text:
PG Tips switches to biodegradable teabags and vows to completely ditch all plastic packaging by next year
- Plastic wrap surrounding tea boxes will be removed from some packs this year
- The company already makes teabags from biodegradable plant-based material
- PG Tips is the first major tea brand to switch to fully plastic-free product lines
One of the largest tea brands in the UK, PG Tips, is removing all plastic packing from next year and has already switched to biodegradable plant-based teabags.
The bags are made from corn starch and were first introduced on a limited range of products in 2018, but this latest move will see all of their teas use these bags.
The tea company has also removed the outer plastic wrap on its 160-pack boxes with plans to remove the outer plastic wrap from the rest of the sizes next year.
Unilever says that the new plant-based materials would provide retailers with a product that ‘shoppers are actively looking for’ and help the environment.
A Harvard Business Review survey found consumers were five times more likely to buy sustainable products, which has prompted many firms to start to change lines.
The tea company has also removed the outer plastic wrap on its 160-pack boxes with plans to remove the outer plastic wrap from the rest of the sizes next year
Fiachra Moloney, UK & Ireland Tea Director at brand-owner Unilever, told trade magazine The Grocer that the company had been working towards making the switch to a fully plant-based product for several years.
‘The switch to working with this new material has not been without its challenges due to the size, speed and scale of our operation,’ he said.
‘We have been continuously adjusting factory lines so that now all our boxes contain biodegradable pyramid teabags.’
Unilever says it is ‘extremely proud’ to be the first major tea brand to switch to biodegradable bags across its entire range.
The firm says the brand’s new sustainable credentials would be played up on both the front and back of the new-look packs.
PG tips’ Manchester factory, where the tea is blended and packaged, is also carbon neutral with 100% of the energy used coming from renewable sources.
Back in 2018 Unilever became the first major mainstream tea brand to switch to biodegradable teabags on some products.
This extends that by only using the new bags, that are free of polypropylene – a chemical used to give pyramid bags their shape.
According to a YouGov survey PG Tips is the second most consumed beverage brand in the UK – after Robinsons and just ahead of Schweppes.
This forms part of a wider series of measures by PG Tips parent company Unilever to fight climate change and ‘preserve resources for future generations’.
The firm said it was committed to improve the health of of the planet including achieving net zero emissions by 2039 and working with more smallholders to protect and restore forests.
Uniliver plans to invest £900 million spread over all of its brands in a new climate and nature fund designed to take action to improve the planet over the next decade.
Unilever says that the new plant-based materials would provide retailers with a product that ‘shoppers are actively looking for’ and help the environment
Alan Jope, Unilever CEO, said: ‘While the world is dealing with the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and grappling with serious issues of inequality, we can’t let ourselves forget that the climate crisis is still a threat to all of us.
‘Climate change, nature degradation, biodiversity decline, water scarcity – all these issues are interconnected, and we must address them all simultaneously.’
This push for net zero could see PG Tips put on the market by Uniliver, according to trade magazine The Grocer.
Jope said in 2019 it wasn’t for sale but that the company was carrying out a full strategic review of its tea business with its impact on the environment as a factor.
He said the tea business had a ‘disproportionately large footprint in black tea which is slower-growing’ and a ‘long track record of being dilutive to growth and margin, so this strategic review announcement means we want to investigate how we can best create value for stakeholders.’
Source: Read Full Article


text:
Hogan Lovells has hired technology lawyer John Salmon to join the firm’s fintech team in London as a partner. He will sit in the corporate practice and be an active member of the financial institutions and technology, media and telecommunications sectors.
Salmon joins from Pinsent Masons, where he’s been working since 1999, most recently in the role of global sector head for financial services. He focuses on advising financial institutions on innovative digital projects including IT procurement, outsourcing, cloud, cyber security, and digital payments. In his over 20 years’ experience in the sector, he also set-up out-law.com, a popular law firm website, and has advised clients including as AXA, Royal London, Aviva and Zurich.
Salmon’s hire follows on the firm’s ambition to become more prominent in the fintech sector, having announced a strategic partnership in November 2015 with Innovate Finance, an organisation championing the UK as a global centre of sustainable fintech innovation.
Rachel Kent, global head of Hogan Lovells’ financial institutions sector, comments: “Technology is an important feature of the legal market with transactions frequently being driven or shaped by technological change, and both clients and law firms innovating to launch new products and services. The UK and Ireland is currently the fastest-growing region for fintech investment, making this the ideal time to grow our fintech practice with the hire of John, whose experience complements perfectly that of our regulatory, commercial, and cyber teams.”

domain: news


text:
Bitcoin prices came within striking distance of $2,000 today, falling short by about $50, according to the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index (BPI).
The price of bitcoin rose to as much as $1,955.92 during the session, bringing the cryptocurrency less than 3% below $2,000. Markets later fell back to $1,911.79 by roughly 18:45 UTC.
At press time, the average price of bitcoin is $1,940.21, BPI data shows, representing a roughly 2.8% gain since the day's open.
Bitcoin's price has followed a steady, upward trend over the last several months, pushing higher as the broader cryptocurrency space draws sustained inflows. The total market capitalization of the digital asset ecosystem reached a record $67.5bn earlier today.
Some analysts, including investor and entrepreneur Vinny Lingham, see more upside in bitcoin's future. Yet such developments would be contingent on the resolution of the ongoing debate around scaling the digital currency network, Lingham told CoinDesk.
Golf ball image via Shutterstock
GoldMint to Launch ICO with Early Bird Bonuses
The GoldMint company (the innovator behind the stable GOLD token and Custody Bot) has published its plans for its greatly anticipated ICO. The ICO will launch on September 20, beginning with the sale
The Newest Version of the Opendime Bitcoin Wallet Is Out
Coinkite is launching a new version of its Opendime bitcoin hardware wallet.
The third iteration of the popular USB stick wallet, the latest model will feature a range of changes on the hardware fr
Crypto Bloodbath: Bitcoin Back to $3,950 After Dipping Below $3,800
Since achieving a new all-time high above $4,500, bitcoin price has recorded four minor corrections. Earlier today, on August 22, bitcoin price fell to $3,800 as the market and investors started to fe
Bitcoin Cash: Chinese ‘Big 3’ Exchanges Huobi & OKCoin Launch Trading
Two of China’s ‘big three’ cryptocurrency trading platforms are now officially supporting Bitcoin Cash (BCC) after launching trading today.
In official announcements today, Huobi and OKCoin began s
US Telcos Targeted by Hackers in an Attempt to Empty Cryptocurrency Wallets
Cryptocurrency users have always been a tempting target for cybercriminals. Since none of these currencies have reversible transactions, stealing money is a guarantee for success. It now appears
Boldstart Founder Launches Hyperledger Fabric's First Blockchain Accelerator
The founder of VC firm Boldstart Ventures is launching the first accelerator dedicated exclusively to startups building on the Hyperledger Fabric blockchain.
With previous exits that include a $120
Blockchain ID Startup ShoCard Raises $4 Million in New Funding
Blockchain startup ShoCard has raised $4 million in new funding from a range of investors.
Co-led by AME Cloud Ventures and Morado Venture Partners, two of the company's existing stakeholders, the
Walmart, Kroger & Nestle Team with IBM Blockchain to Fight Food Poisoning
Several of the world's largest food suppliers are collaborating on a blockchain solution that could one day save both money and lives.
In partnership with IBM, the consortium – which includes Dole,


text:
By Dipo Olowookere
The monthly international spend limit on the debit and prepaid Naira cards of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has been reviewed upward from $100 to $2,000.
The bank, in a statement issued on Wednesday, disclosed that the upward review was “immediate” and represents 1,900 percent rise, allowing customers to withdraw up to $2,000 per month as against $100 previously obtainable.
This was done in response to the growing demand for higher limits by customers who make international transactions, the lender explained.
It is also an indication of the improved confidence in the Nigerian economy as shown by increased foreign exchange in the financial system, it said further.
Commenting on this, UBA’s Executive Director in charge of Operations & Technology, Mr Chukwuma Nweke, explained that the move is intended to enable more convenient and seamless transactions when making purchases outside the country.
“This is in recognition of the customers’ needs and expectations. The new limit has been implemented,” he said.
According to Mr Nweke, with the significant review, customers will now be able to carry out enhanced cross border transactions priced in foreign currency using their debit, credit cards with improved satisfaction.
He explained that customers will now be able to carry out more transactions with ease and at their convenience.
“This gives our customers the opportunity to make international payments on POS and Web. In addition, you can make ATM withdrawals subject to the current limit of $100/day,” he said.
Continuing, he said, “This only goes to show that, customers are at the core of our business and our unalloyed commitment to satisfying them with nothing short of unequalled service is not compromised. We remain focused on creating superior and sustainable service delivery, unique to UBA “
UBA’s customer-centric focus is on continually developing innovative, technological and customer-driven services to boost customer-experience
United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading pan-African financial services group, with presence in 19 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and France.
more recommended stories
Ecobank Takes EcobankPay Zone to Mushin Market
By Dipo Olowookere In its avowed.
NSE Stops Trading of Diamond Bank Shares Ahead of Delisting
By Dipo Olowookere Shares of Diamond.
Zenith Bank to Maintain Higher Dividend Payment
By Dipo Olowookere Shareholders of tier-one.
Why Nigerian Banks Now Prefer Local Bond Issuance to Eurobonds—Fitch
By Dipo Olowookere Global rating company,.


