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Last month we were told that only healthcare workers or people caring for loved ones with COVID-19 at home need to wear a face mask. But this week the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised: “Everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public.” Germany’s Robert Koch Institute and the German National Academy of Sciences have both issued statements supporting the wearing of masks in public. Spain and Italy recommend the use of face masks on public transport and other areas where close contacts are likely. Speaking to the BBC Dr David Nabarro, a British official at the World Health Organisation said it would be “a good thing” if the public wore “some form of facial protection.”
The thinking behind this advice is that experts now know that people can transmit COVID-19 even when they’re asymptomatic (they have the virus but don't show any symptoms) or pre-symptomatic (they're carrying the virus and will eventually have symptoms). As many as 25% of people with COVID-19 may stay asymptomatic, potentially spreading the virus without knowing it, and those who are pre-symptomatic may be even more contagious, transmitting the virus for up to 48 hours before they have symptoms.
Because surgical masks and N95 respirator masks needed by health workers are in short supply the recommendation is that you make your own or purchase homemade face masks sewn by someone else. It’s suggested that you wear a face covering whenever it may be difficult to maintain the social distancing rules such as when on public transport or while shopping.
Since COVID-19 is transmitted through respiratory droplets expelled into the air from coughing, sneezing or close conversation, the whole point about wearing a homemade face mask is to protect other people from what you might be spreading. A sneeze can potentially travel up to almost 8 metres (26 feet), and with the arrival of the peak hayfever season, more of us will be sneezing more often. If you’re an asymptomatic COVID carrier, your sudden sneeze could unwittingly make you a long-distance super-spreader. Wearing a mask would help to contain that.
Although it’s not their prime purpose, homemade face masks may provide some protection for the wearer too. They may help to protect you from getting the virus directly into your nose and mouth if somebody coughs or sneezes right by your face. Similarly, just as wearing wraparound glasses helps to prevent the virus entering through your eyes acts as a barrier to stop you touching them so often, so can a mask keep you from touching your mouth and nose, the primary way the virus is spread.
According to Dr. Steven Q. Simpson, M.D., professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the University of Kansas in Kansas City, if you’re looking after someone in your household with COVID-19, having the sick person wear a mask while you wear one, too, will likely help protect you from getting the virus.
Best Material for a Homemade Mask
In a 2013 study published by Cambridge University Press in Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, researchers examined masks homemade from several household materials as an alternative to commercial face masks. They concluded that a homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection.
Using a highly concentrated aerosolised virus in 0.02-micron particles - smaller than COVID-19 – the researchers tested material from
- a tea towel
- a 100% cotton t-shirt
- a cotton blend t-shirt
- a pillowcase
- a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuum cleaner bag
- a scarf
- some silk
- some linen
The surgical mask material used as a comparison blocked the most particles (89%), followed by the HEPA vacuum cleaner bag (86%), tea towel (72%), cotton blend t-shirt (70%), antimicrobial pillowcase (69%), and linen (62%). However, in terms of breathability and comfort, the 100% cotton T-shirt came out best, its stretchiness also giving a better fit.
Inserting a piece cut from a HEPA vacuum bag into the folds of a T-shirt face mask would therefore seem to offer the optimum DIY solution.
You will have seen a variety of instructions on the internet for homemade face masks, some using a sewing machine, others suggesting an origami style fold-and-staple option.


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BlackRock Launches Blockchain ETF in Europe
- The company’s BLKC ETF is listed on Euronext, with a total expense ratio (TER) of 0.50 per cent.
- BlackRock is a major investor in the blockchain and cryptocurrency market with its backed stablecoin, USDC, ranked fourth by market cap.
- The global investment manager takes pride in around $10 trillion in assets under management (AUM).
BlackRock Inc. (NYSE: BLK) has today announced the launch of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) focused on the blockchain market for its European customers. According to the announcement, the exchange-traded fund is referred to as Shares Blockchain Technology UCITS ETF [BLKC]. However, the company has clarified that BLKC ETF does not directly invest in digital assets but rather the underlying technology.
“We believe digital assets and blockchain technologies are going to become increasingly relevant for our clients as use cases develop in scope, scale and complexity. The continued proliferation of blockchain technology underscores its potential across many industries. The exposure offered by the iShares Blockchain Technology UCITS ETF will allow our clients the opportunity to engage with global companies leading the development of the emerging blockchain ecosystem,” Omar Moufti, product strategist for thematic and sector ETFs at BlackRock, said.
Notably, the company’s BLKC ETF is listed on Euronext, with a total expense ratio (TER) of 0.50 per cent.
BlackRock and the Blockchain Market
BlackRock is a major investor in the blockchain and cryptocurrency market with its backed stablecoin, USDC, ranked fourth by market cap. The global investment manager takes pride in around $10 trillion in assets under management (AUM). The company has strategic partnerships with crucial blockchain firms, including Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ: COIN), to provide seamless trading for its institutional investors.
In the past, the company was focused in the American market on blockchain and cryptocurrency matters. However, BlackRock seeks a global share by venturing into the vast European market.
Cryptocurrency regulations from critical global markets, including the United States, Europe, and Australia, open up the industry to another level. While crypto investors fear scams, regulators have shaped policies that ban anonymous creation, as Satoshi Nakamoto did.
Blockchain technology has an underlying cryptocurrency market valued at approximately $1 trillion. However, over $2 trillion has been liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the past two years.
Nevertheless, with the growing interest in decentralised financial markets (DeFi) from institutional and retail investors, the cryptocurrency market cap is poised to scale further in the near future.
The latest blockchain product by BlackRock, BLKC, comprises 35 global companies from developed and emerging markets. Approximately 75 per cent of the BLKC product is exposed to companies whose primary business is related to blockchains, such as crypto miners and exchanges. The remaining 25 per cent of the BLKC product is exposed to companies who support the blockchain ecosystem, such as payments and semiconductor companies.
As such, the asset management company will have diversified its earnings toward a market with great potential.
Meanwhile, BlackRock shares are trading at around $563.92, as of September 29, 2022, 4:24 p.m. EDT, according to MarketWatch. The company has a reported valuation of approximately $88.69 billion.

domain: news


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More and more large cities in the United States are replacing traditional street lights with newer light-emitting diodes or LED lights. The LEDs use much less electricity and last much longer than traditional streetlights. In 2013, the City of Los Angeles retrofitted 140,000 LED street lights and within a year had energy savings of 63 percent and saved around $8.7 million. They also cut their annual energy consumption from 190 million kilowatt-hours to 110 kilowatt-hours. This year, Los Angeles is spending $57 million to swap out some 215,000 of the older, orange-yellow sodium-vapor streetlights for the newer, more efficient LEDs. The expected annual savings from changing the lights in Los Angeles is over $11 million.
Earlier this year the City of Las Vegas finished outfitting 42,000 street lights with LED fixtures as did the City of Austin, Texas, which installed 35,000 LED street lights in 2013. In 2012 San Antonio installed 20,000 LED street lamps. The economic impact of using LEDs is significant. The estimated cost to replace and install 1000 new LEDs in street lamps is $215,000 after which energy savings and maintenance are around $55,000 annually.
In New York State, there are 1.4 million municipal streetlights that consume 990 gigawatt-hours of electricity each year, which experts say accounts for the equivalent of 752,000 tons of carbon dioxide, or the yearly greenhouse gas output of 144,000 passenger cars. Electricity production generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions because 67% of our electricity comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas.
In 2009 New York City started a ten-year project to change 300,000 streetlights with LEDs. Estimated costs for completion is $76.5 million, most of which is being funded through NYC’s Accelerated Conservation and Efficiency (ACE) Initiative.
In 2012 Navigant Research predicted that shipments of LED street lights was expected to increase from 3 million to more than 17 million in 2020.
There are currently more than 2,000 LED and smart streetlight projects happening in 90 countries. By 2025, cities around the world are expected to invest $64 billion for LED streetlights. Cities that have installed at least some LED street lights include: Split, Croatia, Nairobi, Kenya, Kingston, Ontario, New Bedford, Massachusetts, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Mumbai, India, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India, Vilnius, Lithuania, Belgrade, Serbia. Madrid began the largest single-city project with 225,000 streetlights and Denmark has retrofitted 25% to 30% of its 1 million street lights. Many of these cities are getting support from the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
Last year, Walmart announced plans to purchase energy-efficient LED ceiling lighting fixtures for their new supercenters in the United States, stores in Asia and Latin America, and locations in the United Kingdom. Businesses producing and distributing LED fixtures include Osram, Royal Philips, Acuity Brands and Panasonic. The LED fixtures used in Los Angeles include Cree’s XSP series and LEDway series, Hadco’s RX series (Hadco is a Philips PHG +4.17% company), and Leotek’s GC series.
As part of last week’s annual Climate Week NYC Philips supported the launch of The Climate Group’s new major global campaign – “LED = Lower Emissions Delivered” and provided LED lights for the Times Square Ball.


