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The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology joined hands with French energy services company Schneider Electric to enhance sustainability across the UAE’s manufacturing sector.
The partnership will include on-site sustainability assessments of 50 manufacturers carried out by Schneider Electric consultants, a series of online seminars on digital transformation and energy efficiency and an internship programme to train 50 Emiratis, the ministry said on Wednesday on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2022.
In the lead-up to the UAE hosting Cop28 in 2023, the partnership is part of wide-ranging initiatives to make the country’s industrial sector the most sustainable in the region.
“The manufacturing industry across the world emits substantial amounts of greenhouse gases, and changes within this sector will contribute significantly to global net-zero commitments. Hence our keenness to raise awareness about environment-friendly and energy-efficient strategies among local manufacturers, inviting them to join us in our collective effort towards a carbon-neutral nation by 2050,” said Mohammed Al Qasim, the ministry’s director of technology development and adoption.
The partnership between the ministry and Schneider Electric will support the objectives of the UAE Industry 4.0 programme to raise industrial productivity by 30 per cent and add about Dh25 billion ($6.8bn) to the national economy over the next decade.
The collaboration also aims to build on the UAE’s net-zero commitments in areas related to sustainability, the ministry statement said.
Schneider Electric is among the first dozen companies supporting the ministry’s programme to accelerate the digital capabilities of thousands of local manufacturers.
“Sustainability is not just a nice-to-have, it’s a fundamental driver of growth and a competitive advantage for the country’s industrial sector. And we can drive sustainability through technological innovation,” said Ahmed Khashan, Gulf cluster president at Schneider Electric.
The UAE is expanding its manufacturing and industry sectors as it maintains its economic momentum, leading it into a future underpinned by Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technology.
The Industry 4.0 initiative, announced in October last year, aims to increase productivity and the development of innovative products. The programme has been designed to help the UAE realise its economic potential by increasing the use of deep learning, machine learning, artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing and the Internet of Things, into the value and supply chains that support the industrial sector.
The UAE plans to increase the industrial sector’s contribution to national gross domestic product to Dh300bn by 2031 from Dh133bn currently. Known as Operation 300bn, the plan was launched last year with a target of supporting 13,500 industrial companies in the next decade.
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, established in July 2020, is mandated with strengthening the UAE’s industrial sector, specifically by accelerating the adoption of advanced technologies and 4IR solutions across the value chain.


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Nike, Inc. is an iconic retailer of athletic footwear and apparel and is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Nike is the first Dow stock to report earnings for its latest quarter, but its quarter ended in February. The company is set to report results after the closing bell on Thursday, March 22.
The stock closed Tuesday, March 20, at $66.80, up 6.8% year to date and up 7.6% from its Feb. 6 low of $62.09. The stock set its all-time intraday high of $70.25 on Feb. 27. However, Nike shares suffered a daily “key reversal” on Feb. 27 and ended that week with a weekly “key reversal.”
Analysts expect Nike to post earnings per share of 52 to 58 cents when the company reports results on Thursday. Stifel analysts note that Nike’s organizational changes, North America turnaround and continued international sales momentum justify an $80 price target. The consensus price target is $69 based on the views of around 37 analysts, according to FactSet. (See also: Jayme Martin Second Nike Executive to Exit This Week.)
Athletic footwear and apparel giant Nike reports earnings with an elevated P/E ratio of 28.45 and a meager dividend yield of 1.22%. …read more
Read more here: Nike Needs to Swoosh ‘Key Reversals’ on Earnings

domain: news


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Rotek to give Audi S3 saloon global racing bow in BTCC
The Oakley Motorsports-backed Rotek Racing team is set for its maiden full-time campaign in the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with a sole NGTC-spec Audi S3 saloon.
Rotek Racing, which boasts support from Audi Customer Racing and prestigious backing from the motorsports division of iconic American brand, Oakley, will be led by Robb Holland – whose sporadic appearances in the Dunlop-backed BTCC have now heralded a full campaign with a brand new machine.
American racer Holland confirmed the plans at the Autosport International Show where he appeared on the Dunlop BTCC stand. “Being the first American full-time entry in the BTCC is a huge achievement for both myself and Rotek Racing,” he said. “This is the culmination of several years of hard work and, because the BTCC is what got me into racing in the first place, joining as a full-time entrant is definitely a dream come true
“The BTCC rounds I’ve contested to this point were all done with the view of understanding what the series is about and what it will take for us to be successful in it. We still have a huge amount of hard work to do to make the grid at Brands Hatch and 2014 will definitely be a learning year.
“Trying to build a new car and develop it with very little testing is a tall ask for anyone and there are still many tracks for me to learn. That being said, I’m really looking forward to running the Audi S3 saloon. I think it will be a good fit – from a marketing perspective it’s great to be running the S3 at this time. Audi has just launched the car and, as the first of the new generation S3s to race anywhere in the world, I’m really hoping that it will attract a lot of attention from Audi fans across the globe.
Holland concluded: “I’m also really glad to have the support of Oakley Motorsports Europe with this effort. Oakley Motorsports sees the BTCC as the perfect high visibility platform to launch their line of motorsports gear here in the UK and across Europe.”
With this in mind, Oakley Motorsports and Rotek Racing is inviting fans to select its car’s 2014 livery from 12 artist’s impressions as part of a fab competition on the official BTCC website and Facebook page, details of which will be released early next week.


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Earlier this year, Oculus and Google's YouTube announced that the YouTube VR app would arrive on Oculus Go devices, and now it's finally available. The YouTube AR app brings the largest library of VR content available on the web to Facebook's lower-end VR headset. Like the Daydream version, you can use controllers and other input methods to type text in VR to search videos, leave comments and more, or you can use voice controls. Because it's only now, nearly two months later, that YouTube VR has finally landed on the Oculus Go. With this application, all content - every creator, channel, and video - on the YouTube platform can be transformed into virtual reality. CTO John Carmack discussed during Oculus Connect 5 (OC5) that Oculus Go users tended to veer towards apps like Netflix and Hulu, while Oculus Rift owners were gamers predominantly. This will again serve to increase the reach of YouTube's VR app.
Interestingly, Oculus Go has a casting feature that will allow people to stream their VR experiences to friends on mobile devices or TVs. The same on an Oculus Go will be more engrossing since latest technologies let users even tilt their head slightly to view content from a different angle.
With other apps looking to fill that gap Google likely didn't want to lose its dominance in the video market, so it brought YouTube to Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR nearly at the same time this summer, via Steam and Oculus Store respectively.
A bibliophile and a business enthusiast.


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Expanding internationally always has risks but developing a business during a global pandemic is not usually a central part of a risk management strategy. The global nature of the COVID-19 outbreak has given international businesses an unprecedented challenge, one that requires diversification and resilience. Here are a few ways you can mitigate the pandemic risk Read More…
CEO and founder Tessa Court on all things marketing, compliance and her business learnings
Wed 25 September 2019 - 3:13 pmFeatured | Podcasts
In this episode, we speak to Tessa Court, who is the CEO and founder of IntelligenceBank.
IntelligenceBank is a Melbourne startup founded in 2009 which helps content marketers manage digital assets, creative content approvals and compliance, and creative project management.
IntelligenceBank also helps marketers ensure that their content meets standards set by industry regulators. With that in mind, IntelligenceBank’s typical clients operate in regulated industries such as financial services, health care, travel and food processing & manufacturing.
Tessa started the company to come up with a solution to problems she experienced while running sales operations for a startup.
Prior to IntelligenceBank, Tessa was a member of the Executive Team at Hitwise, an audience measurement firm, where she managed the global expansion of the company into Asia, the US and the UK.
We talk all things marketing, compliance and workplace culture. You can also catch up on this episode on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
- March 30 2020 Resilience as a leader and the importance of scalability
- March 27 2020 Let’s not repeat mistakes: Lender Lumi calls for partnership with big banks
- March 27 2020 Corporate meditation for uncertainty and stress, Luke McLeod’s approach
- March 26 2020 How hospitality businesses can adapt to the coronavirus impact


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The first indication that Fox Restaurant Concepts is playing the fast-casual game different is its chefs. Each of FRC’s 11 Flower Child stores employs an executive chef supported by at least two sous chefs plus a regional chef charged with ongoing culinary training. There’s a five-day work week for kitchen leaders. Full benefits and sales bonuses, too. Your average bakery-cafe chain is not making that same investment. Nor are most spending $150–500,000 per store on back-of-house equipment on par with full-service kitchens. Or employing a mixologist and certified sommelier as national beverage director.
FRC is investing in all that and more because its founder, nine-time James Beard Award nominee, Sam Fox, believes in pushing the notion of what chain restaurants should be. And, with an initial minority investment and ongoing capital from The Cheesecake Factory, there seems to be no limit to where FRC can take its “healthy food for a happy world” approach to fast-casual bakery.
For now, national growth is the focus. The Arizona-based chain opened it first East Coast location in Atlanta in mid-July. Another four locations are scheduled to open in Colorado, the D.C. area and Houston by year’s end. Ten more are planned for 2019.
“We don’t really have a one-size fits all approach to where we grow,” says FRC founder and CEO Sam Fox. “We’re very flexible; 3,100 to 4,000-sqft with street access and parking.”
What every market will have in common a veggie-based menu akin to options found at former FRC sister brand, True Food Kitchen, which was sold in 2017. In fact, much of the team that developed the concept are behind the scenes at Flower Child, including Chief Culinary Officer Clint Woods. That kinship is evident in Flower Child’s menu of organic, locally-sourced, vegetarian and vegan dishes inspired by global cuisines. At any given moment, Woods says, a Flower Child diner might eat off a plate with ingredients from all seven continents.


