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Experts during this week’s AHPA Botanical Congress discussed why practices, and values, up and down the supply chain need to change, all the way down to the consumer.
When buying raw materials such as herbs and botanicals, are you taking into consideration where the material came from and the people responsible for harvesting it? Ensuring sustainability from an agricultural or environmental perspective is one thing, but what of the sustainability of labor? This was the overarching theme from the final session of the American Herbal Products Association’s (AHPA; Silver Spring, MD) 9th Botanical Congress: “Maintaining a Sustainable Supply Chain.” Speakers discussed the challenges facing the botanical supply chain, including due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact they’ve had not only on the market but on the growers themselves.
Pandemic and Other Factors Stress Supply Chain
Issues that are taxing the botanical supply chain are both old and new. On the newer front, the COVID-19 pandemic, with its harsh lessons on supply chain bottlenecks and demand outstripping supply, has laid bare industry shortcomings. While a global pandemic is not something one can predict, and industry has been able to survive—and, in some cases, thrive—shortsighted industry practices have left many in the botanical supply chain in a vulnerable position.
“Industry cannot sustain this type of growth in such a short time,” said speaker David Solomon, president of BDS Natural Products (Gardena, CA), during his presentation. “There was excess inventory going into 2020, but that has now been absorbed into the market, which leaves the cupboard bare. With lockdowns, farmers and wildcrafters have faced many obstacles. Farmers have had problems getting seed and labor and, so, new crops. With demand being unsatisfied, that will put huge pressure on crops coming in. We need also to remember that there is a worldwide demand of botanicals. The wildcrafter on the global stage has found it hard to collect and sell to the local dealer, or markets, as many have been closed around the world. So, sustainability of supply into 2021 will be hard to sustain. Prices will go up.”
Another central issue is one of economics: labor costs are rising for farming and harvesting, but customers are not willing to pay more for product. As Michael McGuffin, president of AHPA, pointed out during the event, there is often a disconnect between the value of raw botanical material and what it’s sold for in the marketplace. “You have to do this balance between controlling your costs and trying to evaluate what your customers are willing to pay,” he observed. This leaves smaller and smaller margins for suppliers upstream. And with COVID challenges thrown in, the problems have only grown.
These global economic problems force us to better understand, especially now during this time of crisis, the true cost of our commodities and supply chain practices.
Farm to Shelf: Need to Plan Ahead
On the agricultural end of the supply chain, there is a great deal of planning required. For example, crop rotation for certain crops, such as mint, is important to reduce the risk of verticillium wilt, explained speaker Danielle Kruse, West farm site leader and manager for the organic herb producer Trout Lake Farms (Trout Lake, WA). What this means is that once mint has been grown for five years, it must be removed from the ground and cannot be planted for another 10 to 15 years. Therefore, Trout Lake Farms is planning five years out to figure out what crops will replace the mint taken out of rotation.
On top of this, there is an inherent unpredictability to farming. So, while farmers can take measures to ensure that crops will be healthy, there are things that are out of their control, such as the weather—or a pandemic that significantly impacts labor—which can have negative impacts on yields.
Another fact: unfortunately, when there is a particularly great yield, farmers cannot always take advantage of it, said Kruse. “Our new policy is to stop harvest once we hit demand, because the vast majority of our customers do not want older than one-year-old product,” she explained. “Historically, the industry standard shelf life was three years, but if we don’t have a contract, and the vast majority of customers aren’t going to take product older than a year, as farmers, we miss out on these bumper years.”
If Trout Lake Farms cannot sell the excess product, there will be no return on the cost of labor to harvest it, and therefore it must forego some of its crop. Not only is there less product to go around now, but the following crop year may have a much lower yield as well, further exacerbating shortages, such as those experienced during the pandemic.
Planning ahead more consistently up and down the supply chain can help farmers achieve better outcomes. For instance, Kruse lamented “just-in-time” inventory practices, mainly in reference to the spot market, putting a strain on farmers. “The spot market fluctuates too much year to year,” she explained. Her company is now “focusing more on long-term relationships and contracting with our customers.” Long-term relationships and contracts create a stable source of income and allow farms to plan their crops, rather than waiting for customers to order product at unpredictable intervals and quantities.
Buyers also need to be more willing to take on risk when it comes to anticipating trends—or, indeed, any declining demand. If you believe a trending ingredient will have long-term success, order it in advance, the speakers urged. You may end up with a surplus, but you may also have guaranteed product availability, as opposed to a just-in-time approach which may have very well caused shortages for companies during the pandemic.
“From a farming perspective, it is really hard to adjust to consumer trends,” Kruse underlined. “One year, demand is high. We plant something in the expected acres we’ll need, and two years later, demand completely drops. So, we’re focusing less on the trendy botanicals and focusing instead on consistent-demand products, because it’s becoming too hard to manage otherwise.”
Changing Behaviors to Ensure Sustainable Supply
The just-in-time approach when it comes to botanicals points to a lack of perspective about where ingredients come from. These aren’t simply commodities sitting on the shelf waiting to be purchased. They need to be farmed and harvested—or, in the case of wildcrafting, land must be leased and crews hired and trained to harvest wild botanicals. In many regions, this is a traditional practice that is dying, and there are few incentives for new generations to take on the task.
“Sustainability means many things to many people. My concern is not so much on the plant protection and stewardship—that I take for granted—but to the traditional human side of the industry,” said Solomon. “Here in the U.S., we have seen a continued shortage of wildcrafters, who now have very little incentive to collect wildcrafted botanicals. With government handouts and an aging collecting pool, we’ll find it harder still to meet the demand for the domestic items we are so used to having access to on a fairly regular basis. The herbs and roots are there, but we have no one to collect them and maintain them. On the international front, we are also seeing traditional collecting disappearing as the younger generation move away from the villages to the cities for cleaner and better paying jobs, with less physical demand. This is true in both India and China, which make up nearly half the world’s population. How do we encourage people to do something to sustain our industry?”
This is also true in Europe, with Eastern Europeans migrating to Western Europe. In the absence of a local workforce, migrant workers have usually been able to fill the void, but the pandemic made that particularly difficult as countries locked down and closed their borders, pointed out speaker Brandon Stolar, sales manager for Indena (Milan, Italy)
Of course, while COVID-19 may have exacerbated labor shortages for the collection of herbs, labor shortages are not a new challenge. One herb that is particularly vulnerable to labor shortages is slippery elm because it requires labor-intensive collection. As speaker Edward Fletcher, president of Native Botanicals Inc (Banner Elk, NC) pointed out, even when you pay a fair wage, it is not competitive enough to maintain a workforce. He explained that he had a small number of crews, which the company had trained to harvest slippery elm, and after three years of consistent harvest, Native Botanicals lost that labor force because the workers had to take on better paying jobs to support their growing families. Unfortunately, the company couldn’t pay the workers more, or insure them, because customers were unwilling to pay more for product.
“We have to move away from this cost-first model and manage the expectations of our customers more,” said speaker Josh Schneider, CEO of Cultivaris Hemp (Encinitas, CA). Of course, every link of the supply chain has valid concerns about the price of goods and what their customers are willing to pay, but if price sensitivity continues to drive the market, it will be detrimental to the supply chain at large.
Part of the solution may be to educate customers as well as consumers about farming and wildcrafting and to take control of the narrative. “I think the marketing and communications is really critical; being able to tell the story of your supply chain,” said Schneider. “I know that on my breadfruit project, price sensitivity went away completely when people could see the story on the website: that this gluten-free breadfruit flower is being grown and manufactured by women’s farm groups in Jamaica, Barbados, Haiti. So, I think part of telling the story is less about the plant and more about the narrative.”
If people understood where a product comes from and care about the people who harvest the raw material, they may be willing to pay more. Think of Fair Trade certification and the positive connotation it has for the end-consumer. Everyone knows the value of a fair wage, and we all want to feel good about the products we buy. Buyers might take more convincing than the end-consumer to spend more money, but as the pandemic endures globally and the supply chain continues to be strained, they may not have a choice.


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Honda launches global social Twitter campaign #myjourney Celebrating journeys anywhere from around the world, long or short. Honda are using the Twitter hashtag #myjourney and the content is being collated at the related website www.myjourneys.com. Share your driving experiences. The #myjourney campaign enables you to share your journeys and document them with images or videos which are then automatically uploaded. Journeys can […]
The new Honda NSX is already in demand, pre-orders are now being taken for the hotly anticipated supercar. Deposit of £5k are being taken at dealers throughout the UK. The dynamically-styled NSX Concept was first unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in 2012 giving an indication of the design of the next great performance vehicle from Honda coming in 2015. The […]
Just released special finance packages across the British built Honda Jazz and Civic ranges enabling customers to own one of these models from only £135 and £189 per month This suits a variety of customer needs and make new car ownership more manageable. British Built Offers The popular Honda Jazz 1.2 and Civic 1.4 models are available with 0% APR […]
The latest Honda CR-V now comes with the new Earth Dreams Technology 1.6 i-DTEC diesel engine. Recently shown at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show the CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC is available in two-wheel drive with manual transmission and will feature 300Nm of torque and 120 PS with CO2 emissions of only 119g/km providing an exceptional balance of performance and economy. This new derivative […]
Honda has taken the wraps off the Tourer at the Geneva Motor show. Sharing many of the latest features from the Civic Hatchback – Watch our 10 second car video…
Happy Valentines all!, gifts, champagne, longing glances, don’t forget the love of your life there on the drive…It seems in a recent survey by buying guide Which? Honda Jazz owners suffer from car infatuation and kiss their cars regularly…
Prices announced for the Honda CR-Z Hybrid and Sport. The Honda CR-Z brings a range of enhancements to performance and styling. Pricing will start from £20,550 OTR for the Sport variant and £23,050 for the top of the range GT.
Industry experts at CAP Monitor announce strong residuals for New Honda CR-V. Just as the new British built Honda CR-V arrives in UK showrooms, this is a testament to its appealing style, innovation and attractive levels of equipment.
The All New Honda Civic with its class-leading combination of emissions, refinement and power. Honda’s eagerly anticipated 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel engine was always going to prove popular with the company car sector.
A state of the art multimedia app for the iPad, called Honda Reloaded App. Honda (UK) and CAR magazine have teamed up to create the free Honda Reloaded app is available to download now and is packed with articles, images and videos covering Honda’s latest cars and landmark anniversaries. Features within Honda:Reloaded include the prototype Team Dynamics Civic taking […]
Honda is once again celebrating being the most reliable used car brand. The award was presented in the annual What Car? and Warranty Direct reliability survey for an unprecedented seventh year in a row. According to the report which Honda has topped since 2005…
Honda is celebrating 20 years of manufacturing in the UK. Introducing a range of competitive offers on its popular British-Built models honda has brought in some competitive deals. On cars ordered between now and the end of September the offers include competitive finance options, trim level upgrades, deposit contributions and servicing packages.

