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Today is March 16, I am DML, and the stories below are catching headlines. Amid this chaotic time in the US, we urge you to download the DML NEWS APP as we will have coverage of all the things you need to know. It is a free download, go to the APPLE APP store or Google Play and download the DML NEWS APP for free.
1- US MOVES CLOSER TO SHUTDOWN
Officials across the country curtailed many elements of American life to fight the coronavirus outbreak on Sunday, with health officials recommending that groups of 50 or more don’t get together and a government expert saying a 14-day national shutdown may be needed.
The AP REPORTS: Governors and mayors closed restaurants, bars, and schools as the nation sank deeper into chaos. Travelers returning home from abroad were stuck in line for hours at major airports for screenings, crammed into just the kind of crowded spaces that public health officials have urged people to avoid.
DML: Many doctors say to wash your hands, clean your electronic devises like cell phones, stay away from crowded places when possible, and keep your immune system as robust as possible.
2- FED SLASHES RATES, FALLS FLAT
In a sign of impending economic gloom, the Federal Reserve slashed its benchmark interest rate to near zero.
DML: The stock market is set to drop 1,000 points Monday, and will likely suspend trading. I have warned readers of this several times over the past year, but this is taking on a new shape.
3-NO FOOD SHORTAGE
President Donald Trump sought to calm a jittery nation by declaring the government has “tremendous control” over the situation and urging people to stop the panic buying of grocery staples that has depleted store shelves nationwide. Gun stores started seeing a similar run on weapons and ammunition as the panic intensified.
DML: We are down to one role of toilet paper, and can’t find none. We can’t find a place to buy bread. The White House may not be short on supply, but my local food markets, 7/11 an delis are blank.
4-BIDEN v. BERNIE
The two remaining candidates for the Democrats in the 2020 presidential election squared off Sunday in a debate. Sanders continued his free healthcare for all while Biden focused on solutions, making the former VP stand out. Biden also made a bold promise to select a woman as his vice presidential running mate. He also made news by committing to put an African-American woman on the Supreme Court if he becomes president.
DML: Forget about the best person for the job, it’s a female like it or not. I wonder if he picks Oprah for the Supreme Court. Or maybe he’ll pick Venus Williams, I mean, that girl can hit a tennis ball like no other.
5- DML CBD helps older woman
I received this testimonial from Laurie in my inbox this morning. “DML, I just wanted to let you know, that I could not afford to buy a full bottle of Miracle Me for my elderly mom. I found a way to afford the smaller bottles (Miracle Me Mini) and recently jumped at the opportunity when you sold 3 small bottles and got the 4th free. My 88 year old mother has bad arthritis in the knee, she had prior surgery but it is too much of risk for her to have another. She had a lot of pain in the knee that stopped her from doing many things. I know have hope that she will do more. This is the email I received from her today:
Hi: I am now using the new CBD oil and it is a miracle. I didn’t have to use it for two days, that’s how long the relief lasted. Thanks.
Thank you so much DML!!!! Laurie
DML: DML PURE CBD and MIRACLE ME CBD are the best CBD products you can buy when measuring safety, consistency, efficacy, power, and price. They help the immune system in many ways, and studies show our CBD fights bacteria and so do many of the essentials oils in MIRACLE ME. Amid this crazy time in the US, I urge you to PLEASE order your DML CBD products TODAY. We fear the next set of shutdowns can be the delivery systems that would get our products to you like UPS and USPS. Our supplies are dwindling, and if there is a shipping shutdown this will also hamper our ability to deliver. Although we are plan to restock this week, if the shipping lanes down shutdown, we still fear the manufacturing plants may have to stop due to shutdowns imposed by states. Please. Please. Please… please consider grabbing what you need today. With the exception of our softgels, every item below can be shipped today. Order today before 3pm Eastern and we guarantee we ship today. Below are the links you need. Please note it is first come first served.
MIRACLE ME: We are down to less than 50 bottles of both 16oz and 8oz. CLICK HERE TO BUY.
MIRACLE ME MINI: We are down to less than 50 bottles of mini bottles. CLICK HERE TO BUY
DML CBD TINCTURES: We are down to less than 100 bottles. CLICK HERE TO BUY
DML CBD GUMMIES: We are down to less than 80 bottles. CLICK HERE TO BUY
DML CBD SOFTGELS: We are near out of stock. We are trying to get more supply today. CLICK HERE TO BUY and be first in line.


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Weis Markets announced the launch of its 10th round of price freezes, effective in all 163 store locations. More than 2,000 products have been reduced in price and will stay at these discounted levels for 90 days. Since the company began its price freezing initiative in January 2009, Weis customers have saved more than $40 million dollars.
“Weis Markets is committed to saving our customers money every time they visit one of our stores,” said Kurt Schertle, Weis Markets’ Executive Vice President, Sales and Merchandising. “With price inflation on food expected to continue in 2013, we hope to help mitigate the impact on our customers with our Price Freeze program, allowing our customers to enjoy long-term value on everyday items.”
Weis Markets’ current Price Freeze program includes name brand and private brand products in grocery, frozen, dairy, meat, health, beauty care and general merchandise. Customers can identify Price Freeze items through store signage and shelf tags for participating items, as well as in weekly circulars.

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Kordia appoints Emily Reeve as Executive General Manager of Legal & Risk
Emily Reeve steps into the role of Executive General Manager - Legal and Risk at Kordia, utilising her strong legal pedigree and industry experience.
NZ Compare Awards celebrates New Zealand service sectors
NZ Compare Awards 2023 honours service sector leaders, spotlighting exceptional broadband, mobile and energy offerings.
Netsafe & 2Degrees partner to promote smartphone safety to Kiwis
A UK grime artist, 2Degrees, and Netsafe have created a programme to teach Kiwi children about smartphone safety.
Kordia Group appoints Joshua Reedy as new CISO
Kordia Group hires Joshua Reedy from Vodafone as Chief Information Security Officer, responsible for internal cyber security posture and team leadership.
IWD 2023: Agility for the win (and how to empower people across your organisation)
Here's how you can contribute and make a difference - by including the crucial component of 'purpose' to not just deal with, but welcome change.
2degrees promotes Emma-Kate Greer to Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
Emma-Kate Greer promoted to Chief Corporate Affairs Officer by 2degrees. Will continue to focus on sustainability and Kaupapa Mori initiatives.
ComCom examines issues with Connexa, 2degrees acquisition
Connexa's acquisition of mobile infrastructure assets from Two Degrees Networks faces competition scrutiny from the Commerce Commission.
MyRepublic tops Ookla's NZ Q4 internet performance report
Ookla's quarterly reports on the state of New Zealand's mobile and fixed networks has been released, revealing MyRepublic as a leading provider.
2degrees announces sale of telco tower assets to Connexa
2degrees has announced the pending sale of its passive mobile telecommunications tower assets to Connexa for NZD $1.076 billion.
NZ big business is thriving while SMBs struggle to keep up
A 2degrees report reveals big business is thriving as SMBs struggle to keep up, while increasing costs are the leading issue for all businesses.
2degrees announces consumer availability of its eSIMS
2degrees has launched its eSIMs for consumer customers just over two weeks after releasing eSIMs for businesses.
2degrees announces appointments to newly established board
2degrees has announced Liz Coutts as the board chair, while Russell Stanners and Kathy Meads join her as directors.
2degrees unveils eSIM functionality for selected devices
2degrees has enabled eSIM functionality to work with a variety of Apple, Samsung and Oppo devices, including a range of iPads.
2degrees launches 13 new 5G coverage areas, network upgrades
2degrees has announced it has launched 13 new 5G areas in June, as the company continues its 5G rollout and investment.
2degrees and Vocus merger officially complete, set to bring new offerings to NZ telco market
2degrees and Vocus NZ have completed their merger, promising new offerings for customers and cementing their position as a challenger brand.
Opensignal report analyses and awards NZ network providers
The recent Opensignal Mobile Network Experience Report has revealed new findings and award recognitions for the NZ telco market.
2degrees partners with Umbrellar and Microsoft for cloud solutions
2degrees partners with Microsoft and Umbrellar to launch Cloud Navigator, delivering streamlined cloud services for Kiwi businesses.
Cell tower sales may pay off for consumers
The possible sale of cellular telecommunications towers by the two biggest network owners could lead to cheaper services for consumers over the longer term.
ComCom grants clearance for Vocus, 2degrees merger
The Commerce Commission has granted clearance to a transaction that would see the merger of the Vocus Group with 2degrees.
2degrees officially launches 5G Network rollout in New Zealand
After a series of tests and optimisation demonstrations over the last year, 2degrees has announced the official launch of its 5G Network in New Zealand.
2degrees helps working Kiwis switch off with new app
New app by 2degrees aims to encourage mindful phone use among New Zealand adults, who are seeking a better balance between online and real life.
New CEO unveiled for proposed 2degrees-Orcon merger
Mark Callander will become CEO of a combined 2degrees and Orcon Group business pending merger approval. The merged company will be known as 2degrees.
ComCom has issues with the 2degrees, Vocus merger
The Commerce Commission is calling for public submissions on the likely competitive effects of the proposed merger between 2degrees and Vocus.
2degrees, Orcon merger to take on telco powerhouses Vodafone and Spark
2degrees and Orcon Group plan to merge, creating New Zealand's third-largest telco, offering mobile, broadband, and energy services.


