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The robotics market is set to reach $226 billion worldwide by 2021, according to market intelligence company Tractica, more than six times its current value.
Research by CB Insights suggests British startups currently account for six percent of the global market, but a growing ecosystem of ambitious visionaries supported by the recently-announced £17.3 million of funding from the government means many are well-positioned to become world-leaders in the sector.
Here are some of the best start ups UK has to offer:
Botskill helps brands take their first steps in using bots to handle routine customer enquiries. The startup has developed a SaaS platform that provides fast no-code chatbot generation for businesses.
Reach Robotics has developed MechaMonsters- small, four-legged robots that can interact with their owners and each other. It is developing monster robots controlled by mobile devices to use with video games.
MapleBird, a company at the forefront of developing tiny Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), opening up possibilities for sophisticated reconnaissance by civilian services and industrial plant inspection through to personal drones controlled through a smartphone.
Reading-based startup Generic Robotics works on technology that lets users create, feel, manipulate or alter simulated 3D objects in a virtual environment. The team is building the world’s first general purpose simulated training platform for dentists and doctors with this tech. The SimuTouch system is designed to provide a safe and versatile way to learn complex clinical procedures.
Cambridge Medical Robotics is developing a next-generation robotic system that could make it affordable and universally accessible. The startup has already successfully tested the performance of the platform on cadavers.
Last but not the least, Automata was founded in January 2015 to democratise robotics by lowering costs and improving usability. The company plans to use a robotics-as-a-service (RAAS) business model to integrate robotics into existing workflows more efficiently and to bring automation to new markets. Automata has attracted undisclosed quantities of seed funding from ABB Technology Ventures (ATV) and LocalGlobe.
Click here to apply for our live AI and Robotics vacancies.
Written by DFGR Research Team.
DFGR is a specialist Recruitment & Executive Search firm that solely focuses in the Digital Forensics & Cyber Security, IT Risk, Intelligence Insights & Analytics and Corporate Investigations space.


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Amazon is more admired than Apple for its supply chain excellence, according to research published Wednesday by SCM World, a global community of supply chain practitioners.
In a poll of 1,136 executives, 58 percent said they admired Amazon most overall for the way it operates its supply chain, compared with 37 percent who picked Apple. The remaining 5 percent said neither.
The Seattle-based retailer also came out on top in three of the four supply chain attributes when survey participants were asked to rate the two companies on agility, collaboration and execution.
"Amazon is locked in a high-profile battle with Apple in the fast-growing market for tablet devices and the digital content – music, movies, apps and books – consumed on them," SCM World said. “The companies’ rival products, the Kindle Fire and iPad, are expected to be among the hottest purchases this Christmas.”
"The purpose of our research was to establish which of these two leading companies is most admired by the global supply chain community for the way it manages its supply chain, and to understand what lessons they have to teach other companies,” said Kevin O’Marah, head of faculty at SCM World and co-author of a new report, Apple and Amazon: Lessons for the Rest of Us
"The results show clearly that the majority of supply chain professionals believe that Amazon – and not Apple – is the master of supply chain excellence,” he said.
O’Marah is a former group vice president for supply chain at Gartner and co-creator, in 2004, of the (then AMR Research) Supply Chain Top 25 annual ranking.
However, Apple won hands down on the fourth key characteristic of supply chain excellence – innovation – taking 78 percent of the vote, compared with just 19 percent for Amazon.
The online survey was open between Oct. 26 and Nov. 9, with respondents from a variety of sectors, including high-tech, consumer goods, logistics and distribution, and retail. Forty-three percent of respondents were based in the Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) region, 41 percent in the Americas and 14 percent in Asia-Pacific. - Eric Johnson

domain: news


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Company: Kellogg Co.
Introduced: January 2019
Suggested Retail Price: $5.29
Product Snapshot: The Kellogg Co. recently released Rice Krispies Treats Snap Crackle Poppers, which are small, bite-sized Rice Krispies Treats that are fully-enrobed in a topping.
Rice Krispies Treats Snap Crackle Poppers will be available in January in three flavors including Chocolatey, Vanilla Crème and Cookies ‘n’ Crème, and the suggested retail price for Rice Krispies Treats Snap Crackle Poppers is $5.29 for a 7.1 oz pouch.


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In order to continue helping struggling customers, Evergy and United Electric have extended their COVID-19 response policies until the end of May.
Both companies have waived late fees and suspended disconnects since the pandemic started and decided to extend it due to the uncertainty of many customers financials.
Jim Bagley, United Electric CEO, said the company is waving service availability charges for all members, which results in a $1 million benefit to memberships.
“We’ve seen people experiencing economic hardship because of what’s going on in the economy and world right now,” Bagley said.
The success and the money the company made last year was able to be used to offset electric bills this year.
Bagley said the company saw close to 70% more people paying late in March than normal, but it hasn’t been a huge hardship for the company yet because the amounts weren’t very big.
“What we have seen in April is that an overwhelming amount of members are paying their bill as usual, which helps us to make this concession for a membership as a whole,” Bagley said.
United Electric also has returned all members’ security deposits as a credit on the bill they receive for April and May.
Gina Penzig, a spokeswoman for Evergy, said payment options have been extended to give customers a chance to get on a plan to stay up to date on bills.
“Making some payments towards their balance is important so when we do get on the other side of this they hopefully don’t have unmanageable balances,” Penzig said.
Penzig said Evergy still is seeing customers pay their bills and some have even taken advantage of financial help from the state.
“In Missouri and Kansas, they’ve extended their application periods for federal energy assistance funding,” Penzig said.
Missouri’s applications are open now through May and Kansas will reopen applications May 1 through the 31.
Evergy also has been working with customers to share energy efficiency tips because the majority of people are home more than usual.
“We’ve really tried to put the safety of our customers and employees first as we make decisions and really let that be our guiding principle,” Penzig said.
Both companies hope to continue offering as much help and resources to customers as they can during the pandemic and will re-evaluate the extension in the next month if the hardships continue to be relevant.


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Traders paint street pink for charity
10:29am Tuesday 15th October 2013 in News
THINK PINK: Sally Williams, Hayley Vaughan, Claire Moore, Jemma Morgan, Alison Thomas, Nicky Childe, Aimee Bristow, Andrew Coates, and Margaret McHugh are among retailers in Quay Street raising money for Breast Cancer Care. PICTURE: Western Telegraph. (15
TO COINCIDE with Breast Cancer Awareness month, businesses in Quay Street have joined forces to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.
Sally Williams, who owns Just Nice, came up with the idea after seeing it done in other towns.
Many of the neighbouring businesses will also be getting involved, with special offers, prizes and events running until the end of October.
“It’s a great community of shops down here and we all stick together,” said Sally.
She will be raffling a pair of pink Doc Martens boots, and selling a selection of pink goodies to raise money for the charity.
Strands hairdressers are raffling a pair of pink hair straighteners, and the Teddy Bear Workshop will be donating £1 from the sale of every cuddly toy or outfit sold on Fridays in October.
Quay Street Sewing Centre has two raffle prizes of pink, heart-shaped sewing boxes, and co-owner Des Griffiths said: “I think cancer is something that’s very close to people, so it’s important to get involved and raise money.”
Rees Family Shoe Repairs will be donating any tips they get this month to charity, and staff from Wetherspoons will be wearing pink ties every Friday, with a donation box at the bar for customers to help add to the grand total.
Tussie Mussie florists took £1 off every order last Friday, and are selling raffle tickets to win a pink orchid.
Goody bags are on offer for anyone making a donation at The Ark health shop, and shoppers can also enter a raffle to win a basket of vitamins, lotions and potions.
Sally said she hoped people would support the street’s fundraising effort and help raise money for a really worthy cause.
Breast Cancer Care helps men and women who have recently been diagnosed with cancer, provides information on local support groups, and aims to improve early detection.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Xhorse has added Toyota 8A 0431(BA) 433.58/434.42 dual-frequency immo programming option recently. Supports latest Toyota Veranda & Sienna to generate Xhorse XM38 Smart Key.
Toyota XM38 key adding is now available on VVDI Key Tool Plus Pad. For users who had Toyota 8A smart adapter should pay for passwords to add key.
Xhorse had updated remote data based version V441 on 27th, Sep, 2022.
Corresponding smart card upgraded contents are as follow:
Added Toyota Veranda(BA) 8A smart card(XM38);
Added Toyota Sienna(BA) 8A smart card(XM38);
Added Changan CS75(ASK) 4D smart card(XM38);
Added LANDWIND X2 8A smart card(XM38);
Added Chery Tiggo 3 Blue ID4A;
Added Chery Kaiyi Xuandu ID47.