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Having confirmed that the Mi MIX phablet will be launched in White later this year, Xiaomi has now shown off the Mi Note 2 in Pink, Purple and Green at the CES 2017 trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The device is currently available only in Black, Gold and Silver, but is likely to be offered in the three new colors at some stage in the future. Unfortunately, though, Xiaomi hasn't given any ETA for the commercial launch of these new versions, nor has it said anything about their availability. That being the case, there's no telling when these new options will be available for purchase and, if at all they will be available outside of China.
Another couple of things that Xiaomi hasn't mentioned are the pricing and the tech specs. While the latter is not really expected to change, it will be interesting to see if Xiaomi will charge a premium for the new models, or if these will cost the same as the ones that are currently available for purchase. Going by the images, one has to say that the vibrant colors on offer provide a welcome relief from the mostly monochrome shades that a vast majority of smartphone vendors have traditionally chosen for their devices. Recently of course, Gold, Rose Gold, Silver and even Pink have started becoming fairly popular, but apart from Nokia's colorful Lumia devices, we haven't really seen too many smartphones being offered in truly unique colors over the years.
The Mi Note 2 was launched last year as a replacement for the aging first-generation Mi Note that was unveiled by Xiaomi way back in early 2015 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 and 3GB of RAM. The second-gen device has seen quite an upgrade over that original one, and comes with the Snapdragon 821 on board along with a 22.5-megapixel primary camera that can shoot 2160p videos at 30fps. It also comes with an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner and a dual curved-edge display, much like the Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge. Pricing for the Mi Note 2 starts at 2,799 Yuan (around $400) for the 4GB RAM / 64GB storage version, making it quite an attractive proposition for buyers.


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The Current, delivered daily.
The news: Checkout provider Bold Commerce and fintech company PayPal announced an integration that will allow brands and retailers to adopt both companies’ services together. PayPal said it’s a move to expand in the headless commerce market, which describes solutions that allow merchants to operate stores without a front-end layer.
How will it work? The companies described the integration this way:
Brands and retailers can use Bold Commerce’s headless checkout suite with the PayPal Commerce platform.
This brings together payments and checkout in a “single pre-integrated solution.”
Merchants can launch sales beyond their own website by integrating checkout in places like blogs, social, and QR codes on packaging.
Through a single service, brands and retailers can accept payment options including PayPal, Venmo and PayPal Pay Later solutions, as well as credit and debit cards.
Key quote from PayPal VP and Global Head of Channel Partnership David Bruce: “Payment choice and flexibility have always been a critical part of a successful commerce experience – but it’s only one part of the equation. Retailers today need to also offer a tailored checkout experience to help drive increased conversion. It’s a powerful combination for a composable checkout to plug into any tech stack.
What it means for ecommerce: The partnership highlights several key trends playing out in the market today:
Headless commerce: In a past generation, retailers built monolithic ecommerce systems with a host of interconnected parts. The cloud and API-driven architecture is ushering in a new paradigm where brands and retailers can separate out different components, and select what best fits their needs. The market is moving toward this, especially in the enterprise segment that long required custom-built systems for scale and category needs. The entrance of PayPal signals that longtime ecommerce platforms are building for this shift. Meanwhile, Bold Commerce itself has 9,000 brands and retailers on its platform, including Vera Bradley, Staples Canada, Pepsi, and Mars. This follows a move by Shopify to launch composable product suite Commerce Components with a focus on checkout earlier in January.
Checkout anywhere: Content brought commerce to platforms beyond ecommerce stores, enabling ads on social platforms and brand placement in posts. More recently, more of that content has become shoppable, allowing users to browse and start a purchase right within a piece of media. A solution like the Bold Commerce and PayPal integration takes another step, embedding the ability to finish a purchase by checking out right inside that content. It shows how ecommerce is becoming more embedded in the experience of the internet, as opposed to existing on specific stores and marketplaces.Fighting cart abandonment: The ability to check out through media is enticing to ecommerce leaders because they want to reduce the touchpoints and time between a person showing interest in an item and completing a sale. Bold Commerce found over half (53%) of consumers abandon checkout before making a buy. This is a long-standing issue, but signals that perhaps there is another technical step being taken. It’s one thing to make checkout easier; It’s another to bring it directly to the point of discovery.
Trending in Operations
Campbell Soup Company CEO Mark Clouse offered thoughts on messaging amid inflationary shifts in consumer behavior.
After months of elevated inflation and interest rate hikes that have the potential to cool demand, consumers are showing more signs of shifting behavior.
It’s showing up in retail sales data, but there’s also evidence in the observations of the brands responsible for grocery store staples.
The latest example came this week from Campbell Soup Company. CEO Mark Clouse told analysts that the consumer continues to be “resilient” despite continued price increases on food, but found that “consumers are beginning to feel that pressure” as time goes on.
This shows up in the categories they are buying. Overall, Clouse said Campbell sees a shift toward shelf-stable items, and away from more expensive prepared foods.
There is also change in when they make purchases. People are buying more at the beginning of the month. That’s because they are stretching paychecks as long as possible.
These shifts change how the company is communicating with consumers.
Clouse said the changes in behavior are an opportunity to “focus on value within our messaging without necessarily having to chase pricing all the way down.”
“No question that it's important that we protect affordability and that we make that relevant in the categories that we're in," Clouse said. "But I also think there's a lot of ways to frame value in different ways, right?”
A meal cooked with condensed soup may be cheaper than picking up a frozen item or ordering out. Consumers just need a reminder. Even within Campbell’s own portfolio, the company can elevate brands that have more value now, even if they may not always get the limelight.
The open question is whether the shift in behavior will begin to show up in the results of the companies that have raised prices. Campbell’s overall net sales grew 5% for the quarter ended April 30, while gross profit margins held steady around 30%. But the category-level results were more uneven. U.S. soup sales declined 11%, though the company said that was owed to comparisons with the quarter when supply chains reopened a year ago and expressed confidence that the category is seeing a longer-term resurgence as more people cook at home following the pandemic. Snacks, which includes Goldfish and Pepperidge Farm, were up 12% And while net sales increased overall, the amount of products people are buying is declining. Volumes were down 7%.
These are trends happening across the grocery store. Campbell is continuing to compete. It is leading with iconic brands, and a host of different ways to consume them. It is following that up with innovation that makes the products stand out. Then, it is driving home messaging that shows consumers how to fit the products into their lives, and even their tightening spending plans.
Campbell Soup is more than 150 years old, and has seen plenty of difficult economic environments. It is also a different business today, and will continue to evolve. At the end of the day, continued execution is what’s required.
“If it's good food, people are going to buy it, especially if it's a great value,” Clouse said.


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07-23-2013 Category News Published in CSP Daily News
Menthol Cigarettes Bigger Health Risk Than Nonmenthol, FDA Says; Releases preliminary research findings with advance notice of proposed rulemaking
07-23-2013 Industry News & Analysis Published in CSP Daily News
Implementing solution in its California stores this summer
07-22-2013 Industry News & Analysis Published in CSP Daily News
There was some jostling in the list of CSPedia's top 25 convenience store chains, much of it based on so-called "smart growth."
A Georgia attorney's bid to take depositions from Pilot Flying J's top executives is "entirely premature and improper," according to a motion.
'Menuing Craveability'--Technomic shows relationship between what customers want, loyalty
07-19-2013 Industry News & Analysis Published in CSP Daily News
New York City Financial District c-store features order kiosks, Wi-Fi, TV, Amazon Locker
Mountville, Pa., location is chain's largest store to date (slideshow)
Leaders in POS Charity Collections; Top four convenience store campaigns raised more than $11 million in 2012
Cloud-based UltiPro solution addresses HR, payroll issues, more
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Welcome to the Cannabis Legality guide website!
With this website, we are trying to bring all the information about cannabis legality to users in one place. We are trying to cover the laws and acceptance of this substance in all countries of the world and their residents. The idea behind this website is to change the mindset and acceptance of Cannabis/Weed in the mainstream audience, while keeping track of the movement of Cannabis legalization that is currently undergoing all around the world.
People are finally starting to accept the Cannabis plant as a medicine and a way to expand your mind. It is no longer looked down upon by mainstream media and people, but instead the real benefits of the plant are being researched and used by millions worldwide to help ease all kinds of health problems and anxieties.
The site is also useful for recreational and medical users of Marihuana while traveling, so they can get an idea of the laws associated with this plant in countries and states they are travelling to.
We are always trying to improve our website with information and add as much relevant, useful and up-to-date content as possible.
Browse the list of countries and states below to find out laws in your country and its neighbors!
Countries and States
Forbes - 1 day ago
Despite its medical marijuana program restrictions, some of the countries largest cannabis multi-state operators (MSOs) have originated from Chicago. Now the...
CNBC - 18 hours ago
The California Senate on Tuesday approved legislation to create state-chartered cannabis banks to help the industry get around restrictions on access to...
The Journal News | LoHud.com - 2 days ago
NY's marijuana legalization debate renewed as federal authorities appear poised to crackdown on hemp, cannabis-based drugs sold...
Global News - 16 hours ago
One customer says losing the city's only medical dispensary will have a big impact on his...
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Cannabis is creating thousands of high-paying jobs, making it a job-growth market to be reckoned...
News via Google. See more news like this


