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Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signs an agreement ahead of the launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area in Niamey, Niger, on Sunday. (Photo: Agencies)
After seven years of negotiations, African leaders met on Sunday to launch the largest free trade zone in the world, bringing together a population of approximately 1.2 billion and a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion.
Leaders attending an African Union summit in Niamey, Niger, agreed on five operational instruments to underpin the African Continental Free Trade Area. These are: regulations determining rules of origin, an online negotiating forum, a mechanism to monitor and eliminate non-tariff barriers, a digital payment system and an African Trade Observatory.
Intra-trade constituted only 17 percent of overall African exports in 2017, according to the UN Economic Commission for Africa, or UNECA. This compared with 59 percent within Asia and 69 percent within Europe.
The trade observatory will be established in 2020 by an African Union commission, the European Commission and the International Trade Center. The team is expected to accelerate the implementation of the zone by providing entrepreneurs, policymakers and other stakeholders with reliable trade data and statistics across the continent.
The trade zone has injected strong momentum into multilateralism, free trade and an open global economy, China Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Monday. It shows the strong will and determination of African countries to work together for vitalization, Geng said.
China has been the largest trade partner for Africa for the last decade, and has supported firmly the construction of the African Continental Free Trade Area, he said. The pact has far-reaching significance for Africa's social and economic development, he said.
The trade pact was adopted on March 21, 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda. It entered into force on May 30, 30 days after having received the twenty-second instrument of ratification on April 29, 2019.
Nigeria and Benin became the 53rd and 54th signatories, leaving Eritrea as the only member of the African Union that has not signed.
"The speedy entry into force of the agreement is a source of pride for all of us," said Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission.
Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou said the free trade area, or FTA, will tear down borders inherited from Africa's colonial past and ensure full continental integration.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for the establishment of linkages with the private sector and the business and investment communities, while also calling for the involvement of the youth who will "continue the march" toward development.
Amina Mohammed, the United Nations deputy secretary-general, noted that the African FTA is a tool to drive growth and innovation for Africa, and to create opportunities for sustainable development and realizing Agenda 2063.
The effort to unite the economies of Africa into a single zone began in January 2012 in Addis Ababa where leaders agreed to eliminate barriers to trade, services, intellectual property and investment under the free trade agreement. The pact is expected to build on existing subregional and bilateral arrangements and help create a more integrated market in the continent.
The trade pact could boost regional trade and industrialization by 50 percent, according to UNECA. Smaller countries are poised to be the biggest winners with an increase of up to 68 percent of intra-trade.


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Microsoft is rumoured to be developing a new portable device, aiming to compete with the Nintendo Switch in the handheld market.
As reported by Notebook Check, one industry leaker has claimed the company is "working on a portable machine" with an announcement possibly coming soon.
This comes as the Nintendo Switch continues to hit impressive sales figures for Nintendo, recently surpassing 80 million units sold.
However, would this move into the handheld space make sense for Microsoft? Let's find out.
Xbox handheld console rumour
According to the rumour, Microsoft will launch a new portable Xbox device.
While this rumour seems pretty far-fetched, and we're not that convinced, there is precedent for Microsoft's venture into the handheld domain. In an interview during the New York Game Awards in January, Robbie Bach - the former president of Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices division - explained that he had turned down multiple pitches for a portable Xbox console known as the 'Xboy'.
This rumour comes after speculation grows over the possibility of a new 5G PSP from Sony. However, given both Microsoft and Sony are struggling with component shortages for their next-gen consoles, we'd be surprised if either console manufacturer invests in a new device soon.
Should Microsoft release a handheld Xbox?
While the Nintendo Switch has seen immense success in the handheld market, it would not make sense for Xbox to make the shift into the handheld market.
With the launch of xCloud streaming as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Xbox's mobile end game comes through cloud streaming rather than a handheld device. If Microsoft wants to compete with Nintendo, this would be an easy space to capture, given Nintendo has previously emphasised its reluctance to enter the cloud gaming sphere.
xCloud streaming is currently available on Android devices only, with support for iOS and PC devices set to launch later this year via a web-browser.
READ MORE: Xbox’s Edge browser to support Google Stadia streaming

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It will come as no surprise that Texans are seeking independence from the grid by turning to residential solar. Solar businesses are reporting triple-digit increases in the number of inquiries.
Solar has been our minds here as we anticipate the solar installation in Blount County.
Solar has been arriving for some time. Is 2021 the year when more and more Americans go solar?
According to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Q4 2020 report, released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie, solar accounts for 43% of all new electric generating capacity additions through Q3 2020, more than any other electricity source
So, we thought we’d explore some of the challenges solar adoption faces.
- Like many renewables to achieve reliability there needs to have a storage, because the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow.
- There are a lot of fast movers and fast fallers in the industry leading to instability.
- China is leading the world on solar but you knew that already.
- Cost perceptions. According to seia.org the cost to install solar has dropped by 70% over the past decade. TVA keeps promoting that solar is costly. While hardware costs are dropping, so-called soft costs (labor, permitting/inspection, customer acquisition) have increased due in part to inconsistent building codes.
- Utilities really have not figured out how to work with homeowners and small businesses, including when a solar customer has “excess power” to sell.
Still, the general trend is to increase solar capacity.
Are you considering going solar? Are you already there? What is your experience?


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“The term that I like to use is psychedelic," Cutkosky said." ‘Psy’ means mind. ‘Del’ means reveal. It’s mind revealing. A lot of the designs are based around those terms,” he said of Khaotic Collective
The United States House of Representatives approved a $2 trillion stimulus bill on March 27 as a response to the impact of COVID-19.
Since the COVID-19 crisis began, business consultants have been fielding questions regarding how companies can navigate the financial slowdowns that will impact their companies during the next quarter and beyond.
The fashion business has ground to a halt because of the Coronavirus epidemic. But fashion designers and apparel manufacturers responded to the pandemic by changing their game.
Action-sports brand Volcom furloughed 75 percent of its U.S. employees last week and all of its European employees.
Lady Gaga made a return to the dance floor last month when she released the song "Stupid Love." Like everything else Gaga, fashion was a big deal and Los Angeles designer Candice Cuoco made some styles for the "Stupid Love" video.
There has been a shortage of face masks and surgical gear as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses. Some California apparel manufacturers have stepped up to meet the challenge of serving the medical community and the public during this time.
Reese Witherspoon and Land's End recently partnered to develop Draper James x Land’s End, a limited-edition women’s swimwear collection.
Retailers and malls joined in the effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic by temporarily shuttering stores this week as the economies of California and the U.S. moved into a recession, said a report from the UCLA Anderson School, which was released on March 16
L.A. Market Week
The March edition of L.A. Market Week signaled one of the final opportunities for buyers to place orders before COVID-19 threats drove the apparel industry to cancel or postpone events for at least a few months.


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IRS Encourages Small Businesses to Check Out Healthcare Credit
More often than not, receiving something in the mail from the IRS is not good. But for once the agency has some positive news to share and is mailing postcards to small businesses to alert them to a healthcare tax credit they may immediately qualify for.
Small firms that pay at least half the cost of single coverage for their employees this year are eligible for a tax credit specifically created to help businesses and tax-exempt organizations whose employees are primarily low and moderate income workers. For the next three years, the maximum credit will be 35% of premiums paid by small businesses and 25% for the tax-exempts.
The mailing, said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman, is intended to encourage small businesses to learn more about the credit and to take advantage of it if they qualify. The postcard can be viewed here.
Small Business Programs Given Three-Month Extension
The Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs and others that fall under the Small Business Investment Act and were set to expire on April 30 have been given a lifeline. The U.S. Senate gave the programs, which were already operating under a temporary extender, a three-month extension this week and the measure will now go to the House for a vote. According to the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, the two chambers are still trying to negotiate “a longer, more comprehensive agreement.â€
The SBIR program has generated more than 84,000 patents and millions of jobs and small businesses employ 41% of the nation’s high-tech workers. It is used by eleven federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation.
“Over the next three months, I encourage the entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers looking for jobs, or waiting for a chance to explore a promising and innovative idea, to apply for research projects through these programs. SBIR and STTR entrepreneurs start businesses, create jobs and account for 25 percent of our nation’s innovators, and we are ready to support them and their businesses,â€ said Sen. Mary Landrieu, chair of the Senate small business panel.


