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PETALING JAYA: Malaysian holidaymakers may have to forgo their wish to catch the sakura season in Japan and South Korea or savour Italian street food in Milan as Covid-19 continues to spread in these countries.
In a Twitter statement on Thursday, the Health Ministry said Malaysians should defer their travels to countries with significant uptick of Covid-19 cases, namely South Korea, Japan, Italy and Iran.
A majority of travellers had already cancelled their trips to these countries, while some chose to defer to other dates, said Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) president Datuk Tan Kok Liang.
“Travel agencies have been receiving cancellations since early February, especially to countries which reported new outbreaks of Covid-19.
“This includes cancellations for departures after June, ” said Tan when asked on the impact of Covid-19 on outbound trips.
He said that in light of these extraordinary circumstances, airlines should consider refunds for travellers who had purchased tickets to the affected countries.
Tan said many customers made cancellations without considering the various airlines’ refund policy, and then insisting on a full refund despite the matter not being offered by the airlines.
Some also sought refunds through the Tribunal for Consumer Claims, said Tan.
“However, this small claims court is biased towards consumers, and is guided by antiquated regulations that have not been revised for over 20 years, when costs were much lower, ” he said.
He added that the best solution would be for airlines to waive the normal conditions given the extraordinary circumstances.
Tan also hoped customers who cancelled their travel arrangements with any travel agency would understand the commitment and cost incurred by the agency.
“If the customer initiates the cancellation, he should pay for the arrangement that has been made by the travel agency.
“Or they can continue with the travel arrangement as scheduled while taking extra precautionary measures, ” he said.
MATTA also advised its members to have a comprehensive and clear sales contract for customers and that it will be explained clearly to them.
They should emphasise on portions that can be refunded in full, in part, or totally non-refundable, in accordance with the cancellation policy of the agency’s various suppliers.
“Travel agents will only charge an administration fee of up to RM300, ” he said, adding that Malaysians could look into exploring the hidden gems in the country as now is the best time to travel locally.
When contacted, South Korean destination management company Etourism Korea said it was indeed sad the Health Ministry had advised Malaysians to postpone their South Korean trips.
However, its assistant manager Lucy Hong said given the anxiety over Covid-19, the company itself would recommend postponing South Korean trips until Covid-19 was more manageable.
“If you take precautionary measures such as wearing a mask and washing your hands, then there should be no problem with the tour, ” she said.
“However, visitors will still be anxious during the tour, while we want visitors to be relaxed during their visit to Korea.
“Therefore, we recommend postponing the tour until the virus problem disappears, ” said Hong in an email reply.
She added that the South Korean authorities were doing their best to solve the outbreak, which she believed would be soon.
South Korea is the biggest Covid-19 centre outside China, with over 1,500 cases and at least 13 deaths.
This is followed by Italy (453 cases, 12 deaths), Japan (189 cases, three deaths) and Iran (141 cases, 22 deaths), according to the Health Ministry’s figures on Thursday.
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Shake Shack and licensee SPC Group are expanding their partnership, announcing their plan to open 10 Shacks in Malaysia by 2031, starting with the first Shack in 2023.
“We continue to be blown away by the enthusiasm of our fans throughout the world and are thrilled to announce our further development in Southeast Asia,” says Michael Kark, Chief Global Licensing Officer of Shake Shack. “This represents our sixth country in Asia, and together with the SPC Group, we expect to have more than 45 Shake Shacks across Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia by 2031.”
The new agreement increases the total number of contracted Shake Shacks with SPC Group to 45 by 2031. SPC Group is a leading global food company based in South Korea with 30 brands and over 7,000 stores worldwide.
“SPC Group and Shake Shack have established a successful long-time partnership, bringing 28 Shacks to Korea and Singapore over the past five years,” says HeeSoo Hur, Vice President of SPC Group Korea, who has worked with Shake Shack since 2016. “We are eager to deepen the relationship, bringing the brand mission to Stand for Something Good to Malaysia.”

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For decades, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) has been the standard approach for exchanging documents electronically between companies. B2B integration by way of EDI continues to dominate supply chain processes in sectors across production, automotive , logistics, and commerce.
The security mechanisms offered by inflexible on-premises infrastructures or the usual cloud office solutions are often insufficient in protecting your organization and combating such attacks. For the protection they crucially require, companies are better advised to look to flexible cybersecurity services which are focused on email security and the increasingly prevalent Microsoft 365 Security.
Strengthening supplier relationships, integrating systems across company boundaries and digitizing the associated procurement processes using innovative IT solutions are essential cornerstones for the future of purchasing.
Gartner has published its first Market Guide for Cloud Fax Solutions, providing key findings and recommendations for sourcing, procurement, and vendor management leaders to evaluate cloud fax. We are thrilled that Gartner recognizes Retarus as a global provider of enterprise cloud fax services.
Good news for those serving public sector customers in Germany: The Forum for Electronic Invoicing Germany (FeRD) recently made the new ZUGFeRD 2.1.1 version available, which expands the range of profiles by adding XRechnung as an option.


