text: An industry expert gives us a lowdown on the rationale behind a techXchange programme aimed at empowering start-ups to grow through innovation. Start-up India is a flagship initiative of the Government of India, intended to build a strong eco-system for nurturing innovation and start-ups in the country that will drive sustainable economic growth and generate large scale employment opportunities. The Government, through this initiative, aims to empower start-ups to grow through innovation and design. To meet the objectives of the initiative, the Government of India announced Start-up India Action Plan that addresses all aspects of the start-up ecosystem. With this background and to accelerate the start-up movement, techXchange was launched by the High Commissioner of India in the UK in June 2018 at the UK-India Week. A joint initiative by the High Commission of India to the UK and FICCI UK, the programme has grown since its launch. The programme aimed to promote, encourage and provide exposure to start-ups from India and begin the journey of globalisation. It also aimed to help incubators and start-ups ecosystem stakeholders from India to interact and learn from their counterparts in the UK. techXchange is a platform that facilitates Indian start-ups steer uncertainties, widen their perceptive of the start-up ecosystem around the world and help them accomplish their business on a global level, along with apprehending their transformative potential. Both the first edition in September 2018 and the second edition organised between 16-20 September 2019 received tremendous response from UK stakeholders. The second edition saw a delegation of 15 mature start-ups, selected from a pool of over hundred applications from all over India, taking part in the event to get access to market and money in the UK. The cohort selection was based on a rigorous three-part qualifying criteria: exclusivity of product or service, its UK-Europe use case and a minimum of Rs 10 million annual revenue. techXchange 2019 was a detailed five-day program divided into two parts. For the first part, the delegation networked with the UK government agencies that can help them set up in the UK; met relevant customers for their products/services; as well as networked with ecosystem stakeholders. For the second part of the programme, a one-day summit was organised on 19 September at the High Commission of India in London. One of the major highlights of the techXchange 2019 was a Fireside Chat with The Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL at the Houses of Lords. The session was moderated by Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI. Lord Bilimoria gave the cohort members insights into his entrepreneurial journey in the UK. He also shared a few candid instances of his journey to success. The techXchange summit organised on the fourth day at the High Commission of India saw a wide range of stakeholders joining in. The inaugural session witnessed the presence and address by dignitaries including Ruchi Ghanashyam, High commissioner of India to the UK, Manish Singh, Minister (Economic), High Commission of India, Sunil Parekh, Co-chair (India) for the techXchange programme, Shruti Singh, Director, DPIIT, Govt. of India, Andrew Masters, Senior Economic Adviser, Asia Region, DFID, Simon Spier, Head of International Trade, techUK, and Derek Goodwin, Head of Global Entrepreneur Programme, DIT. The summit also witnessed the launch of a report on 'Developing start-up ecosystem: Lessons from UK' by HCI, FICCI UK, BDO LLP; exchange of an MoU between GEP Programme, DIT & FICCI UK for techXchange programme. Along with this, the techXchange provided a platform for the launch of the 'UK India Start-up Launchpad' an initiative by DIPP and DFID. The final day started at the High Commission of India in the UK with Reverse pitching session with the cohort by different regions of the UK. The session had presentations from techUK, Manchester India Partnership, West Midlands Growth, Invest Wales, Scottish Development International and Ireland India Business Association. Each agency discussed what each region has to offer, the tech focus of the region and how they can help in setting up. The pitching ended Level 39 speaking about London's offerings and in specific Canary Wharf. The techXchange 2019 turned out to be an exceptionally triumphant event. It helped the cohort 2019 to understand the start-up ecosystem of the UK in depth. The start-ups saw success in terms of hiring for their UK base, cracking deals with major customers and laying out business plans for setting up operations in the UK with support from the agencies they met during the week. Going forward, HCI and FICCI UK would be taking techXchange to the next level by taking a reverse delegation of scale-ups from the UK to India. techXchange is a platform that will act as a bridge between the demand and supply of innovative technologies between India and the UK. The support of all the UK-based entities multiplies the growth opportunities and sustainability for the Indian start-ups trying to establish themselves in the UK. The success of techXchange 2018 acted as a milestone for the excellent accomplishment of techXchange 2019. Dr Param Shah is Director - UK, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).


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As tends to happen near the end of every month, Microsoft has recapped all the new features that were added to Microsoft 365 during the past month. This time around, the focus is on Outlook and Office.com, though June was also host to the launch of Viva Sales, a new experience for salespeople to help drive customer relations…….
Traveling this summer? Brace yourself for delayed — or canceled — flights, short-staffed hotels, and expensive car rentals. Here’s everything you need to know:
Why are so many flights being delayed and canceled?
There are several reasons why thousands of flights have been delayed and canceled since the start of the busy summer travel season. There ar…….
The Fourth of July holiday weekend is on track to set record-breaking travel numbers across the nation.The Transportation Security Administration said roughly 2.4 million people went through security checkpoints at airports ahead of the weekend. Reaching a number higher than the same Friday before July Fourth in 2019, before the pandemic. Roughly 48 million people nationwide traveled fo…….
Home » Motors » Campervan Owner Knows What He’s Selling, and It’s Not the Van Life You Think
Even the seller thinks you don’t want (or need) this lifted diesel 4×4 camper conversion van.
Looking for a great new van? Too bad, because we haven’t found a great new van. We’ve found a van that you absolutely don’t want. It’s old, it’s high mileage, it’s …….
The pandemic has changed the way people travel, and with summer in full swing, some people are looking for a safe way to explore without having to get on a plane. “Van life” has grown in popularity as more people work remotely. A Sacramento-area couple started Scenic Vanlife Rentals to fill a growing need in Northern California.What started as a lifestyle for Emily and Kevin Fannan has tu…….
In the realm of healthier eating, Black Americans are the fastest-growing group of vegans, according to a Gallup poll. Veganism is a plant-based diet that excludes all meat, fish and all animal by-products. One Brockton couple is bringing more people of color into the fold.
Tome and his wife, Valery Andrade, have been vegan for six years, and plan to …….
The philosophical and moral underpinnings for veganism are also worth taking into consideration. Animals endure unnatural and harsh living conditions for the purpose of meat, dairy and textile production. Photo: iStock
Veganism, defined as the avoidance of animal products for ethica…….
Virtual reality has been around for years, but the concept’s maturity means multiple metaverse fights for supremacy. In addition, a new World Wide Web is emerging where everything can virtually be. So, how are people trying to make money in the metaverse?
Metaverse Virtual Galleries
The most common business model in the metaverse is the art gallery…….
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) — We keep hearing about the Metaverse, which includes a world of games and entertainment created by virtual reality. But the immersive experience and the use of headsets are preventing some people from using this fast emerging technology because of motion sickness.
Virtual reality (VR) is already a $16 billion a year industry, used for training of oil and gas workers a…….
Breadcrumb Trail Links
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Football CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Tyrell Ford adjusts his hat at practice on Thursday, June 23, 2022. Photo by KEVIN KING /Winnipeg Sun
Tyrell Ford didn’t spend Friday evening doing anything different than he normally does when a CFL game is on…….

domain: news


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(Corrects final paragraph to say shares down 46 pct this year not up)
LONDON, Aug 20 (Reuters) - British luxury bag maker Mulberry said on Monday it would take a 3 million pound ($3.8 million) hit from the administration of House of Fraser earlier this month, adding to the toll it faces from tough conditions in its home market.
Mulberry operates 21 concessions in House of Fraser, the department stores group that was bought from administrators by Sports Direct, the sportswear retailer controlled by tycoon Mike Ashley.
The company, whose bags sell for around 1,000 pounds, said the cost, which reflects debtor balances, fixed assets and potential restructuring, would be an exceptional item in its results for the six months to end-September.
It said the upheaval at House of Fraser was compounded by deteriorating trading conditions in Britain.
“Since the group reported in June 2018, the UK market has continued to remain challenging and sales in House of Fraser stores have been particularly affected,” it said.
“If these sales trends in the UK continue into the key trading period of the second half of the financial year, the group’s profit for the whole year will be materially reduced.”
Mulberry said trading in the rest of the world was broadly in line with its expectations and its cash position was strong, supporting its ambition to become a global luxury brand.
Sports Direct bought House of Fraser from its administrators for 90 million pounds after an earlier rescue plan, involving shutting 31 stores, was thwarted after Chinese group C.banner pulled out of a plan to invest.
Media reports have said Sports Direct is only planning to pay suppliers and concession operators for goods sold since it took over the group.
Shares in Mulberry, down 46 percent so far this year, closed Friday at 569 pence, valuing the business at 341 million pounds. (Reporting by Paul Sandle, editing by James Davey)