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Atom Bank, a mobile-first challenger bank, just won a banking licence to operate in the UK and plans to launch later this year.
Unlike traditional banks — and even some challengers — Atom Bank won't have any branches or even a website initially, operating purely though a mobile app.
Customers will be able to open accounts and carry out all their banking activity just from their smartphone. The 1-year-old startup said it wants to "set new standards for the banking sector" when it comes to technology. The company plans to use 3D visualisations and gaming technology for its app, and plans to integrate cutting edge biometric security.
CEO Mark Mullen says: "We've set about designing a banking app that's in tune with how people think about their money. Taking an app-based approach allows us to use all the features of your mobile device to provide a slick and highly personalised experience. It will offer total control and transparency with a depth that is beyond anything else on offer in the market today."
Mullen told Business Insider that Atom Bank would be "a very different bank in many ways", but didn't want to elaborate, saying: "I'm not in a great hurry to tell the competition what we're up to."
He added: "Our inspiration is not coming from banks. You don't go to the banking sector for technological excellence. You see a colouring in of balance sheets — we're not building an online balance sheet.
"We're working with tech companies with credits in the motor industry, gaming. What's important is creating a high quality experience."
Atom Bank will partner with a High Street bank to allow customers to pay in cheques and cash to their accounts and Mullen says the company is in advanced discussions with a possible partner.
Atom Bank will have a website but Mullen says it won't let customers do online banking in the way High Street banks currently do. He says: "The likely-hood that we'll put our bank online in any traditional way is very small. We'll let our customers download an app onto their desktop. There are advantages for us from a data security point of view operating it as an app."
"Attitudes to banking are changing much quicker than any of us could have expected. There's a whole generate of people for whom apps are the internet."
Mullen previously ran HSBC's telephone banking branch First Direct. He was recruited to run Durham-based Atom Bank by founder Anthony Thomson, who also co-founded challenger bank Metro Bank.
Atom Bank is backed by financial heavyweights including star fund manager Neil Woodford and Jim O'Neill, the former Goldman Sachs economist famous for coining the term BRICs to refer to Brazil, Russia, India and China. The company raised £25 million ($39.4 million) last year.


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The last thing Stellantis needs in the U.S., it would seem, is another brand. The world's newest automaker is already fully loaded, with more than any of its rivals.
So it came as no surprise last month when PSA Group execs began to publicly raise doubts about the planned return of their signature marque to the U.S. Its arrival would add Peugeot to an already robust list of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles brands — Ram, Dodge, Jeep, Fiat, Chrysler, Maserati and Alfa Romeo — now being peddled under the combined companies.
It's too bad. Not only because the U.S. vehicle landscape would be richer with some French flair. But because the effort has been part of a bold experiment that has the potential to serve as a model — right before our eyes — for a new way to make the franchise system work better.
It's been just over four years since Carlos Tavares, then CEO of PSA, announced the return of his company to the U.S. The charge has been led by one of his former Nissan colleagues, Larry Dominique.
From the start, it has been more about how than about when. The target debut date — "by 2026" — has been a curiously long horizon. But as Dominique has explained repeatedly, the goal has been to get it right.
Dominique has been focused on an asset-light, digital-centric approach — long before the pandemic. The goal is to reduce investment and ensure that dealers make money in a world that has come to accept some crazy practices as the norm.
Normal as in little or no profit from the sale of new vehicles. Normal as in frenzied races for profit lifelines in the form of sales incentives and bonuses. Normal as in continued investments in huge, sometimes glamorous, showrooms — as the world clicks its way to purchases over the Internet.
"There are leaner, more agile ways to do this," Dominique told the staff of Automotive News three years ago.
And the message hasn't changed.
"The future of our business is higher distribution costs, export costs, regulatory costs," he told me last week. "We have to find ways to get smarter."
For now, PSA North America's mission continues unchanged — even if its future is suddenly up in the air.
"Everything continues to move forward," said Dominique. That includes engineering and homologation work on Peugeot vehicles.
Tavares, meanwhile, has suggested it will be up to his new executive committee to make the call.
But it's clear he's shifted on the charge he gave Dominique long before a merger with FCA gave him an instant, seven-brand foothold in the U.S.
"This is something that, most probably, we are going to use, not specifically in the U.S. market, but maybe in another region of the world," Tavares told Automotive News last month. "But I think that innovative thinking of that project has been very helpful."


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Yet another iPhone SE 2 leak has surfaced ahead of its official unveiling.
A screen protector built for the budget handset corroborates rumors that it will sport an edge-to-edge display with a notch — just like iPhone X. However, that notch won’t be anywhere near as large as it is on Apple’s flagship smartphone.
The iPhone X’s design caused a lot of controversy following its big reveal last September. A lot of Apple fans weren’t happy that the device’s new Super Retina HD display comes with a glaring compromise that sticks out like a sore thumb right at the top of the screen.
Eight months on, the notch has been more or less accepted now. The vast majority of iPhone X owners don’t mind it at all, and Android smartphone makers have been copying it as quick as they can. Now it seems as though another iPhone will be adopting the notch soon.
iPhone SE 2’s notch will be a lot smaller
A number of recent iPhone SE 2 rumors and leaks have indicated that it, too, will have an edge-to-edge display with a notch. However, its notch will be significantly smaller than iPhone X’s, according to pictures of a new iPhone SE screen protector that have surfaced online.
iPhone SE 2 (left) iPhone X (right) screen protectors. SE appears to share the design, however smaller notch. pic.twitter.com/PCJaPkgAOR
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) June 1, 2018
It might seem unsurprising that a substantially smaller device will have a smaller notch. We’ve already heard that Apple is working to shrink it, even for its larger smartphones. But it could suggest that the iPhone SE 2 won’t have Face ID, as some reports have claimed.
It seems unlikely that Apple will have been able to shrink its Face ID components already, given that the technology is still so new. It’s also difficult to imagine that technology this advanced — which Apple’s rivals still cannot match — would make its way the cheapest iPhone so soon.
How will iPhone SE 2 be secured?
It could be that iPhone SE 2 will pack a more traditional front-facing camera setup without facial recognition, but that poses questions over how it will be secured. If indeed it does have an edge-to-edge display that leaves no room for a Home button, where will Apple put Touch ID?
There’s no doubt that this year’s iPhone SE refresh is shaping up to be the most exciting yet. There’s a good chance all these rumors and leaks are completely inaccurate, of course — but if there’s an ounce of truth in them, iPhone SE 2 will be incredibly exciting.
It’s still unclear when the device will make its official debut. We were expecting it to arrive ahead of WWDC next week, but that looks highly unlikely now. It could make an appearance at WWDC, but there’s a chance we’ll have to wait until later this year instead.


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In the midst of the recent bombshell from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in the form of an antitrust lawsuit against Apple Inc. AAPL, CNBC’s very own Jim Cramer remains a beacon of positivity, continuing to champion the tech giant as a solid investment option for shareholders.
A Silver Lining: Despite the regulatory turbulence, Cramer sees the DOJ’s legal move against Apple as a curious opportunity in the investment landscape. Drawing a parallel from history, he points out how analysts’ reluctance to endorse Apple has historically paved the way for enhanced buying prospects.
The crux of the DOJ’s accusations revolves around Apple’s alleged stronghold on the smartphone market, particularly through its iPhone. The lawsuit contends that Apple engineers a labyrinth of obstacles making it onerous and expensive for users and app developers to stray from its ecosystem. Accusations extend to Apple’s smartphone and Apple Watch divisions, along with its advertising, browser, FaceTime, and news functionalities.
See Also: Elon Musk Mocks Don Lemon Again: ‘I Suspect People Will Find It Just As Unwatchable As It Was On CNN’
Conversely, Cramer asserts that the DOJ’s arsenal lacks the necessary evidence to indict Apple. Contrasting the case with the infamous antitrust litigation against Microsoft, which dominated the global market, Cramer notes Apple’s distinct positioning. To him, this legal scuffle is no more than another golden ticket for savvy investors eyeing Apple’s stock.
Despite the ruckus created by the lawsuit, Apple’s stocks witnessed a marginal dip of just over 4% at the market’s close.
“I just got a whole brand spanking new reason to buy Apple, don’t trade it,” Cramer affirmed. “I know a loser case when I see one, and the United States of America versus Apple is a loser.”
The Big Picture: Labeled as a substantial threat to its core values and innovative spirit by Apple, the lawsuit’s repercussions could potentially shake the foundations of the company’s business model. Insights from a prominent analyst hint that the case’s resolution might chart the course for the tech behemoth’s future. Against this tumultuous backdrop, Cramer’s unwavering vote of confidence in Apple offers solace to jittery investors.
Read Next: Compute, Not Fiat Or Bitcoin, Will Be The ‘Currency Of The Future,’ Says Sam Altman As Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Highlights $100 Trillion AI Opportunity
Image created using photos on Shutterstock


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Google has confirmed that original Pixel owners will get unlimited storage to Google Photos at the original quality for lifetime. The 2017 Pixel owners will get original quality storage only till 2020.
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Google has cleared the air around unlimited Google Photos storage available with its first generation Pixel smartphones. At the Pixel launch last year, Google confirmed that both Pixel phones will get unlimited Google Photos storage for storing high-resolution photos and videos. However, this free Google Photos storage has a time limitation on the newest Pixel phones, forcing original Pixel owners to wonder whether their storage offer is also time-limited.
On the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, the access to unlimited high-resolution storage of photos and videos on Google Photos is limited to 2020. Android Police confirms that photos stored from Pixel 2 series on Google Photos won't be affected after 2020 and will always be available at the original quality. After 2020, the Pixel 2 owners will continue to get unlimited uploads, but will be restricted to high quality and not original quality.
As it is evident, the better deal for Google Photos unlimited storage was with the original Pixel phones. Google Photos is an online platform for storing photos and videos and gives the option to store either in original or high-quality. The high-quality storage is free for life but those opting to store in original quality will need to pay after exhausting a set storage limit.
Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones were announced earlier this month at the company's 'Made By Google' event. The smartphones come with an updated design, hardware and new cameras that received the highest rating from DxOMark Labs. The Google Pixel 2 will go on sale starting November 1 while the Pixel 2 XL will be available from November 15 in India.
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We are about leadership-the 9.9 kind! Building a leading media company out of India.And,grooming new leaders for this promising industry.


