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Recently, a scammer has tricked two major US tech companies into paying out of millions of dollars until the investigators caught up with this alleged thief.
Department of Justice and the FBI have charged man form Lithuania who has allegedly committed fraud that netted more than a $100 million.
“This case serves as a wake-up call to all companies – even the most sophisticated ones- that they too can be victims of the phishing attacks by cyber criminals,” Joon Kim, the acting US attorney said in a statement.
This indictment did not name the two tech companies that are scammed. The agencies identified one of the companies aspecialisinging in internet-related services and products” and the second one as a “multinational corporation providing the online social media and networking services.” Both of these have regularly carried out multimillion-dollar deals.
The social media giants like Facebook and Twitter did not respond to requests for their comments on this issue.
According to federal agencies, Evaldas Rimasauskas a 48 old man, pretended to be a popular Asian computer hardware company by registering his company in Latvia with his name in 2013. He has allegedly forged emails from various employees at the Asian hardware supplier and sent them invoices.
In his emails, Rimasauskas asked social network and web-service provider to send the payments to his bank accounts in Cyprus and Latvia, instead of the bank account of the real company in real company in Asia, the prosecutors said.
The two tech companies fell for this, wiring more than a huge $100 million to Rimasauskas before the cybercrime scheme came to an end, according to the court documents. He has spread his money through multiple accounts, including banks inHungary, Hong Kong, Latvia and Slovakia.
Rimasauskas also allegedly sent phishing emails to employees at the two victim companies, in an attempt to gain access to important documents.


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UK holidaymakers save money by going to overseas Center Parcs instead, Which? finds - price comparison
and live on Freeview channel 276
Holidaymakers shocked by the price of Center Parcs breaks in the UK could save a lot more by booking a park in Europe instead, it has been found. Consumer champion Which? said on average, the cost of a UK Center Parcs stay ‘massively outstripped’ the prices paid on the continent.
The findings were based on the comparison of the cost of a four-night stay for a family of four at 16 Center Parcs sites across England, France and Belgium during peak periods in August and October half terms this year, and February half term and the first week of the Easter holidays next year.
The group found a UK stay comes in at £1,274 on average, compared to £833 in France, and £701 in Belgium. As for Easter holidays in the UK, a family needs to fork out £1,259 on average in 2024, compared to £800 in Belgium and just £350 in France. If British holidaymakers schedule the latter option, they could save over £800.
Additional savings of up to £756 could also be made during October half-term, when a stay in the UK costs an average of £1,369, compared to £613 in Belgium and £868 in France.
On average, a family could save 55 per cent opting for a Center Parcs resort in Belgium rather than the UK over October half-term, with a four night break costing just £613, compared to £1,369 in the UK. The savings in France were almost as substantial, with the same stay costing £868 on average.
Meanwhile, prices in the UK are at their lowest during the February half-term, at £1,105. However, this is substantially more expensive than Belgium, which costs £657, and France, which costs £879 for the same period.
But the group said even once return travel costs are factored in, families will still stand to save hundreds of pounds overall. Return ferry sailings from Dover for a family of four during the October half-term may be booked for roughly £125 to Calais and £170 to Dunkirk, which is less than an hour’s drive from its Center Parcs’ site, according to the consumer champion.
Researchers discovered that booking through the French website centerparcs.fr rather than the English-language site centerparcs.eu could result in additional savings for holidaymakers, with a saving of £68 on average on the French website.
Travellers may also stand to make savings on additional activities when staying in a Center Parcs Europe resort. For example, archery costs between £19 and £26.50 at the UK’s Whinfell Forest park, while it costs just £14 at Belgium’s Park de Haan. Similarly, Laser Battle games range in price from £24.50 to £34.50 at Whinfell Forest, and cost just £15 at Park de Haan.
Visitors may also benefit from increased flexibility by opting for a European Center Parcs resort. While Center Parcs UK adds additional charges for changing your reservation, the European parks allow a single fee-free change to your reservation up to 21 days before your arrival.
Jo Rhodes, deputy editor of Which? Travel said: “While a holiday park may feel like a quintessentially British holiday, our research found that it’s well-worth casting your eye beyond the Channel to snap up some significant savings.
“A family of four could save hundreds of pounds by choosing a Center Parcs resort in France or Belgium rather than in the UK, with the biggest savings over the October and Easter half terms. Just do your research before you go, to make sure your chosen park has the facilities and activities you’re looking for.”
Center Parcs price comparison
UK - £1392
Belgium - £1392
France - £1137
October half-term 2023
UK - £1369
Belgium - £613
France - £868
February Half Term 2024
UK - £1105
Belgium - £657
France - £879
UK - £1259
Belgium - £800
France - £392

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The young designers wowed the fashion savvy at Senayan City. (The Peak Photos/Sylviana Hamdani)
Fashion Future Hits Catwalk
MAY 10, 2015
Asia is quickly becoming a powerhouse of the global economy. Asian countries are developing rapidly and are ready to pounce on the world’s main stage.
A similar phenomenon is happening in the fashion industry.
Many talented Asian designers are garnering attention with their unique innovations and cutting-edge design.
Yohji Yamamoto is already familiar to high fashion, with his draped gowns walking the glitzy catwalks of the world’s fashion capitals, or Thakoon Panichgul, whose dresses are favored by the first lady of the US, Michelle Obama.
And there are more young fashion talents springing up from the East. These designers promise a fresh burst of creativity and innovations that would revolutionize fashion.
Some of theses fresh faces were featured in the recent Runway Hits event at Senayan City, Jakarta.
“Asia’s fashion industry is growing tremendously,” said Veri Y. Setiady, chief executive at Senayan City.
“And Asian fashion designers are becoming more confident and creative. Their labels are now on par with top international brands.”
Runway Hits, first launched in 2012, is a show highlighting emerging local fashion designers and ready-to-wear brands and is a collaboration between the upscale shopping mall and fashion event organizer Studio One.
“Initially, we aim to provide a platform for Indonesia’s up-and-coming fashion talents with the Runway Hits,” Veri said.
The event began featuring young designers from other Asian countries last year.
In 2014, Runway Hits featured Malaysian designer, Joe Chia and Singaporean designer Rayson Tan alongside Indonesian up-and-coming designers, Patrick Owen and Peggy Hartanto.
“We believe that including Asian designers in the show would catapult the fame and popularity of the show, as well as the names of Indonesian designers taking part in it,” Veri said.
The show’s 2015 theme was “Celebrasian.”
“It’s a celebration of Asian talents, as well as a token of supports to our local fashion brands,” said Veri.
As in previous years, four emerging fashion labels were invited to showcase their latest collections in the show.
They were Indonesian ready-to-wear labels StellaRissa by Stella Rissa and Austere by Tri Handoko, Japanese designer Atsuki Takahashi and Thai streetwear label Q Design and Play.
“The selection process was quite long,” said Aida Nurmala, director of Studio One.
“Since early last year, my team and I have been filtering the names of Asia’s emerging young talents that are worth featuring in Runway Hits and proposing them to Senayan City.”
After whittling down the list, the fashion event organizer then invited the designers to present their latest collections in the fashion event.
“I’m really grateful for being invited to this event,” said Japanese designer, Atsuki Takahashi.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to be able to participate in a prestigious fashion show like this one.”
The 21-year-old Japanese designer started his eponymous ready-to-wear label in 2013.
And soon the sleek look of his items, as well as their cutting-edge designs, caught international attention.
American pop-star Lady Gaga wore Takahashi’s camouflage suit when visiting Tokyo in February 2014.
For Runway Hits, Takahashi presented his spring/summer 2015 collection, “Fashion Street.”
“It’s inspired by the fashion styles of mobile gamers in the Tokyo Harajuku and Shibuya [districts],” said Takahashi.
According to the Japanese designer, these mobile gamers, while donning the latest fashion, would often stand or sit on street-sides for hours playing games on their mobile devices, while being completely oblivious to their surroundings.
Their chic, yet nonchalant presence add a unique sight to Tokyo’s fashion districts.
Takahashi collection featured 15 looks for women.
His items consisted of oversized sweaters, overcoats, Jodhpur pants and H-line dresses in dark khaki, black and navy.
Some dresses were adorned with bold vertical stripes to elongate the figures of the models.
Indonesian designer Tri Handoko also showcased his spring/summer 2015 collection in the Runway Hits.
Tri’s collection, “Ronin,” wowed the audience with its unusual concept and presentation.
“I was inspired with the loyalty of the Japanese warriors, Ronins, to their masters in this collection,” said the Indonesian fashion designer.
Tri translated Ronin’s simple kimonos into a quirky androgynous collection.
The collection was all white and made with unique deconstruction techniques which made Tri’s clothing items look raw, unfinished and austere.
In spite of its homogenous color, every item in Tri’s collection looked fresh and different.
Each was embellished with simple details that enhanced its overall looks.
To add more drama to the show, every model showcasing Tri’s fashion collection wore oversized white capes and sheer masks obscuring their faces.
“Runway Hits is a platform for fashion designers to showcase their fullest creativity and talents,” commented Tri Handoko.
Indonesian designer Stella Rissa, on the other hand, presented a special collection of women’s evening wear in the Runway Hits.
“It’s the first time for me to be featured in Fashion Nation’s Runway Hits,” said Stella.
“Therefore, I’ve prepared a special collection for it.”
The collection, “women’s maturity,” is a portrayal of the designer’s own life.
“It represents women who are settling down in their lives,” said the designer, who was recently married.
Stella’s new collection, while still retaining her signature sensual looks, was more modest than previous work.
The skirts were longer and fuller and the designer created skin-toned panels around the chest to create an illusion of open decolletage.
But the collection which stole the show was the men’s streetwear collection by Q Design and Play.
Q Design and Play was established by two Thai graphic designers, Praphat Somboonsitti and Ekkaporn Treechairusmee in Bangkok in 2013.
“The brand’s motto speaks for itself, we design and you play,” said Somboonsitti.
The “Mars Plastic” collection featured oversized sweaters, shorts and jackets, made of neoprene and embellished with vertical straps and bulky buckles in contrasting colors.
The designers enhanced some of their items with fun geometrical prints.
“I was inspired with my early art education and stationery items,” said Somboonsitti.
The oversized structure of some of the items created bolder and more masculine silhouettes on the models.
Some male celebrities that attended the show, including TV presenter Dave Hendrik and comedian Edric Tjandra, were spotted taking many photographs as the collection strutted the catwalk.
“We already have a lot of Indonesian customers that buy our clothes when they come to Bangkok for vacation,” said Somboonsitti.
“We hope that one day we can also open a store in Jakarta.”
Senayan City’s Veri, was impressed with the fashion shows.
“All these designers have the same spirit, which is creativity,” said Veri.
Besides featuring talented local designers on the catwalk, Senayan City also created a capsule collection in collaboration with three Indonesian batik designers Didiet Maulana, Nonita Respati and Iwet Ramadhan.
Their capsule collections were sold at a pop-up store on the ground floor of the mall, amongst the top international fashion brands, during the recent Fashion Nation Ninth Edition.
“We hope it will also inspire other malls, department stores and boutiques to feature collections by Indonesian fashion designers in their places,” said Veri.