text:
China Approves Google-Motorola Mobility Acquisition Deal
Deal expected to close early next week, company officials say
We are pleased that the deal has received approval in all jurisdictions. We expect to close early next weekJennifer EricksonMotorola spokeswoman
Chinese regulatory authorities have approved Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility, paving the way for the deal to close within the week, company officials confirmed Saturday.
The companies announced last August that they had entered into an agreement for Google to acquire mobile phone and tablet maker Motorola Mobility for about US$12.5 billion.
"We are pleased that the deal has received approval in all jurisdictions," Motorola spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson said Saturday. "We expect to close early next week."
A Google spokeswoman confirmed the deal was approved early Saturday and that it should close within the week.
Motorola Mobility ships phones and tablets with Google's Android operating system. The close of the deal means that Google has a hardware manufacturing arm with which it can closely work to develop Android.
Google will also have control of Motorola's massive patent portfolio. Motorola Mobility has said that it owns or has applied for more than 24,000 patents.
The deal has already been approved by antitrust authorities in the U.S. and Europe. Chinese authorities have approved the deal on condition that Google keep Android free and available to other mobile device manufacturers for five years, according to a source close to the deal.
The close of the deal means that Google has a hardware manufacturing arm with which it can closely work to develop Android
Other conditions include a commitment by Google to meet obligations to license patents for industry standard technology on FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminator) terms, according to the source. FRAND terms typically involve licensing obligations required by standards-setting bodies for members that get involved in the standard-setting process, and for companies whose technology is approved as part of industry standards.
The conditions set by the Chinese are similar to those involved in the approval process in Europe and the U.S., according to the source.
Motorola Mobility's manufacturing might and vast array of patents will be crucial in Google's battle for dominance in the smartphone and tablet market as it competes with Apple. Google will also compete with Microsoft as Microsoft promotes new versions of Windows in the tablet and smartphone market.
An open question is whether mobile device manufacturers thatcurrently use Android will see Google as a competitor, and possibly be drawn to the Microsoft camp.
IBM will roll out a cloud computing service next quarter using OpenPower-based servers, continuing an effort to expand the market for Power processors and challenge Intel in hyperscale data centers.
Mozilla on Monday announced its first developer preview of a 64-bit Windows version of Firefox.
Intel has done well in PCs and tablets, but success in smartphones has eluded the chip maker for years. Cracking the challenging market is the next big task for Intel CEO Brian Krzanich , who is chasing an aggressive strategy to get its mobile processors into more handsets.
Global technology mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity last year hit record levels, with nearly 4,200 technology companies changing hands in deals worth more than $1 trillion, according to research.


text:
|Spanish tourists take a walk on Ho Chi Minh City’s book street__Photo: VNA
The Law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Law on the Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens, as well as the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through, and Residence in Vietnam is expected to serve as momentum for the tourism sector towards the target of welcoming 8 million international holidaymakers this year.
Phung Quang Thang, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Travel Association, called the adoption of the law, which will take effect from August 2023, a major event to the sector.
The new visa regulations under the law create optimal conditions for many travel firms to attract foreign tourists, he said, noting that e-visa duration is extended from 30 to 90 days, with multiple entries.
Travel companies said the law has enabled them to conduct promotional campaigns right from October 2023 to April 2024, and the loosened visa policy helps them develop suitable products as currently European and Latin American tourists often travel from Vietnam to adjacent countries like Thailand and Cambodia.
The visa policy adjustment not only demonstrates Vietnam's adaptability and flexibility in the race to recover the tourism industry after the COVID-19 pandemic but also serves as a foundation for travel firms to offer various long-term products, such as senior-friendly resorts, medical tourism, and research-oriented tourism.
Apart from the visa extension, Resolution No. 82/MQ-CP, issued by the Government on May 18 on key tasks and solutions to accelerate effective and sustainable tourism recovery and development, has been seen as another crucial step in the implementation of the Politburo’s Resolution No. 08-NQ/TW on turning tourism into an economic spearhead.
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is working as an advisor to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on the issuance of an action plan for the enforcement of the Government’s resolution.
Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, said his association has encouraged businesses to implement the document, focusing on market adjustment and tourism promotion to lure more foreign arrivals.
VNAT deputy head Ha Van Sieu stressed that international tourism is expected to grow sharply from now till the end of this year, mainly thanks to relaxed visa and immigration policies.
To achieve the yearly target, the entire industry will focus on rolling out a marketing strategy by 2030, and the projects on information-technology application for smart tourism, and community-based tourism development in Vietnam, he said.
Pham Tien Dung, Director of Golden Tour, said businesses had kept a close watch on the drafting of the law, and made preparations in terms of both information and products.
After the law sailed through the legislature, tourism companies have notified their partners so that they can devise suitable plans, he added.- (VNA/VLLF)


