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What Happened: Chinese smartphone company Huawei’s Mate 40 Pro will go on sale on Nov 13, pitting it against Apple’s latest iPhone 12. Pre-orders are already selling out quickly: on the first day of JD.com’s pre-order, products made available on the day sold out within 28 seconds – two seconds faster than the iPhone. Features like its Leica camera are no doubt helping it gain popularity among China’s social consumers while the company’s fashion-heavy credentials including a recent collaboration with Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster are also raising its profile.
In September of 2019, the Mate 30 Series became the first phone to be affected by the US trade ban, which meant Google services were banned due to perceived security threats. The Mate 40 Pro will also suffer the same fate. However, despite the difficulties, Huawei’s Q1 (49 million) and Q2 (55.8 million) sales numbers combined indicated it has sold the most phones in 2020 so far, beating Samsung into second place. Apple finds itself in third place and could be losing its luster in China, too.
The Jing Take: China and the US are world leaders when it comes to building and deploying 5G technology. This latest release is Huawei’s third-generation 5G phones (Apple is on its first generation), making it more powerful than the iPhone. In addition to more advanced tech, as global sales have grown, Huawei has expanded domestically, too. In fact, its image at home has been raised by the Trump controversy and US trade tensions.
But given the tight market share between the two, the battlefield is not clearly defined yet. Few brands can beat Apple’s desirability and the magic of its branding – not least China’s netizens who love to discuss its products online. Trending on Weibo, the #iPhone12 tag reached over six billion views after its release. Much of this chatter has been negative — either criticizing the smartphone’s price tag or negatively comparing it to Huawei and other domestic players like Xiaomi. But, as the saying goes, there is only one thing worse than being talked ill about: not being talked about at all.
The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.


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Women inspectors to monitor clothing stores
Riyadh (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Saudi Arabia's Labour Ministry has appointed 45 female inspectors to check abaya and lingerie shops to see if they offer suitable working conditions for Saudi women.
"Shop owners are not allowed to employ men and women together," said Abdullah Abuthnain, deputy minister for Inspections and Developing Work Atmosphere. "We have set new conditions in order to create a secure work atmosphere for Saudi women."
The first step towards this goal was taken in January when stores selling lingerie and abaya (traditional Persian Gulf female garment) were ordered to put up 1.6-metre separating wall between male and female working areas.
On Monday, Abuthain said the ministry would carry out regular raids to ensure that shops were sticking to the new rules. Businesses found violating ministry directives could lose their commercial license.
The new inspectors will "take over" from the muttawa (religious police) in Riyadh, Jeddah and the eastern provinces.
In a second phase, additional inspectors would be hired to monitor stores in other regions of the country.
This policy is part of King Abdullah's broad social reform aimed at encouraging women's employment.
The Labour Ministry expects it would create at least 44,000 jobs.
In Saudi Arabia, more than one in two women has a college degree but female unemployment stands at 34 per cent.
An analysis by Bloomberg last June showed how the failure to use untapped female labour limits the kingdom's economy.

domain: news


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Here’s the scoreboard:
- Dow: 23,436.01, +35.15, (0.15%)
- S&P 500: 2,581.42, +21.02, (0.82%)
- Nasdaq: 6,705.08, +148.31, (2.26%)
- The US economy grew faster than expected in the third quarter even after hurricanes disrupted activity in some parts of the country. Gross domestic product rose by 3%, boosted by stronger consumer and business spending.
- Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy fired the cabinet of the Catalan government and dissolved its Parliament just hours after Catalan lawmakers voted to declare independence from Spain. Rajoy has also called for elections in the Catalan region to be held on December 21, 2017.
- Options traders are piling into bets that Amazon’s stock, already up 45% this year, will continue to climb. As of midday Friday, the six Amazon options with the most open interest — defined as outstanding contracts trading at once — were all calls.
- Short sellers in major drugstore chains have earned $US874 million this year, according to the financial-analytics firm S3 Partners. They earned $US100 million late Thursday as drugstore stocks fell on a report that retail-pharmacy giant CVS may buy insurer Aetna, in a deal that would respond to the threat from Amazon.
- JCPenney shares slumped to an all-time low after the retailer cut third-quarter profit forecasts. The company expects a loss of $US0.40 to $US0.45 a share in the period, far worse than analyst expectations for a loss of $US0.18 a share.
- Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest publicly traded oil producer, beat on Q3 earnings as higher crude and natural gas prices more than offset the effects of a major hurricane on its US operations. Oil and gas production increased, helped by higher pricing.
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Luckin Coffee has sprayed its investors with something messy and brown, and it’s not coffee. The Chinese rival to Starbucks, once valued at $13 billion, said on Thursday that over 40% of last year’s revenue may be fictitious. Economist John Kenneth Galbraith popularized the idea that fraud expands with good times and emerges in bad. In this case, it didn’t even take a downturn to expose Luckin’s problems. Just wait until the tide goes out.
The company’s pitch was alluring. The average person in China only drinks a few coffees per year, but the desire is growing rapidly. Orders done through app and delivery meant it could build out thousands of small shops in less desirable locations to saturate the nascent market. But consistent hefty losses – about $250 million in the first three quarters of last year – meant drinks were being subsidized, and reviews critiquing the coffee’s quality brought up questions of whether the brand had sticking power.
Galbraith would recognize why investors piled in despite the warnings of critics including short-selling firm Muddy Waters Research. Human tendencies haven’t much changed since he was writing well over half a century ago. When times are good, people are trusting and money is easy to find. During a downturn, suspicion grows, money is watched carefully and trust must be earned. As a result fraud is exposed and reduced.
In Luckin’s case, the 2.2 billion yuan ($310 million) of suspect sales seem to have been exposed not by a slowdown but by the company’s annual audit. That’s encouraging in a way, because audits have been a persistently weak spot in foreign-listed Chinese companies, which investors have mostly ignored. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s accounting oversight arm warned in February that after a decade of trying, it still can’t access critical audit records in China.
The synchronized economic downturn worldwide – S&P Global Ratings predicted 0.4% growth earlier this week, which would be the worst showing in nearly 40 years – will presumably expose much more fraud. China, with its big, long-lasting booms followed by severe economic stress, would be a good place to start. Examples such as Longtop Financial Technologies, Sino-Forest, Kangmei Pharmaceutical and others back the idea that it has been a fertile field for fraud. But just as Covid-19 is now global, the exposed bezzle will be too.
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A café designed for sci-fi desserts
Shanghai – Australian café and lifestyle concept Black Star Pastry is opening a space-themed dessert bar in Shanghai, to mark its first foray into China. Created by design studio Linehouse, the space is designed to evoke the feeling of being in a spaceship, with an anti-gravity theme that is evident throughout the café.
Floating cakes, for example, are achieved with magnetic levitation, while stainless steel shelving holds thousands of meteorites to further elevate the space theme. ‘The ground floor stirs up the incredible sensation of being aboard a spaceship,’ explains the team at Linehouse. Such design cues allow this experiential and futuristic destination to uphold Black Star Pastry’s reputation for having social media-worthy desserts.
As the Indulgence Market evolves, many audiences are seeking dessert destinations that elevate the experience of eating treat foods. Elsewhere, we’ve explored how next-gen dessert bars such as Pudu Pudu are creating hangout spaces to target Generation Z.
Leisure and hospitality venues should look beyond early Instagram aesthetics and include futuristic or surprising elements to add intrigue
Selfridges introduces NFTs to the department store
London – Merging digital assets with physical displays, department store Selfridges is combining bricks-and-mortar retail with NFTs. Teaming up with French designer Paco Rabanne and artist estate Fondation Vasarely, the department store is launching a pop-up shop called Universe that brings together fashion, art, theatre and digital collectibles.
The collaboration builds on creative director Julien Dossena’s spring 2022 collection, which featured the work of French-Hungarian artist Victor Vasarely. Now, the artist is getting the metaverse treatment, with a series of Paco Rabanne NFTs inspired by his work.
Priced between £2,000 ($2,727, €2,405) and £100,000 ($136,339, €120,243), the NFTs will be available for purchase without the need for cryptocurrencies, widening access for non-crypto-carrying consumers. Interested in learning more about the premium opportunities in the metaverse? Explore our article on luxury’s NFT opportunity.
Draw from the past to make the concept of the metaverse more accessible to consumers. An understandable frame of reference will make everyday groups more willing to engage in this space
CES 2022: Vivoo uses urine analysis to democratise health
Las Vegas – The start-up is empowering consumers to take greater control of their health with the launch of a wellness tracker that uses urine analysis to offer healthcare advice. By using an at-home urine strip, consumers can see their personalised nutritional and health advice using the Vivoo app, accessing information about everything from their pH level to detecting UTIs and assessing liver and kidney health.
Through this innovation, Vivoo is allowing people to more easily monitor their health without relying on doctors' appointments. Miray Tayfun, co-founder of Vivoo, says: ‘We have built the necessary technology and partnered with qualified doctors, dieticians and nutritionists to help people live fuller and healthier lives.’
At a time when home testing is more commonplace due to the long waiting lists created by Covid-19, such innovations point to a future when At-home Analysis becomes an everyday healthcare ritual.
Beauty, health and wellness brands should create products and services that empower consumers to monitor their own wellbeing. Create accessible solutions that avoid expensive technologies or reliance on healthcare professionals
Stat: The issue of inequality transcends the political spectrum
Throughout history, economists of different political persuasions have been known to disagree on all kinds of fiscal policies. But a new report by Weber State University suggests that there is growing consensus among the financial thinking class. Indeed, the number of economists that wholly or somewhat agree that the distribution of wealth in America should be more equitable has grown from 68% to 86% over the past 21 years.
Conducted once every decade, the study asks members of the American Economic Association whether they agree on key propositions such as the desirability of universal health insurance or the economic impact of raising the minimum wage. This year, the survey found that inequality is a major concern for the majority of economists, with 85% of those surveyed agreeing that corporate power is too concentrated. Another notable change was the growing consensus on the importance of economic activism, as respondents outlined a greater need for government intervention in economic policy.
In an increasingly polarised world, it is striking to see growing consensus between economists from all sides of the political spectrum. As American economists sound the alarm about the importance of economic activism, readers can revisit our piece on Affirmative Banking to find out how to redistribute wealth.
Companies that can afford to should use sliding-scale cost structures for products and services, recognising that wealth is unevenly distributed


