite and Starbucks is currently working on an open source project with the Closed Loop Partners to develop recyclable and compostable cups.
Building collaborative partnerships buoys innovation and it is essential to forging a sustainable supply chain.
Blockchains are breaking new ground and may very well prove to be a game-changer in areas like connected supply chains. As a decentralized public ledger blockchains seamlessly interface with disclosure efforts.
Most major Fortune 500 companies including those in the automotive, finance and retail sectors are exploring blockchain technology. Blockchain also holds promise for business operations in the food industry. Walmart, Unilever, and Nestle are all working with IBM to explore blockchain applications in their food supply chains. This will increase both transparency and traceability. It will also increase efficiency and safety while reducing waste.
Late last year De Beers announced investments in a blockchain-based diamond tracking platform to increase supply chain transparency and avoid conflict diamonds. Although the possible areas where blockchains could be implemented are far too numerous to list, electricity markets may be among the most beneficial applications.
Doing more with less is a central objective of sustainability. According to the EDF study less than a third of executives polled indicated that they have successfully implemented dematerialization technologies in their companies. As an underutilized innovation dematerialization is ripe for scaling. This market driven opportunity will provide tremendous benefits to those who can solve the dilemma of decoupling. In fact the viability of our economic system is dependent on dematerialization and decoupling.
While these are positive trends much more needs to be done to scale sustainability. There are many things that corporations are doing including much needed technological innovations. However what we really need is an innovative re-imagining of sustainability.
The Wave of Corporate Goodness
US Corporate Climate Efforts in 2017 Offer Hope for 2018
Business Action on Climate Change
Criticisms of Sustainability Offset by Tangible Results
IKEA goes all the way with Sustainability
10 Reasons Why Patagonia is the World’s Most Responsible Company
Amadeus’ Sustainability Gains are a Win for Investors
HSBC Taking its Sustainability Commitments to New Heights
Mars’ Sustainability Leadership Through Science Based Climate Action
GlaxoSmithKline Doing Well by Doing Good
Sustainability Leadership at BMW (Videos)
Unilever A Sustainable Corporate Giant


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A series of privacy missteps in recent months has raised fresh concerns over the future of voice-controlled digital assistants, a growing market seen by some as the next frontier in computing.
Recent incidents involving Google, Apple and Amazon devices underscore that despite strong growth in the market for smart speakers and devices, more work is needed to reassure consumers that their data is protected when they use the technology.
Apple this week said it was suspending its “Siri grading” program, in which people listen to snippets of conversations to improve the voice recognition technology, after the Guardian newspaper reported that the contractors were hearing confidential medical information, criminal dealings and even sexual encounters. “We are committed to delivering a great Siri experience while protecting user privacy,” Apple said in a statement, adding that it would allow consumers to opt into this feature in a future software update.
Meanwhile, Google said it would pause listening to and transcribing conversations in the EU from its Google Assistant in the wake of a privacy investigation in Germany. Amazon, which also has acknowledged it uses human assistants to improve the artificial intelligence of its Alexa-powered devices, recently announced a new feature making it easier to delete all recorded data.
The recent cases may give consumers the impression that someone is “listening” to their conversations even if it’s rarely true.
“From a tech perspective it’s not surprising that these companies use humans to annotate this data, because the machine is not good enough to understand everything,” said Florian Schaub, a University of Michigan professor specializing in human-computer interaction. “The problem is that people are not expecting it and it is not transparently communicated.”—Agencies

domain: news


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China imposed a 100% tax for transfers of foreign players to loss-making soccer clubs – in fact all. A desperate measure that shows China is very far away from playing, less alone winning the World Cup, as president Xi Jinping wants it, says Beijing-based soccer expert Rowan Simons at Sky News.
Category Archives: investments
P2P service Yirendai tries to move up in the financial food chain by turning to wealth managements. Most P2P platforms are not able to do so, says financial analyst Sara Hsu to the South China Morning Post. But Yirendai could be the exception, she adds.
Whether bike-sharing is heading for a success or just a financial sinkhole is still unclear, despite a giant surge in VC funding. But Beida business professor Jeffrey Towson, a bear in this industry, is sure that it will not work outside China, because of the rather special situation in China, he tells the South China Morning Post.
Unlike the remembrance of the former colonial forces in Africa, China’s current geopolitical adventures into the continent “Africans’ view of China “is still positive, but not as exuberant as it was”. says Howard French, author of China’s Second Continent: How a Million Migrants Are Building a New Empire in Africa to Today Online.
Lynk & CO and NIO both launched their first production models at the Shanghai auto show in April, but the question is whether new technology is enough to sell their cars. Branding expert Tom Doctoroff says to Wardsauto that the newcomers on this market need a bit more to succeed.
Hypes are a part of China’s competitive climate, and with the hypes VC capital floods industries, like bike-sharing and food deliveries. And that might be nice for a while, warns Shanghai-based VC veteran William Bao Bean, it does not mean the best ideas get funded, he tells the Globe&Mail.
Xi Jinping’s One Belt, One Road initiative has raised many voices, inside China rather positive, outside China often sceptical. Financial analyst Sara Hsu looks at some details of the multiple trillions US dollar project and feels getting it right might be tough, whatever side you are on as financial checks and balances are lacking, she writes in the Huffington Post.
Western analysts often miss the point, when they look at the way China conducts business, says China watcher Andrew Batson at his weblog, and he points at an interesting aside in Ian Johnson’s book The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao , when he writes about soft openings in China. Case in point: comments on China’s One-Belt, One-Road initiative. Batson: ” It’s already clear it’s the China book of the year.”
Since last year car-hailing giant Didi Chuxing has been raising over US$15 billion, even after it won the costly competitive struggle with Uber. Beida business professor Jeffrey Towson sees at his weblog four reasons why Didi continues to raise so much capital. Here are two of them.


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A new Instagram post from Primark got shoppers all excited but not because of the clothes on show.
The post featured a new set of loungewear which included a 'cosy jogger set' and some slippers that customers said were 'cute'.
But instead of talking about the loungewear, Primark fans were left asking a question they have asked many times before.
Primark's loyal customer base are demanding to know when they will start online shopping.
So far during the pandemic Primark has had to close its doors every time the UK goes into lockdown as it does not provide essential services.
The chain clothing store's shoppers were once again left asking the question of when online shopping will become available.
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One shopper replied to the Instagram post: "I mean, I love seeing all these gorgeous clothes but cant go out & buy them anyway so it’s torture."
Another one said: "Why why are you teasing us we need online shopping."
And one asked: "Can someone tell me why Primark aren’t open... after all are knickers not an essential item??"
At present, Primark has not announced any plans to start an online shopping function.
The fast fashion chain, which in 2019 generated a revenue of £7.79bn, has previously said the cost of going online would require price increases, and would therefore continue selling clothes in a physical capacity only.


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Back to News
INCLINE VILLAGE, NV—September 7, 2021— Socure, the leading provider of digital identity verification and fraud solutions, today announced that FinTech Global has named the company as one of the world’s most innovative AI solution providers on its inaugural AIFinTech100 list for 2021. The list identifies the top 100 companies developing AI applications in financial services that every financial institution needs to know about as they develop their digital transformation strategies.
“The ability to facilitate frictionless onboarding of customers using AI is more important than ever, given the rapid digital acceleration and scale spurred by the pandemic,” said founder and CEO of Socure, Johnny Ayers. “Socure’s identity verification and fraud solution delivers an auto-approval rate of up to 98% for mainstream populations, and up to 94% for the hard-to-identify populations such as Gen Z, millennial, credit invisible, thin-file, gender neutral, and new-to-country. Our identity resolution ML engine analyzes over eight billion records and more than 530 million good and bad identities to achieve the industry’s most accurate and equitable view of identity possible.”
The standout companies were chosen by a panel of industry experts and analysts who reviewed a study of over 1,000 fintech companies undertaken by FinTech Global. The solution providers making the final list were recognized for their innovative use of technology to solve a significant industry problem, or to generate cost savings or efficiency improvements across the financial services value chain.
FinTech global director Richard Sachar said, “Now, more than ever, established financial institutions need to be aware of the latest AI and data analytics technology innovations in the market to ensure they deliver competitive financial products and reach new customers.”
“The AIFinTech100 list helps senior management filter through all the solution providers in the market by highlighting the most innovative artificial intelligence companies in areas such as Insurance, Banking, Investment & Trading, Lending, Customer Experience, Compliance and Fraud Prevention,” he added.
Socure recently announced record financial results – achieving 126% annual recurring revenue growth, booking growth of 285% in the second quarter of 2021 as compared to the same quarter of 2020, and a net retention rate of 177% driven by near-zero attrition. In 2020, Socure was also named to FinTech Global’s RegTech 100 List, which recognizes the world’s top 100 most innovative RegTech companies shaping the future of the compliance, risk management, and cybersecurity industries.
The full AIFinTech100 2021 list is published online at www.AIFinTech100.com.
About Fintech Global
FinTech Global offers the most comprehensive data, the most valuable insights and the most powerful analytical tools available for the global FinTech industry. Fintech Global works with market leaders in the FinTech industry – investors, advisors, innovative companies and financial institutions – and enables them to get the essential intelligence they need to make superior business decisions.