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Grocery stores owned by Kroger across the country are recalling store-label frozen berries because they might be contaminated with hepatitis A.
There have been no reported illnesses.
The stores include Kroger, Ralphs, Fry’s, Fred Meyer and other chains . The recalled fruit are branded “Private Selection”. According to the company announcement on FDA website, the recalled frozen berries are:
- The private selection frozen triple berry medley, 48 OZ (Best by: 07-07-20),
- The private selection frozen triple berry medley, 16 OZ (Best by: 06-19-20)
- The private selection frozen blackberries, 16 OZ (Best by: 06-19-20, 07-02-20),
Kroger announced Friday that it has removed the berries from store shelves, and that customers who have them at home should not eat them.
“Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from exposure to the Hepatitis A virus, including from food. It can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting several months. Illness generally occurs within 15 to 50 days of exposure and includes fatigue, abdominal pain, jaundice, abnormal liver tests, dark urine and pale stool,” said FDA.
“In rare cases, particularly consumers who have a pre-existing severe illness or are immune compromised, Hepatitis A infection can progress to liver failure. Persons who may have consumed affected product should consult with their health care professional or local health department to determine if a vaccination is appropriate, and consumers with symptoms of Hepatitis A should contact their health care professionals or the local health department immediately.”
The Food and Drug Administration discovered the contamination.
Here are some detail information about Hepatitis A and prevention measures for consumers recommended on FDA website:
At-Risk Groups of Hepatitis A
All people are susceptible to hepatitis A infection; however, individuals who have had hepatitis A before or who have been vaccinated are immune to hepatitis A infection.
Treatment and Prevention of Hepatitis A
Because hepatitis A virus infections can have serious health consequences, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends providing post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for unvaccinated people who have consumed any contaminated food or water within two weeks of exposure.
Foods Linked to U.S. Outbreaks of Hepatitis A
Although foodborne illnesses caused by hepatitis A are not common in the U.S., water, shellfish, frozen vegetables and fruit (berries), and salads are most frequently cited as potential foodborne sources.
Preventing Foodborne Illness at Home
Hepatitis A can have serious health consequences. The CDC advises the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) described above for unvaccinated persons who have consumed any products contaminated by the hepatitis A virus.
To prevent hepatitis A contamination or transmission, consumers should always practice safe food handling and preparation measures by following the steps below:
Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw foods.
Thoroughly wash hands after using the bathroom and changing diapers for protection against hepatitis A, as well as other foodborne diseases.
Wash the inside walls and shelves of the refrigerator, cutting boards and countertops, and utensils that may have contacted contaminated foods; then sanitize them with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water; dry with a clean cloth or paper towel that has not been previously used.
Wash hands with warm water and soap following the cleaning and sanitation process.
Consumers can also submit a voluntarily report, a complaint, or adverse event (illness or serious allergic reaction) related to a food product.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Bacofoil has invested in a new ATL campaign to support its Non-Stick Kitchen Foil, which has also received a packaging redesign.
The new TV advert launches on May 7 and will run for five weeks. The campaign is targeted at families and will run across multichannel and digital platforms.
Alongside the new creative, Bacofoil has also introduced refreshed packaging with a modern look across its product range.
The redesign will apply to Bacofoil The Non-Stick Kitchen Foil, The Original Foil, All Purpose Cling Film, Baking Paper, Non-Stick Baking Paper, 2 in 1 Parchment & Foil, All Purpose Zipper Bags and Double Seal Freezer Bags.
Zoe Lunn, senior brand manager at Bacofoil, said: “We’re proud to announce the launch of our new look – we think the new packaging is more slick, modern and will clearly stand out on the shelf, highlighting product USPs. Our TV creative will support our key product – Non-Stick Kitchen Foil – and give it a boost by highlighting how it can help families with the notorious issue of messy, sticky food!”
Bacofoil is available to indepeednet retailers and The Non-Stick Kitchen Foil has an rrp of £2.95 for 10 metres.


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If you’re the type of person who is constantly on the move, a jetsetter perhaps, you’ve probably used or heard of Uber sometime in the past few years. The service and its applications allow users to connect with private drivers in select cities around the world.
Simply select your location and when you want to be picked up and sleek vehicle will be there for you. Cars available range from Lincoln Town Cars to BMW 7 Series or a Mercedes-Benz S550 sedan. Bad news if you’re primarily a Windows Phone user and want to use the service since the app has been unpublished from the Store.
It beats taxis by a long shot if you’re traveling and like the convenience. When the company released an official app back in late March it was seen as a success. But things turned sour immediately for a lot of users the moment they started using the app – it was really nothing more than a webpage wrapped up in a mobile app.
Users noticed and quickly shared their dissatisfaction in the Store ratings for the app. It’s average was 2 stars, nothing any official app should have. The app has since been pulled and if you head to the Store link for the app you'll see it's no longer published.
We’ve reached out to Uber for clarification for why exactly the app was pulled. In the meantime, try an third party alternate to satisfy your Uber needs, like Uber Towncar. Ninja edit: You can also use the mobile site m.uber.com
Thanks for the tip RyanAMG!
Alleged source code for Windows XP exposed in 4chan leak
Alleged Windows XP source code has surfaced online after a thread on 4chan gained steam this week. If genuine, the source code could pose a security threat for any remaining Windows XP systems, particularly if they're connected to the internet.
HP updates Reverb G2 ahead of launch, preorders start shipping in November
HP is finally nearly ready to start shipping its new Reverb G2 Windows Mixed Reality headset. Those who have already preordered the $600 headset should see them arrive in November, while anyone preordering after September 24 will see headsets arrive in December.
The 300Hz display on the Razer Blade 15 is way ahead of its time
Our favorite gaming laptop now has a 300Hz display option and it's smoother than your eyes can really see.
Pump up the jam with some new PC speakers
PC speaker preferences vary from person to person, as it really depends on your rig, set up and the space restrictions of your home or apartment — not to mention your budget.


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Just in case you thought Saturday was too long to wait for an iPhone security patch, no reason to worry: Apple on Friday released
iPhone Software Update 3.0.1, which fixes the SMS vulnerability demonstrated at the Black Hat security conference on Thursday. Earlier on Friday, U.K. wireless operator
O2 said Apple would release the fix on Saturday.
disclosed by security researchers Charlie Miller and Collin Mulliner, could have allowed a vulnerable phone, such as an iPhone, to be taken over remotely. Apple attributes the flaw in the CoreTelephony framework to a memory corruption issue in the decoding of SMS messages, and credits the find to Miller and Mulliner.
The hefty software update—yes, even an update with just one fix means downloading the entire OS again—is available via iTunes; the exact size varies depending on which version of iPhone is being updated. iPhone users can get the update by connecting their phones to their computers and clicking the “Check for Update” button in iTunes.
Once again, the world is safe for text messaging—well, unless you’re
texting while driving; Apple has still issued no patch for stupidity. Now we can move on to other pressing issues, like when exactly AT&T will deign to roll out the
multimedia messaging we’ve all been waiting for since June.


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Last Updated: 07.46 PM, Jan 09, 2023
The womenswear brand from Vedant Fashion Limited signed Advani for its ongoing campaign Vedant Fashion Limited-owned bridalwear brand appointed actor Kiara Advani as its new brand ambassador with their ongoing campaign ‘Dulhan Wali Feeling’. Advani will be pictured as an Indian bride from its latest collection.
The company said the ad film depicts the era of a modern day bride and how weddings are a big day for them.
In the film, during her ‘bidaai’, Advani is seen replacing all the gifts she got for her wedding with other prized possessions. She packs her first doll, her racket that helped her win a match against her father, her old notebooks, and everything that holds more meaning and memories to her new home.
With the help of her husband and father-in-law Advani is able to replace all the new gifts that she finds meaningless in front of her old possessions.
While leaving in the car her mother asks her why she is taking old items to her new house, to which she says, “I will make my new house as my own house”.
The movie shows a cluster of emotions a bride experiences on her special day and how these old items hold a special place in their hearts and they want to carry their memories with them.
Advani said, “I am so excited to be associated with them, a brand that not only celebrates weddings but also, their brides and their individuality. It’s important that the brides feel comfortable in their own skin and are their true self on their big day.
This campaign beautifully encapsulates the theme and we hope it strongly connects with all the new brides.”
Vedant Modi, chief marketing officer of the firm said, “Advani whilst deeply rooted with her tradition, is also the new age Indian woman that brings out our powerful messaging in the most confident manner.
Mohey has been conceptualized for the confident and bold Indian brides who live life to the fullest.“
The campaign was conceptualized and executed by Shreyansh Innovations. Its founder, director of the agency Shreyansh Baid, said: “In keeping with the spirit of the company, we have yet again celebrated the views of a modern bride.
Advani delivers a message of freedom and choice in a very simple way where she chooses to carry some unexpected things with her as she leaves for her marital home. But these seemingly meaningless things are what hold priceless memories for her.
An old report by KPMG estimated India’s wedding industry’s size at $50 billion ( ₹3.4 trillion), which is roughly 1.5-2% of full-year GDP.