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The U.S. Supreme court rejected Apple’s objections, approving further consideration of the claim of App Store customers to the company, according to foreign media. Users of the app store believe that the cupertinos have violated antitrust laws by capturing the market of mobile applications, which led to higher prices for them.
Will have to fork out
The U.S. Supreme court has allowed the App Store to file antitrust lawsuit against Apple, according to CNBC. A group of plaintiffs convinced that “Apple” abused its position in the market of mobile apps for gadgets, spreading them exclusively through its own store. Thus, users have to download software only from the App Store, while overpaying for their use.
According to the materials of the case, users of iOS devices are required to use the App Store, which charges a 30% Commission from app developers. Developers, in turn, lay the 30% to the cost of the application, causing the client to pay the difference.
While Apple claimed that may not be defendants in this case because, technically, the plaintiffs are not customers of “Apple”, and with application developers who use App Store as a marketplace. However, the U.S. Supreme court ruled that this logic is inapplicable in the case of Apple.
“The borders that is trying to install Apple, do not carry meaning, moreover, in order fraudulently to save the company from this and other similar lawsuits,” said the Supreme court judge Brett Cavanaugh.
“We do not agree. The plaintiffs bought the app directly from Apple, which means that they are customers of the company,” added the judge.
It is worth noting that while this case is in its early stages, and therefore still not been established for certain, whether Apple violated Federal antitrust law. However, the court’s decision could set a precedent, which would mark the beginning of the war between Apple and offended users, who have leverage on the company.
If this case is lost, Apple will have to reimburse the amount that the customer “overpaid” while using App Store.
While the press service of Apple did not give an official comment on this issue.
In late April, the New York Times reported that Apple intentionally removes apps that help the user to reduce the use of gadgets and to get rid of dependence on your own smartphone, thus promoting its own services at the expense of other, smaller companies.
Over the past year Apple has removed or limited the functions of 11 of the 17 most popular apps to limit screen time and parental control.
In some cases, Apple forced the company to remove from their applications, parental controls, and others have just removed the app from its store without warning.
“They removed us all of a sudden… They are systematically killing the industry,” said Amir Moussavian whose application restricting children’s access to prohibited content, and attracted over three million downloads.
Thus in a press-service Apple reported that the app was removed only because gather a lot of data from the smartphone user.
The Supreme court’s decision is not in favor of Apple may constitute a danger to other players of Silicon valley. So, lately all the louder calls to “divide” Facebook, which owns the eponymous social network, photo sharing site Instagram and WhatsApp messenger.
One of those who proposed to deprive Zuckerberg’s monopoly, was the co-founder of Facebook Chris Hughes. According to Hughes, the current Facebook is not the same as they created it with mark Zuckerberg during their joint stay in the dormitory at Harvard.
“The [Facebook. — “Газета.Ru”] that exists now, I believe, is too big. And he’s too powerful. And most importantly, its CEO mark Zuckerberg is not responsible,” wrote Hughes in a newspaper column for the NYT.
If the current composition of the Supreme court of the United States suspected Apple of violating antitrust laws, then it is very likely that Facebook may soon suffer the same fate. That in the hands of large companies in Silicon valley is too much power, also said America’s President Donald trump, instructed last year to his assistants to investigate the case.
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Free time in front of potential customers doesn't happen for advertisers often, but a video ad model on YouTube makes it a reality for Scripps Network and other advertisers -- as long as the viewer opts out before the 30-second spot concludes.
The video ad format -- cost per view -- rolled out last fall on the YouTube network, but parent company Google also is considering making it available across the Google Display Network.
Facebook, Pandora, YouTube and Twitter become the focus of the ad media buy for HGTV's "Design Star," with the new season airing July 11. The Scripps Networks wants to reach for "a younger and newer viewer base" that has traditionally attracted adults ages 45 and older. Gay men are avid fans of "Design Star," in addition to women.
That demographic insight, in part, comes from monitoring metrics on YouTube. The metrics bleed into the overall ratings for the show. "After marketing a few shows, we're finding some pull in younger viewers," said Jonah Spegman, director of digital media and database marketing at Scripps.
Going after younger demos, ads will run on YouTube tapping TrueView, which requires the brand to only pay when the viewer watches the entire ad. Promoted video ads will highlight the show's clips at the top of YouTube search results pages and in suggested videos.
HGTV ran 30-second pre-roll spots on YouTube TrueView to separately promote the shows "Design Star," "Cash & Cari" and "Selling New York."
"As the ad runs in the YouTube video, a big call to action lets viewers skip the ad, but we found 44% of people actively choose to watch the ad for "Selling New York" all the way through," Spegman said. "The other 56% still see the ad, but not in its entirety. The nice thing is they still watch between 25% and 50% before they choose to skip."
A cookie gets dropped in the browser of site visitors who choose to view the ad. The cookie provides a metric that Spegman calls "view through." The metrics can't directly link it to viewership, but he knows a "huge" percentage of people come back to the site once they are exposed to the YouTube video ad. And when viewers don't watch the whole ad through TrueView, HGTV gets the partial view for free."
Aside from YouTube, HGTV will buy a variety of Facebook ads that target the younger demos demonstrating through Likes an interest in competitive design shows. On Twitter, Spegman said the social network's sales team estimates HGTV can expect between 55 million and 75 million impressions on the day the ad runs.
Internet radio also will play a role in the ad buy. Combining a computer-and-mobile media buy on the Internet radio station, Pandora will target women 25-54. When logging into Pandora, she will see a custom skin on the page that promotes "Design Star."
The campaign will provide an option to run a video clip, but also offer an option to add a design-inspired Design Star branded radio station to their lineup.
The media buy also includes ads run on SayMedia for video, Lotame for semantic targeting and Apple iAd, which Spegman describes as Apple iAds for Developers, a lighter-weight banner that lets users download to the HGTV iPad app. The iAd runs on a cost-per-click model, so impressions are free.
Through the Apple iPad app, users can watch full episodes of the show. "Design Star" will sponsor People's iPad app. "We'll also have a considerable amount of ads running through ad exchanges and demand side platforms," Spegman said, clarifying that "considerable" means about 15% of the total media plan. "The efficiency of buying media through exchanges is tough to ignore."
Through ad exchanges, the ability to target and remarket improves. It lets HGTV serve up more easily click-to-play or click-through in-banner video ads.


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The single piece of interesting news about the World Cup I've found thus far. The leader of a gang of Floridian football fans calling themselves "American Outlaws" evidently fell out of a window after hearing that the US tied a game.
From the Miami Herald:
“Eric looked heartbroken,” said fellow super-fan fan Kenin Yombor, explaining that as Corey reacted to the Portugal goal, he began to lose his balance. “I saw that he knew — he spread his arms to stop himself from falling out, but he saw that he was going out the window.”
Corey is one of the leaders of the American Outlaws, a fanatical group of U.S. soccer fans. He and hundreds of others packed into Fado’s Irish Pub, 900 S. Miami Ave., on Sunday for the big match.
He had stepped on to a ledge to scream in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows which were open to help cool off the stifling heat. "The ledge was apparently slippery with spilled beer." Ah, Florida Man.
"Soccer super-fan falls from the window of Miami bar after U.S. gives up last-second goal" [photo: Natalie Fertig, Miami Herald]
Alex Wood is an addict but won’t give up his smartphone. But he has five strategies for limiting its control over him: “I used to wake up tired. My body would ache and my head felt sore, like waking up with a hangover. Finally, I took control, like attending an AA class for addicts, I […]
We just got the Sport model of the EPIKGO hoverboard at my office. Besides being terribly chic, it’s apparently bulletproof.
Ok, it’s not just solar powered. It’s also an anti-theft, waterproof marvel that keeps my phone’s power bar from ever getting into the red.Sure the idea seems obvious now – tuck a gigantic solar powered battery pack into an exposed slot and turn the wearer into a walking energy harvester. Simple maybe, but I didn’t […]
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has done outstanding work packing a fully capable desktop computer into a package the size of a deck cards—especially one that only costs $35. But if you already have a working laptop, why should you care? Oh, how much you have to learn. Besides operating well as a compact digital media hub, […]
Custom coffee vessels are the perfect piece of office flair, but it’s just a matter of time before your VOTE FOR PEDRO mug will start to lose its relevant wit. Why not have a new one every day, with whatever silly nonsense you want sticking off the sides? You can save big on your novelty […]
The Lightning port has thus far resisted the cruel fate that befell the headphone jack, and despite rumors that it may be disappearing come iPhone 8, for the present and foreseeable future, Lightning cables are a hot commodity for iPhone users. As such, we must make do in this strange time in which long, glorified […]


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Hello, tech enthusiasts and Apple fans! We've got some exciting news to share about the upcoming Apple Watch, and it's all about taking your health to the next level. According to Bloomberg's recent report, the 2024 Apple Watch is set to bring some groundbreaking features to your wrist. Let's dive in and explore what's in store!
Blood Pressure Sensor: A Pathbreaking Addition
One of the most anticipated updates is the introduction of a blood pressure sensor in the next Apple Watch. While the initial version won't provide precise numbers, it will give you vital information about the trend of your blood pressure. If it's heading in the wrong direction, the watch will prompt you to jot down what you were doing when you experienced hypertension. To ensure accuracy and avoid misdiagnosis, the feature will then recommend consulting your doctor or using a traditional cuff for precise measurements.
Apple is not stopping there, though. They are already working on a more advanced version that can offer exact blood pressure readings and diagnose related conditions. This innovation could be a game-changer for managing your health.
Sleep Apnea Detection: A Lifesaver on Your Wrist
In addition to blood pressure monitoring, the 2024 Apple Watch will also be capable of detecting sleep apnea. It will analyze your sleep patterns and breathing to estimate the likelihood of this condition. If there's a cause for concern, the watch will direct you to seek professional medical advice. This feature has the potential to save lives by identifying and addressing sleep-related health issues.
Blood Glucose Monitoring: Keeping an Eye on Your Sugar Levels
As widely rumored, Apple is also developing a blood glucose monitoring feature for the Apple Watch. Initially, it will monitor trends in your blood sugar levels, alerting you to potential pre-diabetes risks. This proactive approach to health can help users make informed choices and take control of their well-being.
Expanding Health Features
Apple's commitment to enhancing your health doesn't stop with the Apple Watch. They're looking to expand health features across their ecosystem. AirPods, for example, are rumored to become over-the-counter hearing aids, with the ability to conduct hearing tests, making audiology services more accessible.
Additionally, Apple's Vision Pro headset is set to introduce anti-anxiety and meditation features, offering a unique blend of technology and mental well-being support. There are even plans to scan wearers' eyes for cognitive health data and track users' bodies during workouts to enhance the Fitness+ offering. It's all part of Apple's holistic approach to health and wellness.
Balancing Innovation with Responsibility
While these health-focused innovations are exciting, they also come with challenges. Apple is carefully considering regulatory concerns and technology limitations to ensure the safety and accuracy of the features. They are aware of the importance of providing users with reliable results and are working diligently to meet these standards.
With the upcoming 2024 Apple Watch and the continued evolution of Apple's health ecosystem, it's clear that the tech giant is deeply committed to improving your well-being. These new features promise to empower users to take charge of their health and well-being like never before. As the lines between technology and healthcare continue to blur, it's an exciting time for Apple users who value their health and want to stay ahead of potential issues.
So, get ready to welcome the future of health on your wrist with the next Apple Watch, and stay tuned for even more innovative health-related updates across Apple's product lineup. Your well-being has never been more in focus, and it's all thanks to the incredible strides being made in the world of tech!