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A group of 22 Australian entrepreneurs under the age of forty will fly to Moscow this June for the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance Summit, including 10 women representing businesses ranging from finance to consulting, marketing and thermo-solar hot water technology.
The group, supported by the Enterprise Network for Young Australians, is largely self-funding themselves on the trip. However, a crowd-sourced fundraising campaign will be developed in order to help ten of the younger members of the delegation with flights and accommodation.
Australian president of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance and ENYA CEO Jeremy Liddle told Women’s Agenda Australia has one of the highest proportions of female representatives than any of the other delegations. This is despite two thirds of all applications to be part of the local delegation usually coming from men.
“I think this year we have a really good representation of the small business stakeholders in the ecosystem,” he said. “We’ve got three CEOs of incubators, through to huge businesses and someone who’s 22 who’s just launched a solo business. It’s diverse across industry.”
He said members of the delegation usually explore impediments, threats and opportunities for starting their own businesses before heading overseas, and gender issues have not come up previously as a serious problem. Rather, it’s regulation and access to funding that tends to hold young entrepreneurs back, barriers that governments could work to remove in order to better promote the innovative thinking of young people.
Now in its fourth year, the G20 summit allows delegates from all over the world to learn and share from best practices, and develop strategies and policies to bring home for promoting the work of young entrepreneurs within their own countries.
The 10 women traveling to Moscow include Job Capital founder Jo Burston, Loving it UP founder Marion Di Benedetto, School for Life Australian founder Annabelle Chauncy, SAMMWAY Brand & Strategy founder Samantha Dybac, Impact Leaders founder Emily Haigh, Wealth Enhancers founder Sarah Riegelhuth, Elevents founder Elisa Limburg, Francesca Collections founder Hannah Vasicek, Energie Australia founder Dhevaksha Naidoo and Holly Ransom.


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Business News›queuebuster funding
Flourish Venture sees opportunities in embedded finance fintech platforms for kirana stores
“(In embedded retail) Flourish Ventures has invested around $3million in Apnaklub and QueueBuster“ , said Harsh Gupta, Investor director (India) at Flourish Venture. “Through embedded finance platforms, a kirana store or the corner shop can get solutions to buy, manage and sell their goods”
ETtech Deals Digest: Investors continue to exercise caution
For the second week, no big funding took place as VCs continued to exercise caution in an uncertain economic environment.
Mobile-based point-of-sale startup QueueBuster raises $8.16 million led by Chiratae Ventures
Founded in 2016 by Varun Tangri, QueueBuster is a full-stack mobile PoS application provider, which helps businesses to manage billing, inventory, daily ledger, and customer loyalty programs from a single application.
Sequoia closes largest India, SEA fund at $2.85B; concerns over proposed IT rules changes
The storied VC firm has now closed this fund, and will invest $2 billion of it in Indian startups and the remaining $800 million across Southeast Asia.
Crypto falls off another cliff; developer talent crunch set to worsen, survey says
The Crypto market is now worth below $1 trillion, with bitcoin down around 14%.
Point-of-sale startup QueueBuster lands Rs 63 crore funding
The company plans to use the funds to expand merchant base and improve its product.
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DISCOUNT retailer Poundland has been snapped up by a private equity buyer, it was confirmed.
The firm, which sells all its products for £1, was bought by Warburg Pincus in a deal thought to be worth around £200 million, although no sum was officially disclosed.
Current owner and fellow buyout firm Advent International said the deal was “fantastic” for the company and its 7,000 employees. Poundland is Europe’s largest single price discount retailer and the firm said today’s deal would support further growth. The West Midlands-based firm has performed well in the economic downturn as cash-conscious shoppers sought out bargains.


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Two West Lothian butchers have been awarded top accolades.
John Lawson and Boghall Butchers both hit gold at the Scottish Craft Butchers Savoury Pastry Products Awards 2017.
John Lawson’s pies scooped four coveted Gold Awards.
The honour goes to the butcher’s Scotch pies, steak and wild mushroom pies, chicken and leek pies and chicken and pulled ham hough pies.
And the butcher – with shops in Uphall, Broxburn and Winchburgh - also lifted a Silver Award for his bridies.
John said he was “thrilled” for the family business to be recognised.
He added: “The Scots love their pies and we are always coming up with new filling and trying them out on our customers.
“They are the business barometers – if they don’t like it, it won’t sell.
“These industry awards show we’re doing it right. To be judged at such a high standard by our peers is a real boost for the whole team. It’s tremendous.”
John’s three sons are now involved in the butcher business which he launched in 1979.
His brother runs the farming side of the operation which rears and supplies prime beef to the family shops from farms at Bathgate and East Whitburn.
Bathgate’s Boghall Butchers also scored gold in the Scottish Craft Butchers by securing three Gold Awards for their steak borderlaise pies, bridies and Scotch pies.
The long-established butchers also lifted three Silver Awards for their chicken curry pies, steak, mushroom and Madeira wine pies and handheld steak pies.
Manager Stewart McSorley said that the whole team at their Bathgate and Broxburn shops get involved in the recipes for their pies and pastry products.
He said: “Boghall Butchers have become as well known for our pies as for our fresh meat. We produce thousands each week and the products speak for themselves.
“You don’t get industry awards like this for nothing and it’s a great boost for everyone.”
Lawson and Boghall butchers were among around 60 butchers from all over Scotland who collectively submitted nearly 300 different handcrafted pies, sausage rolls and bridies which were judged
across six categories in one of the industry’s most keenly contested awards.
Douglas Scott, Chief Executive of Scottish Craft Butchers, said this year’s standard of entry had raised the bar for the industry awards.
He said: “Customers are demanding top quality and an ever-increasing range of outstanding products and Scottish butchers like John Lawson and Boghall are leading the way with outstanding products made to their own recipes on their own premises.
“Their pies were judged to be among the very best you can buy in your local Scottish butchers and we’re delighted they’ve secured Gold Awards from their industry.
“These awards show customers just what a high standard their local butcher sets.”


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Woolworths is locking up aerosol deodorant products in its Northern Territory stores in a bid to help reduce theft and inhalant abuse.
The supermarket giant is trialling secure cabinets in the health and beauty aisle at its Casuarina store, in Darwin's northern suburbs.
The cabinets, which are fitted with a bell to attract customer service, were set to be installed across the Top End, a Woolworths spokesman said.
"With these new cabinets, we're hoping to significantly reduce the opportunity for misuse," Woolworths NT manager Scott Mackay said in a statement on Thursday.
Chroming or solvent abuse, which is also known as huffing, sniffing or rexing, is a form of volatile substance abuse to achieve an altered mental state.
It's most common among young people and teenagers, who get high by breathing in or inhaling chemicals, like petrol, glue, paint or deodorant, that can often be purchased over the counter.
Inhalant abuse has been a problem in many parts of the NT for decades, but only recently reached Darwin.
The Central Australian Youth Link-Up Service said Woolworths and Coles' initiatives were a positive step toward stamping out inhalant abuse.
"We applaud it," youth worker Blair McFarland said.
The community group, which is focused on helping young people affected by substance misuse, has given lockable cages for inhalants to stores in many remote communities and supermarkets in Tennant Creek, Katherine and Alice Springs.
"The day we locked the cabinets in those supermarkets and stores was the day the sniffing stopped," Mr McFarland said.
Coles stores across Darwin have already removed aerosol deodorants from the aisles and placed them behind lockable aerosol cabinets.
A spokeswoman told AAP the company had worked closely with local police and community groups to reduce the risks to young and vulnerable people.
"Customers seeking to purchase these products can simply ask a team member at the service desk for assistance," she said.
"We've had wonderful feedback. It takes the whole community to support this issue."
The NT government passed the Volatile Substance Abuse Prevention Act in 2005 to help prevent, stop and treat the problem.
Australian Associated Press
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OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said he's joining Attorneys General from other states in urging more rigorous monitoring of price gouging through online platforms.
“We want the business community and American consumers to know that we endeavor to balance the twin imperatives of commerce and consumer protection in the marketplace,” said the Attorneys General in their letter. “And, while we appreciate reports of the efforts made by platforms and online retailers to crack down on price gouging as the American community faces an unprecedented public health crisis, we are calling on you to do more at a time that requires national unity.”
Peterson is calling on people in Nebraska to report instances of price gouging for investigation. You can file a report online or by calling (800) 727-6432.
“I encourage people to file complaints with our office if they believe price gouging is occurring in Nebraska. We will investigate, and when possible, prosecute to the fullest extent,” stated Peterson.
Peterson says a letter from the Attorneys General to retailers made note of several instances including:
- On Craigslist, a two-liter bottle of hand sanitizer was being sold for $250
- On Facebook Marketplace, an eight-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer was being sold for $40
- On eBay, packs of face masks were being sold for $40 and $50.
The Attorneys General are urging changes to protect consumers including "enhanced policies to detect and prevent unconscionable price gouging during emergencies."
Peterson is joined by Attorneys General from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico in the effort.