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Croatian retail goliath sees ascend in crypto installments in spite of the bear market
Installments in cryptographic forms of money like Bitcoin (BTC) have been on the ascent at Croatia's biggest store chain Konzum this year regardless of the continuous bear market.
In the wake of appearing crypto installments in 2021, Konzum has seen an expansion in buys made with crypto installments, the association's overseer of business applications Ines Barbir said.Konzum authoritatively began tolerating digital currencies as installment for its items in December 2021, permitting clients to pay online with nine digital forms of money like BTC and Ether (ETH) as well as Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) stablecoins.
The grocery store chain has since extended the crypto installment choice to a few self-checkout sales registers in actual pilot stores. Konzum is additionally as yet working with the neighborhood crypto installment firm Electrocoin to carry crypto installments to every one of the 700 actual stores across Croatia.
As indicated by Barbir, the rollout of the new installment strategy was carried out effectively, and Konzum has been dealing with extending its crypto installment choice. The chief didn't determine the specific quantities of installments' volume development since appearing crypto installments.
A representative for the firm brought up that rising crypto installment on Konzum come in accordance with the developing reception of crypto in Croatia, expressing:
"No matter what the bear markets, we are happy with the premium which continues to develop. The general interest in digital money installments keeps on expanding consistently as well as the premium for the execution of digital currency installments in Croatia."
The agent noticed that Croatia is "at the top in the European Union" with regards to the degree of crypto reception. That is "incompletely because of the ascent of fintech organizations like our accomplices at Electrocoin," the representative added.
The agent smentioned some vulnerability around crypto installments, expressing: "The justification behind this is principally because of the weakness and doubt in new advancements, yet in addition because of the condition of guideline of the crypto business."
The public authority of Croatia has been to some degree quiet about digital money guideline lately, while nearby crypto advocates have been pursuing self-guideline. In 2018, the National Bank of Croatia underscored those cryptographic forms of money were not lawful delicate in the country, nor were they perceived as unfamiliar cash or installment instruments.
In spite of some degree of obvious vulnerability around crypto, Croatia has arisen as one of the most crypto-arranged nations on the planet. As per a report by the forex instruction stage Forex Suggest, Croatia has a crypto-status score of 6.2 out of 10, close by nations like the United Arab Emirates, Georgia and Romania.


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Apple’s market value has now topped $2 trillion. It is the first US company to hit this milestone. Though an arbitrary mark, it’s a testimony to the pandemic-defying performance of the iPhone maker.
Based on a share count of more than $4.275 billion, Apple broke the barrier just before 11 am ET.
It was only two years ago that the tech giant hit the $1 trillion market cap, meaning the company has virtually doubled in value in just over 24 months.
However, Apple is not the first company in the world to hit the $2 trillion benchmark. Saudi Aramco, the gas and oil giant, headquartered in Saudi Arabia, did so first. After the firm dropped below that figure due to its stock price wavering, Apple surpassed Aramco as the most valuable company in the world earlier this year.
Apple’s success is also a sign of confidence in its shift towards more services, such as Apple TV+ and games subscription Apple Arcade, rather than relying on iPhone sales.
Can the tech-giant make it to $3tn?
With Apple’s stock rally cementing its place at the top, some investors are already wondering about whether the iPhone maker’s market capitalisation can trek to $3 trillion.
Experts say that the advent of 5G technology and Apple’s forthcoming 5G phone will be crucial to its next trillion in market cap.
On CNBC’s “Halftime Report”, Stephen Weiss, founder of Short Hills Capital, said that Apple’s “5G phone is going to be the biggest product launch they’ve ever had around the world.”
Apple and Antitrust
Like other big tech firms such as Amazon, Facebook and Google, Apple is also currently under scrutiny for antitrust practices in both the EU and the US.
In June this year, the European Commission has opened formal antitrust investigations to assess whether Apple’s rules for app developers on the distribution of apps via the App Store violate EU competition rules.
The investigations concern the mandatory use of Apple’s own proprietary in-app purchase system and restrictions on the ability of developers to inform iPhone and iPad users of alternative cheaper purchasing possibilities outside of apps.
Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said that “Mobile applications have fundamentally changed the way we access content. Apple sets the rules for the distribution of apps to users of iPhones and iPads. It appears that Apple obtained a “gatekeeper” role when it comes to the distribution of apps and content to users of Apple’s popular devices.”
“We need to ensure that Apple’s rules do not distort competition in markets where Apple is competing with other app developers, for example with its music streaming service Apple Music or with Apple Books. I have therefore decided to take a close look at Apple’s App Store rules and their compliance with EU competition rules.”
While Apple’s main antitrust accusations relate to the App Store, it also has to deal with complaints in other areas of its empire.
The US Department of Justice announced it was performing an antitrust review of Apple, alongside Amazon, Google, and Facebook. The review aimed to assess “the widespread concerns that consumers, businesses, and entrepreneurs have expressed about search, social media, and some retail services online.” On the topic of retaliation and bullying developers going public with their App Store frustrations, Cook stated Apple hadn’t done that, adding it was “strongly against our company culture.”
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- Helping Your Own: A Young Aslyum Seeker Explains the Importance of Volunteering in the COVID Era - 7th September 2020


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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. executives may have slapped down some of Wall Street’s euphoria over artificial intelligence, reflected in the recent runup in the stock prices of several chip makers, with cautious comments about the sustainability of the current demand for AI chips. TSMC
currently the world’s largest contract manufacturer of semiconductors, acknowledged in its earnings call with analysts that there has been strong demand for processors related to AI, especially in the data center, but they added that it is not clear how sustainable that demand will be. It also said AI would not offset the current sluggish global demand for semiconductors.
“The short-term frenzy about the AI demand definitely cannot extrapolate for the long term,” TSMC Chairman Mark Liu told analysts on a conference call. “Neither can we predict the near future, meaning next year, how the sudden demand will continue or will flatten out.” TSMC said AI related processors currently account for 6% of its revenue, but it was not enough to offset the overall macroeconomic impact of the current downturn in demand for semiconductors and is forecasting its full year revenue to be down 10%. It said that AI processor demand could grow at about 50% on a compounded annual growth rate for the next five years. The company also pushed out the pro …


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Retail giant Amazon has reportedly admitted it does not always delete the stored data that it obtains through voice interactions through its voice assistant Alexa and Echo line-up of smart devices.
Currently, a user has to go to the app to delete Alexa recordings one by one, or through Amazon's website to delete every recording at once.
Recently, Amazon Alexa was in news after a report surfaced online suggesting that Amazon employees can listen to the voice recordings of Amazon Echo users.
Amazon, FirstCry and J&J’s BabyCenter among those seeking info to offer tailored content, discounts; move may violate proposed data law
Amazon gives users the option of disabling the use of their voice recordings.
Complaints have significantly increased in the last six months, says a member of AIOVA, a group that represents online sellers.
Cybersecurity firm Symantec Corp's latest Internet Security Threat Report highlights the increasing number of attacks involving malware inserted on online retail websites to steal shoppers' payment card details.
Google and Amazon are asking smart-home gadget makers such as Logitech and Hunter Fan to send a continuous stream of information.
Amazon said this glitch affected a minuscule number of the 400,000 sellers on its platform, and that the issue was rectified soon after sellers flagged it.
Most foreign companies providing digital services escape the Indian tax net because they don’t have a corporate office here.
Vendors on Amazon’s India and US platforms are also said to have faced underhand tactics by rogue sellers, resulting in blocked accounts or compromised product listings.
Amazon emailed an undisclosed number of customers to report that their emails and names were inadvertently shared due to a technical error that has since been fixed.
Realising RBI’s stern stand, Amazon started the process of bringing India payments data within the geo-fence of the country.
Oracle intensifies war against Amazon, announces Gen 2 Autonomous Cloud Infrastructure to combat cyber threats
Ellison added that it was not easy to re-architecture the solution ground-up and highlighted in his presentation how Oracle incrementally added various autonomous capabilities over the past decade.
The central bank could also initiate action against those which do not comply with the instructions that were announced in April.
Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc denied a Bloomberg Businessweek report that said their systems had been infiltrated by malicious computer chips inserted by Chinese intelligence agents.
The probe will look at whether the data, which is collected for legitimate purposes, is also used to give Amazon a competitive advantage over the smaller merchants