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Jennie wears an all red outfit while attending the Chanel Spring/Summer 2022 Ready-to-Wear fashion show on Tuesday (October 5) in Paris.
The 25-year-old BLACKPINK singer sat front row alongside Gossip Girl star Whitney Peak and more.
Also in attendance at the Paris Fashion Week presentation were brand ambassadors Kristen Stewart and Lily-Rose Depp, Kristine Froseth and singer Giveon.
“Congratulations @virginieviard on an incredibly empowering, beautiful and FUN collection !! Wishing I could save the whole experience in a bottle ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🔒🔓 #CHANELspringsummer2022,” Kristine shared on Instagram after the show.
In case you missed it, the official trailer for Kristen Stewart‘s upcoming movie Spencer was released, where she portrays the late Princess Diana. Check it out!
As Paris Fashion Week is coming to a close, check out all of our coverage of all the celebs in attendance!
Click through the gallery for more photos of the stars at the Chanel fashion show…
Source: Read Full Article


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In 1989, the baseball-loving Japanese dipped their bats in pine tar and came to the U.S. to take gigundous swings. That single year launched five legends: Lexus LS400, Infiniti Q45, Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and Acura NS-X concept. The Chicago Auto Show (!) hosted the global debuts of the Mazda and the Acura. While Mazda celebrates the bygones with the 30th Anniversary Miata, Acura's reminiscing with a look at how the NSX — a car Motor Trend described in 1990 as, "[The] best sports car the world has ever produced. Any time. Any place. Any price ..." — came to be.
The development yearbook opened in 1984, a year after Honda returned to Formula One as an engine supplier for the Spirit team, and for the second Williams chassis in the last race of the season. For the first time in the automaker's history, Honda wanted to build a production car with the engine behind the cabin, one that would demonstrate Honda's engineering prowess and "deeply rooted racing spirit." The sports car would also serve as a halo for the not-yet-launched Acura brand. The engineering team built the first test vehicle in February 1984 on the bones of a first-generation Honda Jazz.


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Naperville, Ill.-based Vertical Development got its start as a small programming firm, but soon shifted gears to digital catalog development when contracting with Champion Laboratories in neighboring Albion, Ill. Today, the technology development firm provides digital catalog software and services to more than 300 aftermarket brands.
Since 1987, Vertical Development has worked with aftermarket companies to understand their business needs first and develop solutions that streamline processes, increase efficiencies and ensure industry compliance. Each year, the company takes those findings and creates a development roadmap for future product upgrades and industry innovations.
Last year, Vertical Development announced significant upgrades to its catalog software and systems including near real-time inventory management and stock status updates, a direct result of feedback and feature requests from clients.
“Over the last seven years we have been standardizing our vCat application, allowing us to add features and roll them out to our clients quickly,” said Jay Wright, president of Vertical Development. “We have grown from a software provider to full-service catalog services organization and will continue to operate on the cutting edge of technology to bring state-of-the-art aftermarket catalogs to our clients.”
Covering Each Stage Of Aftermarket Parts Sales
In 30 years, Vertical Development’s reach has grown to include products at each stage of aftermarket parts sales, from digital catalog development to data mapping to eCommerce and mobile apps. The company’s base software lets clients easily map their catalog to common industry formats including ACES, PIES and NAPA PartsPro for distribution to wholesalers and retailers, while its ShowMeTheParts database – the world’s largest public parts database – makes it easy to set up websites for parts information and sales through computers and mobile devices.
Today, Vertical Development’s software provides coverage reports using Vehicles in Operation (VIO) information from Experian or IHS/Polk. VIO reports help managers quickly find gaps in coverage. Also, support for comment translations in French and Spanish have been added to Vertical Development’s software, making it easy for clients publishing catalogs either directly or through ACES. It also ensures greater readability for end users across North America.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Vertical Development said it plans to release a schedule of presentations to help aftermarket companies and other tech firms look to the future and grow. To receive notifications of the presentation schedule and other aftermarket news, visit www.verticaldev.com/newsletter-sign-up.


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The information superhighway is already under construction and businesses who miss getting on at the light will be left behind, says an expert in computer communications.
Jon Parsons, speaking to the Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Forum on Friday, said no business can afford to ignore the capabilities being thrust upon the modern world."You need to understand it and understand how it works. It's essential," Parsons said.
"The information superhighway is shorthand. It means the integration of voice, data, video and still image with no more effort by the user than dialing a phone number," he quoted from Robert Allen, chief executive officer for AT&T.
All businesses depend on a good exchange of information through communication, Parsons said.
The potential for rapid communications is 50,000 times faster than phone service provides today, he said, transmitting information on light.
Parsons said the "superhighway" isn't something that will be built in a one-time effort but is being constructed piece-by-piece as the industry develops and invents.
He said infrared connectivity - as demonstrated recently by Novell's chief executive Robert J. Frankenberg at NetWare Solutions Expo in Salt Lake City - will be a big part of the future.
Parsons said everyone will be talking the same language, too, as protocols become linked and compatible.
Companies merging and acquiring other companies are actually "buying a chunk of the superhighway," Parsons said. "They're going to get there faster together.
"The industry dynamics are happening NOW. It's not going to take five to 10 years."
What businesses must do is get on-line and learn to connect electronically, he said, citing the success of the shopping networks and on-line services.
"The highway's here and many are already using it. You can, too."


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Since the formation of the top 20 shipping lines into four ‘super alliances’, the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) has requested the creation of a Maritime Industries Supply Chain Forum which could address the challenges facing the liner shipping industry, according to Lloyds Loading List.
GSF said in a statement: “The introduction of larger ships does not deliver the proposed benefits to cargo owners.”
Chris Welsh, Secretary General for Global Shippers Forum said, “We believe cooperation between the main international stakeholders in a new maritime industries forum would enable the wider maritime supply chain to develop solutions to the problems presented by bigger ships and alliances in a constructive and consensual manner.”
At a time when overcapacity is flooding the industry, liners have grouped together to achieve economies of scale, however this has left ports struggling with capacity peaks and troughs.
China recently moved to conjoin to of its major shipping lines, CSCL and Cosco. The merged liners are now known as COSCOCS.
As CSCL and Cosco were part of separate alliances, the make-up of their respective alliances has been broken.
It has recently been reported that COSCOCS is now in talks with CMA CGM to form a new mega-alliance along with OOCL, Evergreen and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.