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After finding that their proposed spectrum frequency disrupts GPS receivers, LightSquared has gone on the record saying that GPS manufacturers and current users should buy filters for their devices.
“Fixing this problem through the deployment of better filters in GPS devices will add some costs to the GPS industry, but those costs would only be a fraction of the $120 billion in benefits that would be created by LightSquared’s deployment of its LTE network,” the news release said. It says filters would add only 30 cents to the cost of a new GPS device but acknowledges that retrofitting would be substantially more costly.”
You can read the entire AVweb article here.
You can read a previous post regarding this issue here.
My sense is that this isn’t going to end well for the folks at LightSquared.


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On January 28-29, 2021, The North American Bitcoin Convention (TNABC) is making ready to kick off its eighth exhibition with one other cryptocurrency and blockchain-focused occasion. The occasion organizers have lined up extra audio system than ever, as this 12 months’s TNABC goes to be 100% digital because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. TNABC’s creators say that this 12 months has really proven us all “how resilient a world crypto economic system could be.”
The North American Bitcoin Conference is coming again full throttle this 12 months, as organizers say the crew has curated a line-up of a few of the greatest names within the crypto and blockchain trade. This 12 months’s TNABC would be the occasion’s eighth annual convention, however the Covid-19 pandemic has made it so 2021’s TNABC can be hosted on-line. The hardships have been tough this 12 months, however there’s nonetheless an excellent must press on with a view to unfold the advantages of those extraordinary applied sciences far and extensive.
“With cryptocurrencies reaching all-time highs, it’s our duty to share data and make sense of the ever-changing international panorama,” the 2021 TNABC website notes. Over the past seven years, The North American Bitcoin Convention has hosted a variety of audio system from crypto firm executives, enterprise capitalists, blockchain builders, and the movers and shakers making issues occur within the blockchain area.
2021’s TNABC occasion web page particulars that the crew of organizers lined up a myriad of massive title audio system from around the globe to “ship a compact masterclass on the state of cryptocurrency.”
Well-known crypto and blockchain evangelists talking at this 12 months’s TNABC embrace Bitcoin.com’s founder Roger Ver, IOHK founder Charles Hoskinson, Monero core developer Riccardo Spagni, Polymath CEO Trevor Koverko, OB1 CEO Brian Hoffman, blockchain entrepreneur Brock Pierce, Freeross.org founder and political activist Lyn Ulbricht, Edge founder and CEO Paul Puey, Binary Monetary’s Harry Yeh, Bloq chairman and cofounder Matthew Roszak, and Bitwage founder and CEO Jonathan Chester.
This week, TNABC host and Keynote founder and CEO, Moe Levin, mentioned the upcoming digital convention with information.Bitcoin.com. “The truth that we’re all capable of be part of this occasion, many at brief discover, from all around the globe, most if not all of our plans made out of our telephones, exhibits me how quickly our world has modified lately and what an essential position know-how now performs in our lives,” Levin mentioned. “It additionally exhibits me how prepared the world is for a brand new know-how that’s as worldwide and as cellular and as straightforward as the remainder of the know-how in our lives.”
The TNABC host and Keynote founder added:
It exhibits me that it’s time to maneuver ahead with blockchain and cryptocurrencies and provides the world a know-how befitting of our present age. And because of the good reception we’re seeing on-line, it exhibits me that others really feel the identical method.
TNABC organizers additionally detailed that although members can’t have a drink collectively in Miami, the occasion will nonetheless host on-line networking. Along with keynote speakers, the convention may also give attention to debates between international change-makers, thought leaders, and trade insiders.
Information.Bitcoin.com readers can acquire tickets to TNABC 2021 here and after buying a cross, members will get a singular be part of code and hyperlink to register on the occasion platform on January 25-26, 2021. TNABC organizers have additionally created a complete information and what to anticipate at this 12 months’s convention.
What do you consider the 2021 TNABC occasion? Tell us what you consider this topic within the feedback part under.
Picture Credit: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons, Keynote, TNABC 2021,
Disclaimer: This text is for informational functions solely. It’s not a direct provide or solicitation of a suggestion to purchase or promote, or a advice or endorsement of any merchandise, providers, or firms. Bitcoin.com doesn’t present funding, tax, authorized, or accounting recommendation. Neither the corporate nor the writer is accountable, straight or not directly, for any injury or loss prompted or alleged to be brought on by or in reference to using or reliance on any content material, items or providers talked about on this article.


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22 Nov 2018 Five things to know about why we need a ban on energy drinks to children
Yesterday we submitted our response to the Department of Health And Social Care’s consultation to end the sale of energy drinks to children in England.
The consultation was launched back in August, and after 12 long weeks of collecting views on a wide range of stakeholders about the support and best possible ways to implement a sales restriction on energy drinks to children (including whether the age restriction should be set at age 16 or 18) – yesterday, it officially closed.
Food Active fully support a ban on the sales of high-caffeine energy drinks to children. We have been campaigning to highlight the health harms of sugar-sweetened beverages since 2015 through our GULP (Give Up Loving Pop) programme. We have supported several campaigns calling for more awareness of the dangers of energy drinks including HYPER and #NotForChildren and yesterday we submitted our response in support of legislation to restrict access to children and young people, along with a number of signatories from the Food Active network.
But why are there such concerns about energy drinks? Is there any evidence that they are harmful to children and young people? In light of the consultation coming to a close, we discuss the most important reasons why we are supporting an end to the sale of energy drinks to children.
5 things you need to know about why we need to ban energy drinks to children:
1. Fuelling excess sugar intake: Consumption of sugary drinks (including energy drinks) by children and young people is a public health concern due to the implications associated with excessive sugar intake, which include dental erosion, weight gain and the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes . Just today it was reported by Diabetes UK that 7,000 under 25’s in England and Wales have type 2 diabetes – ten times the figure previously reported. Research shows teenagers in the UK consume more energy drinks than any other European country . One 500ml can of Monster Origin contains a staggering 55g of free sugars – exceeding the daily recommended intake of free sugars for children aged over 11 and adults of 30g daily by almost 50%, in just one serving. This contributes to an even greater proportion of children under the age of 11’s free sugar intake, with 4-7-year olds recommended to consume a maximum of 19g and 7-10-year olds a maximum of 24g. All of these implications on health associated with excess sugar intake, including through consumption of energy drinks, are posing an entirely preventable and unsustainable burden on our already fragile NHS.
2. Health implications of high caffeine intake: There are currently no UK guidelines on caffeine consumption for children and young people, however existing evidence suggests 2.5mg/kg body mass per day is a safe amount of caffeine for children and adolescents . To put this into context, a 16-year-old girl, weighing roughly 57 kg, would be safe to consume around 142 mg daily. A 500ml can of Monster Origin contains 160mg of caffeine in one serving, regardless of caffeine contained within other sources of food and drink a 16-year-old may consume including tea and chocolate. To put into context, this would be the equivalent of drinking two shots of espresso coffee . Research shows that high caffeine intake in particularly children and young people can cause immediate health problems associated with consumption include headaches, irritation, stomach aches and sleeping problems .
3. Additional ‘health halo’ ingredients: Energy drinks often add a wide range of additional ingredients that are marketed for their benefits to health and stimulant properties, such as Taurine. Whilst the evidence is limited in relation to impact on health, countries such as France, Denmark, Norway and Uruguay have banned energy drinks over concerns regarding the ingredient taurine.
4. Impacts on school life and behaivour: A number of the small group of parents and teachers we spoke to consistently raised concerns about the impact consumption of energy drinks have on children and young people in the school environment. One teacher said: “It makes them (pupils) too hyper and a nightmare to teach, this in turn effects their educational development” . Another larger study by the Children’s Food Campaign found that 97% of the 768 teachers they spoke to backed proposed restrictions on sales of high caffeine energy drinks to children and the largest the teachers union in the UK NASWUT has also raised concerns about the impact energy drinks have on pupils in the school environment.
5. Voluntary supermarket bans are not working: In 2018, many supermarkets introduced a voluntary ban on the sale of energy drinks to under 16’s, including Tesco, Aldi and Asda. This was a positive move by retailers who should be commended for taking action in their own outlets to restrict the availability to energy drinks to minors. However, this move was not seen across the board of retailers, so outlets such as larger and independent corner shops and convenience stores are still allowing under 16s to purchase these drinks. Furthermore, a recent study found that the majority (54%) of underage “mystery shoppers” who were sent into outlets of the major supermarkets who had publicly committed to the ban were able to buy energy drinks unchallenged . This very timely and important piece of evidence demonstrates that voluntary measures are not an effective way of ensuring that minors cannot purchase energy drinks, indicating that mandatory legislation is the most suitable action.
These are just some of the many reasons why we support a sales restriction on energy drinks to children and we look forward in anticipation to the outcomes of the consultation process. To find out more and to read our official response to the consultation, follow the link below.Ending the sale of energy drinks to children: Food Active response
 Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. Carbohydrates and Health. London: TSO, 2015.
 Nomisma-Arete Consortium. External scientific report. Gathering consumption data on specific consumer groups of EDs. Parma, Italy: European Food Safety Authority, 2013.
 Wilkoff, D. Welsh, BT. Henderson, R. Brorby, GP. Britt, J. Myers, E. Goldberger, J. Lieberman, HR. O’Brien, C. Peck, J. Tenenbein, M. Weaver, C. Harvey, S. Urban, J. and Doepker, C. (2017). Systematic review of the potential adverse effects of caffeine consumption in healthy adults, pregnancy women, adolescents and children. Food Chemical Toxicology. 109, pp.585-648.
 Jamie Oliver (2018) Energy drinks are #NotForChildren [online] Available at: https://www.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/energy-drinks-are-not-for-children/ [Accessed: 7th November 2018]
 Huhtinen H, Lindfors P, Rimpelä A. Adolescents’ use of EDs and caffeine induced health complaints in Finland. European Journal of Public Health. 2013;23(suppl. 1):166.
 Telegraph (2018) Supermarkets selling energy drinks despite ban [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/20/supermarkets-selling-energy-drinks-children-despite-ban/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw [Accessed: 21st November 2018]