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America’s Mattress opens Marion location
MARION - The Marion Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors joined America’s Mattress at the grand opening of its newest gallery store at 1160 Mount Vernon Ave.
The store is the company’s third in Ohio and the first for local owners Kevin and Nancy Hall.
The Halls said they are thrilled with the addition of an Americas Mattress Gallery to partner with their existing stores.
“We are excited to come to Marion, Ohio, to grow our furniture and mattress stores. We feel Marion is a wonderful community and fits well with our Findlay and Toledo stores,” Kevin Hall said.
As a partner in the Americas Mattress Gallery network, the Marion gallery willoffer products such as Serta, Perfect Sleeper, the Dr. Greene Sleep System, Bellagio iSeries and iComfort, a news release states.
During the grand opening celebration, shoppers received two free pillows with the purchase of any mattress set over $399, plus free local delivery.


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Despite having a ton of competition, Shadow Hearts: Covenant (Shadow Hearts 2 in Japan) was one of IGN's favorite RPGs last year. It was also a reasonable success in the Land of the Rising Sun -- big enough, at least, to convince its publisher Aruze to plan a sequel.
That sequel is scheduled for its official unveiling via a special trailer included in the release of Shadow Hearts 2: Director's Cut -- a low-priced re-release of Shadow Hearts 2 featuring a host of new updates. The re-release, which is planned as a Japanese exclusive, will hit the shops on Thursday later this week.
According to a few who've seen the included footage, the next Shadow Hearts will take place in America in 1929 and feature a number of past characters. The game is currently without an official title and its Japanese release date is planned for the summer.
We'll be back with more once we've seen the trailer for ourselves. Stay tuned!


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AG James calls on Target to restore pride merchandise
Attorney General Letitia James is calling on Target to restore all of their pride related merchandise.
James and a group of 15 attorneys general sent a letter to the chain.
Target had removed certain pride related merchandise from its stores in response to an increasing number of attacks against LGBTQ Americans.
The letter is asking target to reinstall their pride merchandise.


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Microsoft to announce date for Windows Mobile 7 at MWC 2010
Daniel Shen, Taipei; Steve Shen, DIGITIMES
Alongside the launch of Windows Mobile 6.6 at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2010, Microsoft is also expected to announce a date for the commercial availability of WM7, according to sources familiar with Microsoft's roadmap.
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Mitsubishi Fuso delivers eCanter electric trucks to Genesys Energy
The eCanter, which falls under the 7.5-tonne gross vehicle weight class, ensures a range of about 100 km per charge. With quick-charging stations, the vehicle takes only up to a maximum of 1.5 hours to fully recharge, the company said.
The eCanter is a series-produced all-electric truck developed by MFTBC as a solution to urban environmental issues such as noise, exhaust gas, and CO2 emissions. The eCanter, which falls under the 7.5-tonne gross vehicle weight class, ensures a range of about 100 km per charge. With quick-charging stations, the vehicle takes only up to a maximum of 1.5 hours to fully recharge, the release said..
FUSO New Zealand, the official local distributor of FUSO products, delivered a unit of the eCanter to Genesis Energy Limited. Genesis, which is a leading power supplier in New Zealand, currently operates around 110 trucks. The eCanter will be used for deliveries and customer service operations in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. The locally CO2-neutral eCanter has been integrated into the Genesis fleet to push forward its aim of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, the release added.
The eCanter for New Zealand is shipped from Tramagal, Portugal, and comes with the same standard specifications as the models currently available in Japan and Europe. In order to support safe driving in city environments, the vehicle is installed with safety features such as the Advanced Emergency Braking System, the Lane Departure Warning System, as well as the Electronic Stability Program.
Earlier this year, FUSO New Zealand was granted co-funding by the Ministry of Energy and Resources for operational trials of the eCanter. Five eCanter trucks have since been deployed in the Auckland area for an extended test period. The grant was provided from New Zealand’s Low Emission Vehicle Contestable Fund, which recently announced it would increase its funding scope from 6-7 million NZD a year to 25 million NZD a year by 2024.
The Kawasaki City-based company expects that the eCanter’s presence will continue to grow as New Zealand strengthens its investments in vehicle electrification, the release added.
The company will stop producing Jazz after October 2022 while the crossover WR-V will not be produced beyond March 2023. The carmaker will also stop the production and sale of the 4th Generation Honda City by December 2022 in the country. However, the 5th generation of the sedan will continue to be available in the market, a source in the know of things told ETAuto.


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Readers React: Deregulation does more harm than good
Sep 20, 2018 | 4:30 PM
President Trump continually touts deregulation as a major driver of economic growth. Don’t believe the hype.
His deregulation agenda is just another trickle-down economic policy that does more harm than good for the average American.
A study by Goldman Sachs found that deregulation had limited impact on both the job market and capital spending.
It has, however, increased corporate profits to be used for stock buybacks and CEO bonuses.
The study further stated that regulations don't impose much of a cost on an industry. However, the human misery resulting from weakened environmental, consumer and worker protections could be substantial.


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Delayed! The 2021 Air Jordan 1 ‘Bred Patent’Release: 30 December 2021
At the beginning of 2021 we heard the epic news that the Air Jordan 1 ‘Bred’ was returning – albeit in patent leather form. It wasn’t the OG that we were all hoping for, but it still excited many sneakerheads. After a slew of leaks, on-foot shots, and official pics, an October release was locked in. However, word is now spreading that the ‘Bred Patent’ is delayed!
The Air Jordan 1 ‘Bred’ is one of the most iconic sneakers of all-time and, since its legendary 1985 debut, has hit shelves only a few times in limited quantities. What’s exciting about this patent leather iteration is the fact that this will be the closest we’ve gotten to the OG colour-blocking since the 2016 retro.
Just like its predecessor, it comes dressed in a black base, white midsole, and stand-out ‘Varsity Red’ overlays and toe box. The upper will be constructed entirely of shiny patent leather instead of the usual soft tumbled leather.
Are you hoping to scoop the Air Jordan 1 ‘Bred Patent’ in 2021? According to industry insider zsneakerheadz it’s now set for a December 30 drop. Nothing official has been said about this new date, so we’ll keep you updated as more news surfaces.
Don’t forget to create your own SF profile to stay updated! Simply click ‘Sign in’ on our menu and join the fam.


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Lamborghini Bringing Back the Classic Countach
One of the world’s most iconic sportscars is making a comeback! The Lamborghini Countach, first unveiled at the 1971 Geneva motor show, become the dream car of many throughout the 70s and 80s. Now a new generation of car lovers has the opportunity to own one of these stylish sportscars.
“We make dreams come true,” said a statement on the official Lamborghini Twitter page. “We did it with the classic Countach in the 1970s. And we’re doing it again. The new Lamborghini Countach is coming.”
The statement was accompanied by a short video hyping up the new Countach, with many Twitter users excited by the news.
— Lamborghini (@Lamborghini) August 9, 2021
The first official production Countach had a 4.0-liter, longitudinally-mounted V12 engine under the hood with the ability to deliver 375 horsepower. Hitting dealerships in 1974, the stylish car quickly become a hit, with its wedge shape design an eye-catching feature.
The final Countach celebrating its 25th anniversary was released in 1988 and 1989 and featured an upgraded 5.2-liter V12 capable of 455 horsepower.
While there has no more official word from Lamborghini, the Internet is full of rumors about the new Countach. Instagram account lamborghini.specs revealed a teaser image that features the official model name of the Lamborghini Countach – the LPI 800-4. The image also shows the engine air vent positioned right behind the door, and also the fuel cap.
The post also explains that LPI stands for Longitudinale Posteriore Ibrido, hinting that the Countach will have a hybrid propulsion system with the ability to deliver a total of 800 PS through its four wheels. This was backed up by CNET who believe the Countach will be a hybrid combo of a 6.5-liter V12 and an electric motor with a seven-speed gearbox.
View this post on Instagram
The new Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 will be unveiled at the Monterey Car Week on August 15.
See more about - Lamborghini Celebrates Countach’s 50th Anniversary


