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Bwin.party is profitable once again, announcing it made a return of €2.9 million ($3.25 million) after taxes for the first six months of 2015, an impressive turnaround for the company which lost a staggering €94 million ($105 million) during the same period last year.
Through cost-saving initiatives and the selling of non-core assets including the offloading of the World Poker Tour brand to Chinese firm Ourgame for $35 million, bwin.party has performed a miraculous change of direction.
“Based upon our progress in the year-to-date and with the further roll-out of our latest mobile products, the introduction of new customer relationship management tools and planned entry into two new nationally regulated markets later this year, we remain confident about the full year outlook,” Norbert Teufelberger, bwin.party CEO said.
The company’s resurgence is why both 888 and GVC Holdings are actively trying to acquire the Gibraltar-based gaming company, and while 888 is thought to still be the frontrunner, GVC isn’t ready to wave a white flag at the battle for bwin.
As remarkable as bwin.party’s drastic revenue transition is, another key area of the Q1-Q2 data is the persistent struggles of online poker.
In 2013, Internet poker was responsible for nearly 17 percent of bwin’s total revenues.
In 2014, that dropped to under 13 percent, and of the $332 million bwin grossed during the first six months in 2015, poker accounted for just $38 million, or 11 percent.
Once a marquee component of the PartyGaming and bwin merger, online poker is in serious need of revitalization, and reviewing bwin.party’s Key Performance Indicators shows just how drastic revenues have dropped.
In the second quarter of 2010, the company’s online poker network grossed about $650,000 per day. Five years later, the Internet rooms are bringing in less than $200,000, a more than 70 percent decline.
The bwin board of directors has recommended to shareholders that the company accept 888’s proposal for acquisition over GVC’s, even though the former’s bid is lower than the latter’s.
A primary reason for accepting a cheaper offer is due to 888’s strong position in online poker.
“The combination of the 888 and bwin.party businesses would generate significant value for both sets of shareholders,” bwin explained in a release to investors. “The Board continues to believe that its offer is significantly greater intrinsic value than the proposal outlined by GVC Holdings.”
Mergers and acquisitions has certainly become the name of the game when it comes to iGaming. Stricter tax regulations and prolonged constraints by governments has led to $9.1 billion in corporate deals in 2015 alone, the latest being Paddy Power and Betfair.
“To maintain dividends and create scale, the market is having to consolidate. The market is ultra-competitive,” Warwick Bartlett, a research executive at Global Betting and Gaming Consultancy told the Irish Independent.
Once the largest online poker room in the world, PartyPoker could make a serious run at regaining that title it lost to PokerStars following the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act should it align with 888.
That chance simply doesn’t exist with GVC, which is why bwin.party is expected to announce it’s taking the offer from 888.


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The Ubuntu Edge smartphone was unable to reach its fixed funding goal of $32 million on Indiegogo. Its campaign to fund the dual OS device ended today. Canonical, the team behind the Ubuntu Edge smartphone, says that that despite the failure, the campaign brought about many positive things.
Canonical thanked its backers, which number around 20,000. The backers of the Ubuntu Edge raised a total of $12,809,906 in funds. This allowed them to break the record for the largest amount of funds pledged in a crowdfunding campaign. However, given that the campaign was a failure, the Pebble smartwatch campaign, which raised $10.2 million, holds the record for the largest amount of funds raised.
In its statement on the crowdfunding website, Canonical revealed that its backers are composed not just of individuals, but companies, as well. Bloomberg LP, for instance, their largest contributor, pledged $80,000 for the campaign. Other smaller businesses likewise pledged $7,000 each.
Canonical also expressed its gratitude to the Ubuntu community for their support. The Ubuntu community, according to Canonical, promoted support for the mobile device through websites, mailing lists, and social media.
This huge amount of support that the Ubuntu Edge smartphone received showed that plenty of people want Ubuntu on their mobile devices. Canonical assured consumers that this fact will not go unnoticed. In the coming year, they expect other Ubuntu-based handsets to be released. Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth even stated in an interview with The Guardian that some manufacturers have already shown interest in producing affordable smartphones with Ubuntu Mobile OS. There is no mention, however, of another upcoming smartphone that runs both Android and Ubuntu Mobile OS.
Canonical had earlier announced that if the ambitious $32 million goal is not met, the company would not produce the Ubuntu Edge. All funding contributed to the campaign would be returned. In the most recent update on Indiegogo, the company announced that the refunds will be sent via Paypal, and will be processed within five working days.

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If you’re rushing to catch a train in the Dutch city of Utrecht, you’ll probably show up on a bike—and a massive new bike parking garage is designed to let you store your bike and get to the platform as quickly as possible. Though it’s the largest bike parking garage in the world, with space for 12,656 bicycles, the design means that you can ride inside, find a spot, and be at your train in five minutes or less.
Utrecht already ranks as one of the world’s best cities for biking, and 60% of trips into the city center are taken by bike. But the city wants to double its total number of bike commuters by 2030, and a better connection to the central train station is one part of that plan. “They asked for large-scale bicycle parking to accommodate a perfect transfer between cycling and train for daily commuters,” says Stijn Rademakers, an architect at Ector Hoogstad Architecten, which won a competition to redesign the area next to the train station.
Outside, on the ground level, a new plaza replaces a midcentury-era street that had cut off the historic city center, bringing pedestrians back to a space that had been filled with cars. Under the plaza, the new bike garage goes three stories underground, and a bike path that had been at street level now crosses underground. Because of the size of the space, the designers had to approach the design differently to make it possible to quickly commute. “It became clear to us that what you do with normal bike parks—where you enter the building, get off your bike, and walk to your parking spot—you would never be able to make it because it would simply be too long to walk,” says Rademakers. “So we said, let’s attempt to just use the bike route that goes through it as a way to reach the parking lot.”
Commuters ride down ramps into a giant bicycle roundabout that leads past rooms of racks, with exits to ride to different levels and color-coded walls to show different routes. “Basically, you can never go wrong as long as you keep cycling,” he says. “You pass all the possible locations.” Each storage space has two levels of racks, all equipped with sensors, so someone riding by can easily see if there’s space available on digital signs. Floor managers help prevent theft, and the garage also has an onsite bike repair shop and bike rental. After someone parks, they can walk up a central stairwell to the main level, or take a tunnel directly to a train platform if they already have a ticket.The facility has only been fully complete for a few weeks, so it’s early to be able to say how much it’s encouraging more people to ride bikes—but it’s already popular. “What we do know is that the estimates are now that the bike park might already be too small,” says Rademaker. “It’s quite often full.” Including the spots in the station, the city now has 22,000 bicycle parking spaces in the neighborhood, and it plans to increase that number to 33,000 by 2020. Additional huge bike parking garages are in planning in other Dutch cities, including an 8,500-bike garage in the Hague, and the country will have around 200,000 new bike parking spots by 2030.


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Inflight editor Alexander Preston summarises the latest happenings across IFEC and cabin technology.
The eco credentials of some of the most vociferous climate change campaigners have recently been questioned, with the likes of David Beckham, Emma Watson and Emma Thompson all being called out for their use of first class seats and the frequency of their flights.
Hypocrisy? They could always try flying with a growing band of airline carriers driving initiatives to be more committed to zero-waste and plastic-free operations.
A few days ago, Qantas made the first-ever commercial flight to produce no landfill waste. All in-flight products onboard QF739, flying from Sydney to Adelaide and staffed by cabin crew from the Qantas ‘Green Team’, were disposed of via compost, reuse or recycling.
According to Qantas Domestic CEO Andrew David this flight would typically produce 34 kg of waste – with the Sydney to Adelaide route producing 150 tonnes of waste annually.
“This flight is about testing our products, refining the waste process and getting feedback from our customers,” he said.
About 1,000 single-use plastic items were substituted with sustainable alternatives or removed altogether from the flight, including individually packaged servings of milk and Vegemite. Alternative products used during the flight include meal containers made from sugar cane and cutlery made from crop starch, all of which is fully compostable.
At the end of the meal service, Qantas cabin crew collected the items left over for reuse, recycling or composting in multiple waste streams.
Customers used digital boarding passes and electronic bag tags where possible, with staff on hand to make sure any paper passes and tags were disposed of sustainably.
In the run-up to Earth Day (22 April), Etihad became the first airline in the Middle East to operate a flight without any single-use plastics onboard.
Buzz, Etihad’s current supplier of amenity products, collaborated with the airline to provide sustainable amenity kits, eco-plush toys and award-winning eco-thread blankets. Buzz pioneered and produced the blankets out of recycled plastic bottles.
Etihad identified over 95 single-use plastic products used across aircraft cabins, most of which were replaced with eco-friendly alternatives including cups, cutlery, dishes, headset bags, cart seals and toothbrushes. Once removed from this flight, Etihad prevented over 50 kg of plastics from being landfilled. Where suitable replacements could not be sourced, these items were not loaded. As a result of planning the Earth Day flight, Etihad additionally committed to remove up to 20% of the single-use plastic items onboard by 1 June 2019.
But it was Portuguese wet-lease carrier Hi Fly that led this year’s initiatives, with a series of single-use-plastic-free flights over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Hi Fly replaced plastic cutlery with bamboo alternatives and cups, salt and pepper shakers, packaging for bedding, dishes, individual butter pots, soft drink bottles and toothbrushes were switched with compostable alternatives crafted from recycled materials on a series of full-passenger test flights to and from Brazil.
The eco-alternatives used were plant-based catering disposables made from renewable, lower carbon or recycled materials that can be composted along with food waste.
After the flights, excess food waste and packaging were collected and delivered to a licensed waste management operator where they were processed for energy production.
Bamboo cutlery was sanitised by Hi Fly’s catering arm LSKY to be reused. Glass bottles were returned to the supplier to be cleaned and re-filled, while card and paper were grouped for collection and recycling. The total weight of plastic saved across the whole trial was 1,500 kg.
As one passenger said: “Plastic pollution needs to be addressed. My daughter will be delighted to hear that I was on the first ever flight in the world to take off without plastic.”
So now you don’t have to be star of the silver screen to be an environmental star.
The editor’s comment is published weekly as an accompaniment to the Inflight e-newsletter. If you do not currently receive our email updates, you can subscribe here.