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Beetwix News is not only a reliable source of information for those seeking to stay informed, but it also provides an excellent platform for businesses and advertisers to reach their target audiences. With a wide range of categories, including business, magazine, tech, arts, culture, home improvement, lifestyle, and travel, Beetwix News offers a diverse range of content that appeals to a broad audience. In this article, we will discuss why Beetwix News is the perfect place for advertising products and different kinds of businesses.
First and foremost, Beetwix News offers a unique opportunity for businesses to reach a highly engaged and targeted audience. With over 1 million monthly visitors, businesses can get their products and services in front of a vast and diverse audience. Furthermore, Beetwix News provides different advertising options, such as display ads, sponsored content, and newsletter advertising, to cater to different business needs and budgets.
One of the key advantages of advertising on Beetwix News is the opportunity to reach a highly engaged audience. People who read Beetwix News are actively seeking information, and as such, are more likely to engage with and act on ads that are relevant to them. By advertising on Beetwix News, businesses can increase brand awareness, generate leads, and ultimately drive conversions.
Moreover, Beetwix News offers a variety of categories that allow businesses to reach specific audiences. For instance, if you are a tech company looking to promote a new product, advertising in the tech category can help you reach people interested in technology and gadgets. Similarly, if you are a travel company looking to promote your services, advertising in the travel category can help you reach people looking for travel inspiration and tips.
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In conclusion, Beetwix News is an excellent platform for businesses and advertisers to promote their products and services. With a wide range of categories and a highly engaged audience, businesses can reach their target audience and increase brand awareness. Additionally, Beetwix News provides businesses with different advertising options, the ability to create targeted campaigns, and detailed analytics and reporting to track the success of their campaigns. If you’re looking for a reliable and effective platform to advertise your products and services, look no further than Beetwix News.


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For over 40 years, GITEX has played a significant role in the technology landscape, establishing itself as the largest #techevent in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia!
🔥 This year’s edition was no exception. The event took place from October 16th to October 20th at the #Dubai World Trade Centre, featuring 4,5k+ exhibitors from various tech fields showcasing their #innovations. Over 100k visitors from over a hundred countries attended, including 1,4k+ speakers, over 40 workshops, and hundreds of discussions led by industry leaders and organizers.
The central theme of #GITEX2023 was “The Year to Visualize AI Integration in Every Aspect of Life.” This theme focused on exploring the impact of artificial intelligence across various industries and how it can be leveraged for innovation and growth.
➡ The event featured keynote addresses delivered by influential figures in the technology industry, unveiled exciting products, and allowed attendees to participate in interactive #workshops to explore the latest technological trends. It also provided abundant #networking opportunities for attendees to connect with industry experts and peers👨🏻💻.
Notable Events and Announcements at GITEX 2023:
📶 Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, discussed the need for enhanced governance in response to the widespread adoption of #AI technology.
📶 Microsoft, in collaboration with Kagool, introduced the “Citizen Companion,” an AI-powered interface designed to simplify tasks such as renewing driving licenses, applying for a UAE Golden Visa, or paying traffic fines.
📶 G42, known for having the world’s fastest supercomputer, unveiled Core42, a new entity dedicated to providing #AIsolutions and services.
📶 Telecommunications company e& revealed “EASE” (Etisalat by e& Autonomous Store Experience), the world’s first autonomous telecommunications store powered by AI.
⭕ To enhance our services, 0xProcessing observes significant events, in order to integrate the best technologies in our services.
Join us today!
#blockchain #WorldBlockchainevents #TechInDubai


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Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs has blamed record labels for problems caused by digital rights management (DRM) and has said that he would throw away the restrictive DRM technology used by Apple's iTunes tomorrow if he could.
DRM should be abolished because it has not worked, said Jobs, and will probably never work. Consumers, he said, should lobby record companies to convince them to abandon the technology.
But the tech visionary's buck passing has been criticised by one of the bodies taking Apple to task in Europe over the lock-in that means that iTunes tracks can only be played on Apple's iPod machines.
"It is iTunes Music Store that is providing a service to the consumers and therefore has the responsibility to offer up a consumer friendly product," said Torgeir Waterhouse, senior advisor to the Norwegian Consumer Council, which is taking action against Apple.
Jobs's surprising announcement came in an open letter on Apple's website, and said that if record companies would only agree, he would sell unrestricted tracks on iTunes. "This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat," he said.
DRM controls what customers can do with songs they have bought, such as restricting the number of copies that can be made. Record labels use it as their main guard against music piracy.
But despite selling two billion DRM-protected tracks last year, Jobs said that the technology does not stop piracy. "DRMs haven’t worked, and may never work, to halt music piracy," he said. "Though the big four music companies require that all their music sold online be protected with DRMs, these same music companies continue to sell billions of CDs a year which contain completely unprotected music."
Jobs explained that the need to have a viable DRM system meant that Apple had to build the iTunes music shop so that only iPods could play its tracks. He said that the lock-in meant that Apple could easily fix problems and patch security breaches when they did happen.
But that lock-in is the subject of legal action in Europe, where Norway, Sweden, France and Germany are all taking or considering action against Apple for possible breaches of consumer and competition law.
"We're happy to see Steve Jobs take on the responsibility that follows from Apple's role as one of the leading companies in the digital sphere and comment on the complaint issued by the Norwegian Consumer Council," said Waterhouse. "It's really encouraging to see him put forward statements that resemble his previous statement from 2002 when he told the Wall Street Journal 'if you legally acquire music, you need to have the right to manage it on all other devices that you own'."
In response to the Norwegian Consumer Council's complaint, that country's Ombudsman declared in January that it believed that Apple's DRM system, called Fairplay, breaks Norway's consumer protection laws.
Jobs addressed the case and the others on the same lines in Europe, and used his open letter to try to make those campaigners turn their attention away from Apple. "Much of the concern over DRM systems has arisen in European countries," he said. "Perhaps those unhappy with the current situation should redirect their energies towards persuading the music companies to sell their music DRM-free."
Waterhouse rejected the suggestion that campaigners should divert their efforts away from Apple. "It's quite clear that the record companies carry their share of the responsibility for the situation that the consumer are stuck in," he said. "However no matter what agreements iTunes Music Store has entered into, it's still the company that's selling music to the consumers and is responsible for offering the consumer a fair deal according to Norwegian law."


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Only a month is left before the end of a trade war ceasefire between the U.S. and China, with top officials from the world’s two largest economies concluding another round of face-to-face talks in an effort to reach a deal that would resolve their months-long tariff tit-for-tat.
The two-day meeting was led by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the capital, where negotiators were focused on settling differences over China’s intellectual property practices. This afternoon, President Donald Trump also met with Liu in the Oval Office.
Early this month, mid-level discussions conducted by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish and Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen broached China’s imports of U.S. goods and opening up its markets to the West, as well as better protection of American intellectual property.
Those talks marked the first face-to-face assembly between Washington and Beijing since Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day financial truce at the G20 summit in early December.
Washington has already imposed tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports, while Beijing retaliated with levies on $110 billion in U.S. goods. As part of the truce, the White House put on hold its threat to raise duties from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion of those products.
The high-stakes trade discussions once again centered on U.S. demands for the structural transformation of the Chinese economy and China’s pledge to persuade state-owned companies to buy more U.S. products.
Today, Trump expressed optimism about hammering out a comprehensive trade accord with China. However, he reiterated the need to open Chinese markets broadly to U.S. firms, as well as sit down with Xi himself in the near future. Without meeting such conditions, Trump insists that no deal will be made.
“Meetings are going well with good intent and spirit on both sides,” he wrote on Twitter. “No final deal will be made until my friend President Xi, and I, meet in the near future to discuss and agree on some of the long standing and more difficult points…. China’s representatives and I are trying to do a complete deal, leaving NOTHING unresolved on the table.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese delegates suggested a meeting between the two leaders next month in the Chinese province of Hainan. Two White House officials told Reuters that the invitation was not proffered, adding that they would be surprised if such steps were taken during today’s meeting in Washington.
If the countries fail to reach a deal by the March 1 deadline, Trump has promised to go ahead with the planned tariff increase. In a Tuesday interview on Fox Business Network, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that Washington would be open to lifting all tariffs if Beijing agrees to enough trade concessions.
The same day that Trump and Xi sat down to discuss trade at a formal dinner in Buenos Aires in December, Huawei Technologies Co. CFO Meng Wanzhou was arrested in China at the behest of U.S. authorities.
On Wednesday, as Chinese delegates prepared to face their U.S. counterparts in high-level talks, the U.S. Justice Department filed criminal charges against the Chinese telecom giant, alleging theft of trade secrets and bank fraud, and formally requested Meng’s extradition from Canada.
There remains speculation that legal action against Huawei could pressure China to surrender more in negotiations. The country’s foreign ministry this week accused the U.S. of “using national power to tarnish the image of and crack down on specific Chinese companies in an attempt to strangle their lawful and legitimate operations.”
“Behind such moves are deep political intentions and manipulations,” added spokesperson Geng Shuang.
However, senior members of the Trump administration have brushed off the timing of the trade talks and the Huawei investigation as coincidental.
“These indictments are law enforcement actions and are wholly separate from our trade negotiations with China,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said during a news conference on Monday.
Washington has previously spoken about Huawei’s threat to U.S. national security, with intelligence agencies warning Americans against using phones and other equipment from the company. It also claims that Meng assisted in Huawei’s circumvention of U.S. sanctions on Iran.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that China steals U.S. software and technology through cyberattacks and economic espionage. In response, Beijing called the allegations “slander” and “a distortion of facts.”
According to the American Apparel & Footwear Association, 41 percent of clothing, 72 percent of shoes and 84 percent of accessories sold in the U.S. hails from China.
The most recent tranche of tariffs already affects clothing and accessories (including handbags and wallets), while the fourth set, which would hit $257 billion in goods, “can affect footwear pretty dramatically,” said Steve Lamar, EVP of the American Apparel & Footwear Association.
With the levies encompassing a wide variety of consumer products, experts predict retailers will have to raise prices for shoppers in order to accommodate soaring import costs. Walmart and J.C. Penney have already indicated that Trump’s tariffs would lead to higher numbers on stickers.
“It’s very difficult to see how [mounting tariffs] don’t negatively impact all Americans in every walk of life,” Matt Priest, president and CEO of the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America, previously told FN. “The president claimed that trade wars are easy to win, but what our industry has always known is coming true: Trade wars are costly, unnecessary and do harm to the American economy.”
A number of companies, including Steve Madden and Skechers, have also considered relocating their factories from China, which could potentially disrupt their supply chains as well as affect shipping times and sourcing strategies.
“Companies will be looking to preserve their strength,” said AAFA president and CEO Rick Helfenbein. “They have loved working in China all these years, and they’re going to have to rearrange the dynamic or it will be disastrous.”
In recent years, rising wages in China have coaxed some businesses to transfer their production lines to cheaper shores such as Vietnam, yet China continues to flex its status as the world’s manufacturing powerhouse. (Government policies that support domestic assembly, along with a surplus of human capital, have allowed the country to thrive for decades.)
However, China has run into its own national troubles, as its vast manufacturing sector contracted for the first time in 19 months in December and its economic growth slowed to its weakest pace since the financial crisis. Trump is also likely feeling the urgency of settling his trade battle. Increasing uncertainty about a potential deal has dragged on global stock markets and created volatility on Wall Street, with the S&P 500 recording its worst December since the Great Depression. (The president called the steep sell-off a “little glitch.”)