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DC joins in on the FCBD fun for this year as other publishers reveal their final covers.
Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you from comics creators, publishers and more. Hit the links for more information.
Through their solicitations for April, DC Comics has revealed at least part of their plans for this year’s Free Comic Book Day — Dawn of DC, which shares a title with their recent publishing initiative that follows Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths.
“After the near-Multiverse-ending events in Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths and DC Universe: Lazarus Planet, the DC Universe will be heading toward the light,” Jim Lee, DC publisher and chief creative officer, said last year when Dawn of DC was announced. “With brand-new series and story arcs from some of the top creative members in comics, Dawn of DC is one of our most ambitious initiatives ever and is a chance for us to tell bigger and bolder stories across our line.”
Continue reading “‘Dawn of DC’ joins the 2023 Free Comic Book Day line-up”
Jeremy Whitley and Emily C. Martin say they were just as surprised as fans to see Action Lab solicit new ‘Princeless’ material.
Princeless creators Jeremy Whitley and Emily C. Martin are speaking out against publisher Action Lab Entertainment, specifically about the solicitation for the publisher’s Free Comic Book Day issue for 2023.
In a statement, they said the release of “brand new” Princeless material was a surprise to them, especially considering they are engaged in “a protracted legal battle with Action Lab regarding a number of issues that we feel should have voided our publishing contract.” The statement goes on to say the creators have stopped working on new Princeless material and have not been asked to approve any pages for the FCBD release.
“This is the latest in Action Lab’s continued policy of putting their personal profits before creators and we strongly disapprove,” the statement says.
Whitley and Martin are both part of a class-action lawsuit filed against Action Lab earlier this year. The 46-page complaint “contends that although Action Lab promised to print, promote and market creators’ works, report quarterly sales and income numbers, properly maintain social media accounts, and generally make a reasonable effort to sell comics, the company has largely done none of these things and even failed to inform creators when its office shut down ‘without reason.’”
Continue reading “‘Princeless’ creators speak out against Action Lab’s 2023 Free Comic Book Day issue”
New titles from Image, Oni, BOOM! and more will debut on May 6 next year.
Diamond has revealed the rest of the 2023 Free Comic Book Day line-up, which puts an additional 31 titles into the mix. Add’em to the “gold sponsor” titles announced earlier this week for a total of 44 free comics that will be available to retailers and fans on May 6.
Some of the highlights of the “silver sponsor” titles include:
- The Sacrificers, a new Image Comics title by Rick Remender and Max Fiumara.
- A preview of Punch Up, a new graphic novel from Oni Press by Zack Sterling.
- Ten Speed Press has a preview of I Am Stan, the new Stan Lee biography by Tom Scioli.
- BOOM! Studios will preview Mech Cadets by Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa,
which sounds like a sequel to the wonderful Mech Cadet Yu. Update: Actually they are reprinting the first issue of the miniseries rather than releasing something new. BOO! I want a new series!
- There’s also Animal Crossing, Nightmare Before Christmas, the Freak Brothers, the Smurfs and many more familiar names.
Check’em all out below.
Continue reading “More than 40 titles announced for Free Comic Book Day 2023”
The first 13 titles include selections from Marvel, BOOM!, IDW, Image, Dark Horse and more.
Diamond has announced the first round of Free Comic Book Day titles for 2023. The “gold sponsor” titles for next year will include comics from Marvel, Dark Horse, AfterShock, Image, VIZ, Kodansha, Archie, BOOM!, Graphix, IDW, Titan and Dynamite, for a total of 13 titles, as Marvel will have two gold level books.
“This year’s lineup of titles has something for every kind of comic fan,” said Ashton Greenwood, Free Comic Book Day spokesperson. “We’re looking forward to another great year celebrating comic books and comic book shops, and we think this year’s lineup gives fans a lot to be excited about!”
The rest of the batch — otherwise known as the silver sponsor titles — will be announced later this week. Free Comic Book Day is scheduled for May 6, 2023.
Here’s a look at each gold-level title:
Continue reading “2023 Free Comic Book Day gold titles include Spider-Man, Fishflies, Dog Man and more”
‘Summer of Symbiotes,’ ‘Fall of X’ and more will be previewed by Marvel next May.
Marvel has announced their plans for next year’s Free Comic Book Day event, as the publisher will release four free comics on that day.
Just like they did this year, Marvel will use FCBD to promote several of their upcoming events, like Summer of Symbiotes and Fall of X. They’ll also have another Marvel’s Voices issue, and will round things out with a title aimed at the younger set — Spidey & His Amazing Friends, which will adapt the Disney Junior TV show.
Continue reading “Marvel’s 2023 Free Comic Book Day offerings will feature X-Men, Spider-Man, Venom and more”
The new series will launch in May of 2023.
During the Conan the Barbarian 90th Anniversary panel at Comic-Con International this week, Titan Comics announced that Jim Zub will write their upcoming Conan comic.
Zub has plenty of history with the character, having written the character at Marvel. Zub’s run will launch with a story during next year’s Free Comic Book Day, with the first issue coming in May of next year as well.
Continue reading “Jim Zub will write Titan’s upcoming Conan comic”
Super Pets, ‘Dark Crisis’ and a new hero arrive on May 7.
DC Comics has announced the rest of their Free Comic Book Day titles for 2022, following last week’s announcement of Dark Crisis and its debut on May 7.
Joining Dark Crisis #0 FCBD Special Edition will be Galaxy: The Prettiest Star Free Comic Book Day Special Edition and DC League of Super-Pets: The Great Mxy-Up Free Comic Book Day Special Edition. Both offer previews of upcoming graphic novels from DC that will arrive in stores 10 days later on May 17.
Here’s more info on all three:
Continue reading “DC’s 2022 Free Comic Book Day line-up”
Joshua Williamson and Daniel Sampere team up for a crossover that spins out of ‘Justice League’ #75 and pays tribute to DC’s past.
DC has announced their next big “Crisis” crossover series, following on a long tradition of using the term, whether said crisis is Infinite, on Multiple Earths, Final or, um, “Identity.” (Maybe it’s best to skip that last one).
This particular crisis ties back to Crisis on Infinite Earths, the landmark 1980s series by Marv Wolfman and George Perez that reduced the multiverse to a single Earth and introduced us to Pariah, who watched multiple universes die after his own did. It also has roots (appropriately) in one of my favorite stories from Swamp Thing, issue #50 by Alan Moore and Stan Woch, which saw Swamp Thing and his allies attempting to save Heaven from “The Great Darkness.” Finally, it’ll spin out of Justice League #75, due out in April, where the team will die at the hands of “a new Dark Army made up of the DCU’s greatest villains.”
Dark Crisis will run for seven issues and is written by Joshua Williamson, featuring art by Daniel Sampere, colors by Alejandro Sánchez and lettering by Tom Napolitano.
“Dark Crisis is an epic DCU event about legacy,” said writer Joshua Williamson. “It will have all the giant, fun cosmic battles and Multiversal set pieces, but it’s not about reboots, retcons, or rewriting time and space. At its core it’s about the characters and the relationships that we’ve seen built over DC’s great history. Dark Crisis spins out of Justice League 75 ‘Death of the Justice League’ and connects all the story threads across the DCU since Infinite Frontier #0 in a major way. Unifying the new legacy of the DCU as we honor the classic. You can’t miss it!”
Here’s a teaser trailer:
Continue reading “DC announces ‘Dark Crisis’ event series”
Kieron Gillen, Dustin Weaver, Danny Lore, Gerry Duggan and more contribute to the title, which arrives for free on May 7.
Marvel has released more details on their third Free Comic Book Day title for 2022, Avengers/X-Men, which will feature three stories.
As announced earlier today, the first one will preview the Judgment Day event, in a prelude story by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Dustin Weaver (who drew the preview artwork accompanying the announcement.) The event will feature the Avengers trying to avert a war between the Eternals and the X-Men.
The second story, by Gerry Duggan and artist Matteo Lolli, will serve as the lead-in to this year’s Hellfire Gala. a storyline that’ll take place this summer. Last year’s gala brought a new team of X-Men, the mutant takeover of Mars and the death of the Scarlet Witch — so who knows what will happen this year. Quicksilver, watch your back …
Continue reading “Judgment Day, Hellfire Gala + Bloodline headline Marvel’s ‘Free Comic Book Day: Avengers/X-Men’”
Following the release of a new ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #1 in April, Marvel will showcase the new creative team’s work with a free issue in May.
Marvel has announced more details and revealed covers for two of their three Free Comic Book Day titles for 2022.
Last year’s Spider-Man/Venom FCBD title previewed the “Beyond” era of Amazing Spider-Man, where Ben Reilly and the Beyond Corporation took over the Spider-Man name from Peter Parker and Marvel re-introduced a “writer’s room” approach to the comic. With the Beyond era wrapping up soon, Zeb Wells — one of several writers currently writing the title — will team with the legendary John Romita Jr. for a relaunch of Amazing Spider-Man. And Marvel will offer a preview of their run in this year’s Spider-Man/Venom FCBD title.
In addition, like last year, Marvel will preview the work Al Ewing, Ram V and Bryan Hitch are doing on Venom. Here’s a look at the main cover by Romita Jr. and the variant cover for the FCBD issue by Jonboy Meyers. Is this the first time we’ve seen a variant cover on a Free Comic Book Day title? I can’t recall that being a thing before.
Continue reading “Marvel will preview Wells/Romita Jr.’s ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ on Free Comic Book Day”
Mark Russell, Yanick Paquette, Pete Woods and more will contribute new stories based on ‘The Incal.’
Humanoids’ Free Comic Book Day offering for 2022 will preview an ambitious new graphic novel line based on The Incal, the classic graphic novel by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Mœbius.
“Four decades after its publication, the world of The Incal remains a shock to the system and a transcendent work,” said Humanoids CEO Fabrice Giger. “This new Incal Universe project, to which Alejandro Jodorowsky has given his blessing, will open the door for a new generation of readers to discover all new adventures featuring John Difool, the Metabaron, Kill Wolfhead and the Incal.”
Continue reading “Humanoids will preview ‘The Incal Universe’ on Free Comic Book Day”
Bunny Mask, Donald Duck, Pokemon, Barbaric and more will see action on comics’ favorite holiday.
Following the announcement earlier this week of the 11 Gold Sponsor titles, Diamond Comics Distributors has announced the much longer list of Silver Sponsor titles, which brings the total number of free comics coming May 7 to 46.
The titles were chosen by a committee of comic shop retailers, and the new additions include titles from BOOM! Studios, ABLAZE, Titan Comics, AfterShock Comics, Fantagraphics, Vault, Mad Cave and more. They feature many well-known properties, from the Avengers and Donald Duck to The Walking Dead and Pokemon, as well as newer titles like Bunny Mask, Barbaric and Hollow, a new BOOM! Studios graphic novel that the company will preview on Free Comic Book Day.
Here’s a look at the 35 silver titles:
Continue reading “Free Comic Book Day 2022 will include more than 45 titles”