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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz just signed a bill that included comprehensive Right to Repair legislation. Other states have passed similar legislation, but Minnesota’s covers more electronics, and sets an example for federal legislators who want to stop manufacturers from making it hard for people to repair the things they own.The Minnesota law is part of an omnibus bill and state legislators added the portions about repair to it on May 17. The new law will go into effect on July 1, 2024 and covers all electronics except video game consoles, cars, medical devices, cybersecurity tools, and farm and construction equipment.That seems like a lot of exceptions, but the bill still covers more than any other similar law. New York’s right to repair law was watered down by tech lobbyists and exempts educational and business electronics. Massachusetts has laws solely focused on automobiles. Colorado’s laws only cover farming equipment and wheelchairs. The exclusion of tractors and other farming equipment in the Minnesota law is a huge hole in the legislation. Minnesota has been a battleground state in the fight against the right to repair. Despite the caveats, right to repair advocates are celebrating. “This is the biggest Right to Repair win to date,” Nathan Proctor, senior director of U.S. PIRG’s Right to Repair campaign, said in a statement about the news. “Minnesotans know that when things break, you fix them. And when manufacturers refuse to let us access what we need for the repair, you fix the law to make them cooperate. Repairs cut waste and save consumers money. It’s common-sense, and it is becoming increasingly clear that manufacturers’ attempts to thwart repair will no longer be tolerated. Minnesota won’t be the last state to codify that.”“The repair revolution hit Minnesota today! Now independent repair shops can compete, and everyone who wants can fix things themselves,” Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit said in a statement. “With online documentation, people everywhere in the world—not just in Minnesota—will benefit from this. Manufacturers, get ready. Everyone else, get fixing.”People want to be able to fix their electronics and, for a long time, manufacturers fought them. But things are changing. The FTC formally adopted the right to repair as a policy in 2021. A year later, Joe Biden signed an executive order that backed a consumer’s right to repair their electronics. Laws like the one just passed in Minnesota are working their way through state houses all across the country.
State of Repair is Motherboard's exploration of DIY culture, device repair, ownership, and the forces fighting to lock down access to the things you own.


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Women who drink more than one cup of coffee a day might have a 22 to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, according to a new study announced Thursday (March 10) by the American Heart Association.
The study, which is published in the association's journal "Stroke," looked at 34,670 Swedish women ages 49 to 83 who were followed for an average 10.4 years. Women who drank one to two, three to four, or five or more cups of coffee per day had similar benefits compared with those who reported daily intake of less than a cup, researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, said.
Women who drank little or no coffee had an increased risk of stroke, researchers found.
Scientists have theorized that coffee could have either beneficial or harmful effects on the cardiovascular system, but earlier studies have been inconclusive. Only one previous study examined the association between coffee consumption and stroke incidence in healthy women, but it was also inconclusive, according to the American Heart Association.
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, so even small health effects of substances in coffee may have large public-health consequences, Susanna Larsson, Ph.D., the study's lead author and a researcher in the Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, said.
"Some women have avoided consuming coffee because they have thought it is unhealthy. In fact, increasing evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption may decrease the risk of some diseases such as diabetes, liver cancer and possibly stroke," she said.
The differences were unchanged by smoking status, body-mass index, and history of diabetes, hypertension or alcohol consumption, indicating that coffee's effects are not influenced by those cardiovascular risk factors.
The women participated in the Swedish Mammography Cohort, a long-running epidemiological study investigating the association of diet, lifestyle and disease development. All participants were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at the study's beginning in 1997.
Larsson's team collected data on cases of first stroke among the women that occurred between Jan. 1, 1998, and Dec. 31, 2008. The researchers documented 1,680 strokes: 1,310 cerebral infarctions/ischemic strokes (caused by blockages), 154 intracerebral hemorrhages (caused by bleeding inside the brain), 79 subarachnoid hemorrhages (caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain) and 137 unspecified strokes.
After adjustment for other risk factors, the coffee consumption was associated with a statistically significant lower risk of total stroke, stroke caused by blockages and bleeding on the brain's surface, Larsson said. Strokes cased by blockages are generally most strongly associated with dietary factors.
The study made no distinction between regular and decaffeinated coffee, but decaffeinated-coffee consumption in Sweden is low, Larsson said.
Potential ways that coffee drinking might reduce the risk of stroke include weakening inflammation in arteries that is associated with heart disease, reducing oxidative stress caused by toxins and "free radicals" that are part of natural metabolism and lowering the body's need for insulin (insulin sensitivity), she said.
Larsson previously published a study in 2008 for the American Heart Association showing that coffee and tea consumption could potentially reduce the risk of stroke in male smokers.
More studies on coffee consumption and stroke are needed before firm conclusions can be reached, Larsson said.


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Small and medium- size enterprises in the Philippines are adopting electronic commerce faster than their counterparts in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a study commissioned by Federal Express.
The study entitled ‘Global is the New Local: The Changing International Trade Patterns of Small Businesses in Asia Pacific and conducted by Harris Interactive shows that 96 percent of SMEs in the Philippines use e-commerce. About 52 percent of their total revenues are now through e-commerce, it says.
With eight out of 10 in the Philippines saying they use both mobile payments and software automation in managing their supply chains and distribution channels, it outpaces the 77 percent average for software automation and 73 percent for mobile payments in the Asia Pacific region.
“We see the global footprint of Philippine SME’s is moving further afield as they start to think bigger in this thriving digital economy,” said FedEx Express Philippines managing director John Peterson.
With exports accounting for 89 percent of total annual revenues of Philippine SMEs and a combined value of $1.4 billion, it is significantly higher than the average 71 percent of the rest of the APAC region.
Customs procedures and logistics issues remain as challenges when exporting and importing in the country. The local SMEs are also in need of faster internet to help them expand their e-commerce reach.
“The SME from the Philippines are now competing so you want to make sure that the platforms that they have are competitive,” said Peterson.
The study covered markets such as China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, with 500 respondents per market.
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"Up to now, Chinese and U.S. officials have not held any negotiations on the trade dispute," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said.
Research underway at Texas State University is contributing to the region's innovation focus.
The U.S. proposal would distinguish between different NAFTA car parts by grouping them into five categories, some of which would have a lower requirement for North American content .
The U.S. list of planned charges on more than 1,300 product categories focused on China’s industrial machinery and technology exports.
China said Sunday the metals tariffs imposed by the U.S. “caused serious damage” to its interests.
The preliminary step could lead to a dispute between the two nations at the World Trade Organization.