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Canadian Cannabis Consumers Report Improvements In Insomnia
Insomnia is one of the most prevalent health conditions around the world. It is estimated that as many as 60% of the world’s population suffers from insomnia to some degree.
The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, which is the essential definition of insomnia, can be caused by a number of factors, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, lack of exercise, a different health condition, and/or side effects from various medications.
For most sufferers of insomnia, the main negative impact on their life is that they are constantly tired. However, it can also contribute to major health issues such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
A team of researchers in Canada recently conducted a study involving depression and anxiety patients that suffer from insomnia to see if cannabis helped treat their condition(s). Below is more information about it via a NORML news release:
Ontario, Canada: The use of cannabis products is associated with perceived improvements in insomnia in patients suffering from either anxiety or depression, according to data published in the journal BMC Psychiatry.
A team of Canadian researchers assessed the effectiveness of cannabis in managing insomnia in a cohort of 677 subjects. Study participants suffered from either anxiety, depression, or from both conditions simultaneously. Subjects self-administered cannabis products at home and reported symptom changes in real time on a mobile software application. Investigators analyzed reports from over 8,400 cannabis-use sessions recorded over a three-year period.
“This naturalistic investigation of cannabis use for insomnia suggests that individuals with depression, anxiety, and comorbid depression and anxiety perceive benefits from using cannabis for sleep,” authors concluded. “In addition, compared to other cannabis strains, CBD-dominant products may be less helpful for sleep, specifically in individuals with depression. The current study highlights the need for placebo-controlled trials investigating the efficacy and safety of cannabinoids for sleep in individuals with mood and anxiety disorders.”
Full text of the study, “An investigation of cannabis use for insomnia in depression and anxiety in a naturalistic sample,” appears in BMC Psychiatry.


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19/10/2017 · Coinbase and Bitfinex will list SegWit2x as B2X, and the “BTC” moniker will be used for the original Bitcoin blockchain. Upon the SegWit2x hard fork in November, users of most leading Bitcoin exchanges and wallets such as Coinbase, GDAX, Bitfinex, and Blockchain will be credited with B2X.
Watching This Hat Go Up Is Like Watching Bitcoin Go Up Sign up for the Bakkt digital wallet app to track, spend & send digital assets like cryptocurrency, loyalty & reward
6 Oct 2017.
Update on Bitcoin SegWit2x hard fork.
Replying to @coinbase.
those who had their $btc on bittrex during the $bch fork were the winners.
Many cryptocurrency exchanges including Bitfinex, Bitfinex, and Coinbase have previously stated that they will list the original bitcoin blockchain as BTC, subsequent to the SegWit2x hard fork in November.
3 Nov 2017.
Here's a Q&A to the coming bitcoin SegWit2X split.
leaders of the SegWit2X faction announced on Wednesday, November 8 they.
“[Big block] ringleaders are still pushing for a hard-fork now purely due to.
It's also likely that big exchanges like Coinbase will serve as king-makers after the fork, in part by.
20/09/2018 · The Bitcoin Segwit2x fork will temporarily result in two bitcoin blockchains. Following the fork, Coinbase will continue referring to the current bitcoin blockchain as Bitcoin (BTC) and the forked.
In an official announcement, Coinbase stated: “The Bitcoin Segwit2x fork is.
Continue reading Coinbase to List Bitcoin as BTC After SegWit2x Hard Fork in November.
Coinbase, the world’s largest bitcoin wallet platform and cryptocurrency startup with a $1.6 billion market cap, has released an update on its support for SegWit2x and Bitcoin Gold, clarifying that the original Bitcoin blockchain will continue as “BTC” without the need for conditional integration. In an official announcement, Coinbase stated: “The Bitcoin Segwit2x fork is [.
06/10/2017 · Customers with bitcoin balances stored on Coinbase at the time of the fork will have access to bitcoin on both blockchains. There is no action required from customers and bitcoin can be securely stored on Coinbase before, during, and after the fork.


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By Nina Tsintsadze
In regular times, one might struggle to find much in common between these three Georgian companies: Proservice, a leading ICT player; Nutrimax, an animal feed producer; and Materia, a famous fashion house.
Nevertheless, during the coronavirus pandemic, all three are playing their part in the fight against the outbreak and its impact on the economy in Georgia. The EBRD and the European Union (EU) have had the good fortune of working with these companies. Now our clients are finding ways of stepping up and rallying to support those in need.
Lending a helping hand
Proservice is the best friend of entrepreneurs who consider a well-functioning website a prerequisite to running a successful business. The company offers web-site development, hosting and data storage to corporate and public institutions.
With funding from the European Union, the EBRD worked with the company to find a new spacious, multi-purpose home – a space to accommodate a modern data centre. The best construction and design solution services secured Proservice all necessary permits, and with financing from the EBRD’s and EU’s joint facility, the company upgraded their equipment. With this increased capacity, the company is now helping SMEs to keep their lights on by offering a grace period and favourable rates on digital services.
“Before the pandemic, we firmly believed in the power of the digital world. Now we see that digital tools and e-commerce are needed as never before. We want to play our part and help as many companies as possible to shift their goods and services to the online sphere,” says Proservice CEO, Revaz Natroshvili.
Spreading the knowledge
Nutrimax is a Georgian company nestled in the capital, Tbilisi, producing animal feed. With a robust distribution network, the company serves the needs of the small, medium and large scale farmers across the country. The EBRD and the EU helped the company with both advice and financing to introduce quality standards, cutting-edge technology and equipment.
The company is now employing digital tools to support farmers across Georgia and opening its knowledge base to local farmers by launching an online school to support with advice those who need it most. Their online group already has over 1,400 members.
‘’The coronavirus pandemic changed everyone’s lives, and we want to support those who want to try domestic animal farming for themselves. Our school helps both seasoned and aspiring farmers to get practical information on how to plan and manage their activities,” says Technical Team Manager, Revaz Lapachi.
Green is still the colour of the season
On a regular day, the premises of fashion house Materia would bustle with life and noise… Now, all activities must follow rigorous regulations: tailors sit apart, maintaining safe distance and sporting protective gear, while manufacturing bio-safety coveralls, medical scrubs and face masks.
The company prides itself on goods that are medically endorsed but also environmentally friendly: the company integrated the use of biodegradable fabrics into face mask manufacturing technology. EBRD and the EU worked with Materia to support a large-scale upgrade of the company’s premises and equipment while also assisting in the introduction of quality standards.
More and more companies are stepping up with their own acts of solidarity and resilience against Covid-19. Now, more than ever, small gestures make a big difference.