text:
Over the past weeks, the nation has been in a deep freeze and speculation has surrounded whether or not the Super Bowl XLVIII would be upstaged by the polar vortex. According to the National Weather Service, the game is now expecting a high of 29 degrees in the evening with zero chance of precipitation. With Super Bowl Sunday coinciding for the first time with Groundhog Day, climate is no longer a ‘tree hugger’ topic as weather conditions continue to force it into the mainstream.
For years, the NFL Environmental Program and the host cities community partners like the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee have been hosting community events as part of a larger environmental movement around green games, green stadiums and the wiser use of resources. Events connect people and communities, and through this bond neighborhoods build awareness for boosting their sustainability efforts. These events included the Super Community Coat Drive, e-waste recycling in Times Square, 61 sustainability measures at MetLife Stadium and stewardship projects that added 27,000 trees and shrubs to the city.
Credit: Green Restaurant Association
Engaging the local community is a great step for creating a ‘new normal’ where citizens become part of the solution in building toward a sustainable future. If you are thinking of incorporating green behaviors in your community or organization, here is a simple guide to making it a success:
Step 1: Make a Commitment and be a Game Changer.
Just like publicizing your New Year’s resolutions, making a commitment public is a great way to stick to your plan. As colleges and national sports organizations continue to compete to be the greenest and establish green teams to implement sustainability policies, these steps become real when the campus or community is aware and participating.
Step 2: Do a Needs Assessment.
Prior to taking steps for change, it is wise to assess what is needed and to determine a baseline or benchmark to identify opportunities for improvement and savings. A good example is the amount of electricity consumed by an NFL football stadium and the potential to offset this by adding LED light fixtures and 1,350 solar PV panels.
MetLife Stadium, Credit: NRG, Energy Inc.
Step 3: Set Goals.
In an effort to bring awareness to reuse in communities, Tradepal, set a dual goal, this year, to implement its technology in 100 campuses nationwide and save 20,000 metric tons of carbon by June 2014. This is part of a larger effort focusing on our carbon footprints by quantifying the impact of reuse and offering communities a cost-effective carbon reduction initiative.
Step 4: Create an Action Plan.
Once the goals are established, clearly define the steps and establish the respective roles of members. Preparing best practices will help boost everyone’s efforts. Once everyone is onboard, the plan is communicated and goals are set, it is time to incentivize and encourage others to be part of the solution. A tracking system with metrics is beneficial to track and monitor progress.
Step 5: Evaluate Progress and Recognize Achievements.
Measuring the results and reviewing the action plan will help to evaluate whether any adjustments are needed in order to reach the goal. This may include adding more partners to keep the momentum up. Creating awareness for excellence by publicizing the achievements of partners and recognizing the efforts of individuals is also important.
Collectively the many organizations, partners and teams have taken effective steps toward reducing their carbon emissions and that of the host cities and area communities this Super Bowl. Through community events and lessons from the sports industry, neighborhoods can experience first-hand the benefits of building a cultural shift toward environmental awareness.
No matter which team wins Super Bowl XLVIII, both the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks have made great strides in raising the bar on sustainability.
by Tamar Burton
When I reflect on the past year of traveling through communities dotted with farms and cities sprawling with shops and attractions, I am reminded of the impact we have on our planet. The weekly accumulation of recycling for the weekly pick up always catches my attention as I view all the waste on the curb. While I find some relief knowing communities are recycling, so many opportunities to do more to reuse and reduce are ignored.
In the new year, I vow to continue to find ways to reduce my carbon footprint and share these experiences with others. If we take a minute to make small changes, we could have a big impact on a daily basis. Simple changes to our daily routines, such as replacing plastic bags and styrofoam cups with a personal carry all or refillable bottle, have a huge impact. Another easy target is the stockpile of unused items hidden away in our garages or self-storage facilities. The new year offers the perfect opportunity to take an active stance to make a change. By simply compiling the unused or outgrown items in our closets down to a pile of items to reuse via swap and giveaway provides both financial and emotional rewards. I vividly remember friends and family members who happily received items and the sense of satisfaction that followed from removing clutter while offering a great gift.
What if you could quantify the environmental impact from the pile of items? The diagram below is the carbon savings derived from selling my bedroom set, my couch, various furnishings and giving away clothing, electronics and household items on Tradepal. With each listing, I am shown the carbon savings derived from each item by choosing to promote reuse — and not landfills. The CO2 calculator helps users to quantify their CO2 footprint savings directly with every barter, giveaway, buy or sell on Tradepal. And with each transaction, the individual carbon savings score quickly accumulates into an even bigger number with a greater impact by promoting reuse.
According to the EPA, my overall carbon savings is the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 2.8 acres of a forest in one year, or the carbon emissions from consuming 387 gallons of gasoline. An individual impact of 3.5 metric tons is really powerful, but think of the combined impact of a residence hall, a campus or a college town that fully adopts reuse.
In the coming year -
“May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
And the rain fall soft upon your fields …”
― Irish Blessings
Zhu Jinshi, Boat, 2012, Xuan paper, bamboo and cotton thread. Rubell Family Collection
Incubating Consumer Behavior Change By Making Student Reuse On Campus Convenient
by Tamar Burton
The lesson of The Three R’s - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle helped us shape our view of the environment. Building sustainable communities is an important challenge faced by millennials and requires innovation to enact consumer behavior change. America’s college students have embraced new solutions pertaining to reducing and recycling, but the area that hasn’t been addressed properly is reuse.
According to research by the NPD Group, the average U.S. household has over $7,000 worth of unused merchandise ranging from electronics and furniture; to textbooks and sporting goods. Overall, this excess merchandise accounts for $1 trillion worth of idle surplus. Think about reuse, everybody does it, right? Typically, the response given is: yes, I promote reuse on these websites. But, probe further and inquire when they last engaged reuse, and the response is a surprisingly dated: a year ago, two years ago, or I don’t recall. Clearly, reuse is not an adopted behavior although subconsciously it is.
Tradepal’s one-click technology seeks to remedy this by making reuse easy and convenient. The platform simplifies the reuse process to enable users to list items in seconds, broadcast their virtual sale to their campus and friends, and seamlessly buy, sell and barter with peers. It also gamifies reuse as students are able to quantify their environmental impact through a dedicated carbon savings calculator.
Tradepal has recognized the problem with stuff and set its mission to make reuse as easy as recycling. Several colleges and universities have embraced the initiative to offer a convenient way for students to promote reuse by launching a campus reuse network on Tradepal. Tradepal made a commitment to action with CGI America to deploy its reuse platform to 100 college campuses and derive 20,000 metric tons of carbon savings from reuse by June 2014.
Millennials hold the key to a sustainable and resilient future. By integrating innovation on campus, higher education provides students with opportunities to experiment and determine the best methods for introducing sustainable solutions. These experiences will prove pivotal in scaling consumer behavior change beyond college campuses and into the mainstream.
"We are paying the price, the cost of carbon, but our economic system, our market system does not contain a price on carbon pollution. So it is effectively invisible in our economic calculations. It is an externality." - Al Gore
A recent Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBY) study suggests that millennials are retreating from big ticket purchases. After examining the trends, the study found that student debt reduces other types of borrowing such as mortgages and auto loans. After taking a closer look at the student debt numbers, it appears that the buying power of millennials has been significantly impaired. The majority of students are now graduating college with a negative net worth. This purchasing behavior shift could also be a symptom of the ongoing decline in disposable income growth.
The following statistics from FRBNY frame the issue students are facing:
student debt has increased from $260 billion in 2004 to $1.2 trillion in 2013
an estimated 37 million Americans have outstanding student loans
the average student debt upon graduation has increased from $9,000 in 2004 to $30,000 in 2013
Matt Taibbi’s article Ripping Off Young America: The College-Loan Scandal, in the August 2013 edition of Rolling Stone magazine, sheds light on the hardships facing college graduates as education costs are spiraling out of control.
It is worth noting that seven million of those 37 million borrowers are currently in default. The outstanding student debt now dwarfs both outstanding auto loans ($800 billion) and credit card debt ($700 billion). As student debt levels have quintupled over the last decade, it is fair to assume that it’s having a significant impact on the U.S. economy and the way millennials will consume in the future. The real question is whether this is a permanent or a temporary shift in consumer behavior?
By Tamar Burton
Over the past decade, brands have made a shift to balance profitability goals with having a mindful purpose. A study by the University of Iowa found a direct correlation exists between brands with extensive corporate social responsibility and lower stock risk during down economic cycles. This brand loyalty is particularly found with brands that support environmental issues.
As millennials account for the over 95 million digitally connected Americans, they also possess a keen desire or ‘socially conscious’ to make a difference. Recently a growing number of studies have reported on the strong desire of millennials to embrace brands that support a cause they hold dear. Some studies have even labeled millennials the most aspirational generation.
A recent Nielsen survey found that 42% of 18- to 34-year-old millennials believe a response following a posting a complaint or comment regarding a brand should be received on social media within 12 hours. While millennials may not have the cash flow of older customers, brands have realized the possible consequences a negative comment could have on their brand image and sales and have taken greater steps to please millennials and to intercept their complaints prior to becoming viral.
This new shift in conscience capitalism is evident not only in what we purchase, but also how we cater to our customers. As is evident by the U.S. auto industry bailout in 2008 as GM, Chrysler and Ford were trying to avoid financial disaster. Feeling the effects of the financial collapse and burdened by gasoline prices hovering near $4 a gallon, consumers were ready for new solutions. Yet these industry giants lacked innovation and failed to listen to their customers as they continued on the path of business as usual.
During this time, Elon Musk, TESLA Motors CEO and Chairman, was on a mission to replace fossil fuels by changing the world by offering clean and renewable energy sources and reintroducing the electric vehicle. The EV1, sold during the late -1990’s to 2002 was not as fortunate as evidenced in the 2006 documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car?. When you contemplate the fact that more solar energy strikes the surface of the earth in a single hour than is provided by all the fossil energy consumed globally in a year, then the answer seems obvious. Now fast forward from the 1990’s and in a little over a decade, innovation may win this time around, and older brands may start offering the solutions that consumers are demanding rather than remaining on a path of resistance.
Public relations firm, Edelman conducted a global survey in 2012 and found that 72% of consumers responded they would recommend brands to others if they supported a good cause. Given this strong statistic, marketers should be keen to ignite corporations to evolve the various ways they envision, produce and market their products. The main selling point being, if they don’t, they will fall by the wayside.
By Tamar Burton
A new shift is occurring as universities around the world have set their sights on attracting students from abroad. In a quest to cultivate knowledge-based economies, governments around the world are making huge investments to improve the quality of their universities. The new bar is academic excellence. In the new global economy, to be considered well-educated, one must be exposed to ideas and people and transcend national boundaries. Human capital is being cultivated as global universities compete for the best and brightest. According to the NAFSA: Association of International Educations, it is estimated that international student enrollments contributed $21.81 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2011-2012 academic year.
Global Educational Forecast by 2025:
50% - almost all of this rapid growth will occur in the developing countries, with more than 50% in India and China alone.
350,000 students - the combined capacity to attract international higher education to foreigners in this decade by traditional source countries, with Jordan and Malaysia each hoping to attract 100,000 each by 2020 and Singapore, hoping for 150,000 by the year 2015
8 million - the projected number of students to travel to other countries to study abroad by 2025 - almost 3 times today’s numbers.
262 million students - the projected number of students seeking global enrollment in higher education by 2025
“Something big is happening…Making the most of human capital—a key to competitiveness and prosperity—is more and more the work of globalized universities competing for the best thinkers and the best ideas.”
- The Wall Street Journal, May 2010
This morning from the CGIAmerica in Chicago, Tradepal announced it is committed to implementing its student to student ReUse marketplace technology for 100 colleges across the U.S. The goal is to make ReUse convenient for college students and encourage a more sustainable consumer behavior. These networks are expected to save 20,000 metric tons of carbon emissions by June 2014. The environmental benefit resulting from this commitment is equivalent to removing 15,000 passenger cars from circulation.
“Today’s announcement builds on President Bill Clinton’s decades of leadership in strengthening America’s economy and communities,” said Karim Guessous, founder and CEO of Tradepal. “We are excited to provide and scale an actionable market-based solution to further America’s sustainability goals.”
College students are constantly looking for ways to save or make money by reusing textbooks, electronics, furniture, sports equipment, among others. They are frustrated with the existing fragmented marketplaces, the lack of trust, the amount of time it takes to list an item, to complete a transaction, payments and shipping.
Tradepal’s technology platform allows both buyers and sellers to meet their needs on campus. It offers a far more compelling value proposition than existing marketplaces or classifieds sites for the following reasons:
At the third annual Clinton Global Initiative (CGIAmerica) gathering held on June 13-14 in Chicago, Tradepal will join over 1,000 high-level participants including leaders from government, business, foundations and NGO’s to develop innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.The mission of the CGI is to turn ideas into action, and Tradepal founder and CEO, Karim Guessous, will discuss how Tradepal’s Commitment to Action could be scaled further at the Breakout Session: “Scalable Ideas: Commitments with Growth Potential” on Friday, June 14 at 11:15 A.M. CST.
Following years of consumerism, technology has offered new interpretations of ownership. Competitive services touting the benefits of “sharing” and “access over ownership” have gained ground as viable alternatives. Consumers have revisited past generations’ routines of sharing, swapping, lending, and bartering. Businesses are allowing access to both tangible items and less tangible assets of space and skills. Sharing services are progressively gaining traction in densely populated areas. However, the question remains as to whether they can cross to the mainstream and gain massive adoption?
Enacting consumer behavior change is a challenging endeavor. In a recent review of consumer behavior change, psychologists Wendy Wood and David Neal suggest that consumers often “act like creatures of habit, automatically repeating past behavior with little regard to current goals and valued outcomes.”
In contrast to ownership, the sharing economy while founded on the concepts of community and sharing, attempts to find value through financial savings for consumers. Like the sharing economy, sustainability initiatives are focused on advancing social equity. Both sustainability and the sharing economy minimize waste, optimize the allocation of resources and reduce carbon emissions with communities. When considering their adoption, however, it seems to come down to the intent and behavior of the individual.
Recent findings suggest that pro-environmental campaigns emphasizing financial savings (self-interested) over protecting the environment (self-transcending) have generally been ineffective. Although advocates promoted financial benefits in order to accelerate adoption of eco-friendly behaviors (i.e., saving energy results in lower bills), researchers Thogersen and Crompton found that financial incentives may make people less likely to carry out environmental actions in general. Self-interested values, such as economic welfare, wealth and power were found to be in conflict with the self-transcending values of protecting the environment.
Another study, conducted by researchers Fowler and Christakis, reveals that acts of kindness and generosity travel in social networks up to three degrees of separation. They believe that “cooperative behavior cascades in human social networks” and that “there is a deep and fundamental connection between social networks and goodness.” They added that “groups with altruists in them will be more likely to survive than selfish groups.”
The resounding message of the sharing economy is that it fosters relationships and builds communities. So far, it has focused primarily on the self-interested values of saving money and making money from the idle resources in order to appeal to consumers. The sharing economy should incorporate self-transcending values such as sustainability and goodness to its core message in order to achieve behavior change and cross to the mainstream.
Various studies and articles have been published in an attempt to identify and label the attributes of the generation called Millennials also known as Generation Y. In TIME Magazine’s May cover story entitled, “The Me Me Me Generation”, they were characterized as lazy, narcissistic and possibly delusional. In contrast, The Atlantic depicted them, in “The Cheapest Generation”, as exhibiting a quirky eco-consciousness that favors access over ownership.
According to car manufacturers FORD and General Motors, today’s youth don’t care about owning a car despite dealers’ efforts to generate sales. Earlier this week, Kelly Ripa announced on Live! with Kelly and Michael that her son Michael, who just turned 16 years old, was puzzled by family friends inquiring if he got a new car. Since WWII, spending on new cars and housing has historically enabled our economy to thrive. But according to recent reports the demand for drivers licenses by teenagers has significantly dropped. This generation is more interested in having owning a smartphone to stay connected, than the burden of a vehicle with ever increasing fuel costs. As millennials become increasingly car-averse, this shift offers the opportunity to introduce more sustainable options.
Millennials are the most environmentally engaged generation with about two-thirds in agreement that global warming is real and another 43% blame human activity for the extent of this growing problem. Given these traits in combination with their desire to reform our society they provide a pivotal role in helping the world face critical social and economic challenges.
While Baby Boomers tend to choose a top down approach, millennials prefer community-based or grassroots engagement from the bottom up. The millennial generation is hyper-informed, and while some may exhibit an imbalance between their education level and actual field experience they are willing to create change and tackle the world’s problems. The Internet Age has primed millennials for activism as they are hyper-connected, civic-minded and socially engaged on forums and commenting platforms where they readily share and explore ideas.
Armed with fresh ideas and the technology to create an audience, this generation has adopted new tools, technology and crowdsourcing methods to generate awareness, advocates and funding. Through these innovative collaborations, transformative ideas will evolve to help solve tough global challenges. These so-called narcissistic traits may actually make possible the generational shifts to align the desires of consumers with the new systems and processes that must be developed for future generations to thrive.
Image Source: bcg perspectives
By Tamar Burton