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TORONTO, June 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Last night, more than 400 enthusiastic picnic goers made a fundraising splash at David Pecaut Square in the theatre district of Toronto as part of the first-ever Cook for the Cure PINKnic flash mob dinner in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
The PINKnic embraced the fun, spirit and spontaneity of a flash mob in an elegant outdoor dinner to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The event also helped celebrate the 10th anniversary of Cook for the Cure in Canada, originally created as a partnership between KitchenAid® Canada and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
"The PINKnic is a vibrant symbol of the enthusiasm and spirit of support that continues to help us work towards creating a future without breast cancer," says Diane Gordon, Vice President of Development, Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. "KitchenAid has been a huge supporter of CBCF and together we hope to inspire many Canadians to host their own Cook for the Cure fundraising get-togethers."
PINKnic guests, dressed all in white, brought their own picnic-friendly food to the event where they also enjoyed pink-iced cupcakes and wine donated by Inniskillin, and were welcomed by world-renowned chef and KitchenAid spokesperson Chef Lynn Crawford. Guests knew the event's date and time, but weren't told the exact location until 5 p.m., via text message, on the day of event for added spontaneity and surprise.
"The PINKnic is an incredibly fun, engaging and unique way of generating funds and awareness for Cook for the Cure," says Aleksandra Hoszowski, Senior Brand Manager, KitchenAid Canada. "KitchenAid is so proud to support Cook for the Cure and the PINKnic as they demonstrate the power of turning our collective passion for cooking and entertaining into support for breast cancer research and valuable programs funded by CBCF."
About Cook for the Cure
Cook for the Cure asks Canadians to turn any dinner, party or get-together into a fundraiser by asking friends or family to make a donation to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Since launching in 2002, Cook for the Cure and proceeds from the sale of the KitchenAid pink product collection have raised more than $2.1 million for the CBCF.
All proceeds from Cook for the Cure support research, education, community care and advocacy. Canadians can learn how to host their own get-together at www.cookforthecure.ca or can join the community at www.Facebook.com/KitchenAidCanada.
About the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
For over 25 years, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation has been at the forefront of a nation-wide movement to raise awareness and mobilize action on breast cancer. Today, the Foundation is the leading organization in Canada dedicated to creating a future without breast cancer. Since 1986, from coast to coast, we have invested over $274 million to fund vital research and community health grants that have led progress in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Visit cbcf.org and join the movement.
About KitchenAid Canada
Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid® has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks. Today, the KitchenAid brand offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars. KitchenAid believes that preparing and sharing food together is a wonderful way to connect with family and friends. Visit www.KitchenAid.ca to learn more.
Image with caption: "Spontaneity on the menu - Dinner guests make a dramatic splash in pink and white as part of the first-ever Cook for the Cure PINKnic, presented by KitchenAid. Participants weren't told the exact location of the event - David Pecaut Square in Toronto's theatre district - until two hours before it began. This flash mob dinner raised funds and awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. (CNW Group/KitchenAid Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120626_C4154_PHOTO_EN_15720.jpg


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GATINEAU, QUE. — Shaw Communications Inc. says its federal regulator can best protect Canadians from problem sales practices by banning telecom companies from using outside contractors to do their door-to-door sales.
A delegation from the Calgary-based television, internet and wireless services company told a regulatory hearing on Friday that evidence doesn’t show misleading or aggressive sales practices are an industry-wide problem.
They acknowledged there are some issues and improvements to address but said most of the complaints on the public record are predominantly about a “small number” of the industry’s largest players.
Similar comments have been made by other delegations to a week of government-ordered public hearings by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the industry’s federal regulator.
Shaw senior vice-president Paul Cowling told CRTC commissioners on the final day of hearings in Gatineau, Que., that they should take “targeted, focused” actions that don’t penalize smaller competitors or those that have good practices.
Cowling said that door-to-door sales by nonemployees under contract have resulted in the most serious practices revealed by media reports, the industry’s complaint resolution mechanism and the CRTC’s own hearing process.
“Focusing a recommendation or remedy on door-to-door sales would address the most significant area of risk and consumer vulnerability,” Cowling said. “We have proposed a prohibition on third-party sales.”
Like its competitors, Shaw does use door-to-door sales but they are by employees rather than outside contractors.


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Kellogg, the world's biggest maker of breakfast cereal, Monday reported a 9 percent rise in quarterly profit, but forecast 2008 earnings below analysts estimates and its stock fell 3 percent.
Like many food companies, the maker of Frosted Flakes cereal, Eggo waffles and Keebler cookies has been hit by soaring costs for wheat and other ingredients. At the same time, it boosted spending on advertising and has earmarked investments that are expected to save money in the long-term.
Even with the benefit of the weaker dollar, which boosts the dollar value of sales in other currencies, the company still faces uncertainty in 2008, Morningstar analyst Gregg Warren said.
"Sure, they're going to get some benefit from international, but especially when wheat is your big cost, you don't want to say we're going to do stellar numbers next year and it's going to be fantastic, because you really don't know," Warren said.
Net income was $305 million, or 76 cents per share, compared with $281 million, or 70 cents, a year ago. Analysts on average forecast 73 cents, said Reuters Estimates.
Last month, top rival General Mills said a recent move to reduce the size of its cereal boxes and charge consumers more per ounce led to an 8.2 percent rise in quarterly profit.
Kellogg's sales rose 6 percent to $3 billion. But internal sales, which exclude foreign exchange and other factors, rose 4 percent.
Kellogg expects full-year earnings of $2.72 to $2.75 a share, up from its previous forecast of between $2.71 and $2.74 per share. Analysts on average forecast $2.78, according to Reuters Estimates.
Cost inflation is expected to be about 32 cents a share for the year, up from a previous forecast of 26 cents to 30 cents a share, the company said.
North American sales rose 4 percent in the second quarter, with the company's retail cereal business unchanged compared with a year earlier, when retailers built up more inventory than normal.
International sales rose 12 percent. Kellogg benefited from weakness in the U.S. dollar. Excluding foreign currency and other factors, sales were up 5 percent.
For 2008, the company forecast earnings of $2.92 to $2.97 a share. Analysts on average forecast $3.05 a share, according to Reuters Estimates.
"Low guidance has become common in recent years as investors have become accustomed to 10 percent EPS growth from Kellogg," UBS analyst David Palmer said in a research note.
"While higher commodity costs and a stronger competitor in General Mills have been headwinds, international momentum and easy cereal comparisons should boost 2008 growth."
At Friday's close, Kellogg at about 18 times analysts' average 2008 earnings estimate, compared with a multiple of about 16 for General Mills.