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Global dairy prices have fallen sharply, easing from the record levels of recent weeks.
Dairy farmers have another sleepless night ahead of them as freezing works struggle to make room for their cull cows.
Impacts of the Chinese lockdowns caused a significant drop in dairy prices at the latest Global Dairy Trade auction.
A rebuilding Synlait Milk has posted a half-year profit of nearly $28 million, but does not expect to see the same progress in the next half.
The meat processing industry — which has been hammered by a worker shortage — says the additional 500 workers that will be allowed in from overseas will help ease the chronic situation.
When Hamish Day was growing up as a city boy in urban Wellington, dairy farming was never mentioned as a potential career choice.
Imagine Milk without a Moo — that’s the title of a Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme report written by food technologist Anna Benny, who also happens to live on a Clydevale dairy farm.
Synlait Milk has increased its forecast base milk price by 35 cents per kg of milk solids as the world commodity craze continues.
Fonterra is closing its Moscow office, and has withdrawn from its joint venture with Unifood in Russia, established more than three years ago.
Police have launched an investigation into how a milk tanker had its windscreen smashed and milk was poured across the road in Waikato at the weekend.
Dairy investment fund Southern Pastures has appointed Neil Senauer as chief executive of its wholesale and food-service business NZ Grass Fed Products.
Dairy prices are expected to remain elevated in the near term but the longer-term outlook is less certain as the Russia-Ukraine conflict creates uncertainty in markets, Rabobank’s latest dairy...
A judge is scrutinising Holstein Friesian cows in the South this week for a competition designed to find the best of the breed in New Zealand.
Dairy company Fonterra has back-flipped on the look of a planned event for International Women's Day after the gender lineup left a sour taste.
High hopes the record dairy payout will reach double digits are being tempered by nervousness around farm cost inflation.


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From a large booth at CES in Las Vegas this week, hardware manufacturer Xi3 Corp. will emphasize health care, digital signage, entertainment, and industrial computing verticals with the showing of new†Xi3 Modular Computers†and†PISTON Console†gaming.
More than half of Xi3’s booth at CES 2014 (#36612 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center) will focus on the business side of computing. A full-size mock-up of the “Patient Room of the Future” will present Xi3’s new Near-Edge microSERV3R.
Additionally, Xi3’s in-booth Enterprise focus will include an area that highlights the use of Xi3’s X7A Modular Computers in the Digital Signage industry.
Xi3 will also showcase the abilities of its computers in a variety of harsh environments, including installations with elevated ambient temperatures, humidity levels, and atmospheric pressure as well as exposure to water, certain chemicals, airborne particulate matter, etc.
“With the launch of our X7A Modular Computer and Z3RO Pro Computer, many customers and partners are beginning to realize that our machines are exactly what they’re missing in their installations,” says , Xi3 founder, president, and CEO Jason A. Sullivan. “With these new products in our portfolio, we are targeting specific vertical markets, where we know we hold major competitive advantages over traditional computing solutions.”


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- PPG again earns Equality 100 Award in 2023 Corporate Equality Index, spotlighting 20 years...
- Arkema finalises the acquisition of its 54% stake in PI Advanced Materials
- BASF Research Press Conference 2023 – Chemistry and sustainability: A perfect match
- IChemE celebrates 2023 Global Awards winners
- Flint Group puts EkoCure® Dual Cure technology in the spotlight at Labelexpo Asia 2023
BASF plans to invest up to €56M in the expansion of its Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) value chain over the next four years. PVP is a polymer, which is used in diverse industries, such as pharmaceutical or the personal and home care sector, as well as an adhesive in glue sticks and hot-melt adhesives mainly due to its binding properties.
Through revamping existing plants in Ludwigshafen, Germany and Geismar, Louisiana, USA and introducing the PVP technology at BASF’s site in Shanghai, China, the company will increase its global PVP production capacities by up to 6000t/yr.
BASF invented this production process 75 years ago.


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Black CannaBusiness Magazine, a publisher of B2B content for African-Americans doing business in the cannabis industry, will be hosting its second annual Black CannaConference & Expo (Black CannaCon), the only big B2B conference for Black professionals in the cannabis industry.
The conference will take place on November 18-20, 2021 in New Orleans to focus on the Southern Gulf Coast as regional changes in cannabis legalization take hold. Black CannaCon will be hosted at the recently renovated Ernest M. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
The community-focused conference will feature keynote addresses and fast-paced workshops as well as rapid-fire “Blazing Stage” sessions presented on an open platform for quick, tangible takeaways. More than 40 influential speakers will take the stage for enlightening and educational discussions focused on the state of Black cannabis business, from social equity and Black politics to capital funding and cultivation. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with solution providers and go-to experts in cannabis.
Proceeds from each ticket purchase will benefit the Cannabis Impact Fund.
“I am really excited to be bringing the Black CannaConferene to New Orleans. My goal with KRMA Media is to create pipelines that will accelerate BlPOC entrepreneurs, founders and professionals into the cannabis industry and this conference is one of the ways we accomplish this. The Black CannaCon also provides our industry allies with an opportunity to connect with the community that their social responsibility efforts impact. It’s a win-win,” Kristi Price, founder and CEO of KRMA Media, the parent company of Black CannaBusiness Magazine, told Benzinga.
Encuentra nuestro contenido en Español en El Planteo:
© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights


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Burberry’s Q1 Trading update was closely watched on Tuesday and it seemed to deliver, with rising sales and a positive consumer response to its Riccardo Tisci-designed collections, both at retail and in wholesale.
Does everything David Beckham touch turn to gold? One tends to think so after attending the latest London show by Kent & Curwen, his English heritage brand, which staged a Peaky Blinders moment this season.
Rarely has any fashion week felt like its success was riding on one brand. Yet that’s very much the mood entering the next edition of London Fashion Week, when all eyes will be on Riccardo Tisci's debut at Burberry.
One of the abiding mysteries in luxury is the far greater ability of Paris brands to outperform their venerable, respected and often very classy London rivals. Dunhill may be about to become a significant exception.
Burberry seems to be on track with its transformation plan with sales and profits not suffering as it enters a period of fast change. But tough comparisons and regional variations also had an impact on its latest year.


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THE CONTEST: Tegan and Sara recently made headlines for offering pay-what-you-can tickets to fans who donated to their charity (as a gesture to fight back against unethical ticket resellers). In what city did they try this?
Three lucky winners will receive CD copies of Hey, I’m Just Like You!! The winners will be announced on our Facebook page next week.
WATCH: The video for Tegan Sara’s single “I’ll Be Back Someday” after the jump!


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28 April 2016
Despite the recent news out of China which indicated that soda ash prices were increasing on the back of renewed demand, Solvay has decided to idle one of its plants. This however is not due to muted market demand, but rather to the increasing cost of energy in Alexandria, Egypt.
25 April 2016
Suspected convict labour used in production
Loophole closed in US trade law
New law gives CBP more authority
15 April 2016
Delegates at this year’s MagMin2016 were told that there were opportunities for growth for refractories producers in the glass market.
08 April 2016
With around 360,000 tpa soda ash coming offline in China over the past year, prices for the mineral have seen a 30% jump from their low point in 2015. Shandong Haihua Group’s dam failure and subsequent production halt also helped to buoy prices, although the company announced in March that it had now recovered all production lines.
06 April 2016
The closing of a loophole in US trade laws means that Customs and Border Protection has more power to ensure products using convict or child labour are prevented from entry to the US commerce.


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The start of year 2016, is the beginning of new organization of the Group IMPRESA, now lead by the CEO Francisco Pedro Pinto Balsemão, more adapted to the challenges which the media companies are facing.
IMPRESA has created a new online platform that gathers all of the Group’s creative outlets. Impresa Media Criativa’s main objective is to have an interaction platform with the market. - B2B, meaning advertisers and current and potential agencies.
In 2016, SIC became the first national television to offer its general interest channel and all its thematic channels in High Definition. SIC channels were made available in HD format, in all national operators, on October 6, the day SIC celebrated its 24th anniversary.


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- Artificial intelligence chips from AMD are about 80% as fast as those from Nvidia, with a future path to matching their performance, according a Friday report by an AI software firm.
- MosaicML found AMD's chip could get 80% of the performance of Nvidia's chip, thanks largely to a new version of AMD software released late last year and a new version of open-source software backed by Meta called PyTorch that was released in March.
Read More at reuters.com
Nvidia CFO Colette Kress downplayed the effect of the potential export restrictions at a financial conference on Wednesday, saying that they would not have an “immediate financial impact” on the surging chipmaker.
- The Bureau of Industry and Security, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, is playing an outsize role in dealing with semiconductor export controls to China.
- In 2021, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo described the BIS as the “small but mighty” agency at the center of federal national security efforts.
- The agency’s decisions could have a significant effect on Nvidia’s business.
- AMD said its forthcoming most-advanced GPU for artificial intelligence, the MI300X, will start shipping to some customers later this year, the company said on Tuesday.
- AMD’s announcement on Tuesday represents the strongest challenge to Nvidia, which currently dominates the market for AI chips.