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MBTA to phase out acceptance of cash on board buses, trains, trolleys
The MBTA is in the process of phasing out onboard cash payments in the hopes that it will increase efficiency and be more convenient for its riders.
As part of its “Fare Transformation,” the MBTA will be expanding its network of retailers, in-station fare vending machines and new streetscape fare vending machines at bus stops, commuter rail, Green Line and Mattapan Line stations across the region. This will give riders more places to load cash onto CharlieCards than were previously available.
“For years, the MBTA has heard from our riders that we needed to update and modernize our fare system,” said Lynsey Heffernan, the MBTA’s deputy director of policy and strategic planning. “An important piece for us as an authority, however, was keeping in mind that we have many riders who currently pay cash on board. … This is an important segment of our ridership and we wanted to make sure that they still have the ability to utilize our system as we think about how to modernize.”
Once the new fare collection system is fully implemented by 2023, customers will no longer be able to use cash to pay on board buses, trains and trolleys; the goal is to convert the commuter rail to the same system by 2024. Riders will instead purchase their fares and passes online, via their smartphones, or at the various retailers and vending machines before boarding.
“We want to make it faster to pay and easier to pay,” Heffernan said, emphasizing that cash payments are merely being shifted off board MBTA vehicles. “What we are proposing … is a vastly expanded network of sales locations to ensure that there are significant places and abilities for cash users to pay for the MBTA.”
Interactive Map:Find out where all the proposed sales locations are
The fare transformation also allows for all doors of buses and trolleys to open instead of only allowing boarding to take place where fare boxes are located.
“We know that all-door boarding speeds up our buses pretty dramatically in the amount of it takes for people to get on the bus and get off the bus,” Heffernan said, noting that it also keeps riders from waiting in the rain while someone is trying to put cash into a fare box. “Ultimately, all-door boarding makes for a better system for our riders. It also makes our system more reliable if, at every stop we can move quicker and our buses and our Green Line trolleys can stay on their schedule.”
To learn more about the proposed changes, visit www.mbta.com/fares/fare-transformation.


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Insert Coin 2009 - UK Arcade Amusement Action
The first annual arcade public amusement expo - Insert Coin 2009 - is set to take place July 18th - 19th in Northampton, UK. With just under a month to go, a unique mix of exhibitors and presentations will be gathered in one place to celebrate all things amusement and gaming.
Since the announcement of Insert Coin 2009, the event has gained momentum to become the most important United Kingdom public coin-op gathering in over 10 years. The event is broken into three areas:
For the first time ever, major competition on 'Classic' as well as contemporary amusement machines will be brought together under one roof. Guinness World Records will be present to officially adjudicate record attempts alongside furious public competition
The Championship tournaments (titled the 'Insert Coin 2009 Championship') will be run throughout the 2-day event - with paid slots to compete with 'Street Fighter IV' and 'Tekken 6' some of the exclusive amusement machines to be fought over - places will be limited. Alongside this are more than 9 other tournaments ranging from mini-casual gatherings to open, and exhibition championships offering prizes, plus the bragging rights of having won at the inaugural Insert Coin event. In support of the championships there will be 'World Record Challenges' on both days, with Guinness World Records overseeing official score keeping, and coverage in the next Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.
Exhibition and Stands:
The event is all about gaming and with that in mind Insert Coin has gathered the cream of the amusement scene for players to try, and in some cases, buy the best in amusement action. All the major names on the amusement scene, classic collecting and spares suppliers are represented at the event with over 250 arcade machines to fill the entire floor of The Rodber Suite at Northampton Saints venue. The shows floor is split into stalls selling a huge range of arcade merchandising, alongside unique exhibition stands with the best games on display.
For the first time the general public, who can purchase their ticket online, will get a chance to see a huge array of arcade hardware & software in one place. For most, this will be their first opportunity to get to grips with some of the most exciting video gaming hardware in the UK. Insert Coin will also feature some exclusive games & hardware so far unavailable anywhere other than in Japan.
Along with the intense video game playing on the show floor, Insert Coin will be playing host to a number of special events linked to the world of gaming. This includes a Cosplay (costume-role-play performance art form) competition with the latest styles and fashions paraded.
Away from the show floor Insert Coin 2009 will also host an exclusive VIP event. This 'After Party' on the first night of the event will play host to over 60 special guests, with refreshments - the award ceremony for that days tournament winners, a questions & answer session on the amusement scene, all rounded off with a DJ session.
The Insert Coin 2009 event takes place at The Rodber Suite at Northampton Saints venue from the 18th to the 19th of July 2009.


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Feb 16, 2023
US Prosecutors Propose Stricter Bail Conditions for SBF, Banning Video Games
Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the crypto exchange FTX, may be facing a new set of restrictions on his electronic device usage if the United States prosecutors have their way. In a February 15th letter to United States District Judge Lewis Kaplan, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams asked the court to further expand restrictions surrounding Bankman-Fried’s electronic device usage, citing recent device usage as cause for concern.
The proposed restrictions would limit Bankman-Fried to using a single computer and cell phone, both of which would be monitored using a “pen register” — a device or process that essentially produces a list of phone numbers and internet addresses contacted from a specific source. Furthermore, Bankman-Fried would be prohibited from using cellphones, tablets, computers, or the internet, except for very limited uses such as reviewing pre-trial evidence, communicating with lawyers, and accessing emails.
These restrictions may be a major blow to Bankman-Fried, who is known to be an avid gamer, having reportedly played online video games such as League of Legends during fundraising rounds while at FTX. He also mentioned during an interview with New York Times on Nov. 13 that he likes to play games, as it helps him “unwind a bit” and clear his mind.
The restrictions come in addition to earlier restrictions which prohibited Bankman-Fried from using encrypted messaging apps after he was found to have contacted potential witnesses in his criminal case and a temporary ban from using VPNs on Feb. 14 after the Justice Department discovered he had used a VPN on two different occasions — in order to watch sports coverage.
The proposed restrictions have been met with mixed reactions from the crypto community. While some have expressed disgust at the initial conditions of Bankman-Fried’s bail, which required him to wear an ankle bracelet but afforded him full computer and internet access from his parents luxurious home in sunny California, others have seen the restrictions as a necessary measure to ensure the integrity of the case.
The proposed restrictions, if approved, would have a major impact on the web3 space. It would limit the ability of Bankman-Fried to promote and market NFTs, and could even impact the ability of other NFT marketing agencies to do the same. This could have a ripple effect on the promotion of NFTs on Twitter, as well as the ability of web3 agencies to sell NFTs.
It remains to be seen whether or not the proposed restrictions will be approved, but one thing is certain — the decision will have a major impact on the web3 space.Disclaimer: All investment or financial opinions expressed by MoonLanding Media are not recommendations and are intended for entertainment purposes only. Do your own research prior to making any kind of investment. This article has been generated based on trending topics, has not been fact checked and may contain incorrect information. Please verify all information before relying on it.


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Walmart is getting a jump on Black Friday by rolling out holiday shopping deals before Halloween.
In announcing its move, the retailer points out that there are fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas because of a quirk in the calendar. Black Friday falls on November 29, leaving 25 days before December 25.
“Saving our customers time is also paramount at this time of year, especially with fewer days to get ready for big family meals, parties and gift-giving,” said Steve Bratspies, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, Walmart U.S. “We’re making sure this season is the easiest yet for our customers with nine tech-enabled ways to shop for everyone on their list – when and how they want.”
Walmart will begin revealing its holiday shopping deals on October 25. Called the “early deals drop,” the promotion will be available online.
Walmart says October 25 is the earliest any major retailer has begun rolling out its discounts that are normally reserved for the days leading up to Black Friday. It promises deals on electronics, gaming, toys, home, and sporting goods.
In a preview, Walmart says consumers can expect to see savings on the BouncePro 7-foot My First Trampoline, the Faberware 3.2 quart digital oil-less fryer, and an array of TV sets.
At the same time, Walmart says it is introducing new technology to make shopping easier and simpler. Among the new features for the holiday season are:
Gift Finder: A new way to search for gifts on Walmart.com, with gift options for 40 different types of gift recipients. Customers provide information based on the recipient and their price range and are served up personalized recommendations so they can choose the best gift for anyone on their list, even the hardest to shop for.
Scannable Toy Catalog: Customers using iOS devices can use their phones to shop for the hottest toys of the season right from the pages of Walmart’s seasonal toy catalog.
Free NextDay Delivery: Customers can order from up to hundreds of thousands of eligible items and have them delivered to their house the very next day without a membership fee.
Expanded Check Out With Me: This feature is now available in all Walmart Supercenters, allowing customers to avoid lines at the register and check out with an associate right where they are shopping, like in Santaland in the garden center, the electronics department or near the registers.
Competing with Target’s new association with Disney, resulting in Disney stores in 25 Target locations, Walmart is also putting new emphasis on in-store experiences. Over the next few weeks, Walmart says it will host themed events from some of this year’s popular movies, including Pokemon, Star Wars, and Frozen 2.