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McDonald’s has, after learning from experience, become more adaptable. “Although we have an American heritage, we are quite local in the execution of our strategies,” says Linda Buckley, CFO of McDonald’s Europe. (For a full interview with Buckley, see “On the Record.”) As she notes, “More than two-thirds of our restaurants are owned and operated by independent locals and our country management is primarily local.” None more so than France, where McDonald’s, after a sputtering start in the 1970s, found the right partner in the mid-1980s. Despite the obvious cultural challenges, France has become McDonald’s single most profitable country with nearly 1,100 outlets, and local adaptations such as sales of beer. Indeed, Buckley’s boss, Denis Hennequin, was promoted to head of Europe two years ago after a long stint running France.
Apart from rapid expansion and franchising, another obvious area for Europeans to emulate is supply chain innovation and the exploitation of scale, though this is a much greater challenge when a chain is focused on high-end products, with different consumer segments. Unlike many fast-food chains, Flo’s restaurants don’t distribute pre-made meals from a central warehouse. But, Malassagne says, the group jointly owns a company called Convergence Achats with Euro Disney, where Flo also operates concession outlets. The purchasing outfit is responsible for sourcing raw goods, negotiating prices and then submitting samples to a Flo technical director, who selects the product to be used in the restaurants. Products are monitored via a database that kitchens use to order directly from the supplier, enabling restaurants to make small orders of fresh food, but also to exploit group volume rebates.
Similarly, Groupe Holder centrally purchases and processes in bulk. All dough, for example, is manufactured in Lille and then distributed to the stores where it is baked behind the counter. There are contracts with 300 farmers who together harvest 14,000 tonnes of Camp Rèmy winter wheat each year, and seven mills in northern France that grind Paul’s wheat into flour before it’s made into dough and sent to bakeries everywhere from Miami to Tokyo.
Redefining the Doughnut
A less obvious recent area of innovation by US chains is in financial reengineering. Over the past two years, for example, chains including Dunkin Donuts (now Dunkin Brands, including the Baskin Robbins ice cream chain), IHOP (a pancake chain) and Domino’s Pizza have raised billions of dollars by securitising their franchise royalty receipts. Morgan Stanley analyst Mark Wiltamuth points out that issuers of such royalty-backed bonds have secured $6 to $8 in financing for every $1 of franchise royalty at interest rates around 5.25% to 5.6%, significantly improved return on equity and given more balance sheet flexibility.
In the case of Dunkin Brands, its business model was radically redefined. “It basically went through significant restructuring of its business operations to set up for securitisation, essentially putting all cash-flow-generating assets in bankruptcy remote special purpose entities,” according to Standard & Poor’s analyst Eric Hedman. “Dunkin has become, effectively, a brand management company.”


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Austin Reed buttons up 70 stores after failing to strike a deal with landlords
Suit chain Austin Reed is preparing to close dozens of stores after failing to strike a deal with its landlords to keep them open.
Almost 70 of its 232 shops will be affected by the move, with 31 expected to close in six months' time and another 35 facing slashed rent bills in order to keep them open.
The move, called a Company Voluntary Arrangement, sees a firm negotiate with its landlords to accept lower rent payments or face trying to find new tenants.
Shutting up shop: 70 Austin reed stores are to close after the firm failed to reach agreement with its landlords
The stores that are set to close – nine Austin Reed outlets and 22 Country Casual shops – will only pay 50 per cent rent for six months then shut.
Another 35 have seen their rent bills cut by 20 per cent for the next year. A variety of retailers have used CVAs in recent years to keep limping on rather than call in administrators straight away.
Austin Reed was de-listed from the stock exchange in 2006 by chief executive Nick Hollingsworth.
But it has struggled financially, partly due to its large store portfolio that includes outlets in the City of London and on Regent Street.
Its flagship Regent Street store will not be impacted.
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How are corporates dealing with the increasing backlash against plastic and the expectations that they play a larger role in cleanup? And how does this affect how these brands are perceived
When travelers traipsing about the Indian countryside, especially at higher altitudes, stop for a snack at a dhaba, Maggi noodles is always a top choice. It’s an association so strong that even Nestle’s popular instant noodle brand created a commercial with snowy mountains in the background, weary tourists bundled in sweaters served Maggi by friendly locals. It’s a mouthwatering sight. Until, of course, every strand of Maggi is consumed and the city-slickers return home.
Last year, India’s largest trekking community, Indiahikes conducted its first-ever Himalayan Waste Audit, as part of its long running efforts to clean up popular trekking destinations. For the past few years, the organization has been providing all members with an Eco Bag, which can be easily buckled around the waist, so trekkers can pick up litter along the way. The audit headed by avid trekker and environmentalist Ori Gutin was the latest of these efforts and the first that puts manufacturers at the center of the mess. It covered two of the most popular Himalayan treks, Roopkund and Hampta Pass, which are 765 kilometers apart, and in two different states. The results weren’t shocking if you consider our love for Maggi in the mountains.
13 companies, including Parle, Mondelez, Perfetti, Britannia, Mars, PepsiCo and Haldirams, among others, accounted for 77.5% of the total waste collected. But 20.2% of all waste collected from both locations was from Nestle, “meaning that nearly 1 out of every 5 pieces of identifiable trash in the Himalayas is from Nestle”, as per the report. At No 2 is Parle, contributing 10.8% of waste. The report concludes: “Companies have no control over how consumers use their products. It is not the fault of Nestle, Parle, Mondelez International (makers of Cadbury) or any other company that their products are ending up as litter in the most beautiful mountain range in the world, slowly killing wildlife and vegetation, damaging waterways, and polluting the atmosphere when burned. However, that does not mean they cannot do something about it.”
So what can they do? The final report lists some measures: Develop waste management systems in rural Himalayan villages. Facilitate programs to educate locals not to litter. Hire mule drivers to collect waste from shops out in the middle of the mountain treks. Hire people to remove the mass amounts of waste already strewn about the Himalayas. However, these companies, despite immense resources at their disposal, haven’t exactly stepped up to do any of the above, the report concludes.
When Brand Equity spoke to Lakshmi Selvakumaran, who heads the Green Trails Initiative at IndiaHikes, she told us one of the easier on-ground solutions is to encourage hungry trekkers and travellers to go for, say, egg bhurjee over Maggi. Eventually, one supposes, dhaba owners will have no reason to keep Maggi on the menu.
As people across the state of Maharashtra scrambled to secure and protect their cloth bags following the plastic bag ban, another notification by the state government could bring major FMCG companies under the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) model. In short, companies have to clean up after their consumers. This is what Nestle said in an email response to a query sent by BE: “Nestlé India shares the ambition that no plastic waste should end up discarded in the environment and believe that with the right approach it can be collected or recycled without a detrimental impact.” One of the approaches includes street plays. Nestle is collaborating with industry bodies and organisations like Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA), NEPRA and Saahas Waste Management to conduct education and awareness programmes, workshops and street plays for waste pickers, waste dealers, traders and aggregator communities.
The country’s biggest FMCG company HUL had this to say; “We completely support the government initiative of significantly improving the state of plastic waste management in the country… At HUL, we have reduced one-third of our plastic packaging since 2010. Further, we are committed to using packaging which will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.” ITC’s solid waste management initiatives today extend to 10 states across the country, covering cities, towns, villages and even temples. Areas around religious sites often bear the brunt of environmental abuse at the hands of humans and religious events/festivals are known to leave in their wake a severely damaged ecosystem.
For now though, optimizing packaging design and packaging weight reduction are the key areas of focus for manufacturers. Says a Mondelez India spokesperson, “design simplification has been undertaken over the years to make our packaging single layer foil from three layer packaging.” PepsiCo India is also reducing the quantity of plastic . According to a company spokesperson, it has resized packaging for snacks master brands Lay’s and Kurkure. Pepsi is working with partners to develop sustainable, environmentally friendly packaging solutions and will pilot its first-ever 100% compostable, plant-based packaging for Lay's and Kurkure in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Savvy marketers have long used environmental planks to bolster their brands’ green credentials. However, national and state level legislations are quickly putting plastic waste management and reduction out of their reach. Says Ravi Agrawal, director, Toxics Link, “Many companies bring out a sustainability report. It’s something they can do voluntarily. But if it becomes a regulatory requirement then it’s no longer about doing good. It goes out of the ambit of ‘oh, I’m doing so many good things so why should I do this?’ It has a much more serious implication because it’s not voluntary. You need to set up the systems, redesign, rethink etc. It hits at the very heart of the product you sell.”
People like Selvakumaran think it’s about time companies clean up after their consumers and she’s keen to see what effect this will have on-ground. A 2017 post by Gutin asked in the headline ‘Maggi or the Mountains, What Will You Choose?’ The answer is not a 2-minute one. However, in the meantime, might we suggest an Eco Bag for every employee this Diwali?


