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How much do German households pay for power?
While the skyrocketing price of natural gas and the steep costs of emission allowances to a large extent explain the high wholesale power price in 2021 and even today, the price that consumers and businesses pay with their electricity and heating bills in Germany is also influenced by taxes and levies -- or the exemption from these.
In Germany, electricity prices for consumers are among the highest in Europe due to a range of taxes and levies that make up more than half the price. The average power price for households and small businesses in Germany stood at 32.16 cents per kilowatt hour (ct/kWh) in 2021. About one quarter of the 2021 price (7.8 ct/kWh) results from regulated grid fees, which include metering and associated services, according to an analysis conducted by the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW). Another quarter arises from the actual power supply costs, including the wholesale power price and the supplier’s margin. Yet another large share (around 20%) is made up by the renewables surcharge, which covers the guaranteed feed-in tariffs for renewable energy installations.
However, in 2021, the government reduced the renewables levy to 6.5 ct/kWh and since January 2022 it has been 3.72 ct/kWh. This would reduce by 100 euros the annual power bill of a household that consumes 3,500 kWh per year, comparison website Strom-Report has calculated. Renewable energy installations will instead be supported from the state budget using income from the sale of emission allowances. Originally intended to make the use of electricity, e.g. for heat pumps and driving, more attractive and to reduce the burden on consumers from the new CO2 price on fossil heating fuels, the renewables levy reduction is now eaten up by the rise in power supply costs (see above).
Energy-intensive commercial customers are exempt from certain components of the power price, and some levies vary according to the consumer's location. Although they pay one of the highest nominal power prices of all customers in Europe, the actual monthly power bills of German households are usually smaller than, for example, those in the U.S., where the price per kilowatt-hour is lower but consumption due to less efficient appliances and more use of air conditioning is much higher. Also, Germans spend a much lower share of their income on energy bills (including electricity, heating and petrol) than many other EU citizens, according to the German Economic Institute (IW). German households pay just over nine percent of their average monthly income for energy, on par with consumers in neighbouring France and the Netherlands. In contrast, Bulgarian households spend more than 25 percent, followed by Greeks and Hungarians at 20 percent.
The poorest households in Germany – which already pay the highest share of their income for energy – were particularly hard hit as many of them lack alternative options and are on fixed incomes.
Rising gas and power prices: What are the repercussions for consumers?
The degree to which German consumers are affected by the energy crunch in Europe depends largely on their individual power and gas supply contracts. While some electricity suppliers have adapted their rates to reflect higher procurement costs, others have terminated running supply contracts with consumers and several power suppliers have filed for insolvency.
Suppliers tend to source the electricity for their customers partially through long-term contracts (futures on the EEX Power Derivatives Market) often for years ahead, and partially through short-term power purchases on the spot market (EPEX). Depending on how much (still cheap) futures a supplier is currently holding to provide for its customers, or how much the company “bet” on (now not cheap anymore) spot market buys, suppliers are faced with more or less serious financial problems.
Households that have been dropped by their supplier automatically receive power and gas from their local standard provider ("Grundversorger," often the municipal utility), which usually charges higher prices than other suppliers. Consumer protection advocates say that the case of low-cost supplier Stromio, which cancelled consumer contracts before the end of December 2021, has affected several hundred thousand households. Some suppliers that cancelled consumer contracts while not filing for insolvency are suspected to have sold on the futures they procured cheaply to make great profits instead of supplying their customers.
State secretary Patrick Graichen at the economy and climate ministry said that such practices would have legal repercussions but that there were otherwise good reasons why the procurement strategies of power traders have not been regulated.
Faced with a large influx of new customers for whom they now have to source extra amounts of electricity at a time of extremely high wholesale prices on the spot market, some local standard suppliers (which are legally obliged to supply any household) have started to charge more to their new (involuntary) customers than to their existing clients. Price comparison website Check24 has counted around 260 standard suppliers that have introduced new tariffs exclusively for new customers, on average more than doubling their prices.
Rising gas and power prices: What are the repercussions for businesses?
Following a steady increase in gas prices throughout last summer, by autumn Germany’s industry repeatedly warned of the repercussions the high energy prices would have on their operations. Salzgitter, the country’s second largest steel producer that aims to speed up its shift to carbon-neutral steelmaking, said it could not rule out production stops at some of its plants. Swiss Steel Group, which also operates several plants in Germany, said it would need “immediate relief” from the government to keep production levels steady. And steel industry association WV Stahl said that the price crunch was going to “seriously impede” the industry’s transition to climate neutrality. The VIK, which represents 300 German energy intensive companies, demanded that the government reduce the power price by abolishing the renewables surcharge and lowering the electricity tax.
Natural gas provides nearly half of the energy for the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. In agriculture, rising gas prices are making production of ammonia and nitrogen fertilisers economically difficult.
German industry association BDI has said that abolishing the renewables levy on the power price was a welcome but insufficient step to support the switch from fossil fuels to electricity in industry. The BDI demands more relief from fees and levies on energy, saying that "all companies are suffering from sharply rising energy and electricity costs."
Does the high gas price endanger Europe’s utilities?
When buying and selling natural gas on the exchange-based commodity market, traders are routinely required to make down payments to cover operators’ open liabilities. The price volatility on the gas market has increased the need for such security payments. Major German utilities, such as RWE, Uniper or STEAG, have therefore made the news when they had to secure higher credit facilities to cope with the unprecedented volatility in energy markets. In January 2022, Uniper secured up to 10 billion euros, including around 2 billion euros with German state-owned KfW bank; competitor RWE said they had made arrangements to cope with the situation via credit lines and other funding instruments. Uniper CEO Klaus-Dieter Maubach said that while the extra liquidity was needed when buying and selling gas, the “hedging amounts will flow back to us on the day we physically fulfil our contracts.” Uniper stressed that it was a “very healthy company,” but needed to be prepared in this highly volatile market environment. Uniper shares fell 1.69 percent to 41.29 euros on the day of the announcement.
How have different stakeholders in Germany reacted?
Consumer advocates: The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (VZBV) has warned that exploding energy prices are causing distress for consumers and that many households that have been forced into the standard supply regime have to pay significantly higher prices than existing customers. The VZBV considers this two-tier system to be wrong as it undermines competition and has called on politicians to take action. "Some electricity and gas providers have obviously relied on a short-sighted business model and have not lived up to their responsibility towards their customers. But this was also possible because the transparency obligations and regulations were not sufficient. It is not the consumers who must foot the bill for these dubious business models and poor market regulations. Politicians must make consumer protection in the energy market more crisis-proof," said Thomas Engelke, head of the energy and construction team at VZBV. The VZBV also pointed out that while some local suppliers, e.g. in Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig, are charging new customers more than double what existing customers pay, other municipal utilities, e.g. in Bremen and Stuttgart, have even lowered their tariffs, while rates remained stable in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Düsseldorf, Essen, Hannover and Nürnberg.
The Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen announced it will sue some standard providers. “Even if we understand the difficult situation of default providers, this is not acceptable,” said Verbraucherzentrale head Wolfgang Schuldzinski. “Forcing customers that have done nothing wrong to end up in a default supply setting is against the law,” he argued, saying the issue could eventually land on the desk of authorities dealing with cartel cases.
Energy industry: Energy industry association BDEW has said that rising consumer bills are not the fault of the standard energy providers. “Dubious low-cost providers are the problem, not the primary service providers, who also provide service in emergencies,” BDEW head Kerstin Andreae said in a press release in January. The BDEW advises customers whose contracts have been unilaterally cancelled to take legal action. Standard providers that had to raise their tariffs for new customers that they received involuntarily were forced to buy additional quantities of electricity or gas “overnight.” The extremely expensive short-term purchase of additional quantities and the collateral required for this can bring the basic suppliers themselves into economic difficulties, the BDEW argued. It was therefore mainly in areas where many Stromio customers resided that the standard supplier had to increase its rates for new customers.
The German Association of Local Utilities (VKU) said that the consumer organisations were barking up the wrong tree when blaming the standard providers for price increases. “The fact is that those who always go for the highest savings in the short term - as was unfortunately recommended by consumer organisations for a long time - also pay for this with a higher risk,” VKU managing director Ingbert Liebing said.
Susanna Zapreva, CEO of standard supplier enercity, argued at the Handelsblatt Energy Summit 2022 in January that she wouldn’t consider it fair to burden faithful, existing customers because of the new clients. The BDEW also argued that it wouldn’t be “wholesome” consumer protection if existing customers would also have to share the burden.
Energy market observers: Power market expert and author Christoph Podewils argued that some providers must be taking advantage of the situation. If wholesale prices per kilowatt-hour have risen by around ten percent within a year and the government lowered the EEG levy by around three cents in January, an increase of 30 cents or more by some electricity suppliers cannot be explained, he wrote. The government should therefore refrain from paying additional energy subsidies to poorer households because this would just pay into the pockets of suppliers with exaggerated prices, funded by the taxpayer. Instead, the government should increase the transparency of the composition of energy tariffs by suppliers or introduce a price supervision system, which was abolished during the liberalisation of the energy markets. He also proposed an overhaul of the electricity market to make renewable power cheaper for consumers – by funding renewables via contracts for difference and by not letting the most expensive power station in the merit order set the price.
How does the government react to rising energy costs for consumers & businesses?
In view of skyrocketing energy costs, the German government at the end of February 2022 agreed on a wide-ranging plan to provide financial relief to consumers, including the elimination of the renewable energy levy – a move that will save electricity users 6.6 billion euros (3.27 cents per kilowatt-hour; the levy was previously scheduled to end as of 2023). The 10-step plan, which still has to be approved by the parliament, also includes a higher commuter allowance and more support for recipients of welfare and unemployment benefits. In total, the relief plan’s measures add up to the double-digit billions. Those measures also include projects that have already been implemented, such as minimum wage increase to 12 euros an hour. In early February 2022, the cabinet had decided to give low-income households a one-off heating cost allowance. In a response to rising prices for heating oil and gas, consumers who receive housing benefits or student/trainee support will get between 115 and 175 euros, to be paid out in summer when many households will face bills reflecting the higher prices. According to the buildings ministry, 1.6 million people are to benefit from the subsidy, including 370,000 students. The measure will cost the state nearly 190 million euros.
In the longer term, a so-called “climate payment” to all citizens is envisaged to compensate people for rising energy costs due to higher CO2 pricing. Social housing subsidies have also been increased to account for a higher CO2 price on heating fuels as of 2022.
Environment minister Steffi Lemke, whose ministry is also in charge of consumer protection, said that some of the cancellations of power and gas customer contracts might have been illegal, according to early data seen by her ministry, and called the expensive new contracts with standard providers for cancelled customers “problematic.” Some of dramatic increases in prices in these contracts could not be explained by increased purchase and retailing costs, she said. She named reduced taxes on heating energy as a possible measure to help poorer households.
A reform of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) is meant to prevent short-term terminations of electricity and gas contracts and establish uniform tariffs for basic supply so that new customers do not have to pay double or triple the amount compared to existing customers.
Energy and climate state secretary Graichen said that – at EU level – it could become necessary to help European businesses that are faced with extreme energy prices when they are in international competition with e.g. U.S.-American companies that do not struggle with volatile prices. He added that all businesses should be aware that now was the perfect occasion and time to invest in solar and wind farms or start sourcing energy via power purchase agreements (PPA) with renewable installations to make themselves independent from volatile fossil fuel prices.
How are the EU and other countries responding to the crisis?
EU member states are largely responsible for their national energy policies, and EU rules allow them to take emergency measures to protect consumers from higher costs, which many countries have done (Reuters published an overview in February 2022). Almost all European countries have introduced response measures, e.g. waiving electricity taxes and grid fees, or transfers to vulnerable consumers. Think tank Bruegel provides a regularly updated overview of these measures (see below).
In October 2021, the European Commission presented a toolbox with suggestions on how member states and the EU could address the impact of the energy price increase and strengthen their resilience against future volatility. It includes short-term national measures, such as emergency income support to households, state aid for companies and targeted tax reductions. “The Commission will also support investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency; examine possible measures on energy storage and purchasing of gas reserves; and assess the current electricity market design,” the announcement reads.
The 27 EU member states have so far refrained from taking concerted action. The participants in a ministerial-level meeting in early December 2021 failed to agree on a proposal tabled by France, Spain and Italy to abandon the merit order principle, according to which the last kilowatt-hour needed and the most expensive power station determines the wholesale electricity price. Germany, Austria and Denmark opposed such an intervention in the electricity market. Italy and Spain have also proposed to introduce join natural gas procurement by the EU member states. Hungary and the Czech Republic would like to introduce changes to the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).
The energy price crisis has also sparked renewed debates about the dependence on imported fossil fuels and supply strategies (long-term vs. spot), as well as effects of the energy transition on this dependence.
“Today’s gas crisis must serve to accelerate the transition to clean energy. For this, we also need trust. People need to trust that the transition will be fair. Businesses, that it will improve their competitiveness. And investors, that we will stay the course,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a speech in January 2022.
Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Peter Liese has proposed that the EU should give its member states a partial opt-out from the planned emissions trade for transport and heating fuels. According to Liese, countries should be able to exempt private housing and private transport from the CO2 price for the first two years so as to not overburden consumers. The new emission trading system is planned to come into effect in 2026.
For the UK, an analysis by Carbon Brief shows that had energy transition policies, such as energy-efficiency subsidies, onshore wind deployment and zero-carbon home standards, remained in place, energy bills would be considerably (2.5 billion British pounds) lower today.
[The first version of this factsheet was published on 8 February 2022]