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Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn urged Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O’Cha to consider the tourism sectors’ request to contribute 7,500 baht for 400,000 hospitality employees nationwide for 2 months under the “co-pay” scheme to help them cope with the financial crisis caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic.
Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow was assigned by the Prime Minister to join a general meeting today, February 10th, with the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Tourism and Sports to seek ways to turn hotels and resorts into quarantine facilities for foreign tourists, similar to recently-approved golf-course quarantine, in order to attract foreign tourists.
This proposed plan would essentially enable places to be “all-in-one” resorts where tourists in quarantine could eat, go to bars, swim, relax on the beach, have a massage, and other normal activities while in the confines of a resort on quarantine. Employees would be regularly tested and would be those who had been vaccinated for Covid-19 when the vaccines arrive.
Phiphat, however, stated that a similar model would not be able to be applied with hotel and other hospitality accommodations in Thailand just yet since the Covid-19 epidemic situation around the world had not yet resolved and Thailand will not receive its first dose of vaccinations until March or April.
He then introduced the “co-pay” scheme in which the government would contribute half of the average wage of 7,500 baht to hospitality-related employees to reduce their financial burden during the Covid-19 global pandemic. The estimated budget of 6,000,000 baht should be prepared by the finance ministry under this initial scheme.
Phiphat said: “The “co-pay” idea was primarily discussed among leading private and public tourism sectors weeks ago as the industry was dramatically affected by the border closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This can be done immediately without having to wait for the situation of the pandemic to resolve.”
The Deputy Prime Minister said that he acknowledged the scheme and would further discuss it with Prime Minister as well as the whole cabinet committee at the next meeting.
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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s economy is expected to expand between 4.0 and 5.0 per cent in 2017, given the nation’s strong economic fundamentals coupled with the 2017 Budget strategies and programmes.
The Economic Report 2016/17, released by the Ministry of Finance in conjunction with the 2017 Budget announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today, said the expansion translated into gross national income (GNI) per capita growth of 5.0 per cent to RM39,699 from RM37,812.
“On the demand side, growth will emanate from domestic demand, particularly private consumption and private investment expenditures, which are expected to expand 6.3 and 5.8 per cent respectively.
“In tandem with higher investment activities, the savings-investment gap is expected to narrow to 0.5-1.5 per cent. Inflation will remain manageable, while the economy continues to operate under full employment,” it said.
The report also said that all economic sectors were expected to contribute to growth, with the services and manufacturing sectors spearheading the expansion.
With the government’s commitment to enhancing revenue and reining in expenditure, the fiscal deficit was expected to improve further to 3.0 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“These developments would strengthen the economic fundamentals and augur well for a nation in transition from an upper-middle to a high-income and advanced nation,” it said.
The report also said measures to strengthen the nation’s economic fundamentals would feature prominently in the budget as an avenue to further boost investor sentiment and attract domestic and foreign direct investment.
At the same time, it said, allocations would be made to accelerate investment, provide infrastructure and review corridor development plans.
“Also, measures will be introduced to invigorate the capital market as well as empower exporters to scale up their operations by looking beyond traditional markets,” it said.
On the supply side, the report explained that the focus of the budget would be in areas with high multiplier effects such as tourism, the digital economy, small and medium enterprises, entrepreneurship and research and development.
At the same time, the report stressed the need to unshackle the economy from various structural issues which may hamper Malaysia’s long-term growth potential.
“From a broader perspective, these issues are also opportunities for the government to strengthen domestic demand as the engine of economic growth and unleash the true potential of the domestic economy,” it said.
During the first half of this year, the report said, private consumption stood as the biggest component of domestic demand, contributing 3.1 percentage points to real GDP, while household debt stood at 88.9 per cent of GDP as at end-June.
“The export sector has made considerable progress in expanding the product and market mix. Although Malaysia’s involvement in the global value chains is relatively high, domestic value-added in high-tech exports is low,” it added.- BERNAMA


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The Essen-based specialty chemicals company Evonik has launched a new program. The goal: to increase sales by one billion euros from 2023 with circular products and technologies.
"We want to make the entire industry circular," explains Lauren Kjeldsen, Head of the Smart Materials Division and responsible for the newly created Circular Economy Program. "Circular Economy is a strong growth driver for Evonik," emphasizes Harald Schwager, Deputy Chairman of Evonik's Executive Board. The Group aims to generate sustainable value. As part of the program, the Group intends to expand its business with additives and specialties for the circular economy. In addition, the company intends to increase its use of defossilized raw materials based on recycled materials, biomass and CO2. According to the information provided, the company is also developing its own technologies, such as for the chemical recycling of PET waste streams that cannot be mechanically recycled. Evonik is also working on the development of technologies for the use of carbon dioxide and bio-based raw materials as feedstock.
- Press release Evonik (Nov. 14, 2023)
- Graphik: © Evonik


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Galaxy Fold day is finally here after all this time and we were able to secure a couple of devices. We can now get busy with the future that is foldable phones. We are pretty damn excited too, even if we already know this $2,000 phone is likely so niche and impractical that no one should ever really consider buying one. To get started on our Galaxy Fold coverage, we ran through the classic unboxing experience. Since this is a $1,980 phone with more in the box than your standard goods, this is one you might want to watch, unboxing fan or not. Oh, and this is the first time I’ve played with the Galaxy Fold or a foldable phone, so there’s plenty of fun in that reaction to the first fold – the first time I see a phone bent completely in half. Seriously, this phone folds and I’m kind of mind-blown. Enjoy! … [Read more...] about Galaxy Fold Unboxing and Tour!
Episode 21 of the Pocket-lint Podcast is here and it is jam packed with the latest tech commentary.This week, we review the OnePlus 7T - the latest handset from the brand, as unveiled in India on Thursday 26 September.Associate editor Dan reports back from Amazon's HQ in Seattle with his thoughts on the mighty new Echo range.And, editor Chris talks to former SBS sniper and Royal Marine, now TV personality and author, Ant Middleton, who reveals what he thinks about the new Garmin sports watches and why his friends don't invite him paintballing.You can listen to the latest episode below - along with previous instalments - and also find out how to subscribe to the Pocket-lint Podcast via Pippa here.It is also available on Spotify, iTunes, Google and via RSS.The weekly podcast goes live every Friday morning, bringing you 30 minutes of the latest tech news, a top industry interview, plus reviews of different gadgets in the most talked-about categories - all featuring the knowledge … [Read more...] about OnePlus 7T, Ant Middleton interview and everything Amazon Echo
On this episode of the Droid Life Show, it’s going to be heavy Samsung Galaxy Fold talk. The first foldable from Samsung is now here and we each have one in-house, on desk to get familiar with. We have foldable phones, guys! The future…or something. Also, on the show, we’ll dive into the OnePlus 7T, since that’s official this week and we’ve got a full review up. We’ll also catch up on the Pixel 4 news and anything else that comes up. Trivia is back! The fabulous folks at Poweramp have sponsored the show with wonderful prizes. We’ll be live at 12:30PM Pacific (3:30PM Eastern). … [Read more...] about Podcast: We Have the Galaxy Fold!
Geir Moulson, Associated Press Updated 5:02 am PDT, Friday, September 27, 2019 BERLIN (AP) — German investigators said Friday they have shut down a data processing center installed in a former NATO bunker that hosted sites dealing in drugs and other illegal activities. Seven people were arrested. The main suspect in the long-running investigation that led to raids on Thursday is a 59-year-old Dutchman who authorities believe acquired the former military bunker in Traben-Trarbach, a picturesque town on the Mosel River in western Germany, in 2013, prosecutor Juergen Bauer told reporters. He then turned it into a very large and heavily secured data processing center "in order to make it available to clients, according to our investigations, exclusively for illegal purposes," Bauer added. Regional criminal police chief Johannes Kunz said that authorities believe he had "links to organized crime," and that he appears to have spent most of his time in the area although … [Read more...] about Germany shuts down illegal data center in former NATO bunker
Amazon has undertaken a new initiative – drafting facial recognition technology laws that it believes can be accepted by the US Congress.This is a first – a tech company getting involved in legislation that will regulate some of the tech that it is actually using. Rather than being the judge, jury and executioner, it wants to turn lawmaker.The fact was revealed by the company's CEO Jeff Bezos in a media appearance post the Alexa event on Thursday. "Our public policy team is actually working on facial recognition regulations; it makes a lot of sense regulate that," he said.When reached out for comment on the matter by the Recode, the company declined to comment further.In February this year, the company proposed guidelines on the matter. But actually writing laws sets a new precedent for a tech company, especially since it has itself been criticised for its own "Rekognition" system for gender and race bias. Amazon is not the only company that has asked for better regulation … [Read more...] about Amazon facial recognition legislation proposed to US Congress