text:
Dream11, led by Harsh Jain, has joined the growing list of gaming startups taking legal action against tax authorities over alleged GST evasion. Parent company Dream Sports has filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court, contesting a show cause notice for failing to pay 28% GST on the face value of bets, making it the latest entrant in a high-stakes legal battle.
In a significant development, Dream11, the industry leader in fantasy gaming, has embarked on a legal battle against a massive INR 40,000 Crore goods and services tax (GST) evasion claim made by tax authorities. The move escalates the ongoing dispute between gaming startups and taxation authorities in India.
The Genesis of the Dispute
Dream11's parent company, Dream Sports, has challenged a show cause notice issued by tax authorities, alleging GST evasion and failure to pay the 28% GST on the face value of bets. This move mirrors similar actions by other gaming startups, such as Gameskraft, which recently faced a INR 21,000 Crore show cause notice.
The INR 40,000 Crore claim against Dream11 is poised to set a new record in the history of indirect taxation in India. This staggering figure surpasses the previous high set by the INR 21,000 Crore notice served to Gameskraft. The outcome of this legal battle could significantly impact the gaming industry's future regulatory landscape.
Dream11 chose to remain tight-lipped, declining to provide any official statement or clarification regarding the ongoing legal dispute.
Dream11: The Industry Titan
Dream11 has cemented its position as the dominant player in the Indian fantasy gaming arena, boasting the highest valuation and the largest user base in the country. With a valuation exceeding $8 billion, the platform has successfully attracted over 180 million users to its sports fantasy platform.
Despite the legal challenges, Dream11 has continued to thrive financially. In the financial year ending March 31, 2022, the company reported a noteworthy net profit of INR 142 Crores, supported by an impressive operating revenue of INR 3,840.7 Crores.
As Dream11 and other gaming startups navigate these legal hurdles, the outcome of these disputes will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for the gaming industry's regulatory framework in India.


text:
By Nicole Bode
DNAinfo Associate Editor
MANHATTAN – Diddy isn’t happy.
Rapper, designer and TV reality show mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’s flagship clothing store is suing its Midtown landlord over scaffolding they say has blocked shop windows for the past three years.
Christian Casey LLC, which owns the Sean John store on Fifth Avenue at 41st Street, claims the scaffolding has driven shoppers away and slashed profits in half, according to published reports.
The company is demanding the building landlord fork over at least $2.5 million in damages and release Sean John from its 12-year lease, which started at $660,000 a year and jumps to more than $900,000 by 2016.
The store moved into the space in 2004, according to the legal papers.
The 3,500-square-foot store is decorated with ebony floors, pony-skin furniture and goat-fur throws and flat screen TVs play Diddy’s music videos non-stop, according to NY Magazine.
Landlord 475 Fifth 09 LLC could not be reached for comment.


text:
Shenzhen City Jinxian Technology Co., Ltd.
Out of the fast-growing e-commerce market in China, one area is showing even more potential: rural China
©Abacus. Kuaishou said there are 1.15 million rural users selling local products on its app through both short videos and live-streaming.
©GT. China’s rural economy gets boost from e-commerce


text:
HAFTR middle and high school students joined Sharsheret last Wednesday for the school’s annual Pink Day to support breast cancer awareness and raise money for this important organization.
In the middle school, students had the opportunity to ditch school uniforms for a day, dressing in their Pink Day best in exchange for a $2 donation.
Pink donuts were sponsored by Molly Klein and family in honor of Molly’s Aunt Lisa Altman a”h.
Proceeds from the donut sale — along with the sale of pink lemonade, Pink Day Challah, special shirts from Make It, and raffle tickets for prizes donated by Clementine, Kiss & MakeUp, Mike’s Burgers, Jus by Julie, and H2O — were donated to Sharsheret.
HAFTR HS welcomed Rebecca Cohen (in center of picture), Long Island Outreach Coordinator for Sharsheret. She presented a moving video of breast cancer survivors and described how Sharsheret has helped many people in the community.