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The government of Mexico has been quietly supporting its economy as food prices soar.
The US and EU are also stepping up to help boost the peso.
But that hasn’t stopped the government from stepping in.
When Mexico’s economy is in a recession, it needs the cash to buy food, and the government needs that cash to boost growth.
But it can’t simply buy food and sell it.
So it’s not exactly a “surprise” that the government has bought food and sold it, says economist Miguel Maza.
Maza’s latest paper for the Federal University of Minas Gerais has found that, despite the huge increases in the price of corn and wheat that have occurred, Mexican consumers have been buying more of the cheaper foods in order to increase the amount of corn available to them.
Mazas study found that Mexicans spent $9 billion on corn last year, or about 8 percent of their spending on food.
This was about 2 percent of the US spending on corn.
Mexicans also spent about $5 billion on pork, which was about 3 percent of US spending.
Mazeras research found that the increase in food prices was “a reflection of an increase in the quantity of corn, the number of farmers, the value of the land, the availability of fertilizer and the availability, as well as the demand for fresh vegetables and fruits.”
But that doesn’t mean that the price spike is actually a good thing.
The fact that people are buying more corn and soybeans suggests that consumers are eating more corn, which is a good sign, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re spending more money on corn, says Mazera.
Maseras study also found that consumers in Mexico spent about 15 percent less on meat than in the US.
This is an indication that Mexican consumers are willing to spend less on beef, which could indicate that Mexicans are consuming less meat.
That said, Mazer said that the change in the consumption of corn from the US to Mexico was actually not as dramatic as the increase on meat.
Mexico’s corn price was up by about $0.04 per bushel (7.7 pounds) between November and December, compared to about $1.25 per bushell (3.6 pounds) in the United States, according to Mazer.
The reason that Mexicans spend less money on meat is because they are using up their beef production.
Mexico, Maza said, produces only about a third of the beef it does in the USA.
That means that Mexicans in Mexico consume less beef, and that translates into a decrease in the amount they eat of meat.
But Mazer also pointed out that Mexico’s meat consumption is not directly related to the price increase, because the corn and rice that Mexico uses to make corn are the same as what it uses to produce the same food.
And Mazer notes that the US corn industry has not seen a similar increase in production, so that means that Mexico may be consuming more of what it produces than what it imports, which may mean that Mexico is producing more beef than it imports.
That may also mean that consumers could be eating more beef, since beef is cheaper in Mexico than it is in the rest of the world.
And that would certainly be a boon to the Mexican economy.
But even if Mexicans were buying more beef and beef production is not a problem for Mexico, the country’s meat production is a serious problem, said Mazer, who has been studying the impact of the Mexican beef shortage on Mexico for a few years.
Mrazas paper, published this month in the journal International Journal of Food Economics, found that Mexico was facing a food security crisis.
The government was unable to find sufficient land for farmers to grow corn and the corn industry is also struggling because of the lack of new corn production.
But Mexico’s livestock industry, which contributes nearly 40 percent of its GDP, was also hit hard.
This includes cattle, pigs, and sheep, which produce around 20 percent of Mexico’s export earnings.
These are animals that feed and house other people and that also feed and restock the land.
So that means livestock is going to be a major part of the problem for the Mexican government.
It may also be a concern for the government’s future.
As the population ages and the economy slows down, the livestock industry is expected to decline.
But, as Mexico grows older and the country transitions to a food system based on a system of “market economies” based on exportable products, Maza said that this could mean that more livestock is likely to be produced and that more food will be exported, not just for domestic consumption.


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The Australian Centre for Cyber Security (ACCS) released a discussion paper on Monday critiquing the Australian Government’s cyber security efforts, claiming it does too little to combat advanced technology threats.
- Equifax to pay up to $700m over 2017 breach, consumers can get up to $20,000 in cash
- Cloud helps education startup Saasyan bootstrap its business, securely
- The week in security: Will a $US5b fine get the privacy message through?
- Microsoft warned 10,000 targets of nation-state hackers in one year
- Microsoft eyes Mozilla’s Rust to obliterate C++ memory security flaws


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Microsoft topples Google in brand survey
Friday, 26 February 2010, 02:15 Hrs | 3 Comments
The TCBA selects an initial list of 1,200 brands, which is whittled down a shortlist of 500 by a panel of 25 experts. They are then voted on by more than 1,700 business professionals, choosing a rating between one and 10 for each brand, before the results are combined and a final ranking is assigned.
Handset manufacturer BlackBerry is the highest new entry in the top 10, up from 42nd place to third, while Sony and Virgin Atlantic have been voted into third and fourth place, respectively. Nokia, Bupa, BP and Michelin have all fallen from the top 10.
Insurance giant Aviva, which rebranded from Norwich Union last year, is the second highest-grower. Supported by its high-budget campaign featuring A-list celebrities such as Bruce Willis and Ringo Starr, Aviva climbed from 315th place to 144 in the rankings. "We are very proud of the speed with which the Aviva brand has become a major asset for our business," said Amanda Mackenzie, chief marketing officer at Aviva.
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Apparently Google doesn’t like being called a liar in public and Andy Rubin (one of the co-founders) seems to be upset about the “fear, uncertainty and doubt” being spread by the media about Android’s new rules.
Rubin attempts to clarify Google’s position regarding Android, althoughÂ manufacturesÂ may not like what they hear.
We donâ€™t believe in a â€œone size fits allâ€ solution. The Android platform has already spurred the development of hundreds of different types of devices â€“ many of which were not originally contemplated when the platform was first created. Â […]
If someone wishes to market a device as Android-compatible or include Google applications on the device, we do require the device to conform with someÂ basic compatibility requirements. (Official Android Blog)
To Google’s credit, members of the Open Handset Alliance did promise not to fragment Android, so Google (technically) did not perform a “bait and switch” upon carriers or manufactures when launching AndroidÂ publicly a few years ago.
However Google can not claim to be open while running their “anti-fragmentation” campaign, as the former by definition gives everyone the power to alter (or fragment) Android to their hearts content.
Google is trying to have their cake and eat it too by using the open source community to help build up Android, while at the same time embracing a “Windows Phone” philosophy (i.e. force standardizations upon all phones).
While having standards for Android devices is needed for consumers and app developers, Google needs to stop pretending that Android is all about open (as Android is only “more open” than rivals, instead of being purely open source).


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|Several automakers are now working to restart their manufacturing in China and are preventing operations in other countries due to supply shortages, reported business news provider CNBC / Photo by: Siyuwj via Wikimedia Commons|
The global auto industry is also not immune to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), which was first encountered in Wuhan, China. Several automakers are now working to restart their manufacturing in China and are preventing operations in other countries due to supply shortages, reported business news provider CNBC.
Auto Parts Shortage Affecting Carmakers
One of the world’s largest automaker, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, for instance, said that it will be temporarily halting its production in Serbia because they lack parts that usually come from China. This production stoppage is a sign of how the coronavirus is creating a domino effect in the world supply chain. General Motors Co. has also paused its production at plants in Texas, Indiana, and Michigan, USA. GM spokesman David Barnas mentioned that inventory of certain parts in their truck and SUV plants are running low. Nevertheless, they are not anticipating an impact on their full-size truck production as of the moment.
The United Auto Workers chapter, which produces the full-size SUVs of GM, likewise told CNBC that their production may be disrupted because of supply issues. Barnas said that to mitigate the risks in their production, they are monitoring their supply chain and remaining in close communications with their Tier One suppliers. If their plants will be idle, he said, it can impact the production of their vehicles such as the GMC Sierra pickup trucks, Cadillac Escalade SUVs, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, and Chevrolet Silverado.
Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer Nissan will also halt production in one of its factories as it cannot get parts from China but stressed that there will be no impact in their other factories in Japan. South Korea’s Hyundai has likewise temporarily shut down some of its factories in their home country because of an auto parts shortage.
“It only takes one missing part to stop a line,” Asian car industry consultant Mike Dunne said via British public service broadcaster BBC.
|One of the world’s largest automaker, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, for instance, said that it will be temporarily halting its production in Serbia because they lack parts that usually come from China / Photo by: Greg Gjerdingen via Flickr|
The Importance of China in the Global Auto Industry
China is a major player in the global auto industry primarily because it makes key components and parts. Hubei, the province where the COVID-19 outbreak started, is a major hub for car manufacturing.
Database company Statista shared the export value of Chinese automobile parts and motorcycle in the following years: 2005 (US$ 14.85 billion), 2006 ($25.78 billion), 2007 (33.96 billion), 2008 ($38 billion), 2009 ($33.16 billion), 2010 ($47.16), 2011 ($61.02 billion), 2012 ($66.32 billion), 2013 ($65.51 billion), 2014 ($64.62 billion), and 2015 ($61.92 billion).
In 2017, the country was also the world’s leading car manufacturer as it was able to produce 24,806,687 cars and 4,208,747 commercial vehicles. This is based on the statistics provided by International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA). China is followed by Japan (8,347,836 vehicles manufactured), Germany (5,645,581), India (3,952,550), South Korea (3,735,399), USA (3,033,216), Spain (2,291,492), Brazil (2,269,468), Mexico (1,900,029), France (1,748,000), UK (1,671,166), Iran (1,418,550), Czech Republic (1,413,881), Russia (1,348,029), and Turkey (1,142,906).
The 2018 vehicle production of China also accounted for more than 30% in the world, which exceeds the number of vehicles produced by the United States, Japan, and the European Union combined.
The US produced about 12 million cars and trucks in 2018 compared to China’s 1.774 million cars. Japan, on the other hand, produced 10% of the world’s vehicles in 2018 and was among the countries with the highest exports of cars. Germany produced nearly six million cars in 2018.
Although Indian-manufactured cars are not well-known in Europe or America, India still made about one billion total vehicles in 2018, 82% of which were personal cars. This was the reason for the automotive industry in India having a higher growth rate compared to other countries. South Korea produced nearly 4.5 million cars in the same year, 4.1 million of which were personal passenger cars, detailed financial platform Investopedia.
Fiat Chrysler’s halting of operation is the first instance when an automaker had to temporarily shut a car factory plant in Europe because of the coronavirus. In a statement, the company said that they are currently in the process of securing the future supply of the affected parts. They are also expecting the production to be restarted before February ends. Their spokesman refused to share additional details about their company’s situation in China but said that they are monitoring the developments there.
Honda Motor said that its employees in China are expected to return to their post by the end of February after the restart of their production in Wuhan.
|China is a major player in the global auto industry primarily because it makes key components and parts. Hubei, the province where the COVID-19 outbreak started, is a major hub for car manufacturing / Photo by: Vmenkov via Wikmiedia Commons|
How About Finding Replacements From Other Countries?
Michigan think tank Center for Automotive Research’s Vice President Kristin Dziczek shared via CNN, an American news-based pay television channel, that it is not practical for automakers to find replacements for their car parts from other countries if the supply chain will continuously be disrupted. She said that if the Chinese production will not come back, there will be a “cascading” impact worldwide. Automakers from other countries even have a “supply chain war room” to decide where they can rely on if not China.
London-based economics company Capital Economics’ global economist Simon MacAdam said that there is such uncertainty when it comes to estimates as a “supply chain is only as strong as the weakest link.”
Global carmakers can, of course, get their automotive parts from countries known to have exported the highest dollar value worth of automotive parts. These include Germany (16.3% of total auto parts exports in the world), US (11%), Mexico (7.2%), South Korea (4.7%), and France (3.8%).
Possible Labor Shortages in Factories
MacAdam added that even if the car factories in China will resume their operation, it remains unclear if they can operate the way they did before because of possible labor shortages. The worst thing that could happen is that it can further spread the disease. This means that getting these car parts from China will no longer be “business as usual.” There will be cities that will still have roadblocks and some airports that don’t have flights.
The world’s automotive industry should brace to take the hit while authorities are struggling to contain the virus.