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While it’s not quite up to the level of RIM’s Port-a-Thon events, Canonical plans to have a dozen “core apps” ready to go for Ubuntu Phone when it hits shelves. The apps will be included on the phone, and aim to give users the foundation they’ve come to expect in handset software offerings. Developers who are interested in participating need to hit up Canonical’s site for mock-up designs.
The dozen apps include four social apps: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, as well as an RSS reader. The remaining eight are your standard smartphone applications, such as calculator, an email client, calendar, alarm clock, file manager,and even a terminal. The 12 final apps will end up shipping with the phone, and will be in addition other core apps are aren’t part of the project.
Developers interested in participating need to request access to the MyBalsamiq website, where the current designs for the app are available, and where developers can add their own designs for viewing and comments. Mock-up designs can be uploaded, but according to OMG Ubuntu, final designs aren’t wanted.
Says Canonical, “As part of the core apps project we want to encourage our community to create and submit designs that can be used as food for thought when our community builds the apps.” Before jumping into the mix, however, developers will need to check out the project’s guidelines for designs, which can be found on the Ubuntu wiki website here. The final set of guidelines aren’t available yet, but a list of suggestions are available.
[via OMG Ubuntu]


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Guzman Global will be present at Fakuma 2017 as a distributor of Sabic and Tosoh
Önde gelen ulusal ve uluslararasi fuarlara katilmak bize sektörümüzdeki son gelismeler, en yeni malzeme ve uygulamalar hakkinda bilgi saglamaktadir. Biz tedarik zincirinde is başarımızın temel bir unsuru olarak iş ortaklarimiz arasinda iliskiler kurmayı ve sinerji olusturmayi göz önünde bulunduruyoruz.
The event will take place from October 17th to the 21st in Friedrichshafen (Germany), presenting itself as the perfect location to establish new contacts and to echo the latest news on the sector.
Furthermore, the event will suppose an exceptional opportunity where Guzman Global will be present for the first time as a paneuropean distributor of SABIC brand with its POE, EPDM and BR lines, as well as for TOSOH brand with its PPS line.
Guzman Global’s plastic and rubber business team will be present at the B4-4403 stand willing to assist everyone interested in getting to know the enterprise and in exchanging information about the products that are distributed by the company.


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Less than a decade ago, most people in need of immediate medical attention — after breaking an arm playing football or suffering an asthma attack in the night or, perhaps, burning themselves on the stove — headed straight to a hospital emergency room.
It’s what people did, but times have changed.
While the area’s 50-plus emergency departments are still an option, so are scores of urgent-care centers and health clinics at retail outlets such as pharmacies, supermarkets and malls.
An exact number of such health centers is difficult to nail down, but the region’s largest health insurer, Independence Blue Cross (IBC), lists 116 urgent-care centers and health clinics in southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and northern Delaware.
The two most active retail pharmacy chains with health clinics in their stores, CVS and Walgreens (through its Conshohocken-based subsidiary Take Care Health Systems), operate 30 locally.
The urgent-care centers are owned by a mix of physicians, health systems and entrepreneurs.
Expansion plans by operators of urgent-care centers and retail-based health clinics should give the region more than 150 centers in a few years. During that provisions of the Affordable Care Act are expected to result in more than 30 million previously uninsured people nationwide having health coverage — driving up the demand for primary-care services.
“In other parts of the country, urgent-care centers are a much bigger part of the health-care landscape,” said Dr. Eric R. Mankin, the CEO of Temple Physicians who is also leading Temple University Health System’s group of ReadyCare centers.
Mankin said the Philadelphia area was slower to catch on to the trend because health insurers, most notably IBC, were not quick to embrace urgent-care centers.
It wasn’t until last year that IBC added coverage for treatment at urgent-care centers and retail health clinics to its network.
The math made the decision easy.
ERs that contract with IBC, according to the company, generally charge $550 to $750 to treat strep throat, compared with an average of $110 to $130 at urgent-care centers and at retail health clinics. Members can save out-of-pocket expenses because ER co-payments average around $100, compared with $20 to $70 co-payments for retail-based health clinics and urgent-care centers.
A study by the national Blue Cross Blue Shield Association found 27 percent of hospital ER visits are not for emergencies, which adds $4 billion a year to U.S. health-care spending.
Brian Lobley, senior vice president for marketing and consumer business at IBC, said the company added urgent-care centers and retail health clinics to its plans’ provider networks last year.
“Consumers are looking for the most convenient access to care,” Lobley said. “As these centers became more available across the region, we moved to add them to our network.”
Last year, IBC members accounted for 10,000 visits at urgent-care centers and another 20,000 visits at retail health clinics.
Room for hyper-growth?
Alan Zuckerman, president of Philadelphia-based Health Strategies & Solutions Inc., believes the region could easily support “hundreds” of urgent-care centers.
“What you have is a shortage of primary-care physicians and clogged ERs,” Zuckerman said. “There’s a nice, big space between those two that urgent-care centers can fill.”
Zuckerman said health systems are adding such centers because policy changes by insurers are coming that will put more limits on the type of care delivered in the ER that is eligible for reimbursement. “Hospitals aren’t going to get away with taking care of the sniffles in their ERs,” he said.
While area health systems say they are not seeing dips in emergency department visits as a result of competition from retail heart clinics and urgent-care centers, that isn’t stopping them from getting into the service line. Some examples:
Jeffrey Brown, founder and CEO of Brown’s Super Stores Inc. in Westville, Gloucester County, has set his sights on opening 15 supermarket-based health clinics in the region. He opened his first one last year at his Cheltenham ShopRite in a partnership with the Einstein Healthcare Network.
Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust last year joined forces with Mercy Health System to open an ambulatory-care facility, with an urgent-care component, at the Plymouth Meeting Mall. In February, PREIT said it is working with Main Line Health to open a second ambulatory-care facility at another PREIT-owned complex — the Exton Square Mall in Chester County.
Temple Health System opened its third ReadyCare Center this week in Jenkintown.
In South Jersey, Virtua operates urgent-care centers — under the Virtua Express name — within the walls of its health and fitness centers in Washington Township and Moorestown. The health system also opened a nurse practitioner-staffed health center at its William G. Rohrer Center for HealthFitness in Voorhees about four months ago.
“We have plans on the horizon to open more in the next two to four years,” said Alfred Campanella, Virtua’s executive vice president of strategic business growth and analytics. “It’s possible we may add more [urgent-care centers] as stand-alone facilities as we move forward.”
Campanella, noting New Jersey’s shortage of family practitioners, said the centers were initially established to provide people with improved access to primary-care. The urgent-care centers in Washington Township and Moorestown are providing care to a combined 3,000 patients a month — most often treating conditions such as colds and flu, ear infections, minor strains and pains.
“I think it’s clear some of these patients would have ended up in one of our emergency rooms,” said Michael S. Kotzen, executive vice president for population health management at Virtua.
Hospital officials say they are helping prevent ER capacity problems from worsening. During the past five years, ER visits at Virtua’s hospitals have climbed 11 percent to 217,098 last year from 196,605 in 2008.
“If you had those 30,000 patients a year [from urgent-care centers] going to the emergency department, you’d have even more overcrowding,” Kotzen said.
Public Health Management Corp., a Philadelphia nonprofit dedicated to improving community health, found in its annual household health survey that about 235,000 people in southeastern Pennsylvania received health-care services from a retail clinic in the past year. The data gathered by the PHMC’s Center for Data Innovation found the insured, at 7.5 percent, were almost equally likely to have visited a retail clinic in the past year as the uninsured at 8.1 percent.
Among those who visited a retail clinic, 20.9 percent — or nearly 50,000 people — said they would have otherwise gone to a hospital ER.
Strategy not universal
But not all health systems are jumping on the urgent-care or retail clinic bandwagon.
Abington Health officials said their focus with respect to access is on building a strong primary-care physician practice network in its service area.
“We are aware of the proliferation of urgent-care centers and retail clinics in the eight-county area,” said Linda Millevoi, a hospital spokeswoman. “We are always monitoring activity in the market and evaluating our options, but there are no specific plans at this time to open urgent-care centers or retail clinics.”
Privately owned Patient First, an operator of 44 urgent-care clinics in three states, opened its first local center late last year, in Montgomeryville. It has plans to open seven more at locales including East Norriton, Feasterville and Downingtown.
In an illustration of just how competitive this market is getting, Patient First’s Montgomeryville site opened a few hundred feet from an urgent-care center run by Advanced Urgent Care, another privately owned chain, along Route 309.
Temple Health System’s Mankin doesn’t believe all of the urgent-care centers popping up will survive.
“There will,” he said, “be winners and losers in the market.”


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Trans fats may be present in almost 20% of Brazilian packaged foods and beverages, despite most of them not reporting the presence of the controversial ingredient in the ingredient deck or on the nutrition facts panel, says a new study.
The problem with most plant-based products is they use synthetic additives, highly processed ingredients and plastic packaging, says Chilean start-up Live Green Co, which aims to make low-impact, everyday products the norm.
Brazilian food scientists have transformed broken rice grains, passion fruit peel flour and whey protein into a high-protein, high-fiber extruded breakfast cereal with a naturally sweet caramel flavor.
From probiotic cheeses in Brazil to mamey sapote-flavored drinking yogurt in Mexico, we take a look at some products tapping into Latin America's top dairy trends, according to market research firm Zenith Global
Developing new food products in Brazil, a country of continental proportions, can be a daunting task. We caught up with Brazilian NPD consultant, Cristina Leonhardt, known as Mrs Innovative, to find out where to start.
Argentinian supplier DPAustral has developed an additive that prevents melanosis in prawns and other crustaceans, allowing manufacturers to tap into the global trend for sulfite-free products, it says.