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The vehicle sales of Bajaj Auto and Royal Enfield for November have gone up by 21 per cent year on year. Similarly, Hyundai Motor India, Ford India, Mahindra & Mahindra and some others have registered growth in sales by 10 per cent, 28 per cent and 21 per cent during the period. The auto industry is growing fast and is set to touch 12 per cent of GDP by 2026, as against 7 per cent in 2016. But, sadly the infrastructure has not been growing commensurate with the growth of vehicles. The number of vehicles registered in Mumbai has reportedly crossed 30 lakh from 20 lakh five years ago. The vehicular density per km has gone up to 1,500 from 935 during the same period. The situation is going to be the worst in the next few years as 700 vehicles are added daily to the already over congested roads of Mumbai.
Uncontrolled growth of vehicular population is a bane to society. It has led to high levels of pollution, increase in traffic jams and accidents. The position is more or less the same in other metros such as Delhi and big cities like Pune.In order to curb the traffic snarls, the Singapore government has banned purchase of new cars, except through replacement of old ones, from February 2018. The Singapore government believes in public transport and hence, the existing rule of 0.25 per cent increase in public transport has been continued. It is high time our government decided to ban sale and purchase of new vehicles excepting for replacement of old ones. The ban may be imposed from the next financial year, subject to review after two to three years.
Ramanath Nakhate, Mumbai Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to: The Editor, Business Standard Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg New Delhi 110 002 Fax: (011) 23720201 · E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.org All letters must have a postal address and telephone number


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GM Offering Up to $5,000 in Incentives to Move Slow-Selling Volt
June 11, 2013 10:59 AM
comment(s) - last by
It's also offering financing and leasing incentives
Chevrolet Volt sales have been a little slower than expected
over the past few months
, so General Motors (GM) is offering incentives to pick up the pace.
GM announced that it would take $5,000 off the 2012 Volt and $4,000 off the 2013 Volt. This is in addition to the $7,500 federal tax credit. The Volt can also be purchased with zero percent financing for 48 months, and the driver receives $3,000 in cash off the price.
For those leasing a Volt, GM is offering it for $269 a month for 36 months, with $2,399 due at signing.
All of these new incentives run until July 1, 2013.
Just last week, it was reported that Chevrolet Volt sales were down three months in a row compared to the same three months last year. Volt sales dropped 4.3 percent to 1,607 in May; fell 10.7 percent to 1,306 in April, and tumbled 35 percent in March.
However, Volt sales are up 1.4 percent (or about 100 vehicles) in the first five months of the year to 7,157 compared to the first five months of 2012. GM said Volt sales on a retail basis have been up month-over-month.
GM is likely trying to keep up with rivals, which are also offering incentives for their own vehicles at this time. For instance, Nissan
slashed the entry-level price
of the Leaf 18 percent to $28,800 back in January.
Leaf sales passed those of the Volt with a total of 7,614 for the first five months of this year. Nissan sold 2,138 Leafs alone in May -- a 300 percent increase over its sales in May 2012.
Other electric vehicle makers are cutting prices as well, such as Honda (Fit EV lease dropped from $389 to $259 per month) and Ford (Focus EV lease dropped from $350 to $285 per month and base price was cut $2,000 to $37,995).
Last month, GM announced that it
expected the next-generation Volt to be profitable
and cost $10,000 less to build.
GM is expected to announce features and pricing for the 2014 Volt this month, which is likely another reason for the incentives for older generations of Volts. GM needs to clear its inventory, which is at a 140-day supply right now, according to Chevrolet spokeswoman Michelle Malcho.
The Detroit News
said this is more than double what is considered "healthy."
The Detroit News
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
I don't understand something
6/12/2013 1:15:27 PM
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed here are solely that of my own and are not representative of Ford Motor Company or its affiliates.
Why do they keep lumping the Volt, which is a PHEV, in with other pure EVs?
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I have three children, two of whom are growing boys. They eat. A lot. Like a marauding army or a swarm of locusts. If you turn your back on them for a minute, they’ll pick the pantry clean.
I had this on my mind as I was researching dividend stocks this week. The pandemic was a godsend for packaged food companies. With restaurants shuttered, Americans ate a lot more meals at home … and gorged on a lot of sugary comfort food while they were at it.
Packaged food stocks never quite enjoyed the “stay-at-home” bump you’d expect. Investors flocked to tech names instead, and there was always the perception that any benefit would be short-lived.
But here’s the thing. Even as the economy opens up and life gets closer to normal, restaurant demand might not fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. Pleasure dining likely will. Meeting friends at a restaurant is fun, and you don’t have to clean up after them once the party’s over. But business lunches will be a lot slower to recover as many Americans work from home indefinitely.
More people staying at home for longer suggests that demand for packaged foods should stay high for a while. The packaged food market size grew to more than $996 billion in 2020, according to Grand View Research. That’s expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.1% through 2028.
Packaged Food Is Trending Higher
That brings me to The Kraft Heinz Co. (Nasdaq: KHC). Apart from its namesake Heinz ketchup, Kraft Heinz owns a large collection of brands you’d recognize: Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Velveeta, Lunchables, Planters, Maxwell House, Capri Sun, Kool-Aid and Jell-O, to name a few.
Kraft and Heinz merged in 2016 to form the company we know today. And it hasn’t been a smooth ride. The merger was not executed well and came with a mountain of debt that was off-putting to investors. Shares of the combined company started sliding almost immediately after the merger. Today, KHC trades for less than half its 2017 highs.
The shares bottomed out in March of last year and have almost doubled since then. But after the shellacking the stock has taken over the past five years, it’s still reasonably cheap (at least by the standards of this market). Shares trade at a forward price-to-earnings of 17 and offer a 3.7% dividend.
It’s the dividend that caught my attention. I try to avoid dividend stocks that are in a downtrend. After all, you’d feel silly buying a stock for its 3.7% yield only to see the share price cut in half, as Kraft Heinz’s share price was. But the shares have been trending higher for the past year, and it seems that the post-merger selling has finally stopped.
Let’s see how Kraft Heinz stacks up in our Green Zone Ratings system.
Kraft Heinz Green Zone Ratings Breakdown
KHC rates a 51, right smack dab in the middle of the pack. That isn’t a deal-breaker if we’re looking at this as a dividend play. Let’s pick apart the details to see what we can glean.
Volatility — At 88, Kraft Heinz rates well on volatility. This is exactly what we want in a dividend stock. We want stability, not heartburn. Remember, a high score here means low volatility and steady stock movement.
Momentum — The stock rates a respectable 60 on momentum. In a market that has favored tech and go-go growth stocks over the past several years, 60 isn’t a bad score for a stodgy old food stock. We don’t need a dividend stock to have “rip the cover off the ball” momentum. We want it to be stable and generally drift higher. KHC crawled out of the March 2020 crash and has gained almost 100% since then!
KHC Is Well Off Its 2020 Bottom
Quality — Kraft Heinz rates fairly well on quality with a score of 58. Our quality score is driven by profitability and by balance sheet management. This is a food company with extensive property, plants and equipment, so it’s not going to rate as high as a capital-lite software company. For a packaged foods company, 58 isn’t bad.
Value — Kraft Heinz rates a 58 on value. That’s not deep value territory by any stretch, but it puts it solidly in the top half. We’ll take it.
Growth — The company rates a lackluster 43 on growth, but this is due in part to its limited operating history. The combined company was formed in 2015. Our metrics incorporate data that goes back as far as 10 years. This is not a high-growth company, of course, but its “true” growth score should be a little higher than 43.
Size — Kraft Heinz is not a small company by any stretch. It rates a 3 on our size metric, so we won’t be getting much of a small-cap bounce here.
Bottom line: Is Kraft Heinz a stock that will make you filthy rich? Probably not. But it’s a company with valuable, recognized brands that fell out of investor favor but now seems to have found a bottom. It’s a reasonably-priced dividend payer that should make a nice, no-drama addition to a retirement portfolio.
To safe profits,
Editor, Green Zone Fortunes
Charles Sizemore is the editor of Green Zone Fortunes and specializes in income and retirement topics. Charles is a regular on The Bull & The Bear podcast. He is also a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg and Fox Business.


text:
Google has widened its grip on the enterprise market for smartphones in the past quarter with Android devices, grabbing another 6 percent share of new activations.
Android smartphones made up 39 percent of activations in the enterprise, according to Good Technology.
The figures do not indicate how many Android devices are being used, but clearly showed an acceleration in their move into the enterprise.
Exactly why that occurred was a matter of speculation.
Echoing Apple CEO Tim Cook’s explanation for lower than expected iPhone sales last quarter, Good Technology’s executives guessed Android’s gain was the result of ‘agenda setting’ consumers waiting for the iPhone 4S.
"This quarter, we saw Android smartphones gain in percentage of total activations," said Good Technology’s senior vice president of corporate strategy, John Herrema.
"This is likely due to consumers holding back purchases of new iPhones in anticipation of Apple's latest release (the iPhone 4S)—as our reports indicate, consumers are setting the agenda for enterprise mobility."
Still, Apple maintained its dominance over smartphones which fell from 66 percent to 61 percent of new phone activations.
Tablets revealed an entirely different battle ground though, with Android tablets stagnating at around 4 per cent, up 0.9 per cent on the previous quarter.
The iPad on the other hand, backed by a host of applications that support key verticals, made up 96 percent of new tablet activations.
Good Technology’s report (PDF) did not include RIM devices or Windows Phone.