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As the presence of Chinese-based ready-to-wear brands during Paris Fashion Week is increasing, the Fashion Farm Foundation (FFF), a Hong Kong-based non-profit governmental project dedicated to the creative industries, once again put mostly Hong Kong-based designer talents in the spotlight, showcasing the creative potential of a new generation of Chinese designers in the City of Light.
Backstage at the FFF presentation in Paris. Photo by Amandine Hui Boissy for NOWFASHION.
For the seventh consecutive season, Edith Law is both a member of the FFF’s Board of Directors and of the Panel of Judges that just promoted 8 young brands from Hong Kong through a one-day showroom event. This time around, the panel of cherry-picked independent designer brands included Anaïs Jourden, CAR|2IE, Ffixxed Studios, Ka Wa Key, Sun=Sen, The World Is Your Oyster, Yeung Chin, and YLYstudio – all backed up, not only by FFF, but also sponsored by the Government of Hong Kong through the presence of Shirley Lam, the Social Representative to the European Union for Hong Kong’s economic and trade affairs.
“We are thankful that the government understands that our fashion industry must be not only promoted but cultivated over time,” stated Edith Law.
But what does it take as a designer to become one of the lucky few to receive FFF’s and the Hong Kong government’s full support during Paris Fashion Week? “Talent, first and foremost,” smiled Law. “And a business model that has a future. In other words, the brands that we decide to showcase in Paris have all proven themselves before: they’ve been on the market for 3 to 4 seasons already, they already have stockists, and they have had first press publications and editorials in magazines.”
FFIXXED Studios' Fall/Winter 2019 collection at the FFF presentation in Paris. Photo by Amandine Hui Boissy for NOWFASHION.
Needless to say, talent is not everything: in 2018, independent designer labels also need a solid knowledge in communication, sales, and marketing strategies if they wish to be supported and sponsored by a non-profit governmental funded project like FFF. In fact, Edith Law even explained that while FFF is certainly discovering new talents when possible, FFF would rather invest in young designers who have started to make their first successful footsteps into the fashion industry, rather than to bank on a talented but unexperienced newbie that has not proved economically viability yet. “Having said that, we’re still very open minded. If we are somehow mesmerized by a young and completely novice brand, we will put all our efforts in supporting the label and convincing each member of our project that it is worth it.”
And for what matters, FFF has a successful track record so far: the non-profit association, founded in 2012 by a group of enthusiastic fashion entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, is promoting Chinese fashion labels during Paris Fashion Week since the very beginning of its inception by serving as a gateway between young designers and the international fashion industry. The project, both the runway show that regularly took place in the past and the seasonal showroom presentation, debuted in 2013 under the initials HKFG (formerly known as Fashion Guerrilla) and is sponsored by CreateHK, a governmental agency set up under the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau whose main purpose is to invest, co-ordinate, and promote the development of creative industries in Hong Kong. But Hong Kong and Paris are not the only strategic targets.
The World Is Your Oyster's Fall/Winter 2019 collection at the FFF presentation in Paris. Photo by Amandine Hui Boissy for NOWFASHION.
“We are currently working on expanding the project in Belt and Road countries and are using this opportunity to explore and reach out to various countries in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The global fashion world has its eye on Asian brands right now, so it’s a good opportunity for us to reach out,” explained Edith Law. “In April, we will send two out of the eight designers we’ve showcased in Paris to Dubai.” In other words, after Paris, the Dubai takeover is expected soon – and it sure will be promising.


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Freightcar America Inc. (RAIL) Upgraded by Zacks Investment Research to Hold
Freightcar America Inc. (NASDAQ:RAIL) was upgraded by Zacks Investment Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report issued on Wednesday.
According to Zacks, “FreightCar America, Inc. manufactures railroad freight cars, with particular expertise in coal-carrying railcars. In addition to coal cars, FreightCar America designs and builds flat cars, mill gondola cars, intermodal cars, coil steel cars and motor vehicle carriers. It is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and has manufacturing facilities in Danville, Illinois, Roanoke, Virginia and Johnstown, Pennsylvania. “
Several other research firms have also issued reports on RAIL. Cowen and Company began coverage on shares of Freightcar America in a report on Wednesday, June 22nd. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $15.00 target price for the company. Stifel Nicolaus lowered shares of Freightcar America from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 13th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Freightcar America currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $17.67.
Freightcar America (NASDAQ:RAIL) traded up 2.24% during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $14.61. 17,257 shares of the company traded hands. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $14.17 and a 200-day moving average price of $14.61. The stock has a market capitalization of $180.97 million, a P/E ratio of 4.66 and a beta of 1.81. Freightcar America has a one year low of $12.56 and a one year high of $24.95.
Freightcar America (NASDAQ:RAIL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 1st. The company reported ($0.04) EPS for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.47. Freightcar America had a net margin of 5.38% and a return on equity of 10.87%. The business had revenue of $126.20 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $163.43 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.60 EPS. Freightcar America’s revenue for the quarter was down 46.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that Freightcar America will post $0.60 EPS for the current fiscal year.
In other news, VP Matthew S. Kohnke bought 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 11th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $14.07 per share, for a total transaction of $105,525.00. Following the acquisition, the vice president now owns 2,100 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $29,547. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 3.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of RAIL. Boston Partners increased its position in Freightcar America by 27.2% in the second quarter. Boston Partners now owns 1,384,881 shares of the company’s stock valued at $19,457,000 after buying an additional 296,441 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in Freightcar America by 10.0% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 873,885 shares of the company’s stock valued at $12,278,000 after buying an additional 79,728 shares in the last quarter. Shufro Rose & Co. LLC increased its position in Freightcar America by 6.6% in the first quarter. Shufro Rose & Co. LLC now owns 498,951 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,774,000 after buying an additional 30,716 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in Freightcar America by 117,414.2% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 498,260 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,764,000 after buying an additional 497,836 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in Freightcar America by 2.1% in the second quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 454,327 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,384,000 after buying an additional 9,476 shares in the last quarter. 76.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
About Freightcar America
FreightCar America, Inc is a manufacturer of railcars and railcar components. The Company operates in the Manufacturing segment. The Company designs and manufactures a range of railcar types for transportation of bulk commodities and containerized freight products primarily in North America, including open top hoppers, covered hoppers, and gondolas along with intermodal and non-intermodal flat cars.
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Daraz Pakistan, the leading online marketplace in the country, is all set to host its first-ever cross-category offline shopping event, the ‘Daraz Shopping Expo.’ Taking place in Lahore on June 10th and 11th, 2023, this ground-breaking expo marks a significant milestone for Daraz as it expands its horizons beyond the digital realm to offer customers an unparalleled shopping experience.
Bringing Together Top Brands and Marketplace Sellers
The highly anticipated Daraz Shopping Expo aims to bring together Pakistan’s top brands and 100+ marketplace sellers under one roof, showcasing an impressive array of products across various categories. From fashion and beauty to electronics and home appliances, the expo will feature an exciting assortment spread across 150+ stalls that cater to diverse customer preferences.
Unbeatable Deals and Exclusive Discounts
Visitors can expect unbeatable deals, exclusive discounts, and promotions on a wide range of products. Whether attendees are looking to revamp their wardrobes, upgrade their homes, or explore the latest gadgets, the Daraz Shopping Expo will provide an extensive selection at irresistible prices.
A Memorable and Immersive Experience
In addition to the exceptional shopping opportunities, the expo promises unlimited entertainment for attendees. Live performances by renowned artists, engaging activities including a fashion show, and interactive games will ensure a memorable and immersive experience for all visitors. The Daraz Shopping Expo aims to create a vibrant and dynamic environment that goes beyond traditional shopping experiences.
The Vision of Daraz Pakistan
“We are incredibly excited to host our first-ever Daraz Shopping Expo in Lahore,” said Muhammad Ammar Hassan, Chief Marketing Officer of Daraz Pakistan. “This event is a testament to our commitment to providing exceptional shopping experiences to our customers. We believe that the Daraz Shopping Expo will be a one-of-a-kind event, bringing together the best brands, unbeatable deals, and memorable entertainment all in one place.”
Bridging the Gap Between Online and Offline Shopping
Daraz Pakistan has consistently been at the forefront of revolutionizing the e-commerce landscape in the country, and the Daraz Shopping Expo is another milestone in their journey. By bridging the gap between online and offline shopping, Daraz aims to create a seamless and convenient shopping journey for its customers.