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Moore’s Law survives in Intel’s Cannon Lake chip
CES 2017: 2-in-1 device sports new Intel 10nm processor
Intel has kept Moore's Law relevant by revealing a 2-in-1 device running the firm's Cannon Lake' chip at CES 2017.
Moore's Law, which predicts that the number of transistors in a circuit will double every two years, has proved true since its introduction in the 1960s, but speculation has mounted since 2012 that the law will soon falter as technological progression reaches a peak.
But Intel CEO Brian Krzanich used the new PC to demonstrate that "Moore's Law is alive and well and flourishing", according to Digital Trends.
The publication reported that the unnamed 2-in-1 PC is the first to feature a 10nm chip, which Krzanich said will allow hardware manufacturers to build slimmer, more powerful devices that can better support virtual reality.
He added: "So for those who are wondering if Moore's Law is alive, is 10 nanometers going to be here, the answer is absolutely yes. And I believe Moore's Law will be well beyond my career alive and well and kicking."
Intel's 10nm chip will feature in other products before the end of 2017, Digital Trends reported, with a recent Intel leak suggesting the Cannon Lake processor design could also push into 2018 in the form of Kaby Lake U and H chips.
Qualcomm also announced a 10nm chip, the Qualcomm Centriq 2400, at CES yesterday, after teasing them in December.
Previous reports suggest Intel will start production of 7nm chips in 2020, and 5nm in 2022 if silicon remains a cost-effective material for processors.
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Fruitas buys delivery service for expanding basket of goods
Leading food and beverage operator Fruitas Holdings Inc. has signed a deal to acquire 100 percent of CocoDelivery, which the newly listed firm plans to expand and turn into a unified delivery platform for various brands under the group.
CocoDelivery, initially launched in October 2018, currently delivers fresh coconut water supplied by Fruitasgroup Inc. It is 99.99-percent owned by Lester Yu, who is also Fruitas’ founder, president and chief executive.
“We look forward to #8COCO (or #82626) being the default contact number for Filipinos to order fresh and healthy products for themselves, family and friends. The objective of this acquisition is to deliver products which will nourish our customers’ overall wellness at the convenience of their own homes, place of work or any desired location,” Yu said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday.
Once folded into Fruitas, CocoDelivery is intended to ramp up its delivery channel beyond coconut juice. It will include Fruitas fresh fruit juices, Buko Loco 100-percent pure coconut water, Soy & Bean soy products, De Original Jamaican patties, Sabroso Lechon and more.
In making this acquisition, Fruitas is betting on a boom in demand for food delivery services amid rising consumer affluence.
Fruitas, which trades on the local stock exchange under the ticker FRUIT, said it “expects to immediately realize synergies from this acquisition, maximizing the utilization of the combined motorcycle fleet of FRUIT and CocoDelivery and consolidating the marketing of FRUIT’s delivery service.”
Selected stores within the group’s network of over 1,000 stores are intended to serve as hubs for fulfilling delivery orders. The #8COCO hotline will be initially available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Metro Manila.
Fruitas said it would “leverage its years of successful logistics experience from the delivery of both raw and finished materials to its own and franchised stores nationwide.”
From a single Fruitas stall opened in 2002, the group ended 2019 with 1,068 stores across the country and over 20 brands in its portfolio. It is currently valued by the stock market at P3.54 billion. INQ
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Genetec Ranked #1 VMS Vendor in Americas by New IMS Research Study
Company strategically well placed to take advantage of global market growth opportunities in 2012
MONTREAL, QC, CANADA, 2012年7月17日 - According to an industry report recently published by IMS Research, recently acquired by IHS (NYSE: IHS), the leading provider of market research and consultancy to the global electronics industry, Genetec™ was the leading vendor of Video Management Software (VMS) in the Americas in 2011. Additionally, IMS' World Market for CCTV and Video Surveillance – 2012 Edition report, shows that Genetec rose into the top-three vendors in the EMEA territory, and maintained its position as the world’s second largest VMS vendor.
"Genetec's rise to become the leading vendor of VMS in the Americas market in 2011 is particularly noteworthy as the former number one had previously occupied the position for three consecutive years," commented Gary Wong, senior analyst at IMS Research.
In 2011, Genetec's overall VMS revenue grew 33% worldwide. Revenue increased significantly across all regions with a 37.3% increase in the Americas, 20% in EMEA, and 40% in the APAC region. These figures confirm the Company's continued year on year growth trend with a 74% overall revenue increase for its VMS business between 2009 and 2011.
"Last year, we solidified and secured our leadership position in the Americas, which represents the world's largest market for VMS. We helped customers of all sizes in the retail, transportation, and government sectors realize the benefits of a truly integrated security platform. Building on our successes in our home territory, we are now expanding our leadership into other markets to take advantage of a growing demand for easily scalable systems that allow customers to focus on their jobs and not software integration," explains Genetec's CEO Pierre Racz.
In its report, IMS also forecasts that the world market for video surveillance equipment will grow in excess of 12% in 2012.
"We are currently undertaking a significant expansion of our EMEA, APAC and Latin American operations to support strong market growth and enhance customer support. We have recently expanded our offices in Paris and Dubai with state-of-the-art training facilities and hi-tech solutions centers, opened new subsidiaries in the UK and Brazil, and expanded our footprint in Mexico. With our talented and dedicated employees and partners around the world, our new facilities, and our continued investment in technological innovation, there are no limits to the road ahead," concludes Racz.
Genetec Inc.は、セキュリティ、インテリジェンスおよびオペレーションを含む幅広いソリューションポートフォリオを持つ革新的なテクノロジー企業です。同社の主力製品であるSecurity Centerは、IPベースのビデオ監視、入退室管理、自動ナンバープレート認識、コミュニケーションおよび分析が統合されたオープンアーキテクチャプラットフォームです。 またGenetecは、クラウドベースのソリューションやセキュリティ強化のために設計されたサービスを開発し、政府、企業、交通機関、そして私たちが暮らす地域社会に新しいレベルのオペレーショナルインテリジェンスで貢献しています。カナダのモントリオールに本社を置くGenetecは1997年に設立され、80を超える国々において、代理店、インテグレータ、認定チャネルパートナー、およびコンサルタントの幅広いネットワークを通じて世界中のお客様にサービスをご提供しています。
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Hoping to gain a leg up on its luxury market rivals, Daimler AG is looking at adding at least two more plants to its global production network – one in China and the other some place in North America.
The new plants could be a critical step in regaining the global sales lead as Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz brand battles key rivals BMW and Volkswagen’s Audi brand. Mercedes narrowly lost the U.S. sales crown to the Bavarians in 2011.
Mercedes officials told Germany’s Manager Magazin the plan is to double the brand’s worldwide output to 2.7 million by 2020. It sold 1.26 million Mercedes-badged vehicles in 2011, about 120,000 less than BMW. Significantly, the publication said Daimler is aiming for a 10% operating margin by the end of this decade.
One of the questions TheDetroitBureau.com is hoping to resolve is what role Nissan will play in the selection and operation of a new Mercedes plant in North America. Could Daimler be looking at adding production capacity of its own alongside a new Nissan facility newly announced for Mexico?
The decision to expand in China comes as little surprise. Despite a recent slowdown in that market few expect demand to slip much, long-term, from the double-digit growth that has been seen there since the launch of the new Millennium.
North America is another matter. Luxury sales fell sharply during the Great Recession and are just bouncing back. But there are several factors driving Daimler’s decision-making process. Along with the recovering U.S., it expects to see sharp growth in other regions of the Americas. The Brazilian market is one of the world’s strongest and expected to continue gaining momentum in the coming years.
There’s also the issue of exchange rates. With little likelihood the U.S. dollar will regain strength anytime soon it only encourages Europeans to move production out of Euro-denominated markets. That has already led to a recent decision by Daimler to expand a U.S. heavy track plant.
And rival BMW announced early this year that it will sharply boost production at its own plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. That plant is now expected to become the second-largest in the BMW network. About two-thirds of the vehicles produced at Spartanburg are earmarked for export.
Mercedes has steadily expanded its own U.S. plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, over the years. It is planning to add production of the next-generation C-Class in 2014 – with four-cylinder engines coming from a Nissan factory in Decherd, Tennessee. Those powertrains are being developed as part of a joint venture with the Renault-Nissan Alliance.
With the Tuscaloosa plant apparently running up against a limit to its expansion capabilities, Daimler needs to look at other opportunities. One of the challenges is ensuring it has the skilled workforce to tap. It also has to consider logistics, not moving too far away from its supplier base, in particular.
While that could encourage sticking close to the current Alabama plant it might also lead Daimler to consider one of the regions in Mexico where the auto industry is quickly expanding, such as Aguascalientes.
Nissan Wednesday announced plans to set up a second major assembly complex in that city, with production to begin by 2013. The maker plans to start with annual output of around 175,000 B-segment vehicles but acknowledged the facility could see significantly higher production rates in the “mid-term.”
(For more on Nissan’s latest announcement, Click Here.)
According to Manager Magazin, the new Mercedes plant would begin production around 2017 or 2018, with it focusing on the next-generation A-Class. The operation would likely involve some sort of further partnership with Nissan. That makes sense considering the underlying architecture of the new A-Class, dubbed MFA, will also be shared with the upcoming Infiniti Etherea model. It remains to be seen if both would roll off the same line, however.


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State fines, suspend House of Mary Jane license
The state regulatory agency responsible for overseeing cannabis businesses has temporarily suspended the license of a retail store in northwest Detroit.
Michigan’s cannabis regulatory agency on Monday announced the 30-day license suspension of The House of Mary Jane, a medical dispensary near Seven Mile Road and the John Lodge Freeway, and imposed a $75,000 fine, according to a CRA news release. .
The fine and suspension from the House of Mary Jane comes as the state’s legal marijuana industry has quietly pushed for increased crackdowns on all illicit parties in the market, as Crain’s previously reported.
The allegations leading to the announcement – which were found to be true in a consent order signed by company representatives – included:
- The CRA conducted an unannounced compliance visit to the business and observed several bags, backpacks and duffel bags containing suspected marijuana products that did not bear the tracking ID numbers assigned by the surveillance system to statewide (METRC).
- The respondent was advised not to sell or destroy the unlabeled products until the investigation is complete and until the CRA issues directions. The CRA also asked the company to provide the 30-day CCTV coverage required by the administrative rule. The executives did not provide the 30 days of CCTV requested by the CRA.
- The CRA returned to the House of Mary Jane and inquired about unlabeled marijuana products; Officers then claimed to have destroyed the remaining unlabeled marijuana products. CCTV footage of the destruction of the product was requested but not provided, according to the ARC press release.
“The Cannabis Regulatory Agency has a legal responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public,” CRA spokesman David Harns said. “Our licensees must follow all rules and laws that govern the cannabis industry. Unlabeled marijuana products and failure to provide video footage is simply unacceptable.”
A statement from the dispensary, sent by its lawyer to the law firm Dickinson Wright reads: “We look forward to reopening and serving our community and our loyal clientele.”
The fine and suspension from the House of Mary Jane comes as the state’s legal marijuana industry quietly pushes for increased crackdowns on all illicit parties in the market, as Crain’s previously reported.


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Disney Pausing All Business In Russia Over Ukraine Crisis
BURBANK (CBSLA) — Walt Disney Co. will pause all its businesses in Russia in light of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the company announced Thursday.
Last week, the Burbank-based company said it was pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia.
"Given the unrelenting assault on Ukraine and the escalating humanitarian crisis, we are taking steps to pause all other businesses in Russia," a Disney representative said in a statement.
"This includes content and product licensing, Disney Cruise Line activities, National Geographic magazine and tours, local content productions and linear channels."
According to Disney, some business "can and will" pause immediately while others will take time to pause due to contractual complexities.
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
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Robert Niederriter, Former Owner of Buffalo Head Bar & Grill in Conklin, Failed to File 16 Sales Tax Returns and Pay Sales Tax Owed to New York State
Defendant Paid $59,789; Sentenced to One-Year Conditional Discharge
Broome County – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Acting Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Nonie Manion today announced the guilty plea and conviction of Robert Niederriter, 52, of Kirkwood, and his business, Buffalo Head Bar & Grill, Inc., for failing to file numerous sales tax returns and remit over $59,000 in sales tax that was collected at Buffalo Head Bar & Grill. Pursuant to his plea, Niederriter paid $59,789.01 to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for the unpaid sales tax and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge.
“New Yorkers trust businesses to follow the rules and pay their fair share of taxes,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Our office will continue to root out and prosecute those who seek to steal from taxpayers to line their own pockets.”
“As this conviction clearly shows, the NYS Tax Department dedicates significant resources to finding business owners who commit sales tax fraud,” Acting Commissioner Manion said. “We’ll continue to work with the AG’s office and all our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice, and make sure honest merchants do not face a competitive disadvantage.”
From June 2011 through December 2015, Niederriter owned and operated Buffalo Head Bar & Grill (“Buffalo Head”), a bar and restaurant located at 1577 Conklin Road in Broome County. Niederriter, the sole person responsible for sales tax at Buffalo Head, was legally required to report all taxable sales, including food and beverage sales, and to file sales tax returns on a quarterly basis. However, during the time he owned Buffalo Head, Niederriter only filed two quarterly sales tax returns when he should have filed eighteen. According to an audit conducted by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, between June 1, 2011 and November 30, 2015, Niederriter underreported Buffalo Head’s total sales by $747,362.56 and failed to remit $59,789.01 in sales tax due.
On March 14, 2018, Buffalo Head pleaded guilty before the Honorable Joseph F. Cawley in Broome County Court to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony. Buffalo Head is scheduled to be sentenced to an unconditional discharge on June 4, 2018.