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Is Fry’s Electronics going out of business 2020?
Fry’s is not going out of business or closing any stores (except Palo Alto, California in January 2020, due to lease expired). No plans to close any other stores. … You could buy everything from potato chips to computer chips at Fry’s Electronics. Around 2014, Fry’s had 34 stores nationwide.
Is Fry’s Electronics Open Covid 19?
For the safety of our customers and associates, and to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic, Fry’s will be temporarily suspending in-store returns and exchanges from March 29th through April 16th.
Is Fry’s Electronics trustworthy?
Fry’s is a major electronics retailer similar to Best Buy or Microcenter. I’ve had good experiences with their brick and mortar stores in the past so I’d expect their internet store to be reliable too. I shop my local frys all the time. Never ordered online from them but the store has always been legit for me.
Why is Fry’s Electronics so empty?
PMG PHOTO: COREY BUCHANAN – Many of the aisles in Fry’s Electronics in Wilsonville are emptying. Valerio said via email that the store is converting many of its suppliers to consignment, meaning that Fry’s is no longer purchasing items from manufacturers. …
Is Fry’s Electronics in Renton closing?
Fry’s is not going out of business or closing any stores.” … In Renton, the 152,000-square-foot Fry’s at 800 Garden Ave.
What company owns Fry’s?
When did Fry’s Electronics Open?
May 17, 1985, Sunnyvale, California, United States


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Google plans to track people on Web sites it partners with to show targeted advertising, bringing the company more in line with its competitors, but also raising privacy questions.
The Mountain View Internet giant said Wednesday that it will collect Web user data and, based on that information, group individuals into various categories such as pet lovers and sports enthusiasts. Google will then show those people display ads that reflect their interests when they visit its partner Web sites.
Several members of Congress and privacy groups have complained about such techniques, known as behavioral targeting. Last month, the Federal Trade Commission released guidelines for the practice.
In anticipation of complaints, Google is allowing users to view the interest categories in which they’ve been placed and to opt out of the program by deleting a cookie that Google places on their browsers.
The program marks one of the most visible changes by Google since acquiring online advertising network DoubleClick last year. Google is using the acquisition to gain more traction in display advertising, an industry in which it is a bit player to Yahoo and AOL.
Google isn’t planning to use the search data it collects to help target display ads. The data for the display ads will be collected from the hundreds of thousands of partner Web sites in its AdSense program. No names will be associated with the data.


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Eventide enhances compatibility options with H8000FW V5.6
Eventide has released V5.6 of its HF8000FW operating system, which now includes Apple Lion OS 10.7 support for FireWire. With the update, the H8000FW effects processor will be compatible with the latest Apple OS upgrade. Available as a free download for registered users, the release also includes several minor bug fixes.
In another announcement from the manufacturer, Eventide has released the Reverb 2016 Stereo Room and Omnipressor plug-ins for AU, VST, and the new Pro Tools Native format, AAX. The manufacturer states that these new releases are part of a major initiative to bring its effects to the Native plug-in world.
The plug-ins are available through Eventide software dealers and on the Eventide website.


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The Bronco Sport Could Be Killing Another Ford SUV
Ford isn’t performing that well. In fact, the legendary F-150 isn’t selling like it used to, and some think the Blue Oval is in trouble. The automaker has already eliminated most of its sedans. And now some of its SUVs, like the Escape, might be next.
What happened? The Escape was once one of Ford’s most popular SUVs. Could the new Bronco Sport be responsible for taking out its sibling, or is there something else at play?
The Ford Escape is losing some of its appeal
The Ford Escape didn’t have a great 2020. In fact, it was abysmal.
According to iSeeCars.com, 90.4 percent of 2020 Ford Escape models are still sitting on dealer lots. Though the Escape wasn’t the only vehicle to lag in sales last year, it tops the list.
Other Ford models, such as EcoSport, Expedition, Ranger, Expedition Max, and F-150, also made the list. In fact, Ford was the automaker that performed the worst in terms of the most 2020 models still unsold. It has left some observers pondering if Ford will join the long list of failed automakers.
iSeeCars executive analyst Karl Brauer stresses the Blue Oval’s dire situation: “Ford Escape sales dropped by 26 percent in 2020 compared to 2019, and Ford didn’t begin production of the 2021 version until early January. The normally popular Ford Escape also has new competition within Ford’s own product line, with the all-new 2021 Ford Bronco Sport making headlines and spurring interest.”
The Bronco Sport’s debut might account for the Escape’s poor performance
Competition is fierce in the auto world. But things take on a whole new meaning when the competition is between two vehicles from the same automaker. And that’s what’s happening with the Ford Bronco Sport and Escape.
Though the Escape has been popular for years, it’s now taking a back seat to the brand-new Bronco Sport. It has its share of flaws, but the new-kid appeal has been consuming consumers’ and critics’ attention.
It’s hard to compete with that, especially given the Bronco Sport can go off-road. Its performance chops remain untested, but it’s still superior to the Escape in that regard. Is that the only reason the Escape isn’t performing well, however? And is the Escape about to get the boot?
Is there still a place for the Escape?
Given the Escape’s poor 2020 sales, it might make sense that Ford is questioning whether this compact crossover SUV still has a place in the lineup. Ford isn’t afraid to cut poor performers, after all. It didn’t hesitate to kill the Mercury brand, and that’s just one example of the many Ford-based vehicles that are no more.
Though it’s certainly possible the Bronco Sport is responsible for the Escape’s poor performance, there’s another explanation: COVID-19. The pandemic hit the auto industry in more ways than one, and the Escape wasn’t the only casualty.
Still, it might be too early to write the Escape off just yet. The SUV segment is booming, and the auto industry is recovering from last year’s early sales slog. The Escape is also recovering, as the 2021 model is a fun ride that might just be able to hold its own against the Bronco Sport.


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In the meantime, the Japanese brand will focus its engineering resources on the next-generation Skyactiv engine family, according to Mazda's North American operations president and CEO Masahiro Moro.
"Our research and development department is 100 percent focused on delivering Skyactiv generation two and if we don't have this we don't have any other derivatives," Moro told Motoring. Once the new engines arrive around 2017, Mazda's engineers can start to develop performance versions. "MPS or performance model or a sort of iconic model of the future will be a little bit later at this stage," Moro said.
Moro is already thinking about the direction for the future performance vehicles. He calls the previous Mazdaspeed3 "childish" and thinks it's time to go a different way. "Mazda brand has become more mature, more upscale, more sophisticated, and we have a new transition of the brand to relate that direction," he said.
Rumors last year suggested that Mazda might introduce a new Mazdaspeed3 (speculative rendering above) as a concept at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. It would have reportedly used the CX-9's 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder tuned to 295 horsepower and an all-wheel-drive powertrain. The vehicle never appeared, though.
The current Mazda3 and Mazda6 arrived in 2014, so a new generation of each wouldn't arrive until around 2020. That would put Mazdaspeed derivatives at 2021 or later. In short, it will be a while.
For customers that have the Driving Matters attitude now, Mazda still offers the award-winning MX-5 Miata as a convertible and soon with an impressive folding hardtop. Plus, Fiat will sell its own versions of the car with 160 hp. We wouldn't mind if Mazda turned up the heat a little by introducing something like the Racing concept from last year's Tokyo Auto Salon, though.


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The idea of using technology to replicate the simplicity and versatility of paper is an enduring one, but no device has nailed it just yet. That may change with the reMarkable, a unique and ambitious tablet that aims to do what paper does, but better. And four years after the concept was first proposed (although less than a year after crowdfunding), the team is finally shipping its first devices on August 29.
You could be forgiven for mistaking the reMarkable for one of these cryptogadgets that solicit some hype, make some promises, maybe load up on money and then disappear forever. But the team is dedicated and seems extremely interested in their own device, a surprisingly uncommon occurrence.
They’re still working on it, so the first recipients may have to exercise a little more patience. I’ll keep that in mind when I test it out, too. But the main thing, and the part the team has spent the most time on, is the feel and basic function. I’ll be able to report on that within a few minutes of unboxing.


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Global NGO Oxfam released its Standing on the Sidelines report last week that called out the ‘Big 10’ food companies on “significant” greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Oxfam said Associated British Foods (ABF), Coca-Cola, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg, Mars, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever were collectively emitting more greenhouse gases than Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway combined.
Oxfam acknowledged that the 10 companies had targets on reducing emissions but described them as lax and not based on science, calling on them to set clearer, more aggressive targets.
“Two companies in particular, Kellogg and General Mills, are clear laggards among the big 10. Both companies are highly vulnerable to climate impacts but also well positioned to lead the industry towards a more sustainable future,” the report read.
General Mills and Kellogg point to Carbon Disclosure Project
General Mills refuted the content of Oxfam’s report. Kris Patton, global communications manager for General Mills, told BakeryandSnacks.com: “Climate change is a serious issue, we agree. But we strongly disagree with this assessment of our efforts.”
In its report Oxfam suggested General Mills, along with Kellogg, failed to measure annual carbon emissions. There were “unaddressed emissions” from all 10 companies, it said, caused by agricultural production such as nitrous oxide released from fertilizers and methane released from livestock.
Jerry Lynch, chief sustainability officer at General Mills, acknowledged in a corporate blog post that 41% of GHG emissions associated with its products came from agriculture, 14% from packaging production, 7% from other ingredient production and 8% from its direct operations. “…Which is why we’re also working to measure and reduce GHG emissions outside our direct operations."
'We’re also working to measure and reduce GHG emissions outside our direct operations,' says General Mills' chief sustainability officer, Jerry Lynch
Lynch said General Mills was working with the Michigan Milk Producers Association, for example, to work on measuring the carbon footprint of milk production and processing. It was also involved in the ‘Field To Market’ alliance, he said, that looked to address emissions from US row crops.
Patton also pointed out the company’s participation in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) since 2000. As part of that General Mills regularly reported its GHG emissions from direct operations.
Kellogg had also been part of the Carbon Disclosure Project since 2007, Kris Charles, vice president of communications at Kellogg, told us. This, she said, covered emissions from its manufacturing operations; upstream, owned and downstream; transportation and distribution; business travel and sales and office locations.
“We are working on multiple fronts to further reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and waste, as well as the energy and water we use,” she said.
The Carbon Disclosure Project is a not-for-profit organization providing a global system that enables companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share environmental information. For companies, the organization is focused on tackling climate change, addressing exposure to deforestation risks, driving more sustainable water use and mitigating environmental risks in supply chain.
Palm oil tie-ups
In addition to GHG concerns Oxfam suggested that General Mills and Kellogg needed to take a closer look at their palm oil supply chain.
“Oxfam’s investigation has found evidence and threats that companies supplying palm oil to suppliers of Kellogg and General Mills are recklessly clearing forests and burning peatlands,” it wrote.
But both Kellogg and General Mills pointed to their memberships of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) that indicated dedication to sustainable sourcing.
General Mills has committed to sourcing 100% sustainable palm oil by 2015, Lynch said, and the company was on track to meet that goal. “We’re sourcing more than 50% of our palm oil sustainably today, and by the end of this calendar year we expect that number to be 75%,” he wrote in the blog post.
Kellogg, Charles said, had a deforestation commitment plan for palm, soy and timber-based packaging.
Oxfam had acknowledged these efforts in its report. “To their credit, both General Mills and Kellogg have recently made strong new commitments and policies for zero deforestation for their palm oil sourcing, going beyond the RSPO’s minimum GHG requirements.”
More to be done… conversation to continue
General Mills acknowledged there was “more to be done, of course” but said its track record was clear. Patton said that overall, Oxfam’s report completely mischaracterized General Mills’ efforts to tackle climate change.
Kellogg also said it had been long committed to doing what’s right for the environment and society, but Charles added: “We value continued engagement and discussion with Oxfam, and other external stakeholders, on the important issues of environmental and social responsibility, including climate change.”
Oxfam said both companies, and the rest of the food and beverage world, needed to better engage vocally about climate change issues, as it was their responsibility.
Patton said General Mills was doing so with its work on the steering committee of The Consumer Goods Forum and in its membership of the Tropical Forest Alliance which was actively engaged with governments in Africa and Asia on climate change issues.