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Welcome back. Please invite your friends and colleagues to join the conversation. Tell me anything on your mind, including about what you are reading here and in the daily stream. Just reply to this email, or reach me at [email protected] Let's start with ...
1. The case for reskilling — now ...
Almost 1 million Americans will see their occupation vanish by 2026, and they will have to train for a wholesale career change or probably not find equally paid work. Many won't find new work at all, and women will be disproportionately affected.
New study: That's according to a new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Boston Consulting, which also found that companies are barely acting to retrain their employees for this dramatic change ahead.
By the numbers: In all, some 1.4 million Americans will lose their jobs to technological change in the next eight years. And, without new skills, 575,000 of them — 41% — will have either minuscule or no chance of finding other work.
Why it matters: These are the people who must start thinking now about what totally new career they can realistically transition into.
"Overall, the scale of re-skilling suggests that we need a skilling revolution," Oliver Cann, a WEF spokesman, tells Axios.
A large number of the new jobless will be women falling out of low-paid occupations. About 800,000, or 57%, of the jobless will be women, who will have only about half the number of new job options as unemployed men.
Yes, but: The study assumes that an aggressive reskilling program results in most women — apart from those working in the production sector — finding new work. About 74% of the women who do land new work will probably be paid more than in their old job, versus 53% of the men, it finds.
Go deeper: Read the full story here and check out Chris Canipe's interactive of the chart above.
2. ... amid a general disconnect
We now have countless forecasts of jobs to be lost in the growing tech disruption — the product of automation and other advances. But there are multiple disconnects between what companies and people think they know, and what they are doing about it, according to a new study from Accenture.
Some of the findings:
- 74% of executives say they plan to use artificial intelligence to automate tasks in their workplace the next three years, and 47% say skills shortages are a key rationale.
- Yet only 3% intend to significantly increase investments in training in the same time period.
These executives say only 26% of their work force is ready to reskill for new jobs, and about 1 in 4 of these business leaders say a key obstacle is that their employees are resistant to such training.
But this appears to be false. 67% of workers say they consider it important to develop skills to work with intelligent machines in the next 3 to 5 years.
- Accenture's Ellyn Shook says executives may simply not have directly surveyed their workers. They may wrongly assume that coming automation is "making people nervous," meaning the workers, she said.
- Workers are consumers, too, she said, and so are excited by what technological changes may bring.
3. Amazon's new prey
The line was around the block this week to shop at Amazon Go, the company's loud opening salvo in the convenience store sector. Seattle shoppers treated the opening of no-cashier buying as a social event, taking selfies and reporting their experiences on Twitter and elsewhere, Fast Company's Mark Wilson reports.
Like Amazon's launch into supermarkets last year with its buyout of Whole Foods, this one is potentially big: the U.S. convenience store industry racked up $550 billion in sales in 2016 from 154,535 stores, according to the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing.
The bottom line: Scott Galloway, author of The Four, an examination of Big Tech, says it's another example of Amazon's power. He tells Axios:
- "Amazon continues to apply one test to determine where it will venture next: The 1984 test. That is, does the format feel as if you have travelled in time back 30 years? Both grocery and convenience stores are uncomfortably the same, having not innovated in 30 years. Convenience stores have bad lighting/unhealthy food and exploitive pricing — sticking their chin out. A fist of stone from Seattle is coming for them."
But, but, but: Leigh Sparks, a professor of retail studies at the University of Stirling in Scotland, is less convinced that we are witnessing the beginning of a revolution.
- In an email exchange, he calls Go "the first of a number of experimentations that we will see and that is in a logical line of current technology trends (self-scanning, contactless payment, unit ID, face recognition and so on). But we should not expect it arrive everywhere, quickly."
4. The Salvadoran quandary
About 200,000 Salvadorans face deportation next year under a decision by the Trump administration, creating a potential crisis in numerous industries including construction and other trades. But an increasing view is that many of them will simply go underground.
In all, some 300,000 Salvadorans, Haitians and Hondurans either have already been ordered to go or could be. In 2001, former President George W. Bush gave the Salvadorans temporary protected status because of a deadly earthquake in El Salvador. Some 88% of them are now in the U.S. labor force, earning an average of $50k a year, according to the Cato Institute.
- But given the conditions back home, many may take their chances in the U.S., says José Miguel Cruz, a professor at Florida International University. It will be harder for them to find work, and they will probably be paid less. But they will opt for this anyway, he says.
- "I tend to believe that most Salvadorans will stay and go underground, slipping into undocumented status. The reason: they don’t see going back to El Salvador as a choice, not only for economic reasons but also due to safety," Cruz tells Axios.
5. Worthy of your time
A Chinese AI firm's fundraising is fanning bubble fears (FT's Henny Sender)
Jeff Bezos' brilliant PR stunt (Axios)
Bonuses aside, will trickle-down work this time? (NYT's Jim Tankersly)
Silicon Valley, we have a problem (The Economist)
Wealth and politics rely on geography (Brookings' Mark Muro and Jacob Whiton)
Trucking's woes: short of drivers, and trucks, too (WSJ's Jennifer Smith)
Are we too obsessed with measuring things? (FT's Tim Harford)
6. 1 fun thing: What really happened with Fabio?
Oliver Lemon, a robotics professor at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, agreed to put his program's social robot Fabio into an Edinburgh grocery store for a week, to be followed by the BBC. But ridicule has followed, as media report that Fabio has been "fired" after failing to smoothly engage with customers.
Fabio's sometimes awkwardness is not surprising considering the still-rudimentary state of truly conversational robots (think Siri). But the experience has left Lemon sore. "'Fired' is not what happened," he tells Axios. "They thought that was a humorous angle though."
The context: The exercise was carried out in Margiotta, a family-owned supermarket chain run by Franco Margiotta and his daughters, Elena and Luisa, and televised on BBC's Six Robots & Us (not available in the U.S.).
- After the experience, Elena Mariotta told The Daily Telegraph's Sarah Knapton, "Our staff members know our regulars very well and can have conversations on a daily a basis, and I doubt robots would be able to fulfill this."
- Lemon suggests the ribbing has been unfair. "It was an experiment," he says.
Why Heriot-Watt: While not a household name in the U.S., Lemon's program is a serious AI player — it finished third in last year's Amazon Alexa Prize competition for an AI-driven conversational robot, for instance. (No one outright won the $1 million prize last year, requiring the robot to hold a 20-minute conversation.)
- Lemon's team is entered again this year, in which Amazon has upped the winnings to $3.5 million. On Feb. 1, Amazon will announce contestants chosen to participate.


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Apple is apparently looking to a third-quarter launch for its much-anticipated iWatch, joining the increasingly competitive wearable device market.
According to reports originating from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News, the device will be manufactured by Quanta Computer, with Apple looking at production of 65 million units by the end of 2014 – indicating the company is extremely bullish about a launch, if true.
Indeed, the 65 million number looks to be a mistranslation: Strategy Analytics said 1.9 million smart watches shipped in 2013 and, even taking into account growth in the market, it is unlikely any single vendor will be placing an order so much bigger.
The company is also said to have contracted TPK to supply flexible displays, with Samsung on-board to manage production of the Apple-designed processor. Separately, LG Display has also been identified as a possible screen supplier – and this company has some experience with curved displays.
Previous reports have suggested that the iWatch will feature biometric sensors to track a number of health-related statistics, including sleep and heart rate. A companion app is expected for iPhones.
There have been reports that Apple is planning to join the wearables race for a number of months, although none have come to fruition, and in the meantime a number of rivals such as Samsung, Sony, and LG Electronics have ramped-up their activities.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, has repeatedly said the company is looking to move into new product categories, which has widely been seen as a reference to wearables – where it could leverage much of its existing strength.
“In terms of new product categories, specifically if you look at the skills that Apple has from hardware, software and services and at incredible app ecosystems, these sets of things are very, very unique,” the executive said last year.
The big questions is when such a device would be unveiled. While a debut alongside the next iPhone makes some sense, Apple may instead chose to begin the process at its Worldwide Developers Conference early in June 2014, in order to get developers on board for the launch.


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New manufacturing plant will create an estimated 400 new jobs and produce electric powertrain components for General Motors from 2023
The plant, to be located at Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, is scheduled to be completed in 2023 and will produce inverters, motors, and on-board chargers to support General Motors’ electric vehicle (EV) production. The 260,000sq ft plant will be the joint venture’s first production base in North America.
General Motors is the first customer for the new facility, and the JV partners say the new production operations will play a key role building a strong, North America-focused EV supply chain for GM.
LG Magna e-Powertrain launched in July 2021 as a joint venture between LG Electronics and Magna International, combining LG’s capability in in developing components for motors, inverters, and on-board chargers with Magna’s competences in electric powertrain systems and automotive manufacturing. The JV has more than 1,300 employees in locations across Korea, North America, Europe, South America, and Asia, involved in technology innovation, marketing, R&D, purchasing, and manufacturing.