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Stalled competition hurts consumers and may keep prices higher.
While generic and biosimilar drugs save the U.S. healthcare system millions of dollars a year, drug store chains and others say much more needs to be done to improve access and keep their costs low.
“Despite our efforts to lower costs for consumers, we are working within a system where competition has been stalled, which hurts the consumer most. We believe increasing market competition by making more generics available is absolutely necessary to make a real impact,” says CVS Health in a letter to HHS Secretary Alex M. Azar II.
The letter to Azar was in response to a Request for Information from the Trump Administration’s Blueprint to Lower Drug Costs.
In 2017, generic drugs generated $265 billion in savings, according to the annual Association for Accessible Medicine (AAM) report, “Generic Drug Access and Savings in the U.S.”
In addition, 93% of generic prescriptions are filled at $20 or less, and the average copay for a generic drug is $6.06, AAM finds.
IQVIA, an analytics, technology, and research organization, projected $15 billion worth of reduced spending on brand name drugs in 2017 due to launches of new generics and biosimilars last year.
“Small molecule generics will have a larger and nearer term impact on patient cost savings as their price discounts are generally larger and uptake/switching has been greater. From another perspective, the biosimilar savings are more important because they might not have happened at all, so the savings are all new,” Michael Kleinrock, research director at IQVIA, tells Drug Topics.
CVS kept drug price growth to 0.2% in 2017 despite manufacturer brand list prices increases on drugs of near 10%, the company states in the letter to Azar. “Further, over 30% of our clients spent less per member in 2017 than they did in 2016 on prescription drug costs.”
Similarly, Express Scripts says the widespread use of generic drugs helped it achieve a record-low drug price growth of 1.5% in 2017.
“By prohibiting pay-for-delay agreements, the U.S. government can curb anticompetitive practices and help bring lower cost, clinically-equivalent generic medications to market more quickly,” CVS Health says.
AAM says in its report, “Competition from generic drugs brings down drug prices. Yet every year we see increasing anticompetitive activity by brand drug companies to obstruct generic competition and thereby extend marketing monopoly for their high-priced brand drugs.” This activity includes manipulating FDA safety programs to block generic drug development, renting sovereign immunity to circumvent patent laws, and filing sham citizen petitions to derail generic approvals, it said.
Increasing the use of generic drugs is one of the most effective ways to reduce prescription costs, according to NACDS. For every 1% increase in generic use, the Medicaid program could save $558 million, NACDS says in a letter to the Senate Committee on Finance last year. For example, if all other states could match the generic utilization rate of Hawaii (82.7%), the Medicaid program could save $6.56 billion annually.
NACDS supports closing loopholes to boost generic-medication access and lower costs, such as ending misuse of the risk evaluation and mitigation strategies program, which requires manufacturers to ensure the benefits of a drug or biological product outweigh its risks.
“Certain companies are employing restricted distribution networks to deny manufacturers of generics and biosimilars access to product samples they need to compete,” NACDS says in the letter. An analysis by Matrix Global Advisors found that this practice costs the healthcare system $5.4 billion annually, including $1.8 billion to the federal government.
Express Scripts, in an update on biosimilars and generics says: “This measure would address these anticompetitive practices by closing the loophole in the law and creating a clear pathway for generic and biosimilar manufacturers to access the sample products needed to bring lower-cost drugs onto the market.”
The increased generic and biosimilar competition provided by the CREATES Act would save the federal government $3.8 billion over 10 years, Express Scripts says. Originally introduced in 2016, the CREATES Act, intended to reduce prices and increase competition of generic drugs, has growing support with 29 sponsors in the Senate and 22 in the House.
Solutions to Boost Biosimilar Cost Savings
“A fair playing field is not just about generics. We must expand the use of biosimilars and eliminate the tactics that stall competition,” CVS Health says.
To increase the availability of biosimilars, CVS Health believes the FDA should support shortening the exclusivity period for biologics from 12 to 7 years.
Express Scripts “strongly supports” requiring biosimilar manufacturers to provide the same rebates in the Medicare Part D doughnut hole paid by brand manufacturers, “a policy which will ensure patient access to these lower-cost alternatives,” the PBM says. “We were pleased to see this important change enacted into law as part of the enacted February 2018 congressional budget legislation. We encourage lawmakers to preserve this important patient protection.”
In addition, biologic and biosimilar manufacturers should report patent litigation lawsuits to the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. “Requiring these patent litigation settlements to be reported to FTC and DOJ will ensure that the agencies have the information needed to challenge anticompetitive agreements in federal court,” Express Scripts says.
NACDS supports policies “that promote confidence in and encourage increased use of more cost-effective biosimilar medications,” the organization said in its letter. To that end, FDA should adopt naming policies for biosimilar drugs and biologics that are consistent with the naming conventions for brand and generic small molecule drugs, that is assigning the same individual nonproprietary name (INN) to a biosimilar drug product that is assigned to the reference biologic drug counterpart.
“Special naming policies for biosimilar drugs (and other biological drugs) that deviate from the traditional naming scheme can undermine prescriber and patient confidence in biosimilar products, thereby discouraging their use and jeopardizing the savings that could otherwise be achieved through increased use of more cost-effective biosimilar products,” NACDS says.
Meanwhile, the FDA recently released an action plan designed to advance polices that will make the process for developing biosimilars more efficient.
“By enabling a path for competition from biosimilars, we also give innovators an added incentive to invest in further research that’ll lead to the discovery of even better drugs that deliver additional benefits for patients,” says FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, in a statement.
Biologics represented 70% of the growth in drug spending from 2010 to 2015, Gottlieb says. In addition, while less than 2% of Americans use biologics, they represent 40% of total spending on prescription drugs, according to Gottlieb. “Our plan is aimed at promoting competition and affordability across the market for biologics and biosimilar products”


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BENTON HARBOR, Michigan (AP) -- Whirlpool reported a second-quarter loss Thursday, largely due to the settlement of a Brazilian collection dispute, but adjusted results topped Wall Street's expectations.
Shares dipped 3 percent in premarket trading, however, after the world's biggest appliance company said that it now expects full-year earnings to come in at the low end of its previously reported guidance.
Quarterly revenue climbed 4 percent to $4.73 billion thanks to favorable currency trends, but that is still just shy of Wall Street expectations. Sales rose in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, but declined in Asia due to slowing demand in India.
The sluggish economic recovery in the U.S. and a terrible housing market have taken a toll. Sales fell in North America, with U.S. unit shipments of major appliances declining about 10 percent.
Whirlpool lost $161 million, or $2.10 per share for the three months ended June 30. That compares with a profit of $205 million, or $2.64 per share, a year ago.
Whirlpool announced in June that its Brazilian subsidiary would pay $603 million to Brazilian bank Banco Safra S.A. to settle a legal dispute that had spanned two decades.
Excluding about $3.78 per share related to the settlement and $1.08 per share for increased accruals tied to developments in antitrust matters related to its Embraco subsidiary, adjusted earnings were $2.76 per share.
That surpassed the $2.73 per share that analysts surveyed by FactSet predicted.
Whirlpool, whose other brands include Maytag and Kitchenaid, said global shipments rose from the prior year, but rising material and oil-related costs, as well as pricing pressure, hampered performance.
Prohibitive costs and the dour global economy are affecting the entire appliance industry, not just Whirlpool, based in Michigan. Swedish competitor Electrolux AB reported on Tuesday that its second-quarter profit was nearly halved due to weaker demand in key markets and higher raw material costs.
Whirlpool Corp. has struggled to offset rising prices because U.S. consumers are hurting. Making things even more tricky, rivals are nipping at the industry giant with promotions of their own, so it is difficult for Whirlpool to establish the right prices.
Chairman and CEO Jeff Fettig said that price increases in some countries should lead to a stronger performance during the second half of the year. Yet the company now says full-year earnings will probably be at the low end of its $12 to $13 per share range. The guidance excludes charges related to the Brazilian settlement and Embraco antitrust matters.
Analysts forecast full-year earnings of $11.82 per share.
Whirlpool's stock fell $2.14, or 2.8 percent, to $73.50 before the market open.


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Trams were stopped between Grand Central and St Paul’s after the incident near New Street shortly before 3.30pm on Friday afternoon.Police confirmed that services had been halted “as a precaution” and that the incident had been resolved soon afterwards.Midland Metro said services were running as normal again by around 3.40pm.Meanwhile Metro passengers are set to face further disruption this weekend due to engineering works, with services stopping at Snow Hill over the next three weekends.The million extension from Snow Hill to New Street Station was only fully opened on May 30 after several months of delays.MORE Man v tram What happened when we raced the Metro :Alum Rock’Blood everywhere’ horrified shoppers witness mass brawl inside Seher Boutique in Alum Rock RoadFour people were badly hurt as a mass brawl broke out inside the bridal shopFacebookAlum Rock Road fight everything we know about the bridal boutique brawlPolice were called to Alum Rock Road on Saturday afternoonMidlands NewsTributes pour in for Wolverhampton murder victim as police continue hunt for gunmanThe victim, thought to be aged in his 20s, was shot dead on Friday nightWalsallShocking Ofsted into Walsall school describes how pupils tried to smash though locked doors and set off fire alarmsDuring the two day visit cheap kamagra co uk. in April, inspectors ruled that New Leaf Centre in Rushall is “dirty and badly maintained”Birmingham weatherUK braced for hottest day of the year as temperatures hit 34C here’s how hot Birmingham will beBritain will see the mercury soar into the mid thirties by Wednesday but, thankfully, it won’t get THAT hot in BirminghamMidlands NewsDVLA urgently tells motorists to retake eye tests amid concerns they’re too shortsighted to driveThe DVLA has launched an awareness campaign calling on drivers to test whether they can see a number plate from 20 metres awayMidlands News’Neighbour from hell’ banned from Halesowen estate for two yearsGeorge McCreight is accused of robbery, assault, taking drugs and threatening his neighbours on the Highfields estateCelebrity Big BrotherSamantha Markle begs Meghan to visit dying dad Thomas in emotional Good Morning Britain interviewShe said she and Thomas had offered Meghan an olive branch and now the ball is in her court to heal the family riftMidlands NewsHundreds parade in memory of Sufi Muhammed Abdullah Khan founder of Small Heath’s Central Jamia Mosque Ghamkol SharifThe man credited with founding one of Birmingham’s largest mosques was yesterday remembered/ Hundreds of people paraded through the Small Heath area of the city to mark the passing of Sufi saint Muhammed Abdullah Khan. Sufi Abdullah was influential in building the grand Jamia Masjid Ghamkol mosque on Poets Corner in Golden Hillock Road. He led the 4 million fundraising campaign which saw the Mosque built and opened in 1996.
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The design world is constantly on the move in San Francisco. Between new collection launches and showroom openings, it can be hard to keep track. That’s why AD PRO has got you covered with all the news you need to know for the week.
Chairish Absorbs Dering Hall and Decaso
Chairish is starting 2020 off with a bang. In addition to unveiling a new brand identity, the San Francisco–headquartered brand announced its plans to absorb Dering Hall and Decaso. “With this strategic move, we’re creating a comprehensive destination for the best in home furnishings,” Anna Brockway, cofounder and president of Chairish, tells AD PRO. “Imagine all the exceptional vintage and antique pieces you know us for coupled with best-in-class items from buzzy designer brands, emerging galleries, and innovative makers.” Between now and March, Dering Hall and Decaso will move their inventories onto Chairish’s site.
St. Frank Expands Into Bedding Accessories
Beauty sleep has never looked so good, thanks to St. Frank’s latest product launch. The San Francisco–based home decor brand is expanding into bedding with sheets, shams, and quilts. Available in three whimsical patterns, St. Frank’s inaugural bedding collection is available for purchase online as well as in its Presidio Heights storefront, located at 3665 Sacramento Street.
Explore San Francisco’s Architectural History With a Free Downtown Building Tour
Take a walk down memory lane with a downtown history and building tour on Thursday, January 23. The two-hour excursion will feature iconic buildings such as the Bank of California and Grain Exchange Hall at the Merchant’s Exchange along with their historical significance. The city’s free tour will start at the Palace Hotel’s Garden Court Lobby at 1:30 p.m.
Placemakers Pro Hosts Free Workshop to Combat San Francisco’s Housing Crisis
To help mitigate San Francisco’s housing crisis, building information resource Placemakers Pro is hosting a free workshop on accessory dwelling units on Friday, January 24. Here, Placemakers Pro will walk attendees through the design process, offer expert tips, and share important resources and paperwork. The workshop will take place at the Offices of Syncopated Architecture at 657 Fillmore Street, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Kick Off 2020 with BAYA’s Happy Hour
Join Bay Area Young Architects, a subdivision of San Francisco’s American Institute of Architects chapter, on Thursday, January 23, for its first happy hour of the year. Guests will swap business cards over cocktails at the House of Shields in the Financial District. The happy hour will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and guests can RSVP here.
A Historic Home in Eureka Valley Lists for $4.5 Million
Want to buy a slice of San Francisco history? Compass is currently listing a 128-year-old Queen Anne home for $4.5 million, SFGate reports. Clocking in at 2,600 square feet, the three-bedroom, two-bath home dates back to the 1891. The Eureka Valley neighborhood was spared from the fire that occurred during the city’s historic 1906 earthquake, making this home one of the Bay Area’s older properties.
San Francisco’s Median Home Price Drops for First Time in Years
San Francisco is known for its shockingly expensive real estate. But in reality? The median home price has decreased—slightly, that is. The California Association of Realtors found the median price paid for an existing single-family home dropped 2.3 percent last year, from $950,000 in 2018 to $928,000 in 2019. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, this is the first year the median price has decreased since 2011.