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Communication today: Not so easy
Las Vegas — Jim Crawford led the attendees of the Presidents Council Advisory Board Meeting in a demonstration of the type of whiz-bang communications technology that could — conceivably — help retailers engage with customers.
There is no doubt, however, that the issue of managing customer communication is more difficult than ever for retailers.
Crawford, executive director of the Global Retail Executive Council as well as the principal of consulting firm Taberna Retail, spelled out the challenge. "The shopper today is more demanding and has higher expectations than any other point in history," he said.
Taberna’s research spelled out what consumers want in terms of shopping environment. Sixty-six percent of shoppers say they want improved customer service, and 61% say they want "accessible information before making a purchase." Those numbers, he said, clearly show where retailers should focus their energies, as opposed to "tailored experience" — sought by 23% of shoppers.
Managing modern communication — including all social media — includes creating a link between physical stores and online stores; and creating a link between product and more.
Success in this field is a struggle, he said. He offered this caution: "If what you’re doing is easy, you’re doing it wrong."
The goal for navigating new media and new technology include capturing lost demand inside the store and creating demand for your products outside the store, he said. It’s also important to leverage new sources of information about the shopper by engaging them in places such as Twitter and Facebook. “And don’t be afraid of negative feedback by online reviewers,” he said.
IKEA completes 38th U.S. solar project
IKEA has officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its store in Stoughton, Mass. The 118,000-sq.-ft. array consists of a 590.8-kW (DC) system, built with 4,220 laminated panels. It will produce approximately 695,000 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 479 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the emissions of 94 cars or powering 60 homes yearly (calculating clean energy equivalents).
The installation represents the 38th completed solar project for IKEA in the United States, with one more location under way, giving the chain an eventual solar presence in nearly 90% of its U.S. locations, with a total generation of 38 MW. Ikea contracted REC Solar for the development, design and installation of the Stoughton store’s customized solar power system.
The retailer owns and operates each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings — as opposed to a solar lease or PPA (power purchase agreement) — and globally has allocated $1.8 billion to invest in renewable energy through 2015.
IKEA’s solar project reinforces its long-term commitment to sustainability and confidence in photovoltaic (PV) technology. Consistent with the company’s goal of being energy independent by 2020, the company has installed more than 250,000 solar panels on buildings across the world and owns/operates approximately 110 wind turbines in Europe.
Vendors honored with Golden Hammers
Las Vegas — The 2013 Golden Hammer Awards ceremony recognized home improvement suppliers in 31 categories during a Wednesday morning ceremony at the National Hardware Show here.
The awards were based on an electronic survey of retailers and distributors conducted earlier this year. Retailers and distributors were asked to select one vendor per category that exemplifies excellence through their commitment to category management, inventory management, new product innovation and quality control.
The following companies won Golden Hammers in the Hardware Tools & Supplies categories:
- Cleaning Supplies – 3M
- Electrical Supplies – Leviton
- Fasteners – The Hillman Group
- Floor Care – Shop Vac
- Hand Tools – Irwin
- Gloves & Apparel – Carhartt
- Home Security and Safety – First Alert
- Paint Supplies and Tools – Wooster
- Plumbing Supplies and Equipment – Fluidmaster
- Power Tools – DeWalt
The following vendors received Golden Hammer awards in the home decor categories:
- Decorative Hardware & Locksets – Kwikset
- Decorative Lighting & Fixtures – Hunter Fan
- Plumbing Fashion and Fixtures – Moen
- Home Organization – Closetmaid
- Major Appliances – Whirlpool
- Paint: Wall Treatments and Stains – Valspar
- Small Appliances – KitchenAid
The following companies received awards in the LBM categories:
- Bathroom Vanities – Kohler
- Building Materials – Boise Cascade
- Insulation & Housewrap – Owens Corning
- Caulking & Sealants – Dap
- Doors – ThermaTru
- Lumber & Plywood – Georgia Pacific
- Windows – Anderson
The following companies earned Golden Hammers in the outdoor living categories:
- Barbecue – Weber Stephens
- Decorative Landscaping – Oldcastle
- Garden Accessories – Design House
- Lawn & Garden Organics/Chemicals – Scotts
- Lawn & Garden Tools & Irrigation – Ames True Temper
- Outdoor Power Equipment – Husqvarna
- Pools Supplies – ARCH (HTH)
“It’s important to stress that these winners are selected by their retail customers — the toughest judges available,” said Nigel Maynard, editor in chief of Residential Building Products & Technology — a sister publication of HCN — who unveiled the Golden Hammer winners during the ceremony. “And that’s why we can safely call our Golden Hammer winners the best of the best for 2013.”


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Despite Its Success With Android, Samsung Is To Launch First Tizen Handsets In 2013 [Rumor]
Samsung sells some of the best and most successful Android devices currently available. The Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II are undoubtedly two of the hottest Android handsets on the market, and they’ve both shifted millions upon millions of units. But despite that success, the Korean electronics giant is expected to try its luck with another mobile operating system in 2013.
It’s called Tizen, and Samsung’s been developing it alongside Intel. Samsung confirmed its plans to merge the open-source operating system with its own Bada OS back in October, and according to a new report, it will partner up with NTT DoCoMo to launch its first Tizen-powered smartphones in Korea in 2013.
Japan’s Yomiuri reports that the handsets will also reach other markets around the same time, though it’s currently unclear exactly when that time will be. All we know for not is that it’ll be sometime during 2013. They also claim that Samsung won’t be the only company releasing Tizen handsets, and that others will be supporting the platform, too.
With all its success with Android, then, why is Samsung going to bother with Tizen? Well, it doesn’t hurt to support multiple platforms. If Google pulls a sudden trick with Android and implements changes that its partners don’t link, such as favoring its own Motorola with future Android updates, Samsung has a safety net to fall back on.
What’s more, it’s said that some Android device vendors “fear the hegemony” of Apple and Google.
Tizen’s been in development since as far back as September 2011, months after the original iPhone was unveiled. It’s not just a smartphone platform; it’s designed for a whole host of electronic devices, including notebooks, tablets, in-car infotainment systems, and Smart TVs.
With that being the case, the potential for adoption could be far greater than of rivals like Windows Phone.


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The interim head of the Federal Trade Commission division that traditionally conducts data security investigations has recused himself from the agency’s investigation into the Equifax Inc. breach because he previously represented the company while at the law firm Arnall Golden Gregory.
Thomas Pahl, a former partner at Arnall Golden in Washington, was named in February as the acting director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection—the same division that was behind the agency’s data security settlements with Ashley Madison and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts over massive data breaches.
In an email Thursday, Pahl confirmed he is “recused from working on matters involving Equifax because [of] my past representation of Equifax.”
Daniel Kaufman, one of his deputy directors, “will be taking my place on all such matters,” Pahl said. Kaufman joined the FTC in 1998 as a staff attorney in the consumer protection bureau’s division of advertising practices, where he litigated false advertising cases. Before being named a deputy director in December 2011, Kaufman also served as the consumer protection bureau’s chief of staff and as an adviser to former chairwoman Deborah Majoras.
The FTC publicly confirmed Thursday, in a rare move, that the agency was investigating the Equifax breach, which potentially compromised the personal information of 143 million Americans. Pahl’s consumer protection division oversees a broad swath of the FTC’s enforcement duties, cracking down on data security shortcomings, identity theft and deceptive advertising.
Pahl is the acting head because he serves at the discretion of the FTC’s current chairwoman, Maureen Ohlhausen, who is also leading the agency in an interim capacity as the Trump administration searches for a permanent leader.
Pahl’s return to the FTC in the Trump administration was a homecoming of sorts. Earlier, he’d served in other roles at the agency, beginning in 1990, including in the consumer protection bureau as assistant director in the divisions of advertising practices and financial practices. He has also worked at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
“Tom’s career demonstrates his continuing commitment to protecting consumers through active enforcement and advocacy that promotes a free and honest marketplace,” Ohlhausen said in a statement in February. “His thoughtful approach will help ensure consumers benefit from thriving competition and innovation. Tom’s talent, deep consumer protection experience, and strong principles make him perfect to lead the Bureau of Consumer Protection, and I’m very pleased to have him aboard.”
Lobbying records reveal that Equifax paid Arnall Golden more than $2.5 million between 2011 and June of this year. Arnall Golden was first hired in February 2011 to advise Equifax on “issues impacting upon the credit reporting industry, such as credit header issues,” according to a lobbying registration.
Robert Belair, a partner at Arnall Golden who leads the firm’s privacy and consumer regulatory practice, has lobbied for Equifax on Capitol Hill ever since on legislation related to data security and breach notification, along with bills proposing new limits on the credit reporting agency’s primary regulator—the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Since late 2016, Arnall Golden partner Montserrat Miller, a former counsel to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, has joined Belair in lobbying for Equifax.
The Equifax breach has drawn widespread outcry, not only for its scale but also for Equifax’s perceived delay in notifying the public. The credit reporting agency said it learned of the breach in late July but only announced it last week—a wait time that could throw fuel on Congress’ smoldering interest in establishing a national notification standard.
Two U.S. House of Representatives committees have announced plans to hold hearings on the breach, and numerous class actions are piling up.
The FTC said it was publicly announcing its investigation “in light of the intense public interest and the potential impact of this matter.”
The Equifax breach could give the FTC a platform like none other before to assert itself as the top cop on the cybersecurity beat, a status that has been contested in the courts but shown in the response to other notable hacks.
In December, the FTC joined with state attorneys general to reach a $1.6 million settlement with Ashley Madison, the dating site marketed to those looking to have affairs, over allegations connected to a 2015 data breach that exposed the account information of 36 million users.
A year before that settlement, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts agreed to establish a “comprehensive information security program” to resolve FTC allegations that the hospitality company’s cybersecurity shortcomings exposed the payment card information of hundreds of thousands of consumers.