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The world of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has witnessed a surge in innovation in recent years. New crypto companies and startups are emerging, disrupting traditional financial systems and offering exciting opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs. In this article, we’ll delve into the realm of crypto startups, providing an overview, and sharing the latest news updates. Whether you’re a crypto enthusiast or looking to invest, this guide will give you valuable insights into this dynamic industry.
What Are New Crypto Companies?
The Evolution of Crypto Startups
New crypto companies are innovative enterprises that leverage blockchain technology and digital currencies to create groundbreaking products and services. These startups aim to address various issues within the crypto space, such as scalability, security, and usability. As a result, they play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the crypto industry.
Top Crypto Startups Leading the Way
Pioneers of the Crypto Revolution
- Coinbase: With its user-friendly platform, Coinbase is a leading cryptocurrency exchange and wallet provider. It simplifies crypto trading for both beginners and experienced traders.
- Binance: Binance is a global crypto exchange that offers a wide range of trading services. It has gained recognition for its innovative offerings and high liquidity.
- Ripple: Ripple focuses on cross-border payments and remittances, aiming to make international transactions more efficient and cost-effective.
- Kraken: Known for its robust security features, Kraken is a cryptocurrency exchange that prioritizes the safety of its users’ assets.
- Gemini: Founded by the Winklevoss twins, Gemini is a regulated cryptocurrency exchange in the United States, offering a secure and compliant platform for trading.
A Comprehensive List of Crypto Startups
Diverse Ventures in Crypto Space
Here is a comprehensive list of crypto startups that are making waves in the industry:
- Chainlink: A decentralized oracle network that enables smart contracts to securely connect to external data sources.
- Uniswap: A decentralized exchange (DEX) that allows users to swap various cryptocurrencies without the need for an intermediary.
- Aave: A DeFi platform that offers lending and borrowing services with a focus on security and transparency.
- Cardano: A blockchain platform known for its focus on sustainability and scalability, aiming to provide a secure and scalable infrastructure for the development of smart contracts.
- Solana: A high-performance blockchain platform that has gained attention for its fast transaction speeds and low fees.
Exploring Cryptocurrency Startup Opportunities
How to Invest in Crypto Startups
Investing in new crypto companies can be a lucrative endeavor. Here’s how you can get started:
- Research: Begin by thoroughly researching the startup you’re interested in. Look into their team, technology, and vision.
- Diversify: Diversification is key to managing risk. Consider investing in multiple crypto startups to spread your risk.
- Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and updates in the crypto industry. Market trends can impact the success of crypto startups.
- Use Secure Platforms: When investing, make sure to use reputable and secure platforms to buy and store your cryptocurrencies.
Innovative Crypto Business Ideas
Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Crypto
Are you considering starting your own cryptocurrency-related venture? Here are some innovative crypto business ideas to explore:
- Cryptocurrency Exchange: Launch a cryptocurrency exchange to facilitate the buying and selling of digital assets.
- NFT Marketplace: Create a marketplace for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), where artists and collectors can trade unique digital assets.
- Crypto Wallet Development: Develop a secure and user-friendly crypto wallet to store digital currencies.
- Crypto Education: Offer online courses and resources to educate people about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.
- Blockchain Consulting: Provide consulting services to businesses looking to implement blockchain technology in their operations.
The Role of Blockchain Companies
Blockchain companies are at the forefront of innovation. They are not limited to cryptocurrencies but are also revolutionizing various industries, including:
- Supply Chain: Blockchain can enhance transparency and traceability in supply chain management.
- Healthcare: Medical records and data can be securely stored and shared using blockchain technology.
- Real Estate: Blockchain can simplify property transactions and reduce fraud in real estate.
- Finance: Decentralized finance (DeFi) is reshaping traditional financial services.
- Gaming: NFTs and blockchain technology are changing the landscape of the gaming industry.
What is the key to success for new crypto companies?
The key to success for new crypto companies lies in innovation, security, and adaptability. They must address real-world problems, provide a secure platform, and be open to evolving with the rapidly changing crypto landscape.
How can I invest in crypto startups?
You can invest in crypto startups through cryptocurrency exchanges and crowdfunding platforms. Conduct thorough research, diversify your investments, and stay informed about market trends.
What challenges do cryptocurrency startups face?
Cryptocurrency startups face challenges such as regulatory uncertainty, security threats, and market volatility. Staying compliant with regulations and maintaining robust security measures are crucial.
Are crypto business ideas profitable?
Crypto business ideas can be highly profitable, but success is not guaranteed. It depends on the uniqueness of your idea, market demand, and execution. Proper planning and a strong team are essential.


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The company is reportedly offering as much as $2.2 billion for Plantronics, according to the Reuters report, in what would be Logitech’s biggest acquisition to date.
Driving the consolidation push is an effort by both companies to cut costs as tariffs on imports from China could eat into their margins or force them to raise prices for consumers against a backdrop of increasing competition from a number of different vendors.
Reuters is reporting that the deal between the two companies could be finalized as early as next week.
We’ve reached out to both Logitech and Plantronics for comment and will update this story when we hear back.
News of the deal sent Plantronics shares up in after-hours trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Both Logitech and Plantronics have been active acquirers in the past year. Most recently, Logitech acquired the Blue Microphone business, which made popular podcasting microphones like the Yeti and Snowball.
Meanwhile Santa Cruz, Calif.-based Plantronics bought Polycom in a $2 billion transaction earlier this year. The company, which started out making headsets for airline pilots and later sold equipment to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has struggled with low-cost competitors and new entrants into the headset market (like Apple).


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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- IKEA said Tuesday it has stopped selling incandescent light bulbs in its U.S. home furnishing stores.
The Swedish-based company said that it is the first retailer to completely pull the plug on the bulbs, after phasing out incandescent lights beginning in August.
IKEA's move to no longer stock or sell the traditional light bulbs comes ahead of a government-mandated phase-out of the incandescents from 2012 to 2014. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, aimed at reducing energy consumption, will require light bulbs to be 30% more energy efficient than current incandescent bulbs.
IKEA will instead offer fluorescent bulbs, as well as LED, halogen and solar-powered lamps.
With oil and gas prices falling, some in Washington are questioning whether it makes sense to hold 106 days worth of supply in storage. More
Big purchases often come with big expectations. So it's no wonder that in a recent survey 80% of homebuyers said they regretted at least one thing about their home. Here are ways to improve those odds. More


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Pollution caused by plastic? ORAKI takes care of it!
Sometimes, it is hard to see how small daily habits can have a big impact on our planet. Just think about when it is hot outside and you buy a fresh drink packed in a plastic bottle that will probably end up in a trash can. What impact such gesture can have on the environment?
On a worldwide scale
Numbers are clear, in the past 10 years, we generated more plastic than we have in the last 100 years combined and 50% of that plastic was only used once. Did you know that a single non-recycled plastic bottle ending up in a landfill will take up to four human lives to decompose? It is HUGE and it also affects oceans. According to Erik Solheimm, chief of ONU Environment: “it is believed that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in the sea than fishes.” That includes bottles, small size particles, and plastic bags that are ingested by fishes and sea creatures, and that take over shores all over the world. GROSS!
What about here in Quebec?
Quebec is no exception. It is true that many cities like Montreal and Brossard banned one-time use bags on their territories, but the plastic use is still a major concern. According to the Montreal Metropolitan Community: “we use about 2 billions of thin plastic bags every year in the province of Quebec, but only 14% of them are recycled.” As for plastic bottles, the outcome is also disturbing. According to data collected by Recyc-Quebec, in 2008, we consumed in Quebec more than a billion of water bottles. Among them, only 44% were recycled and more than 560 millions of empty bottles ended up in landfills across the province. We can easily imagine that these numbers are similar 10 years later…
ORAKI IS DOING ITS PART!
ORAKI decided to be part of the change and to work against plastic pollution. That is why each of our leggings is made of 10 to 12 plastic bottles that do not end up in a landfill or worse, in oceans! Giving people a lasting product they can wear again and again that is made in Quebec, vegan and waste-free is exactly how we leave a positive trace on the environment!