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Nest returns smoke detectors to market
Google-owned Nest Labs has brought back its smoke and carbon monoxide detector two months after the device was pulled from the market over safety concerns.
TechCrunch reports the device is now available from the Google Play store for $99, down from its launch price on $129.
Nest Labs pulled the device from the market after discovering problems with its Nest Wave feature, which allowed users to silence the alarm by waving their hand underneath it.
The new device will ship with this feature disabled.
Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) agreed to buy Nest Labs for $3.2 billion in January, in a move that signaled strong interest in the home automation market.
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Some of the highest parts of US government should be reformed after Apple's fight with the FBI, Tim Cook has said.
Apple and US law enforcement have been publicly fighting for the last week over an order that the company should unlock an iPhone that was used by one of the San Bernardino killers. Apple argues that doing so would mean weakening security and endangering the rest of its users, but the FBI has said that security is being compromised by Apple's commitment to privacy.
The fight has since led to Apple's refusal to comply with the court order and a run of passionate and sometimes angry statements from both sides.
Now Apple has posted a series of statements on its website as part of a frequently asked questions section, all of which is related to the FBI case.
The page says that the government should drop its demands to unlock the iPhone and instead reorganise the way that such decisions are made.
"We feel the best way forward would be for the government to withdraw its demands under the All Writs Act and, as some in Congress have proposed, form a commission or other panel of experts on intelligence, technology, and civil liberties to discuss the implications for law enforcement, national security, privacy, and personal freedoms. Apple would gladly participate in such an effort," the message at the bottom reads, under a question reading "What should happen from here?"
The rest of the questions deal with the technical, legal and ethical aspects of the case. On the page, Apple concedes that it is technically possible for it to unlock the phone but that doing so would weaken the security of all phones and mark a dangerous precedent.
FBI director James Comey took issue with Apple's argument about precedent, arguing that the decision only applied to a very small set of cases. But Apple said that the decision was being watched by other authorities.
"Law enforcement agents around the country have already said they have hundreds of iPhones they want Apple to unlock if the FBI wins this case," Mr Cook wrote. "In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks."
Full memo sent to staff by Tim Cook
Last week we asked our customers and people across the United States to join a public dialogue about important issues facing our country. In the week since that letter, I’ve been grateful for the thought and discussion we’ve heard and read, as well as the outpouring of support we’ve received from across America.
As individuals and as a company, we have no tolerance or sympathy for terrorists. When they commit unspeakable acts like the tragic attacks in San Bernardino, we work to help the authorities pursue justice for the victims. And that’s exactly what we did.
This case is about much more than a single phone or a single investigation, so when we received the government’s order we knew we had to speak out. At stake is the data security of hundreds of millions of law-abiding people, and setting a dangerous precedent that threatens everyone’s civil liberties.
As you know, we use encryption to protect our customers — whose data is under siege. We work hard to improve security with every software release because the threats are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated all the time.
Some advocates of the government’s order want us to roll back data protections to iOS 7, which we released in September 2013. Starting with iOS 8, we began encrypting data in a way that not even the iPhone itself can read without the user’s passcode, so if it is lost or stolen, our personal data, conversations, financial and health information are far more secure. We all know that turning back the clock on that progress would be a terrible idea.
Our fellow citizens know it, too. Over the past week I’ve received messages from thousands of people in all 50 states, and the overwhelming majority are writing to voice their strong support. One email was from a 13-year-old app developer who thanked us for standing up for “all future generations.” And a 30-year Army veteran told me, “Like my freedom, I will always consider my privacy as a treasure.”
I’ve also heard from many of you and I am especially grateful for your support.
Many people still have questions about the case and we want to make sure they understand the facts. So today we are posting answers onapple.com/customer-letter/answers/ to provide more information on this issue. I encourage you to read them.
Apple is a uniquely American company. It does not feel right to be on the opposite side of the government in a case centering on the freedoms and liberties that government is meant to protect.
Our country has always been strongest when we come together. We feel the best way forward would be for the government to withdraw its demands under the All Writs Act and, as some in Congress have proposed, form a commission or other panel of experts on intelligence, technology and civil liberties to discuss the implications for law enforcement, national security, privacy and personal freedoms. Apple would gladly participate in such an effort.
People trust Apple to keep their data safe, and that data is an increasingly important part of everyone’s lives. You do an incredible job protecting them with the features we design into our products. Thank you.
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Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4 multiple color options exposed
In the image content, it is shown that Samsung will add more pink colors to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 launched this time, including pink purple, pink blue, and pink gold colors, as well as black styles. As for the Galaxy Z Fold 4, it will be available in gray, black, and gold, which is a bit darker than the Galaxy Z Flip 4.
The two mobile phones do not seem to join the green style that was promoted last year, and it seems that other colors will be used as the main color matching.
As for the appearance, the two phones are almost similar in design to the previous one, but Samsung has previously emphasized that the new generation of foldable phones will continue to enhance the durability of the display panel, and the central indentation will become less obvious.


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HMD is planning to launch a new entry-level 4G smartphone Nokia C2 with a UNISOC processor. It will be cheaper than Nokia 1.3.
Last year, Nokia C-series was revived with the Nokia C1. The C1 is an entry-level device that is pretty affordable but it was not having 4G support. Now, a report has surfaced that a Nokia C2 is coming soon and it will have 4G.
The exclusive information about Nokia C2 was first reported by NokiaPowerUser and they said the phone has model number TA-1204 with dual-SIM support.TA-1204 has also passed certifications in Thailand and Malaysia.
It was one of the Nokia smartphones to be launched at MWC 2020 before the event got canceled. The Nokia C2 is said to have a UNISOC processor. It may have similar specs and design to C1.
We can expect Nokia C2 to come in new colors and it might be a bit more expensive than the C1 due to the addition of 4G support.
Ashok Mor (also known as TechiBee) owns a YouTube channel named TechiBee. This is the official website of his YouTube channel. Since 2017, Ashok has been providing various tips, tricks and latest tech videos in the world of smartphones.


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National Entrepreneurship Month | Junior Achievement of OKI Partners
National Entrepreneurship Month
Introducing the JA Launch Lesson initiative
National Entrepreneurship Month (November 2017) is a time to honor and celebrate entrepreneurs all over the country. The JA Launch Lesson initiative, sponsored by Ernst & Young LLP, scheduled to coincide with National Entrepreneurship Month, will put entrepreneurs into high school classrooms across America during the week to share what inspired them to start their own businesses and to open students' eyes to the opportunities provided by entrepreneurship.
JA knows that now, more than ever, young people need to learn what it takes to be successful in the business world so they can launch businesses and contribute to our global economy.
Entrepreneurship Month accentuates current JA programs by bringing an inspiring entrepreneur into the classroom for one hour during the week to share his or her experience with students. The program is designed to be simple for the entrepreneurs to implement, but impactful for the teens participating.
What makes this initiative different is that it is an intensive experience designed specifically for today's up-and-coming business owner who might not otherwise have time in his or her busy day to engage as a mentor to young people. JA believes it is important to provide young people with an opportunity to engage with entrepreneurs to help them better understand the challenges and benefits of starting a business.


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Need Proof It’s Summer? Eastwood Classic Returns
POTTSTOWN PA — For a 10th year, hundreds of collector cars can be expected to gather Saturday (July 31, 2021) from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the borough headquarters of Eastwood Company, 263 Shoemaker Rd., for the 2021 edition of its annual Eastwood Summer Classic Car Show and Community Day.
The event is free to attend by members of the public, and optional registration to enter a car in the display costs only $5.
The Summer Classic started as a car show to celebrate Eastwood’s local customers and their vehicles. It’s since grown into one of the largest such events in the region, drawing vehicles from across the East Coast. A series of awards will be presented to winners selected by judges in a variety of categories.
Because Eastwood was unable to host a 2020 summer classic as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, “we expect a large turnout of cars, trucks, and motorcycles to attend this year,” Ed Martel, Eastwood’s senior director of retail, said. “We have increased the number of goodie bags given out to the first 500 cars,” he added.
Eastwood’s product development and tech teams will be on hand to answer automotive questions. The day also features live entertainment by the band “Second Time Thru,” as well as food choices and plenty of company product deals.
There’s also a special preview event planned for Friday (July 30) at 8:45 p.m., weather permitting. Eastwood will kick-off its Summer Classic with “a free showing of the automotive cult-classic movie, ‘American Graffiti.’ Bring your lawn chairs and blankets,” Martel urged.
Photo supplied by the Eastwood Company


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Hyundai Motor India is voluntarily recalling its 2011 Santa Fe SUV. The recall is a part of a service campaign to voluntarily recall and replace the “Stop Lamp Switch” of Santa Fe (Model Year 2011) due to potential malfunction, at no cost to customer.
A total of 2437 n Santa Fe Vehicles in India of the 2011 model year for the manufacturing period 26 June 2011 – 26 September 2013 will be recalled for the said replacement. Owners of the involved vehicles will be notified in a phased manner to bring in their vehicles for replacing the part.
It’s notable that the vehicles which do not fall within the aforementioned manufacturing time frame will not require any replacements. The said model has recently been replaced by an all-new, better equipped and better looking Santa Fe. You can read the exhaustive road test review of the new Santa Fe here.