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China Launches its Own NFT Marketplace
China is launching its first national non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace next year, a local news publication reported.
The Chinese digital asset trading platform, which serves as a secondary market for NFT exchanges, was set up by state-owned Art Exhibitions China, the country’s state-run technology exchange and private corporate entity Huban Digital Copyrights Ltd.
The platform will reportedly enable the trading of copyrights of digital assets and other collectibles, in addition to non-fungible tokens. The aim of the project is to regulate secondary NFT markets and prevent excessive speculation.
For most of the past two years, NFTs have been popular among Chinese traders, but not in the same way as in the rest of the world.
NFTs are traded on closed, highly regulated platforms, not decentralized ones. Also under Chinese law, NFTs cannot be bought with cryptocurrency.
Do NFTs have ownership rights?
The Hangzhou Internet Court, which specializes in Internet-related legal disputes in China, recently ruled that digital assets have property rights and are comparable to items sold on e-commerce sites, which is seen as a big step forward.
Digital assets have the characteristics of property rights such as value, scarcity, controllability and tradability and belong to private virtual property, which should be protected by China’s laws.
Digital tokens represent a new form of trading in terms of supervision and regulation of the sector, and much remains to be improved in terms of laws, regulations and supervision policies.
As a result, there is great uncertainty. Platforms are clearly responsible for listing and trading digital assets. They are more vulnerable to regulatory stability than intellectual property rights and digital copyrights.


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PlayStation 5 continues to experience stock shortages all over the world. However, as you can see in our news, there are big stampedes, especially since in some countries the demand is much greater.
Sony’s next-generation game console, the PlayStation 5, debuted about two months ago but is still not available in any country. In many countries, including our country, it is opened to order in limited numbers from time to time, but it only take seconds to run out.
- Japan officially approves antibody cocktail
- Oppo unveils new charging solutions technologies
- There will be special upgrades to the PS5 and Xbox Series versions of GTA Online
- 15,000-year-old viruses discovered in Tibetan glaciers
- Apple shows off Watch Series 6’s health and exercise features with a different ad
Recently, it went on physical sale in Tokyo, Japan, with limited stock in a shopping area called Akihabara. The PlayStation 5, sold in the electronics store Yodobashi Camera, caused a huge stampede.
As you can watch in the videos below, there is a serious crowd in the store. It’s also really amazing that there is such a crowd despite the epidemic. Sony announced that the console would not be physically sold for a while on the day it came out. It is also clear from these videos why Sony made such a decision.
According to the statement, people in the video are only eligible to buy the PlayStation 5 by buying a raffle ticket. I mean, the thought of it as an early taker was not followed. Everyone who came in was given a number and the people who came up with the number as a result of the sweepstakes were granted the right to buy. At the end of this stampede, the sale was cancelled.
It is known that the PlayStation 5’s stock will be limited until the middle of this year. We can watch many more videos like this in the process.
Oh my God!!!! ヨドバシps5 pic.twitter.com/v2ilIadbFk— Dave Gibson ⠿ POKEMON🗼 (@AJapaneseDream) January 30, 2021


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Realme has recently confirmed the launch of the GT Neo2 smartphone for October 13 in India. Now, the brand seems to be launching another GT series handset dubbed GT Neo 2T in China. The smartphone has already cleared MIIT and TENAA certifications. Moreover, Realme CMO Xu Qi Chase took to the Weibo handle to confirm the arrival of the new member of the Realme GT Neo2 series. He does not reveal the exact name of the device. However, he claimed that it will be powered by a different flagship chip.
Realme GT Neo 2T Expected Launch Timeline and features
As of now, there is no official word regarding the launch date of the Realme GT Neo 2T. However, rumors suggest the phone will arrive by this month in China. There is also no info on whether the smartphone will make its way outside of China.
The upcoming Realme GT Neo 2T is rumored to have a similar design as the predecessor GT Neo2. But it will have different chip and camera features. As per the post on Weibo (via GSMArena) claimed that the upcoming Realme GT Neo 2T will run a customized version of the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 processor which powers the Realme GT Neo. For the unaware, the Realme GT Neo was launched as Realme X7 Max 5G in India. Upfront, the upcoming Realme GT Neo 2T is said to sport a punch-hole design to house the selfie camera and it will support a 120Hz refresh rate. Going by the previous report, the RMX3357 smartphone that is speculated to be the Realme GT Neo 2T was spotted on the TENAA listing which reveals the phone will have a 6.43-inch full-HD+ (1080×2400 pixels) AMOLED display.


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"At various points in its nearly 100-year history, the television has been an item of furniture designed to match a living room set, a high-tech piece of media equipment, and just one of the many functions of a computer or a smartphone," says Sarah Archer. "Soon, television will even be wallpaper: In January of this year, LG announced the Signature OLED TV, a new product line that will allow consumers to roll a device onto a wall anywhere they choose. The Victorians would no doubt be confused, but perhaps also impressed. The history of television’s place in domestic interiors fits into a much larger story about the look of technology in the home. Are pieces of consumer technology machines, furniture, or something else? In the second half of the 19th century, when the Singer Corporation began developing the sewing machine as a consumer product, it found that models that looked too industrial—that is, too much like factory equipment—failed to spark shoppers’ desire. Singer added decorative touches that gave sewing machines the look of Victorian furniture, with gold decoration on the device itself, and a dainty, carved stand for the cast-iron treadle that powered it. In order to be appealing to consumers, the machine needed to be disguised."
TOPICS: TV Sets


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Electric Vehicle Market in the US: A Look at the Current State
The electric vehicle market is booming in the US, with sales and models increasing rapidly. However, despite this growth, only two car brands currently qualify for electric vehicle incentives in the US – GM and Tesla. In this article, we will delve deeper into the current state of the electric vehicle market in the US, examine the growth, and explore the reasons behind it.
Increase in Electric Car Models Available
According to recent data, the number of electric car models available in the US has increased significantly, rising by more than 100 over the past year. This increase has had a positive impact on sales.
Increase in Electric Car Sales
Electric car sales in the US have increased by 45% over the past 12 months. This impressive growth can be attributed to the broader range of electric car models available in the US.
Tesla Holding Market Share
Despite an increase in competition, Tesla has managed to hold onto its market share. In fact, it has a 62% market share in the electric vehicle market in the US. This is a remarkable feat, given the rapid increase in electric car models available.
Tesla and GM Have an Advantage
Tesla and GM have a significant advantage over their rivals in the electric vehicle market in the US. They are the only two car brands outside of two models of the Ford F-150 that currently qualify for electric vehicle incentives in the US.
Rivals Getting Concerned
Rivals are becoming increasingly concerned about Tesla and other electric car manufacturers, as evidenced by the recent appearance of Volkswagen executives at the Chinese Automotive show. This is a clear indication that other car brands are paying attention to the growth of electric car manufacturers.
Denial Among Some Americans
Despite the growth of the electric vehicle market in the US, there are still many people in the country who are in complete denial. They believe that electric cars will not catch on, despite the recent positive trends.
The Best Electric Cars for the Price
The two most important cars in the electric vehicle market in the US are the Bolt and Bolt EUV, the Model Y, and the Model 3. These cars are the best electric cars for the price and are currently selling very well.
A Low Price for Model Y
The Model Y is currently available for an incredibly low price of $42,500 in the US. It qualifies for the incentives, making it an attractive option for those looking to buy an electric car.
GM and Tesla Ramping Up Production
GM and Tesla are ramping up production of electric cars, which will significantly increase their market share in the US. Manufacturers that do not produce electric cars will fall further behind.
The electric vehicle market in the US is growing at a rapid pace, with sales and models increasing at an impressive rate. Tesla currently holds a significant market share, while GM and Tesla have an advantage over their rivals in the electric vehicle market. Rivals are beginning to take notice, and manufacturers that do not produce electric cars will fall behind. The future of the automotive industry is electric, and the US is finally catching on.


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DETROIT (AP) - Hyundai and Kia are recalling more than a half million vehicles in the U.S. due to new problems that can cause engine fires.
Documents posted Thursday by the government show the Korean automakers are adding three recalls after reports of fires across the nation.
The largest recall covers nearly 379,000 Kia Soul SUVs from 2012 through 2016 with 1.6-liter engines. Documents show that high exhaust gas temperatures can damage the catalytic converters. That can cause abnormal combustion and damage pistons and connecting rods. A failed connecting rod can pierce the engine block and cause oil leaks that can cause fires.
In addition, Hyundai and Kia are recalling 152,000 Tuscon SUVs from 2011 to 2013 and Sportage SUVs from 2011 and 2012 to fix an engine oil pan leak that also can cause fires.
U.S. safety regulators have been investigating Hyundai and Kia engine failures since May of 2016. Investigators also are looking at engine fires. Hyundai and Kia started recalling vehicles for engine failures back in 2015.