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The Google Pixel Watch is one of the best smartwatches, but it's coming up to its first birthday. That means we’re probably not too far away from the launch of the Pixel Watch 2 — and whatever changes Google may have in store for us. A new report from 9to5Google may have revealed what some more of those changes are.
According to the report two key changes are coming to the Pixel Watch 2. The first is Google may be swapping the stainless steel frame for aluminum, and that Fitbit may be powering a new “Coach” workouts feature with the device.
According to 9to5Google, the change in materials will have a massive impact on the weight of the Pixel Watch 2. While the original Pixel Watch weighs 1.26 ounces (36 grams) without the band, it seems the Pixel Watch will come out at 0.91 ounces (26 grams) without the band. That’s the same weight as the Fitbit Sense 2.
This means the Pixel Watch 2 is so light, you’ll barely be able to feel it on your wrist. That’s rather important for a fitness and sleep tracking device, because a less obvious device is easier to ignore — letting your brain focus on other things.
Now to Fitbit Coach, which is said to be a new feature for Fitbit Premium — and part of an impending overhaul of the Fitbit app. While details are scant, 9to5Google claims that this will be similar to the kinds of features Fitbit Premium already offers. So don’t expect any major advances in technology. Not yet, anyway.
Pixel Watch 2: Everything else we know so far
We’re expecting the Pixel Watch 2 to launch alongside the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro later this year. And given Google's track record, we’re likely to hear a lot about the smartwatch before that day.
So far rumors haven’t been particularly forthcoming, but we have heard about a few upgraded features coming to the Pixel Watch 2 when it launches. The first is that it may be able to monitor stress levels, much like the Fitbit Sense 2, thanks to something called continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA).
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This feature uses a machine learning algorithm that is trained to detect how and when your body changes in different situations. Things like skin temperature, sweat levels, heart rate, and all the other things a smartwatch can measure are all included with this.
And once the watch has worked out an accurate baseline, it’s able to suggest activities that can help you manage your stress levels more effectively. Presumably the Pixel Watch 2 version will be a little more advanced and refined than the Fitbit Sense 2.
It’s been suggested that the Pixel Watch 2 may also ditch the Samsung Exynos chipset in favor of the Snapdragon W5 Plus silicon from Qualcomm. That chip is 4nm instead of 10nm, which should make the Pixel Watch 2 more efficient — eeking out better performance while using less power. At the very least that would see a welcome boost to the smartwatch’s battery life.
Be sure to check out our Google Pixel Watch 2 hub for all the latest news and rumors about the upcoming wearable.
More from Tom's Guide
Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.


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New Fitness Company Apex Shape Launches In The United States
(EMAILWIRE.COM, June 05, 2015 ) Los Angeles, California -- Apex Shape, founded in Los Angeles CA, is the new up and coming name in fitness. Apex Shape's founders wanted to create a fitness brand for everyone and anyone. Not one focused just on top athletes or those just getting started.
Although a new company, Apex Shape is not new in the health and fitness fields. Its founders have spent numerous combined years helping those with diet and exercise all over the world.
The founders stated, "With traffic, kids and work, it is becoming more and more difficult to fit in a healthy regiment. We wanted to create a brand that has something for everyone and anyone as we truly care about everyone doing well."
Already the response from Apex Shape users has been great. From flight attendants to office workers and fitness trainers, all sorts of people are using their products.
What sets Apex Shape apart from its many competitors? The number one thing is care. Being a smaller company they approach each consumer with the care and concern they deserve.
One customer said, "Seller answered my questions and was prompt. The Product arrived and was exactly as pictured and the materials are superior to what I've had at the gym. Now that I've used it I can say that it's a godsend! My legs, back and hips have benefited from using it at home, not just at the gym."
With the summer months approaching and many looking to get into shape, Apex Shape is ready for it.
About Apex Shape
Apex Shape's focus is to deliver high quality easy to use products for health and fitness. Striving to create products for customers to use both at home and at the gym. Foam roller is perfect for the avid enthusiast or those who only have 10 min reserved for fitness.
email@example.com This is a press release. Press release distribution and press release services by EmailWire.Com: http://www.emailwire.com/us-press-release-distribution.php. Source: EmailWire.Com


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21 July 2015
Consumer advocacy group CHOICE has welcomed the release of the Federal Government's new country of origin food labelling scheme but says many consumers will still be left wondering where their food comes from.
"The Federal Government has taken a big step towards ending the confusion around country of origin labelling, especially for consumers who want to know how much of a product was manufactured or grown locally," says CHOICE spokesperson Tom Godfrey.
"We welcome the Government's commitment to giving shoppers better information about the Australian-ness of their food, and informing this with consumer testing.
"Unfortunately, the new system looks less useful for consumers wanting information about any of the 195 countries that are not Australia. For example, claims such as 'Made in Australia from more than 50% Australian ingredients' will have you asking if your frozen berries come from China, Canada or Chile," says Mr Godfrey.
The new scheme launched today features nine mandatory label options covering 'Made in', 'Grown in' and 'Packed in' country of origin claims. The 'made in' claims feature a gold kangaroo in a green triangle supported by a ruler indicating the percentage of Australian-ness.
The Federal Government is also encouraging food manufacturers to provide more information on the origin of significant ingredients.
"Consumers wanting to buy Australian produce will need to look for the 'Grown in Australia' logo or the 'Made in Australia from 100% Australian ingredients' logo. This is an improvement on the current situation, where so-called qualified claims like 'Made in Australia from imported and local ingredients' leave shoppers confused.
"Unfortunately the new system leaves it up to the manufacturers to voluntarily declare the origin of a product's main ingredient.
"CHOICE is deeply concerned that global trade agreements might have provided an excuse to deny consumers the full picture of where their food comes from, especially at a time when agreements like the TPP are being finalised in secret.
"We urge food manufacturers to be more transparent about the origin of their ingredients and take on board the option to list the main ingredients of their products."
The Federal Government's announcement comes in the wake of more than 26,000 consumers signing a CHOICE petition to Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce to fix country of origin labelling in Australia.
It also follows CHOICE's 2012 country of origin labelling survey, which found that the confusing terminology used is a major source of frustration with 86% of consumers saying it is unclear.
 CHOICE's country of origin petition: http://choice.good.do/CoOL/write-to-barnaby-joyce/
 A CHOICE survey of 700 members found only 12 per cent were able to accurately identify the meaning of 'Made in Australia'.