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Leasing Company of the Year
This award will be presented to the leasing company that has made the biggest strides towards environmental considerations in its leasing policies.
Almost 10 per cent of the 23,109 plug-in grant-eligible cars and vans registered in the first eight months of 2016 are funded by or leased from Alphabet. Last year its electric fleet grew by 385 per cent and in August this year reached a total of 5,085 EVs and PHEVs.
Alphabet’s multi-user AlphaCity CarSharing vehicles will cover more than one million miles, with each car being shared by an average of 27 individual ‘mobility users’ via RFID cards. Improvements to AlphaCity include a zero emission Electric Vehicle version using the BMW i3.
To better serve the 30 per cent of its customers that don’t have a dedicated fleet manager, Alphabet has developed a range of outsourced products and services which enable its customers to focus on their core business while delivering greater flexibility and more efficient mobility for their employees. The company has also gained an Investors in People Silver Award – one of the few to achieve this at the first time of application. Independent surveys recorded a 2.2 per cent increase in overall customer satisfaction and a 2.4 per cent increase in customer loyalty.
Fleetdrive have been delivering added-value fleet management solutions since 1994. In 2011 the Fleetdrive Electric division was established to deliver expertise at the forefront of the market for ULEVs in the fleet sector. Fleetdrive quickly identified that a significant barrier to businesses adopting EV technology is a lack of confidence in the product’s viability. It therefore introduced an EV flexi-lease service which enables organisations to conduct trials, testing and monitoring within practical applications to ensure suitability, without the need to commit beyond a 30-day period.
Fleetdrive has 572 PHEV’s on fleet, representing 29 per cent of the total. As well as generating cost-savings for their clients of well over £500,000 each year in fuel-savings alone, they also result in a combined CO2 reduction of 1132 tonnes p.a. Fleetdrive Electric’s dedication to promoting EVs within the fleet sector has resulted in the successful conversion of companies such as Nestle, Brompton
Bicycles and Gnewt Cargo to becoming serious EV users and an inspiration to others.
The fleet management apps and portals that came out of Leaspeplan’s Digital Transformation programme in 2015 have empowered drivers to manage their own vehicles and provide on-demand insight to fleet decision-makers. This, combined with an enhanced telematics solution, ensures that drivers benefit from a set of tools that can deliver genuine efficiency gains.
Leaseplan’s SwopCar car sharing solution is suited to a community of drivers within an organisation who can use an online reservation system to access a vehicle for a specified period. SwopCar’s smart technology tracks each vehicle, monitoring its fuel level, maintenance and cleanliness, automatically booking and carrying out relevant services. From the fleet manager’s perspective, usage data and other insights can also be tracked and costs can be allocated to departments or even individual employees. SwopCar can therefore not only deliver environmental benefits, but also improvements in employee engagement.
Five per cent of Leaseplan’s fleet are ultra low emssion, but as adoption still presents challenges for customers, Leaseplan has sought to drive down fleet emissions through a number of other measures.
Automotive Leasing has an all-encompassing “green” approach to the leasing of vehicles that also includes driver training, the introduction of a telematics system to influence driver behaviour and even a scheme that allows customers to use electric cars, free, for 6 months.


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Anita Telle Joins Board of Advisors
We are thrilled to welcome to Anita Telle to our Board of Advisors. Her business and life coaching expertise is sought after worldwide. An award-winning author, entrepreneur and philanthropist, she co-founded and ran a 25 million dollar distribution business, with 10 stores and 110 employees. She is now mentoring other entrepreneurs as they start their business ventures. Her story will be featured in the upcoming winter issue of FitNFabs magazine.
- Rosalidia Dubon


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Now that the Oscar nominations have finally been announced, it’s time to shift the focus from the screen to the red carpet. With fresh faces like Rooney Mara, Bérénice Bejo, Melissa McCarthy, and Jessica Chastain gracing the carpet, excitement is already stirring over the nominees’ potential fashion choices.
Recent fashion favorite Rooney Mara is certainly expected to catch the audience’s attention after gaining fashion praise for her darkly romantic Nina Ricci gown worn at the Golden Globes. And, although one would hope for Michelle Williams to sport the infamous blonde coif and vivacious pinup look inspired by her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe, it’s not likely. Alongside Oscar veteran Meryl Streep, Williams tends to go for looks that radiate a sort of effortless, subdued feminism. The contrast between Mara’s gothic beauty and Williams’ girlish charm should grab photographers’ attention nonetheless.
In the Best Supporting Actress category, Jessica Chastain will most likely stun audiences, as designers will be courting The Help actress in the weeks leading up to the ceremony. Needless to say, there were plenty of runway looks this season that may appeal to the retro ladylike costumes found in the film.
In the case of funny woman Melissa McCarthy, who was anything but a fashion icon in this year’s Bridesmaids, it’s anyone’s guess. The presence of a female comedian at the awards show famous for snubbing the genre is a feat in itself.
Recent Globe winner Viola Davis, who was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Help, has also prepared for her Oscar premiere by showing off a number of favorable looks at previous events. While she has been opting for bold colors thus far, Davis told The Hollywood Reporter that whatever she chooses, “I’m going to have fun with it.”
Of course, those not nominated are not exempt from the fashion speculation, as audiences hope for Best Dressed contenders like Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie to make their way down the carpet as honored guests anyways.
If the nominated films are any indication though as to what fashion will rule the red carpet this year, viewers can expect a return to the nostalgia of old-school cinema thanks to Best Picture favorites The Artist and Hugo. The former, a silent film made by French director Michel Hazanivicus, revisits the era of old-time Hollywood, while Martin Scorsese took audiences back in time to 1930’s Paris in his 3-D film.
Coincidentally, both directors used the innovation of modern filmmaking to address the art of classic cinema, in much the same way this season’s top designers turned to decades past for their runway inspirations. It seems that with a whole timeline of options at hand this year, this may just be the moment for some red carpet innovation.


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New NSR Report Projects $7.9 Billion in Cumulative FPA Sales by 2027 Cambridge, MA – February 28, 2018 – NSR’s Flat Panel Satellite Antennas, 3rd Edition (FPA3) report, released today, forecasts cumulative FPA equipment sales to reach $7.9 billion by 2027. As the only multi-client report on the FPA market today, NSR’s FPA3 finds.
Satellite servicing technologies have long been in development, only now coalescing into integrated systems ready to hit the market. Just this year, life extension services have been contracted for three satellites, adding to two other deals already finalized. This process has been a combination of technology push from manufacturers and start-ups alongside indirect market pull.
NSR’s China Satcom Markets Report Forecasts Aggressive Chinese Exporting Cambridge, MA – February 13, 2018 – NSR’s industry-first China Satcom Markets (CSM) report, released today, finds a Chinese satellite industry primed to take a larger share of the global satcom market through attractive one-stop-shop offerings, aggressive growth plans and enhanced exports. For GEO-HTS satellites.
Consumer Broadband has been one of the biggest success stories for the satellite industry. Millions of subscribers have signed-up in North America, which paradoxically faces one of the strongest competition from ground alternatives. With multiple actors now looking to replicate the model internationally, including areas with lower disposable incomes, will the growth story continue? With.
Ever since Skybox Imaging and then Planet Labs hit the news headlines, smallsats have been lauded as the future of the space industry, portrayed in the mainstream media as enabling novel applications, making space accessible, and delivering a new paradigm. Perception within the industry has been more mixed, but commercial and government players alike broadly.


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Electrical fire destroys decades-old auto shop in Northern Virginia – NBC4 Washington
A family business in Woodbridge, Virginia was destroyed in a fire, and now the community is trying to help them rebuild.
Penny’s Used Auto Parts has operated on Minnieville Road for nearly 70 years. Richard “Penny” Archie took over his father’s shop in the mid-1970s.
The office and some storage rooms in the auto shop caught fire on September 29.
“A few of my kids have come out, you know, and seeing them cry…” Archie said. “…it really hurts.”
Firefighters ruled it to be an electrical fire.
“Then you see him in there, burned to the ground. It’s heartbreaking,” he said.
Archie thinks there’s at least $150,000 in damage.
But Archie doesn’t count the dollars to measure the loss. He counts the memories.
Archie showed News4 one of the cars he built for his daughter, Shannon Archie, from what was lying around.
“He and my uncle gave all the kids and grandkids their first cars. My first car was a Mustang,” Shannon Archie said.
Many of these old cars were burned down along with countless photos that once decorated a wall that is no longer standing.
The family says no insurance company would cover the cost of a scrap yard where customers can choose their own parts.
“We’ve been to over 20 different insurance companies and every time it’s just a simple ‘No. No, no, no.’ It’s not a high bounty or we’ll give you a low bounty. It’s just ‘no,'” Shannon Archie said.
Now the community is participating and donating to an online fundraiser to help Archie rebuild.
Some of his loss cannot be replaced, but he hopes to repair what he can for another generation of memories in the family business.