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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked the global economy, in particular by fueling further spikes in energy and commodity prices. The new inflationary catalysts will have differing effects on monetary policy moves because regional economies are starting from different places, which will determine their ability to withstand higher commodity prices.
The crisis in Ukraine is inflicting tragic consequences on the local population, while its macroeconomic effects are being felt around the world. Russia and Ukraine’s combined share of world GDP totals less than 2%, according to World Bank data. But that small number belies their outsize impact as exporters of essential commodities, which will likely hurt the global economy in two ways. First, conflict within Ukraine will reduce agricultural and industrial shipments. Second, western sanctions will impede exports of Russian commodities. In both cases, limitations on supply are likely to push prices higher.
Food Prices Face Wheat and Fertilizer Shock
Taken together, Russia and Ukraine account for over 25% of global wheat exports. Russia alone accounts for around 13% of global nitrogenous fertilizer exports. As a result, the conflict will inevitably push food prices higher around the world. Our research suggests that the impact will be felt disproportionately in emerging market countries that are more reliant on imports from Ukraine and Russia, including Egypt, Indonesia, Brazil and Turkey.
Neon gas is another commodity where an impact is all-but-certain. Odessa-based Iceblick supplies about 65% of the world’s neon gas, used in the laser lithography process which is fundamental to producing computer chips. Here, the repercussions will likely impact developed countries most.
But Russia’s role as an energy exporter is potentially the most important variable of all. Russia is the world’s third-largest oil producer behind the US and Saudi Arabia, and the world’s largest exporter of oil to global markets, according to the International Energy Agency. In particular, Russia supplies around 40% of Europe’s energy needs.
Surging Oil Prices Spell Trouble
Even before Russia’s invasion, oil prices were surging. Now, as of March 7, prices are approaching the 2008 peak of around $140 per barrel and if they move higher, we may face a global crunch (Display, below).
Energy efficiency has consistently improved since the 1970’s oil shock, making it easier for businesses and consumers to absorb price fluctuations. But a price breakout to new records will challenge countries that rely on imports. And in Europe, several economies are highly dependent on Russian supplies and vulnerable to the spike in regional gas prices that are currently more than ten times pre-COVID-19 levels.
Growth Prospects Under Threat
How do policymakers think about energy or commodity shocks? In the near-term, rising energy prices are stagflationary: boosting prices in the near term but hurting growth in the long term as higher energy prices force consumers to scale back spending on other goods and services.
In recent decades, policymakers have generally treated commodity price shocks as temporary. Usually, they’ve been right to refrain from tightening policy in response. But now, with inflationary pressures already high, it could be dangerous to assume that inflation expectations are stable. Today, the right response depends on the underlying balance between inflation and growth, which differs by region.
Gauging Regional Differences
To assess this balance, we looked at nominal and real income growth in Europe versus the US. Our research shows that US consumers are in a much better position to cope with current price pressures, because real income growth—depicted by our paycheck proxy—is positive. That gives US consumers a cushion to absorb higher energy costs (Display, below).
In the euro area by contrast, while the nominal paycheck is growing at a healthy rate of 4%—the strongest pace since the Global Financial Crisis—real paycheck growth is stagnant or even slightly down. As a result, rising prices erode consumers’ purchasing power. And that doesn’t yet account for the 60% increase in natural gas prices in recent weeks or prospective increases in prices of soft commodities and food.
If European inflation rises further, we believe the region risks a negative demand shock this year. The European Central Bank is treading dangerously by signalling recently that it may raise interest rates, because real incomes are precarious. In 2011, the ECB bucked policy norms by raising rates when real incomes were negative, but quickly realized its error and reversed course.
In the UK, the story is somewhat similar because real incomes are negative. However, unlike the ECB, the Bank of England has already started a rate hike cycle. Raising rates might not be a great idea right now, but if the BoE continues, we think it is likely to stop sooner than it otherwise would, given the economic shock.
Dynamics in the US are different. While US inflation is higher than in Europe, incomes are also healthier. The nominal paycheck is growing rapidly at about 10% year over year and the real paycheck is growing at 2.7%, in line with its long-term average. This might not reflect every household, but in aggregate the economy is keeping pace with inflation and a little bit more. From the Federal Reserve’s perspective, this means the US economy can handle rate increases. Since higher inflation is unlikely to prompt a dramatic slowdown, we don’t think the pressures emanating from the Russia-Ukraine conflict should dissuade the Fed from raising rates.
That said, caution is warranted. Potential unpredictable outcomes could affect consumer expectations or weaken corporate investment. Some banks may have hidden exposures to the region. Given uncertainties created by the Russian invasion, we think the Fed is likely to be cautious, starting its tightening cycle with a 25 b.p. increase later this month.
In emerging markets, some central banks are in a particularly difficult position. Across Latin America and Eastern Europe, inflation pressures have been more acute and typically policymakers have already increased interest rates.
Investors never like uncertainty and tend to prefer a narrow range of outcomes. We don’t have that luxury today. But amid the gloom of war, remember that not all possible macroeconomic outcomes end in recession. For example, if the conflict ends in the near-term, commodity prices could move lower before demand destruction sets in. Policymakers around the world will need to engage in a delicate balancing act while on a fast-moving train, given the fluidity of the situation.
- Eric Winograd
- Senior Economist—Fixed Income
- Markus Schneider
- Senior Economist—EEMEA


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LONDON (Reuters) – Three limited-edition bottles of Heinz Tomato Ketchup based on the tattoos of British songwriter Ed Sheeran, a dedicated fan of the condiment, sold at auction in London on Thursday, with one going under the hammer for 1,500 pounds ($1,816).
Ed Sheeran poses with bottles of Heinz Tomato Ketchup based on his tattoos in London, Britain May 20, 2019, in this handout photo. Heinz/Handout via REUTERS
Only 150 of the “Ed Sheeran X Heinz Tomato Ketchup, the Tattoo Edition” bottles, featuring a copy of Sheeran’s own Heinz inking, will be available across the world.
The first three were sold for 1,050 pounds, 1,100 pounds and 1,500 pounds on Thursday.
Nigel Dickie, Kraft Heinz director of corporate affairs, said 150 of the bottles were made to mark Heinz 150th birthday.
“What’s special about them is that they have his tattoos on the label,” he said. “They’re part of the label, so it’s his sleeve on our sleeve.”
He said he suspected not many people would open the bottles, but they had “perfectly enjoyable ketchup” inside.
Some 104 bottles will be the prizes in a free global draw, according to a statement linked on Sheeran’s Instagram account, and the remainder would go to Sheeran and Heinz superfans and museums.
All money raised from the bottles will be donated to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, a charity nominated by Sheeran, and Rise Against Hunger, which is supported by Heinz.
The 28-year-old star, who has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, is a long-time fan of the sauce and has the “Heinz Tomato Ketchup” label tattooed on his arm.
Earlier this year he teamed up with the brand to release “Tomato Edchup” and wrote and starred in a TV advert for the release.
Reporting by Marissa Davison, Writing by Paul Sandle; Editing by Toby Chopra


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The Android 6.0 Marshmallow is the most recent Android build that will soon roll out to smartphones and tablets across the globe. Sony has confirmed the list of the Xperia smartphones that will receive the Android M update.
On Oct. 5, Google started the release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow update for devices like the Nexus 5, the Nexus 6 and the Nexus 9. Through the official Sony Mobile blog, the Japanese tech company has confirmed the Xperia smartphones that will receive the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update.
The Sony Xperia Z5, the Xperia Z5 Compact, the Xperia Z5 Premium, the Xperia Z3+, the Xperia Z3, the Xperia Z3 Compact, the Xperia Z2, the Xperia M5, the Xperia C5 Ultra, the Xperia M4 Aqua and the Xperia C4 are the Sony Xperia smartphones that will be blessed with Android 6.0 update. As far as Sony Xperia tablets are concerned, the Android M update will be released for the Xperia Z4 Tablet, the Xperia Z3 Tablet, and the Xperia Z2 Tablet.
Gizmo China had reported earlier in this month that the Xperia M5, the C5 Ultra, the Xperia Z3+, the Xperia Z3, the Xperia Z3 Compact, the Xperia Z2, and the Xperia Z Ultra Google Play Edition will be the first set of Sony devices along with the Xperia Z5 series smartphones to receive the Android 6.0 update. Even though Sony has not confirmed about the Xperia Z1, Gizmo China claimed that it will also receive the update later on.
The LG G4 has become the first non-Nexus device to get the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update. Its users in Poland will be receiving the new software update next week, Android Police reported. Sony has not revealed when its devices will start receiving the update. However, according to its official blog post, it is working hard to release the Android 6.0 update to more number of devices as fast as it can.


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All posts tagged "hotel"
Visit The Woodlands Celebrates National Reading Month with Book Donations
THE WOODLANDS, TX – To kick off National Reading Month, Visit The Woodlands is donating a new book,...
Hotel Indigo coming soon, Construction begins December 2017
Suryam Hospitality announced they are bringing one of the premier brands of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Hotel Indigo®....
Hurricane Harvey Survivors Still Needing Hotel Stays Get Extension
AUSTIN, Texas – Hurricane Harvey survivors who need more time to find housing are getting an extension to stay...


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An exhibition of photographs of Afghanistan by acclaimed photojournalist Steve McCurry opens in London this week.
The shortlist for the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards has been revealed.
Fashion photographer Mario Testino has been honoured with an OBE for his service to photography and charity.
San Diego resident Anton Orlov paid $100 (£62) for the vintage 1901 Bellini Jumelle camera, but while cleaning it he found he had purchased much more than a camera.
There were eight developed photographs inside the casing depicting scenes from the First World War including planes, ruins and even a bomb.
Orlov currently has no plans to sell the pictures, saying: “I'm just happy to put them out there after them being hidden in a camera for 100 years. I'm just happy to see people enjoying them.”


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Home > Archives
Friday January 22, 2010
By YUEN MEIKENG and CARMEN TEOH
PETALING JAYA: Travellers can now fly for as low as RM1 – and they can even book flights using their handphones.
Low-cost carrier Firefly is offering a promotion of RM1 for all flight bookings made over the handphones, using its new mobile application, until next Thursday.
The customer, who spends the most on mobile booking during this period, also stands a chance to win two tickets to Koh Samui in Thailand.
Firefly marketing and communications head Angelina Fernandez said the service provided customers with an easy option to book flights via a simplified payment process by clicking a button.
“We have experienced exponential growth in mobile lifestyle over the last few years and mobile devices are a vital part of a traveller’s life,” she said during the launch of the application at the airline’s office in Subang here yesterday.
Fernandez said a latest survey by the airline also revealed that 70% of its sales were currently conducted through the Firefly website.
Firefly distribution head Lawrence Chai said the application had been downloaded close to 1,000 times since it was made available on Jan 1.
“The booking process can take as fast as under a minute. Any mobile phone can run the application as long as it has a GPRS connection and supports Java applications,” he said, adding that the application was free.
Customers must first register their handphones online and download the application from www.fireflyz.com.my/mobile. They may start booking after launching the application in their mobile phone.
Payment is made via credit card.
The system will then display the booking confirmation code, which is to be presented upon check-in.
For more information, log on to www.fireflyz.com.my.
Access to popular porn website blocked
Dr M: Malays now have to beg
Questions over PT3
Cabbie drives through wall and plunges from multi-storey carpark
Angry warning for JPJ officers
Briton killed in SMART Tunnel car crash
Copyright © 1995-2014 Star Publications (M) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)