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Demars Financial Group LLC bought a new position in NVIDIA Co. (NASDAQ:NVDA) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 10,707 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock, valued at approximately $4,068,000. NVIDIA comprises about 3.2% of Demars Financial Group LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest position.
A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in NVDA. AdvisorNet Financial Inc lifted its position in shares of NVIDIA by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. AdvisorNet Financial Inc now owns 5,975 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $2,270,000 after buying an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Cable Hill Partners LLC lifted its position in shares of NVIDIA by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. Cable Hill Partners LLC now owns 1,350 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $513,000 after buying an additional 25 shares in the last quarter. Vicus Capital lifted its position in shares of NVIDIA by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. Vicus Capital now owns 1,420 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $539,000 after buying an additional 26 shares in the last quarter. Private Ocean LLC lifted its position in shares of NVIDIA by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter. Private Ocean LLC now owns 1,037 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $393,000 after buying an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mitchell Mcleod Pugh & Williams Inc. lifted its position in shares of NVIDIA by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter. Mitchell Mcleod Pugh & Williams Inc. now owns 1,129 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $429,000 after buying an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. 68.11% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
NVDA has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. BofA Securities lifted their price objective on NVIDIA from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 2nd. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on NVIDIA from $390.00 to $540.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Cascend Securities lifted their price objective on NVIDIA from $450.00 to $540.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on NVIDIA from $535.00 to $605.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. Finally, Evercore ISI reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $450.00 price objective on shares of NVIDIA in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and thirty-one have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $512.97.
NVIDIA stock traded down $19.06 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $500.58. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 13,909,876 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,161,357. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $478.65 and its 200-day simple moving average is $358.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a current ratio of 6.09 and a quick ratio of 5.51. NVIDIA Co. has a 52-week low of $169.32 and a 52-week high of $589.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $308.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 93.59, a PEG ratio of 3.94 and a beta of 1.53.
NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The computer hardware maker reported $2.18 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.97 by $0.21. NVIDIA had a return on equity of 30.41% and a net margin of 25.93%. The company had revenue of $3.87 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.66 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.24 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 50.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts expect that NVIDIA Co. will post 6.84 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 24th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, September 2nd will be paid a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.13%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 1st. NVIDIA’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 13.94%.
NVIDIA Corp. engages in the design and manufacture of computer graphics processors, chipsets, and related multimedia software. It operates through the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and Tegra Processor segments. The GPU segment comprises of product brands which aims specialized markets including GeForce for gamers; Quadro for designers; Tesla and DGX for AI data scientists and big data researchers; and GRID for cloud-based visual computing users.
See Also: Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVDA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for NVIDIA Co. (NASDAQ:NVDA).
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EA announced earlier today that FIFA 19 will be released on PS4, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
EA Sports notably picked up the license to the UEFA Championships League following after the end of a 10 year between the European sports body & Konami’s Pro Evolution series. Additionally, the World Cup update was added last week to FIFA 18 which should be pretty fun as we approach the World Cup in five days. You’ll be able to play as your favorite team while watching and cheering your favorite team on.
FIFA 19 will release on September 28th, 2018.
Remember to join us tomorrow for a Directly to You Mini as a adaml109.sg-host.com exclusive discussing the E3 showcases. Don’t forget to check back in as we prepare for the rest of E3 including the Bethesda conference tomorrow.


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Kelley Blue Blue released the data for the best-selling pick-up trucks in America in 2018.
More than 1.4 million pickup trucks have been sold through the first half of the year.
The top-3 best-selling trucks in 2018 are the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram Pickup.
Who sold more trucks in 2018?
The best-selling light trucks in the United States in 2018 (in units)
|Number of trucks sold|
6 more rows
How many trucks did GMC sell in 2018?
The Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra combined for a total of 805,135 trucks in 2018.
How many Silverados are sold each year?
Perennially one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States, almost 12 million Silverados have been sold since its introduction.
What is the #1 selling truck in America?
Among the top-selling trucks were the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram Pickup.


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Check out the companies making headlines after the bell:
Beyond Meat — Shares of the alternative meat producer tumbled more than 11% in extended trading after the company reported a wider-than-expected loss and shrinking revenue for its fourth quarter. Beyond Meat also released a weak forecast for its 2022 revenue.
Coinbase — Shares of the crypto trading platform dipped more than 5% in after-hours trading even after the company reported fourth-quarter earnings that beat analyst estimates. The company predicted that retail Monthly Transaction Users (MTUs) and total trading volume would be lower in Q1 2022 compared to Q4 2021.
Etsy — The online marketplace saw its stock pop a whopping 15% after the company beat analysts’ estimates for the fourth quarter. Etsy reported earnings of $1.11 per share for the December quarter, ahead of analysts’ consensus expectations of 79 cents, according to Refinitiv. Its quarterly revenue also came in above expectations.
KAR Auction Services — Shares of the used car company soared more than 60% in extended trading after it said it has agreed to be acquired by Carvana in a $2.2 billion all-cash deal. Carvana, which also reported a wider-than-expected loss for the fourth quarter, saw its stock fall more than 10% in after-hours trading.


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Close to 50 models were launched in India in the past 12 months, but companies have not been able to realise their potential due to the pandemic.
Close to 12 models of cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), including facelifts, are likely to hit the road this festive season, which starts with Ganesh Chaturthi on August 22.
While the festive season has always been important for cars and two-wheelers, this year is more crucial because it comes on the back of pent-up demand and pandemic-led disruption.
Companies are hoping to make up for the loss of sales in previous months.
But they are cautious. Intermittent, localised lockdown has been disrupting production.
“We are operating at 90-92 per cent of our capacity this month and will ramp up.
"We expect to reach the pre-Covid levels by September end,” said Ganesh Mani, director (production), Hyundai Motor India.
Hyundai is running three shifts at its plant. The firm, which launched four models, including the new Creta and Aura this year, is likely to bring in the new i20 this season.
“Expect all the new models to get a big push,” said Mani.
Naveen Soni, senior vice-president (sales and service), Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said: “Each time there is a new infection, 20-25 people go off work.
"While we are being scientific about the whole process (of lockdown, etc), production is affected.”
Toyota is planning to launch the Urban Cruiser, a rebadged Brezza, ahead of Diwali.
With the Cruiser, it hopes to attract first-time buyers.
The compact SUV segment’s share in the SUV market has grown from 5 per cent in 2015 to 13 per cent now, he said.
Venkatram Mamillapalle, managing director and chief executive officer, Renault, points out the challenges on supply chains and sourcing strategy.
Suppliers, too, are grappling with manpower movements, material availability, restricted working hours, etc.
Close to 50 models were launched in India in the past 12 months, but companies have not been able to realise their potential due to the pandemic, said Puneet Gupta, associate director at IHS Markit, a sales forecasting and research firm.
Of these, at least 10 have the potential to be a volume spinner.
Most of the other launches this season will address the SUV segment.
Kia Motors, the local arm of Hyundai, unveiled the Sonet, its compact SUV, last week. The model will go on sale in September.
Expected to be priced at Rs 7-12 lakh, the Sonet competes with the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Vitara Brezza, among others.
Competition in the sub-compact is set to intensify with the Renault Kiger.
Based on the CMF-A+ platform, the Kiger will be the smallest and most affordable SUV from Renault in the country.
It’s also expected to go on sale around Diwali.
The new Thar from Mahindra, set to be put on the block on August 15; the MG Gloster, a seven-seater model that will compete with the Fortuner; and the new-generation Duster are some other SUVs expected during this festive season.
Inputs from T E Narasimhan in Chennai


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After ban in India, Chinese app TikTok is in talks with billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) for an investment in its business in the country.
According to a media report, the discussion between Reliance Industries and China’s ByteDance that owns short video-sharing app TikTok, is in early stage.
The report said, the two companies began talks late last month. However, no deal has been finalised as of now.
However, Reliance, ByteDance and TikTok are yet to respond to comment regarding the talks.
In June, the Indian government banned a total of 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, Helo, ShareIT, UC Browser and shopping app Clubfactory.
The Chinese apps were banned to counter the threat allegedly posed by these applications to the country’s “sovereignty and security”.
The apps were blocked amid rising tensions between India and China following clashes at the international border in Ladakh.
Meanwhile, the US President Donald Trump last week unveiled bans on the US transactions with the China-based owners of messaging app WeChat and TikTok, escalating tensions between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Microsoft Corp has been in talks to acquire the US operations of the video-sharing app.
The report quoted sources as saying that social media platform Twitter Inc has also expressed interest in having a deal with TikTok.


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The Décor Kart has recently announced the relaunch of its latest store in a premium mall Select City Walk (Saket, Delhi).
The newly opened store is rebranded with a special curation of upmarket products that are not yet launched at any other store or its website, including Tiffany lamps and ceiling lights.
Nihal Kalra, Co-Founder & CEO, The Décor Kart delighted with the store launch, said, “It is our first store that houses Tiffany lamps and ceiling lights, helping the brand foray into a premium and exclusive home décor category. With the newly launched store, we endeavour to reach the customers with aspirations for cutting edge home interior products, all under one roof.”
The newly launched store of The Décor Kart is spread across a 750 sq. ft. area that brings superlative designs to Indian homes. To redefine living with timeless beauty, the store houses a premium collection of Tiffany lamps and ceiling lights that have not been launched on any other platform of the brand.
The newly launched store also houses a unique curation of premium dinnerware, mixed media oil paintings and accent furniture. To meet the burgeoning gifting demand of customers, it has set up a separate gifting section where customers can choose a variety of gifts according to the occasion and price.
Furthermore, The Décor Kart store also features a curation of blue and white porcelain pieces that have been revered for several hundred years. The collection includes ginger jars, temple jars, tea jars, wall-mounted vases, decorative kettles and household accessories.
The Décor Kart brand arose from the common desire to provide homewares that are approachable and yet don’t compromise on design. It is renowned for setting up one of the finest décor stores, marking its 4th store in Delhi/NCR. With this launch, the brand offers an inimitable blend of timelessly elegant aesthetics to style new-age homes.
In the coming months, the brand plans to launch its exclusive collection of Bone China Dinnerware – known for its premium ivory white colour, translucent body and superior strength. The dinnerware is chip-resistant, durable and lightweight for everyday use which will fulfil the fundamental requirement of customers looking for luxury, value and durability.
The Décor Kart has acquired a huge number of customers from India as well as the US and UAE markets. It is looking to explore these markets with only a distribution centre and an online sales channel with further plans to open fully-operational stores.