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The limit on how many press sheets collectors can purchase from the United States Postal Service has been lifted.
Linn’s learned of the change from a Postal Service source, though official confirmation was not received as of Feb. 13.
Customers previously could purchase no more than five of any specific press sheet. The limit was noted on the USPS website and in the USA Philatelic product catalog.
Linn’s noticed the change on the USPS website in early February.
Pictured here is the 21¢ Abraham Lincoln press sheet without die cuts that was placed on sale Feb. 12.
According to the USPS Postal Bulletin announcement for the new Lincoln stamp, 1,000 press sheets were produced of each version (with and without the die cuts that normally separate individual stamps).
The typical production quantity for recent press sheets has been 2,500 of each type.
For some, the quantity produced has been as few as 500, while for others, it has been as many as 3,000.
The Postal Service began selling a few of its new commemorative stamps as uncut press sheets in 1994.
blogEleanor Roosevelt said, “Great minds share ideas …,” and Linn’s is fortunate to have thoughtful leaders of the stamp hobby on its Editorial Advisory Board. Board members participated in a lively discussion of “The State of the Stamp Hobby” Aug. 21 at the American Philatelic Society Stampshow in Grand Rapids, Mich. Read More ›
August 19, 2015 01:58 PMIn an unusual development for our hobby, the Office of Inspector General of the United States Postal Service is blogging about stamp collecting. Read More ›
August 17, 2015 12:19 AMFrom 1967 to 2006, Royal Mail (Great Britain’s post office) advertised all new issues with posters displayed in post offices. Most of these posters had pictures of the stamps along with basic information such as the date of issue, instructions for first-day covers, etc. Some were a little more elaborate. Read More ›
August 14, 2015 09:46 AMWill the United States Postal Service issue a Christmas stamp this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the classic television musical special A Charlie Brown Christmas? Read More ›
Watch as Linn’s associate editor Michael Baadke discusses happenings at the recent APS Stampshow from the show floor.
Watch as Linn's/Scott editorial director Donna Houseman discusses the early release of the new U.S. Elvis stamp, the possibility of a Peanuts stamp and Linn's at the upcoming APS Stampshow.
Watch as Linn’s Stamp News managing editor Chad Snee discusses highlights of Robert A. Siegel Auction Rarities Week sales in late June, and reports that the 49¢ price for a first-class United States stamp will remain in effect until April.
Watch as Linn’s senior editor Denise McCarty discusses the hiring of a new executive director of the American Philatelic Society, the new Linn’s Editorial Advisory Board and the upcoming APS Stampshow.
It is always a treat to get to see stamp dealers’ own collections.
In the recently concluded Linn’s United States Stamp Popularity Poll, the Circus Posters set of eight stamps was chosen as the overall favorite issue of 2014.
Dispersal of the splendid Daniel B. Curtis collection continued March 25, with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries gaveling items from United States back-of-the-book and possessions.
The 175th anniversary of the first postage stamp, Great Britain's Penny Black, is May 6, but the stamp was placed on sale May 1, 1840, for mailers to use beginning on May 6, the designated issue date.


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US: Wine origin registers with US consumers
A majority of American wine consumers rank where a wine comes from higher than most other factors when making purchases. A survey for the US-based Center for Wine Origins shows that 57% of Americans believe that location is more important than brand, price, and store recommendations.
The survey is part of a three-year campaign partly financed by the European Union and Champagne, Porto and Sherry producers.
High-profile consumer education initiatives will demonstrate that names of wine growing regions are more than just places on a map, but rather locations where traditions, climate, and soil blend to produce unique wines. The campaign is directed at helping consumers not be misled by producers who want to use a region's name as their own.
After 20 years, the EU has finally agreed a wine trade treaty with the US but European producers fear that too much ground has been given, particularly with regard to the protection of places of origi...
In the third in a series of reports on major family-controlled companies in the wines and spirits arena, Ben Cooper and drinks industry analyst Canadean take a look at Fortune Brands, which owns the i...
The Center for Wine Origins has launched a new Website for US consumers....
Maxxium UK has added to its Highland Park range, launching a 30 year old single malt for the first time....
A brewer in Germany claims to have produced the world's strongest beer. ...
Drinks group Maxxium Canada is set to become the third largest spirits company in Canada, following the addition of four new brands resulting from the recent acquisition of some Allied Domecq brands b...
Europe's producers of Champagne, Port and Sherry have joined winemakers from Napa Valley, Oregon, and Washington State in signing a declaration of joint principles stating the importance of location t...
Leading US and European wine regions are to sign a declaration to protect and promote "location" within the wine industry, the Office Of Champagne in the US said yesterday (18 July)....
- Chile's winemakers caught out by Brexit "disease"
- What's coming up in beer in 2017? - Comment
- Interview - Pernod Ricard's luxury director
- The just-drinks Analyst - 2017 forecasts
- What's coming up in wine in 2017? - Comment
- Suntory sends staff to fat camp - report
- Pernod Ricard's Absolut Lime - NPD
- Former Stoli Group CEO joins Perfect Vodka owner
- Diageo Australia names new commercial head
- Diageo mulls United Spirits stake buy - report
- Global vodka insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global Cognac insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- The Next Seven Big Beverage Markets
- Global gin insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Darker Than Before: Global Prospects for Brown Spirits


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Asos has launched an edit of more than 3,000 clothing, shoes and accessories for women that are made using recycled or sustainable fibres. It follows the launch of Net-A-Porter’s Net Sustain and Boohoo's recycle range.
The North Face has teamed up with National Geographic in the fight to tackle plastic waste.The outdoors brand has launched a limited-edition addition to its ‘Bottle Source' collection with the organization.
The Lee and Wrangler Hometown Studio in Greensboro is set to house multiple men's and women's collections from each brand, and serve as a testing ground for new activations and strategies from both Lee and Wrangler.
VF's new HQ in London is a sustainable, experiential mega-investment that puts its in the heart of the buzzing London market and is the latest example of its commitment to being a "purpose-led" company.
The outerwear brand has announced the promotion of Ana Mihaljevic to chief commercial officer, a role in which she replaces Rick Wood, who will now serve as executive advisor on key strategic projects.


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The Thai government is currently under pressure from anti-alcohol groups in the country to ban all alcohol sales in the country during the Thai New Year Songkran holiday April 11 -15.
The groups are urging this ban in an attempt to reduce the number of holiday fatalities that are caused by drunk driving during the country’s biggest holiday. More than 30,000 people are killed or injured on Thailand’s roads during the annual Songkran festivities.
However, since the overwhelming percentage of people who die on the roads during this period are Thai teenagers driving motorcycles and overloaded pick up trucks racing along the highways while drunk, a reasonable question to ask may be, “How can banning alcohol sales to foreign tourists in hotels help to reduce the number of dead Thai teenagers all over Thailand?”
Indeed, it’s more than a reasonable question since a ban on alcohol sales would have almost no effect on the number of deaths. There are a number of quite obvious reasons.
Firstly, banning alcohol sales on these particular days would just cause people to buy alcohol prior to the banned period. They will, in other words, simply stock up before the ban.
Secondly, since many of the people dying are getting drunk on home-made whiskey and other forms of “moonshine,” how is banning sales of legal alcohol going to help?
Thirdly, how will this be enforced? Do the anti-alcohol groups think that storeowners across the country are going to voluntarily stop selling alcohol during one of their most lucrative periods? Are the police going to camp out at every store in the country that sells beer and Thai whiskey and make sure that no sales are made?
Are the owners of hotels supposed to empty their minibars during this period so that no guest could drink anything on these days? Who’s going to enforce that? Are the police going to spend all of their time running around to every bar and restaurant and karaoke parlor around the country looking for people drinking illegally? Will the police also be willing to stop drinking and smoking across the countries hotels, guest houses, bars and restaurants?
The ban could probably be enforced to a degree in Bangkok and other large population centers but the problem isn’t in these places. It’s upcountry. So where is the benefit going to come from by banning alcohol sales to tourists and other people that are at no risk whatsoever? The people behind this measure obviously don’t care about the real reasons behind alcohol abuse and the real way to combat it.
Education and parental involvement are what is needed to end the carnage, but that isn’t something that is popular. Banning sales is far more newsworthy and frankly easier than trying to resolve the real challenges.
As an example of some of the negative consequences that will occur if this ban is implemented, is that the tourism industry suffer yet another setback in its attempt to claw back from the nightmare of the Suvarnabhumi closing in November. The economy is bad enough and tourists are hard enough to come by already without placing additional burdens on the Tourism industry.
The government has delayed this measure while it seeks compromise solutions and they may just delay long enough so that it becomes too late to really do anything. There is also the matter of constitutionality which is being looked into. A ban might simply be illegal. What ever the reason they come up with the government must not accede to the wishes of a few fanatics whose commitment to solving problems consists of ideas that do more harm than good to society as a whole. For the good of everyone this ban must be stopped in its tracks and real efforts that have a chance of solving the basic problem should be initiated instead.