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Growing with the sun: Cannabis companies look to outdoor cultivation
Health Canada began handing out licenses to cultivate cannabis outside in 2019
TORONTO — A planting machine crawled along the 100-acre Good Farm in Brant County, Ont. on a sunny June day, dropping seeds into the soil in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Behind the wheel was an employee of 48North Cannabis Corp. one wouldn’t usually expect: chief executive Charles Vennat.
“I joked with my team that I was the most expensive farmhand in southwestern Ontario,” said Vennat, who professes to keeping a pair of hiking boots in his car trunk for such impromptu jaunts.
“I’ve always had the leadership philosophy that you should never ask anybody to do a job in your company that you would not want to do yourself.”
Vennat, who visits the farm once a week during warm months, was at work on his company’s second crop of outdoor cannabis — a fairly new venture for licensed cannabis producers.
While many pot producers started out with massive indoor facilities to prepare for the legalization of cannabis in Canada, a handful have turned to outdoor cultivation in order to take advantage of savings from free sunlight and lower electricity and staffing costs.
Health Canada began handing out licenses to cultivate cannabis outside in 2019. Interest has since grown steadily.
Health Canada told The Canadian Press there were 391 cannabis license holders as of May 31. About 56 are authorized for outdoor cultivation, up from 28 last December.
As of March 2020, licence holders had dedicated more than 2.7 million square metres of land to outdoor growing and about 1.9 million square metres for indoor cultivation.
Most say savings make outdoor cultivation attractive. A 48North spokesperson said some studies show cannabis grown indoors can cost $2 per gram to cultivate.
“We cultivated 12,000 kilos last year at 25 cents a gram, which is obviously disruptive,” said Vennat.
“We’re quite bullish on the fact that we will do it again this year with even better quality and a lower cost per gram.”
While Vennat boasts about the price, he admits that the company didn’t harvest as much as it hoped and didn’t have the right licensed drying spaces.
“Some went just extremely large scale where other producers started with a more slow and steady approach and I think are scaling up moving into this season,” said Robyn Rabinovich, a senior account director at Hill and Knowlton Strategies, who has worked for CannTrust Holdings Inc. and TerrAscend.
While many companies were instantly interested in outdoor cultivation, several licensed cannabis producers fought it because they had already invested in large-scale greenhouses, she said.
They eventually came around on the idea, which many experts believe could become even more popular because of the cost savings and how easy it is to physically distance on outdoor farms compared to indoor facilities.
Those benefits aren’t lost on Canopy Growth Corp.
It first got into the outside growing game last year with a test crop in Saskatchewan, but is back at it again this year. It hopes to use its crop on edibles, cannabis beverages and vaporizer pens.
“Your electricity bill is practically nothing when you grow with the sun,” said Adam Greenblatt, a senior communications adviser with the Smiths Falls, Ont. company.
“When you consider indoor growing, you’re talking about easily 1,000-watt lamps for every 20 square feet or so and rooms with 100,000 watts of lights, burning 12 to 18 hours a day. It’s incomparable.”
Outdoor cannabis farming also allows for a drop in labour costs. Greenblatt estimates a dozen workers tend to Canopy’s Saskatchewan cannabis farm, in comparison to its headquarters, where roughly 1,000 people work.
Canopy’s indoor growing team is much larger because it involves more labour intensive work such as trimming the flowers and maintaining and operating fertilizer tanks and high-powered lighting.
Outside growers can often do their harvesting completely mechanically because the cannabis is being grown to become ingredients for pot products.
Even with its benefits, outdoor cannabis farming isn’t always a smooth venture, said Andrew Condin, the chief executive at Saskatchewan-based Bold Growth Inc.
He’s always paying close attention to Mother Nature because hail or high winds can wreak havoc on his cannabis crop.
Condin wanted to plant 15 acres of outdoor cannabis this year, but COVID-19 has disrupted that plan.
Pandemic-friendly policies have meant Bold’s indoor growing operations has to split its workers into two groups and can’t spare enough to tend to a full farm doing outdoor cultivation.
“We basically divided our teams and had no crossover so we didn’t have COVID coming through the facility and transmitting through our workforce, but it’s been difficult to manage that and to keep that level of protection on our team members,” Condin said.
When COVID-19 is over or at least subsides, he envisions all 15 acres growing and predicts, “You will see an increase in outdoor cultivation.”
By Tara Deschamps


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Articles about Unified Payment Interface (UPI)
16 Nov 2022Ashneer Grover
Ashneer Grover, the co-founder and former MD of BharatPe, was at his candid best in his tweets about WhatsApp Pay. He called the UPI-based payment service from the popular chat platform the biggest failure in India as a tech product.
15 Nov 2022Google
Users of Google Play's subscription-based purchases in India have been clamoring for the addition of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) to the mode of payments. Finally, Google has heard their pleas.
28 Oct 2022Xiaomi
Xiaomi hasn't been having the best of times in India. The Chinese company has come under a lot of government scrutiny in recent months.
05 Oct 2022RuPay
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has a piece of good news for customers and merchants. No charge will be levied on UPI transactions of up to Rs. 2,000 when using a RuPay credit card.
08 Jun 2022RuPay
UPI or Unified Payment Interface transactions have made life simpler for Indians. It is about to get even simpler, as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed linking credit cards to UPI network.
01 Sep 2021Netflix
Streaming giant Netflix has begun rolling out support for UPI AutoPay payments in India. This will ease recurring payment of fees like the monthly subscription to Netflix, all using just your UPI ID.
17 Aug 2021Facebook
As part of its ongoing push to woo users toward using the in-app payments feature, WhatsApp has introduced the ability to customize the background of the message bubble when you send money to people using WhatsApp Payments.
02 Aug 2021Narendra Modi
Accelerating the transition to a digital financial ecosystem in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the e-RUPI digital payment system today.
26 Jun 2021WhatsApp
Facebook-owned WhatsApp first introduced an in-app money transfer service in 2018 as part of a trial. Named WhatsApp Pay, it officially launched last year and is now available to 20 million users in India.
08 Aug 2018India
Recently Rajen Gohain, the Minister of State for Railways, declared that the percentage of train tickets booked digitally is on the rise, having risen to 66% of total reserved tickets in 2017-18, from 60% in 2016-17.
01 Aug 2018India
WhatsApp's Payments service has hit yet another hurdle in India - now, the government has reportedly told WhatsApp that it can't roll out the service till it sets up an office and recruits a team in India.
24 Jul 2018India
Last year in March, popular caller identification app Truecaller, launched its UPI-based payment service - Truecaller Pay - for Android users in India.
23 Jul 2018Cashback Offer
In a bid to curb fake and artificial payments made to receive cashbacks, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has decided to ban all payments within the same account from its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform.
30 Oct 2017Bharti Airtel
India's largest telco Bharti Airtel, which forayed into banking to launch Airtel Payments Bank earlier, recently integrated Unified Payment Interface (UPI) on its payments bank platform.
14 Sep 2017India
If reports are to be believed, Google is launching a localized digital payment service in India as early as next week.
23 Aug 2017India
Revolutionizing the way customers make payments to merchants, HDFC Bank has become the first Indian bank to unveil the DigiPOS payment solution that offers a slew of digital payment options.
21 Aug 2017India
The cash back scheme, that offers merchants incentives of up to Rs. 1,000 when they accept payments via BHIM application, has been extended.
07 Aug 2017India
Get ready to have cashbacks as rewards this Independence Day as the government is all set to offer some if you opt for digital transactions using the BHIM App.
20 Jan 2017ICICI Bank
After a week-long tussle with Flipkart-owned PhonePe payments app, ICICI Bank has now defied a directive of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).


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Escalators and Crocs may spell trouble for the funky resin shoe wearers. Injuries have been reported in Japan and Virginia when those wearing the Crocs, especially little kids, are getting their feeties caught in the sides of escalators. While no reports of injuries have been made in Colorado, the reports elsewhere serve as a reminder that those wearing Crocs need to be careful when riding escalators — especially children. But note, escalators accounted for 10,565 ER visits in 2006, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, but only two of those incidents involved shoes.
For more information on this subject matter, please refer to our section on Defective and Dangerous Products.


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Beyoncé has made waves in the past when L'Oréal lightened the diva's complexion in cosmetic ads, but now the superstar finds herself amid fresh controversy after darkening her skin.
As a celebration of its 90th anniversary, French style magazine L'Officiel Paris is featuring the 29-year-old on its cover as a tribute to Nigerian human rights activist and musician Fela Kuti.
(Word on the street is that Beyoncé recently saw "Fela!" on Broadway, which tells the story of the Nigerian legend, and was so inspired, she cites it as a moving force behind her upcoming album. Husband Jay-Z was one of the show's producers.)
In what the magazine calls, "a return to her African roots," Beyoncé's face "was voluntarily darkened" for the shoot.
L'Officiel Paris adds, "Far from the glamorous Sasha Fierce, the beauty posed for the magazine with amazing fashion designers' clothes, but also in a dress created by her mother ... all the pictures will be available in the collector edition, on sale at the end of this month."
Not surprisingly, debate has erupted all over the Net, arguing whether the shoot is an artistic tribute to a beloved hero or a racially tinged insensitivity by a star looking to cash in on a top-selling magazine cover.
"While this is not blackface in the traditional sense, it still raises many questions. Why didn't she go whole-hog and have her body painted, too? Is this yet another case of how much fashion loves blackface? Is it still blackface when the woman is black? Is it still offensive when it's meant as a tribute?" wondered Dodai Stewart of Jezebel.
Yet others view the shoot as a piece of art.
"Sometimes people are way too sensitive. Black stars are made to look lighter on television everyday with makeup and lighting and no one complains. Whites get tans. Models do photo shoots where they have to portray a race other than their own. So what is the problem with this? It's a beautiful artistic creation. I love it, and yes, I am a dark-skinned black girl," says one reader at TheUrbanDaily.com.
Tell us: Do you think it's offensive or artistic?
Either way, we're willing to bet it won't be the last Beyoncé broil; the singer recently brewed trouble with a "too sexually provocative" ad that was banned by Brit television.


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The replacement for Merc’s GLK, which will be known as the GLC from now on, has been spied in AMG guise for the first time.
As you can see above, the car has been disguised pretty well, but we can at least see that its overall design is a massive departure from the previous generation’s boxy exterior.
The AMG model will likely use the 4,0-litre bi-turbo from the upcoming C-Class AMG and the new AMG GT supercar.
The big news is the fact that the new GLC will be built in right hand drive, which means Mercedes will be able to introduce it locally.
The GLC is expected to make its international debut in 2015.