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Bulls are falling by the wayside at an increasing pace, even as efforts to sustain the 200-day movin...
Union Pacific: Still on Track
03/25/2015 7:00 am EST
No matter how robust (or weak) the economy gets, one thing will always be true: consumer and industrial products have to move from their points of origin to their end users, asserts David Fish, editor of Direct Investing.
That means that the transportation industry will always have customers, even if the economy goes through bouts of weak demand from time to time.
Despite the fall in oil and gas prices, which may help truckers, the railroads have an enduring advantage, especially when it comes to long hauls, such as coast-to-coast shipments, such as goods from China and other Asian countries that are destined for East Coast delivery.
Considering how many other industries depend on having their products delivered, that makes railroads a vital cog in the wheel of commerce that can help investors reach their goals.
Our latest featured stock is Union Pacific (UNP). Founded in 1862 and based in Omaha, Nebraska, Union Pacific is the largest railroad in the United States, with about 32,000 miles of track that link the Pacific Coast and Gulf Coast with the Midwest and East Coast.
In 2014, it generated about $24 billion in revenues from industries such as Energy, Industrial, Intermodal (freight containers), Agricultural, Chemicals, and Automotive.
The company earned $5.75 per share in 2014 and consensus estimates call for it to earn about $6.60 per share this year and $7.49 in 2016.
The annual dividend was just raised from $2 to $2.20 per share, providing a yield of 1.8% and representing the 11th increase in the past nine years.
More from MoneyShow.com:
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About 11 months ago, I told our members to watch for a continued rally in Caterpillar Inc. (CAT). Th...
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Josh MacDonald, corporate chef for Cavendish Farms, offered a version of the classic Canadian poutine — a blend of french fries, cheese curd and brown gravy — during the Networking Feast on Tuesday night at the Menu Trends & Directions conference in Orlando, Fla. MacDonald said he boosted the flavor profile by substituting mozarella cheese and adding chorizo sausage and cilantro. Nancy Kruse of The Kruse Company said she is seeing poutine show up the menus of finer-dining ...
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Nearly two years after the reaching an agreement that avoided Section 301 tariffs on imports from Vietnam, the U.S. indicated concerns about Hanoi’s implementation of that agreement.
In October 2020 the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative initiated a Section 301 investigation into Vietnam’s acts, policies, and practices related to timber imports. At the time, USTR said available evidence suggested that a significant portion of the timber Vietnam imports has been harvested or traded in violation of Vietnam’s domestic laws, the laws of exporting countries, or international rules. Vietnam is one of the world’s largest exporters of wood products, with more than $3.7 billion worth of wood furniture shipped to the U.S. in 2019, and relies on imports of timber harvested in other countries to supply inputs for those products.
A year later the two sides struck an agreement under which the U.S. agreed not to impose any Section 301 measures (e.g., import tariffs) in return for commitments by Vietnam to improve its timber legality assurance system, keep confiscated timber (i.e., timber seized for violating domestic or international law) out of the commercial supply chain, verify the legality of domestically harvested timber regardless of export destination, and work with high-risk source countries to improve customs enforcement at the border and law enforcement collaboration.
Officials recently held the third meeting of the Timber Working Group that oversees implementation of the October 2021 agreement, and a readout from USTR suggested that progress has been slow. USTR noted that the two sides “discussed relevant technical assistance and capacity building activities,” possibly indicating that Vietnam is seeking more money and other resources from the U.S. (or perhaps third parties) to fulfill its commitments. USTR also made a point of emphasizing that “the presence of illegally harvested timber in the supply chain disadvantages U.S. workers and businesses who use lawful and sustainable means to make their goods,” which could be a signal that the Vietnam agreement remains a priority issue for the U.S. and that punitive measures are a possibility if sufficient progress is not made.
For now, however, USTR simply said that it “will continue to closely monitor Vietnam’s implementation of the timber agreement and that the U.S. and Vietnam will “continue close cooperation in advance of a fourth Timber Working Group meeting.”
Copyright © 2024 Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.; WorldTrade Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved.


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The ballerinas Dorothée Gilbert, Teresa Reichlen and Olga Smirnova talk about their roles in Lincoln Center Festival’s production of this 1967 ballet.
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
MARCH 18, 2013
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
2013 - GRASSHOPPER JEWELER INC.
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Kia keeps its boxy Soul urban runabout — it's second-best selling car in Canada — true to its funky inner spirit with the unveiling of the third generation at this month's Los Angeles Auto Show.
With its redesigned -- and more advanced -- Forte compact sedan, Kia sees a growth opportunity in the segment even as other automakers scale back the number of traditional car offerings.
Kia will bring its second full-electric global nameplate, the Niro EV crossover, to North America next year.
Kia is recalling about 65,000 vehicles in Canada and more than 507,000 in the United States because an electronic glitch may prevent airbags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Kia wins quality awards, has leading-edge design and exciting new models. All of it helps gain the trust of Canadian buyers.
U.S. regulators are opening a probe into why some airbags failed to deploy in Hyundai and Kia vehicles after crashes — including one in Canada — that reportedly resulted in four fatalities and another six injuries.
Kia Canada Inc. turned south of the border to find its new president and CEO, tapping Kyle Lee for the job.
Kia Motors said SeugKyu (Sean) Yoon, its top executive in Canada, has been named CEO of Kia Motors America.


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Big Six energy firms lose 660,000 customers in a year as more than 3million households switch to an independent supplier
- More than three million households are now customers of small suppliers
- The big six energy firms lost 660,000 customers in the last year
- First Utility, the biggest of the small suppliers, added 275,000 customers
Households are ditching big name energy firms in their droves as smaller independent suppliers continue to erode their market share, research suggests.
The Big Six suppliers - British Gas, EDF, npower, E.ON, Scottish Power and SSE - have lost 660,000 customers in the last year, according to analysis from Cornwall Energy.
While they remain dominant in the market the figures show that their grip on supplying gas and electricity is loosening.
Moving on: The big six energy firms lost 660,000 customers in the last year as many switch to smaller independent energy firms.
Independent suppliers, such as First Utility, OVO and Ecotricity, grew their market share from 9 per cent to 13.4 per cent in the last year, which means more than one in eight households are now supplied by a firm other than the Big Six.
First Utility, the biggest of the independent suppliers, has added 275,000 new customers over the period.
Cornwall's data shows the Big Six firms lost 115,000 dual fuel accounts to the independents in the three months to 31 July alone.
It means the smaller suppliers added more energy accounts in three months than they held in total four years ago.
First Utility said the rapid growth highlights the level of consumer dissatisfaction with the incumbents and a growing appreciation of the savings available from switching.
Where you get your gas and electricity from? Thousands have switched to smaller suppliers in the last year
Chief customer officer for First Utility, Ed Kamm said: ‘The dramatic growth of independent suppliers is testament to consumers wanting something different - lower energy prices and better value from their provider.
‘While so many have already switched, 40 per cent have still never made a move and over 70 per cent of the incumbents' customers are on the most expensive standard variable tariff.’
However, Richard Lloyd, executive director at Which?, says that there is still a long way to go.
‘The Big Six have repeatedly failed to deliver a decent standard of service so it's no wonder customers are starting to leave them in droves,' he said.
‘Despite this the CMA has found there is a lack of competition which is leading to people paying more than they should.
‘We now need the competition inquiry to bring forward radical changes to boost competition, introduce fairer prices and encourage more households to switch to better deals.’
Last week, two of the Big Six energy providers were named as some of the worst companies for customer service in the UK.
In Which’s annual survey of 100 big brands, Scottish Power was ranked the lowest energy firm with a customer service score of just 59 per cent, while Npower scored 61 per cent.
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Lions and pumpkins and pirates, oh yes! This Halloween, don’t be surprised to see the streets and social media haunted by an increasing number of cute, costumed pets, according to market research firm Packaged Facts in the recent infographic “Top 4 Halloween Costumes for Dogs.”
The infographic is based on research published in the 2016 Packaged Facts report “Durable Dog and Cat Petcare Products in the U.S.”
As noted in the report, the pet apparel category lends itself to fun, whimsical products that are largely for the entertainment of pet owners looking to play dress-up with their dogs and cats. Costumes, pajamas, hats and scarves are all fun options to add to a pet’s wardrobe. Currently, about 13 percent of U.S. dog- or cat-owning households purchase apparel or fashion accessories for their pets, with dog owners dominating market share.
“If the pet humanization trend has taught us anything, it’s that more and more dog- and cat-owners are treating their pets like surrogate kids. And what proud parent doesn’t enjoy a good photo op?” says David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts. “Holidays such as Halloween and Christmas provide pet parents, especially millennials, the perfect opportunity to have fun with their pets and show them off. This has helped fuel the ongoing boom in pet apparel and fashion accessories.”
Between 2011 and 2016, the market for apparel and fashion accessories designed for pets enjoyed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 4 percent, as sales increased to $285 million. Looking ahead to 2021, Packaged Facts forecasts this momentum will carry the market segment to even greater gains.
Packaged Facts predicts retailer competition will escalate, especially as the pet apparel market continues to extend to a wider range of animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits.