text:
Lottohearing on Technology News and Updates AdmaTechnology.com at Thursday, April 24, 2014
Astounding number ready achieved by Apple. In the near future, the number of applications that have been downloaded from the App Store will touch the figure of 50 billion.
Quoted from Techradar, Saturday (4/5), Apple has already provided a gift for those [...]
This week, modifier application to be like a cartoon face or an application iMadeFace in the 4th position popular iPhone apps in iTunes. IPhone users is being fond iMadeFace. So what’s so special?
On the iTunes page, iMadeFace claimed as the number [...]
This time AdmaTechology try to give a brief review of the latest security system from Symantec, Norton Internet Security 2013. What are the advantages? Consider the following reviews.
The main features
Norton Internet Security (NIS) 2013 already have [...]
One of the best Android smartphone HTC output, One X, is now getting a refresher with some improvement in terms of hardware.
Products named HTC One X+ uses an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core 2nd generation 1.7GHz speeds.
“One X+ equipped with batteries [...]
For those who are used to using Microsoft Office
Windows Phone 8 (WP 8) is a second-generation operating system from Microsoft, Windows Phone, which was first launched in 2010. WP 8 first introduced in October yesterday and with it Microsoft hopes to [...]
Fujitsu, Japan’s IT development company today announced the newest technology in the field of health is to know the pulse of a person through face image as reported by Cnet.com (18/03).
This technology uses a camera that has been embedded in a [...]
Raise money for children with cleft lip.
Today many people are using Google Maps to find directions to a mall, offices, and other locations in the city, a man wearing this app to walk 5.000 miles or 8046.7 kilometers.
Armed with the Google Maps application [...]
Engaged in “patent war” in 10 countries in the last year.
Although Samsung continues to marginalize the competition to win the market of smartphones and tablets in the world, Apple is apparently still dependent on the South Korean technology [...]
You are one of those who dreamed of adventure and find treasures from the past? Google may be able to realize the dream.
Quoted from Slashgear, Monday (1/4), Google Maps Street View Team reportedly managed to find a treasure map of William ‘Captain’ [...]
Eidos Montreal announced a new game genre action adventure titled Thief 4, which is scheduled to be released on the PS4 console, PC and next-gen Xbox.
The game is scheduled to be released in 2014. Thief Game is a reboot of the classic series that brings [...]
Sony’s new hero class ‘affordable’ has arrived in Indonesia. Products named Xperia E is available in a single version of the SIM and dual-SIM.
One feature that is favored is HD Voice, where its function is to clear up the sound when [...]


text:
WASHINGTON – Worker productivity dropped this spring for the first time in more than a year, a sign that companies may need to step up hiring if they hope to grow.
Productivity declined at an annual rate of 0.9 percent in the April-to-June quarter after posting large gains throughout 2009, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Unit labor costs edged up 0.2 percent in the second quarter, the first increase since the spring of 2009.
Output of U.S. workers is the key ingredient to boosting living standards. It allows companies to pay workers more because of the increased production without being forced to raise the cost of their goods, which sparks inflation.
In most cases a slip in productivity would be a troubling sign for the economy. But some analysts believe a short-term drop is needed to boost the recovery. That’s because it could be a signal that employers can no longer squeeze extra output out of leaner staffs.
“This could be a turning point as far as hiring goes,” said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors.
Companies cut their payrolls during the recession and relied on fewer workers. For all of 2009, productivity shot up 3.5 percent, the best performance in six years.
However, over the two years of the recession, 8.4 million jobs were lost. Unemployment hit a high of 10.1 percent last fall and is now at 9.5 percent.
Economists believe companies need to stop slashing their work forces and start rehiring laid off workers.
That will boost incomes and give households the support they need to increase consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of economic activity. And that would ultimately lead to more demand for those companies’ products.


text:
PayPoint, a retail payments company, revealed on Tuesday completing the acquisition of Appreciate Group, a platform for gifting and engagement, for £83 million.
According to the official announcement, PayPoint purchased all of the issued share capital of Appreciate Group. The deal was agreed upon by the boards of both companies in November.
This acquisition is expected to provide PayPoint with significant opportunities for growth in the consumer and corporate gifting markets within the United Kingdom, thanks to Appreciate Group’s offerings and brand partners. The deal is considered a strategic move for PayPoint.
Nick Wiles, Chief Executive Officer of PayPoint, commented:
Work on integration is already underway, with an immediate focus on organisational alignment, building on the strong momentum in both businesses and unlocking commercial revenue enhancements.
The acquisition is expected to be immediately earnings enhancing in FY24 and the Board believes it will deliver attractive returns for shareholders, with the enlarged Group targeting further growth in three broad areas: prepayment saving through Park Christmas Savings to support customers with budgeting tools for Christmas and other events; an enlarged full-service offering for gifting, employee rewards and benefits to Appreciate Group’s corporate clients; and an extended consumer gifting network for the Love2shop brand.
As part of the acquisition agreement, the entire team at Appreciate Group has joined PayPoint. Julian Coghlan, who was the former Interim CEO of Appreciate Group, has joined the Executive Board of PayPoint and will continue to lead Appreciate Group as its Managing Director. Additionally, Talha Ahmed, former Interim Chief Financial Officer of Appreciate Group, has been appointed as Finance Director of the Appreciate business.
Experienced writer and journalist, working in the global online trading sector, Steffy is the Editor of LeapRate. She has previous experience as a copywriter and has been with the company since January 2020. Steffy has a British and American Studies degree from St. Kliment Ochridski University in Sofia.


text:
Google plans to fight a $591 million fine that was levied by France’s antitrust watchdog earlier this summer over compensating publishers for news content — just one front in a broader battle that has the tech giant facing off against anti-monopoly regulators across the globe.
French authorities first levied the fine against Google in July, accusing the company of making money from news publishers’ content without negotiating to pay for it in good faith — a gripe similar to complaints made by regulators across Europe and Australia, as well as by politicians and publishers in the US.
Google said Wednesday that the punishment was unfair and said it will ask Paris’ court of appeal to overturn the fine.
“We disagree with a number of legal elements, and believe that the fine is disproportionate to our efforts to reach an agreement and comply with the new law,” said Sebastien Missoffe, head of Google France, on Wednesday.
But France’s competition watchdog, the French Competition Authority, fired back that Google must pay the fine regardless of its plans to appeal. The authority did not say how long the appeal process would take.
France is not the only place where Google has faced scrutiny for its practices, particularly when it comes to its use of material produced by publishers.
In February, Australia passed a law requiring Google and Facebook to pay for news — and New York Post parent company News Corp. negotiated its own global deal with Google to reportedly be paid “tens of millions” of dollars to provide news content during the same month.
German news publisher Axel Springer — which last week bought US political reporting powerhouse Politico for a cool $1 billion — has also tussled with Google over paying for content.
Axel Springer’s ownership of an influential Washington D.C. publisher could put pressure on federal lawmakers to make Silicon Valley pay up for news content, some analysts say.
Meanwhile, Google and Apple are both also facing antitrust pressure in the US, Europe and Asia over the hefty payments fees the companies charge app developers.
Developers argue that, among other things, it’s unfair to make customers use Google’s and Apple’s payment systems — which allow the tech behemoths to take a 30 percent cut of the cost a subscription sold through their apps, for instance.
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers have introduced bills in Congress that would end Google and Apple’s “stranglehold” over developers by blocking them from requiring use of their own payments systems.
The European Union also opened an investigation last year into whether such payments commissions violate antitrust law.
In France, the fine came in response to complaints first brought by French news publisher Agence France-Presse, as well as industry groups representing major newspapers like Le Monde and Le Figaro.
Paris regulators had ordered Google in 2020 to hold talks over payments for news within three months of any publisher requesting them, a mandate they said the company ignored.
During negotiations, Google allegedly “restricted the scope of negotiation without justification,” including by requiring publishers to participate in a new partnership program called “News Showcase.” These restrictions violated the government’s order to negotiate in good faith, France’s antitrust authority said.
At the time, the regulator gave Google two months to introduce a new plan to pay publishers — a deadline that’s set to pass later in September — and threatened to slap the company with fines of more than $1 million per day if it did not abide by the ruling.
At the time, Google said it had “acted in good faith throughout the entire process” and said the fine ignored the “reality of how news works on our platforms.”
On Thursday, Missoffe said the company continued to “work hard to resolve this case and put deals in place.”
“This includes expanding offers to 1,200 publishers, clarifying aspects of our contracts, and sharing more data as requested by the French Competition Authority,” Google’s France chief added.
With Post wires


text:
A spinoff group from the Occupy movement is seeking to launch its own prepaid debit card, as a prelude to offering a more complete set of financial services. Ridiculous? Not at all. In fact, taking over some of Wall Street's business could be the most useful thing Occupy Wall Street could do. According to the New York Times, the prepaid debit card is but the first offering from the Occupy Money Cooperative, a spinoff group that wants to build at least a rudimentary set of alternative financial products, for the public. How is this different from the banks that Occupy was protesting? Well, EVIL BANKS are for-profit enterprises that seek to maximize their own profits by squeezing consumers for everything they're worth. For most people, that translates to high fees for every little service, which is, essentially, extortion by banks. It is middlemen taking as big a cut as possible of the money that flows through their coffers, with no associated benefit for the public. It is $32 billion in overdraft fees in 2012 alone.
What Occupy wants to do, by contrast, is to create a not-for-profit financial institution that could fulfill common needs—debit cards, checking and savings accounts, loans—with no profit imperative, meaning that it could be totally focused on charging the lowest possible fees.