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How Silicon Valley Has 'Made Work Miserable For The Rest Of Us'
With Meghna Chakrabarti
Writer Dan Lyons says Silicon Valley values are spreading us across the country and have made a lot of folks unhappy and stressed at work. He writes about it in his book “Lab Rats.”
Dan Lyons, author of “Lab Rats: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for the Rest of Us.” (@realdanlyons)
Aniyia Williams, co-founder of Zebras Unite, an organization that calls for a more ethical and inclusive movement to counter existing start-up and venture capital culture. Executive director of Black & Brown Founders. Founder and CEO of Tinsel, a fashion tech company. (@operaqueenie)
From The Reading List
Excerpt from “Lab Rats” by Dan Lyons
Excerpted from LAB RATS by Dan Lyons. Copyright © 2018 Dan Lyons, courtesy of Hachette Books.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Report: Customers Show More Interest in “Green” Products
A small but growing number of consumers are willing to spend more money on environmentally-friendly products, while slightly less than half of consumers care about the environment, but not enough to pay more money for greener products.
That’s according to a new survey released this week by Forrester Research, as cited by Ars Technica. The survey of 5,000 adults found that 12 percent would be willing to pay a premium for greener products, 41 percent care but not enough to spend more on green products, while the remaining respondents claim to place no value on greener products at all.
Forrester predicted that companies will begin offering greener products as consumer demand increases for them. The survey also recognized Apple as the company with the “greenest consumer base”- even though many activists, led by Greenpeace, have long bashed the company for its environmental policies.


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By Jeremy Nicholds, CEO, Judopay.
When mobile companies such as Samsung, Google and Apple integrated payment capabilities into their smart devices, they allowed customers to shop at their convenience, quite literally from the palms of their hands. The advent of wearable devices, such as smartwatches and other technology in the mobile age has also made it easier for users to make payments on the move.
From our research, UK customers’ frame of mind around mobile payments, especially amongst millennials, is increasingly optimistic. Our findings show that UK shoppers have a positive outlook about mobile payments when it comes to three aspects: speed, convenience and flexibility, and with the current coronavirus crisis there is a much higher appreciation of the hygiene benefits also.
30% of UK consumers choose to pay by mobile because it’s quicker. Over a quarter (27%) of UK consumers choose to pay by mobile because they think it’s the most convenient channel. Further to that, in terms of flexibility, nearly 1 in 3 UK millennial consumers (30%) choose to purchase via mobile because it allows them to ‘pay on the go’.
In today’s market, mCommerce is a vital sales channel for any business. However, in a saturated and competitive marketplace, it’s important to understand customer feelings and interactions around making mCommerce payments. Merchants must not neglect payments because it impacts the buying choices and decisions that consumers make. If payments aren’t a focal point and customer needs are not satisfied, this could be the very reason businesses lose out on potential sales and revenue.
Trust in mobile payments
A better customer experience is key if mCommerce businesses are to have an edge over their competitors. If the mobile payments checkout process doesn’t meet consumer expectations, it will leave them frustrated, which subsequently, will lead to cart abandonment and lost sales.
So, what are some of the issues that leave customers frustrated with mobile payments? Amongst mobile users, trust is the biggest issue in relation to use of data. An overwhelming 61% of respondents think that shopping through mobile will increase the likelihood of big tech companies (e.g. Facebook and Google) having access to their data. With only 5% of people choosing to pay by mobile because they feel it’s more secure than PC.
So, the dilemma for businesses is how to deliver a great user experience, whilst at the same time ensuring customers feel safe without creating more friction by adding extra layers of security.
Ultimately, this comes down to striking a balance between user experience (UX) and security. And to master this art, businesses need to partner with all the right stakeholders, across security, payments, design and marketing.
High expectations for a speedy service
Customer satisfaction is one of the most important factors for any business. When it comes to mobile payments, customers expect the checkout to be quick and easy to complete. A slow or poorly designed checkout can result in cart abandonment and potentially damage customer loyalty.
We found that when consumers make a purchase on their phone, they expect the payment to be seamless and instantaneous. When the payment process becomes too slow, our research indicates that 1 in 6 UK consumers will cancel their purchase. Overall, the average drop-off rate at mobile checkout is still 69%. Also, almost a third of UK consumers have expressed that nothing frustrates them more than when a merchant’s mobile payment process doesn’t work or is too slow.
It’s clear that consumers want mobile checkouts to be fast, especially in a world where technology has set high expectations by speeding up processes, giving consumers instant consumption and gratification via their smart devices. This is what businesses need to keep in mind when it comes to customer service.
Appealing to all generations
Millennials are more connected to technology than any other previous generation and are a driving force behind exciting emerging technologies. And they don’t have the same data hangups. 49% of Generation Z and 47% of millennials are comfortable with the companies that they buy from having their data to help improve their next shopping experience. The challenge for businesses is getting this level of comfort around security, across all generations.
Alongside this, the customer checkout journey must be as simple, quick and intuitive. User experience is everything when shopping online, and businesses need to consider ways in which the older generations can appreciate the benefits of digital payments.
Mobile Payments in the UK
In the UK, although growing fast we are still in the early stages of adoption of mobile payments. With the current coronavirus crisis we are likely to see increased adoption but, if we want more UK customers to embrace it wholeheartedly, businesses need to ensure they provide a quick, secure payment service to drive this.
In these unprecedented times, COVID-19 is changing the way we live our lives – forcing the general population to self-isolate and work from home. Retailers and businesses are having to shut physical shops and are shifting their operations online.
Our lives now depend on using cashless methods of payments, in part because cash doesn’t work for online transactions and in part because cash transactions are seen as ‘dirty money’ due to the fact that the virus can latch on to the material the same way it does on door handles or other surfaces. That also goes for ATMs, debit and credit cards.
So, during this time, we should see an increase of UK residents and businesses becoming more comfortable with using mobile payments, which is why payments should be a top priority.
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September 8, 2022
iPhone addicts are often seen ambling down the local high street in a crinkled-brow communion with their devices, oblivious to other pedestrians and sometimes on course for a collision with a passing vehicle at the next interchange. The phenomenon has given rise to the expression "smombie," for smartphone zombie. There are a vanishingly small number of places still free of smombies – unexplored rainforests, the steppes of central Asia and mountain peaks where smombies could roam safely if only they could pick up a signal. But that is set to change.
Having run out of other ideas, and apparently decided 5G is not worth blathering about anymore, Apple has added satellite connectivity to its latest iPhone – the 14 Pro – for the customer who wants to stream Netflix atop Kilimanjaro. Reported yesterday after Apple's usual showbiz-style launch in Cupertino, the new feature could unleash a herd of smombies on the great outdoors.
If only it were half so exciting. In a video update at the Cupertino event, shot somewhere resembling a scene from Little House on the Prairie, a satellite expert called Ashley Williams proceeded to suck any joy out of the announcement. Satellite bandwidth is so limited that "even sending a text message is a technical challenge," she began.
Figure 1: Apple's Ashley Williams in the middle of nowhere.
Worse, the circuitry Apple designed to replace the "bulky external antenna" on a standard satellite phone means the 14 Pro must be aimed at a passing satellite (a graphic display helpfully shows you where the space junk floats at that moment). Far from watching Stranger Things in the outback, users will be limited to sending an emergency SOS in the event they stumble down a mountain crevasse (hopefully one with an unobstructed view of the heavens) while struggling to get online.
In case there were any doubt that streaming is not an option, the video featuring Williams swiftly cuts to mountain rescue footage of a helicopter racing toward iPhone customers in need of help. The subtext is unsubtle: If you were an Android user with a broken leg, you'd just have to claw your way back to Everest base camp. But even the iPhone injured might have to wait for assistance: Because not all emergency service providers are able to receive text messages, Apple has had to set up staffed relay centers to pass on the news.
Don't all these serious mountaineers already have satellite phones? Are those "bulky" antennas really that cumbersome when you're hoisting a 60-liter backpack uphill? Globalstar, the satellite provider, won't care. After outing Apple as the mystery customer it signed up in 2020, it predicted its sales would hit between $185 million and $230 million next year, up from $124 million in 2021. Apple, it seems, is handing over tens of millions annually so that a few antenna-less, accident-struck mountaineers can be whisked to safety.
More space junk
Globalstar needs all the boost it can get. Back in 2007, several years after satellite's original heyday, its share price was more than $14 on the Nasdaq. Even after the uplift provided by the Apple news, it currently drifts along at about $2. Revenues have fallen from about $132 million in 2019 to roughly $124 million last year as Globalstar has swung from a small net profit of $15 million to a troubling net loss of nearly $113 million. In its last fiscal year, its debt obligations totaled $265.2 million.
Satellite's overriding problem, of course, is that terrestrial networks are almost ubiquitous in the areas where people live and are prepared or able to pay for a service. And yet it's currently impossible for any telecom journalist to open their inbox without seeing another email about satellite. The last two weeks alone have seen updates from Bullitt, a British company touting a satellite phone sans bulky antenna, Lynk, a direct-to-phone satellite operator, and – most intriguingly – T-Mobile US and Elon Musk. The Deutsche Telekom-owned operator has teamed up with the Tesla billionaire on the development of another satellite-direct-to-phone service.
Want to know more about 5G? Check out our dedicated 5G content channel here on Light Reading.
Some analysts are high-fiving about satellite's resurgence as if it were 1999 (read this detailed report by Light Reading's Mike Dano on the various developments). But at least one terrestrial operator is reserving judgement. "Over time, LEOs [low-Earth orbiting satellites] will have a role to play, but let's see how the Elon Musk and T-Mobile announcement from last week evolves," said Howard Watson, BT's chief technology officer, at a press conference this week. "At the moment, you are talking about low-bit-rate messaging and potentially 30-minute latency. That has a bit of evolution to do."
Satellite obviously has a role to play, and an essential one at that, but is the overall market big enough to support all the various constellations being launched, not to mention those already in orbit? With Globalstar and other companies planning to shoot more equipment into space, the skies could be cluttered with aluminium in the next few years. Elon Musk's future flight to Mars risks being hit by some of his own space junk.
A satellite-based SOS service for mountaineers will persuade hardly anyone to buy the 14 Pro, but there will undoubtedly be the usual stampede for Apple's latest luxury trinket. In most other ways, it looks barely discernible from its predecessor (this correspondent was insufficiently important in the devices market to receive a review model or invite to Apple's event, and possibly just insufficiently important altogether). That Apple will pocket tens of billions from unnecessary, landfill-generating upgrades is a reminder that the cost-of-living crisis is bypassing plenty.
— Iain Morris, International Editor, Light Reading
International Editor, Light Reading
Iain Morris joined Light Reading as News Editor at the start of 2015 -- and we mean, right at the start. His friends and family were still singing Auld Lang Syne as Iain started sourcing New Year's Eve UK mobile network congestion statistics. Prior to boosting Light Reading's UK-based editorial team numbers (he is based in London, south of the river), Iain was a successful freelance writer and editor who had been covering the telecoms sector for the past 15 years. His work has appeared in publications including The Economist (classy!) and The Observer, besides a variety of trade and business journals. He was previously the lead telecoms analyst for the Economist Intelligence Unit, and before that worked as a features editor at Telecommunications magazine. Iain started out in telecoms as an editor at consulting and market-research company Analysys (now Analysys Mason).
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text: I spoke with a friend in Florida last week. He (finally) went to the local shop to buy his first pistol. That small shop had about 30 people buying and customers were stopped in the lane of traffic waiting for a parking spot to open! That shop said it's sales are up 25% this month and 18% ytd. He bought a Ruger P95 for $329. AR-type rifles were almost $1,000 and people were buying 2-3 at a time!