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The stocks of IVC have been given a rating of ‘buy’ by the analysts working at Zacks Investment Research in one of the research notes that was published on Friday. According to the official website, the firm has put up a price objective of $9.75 on the stocks of the company. And interestingly, this price target should indicate an increase of 12.20% on the current price of the stock.
The Quarterly Earnings of IVC
The shares of IVC did trade at $8.69 last Friday. The market cap for the firm is $299.09 million, with a beta of 0.96, and a PE ratio of -7.06. The year low of the company is $3.90 with a year high of $9.97. The quick ratio of the company is 1, while the debt-to-equity ratio of the company is 0.91. The current ratio of the company has been fixed at 1.63. The moving average of the company over 50 days is $8.52, while the moving average over 200 days is $7.42.
The company previously announced its earnings result on the 29th of October. The EPS reported by the health services provider was $0.10 for the same quarter, which rivaled the consensus estimate of $0.19 set by Thomson Reuters. The company has had a revenue set at $211.9 million, which beat out the analyst estimates of $204.30 million. The company has a net margin at a negative 4.87% and a return on its equity of -8.76%.
IVC is a corporation that exports, distributes, manufactures, and designs medical equipment that is used in retail and extended care markets. The company has been in operation throughout America, Europe, and the Asian market.


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The proposed rules, laid out on Jan. 4 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are meant to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010. The law requires farmers and other food producers to adhere to a new set of guidelines, replacing a system that had largely been designed to respond to outbreaks rather than prevent them.
The proposed regulations exempt certain types of farms and foodstuffs, however. Almost 80 percent of farms will not be required to comply with the new regulations, thanks to an amendment adopted during congressional consideration of the legislation.
The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Jon TesterJonathan (Jon) TesterDemocrats wrangle to keep climate priorities in spending bill On The Money — Powell pivots as inflation rises Senators huddle on path forward for SALT deduction in spending bill MORE (D-Mont.), is meant to protect small farms and food producers from thousands of dollars in annual costs. Farms and producers that sell less than $25,000 worth of food annually, or make less than $500,000 and sell most of their product within their own state or within a 275-mile radius, would be eligible for exemptions.
The proposed rules appear unnecessarily lax, given the intention of the law, said Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety for the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
“It’s really important that these exemptions are construed narrowly,” she said. “I think the whole point of this law was to create a level playing field.”
Don Kraemer, a senior adviser at the FDA, acknowledged that almost eight in 10 farms could be exempt, but said overall acreage tells the real story, since a small number of big farms produce a large portion of the country’s fruits and vegetables.
Kraemer said the proposed rules would apply to 48 percent of the country’s farmland. An additional 31 percent of produce passes through a commercial process — such as a fruit cannery or almond roaster — considered a “kill step” that vastly reduces the threat of illness. Another 12 percent of the exempted produce reflects fruits or vegetables that are rarely eaten raw — like potatoes or dried beans, Kraemer said.
“The biggest reasons for products not being subject to the rule is lack of risk,” he argued.
But the list of exempted foods also includes kale, figs and cranberries, Halloran noted.
“It doesn’t seem that they’ve been to any sort of trendy restaurants lately,” Halloran quipped, referring to federal regulators.
Her biggest concern about the rules is that they do not require testing for pathogens that can lead to sickness or death. Since 2011, foodborne illness has caused 40 deaths, 437 hospitalizations and more than 1,300 illnesses, according to Pew Charitable Trusts.
“There should at least be a spot check of a final product before it leaves the farm or the facility,” Halloran said.
Halloran said she expected Consumers Union and other advocacy groups to call for such testing during the 120-day comment period now in effect, and said she believes the industry expects that requirement to be imminent.
The proposed rules would force the agriculture industry to ensure the safety of fertilizer, irrigation water and water used in packing sheds. Farm workers will be given better sanitation facilities, and equipment will have to be easy to clean.
In total, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the rule will cost the federal government $1.4 billion over the next five years. At a time when agency budgets are being slashed, the costs of implementing the rule could be a problem.
There are also expenses associated with enforcing the rules. The federal government lacks sufficient inspectors to survey more than a small fraction of farms and processors regularly, leaving some to speculate that food producers could choose not to follow the new standards.
“Clearly we worry about that and we plan to target our inspections, to the extent we have them, to alleviate that worry,” Kraemer said, adding that the agency expected most food producers to fall in line.
The FDA is also working with states, which can oversee inspections in their jurisdictions and would rely on certified third-party auditors.
The food industry also has incentive to regulate itself.
Trade groups, including the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), said the new rules would bring consistency to the food production industry and reinforce trust among consumers.
David Corsi, a PMA board member who is also vice president for Produce and Floral Operations at Wegmans Food Markets Inc., said the company would only buy its fruits and vegetables from producers who comply with the new rules, regardless of whether they are obligated to. As much as 40 percent of the 540 growers that supply food to the grocery chain would be small enough to get around the proposed regulations, he said.
“To us, it doesn’t matter what size you are,” Corsi said. “We don’t allow these exemptions.”
Even groups that find fault with the proposed rules are generally supportive of them. Despite the exemptions and lack of federal inspectors and funding concerns, CSPI’s DeWaal said she expected widespread adherence to the new standards.
“At the end of the day, a lot of companies will comply, simply because it’s the law,” she said.


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- Blog > Lovehoney wins top business award!
Lovehoney wins top business award!
On Wednesday night Lovehoney scooped Small Business of the Year at the annual Bath Chronicle Business Awards. We're so happy!
"It's great for the success of Lovehoney to be applauded with a mainstream business award," said Lovehoney founder and director Neal Slateford through flowers and tears. "The judges recognized that we work incredibly hard to keep our customers happy and that's why we've been successful."
With more than 2500 products on offer, Lovehoney has recently launched a gay men's shop and online hen night shop. Lovehoney.co.uk is leading the way for women to buy sex toys confidently, comfortably, and at the lowest prices in the UK.
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Extra Car Costs You’re Probably Forgetting About
Car ownership is full of hidden costs that can be surprisingly expensive and include a whole host of things, from insurance to maintenance costs.
“Knowing the true cost of ownership for your vehicle can help you prepare for the unexpected,” said Robert Walden, founder of VehicleFreak.com.
Also Find: 17 Hidden Auto Costs Your Dealer Will Never Tell You About
Remember: 8 Extra Moving Costs You’re Probably Forgetting About
Belts, Hoses and Other Parts
Though we tend to worry about the big parts of our cars — the engines, the tires, etc. — they’re comprised of a lot of smaller parts that can ruin performance.
“(These) wearable parts will require replacement, lest you have a disastrous breakdown on your hands,” Walden said.
Good Motor Oil
Don’t skimp on motor oil, Walden said, because it will cost you later in repairs.
“Low-viscosity synthetic motor oil will keep your engine running in tip-top shape and help ensure you do not have mechanical problems down the road,” he said. “But make sure you budget for $75 to $100 for each oil change at regular intervals.”
Subscriptions and Emergency Notification Services
Some cars come with built-in services that will incur monthly or annual charges if not cancelled, Walden explained.
“These include emergency (e.g., Onstar) systems, satellite radio and other data features,” he said. “Make sure you understand the total cost of these features before re-activating.”
“The most obvious accompanying cost to owning a car is fuel cost,” said Max Turner, CEO of Car Donation Centers.
Considering the high cost of gas right now, you could be very surprised at the pump. Yet driving a car is more convenient than many other forms of public transportation.
Kathleen Ahmmed, co-founder of USCarJunker, points out that you essentially begin to lose money the moment you buy your car.
“As a general rule, the instant you drive off from the lot in a brand-new car, its value will usually drop as much as 10%,” she said, “and it only gets lower from there. So, by the time you end up selling your car, chances are you have already lost thousands.”
Depreciation applies to both traditional gas vehicles and electric vehicles, she points out.
“And the irony of it is that the best way to reduce car depreciation is to spend money regularly servicing your car and keeping it well maintained,” she said, “which means that the mere act of owning your car is an expense in itself.”
Any vehicle repair will set you back a lot of money, said Matas Buzelis, automotive expert at carVertical.
However, trying to save money by purchasing low-quality parts, he said, is a “a quick route to astronomical maintenance costs.”
“Low-quality parts do not ensure the vehicle’s durability and reliability,” Buzelis said. “Buying a cheaper component may save you money in the short term; but, if you need to replace the same part again in six months, you’ll have to return to the workshop, spend money on gas and pay a technician to complete the work.”
People who live in major cities know that free parking places are nearly impossible to come by, Buzelis said.
“Every journey to the city necessitates a minimum parking expense,” he said. “Parking in Los Angeles, for example, can cost anything from 50 cents to $5 per hour. Even at the cheapest rate, parking costs $4 for 8 hours, $20 for a week and $90 a month on average.”
“Years ago, there used to be a time when an oil change was a simple affair that could be accomplished in your driveway for the cost of oil and a filter,” said Devin Purcell, an automotive professor and editor-in-chief of AutoKnowIt.com.
But many of today’s cars have modern engines and special oil requirements.
“These oil changes can now cost over $300 or $400,” Purcell said. “These prices used to be normal for exotic vehicle owners, but these prices are for some of the most common vehicles driven today.”
Once you buy a car, you have to insure it, of course.
Ian Lang, senior car advice editor at Bumper.com, a vehicle history report company, said, “Your credit report, age and city where you live will all influence how much you will have to pay for car insurance. You may also be responsible for the deductible if you are involved in a car accident. Traffic violations and their associated costs shouldn’t be overlooked, too. Expect higher insurance rates and fines if you receive a ticket.”
Taxes, Licensing and Registration
These fees vary greatly by state, though the average is about $669, Lang said.
“There are some states that impose excise taxes, in which they tax the depreciated value of your vehicle every year. Some states charge only a small registration fee.”
Walden adds that these fees can come with “sticker shock” for many car owners since these fees are often rolled into the purchase price.
“Then, after a year, car owners get hit with the full registration costs,” Walden said. “Make sure you budget for your annual registration costs.”
It can cost several thousand dollars to maintain a car each year, which can vary depending on where you live and on the make and model of your vehicle, Lang said.
“Even if a car never experiences a mechanical failure,” Lang said, “it will still require hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in replacement tires, filters and oil over its lifetime.”
Electric Vehicle Costs
Purcell reminds people who are flocking to purchase electric vehicles that these require long-term care as well.
Purcell points out that batteries in electric vehicles have finite lifespans and require replacement sometimes more than once in the life of the vehicle.
“(In) the Toyota Prius, for example, battery life is generally expected to be 10-15 years,” he said. “When the battery needs replaced, it can cost close to $2,000 or more to replace.”
More From GOBankingRates