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Alaska Airlines Adds Maui-Bellingham Route
By Sonia Isotov
Starting November 8, Alaska Airlines will launch a new seasonal service between Bellingham, Washington and Maui.
The new route will increase air seats with visitors from Pacific Northwest, including more Canadian visitors from southern British Columbia.
“British Columbia residents can save even more money flying out of Bellingham International Airport, located 22 miles south of the Canadian border, thanks to lower government taxes and airport fees,” said Joe Sprague, vice president of marketing for Alaska Airlines, in a written statement.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority is estimating that the new flights will provide $16 million in visitor spending and $1.7 million in tax revenue annually.
To introduce the four weekly flights, the carrier is offering low introductory one-way fares from $179 for tickets purchased by July 3 for travel November 8 to December 24.
Summary of seasonal Bellingham-Maui flights:
|Start date||City pair||Departs||Arrives||Frequency|
|Nov 8-April 13||Maui-Bellingham||3 p.m.||10:55 p.m.||Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat|
|Nov 9-April 14||Bellingham-Maui||11 a.m.||3:20 p.m.||Tue, Wed, Fri, Sun|
|All times based on local time zones|


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Is FactSet Laying Off Employees? FactSet Research Systems Inc., a financial data and software company, announced layoffs.
During the first month of 2024, FactSet faced a layoff surge despite a strong job market. Approximately 177,000 workers were hired by businesses. But the jobless rate ticked slightly to 3.8% from the previous month’s 3.7%. The exact number of employees affected by this round of layoffs is uncertain. But FactSet has indeed laid off some of its staff.
Let’s find out more!
In 2018, FactSet underwent restructuring under its CEO. It resulted in the elimination of 165 jobs.
Last year, in 2023, there were a lot more job cuts than the year before. The number of job cuts went up to 270,416, 396% more than the previous year. The tech industry was hit the hardest, losing over 240,000 jobs, 50% more than the last year.
This year, 2024, the tech industry is still struggling. In the first four weeks of the year, big companies like Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Google, TikTok, and Salesforce laid off around 25,000 employees, according to Layoffs. FYI, 93 tech companies will lay off 24,584 employees in 2024.
Some employees express frustration with the company’s handling of layoffs. They highlight issues such as:
- Poor timing (announcing layoffs right before Christmas)
- Distasteful holiday greetings
- Concerns about vulnerable employees losing their livelihoods.
Criticisms also extend to the company’s tribalist culture, lack of external influence, and leadership inexperience. FactSet’s stock price is considered overinflated, and its focus on AI trends has raised questions.
Even with these difficulties, FactSet is still dealing with the complicated world of finance. It is affecting its workers and the larger market.
Background of FactSet
FactSet Research Systems Inc. is known as FactSet. It is a company in the United States that deals with financial data and software. It started in 1978 when Howard Wille and Chuck Snyder decided to create a company that could give financial information directly to clients using computers.
At first, they delivered data on paper to clients. But now, clients connect to FactSet’s private network using the internet and wireless devices. Over the years, FactSet has added many services like client support, learning, and various data-related services. It has been around for a long time, and its value in the market is around $15 billion.
The company’s history involves changes and improvements. In the 1980s, they made it quicker for clients to download data into spreadsheets. In the 1990s, they expanded to Europe and Asia and changed their name. Later, it became a public company on the New York Stock Exchange.
In the 2000s, FactSet introduced new products and acquired databases to enhance its services. In 2015, they received companies like Code Red Inc., Portware, Vermilion Software, CYMBA Technologies, BISAM, and Interactive Data Managed Solutions. This way, they strengthened their position in the financial industry.
FactSet’s journey continued with more acquisitions and expansions. This makes it a key player in the financial market. In 2021, it achieved another milestone by joining the S&P 500.
What Other Companies Are Laying Off In 2024?
Let’s take a look at companies that are laying off in 2024:
Alphabet (Google’s Parent Company):
It is laying off employees in its innovation lab called X.
The lab is changing its structure to help new projects become independent businesses faster.
It is laying off workers in its media divisions.
We are eliminating several hundred roles to focus on meaningful content and product initiatives.
Laying off 656 employees in its customer support department.
Consolidating teams in Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth.
I am laying Off about 8% of its workforce.
They are refocusing teams to drive more value for their core audience.
Planned to lay off around 20,000 workers as part of ongoing changes.
Focusing on the performance of its businesses and transformation.
These companies adjust their teams for various reasons, including laying off some employees.
Why Is Layoff Happening Everywhere In 2024?
Look at five major trends affecting the job market this year and see which industries are doing well despite economic challenges. Let’s find out why is layoff happening everywhere in 2024:
Too Many Hires During the Pandemic:
When COVID-19 hit, everyone relied on technology, and companies hired many people to meet the online demand. But in 2024, companies realize they have hired too many people and need to save money. This means some employees might be laid off.
Companies Cutting Costs:
In 2023, companies spent a lot of money and are trying to save. Cutting costs is a big reason why companies are laying off employees. They want to keep more money for themselves and make investors happy.
Rise of Robots and AI:
More companies are using robots and artificial intelligence (AI) to do work instead of hiring people. This trend might lead to more layoffs because machines take over some jobs. Some companies are even replacing human jobs with AI tools like Bard.
Companies Combining or Being Bought:
Companies joining forces or getting bought often change things around, leading to job losses. They might reorganize jobs or departments, making some employees unnecessary.
Sending Jobs Overseas:
Some companies send jobs to other countries where work is cheaper. They hire agencies with workers who get paid less. Unfortunately, this often means job cuts for people in the original company.
Industries That Stay Strong During Tough Times:
Not every industry announces layoffs. Some do better when things get tough, for example:
- Healthcare and Social Assistance: Healthcare and social assistance jobs stay strong because people always need medical help.
- Retail Trade: Stores selling essential things, like groceries, do well during tough times.
- Food and Accommodation Services: Although linked to spending, this sector expects fewer job cuts due to a labour shortage and recovery from the pandemic.
Despite tough times in 2024, there are options for companies before layoffs. They can offer more time off, allow virtual work, and cut unnecessary expenses to preserve jobs.
For employees, knowing about industries that resist layoffs is crucial. Historically, sectors like healthcare, retail trade, and food services have had fewer job cuts. Considering jobs in these areas might be an intelligent move for stability during uncertain times.
What’s Coming Next?
FactSet Research Systems Inc. had a strong start in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Let’s find out what is coming next:
Q1 Fiscal 2024 Highlights:
The company made $542.2 million in revenue, 7.4% more than the previous year.
The core revenue (organic revenue) grew by 7.2% compared to last year, mainly because more people bought Wealth services and data.
The Annual Subscription Value (ASV) plus professional services reached $2,184.6 million. It is showing a 7.1% increase from the previous year.
FactSet’s profit margins were good. The regular operating margin improved to 34.9%. Even though the adjusted operating margin decreased slightly to 37.6%, it’s still solid.
Earnings per Share (EPS):
FactSet made more profit per share. Regular earnings per share (EPS) went up by 9.1% to $3.84. Considering some extra factors, adjusted EPS increased by 3.3% to $4.12.
FactSet is working responsibly with AI. They’ve outlined a plan called AI Blueprint to deploy AI solutions wisely.
They introduced FactSet Mercury, a new tool for junior bankers that uses a big language model.
In short, FactSet is doing well. They’re making good money, and they’re keeping up with changes in the market. They also added some new tools and are using AI smartly.
Who Are The Competitors Of FactSet?
Here are some choices if you’re searching for other options similar to FactSet in the financial data and analytics field. FactSet faced competition from companies like Bloomberg L.P., Refinitiv, and S&P Global.
- AlphaSense: A tool for investment and corporate professionals, helping them quickly find essential data. People like it because it’s user-friendly and offers thorough financial research.
- Bloomberg Terminal: This high-tech service gives quick access to crucial news, data, and tools for trading. Subscribers can use its powerful features to make informed decisions.
- YCharts: Often called the “Financial Terminal of the Web”. YCharts provides various tools and data analytics for financial research.
- Refinitiv Eikon: It offers an easy way to access reliable news, data, and analytics, all presented in a visually explicit manner. It’s valuable for people working in finance.
Remember to check the cost and features when choosing the best one for your needs.
The Bottom Line
In summary, FactSet announced layoffs, affecting employees and the finance industry. As the company deals with these changes, it’s essential to consider the people involved. Releases are complex, but sometimes companies have to do them. Layoffs happen to adjust to the changing market and stay financially stable.
Companies like FactSet must be transparent, talk to their employees, and help those affected by these changes. Looking ahead, we hope that FactSet and other companies going through similar situations become more robust and better prepared for what’s next in the financial data and analytics field.