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Public Sunscreen Dispenser Unveiling Ceremony
— First City to Offer its Sunscreen at Public Dispensers, Free of Charge —
When: Friday, March 13, 2015 at 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Where: 21 Street Beach Entrance
Miami Beach, FL – The City of Miami Beach, who launched its official and exclusive MB Miami Beach Suncare last year, is now installing 50 sunscreen dispensers throughout the city for public use.
Thanks to the support of exclusive sponsor, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and supporting sponsor Destination Brands International, the sunscreen dispensers will be placed at public pools, parks and various beach access points near lifeguard stands for all who visit Miami Beach to use, free of charge.[article-end-block-up]
With the city’s centennial on March 26, 2015, the launch of this program comes just in time to serve as a birthday gift to the community for its 100th anniversary.
“As the fun and sun capital of the world, people engage in the many outdoor activities available from relaxing at the beach to playing on our courts and doing so unprotected can lead to sunburns, which is a major cause of skin cancer,” said Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales. “Public safety is priority and we’re offering this amenity because we care.”
According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. It accounts for nearly half of all cancers in the United States. More than 3.5 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed in this country each year. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for more than 73,000 cases of skin cancer in 2015.
“As we celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the City of Miami Beach, Mount Sinai Medical Center is proud to be an institution within Miami Beach for over 65 years,” said Steve Sonenreich, Mount Sinai President and CEO. “We are pleased to offer these free sunscreen dispensers as part of our commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community and its visitors.”
The sunscreen being provided in the dispensers is none other than MB Miami Beach Triple Action Sea Kelp Sunscreen Lotion. The light, non-greasy, quick absorbing lotion is SPF 30, broad spectrum to protect from both UVA and UVB rays and water-resistant for up to 80 minutes. The sea kelp offers unique benefits of helping to restore proteins and minerals lost in the sun, firming the appearance of the skin and helping to protect against photo-aging with its natural sunscreen properties.
“We could not have done this without the support of everyone who buys MB Miami Beach sunscreen,” said Desiree Rodriguez, vice president of sales and marketing for Destination Brands. “Through the portion of proceeds that go towards skin protection education, the MB Foundation is able to fund the free sunscreen being offered in the dispensers.”
As the city celebrates its centennial, this could not be a better time to offer a gift of skin protection and awareness to the millions who enjoy this top global destination each year.
To RSVP for the event, please email email@example.com.


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New orders for U.S. durable goods rebounded sharply in July from a June dip, boosted by a surge in aircraft orders, official data showed on August 24.
Orders for durable goods, manufactured items expected to last several years, leaped 4%, more than wiping out a 1.3% decline in June, the Commerce Department said.
The increase was the second in the past three months, and provided a positive break from a recent series of weak manufacturing indicators.
The July gain was led by a 14.6% increase in orders for transportation equipment, which can be volatile month-to-month. Commercial aircraft orders soared 43.4%.
Excluding transportation, new orders rose 0.7%.
"The auto parts supply chain has ramped back up from the March 2011 Japanese tsunami, and foreign and domestic nameplate manufacturers have increased their production schedules,"said Daniel Meckstroth, chief economist for the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI. "For example, motor vehicle and parts new orders grew 11.5% in July. Outside the transportation sector, orders for primary metals surged (reflecting the motor vehicle orders), but orders in most other capital goods industries declined.
"Non defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a good proxy for equipment activity in the economy, declined 1.5% in July," he added. "Fortunately, nondefense capital goods orders excluding aircraft are up 11.8% year-to-date in 2011 compared to last year. The statistics show that capital equipment purchases are inherently choppy and experience spurts and setbacks. Nevertheless, business equipment spending is growing much faster than the general economy and is contributing to a rebalancing of the U.S. economy toward more investment and exports as a driver of growth and less dependency on consumer spending and housing."
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2011


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News by Press Association 04/02/2019, 4:40 pm Send us a story Sign up to our Daily newsletter Google is introducing two new smartphone apps to Android that aim to help people with hearing difficulties. The tech giant has begun rolling out its Live Transcribe and Sound Amplifier apps to users worldwide through the Play Store and pre-installed on Pixel 3 smartphones. Users of the Live Transcribe app, which is still in beta, will be provided with an instant dictation when their smartphone is held up to others, supporting more than 70 languages and dialects. The Sound Amplifier app works when a user plugs in wired headphones, increasing quiet sounds in noisy environments to improve the clarity of speech. Google has been working on the technology with the Gallaudet University in Washington DC, a leading school for the deaf and hard of hearing. “We can now do things that weren’t even remotely possible a few years ago, like jump into conversations at the dinner table or casually join in when the opportunity arises,” said Christian Vogler, professor and researcher at Gallaudet University. Google spoke about its plans for hard of hearing tools on smartphones at its annual I/O developer conference in… Read full this story
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Google brings new hard of hearing apps to Android have 298 words, post on www.eveningexpress.co.uk at February 4, 2019. This is cached page on wBlogs. If you want remove this page, please contact us.


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2022 International Bamboo Industry Fair to be held on December 8
2022-12-01 by Sichuan International Communication Center
2022 International Bamboo Industry Fairis expected to be held in Qingshen County, Meishan City, Sichuan Province from December 8 to 12, according to the press conference on December 1, 2022. It's hosted by China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Light Industrial Products and Arts-Crafts and China Bamboo Industry Association (CBIA), cooperated with International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation (INBAR) and International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan (ICBR), coordinated presented by Sichuan Forestry and Grassland Bureau and People's Government of Meishan City.
The exhibition hall is set in the bamboo and rattan industry park, including 13 displaying areas covering 13,000 square meters to present the bamboo building materials, bamboo papers, bamboo food, bamboo crafts and various bamboo products, as well as technological achievements, equipment, tourism related to bamboo industry. About 200 exhibitors at home and abroad and about 300 purchasing agent are expected to be invited.
As an important international event, the International Bamboo Industry Fairhas been held in Qingshen County, Meishan City for three years since 2018. Over 2000 agents from 66 countries and regions have been invited to participate in and 1.8 billion yuan of volume of business has been achieved. 2022 International Bamboo Industry Fair will serve as a platform of investment and trade, communication and cooperation, uphold the "replacing the plastic with bamboo" initiative, display the achievements of bamboo industry, and to promote the development of bamboo industry.