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Tinder has officially decided to put an 18 and above age rating on its app. Believe it or not, since its launch in 2012, users as young as 13 could hop on the dating service as long as they had a Facebook account.
Tinder made sure that its youngest members, aged 13-17, could only match with users of a similar age bracket.
That’s all about to change, according to a statement from the company, which states that it has decided to change its age policy after months of consideration, reports TechCrunch.
“On a platform that has facilitated over 11 billion connections, we have the responsibility of constantly assessing our different user experiences,” read the announcement from Tinder’s VP of communications, Rosette Pambakian. “Consistent with this responsibility, we have decided to discontinue service for under 18 users. We believe this is the best policy moving forward. This change will take effect next week.”
Tinder claims that the changes will affect less than 3 percent of its entire user base of 100 million. Its growing popularity has led to more scrutiny over its approach to sexual health awareness, safety, and diversity. As a result, the app has rolled out a number of changes, with more on the way.
Earlier this year, Tinder added a health and safety section to its website, including a link to Healthvana’s free HIV and STD testing site locator, following pressure from the Aids Healthcare Foundation. The company’s CEO also recently promised to add transgender options to the dating service, claiming that it is “the right thing to do for the world.”
Additionally, in April, the app began testing a group meetup feature in Australia in an effort to unlock the social potential of the platform. The fact that the app now boasts 1 million paying subscribers could also be the rationale behind its decision to refine what is already a lucrative product.
- Fitbit’s excellent sleep tracking is about to get even better
- Do mental health apps really help? We asked the experts
- Apple’s Medications app is a game-changer for the chronically ill
- The FDA just approved an Apple Watch app to track Parkinson’s disease
- watchOS 9 is bringing big health and fitness updates to your Apple Watch


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This week in Windows Phone we heard that developers don't think porting apps has value, Microsoft to control Windows 10 Mobile updates, and LG is back.
Showing results 1 to 20 of 2,489
News in the iOS world this week covered the first update for Apple Watch OS, a judge opens iPhone design to the world, and the watch will soon hit retail stores for purchase.
Microsoft is continuing to roll out monthly updates for its Intune device-management service. Here's what's in the batch for May.
This week in Windows Phone we saw a big new Windows 10 update, heard that porting apps may not be so easy, and the hot Lumia 640 is coming to the US.
It's not exactly Android-style fragmentation, but Windows Phone users are perennially frustrated at carriers dragging their feet on operating system updates. That's all changing with Windows 10 Mobile, the company says. And this time they mean it.
Citrix updated its product line at its flagship conference with a focus on making enterprise apps more accessible on tablets and mobile devices.
This week in Android a report surfaced that showed Android besting iOS in mobile ad revenue. We also saw that the Nexus 9 is not getting updates first, and that Samsung is using Sony camera sensors in the S6 and S6 Edge.
The deal will boost AVG's security services portfolio with new mobile offerings including the popular HideMyAss! proxy service.
Dropbox also slipped in that it will be adding the ability for creating new Microsoft Office docs straight from its iOS app in the next few weeks.
Apple's iPad is still an ad machine though, creating revenue four times that of its traffic. China's iPhone sales could reverse this in short order as well.
Remote communities in Australia's Northern Territory are set to get better telecommunications coverage, with the territory's 2015-16 Budget devoting AU$9 million over three years to improve mobile and broadband services in partnership with Telstra.
The social network is adding video calling, setting up face-to-face conversations between friends on mobile phones running either iOS or Android.
Box unveils its latest platform updates, promising developers the tools they need for everything to build for and scale a mobile-first workforce.
Google has been working on wireless service for a couple years and reports indicate the service may launch very soon. The service will use existing infrastructure with the Nexus 6 at the core.
Unveiled ahead of the annual RSA Conference this week, the common thread between these updates maintains a strong emphasis on content shared between employees and mobile devices.
Telsyte believes the Australian enterprise mobility market will be driven by a combination of mobile device hardware, management software, and value-added services.
Samsung plans to launch a fingerprint authentication mobile payment service in South Korea this month, with the aim to later expand it globally, the company has said.
Microsoft has rolled out native mobile app versions of Delve, its search and presentation technology, for iOS and Android, as well as enhancements to core Delve functionality.
Optus CEO Allen Lew sees the telco's future in offering entertainment services like Netflix on the back of a strong network core, and competitive fixed and mobile bundles.
One of the biggest pains for travellers abroad can be roaming charges. Google may be looking to fix that for US customers.
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- 5 So you have an app idea and want to make a bajillion bucks


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Nium processes over 75% of transactions globally in real-time to a market-leading 100 countries
Expanded license in Malaysia allows Nium to onboard licensed financial institutions and other Payment Service Providers (PSPs) for payouts, while offering higher outbound transaction limits
Nium [https://www.nium.com/], the global platform for modern money movement, today announced the availability of real-time payments into Malaysia, further strengthening the company’s real-time payments capabilities across the globe. With the addition of Malaysia, Nium now processes over 75% of transactions globally in real-time, and increases its total real-time payment markets to a market-leading 100 countries.
According to GlobalData [https://techwireasia.com/2022/05/real-time-payments-in-2021-led-to-a-us1-8b-savings-for-asia-pacific/], Malaysia recorded 1.1 billion real-time payment transactions in 2021, accounting for an estimated $US434 million cost savings for businesses and consumers. The report also forecasts real-time transactions in Malaysia to grow to 3.6 billion in 2026.
“More countries are turning to Nium to bring their legacy systems into the modern age,” said Pratik Gandhi, COO and co-founder at Nium. “We enable money to move around the world – instantly, easily, and securely – while helping businesses position themselves for more opportunities in the digital future.”
With real-time payments in Malaysia and other emerging markets around the world expected to surge in the coming years, Nium is uniquely positioned to help global businesses drive faster payments, better manage liquidity, satisfy their customers, and ultimately grow their business faster across the globe.
Nium Secures Broader License Capabilities in Malaysia
Nium has also announced it has secured an expanded license in Malaysia. Nium is now able to onboard licensed corporations of all sizes to its platform – including Financial Institutions and PSPs – with higher outbound limits, up to MYR6,000,000 per day, and the ability to control end user pricing. The “International Remittance Hub” (IRH) license is issued by the central bank of Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), and it provides Nium with in-market capabilities including Pay Out in more than 190 countries, with over 100 in real-time, as well as technology and compliance cost savings for businesses, and settlement in local currency (MYR).
Nium [https://www.nium.com/] is the global platform for modern money movement. It provides banks, payment providers, and businesses of any size with access to global payment and card issuance solutions. Its modular platform powers frictionless commerce, helping businesses pay and get paid across the globe. Once connected to the Nium platform, businesses are able to pay out in more than 100 currencies to over 190 countries – 100 of which in real time. Funds can be received in 27 markets, including Southeast Asia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, India, and the US. Nium’s growing card issuance business is already available in 34 countries, including Europe (SEPA), the UK, Australia and Singapore. Nium’s license portfolio covers 11 of the world’s jurisdictions, enabling seamless global payments and rapid integration, regardless of geography.
For more information, visit: https://www.nium.com or connect with a specialist here [https://dev.nium.com/contact-us].