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Jazz café dispute returns to Swiss Chambers
The company that oversees the brands associated with the Montreux Jazz Festival has filed a US$93 million claim in Geneva against its long-time partner, British travel retail group SSP – more than a year after prevailing in a prior arbitration.
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With baby number three on the way with husband Matthew Vaughn, Claudia Schiffer has revealed this week that she’ll be giving birth to a (down right beautiful) baby girl this […]
Congratulations are in the air for Claudia Schiffer, who has announced she is pregnant with her third baby.
There’s so many things to consider when designing a fashion line: what’s the focus? What’s the style? What to call it? That last one’s can be a bit tricky, which […]
Yet another model turning to design? As Claudia Schiffer celebrates her 21st year as a supermodel, she’s hinted she may be ready to dabble in design.
Forget feuds, there’s a blossoming friendship in fashion: Claudia Schiffer has confessed she’s a massive fan of Alberta Ferretti, and is happy to be on call for the designer whenever […]
Move over Madonna: word has it model du jour Lara Stone has been snapped up by Louis Vuitton to star in its S/S10 fashion campaign.
We’ve been waiting all weekend for proof of Prince at Paris Fashion Week, so we were more than a little excited when we saw the pictures of him perched front […]
Claudia Schiffer has ruled out any glimmer of hope we had of a return to the catwalk as it’s announced she has officially stepped off the runway.
Hands up if you’re a fan of Downton Abbey? Yep we are too. And we’re sure that like us you’ll love this interview with the beautiful Michelle Dockery who plays […]


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High Standards showcase materials that help reduce flooding
We had the opportunity to support one of our newest Approved Installers, High Standards UK Ltd with their landscaping display in Somerset at the famous Bath and West Show. Being part of a show focusing on the affects of flooding on local farmers and homeowners, High Standards were proud to showcase our specialist permeable resin bound pavingproducts to thousands of interested visitors keen to help prevent future flooding.
I (Yvonne) went to the show to help show our support to Ben Cains and his team who, I have to say, were very welcoming and extremely professional with the general public who approached their beautiful stand.
The interest in the company and their hard landscaping products and services was very high and I believe will result in more work for them.


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Beijing: Huawei secured the leading position in the Chinese smartphone market during the fourth quarter of 2017, with eight per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth and registering 19 per cent (YoY) growth for the entire year, a report said on Wednesday.
The growth allowed Huawei to capture a 19 per cent share of the smartphone market — its highest ever for a full year, said market research firm Counterpoint Research.
“For Huawei, the bulk of the growth was driven by its sub-brand Honor which contributed to more than 60 per cent of its shipments during the year,” James Yan, Research Director at Counterpoint Research, said in a statement.
“This made Huawei’s Honor brand the number one smartphone brand in online channels in China ahead of Xiaomi, during the full year,” Yan added.
Meanwhile, the overall Chinese smartphone shipments slowed down in 2017, with close to 468 million smartphones shipped.
OPPO and Vivo were the second and third largest brands in China in the fourth quarter and for the entire year, they captured a combined more than a third of the smartphone market.
For 2017, OPPO and Vivo were able to grow faster than the overall market and increased their market share to 18 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.
However, the quarter saw OPPO and Vivo’s growth slowing down considerably, while Xiaomi, at fourth position, made a strong comeback with a more focused portfolio and aggressive channel expansion strategy beyond online channels to rekindle demand in its home market.
Xiaomi’s market share jumped to 14 per cent and the company was the fastest growing brand (over 31 per cent YoY) during the quarter. This helped Xiaomi to grow its annual market share to 12 per cent, inching past Apple.
Apple’s market share in China dropped for the first half of 2017 but started picking up during the second half of 2017.
“China saw some strong traction for the iPhone X demand in December but still lower than expected, mostly due to supply issues or the high price. The Chinese holiday season in Q1 2018 will be a critical period, setting the tone for the vendor’s full year outlook,” said Tarun Pathak, Associate Director at Counterpoint.
According to Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service, smartphone shipments in China were down one per cent annually in 2017, however, the sell-through was up five per cent annually.


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H&M recently unveiled the full photo campaign for their Beyoncé for H&M Summer 2013 campaign photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in the Bahamas. Check out a Bey’s (post baby!!!) beach body rocking some of the brand’s hottest looks for summer below.
Images via H&M
Are we going to have a great summer or what! 🙂


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Roy Rogers Restaurants welcomes marketing director
Roy Rogers Restaurants has appointed Mark Jenkins as its senior director of marketing, where he will lead strategic marketing efforts for company-owned and franchised Roy Rogers locations, according to a company press release.
Jenkins joins the Roy Rogers team after working 16 years at CKE Restaurants, where he was senior product manager.
"We're excited for Mark to come on board," VP Jeremy Biser, said in the release. "His level of experience in brand marketing and product development with large QSR organizations will be immensely valuable in helping us advance our menu strategy and positioning Roy Rogers for future growth."
Topics: Back Office
Companies: Roy Rogers


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A prolific Chicago restaurant group and one of its high-profile chef partners will soon add to the changing face of South Congress Avenue.
Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises and executive chef CJ Jacobson will open Mediterranean restaurant Aba on Oct. 1 at 1011 S. Congress Ave. in the Music Lane complex. It’s the second location of the restaurant that originally opened in 2018 in Chicago’s Fulton Market District and subsequently was named one of Chicago’s best new restaurants by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Magazine. The Austin location will represent the hospitality group’s first foray into the Texas market.
The tall and identifiable Jacobson, whom some media-consuming diners might remember from the third season of Bravo TV’s "Top Chef," lived briefly in Israel while playing professional volleyball. His travels in the region influenced his interest in creating the pan-Middle Eastern flavors that have helped Aba stand out in the Chicago market.
Aba, which is Hebrew for "father," initially will serve brunch and dinner, as well as offer takeout service, with plans to add lunch and curbside service in the near future. The menu includes dishes like meat and seafood kebabs; hummus and various mezze (spreads and salads); tamarind-braised short rib; and shawarma-spiced skirt steak.
The bar program also will draw from Mediterranean spirits and flavors, with cocktails like a green harissa bloody mary and a wine list that includes labels from Morocco, Israel, Greece and the Canary Islands, as well as Spain, Italy and California.
Despite the popularity of longtime Austin favorites like Peace Bakery, Phoenicia Bakery and the Mediterranean Chef, Mediterranean cuisine has been a historically underserved niche in Austin, but one that has gained more momentum in recent years with fast-casual Mezze Me, Israeli street food stall TLV at Fareground and the upmarket Peacock at the Proper, which McGuire Moorman Hospitality opened last year.
California native Jacobson taps into that state’s hallmark seasonal and local ethos to bring a light tough to his Mediterranean fare and says he’s excited to work with Texas-specific produce and ingredients.
"I can cook more of the food I like to cook, which is time-and-place cookery," the Chicago-based Jacobson said. The chef said he has already reached out to many of the area’s purveyors of protein and produce and monitors them from afar.
"I’m excited for Austin because I get to source from a market that is more year-round, unlike the two and a half or three months I get in Chicago," said Jacobson, adding that he loves Austin and plans to travel between the two Abas and continue building relationships with chefs here.
Aba joins national brands like salad restaurant Sweetgreen and shoe company Allbirds on the evolving stretch of South Congress that has welcomed more and more outside brands in recent years.
Lettuce Entertain You executive partner and divisional president Marc Jacobs, who created the Aba concept with Jacobson, acknowledges that local independent restaurants are the driving factor behind Austin’s unique dining scene, and while the company is cognizant of the skepticism outsiders might face when moving into town, they’re not nervous.
"I think, in general, we think neighborhood. So we very much immerse ourselves in communities and want to be a part of the neighborhood," Jacobs said. "And I love that about Austin -- that it is the locals, that there aren’t a ton of chains. Everyone sends me to the Domain and I don’t enjoy the Domain, because it’s not local."
Jacobs says the restaurant group’s commitment to understanding and fitting into the local scene is evidenced by the company’s Sue Kim moving with her family to Austin to oversee the project.
Aba, which overlooks South Congress Avenue, will feature a massive patio that accounts for 70 percent of its seating, with lounge seating in pods suited for socially distant dining and drinking.
"It’s almost as if we created it for the pandemic, though we didn’t," Jacobs said.
Aba will be open for dinner Monday-Friday and for brunch and dinner on Saturday and Sunday. Visit abarestaurants.com/austin for more information.