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U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared divided during oral arguments Tuesday in the closely watched North Carolina teeth-whitening case, with some concerned that the state dental board may be unfairly restricting competition for the lucrative work.
The case was prompted by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which filed a 2010 complaint against the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners, pertaining to letters sent by the board telling nondentist teeth-whitening providers that they were practicing dentistry illegally and ordering them to stop. The FTC found that the board could be subject to antitrust claims, because members of the profession it regulates are also board members.
During the oral arguments, the justices acknowledged the far-reaching implications of the case, which could go well beyond dentistry.
"This is, for me, a very difficult case," admitted Justice Stephen Breyer, according to the high court's transcript.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg asserted that the dental board overstepped its authority when it sent cease-and-desist orders to nonlicensed dentists when they started providing teeth-whitening services.
"It had no authority to do that," she said. "No authority at all."
Some justices suggested that the dentists who dominate the state board may be acting for their own economic benefit rather than the public good, and may therefore be subject to antitrust oversight.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted that board members "have a self-interest that is inherent in their occupation." And Justice Anthony Kennedy noted: "The federal government, the FTC, and the Sherman Act have an interest in ensuring that regulators do not pursue their selfÂinterest."
Justice Elena Kagan asked: "This board of all dentists, is there a danger that it's acting to pursue its own interests rather than the governmental interests of the state? And that seems almost self-evidently to be true."
But Justice Antonin Scalia questioned the idea that dental board members would put a priority on their own financial interests, "Do you really think that the financial interest of the individual members of the board is going to be significantly affected?" he asked. "My goodness, I find that hard to believe."
The FTC's stance also faced some skepticism, with Justice Stephen Breyer pointing out the advantages of having specialists oversee their profession.
For example, he said there would be a problem if neurologists were not allowed to use their specialist knowledge to determine the qualifications of those applying to work in the field. "Now, that to me, spells danger," he said.
The board asserts that the FTC seeks to apply to public officials the test that is applicable to private actors seeking the benefit of state action immunity. The board argues this is wrong, contending that the federalist principles that justified prior state action immunity decisions render the self-interest of individual public officials irrelevant.
The state's dental board is urging the high court to reject the FTC's "radical departure" from a long-standing precedent that offers "state actors immunity from antitrust scrutiny."
In December 2013, the ADA joined the legal battle and hired an attorney to file briefs to the Supreme Court. Some 23 states have filed briefs to the high court supporting the dental board.
Teeth-whitening products are regulated by the U.S Food and Drug Administration as cosmetics and no prescription is required to buy them. They are widely available at stores, and consumers use them at home without supervision or instruction.
Since 2005, at least 14 states have changed their laws or regulations to exclude all but licensed dentists, hygienists, or dental assistants from offering teeth-whitening services. In addition, at least 25 state dental boards have ordered teeth-whitening businesses to shut down, while nine states have brought legal actions against such businesses.
The board has lost several appeals of the FTC's decision, including a May 2013 ruling by an appellate court, which upheld the right of nondentists to offer teeth-whitening products and services in the state. The high court's decision is due by June.
In a related case, an Alabama judge last week upheld the state's law restricting nondentists from offering teeth-whitening products and services. The ruling noted cases in which people's lips and gums were burned by whitening chemicals and confirmed the Legislature's authority to pass laws to protect the public's health.


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OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro
China’s smartphone maker OnePlus is about to launch its most special 8 series today. Under this series, OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 pro will be launched in the domestic market. Prior to the launch, several reports were leaked regarding the OnePlus 8 series, which revealed the possible price and some features. It is expected that users will get the support of the latest processor and powerful camera in the OnePlus 8 series device. Apart from this, the company will also take cover from the 5G variants of OnePlus 8 today.
OnePlus 8 Series Launching Event
The launching program of the OnePlus 8 series will begin in India from 8.30 pm tonight. People will be able to watch the event on the company’s official YouTube channel. If sources are to be believed, the company will keep the price of this series in the premium range. However, information about the real price and specification of the smartphones of this series will be found only after launching.
OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro Specifications (Expected)
According to the leaked report, users will get a 6.4-inch display in both these smartphones, whose refresh rate will be 120 Hz. Also, the company can support the latest Snapdragon 865 processor for better performance in both smartphones. But other features have not been reported yet.
OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro Sale
According to media reports, both of these smartphones will be made available for sale in India after April 30 due to the lockdown. On the other hand, the company will launch this series in China on April 16 and its sale will start from April 17.


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The owners of The Bierkeller Entertainment Complexes are planning to roll out a new bar concept that combines elements from two of its most successful venues.
BurningNight Group has identified four potential sites for the new sports-themed Sportskeller, bringing together aspects of its lively Bavarian-style Bierkeller bars and its Shooters sports bars. The concept is pictured as a computer-generated image.
It operates six complexes in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Nottingham, which all house three venues under one roof: Bierkeller, Shooters and beer and cocktail bar Around the World.
It is also unveiling its latest concept, American-style barbecue restaurant Smokin’ Bar & Kitchen in The Headrow in Leeds this month.
BurningNight Group has launched a crowdfunding campaign to attract investment for a roll-out of Sportskeller into cities and towns smaller than those chosen for full Bierkeller Entertainment Complexes. Using the Crowdcube platform, it has set an initial target of £750,000.
CEO Allan Harper said: “Our bars are thriving so we are ambitious to expand further and we already have several sites in excellent locations earmarked for development.
“Our existing bars are consistently busy, and we know our customers love what the Bierkeller Entertainment Complex has to offer. That’s why we want to give them, and potential new customers, the chance to get involved at the beginning of our newest brand.”
He added that the Sportskeller bars would focus on an area of the market where the company has a proven track record.“Our sports bars Shooters are already hugely popular with fans wanting to watch big matches or title fights live on a giant screen.
“The atmosphere is always fantastic, it’s the next best thing to being at a stadium, so we wanted to recreate that but in a new and different way. Sportskeller will have a lot of features that people love about Bierkeller and Shooters combined, so it’s the best of both worlds.”


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The back-to-school shopping season bring both good news and bad news for retailers. On the positive side, it’s the second biggest shopping event of the year next to the holidays, so consumers are bound to spend more. In fact, the NRF estimates that “total combined spending for back to school and college is expected to reach $68 billion in 2015.”
The not-so-good news is the back to school retail landscape is more competitive than ever. Consumers this year are a lot savvier than before, and most of them will not only shop across multiple channels, but they’ll also be expecting lower prices and higher levels of convenience from merchants.
If you’re wondering how you can engage these shoppers and ring up more back-to-school sales, keep reading. In this post, we shed light on some back to school insights and examples that you can use in your business.
Have a special back-to-school section in your store or website
Round up all your back-to-school items, bundles, and promotions, then put them in a special section in your store (both online and offline). This will make it more convenient for shoppers to find the items they’re looking for.
One retailer doing a great job at this is Walmart. The retail giant created a back-to-school section on its website, and drives traffic to it by promoting it on the front page.
See if you can do something similar at your store. Create a collection on your website that’s filled with any back-to-school items you’re selling (i.e. supplies, clothes, gadgets, or dorm room furniture) then design a banner to encourage visits and sales.
Engage with Gen Y and Gen Z shoppers
Remember that you’ll be dealing with a lot of millennials and youngsters during the back-to-school and back-to-college season. As ShopperTrak points out, as of 2014, there are 80 million millennial shoppers who spend around $600 billion per year. ShopperTrak also cites an NRF study, which found that “students are having a greater influencer on their parents’ purchasing decision,” with 9.7% of parents admitting that their child influences 100% of their back-to-school purchases.
This is why you need figure out how to connect with the Gen Y and Z demographics. Here a couple of ideas:
Leverage social media
Create some great-looking back-to-school images and publish them on networks like Instagram and Facebook.
Plenty of retailers have already started doing this. Consider Urban Outfitters, which recently posted this Instagram photo featuring campus essentials:
Meanwhile, Aerie created a Pinterest board filled with pins of items for students as well as inspirational quotes and images.
Be mobile friendly
According to the NRF’s 2015 back-to-school survey, 41% of college students who own a mobile device “plan to use a smartphone to research products and compare prices, and 46% will use a tablet to shop.” The same study also found that this year, 31% and 35% of college shoppers plan to purchase products on their smartphones and tablets, respectively.
Clearly, shoppers will be using their mobile phones even more this season, so see to it that your site is easy to browse in the small screen. Make sure your site is responsive, and that people can easily find the information they need (i.e. product details, contact info, directions) when they’re on your mobile site.
You can also increase your visibility in the small screen by listing your business on sites like Google and Yelp. This will help potential customers find your business and could drive more traffic both to your website and store.
Send back to school-themed emails to your customers
Do you send out newsletters to customers and subscribers? Then now is the perfect time to create a back-to-school themed newsletter or campaign. Even if you’re not selling typical back-to-school products like supplies, try to find items in your store that you can relate to the season.
Take Kate Spade, for example. In its back-to-school email campaign, the retailer highlighted its recently launched kids clothing line to entice their mom (or big sister) customers to swing by their site.
Provide convenient and affordable order fulfillment options
We’ve been touting the importance of services like click-and-collect, ship-to-store, and free shipping for quite some time now, and this season’s back-to-school numbers show that these order fulfillment services are as important as ever.
The NRF found that 9 out of 10 back-to-school consumers intend to take advantage of free shipping, while almost half of respondents are planning to use ship-to-store or in-store pickup services.
That’s why it’s so important for retailers to start offering such order fulfillment options. While free shipping may not always make sense financially, you should at least look into implementing initiatives like buy online, pick up in store. An increasing number of online shoppers are choosing this option because it saves them both time and money.
What’s more, shoppers actually tend to spend more at the store when they pick up their items. A recent survey by USPS and Nielsen found that 45% of respondents who choose to pick up in-store said they bought something else while picking up their order.
Be prepared for more procrastinators this year
The number of procrastinators is up from 25% to 30% up this year, according to the NRF, so don’t expect the back-to-school crowds to let up anytime soon.
Think of ways to engage these last-minute shoppers. Perhaps you can extend some of your seasonal offers. Or maybe you can promote your convenient back-to-school bundles for easy and quick shopping.
Whatever you decide, be sure to spread the word about your back-to-school initiatives. Promote them on your site as well as on social media and via email, and do a bit of offline and in-store marketing.
How are you prepping for back-to-school shoppers? Let us know in the comments.
About Francesca Nicasio
Francesca Nicasio is Vend's Retail Expert and Content Strategist. She writes about trends, tips, and other cool things that enable retailers to increase sales, serve customers better, and be more awesome overall. She's also the author of Retail Survival of the Fittest, a free eBook to help retailers future-proof their stores. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Google+.