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Homeowners see new, cheaper models move into the neighborhood
In the fairly new Orange County neighborhood of Kenion Grove, the developer dropped prices by nearly half and some residents are not happy about it.Posted — Updated
When the developer of a fairly new Orange County neighborhood dropped prices by nearly half, the residents fought back.
“It's a great neighborhood,” homeowner Jeff McQueen said of Kenion Grove.
But lately, there has been a dispute about the future of the subdivision, along the 500 block of Childsberg Way in Hillsborough.
"We are not very happy for this,” homeowner Bernie Galing said.
The troubles started when home builder K.B. Home added some new models. They are less expensive, with features some neighbors don't like, such as fewer windows.
"They are building cereal boxes here,” Galing said.
Two years ago, homes in Kenion Grove were selling priced over $300,000. In September, home prices started at $190,000. Now there are listings in the $130,000s.
"K.B. Homes is selling the houses with a very cheap price,” Galing said.
Neighbors worry about what that could mean for their property values.
"I want to see them keep the character of the neighborhood, keep consistent with the quality of the homes that are already here," McQueen said.
K.B. Regional Public Relations Director Cara Kane said the company is working with homeowners to come up with a compromise. K.B. met with homeowners Thursday evening to discuss a compromise. The company will build smaller homes, of less than 2,000 square feet, with the type of exterior features neighbors want. Those homes will be priced starting at $130,000.
Kane pointed out that sales in the neighborhood are up 50 percent since the newer, less-expensive models debuted.
Homeowners like McQueen say they hope the market will eventually bounce back.
“You just have to not panic and realize that it is going to be fine," he said.
Copyright 2022 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Windsor police team with pharmacists to prevent robberies
New checklist for pharmacists target crime prevention
Windsor police have teamed up with pharmacists in Windsor and Essex County to produce a checklist drug store owners can go through to make their stores harder to rob.
Barry Horrobin, director of planning and physical resources for the police service helped produce the checklist called the Pharmacy Physical Risk Assessment Tool.
"Throughout all of Essex County we encourage and hope all pharmacies will embrace this tool and do the self audit themselves," Horrobin told the media at a news conference at Novacare Pharmacy in Windsor.
Horobin points to successful initiatives at Walgreens in the U.S. and at pharmacies in British Columbia, which have installed timers on safes so they can't be opened immediately.
Other improvements to stores include higher and deeper pharmacy counters, which are harder to climb over. Locating stores in high-traffic areas also increase the chances witnesses can identify criminals.
Horrobin also urges the installation of video surveillance cameras in strategic locations.
"All of these things help resolve a crime once it's happened," said Horrobin.
"it seems like every week we're hearing about another robbery," said Peter Dumo, pharmacist at Novacare Pharmacy.
Dumo is in favour the crime prevention measures but he says the province needs to legislate them because the Ontario College of Pharmacists can't force it's members to implement them.
"As every pharmacy here is independently owned, very difficult to launch that without a legislative act," Dumo said.
The checklist is being distributed to pharmacies across the city and county by police through the Essex County Pharmacists Association.


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Warner Music Group, have received at least $9 million back of the $20 million it invested in online music service
Lala.com, according to a proxy statement the music giant filed on Monday with the
US Securities and Exchange Commission).
Apple confirmed the acquisition of the streaming music site last month without, typically, revealing any financial details of the deal.
Warner Music Group’s filing notes: “In Dec 2009, the Company sold its equity interest in la la and entered into an agreement to terminate a memorandum of terms relating to the formation of an international joint venture for total cash consideration of approximately $9.0 million as part of a sale of la la to Apple Inc.
“The warrants had an exercise price that was in excess of the total merger consideration paid in respect of the shares for which it could be exercised and, therefore, expired at the time of the closing of the sale of la la to Apple Inc.”
Lala scans users’ hard drives and creates a duplicate music library that can be accessed via the Internet.
According to the Lala website: “Users can take your music and fuse it with a massive licensed catalog to easily play, buy and share on the Web.”
Many have speculated that such technology could be built into new versions of Apple’s iTunes.
The popularity, if not the commercial success of Spotify, the Swedish streaming music service, may have influenced Apple’s decision to buy Lala.
As well as offering an ad-supported service, Spotify currently charges £9.99 per month for an premium ad-free version, which can be accessed via an iPhone application, which can be listened to in offline mode, without an Internet connection.


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Huawei Y9s will be soon available to purchase online in Indian market. The phone comes with a big screen and battery for the segment and phone will be exclusively sold […]
New Sony Xperia SP and Xperia L mid-range smartphones
Wrapping off it's latest offering in the arena of Smartphones and strengthening it's premium series of Smartphones, "Sony Mobiles" has unveiled two new entrant under the Xperia series named, "Sony
Sony Xperia S39h model showcased pics online
Earlier, Sony introduces it's Xperia series smartphone with a tag line of The Best of Sony in a Smartphone which completely shows what the company has planned to offer in their Smartphone segment.
Lava IRIS N320 budget Android Launched : Price and Information
Lava has launched it new phone under it's premium brand name,"IRIS" called as Lava IRIS N320 in the Indian market. Lava Iris is packed with some powerful specification and technology to deliver.
Acer Liquid S1 Quad Core phablet announced
Taiwanese multinational electronics Corporation, Acer has announced a new element under it's Liquid range of gadget series named as Acer Liquid S1 . Acer Liquid series is quite famous in gadget


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New trends in technology are popping up everywhere. From connected homes to diagnostic wearables to virtual reality simulation, we live in a world of ever-changing advancements in the way we see, hear and feel.
So, where are we headed next? Marketers have an opportunity to interact with consumers in ways unheard of just a few years ago. Taking advantage of some of these tech trends can really propel a brand to the forefront of top-of-mind awareness. At RFA, we’re always looking for that “next great idea” that will separate our clients from the competition.
From virtual reality to blended reality
HP recently announced a new 3D printing technology, that combines scanning, gesture control, and touch screens to create designs that can be 3D printed. Originally designed for creatives and the like, HP has announced a new version of their blended reality computer designed for “immersive learning” and they’re calling it the Sprout Pro. Great gift idea for Sally or Jimmy?
Seeing life in a new way
Use of 3D Technology in industry is evident everywhere. Whether it is entertainment, games or movies, companies large and small keep on looking for ways to use 3D technologies to offer a realistic view into a scene. Like the new exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park that takes you on a 3D virtual exploration of the Amazon Rainforests. The exhibit let’s you “Explore the Amazon rainforest from the lush forest floor to the dizzying heights of the canopy and all the way from space in an all-new, live 3D show.” Amazing stuff!