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Vet Varsity organizes National e-Webinar on Pre-Mid-Post Covid-19 Challenges of Dairy Farmers/ Entrepreneurs
The Department of Dairy Technology, College of Dairy Science & Technology, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana organized two days National Webinar on ‘Pre-Mid-Post Covid-19 Challenges of Dairy Farmers/ Entrepreneurs’ under RKVY Project entitled “Enhancing Profitability of Farmers through Value Addition and Entrepreneurship Development."
Dr. Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor, GADVASU congratulated the organizing committee members for selecting an important topic for the benefit of farmers in COVID 19 critical period.
Dr JPS Gill, Director of Research and Dr.S.K.Uppal, Dean, CODST emphasized the opportunities of value addition of milk and milk products for a steady and firm income source to the entrepreneurs during this lockdown period.
The webinar was in concurrent with the National e-Brainstorming session. Dr. S. Sivakumar, Head, DT and Organizing Secretary welcomed the participants and experts. The sessions were coordinated by Co-Organizing Secretary Dr. Sunil Kumar and Rapporteurs Dr. Rekha Chawla and Mr. Venus Bansal. 18 participants from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu attended this National webinar.
During the first day of National Webinar, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, from SGIDT, BASU, Patna delivered an interactive talk on ‘Employment opportunities and enhancing the farmers’ income through value addition of traditional and fermented dairy products.
Dr. Atanu Jana from SMC College of Dairy Science, AAU, Anand discussed the opportunities for value addition to ice cream & frozen desserts. The farmers and entrepreneurs were also made aware about the strategies to overcome recent challenges in dairy animal management by Dr. Sandeep Kaswan, GADVASU and about Women Empowerment strategies in dairying by Dr. K Poonusamy, Principal Scientist, Dairy Extension Division, ICAR-NDRI, Karnal. Two more interactive sessions on FSSAI registration/ licensing need for the dairy entrepreneurs by Mr. Venus Bansal and key points for establishment and management of mini dairy processing unit by Dr. S Sivakumar were also held. The entrepreneurs addressed various problems and were provided instant solutions by the expert panel during the forum. Dr. Sunil Kumar, Co-Organizing Secretary, extended the vote of thanks to Officers, participants, experts and the members of the project team for making this event a success.


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Africa travel on the fly is not an option for production crews shooting in Africa and preparation and planning is key
Team Namibia's first TV commercial, by Weathermen & Co., aims to encourage Namibian consumers to buy and support locals and make Namibian products and services part of their everyday life
Weathermen & Co 3 Feb 2016
The maker culture's on the rise. Different from the manufacturing process where replicas are churned out, it signals a return to the basics and designing and making with a strong sense of personalisation. Here's how elements are popping up in video
Leigh Andrews 15 Oct 2015
A brand manager's dream: Produce a TV advert showcasing the benefits of a product whilst bringing a tear to the consumer's eye and galvanising them to rush out to purchase it.
Dina Saffer-Myers 18 Mar 2014
Is Africa the Dark Continent when it comes to the advertising industry? On the contrary, says Alan Edgar, Regional Creative Director, Ogilvy Africa and one of regional judges for African and Middle Eastern categories at this year's Loeries. It's alive and vibrant, but in dire need of world-class tertiary training institutions to tap into that potential.
Staff Reporter 21 Sep 2013
The African Film Development Foundation, established in May 2012 in response to the need to promote ventures by Africans in the film industry and support stakeholders and organisations that make the films, seeks country representatives.
CNBC Africa, a CNBC International franchise owned by Africa Business News, has entered into a joint venture with Mozambique's state broadcaster, Televisão de Moçambique (TVM), and will open a bureau in Maputo. CNBC Africa's country bureau representative will be Sunnyboy Mshengu.
The Loerie Awards launched its 2011 campaign, Tuesday 15 March 2011, entitled "Don't hate. Create", created by Draftfcb and supported by a mobisite and specially developed augmented reality apps, linking digital technology to the printed media, along with a revamp of its award categories.
The 14th Time of the Writer international writers festival will be held from 14-19 March 2011, hosting 21 prominent writers from a dozen different countries in Durban, South Africa for a week of literary dialogue and exchange of ideas.
Jon Foster-Pedley, senior lecturer in strategy at the UCT Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB), has been appointed creativity and innovation advisor to the Namibia Business Innovation Centre Project, a new initiative combining a science park, technology park and business incubator.


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Thursday, April 22, 2010
Vitesse Rolls Out Green Ethernet Chips
Camarillo-based Vitesse Semiconductor announced today that it is rolling out a new line of Ethernet chips, which it says specifically include power saving features. The firm said its new line of EcoEthernet chips allow OEMS to implement power-saving features that exceed the IEEE's 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet standards, including features such as temperature monitoring, smart fan control, and adjustable LED brightness. The firm said that its Gigabit Ethernet ports dissipate well below 400mW, and less than 200mW when in Fast Ethernet speed. The new chips are based on a 65nm, CMOS process.


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FORTUNE -- "The world is watching how Samsung is treated by the United States in this 'smartphone war.' The administration has a significant interest in avoiding the perception of favoritism and protectionism toward U.S. companies."
That's what Samsung wrote the Obama administration's trade representative after the International Trade Commission ruled in August that two Apple (AAPL) patents had been infringed by a raft of older Samsung devices, including the Galaxy S 4G, Fascinate, Captivate, Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Tab 10.1.
The administration had just issued a presidential veto of a controversial ITC ban on the iPhone 4, and Samsung expected no less.
The issues in the two cases, however, were very different.
The Samsung patents covered industry standards that the company had pledged to license under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The Apple patents were not industry standards, and the company had not offered -- nor was it required -- to license them.
Nonetheless, Samsung was demanding the same treatment Apple got. The world, it warned, would judge the Obama administration harshly if it showed favoritism toward a U.S. company.
The Obama administration ignored Samsung's warning.
"After carefully weighing policy considerations, including the impact on consumers and competition, advice from agencies, and information from interested parties," wrote Trade Representative Michael Froman in a statement issued Tuesday, "I have decided to allow the Commission's determination in Certain Electronic Digital Media Devices and Components Thereof, Investigation No. 337-TA-796, to become final."
The devices covered by the ban are pretty long in the tooth and not big sellers for Samsung.
The Obama Administration vetoes an import ban that never made much sense.
FORTUNE -- It was hailed by the Wall Street Journal as a "huge legal victory" for Samsung and blasted by pretty much anyone with a stake in the equitable application of U.S. patent law, from Microsoft (MSFT) to a bipartisan group of U.S. senators.
But at the last minute -- on the final day of a 60-day review period -- the Obama Administration MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Aug 3, 2013 4:59 PM ET
The 60-day review period on the ITC's bizarre import ban runs out on Friday.
FORTUNE -- Unless the White House intervenes, five older Apple (AAPL) devices -- including a version of the iPhone 4 that was one of the company's biggest money makers last quarter -- will be seized at the U.S. border starting Monday.
The import ban stems from a June 4 ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission that has MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Aug 1, 2013 9:29 AM ET
I'll bet $82.6 billion the call had something to do with Apple's overseas cash holdings
FORTUNE -- One of the business leaders President Obama called last weekend before he began his Southeast Asia visit was Apple (AAPL) CEO Tim Cook.
The President met with a dozen CEOs last week to talk about the so-called fiscal cliff, and he reached out to four more over the weekend, including Cook.
The White House did not MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Nov 20, 2012 7:40 AM ET
The CEO of solar developer Recurrent Energy argues there are three things the president can do to unlock a new wave of job growth.
By Arno Harris
FORTUNE -- The White House announced that President Obama will address the nation on jobs after Labor Day. I have a suggestion for where the President could find part of the answer: by setting loose the 30-gigawatt (GW) buildup of U.S. solar projects bogged down MOREAug 24, 2011 7:52 AM ET
The President may carry a BlackBerry on his belt, but he does his demos on a Mac
Here's a nifty piece of product placement for Apple (AAPL): Barack Obama doing a demonstration of healthcare.gov on a MacBook Pro with the Presidential Seal where the glowing Apple logo used to be.
The video, released Wednesday at WebMD, is pasted below the fold.
There were reports when Obama first took office that his campaign staff, MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jul 29, 2010 4:54 AM ET
|Delinquent IRS employees paid bonuses by the agency|
|Students cry foul over athletes unionizing|
|Is capitalism driving itself out of business?|
|Sandy Hook victim's grandfather launches smart gun campaign|
|Premarkets: Waiting for big tech earnings|


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Household consumption of goods in France edged down by 0.4 percent month-over-month earlier in October 2021, following a revised 0.2 percent gain in September and came below market expectations of a flat reading. The latest reading mostly reflects a sharp fall in consumption of manufactured goods (-1.8 percent vs -1.9 percent in September), as durable goods consumption contracted (-2.7 percent vs 1.6 percent) due to a double-whammy of fewer car and housing equipment purchases. Still, losses were limited by the recoveries of food (0.7 percent vs 1-.5 percent) and energy consumptions (1.0 percent vs -0.3 percent). source: INSEE, France
Personal Spending in France averaged 0.14 percent from 1980 until 2021, reaching an all time high of 35.20 percent in May of 2020 and a record low of -18.90 percent in April of 2020. This page provides - France Household Consumption- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. France Household Consumption MoM - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on December of 2021.
Personal Spending in France is expected to be 0.60 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the France Household Consumption MoM is projected to trend around 0.70 percent in 2022 and 0.50 percent in 2023, according to our econometric models.