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Photo: Walmart China
I am just back from a week in Beijing, where Environmental Defense Fund was part of Walmart’s announcement of a new goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its China supply chain. Had I not been there in person, I’m not sure I could have accurately comprehended how essential that this goal – a 50 million metric ton (MMT) reduction by 2030 – must be followed by swift implementation.
That’s because every day in Beijing felt like the worst day in San Francisco, my home, when last year’s horrific wildfires made our eyes and lungs burn. “Normal” in Beijing means not being able to see down to the end of the block, and sharing the crowded streets with commuters, parents and children all covered by facemasks.
McDonald’s – the world’s largest restaurant company – recently announced new climate goals, which were quickly followed by many comments like this one, from Axios:
"These are concrete targets, but they’re not as of yet backed up with specific plans of how to get there."
Axios is right. These are concrete targets (and they’ve been approved by the Science-Based Targets Initiative). Here are the details: by 2030, McDonald’s is pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their restaurants and offices by 36 percent, and reduce their emissions intensity (per metric ton of food and packaging) across their supply chain by 31 percent. The company estimates these reductions will prevent 150 million metric tons of C02 equivalents (CO2e) from being released into the atmosphere. That’s huge – it’s the equivalent of removing 32 million cars from the road for one year.
But I want to challenge Axios in saying that the company has “no specific plans" to get there.
As the Trump administration rolls back environmental protections that could harm human health for decades, it’s increasingly up to businesses to lead the way, charting the course to a future that includes both a thriving economy and a thriving planet.
Leading the way requires first setting ambitious, public targets like the over 340 companies taking science-based climate action and 90 that have approved science-based targets; collaborating with partners across the value chain for maximum scale and impact – Walmart’s Project Gigaton, a collaborative effort to reduce 1 billion tons for emissions, is a powerful example; and, supporting smart climate and energy policy
BSR’s new sustainability framework closely echoes these leadership approaches and recommends that companies create resilient business strategies that align with sustainability goals. GreenBiz’s 2018 State of Green Business report further supports these and other requirements for sustainability leadership, adding that businesses need to improve reporting on climate risk, impact, and progress towards goals. The We Mean Business coalition adds further calls to action for companies: join the low carbon technology partnerships initiative, grow the market for sustainable fuels and electric vehicles, and take proactive steps to end deforestation by 2020.
Yet currently missing from all of this corporate sustainability leadership guidance is a call for companies to accelerate environmental innovation and deployment of next generation technology – sensors, AI, data analytics and visualization, and digital collaboration – to solve our most pressing environmental challenges.
Two years ago I had my first conversation with Stefan Karlsson, the Sustainability Compliance Manager for IKEA Purchasing Service (China) Co., Ltd. We talked about how IKEA was rethinking its business operations in order to green its global supply chain – and as the world’s largest go-to for affordable furniture – you can imagine how big a job that is. Right away, I could tell Stefan, and IKEA, was on to something big: encouraging hundreds of their suppliers to drive innovation and promote sustainability.
A goal, an opportunity and a partnership
IKEA isn’t unique in that it strives to provide affordable furniture. However, it is unique in that it strives to make products in ways that are good for people and the planet. That’s why in 2016, the company set a goal of encouraging its direct suppliers to become 20 percent more energy efficient by August 2017. As part of this target, IKEA initiated the Coal Removal Project – reducing coal use as a direct source from the energy portfolios of over 300 local supplier factories in China.
At Environmental Defense Fund, we believe that environmental progress and economic growth can and must go hand in hand. EDF+Business works with leading companies and investors to raise the bar for corporate sustainability leadership by setting aggressive, science-based goals; collaborating for scale across industries and global supply chains; publicly supporting smart environmental safeguards; and, accelerating environmental innovation.
This is the fourth in a series of interviews exploring trends in sustainability leadership as part of our effort to pave the way to a thriving economy and a healthy environment.
Dave Stangis has dedicated over three decades of his career to steering sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts at two iconic American companies, Intel and Campbell Soup Company. As Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Chief Sustainability Officer at Campbell, Dave has built the company’s reputation for setting a high bar on sustainability and corporate responsibility in the food industry. Case in point: Campbell was recognized as a top corporate citizen by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the eighth consecutive year.
Campbell set an ambitious goal to cut the environmental footprint of its product portfolio in half by 2020, which entails reducing energy use by 35 percent, recycling 95 percent of its global waste stream, and sourcing 40 percent of the company’s electricity from renewable or alternative energy sources.
I recently spoke with Dave to learn about his approach to setting big sustainability goals, the role of technology and innovation in building a more sustainable food system, and which kind of beer goes best with a bowl of soup. Below is an edited transcript of our discussion.
Earlier this week, Trump announced his decision to impose a 30 percent tariff on imported solar panels. A tariff will have a negative impact on solar – one of the fastest growing industries in the entire country.
Environmental Defense Fund released its second annual jobs report yesterday, In Demand: Clean Energy, Sustainability and the New American Workforce, following Trump’s decision. The report shows that solar jobs now outnumber those in the coal industry 1.6 to 1, with coal employing only 160,000. Even better, these jobs are local, well-paying and available to individuals from all types of educational backgrounds and career history.
But now, solar jobs are at risk. Yesterday, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimated as many as 23,000 jobs would be lost under Trump’s tariff. The supportive policy environment that encouraged this growth is no longer in place. Let me explain.
No business is immune to the devastating effects of climate change anymore, as we saw from the onslaught of extreme weather events in 2017. Disasters brought more than $300 billion in damages this year, a 60-percent increase over 2016, Swiss Re reported last week.
As every business leader has long known, storms, flooding, wildfires and other calamities all threaten to disrupt their operations and growth, and can even affect an entire supply chain.
What’s new is that shareholders and potential investors are also now aware of the risk that extreme weather and natural disasters pose to “doing business as usual.”
Unsurprisingly, a growing number of companies are factoring resilience to climate change into their operations. It’s about the bottom line: Making a company more resilient is an investment in business continuity, shareholder value and overall performance.
Of my 20 years in the corporate sustainability world, I’ve never seen a year like 2017.
Like many of you, I watched in shock as we inaugurated a reality TV personality as our 45th President. Since then this Administration has rolled back critical environmental and health protections and ceded U.S. government leadership on climate change and clean energy. Issues that I am passionate about and have devoted my career to advancing. Issues that affect kids like my son, who turned 6 this week, and the over 6 million other children across the country that suffer from asthma.
At the same time, our family members, friends, and colleagues from coast to coast have been impacted by heart-wrenching extreme weather events – made stronger by climate change. In the past 12 months alone, we experienced the country’s most devastating hurricane season (with damage estimates ranging to $475 billion), record breaking temperatures that grounded airlines to a halt, freezing temperatures in the Southeast that caused over $1 billion in agricultural losses, and wildfires that continue to blaze across the state of California.
Heroic imagination is required to protect health and ensure prosperity in a world of climate chaos, according to Thomas Friedman at the recent New York Times ClimateTECH conference. This potential is ours to realize, says Friedman, due to the unleashing of new technology a decade ago. With Twitter, YouTube, GitHub and the like, the interdependent power of many has never been greater, and the independent power of one has never shone brighter.
Not surprisingly, Friedman’s words inspired the conference audience of entrepreneurs and established companies there to discuss new clean tech innovations.
The problem is that although inspiration and imagination can help motivate change, they are not strategies to achieve it. Building a climate-friendly economy will help us realize the greatest opportunity of our lifetime — creating jobs and protecting health.
Seizing the opportunity to build prosperity while facing climate chaos requires more than a field of a thousand blooming start-ups. It requires massive, continuous innovation, and exponentially increasing investment to bridge the gap between inspiration and implementation.
Here’s how to address both challenges.
Target has joined other retailers on the right path to developing a robust science-based policy for tackling greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and supply chain, creating more momentum toward action on climate by leading companies.
At COP23 in Bonn, Germany, we heard leaders at some of the world’s largest companies share their commitments to step forward on climate issues. This year we’ve also seen American companies like Mars Inc., Walmart, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Amazon set ambitious goals during a time when our government is stepping back. At EDF+Business, we see time and time again why our world needs healthy environments and healthy businesses in order to truly prosper.


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Globally, the medical refrigerators and freezer Market is expected to expand at a significant CAGR over the next few years due to its growing scope and applications. Key factors such as technological advancements in medical refrigerators and freezers, increasing incidence.
Globally, the 3D Printing Food Market is expected to expand at a significant CAGR over the next few years due to its growing scope and applications. Key factors such as rising demand for gourmet food and high-quality food products, rising.
The global retinol market size was USD 780.36 million in 2021 and is expected to register a steady revenue CAGR of 4.51% during the forecast period. Key factors such as increasing demand for anti-aging skincare creams, rising prevalence of vitamin.
Lucintel’s latest market report analyzed that acrylonitrile provides attractive opportunities in the automotive, electrical and electronics, packaging, and construction end uses. The acrylonitrile market is expected to reach $14.4 billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 5.8%. In this market,.
Emergencies happen every day. From an injury to an unexpected repair, no one is immune from an emergency expense arising from time to time. Ideally, an emergency fund can help to cover these expenses, but there are other options when.
Small businesses provide major value in America but are often the most vulnerable. Since they are subject to changes in the economy and unexpected costs can arise at any time, it can sometimes be difficult to make ends meet. Luckily,.
No matter what’s happening in the economy, it’s always important to save as much money as you can. The more you can put aside, the harder you can make it work and accelerate your way toward long-term financial goals like.
Lucintel’s latest market report analyzed that aircraft aerospace radome provides attractive opportunities in the commercial aircraft, regional aircraft, general aviation, helicopter and military aircraft radome segments. The aircraft aerospace radome market is expected to reach $447.9 billion by 2027 with.
Operational efficiencies allow continued investment in its agent productivity platform and support services. (Dallas, Texas) – United® Real Estate (United) is bucking industry trends again – thanks to its purpose-built business model. The shift in the housing market has put.
Azfar Adib, an Electrical & Computer Engineering PhD student from Concordia University, has been awarded the scholarship. SAN FRANCISCO 2.2.2023– Insightful, a leading productivity software for remote employee management that is used by 2,200 companies, is pleased to announce the.
HOBOKEN, NJ: In a recent video demonstration, SIMS Pump Valve Company President, John A. Kozel, introduced an upgraded 12” Suction with a 12” Discharge fire pump featuring a 17.5” diameter patented SIMSITE® Structural Composite Carbon Fiber Impeller and Casing Rings.
By Joyce Chimbi Yasmine Sherif, the Director of Education Cannot Wait, sees the ECW High-Level Financing Conference as crucial to turning the agreements from the Transforming Education Summit into action. Credit: ECW NAIROBI, Feb 3 2023 (IPS) – The world.
Globally, the food and beverage current market is expected to expand at a significant CAGR over the next few years due to its growing scope and applications. Key factors such as rapidly expanding food and beverage industry, government initiatives for.
Globally, the activated carbon powders market is expected to expand at a significant CAGR over the next few years due to its growing scope and applications. Key factors such as increasing investments in water purification plants, growing demand for activated.
Globally, the influencer marketing platform Market is expected to expand at a significant CAGR over the next few years due to its growing scope and applications.Key factors such as high usage of 3G and 4G networks, rising disposable income, and.
A first baby is an exciting time. But it’s also a major life change—including financially. Planning ahead can take some of the financial stress away and let parents focus on spending quality time with their new little bundle of joy..
When the days are shorter and the temperature is colder, we all know that winter is here! If you didn’t take the time to prepare your home for winter, you could be in for some severe problems. For starters,.
Buying a new home comes with challenges, from the physical to the financial. While the process of buying a home can feel overwhelming, taking the time to get educated first can give the homebuyer more confidence that they’re making the.
Whether you plan on applying for a credit card, mortgage, or personal loan, it will be helpful to understand how the interest rate associated with the loan works and what it will ultimately cost you. Read on to learn how.
Emergency funds and savings accounts are two key pieces of your financial picture. Broadly speaking, one helps you prepare for emergencies, while the other assists with setting aside money for various goals and earning interest. However, there are more differences.
With spring upon us, the new season makes for the perfect opportunity to comb through your finances. Whether it be trimming down on spending or reshaping your budget, there are plenty of ways to improve your finances for the better..
Improving your credit score is one of the best things you can do for your financial well-being. The first step is understanding that credit scoring agencies like FICO use five primary variables to calculate your score: Payment history Amounts owed.