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Christie's is holding its Jewels of South Kensington auction in London, on January 19.
Among the highlights is a diamond pendant necklace.
Approximately 1.90 carats, it features a single marquise diamond stone within a frame of white diamonds.
The frame is suspended from a diamond suspension loop and trace link neckchain.
Of recent manufacture, the necklace will carry an estimate of $10,459-12,068 when it goes to auction, next Tuesday.
Christie's will undoubtedly be hoping that the sale continues the success its Jewellery department enjoyed throughout 2009.
Its most recent sale, in New York in December of last year, netted a total of $25m.
Bonhams, meanwhile, enjoyed its most successful-ever year for jewellery in 2009, ending the year with a £2.2m sale.
"The strong prices achieved demonstrate just how buoyant the market is for natural pearls and period jewels that are fresh to the market," said Jean Ghika, Director of UK and Europe at Bonhams Jewellery department.
"Seventy-one percent of our buyers were private customers and our most valuable lots were bought by private individuals."
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Food & Beverage
Restaurant confidence falls amidst COVID-19: report
26 Jan 21
86% of restaurants are not optimistic for the economy in Q1 2021.
Deliveroo reveals partnership with DON DON DONKI
7 Dec 20
Almost 300 of the megastore’s items are made available for Deliveroo customers.
Donum Estate debuts wine distribution in Hong Kong
3 Dec 20
A selection of wines will be available through their partner Vinopolis Hong Kong.
Restaurant receipts down by a record 35.3% in Q3
6 Nov 20
Total restaurant purchases also hit 33.4% decline.
Food delivery industry supported 48,000 jobs during pandemic
15 Oct 20
The industry earned $8b in revenue.
Restaurant receipts down 25.9% to $21.2b in Q2
5 Aug 20
The declines narrowed from Q1 as social distancing measures eased.
Deliveroo rolls out breakfast service
29 Jul 20
People may now order food beginning 7:45AM on weekdays.
Deliveroo rolls out catering services
29 Jun 20
This new feature facilitates cross-district delivery from over 50 catering partners.
Deliveroo pilots in-app feature allowing users to donate
22 Jun 20
The feature will allow customers to roundup their bills and make financial donations.
Deliveroo signs up over 1,500 new restaurants
1 Apr 20
The app also recently launched “PickUp” feature for users.
Coffee spending to rise 8.2% to $2.2b by 2024 in Indonesia
16 Mar 20
Rising middle class and the new levy on sweetened products will boost its demand.
Total restaurant receipts down 5.9% to $112.5b in 2019
7 Feb 20
Q4 marked the largest fall since the outbreak of SARS in Q2 2003.
37% of restaurants saw revenue growth in Q4 2019
29 Jan 20
However, only two in 10 businesses have reported profit growth.
Investcorp ties up with Chinese firms for US$500m food investment fund
7 Nov 19
Japanese soy sauce is a likely target of the fund.
Restaurant receipts down 11.7% to $26.4b in Q3
6 Nov 19
This is the worst year-on-year decline recorded since the SARS outbreak in 2003.
F&B sector's jobless rate hit six-year high in Q3
21 Oct 19
Unemployment levels in consumption and tourism-related segments were at the highest in two years.
Delivering the Virtual Restaurant of Tomorrow
14 Oct 19
No waiters, no diners: the food delivery boom is opening new doors for restaurants.
Inflation hits 3.5% in August
23 Sep 19
Food prices soared 14.2% in August.
Hong Kong inflation remains unchanged at 3.3% in July
21 Aug 19
Hungry Hongkongers won’t be happy with the inflation rate of 12.8% for food prices.
Restaurant receipts down 0.4% to $28.7m in Q2
6 Aug 19
Receipts of bars, Chinese restaurants and non-Chinese restaurants fell during the quarter.
Restaurant receipts rose 3% to $31.5b in Q1
8 May 19
Non-Chinese restaurants saw $9.58m in receipts.
Food spending to hit $291.6b by 2023
17 Apr 19
Its annual growth rate would moderate from 6% to 5.5% by 2023.
Deliveroo Hong Kong launches ‘Plus' subscription plan
11 Apr 19
Subscribers can have unlimited free delivery for HK$98 a month.
Hong Kong restaurant receipts hit $30.4b in Q4
11 Feb 19
Non-Chinese restaurants saw strong year-end figures.
Tourism to boost Japan's confectionery market to $26.7b
9 Jan 19
South Korean conglomerate Lotte plans to invest $1.2b in Japan to expand its confectionery products.
Restaurants continue to thrive as receipts hit $29.9b in Q3
6 Nov 18
Bars outperformed other food segments after receipts grew 10.1% in value.
Hong Kong seals wine deal with Bordeaux
29 Oct 18
It aims to cement the city’s role as the region’s leading wine centre.
FrieslandCampina: Championing childhood nutrition through innovation and unmatched expertise
2 Oct 18
With its dedication to quality and well-balanced nutrition, FriesdlandCampina’s range of beloved dairy products has been the trusted by...
Restaurant activity picks up as total receipts hit $28.8b in Q2
6 Aug 18
The total value of bar sales outpaced that of Chinese restaurants.
Short term restaurant activity rises as total receipts hit $30.5b in Q1
8 May 18
Thanks to strong performance from Chinese and fast food shops.
F&B sector battered by exits in 2017
1 May 18
A flurry of restaurants caved under mounting competition from international brands.
F&B sector hit by highest vacancy rates in December
26 Mar 18
The industry had roughly 12,120 vacancies.
Short-term restaurant activity picks up as total receipts value hit $112.7b in 2017
6 Feb 18
Thanks to receipts growth in non-Chinese restaurants and fast food shops.
FamilyMart mulls sale of Hong Kong business
11 Dec 17
According to insider sources, it seeks to fetch US$100m from the disposal.
Restaurant receipts and purchases up 5.1% in Q3
27 Nov 17
Positive consumer sentiment buoyed sales.
Hong Kong inks wine deal with Slovenia
5 Apr 17
It will boost cooperation in wine trading and investment promotion.
Total receipts of the restaurants sector up 4.1% to $27.8b in 4Q16
6 Feb 17
The value of total receipts increased 2.9% to $107.4b in 2016.
McDonald's sells control of Hong Kong business
11 Jan 17
Citic and Carlyle Group will take 80% holding in the deal.
Hong Kong is tagged the most enticing place for new retail entrants
15 Aug 16
This is despite retail sector headwinds.
Could this be the best sandwich place in Hong Kong?
19 Jul 16
Customers are allowed to create their own sandwich.
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Hong Kong's ‘zero case' stance may delay opening borders past 2022
More business closures, layoffs imminent after Lunar New Year: Chan
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Hong Kong IPO activities to remain active in 2021: EY
Vitasoy International jumps ranks in global 100 most sustainable companies
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‘iPhone 13’ Apple Event date and dispatch timetable uncovered by leaker
The “iPhone 13” will be announced on September 14 with a worldwide dispatch on September 24, as per productive leaker Jon Prosser.
The annual September iPhone occasion has arrived, and hypothesis encompassing the declaration, pre-orders, and dispatch of “iPhone 13” are going crazy. After a report recommended September 17 as a dispatch date, productive leaker Jon Prosser offered some clarification.
In an article from Front Page Tech, Prosser explained the September 17 date and added more subtleties provided from his sources. He says the dates from the online business site were right and lined up with expected dates.
As per Prosser’s sources, press welcomes for the September occasion go out on September 7 for an occasion hung on September 14. The September 17 date is intended for pre-orders, not the dispatch, with September 24 being the genuine dispatch date.
Prosser additionally confirmed that all “iPhone 13” models would be accessible for pre-request simultaneously. Already, the iPhone 12 smaller than normal and iPhone 12 Pro Max were not accessible for an entire month subsequent to being announced.


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The European Union, just like New Zealand, is heading for a gradual phasing out of farrowing crates. Therefore the question arises: what will the farrowing pen of the future have to look like? A
Under the motto "SAVING THE GOOD", BILLA is expanding the offer of the popular fruit and vegetable boxes which are already offered at eight Styrian BILLA stores, the Rewe Group reports. This mea
Xi'an's residents are voicing their anger over the government's strict lockdown.
Xi’an residents who logged into their Hema fresh food delivery apps on the morning of Saturday, January
Mongabay Series: Indonesian Fisheries, Oceans
BOMBANA, Indonesia — Syukur Dullah grew up surrounded by a fringe of intact reefs off Lora, before the bombings decimated corals near the vi
UTICA — The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority annually recognizes one certified RecycleOne Business that has taken initiative to reduce its solid waste stream through reduction, recycl
THE Guardia Civil recently arrested two males accused of stealing 500 plastic vegetable crates in Pechina.
The owner of greenhouses in Rambla Rubira reported the theft last November and in
Jennifer saved hundreds of pounds by making the table herself
Sign up for our what's on newsletter for the perfect guide to making the most of your free time
We all know the feeling
Sam Raimi spearheaded two of the most iconic movie series ever, Evil Dead and Spider-Man, but his film career is nowhere near as black and white as that. The director is the king of modest s


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The steadily expanding global economy should remain resilient — at least for a couple of years — the World Bank says.
The anti-poverty agency predicted Tuesday that global growth will decelerate from a solid 3.1 percent this year to 3 percent next year and 2.9 percent in 2020.
The world economy is generally healthy but must contend with rising interest rates in wealthier countries and weaker demand for commodities in developing nations. It also faces risks from trade disputes, financial volatility and geopolitical tensions.
The World Bank predicts that U.S. growth will register 2.7 percent in 2018, aided by tax cuts, before slowing to 2.5 percent next year and 2 percent in 2020. Likewise, the 19-country eurozone will go from 2.1 percent this year to 1.7 percent next and 1.5 percent in 2020, the World Bank says.
China's growth is projected at 6.5 percent this year, 6.3 percent in 2019 and 6.2 percent in 2020. The world's second-biggest economy, after the United States, is trying to manage a difficult transition from breakneck growth based on often-wasteful investment to slower, steadier growth built on spending by Chinese consumers.
The World Bank envisions a slump in global commodities prices. It foresees oil prices surging 32.6 percent this year, then dropping 1.4 percent in 2019. Excluding energy, commodity prices will grow 5.1 percent this year but just 0.2 percent in 2019, it predicts.