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- Vivo Y72 5G Listed on Google Play Console
- 64 megapixel primary camera in the phone
- 5000mAh battery and MediaTek processor
Smartphone company Vivo is about to launch its new device Vivo Y72 5G on 22 March. A poster of this upcoming smartphone of the company has been revealed, in which its design can be seen. Meanwhile, Pricebaba has spotted this phone on the Google Play console. Some specific specifications of the phone have been revealed in the Google Play console listing.
Full HD + display with teardrop notch
According to the Google Play console listing, this will be the first smartphone of the company’s Y series that will come with 5G connectivity. Looking at the poster of the phone, it can be said that it has a teardrop notch display. If you consider the Google Play listing, then the phone has a full HD + display with a resolution of 1080×2408 pixels. The pixel density of the phone is 440ppi.
64 megapixel triple rear camera setup
The rear side of the phone has a triple rear camera setup with LED flash, which has a 64-megapixel primary camera. This phone with side mounted fingerprint sensor will come in black and blue-pink gradient. According to Google Play listing, MediaTek Helio Dimensity 700 chipset will be available as a processor in the phone.
5000mAh battery and 18W charging
This phone equipped with 8 GB RAM works on Android 11 OS. To give power to the phone, it has a 5000mAh battery. If rumors are to be believed, the Vivo Y72 5G has a 6.58-inch LCD. The phone’s triple rear camera setup may include an 8-megapixel super-wide lens and a 2-megapixel macro or depth sensor. The phone is expected to get a 16 megapixel camera for selfie. The phone can support 18 Watt fast charging.


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Indian Railways announced on Tuesday that tickets booked before April 14 for regular trains will be fully refunded without any cancellation charges, reports Livemint.com. Railways has suspended regular train services since March 25 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
Railways announced that it will start generating refunds for all these tickets soon for the trains cancelled. The announcement said, “It has been decided that all train tickets booked on or prior to April 14 for regular time-tabled trains should be cancelled and full refunds generated,” adds the report.
Railways started running Shramik Express to transport all the stuck migrant population due to the lockdown since May and had connected Delhi with 12 special trains since May 12. Additional 100 special services connecting various parts of the country was begun on June 1.
The Railways has also removed the 3-day deadline to apply for refunds if the tickets are booked at the counter. Now passengers can apply for cancellation up to 6 months from the date of journey. All the tickets booked online will be refunded automatically.
Full refund will also be given if tickets have been booked for trains which have resumed services but the passengers are reluctant to travel due to the pandemic. For tickets booked at the counter, refund application must be submitted within 60 days of the date of journey, For e-tickets, refund application can be submitted online.


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New Look aligns with pre-loved apparel platform Re-Fashion as the rise of resale in retail shows no signs of slowing.
Rental and Reuse
Selfridges opens Christmas pop-up shop in its London Oxford Street flagship store, selling pre-loved toys.
Adidas resale platform launches in partnership with ThredUp, as the sports brand ramps up its sustainability agenda.
Oh Polly becomes first brand to sign up to The Salvation Army’s digital charity donation scheme, The Online Clothing Bank.
Zalando teams up with London-based Save Your Wardrobe to make repairs and alterations more accessible to its customers.
Fashion marketplace app Depop launches a programme to support the launch of online charity shops through its platform.
Costa Coffee UK&I launches blockchain-backed reusable cup scheme, starting with six-month trial in Scotland.
Phone recycling kiosks are coming to 295 Asda stores next year as the supermarket strengthens its partnership with musicMagpie.


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A week filled with news of cancellations seemed almost forgotten in Chapin Saturday night, as hundreds of people gathered for an oyster roast and street party co-hosted by the town and the Tipsy Toad Tavern.
The Swingin' Medallions provided live music for the event, and shag lessons before the show helped make sure everyone was ready to dance into the night.
Chapin Pharmacy and Palmetto Fine Arts & Custom Frame Gallery stepped forward to provide supplies for extra hand sanitizing stations for those attending.
The roasting oysters were accompanied by a variety of other treats for sale along Beaufort Street, which already shows the beginnings of a new upscale shopping center. Proceeds from the event will be used to replace damaged sidewalks nearby and provide an even better welcome for visitors.
“This is just a perfect small town night,” said Anna McMillan.
More information on Chapin and its new developments and future events is available at chapinsc.com.


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Engineering a big future
The Engineering Technology Group has ridden out the recession and undergone substantial expansion in recent years. Ed Hill of Production Engineering Solutions visited the company to hear how it has steered its way to success.
A leopard doesn’t change its spots but in business a makeover can have tremendous benefits for trade. Just consider how BMW has transformed Mini in recent years.
The Engineering Technology Group’s (ETG) origins date back to 1996 when it was started by Paul Rhodes. The business initially began as a distributor for German machine tool maker Chiron-Werke. Since then more machine tool brands have come under its portfolio including Nakamura-Tome, Handtmann, Stama, Feeler and its most recent acquisitions Hardinge Bridgeport and Quaser.
In the last 18 months the business has transformed itself and more than doubled in size. The Hardinge deal has been a major factor in its expansion. In 2013 Hardinge UK’s own sales and service division was transferred completely to ETG. A new subsidiary was created, ETG Bridgeport, to continue to market the machines in the UK for the American manufacturer.
Increasing the volume
The deal came at an ideal time for ETG which had been looking to increase its volume of machine tool sales. Much work had already been done to restructure the business during the economic downturn of 2008/9. A refinancing agreement backed by Santander in 2011 along with a management buyout a year later, making director John Temple the majority shareholder, also marked a change in direction.
Mr Temple, now CEO of ETG, explains: “We wanted to elevate the status of the group as a whole and the connectivity of the various brands and subsidiaries involved. At that time we were a business selling a lot of turnkey solutions. We were very good at turning those enquiries into projects and then fulfilling the contracts. What we were not so good at was selling in volume. That restricted our growth in the market and the footprint we could achieve.
“Hardinge have adopted a third party distribution model already in the US. They are now focussing on the development of their products and manufacturing capabilities globally, as opposed to the downstream marketing side of the business. When we began discussions it became obvious that we really represented what they were looking for. It was an ideal opportunity for both of us.” The acquisition of Hardinge’s UK operation doubled ETG’s sales and service teams. Hardinge staff were incorporated into ETG and transferred from Leicester to its Southam, Warwickshire headquarters. The new members of the sales team were asked to not only sell Hardinge machines but the whole ETG range.
“The transfer and amalgamation has gone spectacularly well. We now have a team of people who are completely merged both in engineering and sales. The benefits that we expected for our other brands have also come sooner than we expected. For example, last year was our best for selling Nakamura machines. The Hardinge sales team were part of a big organisation that could only sell one type of machine, now they have a whole new bag of products to offer customers.”
The deal with Hardinge also gave ETG the opportunity to revive one of the best known names in metalcutting, Bridgeport.
“We do focus on nurturing our brands,” Mr Temple asserts. “Bridgeport is an iconic name and we felt it deserved to be brought back into the spotlight. One of the first things we did was re-launch the renowned Bridgeport Knee Turret Mill at MACH. It has been imitated down the years but it is still being made in Elmira in the US in a way that no one can truly copy. We hope to sell many of these machines not only to machine shops but also colleges and educational establishments. There is also still a lot of demand from Europe for spare parts, which we can source or manufacture.”
ETG has always believed in preserving the distinct nature of its primary brands. Each agency is set up as a quasi-subsidiary company within the group. Technical support is backed up by service engineers specifically aligned to each machine tool manufacturer.
All its manufacturers have a distinct offer for ETG customers: whether it is Hardinge and Bridgeport’s robust 3, 4 and 5-axis machining centres; Nakamura-Tome one-hit, multi-tasking mill-turn machines; the highly productivity Chiron range; Stama’s innovative milling and turning designs; cost effective Quaser high speed VMCs or mid-range models from Feeler. More specialised designs such as Handtmann’s large format centres, primarily used in aerospace, complete the selection.
Another major part of ETG’s business is Hyfore Engineering. This branch of the group specialises in manufacturing a wide range of workholding products and automation systems from its facility in Coventry. A new arm, Hyfore Developments, offers bespoke prototyping, a component verification service and low volume manufacturing for ETG’s customers. It also provides a subcontract inspection, measurement and reverse engineering service using its metrology equipment.
Mr Temple says ETG’s philosophy is to offer its customers a ‘cradle to grave service’. As part of this approach ETG Finance Solutions was set up to help customers invest in new capital equipment and other strategic business decisions.
ETG Engineering Solutions is at the heart of the group’s activities. As the service division of the business it provides the aftermarket products that support the machine brands. “We are probably known just as much for our aftermarket services as our machine sales,” Mr Temple states. “We have a wide range of support options to provide the level of assistance our customers need these days. It’s about creating long term relationships with customers. We are not just a ‘box shifting’ operation.”
ETG’s own image has been revitalised to reflect the group’s overarching capabilities. New branding for the company as a whole, along with an increased presence at recent MACH shows signals its intention to be a major player in the UK machine tool market.
“We now have around 20 service engineers and we are building a sizeable applications team. We aim to be the largest independent machine tool supplier and we believe our multi-brand approach makes us distinct from the competition. The customer has one point of contact but can expect to get the best solution because we have access to all these different brands, technologies and capabilities.”
The diversity of brands means that there is no shortage of options available. “We worked out that we could offer around 2,000 discrete alternatives for our customers and their machining requirements. To make our product range more accessible we have introduced an on-line Machine Selector Tool on our website. This allows customers to enter the details and specifications that they need from a machine and then produce all the options that are available from our range. If a machine falls into those specification areas, we can use this as a basis for a quote.”
ETG sells machines to all sectors of manufacturing. The company’s recent growth has been driven primarily by the upsurge in the UK automotive sector. Aerospace and medical are also big markets for the supplier, along with general subcontracting.
The company continues to have ambitious plans for growth. It is currently in the process of finding new premises to help strengthen its aftermarket side of the business and undergoing a recruitment drive to help consolidate its sales and support services.
ETG’s workforce has grown from 60 to 115 in the last 18 months, including a new Field Sales Manager for Scotland and an Operations Director. It has also taken on six new apprentices to fill the skills gap.
“These recruitments have had a major impact on the business. We are operating in a much more structured and streamlined way. We want to ensure that our systems and procedures are consistent otherwise we are not using our resources wisely.” Mr Temple adds.
The company has also extended its reach to include a new business in Eire; opening a machine showroom in Newbridge, County Kildare and making it the only independent machine tool distributer to have its own showroom in the country.
For ETG the future certainly looks bright and plans to double its size again in the next 18 months seem credible given its recent performance. Turnover for last year was around £30 million with more than 150 machine sales.
Mr Temple concludes: “Now that we appear to be out of the recession some of the caution about investing in equipment has definitely changed. Not only has the volume of investment changed but also the quality. Subcontractors are upgrading to better, higher spec machines, not only to increase capacity but also to give them the best quality, best practice solutions.
“In the automotive sector for example, companies who five years ago would never have considered investing in a Chiron machine solution are now looking at the longer term and realising they will require machines of that capability and quality.
“I believe we are the fastest growing company in this sector at the moment and that hasn’t happened by accident. It’s because of the nature of the business and the fact we are very entrepreneurial and constantly looking for new opportunities.”