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Today, for the first time since well before my father was born (Colorado went dry even before prohibition was enacted), it was legal to buy liquor and wine and real beer on a Sunday in Colorado. I've refrained (with one exception for a wedding present for someone who works in my building) from buying any since the law was enacted to partake of history today in a big way, at the Argonaut liquor store in Denver. Thank you Jennifer Veiga (my state senator and the bill's sponsor)!
The Rocky Mountain News appropriately, also editorialized in favor of ending Colorado's law blue law, the one banning car sales on Sunday. Ironically, its survival is attributable, in part, to the fact that it wasn't really a religiously motivated law when it was enacted in the 1950s, and remains a bit to cut costs and get time off today.


text: While Congress is debating the future of the proposed centralized federal enforcement agency for the financial services sector, one thing regarding enforcement has already been established: With or without the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is aggressively pursuing violations. The FTC’s new Director for the Bureau of Consumer Protection is David Vladeck, and in a little more than one month on the job, Vladeck’s actions have made some strong statements about consumer protection. In his first 45 days, there has been the creation of a task force to help repair consumer credit and prevent questionable lending practices, as well as multiple settlements and litigations filed, many in the financial services sector. This confirms his claim that the first priority at the agency will be dealing with the rise of consumer financial fraud as a result of the economic downturn. On July 1, Director Vladeck used his first press conference as head of the Bureau of Consumer Protection to announce a nationwide, joint federal/state law enforcement initiative against scammers attempting to take advantage of consumers made vulnerable by the poor economy. Thus far, “Operation Short Change” includes 15 FTC cases, 44 law enforcement actions by the Department of Justice, and actions by at least 13 states and the District of Columbia. In its cases, the FTC alleged that defendants made false and unsubstantiated claims via the Internet, infomercials, telemarketing, robocalls or print advertisements to market get-rich-quick and other similar schemes. Several of these schemes targeted consumers with mortgage- and credit-related problems. At the press conference, Director Vladeck noted that “thousands of people have been swindled out of millions of dollars by scammers who are exploiting the economic downturn.” The FTC also recently announced two major consumer protection enforcement actions: One involving a nationwide crackdown against scammers and the other resulting in a $3.7 million penalty. In one of the actions, the FTC and Equifax subsidiary TALX Corporation, has agreed to settle charges that it violated federal law by failing to provide certain disclosures to users of their consumer reports and to entities that provide information for consumer reports. The proposed settlement requires TALX to pay the government a $350,000 civil penalty and bars future violations. TALX sells income and employment history information about consumers to lenders, pre-employment screeners, and others for use in determining their eligibility for credit, employment or other purposes, which makes it a consumer reporting agency subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), according to the FTC. The company allegedly violated the FCRA by not providing the “Notice to Users of Consumer Reports: Obligations of Users Under the FCRA,” which notifies users of consumer reports of their statutory obligations, including notifying individuals if the user takes adverse action against them based on their consumer report. The company also failed to provide the “Notice to Furnishers of Information: Obligations of Furnishers Under the FCRA,” which notifies furnishers—entities that furnish information for consumer reports—of their obligations to provide accurate information, correct and update inaccurate information, and reinvestigate consumer disputes. Also in July, the FTC and California Attorney General Jerry Brown, announced “Operation Loan Lies,” a coordinated national law enforcement effort to crack down on mortgage modification scams. The operation involves 189 actions by 25 federal and state agencies against defendants who deceptively marketed foreclosure rescue and mortgage modification services. The FTC actions, which affect consumers throughout the nation, were announced in southern California, where the scams originated. “These con artists see the high foreclosure rates as an opportunity to prey on people in distress,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz stated in the release. “They promise to rescue homeowners in troubled financial waters, but after they take their money, they throw them an anchor instead of a lifeline. People facing foreclosure should avoid any company or individual that requires a fee in advance, guarantees to stop a foreclosure or modify a loan, or advises the homeowner to stop paying the mortgage company.” The FTC announced four other lawsuits, bringing the number of mortgage foreclosure rescue and loan modification scam cases the Commission has brought to 14 since April. Twenty-three state attorneys general and other agencies are participating in the operation, taking action against 178 companies engaged in these types of deception. To say Director Vladeck has hit the ground running is putting it lightly! The new director was named to the position after a handful of consumer watchdog groups called for FTC Chairman Leibowitz to appoint someone with “a track record as a genuine champion of consumer rights.” Prior to being named to the FTC post Vladeck was co-director of Georgetown Law Center's Institute for Public Representation, a program for civil liberties, open government and regulatory litigation. Prior to his time at Georgetown Law, he spent nearly 30 years with the Public Citizen Litigation Group, a national, non-profit consumer advocacy organization that represents consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts. Vladeck has argued a number of First Amendment and civil rights cases before the Supreme Court, and more than 60 cases before the Federal Courts of Appeal and State Courts of Last Resort. Let these actions serve as notice to mortgage originators about being in compliance with Federal laws. If these early announcements are any indication, the FTC’s new Director of Consumer Protection Vladeck may be just what the consumer watchdogs were looking for. Terry W. Clemans is the executive director of the National Credit Reporting Association Inc. (NCRA).


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Ranger ready by the end of the year
Motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle maker Polaris is to launch its first electric vehicle, with an aim to advance the company’s position in the electric vehicle market.
Radeon RX 640 and Radeon RX 630
AMD might have a surprise release of a new series of Radeon graphics cards based on Polaris in the works.
GloFo's 12LP and Samsung's 11LPP
According to details that have surfaced after the launch of the new Radeon RX 590 refresh, it appears that AMD is sourcing the "new" Polaris 30 GPU from both GlobalFoundries and Samsung.
Based on 12nm Polaris GPU
As expected, rumored, and leaked earlier this week, AMD has now officially released its latest mid-range graphics card meant to put a bit more pressure on Nvidia's GTX 1060 during this holiday season, the Radeon RX 590.
The same RX 580 Nitro+ Special Edition design
Sapphire's RX 590 Nitro+ Special Edition has been spotted online and comes with the same design as the RX 580 Nitro+ Special Edition - confirming earlier reports that we are looking at just a die shrink of the original Polaris chip.
Should be launching this month
A box shot has pretty much confirmed that AMD is likely to soon launch the 12nm Polaris-based Radeon RX 590, which could bring around 10 to 15 percent performance boost compared to the RX 580, at least depending on the actual GPU clock AMD AIB partners hit on their cards.
Spotted in 3DMark database
As we already told you earlier, AMD is gearing up to launch a 12nm Polaris refresh which should bring around 10 to 15 percent improvement, and now it appears it could be called the Radeon RX 590.
Bringing 10 to 15 percent improvement
AMD is gearing up for a slight refresh of its graphics card lineup with a 12nm Polaris GPU, which is likely to bring an improvement of around 10 to 15 percent, mostly thanks to higher clocks.
MSI MECH is with us
AMD is getting another new brand for its Polaris based GPUs dubbed MSI MECH.
For Machine and Deep Learning
During its EPYC launch event yesterday, AMD unveiled a full range of Radeon Instinct accelerators meant for both deep and machine learning, including the MI25 deep learning accelerator, based on Vega GPU and MI8 and MI6 machine learning accelerators, based on Fiji and Polaris GPUs.


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YouTube is catching back — from first mover to late mover.
3-in-1: 3 digital news in 1 minute. On Monday. Episode 242
Discover 3 original digital news, invest one minute and be a better professional!
News 1: Shorts, the TikTok copy soon in the US
YouTube Shorts is an app format copying TikTok, an add-on feature to YT it was launched in India while Chinese TikTok was banned from local authorities. YT announces 3.5 billion views a day in India, a success. And announces the launch (in Fast Company, YT chief Neal Mohan) in the US and “other countries”. Soon, a matter of weeks. Opinion for B2B: Very easy to understand, YouTube has completely missed the rise of a video feed format like TikTok. Like many opinion leaders in the digital sphere, TikTok has always been underestimated. It is an original format that rewards in the algorithm the video quality, hence the success, among creators, among Youtubers.
YouTube was a first mover, now a late mover.
News 2: Applause for Youtubers
YT will roll out a tested new feature called “Applause”. A button for viewer to tip the creator on his/her channel with the option for a $2, $5, $10 or $50 payment. This is in parallel to the function “Super Chat” in live streaming. There users can tip the creator in the chat, and also chat directly with the Youtuber. Opinion for B2B: YouTubers have complained to get less and less remuneration from their work on YouTube. Google is keen on changing rules on that fronts. Well, now YouTube takes on the logic of Twitch — users will support the creators (streamers on Amazon’s Twitch). YT doesn’t communicate its economics, but says to have paid billions to creators.
Youtube won’t pay more for creator, followers will.
News 3: 10 out of 25 top Youtube stars are gamers!
Youtube is very strong in live streaming of game, after Twitch, but very popular. In fact in 2021, 10 out of the 25 top Youtube stars by subscribers are into video gaming. Here a selection: DanDTM, Ninja (yes on Youtube as well!), JackScepticEye, Juega German and the Swedish “king” PewDiePie with 109 million subscribers and over 10 years as a YT star. Opinion for B2B: Often forgotten: how strong Youtube is in video gaming. The creators are a real marketing machine: strange and catchy names (RezendeEvil for ex.), a signal (pink headphones for PewDiePie), membership model for exclusive content, sub-channels, promotions, merchandising. A branding and broadcasting company in themselves.
Great 10 year anniversary video for PewDiePie, a professional.
Author is the research team (10 trend scouters) at specialist Space and Lemon (Hamburg, Berlin) — scouting in main tech geographies, in AI development, virtual worlds and e-commerce. Excerpts of research are gathered here in original weekly news since 2016, always with a professional opinion — no re-write of TechCrunch. Research time: February 2021.
Come back next Monday and share your opinion.


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POLICE are hoping to reunite some jewellery with its owners.
A brooch and a ladies’ wristwatch were found during a search of a property yesterday in Kitwood Green, West Leigh, Havant.
Police believe they may have been stolen during a burglary or robbery.
They are appealing for anyone who believes the items may belong to them to come forward, reclaim their lost goods and potentially help police with the investigation.
The brooch is silver or metal in the shape of a sword with a stag head and a purple stone. The Accurist watch is a gold colour, with a diamond at the 12 o’clock position.
No arrests have been made.
PC Kerry Lewis said: ‘We do not know where these items have come from, so they may or may not be stolen.
‘We would ask members of the public to come forward if they believe the items belong to them.’
Anyone with information should contact PC Kerry Lewis at Havant police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.