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The National Football League's NFL Now app is still scheduled to launch this summer, but it seems the app's full list of platforms may have not been revealed yet.
NFL Now will deliver users original content, game highlights, extensive archive video, and live events. It's being touted as the football fan's ultimate tool.
Too many coaches in the kitchen
When the football league revealed its NFL Now plans in January Microsoft helped out with an announcement published on the Xbox Wire blog.
It's interesting that Microsoft essentially claimed partial ownership over the NFL Now experience in that blog post, considering how many other platforms have been announced in the interim - or may yet emerge from the woodwork, in the case of Apple TV.
The post was titled "Microsoft Partners with the NFL to Create NFL Now," for crying out loud, and only Microsoft platforms including the Xbox One and Surface tablets were mentioned in this initial announcement.
The app currently has no concrete release date, but the source of this current rumor said that NFL Now might debut as soon as this week.


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"Amazon Tax" Law of Colorado Upheld by US Supreme Court
The Amazon tax law which went to the Supreme Court has been ruled on by the Supreme Court recently, as reported by krdo.com.
According to Colorado tax lawyers and there is no one better in this field than Semler & Associates, P.C. who know how to deal with the IRS with acumen, the Supreme Court has decided to uphold the Amazon tax law which means that Colorado residents will in fact have to pay a certain tax when the shop online and make purchases from outside of Colorado.
This is another reason not to vote Democrat. They taxes just keep piling on. Any why? To fund massive social programs and to pay people to vote for them. They want people dependent on the system and not strong and vibrant. Why do you think public schools are so pathetic in America for the most part? They do not want people to succeed according to critics and the results.
Moreover, many individuals who shop online and depend on online prices are obviously let down by the decision and are frustrated about the change.
One such shopper, namely, Christina Vigeant, said that she loved to shop online because of the fact that she did not have to pay any sales tax. However, after the US Supreme Court ruling she said that she will most likely not shop online anymore and will go to actual land based stores instead unless there is an online deal offering a substantially better discount, price, or deal.
Well, now you are paying for the gas used there and the risk of getting into an accident. That is not good!
Proponents: Amazon tax law revenue will facilitate other state projects
Colorado tax attorneys explain that liberal politicians have been in support of the Amazon Tax law from the get go because of the fact that it will bring in substantial revenue in the form of taxes and they can use this money to help funded some of the many needed projects that the state has been waiting to get the ball rolling on such as handing out more food stamps and so on to keep people voting for them as already stated.
As per court documents, supposedly, as much as $170 million US dollars were not collected in 2012 due to failure of the government to collect tax money from online out of state purchases. But so what? This money helped create jobs in other states. If Colorado wanted those jobs in their state they would lower taxes to entice businesses to come to their state.
The Democrats who run Colorado just do not get it. There will be fewer sales now, the $170 million figure will be as high as it goes. Well, with the Trump economy taking off soon, that $170 million number may get obliterated.
Not everyone is a fan of the Amazon tax law
However, some politicians are not in favor of the tax. One such man is US Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-CO 5th District) who is of the opinion that the last thing the state needs is another tax. Some others also agree with this and have said that there are other more effective ways to raise funds which can be used to fuel needed state projects which do not involve forcing state residents to pay taxes for things which they’ve never had to pay taxes on in the past.
Lamborn also believes that in the case of an online transaction where the vendor or seller of the service or good is based in one state and the buyer is based in a different state (or in Colorado for arguments sake), there is no real agreed upon regulations or clarity as to which state laws will apply on this interstate online transaction.
Other opponents believe that the constitution does not in any way or form allow for a particular state to regulate interstate transactions, but rather can only amend and control intrastate transactions. They are of the opinion that this ruling by the US Supreme Court is a blatant disregard of the US Constitution.
USAttorneys.com is where you need to head to…you are not taxed at all to use this site!
If you need help with your taxes such as back taxes & IRS debt, IRS tax litigation, liens and levies, or if you have been caught up in a tax fraud then you will most certainly benefit from consulting a Denver, Colorado tax lawyer and the best in the business is Semler & Associates, P.C. and their track record exemplifies this. No one gets the job done like they do!
Semler & Associates, P.C. will be able to help you address any tax issues and develop effective tax strategies to help you escape this mess or at least put you in a better position than you are in now.
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- Do I Need a Business Law Attorney to Set up a Non-Profit Corporation in St. Augustine Florida Due to Special 501(c)(3) Tax Requirements? - May 13, 2019


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Top tech tricks police are using to nab the bad guys
Live-streaming, cloud storage and virtual reality don’t always make you think of the police, but when they do, they’re pretty awesome. Check out these ways the police are using cool new tech to make their jobs a little easier.
This might seem a little sci-fi, but virtual reality has found a home as a training tool for police officers. Tempe-based VirTra Systems is using round enclosures of screens with surround sound to help train them on when to use force. Check out the video to see it in action!
Wearable cameras are one of the biggest things in police tech right now. Studies have shown that the use of body cams reduces violence in police interactions across the board. Not only did officers use force less often, departments experienced a drastic reduction in complaints from residents.
Body cams are catching on in Arizona. Mesa, Gilbert and Peoria police departments have already jumped on board, with more to follow.
Live streaming goes along with body cams on the cutting edge of police technology. Software instantly streams video of police encounters to a central database for instant review. Other officers can respond with advice or instructions and all the video is instantly organized.
If that doesn’t sound futuristic enough, local company Iveda Solutions’ goal is to add streaming to existing cameras to reduce costs and push the tech as far as possible.
License Plate Readers
These scanners react to a special reflective material in license plates and then match them against a “hot list” of stolen vehicles or suspects. But what should make the bad guys shake in their boots is that police are scanning thousands of license plates. Officers can even piece together different scans of the same plate across the city to pinpoint the locations of criminals.
Non Lethal Weapons
We’ve all heard of TASER, but other companies are making forays into the market. Take Scottsdale-based Durendal. They’ve created the DISTRACT-BALL, which uses high-powered LEDs and intense sound to distract and confuse enemies. The device can both illuminate and clear rooms. It’s like a mini sonic scream.
With 3D scanning, police can create a digital model of a scene as it appears in real life. Officers in Yuma have been using FARO scanners, which use a system of mirrors and lasers, to recreate traffic accidents. The scans can be walked through, Google Street-View style, and capture some pretty insane detail.
Digital Evidence Systems
Evidence management is headed to the cloud as police find new ways to handle all of that data. Digital evidence systems, like TASER’s EVIDENCE.com, try to streamline that process and make video, photo and written evidence easier to sort and understand. There are even apps that police can use to manage evidence from their smartphones! Wild.
Today, everything is personalized. From your Netflix queue, to your Amazon shopping suggestions, to your . . . 911 calls? Tempe 911 centers are letting residents create a Safety Profile that stores phone numbers, addresses and photos of household members to help responders act quickly on emergency calls. Think of it like a social media page that you hopefully never need to use.
What do you think is the coolest new thing police are using to fight crime? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
Graphics courtesy of Taser, FARO & VirTra


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Bentley plans to revive the Mulsanne model by the end of the decade, albeit replacing the 6.75-litre turbo V8 with something more akin to today’s times.
By that, we mean electricity.
The Mulsanne, which ended production in 2020, will be resurrected in the next few years as part of Bentley’s five in five plan.
The idea is Bentley will launch five all-electric models in five years, starting in 2025.
In fact, Autocar UK says the Mulsanne will likely be the first EV Bentley launches under the project.
Don’t expect an electrified redo of the old Mulsanne. It’s most likely going to be a two-door, sporty coupe rather than the four-door saloon it once was.
Apparently, four-door saloons aren’t selling as well as they once did.
But if Bentley can pull something out of the bag that looks similar to their limited edition Bacalar, we are all for it.
On top of that, the model will sit much higher than before to accommodate the underfloor batteries.
Bentley’s initial EV platform will be based on Audi’s existing hardware. The two marques are united under the Volkswagon banner, so it’s no surprise. Plus, Audi is already heavily invested in high-performance EV platforms.
Size doesn’t matter in this instance. Despite the Mulsanne being a big car, Bentley is confident battery technology has reached a point where you can build as big of a car as you would like.
Bentley is expected to preview early concepts of their EV Mulsanne later this year.


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Anecdotally, the idea that omni-channel means greater customer satisfaction and a greater chance at return business has been around for a while, and is generally accepted as accurate. Now, the value of omni-channel engagement got just a little more concrete thanks to a study from Forrester (News - Alert) Consulting, which found that omni-channel engagement can mean very big returns.
The Forrester Total Economic Impact study examined the impact of deploying of a Customer Experience Platform as issued by large companies. The results were astonishing; customers reported a return on investment (ROI) of 158 percent over five years. That's good by any standard, but further improvements not directly connected to ROI, like better agent productivity and increased conversions from e-commerce activities.
Indeed, many of the respondents saw complete ROI in a little under 13 months, showing the kind of impact that such a system can have even in the short term. As noted by Genesys (News - Alert)' chief marketing officer Reed Henry, omni-channel engagement centers can mean reduced operations costs, along with better revenue and even better employee outlook. Customers abandon purchases 50 percent less often, and adding new contact center agents to the roster actually requires 50 percent less cost. Agent handle time even increases by 12.5 percent. This led to the ultimate distillation of the study stated as “The only way to win, serve and retain customers is to become customer-obsessed.” Considering how much customers know about product and pricing these days, this isn't much of an exaggeration.
We've all known that customers want more than just a phone line for access. While most customers turn to a phone line for connecting with a brand, customers would like to expand that outward. There's no shortage of options, either, from social media to Web-based chat to even self-service options that prevent the customer even having to make contact with a contact center in the first place. Providing these options accommodates a customer desire and improves the likelihood of a customer returning. This might not be enough evidence to commit resources to, but an average 153 percent ROI in five years? That's a different matter entirely.
Having a presence in omni-channel engagement is likely enough to generate at least some return, and those businesses that don't—or won't—offer such systems are likely to lose business to those who can and will. Omni-channel engagement may not save modern retail, but it has great potential to help.