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Some of you guys might have remember that a couple of years ago, Apple and Amazon went to court over the “Appstore” name, with Apple claiming that the “App Store” was their trademark and that Amazon truncating it to “Appstore” was not good enough. Amazon then asked the courts to throw out the lawsuit against them and it looks like Amazon has finally gotten their wish, or at least a part of it. A US judge has ruled that Amazon’s use of the Appstore name is not false advertising which Apple claimed it was. It should be noted that this does not mean that the entire lawsuit is over and done with, but the allegations against false advertising is now out the window, although Amazon will still have to contend with Apple’s claims that the “Appstore” name is a trademark infringement.
According to Judge Hamilton (via Wall Street Journal), “Apple contends that because its App Store offers so many more apps than Amazon’s Appstore, consumers will be misled into thinking that Amazon’s Appstore will offer just as many […] There is no evidence that a consumer who accesses the Amazon Appstore would expect that it would be identical to the Apple App Store.”
Filed in Amazon, Apps, Appstore, Itunes App Store and Legal.. Read more about


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Alternet Systems Inc (OP: ALYI )
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All news about Alternet Systems Inc
ALYI Adds Self-Drive Rentals To Electric Motorcycle Rideshare Program Targeting $4 Billion African Market
May 13, 2021
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today announced expanding its plans to deliver its first rideshare electric motorcycles to Kenya to go into service by July of this year to include additional...
ALYI Expands African Electric Motorcycle Program For $4 Billion Ride Hail Market To Include Self-Drive Rentals
May 13, 2021
Alternet Systems Is In The Sweet Spot Of EV Ride Share Revolution; Focus On African Boda Boda Market (ALYI)
May 11, 2021
ALYI EV Ecosystem Energized By Ethereum Ascent With Dedicated Revolt Token Partitioned On Ethereum Blockchain
May 04, 2021
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today highlighted the recent performance of Ethereum and confirmed that the Revolt Token altcoin backing ALYI's Electric Vehicle (EV) Ecosystem Strategy is...
With The EV Sector Heating Back Up, Alternet Systems Could be Charged For Growth (ALYI)
May 04, 2021
ALYI Highlights Cryptocurrency And Carbon Credit Potential In Light Of Tesla Earnings
April 27, 2021
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today highlighted Tesla's record earnings with major contribution from Carbon Credit and Bitcoin sales.
ALYI Releases Electric Vehicle Ecosystem Progress Review With Cryptocurrency And Conventional Financing Updates
April 20, 2021
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today released a management update in conjunction with the recently published FY2020 Annual Report.
Seemingly Ethereal EV Ecosystem May Be Sheer Genius With Some Real Meat On The Bone (ALYI)
April 19, 2021
ALYI Annual Report Discloses $1 Million Raise At $0.10 To Fund Strategic EV Expansion
April 16, 2021
Revolt Token (RVLT) Backing Alternet Systems (ALYI) Gains Ground As Coinbase (COIN) Fuels Cryptocurrency Market
April 14, 2021
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today released an update from its finance partner, RevoltTOKEN. ALYI's finance partner RevoltTOKEN recently introduced the cryptocurrency, Revolt Token (RVLT),...
ALYI To Highlight New $1 Million Investment Expanding EV Ecosystem In Management Update Next Week
April 13, 2021
ALYI Expands EV Ecosystem Into New Markets And Regions
April 08, 2021
Alternet Systems Inc(OTC:ALYI)executed a newagreement to sizably expand its overall electric vehicle (EV) ...
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today announced executing a new agreement substantially expanding the company's overall electric vehicle ecosystem vision and strategy.
ALYI Electric Motorcycle Demonstration Generates New Investment And Partnership Interest
April 06, 2021
Here’s Why Alternet Systems Stock Is Hot; Retro ReVolt EV Motorcycle And iQSTEL Partnership Put Catalysts In Play (ALYI)
April 06, 2021
IQST - iQSTEL Enhanced Telecom Services Including Fintech, Blockchain And Award Winning IoT Solutions Highlighted In Recent EV JV Featured In Business Trends Article
March 30, 2021
iQSTEL, Inc. (USOTC: IQST) today announced a Business Trends Magazine article featuring iQSTEL's comprehensive enhance telecommunications services. The company is emerging as communications technology...
ALYI Shares Are Trading Higher On Confirmation Of African Rideshare Electric Bike Debut
March 26, 2021
Alternet Systems Inc(OTC:ALYI)confirmed the Africandebut of its rideshare electric motorcycles by ...
ALYI Details Overall Electric Vehicle Strategy Following Recent Electric Motorcycle Demonstration
March 23, 2021
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today published a strategic update following the recent release of the first ever video demonstration of ALYI's Retro Revolt Electric Motorcycle to emphasize where...
Alternet Systems Electrifies Showing Retro ReVolt EV Motorbike “Live” In Action; Stock Gaps Higher (OTC: ALYI)
March 22, 2021
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today announced ALYI design partner, MODUS, will release a video demonstration of ALYI's Retro Revolt Electric Motorcycle.
Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) today confirmed an update set for release tomorrow highlighting a new design feature that will be included in the first 200 Retro Revolt Electric Motorcycles coming...


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Closing the print security gap - The market landscape for print security
Today, many organisations continue to rely on printing to support business processes, particularly in the public sector, finance industry and legal profession. Whilst MFPs and printers have improved business productivity, they pose the same security risk as any networked device if left unprotected. With reported data breaches on the rise and growing industry and regulatory requirements around information security, businesses may suffer financial and reputational damage if they ignore the risks of unsecured printing. Read more.


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Completely missing the Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Sony now reveals its flagship, the Xperia Z4 — but only in Japan.
The Xperia Z4 is a thinner and lighter version of the Z3 measuring around 6.9mm with a weight of 144g. It sports a 5.2-inch full HD display that goes for a resolution of 1920 x 1080, which is definitely worthy of a flagship. Beneath its liquid crystal screen purrs a 64-bit octa-core Snapdragon 810 chipset supported by 3GB of RAM and an internal storage of 32GB that’s upgradable to 128GB via microSD. It runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, with of course, several Sony Mobile software.
The Xperia Z4 also gives us an impressive 20.7 Exmor RS rear snapper with “camera shake correction”, as well as a 5.1MP Exmor R at the front. The device is powered by a 2,930mAh, and usual, its dust- and water- resistant.
There’s still no news on whether or not the Xperia Z4 will be launched abroad, probably because of CEO Kazuo Hirai’s earlier announcement of “no longer pursuing sales growth in areas such as smartphones”. Yes, the Xperia Z4 doesn’t have anything new or radical design-wise that can compete with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, but it has very solid specs and a powerful name in tech to back it up. We’re still hoping that it reaches South East Asia soon enough — it’ll be sad not to have Sony as a local mobile market player.


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The Samsung Galaxy S6 is expected to start showing up in a few weeks, and already Chainfire has gotten an updated version of CF-Auto-Root ready to go. So yes, there is a root method for some versions of the Galaxy S6, but only if the bootloader is unlocked. This is to be expected.
The HTC One M9 is probably the less exciting of the two flagship announcements we got at MWC, but HTC's US president Jason Mackenzie says you're going to love what they announce on Wednesday March 18th. That's the same day T-Mobile plans to have an event in New York with the slogan "This one's a real piece of work." Related? Maybe.
Motorola's G series became a hit almost instantly thanks to solid build quality, clean software, and a fantastic bang-to-buck ratio. The second-gen version is no exception, and its upgraded hardware has also caught the eye of the enthusiast and aftermarket community. Though the standard model of the Moto G 2014 already has Android 5.0 (at least in some places), owners now have the option of installing the CyanogenMod custom ROM.
Sony promised it would bring Android 5.0 to all its Z series phones, and now it's starting to live up to that. The newest generation Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact are first up. The OTA is rolling out now to devices in Nordic and Baltic countries, but other markets should follow within two weeks. There's a nifty demo video to go along with the announcement.
So, as many of us in the tinkering mindset will likely agree, flexibility in any product is generally a good thing. Case in point: many Android smartphones over the years have shipped with removable batteries and microSD card slots. Battery runs down in half a day after a year? Swap it. Need to store 20GB of music and TV shows for a long flight (or live somewhere mobile streaming isn't a real option)? SD card to the rescue!
And in some places and situations for some people, removing those options really can be a major bummer. But when the Galaxy S6 was announced devoid of a microSD slot or user-replaceable battery, it seemed Samsung was finally waving goodbye to a large group of power users, emerging market customers, and people who just want this stuff in a sort of flippant way.
In the Android community, Lollipop 5.0 is known for a lot of things. Unfortunately, among those things is a pretty severe memory leak that has plagued users with app crashes and launcher redraws, as device memory filled and failed to clear.
Just in case you were getting comfortable with the YouTube app's latest design, it looks like there may be more changes in store. It seems a number of users are encountering a new YouTube interface, apparently triggered server-side without an app update.
The change sees YouTube's hamburger menu flipping right out of the interface, going the way of Google+ in discarding the left-side navigation drawer. Instead, users are given four primary tabs - Home, Trending, Subscriptions, and your profile. Interestingly, a couple of these tabs seem to have bars underneath to switch from, say, all videos to music on the home tab, or from uploads to channels on the subscription tab.
Because there clearly weren't enough apps that help you count your steps and/or compare them with your friends, HTC has filled the imperceptible void. Fun Fit is a social fitness app where you and your participating Facebook friends (there are sure to be many!) pick "cute avatars" and compete in the time-honored contest of taking the most steps.
Despite their recent partnership with Under Armour, this would not seem to be a product of it. Rather than UA's more-serious-than-necessary aesthetic, Fun Fit tends toward the overly cheesy. As a product of HTC Research, it probably won't be part of the standard pre-loaded apps on future HTC phones, like the M9.