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According to data from the Global Drug Survey (GDS), India leads in the percentage of alcohol consumers who want to seek help to reduce their intake, reports The Hindu.
GDS is an anonymous Internet-based survey which is comprised of a detailed questionnaire which asks people about their consumption of intoxicants such as alcohol, cannabis, etc.
The total number of respondents to the survey was close to 1,00,000, belonging to 30 different countries. Indian survey-takers were on average drunk 41 times in the previous 12 months, which was higher than the world average which stood at 33 times.
Interestingly, 41 per cent of Indian respondents said that they were looking for help to reduce their alcohol consumption, which was the highest percentage among the countries surveyed. 51 per cent of Indians also stated that they were looking to drink less in the coming year.
However, Indians also said that they enjoyed being drunk on 71 per cent of occasions when they had taken alcohol, which was just a few percentage points lower than the global average of 74 per cent.
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With the first three quarters of 2012 in the ledger, the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore appears poised to top several of last year's cargo records.
Officials said that through the first nine months, the port's public and private terminals processed 30 million tons of general and bulk cargo volume, up 6 percent over the same period last year. The increase was led by autos, containerized goods, forest products and farm and construction equipment, which taken together amounted to 7.21 million tons, a 10 percent increase.
The numbers for the final quarter of 2012 will get an unexpected boost in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, when about 3,000 containers and 8,100 cars were diverted to Baltimore while the Port of New York/New Jersy was down.
Through the third quarter, the total value of cargo was up 10 percent over last year's record of $51 million.
— Candy Thomson


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The annual Gamescom event in Germany is one of the largest in the world – certainly in Europe – and now it’s set to get even bigger. Gamescom organisers have announced a brand-new developer event that will make its debut this summer called devcom.
For the industry focused event a call has now been put out for industry experts and insiders to submit their ideas, topics and other suggestions for suitable sessions.
The inaugural developer conference will focus on virtual reality (VR), mobile videogames, business and production. While submissions are encouraged around these subjects other topics may also include: programming, design, audio, diversity, monetization and eSports. The window for submissions closes on 11th April 2017.
Additionally, on top of panel discussions and keynote speeches devcom will also play host to workshops, summits, master classes and matchmaking.
The devcom Master Classes will include two-hour round table discussions for up to 40 participants each, focused on marketing, game design and production as well as sales. devcom tutorials allow for hands-on tutorial sessions, up to four a day, on cutting-edge technologies, game engines and advertising tools. While the devcom summits are three one-day summits with a focus on mobile gaming, VR and monetization.
Tickets for devcom are already available with early bird discounts on offer. This drops ticket prices by 15 percent, so a student pass is 59.00 EUR (excluding fees), while the all access VIP pass is 1,019.15 EUR. The early bird deals end on 12th May.
For any further updates on devcom, keep reading VRFocus.


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The second edition of Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City will open its door on 25 April 2018. The three-day show aims to become Vietnam’s leading regional trade fair for the automotive service industry targeting trade visitors from Vietnam.
Time09:00 – 17:00
LUGAR DEL EVENTO799 Nguyen Van Linh
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam


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SEATTLE, Jan. 16, 2024 /7Newswire — Aviara, a renowned luxury boat manufacturer recognized for its captivating lineup, and Union Marine, a leading Puget Sound boat dealership, proudly announce a strategic partnership to see Union Marine become the first US independent dealer of the Aviara collection. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for both brands and promises to redefine the luxury boating experience.
Aviara’s impressive lineup features four distinct models – AV28, AV32, AV36, and AV40, all available in Sterndrive and Outboard configurations along with the surf-centric AV28S With the tagline “Luxury Without Limits,” Aviara perfectly aligns with Union Marine’s dedication to delivering unparalleled quality and customer satisfaction.
“We are excited to announce our partnership with Aviara, a brand synonymous with luxury and innovation in the boating industry,” said Kevin Roggenbuck, President and CEO at Union Marine. “This collaboration further enhances our portfolio, providing our customers access to Aviara’s exceptional line of boats that embody the pinnacle of luxury and performance.
Union Marine will showcase three of Aviara’s models as part of this partnership at the upcoming Seattle Boat Show. This premier event will allow potential buyers to experience firsthand the progressive style, modern comfort, and quality details that define Aviara boats.
“Union Marine’s dedication to customer satisfaction, continued investment in resources, and desire to offer new and exciting ways to experience luxury on the water aligns perfectly with Aviara’s brand vision as we expand into the Pacific Northwest,” said Rob Nye, Director of Sales and Marketing. “We are confident this partnership will elevate the standards of luxury boating, providing customers with a unique family of boats born to breakaway.”
The Aviara and Union Marine partnership signifies a union of two brands dedicated to bringing boating enthusiasts “Luxury Without Limits.”
Please visit https://www.aviaraboats.com and https://unionmarine.com/ for more information.
About Union Marine
Union Marine is a premier boat dealership committed to providing customers with exceptional products and services. Union Marine has established itself as a trusted name in the boating community with a focus on excellence, integrity, and customer satisfaction.
Aviara is a leading boat manufacturer renowned for its captivating lineup of luxury boats. With a commitment to innovation, craftsmanship, and delivering extraordinary experiences on the water, Aviara has become a symbol of excellence in the boating industry.
Director of Sales and Marketing
Vice President of Operations


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The Pro-Poor Advocacy Group with Consumer Unity and Trust Society CUTS Center for Competitions, Investment and Economic Regulations (CUTS C-CIE R), on Friday held their second national reference group meeting on the implementation of a two-year project entitled: ”Strengthening constituencies for effective competition regimes in select Western African countries?(7Up4 project), at the Seaview Garden Hotel in Kololi.
The purpose of the meeting was to share the research findings on the state of competition in The Gambia with a wider group of national stakeholders and to evolve a national advocacy agenda and an action plan as to how the national advocacy agenda is to be operationalised.
In his opening remarks, Yussupha A.Kah, minister of Trade, Industry and Employment, said the group is made up of key stakeholders interested in evolving a viable competition regime for economic efficiency, sustainable growth and poverty reduction in The Gambia. According to him, the group is tasked to review the output of the perception survey of the state of competition in key sectors of the economy. ”I am reliably informed that as part of this 7UP4 project, CUTS international will be building the capacity of national constituents to prepare them implement a viable competition regime and will also be supporting advocacy initiatives for competition reform,” he said.
He observed that the private sector requires the ‘right enabling’ environment and a conducive ‘investment climate’ to thrive. The Gambia government, he went on, through his ministry seeks to implement a competition regime that is appropriate to their needs and situation. Minister Kah noted that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Employment seeks to promote fair markets and to enhance consumer welfare for economic development and poverty reduction. ?As you are all aware, The Gambian economy thrives on free market policies. The government believes in private sector-led growth and development as spelt out in the Vision 2020 blueprint and the country’s MDG-based PRSP. It is therefore imperative to make sure that businesses operates on a level playing field. Our role as a government is to alleviate poverty and provide the enabling environment for a private sector-led growth,? he remarked.
He further told participants at the meeting that competition regulation across all sectors is a nascent phenomenon in The Gambia. He revealed that the MoTIE with assistance from the Commonwealth Secretariat facilitated the formulation of a Competition Act in 2007 with a view to fostering fair competition that increases economic efficiency and safeguards consumer welfare.
As in all developing countries, he went on, the Gambian economy is rife with examples of anti-competitive business practices in all sectors. Such practices, he said, harm consumers and prejudice economic operators. These anti-competitive practices, he said include collusive agreements, bid rigging, tied selling, market sharing, predatory pricing, exclusive dealing, resale price maintenance, cartels and the like. Effective competition regimes on the other hand, he added, can have a big impact on the welfare of the poor. ” Over-priced goods and unsuitable products harm the poor tremendously,” he stated.
Minister Kah further assured the national stakeholders that MoTIE and the competition commission will continue working on the tools and policies of competition reform to deal with market inefficiencies and stimulate growth. ” I am convinced that this project will immensely benefit those entrusted with the responsibility of developing and implementing The Gambia’s competition legislation. ?Key advocacy strategies or tools to address each of them will be developed. In so doing, the NRG members will chart a way forward for promoting a healthy competition culture at the national level, as a mean to alleviating poverty,? he concluded.
For his part, the Pro-PAG Policy and Budget analyst, Omar Jobe, who is also the coordinator of the 7UP4 project, told the audience that the thrust of the 7UP4 project is three-fold: first, it seeks to document the state of competition in The Gambia through literature review and questionnaire based researches. Second, on the strength of the evidence obtained, advocacy campaigns are mounted with a view to promoting a viable competition culture that delivers maximum utility and value to consumers. Finally, he said, national stakeholders are poised to benefit from capacity building interventions.
He indicated that the ?7UP4 approach? has been widely tested and validated in the other developing countries in Asia and Africa, and is helping foster effective competition regimes that benefit consumers and stimulate economic growth. The project coordinator then flagged some of the key findings of the research; thus indicating that there is a general lack of awareness of existence of competition laws among respondents from the business sector of The Gambia. Jobe added that the existence of regulatory authorities is however generally known, and that the general perception that competition issues are not well understood in the economy and lack of sensitization campaigns are cited ascontributory factors to that low level of awareness.
He indicated that the key informants are of the opinion that competition issues are rarely reported in the media due to lack of capacity and awareness of competition issues by journalists. It is however important to noted that civil society actors take the view that there is absolutely no competition in the power sector which is a natural monopoly. All the groups reported that the level of competition in the retail consumer goods sector is high (55.4% of the respondents).
Anticompetitive practices like price fixing, market sharing and price discrimination are considered to be rife in the economy. Private business group (63.3%) and civil society group (54.9%) believe that the level of competition is high, whereas, those from the government 44.4 % describe the level as moderate. About 59% of the respondents asserted that the level of competition in the telecommunication sector is high,he concluded.