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Noticias y opinión en Sistemas distribuidos
Gluster Storage Platform offers failover for virtual machines
Vehicle icon in self-inflicted GFail
For global data centre and SAP infrastructure services
Novell plans eight new virtualized and cloud apps with built-in security that will aid in \'intelligent workload management\'
Cloud computing standards and major cloud computing outages top Linthicum's list
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new program, Eureqa, takes raw data and formulates scientific laws to suit, and it is available by free download to all scientists.
Enhancements for Hyper-V and flash drives
Combined company to sell pre-packaged virtualised appliances


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Curated by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels, the Hong Kong Pop-up Design à Paris pop-up shop attracted Parisian consumers, fashion journalists, trade buyers and bloggers alike.
13 creations by 10 Hong Kong Design Institute students and three renowned Hong Kong fashion designers, as part of the ARTSHION 2024 Painting x Fashion and Image Design Competition, are on display at the HKTDC Design Gallery in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Eyewear that talks, briefs agents on top-secret missions, shoots laser beams and more has long been a staple of science fiction, but now smart glasses are moving off the silver screen and on to the high street.
France has had a long, constructive relationship with Hong Kong. To further strengthen bilateral ties, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) chose Paris as the first destination outside of Asia for its Think Business, Think Hong Kong (TBTHK) campaign, following the end of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Hong Kong has long been a shopper’s paradise drawing people from all over the world for retail therapy and over the past two decades the fastest growing segment has been consumers from nearby parts of Mainland China.
As travel and trade between Hong Kong and Mainland China rapidly recover following the COVID-19 pandemic, the consumer market has picked up, boosting industries such as tourism, retail and exhibitions.
A flagship event in the Hong Kong-Guangdong Cooperation Week, Chic Hong Kong will introduce Hong Kong’s excellent brands and characteristic designs to consumers in Shenzhen and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, including consumer electronics and technology products, smart home products, food and beverages, trendy clothing, hygiene and epidemic prevention products.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) set up the Hong Kong Fashion Pavilion at the third China International Consumer Goods Fair (Consumer Expo) and led 22 Hong Kong companies to the exhibition, promoting more than 50 high-quality brands of mid-to-high-end consumer goods, and expanding the huge domestic market.
Asia’s leading fashion event located in Hong Kong, Fashion InStyle (formerly Hong Kong Fashion Week) fosters business opportunities throughout the industry supply chain upstream and downstream, enlightens fresh thinking, empowers unbridled creativity and emboldens emerging talents. Fashion InStyle forms a comprehensive one-stop platform to connect exhibitors, buyers and all members of the trade around the world.


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Private sector lender Yes Bank has sold more than 15 lakh shares of SICAL Logistics in various tranches constituting 2.68 per cent of the equity stake.
As a result, the shareholding of Yes Bank in SICAL Logistics has come down to 5.49 per cent. On January 23, the bank had sold more than 12 lakh shares of SICAL Logistics, bringing its stake to about 8 per cent.
"Yes Bank has sold 15,66,909 equity shares having a nominal value of Rs 10 each, constituting 2.68 per cent of the paid-up share capital of SICAL Logistics in various tranches," Yes Bank said in a statement.
SICAL Logistics is engaged in providing dredging and retail supply chain logistics solutions.
Yes Bank is India's fourth largest private sector bank with presence across all 28 states and 9 union territories. It has been striving to fund its growth and improve asset quality.


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Newspaper Accidentally Prints Prank Page Full Of Curses (FAKE)
New Artificial Fingerprints Could Hack Into Your Phone (REAL)
Researchers from New York University and Michigan State University have developed new artificial fingerprints that they say have the potential to be used to hack into your devices. According to the paper on their findings, the “DeepMasterPrints” they’ve generated can be used a sort of “masterkey” to unlock one-third of smartphones with fingerprint-based protection.
Many smartphone users opt for fingerprint unlocking features, even for apps with sensitive information like banking. But researchers are saying that it’s not as safe as you think, since the features only really capture and store a bunch of “partial fingerprints,” meaning a potential hacker only needs to match one of them to gain access to your device.
But in a statement, Clear, the firm behind the fingerprint recognition technologies used by Delta and Hertz, says they have “no question” that these “biometric” security features are a safer option. Other companies that utilize fingerprint security, like Apple, Google, Mastercard and Samsung, have yet to comment on the new research.
Colorblind Man Finally Sees Girlfriend's Blue Eyes While Proposing (REAL)
A colorblind man recently got to see his girlfriend’s blue eyes for the first time – and that’s not even all that was special about the moment! Thanks to some special glasses, Taylor Smith got to see in full color for the first time since discovering he was colorblind in his mid-twenties… and propose to his girlfriend during the special moment.
They’re called EnChroma glasses, specially designed to help give colorblind people the ability to see in technicolor. Smith had jeweler Timothy White order a pair of the glasses along with the ring made with a blue sapphire to match his girlfriend, Michelle Arnold’s eyes. But he waited until the proposal to actually try on the glasses.
That made for an extra special moment, with the added bonus of being able to see his girlfriend’s face “flush” during the proposal, which he says he “had never been able to see before.” “It was so beautiful to see her eyes for the first time,” he says. “They were so beautiful, like the ocean.” Check out a video of the moment to the right.
Source: New York Post


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Söderlund was the head of Worldwide Studios at EA before being promoted to Chief Design Officer. His transition will take place over the next three months, and a few teams within EA will be affected as a result.Johan Andersson's SEED team will join EA's studios group, while Rob Letts' EA Originals and EA Partners will now join EA's Strategic Growth group. Additionally, Jason Wozencroft has joined the company to lead a unified UX approach for EA's products.
Söderlund was a key part of setting up the EA Originals program, which brought about Unravel, Fe and A Way Out. He has also been at the centre of several major recent events for EA, from the shuttering of Visceral and Amy Hennig's Star Wars game, to the Battlefront 2 loot box controversy.For more on recent EA news, read how the company is using a "moral compass" to give studios a loot box guidance. Also find out why EA Sports' boss thinks the NCAA lawsuit negatively impacted the studio.
Alex Gilyadov is a writer for IGN. Be sure to check out his YouTube channel and follow him on Twitter.