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SOURCE: General Motors
Chevrolet Introduces All-New 2016 Volt
Chevrolet unveiled the all-new 2016 Volt electric car with extended range, showcasing a sleeker, sportier design that offers 50 miles of EV range, greater efficiency and stronger acceleration.
Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept Signals Brand’s EV Strategy
Chevrolet made a significant statement on its commitment to electrification with the introduction of the Bolt EV concept – a vision for an affordable, long-range all-electric vehicle designed to offer more than 200 miles of range starting around $30,000.
Chevrolet Spark EV Plugs into Maryland
Chevrolet will start selling the Spark EV in Maryland this spring, expanding the pure electric mini-car’s “range” to the East Coast.
GM Reducing Environmental Impact in a Variety of Ways
Jeanne Blaisdell, founder and publisher of The Green Samaritan blog, shares her behind-the-scenes experience at this year’s North American International Auto Show.
Department of Energy Recognizes GM for Workplace Charging
The U.S. Department of Energy recognized GM’s leadership in supporting the development of the national plug-in electric vehicle workplace charging infrastructure, promoting workplace charging and increasing the charging stations available to GM employees.
GM Ventures Sees Potential in Fuel Saving Technology
GM Ventures is optimistic that its 2012 equity investment in Silicon Valley-based startup Tula Technology, Inc. will result in a revolutionary new fuel economy technology that could be deployed in future gasoline engine-powered General Motors’ vehicles.
GM Dealers Show Their Sustainability to Customers
Certain Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealerships across the U.S. are showing customers their environmental credentials as part of a new “Green Dealer Recognition” program.
GM Leadership and Employees Learn from Climate Expert
Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres, met with GM employees for a roundtable discussion on how external stakeholders view the company’s sustainability performance and how they can help continue the progress.
Fort Wayne Assembly Powered by Wide Array of Renewables
GM’s Fort Wayne assembly plant in Indiana finished construction of a 100-foot-long, 14.4 kilowatt ground-mounted solar array. The company now houses 46 megawatts of solar power at 18 of its facilities globally.
Embracing the Disruption
David Tulauskas, GM’s director of sustainability, sees opportunity in industry changes and challenges.
9 Technologies Shaping the Future of Sustainability
From aerial drones to “smart” floor tiles, GM Manager of Renewable Energy Rob Threlkeld sheds an energy-efficient light on the latest sustainability technologies.
Getting to the Green: The Beautification of our Detroit-Hamtramck Plant
With some urging from a local resident, GM and the Greening of Detroit set out to plant new trees to replace those destroyed by the emerald ash borer.
Native American Weavers Harvest Dogbane at Fort Wayne Assembly
Colonies of the dogbane plant growing near GM’s Indiana manufacturing facility are being used to making clothing and bags.
Vauxhall Creates a Sustainability Culture, Wins Award
GM’s Vauxhall brand in the U.K. received a Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice from the Green Organisation, an international nonprofit.
Four Chevrolet Models Are 2015 IIHS Top Safety Picks
The 2015 Chevrolet Spark, Volt, Malibu and Equinox have been named 2015 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Picks.
Chevrolet’s Safety Alert Seat Goes to Work
Forward Collision Alert technology available in several 2015 Chevrolet models, including the Silverado, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse, alerts customers in everyday car-following situations if they may be seconds away from a crash or following much too closely.
Buick Achievers Scholarship Application Period Now Open
The Buick Achievers Scholarship Program, funded by the General Motors Foundation, will accept applications for 2015 scholarships until 5 p.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 27.
GM Foundation Contributes $2.875 Million to Higher Education
The General Motors Foundation announced grants totaling $2.875 million to support 29 leading universities and organizations across the country in 2014 through its University/Organization Partner Program.
Tweet me: .@GM’s January/February Corporate Responsibility Newsletter is now live: http://3bl.me/wsqsch
KEYWORDS: Environment and Climate Change, Energy, GM, General Motors, Corporate Responsibility Newsletter, Chevrolet Bolt, 2016 Chevy Bolt


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In toughening economic times, two Indigenous organisations have teamed up to help provide sustainable employment opportunities for Aboriginal people.
In-Balance Australia, a 100% Aboriginal-owned and family managed company which markets and exports environmentally responsible industrial cleaning products, has partnered with Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation to create training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal women in their co-located commercial bottling and packaging division in Wangara.
“In this difficult business climate we are pleased to be helping Aboriginal people to manage their own destiny by creating meaningful, sustainable employment opportunities,” said In-Balance Australia CEO Dwayne Rowland.
“After working together for almost 24 months it was clear there was a real opportunity to come together and create a business with a real difference,” said Gary Chesson of Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation (AAC)..
“We are thrilled that we now have APS – Aboriginal Procurement Solutions as a joint venture with IN Balance providing clients across Australia with our range of products.”
Even in these tough economic times, APS is already supplying a number of large corporates in Western Australia including Adams Coachlines, GCS Group, Westralian and Mermaid Marine.
“APS represents the perfect partnership with AAC selling new cooking oil, then collecting the waste cooking oil from remote mining camps and recycling it into bio-diesel. We then utilise some of these recycled materials to make unique environmentally friendly cleaning solutions,” said Mr Rowland.
“One of our shining employees is Kaye, who in the space of 18 months has gone from the ranks of the unemployed to a very confident and competent warehouse leading hand. She oversees the safe and clean operation of our wide range of activities and diverse recycling and bottling processes.
“Demand has now grown to a point where we need to purchase a state-of-the-art bottling machine.
“With our APS products now able to be purchased through Staples we are hoping that demand continues to increase so we can continue to grow our local employment,” Mr Chesson said.
In-Balance is currently in discussions with other Aboriginal businesses nationally to replicate its successful model at the Wangara facility, and hopes to continue growing local Indigenous employment.
Last year In-Balance Australia was awarded the Indigenous Business of the Year award in the 2015 Belmont Small Business Awards.
In-Balance is an award winning 100% Aboriginal owned and family run private company with a majority of Aboriginal employees. In-Balance exports a range of Australian made environmentally responsible industrial solutions which reduce the use of toxic chemicals that impact the environment. They are the first Aboriginal business supplying janitorial/industrial products to Staples.
Other recent awards:
o Runner up – City of Wanneroo Small business of the year 2015
o Finalist – City of Wanneroo Most Innovative business 2015
P: 0429 460 254


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There's been a string of bad news for vehicle startups in recent months including Fisker, Think and Next Autoworks. Other than the difficult market for electric cars and the recession, what's something that ties these companies together: funding from Valley firm Kleiner Perkins.
Fisker Automotive, a maker of electric sports cars, said it received an additional $65 million in funding, led by the Qatar Investment Authority. Some of the company’s previous backers, Palo Alto Investors and Kleiner Perkins Caufie... Read Post
Kleiner Perkins partner Trae Vassallo said the legendary VC firm is investing in another electric car company, one that is at "the other end of the spectrum" from high end electrics like Fisker and Tesla. Of course, because this is ... Read Post


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A new credit card scam has surfaced. The Better Business Bureau says credit card users should be looking for a small and specific amount of money that might have been stolen.
HLN explains that 'if you see a charge for $9.84 on your credit card statement, you may have been scammed. And for some reason, the sum of $9.84 keeps cropping up.'
But, why would thieves go after such a small amount of money? 'Good Morning America' says it's, well, hard to notice.
'Scammers are now testing stolen credit card numbers by charging small amounts on them at first. ... Scammers apparently believing most will overlook such a small amount on an itemized bill.'
An anchor at KHOU called the small charge $9.84 a quote 'sneaky' way to steal money.
The BBB put out a national alert on the matter Monday - and instructed people to call their banks if they see the charges.
'Victims report calling the 'customer support' site and receiving verbal confirmation that the charge would be canceled. However, don't take the scammers at their word.'
And it turns out we have a pretty good idea of 'whodunnit', too.
CNN reports a cybersecurity journalist was able to trace the hack to two men in Cyprus.
Journalist Brian Krebs used to work for The Washington Post. In an article published almost two weeks ago, Krebs said he got many complaints about the small charges during the holiday season, but added the $9.84 charge had actually been popping up on many accounts since early last year.
The Better Business Bureau has advised credit card users to check their statements for the possible charge and warns thieves could use the cards again to steal more money. So far, no word on how many people this has affected.


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LG officially unveiled its ultra high definition 4K televisions. CNBC's Kayla Tausche asked actor Kevin Spacey about the success of "House of Cards" on Netflix, and how he consumes his media.» Read More
SAN FRANCISCO, May 7- Internet entrepreneurs made their television debut in April with the fictionalized comedy series Silicon Valley. The new weekly television program, called FounderLine, will fill a void for the growing ranks of tech start-up company founders, said Joe Beninato, a serial tech entrepreneur who created and is hosting the show.
What will boost Yahoo to a growth asset, with Neil Doshi, CRT Capital Group managing director. Doshi says Yahoo has a long way to go on video.
Discussing what Yahoo is doing to boost its mobile business, with CEO Marissa Mayer. Mayer says today the company has more than 500 employees working on mobile.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer says she doesn't think Yahoo overpaid for Tumblr, and discusses its success.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer recalls a time when an employee asked her whether it was "time to go." She shares her management philosophy.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer discusses the company's success with original video. Mayer says Yahoo will live stream a concert daily as a partnership with Live Nation.
Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company chairman & CEO, discusses the motivation behind Disney's deal with Dish Networks. We felt it was a really worthy opportunity, Iger says.
Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company chairman & CEO, takes a selfie with Star Wars wookie Chewbacca.
CNBC's David Faber speaks to Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company chairman & CEO, about the company's plans to increase their dividend and how Disney employs technology to give consumers a better park experience.
Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company chairman & CEO, discusses the "soft" advertising cycle in the industry and weighs in on the state of the U.S. economy.
Comcast is merging with Time Warner Cable and within a year the X1 cable service should be available to customers in L.A. as well as in New York.
"Beavis and Butt-Head" creator Mike Judge, discusses his new HBO show "Silicon Valley" where he takes on the world of startups and technology. The show is partially based on Judge's own experiences as a Silicon Valley engineer.
BEIJING, May 1- China's censors are asserting their authority over foreign TV content on the country's booming online video sites, after years of hands-off regulation, raising the risks for U.S. distributors left in the dark about which shows might fall foul of the rules.
April 30- U.S. media company Viacom Inc said it will buy British free-to-air TV broadcaster Channel 5 from media baron Richard Desmond for 450 million pounds to expand in the United Kingdom.
April 30- British media baron Richard Desmond will announce that he is selling free-to-air TV broadcaster Channel 5 to U.S.-based Viacom Inc for up to 450 million pounds, The Guardian reported On Wednesday, without citing sources.
CNBC's David Faber asks Leslie Moonves, CBS president & CEO, if he thinks Twitter helps drives TV ratings.
CNBC's David Faber speaks to Leslie Moonves, CBS president & CEO, about the Supreme Court's impending decision on Aereo. "Aereo basically takes our content that we produce and distribute, steals it, and delivers it to the public for a price," Moonves says.
Shares of Churchill Downs, operator of the Kentucky Derby, offer investors steady growth that has little to do with horse wagering.
Executives from NBCUniversal and ESPN say advertisements shown on video-on-demand content could be worth more than those shown on live viewing.
A look at how billionaire entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey redefined U.S. TV talk shows and built a personality-based empire of extraordinary scale.