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To cost VND4.6 billion ($198,200), the seven-seater looks similar to VinFAst’s first SUV, the Lux SA2.0, but with more advanced technologies and frills like massage and heated seats.
Its 420HP V8 engine could go from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.8 seconds and offers a top speed of nearly 300 kph.
VinFast will produce only 500 units and sell them exclusively in Vietnam. The first 100 customers will get a 17 percent discount on the price.
In its segment, the VinFast President costs 45 percent lower than the Lexus LX 570 and 33 percent lower than the BMW X7.
Industry insiders admitted it lacks some premium features often seen in luxury cars such as captain’s chairs, TV screens and a high-end sound system.
The V8 engine of VinFast President. Photo courtesy of VinFast.
The vehicle signifies the ambition of VinFast, a unit of Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, Vingroup, to enter all segments of the auto market after bringing out its first vehicle in July last year.
Its other offerings are the VinFast Hadil hatchback, Lux A2.0 sedan and Lux SA2.0 SUV.
The company sold 5,124 cars in the first quarter of this year to rank fifth in sales behind Hyundai, Toyota, Kia, and Honda.
- VinFast enters luxury segment with new SUV
- Vietnamese automaker VinFast enters luxury segment
- Vietnam automaker VinFast unveils US$198,000 SUV
- Carmaker VinFast posts $284 mln loss
- VinFast starts receiving orders for electric cars
- VinFast buys GM Holden testing center in Australia
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AT&T is rebranding its ailing DirecTV Now as AT&T TV Now, according to a subscriber mailing.
“Be on the lookout for changes to DirecTV Now... Coming soon: the same great channel lineups with a new name. Find out what to expect when DirecTV Now is reintroduced as the AT&T TV Now experience,” according to its site.
DirecTV Now, a digital pay TV service of live, linear TV networks, has seen big declines in subscribers in recent periods. It took a recent net loss of 168,000 in the second-quarter 2019, following an 83,000 net loss in the first-quarter 2019; and a 267,000 net loss in the fourth-quarter 2018.
DirecTV Now has a total of 1.3 million subscribers, down from 1.8 million in the second-quarter 2018. It has lagged behind similar services recently.
Dish Network’s Sling TV has 2.5 million subscribers as of the second quarter, slightly higher versus the 2.3 million in the second-quarter 2018. Industry estimates of other live, linear TV digital services find Hulu + Live TV at 1.9 million and YouTube TV at 1.1 million. Both have seen growth year over year.
DirecTV Now launched in November 2016, an outgrowth of DirecTV, the satellite TV programming service.
DirecTV (satellite) and U-verse (AT&T’s telco TV service) had a net loss of 778,000 subscribers in the second-quarter 2019 versus the first quarter of this year -- now totaling 21.6 million.
A year ago, DirecTV and U-verse had a total of 23.6 million.


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The construction work for the resort in DebreZeit hinges on securing a CBE loan.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Kuriftu Resort & Spa has requested a 400 million Br loan from the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) that it will use for the expansion of resort in DebreZeit.
The centre will be built on a 74,000sqm plot of land it leased a month ago, adjacent to the existing Kuriftu Resort & Spa, says Tadios Belete, who co-owns Kuriftu with his wife. This centre will be a village of 100 two-story houses, with the ground floor serving as a workshop for traditional artefacts and the top floor a guesthouse, he said.The centre has been designed byBekure Studio, who has in the past designed the Bahir Dar and DebreZeit resort & spa centres.
The construction could begin in two months’ time if the loan is approved, Tadios said.
The centre will allow visitors access to workshops where they can see how 100 different traditional items are created, which they can also buy. Kuriftu’s revenue will come from artisans who can rent the workshops or froma share of items sold, both locally and through export, continued Tadios.
The centre will also have a conference room with three breakout rooms, bars, spa, a swimming pool, a traditional food corner and a restaurant.
Source: Addis Fortune


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Gold’s Gym at Knoxville Center Mall will close its doors on May 16, according to a gym manager. The manager said the decision to close was not made at the local level.
There are three other Gold’s Gym locations in Knoxville – two on Kingston Pike, one on Chapman Highway, as well as one in Oak Ridge and another in Alcoa.
The gym chain, which was founded in Venice Beach, California, in 1965, has more than 700 locations across the United States.
Knoxville Partners LLC, the owner of Knoxville Center Mall, has not yet responded to a request to find out what their plans are for the location.
Several storefronts are closed at Knoxville Center Mall. Some have a poster up with a phone number for leasing information. There are some larger tenants still at the shopping center, like Sears and Belk. Visitors said it is not the bustling hang out spot it used to be.
“Most of the mall is consolidated to the center with a few stores remaining around the food court,” said Ron O’Connor.
Sci-Fi City left Knoxville Center Mall and opened a new location in Fountain City. The manager of the store said they are getting more traffic at the new spot.
“There were a bunch of promises and there was nothing that came from that, so you know, did they just forget?” said manager Walter Ricketts.


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Apple TV+ has had some huge projects in the works for quite some time, pulling together some of the biggest talent in showbiz and shelling out some very big bucks for a loaded lineup. The talent behind some of its shows guaranteed that it would stand out from the competition, and that's saying something considering how much streaming competition there will be in the not-too-distant future. Now, however, there's one show that will be missing from the Apple TV+ lineup, and it's because of behind-the-scenes disagreements. So, no Richard Gere!
Yes, the show that would have starred Richard Gere has fallen apart before Apple TV+ could even launch. Here's what happened.
The project was called Bastards and was slated to run for eight episodes, featuring Richard Gere as one half of a pair of Vietnam veterans and best friends. Their lives are thrown off course when a woman they both loved half a century ago dies. Due to a combination of lifetimes of regrets, secrets, and a resentment of millennials, they go on a shooting spree. THR reports that Apple TV+ won the bidding war for Bastards with "a rich offer," with Howard Gordon of Homeland and Warren Leight of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on board as co-writers and co-showrunners.
Howard Gordon and Warren Leight reportedly worked together on two scripts for Bastards, and received notes from Apple concerning the vigilante justice and tone of the scripts. Gordon allegedly wanted to focus on darker elements of the story, and production studio Fox 21 was on his side, with Apple wanting more of a focus on the friendship between the two veterans. Leight left the series, while Apple reportedly was looking to pursue a tone of heart, emotion, and friendship.
With Warren Leight gone and Fox 21 siding with Howard Gordon, Apple chose to pay a significant penalty and pass on the project. It's possible that Bastards could find a new home elsewhere, especially considering how many streaming services there are either on the market or going on the market in the not-too-distant future, but there are no guarantees at this point. The failure to come to an agreement on Bastards marks the first time an ordered project was axed by Apple. Bastards had received a straight-to-series order.
Bastards hadn't received a ton of publicity from Apple TV+, so the loss of the show from the lineup may not be all that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Then again, Apple TV+ itself hasn't done a whole lot to promote its launch and its slate of shows. Admittedly, the service doesn't actually have a launch date yet, although it is expected to go live in the fall. Contrasted with the other major streaming service launching in the coming months, Apple TV+ has done very little.
Then again, even streaming giant Netflix doesn't do events on par with what Disney put on to hype Disney+ at the recent 2019 D23 Expo. Considering how much Apple is spending to launch Apple TV+, I'm guessing we can count on a big push once the launch date is announced and approaches.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest news in the streaming TV game. While there's still no confirmation of when Apple TV+ will launch, there are plenty of shows that have received their premiere dates that you can find on our 2019 fall guide.
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Laura turned a lifelong love of television into a valid reason to write and think about TV on a daily basis. She's not a doctor, lawyer, or detective, but watches a lot of them in primetime. Resident of One Chicago, the galaxy far, far away, and Northeast Ohio. Will not time travel, but will sneak references to The X-Files into daily conversation.
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Wal Mart is in negotiations to purchase a majority share in D&S, Chile's largest grocery store chain. D&S is a highly profitable retailer. According to the Wall Street Journal, the retailer "posted a $106 million profit in its last fiscal year, a 23.7% increase from the year before." In addition to having 140 stores, D&S assets also include a credit card business.
Wal Mart has also reportedly successfully purchased established retailers in China, Brazil, and Japan.


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Tarry Shebesta receives industry award
Tarry Shebesta Receives Clemens-Pender Award, The National Vehicle Leasing Association’s Highest Honor
Shebesta is recognized for having the industry’s highest standards of professional conduct, dedication, hard work, and ethics.
CINCINNATI, October 19, 2022. Tarry Shebesta, was presented with the 2022 National Vehicle Leasing Association’s (NVLA) Clemens-Pender Lessor of the Year Award during NVLA’s annual conference in Tucson, Arizona.
The Clemens-Pender Lessor of the Year, given annually, was started in 1977 and is the highest honor to be awarded by NVLA. The award was established to memorialize two pioneers of the vehicle leasing industry that formed the early roots of NVLA. Frank Pender and Jack Clemens were dedicated, hard-working vehicle lessors who exemplified the highest standards of the industry.
The award is given to the NVLA member lessor who best exemplifies the highest standards of professional conduct, dedication to the association and industry, hard work, and ethics.
Mr. Shebesta joined NVLA in 2000 and by 2002 was nominated to the board. Five years later he took the reins as President for NVLA’s 40th anniversary year, the first time an Ohio member has become president.
Tarry is NVLA’s longest active serving board member at 20 years. He’s held multiple board positions, chaired many committees, written industry articles, taught seminars, and helped navigate the organization through the industry crash of 2008.
“I’m honored to receive this prestigious NVLA award and humbled to be in the same company as past honorees.”, says Tarry Shebesta, CEO of ACS Financial & FinTech. “My passion for bringing innovative solutions to the leasing industry has only been possible with the collaborative efforts of colleagues and fellow board members.“
Shebesta is a 30+ year veteran, pioneer, and subject matter expert in the auto, powersports, RV, and marine industries with many technological firsts in online digital marketing, personalized shopping, and digital retailing.
In 2023 Tarry is in line again to take the helm as NVLA president.
About Tarry Shebesta
Tarry Shebesta is the CEO of Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS) a financial and FinTech company with deep roots in online marketing, personalized shopping, and digital retailing within the automotive, powersports, and RV industries. His 30+ year accomplishments include many industry FIRSTS: first in 1989 at selling cars online through dial-up BBSs and CompuServe; first in 2000 at leasing cars online through LeaseCompare.com; first in 2008 at powering the eBay Motors automotive finance portal; first in 2010 at launching DriveItNow®, the Shop-by-Payment and digital retailing solution on automotive dealer websites; first in 2018 at helping lenders and credit unions serve their customers with a better car shopping experience. He was also the key initiator of the strategic sale of truPayments LLC (DriveItNow®) to PureCars Technologies LLC in 2021. More info: Tarry's Profile
About Automobile Consumer Services, Inc. (ACS)
ACS is a digital marketing, sales, and financial technology company with deep roots in eCommerce and the automotive, powersports, and RV Industries. More info at: ACScorp.com
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With RaiSat already on board, Spanish prodco Imira Entertainment has also secured Neo Network as a co-pro and distribution partner for new series SOS Cupids.
The 52 x 2.5-minute 2-D digital HD animated series is an original from Neo. Filled with slapstick humor and romance, the series follows the adventures of the Super Heroines of Love and targets girls six to 12. This coming Valentine’s Day, just over a week a way, will see the launch of Cupids’ virtual world and casual game portal. Publishing product is already slated for a fall retail rollout.
The series is set to debut on RaiSat Smash Girls, the first and only Italian channel dedicated to girls between eight and 12 years old. The co-pro marks Imira’s first in the territory.