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Trustees are considering the restructuring of business premise license fees to more accurately reflect the cost of commercial property inspections.
Under a proposal recommended by the Judiciary Committee, the cost of a general business premises license would be based on the square footage of a building.
A property of less than 2,000 square feet would pay $35. The fees would escalate incrementally to $475 for properties of 500,000 square feet, plus $75 for each additional 100,000 square feet.
The intent of the revised license fees is to more accurately reflect the cost of village inspections and regulation of commercial properties, said Village Atty. Richard Williams. The trustees are to vote on the measure April 19.
The issue came to light when several large retail outlets recently applied for business licenses.
For example, Menard's, a hardware and home improvement retailer that plans to open a 126,800-square-foot store in Barrington Square shopping center will pay only $65.
But under the proposed new fee structure, Menard's would have paid $400 for a general business premises license.


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Omikenshi Co. is a Japanese textile company that has been in the papermaking business for 99 years. However, due to increased competition from within the industry, the Osaka-based textile maker is prepping to reach a new market of consumers — namely, health food enthusiasts.
Although this might seem like a dramatic departure from the company’s area of expertise, it turns out that the process for producing bedding, for instance, is almost identical for creating edible tree noodles.
These so-called “tree noodles” are made from rayon (a cellulose fiber made from tree pulp) and a sweet potato-like veggie called konjac. The result is a gluten-free noodle that is also incredibly low on fat and calories.
Omikenshi hopes these tree noodles could work as a wheat substitute for ramen or other pasta dishes.
According to Bloomberg Business, the company will spend 1 billion yen on a noodle-producing facility that will produce 30 tons of the noodles per month starting next year.


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Sierra Leone has one of the world's fastest growing economies, according to an International Monetary Fund report. But the post-civil war boom has not yet brought benefits for everyone.
Residents of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, wake up every day to the thudding sounds of construction work. Ten years ago, noise like this signified another bloody day in the country's civil war. But today it is the sound of a country rebuilding its damaged infrastructures.
Throughout the city, old roads are being ripped up and neighborhoods are riddled with construction sites.
Road construction is being presented as one of the government's major success stories.
In almost every street, new structures are rising up. The government recorded the highest rate of infrastructural growth in 2012, which experts say is a clear sign of an economy that is growing.
Looking to the future
In its 2012 World Economic Outlook Report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that Sierra Leone's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose from 3.2 per cent in 2009 to 6 per cent in 2011. The economy is projected to grow by 35.9 percent.
"Obviously the mining industry has an impact on those figures," said marketing and communication consultant, Marisa Zawacki. "If you look at Sierra Leone, there has been a lot of mining activity in the last couple of years and that has affected the numbers in these IMF reports."
Ironically, diamond mining was one of the major causes of the civil war in 1991. The conflict cost Sierra Leone some 50,000 lives, properties worth millions of dollars were destroyed and hundreds of people had their limbs brutally hacked off by rebel fighters.
Low income earners say they haven't yet benefited from Sierra Leone's sudden economic boom
A nation of roughly six million people, Sierra Leone has held three peaceful elections since the war ended in 2002. Since peace returned, the country has been on the road to recovery, most notably in economic terms.
Taxes for development
Sierra Leone is still heavily dependent on foreign aid to fund its budget deficits. President Ernest Bai Koroma is, however, reducing this by enforcing various forms of revenue collection. One is the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
"The GST contributes to the development of Sierra Leone greatly,"said tax collector Sulaiman Kargbo. "Because without this I don't think that we can move forward. Collection of taxes has been a great improvement for Sierra Leone, just like we see other countries developing from taxes and Sierra Leone decided to take this forward with the government coming back in 2007."
Analyst Marisa Zawacki noted that "GST was a tough one for the government." In an interview with DW, she said it took a lot of education work with the local populace "to let them understand the benefits of paying taxes."
"People want to see the benefit first hand and if there is a disconnect there it's going to backfire. As long as people on the ground can see the benefit from a social standpoint, from an infrastructure standpoint, if you look around Freetown at the moment, all the roads are ripped up. You could make that link that by paying your taxes, your money will be going into a government fund that should help social standards across the country."
Taxing goods and services in Sierra Leone is new to many and therefore hostility to paying taxes was frequently encountered by the revenue collection body, the NRA. However, the sensitization process has shown success and small business owners are now apparently more willing to pay taxes.
Lansana Mansaray sees the need to pay taxes
Lansana Mansaray runs a car hire business and says for every contract signed, he pays 15 percent GST and that hasn't been easy for him. "Basically for most of what I do, I have to pay 15 percent tax," he told DW. "No matter how small the contract is and no matter how I do it, I have to pay 15 percent tax and it's kind of like a pain in the neck sometimes."
Nevetheless, Lansana said he is "happy to be a part of this development." He acknowledged that "there is no way Sierra Leone will grow without people paying taxes and dues."
Another important contribution to the development of the country's economy is foreign direct investments (FDI). Although FDI is highly concentrated on the mining and telecommunication sectors, a recent United Nations report indicates that Sierra Leone has a lot of potential for FDI in cash crops, fisheries and ecotourism. What is worrying is that FDI requires a thriving private sector economy and Sierra Leone falls short of that.
"Sierra Leoneans don't depend as much as they should on the private sector," said Marisa Zawacki. She believes helping the private sector grow would strengthen the connection to foreign investments. With the support of FDI, Sierra Leoneans could then drive the country forward largely by their own efforts.
Among new investors in Sierra Leone are the Hilton Hotel group that has invested $41 million (32 million euros) in constructing a hotel in Freetown and a group of Chinese businessmen who have invested $190 million in a new international airport.
Growth not reaching average earners
The average Sierra Leonean is not yet feeling the benefit of the economic recovery. Many people are deeply frustrated by higher food prices and local businesses claim they are feeling the pinch, despite IMF reports that the economy is growing.
The chairman of a market traders' union, Abdul Kaloko, said "We get embarrassed sometimes because we can't afford expensive products. Sierra Leone is gradually improving but commodities like palm oil and other goods are becoming expensive."
Local trader Mabinty Kabbah agreed. "The economy is very hard, things are very expensive and the cost of living is very difficult."
But analyst Zawacki says it's just a matter of time. The economy hasn't "trickled down as of yet. A market woman will feel an impact hopefully when a lot of these private sector companies come in and invest in the country and start using the local supply chain."


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Join gaming leaders, alongside GamesBeat and Facebook Gaming, for their 2nd Annual GamesBeat & Facebook Gaming Summit | GamesBeat: Into the Metaverse 2 this upcoming January 25-27, 2022. Learn more about the event.
Swinging back into a net profit, Nintendo today reported financial results for the first quarter ended June 30. But the company reported a sizable operating loss, and it sold only 160,000 Wii U game consoles from April 1 to June 30. That’s a terrible showing for a console that is less than a year old.
NIntendo reported an operating loss of 4.92 billion yen, or $50.2 million, on net sales of 81.5 billion yen, or $832.8 million in the first fiscal quarter. Net profit was 8.62 billion yen, or $88 million.
On the good side, Nintendo did not change its forecast for a 100 billion yen operating profit in the current fiscal year.
Wii U software sales were 1.03 million units, down 51.3 percent from the previous quarter. To date, the Wii U has sold 3.61 million units worldwide. Nintendo had earlier predicted it would sell 5.5 million consoles by March 31, 2013.
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Nintendo sold 1.4 million 3DS handhelds in the quarter, up 12 percent on a sequential basis. That was 25 percent down from a year ago, but software sales were up 49 percent thanks to sales of Tomodachi Collection: New Life and Animal Crossing: New Leaf.
On another note, the Wii console that debuted in 2006 has finally crossed 100 million units sold worldwide. Nintendo said revenue from downloadable digital content was up 150 percent from a year ago.
GamesBeatGamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. How will you do that? Membership includes access to:
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- And maybe even a fun prize or two
- Introductions to like-minded parties