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by CHRISTINA GEYER
portrait by THOM JACKSON/The Photo Division
If Chanel had not come to Dallas,” says Brian Bolke, owner of the revered boutique Forty Five Ten, “this may not have happened.”
After spending lots of time in the newly revitalized portion of downtown which spans the city blocks of Main and Commerce streets — all due to events that surrounded a Dallas-themed collection shown by Chanel last December in Fair Park, to an international audience of customers and fashion insiders — Bolke was inspired. Why not, he thought, relocate his fashion and home-goods store, opened in 2000 at 4510 McKinney Avenue in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood, to the increasingly trendy part of town.
That inspiration is becoming a reality. In the fall of 2015 — fortuitously in time for the store’s 15th anniversary — Forty Five Ten will open in a grand, multi-story historic building on Main Street, formerly a theater, a department store, a shoe store and a bar. The store, which is being designed by Droese Raney Architecture (its retail projects include Billy Reid, the Art of Shaving and the 2005 and 2011 remodels of Forty Five Ten), will be across the street from the Joule hotel and adjacent to the lawn where artist Tony Tasset’s gigantic sculpture of his own bloodshot eye stares at passersby. At 45,000 square feet, more than five times the size of the original store, the new Forty Five Ten will be a noteworthy expansion and relocation, not just in terms of luxury fashion — the boutique’s offerings are top-notch, from Altuzarra, Balenciaga and Céline to Margiela, Moschino and The Row — but also in terms of how it will add to downtown’s more-bustling scene. Since the Joule hotel’s own sizable expansion, finalized last year, three new shops have joined the 100-year-old Neiman Marcus flagship store on the same block: Tenoversix and Traffic LA, both based in Los Angeles; and Play by Comme des Garçons, based in Paris.
Bolke is not alone in plotting Forty Five Ten’s move. He has financial backing from Headington Companies, the development group that owns the Joule hotel and the Hotel Lumen and is headed by billionaire oilman Tim Headington, now Bolke’s business partner. Last year, to spearhead the retail development of his properties, Headington hired Shelle Sills, the former general manager of Neiman Marcus downtown. Sills, now Headington’s director of retail and projects, has been meeting quietly with Bolke for the last several months, discussing the move, the strategy and the design of the store. (The first powwow was a brainstorming session over drinks at the Mansion Bar.) Both are pioneers of Dallas retail: Sills launched her own retail career when she was 24, purchasing the now-shuttered boutique The Gazebo in 1979 and subsequently introducing Dallas shoppers to the lines Badgley Mischka, Michael Kors and Donna Karan. In 2000, Bolke partnered with Bill Mackin, a former executive in the home-goods division at Neiman Marcus, to open Forty Five Ten. Shortly thereafter, the late fashion collector Shelly Musselman joined in the partnership. The store was a sensation from the start, with a level of well-edited merchandise that stood out, turning it into the internationally recognized boutique it is today. (Vogue magazine in 2009 said, “The store has always brilliantly walked the line between a Texan’s innate love of glamour and glitz and a kind of darkly rich Euro idea of dressing up.” In 2005, The New York Times called it a “major source for high-end goods,” attracting “a clientele from Oprah Winfrey to Gwyneth Paltrow to Laura Bush.”) Bolke and Sills share a passion for local fashion businesses and thus have an innate chemistry. (During a lunch meeting for this story, the conversation energetically bounced between the pair; at times, they finished each other’s sentences.) “This may be one of the most exciting times of my career,” Sills says of working on the project, a move that is not without foresight and guts. “You have to decide,” Bolke says, “whether you want to be comfortable and stand still, or you want to move forward and take risks.” The partnership with Headington Companies, Bolke says, is founded on the bigger picture. “It isn’t just about a five-year plan, it’s more like a 50-year plan.” That plan consists of a vision that Headington has fostered since he first opened the Joule in 2008. In short, it revolves around developing downtown and making it a destination for shopping, dining, living and tourism. “We are just now growing downtown exponentially,” says John Crawford, president and CEO of the nonprofit advocacy group Downtown Dallas, Inc. “Our goal for the next five to seven years is to keep creating destinations where all kinds of people will come to downtown, from all over North Texas and all over the world.” On Forty Five Ten’s move, he hopes “success breeds success. Different retailers will start seeing that and want to come in. Forty Five Ten is going to be great because it’s a whole different mindset and a different thing [downtown]can offer.”
From the fashion side of things, the new space will allow Bolke to house a larger operation, not just the brick-and-mortar store but also Forty Five Ten’s growing, global e-commerce presence. After joining forces with the online luxury retailer Farfetch a year ago, Bolke has expanded the store’s reach to shoppers around the world, from China to Australia to the Middle East. The new store will include all of Forty Five Ten’s current offerings — women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, beauty and fragrance products, home decor — but substantially more of everything. The new digs will include the beloved T Room restaurant (a see-and-be-seen, gourmet-comfort-food lunch spot for the style set), a new event space and an al fresco area on the rooftop. Bolke and Sills are intent on creating a version of Forty Five Ten that is, indeed, bigger and better, but still focused on the same experiences shoppers have when they walk into the current store — a feeling of casual cool amidst such rarefied merchandise. (No decisions have been made about the McKinney Avenue location, which Bolke leases.) For a moment, Bolke becomes reflective, recalling times during his childhood that he spent with his mother. “All of my best experiences,” he says, “have happened in stores.” Sills nods and quickly concurs: “I have similar memories.”
With any dramatic change, there are, naturally, fears. There are two panicky questions Bolke says he has been asked most when he has told people about the store’s new venue: What will the parking be like, especially in a cramped downtown? Will the T Room still have tuna melts? To the former, Bolke explains that several concepts are being explored and says, “The goal is that you can pull up and park, just like you can at the store now.” To the latter, there is a much shorter answer: “There will always be tuna melts.”
[A version of this story appeared online on August 7, 2014. The above article has been edited to reflect the print version subsequently published on page 23 of the September 2014 issue of FD, with the headline: A seminal boutique’s big move.]


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KENYA – Kenya Breweries has partnered with farmers to enhance improved sorghum yields as a long-term sustainability programme of its upcoming plant in Kisumu, reports Business Daily.
According to the beer making company, the upcoming plant has a capacity of producing up to 100 million litters of Keg beer.
The sustainability programme comes after farmers in the western region of the country made a total delivery of 6,000 tonnes out of the expected 15,000 tonnes of grains in the first two seasons.
According to the company’s Head of Sustainability and Engagement, Jean Kiarie, the initiative is part of efforts to keep the pledge of locally sourcing of sorghum as the main raw material in the production of the firm’s flagship low-end beer.
Kenya Breweries limited also seeks to commercialize the crop by raising the productivity from the current 400kg per acre to 1.5 tonnes in the next season.
“Mechanization of land preparation, proper use of recommended fertilizers, and good management and extension services in the coming season would greatly improve yields and attract prospective farmers,” she said.
However,she noted that being the first time in the field, the crop had done fairly well in the past season.
“The harvest was a great achievement given that it was the first time many of the farmers were trying the white sorghum and were a bit skeptical on what to expect,” she said.
Currently, sorghum farming in the western region is done under 1200 acres.
The initiative seeks to increase the acreage of farming to a potential 5,000 acres within the same region in order to meet the plants processing capacity.
Ms Kiarie said that the KBL is focusing on land consolidation as strategy of increasing convenience of extension services and crop management.
The company has promised fast-maturing seeds, free extension services, and steady farm and factory gate prices to attract farmers and supplies of white sorghum.
Since the adoption of sorghum as a raw material by Kenya Breweries Limited, the crop production has increased significantly even in neighbouring countries as they seek to supply their produce to the ready market.


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BOWLING GREEN - Wood County economic development officials want to lure new businesses here by speaking their language.
New glossy brochures touting the county's business opportunities, location, and quality of life have been printed in Japanese and German as well as English.
The Wood County Economic Development Commission spent $26,000 to design and print 4,000 copies of the booklets, which will be distributed at trade shows, during international trade missions, and locally through its office and its members, said Tom Blaha, executive director.
"We like to think we have a virtual metropolitan area," Mr. Blaha said, explaining that major transportation routes - the Ohio Turnpike and I-75 - intersect in Wood County; 18 million people are within a two-hour driving radius, yet the county still offers the benefits of a rural area and a rural work ethic.
Currently, Wood County is home to five Japanese-owned companies and two German-owned companies.
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The coffee industry wants heavy drinkers to know that Finnish scientists last year discovered a five-cup-a-day regimen can help offset liver damage. But can one morning cup mitigate the effects of a foolishly spent night?
Probably not: Caffeine narrows blood vessels and elevates blood pressure, which may exacerbate hangover symptoms. But there's some evidence that coffee can counteract ethanol, and its stimulating effects mask fatigue.
To combat hangovers (and the caffeine withdrawal headaches that make them worse), Ross Jett of Black Tap Coffee, 70½ Beaufain St., recommends a "shakerato": a double long-shot of espresso, shaken with ice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.
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Retailers must work hard to lure wary consumers: Goyder
WESFARMERS boss Richard Goyder is yet to notice a change in fragile consumer sentiment, but says he understands shoppers' caution at a time when their superannuation savings have shrunk and the value of their homes has fallen.
WESFARMERS boss Richard Goyder is yet to notice a change in fragile consumer sentiment, but says he understands shoppers' caution at a time when their superannuation savings have shrunk and the value of their homes has fallen.Mr Goyder said retailers such as Wesfarmers, which owns supermarket group Coles as well as hardware giant Bunnings and apparel stores Target and Kmart, needed to work harder in the challenging trading environment to attract customers by offering better value for money.Speaking yesterday after the release of Wesfarmers' full-year sales, he warned he had not seen a shift in consumer confidence since the beginning of the year and was not expecting any improvement in the near term."I don't think we have seen much change in the external environment over the last six months," he said."I don't think there has been much change whatsoever. Our base line would be that things will tick along as they are now."Wesfarmers said its flagship Coles chain had lifted total full-year sales by 6.1 per cent to $33.7 billion, as food and liquor sales rose 4.6 per cent to $26.18 billion. Comparable full-year food and liquor sales were 3.7 per cent higher, while for the fourth quarter same-store sales rose 3 per cent to $6.5 billion beating larger rival Woolworths for the 12th straight quarter.But the downbeat state of the average shopper remains a bugbear for retailers and is causing disquiet among policymakers.A succession of interest rate cuts this year (and four rate cuts since November), as well as billions of dollars in new investment triggered by the mining boom, still had not been enough to change their behaviour."I understand why people are being cautious," Mr Goyder said, "because I think, if you step back, we have been through a period in the global financial crisis where, and subsequently, you have had asset values fall, businesses tighten up on a whole bunch of things, house prices over time that declined a bit and superannuation funds where equities have come back."I do share with others the view that the Australian economy is in relatively great shape and I'd rather be doing business in Australia than most other places in the world at the moment."The conglomerate's merchandise chains, Target and Kmart, were flat to slightly negative for the year, but in the fourth quarter the government's household assistance package and an early toy sale helped lift sales at Target by 2 per cent, to $915 million, with Kmart's sales 2.2 per cent better at $927 million.On a comparable-store sales basis, Target's sales rose by 4.5 per cent and Kmart was 2.1 per cent better.At its hardware juggernaut Bunnings, full-year sales hit $7.15 billion, up 5.6 per cent, with quarterly sales 4.1 per cent higher at $1.62 billion. Comparable-store sales growth for the quarter was 2.9 per cent.Wesfarmers will release its full-year profit result next month.Shares in Wesfarmers rose 27?, or 0.8 per cent, to close at $32.25.