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Case Study: NEPO Business Club results in success for Gateshead SME
In this case study Tony Cartledge, Company Director at HT Media explains how his participation in NEPO's supplier development programme delivered positive results for his Gateshead-based SME.
Established in 2002, HT Media are a video producer and animation house based in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear with five employees plus freelancers. The SME has a track record of creating high quality corporate videos across a range of sectors and work with clients such as NHS Improvement, NHS Blood and Transplant and The Coal Authority.
Whilst in the process of writing a bid, HT Media were keen to seek out an expert opinion, with the aim of competing for opportunities more effectively and improving overall standards on forthcoming bids.
As a registered user of the NEPO Portal, the e-tendering system used by NEPO and the twelve North East local authorities, HT Media received details of the NEPO Business Club programme of support for organisations interested in doing business with the public sector. They booked on to a free of charge Procurement Surgery where they received tailored 1:1 support from Garry Stone from B2B: North. Garry offered practical advice on the tendering process, and a valuable perspective on what that buying organisation was looking for.
The learning and development acquired through attending this event resulted in HT Media winning the contract and achieving top marks in each section. The company were delighted with the outcome, and said:
"I would highly recommend the NEPO Business Club events to local SMEs. The session gave us unmatched advice which put us in the best position to achieve tender success.
"In addition to receiving practical tips, we also learnt the importance of selling our ability to carry out the work confidently, whilst being mindful of the client’s needs. We now feel well equipped to tackle future competitive opportunities from the public sector and beyond.”
Latest News from
Summary of COVID-19 Business Support Measures – Update27/05/2020 15:15:15
The summary of support measures available to businesses in relation to COVID-19 has been updated to reflect new guidance.
NEPO Business Club: Wednesday Webinars (May/June)11/05/2020 16:38:00
The NEPO Business Club has moved online to support North East businesses planning for the recovery phase of COVID-19.
COVID-19: Cabinet Office launches Bounce Back Loan scheme05/05/2020 11:15:00
The Cabinet Office has launched a Bounce Back Loan scheme to help small and medium-sized businesses affected by coronavirus.
NEPO and TPPL extend partnership for a further five years04/05/2020 16:48:00
NEPO and The Procurement Partnership Ltd (TPPL) have extended their successful partnership for a further five years, until 2025.
LGA and CIPFA publish fraud guidance28/04/2020 09:15:00
The Local Government Association (LGA) and the CIPFA Counter Fraud Centre have published useful guidance to mitigate the risk of fraud, bribery and corruption within the local government supply chain.
COVID-19: Cabinet Office launches new 'support finder' tool23/04/2020 09:15:00
The Cabinet Office has launched a new ‘support finder’ tool which aims to help businesses and self-employed people identify various financial support available to them during the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19: PPN 03/20 – Use of Procurement Cards15/04/2020 09:15:00
Cabinet Office has issued guidance on the use of procurement cards as a means of accelerating payments to suppliers to support and improve cashflow.
Summary of COVID-19 Business Support Measures14/04/2020 15:15:15
NEPO has summarised the range of support available to businesses in relation to COVID-19.


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In advance of the Lendit conference in NYC next week, two deals put Prosper and SoFi on firmer footing after a rough patch for broader industry. One fund manager did note that companies like Avant and Prosper will still need to grow into their valuations before they can raise new capital.
Two deals put Prosper Marketplace and Social Finance on firmer footing after a rough patch for industry The sun peeked from behind the clouds in the online lending sector as two significant deals finally cleared in February. Personal-loans specialist Prosper Marketplace Inc. reached a deal that has been in the works for months for investment firms to buy up to $5 billion of its loans. This is


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MoxiWorks has acquired Imprev, according to an announcement by the companies—both industry leaders in marketing and technology—on Tuesday.
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition follows MoxiWorks’ recent addition of Vector Capital as a significant financial investor.
Imprev’s marketing service fully automates the creation of digital, social media and print property marketing materials throughout the lifecycle of a brokerage’s listings, ensuring optimum marketing practices and brand consistency across the brokerage. Imprev and MoxiWorks already share a deep integration and will now operate as one entity.
York Baur, CEO of MoxiWorks, says, “This unique partnership is highly strategic and benefits Imprev and MoxiWorks’ employees, and most importantly, our collective customers. It is in the truest sense a win-win for everyone.”
This acquisition furthers MoxiWorks’ mission to become the premier open platform for the entire real estate industry. Customers of both companies should expect to enjoy all current services without disruption.
“Imprev has always put brokers and agents first. Our focus on customers has been the key to Imprev’s success and was an absolute requirement when selecting the team to take Imprev into the future. In MoxiWorks we found the same entrepreneurial and customer-centric DNA as Imprev and we look forward to seeing our technology continue to scale with the full support of MoxiWorks and Vector Capital,” says Renwick Congdon, founder and CEO of Imprev.
Robert Amen, managing director of Vector Capital, says, “We are pleased to support MoxiWorks’ acquisition of Imprev as it continues its relentless focus on its customers, client satisfaction and deep, cross-industry relationships. Imprev enhances MoxiWorks’ technology and product offering and furthers the company’s ongoing mission to make real estate technology more automated.”
Adding Imprev’s marketing automation to MoxiWorks’ sphere-based CRM, MoxiEngage, leading CMA interactive presentation product, MoxiPresent, recruiting system, marketing suite, websites, intranet and the renowned MoxiCloud open platform will continue efforts to help brokers, agents and teams increase productivity, lower costs and better manage the home-buying and -selling processes.
Baur adds, “We are thrilled to welcome each and every member of the Imprev team to MoxiWorks (as Moxians!) and are excited to start 2020 with all engines roaring. We are looking forward to seeing all that we can accomplish together.”
For more information, please visit go.moxiworks.com/moxiworksimprev.


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iPhone assembly partner Foxconn is considering the possibility of opening a new facility in Vietnam in an effort to avoid U.S. trade tariffs.
The factory would focus specifically on iPhone production, according to a new report. Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vu Tien Loc says talks with Foxconn are underway.
The Trump administration plans to implement tariffs on a host of products being imported from China worth about $200 billion — including the iPhone. These products would be subjected to an additional 10 percent in duties.
This would obviously make the iPhone even more expensive, but some manufacturers are already considering moves to avoid the impact of the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China.
Foxconn enters discussions with Vietnam
Loc raised the matter of a local Foxconn factory with Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at a meeting on November 22, according to a Reuters report, which cites Vietnam Investment Review.
Loc revealed Vietnam is “discussing the possibility of this with Foxconn,” but would not reveal further details.
A statement from Foxconn said it “follows a strict company policy of not commenting on any matters related to current or potential customers, or any of their products.”
The news follows another Reuters report from last week, in which several Foxconn executives talked about moving production if the company needed to avoid new import taxes. Vietnam and Thailand were named as preferred locations for a new facility.
How new tariffs could affect iPhone prices
The Trump administration has put the new tariffs on hold for now while discussions and negotiations continue. However, should they be introduced, they will apply to all products not already on the import list.
Analysts predict that if the 10 percent levy was applied to the iPhone — and Apple passed that cost onto consumers rather than allowing it to eat into its profits — prices could rise by $60 to $160 on each device.


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China’s JD.Com will invest $800 million to acquire 51% of Dada Group, according to Reuters.
- JD.Com is expanding its logistics business which boosted competition over larger rival Alibaba Group.
- JD earlier merged its online-to-offline unit JD Daojia with Dada in 2016 for a Chinese online grocery Dada-JD. It raised $500 million in 2018 from Walmart Inc. and JD.
- The Chinese firm also agreed to keep the shares bought in the deal for at least six months. It will not sell, transfer, or dispose of any of the stock.
- Dada shares jumped almost 19% while those of JD.com gained 0.5% prior to the bell.


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PORTLAND, ORE.: The clunky spectacles necessary to view content proffered in 3D isn’t enough of a deterrent to turn people off of the format for home theater use. So sayeth Quixel Research, a metric outfit that specializes in home-theater market intel. Quixel took an online survey of 750 HDTV owners to gauge the interest in three-dimensional TV, the latest and greatest visual format sure to save the industry from certain extinction.
The study found that more than 50 percent respondents who had recently seen a 3D movie in a theater expected 3DTVs to be on retail shelves within a year or two. (Most digital TVs can display rudimentary 3D, viewable with the blue/red-lensed glasses.)
“The recent increase in 3D movies is helping create demand for a 3D TV at home,” said Tamaryn Pratt of Quixel. “Respondents stated that the experience is much better than the ‘old days’ and consumers are excited about the technology. Additionally, the majority of those surveyed want 3D for specific content so the glasses, while a nuisance for some, are acceptable…”
In spite of Quixel’s breathless endorsement of 3DTV, the numbers revealed it’s not for everyone. More than one-fourth of those responding said they wouldn’t watch 3DTV at home. Some considered it a fad.
Other data points:
- People said they’d pay more for glasses-free 3DTV.
- Around three-quarters had seen 3D video content.
- Blu-ray was the most-preferred delivery method.
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