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Unioil recently announced the rollout of its EuroDiesel IV fuel in all its stations. The company is the first to offer what it calls ‘the cleanest and most advanced diesel’ in all its service stations strategically located within Metro Manila and Luzon. The new Euro-IV compliant diesel fuel is a major step forward even as government will only be mandating the use of the fuel by 2016.
EuroDiesel IV has the lowest sulfur content among the diesel fuels currently available in the market. It has 90% less sulfur at 50ppm, compared to 500ppm found in other diesel fuels that conform to the current law-mandated Euro II specification. Unioil claims that their fuel is fully compatible with older engines, which require sulfur as a lubricant additive, further adding that the required 5% coco-methyl ester (CME) additive more than sufficiently provides lubrication otherwise provided by sulfur. The lower sulfur content also contributes to a longer engine oil life, further reducing the environmental impact of vehicles.
It also boasts of a higher cetane number, which prevents pre-ignition (knocking) in modern high-performance diesel engines equipped with common rail direct injection (CRDI). This also improves acceleration and engine performance while reducing engine noise and vibration.
Unioil also revealed that it will be aggressively be expanding its retail network in the next two years. General Manager Chito Medina-Cue Jr. shared that they will be opening about 10-12 service stations by the end of 2013 in key locations in Metro Manila and parts of Luzon.
Medina-Cue also revealed that they would be offering a new premium gasoline product before the end of Q1 2013 to further strengthen its product portfolio. The new gasoline is said to have an octane rating of at least 97 RON for consumers who demand more performance out of their cars.


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According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, the big corporations are seriously pouring money into professional management of their “social” media activities.
Despite what everyone says about social media being social, real, interactive, not sell-y – about how users should listen and not tell – about how the whole energy of social media is a different animal than marketing – the bottom line is, corporations use it for business. And the purpose of business is to sell and make money. And if social media helps to do that, then it makes sense to for a business to spend some money to insure that social media is handled with as much deliberate care as every other marketing activity. And that’s what’s happening – the big companies are hiring social media specialists, in droves.
This should tip off smaller business owners that social media is not for fun, at least where their businesses are concerned. Which means that business owners shouldn’t kid around with it or be too casual or passive in their activities, because if they are, they’re going to fall behind their competition.
What does this mean for you? Either buckle down and take courses, read ebooks, attend webinars, create an integrated plan, and set and keep schedules for your activities – or assign these tasks to a staff member and monitor her activity. Or, consider bringing in some professional assistance, just as you do for advertising, marketing, and selling.


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Ford’s mid-size Fusion sedan will not be offered with a three-cylinder engine.
“Tomorrow we will have an important powertrain announcement pertaining to the Fusion. It is not a three cylinder,” a Ford spokesman told AutoGuide.com.
The official announcement is coming tomorrow and rumors suggest Ford will announce a 1.5-liter four cylinder to replace the current 1.6-liter engine in the Fusion lineup.
Discuss this story at fordinsidenews.com


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ETHNews is definitely an editorially independent, non-monetizing media outlet—our site won't publish any type of promotion, such as sponsored information, and we do not acknowledge payment in exchange for publishing content.
XRP is made explicitly for payment and transfers of currencies, but individuals are acquiring extra keen on mining ripple.
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Yet another huge-scale, stealthy cyberattack is underway on the scale that may dwarf last 7 days's assault on desktops around the globe, a world cybersecurity firm told AFP on Wednesday.
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Collaboration happens to be the watchword in all discussions about financial institutions and fintech in the last few years.
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Scheme helps manufacturers save on import duties
Manufacturers here are being encouraged by Invest Northern Ireland to cut the costs of import duties by taking advantage of an EU scheme promoted by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in London.
Local companies that are unable to source the materials they need to manufacture their products from within the EU could also be eligible to import those materials duty-free by applying to the EU Duty Suspensions and Tariff Quotas Scheme.
Currently UK companies save over EUR30 million per year through the scheme - a figure that rose by EUR4.6 million in the first half of 2010. But this could rise even higher if more manufacturers were aware of the scheme and how easy it is to apply.
Invest Northern Ireland is urging local manufacturing companies to take the opportunity to find out more ahead of the 15 March deadline for the first round of this year's applications.
Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director, said: “This is an important UK scheme that can help businesses save much-needed cash during these very challenging times. Accessible through BIS, the scheme offers manufacturers the opportunity to grow and expand their company.
“The scheme also makes a real contribution to enhancing the competitiveness of manufacturers. We want more local companies to benefit by getting in touch with BIS.
“Feedback from UK businesses shows the scheme is highly-valued and easy to use.”
Companies in Britain using the scheme found the process straightforward and benefited from assistance and advice provided by BIS.


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Nguyen Thi Khanh Huyen is the only Vietnamese representative among the top 10 global influencers in data science and artificial intelligence named by Linkedin.
Huyen, aka Huyen Chip, ranked fifth in the annual Top Voices list released this week by the U.S. professional networking site.
It compiles the list by examining all sharing activity on its platform from October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020, and using a combination of quantitative and qualitative signals including engagement (comments, reactions and shares), follower growth and posting cadence.
It said: “Having worked at prominent tech companies including Netflix and NVIDIA, Huyen joined the AI startup Snorkel last December. A Stanford graduate, Huyen turned to LinkedIn to find reviewers for the course she’ll start teaching there in January next year, Machine Learning Systems Design.”
Before coming to the U.S., Chip helped launch Vietnam’s second most popular web browser, Coc Coc. She’s currently writing a book on how to interview for machine learning roles, it added.
Born in the northern province of Nam Dinh, Huyen is well known as a writer and computer scientist, and is famous among young Vietnamese for her 2013 book ‘Pick up your backpack and go.’
She joined Linkedin in 2018.
Egyptian-American computer scientist and entrepreneur Rana el Kaliouby topped the list, followed by Greg Coquillo, globalization program manager at U.S. technology company Amazon, and Andrew Ng, cofounder and CEO of U.S. massive open online course provider Coursera.
- Lach Huyen Port receives Japanese innovation technology award
- Another modern inner-city flyover inaugurated in Hanoi
- Three Vietnamese universities teach these five subjects best
- Three Vietnamese female scientists named among Top 100 Asian researchers
- Another flyover in Hanoi is nearing completion
- Vietnamese university among world’s best ‘Golden Age’ rankings 2020
- Meet the 20 top-funded startups and tech companies in Hong Kong
- Three Vietnamese universities find place in Asia’s top 500
- Vietnam’s technology skills set ranks second in Asia Pacific
- Meet the 15 top-funded startups and tech companies in Vietnam


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Seven years ago, Apple decided that it’d had enough of using Google’s mapping data. They realized that maps and mapping services were so strategic that they couldn’t really afford to depend on a smartphone rival. So, they began building their own, and in September 2012, the company launched Apple Maps. And if I am being honest, the program has always been akin to that baby face that only a mother can love.
When it launched, Apple Maps was widely panned for being inaccurate and missing key information. Google launched its own dedicated Google Maps for iOS three months later and has never looked back. Apple, on the other hand, has spent billions on Apple Maps in an effort to build a more accurate and rich experience. Yet, in many dense locations, like San Francisco Bay Area or the Big Apple, it still performs like the kid who got into the private school because their grandfather’s name was on one of the buildings. On sheer merit, Google Maps was and still is better.
During the keynote at the recently concluded WWDC 2019, Apple executives made a big deal about the massive improvements in the Maps. This is a brand new Maps, Apple said. It is rebuilt and has more detailed information about everything from terrain to roads to landmarks. Apple said it drove four million miles to get better, richer data. The new Maps will also allow you to add favorite places and create a list of personal locations that can be shared with friends and family members. It will have a feature called “Look Around,” which is like Google’s Street View but with maybe slightly slicker and smoother visuals.
My reaction to Apple Maps was a shrug. So, they are finally catching up to Google — but will they ever be able to catch up with Google Maps? The WWDC hoopla around this tells me that Apple thinks of Apple Maps as an application, whereas in reality, maps are all about data — something Google understands better than anyone. Google maps are getting richer with data by the day. The more people use those maps to find locations, the deeper their data set gets. In my last visit to Old Delhi, I was able to find antique stores in back alleys with no difficulty at all. Apple Maps was nowhere close.
Why do I think Google Maps will continue to trump Apple despite the latter’s fancy new graphics and features? Because when it comes to maps, the key metrics are navigation, real-time redirection, and traffic information. Google’s Waze is a powerful weapon against all rivals. It has allowed Google to train its mapping algorithms to become highly effective and personal (not to mention how much intelligence that might have been shared with Waymo).
Google has faint regard for customer privacy, so they don’t hesitate to suck up all our data in order to build an amazing experience — so much so that many of us are willing to pay the price with regard to our personal information. Apple has a stance on privacy, which is why I am their customer, but at the end of the day, it’s an irrefutable fact that the Internet is a connected experience — and maps are part of that Internet.
“We do not believe that an alternative mapping solution exists that can provide the global functionality that we require to offer our platform in all of the markets in which we operate,” carsharing company, Uber wrote about Google Maps in its S-1 filing. Given the nature of their business, Uber thinks of Google Maps as a key part of their experience. Uber not only paid good money to Google, but it is also helping Google Maps become even smarter. The many trips being taken on Uber is only helping Google Maps become smarter and more aware.
So when I think of Apple Maps, no matter how improved they might be, all it does is remind me of Bing — an also-ran that can never catch up to Google, because more people use Google’s search. Sure, it has some great technology, and it helped provide Microsoft’s cloud with a big application to improve it’s Azure’s infrastructure. Sure it is woven into many Microsoft products. Sure it is good enough to be used all the time.
But 10 years in, globally, it still has less than one percent of usage share on mobile. On desktops where Microsoft is the dominant Operating System provider, it has a mere 8.24 percent of market share, behind Baidu with its 10 percent usage share, and not even close to Google, which has a 75.5 percent usage share.
For the month of May 2019, Google Maps was ranked at number eighth among all applications in the United States, and it was ranked fifth in Europe. The new Apple Maps may be nice to look at, and it might be quite improved, but it will always be — at best — a distant second. It is the Bing of maps.
PS: Jonny Evans has a wonderful recap of the Apple Maps and the new features in the new maps, and is worth reading.
- This first appeared on my weekly newsletter dated June 9, 2019. If you like to get this delivered to your inbox, just sign-up here, and I will take care of the rest.