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Picture this: It’s 8 a.m., and instead of waking up to the smell of your smart coffeemaker brewing a nice pot of coffee to start the day, your morning begins with an email from a hacker demanding $20 in bitcoin otherwise they’ll keep your coffee pot hostage until you do.
It may sound a bit farfetched, but all you have to do is read the papers to realize that hackers are, literally, taking any connected device and turning it into a bot for their malicious botnet attacks — or holding them hostage until they are paid.
The Internet of Things (IoT) offers a new and powerful backdoor for cybercriminals to sneak in to launch massive attacks and hold the connectivity of devices for ransom.
From hijacked security cameras and video recorders to vulnerable car systems and smart locks, a growing number of connected devices are now at risk of being used as part of a botnet that allows hackers to perpetrate malicious activities.
Lorie Wigle, GM of IoT Security Solutions for Intel, explained that, because connectivity is being brought to devices that have never been enabled with access to the internet before, the impact of something going wrong with these devices is no longer isolated.
The thing is: Hackers aren’t interested in taking over a DVR to erase your favorite program or change up your recording schedule. As we’ve seen, they’re using them as entry points to launch bigger, and possibly more damaging, activities.
The Easy Way In
The most surprising revelation with IoT security is that it actually isn’t that hard for cybercriminals to find their way into connected devices to do harm.
Wigle said it can be as simple as identifying the large-volume shippers and manufacturers of the devices they want to target, tracking down the manual and counting on the fact that most people don’t update their username and password from the default credentials.
And the security researchers at Intel have seen hackers take advantage of a wide range of IoT vulnerabilities recently.
In helping one manufacturer to address its IoT security needs, researchers discovered vulnerabilities across an entire product line of the company’s devices — from smart plugs to smart coffeemakers.
Another example was found in a vehicle entertainment system used by aftermarket installers, which was running on an old version of Android and could easily be taken over by hackers if the consumer navigated innocently to a malicious website.
In both instances, another major motivator for hackers was identified: ransomware.
“Ransomware is an interesting motivator from an attack perspective,” Wigle explained, because it enables hackers to take control of a device’s connectivity (and functionality) until a consumer pays up.
This runs the gamut of locking someone out of their own house or turning up the volume of a car system until it’s unbearable —with the only remedy being paying up the ransom.
It may be nefarious, but even we have to admit it’s clever.
Inside The Mind Of A Hacker
Which makes outsmarting hackers tough, but Wigle said one of the best approaches to beating them at their own game when it comes to IoT security is to try to think about potential attacks from their perspective.
Whether it’s a connected wearable or an internet-ready appliance, it’s about determining who would want to get to that particular device and what could they do once they have the access they are looking for.
That means understanding the threat model and then going through the process of designing appropriate security measures into the device so that those sort of attacks can’t happen, Wigle explained.
Protecting smart devices from the threat of hackers comes down to safeguarding the connectivity of that device to the internet, which is a pretty big job.
Intel has found that a lot of the security solutions that have been developed over the last two to three decades for information or IT security actually have applicability when it comes to IoT.
But with IoT, which has different considerations since there is interaction with both physical and digital touchpoints, Intel keeps three things top of mind in building solutions: integrity, identity and functionality.
By building certain capabilities directly into its processors, Wigle said Intel strives to provide a foundation for security that a device maker can easily take advantage of.
This includes planning for integrity by ensuring a device or system hasn’t been tampered with from the moment a consumer turns it on.
Since most IoT communication is machine to machine, hardware-based identity is used to make sure that a device is getting data from a legitimate machine. And in the case of when sensitive data has to be manipulated, Wigle pointed out that this can be done in a trusted execution environment where data is only unencrypted in a very safe and secure place on the device.
“That’s one level of activity we think is really important — getting that baseline hardware-based security in place — and we think it’s probably more important for IoT than a lot of other markets,” she explained.
The IoT Security Long Game
Though it’s important for connected device manufacturers to take advantage of the best security available to them today, Wigle noted that it’s even more important to make sure that security is operationalized for the future.
This is most relevant in markets where devices have a long lifespan.
Think about a smart car that a consumer may have for five to 10 years. The cyberattacks are going to change over the period of time for that device, and the manufacturer needs to have a process in place to keep that device safe.
“There’s designing the security in, but there’s also how do you operationalize that and make sure that you keep it current during the life of the device,” Wigle explained.
Though there’s still much excitement in thinking about what’s possible with IoT and connected devices, the increasing threat of hackers has caused many to stop and think about how cybercriminals may perceive an opportunity before making it available in a device for a consumer or a business.
Wigle said it’s the notion of trying to futureproof these smart devices.
“You’re never going to have perfect insight,” she admitted, but explained that, in knowing that perfect insight is unattainable, the industry can work to accommodate the things that do come up and react to them in the right way.


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Musa Kalenga & Kali Ilunga Get You, Digital Africans, Pumped Up For 2016
Happy New Year!
The African Tech Round-up team is only one week away from being back on strike to bring you the most important digital, tech and innovation news from across the African continent.
This week though, we round off our coverage of the Annual Round-up 2015 with two awesome keynote addresses. The first is one is entitled, “Where To From Here” presented by Musa Kalenga who is Africa Client Partner at Facebook, as well as Head of Brand, IAB (SA). And the second talk entitled, “Digital African: Your Ides Matter” is presented by Founder & CEO of SeeSayDo, Kali Ilunga.(Apologies for the poor sound quality in the first half of Musa’s talk.)
We couldn’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year. After all, the only thing better than a single dose of inspiration is two.
Digital Africans, charge!
Originally published in AfricanTechRoundup.com


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2020 was full of ups and downs on the market, but it brought many positive surprises. We don’t know for sure what 2021 has in store for us, since the global pandemic is still roaring and recession is expected. Many investors decided to opt for crypto with everything going on since it looked like the best alternative for a traditional financial system since the economy is volatile. It seems like there will be a massive change in the way we deal with cryptos, taking into consideration Paypal decided to accept it and normalize it as a way of paying in general, meaning the growth potential is enormous. 2021 Is going to be full of surprises!
We will outline the top 5 cryptocurrencies to look out for in 2021, and why you should pay attention to them and invest in.
Nothing new to hear, but Bitcoin made some significant changes and paved the way for the rest of cryptos. Bitcoin hit another all-time high just days ago, reaching almost 20000 dollars for one Bitcoin. Experts predict a bright future for those who invest in Bitcoin now, saying it will go to $100 thousand, or even triple that price in 18 months or less. As we mentioned, it is only a matter of time when big institutions adopt Bitcoin as a regular currency, and many companies are already in for accepting payments in crypto.
Always right behind Bitcoin, Ethereum is among currencies that bounced back from the surge that happened right when covid hit. It performed the best during 2020, going steady after the fall, and it’s still the second-largest cryptocurrency. Many people tend to invest in Ethereum rather than Bitcoin because their blockchain network is ideal for decentralized apps, so it was created in the first place. ETH platform can support other crypto platforms, therefore making the decentralized network more prominent and more accessible.
Ripple has an alternative payment ecosystem, and its goal is to transform and make stronger connections with cross-border payments. The most important thing is they guarantee it’s 100% safe, instant and almost entirely free. Ripple was adopted by many financial institutions and had over 300 providers in 40 countries. The most recent supporters include India’s biggest bank (HDB) and the Bank of America.
According to the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, many argue it’s beneficial to invest in Ripple in 2021 because Ripple could become an alternative to SWIFT. This seems very close because the European Commission’s support encourages a transition to the digital currency, and Ripple would solve issues like speed, cost, security, transparency and risk management.
Litecoin is another significant cryptocurrency and has always been a favourite because it’s “silver to Bitcoin’sBitcoin’s gold”, and its purpose was still to create a fast and affordable system. It’s an affordable cryptocurrency (currently around $90), and they have a high reward for a block during very fast mining (25 LTC per block). It seems like Litecoin will grow slower and climb up to $350 but 3 years from now. It’s remaining in the top 10 crypto list and next year will be no different.
We mentioned how good Ethereum’sEthereum’s ecosystem is in supporting other cryptos, and that’s how Tron was initially launched – by using a peer-to-peer network. Tron’sTron’s goal is to change the entertainment industry and make content creation more comfortable and more democratic than it is now. They partnered with Samsung, Baidu and Chinese version of Netflix – Baofeng.
As you can see, Tron operates as a content-sharing platform, and users can get a reward in the form of TRX (Tron), and it doesn’t require any app store, making the monetization system more transparent. Tron even surpassed Ethereum in terms of dApp transaction volume in 2020.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.


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Shares in the Jacksonville, Fla.-based Class I railroad jumped 23.4 percent on Thursday to close at $45.51 following reports outgoing Canadian Pacific CEO E. Hunter Harrison could be eyeing CSX as his next landing spot.
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol reported a cargo throughput of 1.66 million metric tons for the full year in 2016, a 2.5 percent increase compared with 2015 and a record for the airport.
Yang Ming responded by saying it has unwavering support of Taiwan’s government and has "proactively reorganized internally to effectively reduce its operating costs."
Registration takes less than 1 minute.
Many small shippers entering the online retail fray may not be aware that air cargo-specific hazardous materials transportation regulations even exist, let alone apply to their products.
The heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions provider said it is backing off plans to shift production from a plant in Indiana to Mexico after striking a deal with President-elect Donald Trump and the state of Indiana.
Atlanta-based shipping and logistics provider UPS said it will invest more than $175 million to expand its main Columbus, Ohio ground package hub, which is located on 90 acres on the city’s west side.