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2014 Indian Motorcycle Chief Info/PriceAs Indian Motorcycle preps for the official unveiling of the 2014 Chief at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally this August, the Spirt Lake, Iowa, company continues to aggressively tease the bike.
Besides an ad campaign that psychologically target its nemesis, the iconic Harley-Davidson, Indian has released bits of information teasing the completely revamped Chief from “America’s first motorcycle company.”The first major part of this teasing arrived at Daytona Bike Week this past March. In the mecca of American V-Twinery, Indian unveiled the engine that will power the 2014 Chief, the all-new Thunder Stroke 111.The new engine was the first major redesign since Polaris Industries acquired the Indian Motorcycle marquee in 2011, and the first major redesign of an Indian power plant in seven decades. The Thunder Stroke 111, which was designed using CAD technology, features a 49-degree, 111 c.i. V-Twin that creates “more than 115-ft. lbs. of torque” (for a video of the engine, click here).And on Monday, Indian released some outline sketches of the 2014 Chief, along with the MSRP. Indian says pricing will start at $18,999, which is $7,500 cheaper than its lowest-price 2013 model, the Chief Classic.Indian says the 2014 Chief will hit North American dealers later in the year, and additional Indian Motorcycle dealerships open across the country this summer to accommodate bike demand and service needs.Steve Menneto (Vice President of Polaris Industries) says: “When Polaris Industries acquired this brand two years ago, our goal from the outset was to leverage our engineering, manufacturing and operational prowess as a market leader in powersports to design and build a truly exceptional motorcycle that represents the perfect balance of legendary heritage and brilliant, state-of-the-art engineering and technology.“All of us at Indian Motorcycle are very proud to offer the 2014 Indian Chief at a starting price of $18,999. We set out to make the power and heritage of this beautiful new bike available at a price point that is competitive and more accessible to people who are looking for authenticity and choice in American motorcycles.”Indian chose to use the Chief to help revive the brand due to the bike’s rich heritage. The original Indian Chief debuted in 1922, and has been the most popular model to date, well respected and recognized by motorcycle enthusiasts.Indian reports that the Chief “is the flagship of the brand’s 112-year product lineup, and it has come to proudly represent the spirit of the Indian Motorcycle brand.”Steve Menneto says: “We are honored to make today’s important announcements at this time, as it was roughly 112 years ago that the very first Indian Motorcycle prototype was demonstrated to the press on the streets in Springfield, Massachusetts.“We’re especially proud to reveal that our inaugural model will be the iconic Indian Chief. Riders around the world will be thrilled to know their choice in American motorcycles will now come in the form of an all-new Indian Chief.”Attached above is a “sneak peek” video of the 2014 Indian Chief.The new Indian Chief will be revealed at the 73rd annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, which runs August 3-11, 2013. Specific details on the launch timing will be announced this summer. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the world’s largest motorcycle rally, was started in 1936 by an Indian Motorcycle club, the famed Jackpine Gypsies. Indian Motorcycle is proud to reclaim that heritage and share the historic reveal of the 2014 Indian Chief with the rider community at the 2013 Sturgis Rally.For additional information, visit indianmotorcycle.com.
Zero Electric ADV Bike + Al and Bridget from Throw Your Leg Over
byMotos and Friends by Ultimate Motorcycle
Hello everyone and welcome to Motos and Friends, a weekly Podcast brought to you by the editorial team at Ultimate Motorcycling. My name is Arthur Coldwells.
Electric mobility is everywhere nowadays. Whether it’s a car, a truck, an assisted bicycle, a scooter, or any number of new innovations, the electric revolution is certainly here. In this week’s first segment, Nic de Sena took a ride on Zero’s recently announced new Adventure bike—the Zero DSR-X. There’s been a lot of hype about this new arrival on the ADV scene, and of course the questions are many. Nic talks to me about whether Zero actually have a credible, alternative energy ADV bike—or if the machine is just simply an empty promise.
In our second segment, I chat with Al and Bridget from ‘Throw Your Leg Over’. They took time out to record this episode from somewhere in the middle of Romania, of all places.
These interesting Aussies have traveled—and painstakingly documented—the thousands of miles they’ve covered riding the best roads and sights through Australia, Tasmania, Europe, eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, among other places.


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Retail income held up really perfectly in the initially 50 % of the yr, even accounting for inflation’s affect on the figures. But with shoppers shelling out additional on food, fuel and activities instead of discretionary products, it’s not distinct how retail will do in the next fifty percent.
It is been a head-spinning shift. Late in the pandemic, people were “flush with income,” many thanks to the federal government’s guidance and lighter spending on companies like dining out, in accordance to Wells Fargo analysts led by Edward Kelly.
“However, budgets are now being pinched as food prices … fuel, and other day-to-day things keep on being elevated when stimulus/SNAP dollars dry up,” Kelly claimed in a Thursday exploration note on grocery retail.
The deterioration was witnessed fairly clearly past month, when the typical Memorial Working day investing bump didn’t materialize, in accordance to exploration from The NPD Group. Because of to inflation, customers are paying a lot more than they were pre-pandemic but finding much less: When compared to Could 2019, greenback product sales were being up 18%, but device desire was down 1%. Furthermore, U.S. greenback profits of discretionary typical items finished 2% decrease than final year’s success, whilst unit profits ended up 8% lower, for each NPD.
“Budgets are now remaining pinched as meals charges … gasoline, and other daily products stay elevated although stimulus/SNAP dollars dry up.”
Senior Equity Analyst, Wells Fargo Securities
S&P analysts Sarah Wyeth and Diya Iyer pinpointed a 7 days in Might as “the official conclusion to the excellent times the retail sector has been dealing with due to the fact 2021 as different macroeconomic details releases and earnings announcements pressured the market to reconsider their check out of consumers’ resilience in the confront of decades-significant inflation.”
Lessen and middle-income customers are sensation the pinch most keenly, according to their report. That confirmed up in the 1st-quarter results at Walmart and Concentrate on, although Kelly’s group at Wells Fargo observed share gains at reduce priced stores like wholesale clubs, mass merchants and greenback stores, which they consider will go on. Wells Fargo analysts also claimed that greater-income customers could also adjust their actions much more drastically as the pressures get to them way too.
As people analysts and some others also observe, homes are dedicating extra of their budgets to requirements. Paying out at gas stations rose to just about 5% of shopper investing in May perhaps, according to Earnest Investigate — almost 2 proportion points higher than historic concentrations and the maximum stage because Earnest started tracking this metric five many years ago. Gas prices have risen steadily considering that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Earnest scientists claimed.
When the buyer pivot looks stark, inflation has persisted for months now. Above the 12 months ending in April, complete own consumption expenses charges rose 6.3%, or 4.9% not which include meals and gas, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell explained to Congress this week. Russia’s war in Ukraine and mangled provide chains even now influenced by the pandemic are major aspects, he mentioned.
“We are extremely attentive to inflation challenges and determined to just take the actions important to restore value steadiness,” he also mentioned, introducing that the central lender will get the job done to stay on prime of any unintended implications of its steps. “The American overall economy is really robust and perfectly positioned to deal with tighter monetary plan.”
Meanwhile, consumers are taking methods of their very own. About a third advised Jungle Scout scientists that they cut back on own shelling out this quarter, while 24% stated they used additional. The proportion of people who would swap from their favourite manufacturer based mostly on price tag rose 12% quarter right after quarter, with practically 50 % stating a model is their preferred due to the fact of reduced rates, in accordance to Jungle Scout’s report.
NPD researchers observed that 83% of U.S individuals strategy to make adjustments to cut down their products paying in the following 3 to six months, creating need considerably less predictable even when compared to what merchants noticed through the initially two a long time of the pandemic. The trends have implications for the vacations, as peak searching periods unfold out and individuals obtain lessen-priced products, according to Marshal Cohen, main retail field adviser at The NPD Team.
“Change is on the way when it will come to consumer spending.”
Main retail business adviser, The NPD Team.
“Change is on the way when it will come to consumer spending,” Cohen claimed in a statement. “As people partake in summer season vacations, concerts, sporting events, and other assistance-dependent investing, general products stores should prepare for extra extreme levels of competition for wallet share, but that is just aspect of the new sample rising.”