text:
H&M has launched an immersive experience in the metaverse through online gaming platform Roblox.
The fashion retailer partnered metaverse studio Dubit to create H&M Loooptopia, which lets players design virtual garments and interact with fellow designers.
The experience also involves mini-games, styling sessions, alternate worlds and events to educate players on the way the fashion industry operates.
“People who shop and wear H&M garments and accessories are increasingly spending time in virtual spaces and digital worlds,” Linda Li, head of customer activation and marketing at H&M Americas, said.
Li added that the experience will enable new ways for customers to engage with the retailer.
“In the coming years, H&M will continue to explore this fast-growing expanse of virtual and augmented realities,” she said.
A city square is at the centre of the game and players can access other worlds like Rainbooow Fields, Neon Studiooo and Fabric Fooorest.
Players are required to gather various fashion ingredients by engaging in the mini-games, styling sessions and events in order to personalise their avatars with their unique clothing designs.
People can also add music tracks, dance moves and accessories to make their designs pop on the runway.
The project was led by Matt Whatley at Dubit.
Andrew Douthwaite, chief commercial officer at Dubit, said that H&M wanted to offer an experience that promoted “fun and sustainability”.
For example, when it’s time to change up a style, players are encouraged to recycle old clothes to earn “super-rare elements”.
The social interaction comes in when players can catch up with friends to trade clothes, take selfies or admire each other’s latest creations.
Max Heirbaut, global head of brand experience, metaverse, for H&M, added: “At H&M we want to encourage the emerging generation of digital natives to express themselves through fashion both off and on screen.
“H&M Loooptopia is an exciting new world that unleashes creativity and lets players create and evolve their virtual wardrobe on Roblox, so they can feel the most like themselves through their avatar.”
This is not the first time H&M has turned to virtual experiences. In 2021, the fashion company launched a clothes recycling island on social simulation game Animal Crossing, which featured a digital version of Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams.
Burberry also recently released a gamified collaboration with Minecraft, creating an immersive Burberry x Minecraft universe alongside a bespoke capsule collection.


text:
SEMA has announced Jon Delgado of Repairify as the association's 2023 Gen-III Innovator of the Year. The award honors an entrepreneurial individual aged 40 years or younger who is creating new innovative breakthroughs within the areas of automotive aftermarket opportunities, advancement, best business practices, technology or trends.
Delgado led the engineering of the patented asTech Rules Engine, which uses empirical data to present users with the most accurate and cost-effective diagnostic scan option specific to a given vehicle.
asTech scanned tens of thousands of vehicles with leading aftermarket scan tool providers to compare the results to the authentic OEM tool scans. This years-long effort resulted in a rich data set that could verify certain aftermarket scans which performed equivalently to the OEM scan as "OEM-Compatible" by vehicle year, make, model and trim. Delgado was instrumental in delivering this data to the industry through a comprehensive API solution, merging asTech's traditional remote OEM service offerings with comprehensive aftermarket alternatives known to be viable to the repair process. This is the first in the industry with this level of coverage information, and is featured in the asTech All-in-One scan tool.
asTech has since, in an effort also led by Delgado, further enhanced their OEM-Compatible scans with asTech Insights. This is new product leveraging an artificial intelligence system which uses the results from an OEM-Compatible scan to instantly generate custom collision repair recommendations specific to the vehicle and DTC codes. The model was trained on more than 210 million diagnosed trouble codes.
Delgado is also a key contributor and leader in ADAS calibration identifications with his adasThink solution. With the services he has delivered, shops can be confident that they are properly calibrating safety systems as required by OEM repair procedures.
The consistent and repeated delivery of industry-changing software led Delgado to his position as chief technology officer of Repairify.


text:
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Aerospace company Rockwell Collins Inc. COL, +1.36% said Friday that its fiscal second-quarter profit fell to $148 million, or 93 cents a share, from $164 million, or $1.03 a share, a year earlier. Sales in the quarter ended March 31 rose slightly to $1.142 billion from $1.138 billion. The company kept its full-year profit forecast of $3.35 to $3.55 a share on sales of $4.6 billion to $4.8 billion. Analysts, on average, estimated the company to earn 88 cents a share in the second quarter and $3.53 for the year, according to FactSet.
Rockwell Collins profit falls, but beats view


text:
In a report last year, Tesla revealed that its U.S. leadership was 59 percent white and 83 percent male. The company’s overall U.S. work force is 79 percent male and 34 percent white.
Mr. Musk revealed the company’s move after shareholders voted on a series of proposals aimed at improving Tesla’s corporate governance. According to preliminary results, investors sided with Tesla on all but two measures that it opposed: One that would force its board members to run for re-election annually, down from every three years, and another that would require the company to publish more detail about efforts to diversify its work force.
The diversity report proposal, from Calvert Research and Management, a firm that focuses on responsible investment and is owned by Morgan Stanley, requires Tesla to publish annual reports about its diversity and inclusion efforts, something many other large companies already do.
The vote comes just days after a federal jury ordered Tesla to pay $137 million to Owen Diaz, a former contractor who said he faced repeated racist harassment while working at the Fremont factory, in 2015 and 2016. Tesla faces similar accusations from dozens of others in a class-action lawsuit.
Proposals calling for additional reporting both on Tesla’s practice of using mandatory arbitration to resolve employee disputes and on the human rights impact of how it sources materials failed, according to early results. A final tally will be announced in the coming days, the company said.
Investors also re-elected to the board Kimbal Musk, Mr. Musk’s brother; and James Murdoch, the former 21st Century Fox executive, despite a recommendation to vote against them by ISS, a firm that advises investors on shareholder votes and corporate governance.


text:
Aldi Free-range Whole Chicken
2 Sisters Food Group
A whopping 81% of consumers said they would probably or definitely buy this chicken (rsp: £4.99/1.5kg). “This alone makes it worth travelling to an Aldi,” said one of our experts of this “well-executed, tasty joint”. “An excellent example of own label doing its job,” said another.
Tesco Finest Norfolk Outdoor Reared Rack of Pork with Stuffing
Tesco Finest triumphs at Own Label Food & Drink Awards
- Currently reading
Meat Joints: Aldi Free-range Whole Chicken


text:
Nintendo clarifies Metroid Prime 4, Pokemon RPG, Yoshi and Kirby on Nintendo Switch as a '2018 and beyond' release
There it is. The crushing clarification.
Yesterday, an interview with Nintendo of America corporate communications director Charlie Scibetta revealed that Metroid Prime 4, the Pokemon RPG, Yoshi, and Kirby will be releasing in 2018. Unfortunately, that interview has been amended to include a clarification that pushes the games back.
According to a newly added note, Nintendo clarified that Scibetta meant “2018 and beyond” when speaking on Metroid Prime 4, the Pokemon RPG, Yoshi, and Kirby.
The current working title for Kirby is Kirby 2018, which suggests that this game might make the 2018 cut. The Yoshi game also came with a 2018 release window in the view. Unfortunately, neither Pokemon nor Metroid Prime 4 came with a release window.
It's possible all of these titles will be shifted to a later date or see a staggered release with one game releasing per quarter.