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Once again, fact-free union-bashing rears its ugly head.
The truth is that Hostess entered bankruptcy in 2004, and the union workers agreed to wage & benefit concessions, saving $110 million. Hostess came out of bankruptcy controlled by a private equity firm & 2 hedge funds, and they managed the company poorly.
In 2011, the company asked workers for more concessions, and the workers refused. Hostess filed for bankruptcy again in 2012, demanded huge givebacks and stopped paying pension obligations, while the CEO was being paid $100,000 per month.
Vulture capitalism killed Hostess, not the union.
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2018 Ducati Panigale V4 Recalled for Two Fuel Leak Issues
Ducati is performing two separate worldwide recall on all 2018 Panigale V4 models (include the S and Speciale variants) related to potential fuel leaks. Though both recalls seem related, they are for two different problems, one that may cause fuel to leak from an internal breathing valve and one that may cause fuel to spray out when the tank cap is opened. The recall affects 692 motorcycles in the U.S.
The first recall addresses a potential leak from the breathing valve located at the rear part of the tank that is normally covered by the seat. According to the recall documentation released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the valve’s O-ring may be damaged during installation of the valve plug.
The problem was first reported on March 5 by a European dealer after noticing a fuel leak on a demo bike. Because the leak occurred at the back of the tank, the dealer was able to quickly identify the breather valve as the source and identified a pinched O-ring. Ducati immediately started an internal investigation. By April, Ducati had received four other reports including one from the U.S. All of these field reports showed evidence of a damaged O-ring. Ducati initiated its worldwide recall process on April 11.
Ducati dealers will replace the valve plug and O-ring on recalled units. The new plug has a chamfered edge to make installation easier while decreasing the risk of pinching the O-ring during installation. Ducati will also apply a different lubricant to improve plug fitting while not creating a false seal.
The second recall addresses an issue with fuel spraying when the cap is opened. According to the NHTSA documents, the Panigale V4’s fuel cap may not allow for proper venting. In certain conditions, pressure may build up inside the tank. When the fuel cap is opened, the pressure may cause fuel to spray out of the tank. Riders may feel and hear signs of excessive pressure when trying to open the cap.
Ducati first received two reports about this issue on March 21 in North America, one from a dealer demo bike and the second from a customer’s bike. Ducati immediately started an investigation. By the end of March, Ducati North America received two additional field reports. The investigation was completed in April, with a recall initiated on April 11.
Ducati dealers will modify the fuel tank caps on recalled Panigale V4 models to improve breathing capacity.
The corrective measures for both recalls were implemented on new models produced after March 28.


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• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is pushing for a global platform for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to enable transactions between countries.
• Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s director, says that without a framework, the vacuum of global payments would end up being filled by decentralized cryptocurrencies.
• A survey suggests that the majority of Americans are opposed to the adoption of a CBDC if it gives the government control over how people spend their money.
International Monetary Fund Pushes for Global Platform To Connect Countries with Central Bank Digital Currencies
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is working on a worldwide platform for central bank digital currencies (CDBCs) to enable transactions between countries. IMF’s director Kristalina Georgieva argues that if CBDCs are approached on a country-by-country basis, the need for global interoperable payments systems would be neglected and the capacity of CBDCs would be underutilized.
Cryptocurrencies Could Fill Vacuum Of Global Payments Without Framework
Georgieva says that cryptocurrencies are an investment opportunity when backed by assets, but when they are not they are a “speculative investment”. Without a framework, she warns that the vacuum of global payments would end up being filled by decentralized cryptocurrencies.
CBDCs Would Promote ‘Financial Inclusion’ and Make Remittances Cheaper
The IMF executive says CBDCs would promote “financial inclusion” and make remittances cheaper than ever before. She also believes these systems could help governments keep track of financial activity on their respective countries in order to prevent illicit activities from taking place.
Survey Suggests Majority Of Americans Opposed To Giving Government Control Over Spending
A recent survey from the Cato Institute in collaboration with YouGov suggests that the overwhelming majority of Americans were opposed to the issuance of a CBDC if it gave the government control over how people spend their money. About 68% said they were against the adoption of a CDBC if it meant that the government could keep an eye on their spending, and 68% say they will not support a CBDC if it eliminated all cash.
The IMF’s push for global platform to connect countries with central bank digital currencies shows promise in helping promote financial inclusion and making remittances easier while also providing governments with more insight into financial activities happening within their respective countries. However, this comes at cost as surveys suggest most Americans are opposed to such implementations due to fears around giving too much power to governments over how people spend their money


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Reuters: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. agreed to buy Youku Tudou Inc – popularly known as ‘China’s YouTube’ – for about $ 3.7 billion, slightly more than it had offered in October.
The deal announced on Friday will give the e-commerce giant access to more than half a billion online video users, accelerating its push into the Chinese digital media market.
It is also a vote of confidence in China’s economy by Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma, who has said investors should not overreact to his country’s slowing growth.
Youku Tudou’s American Depositary Shares rose 10% to $ 26.80 in premarket trading on Friday, below Alibaba’s offer of $ 27.60 per ADS.
Alibaba held 18.3% of Youku Tudou as of 16 October, when it made its initial offer of $ 26.60 per ADS. The new offer values the rest of Youku Tudou at about $ 4.8 billion.
The new offer represents a premium of 35.1% over Youku Tudou’s closing price on 15 October.
Any deal would include the $ 1.1 billion of cash held by Youku Tudou, Alibaba’s chief financial officer, Maggie Wu, said in October.
Based on this, Alibaba will end up paying about $ 3.7 billion under its revised offer.
Unprofitable Youku Todou needed the partnership with Alibaba, Summit Research analyst Henry Guo said.
Youku Tudou Chief Executive Victor Koo, a Bain & Co alumnus who owns about 18% of Youku Tudou, will remain CEO of Youku Tudou after the deal closes in the first quarter of 2016.
“With Alibaba’s support, Youku Tudou’s future as the leading multi-screen entertainment and media platform in China has been firmly secured,” Koo said in a statement.
Formerly bitter rivals, Youku – which means ‘what’s best and what’s cool’ in Chinese – merged with Tudou (‘potato’) in a deal worth over $ 1 billion in 2012.
Alibaba has made a number of sizeable investments in digital media in China in the past couple of years.
In March 2014, it agreed to buy a controlling stake in ChinaVision Media Group Ltd for $ 804 million to get access to TV and movie content. The company is now known as Alibaba Pictures.
A month later, Alibaba said it would pay about $ 1 billion for a 20% stake in Wasu Media Holding Co Ltd.
In March 2015, TV program producer Beijing Enlight Media Co Ltd said Alibaba had invested $383 million.
Morgan Stanley Asia Ltd advised Alibaba, while J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Ltd. advised Youku Tudou’s special committee.


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, a Lalamove Hong Kong-based startup providing last-mile logistics services, has seen significant growth in recent months due to the global pandemic.
The company is reportedly in the final stages of closing
a $1.5 billion round of funding as part of their Series F round, according to a report by Pandaily. “On-demand logistics and delivery company Lalamove is close to completing a US$1.5 billion financing round that would bring its valuation to around US$10 billion,” reported Pandaily.
The Lalamove app.
Lalamove has already raised $1.3 billion in 2 earlier tranches, and is looking to raise a final $200 million before closing the round.
The company had also previously closed a
$515 million Series E funding round from Sequoia Capital China.
Lalamove's founder, Chow Shing-yuk.
Founded in 2013 by
Chow Shing-yuk, Lalamove has served thousands of businesses across multiple industries in Asia, ranging from catering, retail, ecommerce, manufacturing, and more.
As of November 2020, the company has expanded to
over 352 cities in mainland China, with over 7.2 million monthly active users (and 480k drivers) on the platform.
“The market will further expand and penetrate into fourth and fifth-tier cities, and we believe that the transformation of China’s freight industry by mobile internet is far from being over,” said founder Zhou Shengfu.