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The South African Breweries’ youth entrepreneurship programme, SAB KickStart has selected its top candidates in Kwazulu-Natal as part of the Class of 2013 national finalists. Read more to find out what is in store for them.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP NEWS: View of economic outlook contrasts with growing optimism amongst SA businesses
Global business confidence is returning, encouraging a fresh attitude to risk-taking according to research published today by Sage. Through its annual Business Index, Sage surveyed over 11,000 small and medium sized businesses in 17 countries across the world and found that businesses are now more confident than they have been for three years.
Aviation is an industry with razor thin margins, the rules are mad, the competition is cut throat and the government involvement is so bad it’s like your mother is still living in your bedroom. Read more on this article by James-Brent Styan to see what he thinks of the very bizarre global aviation industry.
The recently announced changes in the chinese trademark law is of grave importance to South African companies, according to Ilse du Plessis, Director in Intellectual Property at ENSafrica. She continues to explain the ‘first to file’ system that applies to China and a number of other countries, where the trademark hijackings have been taking place.


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US tech leaders will face scrutiny, while changes to the regulatory environment should be expected. Aneil Rakity, managing director of independent analyst and consultant firm Ovum, assesses the post US election environment.
Clothing and homeware retailer Matalan has signed up to the DPD Pickup parcel shop network, making its 222 stores into delivery collection points.
University of Bath's professor of consumer research, Avi Shankar and lecturer in marketing, Tim Hill, examine the phenomenon that is the John Lewis Christmas advert.
River Island and Decathlon are in the process of large-scale RFID deployments, with both companies rolling out the technology as they look to improve inventory management.
Essential Retail chats to Bloom & Wild's CEO, Aron Gelbard, to discuss mobile and future strategies for the start-up florist e-tailer.
In the build-up to RBTE 2017, we will be shining the spotlight on some of its exhibitors and the personalities behind them. Today, we hear from Rob Gentles, iVend Retail's sales director for Europe and a fan of the classic comedy series, Only Fools and Horses.
Essential Retail looks at how digital technologies have changed the way designers walk their clothes down the catwalk.
Essential Retail sits down to discuss seasonal trends impacting retail in the run up to peak trading.
British Land has teamed up with Harmony Studios to launch a Christmas-themed, mobile app-based augmented reality game across 21 of its local and regional shopping centres.
Many business are not measuring their cost to serve. Jacky Broomhead, market development manager for apparel at GS1 UK, says its crucial to do so if omnichannel retail is to be profitable.
Argos has opened a new concept store at Centre:mk shopping centre, allowing shoppers to order goods from local stores for collection within an hour.
Luxury cosmetics brand Molton Brown invests in cloud-based point of sale systems for its global stores.


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For several years, Prof Violet Mugalavai, a food scientist, struggled to find the nutrition-rich flour in the shelves in the market.
Disappointed, in 2014 she set herself on tough path to come up with her own food-to-food fortified flour that took her three years of research to get the right ingredients.
Prof Mugalavai, a food and nutrition scientist at University of Eldoret found the right formula by coming up with the nutrition-rich flour, a project also aimed at lowering malnutrition.
“The problem is that most of the flour in the market is fortified with the chemicals which unlike this one which make from natural ingredients such as fruits and vegetables. This means that they are healthier compared to most of those in the market,” explains the researcher.
The partially cooked flour is ich in nutrients such as orange flesh sweet potatoes and amaranth seeds.
The flour is made at the university’s food processing laboratory. It has also approved by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), having met the set standards as fit for the human consumption.
The food expert notes that from the partially cooked flour, one can make instant porridge or ugali which takes less than 30 seconds or a minute respectively.
“First we mill the maize or sorghum grains then we mix with various dried and milled fortificants such as vegetables and fruits. Then we use an electric food dehydrator to partially cook them,” says Prof Mugalavai.
The electric food dehydrator at the university’s food processing lab is one of the reliable ways of drying compared to freezing since it is done once.
“The electric dryer has a coil as the heat source and thermostat that controls the temperatures at 50oC. There is also a fan to give the cooling effect inside the dryer,” she observed, noting that one can plant vegetables and dry them and then use them for the next three months.
This is one of the innovations showcased during the recent eight edition of the University of Eldoret agri-business trade fair.
“One uses a table spoon of flour that makes one mug and then add hot water (1000C) before stirring for 30 seconds till it thick enough. The porridge is then ready to be served,” says Prof Mugalavai.
A 500-gramme of the packet is retailing for Sh200 and in a single day, they make over 50 kilogramme of flour due to the small size of the processing plant. That means that they produce 100 packets that would retail for a total of Sh20,000. She hopes to partner with big players to expand their market.
“We are looking at working with established millers in the market to work together so that we upscale the products,” says Prof Mugalavai.
She says the demand for the flour has gone up. Some of their clients include, hospitals and hotels in Eldoret town.
The researcher notes that some of their target clients include the disciplined forces and semi-arid and arid counties.
Prof Mugalavai added that this was part a project to lower the post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector that accounts for 20 to 40 per cent. Other types of flour such as sorghum, gram, green banana and cow pea but are undergoing testing before approval by Kebs.
Kenya is one of the countries reeling with many cases of malnutrition. For instance, data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2018 indicated that at least 29.9 per cent of children aged below five across the country have moderately stunted growth with another 13 per cent underweight because they do not get sufficient nutrients for optimal physical and mental development.
According to the report, most of the cases are due to lack of food largely blamed on poverty, a phenomenon that could deprive the country of its intellectual capital in the future if not addressed through the right nutrition.
Prof Mugalavai believes that she has killed two birds with one stone by assisting in lowering the malnutrition cases besides as an enterprise.


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StoutFiles - 11:09 am on Mar 26, 2010 (gmt 0)
I not against charging, but at those prices it's going to be a tough sell when the majority of news is still free. They should take a page out of ESPN's book with their Insider content.
"2 Year Membership - $2.50 a month (Best Value)
Includes a 2 YEAR subscription to ESPN The Magazine."
I currently don't pay for any news online as the majority of it is still free, but that offer is enticing. I think Murdock would have better luck packaging newspapers/magazines with online subscriptions.


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Svitzer, unions and Australian government in a three-way tug of war
Hold the line boys!
After a recent exchange with New York-based market sources, I ended up taking a close look at the prospects of a few distressed logistics assets in the 4PL arena – takeover targets a la Ceva Logistics (pre-IPO), but smaller than Ceva – where many agree deal-making could be on the up in the next 18 months.
Among all, Neovia Logistics stood out – in fact, it has been looking for strategic options for some time, given that its PE owners want out.
Trouble, down ...


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Solar earnings season begins next week, and Chinese solar companies have a lot to gain and lose. Worldwide installations are expected to grow to over 50 GW, and the U.S. alone is forecast to 6.6 GW, according to Greentech Media.
But tariffs were recently put on Chinese solar imports, and companies who once sold into the growing U.S. market could be left out in the cold. Three of the biggest manufacturers in the world could be in for a rough quarter because of those tariffs. Trina Solar (NYSE:TSL) sold 32% of its panels into the U.S. in the first quarter, Yingli Green Energy (NYSE:YGE) sold 24% of its product, and Canadian Solar (NASDAQ:CSIQ) had 41% of its revenue come from the Americas and has 151 MW in project backlog in the region.
In the video below, solar specialist Travis Hoium covers why it could be a rough quarter for these solar manufacturers.
Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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The coronavirus pandemic continues, affecting the sports, comics, and technology worlds.
A review of ESPN+, Disney’s streaming service for casual fans of sports ranging from college sports and NHL hockey to out-of-market MLS soccer games.
I take a look at the ten most popular podcast producers in the United States, including the two most popular ones, NPR and iHeartRadio.
I take my annual look at recommended video streaming services, for both general viewers and for those looking for sports, kids TV, and animation.
ESPN is the latest major media outlet that plans to shut down their site’s comments section; users are told they can use social media instead.
There’s been lots of new streaming news lately, with ESPN, Viacom, and Disney making plans to launch streaming services.
Disney plans to launch a Disney streaming service, which means it’ll be leaving Netflix in 2019. Meanwhile, ESPN’s launching a streaming service, too.