text:
January 08, 2014
Yes, yes we know, it’s 2014 and, in the world of tech and innovation, we should strictly adhere to talking about the future. However, we feel obliged to pay a final word of respect to the year of 2013 after it ended particularly spectacularly here at ticketscript.
We had our most successful festive season to date by a long way, which rounded off a record breaking 12 months. That’s not just marketing hyperbole either, and we have the numbers to prove it…
Group-wide in 2013
It went right down to the wire too – it seems people don’t like to make their New Year’s Eve plans too far in advance: almost 20% (£2m) of the £10m December ticket sales took place on the 29th or later.
So that’s the big picture, now let’s get geographical.
In 2013, nearly 5,000 UK events used ticketscript; a figure assisted by the creation of 1100 new accounts over the course of the year.
If we look at the success seen in the UK towards the end of the year, it suggests 2014 is set to be huge too with existing ticketscript clients selling 58% more tickets in December 2013 than in December 2012.
Evidence like this is why we’re confident word will continue to spread about the success we’re delivering for our clients in the UK and the rest of Europe.
Whilst we grew sales and revenue significantly across the board, it might be fair to describe Germany as the golden boy as far as our 2013 successes went.
Nearly one million tickets were sold this year in Germany, almost double that of 2012 which made it the fastest growth region for ticketscript in 2013.
The Netherlands, where it all began. Seven years after first starting out in Amsterdam, the motherland continues to yield yet more growth every year.
Over 2 million tickets were sold across Netherlands in 2013 which equates to a 50% year-on-year rise, perfectly in-line with overall group growth.
The Netherlands’ neighbouring operation in Belgium continues to show growth too. Over 1600 events sold through ticketscript last year, a 36% increase on 2012.
Our newest market, Spain, opened a brand new office in Barcelona last year. Having also doubled their headcount in 2013, the team are ready for a massive 2014.
What kind of events are we ticketing for?
It was an exciting and notably varied year when it came to event genres. Our growth has been accompanied by more diversification and a wider range of clients coming on board. Promoters of thousands of events across a wide range of genres opted to sell more with ticketscript – circuses, film events, exhibitions, tournaments, zoos, theater, you name it. We work with a wonderfully dynamic mix of events professionals which mean there is never a dull day with our clients.
Due to our music industry origins, we have a solid client base of gigs, concerts, club nights and other similar music events.
It was the festival category which really grew last year, with this portion of our portfolio rising from 23.7% to 30% in 2013.


text:
Results: 534 Items
November 24, 2022
A decade after Bangladesh’s most deadly factory fires, brands like Walmart still ignore workers’ safety
Today, garment workers in Bangladesh mark a decade since the most deadly garment factory in the country’s history in the Tazreen Fashions factory. On this day, we pause to remember, and pledge to continue the struggle for workplace safety and justice for injured and killed workers in Bangladesh and beyond. While considerable progress has been made, a lot remains to be done and progress must be guarded: this includes the need for brands which were connected to the Tazreen factory to finally sign the safety Accord, which protects workers in Bangladesh.
November 14, 2022
A Clean Clothes Campaign brief that was launched today shows that deadly safety incidents and violations occur regularly in Pakistani supplier factories to major brands. These incidents highlight the immediate need for a strong expansion of the International Accord on Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry to Pakistan, as garment worker unions in Pakistan have been calling for since 2018. Every brand which has not yet signed onto the Accord, must do so immediately to protect their workers, especially brands implicated in this brief, such as Levi’s, Gap, and Kontoor brands (Lee, Wrangler).
November 4, 2022
While adidas was busy stalling on actingon antisemitism, the workers who make adidas products were in the streets demanding an end to pervasive wage theft and union-busting.
October 24, 2022
This week workers globally are demanding adidas negotiate with unions in actions taking place in over 20 cities, including Berlin, Los Angeles, Milan, and Dhaka. Workers in their supply chain are still owed millions in unpaid wages and severange since the pandemic.
October 20, 2022
In recent months, the Sri Lankan government increased its repression amidst an economic and political crisis, sending in the army on workers protesting peacefully. Today our partners Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union together with the National Labour Advisory Council Trade union Collective are holding a members rally at the Public Library in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo.
October 13, 2022
Civil Society Statement on the Proposed Regulation on Prohibiting Products Made With Forced Labour on the European Union Market
October 12, 2022
Read the latest report from Business & Human Rights Resource Centre on the crackdown on trade unions and worker exploitation in Asia’s garment sector. The report highlights allegations of union-busting and related abuse at 13 factories. These factories supply, or have recently supplied, at least 15 global fashion brands and retailers, including adidas, Asda, Benetton Group, Bestseller, C&A, Sainsbury’s, Etam, H&M, Hugo Boss, J.Crew, OVS SpA, Mango, Next, Primark and Under Armour.
September 20, 2022
New data and a new facility checker have been added to the fashion supply chain transparency tool, Fashion Checker. Learn more about what brands' commitments to paying a living wage to their suppliers really means for garment workers.
September 13, 2022
A new report on informal employment in the garment industry by Clean Clothes Campaign Turkey: Working without social security is “ordinary” for a garment worker, and retirement is beyond their wildest dreams.
September 7, 2022
10 years after more than 250 people died in the Ali Enterprises fire in Pakistan – the deadliest factory fire ever in the global garment industry – deadly safety violations persist in factories supplying H&M, C&A, Bestseller, and Zara. A new report by Clean Clothes Campaign reveals these brands' attempts to delay the expansion of the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry.
September 5, 2022
How can we get fair pay in workers’ pockets, and replace poverty wages with a real living wage? What new tools can our campaigns use? Duration: 35 minutes.
July 26, 2022
Trade unions and worker rights organizations, including the Clean Clothes Campaign, Labour behind the Label, Maquila Solidarity Network, War on Want and Workers United have written a letter expressing their solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka.
July 21, 2022
The toilsome history of Bangladesh’s new landmark Employment Injury Insurance (EII) scheme for garment workers
Clean Clothes Campaign has written a timeline of the decade-long process of achieving an Employment Injury Insurance Scheme in Bangladesh. The memo exposes the arguments between brands and employers that lead to huge delays and highlights the need to continue campaigning to turn the pilot into a long-term reality.
July 19, 2022
A loud and clear call for explicit legislation securing payment of living wages in garment supply chains. Good Clothes, Fair Pay. Clean Clothes Campaign and other campaign organisations aim to collect one million signatures from European citizens to support the European Citizens Initiative (ECI) that calls for concrete measures to ensure workers in the garment industry are paid a living wage.
July 7, 2022
The complaint focused on C&A’s substandard efforts to tackle problems at a supplier in Myanmar, where the company had their clothes produced. In 2018, the management of the garment factory repressed the trade union that had just started. Our repeated attempts to get C&A to take action came to nothing.
July 4, 2022
In this episode, our contributors reflect on laws and regulations for holding brands and retailers accountable for violations of worker rights in the factories that supply them. Duration 30 minutes.


text:
SOL, the Solana network’s native token, has firmly established itself in the top 10 in the global crypto market. The market value is now around $ 43 billion. With a price increase of around 30% within the last seven days, SOL is the best top 10 coin. This should also be related to the booming NFT market and news from the Solana blockchain. For in the area of non-fungible tokens, Solana is taking the next step. Blockchain # 2 in the market for non-fungible tokens continues to rely on the future trend. Whether it’s digital art, gaming features or merchandise, Solana blockchain offers a wide range of NFTs. What do crypto fans need to know about Solana blockchain and non-fungible tokens now?
What is Solana?
Solana is a decentralized blockchain solution that relies on high scalability and user-friendly apps. Thanks to the implemented proof-of-history, transactions with Solana can be processed much faster and cheaper than is the case with, for example, Ethereum. Solana’s scaling aims at global adoption of the ecosystem. The Solana network describes itself as extremely ambitious and not very reserved:
“Solana is the fastest blockchain in the world and the fastest growing ecosystem in crypto, with thousands of projects spanning DeFi, NFTs, Web3 and more.”
OpenSea meets Solana: win-win situation for both ecosystems
The integration of Solana into the leading NFT trading platform OpenSea has been hotly debated for some time. Again and again there were rumors that just did not want to disappear from social networks. So it’s hardly surprising that OpenSea puts a grinning smile on the official tweet about the Solana integration and ironically reports on the best kept secret on the web3.
The best kept secret in web3🤣 pic.twitter.com/xuZn64cZ4U
– OpenSea (@opensea) March 29, 2022
The Solana chain is already being integrated into OpenSea this month. Although there is no specific date yet. Nevertheless, OpenSea users should also be able to purchase non-fungible tokens extracted on Solana in the next few weeks. Currently, the Ethereum-powered NFT Marketplace is the most popular choice for non-fungible tokens. At the same time, Solana is the second largest blockchain in the NFT area, behind Ethereum, when estimating the market value across the various collections. The NFT market in the Solana ecosystem grew disproportionately last year. As a result, OpenSea and Solana could just as well take advantage of the logical move.
First comes Ethereum, then nothing for a long time and then Solana
Ethereum has struggled with increasing problems in recent years. The Ethereum 2.0 upgrade should finally be completed in 2022 after many years of odyssey. Nevertheless, the scaling problems and high gas charges have cost the market share of the Ethereum network. Especially in the DeFi sector, other blockchains have been able to catch up and win many innovative projects. Nevertheless, the balance of power is clearly distributed in the NFT space. First comes Ethereum and then nothing for a long time. However, the second largest blockchain for non-fungible tokens is already Solana.
Magic Eden, Solanart and Co .: Solana is dependent on the NFT boom
There are several NFT marketplaces on the Solana network where non-fungible tokens of different types are available. The largest Solana marketplace for NFTs is Magic Eden. There have been nearly 20,000 traders here over the last seven days, generating about $ 6.11 million in trading volume. Solanart follows directly in second place. The average price of NFTs is almost twice as high here. But when it comes to the number of traders and trading volume, Magic Eden must be a priority. The Solana ecosystem is increasingly dependent on non-fungible tokens. This is also revealed by a look at Solana’s official Twitter account, where most tweets are related to non-fungible tokens.
NFT market flourishes: This new NFT marketplace wants to be number 1!
The NFT marketplace OpenSea is currently number 1. With the integration of Solana, this should not change in the next few weeks. Nevertheless, a new NFT platform with great ambitions was recently launched. The new NFT marketplace nftlaunchpad.com is great for creating, buying and selling non-fungible tokens. In the medium term, one wants to become the best, most accessible and also the safest marketplace. Binance Smart Chain and Polygon are already integrated as a multi-blockchain marketplace – additional networks follow. NFT LaunchPad’s long-term goal is to become the market leader among NFT trading venues.
Buy non-fungible tokens on NFT LaunchPad!
Just a few weeks after the launch of the NFT LaunchPad, several non-fungible tokens from various collections are available here. Following the launch of the promising Lucky Block NFTs – Lucky Block Coin of the same name is, after all, the fastest growing cryptocurrency in history – there are now The Walrus NFTs. These are historical figures designed like a walrus. For example, Walrus Putin or Walrus Queen Elizabeth 1 can be purchased.
Currently, purchase with the Metamask wallet is possible. However, other wallets will soon be compatible with the NFT LaunchPad platform to purchase non-fungible tokens even easier and faster.