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By George MacDonald2010-05-11T13:44:00
Marks & Spencer opened its first Hong Kong standalone food store today after a successful trial of its Food to Go range in four shops there.
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Perhaps following the Latin proverb "in vino veritas," a group of Azeri hackers decided to recently use the website of a major Armenian wine producer to spread their version of the "truth." Reports Armenia's News.am:
Azerbaijani hackers cracked the website of Armenia-based “Armenia Wine” factory on the night of June 25.
A group of hackers calling themselves “Anti-Armenia team” posted an article about alleged Armenia’s “aggression” towards Azerbaijan, photos, videos about Azerbaijani leader and armed forces.
In response, the Armenia Wine company said the hack was not fueled by the political tensions that exist between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but rather by Azeri sour grapes over the recent growth of the Armenian wine industry. Again, from News.am's article:
In its statement the company said Azerbaijanis are angered by Armenia’s ability to develop production and enter international market even being under the blockade. The company representatives assured that promotion of Armenian wines in the international market will continue regardless of any attempts.
Indeed, as previously reported on this blog, the Armenian wine industry has been making strides lately, with the creation of a handful of new wineries that are working to bottle world-class wines and with several older wineries also revamping their production to boost the quality of their product.
The international sanctions against Iran were designed to punish the country for the continuing efforts to develop its controversial nuclear program. But it appears the sanctions are also starting to impact the daily life -- and eating habits -- of average Iranians. As the Wall Street Journal reports, rising food prices have led to a spontaneous three-day boycott of grocery stores and bakeries that a surprising number of Iranians appear to have joined. From the WSJ's report:
Iranians protesting soaring food prices launched a spontaneous three-day boycott of milk and bread purchases, in a sign that growing economic hardship could lead to more civil disobedience.
The grass-roots campaign, which ran from Saturday through Monday, wasn't affiliated with any opposition group. Dozens of Iranians said in interviews and on social-networking sites and blogs that they had participated in the boycott, and a number of bakeries and grocery stores across Tehran, the capital, reported declines in milk and bread sales of as much as 90%.
Iran's economy has been deteriorating amid domestic mismanagement, corruption and international sanctions that have made it difficult for manufacturers to import raw material and to conduct banking transactions. A European Union embargo on Iranian oil is set to start July 1.
Prices of basic goods rise almost daily. Independent economists estimate annual inflation is hovering between 50% and 60%. In the past two weeks, the price of bread has increased 33%, chicken 28.5% and milk prices are climbing daily, according to Iranian newspapers and semiofficial news websites.
As Eurasianet's Justin Vela recently pointed out, the dispute over who has the right to explore for oil and gas in the waters off the divided island of Cyprus has all the ingredients for a major geopolitical confrontation. But oil and gas are not the only natural resources that are fueling the Cyprus conflict. Turns out cheese is also one of the island's disputed commodities.
As anyone who has visited Cyprus knows, the island essentially runs on one kind of cheese, the rubbery, briny white kind known as "halloumi" in the Greek-speaking south and "hellim" in the Turkish north. As one Greek Cypriot website puts it, the cheese is "the flagship of Cyprus’s authentic cuisine." On both sides, the cheese -- made from a combination of goat, sheep and cow's milk -- is often fried or grilled in chunky strips.
The cheese of either side of Cyprus's dividing Green Line might taste the same, but the issue of who gets to claim halloumi/hellim as their own is pitting the two parts of the island against each other. Greek Cyprus, which is a member of the European Union, has asked Brussels to give halloumi Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, which would mean that only Cypriot cheese could be given that name. Similar protection is offered to Stilton cheese from England and other European cheeses and food products.
Perhaps aware of Hillary Clinton's fondness for cutting loose with a bottle of brew in hand, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili hosted the visiting American Secretary of State at a wine-filled dinner at restaurant in the Black Sea resort town of Batumi. Reports the, ahem, Daily Mail (in a photo-filled dispatch):
Hillary Clinton made sure to have a little fun on her latest official trip by taking some time out to taste the best wine that Georgia had to offer.
The Secretary of State seemed to be in high spirits as she chatted with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and surveyed a variety of wine at the Adjarian Wine House in Batumi, a beach town decidedly off the beaten path of high-level political conferences.
She was pictured trying at least three different variations of the restaurant’s vintages, and laughing with the President and First Lady over champagne when they first sat down to dinner.
Anyone who's ever eaten in a school cafeteria has been exposed to mystery meat, the strange substance used to make hamburgers and other dishes that are staples of the classic school lunch. Turkish officials, though, may have just added a new item to the school lunch repertoire: mystery milk.
According to reports in the Turkish press, a newly-launched government effort to distribute free milk to Turkey's 7.2 million schoolchildren started off on a disastrous note, with more than 1,000 kids going to the hospital on the program's first day after complaining of food poisoning-like symptoms. The reason? According to some doctors who treated the kids, it was a case of drinking spoiled milk. A member of the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), went even further and suggested government-affiliated "partisan" milk firms were to blame.
In Turkey, the victim often gets blamed when something goes wrong, even if that victim is a child. Not surprisingly, government officials quickly dismissed the possibility that the children drank tainted milk, saying instead that many of them simply were not used to drinking the liquid or were allergic to it. Turkey's Education Minister even told reporters that perhaps some of the sickened students simply drank their milk too fast. Either way, samples of the supposedly long-lasting ultra pasteurized milk, which was distributed in individual cartons, were taken to a lab and results are expected on Friday.
Has the White House inadvertently stepped into one of the Mediterranean's oldest unresolved conflicts, namely: which country in the region gets to claim itself as the inventor of baklava?
The issue has been heating up over the last few years. In 2006, for example, Turkish makers of the flaky dessert were outraged when European Union tourism posters featured baklava as a, gasp, Cypriot invention. But the baklava battle has opened up a new front after a March 22 White House dinner in honor of Greek Independence Day. Although it was a closed affair, Maria Loi, a New York-based Greek chef who prepared the evening's dinner, told a Greek-American publication that President Barack Obama "loved baklava." Picked up by the Turkish press, the story became one of the President saying how much he loved "Greek baklava," leading to angry denunciations from columnists who suggested Obama brush up on his Balkan culinary history and that Loi's entire menu for the affair -- moussaka, stuffed grape leaves, Greek salad and the offending baklava -- was comprised of nothing more than Turkish dishes dressed up as Greek ones.
Worried about the Greeks claiming other cross-border staples as their own, some Turkish foodmakers are now taking preemptive action. Reports Turkey's Cihan news agency:
The İstanbul Simit Tradesmen Chamber has launched a process to get an international patent for the number one Turkish street food, the simit, a ring of chewy bread coated with toasted sesame seeds.
As anyone who has visited Turkey knows, the fruits and vegetables there taste, well, simply more like what fruits and vegetables should taste like. To anyone used to the mealy, flavorless tomatoes sold in American supermarkets, their first taste of a vine-ripened Turkish tomato is likely a revelation.
But a new report by Greenpeace's German branch could make that tomato and other Turkish fruits and vegetables a little less appetizing. From the Green Prophet blog:
Of 76 different fruits and vegetables recently evaluated, Turkish peppers contained the most excessive and dangerous amounts of pesticide chemicals, according to Food Without Pesticides, a new 26-page guide to European food released this week by Greenpeace Germany.
Turkish peppers topped the list of “most contaminated” produce in the guide, with an average of 24 chemical substances found in the specimens analyzed. In second place, with an average of 10 chemical substances, were Turkish pears. Nine chemical substances were found in Turkish pears, on average, putting them at third place.
Eleven different Turkish crops were rated, using 582 samples. The guide used a green/yellow/red light system to show its ratings, with a red light meaning that more than one-third of the samples had dangerous levels of chemicals in them.
With financial sanctions against it getting tighter and tighter and the drums of war beating louder and louder, Iran appears to be getting proactive -- at least on the food front. As Reuters reports, Tehran is busy stockpiling grain in anticipation of the sanctions' effect on daily life. From the Reuters report:
Vessels carrying at least 360,000 metric tonnes (396,832 tons) of grain are lined up to unload in Iran, Reuters shipping data showed on Thursday, a sign that Tehran is succeeding in stockpiling food to blunt the impact of tougher Western sanctions.
Iran has been shopping for wheat at a frantic pace, ordering a large part of its expected yearly requirement in a little over one month and paying a premium in non-dollar currencies to work around toughened Western sanctions and avoid social unrest.
Food shipments are not targeted under western sanctions aimed at Iran's disputed nuclear program, but financial measures have frozen Iranian firms out of much of the global banking system.
Since the new year, some vessels had turned away from Iran without unloading after Iranian buyers were hit by a trade finance squeeze, but Thursday's data appears to show that shipments are now arriving successfully.
Meanwhile, this stockpiling is having the unintended consequence of helping American wheat growers and the US economy. As Reuters notes in another article, Iran's stockpiling includes buying large amount of wheat from the land of amber waves of grain:
In an effort to forge a unified Turkish nation out of a society that was far from homogenous, the Turkish state for decades tried to suppress Kurdish cultural expression (not to mention political expression). But recent years have seen something of a change. Kurdish music, film and theater and now a visible part of the cultural scene in Turkey in a way that they weren’t only a decade ago, while a Kurdish-language national television network (albeit state-run) has been on the air since 2009 and the first-ever undergraduate program in Kurdish was launched last year.
But there has been one aspect of Kurdish culture that’s been conspicuously absent from all this activity: food. In Istanbul, for example, it’s now possible to find films or plays in Kurdish, but good luck finding a restaurant dedicated explicitly to serving Kurdish food. And while bookshops are filled these days with food books that explore Turkish cuisine, you would be hard pressed to find something that deals with Kurdish cooking.
Although there have been some recent indications that there might be a bit of a thawing out in the tense relations between former allies Turkey and Israel, some Israeli egg producers are having none of it. According to a report in Globes, an Israeli business publication, a lawsuit has been filed against Tnuva, one of Israel's largest food producers, charging the company with selling Turkish eggs disguised as Israeli ones. The switcheroo is no yolk, the suit says. Turkey, the petition, notes "is a country that has turned into a hostile country to Israel in recent years and where the level of veterinary inspection is lower than the level prevailing in Israel."
This is not the first time eggs have come in the way of Turkish-Israeli relations. In late 2009, Israel's then ambassador to Turkey, Gabby Levy, had to cancel a scheduled visit to a university in the Black Sea area's Trabzon after students pelted him with eggs. The egg-hurling students were protesting Israel's Gaza invasion earlier in the year.
Meanwhile, while on the subject of eggs, Istanbul Eats has a recommendation for what is very likely the best spot in Istanbul to eat eggs, Turkish or otherwise.


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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and the big update of season 5 of Warzone are already here, and now developer Infinity Ward has offered some details on what to expect.
Season 5 features Shadow Company, which is a “mysterious new private military enterprise” aligned with the Alliance, but only in name.
“Shadow Company, an elite PMC, operates outside the confines of the original armistice. Forged from the fighting fires between the coalition and the Alliance, Shadow Company has its own framework and agenda,”; Infinity Ward said in a blog post . publish
Shadow Company is a “split group” that has grown impatient with Captain Price and his leadership. The squadron comes to Modern Warfare to “deal directly with terrorist threats.”
The Shadow Company includes new operators Rozlin “Roze” Helms (formerly aligned with the Jackal faction), along with Velikan, and Marcus “Lerch” Ortega.
Lerch is a former U.S. Navy from Plano, Texas, who struggled to readjust to civilian life, so he joined the private military enterprise. “There is no contract that Lerch will not take on or challenge, which is how he finds himself in Verdansk at the helm of the other Shadow Company operators,” Infinity Ward said.
More details are available for Velikan, who is described as “a shadow of a shadow.”
“The tales of his exploits are written like fairy tales at best and serious exaggerations at worst. Those who never know him speak ill. No one knows it out of fear or respect, they no longer know it,” he said. dir Infinity Ward.
As for Roze, we know nothing about her beyond her jackal roots.
More details should be available very soon, as season 5 is expected to release the first week of August on PS4, Xbox One and PC. A new battle step is also approaching. For now, you can check out the new trailer for the previous Season 5.
In other news, Modern Warfare and Warzone now offer double XP, which comes at a good time for those looking to move between the ranks and claim more Battle Pass items.
GameSpot can get a commission for retail deals.