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Banner Solutions has launched an entirely redesigned eCommerce experience through its website, BannerSolutions.com.
The new site, tailored to address the specific challenges of current customers, reflects how Banner Solutions continues to think in terms of delivering solutions — not just product, said President and CEO Brendan Deely.
“This all-in commitment to improving our platform is a testimony to how Banner Solutions uses leading-edge technology to demonstrate to customers that we listen to them and understand their expectations in a best-in-class eCommerce experience,” Deely said. “We’re committed to making the complex simple.”
Deely also said innovation and efficiency are baked into the new site, which for building materials suppliers, locksmiths, glaziers, system integrators and contract hardware distributors provides new opportunity to upgrade how they order door hardware products.
“It’s not just about having a great website. We already had a great website,” Chief Digital Officer Ben Smith said. “Our new web experience has been designed to equip the customers we serve with a platform that solves the challenges they face — specific to their business and their job.”
Smith said some customer groups have been slow to adopt digital ordering — and for a variety of reasons. Diving deep into customer feedback and walking through their individual experiences has allowed Banner Solution’ digital team to build an intimate understanding of frustrations.
“Each step in our eCommerce process should make our customers’ lives easier,” Smith said. “Our team is obsessed with delivering an excellent customer experience in every way; this launch serves as proof of that obsession. But ultimately, this is about providing our customers with a platform that acts as a productivity partner for their daily processes.”
An examination of the new site reveals how building material suppliers, locksmiths, glaziers and contract hardware distributors will benefit from the new BannerSolutions.com.
Continued disruptions to global supply chains underscore the importance of transparency in lead times, and ongoing labor challenges drive a focus on workforce efficiency, Smith said.
Banner's site addresses these issues in a variety of ways. Users can track orders on the homepage and the footer and status alerts are frequent and informative. Product details, prioritized with consistent attributes, make comparing alternatives and accessing relevant information easier. Up-to-the-moment inventory and pricing provide extreme clarity on product availability – especially important for communicating to suppliers’ and distributors’ end customers. And, the new account dashboard is powerful and intuitive, Smith said, which delivers effortless user, project, order and invoice management.
For all users of the new Banner Solutions site, being able to clearly understand product pricing and availability, having a simple way to reorder common projects and products, and knowing the status of every order is the difference between productivity and frustration, Smith said. “Banner Solutions is delivering efficiency in these areas in ways that few other distributors, regardless of product offering, even bother to attempt.”


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PASTA may be priced off the menu for hard-up families — amid warnings spaghetti costs are about to get fusilli.
The bill for the family mealtime favourite is likely to rocket by more than 30 per cent across the UK, experts have said.
It is all down to durum wheat shortages caused by heavy rain in Europe and a heatwave in the US and Canada, which are the main growing areas.
Europe’s harvest has collapsed from the 9.5million tons needed to meet demand to just 7.3million tons.
And US crops have declined 46 per cent, while Canada is 32 per cent down on last year.
Prices have soared on international commodity markets by around 30 per cent since mid-July, with analysts expecting them to go even higher.
Supermarkets will often absorb price rises rather than pass them on to customers, but they are already struggling with the shortage of delivery drivers.
This could mean shoppers will feel the full brunt of the pasta price surge.
Some farmers have been breaking their contracts with pasta producers, who are then doing the same with the supermarkets they supply, says trade magazine The Grocer.
It warned: “Shoppers could be forced to swallow price rises for pasta over the coming months thanks to poor global supply and rocketing costs in the supply chain.”
One UK pasta supplier added: “The pricing is unbelievable. It has absolutely rocketed. We’ve never seen it at this level.”
Source: Read Full Article


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By Maddie James, Staff Writer
[Photo courtesy of Dennis Leupold via Epic Records]
As of Tuesday, hundreds of songs by popular K-pop artists, such as IU, Monsta X and SISTAR, have disappeared from Spotify, reported Pitchfork. Despite the widespread popularity of K-pop, Spotify opted to remove the music due to a licensing issue with Korean music distributors.
Read more: Kero Kero Bonito Announces New EP ‘Civilisation II,’ share new song
According to Pitchfork, all of the music removed from Spotify is under the license of Kakao M, one of Korea’s largest music distributors. So, when Spotify first launched in Korea in February, the company had to create a rights agreement with Kakao M. According to BBC, the agreement was such that Spotify could stream music licensed by Kakao M globally. Kakao M would reserve exclusive streaming rights in Korea to help promote their platform, MelOn, the largest streaming service in Korea.
When it came time to renew the global licensing agreement, however, Spotify declined. They claim they are unable to renew despite long negotiations with Kakao M, but sources in Korea allege that the conflict is due to how Spotify typically sets up their licensing agreements, shared Pitchfork. Spotify often requires that their domestic and global agreements are created at the same time. So, when it came time to renew their previously established global agreement with Kakao M, the still unfinalized domestic agreement they’d created in February didn’t line up, causing Spotify to terminate the global agreement.
Such a loophole, though confusing, appears to provide Spotify with some leverage when finishing its domestic agreements with Kakao M. Spotify may use this new development to try and gain more power when it comes to streaming in Korea.
Though this tangled mess of legal agreements seems to be tipping in Spotify’s favor, the issue doesn’t benefit either party. By refusing to renew their global agreement, Spotify is missing out on money they could receive from K-pop streams, a genre that’s extremely popular worldwide. Meanwhile, Kakao M lost a large portion of their audience, as the majority of their licensed music is now only easily available in Korea. This leaves both companies at a disadvantage, with K-pop artists and fans stuck in the middle, nervously waiting to see what comes of the disagreement.


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Real estate Web site Zillow.com today announced the availability of the second version of its Zillow app, which integrates features made possible by the release of iPhone OS 3.0 update. Search filtering and the ability to save favorite homes were among the features most requested by the 402,000 users who have downloaded the app since its launch in April, and are two of the many new features that have been added into this latest version.
“The response to the Zillow app for iPhone and iPod touch has been phenomenal, with more than 400,000 people downloading and using the app for home shopping, comparing and simply taking an interesting walk around the block,” said Rich Barton, Zillow co-founder and CEO. “Now we’re improving that experience for both potential homebuyers and real estate aficionados. Users can filter for only the types of homes they want to see and can save searches and favorite homes to revisit. And they can know instantly via push notifications when new homes come on the market in areas they’ve saved.”
Features in the new version of the app include:
* Filtering: Users can now filter their searches by price, number of bedrooms and bathrooms and listing type (for sale, Make Me Move and recently sold homes).
* Saved Searches: Users of the app can save searches based on filters they’ve applied and the geography in which they are searching.
* Favorites Tab: This additional tab allows users to view their saved searches and favorite homes. Users can edit their favorite homes by tapping this tab.
* Push Notification: If there are new for sale, Make Me Move or recently-sold listings added to one of the user’s saved searches, a number badge will appear on the app’s icon, indicating new data – even if the app isn’t currently in use. New results are shown in the favorites tab.
* Saved Favorite Homes: Users can now save individual homes to their list of Zillow favorites and easily access them later on the app.
The Zillow app for iPhone and iPod touch brings Zillow’s rich data on nearly 90 million U.S. homes into users’ hands. The app uses GPS technology to find and follow users as they move through neighborhoods, and displays Zestimate(R) values, for-sale and recently-sold homes, and Make Me Move(R) listings on the homes around them.
Search capabilities in the new version of the Zillow iPhone App will also work on the iPod touch, provided it is has been updated wirth iPhone OS 3.0.
The Zillow app is available for free from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Senator Bill Hagerty toured the Lipman Brothers warehouse Tuesday morning. Haggerty and his team walked with CEO Robert Lipman and COO Lowell Goldman through the facility, where Lipman and Hagerty discussed the problems the company has been facing with supply chain disruptions and labor shortages.
“This is another great example of wonderful Tennessee entrepreneurs that have thrived in an environment that’s very challenging,” Hagerty said. “But Robert Lipman, the proprietor here, told me how hard it is to get the workforce that he needs, the difficulties that he’s had with the supply chain; the fact that glass from China is a major bottleneck now, for what he’s trying to do right here.
That’s the type of thing I’ve seen manifest itself across this state. Employers are telling me how hard it is to get people to come back to work. How difficult it is to get supplies, and the supply chains are very complex and they roll all the way back to China. That’s where this problem emanated from, and that’s what we’re trying to work through today. But many, many people are in the same position that the Lipman Brothers are, right here, looking for qualified employees to come to work. We’ve got great opportunity here in the state from an economic perspective, and it’s time for us to get back to work as Tennesseans.”
The Lipman Brothers company was established in Middle Tennessee in 1939 as the first distributor of wine and spirits in Tennessee. The business has, for more than eight decades, distributed to all trade channels including retail, grocery, convenience stores, bars, and restaurants.
Despite the supply chain issues affecting the nation, Haggerty said there is a solution.
“It’s not too complicated to solve, but we’ve got a shortage of truckers right now, we’ve got a shortage of the warehouse workers, we’ve got a shortage of basically every type of worker that you might imagine. A large number of jobs are open right here at Lipman Brothers, right now they’re trying to fill and they’re having a difficult time getting people to come back to work.”
Hagerty continued one problem was the incentivization for people not to work. He added some are concerned about returning to work due to the pandemic, and “We’ve got to get [the pandemic] under control. The fact that we don’t have tests and therapeutics, after a full year of the current administration, is really disappointing to so many people.”
“We need to get America back to work. Tennessee, I think, will be at the forefront of getting back to work because that’s in our nature.”
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Taiwanese computer maker Asus published its financial report for the third quarter of 2012, stating that its net profit increased by 43% year-on-year to about USD229 million, achieving a record over the past four years.
According to the report, laptops and tablets contributed the most to the good performance of the company. To enhance the advantage, Asus announced that it will invest more in the laptop and tablet sectors in 2013.
The financial report showed that during the third quarter of 2012, 59% of Asus' revenue was from the laptop business; 16% from printed circuit boards; 4% from Eee PCs, and 8% from other product lines. In the reporting period, the company's laptop shipments increased by 14% compared with the previous quarter; while its tablet shipments increased from 800,000 units in previous quarter to nearly 2.3 million units.
The global PC and tablets markets have not seen overall growth since the beginning of 2012. Statistics from Gartner and IDC showed that during the third quarter of 2012, the global PC shipment decreased by over 8% year-on-year, representing the largest decline since 2001. The shipments of traditional PC giants like HP, Dell, and Acer all saw negative growth. In addition, Apple's iPad series dominated the tablet market, and other PC and consumer electronic makers were unable to compete with it.
Based on the overall market situation and the performance of Asus, the company has announced new goals. In 2013, Asus aims to become the largest touch-control notebook provider in the world. For tablets, the company aims at sales of ten million units, ranking second after Apple. At the same time, it will continue to promote the combination of laptop and tablet product series.