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McDonald's can be held liable for wage and labor violations by its franchisees, according to a ruling Tuesday by the National Labor Relations Board. The decision could mean more leverage for fast-food workers, but not before McDonald's and the rest of the restaurant industry fight to have it reversed.
McDonald's Japan will begin selling Tofu Shinjo Nuggets Wednesday in the company's Japanese locations. The tofu nuggets release could be a welcome bright spot for McDonald's Japan as it deals with poor sales and the fallout from a scandal involving one of its major Chinese meat suppliers.
People should stop worrying about whether or not giant global corporations are 'American,' writes Robert Reich. Instead, the US should focus on what the US wants from these corporations, like job creation.
Red Lobster's food is being plated differently to mimic more upscale restaurants' styles and cater to clients who 'are not going to go a Chipotle for their anniversary,' according to the chain's new CEO. On Monday, Darden Restaurants closed its sale of Red Lobster to Golden Gate Capital for $2.1 billion.
Dunkin' Donuts US sales grew 1.8 percent in the second quarter, missing expectations. Dunkin' Brands Group CEO Nigel Travis also says Dunkin' Donuts cashiers will 'upsell' more often.
Americans throw away 1,400 calories of food per person each day, which wastes food and money. A four-part plan involving governments, businesses, and other local organization could help reduce food loss.
Starbucks, Burger King, and Papa John's all have pulled products with meat from Husi Food Co. in China. The news follows reports and an immediate investigation of Husi repackaging expired meat and putting new expiration dates before selling them to major food chains, including McDonald's and KFC.
The world population is estimated to rise over 9 billion in 2050, putting pressure on food security, Cara Mayo and Ben Simon write. Could food recovery be the key to securing the food industry?


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Microsoft has launched Dynamics 365 Copilot, which will bring interactive assistance to customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP).
A Microsoft survey on business trends found that nearly nine out of 10 workers hope to use artificial intelligence to reduce repetitive tasks in their jobs. The new Dynamics 365 Copilot aims to help organisations empower their workers with AI tools built for sales, service, marketing, operations and supply chain roles, enabling them to spend less time on mundane tasks.
According to Microsoft, Dynamics 365 Copilot takes advantage of recent advancements in generative AI to automate tasks like manual data entry, content generation and note-taking.
For example, Copilot in Dynamics 365 Sales and Viva Sales helps sellers to reduce the time they spend on clerical tasks. AI helps write email responses to customers and can create an email summary of a Teams meeting in Outlook, pulling in details from the CRM.
Copilot in Dynamics 365 Customer Service helps agents deliver customer service by drafting contextual answers to queries in chat and email. The tool also helps customer service departments to quickly build virtual agents with conversation boosters in Power Virtual Agents. It uses Azure OpenAI Service and Bing to provide answers from company websites and internal knowledge bases.
An introduction to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Copilot
“The next era of business applications is being transformed by generative AI,” said Charles Lamanna, corporate vice president of business applications and platform at Microsoft, in a blog post announcing the launch of Dynamics 365 Copilot. “Users will increasingly expect their CRM and ERP applications to include AI-powered expertise.
“Dynamics 365 Copilot brings the latest AI breakthroughs to every line of business, improving customer experience, employee experience and operational efficiency. Essential to our approach as we bring these latest advancements to customers is our commitment to responsible AI by design – our framework for the safe deployment of AI technologies.”


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Fundingwire is your quick summary of notable investments made in the technology space. The firms which have recently raised investment include Truckola, iserve Financial, Dogsee chew and e27
Logistics Startup Truckola Raises $595K
Truckola, Mumbai based logistics startup has raised $595,000 from angel investors. The round was led by Abhishek Agarwal of Fortune Interfinance with participation from other investors like Krishna Kumar Natarajan, executive chairman of Mindtree; Shanti Mohan, founder of LetsVenture; Sarthak and Nihit Agarwal of Shubhalakshmi Polyesters; and AI Hamra Group.
Truckola was founded in 2015 by Raghav Himatsingka, Keshav Himatsingka and Vipul Garg. It fulfils supply and demand of intercity transportation, by making a feasible platform for better user experience. The company will utilise raised funds to optimise the transport ecosystem and for scalability of operations. Read More
Wiwigo Raises $600K From IAN
Wiwigo, an inter city taxi service provider, has raised $600,000 funding from Indian Angel Network and 2 HNIs. IAN Investors, Priyank Shankar Garg & Harsh Chitale have led the funding round. Priyank Shankar Garg will join the board of Wiwigo to mentor the team for fast growth. Wiwigo offers roundtrip and multi city travel options. The raised amount will be used for expansion of company operations.
Iserve Financial Secures Seed Funding
Iserve Financial secures seed funding from a group of investors including Nilesh Shah, CEO of Kotak Mutual Fund. The company was started with the mission to serve financial needs of consumers across retail loans, investment and protection solutions.
It was founded by Dipak Samanta,Rahul Bhaik, Krishna Iyer, and Sasanka Panda. The raised funds will be used for market penetration and for improvement of it’s online portal reach. Read More
Dogsee Chew Raises $297K
Bangalore-based Dogsee Chew, has secured $297K in an angel round of funding. The investment round was led by Renu Balyan and Jyotsna Bapat, an Associate Professor at IIIT Bangalore.
Bhupendra Khanal, founded Dogsee Chew in 2015. The company provides healthy and natural dog treats sourced from the manufacturers and suppliers in the Himalayan range – Nepal and Darjeeling. Presently company offers seven products and retails in over 20 states of India. Read More
e27 Secures Funding in New Round
Singapore based technology blog e27 has raised an undisclosed amount in a new round of funding.
In July 2015, e27 raised about $650K in funding and before that, in 2013, the company had raised $615k funding from 8capita Partners, Ardent Capital, B Dash Ventures, and Pinehurst Advisors. Read More
Image Source: Bulung


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By Ramkumar Subramaniam
A very strong convergence between Web3 and gaming has already happened in the year 2022. We saw a lot of Web3 games being released, and that too, with every gaming asset as NFTs.
While the success of the collaboration between Web3 and gaming cannot be denied, we also saw flickers of some projects that did not think a lot about gaming but focused more on using the Web3/NFT elements. This is perhaps the lesson that the industry needed on how not to proceed with games… leave alone Web3 or Web 2.0.
In 2023, Web3 games will become more focused on the game rather than the technology element. While buzzwords like blockchain, P2E, and NFTs could be nice garnishing factors for the game, it should be understood that the game, at the end of the day, finds its appeal because of the game itself!
The year 2021 can be considered the innocent childhood of Web3 games, and 2022 was the uncertain adolescence. After learning a lot from both these years, 2023 will look at a very mature approach towards Web3 gaming.
While that has been a lot of encouragement and market-magnetism for developers to create their own Web3 games, we will also be looking at a lot of classic games, especially AAA rated ones jump into the Web3/NFT bandwagon. Anything said, the immutable nature of gaming assets is a lucrative proposition for any game, and we could see the beginning of the blurring of the line of demarcation between classic games and new-age Web3 games.
We are looking at a bright future for the trading of NFT gaming assets in leading marketplaces. Just like how some marketplaces gained their market-momentum because of profile pictures, some marketplaces will find a new elevation of prominence because of the gaming asset market and the potential it holds.
2023 will witness the creation of gaming metaverses rather than just Web3 games. It is the story of the game that will be a bigger selling point than just the action in the game. We can also expect a seamless integration between multiple gaming metaverses and some symbiosis between the games, assets, and revenue generation opportunities.
These virtual universities would also mean that there is a lot of scope for collaboration between brands and games… Much similar to what we see in the real world sporting tournaments. Since brands will have the opportunity to grab the attention of a specific set of people, it is quite possible that advertising in the gaming metaverses would be one of the most sought after promotion platforms.
When we talk about plans and collaborations, we are not just talking about advertising but also a possibility of the brand itself building a gaming arena in the digital space. This would open up opportunities for brands to create their own avatars and mascots, build an inventory of virtual clothing or accessories or vehicles, make people use them, trade them, and flaunt them in the gaming metaverse.
There will also be a spike in the magnitude of government regulations. This is something that is to be expected from governments when any unrelated business grows tremendously it is rich and user base. Contrary to the opinion of some people, regulating an industry will only make it better, legally viable, And above everything, will serve as an investment magnet for people who do not wish to invest in anything that is in the legal grade area.
More than anything, 2023 will witness of mass exodus of people from Asia and Africa into Web3 gaming. For many of them, this could probably be their first step into the gaming world, the excitement, and the opportunities they hold in terms of engagement, social connections, exposure, and earning.
To sum it all up, the year 2023 will be one of the most historically important to use for Web3, for gaming, and for Web3 gaming! There will be a fine balance between disruptions and market maturity. We can see quite some innovation that does not defy the boundaries of purpose and game-focus. This will give a lot of scope for games with a strong story and gameplay to triumph more than games with some lucrative low-hanging fruit but with a very shallow story.
The author is co-founder and CEO, GuardianLink


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Iran exports 200k tons of flour
TEHRAN, May 24 (MNA) – Deputy agriculture minister has reported on exports of 200 thousand barrels of flour to regional and European countries.
Deputy Minister of Agricultural for Commercial and Agricultural Industries Ali Akbar Mehrfard said it was the first time for Iran to deploy wheat and flour to international markets adding “special facilities have been created for exports of surplus wheat which kicked off three months ago.”
Mehrfard described food industry as one of the most important industries in the export markets adding “Ministry of Agriculture seeks to expand storage of products from the farm to domestic and foreign markets in line with policies of Resistance Economy.”
“The objectives are expected to become fulfilled by the end of the Sixth National Development Plan in a bid to create production chains,” he continued.
Deputy Iranian agriculture minister said food and agriculture products of Iran are exported to more than 30 world countries and the possibility exists now to sell products to Russia and Eurasian countries thanks to creation of transport and cooling infrastructures.
Self-sufficiency in wheat production, a long-held dream of Iranian farmers and workers, came true in the previous Iranian calendar year. In addition to supplying domestic demand, even three million tons of the product can now be exported abroad. Approximately 13 to 14 million tons of wheat are expected to be produced in the present Iranian year.
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