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The company is offering zero upfront zero interest and zero processing fees through Hero MotoCorp’s financial partners to its customers.
Hero MotoCorp, India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, has launched a special Retail Finance Festival for the company’s customers. The company says the nationwide event offers exciting retail promotions through Hero MotoCorp’s financial partners. Starting today, the Retail Finance Festival will run until December 31, 2021 and provide customers across the country with convenient financial access and increased purchasing power with attractive offers. leads like zero upfront, zero interest and zero handling fees.
According to Hero MotoCorp, the company, through its Retail Finance Festival, aims to drive accessibility, availability, awareness and innovation in the retail finance sector to customers across segments. In addition to the main offers, the Retail Finance Festival also offers innovative financial products to customers, such as Kisan Kisht, No Hypothecation and Suvidha, which negates the use of any bank checks.
Also read: Hero MotoCorp Q2 profit drops 22 per cent
Hero MotoCorp has also launched an Aadhar-based loan application program whereby customers only need to present their Aadhar card to be eligible for funding for any Hero two-wheeler. Customers can visit any authorized Hero MotoCorp dealer to avail the programs and also watch online channels for subscription. The Retail Finance Festival will offer customers to take advantage of these benefits and select and receive any Hero MotoCorp sponsored scooter or motorcycle with minimal paperwork and financing options. main easy.
https://www.carandbike.com/news/hero-motocorp-launches-retail-finance-carnival-2657025 Hero MotoCorp Launches Retail Finance Festival


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British regulators are currently working on setting the date by which consumers must be paid.
At the end of last week, British regulators announced that they would likely be starting to work on setting a deadline by which insurers would be required to compensate consumers who were improperly sold loan insurance products.
It is expected that the refunds from this process will be costing the banking industry billions of dollars.
The Financial Conduct Authority, which is the agency responsible for the oversight of the financial industry in Great Britain, has now said that they predict that their review of the loan insurance scam will be completed by the end of the year. From that point, consumers will likely have an additional two years in which they can file for compensation for having been mis-sold payment protection insurance. This means that the earliest that the deadline for compensation could be is in the early part of 2018.
Banks have been urging regulators to provide them with a deadline for filing loan insurance complaints.
Over the last four years, the complaints with regards to the payment protection insurance that was improperly sold to consumers has cost the banks approximately $31 billion. The issue has to do with a very long running scam in which policies had been sold to consumers in an inappropriate way. This includes the two decades leading up to and including 2010. During that time, banks in the United Kingdom sold 45 million policies that were supposed to protect consumers who were applying for credit cards, other types of loans and taking out mortgages.
The type of insurance policy involved in this scam was supposed to help consumers to be able to make the payments on these debts if they should ever be rendered unable to do so due to the loss of a job, contracting a debilitating illness, or certain other unexpected circumstances.
However, it was discovered by the Financial Conduct Authority that the complexity of the pricing and the details for payment eligibility for the loan insurance policies actually make this product inappropriate for a certain range of consumers – many of which were sold the policies regardless of the fact that it was inappropriate for them. In 2001, the agency sued the industry over this issue and the banks chose to accept a settlement with the government.


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Here's how Bedford town centre is celebrating Christmas - plus when the town's Christmas lights will be switched on
Events include a Christmas Makers Market and visit from reindeer!
Christmas is coming to Bedford with three weekends of festive fun.
The town's Christmas lights will be switched on on Monday - but instead of hosting a switch on event this year, the weekends leading up to Christmas will see the town bustling with activity.
Bedford Borough Council has teamed up with Love Bedford, in collaboration with MadeInBedford and EAT Feast to put on three weekends of festive fun.
Here's what's in store...
Sunday, December 5
From 11am to 2pm the Cairngorm Reindeer will be in Harpur Square. They're taking a break from training to pull Santa's sleigh to say hello to Bedford shoppers - though the man in red himself will also be popping in for a visit, and there will be live performances to enjoy from Bedford Town Band and Kempston Hammers Community Choir on the raised area of the Square.
If you’re feeling peckish, Lingers Butchers will be running a Hog Roast, and Dessert Boss will be bringing the sweet treats.
There will also be free face painting and balloon artistry in the Howard Centre. No booking is required, and while you’re there, why not browse the Christmas cards and festive balloons at Buzz Bees Cards? Sweets in the Mail will also be offering a 10 per cent discount on PicknMix to anyone with a painted face.
EAT Fest - A Christmas Special is taking place over at Riverside in the afternoon from noon until 9pm.
There will be plenty of great food and cheeky Christmas tipple, along with vegan and veggie options as well as gluten free. EAT Feast will have an array of international flavours from established food trucks and caterers, coming together to celebrate good food and great company.
December 11 and 12
The Christmas Makers Market will be a highlight of the festive season this December, brought to Bedford Town Centre in collaboration with MadeInBedford.
The market runs from 10am to 3.30pm on both the Saturday and Sunday and features a wealth of artisan crafts, handmade decorations, homewares, and quality confectionery.
There will also be free face painting and balloon artistry on both days, in and around the market, and inside in the Old Arcade.
Rock Choir will be performing at lunchtime in Harpur Square on December 12, with Bedford Town Band and other live acts performing a medley of Christmas songs and traditional carols across the weekend.
December 18 and 19
As Christmas draws near, therewill be festive cheer in Harpur Square and across the Town Centre.
With hot drinks and festive treats on sale, seating in the square and music from May Blossom and other live acts to set the mood, there will be the chance to soak up the atmosphere and relax for a few moments before the Big Day gets underway!
With all this, and more, including a Festive Christmas Trail and a Christmas Window Competition, Love Bedford and Bedford Borough Council are delighted to welcome you to join us in Bedford Town Centre this December, for a Month of Celebration.
Details correct at time of going to press – for the latest updates, please visit: www.lovebedford.co.uk/Christmas.php


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Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle on anniversary stamps
Stamps depicting Beatrix Potter's creations, such as Peter Rabbit and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, have been released on the 150th anniversary of her birth.
The Royal Mail collection includes six characters and scenes from her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
Potter wrote and illustrated a number of children's books in the early 1900s.
A first edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which Potter printed privately, is due to be auctioned later and is expected to fetch £35,000.
In addition to the anniversary stamps, a Peter Rabbit postmark will be stamped on mail posted in what was Potter's local post box in Cumbria in the week following her anniversary.
The mark is a copy of one of Potter's earliest drawings of the famous character.
Royal Mail's Philip Parker said the stamps depicted some "unforgettable characters which have been loved by successive generations".
Born in the Kensington borough of London on 28 July 1866, Potter was a keen botanist and artist in her youth, selling her first drawings at the age of 23.
She created Peter Rabbit in a letter to the son of a friend in 1893, naming her creation after her own pet.
After being turned down by several children's book publishers Potter self-published the story in 1901, a few months after the real Peter died.
The work became a hit with friends and family and a publisher decided to release the book. The Tale of Peter Rabbit has gone on to sell more than 40 million copies worldwide.
Potter later moved to a farm near Windermere in the Lake District, where she lived until her death in 1945.
She was the creator of 24 stories about animals, the last of which - The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots - will be published in September after the manuscript was discovered in the Victoria and Albert Museum archive.
The 150th anniversary of her birth has also seen the Royal Mint press commemorative 50p pieces, a "mini-musical" celebrating her performed at the World of Beatrix Potter in Bowness-on-Windermere and the creation of a Girlguiding Beatrix Potter Anniversary Challenge badge.
One of the original copies of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, featuring 41 full-page line drawings, will go under the hammer at a London auction house later on Thursday as part of a sale of Beatrix Potter memorabilia.
The sale also includes an illustration Potter did for a Christmas card, and an original watercolour design for The Story of Miss Moppet.
Created in 1906, the drawing of the mouse - estimated to fetch up to £12,000 - was autographed by Potter and includes her notes.
Many of the 62 lots at the Dreweatts & Bloomsbury auction have been acquired by collector John Cawood since 1972.


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A bug with Facebook’s iOS software development kit (SDK) is causing crashes on several popular iPhone apps like Spotify, Pinterest and Tinder. Thankfully there’s simple fix until the glitch gets sorted out.
Unfortunately, you don’t even need the Facebook app installed to fall victim to the bug. Many developers leverage the Facebook SDK to support features like logging in through Facebook within their apps. Because of this, it seems many apps that rely on the SDK are having issues.
The Verge reports that this is the second time an issue like this has happened in the last few months. Thankfully, the publication also has a workaround for those impacted: Lockdown Apps.
Lockdown Apps is a firewall and privacy protection app on iOS that uses a VPN to block trackers. It also prevents Facebook’s iOS SDK from loading in third-party apps. If you run Lockdown Apps during a Facebook SDK outage like this, Spotify, Tinder, and other impacted apps will work.
Plus, Lockdown Apps is free to use. You can download it from the App Store, launch it and follow the on-screen tutorial. The Verge notes that it does ask you to sign up or log in, but you can just hit cancel to bypass this step.
Then, tap the ‘firewall on’ button at the top of the app and follow the steps to enable the VPN profile on your iPhone. Once set up, you can toggle the firewall on from within the app.
Finally, when the Facebook SDK issue gets resolved, and things start working normally again, you can delete Lockdown Apps. Doing so will also remove the VPN profile.
Lockdown Apps sounds like an excellent temporary workaround. However, I can’t speak to the privacy or security implications of the app. Because it sets up a VPN, all internet communications from your iPhone will pass through the firewall, which could be problematic. Lockdown Apps does list on the App Store that it’s open-source, which brings some peace of mind since it means anyone can look at the code and verify what the app is and isn’t doing.
If you’re curious, Lockdown Apps includes more information about privacy on its website.
Source: The Verge