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RCVs are refuse collection vehicles.
Cambridge councils roll out electric RCV
The Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service – a partnership between South Cambridgeshire district and Cambridge city councils – has rolled out its first electric refuse collection vehicle (RCV). The fully electric Dennis Eagle ‘eCollect’ costs around £400,000, which the partnership says is more than the approximate £185,000 cost of a diesel bin lorry.
400/185 = 2.2x
The first of everything is likely to be expensive. And batteries are expensive. It will be interesting to see how prices change with more production.
Also you wonder how “electric” it is. Automated bin dumpers? AI to find and pick them up?
What is the expected lifetime and the fueling and maintenance costs?
What is the can pickup rate compared to the previous ones?
How often are they out of service?
Are they quieter or just as obnoxiously loud?
Lots of questions and we probably need at least a few dozen of these to operate for a few years to get all the answers.
This article from 2020 has more information:
ODS trials new electric refuse collection vehicle in Oxford
- One Euro6 diesel engine refuse collection vehicle (RCV) generates 27 tonnes of CO2 per annum. It has an expected life of 10 years, meaning each diesel vehicle will be producing 270 tonnes of C02 over its lifetime.
- One electric RCV will save approximately £10,000 per annum in fuel and £6,000 per annum in maintenance costs compared to a diesel RCV because it has far fewer parts to maintain.
£16K x 10 = £160K savings
Price differential: £400K - £185K = £215K
Cost of saving 270tCO2 = £55K
Cost per tonne = £204 = $240
Carbon credits in Europe are about 90; California is about $30/tonne
Vancouver is getting one of the first electric firetrucks in the world
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services has placed an order for the Rosenbauer RT, an electric firetruck. It’s expected to arrive in late 2022, says Deputy Chief Tyler Moore, and after firefighters are trained on it locals should see it on the streets in 2023…
A new diesel truck right now would cost the department around $1.2 million Canadian. The Rosenbauer RT will cost $1.2 million USD
The 30% increase is cost is smaller than the increase for UK trash trucks


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Georgia’s leading mobile operator MagtiCom has delayed a planned price rise for mobile data after coming under fire from the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC), the state telecommunications regulator.
The company announced in early January that they would increase prices for mobile data packages by ₾2–₾5 ($0.80–$2).
Prices for fixed amounts of data on MagtiCom range from ₾3 ($1.2) for 500 MB to ₾30 ($12) for 15 GB. After the price rise, these packages would cost ₾5 and ₾35 ($14) respectively.
MagtiCom justified the move by claiming ‘there are very low tariffs for mobile services in the country today’, and consequently, the company’s mobile internet delivery costs and revenue from services ‘do not balance each other’.
The communications giant gave a number of reasons they said contributed to the move, including an increase in fees for laying cables in tunnels in 2017; that rent for leasing state-owned land was ‘much higher than the actual market price’; changes in the exchange rate; inflation; and rising electricity prices.
The GNCC said in a statement on 5 January that the initiative ‘goes beyond the regularity of the market’, and claimed that there were no grounds for such a rise.
According to the GNCC, Caucasus Online, a company owned by MagtiCom who provide them with internet services, halved the wholesale price of internet data that they charge MagtiCom at the beginning of 2018. The GNCC also pointed out that the government taxes for mobile telecommunications service providers was ‘significantly reduced’, and then since 1 January 2018, entirely abolished.
The GNCC also said the authorities take a number of steps in recent years to reduce expenses for mobile companies, aiming to benefit customers.
They speculated that MagtiCom were attempting to extort subsidies from the government, and ‘while increasing tariffs on the above mentioned services, MagtiCom may be planning to finance (or maybe is already financing) various services which they are offering to consumers at a lower price than its cost’.
The GNCC said it planned to investigate further, and on 17 January, the commission’s head Kakha Bekauri asked MagtiCom to halt the price rise until they studied ‘the topic of subsidising’.
Later the same day, the company said they ‘took into account’ the request from the GNCC and ‘temporarily suspended tariff changes’ until 1 March.
Last year MagtiCom increased tariffs for all TV packages by ₾2. The company said in November that they were ‘forced’ to do so after six Georgian TV Channels decided to charge cable operators for broadcasting their programmes. Rustavi 2, their two sub-channels Marao and Comedy Channel, Imedi, Maestro, and GDS made the decision in 2017.
MagtiCom, a Limited Liability Company, is owned by two US-based companies, International Telcell Cellular LLC (51%) and Telcell Wireless LLC (49%). It became the biggest player on the market after purchasing the operating assets of Caucasus Online, one of the largest Georgian Internet service providers in the country, and DeltaComm, another service provider.
According to the GNCC’s website, in November 2017, MagtiCom had almost 2 million mobile internet customers. Geocell came in second with around 1.8 million.


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BRITISH Biocell International is aiming to establish Swansea as a centre of excellence in the treatment of diabetes.
BBI Healthcare will market the company's GlucoGel diabetes product for people with hypo-glycaemia, along with a portfolio of other diabetes and healthcare products under acquisition.
Managing director Lyn Rees, who was part of British Biocell International's original management buyout team in 2000, said the company was determined to achieve rapid growth at the facility in Gorseinon.
He said, "Since our IPO in 2004, BBI Holdings's market cap has grown from #10m to #24m in April 2006, with a staff increase of 58%.
"By setting up BBI Healthcare we have created further roles, and hope to increase this as our ambitious growth plans gather momentum."
Mr Rees, originally from Swansea, was formerly director of sales and marketing at British Biocell International, and was deeply involved in the acquisition of GlucoGel in 2004.
The product, a dextrose gel which is used for people with hypoglycaemia, is listed on the British National Formulary and has achieved a strong reputation amongst healthcare professionals and health trusts during its 22 years in production.
During this time, sales were driven by word of mouth recommendations, with no dedicated sales and marketing support.
For British Biocell International, the launch of the healthcare division is a move into an entirely new market from its traditional strength as a manufacturer of diagnostic technology for industry sectors, including pharmaceuticals and defence.
Mr Rees said, "We brought GlucoGel into the BBI portfolio to bring us closer to the consumer, and in a strategic move up the value chain.
"We have put in place a strong brand awareness and educational campaign aimed at healthcare professionals and people with diabetes, and as the campaign gathers pace, it has impacted strongly on the market performance of the product.
"With this in mind, we've put in place a dedicated team to build the brand and product awareness.
BBI Healthcare is now perfectly placed to identify and market such products to a global customer base."
This is the third subsidiary in the BBI Holdings portfolio. It recently acquired its largest UK competitor, Alchemy Laboratories, based in Dundee.
Blue-chip customers now include Bayer, Roche, and Pharmacia Diagnostics.
Mr Rees said, "We're delighted to be launching BBI Healthcare in Swansea, and look forward to another Welsh success story."