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IATA has launched a new partnership with bio-analytical testing firm Eurofins to incorporate the group’s worldwide Covid-19 testing network into the IATA Travel Pass.
The new initiative will see Eurofins’ 800 laboratories across 50 countries offer secure, verified test results to travellers using the app.
IATA said that the partnership is expected to begin across multiple regions in the coming weeks. A number of carriers have recently commenced IATA Travel Pass trials, including Iberia on Europe-Latin American routes, and Emirates on flights between Dubai and Barcelona / London.
Gilles Martin, Eurofins’ chairman of the board and CEO said that the group had already carried out over 15 million Covid-19 tests since the start of the pandemic, adding that “Fast, secure, high-quality testing is a critical element in the fight against the pandemic and enabling the return to normalized travel”.
Meanwhile Willie Walsh, IATA’s recently appointed director general, commented:
“Verified testing is the immediate solution to give governments the confidence to open their borders to travellers. IATA Travel Pass aims to make it as simple as possible for travellers to locate certified laboratories and securely receive the test results that governments require.
“Our partnership with Eurofins is another mark of quality for IATA Travel Pass which is being built to the highest data security and privacy standards. Adding the extensive Eurofins network to the initiative will help travellers more conveniently adjust their travel preparations to meet the Covid-19 requirements.”
For a look at the pros and cons of “vaccine passports”, and the different options being developed, see our recent features:
Business Traveller has also been compiling a round up of airlines offering discounted Covid-19 tests here:


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Groz-Beckert at ITMA Asia: “complete success”
In addition to the in-person event, the company invited its visitors to a virtual booth. Groz-Beckert welcomed a total of almost 3,600 visitors during the trade fair – 2,300 of them in person and around 1,300 virtually.
This year, the virtual booth complemented the traditional booth on the trade fair grounds to enable us to reach as many customers as possible despite the coronavirus pandemic and worldwide restrictions. At both booths, the product highlights were explored using 3D models and discussions were held. At the virtual booth, each visitor had their own avatar which they could use to move through the virtual world. An exchange between customers and Groz-Beckert took place either in person or – also in real time – via chat or video cal
In Shanghai, most of the visitors came from China due to the pandemic. The ranking in the virtual environment puts India top in terms of visitor numbers, followed by Bangladesh, Germany and Turkey.


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This year, we expect shopping for the festive season to look different, with mobile commerce poised to reach new heights as people find gifts from home. That’s why this week, we’re rolling out new shopping tools for Pinners and advertisers, bringing us one step closer to our goal of making every Pin shoppable. Today, Pinterest is expanding shopping tools for Pinners in the UK, bringing shopping inspiration to the first international market. In addition, we’re launching ads alongside visual search results, as well as more places to shop.
Pinterest is the visual discovery engine. Our mission is to give everyone the inspiration to create a life that they love.


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Canadians bought $43M worth of marijuana in the first 2 weeks after legalization
Statistics Canada says sales varied across the country in the 14 days after Oct. 17
Statistics Canada says sales at cannabis stores in the two weeks after legalization totalled $43 million.
The agency started collecting data for in-store and online sales from cannabis retailers as of Oct. 17, when fresh or dried bud, oil, plants and seeds became legal for recreational use in the country.
The first set of data released Friday as part of the agency's broader monthly retail trade figures only encompassed two weeks, but will reflect a complete reference month in the future.
Statistics Canada says different retail structures in each province and territory affected cannabis availability across the country.
Supply shortages a problem
The agency says retail figures will vary as new stores continue to come online and the marketplace evolves.
Ontario led the way with more than $11 million in sales, with Quebec just behind at more than $10 million.
- Alberta: $5.6 million.
- Nova Scotia: $4.5 million.
- British Columbia: $2.3 million.
- New Brunswick: $2.1 million.
- Newfoundland and Labrador: $1.7 million.
- Prince Edward Island: $1.4 million.
- Saskatchewan: $341,000.
Data for Nunavut was unavailable, and figures for Manitoba, Yukon and Northwest Territories were withheld, citing privacy concerns. Despite its small population, P.E.I. sold more pot per capita than any other province, with more than $8 worth of marijuana sold in those two weeks for every person in the province.
Recreational pot supply shortages have been a persistent problem since legalization, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently calling the supply shortfall the biggest challenge associated with the change. He noted, however, that he expects the problem to disappear within a year.
Edibles have yet to be allowed to be legally sold, but Health Canada released draft regulations Thursday for the sale of edibles. They will become legal no later than Oct. 17, 2019.
The regulations, which ask for public input until Feb. 20, would restrict the sale of cannabis-infused booze, and packaging or labelling beer or wine products together with cannabis.
Packages of edibles won't be permitted of more than 10 milligrams of THC, while extracts and topicals could not exceed 1,000 milligrams of THC.
The regulations propose restrictions on ingredients that could make the products more appealing to children, as well as requiring plain and child-resistant packaging that displays a standard cannabis symbol with a health warning.
With files from CBC News


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When A&W started serving Beyond Meat veggie burgers at its restaurants, the fast-food chain offered many patrons their first bite of the much touted, celebrity backed plant-based patty.
In the year and a half since, Canadians continued searching for plant-based options at home and on the go.By the time A&W added a plant-based nugget in December, many fast-food chains — even long-time holdout McDonald’s Canada — boasted a trendy vegetarian menu item, too.
As restaurants jumped on the plant-based protein craze this past year, the products also proliferated on grocery store shelves.
Earlier this month, Beyond Meat announced grocers across the country would start stocking its Beyond beef product, which mimics ground beef. It launched its burgers in the summer and they’re now sold at more than 4,000 stores in the country.
Lightlife, meanwhile, boasts seven plant-based protein products with national distribution in Canada, and Field Roast Grain Meat Co. makes about four that are sold in many parts of the country. Both brands belong to Chicago-based Greenleaf Foods SPC, a wholly-owned, independent subsidiary of Mississauga, Ont.-based Maple Leaf Foods.
Kicking off the trend, Health Canada revealed a new food guide in January recommending people “choose protein foods that come from plants more often.” It minimized meat’s dominant position in the previous iteration and put the meat industry on the defensive for their share of consumer plates.
As interest in alternative protein grew, backlash bubbled.
But the folks leading major plant-based manufacturers say consumers want their products and plan to add more varieties and sales points, create tastier options and lower their prices to beat out bargain meat.
A&W sparked a consumer frenzy when it debut the company’s veggie burger in July 2018. The chain temporarily sold out of the patties, having under-estimated people’s appetites.
That sales spike wasn’t a flash in the pan, either. Demand ”stayed remarkably stable” since that temporary shortage, said chief executive Susan Senecal.
A&W added a new veggie option this month — Lightlife nuggets. Only its Ontario and B.C. restaurants stock the chicken-nugget imitation, and A&W expects to sell out by the new year. Still, in a sign of the industry’s strength, the company hopes eventually to offer the nuggets nationwide.
“I think there’s a huge opportunity for growth in Canada,” says Ethan Brown, the founder of California-based Beyond Meat.
“We’re just getting started.”
Beyond Meat wants to add more product types and sales points, so consumers can find every type of meat substitution conveniently.
After A&W introduced Beyond Meat burgers to Canadians, other eateries raced to offer something for vegans, vegetarians or — most frequently, it seems — flexitarians. The latter describes those who sometimes swap meat for other options for environmental, health or animal welfare reasons.
Today, many fast-food chains boast a veggie burger, some pizza places offer veggie ground “meat” or vegan cheese as toppings, and Kentucky Fried Chicken Canada dabbled with plant-based fried chicken sandwiches and popcorn chicken options at a single restaurant for one day.
McDonald’s Canada, which long resisted consumer calls to bring back a veggie burger, decided to pilot a PLT — a Beyond Meat sandwich — for 12 weeks, starting in late September, at 28 restaurants in southwestern Ontario.
The company is trying to understand what place plant-based proteins may have in its operations, said John Betts, McDonald’s Canada chief executive.
He believes it won’t canniabalize the company’s meat product sales, but will likely reflect what he calls “the salad effect.” When McDonald’s first introduced salads in the 1980s, it removed what executives dubbed “the veto vote” of someone preventing a group visit to McDonald’s because it didn’t suit their dietary needs or preferences, he said.
“Plant-based protein could be the new salad type of option,” he said, stressing the chain expects the addition to drive up meat sales, which remains the company’s focus.
With burgers, nuggets and other plant-based forms becoming ubiquitous, pushback started. In particular, meat producers are taking aim at claims that alternative proteins offer better health benefits.
The Quebec Cattle Producers Federation called on the country’s food inspection agency to intervene on what it called misleading advertising on Beyond Meat’s products, saying the company shouldn’t be permitted to use the word meat.
The Centre for Consumer Freedom, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization funded by food industry and consumers, took on the issue of what it calls “fake meat.” It launched a website and created advertisements alleging some plant-based protein products use potentially harmful chemicals and can be worse for humans than their meat counterparts.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Beyond Meat’s Brown of the organization’s campaign he says is geared toward scaring consumers from eating food that will benefit them.
The burger, for example, contains no trans fat or cholesterol, and 20 grams of protein, according to the company. It does include 16 per cent of the daily recommended sodium content, which is comparable to a seasoned meat patty.
Beyond Meat will launch a substantial marketing initiative in Canada next year, said Brown, as it looks to grow its presence in the country.
“The products that we have are limited in scope. They need to be improved and we need to expand our market presence.”
He envisions a future where shoppers can select a Beyond Meat alternative for any animal protein cut they were shopping for at the grocery store, such as a boneless chicken breast or steak, and where diners can sample more of its product range at restaurants. Beyond Meat anticipates more partnerships next year.
For some consumers though, the price presents a roadblock. A pack of two Beyond burgers costs $7.99 plus tax at one Canadian grocery chain, compared with $12.99 for an eight-pack of its house-brand burgers.
Brown aims to lower prices to undercut animal protein within five years, though it may happen sooner in certain segments.
Greenfield, too, believes there’s room for growth in Canada.
“In totality, the plant-based products that are being sold are still in its infancy,” said president Dan Curtin, adding household penetration remains low for the category.
Vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians, especially, continue looking for more options.
“We still see significant growth opportunities,” Curtain said.
“But it’s beyond just the core products that are out there,” he added, pointing to the company’s partnership with A&W for the limited-time plant-based nugget offering.
Greenfield plans to continue creating new products to add to its restaurant and grocery distribution channels.
“It is about innovation.”
Aleksandra Sagan, The Canadian Press