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Livingstone Marufu Business Reporter
The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) will import 150 000 tonnes of wheat between now and November to supplement national stocks as the country is only left with two months’ supply.
The current wheat stocks stands at 90 000 tonnes and more wheat is on the way to avert potential shortages in the market.
According to GMAZ, millers have already procured 60 000 tonnes of wheat from Germany and the delivery to Beira is expected to be done by June 7, 2018, with 90 000 tonnes of wheat coming from Canada starting from September this year.
GMAZ chairman Tafadzwa Musarara said: “In two weeks’ time we are going to receive a delegation of Canadian wheat traders coming to Zimbabwe to conclude the cereal purchase deal.
“We have just come back from Canada on a maiden trip in more than 20 years, following President Mnangagwa’s engagements at Davos with a number wheat traders in Europe and North America. On that basis we were able to engage top wheat producers on direct basis. We went to Canada and met several wheat suppliers and we also had farm visits in the province of Alberta.
“We are aiming to bring 90 000 tonnes of wheat between now and November from Canada. Beyond that we also want to bring in 200 000 tonnes of wheat in December 2018 and full year of 2019,” said Mr Musarara.
He said: “In the interim we have two Germany ships which are delivering 60 000 tonnes of wheat by June 7 and the wheat is expected to be in Harare 10 days later.”
Zimbabwe produced over 200 000 tonnes of wheat under the Command Agriculture programme last year and the millers have bought it all.
Mr Musarara said if the September deal goes through, millers will sign a five-year deal with the Canadian delegation.
“We want to make a five year deal with Canada. And it will be one of the biggest purchase by Zimbabwe from Canada.
“We have communicated to our suppliers that our wheat is paid for as soon as it arrives in Beira.
“Failure to pay, the wheat will be diverted to other countries. If the country settles all its obligations the country will be food secure,” he said.
Millers said the dietary requirements of people between six and 40 years have changed very much and has forced millers to import more wheat and rice to meet the new requirements.
Wheat requirements have risen to 450 000 from 350 000 in 2010, while rice requirements have also surged to 250 000 tonnes in 2017 from 50 000 in 2007.
Due to foreign currency shortages in the country, millers are owing various suppliers over $55 million of foreign payments, this has caused some suppliers to cut the supply line to some millers. Millers are grateful to the central bank for continuously supplying foreign currency in critical times. Zimbabwe was forced to use Russia, Poland and Turkey wheat, which has lower protein content due to frosty relations it had with western countries. Due to improved relations the country is now buying from Europe, America and Canada.
Russian wheat was not very compatible with new machinery hence millers prefer to buy Western wheat. Wheat is expected to be bought for much less due to the fact that millers are now dealing with farmers and traders directly.
Millers said that they are ready to supply the market with enough flour and rice supply.


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Recently, Tether has made headlines after printing around $5 billion in quick succession on the Tron blockchain. Some commentators think that it is somehow affecting the price of Bitcoin but it is yet to be proven. Now, the Tether (USDT) stablecoin is about to be unveiled on its fifth blockchain, Algorand. The company made that announcement in a tweet published on July 17.
The company explains some of the primary characteristics of this chain in a press release. It discussed matters concerning the forthcoming release of the stablecoin on the Algorand blockchain as published by Tether. According to that statement by Tether, Algorand wants to create a
“Public, permissionless proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain with an open-source approach”
Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s chief technology officer, commented on the development. He stated that unleashing Tether into the Algorand ecosystem will further contribute to blockchain interoperability and collaboration. The team at Tether is very excited about the potentials this new development brings in to the decentralized ecosystem.
According to this Medium post published in April, stacking-as-a-service Company POS Bakerz, Algorand strives to solve the so-called blockchain trilemma. Trilemma is the difficulty of developing a system that is decentralized, scalable, and secure all at the same time operating simultaneously. In the Algorand’s consensus protocol, Pure PoS, the security of the network primarily depends on the honesty of the majority.
Tether Now Runs on 5 Blockchains
Reports from June revealed that Algorand raised more than $60 million in a token sale on the Coinlist financial services platform. In May, USDT was deployed also on the EOS blockchain that now makes Tether running on five different blockchains with Ethereum, Tron, and Omni being the others.
Despite the pullbacks in the general crypto markets, blockchain developments keep increasing with Tether ranking among them.


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By Sarah Achen Kibisi
A team of American technology investors sponsored by Amazon co-founder, Jeff Bezos has shown keen interest to invest in Uganda particularly in the Information, Communication (ICT) sector.
The group is from Mark43 a technology company whose objective is to support communities and their governments with new technologies with an aim to improve the safety and quality of life for all.
The American team was ushered into the country by the East African Partners (EAP) Managing director, Isaac Kigozi who took them through a number of Uganda’s vast investment opportunities.
Kigozi said that the team is in the country to find ways of exporting advanced technology into the country as well interact with the youth interested in the ICT sector.
They were led by Florian Mayr, Co-Founder & Vice President of Solution Architecture Matthew Polega Mark43 Co-Founder & Head of Marketing, and Mark Duane Roylance.
They have since held meetings with President Museveni, the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, the Minister of Tourism in Busoga Kingdom, Hellen Namutamba.
Kigozi noted that during the meeting with the president on Sunday 26th, January 2020, the President commended the youthful Americans for choosing Uganda as an investment destination as well as focusing on advancing the country technology in a number of sectors.
While meeting with the delegation, the Minister, Evelyn Anite welcomed the team and interested them to invest in the country’s oldest telecom company the Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL).
Anite is optimistic that the team has all that it takes to offer any technological services that are needed to revive the telecom company.
“We welcome you to Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, a country with enormous investment opportunities in technology, Agriculture, Tourism, Oil and gas, Education, Health and other sector; we welcome you to take interest in any of the sectors and government is ready to offer you any kind of support,” Anite said.
Mathew Polega noted that the company will as well collaborate with government to train and equip youth in the country with new technologies that are tailored towards offering solutions to prevailing problems as well as making good use of social media.
“The biggest successful technology world over is the existence of the cloud, the use of internet; any idea turned into an application (App) can be a basis of a good technology. All enterprising companies need consumer technology and Social Media is one way companies engage with users of their products; you always want to develop solutions that will help you engage with your customers to know what they think about your products and social media is a great platform, it helps companies know what customers think about their products and that they care,” Polega said.
Mark Duane Roylance said that indeed Africa has got a number of opportunities with growing economies, a lot untapped potential with dynamic population which guarantees a successful investment.


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ONLINE fashion chain ASOS has started to recruit about 500 people to man a huge new warehouse in Park Spring Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, early next year.
The further great news is that the company says this will rise to 1,000 permanent and temporary local jobs within the next year.
Most of these vacancies are for distribution centre operatives, who are needed to bring goods into the warehouse and pick and pack orders for customers.
These jobs will offer flexible shift work and no previous experience is necessary as training is provided.
Recruitment for these vacancies is being handled by agency Blue Arrow, through their local offices including Leeds and Sheffield.
You can find your local office by visiting the website at www.bluearrow.co.uk.
The company is also looking for around 70 administrative staff through a company called Right4Staff – find out more at www.right4staff.com.
Management staff meanwhile are being recruited by another company, Bis Henderson, and you can find out more details at www.bis-henderson.com.
For further information about working for ASOS, visit www.asosplc.com and click on careers.
ITALIAN food specialist Carluccio’s is planning to create up to 200 new jobs in 2011 by opening nine new restaurants, or “caffes”, around the country.
The first to open will be Nottingham in February and Leeds in spring. Caluccio’s has already begun recruiting managers for Nottingham and will start looking for other staff for both restaurants early in the new year.
Jobs on offer in the company’s caffes include waiters, baristas, deli assistants and head and sous chefs.
To find out more about these and other opportunities, visit www.carluccios.com and click on jobs.