text:
By Lisa Johnston
New products on display at the American International Toy Fair, held in N
Aurora, Ill. — Peerless-AV said Wednesday it has acquired outdoor-TV manufacturer Ciil Technologies, which markets the UltraView and Xtreme brand weatherproof displays.
The transaction closed on Feb. 1. Financial terms were not disclosed.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.
Green Bay, Wisc. – Séura Thursday launched a spring discount promotion across its Storm line of outdoor TVs.
The promotion, which ends April 30, is offering discounts of $600 to $1,000 off manufacturer’s suggested retail prices on the company’s Storm line of weatherproof TVs.
Séura Storm models are offered in 42-, 47-, and 55-inch screen sizes, in a choice of matte black or premium white finishes.
Newport Beach, Calif. — U.S. shipments of LED LCD TVs increased 29 percent quarter to quarter in the fourth quarter of 2012, while rising 2 percent to 32 million units for full-year 2012, according to the “LCD Market Review” issued by Quixel Research Wednesday.
The study also found that big-screen TV unit shipments and factory revenue increased dramatically in the fourth quarter from the same period in 2011, as 50-inch and larger sets saw double-digit unit share advances, growing from 11 percent to 24 percent from Q4 2011 to Q4 2012.
New York — CBS and Amazon.com have expanded a content-licensing agreement to bring classic series and TV shows from CBS Television Distribution and Showtime Networks to Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service, the companies said Wednesday.
Amazon Prime members will be able to instantly stream the content at no additional cost to the annual membership fee.
Paris – Subscription music service Deezer, based here, said Tuesday it is teaming up with TV manufacturers LG, Toshiba and, in Europe, Samsung to bring Deezer’s services to connected smart TVs.
Deezer provides unlimited access to more than 20 million song tracks to subscribers who own Deezer-enabled mobile connected devices, and now smart TVs.
The service is available in more than 180 countries. The company claimed to have added 43 million smart TVs in the last year, and it is predicting that to reach 95 million by 2016.
City of Industry, Calif – Sceptre introduced Wednesday its first LED LCD TV featuring Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) technology, capable of connecting with smartphones, tablets and aftermarket streaming devices like Roku’s SmartStick.
Sceptre’s FullHD 1080p ultra-slim 32-inch back-lit LED LCD will be part of a series of HDTVs designed to easily connect with smart devices and carrying universal remote controls that can operate connected devices.
New York – ‘Tis the season to sell big-screen TVs.
Super Bowl week is upon us and both the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and The NPD Group are ready to celebrate by pointing out the big-screen and second-screen sales opportunities that await.
According to the CEA’s new "Sports and Technology Study V" report, nearly a quarter of HDTV owners in the U.S. (22 percent) purchased their televisions for the specific purpose of watching the Super Bowl.
Mahwah, N.J. – Sharp Electronics revealed Monday that it was found to be the top market share leader for 60-inch and larger LED LCD TVs in the United States in 2012, according to The NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service.
The feat was achieved by Sharp’s larger selection of large-screen choices, picture quality performance and brand strength, Sharp said. The TV manufacturer added that it more than doubled its market share between 2010 and 2012 (based on revenue share).
Glenview, Ill. — Abt Electronics has become the first retailer in the Greater Chicago area to add LG’s 84-inch Ultra High-Definition LED LCD TV.
In a statement, LG said: “Abt Electronics is the first retailer in Chicagoland to officially launch an Ultra High-Definition flat-panel TV.”
Model 84LM9600 ($19,999 suggested retail) was demonstrated to more than 500 area consumers at Abt’s gala unveiling last Thursday night. The set offers 3,840 by 2,160 resolution — four times that of FullHD 1080p displays.
Irvine, Calif. – Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been voted the 2012 Vizio Top Value Performer, for his regular season on-field performance against his 2012 earnings.
Vizio said a record-breaking number of fans agreed that Wilson provided his team with the greatest value this past season.


text:
Facebook - Global E-commerceFacts
Facebook may be looking to get into the digital wallet game, according to source code discovered in the latest version of Facebook’s Messenger app.
eBay wants consumers to use its new Shopbot bot to identify sought after products amidst the billion plus listings sold through its platform.
Facebook makes it easier for businesses and consumers to communicate with each other via Messenger.
With more than 450 million users already visiting its marketplace feature in Groups, Facebook is now poised to launch a whole tab in its app dedicated to peer-to-peer shopping.
Facebook’s latest Messenger Platform v1.2 can now be used to make instant purchases using bots. That means Messenger bots can now accept payments directly in the chat without sending users to an external website.
Facebook continues to make a play in e-commerce with a move that positions it as the destination of choice for everyday services, such as ordering food, buying movie and concert tickets, or planning a night out.
Marketers spend more on Facebook video ads in Q1 of 2016, particularly on mobile and led by advertisers in the gaming sector.
Facebook launches solutions for businesses to drive people to their stores and measure the amount of store visits and in-store sales following their Facebook mobile ad campaigns.
Facebook announced a slew of new features that beef up its e-commerce capabilities at its developer conference on Tuesday.
At 35% of 2015 revenues, mobile now represents the largest segment of the U.S. US$59.6bn online advertising revenue.


text:
Summer is finally here! We’ve put together an exciting round up of summer highlights in the area to help you make the ...
Your Plans For Returning
We’ve enjoyed experiencing the noticeable buzz in the Quarter from 12 April with the reopening of non-essential retail, outdoor hospitality, salons and more, but it’s still a great time to make the most of our streets and spaces while numbers of workers and visitors are lower than usual but with businesses open and the usual wealth of choice available to enjoy.
This is reflected in Transport for London’s local figures which have been given a considerable boost in recent weeks. The easing of lockdown from 12 April saw a 50% increase in tube entries to Baker Street, Bond Street or Marble Arch compared to the previous week, but this is still a way off the usual levels we are used to in the Quarter. We will continue to monitor the weekly trends to assess how things progress, after the initial reopening peak. To view the latest updated weekly figures at any time visit our webpage here.
We’re grateful to all businesses who’ve completed our surveys recently, both retail and office sectors. With the first stage of reopenings taking place on 12 April, we were delighted to hear that 90% of respondents planned to reopen their retail or hospitality business on that day with a further 10% reopening from 17 May with the return of indoor hospitality, another date we are eagerly awaiting.
We heard back from over 50 office-based businesses about their plans for returning, and current predictions are:
- More businesses this month are predicting 26%-50% of employees will return to the office in May compared to when we asked them last month (37.5% compared to 13%)
- 26%-50% of staff are predicted to return in June, July and August
- September sees a substantial rise in return with a big increase to 76-100% of staff expected to return
- Around 60% of businesses expect that, long term, workers will work 2-3 days a week at home
- 55% of businesses state that long term working from the office is encouraged, 20% state it is completely optional, 17% state it is obligatory and 8% say it is discouraged
It’s interesting to see an increasing number of businesses expecting more staff to return next month. With confidence improving and more businesses firming up their plans we may see a further change in next month’s survey.
Missed Our Weekly Newsletter?
Also in News
St Marylebone Festival takes place from Sunday 17 to Friday 22 July this year, organised by our friends at St Marylebone...