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What does 2015 look like for pharma?
New legislation on IDMP, aggressive mergers and personalised medicine could be some of the major trends affecting Europe’s pharmaceutical industry in 2015, according to the Pharmaceutical Recruitment team at Michael Bailey Associates. During 2014, the industry faced a desperate need for an Ebola vaccine to address the West African epidemic triggered a number of other issues such as a fresh pricing war. This was obviously met with problems that have been troubling the industry for numerous years, such as the battle to optimise personalised medicine, continuing efforts to better diagnose and treat cancer, and the competitiveness of new products hitting the market.
Of course, this was all set in a pharma landscape that is still dusting itself off from the recession and trying to balance the value of mergers and tighter legislation with the need for consistent staffing levels and engaging people in the profession.
The implementation of the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) known as “Obamacare” also had an impact on the global pharma market, and companies tried to make their policies, patents and procedures more transparent.
For the rest of 2015 and well into 2016, it is likely that the pharma industry will still be tasked with dealing with recurring problems, but it will also look towards investing more in research to develop cutting-edge treatments and technology.
Big challenges facing pharma
As for a number of years, legislation and its implementation is set to be a continuing issue for pharma companies in 2015. "Crackdowns" from bodies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will continue to have an effect on companies around the world, commented James, Pharmaceutical Recruitment Consultant from Michael Bailey Associates.
A major piece of legislation will be IDMP, which consists of five documents outlined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The main purpose of IDMP is to encourage better standards surrounding data collection in pharma. Although this won't come into full force until March 2016, it is likely that over the next 12 months, pharma companies will increase their efforts to ensure they adhere to the new guidelines.
James’s view is that, this "harmonisation of data" is a symptom of wider pressures on the industry to produce and store data that is of a high quality, as well as being accessible. There will be a particular focus on documenting reports of adverse events, whether they are serious or mild and making this information accessible to health companies.
As with 2014, 2015 will pose the opportunity for a number of mergers, some of which are likely to be aggressive. This can offer both pros and cons for those working in pharma, with the potential to increase profit margins and the possibility of increasing the amount of redundancies.
There is often an aggressive element to mergers, which puts staff at the highest risk; but this is essential to staying in business for many pharma companies, as with other industries like IT and media.
According to official analysis, the EU is lagging behind others, especially in terms of research and development and this is an area that will become increasingly important over the next few years. During 2015, the pharma industry needs to further recover from the recession period, where investment was far weaker in research and development, and channel more finances into this area to succeed.
James said this will be especially important for companies in the initial stages of development, as more look to invest in the earlier phases, to minimise the financial risk in the long term. With some drugs taking decades to reach consumers, there are a number of obstacles and checks to overcome, which can be costly for firms. Few pharma companies can afford to waste time, resources and finances on a drug that fails at the final stage. In 2015, this could mark out successful businesses from their competitors.
Looking to the future
Personalised medicine will increasingly be an aim of pharma companies, even if it's not in the immediate future. Many markets will increase their efforts on achieving drugs, vaccines and other treatment options that are unique to the individual, following the lead of allergy medication.
However, James said this is at least ten years away from coming to complete fruition, but small breakthroughs are occurring in the industry.
He said: "This is something for the future. It isn't something that will affect people straight away but it's a definite focus for the future."
This will be key for taking the competitive edge in 2015 and beyond, with emerging markets like India and Asia-Pacific already trying to undercut their rivals in the US and Europe. It will be the pharma companies that are able to research, develop and produce the most advanced drugs that succeed in the next five years and beyond.


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by Ella Yi Zhang
Chinese internet stocks seemed like the latest way to get rich quick, until they weren't. Now investors are wondering whether shares have been deflated enough to make them worth buying again given the industry's undeniable rampant growth prospects. An excellent example is Ctrip (NASDAQ:CTRP), the country's largest online travel booking site. The company's Nasdaq-traded shares tripled in value from mid-2009 to mid-2011. They have been crashing since last summer, and are now below where they started three years ago.
The most important change in the company's volatile picture has been new competition in the online travel booking space. Starting out as the dominant first mover in Chinese e-booking, Ctrip's market share plunged by 10.5% last year to 41%, according to industry monitor iResearch.
New home-grown online travel search platforms like Taobao and Qunar have nibbled away at Shanghai-based Ctrip's business. So has eLong, a subsidiary of global travel giant Expedia (NASDAQ:EXPE), whose shares have incidentally been on a rampage, doubling over the past year. Hotels and airlines are also picking up online travel sales themselves, gradually alleviating reliance on agencies like Ctrip.
Competition has led to price wars directed particularly at individual leisure travelers. ELong has grabbed market share by offering hotels attractive cash-backs and group buys. "People try to kill competitors by growing market share and sacrificing the margins — this is the business model for most internet players in China nowadays, no matter if it is B2C or online travel," says Henry Guo, an analyst at U.S. brokerage ThinkEquity. "But that is actually bad for the whole industry."
Ctrip is also grappling with costs that swelled during its years as a quasi-monopoly. Five years ago, the company got back 15% from hotels whenever a transaction was made, now it is around 10%. Meanwhile it has built up an army of 6,000 call agents, by far the largest in the online travel industry, and they are becoming ever-more expensive in China's environment of wage inflation.
The live agents are not simply deadweight. Ctrip books around 40% of its reservations over the phone, unlike the U.S,. where Expedia and its competitors do almost all their volume online. The company has invested heavily in an image of superior service, spending ¥500 million ($79 million) on spanking new call center two years ago, and that seems to have helped win a loyal following of business travelers.
Still, Ctrip might be more competitive if it slimmed down, analysts say. "An aircraft-carrier like Ctrip is not as flexible as smaller companies," comments Zhang Yanan, senior analyst at the Zero2IPO Research Center in China. When eLong started its price war last year, for instance, it took Ctrip almost two quarters to realize that it had to launch competing online travel promotions, adds Guo.
That's the bad news. The good news is that China's online travel market, like its online market for everything else, is still in a phase of geometric growth. Internet bookings account for only 8% of the travel market, a figure expected to double over the next two years, even as total travel spending expands. Online travel revenue should already reach ¥230 billion in 2012.
Ctrip is still the biggest player in the burgeoning online travel industry, with scale, brand position, and a balance sheet well stocked with cash. Management implicitly told the market last week that it thinks the stock has fallen far enough with a new stock repurchase plan. "They want to give a signal that their business is still on track and the current evaluation is low," says ThinkEquity analyst Guo. The buyback is also a good utilization of the company's cash reserve, he added.
Ctrip is emblematic of a range of Chinese internet companies that have soared, crashed and may now be ready to advance again from more sober valuations. Or not. The most famous of the group, search provider Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU), has traced a still more dramatic trajectory than Ctrip, rising more than 10-fold from an early-2009 low, then dropping more than 20% over the past two months.
Henry Guo thinks Ctrip may have bottomed, but is not ready to surge back just yet. He lowered his target price from $21 to $19 last week. The stock trades now at about $17.
Disclosure: No positions