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VICTORIA, Seychelles, May 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Self-hosted wallet solution Cash Tech aims to change the way that people interact with cryptocurrency technology. As detailed in their recently released whitepaper, Cash Tech intends to be “the leading wallet solution for cryptocurrency veterans and newcomers alike”.
Cash Tech encompasses a wallet, a decentralized exchange, a merchant payment gateway, and a DeFi services aggregator within one application. The Cash Tech team has been working towards bringing a more versatile and intuitive wallet solution to all categories of cryptocurrency users.
The team has emphasized creating a “frictionless user experience”. Few incumbent wallet solutions offer carefully designed UI/UX, imposing a difficult navigational experience upon users. Cash Tech aims to lead their field when it comes to the user-friendliness of their UX.
Moreover, Cash Tech has ambitions of being unmatched in the versatility of their offerings. The primary features of the application include:
- Securely store, send, and receive cryptocurrencies for multiple blockchains including Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Polkadot, Near, Celo, and Solano
- Store and display NFT assets
- Exchange between currencies and tokens of the supported blockchains via cross chain swap technology
- Receive and settle cryptocurrency payments as a merchant or freelancer
- Spend your cryptocurrency in a network of merchants
- Access to third-party DeFi applications and services
Cash Tech is positioning itself to be a leading wallet solution by fulfilling users’ growing demand for self-hosted storage while also providing access to broader functionality. Incumbent wallet solutions are severely restricted in their offerings, despite data demonstrating that cryptocurrency users want more comprehensive solutions. Cash Tech addresses this with their versatile offering while also ensuring a secure and user friendly experience.
Company: Cash Tech
Contact: Alex Shin, CMO
E-Mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +248 / 4456 3790


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Oct 17, 2011
See, some people can get along. Like the FCC and wireless trade group CTIA. The two struck a voluntary deal (no overt legal threatening disclosed...
May 26, 2011
Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) sent a letter Wednesday to Apple and Google saying he wants the companies to have privacy policies for all apps sold for...
Apr 21, 2011
OH HEAVENS! STRONGLY WORDED LETTERS!...


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Manama, Mar. 5 (BNA): The Bahraini Export Authority concluded an informational workshop entitled “Procedures for Exporting Foodstuffs, Medicines and Pharmaceuticals to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, which was presented by the Food and Drug Authority in coordination with Export Bahrain and “Export Bahrain”. Ministry of Health in Bahrain.
The workshop aimed to provide exporters with an introduction to the requirements and procedures that must be taken before exporting foodstuffs, medicines and pharmaceuticals to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The educational workshop mainly targeted the private sector to develop and increase its contribution to the economic development of the Kingdom.
The workshop, which was attended by 100 participants, brought together a diverse group of experts, industry leaders and stakeholders from both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to engage in insightful discussions on the complex and diverse procedures and regulations related to the export of products within the country. concerned industries.
Comprehensive presentations and interactive sessions provided attendees with a thorough understanding of the necessary documents, the role of the Ministry of Health in Bahrain, and the measures required to ensure compliance with the regulations set by the Food and Drug Authority.
The successful conclusion of this workshop demonstrates the strong commitment and continuous efforts of Export Bahrain and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority to enhance trade and trade exchange between the two countries and support the growth and success of businesses looking to expand in the Saudi market by facilitating export procedures and requirements. .
This workshop is testament to the continuous efforts of both organizations to provide valuable resources and opportunities to companies, specifically in the pharmaceutical and food sectors, seeking to expand into the Saudi market.
Fatima Aziz Rustom, Executive Director of Export Bahrain, emphasized the importance of boosting trade between the two kingdoms.
“It is imperative that we further strengthen the economic ties between Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in order to promote a prosperous trade relationship that serves the interests of both countries,” Rustom added.
“The Saudi market provides many opportunities for Bahrain-based companies, and the joint efforts between the Bahrain Export Authority and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority will be a catalyst for continued growth and prosperity.”
A representative of the SFDA said: “We are committed to promoting and facilitating trade between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and this valuable workshop was a testament to our common goals and efforts to ensure the success and growth of businesses operating in these vital sectors.”
“We are steadfast in our goal of developing a strong and prosperous commercial relationship between the two kingdoms, and we will continue to make great strides in this direction.”


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Cinven, the private equity group, has bought Kurt Geiger, the largest retailer of luxury footwear in Europe, in a deal worth £245m.
Kurt Geiger, founded on London’s Bond Street in 1963, makes £30m-plus in profits annually on sales of around £260m. Its shoes and boots are regularly worn by celebrities such as the singer Rihanna.
Cinven has had stakes in a number of well-known UK companies, including Allied Carpets, Fitness First, Gala Coral, Spire Healthcare, William Hill and United Biscuits. It has bought the business from the US private equity group, Sycamore Partners.
“Kurt Geiger represents an exciting opportunity to acquire the UK’s leading women’s footwear and accessories company with significant international growth and consolidation opportunities,” said Maxim Crewe, a partner at Cinven.
Kurt Geiger’s management team, led by chief executive Neil Clifford, will be staying on after the deal. Clifford said: “Our ambitions are significant and we believe Kurt Geiger will continue its successful track record of delivering strong growth both domestically and on the international stage.”
Earlier this month another shoe chain, the Office Retail Group, was bought by the South African retailer Truworths for £256m.
Cinven sees significant expansion opportunities, especially in digital and international markets where it has been building a presence. It also says that the UK footwear market, currently worth £8bn a year, is forecast to grow by 3% annually. It is also eyeing up the children’s footwear market.
Kurt Geiger was bought by Jones Group, a US fashion group, in 2011, which was then acquired by Sycamore after running up losses.


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21 April 2020
Mist Systems, a Juniper Networks company, announces a new ecosystem partner integration that leverage ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi radar (sensing), LiDAR, Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) and battery-less Bluetooth LE tags to deliver use cases for indoor location with accuracy and “exceptional” scale.
Ultra-wideband (UWB) has the promise of becoming a standards-
based technology that can be the cornerstone of a real-time location system (RTLS). It supposedly delivers higher-accuracy location to address additional location use cases for customers, including those for Industrial IoT (IIoT), healthcare, enterprise, logistics and retail environments.
Mist has been working with Inpixon, Quarion and Sewio, three location and positioning technology providers and is integrating their UWB anchors and tags within the Mist AI-driven enterprise solution. The firm reckons UWB can enable sub 1-foot accuracy when properly deployed and will enable Mist to address new use cases in the safety and high-value asset tracking areas.
“Sewio is excited to work with Juniper and Mist in order to extend our UWB technology to our common customers and integrate our real-time location system with Mist’s innovative AI-driven platform to achieve greater efficiency, profitability and safety within facilities across the many verticals and use cases we serve,” said Milan Simek, CEO and Co-founder at Sewio.
Bob Friday, CTO of Mist Systems, adds: “We are excited to build on the previous success of our location solution, including placement as a visionary in the recently announced 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Indoor Location Services, with new use cases that leverage state-of-the-art ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi, LiDAR, ESL and Bluetooth LE technologies. It takes a robust ecosystem to bring indoor location to stores, hotels, hospitals, campuses and other AI-driven enterprises, so we are excited to be working with the best vendors in the industry to make this a reality.” www.mist.com


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Showing 177,903 results for: Buying and Selling a Business?rss=1
Lender CYBG Expects to Book $288.6 Million Charge in Fiscal Half-Year Results
CYBG Plc on Wednesday said it expected to take a pre-tax charge of 202 million pounds in its half-year results through March as it increased the provision to cover the cost of an earlier insurance industry scandal.
As U.S. and China Trade Tariff Barbs, Others Scoop Up U.S. Soybeans
Escalating tensions between the United States and China have triggered a flurry of U.S. soybean purchases by European buyers, in one of the first signs that trade tariff threats lobbed between the world's top two economies are disrupting global commodity trade flows.


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Posted Thursday January 10, 2019
49% of Canadians are Ill-Prepared for Inevitable Financial Emergencies
With the flurry of holiday season spending in the rear-view mirror and bills arriving in the mail, a new study released by leading Canadian polling company Leger has determined that many Canadians are already overstretched financially, with no real savings for emergencies, and no financial plan in place for when they happen.
The results indicate 49% of Canadians do not have savings for an emergency. When emergencies do arise, 35% of Canadians say they would take out a small loan or pay for it on their credit card, and this increases to 43% of those who are living paycheck to paycheck.
This survey found that 53% of Canadians report living paycheck to paycheck, and nearly 20% are actually struggling to get by. 14% of respondents have found themselves in a dire financial situation, such as filing for bankruptcy or having something sent to collections.
Leger Survey Details www.leger360.com. The online survey of 1901 Canadians has a margin of error +/-2.2%, 19 times out of 20.
exchangemagazine.com is distributed twice weekly; Tuesday and Thursday
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Ford's U.S. sales dropped 14 percent, Toyota's fell 10 percent and Honda's slipped 3 percent in March as demand for trucks and sport utility vehicles plummeted amid high gas prices and a slowdown in home construction.
Consumers' worries about the economy were expected to make March one of the worst months for automakers since 2005, when a wave of summer discounts led to a huge drop in fall sales. Automakers reported sales Tuesday.
A 24 percent jump in sales for Ford's popular Edge crossover couldn't make up for falling sales of pickups and large SUVs. Ford's truck and SUV sales dropped 16 percent versus March 2007. Sales of the Ford Expedition SUV fell 34 percent, while sales of the perennially popular F-Series pickup—which will be replaced with a new version this fall—were down 24 percent.
Ford's car sales were down 10 percent, dragged by declining demand for the Ford Mustang and Crown Victoria sedan. Ford's overall sales for the first quarter were down 9 percent.
"I'd like to be able to tell you that the worst is behind us, but I really can't give you that assurance," Jim Farley, Ford Motor Co.'s sales and marketing chief, said in a conference call with reporters and analysts. Farley said Ford is concerned the shrinking availability of consumer credit will continue to hurt sales and that the second quarter could be more difficult than the first.
Toyota Motor Corp., which beat Ford to become the No. 2 automaker by U.S. sales last year, held onto its lead in the first quarter, outselling Ford by more than 43,000 vehicles. But Toyota took a beating in March, reporting truck and SUV sales down 14 percent and car sales down 7 percent. The Tundra pickup saw a surprising 17 percent sales increase, but totals were dragged down by SUV sales, which fell 20 percent. Toyota's sales were down 6 percent for the quarter.
Honda Motor Co., which had bucked the downward sales trend in February, saw its 3 percent increase in car sales eroded by a 12 percent decline in truck and SUV sales. That drop was led by the Honda Pilot SUV, which saw sales fall 24 percent. Honda's sales were flat for the first quarter.
Small cars fared best as consumers focused on fuel efficiency. The Ford Focus saw sales jump 24 percent for the month, while Toyota's subcompact Yaris saw sales rise 83 percent and Honda's subcompact Fit saw a 74 percent jump.
Ford shares rose 11 cents to $5.83 in afternoon trading. Toyota's U.S. shares rose $2.11 to $103 and Honda's U.S. shares were up $1.02 to $29.83. Auto shares rallied along with the market amid optimism that the worst of the credit crisis has passed and that the economy is faring better than expected.
The Associated Press reports unadjusted figures, calculating the percentage change in the total number of vehicles sold in one month compared with the same month a year earlier. Some automakers report percentages adjusted for sales days. There were 26 sales days last month and 28 in March 2007.