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How Signify will Drive Growth in Solar Lighting Segment
Signify India is expecting good opportunity in the solar lights segment moving forward, not only in the rural market, however, also in the urban market as per latest reports. Signify India, which has reported a turnover of Rs 3,500 crore in the previous financial year, expects to continue its growth momentum in the lighting market [Read More]09-05-2019 07:05 AM
Tesla’s New Sunroof with Integrated LED Lighting Will Mesmerise People Soon
The change in LED technology is revolutionising and increasing smart applications for automobile makers, especially for the rising market of new energy car. LED has made smart applications getting easily integrated into the existing technology. Recently, Tesla the popular electric car has applied a patent for its newly designed sunroof which integrated LED lighting and [Read More]03-04-2019 12:04 PM
4 Reasons Why Canadian Cannabis Cultivator Liht Opted for Agnetix’s LED Lighting!
LED has brought a revolution in horticulture lighting, with numerous beneficial features LED grow lights are being incorporated by many cultivators. Liht Cannabis, a Canada-based cannabis grower, has opted LED lighting system from Agnetix, a horticulture grow light specialist, for the growing facilities in British Columbia, Canada. Agnetix produces advanced LED solutions for horticulture applications [Read More]03-04-2019 12:04 PM
How New Lighting Fixtures from Loxone will Transform Room Lighting!
Loxone is increasing its range in the smart LED lighting solutions with the addition of new LED Spots, Ceiling Lights and Pendulum Slims available to the U.S. market. The newly launched lighting trio works together alongside other smart home products to transform any room with versatile lighting moods, tunable white lighting effect, true automation, and [Read More]29-07-2018 07:07 AM
How LED Lighting Will Transform London’s River Thames to Become the World’s Largest Artwork
Bridges are being illuminated by LED lighting to highlight their structure as well as enhance their beauty. The implementation of LED has certain advantages such as low energy consumption & being cost effective. The project, named “Illuminated River,” was started with an international competition in 2016 and the winning project was designed by an American [Read More]1 2 3 … 9 Next »


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Jersey Proud: Princeton professor creates camera as small as grain of salt
A Princeton professor developed a camera that is the size of a grain of salt.
Computer Science Professor Felix Heide worked with a professor at the University of Washington to create the small device.
The camera doesn’t necessarily take pictures, but it uses over one million light-sensing antenna and then a computer to recreate the image.
The nanotechnology has medical and robotic applications.


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IT Ministry will meet with mobile phone manufacturers to receive Budget input for GST Rates
This week, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is expected to meet with mobile phone and related component manufacturers to explore possible methods to reduce levies such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The meeting will take place before the GST Group of Ministers (GoM) meeting on November 27, according to sources.
In previous discussions, phone and related component companies warned the Ministry that the 18 percent GST on mobile phones had “led to very expensive prices,” and that it should be reduced to 12 percent.
“We are aware that there are certain concerns. We’ve had a few meetings before and know what we need to do. A senior ministry official stated, “We’ll have a couple more meetings to work out how to best rationalize these fees.” According to reports, the Ministry is likely to urge industrial associations to prepare a report on their budget needs during its discussions with them.
Mobile phone and affiliated component companies have advised the IT Ministry in meetings over the last few weeks that the 18 percent GST on mobile phones has “led to very high expenses” and that it should be reduced to 12%. They’ve also requested that the GST rate on associated components be cut to 5%.


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All-new E Class: Estate joins the updated range
Mercedes has released images of the latest E Class Saloon, which will join the new Saloon later this year. Like the Saloon, it gets a fresh new look and tech that’s trickled down from the ultra luxurious S Class.
The E Class range will be available with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid drivetrains. Here’s everything you need to know.
Mercedes E Class fast facts
- Borrows styling cues from the S Class
- Stunning new infotainment system
- List prices from around £52,000
- Petrol, diesel and plug-ins offered
- Optional air suspension system
Mercedes E Class styling
Externally, it’s clear that this E Class is a completely new design. It borrows its lines from the S Class, while also including neat features we’ve seen on Mercedes’ electric cars like the EQE.
There’s a large grille up front, that gets an ornate chrome surround. The side profile remains very similar to the outgoing model, although the rear end is swoopier than before and there’s numerous new alloy wheel designs.
Round the back, you get a handsome set of tail lights that feature a new lighting signature designed to look like Mercedes’ iconic badge. The car is notably larger than the outgoing model too, being both longer and wider.
Mercedes E Class interior and tech
The cabin has been throughly revised too, with further trickledown tech from Mercedes’ most expensive models now offered on its E Class. The huge central touchscreen looks fabulous, as does the vivid driver display.
The interior materials used are as sumptuous as you’d expect, with the steering wheel and trim pieces taken from the S Class. Recycled materials have been used as much as possible, too, although leather upholstery is still on offer.
Adaptive cruise control is standard, while other tech includes lane keep assist. There’s also an impressive rear-wheel steering option available, which helps you when parking or manoeuvring at low speeds.
There’s also the option to specify Mercedes’ Superscreen, which adds a further display in front of the passenger seat. It can be used to operate an independent part of the infotainment system, allowing passengers to watch films, TV and even play games.
Mercedes E Class drivetrains
From launch, you’ll be able to pick from a host of petrol, diesel and plug-in models.
Entry-level petrol and diesel models feature a four-cylinder motor, with both producing around 200hp and getting from 0-62mph in under eight seconds.
There’s also three plug-in hybrids top choose from, with the entry-level version offering up to 62 miles of electric-only range courtesy of a 25kWh battery pack.
The E300e and E400e models produce more power, offering 310hp and 380hp, although electric-only range remains around the same as the entry-level option. There are likely to be a number of hot AMG models released in due course too.
Mercedes E Class Estate
Following the Saloon, the Estate has now been revealed and it’ll likely hit the UK in the autumn. It’ll share the same basic tech and underpinnings as the four-door, but adds a practical estate body that can take on cars like the Audi A6 Avant.
In fact, in the space stakes it outdoes its rivals – with 615 litres of capacity, it’s one of the most capacious cars in its class. That’s because it’s around 30mm longer than the outgoing model. That said, opting for a plug-in hybrid version will drop boot space to under 500 litres.
Mercedes E Class leasing plans
The E Class is likely to hit the market later this year, although list prices and exact specifications are to be confirmed for the UK. We’ll bring you further details and leasing rates as soon as they’re available.
In the meantime, you can check out and compare lease deals on the current Mercedes range by hitting the button below.


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Kim Kardashian Wears Balenciaga Wedding Dress To Donda Release — Is She Back With Kanye West?
Kim Kardashian wore a white Balenciaga wedding dress at a Chicago listening party for Kanye West’s “Donda” album and people are asking questions. Not only are they gushing over the amazing gown that is part of Balenciaga’s Fall 2021 Haute Couture collection, but they want to know if Kim and Kanye are sending messages that they’re getting back together.
Fans were stunned when Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye after six years of marriage and four children together, but it seems things may be taking a brighter look for the couple.
If there’s anything that can be said about the Kardashians and Jenners, it’s that they certainly don’t give up on relationships easily! Kourtney Kardashian gave baby daddy Scott Disick numerous chances and Khloe repeatedly got her heart broken by cheating baby daddy Tristan Thompson.
Kylie Jenner called it quits with Travis Scott and now the couple are expecting their second baby!
What do you think about Kim’s wedding gown? Do you think it is a message that she and Kanye are getting back together?
Check out Kim in the gorgeous Balenciaga wedding dress below.
Should Kim Kardashian and Kanye West call off the divorce and save their marriage?


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M&M Q2 net jumps 25% to Rs1,331 cr; announces 1:1 bonus
11 November 2017
Utility vehicle and farm equipment maker Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd (M&M) has reported a 25-per cent jump in its stand-alone net profit for fiscal second quarter to Rs1,331.57 crore, on the back of rising tractor sales.
The board of directors of the company at its meeting on Friday recommended issue of bonus shares in the ratio of 1:1, ie, one bonus share of Rs5 each for every fully paid-up share of Rs5 held.
Mahindra and Mahindra's net profit for the quarter ended 30 September 2017 stood at Rs1,331.57 crore against Rs1,067.03 crore in the year-ago quarter.
Gaining from a richer product mix and festive demand, net sales of the company, which makes the Scorpio and XUV5OO SUVs, increased 6.4 per cent to Rs12,182.07 crore from Rs11,446.14 crore in the year-ago quarter..
Revenue from the automotive sector was flat, while that from the farm equipment segment rose 21.4 per cent. The automotive segment makes up about 65 per cent of the company's revenue and farm equipment contributes to 32 per cent.
M&M's tractor sales, including exports, rose 25 per cent year-on-year in the July-September 2017 quarter while domestic tractor sales grew 33.1 per cent as a near-normal monsoon spurred demand.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin, a measure of operating profitability, at the consolidated level rose 190 basis points to 16 per cent.
The margins were ''aided by a richer product mix, among other factors'', group chief financial officer V.S. Parthasarathy told a press conference.
Revenue for the quarter stood at Rs12,182.07 crore against Rs11,446.14 crore in the year-ago quarter, the company stated. The revenue figures, however, are not comparable to previous quarters owing to the accounting treatment of excise duty under the goods and service tax regime, which was implemented from 1 July, it added.
"It was a very good quarter from operational and financial performance point of view. A normal monsoon and an exceptionally good festive demand for tractors helped the numbers. There was also a reasonably good demand for automotive business," Mahindra & Mahindra managing director Pawan Goenka said.
He said during the quarter, the company clocked the highest operating margins for both tractor and automotive businesses.
During the quarter, the company sold 1,29,754 units of which tractor volumes stood at 76,984 units including exports of 11,755 units.
In the festival month of September, the company sold the highest number of Scorpios since the launch of its flagship SUV and has also strengthened the UV portfolio with variants of TUV300 in September and a KUV100 in October.
Truck sales stood at 2,079 units, a growth of 86 per cent over the previous year period, it said.
On the outlook, Goenka said, "right now there is nothing that concerns us. Growth momentum is likely to witness a cyclical bounce back once the effects of some of the recent transient factors fade away and the economy adjusts to GST."
Stating that the days of 20 per cent growth are behind the industry, Goenka said 6-8 per cent growth is good enough given the present market conditions
With a robust product pipeline, Goenka said, growth would continue going forward driven both by volumes, new launches and refreshes.
On supplying 150 e-vehicles to the EESL, Goenka said the first batch of the e-Veritos will be dispatched on 12 November and the entire order will be completed in phased manner within the 30 November deadline.
Goenka had earlier said that they would lose money on every every vehicle. M&M had originally quoted Rs2.3 lakh more than the winning Tata Motors bid, but later matched the winning price quote.
He said the company has put on hold plans manufacture scooters at its French arm Peugeot Motorcycles for the domestic market. Mahindra owns 51 per cent stake in the French two-wheeler maker.
Mahindra will also announce its plans to open an assembly plant in the Detroit area of the US by 20 November, he added.