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A few hundred guests in each city will be chauffeured in redesigned 2015 Escalades to three or four architectural sites, such as the One World Trade Center tower in New York and a modernist boathouse in Chicago designed by architect Jeanne Gang. Architects or designers picked by Cadillac marketing partner Architectural Digest will serve as tour guides.
Cadillac is getting on the arts and culture game that other luxury automakers have been playing for a while. Mercedes has its Fashion Week; BMW has its Art Car Collection; Lincoln has its, uh, wait, what’s Lincoln doing again? And now, Cadillac is taking over architecture with the Cadillac architectural tours that begin next month.
TheNewsWheel.com article here


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Mastercard and ING have launched a trial in Holland that will allow those who shop via their PC to turn their mobile phone into a payment terminal.
The companies believe that they are breaking new ground and add that the trial, which extends the work that the duo are carrying out around the Mobile MasterCard PayPass application, will bring the potential of mobile contactless payments (MCPs) to online retailers.
The pilot scheme addresses two usage cases; those that shop and pay for items from their phone or tablet and those who browse via their PC, but want to complete purchase via a mobile device. In the latter scenario, users who select an item on their PC are served a securely generated quick purchase report (QPR) code which then allows them to connect to the merchant’s checkout to seal the deal through via their phone.
The companies are eyeing a more simple approach to mobile and web shopping, according to Mark Buitenhek, global head of payments and cash management at ING Group. “This innovative mobile payment product enables ING to offer our customers a one-click-buy experience. The trial allows us to explore which new type of mobile payments products and technologies will meet our clients’ needs.”
The T+2 Industry Steering Committee (T+2 ISC) has welcomed recent action by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to propose a rule ... read more
Data from Swift’s latest RMB tracker shows exceptional growth in RMB adoption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), witnessing a 210.8% growth in payments value of the currency since August 2014, albeit from a low base.
Sentiment in the financial services sector deteriorated in the three months to September, as firms digested the challenges of lower interest rates and the uncertainty caused by the vote to leave the European Union (EU), according to the latest CBI/PwC Financial Services Survey.


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Attorneys working with ClassAction.org would like to speak with any California resident who was charged automatically for an ongoing product or service. California has strict laws regarding what companies can and cannot do when it comes to recurring charges and a number of major companies.
Scams and Ripoffs
Companies are finding more and more ways to cheat their customers out of quality products and services. If you were ripped off by a large company, you may be able to get a class action lawsuit started.
Browse our list below or contact us for more information.
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Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on lawsuit settlements.
Several lawsuits have been filed alleging that certain CBD products contain only a fraction of the amount of CBD being advertised on the label.
Attorneys are interested in speaking with people who had issues receiving full refunds for events, trips and other goods and services that were canceled, delayed or otherwise affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attorneys are investigating whether certain pet food products actually contain what they say and exclude the ingredients they promise to leave out. A full list of products under investigation can be found on our page.
Attorneys are investigating whether class actions can be filed to help people get back any money they overpaid for document notarizations or other notary services.
Attorneys are investigating whether consumers are being charged illegal and hidden fees on foreign payment card transactions. If so, they may be able to get a class action lawsuit started to help those affected.
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are investigating whether Happily violated Oregon and California automatic renewal laws. If so, they may be able to file a class action lawsuit.
Attorneys are investigating whether hospitals are overbilling low-income patients in violation of federal law.
It’s being investigated whether Hungryroot violated the auto-renewal laws of California and Oregon by not clearly disclosing that its subscriptions automatically renew and making it difficult for customers to cancel.
A class action lawsuit has been filed alleging that these products have been falsely advertised in that they are incapable of repairing users’ hair. Attorneys believe consumers have been misled and should be given their money back.
If you’re a small or mid-size business owner and you’ve been wronged by another person or entity during the COVID-19 crisis, we want to hear about it.
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are investigating whether the NFL is violating the auto-renewal laws of certain states by only allowing customers an opportunity to cancel their Game Pass subscriptions one month out of the year.
Getting charged impact fees? Attorneys are now helping builders get into class actions to get their money back for what may be illegal fees. Learn more.
Attorneys are looking into whether an illegal price-fixing scheme is causing certain tenants to pay more in rent than they should. If illegal activity is suspected, a class action lawsuit could be started to help renters get some money back.
If you paid for college and the campus has shut down due to COVID-19, you may be able to take action to get back part of your tuition. Learn more.
It’s believed that Uber may have illegally sent out millions of SMS spam texts without the recipients’ consent, including messages reminding people to finish the signup process, advertising deals or asking former drivers to come back.
Attorneys are investigating whether a leading veterinary test manufacturer illegally inflated the costs of its products, resulting in more expensive bills for pet owners. They believe a class action lawsuit could be filed.


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The Internet had a lot to say about a certain holiday commercial advertising a Peloton stationary bike. Now, an actor behind the controversy is speaking out.
Sean Hunter is an actor and elementary school teacher living in Vancouver, Canada who originally thought that the commercial was another great stepping stone in his acting career. Then, the Internet got a hold of it, and the claims of sexism and "cringeworthiness" went rampant.
In a statement to Psychology Today, Hunter said of the gaffe, “I pride myself on being a great teacher and developing actor, and I can only hope that this affects neither. I’m grappling with the negative opinions as none of them have been constructively helpful.”
The commercial features a fictional husband (Hunter), who gifts his wife a Peloton stationary bike for Christmas. As a result, the wife documents her journey with the bike through a series of daily selfie videos explaining her process.
The commercial ends with them watching her fitness diary together.
Hunter’s role has become known as the “Peloton Husband” on social media, and the tweeters all have something to say about the titular character. One user even wrote, “Absolutely 100% chance that the husband in the Peloton ad is abusive,” the Today show reports.
“My 5 seconds of air time created an array of malicious feedback that is all associated with my face. My friend texted me today declaring that I’m ‘a symbol of the patriarchy,’” Hunter said.
Still, Hunter says the ad “has nothing to do with my ability to teach or who I am.” He continued, “Unfortunately, the problem is that viewers can mistake an actor as that person after they’ve seen them on television instead of a person given a script with no opinion on what they are being told to portray.”
Hunter has made light of the situation by making Peloton Husband his own Instagram page.


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- Chapter 11 of Celsius is rare in a world of startups where companies are quietly dying.
- Startups typically burn cash rather than rack up long-term debt or an army of creditors.
- They tend to favor private, out-of-court liquidations to avoid scrutiny, lawyers told Insider.
When Celsius filed for Chapter 11 in July, it admitted in Manhattan bankruptcy court that it owed answers to its massive 1.7 million user base who held various crypto assets representing the bulk of its $5.5 billion in liabilities.
But the high-profile bankruptcy of the crypto lender marks the relatively rare case of a startup that has run out of cash and is looking to restructure in bankruptcy court. According to five corporate lawyers Insider spoke to, many startups are more likely to just liquidate and end their operations privately.
“Many startups don’t have long-term liabilities or debt other than venture capital debt and trade debt,” said Ronald Fleming, partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP – where he leads his ventures practice. emerging – said.
“They burn money to operate,” he said. “Bankruptcy tends to be a solution to fix balance sheet issues, which isn’t really the problem for startups that can’t raise money to fund operating losses in a tougher funding environment.”
As stock prices of public tech companies tumbled and venture capitalists cut funding during the recession, venture capitalists pressured portfolio companies to cut costs , which for many has meant a reduction in staff. Companies like Coinbase, Gopuff, Better and Noom have all laid off staff.
Others, like Fast, a one-click payment software company, shut down completely and dissolved. Some startups attempt to restructure their operations through a Chapter 11 filing to meet their responsibilities and become a leaner company, while others down the road dissolve and offload their assets as part of the process. extrajudicial procedures.
As the economic downturn hits startups, breakups become more likely. According to data from PitchBook, some 684 US startups ceased operations or filed for bankruptcy in 2020, and that number rose to 804 last year. As of July 28 this year, 356 startups had already closed or filed for bankruptcy, according to PitchBook. The number of bankruptcies in these groups is relatively low — just 60 U.S. startups filed for bankruptcy in 2020, which fell to 37 in 2021, according to PitchBook data.
The cost factor
In court filings, Celsius described significant physical hardware it uses to run its online business, including tens of thousands of bitcoin mining rigs among its $4.3 billion in assets. The crypto lender also said it owed millions to vendors who helped it build a new mining hub in Texas.
A formal Chapter 11 restructuring would help the company, valued at around $3 billion in December, by creating a regulated and transparent process to repay a broad base of creditors, leverage its physical assets and emerge with a business in the other side.
But the costs and rigors of a court-controlled process for Chapter 11 bankruptcy make it a less attractive option for many cash-strapped start-ups and emerging tech companies, attorneys have said.
The problem for startups is that they’ve burned their money, Fleming said.
“A lot of people don’t understand this, but you need money or financing to avail yourself of a bankruptcy restructuring process,” he added.
“Bankruptcy is expensive — the reality for many startups that can’t raise a venture capital round or other bridging funding, is to seek some sort of business combination,” he said. “If this process fails, the choices are either to close and liquidate or, more frequently, to orchestrate a ‘soft landing’ or an ‘acquisition’, often at a very low nominal purchase price, with another startup.”
Companies that restructure in federal court must continue to pay their bills while they close stores or offices and launch asset sales under the supervision of a bankruptcy judge. Bankrupt businesses must also obtain court approval to pay various business expenses, or even to access any financing they have negotiated with lenders and investors in the process.
Other Chapter 11 filing costs can be prohibitive for small businesses, as the bankrupt business must pay the army of professionals involved – bankers, consultants and top lawyers charging upwards of $1,500 an hour – on assets of its debtor.
A quick relaxation
For many emerging tech startups, it’s also less of a problem that they have major liabilities like long-term debt to carefully reduce through restructuring, or a large number of physical stores to close, or major assets like equipment to sell, lawyers said.
When one-click payment startup Fast exhausted some $120 million in funding, it simply laid off employees and shut down operations in April.
“Startups fail for many reasons, which Fast was obviously not immune to. But the decisions made that led to this result for which I take responsibility,” Domm Holland, CEO of the startup, wrote in social media posts at the time.
Startups can quickly shut down and liquidate their remaining assets — often whatever cash is left — and distribute them among remaining creditors, said Ed Zimmerman, a partner at Lowenstein Sandler who chairs the firm’s technology group.
“It’s harder to do some sort of reorganization or work when the assets are also…I don’t want to call it nebulous, but intangible, and maybe unusable without team members,” Zimmerman said. “It’s not like we have a lot of printing presses that can be sold.”
“Startups that prioritize growth over profitability run out of cash because they go from funding to funding,” he said.
This can become a problem when VCs withdraw. Deal activity among U.S. VCs has fallen significantly since record investments hit $342 billion last year, according to PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association’s 2022 Second Quarter Report. According to the report, as of June 30 this year, trade activity was $144 billion.
The “ABC” process
One approach startups more commonly use to quietly end their operations is a combination of asset sales and liquidations they can operate under the radar with a process known as an assignment for the benefit of creditors, said restructuring lawyers.
The process, which the industry often refers to with the shorthand “ABC,” follows state laws to unwind a business. States have different rules governing the process, and some states like Massachusetts and California — where many Silicon Valley tech companies have their bases — allow startups to handle their dissolution out of court, shielding them from the press. negative and scrutiny.
After Optimus Ride, an autonomous vehicle company, sold valuable assets like its intellectual property to Magna International, a Canadian auto parts maker, in January, it began the ABC process in Massachusetts to pay off creditors, Brad Sandler, a partner at restructuring firm Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones, told Insider. Sandler is representing the entity that was reducing Optimus Ride’s remaining assets throughout the process, which is out of court.
“Because bankruptcies are expensive, an ABC is, in general, a cheaper and more efficient process,” he said.
The Chapter 7 option
Another option is a Chapter 7 liquidation, a court-supervised proceeding in which a trustee in bankruptcy oversees the distribution of liquidated assets to creditors. Unlike a Chapter 11, a company’s board and management play no role in the process. Electric Last Mile Solutions, an electric truck company, filed for Chapter 7 in Delaware bankruptcy court last month after its CEO and founder both left the company.
As with most restructuring and unwinding processes, creditors have priority in recovering their losses based on the amount of their loans secured by the company’s assets. In the context of startups, subprime lenders like Silicon Valley Bank, which provide loans secured by collateral, could fall into the category of secured lenders.
Investors and shareholders often see their equity wiped out unless a deal can be struck otherwise, lawyers said.
“When businesses fail, a failing startup’s liquidation value tends to be remarkably low, regardless of how much money it raised or what it thinks its technology is worth,” Fleming said.