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Last week COMC announced it will begin cross listing items on eBay. That should likely make COMC the largest seller of trading cards on eBay once they fully ramp up. A new fee structure and other changes should occur – but selling your cards essentially across three channels (COMC, Amazon, eBay) is pretty cool. We discuss this and other broader ecommerce topics.
Listen To Show #190
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06 Oct Convenience remains top of the shopping list
As Europe emerges from the COVID 19 pandemic, one thing is clear – the trends in retail prior to COVID have become more pronounced and are now accelerating the divergence between winners and losers in the retail sector.
In terms of winners, retail parks have experienced a strong performance during the unprecedented times of the past 18 months, as the segment has continued to thrive on the back of its long-standing formula for success, based on convenience, essential shopping and value for money. Research we conducted last year with CBRE into the Belgium market confirmed once again the attractive and stable drivers for retail parks – low rents of 7 to 10 times less than shopping centres and high streets, and higher yields of 5.5% for prime retail parks which surpass not just other sectors of retail but most mainstream real estate segments.
But it’s when we look at consumer behaviour that the polarisation between winners and losers really becomes clear. Consumers have become progressively time-poor but at the same time value-orientated, leading to their selection of retail channels becoming increasingly based on either experience or convenience.
For experience, the destination-driven shopping offered at prime dominant high streets, shopping centers and outlet centers is expected to pick up post-COVID and once again attract consumers’ discretionary spending.
But a trend the pandemic has really brought to the fore is that of convenience, as consumers have become more purpose-driven in their shopping and have been choosing retail parks and e-commerce for their needs-based essential spending. The retail park offer which combines supermarkets for daily groceries in combination with complementary, often value-oriented, stores as well as essential services, sited on easily accessible locations, has been very effective at attracting consumers.
This polarisation between convenience and experience will continue to work in favour of both retail parks and prime retail by positioning them as differentiated offerings at each end of the spectrum. But it is the “squeezed middle” of non-prime retail in city centres and small shopping centres which lack a clear unique selling proposition, and have therefore been the most impacted during the pandemic and face the most competitive headwinds from both physical retail and e-commerce moving ahead.
The mutually beneficial relationship between retail parks and e-commerce
There is no denying that one of the biggest beneficiaries of the disruption in physical retail over the past 18 months has been e-commerce. But looking ahead, there is also clear evidence of the growing convergence between physical and online sales, and a proven mutually beneficial relationship between retail parks and e-commerce.
In a recent outlook report on the UK market, Savills found that online retail sales, as a proportion of total retail sales, have softened since the peak during lockdowns and are expected to settle at around 26.3% by 2022. The remaining 73.7% of retail sales will therefore still be through physical stores, emphasising the ongoing pivotal role of bricks and mortar.
Savills also highlighted retail parks as being in the most advantageous position in relation to online purchasing. Products typically sold in retail parks are more defensive to online retailing than goods traditionally sold on the high streets, and the ability to see and touch items is still an important factor for consumers.
Research by McKinsey in the US found that store-based pickup options have experienced tremendous tailwinds and innovations throughout the pandemic. Some retailers have reported year on year growth of over 200%, with around 60% of consumers saying they plan to continue to use click and collect post-pandemic, continuing to drive shoppers to stores.
Offering large units with relatively low rents and high car parking provision, retail parks have not only become the most convenient location for servicing essential shopper needs, but are also ideally suited to support omnichannel retailers offering click and collect orders, processing customer returns and servicing home deliveries.
But interestingly, physical stores also positively influence online sales. Referred to as the ‘halo effect’, research by CACI found that across the UK, online sales were 106% higher within a store’s catchment area. In selected categories such as electronics, fashion and sportswear this rises to over 120%. Furthermore, over half of all online sales are influenced by a store either through click and collect, return in-store, showrooming, inspiration or advice.
Retail parks are the clear winners
As we look to the future, the convenience offered by retail parks has pushed them to the top of the shopping list for both consumers, retailers and investors alike.
Because of their accessible locations, affordable buildings and flexible design, we believe the success formula of retail parks will continue to make them an attractive and resilient asset class, positioning them as best placed to benefit from the beneficial ‘halo effect’ between physical and online sales, and making them stand out as the clear winners in the omnichannel future of retail.


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Between the Lines: Economic experiment that has the world's eyes on UK
However, by imposing an extra 40 billion of tightening (lower spending and higher taxes) on top of the 73bn already planned by the previous government over the life of this parliament, the Chancellor is turning the UK economy into a live economic experiment. The 113bn total equates to a total tightening about 8 per cent of the size of the economy over five years - historically very ambitious.
As with Mrs Thatcher's assault on government spending in the 1980s, all the "cuts" are in fact reductions in spending plans. In fact, government spending is still expected to rise in every single year of this parliament, and be 11.5 per cent higher by 2015-16 than the current financial year 2010-11. However, due to the rapid increase in government spending in previous years, the decline in the rate of future growth in spending will have a significant effect on the rate of growth of the economy as a whole.
The UK political system and economy have also never experienced public-sector spending cuts on this scale - it will necessitate a drastic re-appraisal of the purpose of spending across all departments. The detailed, department-by-department allocations to be announced in October will give the real impact of what this fiscal tightening will really mean.
From an economic perspective, frankly this is a "Kill or Cure" approach to the UK's economic problems. The deficit is expected to fall from 10.1 per cent of GDP in 2010-11 to just 1.1 per cent by 2015-16, with a structural surplus of 0.8 per cent in that year. This is achieved by a total of 113bn of fiscal tightening, the 73bn planned by the previous government and the further 40bn announced recently.
Indeed it is this which will be the subject of this experiment. The government is seeking a much more aggressive reduction of the budget deficit than the previous government did, and probably more than it needed to do to satisfy the financial markets. The clear risk is that such a dramatic tightening damages demand in the economy so much that it sends it back into recession. The probability of this materialising rests on two factors - first what happens to the global economy and the prospects for exports, and second the size of the "fiscal multiplier".
A strong global economy would clearly help UK exports enormously - however more than 50 per cent of UK exports go to Europe which itself is engaging in major fiscal austerity. US economic prospects are a little brighter with continued population growth, a relatively healthy banking system and as yet no drive to fiscal austerity.
It is only in the emerging world where prospects still appear rosy - economies such as China and Brazil, have large populations with little debt, and a great desire to enjoy a higher standard of living. Overall the outlook for the global economy is mixed.
The "fiscal multiplier" measures the degree to which changes in government spending impact the real economy. In justifying extra government spending at times of economic problems (as was the case in 2009), politicians implicitly assume that the fiscal multiplier is relatively high, so that the extra government spending encourages the private sector that the economic outlook is healthy so that they too spend more. By contrast, this government is assuming the fiscal multiplier to be relatively low, so that a reduction in government spending actually has relatively little impact on the private sector's decisions to spend.
Thus the world's economists now have the luxury of observing a real-time experiment into the size of the fiscal multiplier in the UK. If the government is wrong, then the scale of the tightening will send the UK economy into a period of weak growth or recession, which will make it very difficult to actually reduce the budget deficit. There appears to be no Plan B if this does occur. On the other hand, if the government is correct, then a renewed and better balanced UK economy could be the result in a few years time, with a much stronger focus on export and investment demand.
The economists of the world are watching us closely.
• Jeremy Beckwith is chief investment officer for wealth managers Kleinwort Benson.x


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As digital payments gain traction, in a first, unified payments interface (UPI) transactions in the country have breached the 5 billion mark in March, as per the latest data released by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
NPCI, which operates UPI along with other payments infrastructures including Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) among others said that total UPI transactions recorded stood at 5.04 billion (or 504 crores), for a total value of Rs 8.88 lakh crore, in March this year.
In comparison, total UPI transactions in February stood at 4.5 billion (or 452 crores, with a total value of Rs 8.26 lakh crore processed by the infrastructure. Usually, February witnesses a dip in overall UPI transactions, owing to a lesser number of days as compared to March.
Low-value transactions lead the way: According to NPCI’s estimates, 75% of the total retail transactions in the country continue to be below Rs 100 in value. On UPI, almost 50% of the total offline transaction is upto Rs 200 in value.