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The Michigan Economic Development Corp. has announced a new export assistance program for small businesses.
Businesses with fewer than 500 employees can qualify for the program, which offers financial assistance for exporting. The funds come from a $1.5 million award to the state from the U.S. Small Business Administration state export pilot program.
The goal is to increase exports, which MEDC President and CEO Michael Finney said is important to help existing businesses grow.
“Export sales help diversify companies’ customer bases, provide longer-term stability and can support higher-paying jobs,” Finney said in a statement.
Qualifying companies can receive reimbursement for export-related activities such as training, counseling and participation in trade missions.
The program is launching Saturday. Interested companies can learn more at the MEDC website. michiganadvantage.org/Export-Assistance.


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Women’s Open champion Park Sung-hyun of South Korea. Kappa was the sponsor in South Korea and Japan but they had to settle for their logos being placed on the sleeves and not on the right chest. Speaking of their jersey, the new kit isn’t very different from the previous one with parrot green being the jersey’s primary colour. Pakistan have also stuck with the yellow colour for their collars and sleeve hem. The timing could not have been better for Puma to re-sign the Lions of Teranga. Puma also joined in, supplying jerseys to eight teams. In Sunday’s (June 2) clash between South Africa and Bangladesh, the Proteas wore yellow jerseys as their green ones clashed with the Asian side. Virat and his men are donning Orange jersey because ICC has suggested that if there is a clash in the colour of the jerseys, the away team will have to wear alternate colours. 12 teams headed to Russia and are in good position to ‘win’ the tournament with arguably the strongest line-up of teams.
Since the whole globe is watching, it’s important for teams to look good with nice uniforms. This year’s batch of new threads assures that while not every team will win, they can at least look good when they lose. The FBI said the hate crimes probe involves more than 20 field offices and “is of the highest priority.” Investigators have identified at least five “persons of interest,” a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. CHICAGO (AP) – The NCAA suspended DePaul men’s basketball coach Dave Leitao for the first three games of the regular season Tuesday, saying he should have done more to prevent recruiting violations by his staff. However, the difference is the dark green spots in the jersey which makes the gear even more stylish. Sportswear giant Adidas released the first picture of the new jersey on their Twitter account. Adidas became the team-wear supplier to England in April 2008, taking over the role from Admiral, a British sportswear brand. Find wholesale england world cup jersey for supportive sportswear. The Nike England national football team 2022 away jersey is red, combined with navy and light blue for logos and design elements. Not mentioning that over 3 million people pre-ordered the jerseys before its release.Granted that Nike has a stellar global marketing team and distribution network that is arguably unrivalled, it is a pleasant surprise to see how the new kit deign has captured the imagination of football fans across the world.
The two jerseys above are their away and third kits. These are different from other sports bras in that they take into account the amount of running involved in soccer. It’s a party atmosphere right now but that could soon change if Koeman’s side take an early lead. It’s unfortunate for those who missed out but it was the right call,” he was quoted as saying. Sweden wore their new kit when they shocked the world by knocking Italy out of the World Cup play-offs to book their place at the tournament. Tournament officials are working to whittle down the pool of candidates this month. So, when India take on hosts England on June 30, Kohli and his teammates will sport saffron jerseys since both teams’ original jerseys are blue in colour. Alex alone has brought in a shipment of 2,000 Thai AAA jerseys (valued at 20 million naira ($55,000) in sales) in the past two months. But his Guangzhou-based supplier-just one of many large scale producers of fakes-confirms that the business has shipped over 30,000 jerseys (worth up to 300 million naira ($830,000) in sales) to bootleggers in Nigeria alone, with another 20,000 shipped to sellers outside Nigeria.
But while FIFA politics has a habit of throwing up surprises, the promise of a handsome profit from games played at large capacity, already existing stadiums across North America is likely to sway enough voters. 2026 World Cup soccer games could be played in a number of modern stadiums across North America, including Levi’s Stadium. But, as she reveals in Jersey Tales, the joy she felt in Paris was heightened by the “heartbreaking” experience England had gone through in losing the Rugby World Cup final on home soil four years earlier. The New England Patriots wore their Navy Blue jersey with white numbers and red trimming to Super Bowl XLVI. It’s ironic that Nike have chosen to have the word printed boldly in front of what is widely regarded as a throwback to the 1994 jersey where the Super Eagles soared for the first time on the World Cup stage.


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It’d be fair to say that Nintendo are disappointed that it has proven such a challenge to build sales momentum behind Wii U.
As to why it’s proven so hard, Shigeru Miyamoto has already discussed how the price point “ended up getting a little higher” than Nintendo wanted. But he feels that was only part of the story, as, if it had enough appeal, consumers would have still bought it regardless of price.
Instead, he suggested that “perhaps people didn’t understand the system,” and that Nintendo hadn’t anticipated that tablets would emerge and evolve in the marketplace as rapidly as they did.
“I don’t think it’s just price, because if the system is appealing enough, people will buy it even if the price is a little bit high,” Miyamoto discussed in an interview with NPR.
“I think with Wii U, our challenge was that perhaps people didn’t understand the system. But also I think that we had a system that’s very unique – and, particularly with video game systems, typically it takes the game system a while to boot up. And we thought that with a tablet-type functionality connected to the system, you could have the rapid boot-up of tablet-type functionality, you could have the convenience of having that touch control with you there on the couch while you’re playing on a device that’s connected to the TV, and it would be a very unique system that could introduce some unique styles of play.”
He continued, “I think unfortunately what ended up happening was that tablets themselves appeared in the marketplace and evolved very, very rapidly, and unfortunately the Wii system launched at a time where the uniqueness of those features were perhaps not as strong as they were when we had first begun developing them.
But their disappointment with Wii U hasn’t dampened their enthusiasm to try “to do unique and different things,” and they’re working hard to make sure that NX, their “next home console,” has the chance to “be a very big hit.”
“So what I think is unique about Nintendo is we’re constantly trying to do unique and different things,” Miyamoto explained. “Sometimes they work, and sometimes they’re not as big of a hit as we would like to hope. After Wii U, we’re hoping that next time it will be a very big hit.
“So this with Super Mario Maker and being able to design levels on the touchscreen in your hand while watching on the big screen, and with games like Star Fox Zero where the big screen represents sort of a movie-like experience, but with the gamepad and the gamepad screen in your hands, you’re able to play a video game simultaneously with the excitement of these cinematic scenes happening on the TV.
“And I think that’s going to give people a lot of excitement, and I’m hoping that people will be looking forward to playing those games on Wii U in the fall.”


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Phnom Penh: The recommended fuel prices for the next two weeks in Cambodia have been announced by the Ministry of Commerce. Both petrol and diesel are going up by 260 riel a litre.
The Ministry says retail fuel prices at local stations from 16-30 June are as follows: petrol is now 4,060 riel per litre. A litre of diesel has been increased to 3,710 riel. The Ministry says the increases would have been higher without intervention from Prime Minister Hun Sen and the kingdom’s fuel distributors. With their cooperation, the Prime Minister has been able to reduce the recommended selling prices by 4 cents a litre.
The Ministry of Commerce has stressed that it does not set the retail price of fuel, but only quotes a recommended selling price in line with the fluctuation of international oil prices. The public is advised to ask all fuel stations to comply with the recommended amounts.
Fuel prices have been on the rise in recent weeks in Cambodia, as they have been around the world. International oil prices have climbed 70% over the past 12 months, as demand for oil increases as the Covid-19 pandemic eases in the United States, China and other major economies. Cambodia announces a recommended selling price for fuel every 14 days.


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Ras Al Khaimah Ceramics, the world’s largest ceramic-tile maker, plans to exit businesses including construction as it focuses on its main production operations, Chief Executive Officer Abdallah Massaad said.
“We will continue to reduce our non-core businesses,” Massaad said in a phone interview. “Some we will shut down and others we will sell to concentrate on core businesses, which grew 22 percent in the U.A.E. in the first half.”
RAK Ceramics, based in U.A.E. emirate Ras Al Khaimah, decided to shift away from construction, development and other businesses it considers nonessential to focus on increasing productivity in its factories for ceramics such as tiles, toilet fittings, faucets and tableware. Its main business accounted for 84.9 percent of revenue last year, up from 78.1 percent a year earlier.
RAK Ceramics reported first-half profit of $40.8 million, the company said in an emailed statement Sunday. Revenue for core ceramics products climbed 3.9 percent in the first half, the company said.


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The newly launched Nike Kyrie 5 is Kyrie Irving’s fifth signature basketball sneaker with Nike Basketball. Introducing Nike Zoom Air Turbo, a new venus flytrap inspired lockdown system, and insane multi-directional coverage for the hardwood. The shoes introduce some innovating technology for Nike, and the first ever articulated, and curved zoom bag in the forefoot of a Nike Basketball sneaker.
The UCONN Men’s Huskies have received their own PE of the Nike Kyrie 5, before it even releases. Being that Kyrie Irving attended Duke University, which led him to be the first overall pick in the 2011, there’s no doubt that we’ll be seeing Duke exclusives of Kyrie’s fifth signature shoe. The UCONN PE comes dressed in the team colors; white, crimson, and national flag blue. Boasting a red swoosh, blue Kyrie logo, white upper, a red speckles midsole, and white outsole; these Kyrie 5s are going to put some people into awe. Finally, there’s a small touch of blue as an accent on the forefront of the midsole.
It’s highly unlikely we’ll see these Kyrie 5s release, as they are a team exclusive for the University of Connecticut’s men’s and female’s basketball teams. Nonetheless, check out some images of these heaters below, and tune in to see if these potentially have a release date, all at One on One Testers.
h/t: UCON MBB.