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Manufacturing has been one of the few bright spots in an
otherwise tepid economic climate but the shine is unfortunately
The Institute for Supply Management (
) said in its Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) U.S. manufacturing
slowed during May by 6.9 percent from April. The PMI finished at
53.5 percent versus 60.4 percent for April. Steep declines were
seen in new orders, production and backlog orders.
Consumer discretionary stocks (NYSEArca: XLY) and
(NYSEArca: XLI) have been among the top performing industry sectors
over the past year, but the PMI report could put that run in
jeopardy. May's PMI data was the first reading below 60 percent for
2011, as well as the lowest PMI reported for the past 12 months.
A look underneath the hood reveals some problem areas for the U.S.
The sub-indexes with the greatest declines were new orders
(-10.7 percent) and backlog orders (-10.5 percent). In each case,
Japan's earthquake was a factor, particularly with a shortage of
computer, electronic parts and electrical equipment, which
contributed to losses in both sub-indexes. Are May's numbers a
short-term blip or a longer-term trend?
In other categories, swift declines within new orders were also
experienced in furniture and related products, printing and related
support activities and food, beverage and tobacco products. Put
another way, consumers aren't consuming as much as before.
Remember: New orders and backlog orders provide important clues
of future economic activity and today's readings could be a
precursor of slower growth ahead.
Another big issue for the manufacturing sector is inflation.
'Manufacturers continue to experience significant cost pressures
from commodities and other inputs,' said the
. This is especially bad news for consumers. Inevitably, the higher
cost of raw goods makes its way through the economic chain and
eventually hits consumers in the wallet via higher prices. Surging
commodity prices (NYSEArca: GSG) amid tepid economic growth is not
the recipe for a recovery.
The ISM Manufacturing survey is a barometer of manufacturing
activity, particularly from the angle of purchasing managers
employed by U.S. companies in the manufacturing sector. It surveys
400 companies in 20 sectors on new orders, inventories, employment
and production. The PMI's headline numbers are published based upon
the survey's results.
Unfortunately, May's PMI report does not signal a
in expansion mode. The expansion, itseems, is happening in emerging
market countries (NYSEArca: EEM) but not here. Interestingly,
multi-national companies like Caterpillar (
) and Deere (
) have benefited from overseas activity, but will it be enough to
keep the industrial sector afloat?
In conclusion, the full and active participation of U.S.
consumers on a wide scale is required for the U.S. economy to mend
itself back to full health. And only until then, a recovery is not
a recovery unless it's a recovery.


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|Address:||: Ryanair DAC, Dublin Office, Airside Business Park, Swords, Co. Dublin|
Ryanair will create over 3,500 jobs next year in Europe as it takes delivery of 50 aircraft in the coming 12 months.Ryanair said that it will require an additional 2,000 cabin crew, 1,000 pilots and 250 engineers over the next year. It will also promote over 300 first officers across its European network. Ryanair has 84 bases.
Ryanair said that a range of new positions will be created by the airline in the coming year in functions including IT, sales and marketing, digital, as well as finance and commercial divisions at its headquarters in Dublin, and also at its Travel Labs subsidiary in Wroclaw, Poland.
Eddie Wilson, Ryanair's chief people officer, said 2017 would be the airline's busiest recruitment year. He added that over the next five years the airline will hire a total of 5,000 people.
More on these jobs
|No of jobs:||3.500|
|Job title:||2,000 cabin crew, 1,000 pilots and 250 engineers IT, sales and marketing, digital, as well as finance and commercial|
|Jobs take effect:||coming 12 months|


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Sandton foodies can look forward to a new food truck market launching at the BlackBrick Club.
- Born in Joburg is Johannesburg’s newest addition to the food market scene.
- This food truck-focused market will run from November 26 (4pm – 9pm) and November 27 (10am – 3pm).
- Tickets are available via Quicket at R30 per adult.
- Visit www.sandtontimes.co.za for more stories.
The new food truck market aims to be a family-focused event targeting anybody and everyone, from young families to teenagers and adults. Market-goers can choose whether to attend on Friday evening and dine under the Sandton skyline or grab brunch at the Saturday morning trade. There will be a line-up of eight of Jozi’s most loved food trucks, live DJs, kiddies activities, E-scooter tours, a craft bar, and a secret rooftop experience.
The impressive line-up of food trucks includes Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream, Tjips Co, Killer Coffee, Napz Autentica Pizza Napoletana, The Wing Republic, Lumamonate, and Wine Tap in attendance. On the music front, there will be a curated line-up of local selectors such as Diddy Q, Bon Bon Vie and Housecatz to name a few.
Tickets are also available at the BlackBrick entrance on Fredman Drive, and admission for kids under 12 years old is free. Covid-19 restrictions apply, and there will be a check-in process at the entrance.
For more information, follow Born in Joburg on Instagram and Facebook.
Head back to The Sandton Times Home Page for more stories.


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In 2021 Southport Market relaunched as a food and drinks venue following a £1.4m transformation and now it will offer a weekly showcase for artisan traders. Tony McDonough reports
Newly-transformed Southport Market is to hold a weekly showcase for artisan traders starting in February.
In 2021 the market was relaunched as a food and drinks venue following a £1.4m transformation delivered by Sefton Council. The new artisan showcase will be launched on Thursday, February 3.
Held in the new Extravaganza Space every Thursday, Southport Market’s weekly artisan market will be a chance for local traders and creators to showcase their wares. Stalls will include local crafts, personalised products, candles, beauty products, jewellery, accessories, homeware, stationary, and more.
Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “The new market event, held every Thursday in our Extravaganza space, provides traders with a fantastic opportunity to showcase their goods every week and for visitors to support local businesses.
“And as well as shopping for that unusual item or gift, people can also enjoy an international array of foods and drink on offer from the market’s permanent outlets.
“Since the opening of the £1.4m refurbishment and repurpose of the old Southport Market building was completed in July 2021 the new Southport Market welcomed, and continues to welcome, guests locally, regionally and nationally, and the space has gone from strength to strength.”
A brand new dessert outlet will also be opened at Southport Market by Sefton Council’s new hospitality company, in the first venture of its kind.
Sefton Hospitality Operations Limited (or SHOL for short) is a private company set up to create and operate hospitality outlets offering “exciting, diverse, and accessible options for its customers”.
The firm’s Business Plan said: “SHOL will be taking a lease from Sefton Council for a unit at Southport Market to provide desserts to visitors of the market.
‘This will be the first venture for SHOL and provides a great opportunity to employ our first team members, generate some revenue, and test out some menu and branding ideas ahead of future ventures.
“The business hopes to create several brands that can be duplicated at key locations; desserts forms an important part of this strategy.”


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Rubio’s, the Carlsbad-based restaurant chain specializing in Mexican food, will open an outlet next year in El Dorado Hills Town Center.
The leased, 2,800-square-foot restaurant at Highway 50 and Latrobe Road will undergo upgrades and is projected to open by the end of spring in 2016, employing about 35.
Currently, there are nine Rubio’s restaurants in the Sacramento area.
Started in 1983 in San Diego, Rubio’s Restaurants Inc. now oversees nearly 200 restaurants in California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Utah.
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Venezuela beats all other countries worldwide when it comes to inflation.
BY CHRONICLE STAFF
Venezuela will have the world’s highest inflation this year and the following five years, according to a Latin Business Chronicle analysis of new data from the International Monetary Fund.
The data is based on estimates for 2010 and forecasted inflation in the 2011-15 period for 183 nations worldwide.
Venezuela is expected to see an inflation rate of 29.2 percent this year, the IMF estimates. That compares with 26.2 percent in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has the second-highest inflation, according to the IMF database.
During the next five years, Venezuela will again lead the way, with a rate of 27.6 percent, according to Latin Business Chronicle calculations. That compares with 14.4 percent in Eritrea, which will have the second-highest rate.
Meanwhile, Argentina will have the world’s third-highest inflation during the 2011-15 period. The South American country will likely see an average of 10.9 percent inflation, according to the Latin Business Chronicle analysis.
© Copyright Latin Business Chronicle
World’s Highest Inflation 2010
Estimated average consumer prices
D. Rep. Congo
World’s Highest Inflation 2011-15
Average based on forecasted consumer prices
Sources: International Monetary Fund
(World Economic Outlook, October 2010),
Latin Business Chronicle (ranking and