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January 22, 2013
We are continuing to report from Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013. While the week started with beautiful winter days and continued with a city covered entirely in deep snow, we have now moved on to harsher weather conditions. Nevertheless people…
Paris Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013 Street Style – Part 2 is a post by David Fischer on Highsnobiety.
Read entire article on High Sonobiety


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It’s safe to say that 2020 was the strangest year in sneaker history. Not strange in the sense of the major brands dropping the wackiest sneakers ever. Rather, this year in sneakers was like none other before it due to the extremely difficult circumstances – both here in the United States and globally – in which kicks came out. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every facet of life, every industry (save for Wall Street), every country, every well … everything in ways that we probably won’t fully grasp for decades to come. There’s just no way to overstate how much the pandemic has impacted our lives.
As it pertains to the sneaker world, 2020 also gave us both nauseating and inspired collaborations (in equal measure) between the major apparel brands and some of the coolest indies. Collabs have proven to be — for Nike, adidas, Reebok, New Balance and Puma — the most surefire way to generate buzz for their releases. Culminating in the news last week that Fear Of God’s Jerry Lorenzo has taken on a job with adidas to head up their basketball business.
This is a major move that goes beyond just doing a one-off collaboration, Lorenzo will have the autonomy to make key marketing and design choices in one of adidas’ most important verticals. It’s a move that I personally believe is just the start of a new wave where brands will want to bask in the proximity glow of the coolest brands in streetwear. The brands are going to have to put these guys on payroll and give them actual power if they want to reap the benefits of the buzz that these indies have earned.
As for the list below, these sneakers are what I view as the most consequential releases of the year. Either because of ingenuity, narrative or popularity these are the drops that resonated the most. Now without further delay, here are The Athletic’s top 10 sneaker of the year.
10. Nike Lebron 7 China Moon
Arguably LeBron’s most important silhouette since it was the first of his long signature line to crossover into the lifestyle space. Nike has finally started giving this model the retro treatment and the results have been incredible. The China Moon being the cleanest of the bunch. The 8 line has already started trickling out and promises to deliver some absolute heat as well.
9. Nike Air Max 2 CB 94 Black Purple
This is strictly for my fellow oldheads. Barkley continues to be one of the unsung heroes in the history of sneaker history. This year Nike released what is widely agreed upon to be the strongest release of the Barkley line. This wasn’t a buzzy release accompanied by great fanfare, it damn near came and went. But for the true heads, this sneaker will always have a special place in our hearts.
8. Nike Air Jordan 5 X Off-White Sail
Speaking of hypocrisy, the Jordan 5 was basically left for dead by the alleged trendsetters of the community for years. Complaints about “bulk” and just a general aversion to the dominant hightop kicks of the 90’s left the younguns cold. In comes Virgil Abloh and his deconstructed Nike/Off-White series and poof, just like that, the 5s are cool again. Abloh has become a bit of a polarizing figure in the past year, but we still appreciate his ability to make sneaker snobs look and sound like absolute idiots.
7. Nike Air Jordan 4 X Union Off Noir
The hypocrisy of sneakerheads knows no bounds. The first images of Jordan’s second project with streetwear shop Union Los Angeles were roundly booed by the sneaker community online. The jeering was ruthless. But true to fickle sneakerhead form, the release of both pairs of Jordan 4s released in the pack were snapped up immediately with secondary market prices for the black pair now fetching as much as $1300 smackeroos on Stockx. Not bad for an alleged dud.
6. Nike Kobe 6 Protro Grinch
The Grinch has been a legendary shoe for a decade now. This was going to be an extremely high heat release no matter what, but for obvious reasons, the rush to secure these for many people has taken on a significant level of importance. Minutes after the shoe sold out of its proper release, pairs were being sold for more than double its retail value. This is not the right place to discuss Kobe Bryant and the tragic events that took place in January. Just an acknowledgement on why the shoe is so popular and why its demand will likely remain high for the foreseeable future.
5. Puma RS Dreamer Concrete Jungle
Easily the best shoe of Puma’s reentry into the basketball arena is the Dreamer, which also happens to be the first signature shoe of rap megastar J. Cole. The shoe follows in the recent trend of lower cut basketball shoes, but to me that’s what gives it the lifestyle appeal that so many recent basketball shoes seem to miss the mark on. Puma and Cole smoked their first release.
4. New Balance X Casablanca 327
It can be argued that no brand is more discerning with the partners they choose to ally with than New Balance. NB just seems to always nail these decisions on the margins. Their decision to release a brand new silhouette, the 327, in a collaboration with French stalwart Casablanca was so sharp. Debuting a lifestyle sneaker with one of the dopest brands in Europe is how you generate the right kind of buzz for the shoe. This collaboration wouldn’t have worked with BAPE or Supreme. NB’s batting percentage with collabs is higher than everyone else, even if they take the least swings.
3. Nike ISPA Road Warrior Sail
A release like the ISPA (Improvise, Scavenge, Protect and Adapt) is why it’s kind of hard to crap on Nike’s reliance on its back catalog. The ISPA proves Nike is still leading the industry in design innovation. To look at this shoe is to hop in a DeLorean and transport yourself into the future. Much as we may deride the safe nature of retro releases, the swoosh can still take it up a notch with the best of ’em when they choose to make that their mission.
2. Nike Air Jordan 1 High Dark Mocha
Another year, another dominant run from Jordan Brand as they again dropped a lions share of the most coveted sneaker releases of the year. There was some early rumblings in the sneaker community about how similar this colorway is to the now iconic Travis Scott Jordan 1. But as is generally the case with high heat Jordan releases, the closer to the drop date, the quieter the naysayers become and everyone is up early on the SNKRS app trying to get their hands on a pair. The Mochas were no different and with good reason. It’s a clean, un-busy color scheme of one of the most iconic silhouettes in sneaker history. A combination of factors that will always yield incredible results for both Jordan Brand and the folks who love the product.
1. Nike Space Hippie 01 Vast Grey Hyper Crimson
There are purists who lament Nike for its reliance on retro sneakers and collabs where brands come in and re-work an old shoe. The thinking goes that a brand like Nike, which sets the industry standard for technology in design, shouldn’t be so reliant and invested in their old stuff. Rather, they should be trying to continually push the boundaries of sneakers. It’s a gripe that happens to be more tolerable than about 95% of the crap sneakerheads talk about online. The Space Hippie line is a breath of fresh air because of its inspired new design. It’s also made entirely of recycled materials. Eco-friendly originality for the win.
(Illustration: Wes McCabe)


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This article is more than 1 year old
Microsoft’s Mango update falls from tech tree
Update to dribble out over the next month
Microsoft as begun rolling out the version 7.5 "Mango" update to its Phone 7 OS – but only 10 per cent of the user base will be getting it at first.
Redmond is staggering the launch, with those 10 per cent of customers getting the update this Tuesday, and another 15 per cent within the next two weeks. In all, 98 per cent of users should have it on their handsets by the end of October, which Microsoft says will give it time to sort out any bugs that crop up when people upgrade, and will let phone operators tweek the OS to fit their handset configurations.
“We’re not just delivering our new operating system but also new software supplied by individual handset makers,” writes Eric Hautala, general manager of Redmond’s customer experience engineering. “This 'firmware' is necessary so your phone – and apps – work with all the features of Windows Phone 7.5. But it essentially means that we’re supplying not just one update, but many different ones, given the variety of Windows Phones and carriers out there to choose from.”
Microsoft hopes Mango will help its goal of being number three in the mobile OS market. The update, which uses the Metro interface that will be the basis of Windows 8, touts itself as supporting full multitasking without the battery drain. It also has tighter integration with the Bing search engine, with a ‘local scout’ function for location-based selling, IE9 as a mobile browser, and better social-networking integration. Voice recognition and translation in five languages has also been added.
There are, however, plenty of other features that can be used only if the network operators let you. The most desirable, enabling the phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to five users, is likely to come at a hefty fee from many providers. Since Microsoft is making much of how closely they want to work with operators, don’t expect Redmond to side with the user any time soon on this one.
HTC and Samsung are already producing Phone 7.5 handsets, with Nokia’s contributions coming – but a sacking offence to mention it seems. Microsoft has also used the update to announce three new hardware partners: ZTE, Fujitsu and Acer. They may hardly be considered giants of the mobile telephony world, but Microsoft needs all the support it can get. ®


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Detectives from the Flying Squad are investigating after robbers wielding bats and axes sped through a shopping centre on motorbikes and raided a jeweller's shop.
Dressed in dark clothing and wearing crash helmets with the visors down, the six-strong gang rode into Brent Cross shopping centre in north London on three motorcycles shortly after 10.15am on Tuesday, the Metropolitan police said.
Three pillion passengers got off and ran towards Fraser Hart on the ground floor, smashing display windows and making off with a haul of watches and items of jewellery.
The trio fled to the awaiting motorbikes and the gang sped off in the direction of Hendon Central station.
The bikes were found abandoned 15 minutes later near a golf course on Ashley Walk in Mill Hill.
Nobody was injured during the robbery, though an elderly man was treated for shock at the scene.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said no firearms were involved in the incident, and no arrests had been made.
Detective Chief Inspector Harry Hennigan, who is leading the investigation for the Flying Squad, said on Tuesday night: "We are appealing to anyone who may have seen the events at the Brent Cross shopping centre this morning when the jewellers was robbed having only just opened its doors to its first shoppers.
"We are also appealing to anyone who may have seen the three motorbikes being driven from Brent Cross to Mill Hill. We urge anyone with information to call our incident room."
Anyone with information is asked to the Flying Squad on 020 8358 1751 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.