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Nest Pro Channel Smart Home Gear to Be Rep’d by LRG in Central, Midwest Regions
The Nest portfolio features hardware, software and services for the smart home, including smart thermostats, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and the Nest Cam.
JASPER, Texas — LRG, an independent manufacturer’s rep firm serving the electronic security industry, has signed a new partnership with Nest Labs Professional Channel.
“Nest has created a buzz in the smart devices market that the professional installer can benefit from,” Chris Lanier, president of LRG states in an announcement. “Being able to offer extended warranty and provide professional setup will be of value to their legacy and new customers. Brand recognition is huge also.”
The Nest portfolio features hardware, software and services for the smart home, including the Nest Thermostat E, Nest Learning Thermostat, Nest Energy Services, Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, and the Nest Cam.
LRG, based here, will market the company’s wares to a large network of low-voltage distributors throughout the Central and Midwest regions. Through its dedicated regional sales managers and centralized support center team, the rep firm will provide extensive sales support to both distributors and integrators for the Nest Pro line of home automation products.
“As one of the leading representation firms in the U.S., Nest is excited to partner with LRG to bring the Thoughtful Home to the electronic security industry,” says Mark Schmidt, head of emerging markets for Nest. “We’re looking forward to working with the LRG team to help dealers expand their smart home business, generate more opportunities with consumers, and position themselves as industry leaders in the rapidly changing security landscape.”
In September 2017, the Nest Secure alarm system was unveiled along with an exclusive partnership with MONI to handle monitored response. In addition, the Nest Hello video doorbell is set for an early 2018 release. Among the company’s other innovations is increasing voice command capabilities through Google Assistant integrations and expanding the overall product ecosystem through its Works with Nest program.
Founded in 2010 by former Apple engineers Tony Fadell and Matt Rogers, Nest products today are sold in 18 countries and installed worldwide. Now in its third generation, according to the company the Nest Learning Thermostat has helped save approximately 14 billion kWh of energy to date, which is enough electricity to power New York State for 100 days.
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Lever, the country''s largest FMCG company, has reported
excellent results for the second quarter ended June
2006. The company had struggled to achieve sales growth
and sustain operating margins in the face of stiff competition,
which triggered price wars in key product segments.
quarterly results confirm that price realisations have
improved and the company''s strategy of focussing on
key products is paying off.
the quarter ended 30 June, 2006, HLL has reported a
35.13 per cent rise in net profits to Rs380.59 crore
from Rs281.65 crore for the corresponding quarter of
previous year. Net sales increased 8.71 per cent to
Rs3,083.23 crore from Rs2,836.32 crore for the prior
FMCG business recorded a growth of 12.15 per cent in
net sales over the previous year quarter. Within FMCG,
the home and personal care (HPC) segment continued to
be the growth driver with sales growth of 13.92 per
cent. Performance of the foods division continued to
be below par with sales growth of just 3.84 per cent,
though the company said some of the branded foods recorded
double-digit sales growth.
HPC sales contributed 74.16 per cent of total sales
while 14.41 came from foods. Exports went up 1.93 per
cent during the quarter and contributed 10.66 per cent
of total sales.
and detergent sales increased 13.07 per cent over the
previous year quarter while personal products sales
increased by 13.28 per cent. Sales of beverages declined
3.74 per cent during the quarter, mostly because of
sluggish tea sales, while processed foods sales improved
considerably by 24.18 per cent. Ice creams were the
best performing product segment with a sales growth
of 34.28 per cent over the previous year quarter, though
on a small base.
product segments, except chemicals and plantations,
were profitable during the quarter. Even processed foods,
which had reported a loss during the previous year quarter,
profits, excluding other income, increased 19.94 per
cent over the previous year quarter. Operating margins
as a percentage of net sales improved to 13.45 per cent
from 12.19 per cent for the corresponding quarter of
previous year on improved realisations and tighter control
of goods sold, including cost of material inputs and
manufacturing costs, increased by a modest 4.21 per
cent. The company increased its spending on advertising,
which went up by 20.48 per cent. Staff costs recorded
a negligible growth of 0.6 per cent while other operating
expenses went up 11.45 per cent.
charges declined 5.59 per cent over the previous year
quarter. Interest expenses, which are negligible as
a percentage of total costs, declined to Rs3.43 crore
from Rs5.55 crore.
income for the quarter went up by 2.57 per cent over
the corresponding quarter of previous year.
Manwani, chairman of HLL, said, "We continue to
be encouraged by the growth in our markets, particularly
with rural markets gaining momentum. Our strong portfolio
of brands across price-points is helping us to sustain
growth momentum across a large spectrum of our categories.
We remain focused on driving cost
efficiencies and in appropriately investing behind our
brands. Cost inflation on the back of rising crude prices
remains a challenge and is being rigorously addressed
within the business."


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During its keynote today, Apple unveiled the iPad Mini with Retina Display. The new tablet will feature a 2,048x1,536-pixel resolution and houses Apple's A7 chip. It will be available in late November, starting at $399.
The tablet will run iOS 7 and ships in late November, starting at $399 for 16GB of storage for the Wi-Fi version, continuing to $499 for 32GB, $599 for 64GB, and $699 for the brand-new 128GB configuration.
The cellular version of the Mini start at $529 for 16GB, and from there it's $629 for 32GB, $729 for 64GB, and finally a whopping $829 for 128GB. All four major US carriers (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile) will offer the device.
Apple says the new iPad Mini (left) is four times faster than last year's model and has eight times the graphics performance, while still providing a purported 10 hours of battery life.
The new iPad Mini measures 7.87 inches tall, 5.3 inches wide, and is 0.29 inch thick. The Wi-Fi model will weigh 0.73 pound, whereas the Wi-Fi and cellular model will weigh 0.75 pound.
The tablet sports a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p HD recording capabilities, and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera that can record 720p HD video.
Still retaining that aluminum build, the Mini will come in black/gray and white/silver.
The rear-facing camera features backside illumination, face detection, a five-element lens, HDR photo capabilities, and an f/2.4 aperture.


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A weekend of drifting and bike stunts are in store for visitors to the NoFilter DXB lifestyle festival as Dubai Harbour's first big event kicks into gear this weekend.
High-performance sports cars will line up alongside street art, musical concerts and adrenalin sports displays as the International Dubai Motor Show unveils a new look for 2021.
The car exhibition has been one of the most popular annual events in the Dubai calendar in recent years, and a mainstay since 1989.
But like many other conferences, the show was sidelined by Covid-19 in 2020.
This year it is back with a bang – with a new urban feel and a weekend of public events.
The NoFilter event got under way on Wednesday and will be shifting into the fast lane in time for the weekend.
Previous shows featured expensive line-ups of luxury vehicles, from the world’s fastest electric car the Aspark OWL to custom-made, bulletproof limousines and off-road vehicles made for the battlefield.
Historically staged at Dubai World Trade Centre as a five-day commercial event, the show has a new home for 2021 at Dubai Harbour.
The port officially opened to take its first cruise ship passengers on Thursday, a year later than scheduled due to the global pandemic that brought the industry to a crunching halt.
It promises to be a lively weekend for visitors on cruise liners arriving in Dubai, as the NoFilter DXB festival gets into full swing with supercar parades and the latest motorsport innovations.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Dubai Marina, visitors can strap themselves into a high-performance sports car as a stunt driver takes them on a drift racing demonstration.
As one of only 20 in the world, the Dh27 million ($7.3m) Lamborghini Centenario will be on public display for the first time in the region.
The car is based on the Lamborghini Aventador, which was unveiled at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show to commemorate the 100th birthday of the company's founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini.
The limited production Centenario has a top speed of 350kph and is the highlight of a string of cars on show.
Limited-edition motors, classics and rare sports vehicles belonging to car clubs across the UAE will feature at the event.
A nod towards urban street culture is a fresh addition to the show and brings basketball displays, stunt bikes, skateboarding, street art and graffiti alongside the region’s first floating football pitch.
Gates open from 11am until 10pm on Friday and Saturday, November 26 to 27, with tickets priced from Dh30.