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The interest of elderly patients in CBD has increased, but doctors differ on their views on safety due to limited testing and regulatory oversight. Hence, it is best to proceed with caution, if at all.
CBD, as cannabidiol is commonly known, is the non-intoxicating chemical found in the resinous flowers of cannabis and hemp. CBD made from hemp was legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill and can now be found everywhere from gas stations to Tony boutiques. The products cannot claim any therapeutic use or would then be subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration.
“CBD products are very popular with older consumers – elderly cancer patients, people with chronic pain, people looking for an alternative to marijuana,” says Jenni Otwell, owner of Magic City Organics in Birmingham, Ala More and flow through what theirs Options are. But the interest is incredible. “
Otwell’s experience isn’t all anecdotal. A poll by Consumer Reports in January 2020 found that 20% of Americans 65 and older said they’d tried CBD, up from 14% in January 2019.
Magic City Organics conducts virtual consultations as well as face-to-face discussions in the store. Otwell ships across the country. Current CBD products instead of edible products are the most popular with their older customers, she said.
CBD is not addictive, according to a 2017 report by the World Health Organization that found that CBD is not a compound with a high potential for addiction or abuse.
Still, there are concerns about the quality and effectiveness of CBD products. Epidiolex, a prescription CBD drug, is the only FDA-approved CBD product. The liquid CBD product is used to treat seizures related to three rare diseases.
In addition, CBD products can have negative interactions with other drugs, and experts urge CBD consumers to share their use with doctors and pharmacists in order to prevent side effects.
A 2020 analysis in the medical journal Geriatrics found that CBD can increase blood levels of certain cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, antihistamines and antidepressants. Basically, CBD can increase the other drugs in your system by using the same molecules that you need to break down drugs and remove them from your body.
“The concerns are not specific to the elderly but become bigger problems as they get older,” said Pieter Cohen, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Medication can take longer to digest as you get older. The kidneys and liver behave differently in older people. The elderly are at risk of having THC or other contaminants in the CBD products – they are more susceptible and have increased the risk. “
Daniel Clauw, a professor of anesthesiology, medicine, and psychiatry at the University of Michigan agrees that it is important for patients to tell their doctors if they are taking CBD, but he says it is generally not clinically significant.
“And for many older patients, the risk of taking CBD, for example for pain, is far lower than the known risk of other drugs they use instead, such as opioids or even NSAIDS,” said Clauw, who is also the director of the Chronic Pain Research Center Fatigue. “It’s not approved for use on pain, but we’re using it [Epidiolex] in several NIH-funded studies for pain, “he added, referring to the National Institutes of Health.
Medical opinions aside, knowing what to really buy with CBD products is difficult.
A 2017 article in the Journal of American Medical Association examined the labeling accuracy of CBD extracts sold online. It found that 43% of products were under-labeled with ingredients, 26% were over-labeled, and only 31% were labeled with exactly the right amount of included CBD. It was also found that THC was found as a contaminant in 21% of the CBD products tested.
“We cannot guarantee that CBD products are correctly labeled and packaged. There is no path to the market for CBD that is overseen by the FDA, ”Cohen said. “At the moment we cannot recommend this as we cannot determine the ingredients of the product or determine the dosage as there is no data on this. The consumers are at the mercy of the manufacturer. It’s all in a gray area. ”
Those who choose CBD should know that there are a wide range of products available – from topical creams to edible gums, oils and tinctures. Some doctors suggest that topical medications may cause fewer negative side effects, but may also be less effective for severe pain.
Joseph Maroon, clinical professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery and Heindl’s Neuroscience Scientist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, calls the CBD market the “wild west,” but suggested several ways to ensure patients get safer products .
Maroon said patients should look for a QR code on the product label, as well as a “certificate of analysis” and an 800 number to call in case of side effects.
The QR code can help customers identify the toxicological results, published preclinical data on the product, randomized controlled trials, and post-market adverse event reports.
“If you don’t have that, you have no idea what you’re buying,” said Maroon.
CBD at doses ranging from 15 mg to 75 mg per day tends to have no reported significant side effects, Maroon said.
“The main reasons people use CBD products are for pain relief, sleep, and stress control,” said Maroon. “Other pain relievers for arthritis or disc disease – like ibuprofen and aspirin – have very significant side effects like stomach ulcers. For this reason, CBD is a reasonable product to try in amounts used for wellbeing. “
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10 Global E-Commerce Marketplaces Backed By Naspers
South African media giant Naspers, Africa’s most valuable company by market cap, is a massive global players within the online space, having backed many e-commerce marketplaces around the world.
The Cape Town-based firm is a global internet and entertainment group that has built a reputation as one of the largest technology investors in the world.
The South African media company, which is listed on the Johannesburg and London Stock Exchanges, has stakes in around 45 technology and media companies around the world, and is involved in e-commerce, television, print media, travel, communications and other sectors in over 120 countries.
The Naspers group has a market capitalisation of $91 billion, making it the biggest tech company in Africa by market cap, and whether currently or in the recent past, Naspers has backed e-commerce properties across the globe.
Here are 10 global e-commerce marketplaces that have been backed by Naspers.
Takealot is South Africa’s largest e-commerce retailer. The online marketplace joined the Naspers group in 2015, when Naspers merged its Kalahari unit, which was once the market leader, with Takealot. Since then, Naspers has backed the online retailer with investment after investment in order to grow the business, taking 96 percent ownership of the company this year, with total investments in Takealot amounting to more than $315 million, according to TheCitizen.
Movile is the leading mobile commerce and content platform based in Latin America, with over 50 million people making use of its apps on a monthly basis. At the end of 2017 Naspers joined Innova Capital in investing $82 million into Movile, according to Techcrunch. Fabricio Bloisi, the founder and CEO of Movile, recently praised Naspers for their backing of his company. “Naspers combines resources and information as a group with the speed and accountability of a startup. This approach has supported Movile’s growth and great results,” he said, according to NaspersVentures.
Based in Central and Eastern Europe, Fashion Days is an e-commerce fashion business in which Naspers has been involved since 2011. Fashion Days offers a range of more than 500,000 products from over 1,000 different brands. Headquartered in Switzerland, Fashion Days has benefited from Naspers’ expertise within the online space to grow its consumer base to more than 6 million, according to the company.
Last month Naspers made a $94 million investment in South African specialized car buying service, WeBuyCars, through the group’s classifieds business, OLX, according to DigestAfrica. The move is part of Naspers’ diversification strategy with investments that are geared towards boosting growth in classifieds, online food delivery and fintech businesses globally.
Spree was an online fashion retailer in South Africa, which was owned by Media24, a Naspers company. Naspers also owns Takealot, a leading e-commerce player in the country, which in turn owned Superbalist, another fashion online retailer. Spree and Superbalist recently merged, allowing for the two companies to combine forces as a single online fashion platform for South African consumers under the Superbalist name, according to Businessinsider. Naspers’ strategic vision enabled the two companies to consolidate sourcing and buying, technical, marketing, warehousing and logistics functions of the two businesses which were both focused on the same market.
AutoTrader, South Africa’s leading marketplace for buying and selling new and used cars, bikes, boats, farm vehicles and more, became part of the Naspers group when it merged with OLX in 2017, despite remaining a standalone brand. The company is 25 years old, and is well established in South African culture as the go-to interactive website for purchasing new or second hand cars. AutoTrader is one of the top 10 most visited websites in South Africa, according to Mybroadband.
In May of this year Naspers sold its entire stake in Indian e-commerce marketplace Flipkart to Walmart for $2.2 billion. This represented a 11.18 percent stake in the online firm, India’s largest property in the e-commerce space, which saw the initial investment from Naspers in 2012, according to ITWebAfrica.
Naspers first invested in Nigerian e-commerce platform Konga in 2013, but earlier this year the company was sold to Zinox Technologies, a Nigerian tech firm. In one of the few cases in which Naspers was not able to ensure a successful outcome for an e-commerce platform, it reportedly made a loss when it sold Nigeria’s biggest online mall for an undisclosed amount, following a $40 million investment from Naspers and Swedish firm Kinnevik in 2014, according to Quartz.
Naspers was previously a major investor in Souq.com, the Middle East and North Africa’s largest e-commerce platform. After an initial undisclosed investment in Souq during 2012, the company invested a further $75 million in the Dubai-based e-commerce platform four years later. In 2017, Naspers sold its 36.4 percent stake in Souq to Amazon for an undisclosed amount that Goldman Sachs described as “the biggest ever technology merger and acquisition transaction in the Arab world”, according to Businesslive.
Naspers previously owned Allegro, a Polish online auction and price comparison platform, but sold its entire stake in the company for $3.2 billion in 2016, according to ITWeb. The South African firm bought Allegro in 2008 for $1.48 billion, growing it into a force within the Polish market and using it to launch Polish products and services for Naspers’ other businesses.


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Stolen Nike, Ted Baker goods worth €18,000 seized by gardaí
Clothes found in Tipperary house raid, gardaí say
A range of counterfeit goods seized in Co Tipperary on Thursday. Photograph courtesy: An Garda Síochána.
“During the course of the search, gardaí seized suspected counterfeit footwear, clothing, handbags and cosmetics.”
No arrests have been made but gardaí say they are following a definite line of enquiry. Prosecutions for suspected counterfeit goods are taken under Section 92 of the Trademarks Act 1996.
Earlier this year, an EU report found the counterfeiting and piracy industry has resulted in estimated annual sales losses of more than €900 million in Ireland.
In the clothing, footwear and accessories sector, the report estimated Irish losses of about €323 million or 9.2 per cent of sales. On an EU-wide basis, the sales losses were more than €28 billion.
Across Europe about €60 billion a year is lost to such blackmarket activity overall, the equivalent of 7.4 per cent of all sales across 11 studied categories.
The EUIPO 2019 Status Report on IPR Infringement focused on clothing, footwear and accessories; cosmetics and personal care; sports goods; toys and games; jewellery and watches; handbags and luggage; recorded music; spirits and wine; pharmaceuticals; pesticides; and smart phones.
On Friday, gardaí warned that apart from the illegality of the materials, counterfeit goods are sub-standard products with potential health and safety risks, particularly concerning whether or not they are flame retardant.


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From 2012 to 2016, consumption of cosmetics and perfume packaging increased by an average annual growth rate of 1.3%. It reached US $24.72 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 4.2% from 2017 to 2022, reaching US $30.35 billion.
Asia is the largest consumer area of cosmetics packaging, followed by Western Europe and North America. The consumption of cosmetics packaging in Africa is growing fastest. Mature regions in North America and Western Europe will grow at a lower rate.


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Apple To Acquire Color Video Broadcasting App For A Multiple-Digit Million Dollar Amount [REPORT]
There are some business acquisitions that make perfect sense, some that seem a little strange but are understandable and others that we can see coming from a mile off, but the latest rumor is suggesting that Apple is in the process of acquiring Color Labs Inc. doesn’t really fit into any of those categories. Color Labs is the company behind the drastic iOS and Android app called Color that managed to raise a fairly large pot of funding in 2011, but if the reports turn out to be true then it looks like the company executive have found their way out.
Although any deal is yet to be confirmed or finalized, but it is being suggest that the intricacies of the acquisition have already been put in place and involves a substantial fee that amounts to multi-millions of dollars. The talk of a takeover by Apple seems to come at a time when there is a lot of speculation surrounding the future of Color Labs Inc. and the possibility that if a takeover of this nature didn’t come along then the company would ultimately shut their doors and cease to exist.
This latest report regarding Color Lab and the Color app isn’t the first of its kind to hit the news in recent time. It had earlier been reported that shareholders and those who reside on the Color board had taken a vote and agreed to wind the company down due to lack of traction and the fact that the influential CEO, Bill Nguyen, had lessened his workload with the company and was no longer heavily involved in the day-to-day management. Considering the company’s heart is still beating, it seems that the decision hasn’t been acted on yet and may not be due to Apple’s intervention.
Color’s story is a rather interesting one, albeit controversial and ultimate market and commercial failure. Color Labs introduced their app to the market in March of 2011 and didn’t exactly get the overwhelming positive response that they had expected. The creation of the product had been heavily backed by Sequoia Capital, Bain Capital Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank to the tune of $41 million, but even that heavyweight support couldn’t stop privacy concerns from spoiling the Color party. A new and potentially important deal with Verizon Wireless saw Color shipping as a stock app on the network’s Android-based handsets, and although user numbers grew sevenfold, the company’s fortunes haven’t improved.
It remains to be seen what Apple intends to do with the Color app or the technologies behind it, but given the recent changes to Photo Stream in iOS 6; it’s highly likely that this acquisition will form part of a longer term strategy for the social abilities of iOS.