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Business News›pc market
Sugar exports jump nearly 4-fold to 17 lakh tons in Oct-Dec 21; production up 6 pc till Jan 15: ISMA
Sugar marketing year runs from October to September. "As per market reports and port information, about 17 lakh tonnes of sugar have been physically exported during the period October to December' 2021," ISMA said in a statement.
Oilmeals export down 67 pc to 1.7 lakh tonne last month; 28 pc fall in April-December
The fall in exports is mainly due to decline in export of soybean and rapeseed meal, Solvent Extractors' Association of India said. The overall export of oilmeals during April-December 2021 fell 28 per cent at 17,66,687 tonne as compared to 24,67,564 tonne in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Passenger vehicle exports from India rise 46 pc in April-Dec; Maruti Suzuki leads segment
Passenger car shipments saw 45 per cent growth at 2,75,728 units while utility vehicle exports rose 47 per cent at 1,46,688 units during the period under review, the data by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed.
Industrial, warehousing space leasing up 35 pc in 2021; new supply rises 64%: Report
Third-party logistics ( 3PL) players and e-commerce companies continued to drive warehousing demand, accounting for 62 per cent of the total absorption in 2021, followed by manufacturing sector at 14 per cent.
IIP growth remains muted at 1.4 pc, consumer inflation jumps to 5.59 pc
Mining and manufacturing grew 5.0% and 0.9%, respectively, from the year earlier. The electricity sector expanded 2.1%. All sectors were below pre-Covid levels in November with overall IIP at 95.8% of what it was before the pandemic took hold.
General govt fiscal deficit estimated at 10.4 pc in FY2022: ReportWith the state governments' fiscal deficit projected at a relatively modest 3.3 per cent of GDP in FY2022, the general government fiscal deficit is estimated at around 10.4 per cent of the GDP, the agency said in a report.
Titan clocks 36 pc growth in Q3/FY22, helped by festive purchasesThe company has witnessed a "buoyancy" in jewellery demand driven by festive purchases in October and November which helped the division achieve a 37 per cent growth for the quarter, Titan said in its Quarterly Update for Q3/FY 22.
Home sales in Kolkata jump 62pc in 2021: ReportNew launches also saw a whopping rise of 81 per cent year-on-year with the addition of 7,510 units in the last calendar year, Knight Frank India said in its second half-yearly study of 2021.
NewQuest, Premji invest Rs 507 crore in startup iD Fresh FoodAsia's leading PE firm NewQuest Capital Partner, along with the existing investor, PremjiInvest, invested Rs507 crore in iD Fresh Food—India’s leading fresh food startup.
Kia India posts 28 pc jump in vehicle sales to 2,27,844 units in 2021Since the commencement of sales operation in India, Kia has exported 96,242 units, taking the cumulative sales of 4.5 Lakh units in under 2.5 years, it added. On the outlook for 2022, the company said it remains optimistic with the aim of full utilisation of the plant in the year, along with the focus on the launch of the Kia Carens in Q1 2022.
Ashok Leyland sales slip 2 pc to 12,518 units in December 2021Domestic sales were down 3 per cent at 11,493 units in the month under review, as against 11,855 units in December 2020, Ashok Leyland said in a statement. However, medium and heavy commercial vehicle sales were up 9 per cent at 6,752 units in December 2021, compared to 6,173 units in the year-ago month.
Honda Cars reports 26 pc jump in wholesales for 2021The automaker said its exports rose to 16,340 units during the period under review from 2,334 units in 2020. In December 2021, the automaker reported an eight per cent dip in its domestic sales at 7,973 units. It had dispatched 8,638 units in the domestic market in December 2020.
Maruti Suzuki sales dip 4 pc to 1,53,149 units in December"The shortage of electronic components had a minor impact on the production of vehicles during the month. The shortage primarily affected the production of vehicles sold in the domestic market," MSI stated. The company took all possible measures to minimise the impact, it added.
VE Commercial Vehicles reports 25.8 pc jump in sales to 6,154 units in DecEicher-branded trucks and buses recorded total sales of 6,002 units last month as compared with 4,687 units in December 2020, a growth of 28.1 per cent.
SBI to acquire nearly 10 pc stake in India International Clearing CorporationIICC is the first international clearing corporation set up at GIFT-IFSC that acts as a central counterparty providing clearing and settlement and risk management services.
HP announces local manufacturing of multiple PC productsThe company has begun manufacturing multiple models of laptops, desktop towers, mini desktops at the Flex facility in Sriperumbudur near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
CEOs expect 9-10 pc growth in current fiscal: CII pollA large number of CEOs polled, however, appeared worried about the impact of the new COVID variant Omnicron on services and the manufacturing sector.
Expect wholesales to grow over 60 pc in 2021 over last year: Toyota KirloskarThe company, which sells models like Fortuner, Innova Crysta and Urban Cruiser in the domestic market, is witnessing constant increase in customer orders and is looking at dispatching around 1.3 lakh units this year.
Motilal Oswal cuts FY23 growth forecast to 6.3 pc; uncertainties exist on growthThe brokerage expects the current account deficit to be at 0.8 per cent in FY23, much below the consensus estimates. It further projects the fiscal deficit of the Union government to narrow down to 5 per cent from the 6.8 per cent in FY22. The rupee will depreciate and it will be at 76.4 against the US dollar at the end of FY23, it said.
Private market investments account for 18 pc of asset allocation for family offices, UHNIs in 2021According to the Private Market Monitor, the changing face of the startup ecosystem with the spate of initial public offerings and acquisitions has created a new category of first generation high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs) that are proactively exploring the family office route to manage their wealth.
Indian cos raise $1.34 bn from foreign markets in October; down 34 pc from last yearThe domestic firms had raised over USD 2.03 billion from the overseas markets in October 2020. In a break-up, the companies raised as much as USD 1.32
Honda Cars India reports 31 pc dip in total sales at 6,904 units in NovemberDomestic sales were at 5,457 units in November 2021 as compared to 9,990 units in the same month last year, HCIL said in a statement. Exports were at 1,447 units last month as against 31 units in the year-ago month, it added.
Mahindra total sales dip 6 pc in NovemberIn the domestic market, passenger vehicle sales were up 7 per cent to 19,458 units last month, compared to 18,212 units in November 2020.
Tata Motors reports 25 pc increase in total sales in NovemberThe automaker posted a 21 per cent increase in its domestic wholesales at 58,073 as compared with 47,859 units in the year-ago period. The auto major said its passenger vehicle sales in the domestic market stood at 29,778 units in November, as compared to 21,641 units in the same month last year.
Sumitomo Mitsui completes purchase of 74.9 pc stake in Fullerton IndiaAs part of the transaction, Fullerton India's board will be reconstituted to comprise Nobuyuki Kawabata, Rajeev Veeravalli Kannan, Hong Ping Yeo, Anindo Mukherjee, Shantanu Mitra, Shirish Moreshwar Apte, Milan Robert Shuster and Sudha Pillai, the release said.
Coca-Cola logs 6 pc unit case volume growth in Q3 on better sales in India, other emerging marketsThe company is witnessing a recovery in its out-of-home channels, which was impacted after the pandemic-induced travel restrictions in the country.
Buy PC Jeweller, target price Rs 32: Anand RathiPC Jeweller Ltd., incorporated in the year 2005, is a Small Cap company (having a market cap of Rs 1324.07 Crore) operating in Gems and Jewellery sector.Load More
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