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By , Bengt Halvorson
Published October 11, 2016
In looking at the market share that Toyota has lost, that's what the pricing intelligence service TrueCar found. According to the company's data, a full 25 percent of customers migrating from Toyota are going to go to Ford or Honda vehicles, respectively. Hyundai is another big winner, close behind at 20 percent.
It's likely not coincidencal that both of these brands currently carry the reputation for reliability that Toyota has long enjoyed.
TrueCar, which gets a lot of traffic from shoppers looking to get a run-down of the numbers as they close the deal on a new vehicle, saw a drop in traffic of about 30 percent for Toyota vehicles following the recall. Traffic for models covered under the recall fell by 46 percent, TrueCar Reports, while it was down 16 percent for other models. Traffic rose the most overall for Hyundai, up 15 percent, post-recall.
Up close, TrueCar looked at both the 2010 Toyota Corolla and its competitive set before and after, and at the 2010 Toyota Camry before and after. Looking at Web traffic before and after, the Kia Forte saw the largest gain in interest, with traffic up by a third; the Hyundai Elantra also did well, with traffic up nearly 26 percent. Also doing especially well were the Ford Focus (+14 percent) and the Honda Civic (+13 percent). The only vehicle in that class that didn't see a gain in traffic over this time was the 2010 Nissan Sentra. Prices for any of these vehicles didn't change by more than two percent over the same period.
In the Camry's set, the firm saw that the 2010 Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata both saw huge jumps in traffic (up more than 26 percent), while the 2010 Honda Accord and Nissan Altima both got double-digit boosts.


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Last April, The Fibre Channel Industry Association (FCIA) approved an 8 Gbps standard for disk drives. Yesterday, it was time to extend that speed to the fabric and the committee approved 8 again -- unanimously.
While the FCIA made it clear that 8 Gbps Fibre Channel (FC) products will not be available until at least 2007, FCIA Speed Forum chairman Skip Jones said the announcement serves as a heads up to users so they can plan a smooth migration to more speed as soon as it becomes available.
Since most companies use 1 or 2 Gbps, and 4 Gbps is on its way next year, it certainly helps that 8 Gbps is backward compatible with all these speeds. "What we're saying with this announcement is that 8 Gbps will be easy to migrate to in three or four years," said Jones.
When that time comes, users will be able to preserve their 2 Gbps and 4 Gbps infrastructure investments and avoid an expensive "fork lift" replacement. And they will be able to do so automatically. The "auto-negotiation" feature of Fibre Channel enables 8 Gbps FC products to automatically adapt to the data rate capability of lower speed FC without user intervention.
But the question looms: Why not go right to 10 gig? According to Jones, who is also an executive at QLogic Corp., Aliso Viejo, Calif., 10 Gbps FC is only used in big shops as an inter-switch link (ISL). "Plus, 10 gig is not compatible with anything," he said.
"We're not pooping on 10 gig, but no one will pay for optical 10 gig. It works better connecting switches at short distances," he added.
But legitimizing 8 Gbps both "inside the box" and in the fabric could be seen as a way to cement Fibre Channel's future in the face of increasing competition from IP SAN technology. An analyst report released by Thomas Weisel Partners recently made that very conclusion about 4 Gbps FC, due in 2005 -- two or three years before 8 Gbps will hit.
Referring to the forthcoming release of 4 Gbps, the report said, "We view these innovations as improvements designed to further entrench existing technology and market positions rather than innovations designed to capture entirely new markets."
Richard Villars, vice president of Storage Systems at International Data Corp., Framingham, Mass., said the 8 Gbps FC announcement will help companies make better decisions about their storage environment. "This roadmap reflects a sensitivity to the importance of investment protection of storage area networks (SANs)," he said.
Jones admits that most companies only need 1 Gbps FC right now. But the FCIA prides itself on staying ahead of the game. "Some of the more anxious vendors will start pushing 8 gig in 2006," Jones said. "But that would be too early."
The FCIA is a non-profit organization made up of marketing executives, engineers, developers and architects from a variety of vendors. Their goal is to set industry standards and provide a roadmap for future Fibre Channel migration.


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Kobe arrives in Athens, Greece as part of the Nike Euro Tour. View some exclusive photos below, and an video from Kobe himself.
Check out exclusive photos from Kobe's visit with the Galatasaray football team at the TT Arena, where he had the opportunity to meet Filipe Melo, Colin Kazim and Coach Fatih Terim. Kobe also had his GS jersey with his name and number signed by the team.
More exclusive photos from Kobe's Nike Euro Tour in Istanbul.
Exclusive photos of the Nike Basketball Clinic, featuring Kobe teaching the kids in Caddebostan.
View exclusive photos from Kobe's visit to the Nike Beyoglu store in Istanbul.
Kobe arrives in Turkey for the Nike Euro Tour, check out the video and photos from the trip.


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Instead of tracking your health with a little band that’s on your wrist, Ran Ma thinks that the future is keeping track of your health — or at least parts of it — with technology that’s woven into the fabric of your clothes.
That’s the target of Siren Care, a wearable company that looks to weave electronic sensors into its clothing in order to track changes in a person’s health. The company is working on a sock that can track temperature changes in feet for diabetics, which can help figure out when things are starting to go wrong and the person needs to go to the doctor. Ma, who had previously studied wound care as part of her masters, thought this was the best place to start. Siren Care showed off the socks at a presentation at TechCrunch’s Hardware Battlefield at CES this year.
The sock is, well, a sock. It has a small device that protrudes from it that transmits information to the Siren Care app, which helps diabetic patients keep a close eye on what’s going on with the temperature changes in their feet. If there are any anomalies, they can take a look at what’s going on and figure out whether or not they need to go see a doctor before things get bad as a result of an injury that they weren’t keeping close tabs on.
Those injuries can be a result of something as simple as leaving a sock in a shoe, but the patient won’t be aware of what’s going on, Ma said. As a result, the problem can quickly spiral out of control and lead to a trip to the doctor or even worse. The goal is to ensure that, early on, that simply doesn’t happen and diabetic patients are able to have an extra tool to help manage it.
Throughout the launch and development, Siren Care will be working to gauge the overall change in a person’s health through what’s going on with their feet. That means that, instead of simply looking for a snapshot — like a spike in temperature or seeing an injury — it’ll be looking at trends and trying to get ahead of potential injuries, Ma said.
“Right now based on research there is an exact number that dictates when you have damage,” Ma said. “We think you can personalize that. Previous devices are a one-off measurement — how do you know what happened before or after? How do you know that wasn’t noise? We think we can do better because we’re taking continuous measurements throughout the day. Maybe your foot, one is always warmer than the other. We can account for that. Injury is not a spike in temperature, it’s a sustained average difference.”
To be sure, there’s a ton of interest in “smart” clothing that has electronics embedded in them. We’ve seen Kickstarter projects pop up like Enflux, which focuses on workouts, as well as other “connected” clothing like a jacket that’s built by Google and Levi’s. The technology is basically advancing to the point that the manufacturing process is getting easier to weave these kinds of electronics into fabrics in order to detect various changes around a person’s body.
The company went through 500 Startups and presented in October last year, and was definitely one of the standouts in the crowd. Siren Care for now works as a subscription model. The socks are machine washable, Ma said, and every six months Siren Care replaces the socks. That’s about average for other diabetic socks used to help spot injuries, though they can end up showing up later and it may be very far along and should have been treated earlier.
In the end, the company doesn’t plan at stopping at a sock for diabetics. The company is hoping to apply the technology — and the data it acquires through it — to build other kinds of smart clothing that is able to use the same processes of embedding sensors into fabrics. The applications of that are naturally pretty wide, so Siren Care is better off starting off with something they know they can tackle first, Ma said.
“I don’t see ourselves as a diabetic foot company. I think we’re a data company and next-generation wearables,” Ma said. “The next generation will be targeted toward chronic disease, aging, health management — and also in a way that’s designed to fit into your lives. Instead of having bands, it should be the clothes you wear every day.”


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Renowned designer Ritu Beri came under fire from Nagaland women for ‘hurting sentiments’ of the Nagas.
The Chakhesang Women Welfare Society has slammed designer Beri for showcasing the Chakhesang traditional shawls at Suraj Kund Crafts Mela without their permission.
The executive director of the society, Vechulo-u Kanuo on Thursday expressed shock and anguish at Beri for allegedly making a “mockery” of Chakhesang Nagas’ traditionally woven shawls.
The traditional shawls were developed and preserved over the years by them.
The society said the Chakhesang Nagas, along with other Nagas, strongly condemned designer Beri for “misappropriation” of traditional Naga designs and ethnicity in her collection.
The shawls were showcased in the Suraj Kund Crafts Mela on the theme “Naturally North-East: The Naga Narrative”.
“We are enraged by the humiliation she has caused to the Naga heritage,” Kanuo said.
“Our traditional shawls and attires were woven and designed with deep rooted meanings that are attached to the core of our sentiment as a community.
“Every pattern, symbol and the attires itself all have a meaning of its own. The shawl depicts and symbolized our ethics from times immemorial,” she said.
The society said distortion of “our culture” by Beri is an insult to the Nagas and their forefathers.
“Our sentiments have been deeply hurt and the damage she has done is beyond repair,” she said in a statement.
It said the “Naga Narrative” is not homage to the Nagas but an abuse and violation of tribal identity.
It also condemned the action of the organisers for misusing and distorting the symbols of the shawls that wrongly represent the original concepts and its depictions.
The society said it, as the rightful owner of the shawls and mekhelas, will take all legal recourses against those responsible in committing the misappropriation as per the provisions of law.
It also warned any individual/ groups not to use the attires of the community in any inappropriate manner.
The society presented two versions of the shawl worn by Chankhesang men and women.