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Need to Know: Investors need faith in these 2 pillars to stay bullish on the S&P 500 and beat history, say strategists
It has been a bad week for stocks, and it doesn’t look like a turnaround is coming on Thursday.
: Americans are finally ready to travel — just as summer prices peak. Try these tricks to score the best deals
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Alibaba's $2.8 Billion Fine Isn't its Only Problem
The larger challenge for the-commerce giant is maintaining its lead over the competition.
Earnings Outlook: Coinbase earnings: The crypto platform’s stock could see a 65% skid as competition picks up, says one analyst
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: Elon Musk says Tesla won’t take bitcoins for cars, due to environmental concerns
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: Chip maker Alphawave tumbles on London debut after raising $1.2 billion in IPO
Shares in Canadian chip maker Alphawave fell as much as 20% on the company's trading debut in London, despite its IPO being viewed as well-timed...
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Inflation Concerns Rattle Global Markets, But U.S. Futures Gain
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David Cameron's Payday Preceded Greensill Capital's Collapse
The former U.K. prime minister made several million dollars as an adviser to Greensill. He is now the subject of a government review into his role.
Cryptos: Bitcoin bulls on social media reject Musk’s reasoning for halting crypto-based car sales
Staunch supporters of bitcoin on Wednesday night were questioning Elon Musk's crypto bona fides after the CEO of Tesla Inc. said that the company...
Market Extra: Inflation is climbing, but it isn’t blasting past its 30-year range — yet
Prices consumers are paying for goods and services are climbing to post-recession highs, causing households and Wall Street anxiety just as the...
Outside the Box: The bears control the market now but it will be hard for them to hold it
This S&P 500 pullback is unlikely to be very deep.


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Health-conscious residents of Chandigarh need to have a check that they do not end up buying fruits that are artificially ripened using Chinese fruit ripeners. With the glut of fruits in Chandigarh in this summer, especially Mangoes, watermelons, peaches, litchis and bananas, fruit sellers are indulging in this unhealthy practice.
The fruit which takes around a week to get naturally ripened is being artificially ripened by fruit sellers in 24 hours by using Chinese fruit ripeners.
How are fruits ripened artificially in Chandigarh
The situation has become alarming as the Chandigarh food safety department in its raids conducted at Sector 26 vegetable and fruit market has found white powder pouches of Chinese ethylene oxide being used to ripen Mangoes. Though earlier the fruit sellers were in the habit of artificially ripening fruits by using calcium carbide. But the authorities say that even calcium carbide should not be used to artificially ripen fruits. Chandigarh food safety department has sent the collected samples to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India at New Delhi for testing.
Artificially ripened fruits health hazard
As calcium carbide is carcinogenic, it is also a banned substance due to its health hazards. Also, doctors are of the view if ethylene is used above the permissible level it results in causing dizziness, headache and even unconsciousness. City hospitals and private doctors have been receiving complaints of stomach disorder by residents after consumption of fruits like Mangoes.
However, the fruit sellers are of the view that farmers cannot transport fruits to the market after they get ripened as they are perishable. Since the fruit sellers do not have enough storage space with them they indulge in artificially ripening of fruits.
Artificial fruit ripening chambers to come up in Chandigarh
As the authorities are not capable to completely stop artificial ripening of fruits, Chandigarh’s food safety department has moved a proposal to come up with artificial fruit ripening chambers. Once these chambers are ready, the fruit sellers would be able to artificially ripen fruits. At the same time, the authorities would also be able to keep a proper check so that artificial ripening of fruits does not become a health hazard.


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New freight forwarding business starts trading
Privately-owned freight forwarding business FSC Oceans has started trading from its headquarters in London.
Launching its new website this month (March), FSC Oceans will offer a broad spectrum of services from traditional freight forwarding to supply chain consultation.
Led by Managing Director Shatha Aziz, FSC Oceans plans to hit the £10m turnover milestone in just a few years.
Moving to the UK from Iraq in 2016, Aziz brought with her 15 years’ experience providing multinational businesses with bespoke logistics solutions. She heads up a team which includes Commercial Director Alan Hewitt, Operations Manager Steve Tumber, General Manager Salem Haifi and Account Supervisor Soraya Benouda.
Aziz said: “I’m very proud to have seized the opportunity to launch my own business in the UK and thrilled with the expertise, flair and dedication of the team I’ve built around me. Our culturally diverse make-up is one of our key strengths and between us we have worked across a broad spectrum of industry sectors, including automotive, FMCG, industrial, oil & gas, high tech, retail, drinks logistics and marine logistics.
“We will work with customers in these sectors, of all sizes and complexity, building long-term relationships and setting up exclusive contracts with the world’s leading air, sea and road carriers thanks to our exceptional contacts and the long standing relationships we have across the globe.”
Hewitt, who has more than 28 years’ experience in international logistics, having previously worked for both Kuehne + Nagel and RH Freight, added: “A major part of our skill set and expertise at FSC Oceans is our shared experience of tried and tested methods of evaluating and streamlining supply chains, with the end goal of providing each customer with a dedicated, value-drive solution.”
The business is currently recruiting for two Business Development Managers who will be based at its London headquarters and tasked with growing FSC Oceans’ client base.


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MMS • Sergio De Simone
Low-cost virtual reality (VR) platform Google Cardboard is now available as an open source project to let developers create new VR-powered apps and adapt existing ones to new devices. Google’s announcement comes a few weeks after the discontinuation of its Daydream VR platform.
With Cardboard and the Google VR software development kit (SDK), developers have created and distributed VR experiences across both Android and iOS devices, giving them the ability to reach millions of users.
Introduced in 2014, Google Cardboard is intended as a low-cost VR headset to encourage experimentation with VR applications. As its name implies, the viewer was originally made of cardboard and other low-cost components such as 45mm focal length lenses, a velcro fastener, and a few magnets, and relied on a smartphone to be used as a display.
More than 15 million Cardboard were sold worldwide, says Google, with over 160 million Cardboard-enabled app downloads. According to Google, the Cardboard contributed to the success of the YouTube Virtual Reality channel and made possible the creation of the education-focused Expeditions app. Google also released precise schematics and assembly instructions that enabled the creation of a number of variations of the original design which were available for as little as $5. Now, Google is trying to replicate this schema by open-sourcing the whole platform to inject new life in it.
While we’ve seen overall usage of Cardboard decline over time and we’re no longer actively developing the Google VR SDK, we still see consistent usage around entertainment and education experiences, like YouTube and Expeditions, and want to ensure that Cardboard’s no-frills, accessible-to-everyone approach to VR remains available.
Google Cardboard SDK is available on GitHub and includes support to create Android and iOS apps that use motion tracking and stereoscopic rendering to power immersive experiences.
The interest aroused by the Cardboard led Google to introduce a more advanced platform, Google Daydream VR, which was integrated within Android itself and required some hardware support found only in specific devices. As mentioned, Google discontinued its Daydream VR platform a few weeks ago due its declining adoption. Among the reasons Google gave to justify Daydream VR demise was people reluctance to part from their phones while using them as a VR viewer.


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Sports Direct revealed the resignation of Chief Executive Dave Forsey and the board of directors’ decision to appoint founder Mike Ashley as his successor.
The key shareholder said Forsey’s decision made him feel like losing his right arm. But Ashley hopes to work with him again in some other time.
The firm is facing intense pressure over its management following it surfaced that workers at storehouse were receiving less than minimum salary.
Sports Direct did not specify why the CEO stepped down, who has served the retail firm for 32 years.
Recently, there were calls for the dismissal of Chairman Keith Hellawell.
The material has been provided by InstaForex Company – www.instaforex.com


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One of the largest tech services organisations, Wipro, is currently deep in its Cloud 2.0 strategy implementation. However, discussions around its Cloud 3.0 strategy have already started. Anup Purohit, CIO, Wipro throws light on best practices and risks that organisations need to factor in a while embarking on a cloud journey.
Ant, the Jack Ma-controlled fintech group, put on sale two NFT-backed app images via its payment platform Alipay and all the items quickly sold out on Wednesday. This, when China has over the past month intensified a campaign against cryptocurrency trading and mining, part of efforts to fend off financial risks.
Ant's adoption of non-fungible tokens caused confusion on social media where they were linked to virtual currencies such as bitcoin, which have the same underlying technology. "Alipay selling NFT products. Isn't that illegal transaction?" one comment posted on Twitter-like Weibo said.
He said that NFTs can be used to create a unique signature for digital assets.
Winston Ma, NYU Law School adjunct professor, also highlighted the confusion over the nature of NFTs.
"Are NFTs virtual currencies? Or, are NFTs certificates for virtual currencies? And more importantly, are NFTs securities? These are the questions that no major digital economy's legislature has ever answered," Ma said.
In addition to app images, NFT digital artworks are also auctioned on Ant's Alipay platform. AntChain said in product agreements that it provides blockchain technologies to NFT products.