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Starbucks launches premium coffees
In keeping with its menu-innovation strategy, Starbucks (SBUX) introduced Flat White, a beverage that offers “premium coffee quality,” according to the company. Starbucks also reports that its Roastery in Seattle, which offers customer a unique premium experience, has received wide acceptance. Roastery offers micro-lot, limited Starbucks reserve coffee. The company plans to eventually expand this offering to 1,500 Starbucks locations. It also plans to open a second Roastery in Asia during 2016.
The company hopes that other product initiatives will increase customer loyalty at its stores. For instance, Starbucks is testing two delivery models that it expects to roll out in the second half of the year. It also ran a “Starbucks for Life” campaign during the holiday season. And, according to the company, it received 13 million entries.
Starbucks is held by the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY).
Opening Reserve stores
Starbucks plans to open 100 Starbucks Reserve stores in the coming years. The company will sell small-lot, rare, and limited coffees that offer a more premium experience to its customers.
Starbucks is also testing an express model that would offer a streamlined menu integrated with its Mobile Order & Pay app. Express locations would allow the company to leverage smaller stores in high-density places such as New York.
The US is undergoing a demographic shift and restaurants such as McDonald’s (MCD), Yum! Brands (YUM), Wendy’s (WEN), and Panera Bread (PNRA) are increasingly changing their strategies to attract younger customers.
Next, we’ll look at Starbucks’s Teavana business.


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At least two California retailers have seen enough of a downturn in sales amid the coronavirus pandemic that they’ve had to reduce their workforces.
Ryan Hudson, CEO of The Apothecarium, told the publication that his company recently furloughed about 20% of its staff and laid off a handful more. In total, 25 employees were affected by the cutbacks, Hudson said.
Sparc also furloughed seven staffers, eliminated some positions and cut salaries for its executive team, a company spokesman told the Bay Area Reporter.
Both retailers have experienced a sales decline during the coronavirus outbreak because not as many customers are allowed in their stores at a single time.
That restriction alone has driven down foot traffic and sales.
The downsizing by the two companies comes just after California Gov. Gavin Newsom predicted in his recent budget proposal that the state’s legal marijuana industry is in for a rough year, with expected tax revenues having been adjusted down from $590 million to $435 million for the coming fiscal year beginning July 1, according to the Los Angeles Times.
For more of Marijuana Business Daily‘s ongoing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on the cannabis industry, click here.


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Zombie Burger in a flash: Online ordering now makes getting a Walking Ched quicker
Customers of the popular and often crowded Zombie Burger + Drink Lab in Des Moines’ East Village can cut out the wait time and now order their Walking Ched and Flamethrower burgers online for pickup at the restaurant, 300 E. Grand Ave.
“Instead of waiting in line folks can place the order online, pay online, give us the time they want it and pull up out front and grab it,” said Paul Rottenberg, one of the owners. Customers can retrieve their orders at the pickup counter, he said.
Online ordering will be offered at the company’s other Zombie Burger locations, in West Des Moines, Ankeny, Coralville and Iowa City, possibly next week, depending on how smoothly the East Village roll out goes, he said.
“Next up are Gateway Market, Centro and Malo likely next month,” Rottenberg said.
The Zombie Burger chain is part of Orchestrate Hospitality, which also owns Gateway Market and Café, Centro, South Union Bakery, Malo and Django.
Rottenberg said an increasingly competitive market prompted the company to launch online ordering.
“We hope it will add 10 to 15 percent to our sales,” he said.
Online ordering is fast becoming the rule rather than the exception. Online and mobile app ordering in quick-service restaurants is being added or tested in several companies including McDonald’s and Wendy’s because customers are wanting more convenience, according to QSRmagazine.


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Tron’s (TRX) Announcement About “Partnership” With Baidu Misled Investors
Tron's announcement about a partnership with Chinese search giant Baidu was not only a false statement but could have misled investors into believing true value had been created. The 'partnership' turned out to be simply Tron becoming a Baidu's cloud customer.
Tron (TRX) wants to decentralize the internet, and the platform’s success may as well come from working with global brands through partnerships. Such partnerships usually signal a project’s real-world appeal and potential for widespread worldwide adoption.
But a recent tweet from Tron founder Justin Sun could have misled investors by appearing to suggest that his platform had struck a significant partnership with one of the world’s biggest companies, which in fact turned out to simply be a purchase of service agreement.
On October 12, Justin Sun tweeted that Tron had finally secured an “industry giant” as a partner. It got the TRX community excited, with several Twitter users speculating on the company’s identity.
However, on October 15 a Chinese-based cryptocurrency news outlet reported that what Tron claimed to be a partnership (revealed in the report to be Baidu, a Chinese internet giant) was not a ‘partnership’ per se.
According to CnLedger, several local outlets had published news articles that appeared to dispel suggestions that Tron had partnered Baidu, noting that the two companies had no “contact at the blockchain business level” and that “the ‘partnership’ between Baidu and Tron [was] basically about Tron buying cloud computing resources from Baidu.”
The news site then tweeted that the said ‘cooperation’ was all about involved Tron acquiring the services of tech giant Baidu. The services allow Tron to “build, operate and debug” blockchain-based products using the Beijing based company’s Cloud facility.
The platform added:
“The ‘partnership’ between Baidu and Tron is basically about Tron buying cloud computing resources from Baidu.”
According to CnLedger, the cooperation between the two entities primarily focuses on Tron purchasing and using Baidu’s cloud computing resources. As such, Tron’s access to the Cloud resources would help it to improve its compatibility and optimize its development experience.
Could it have been handled in a better way?
Tron’s development over 2018 has been mercurial, with Sun lauded for delivering on most goals- notably the mainnet launch and his acquisition of file-sharing giant BitTorrent.
However, some experts have said that his highly ‘tingly’ tweet about an unnamed partner could have been done in a better way.
From comments on the CnLedger report, Tron uses Baidu Cloud and is, therefore, a client of the internet conglomerate. In that case, it is inappropriate for the blockchain-based platform to claim that the relationship constitutes a formal partnership.
According to Ari Paul, an investor, and co-founder of BlockTower agrees that the relationship should not be misconstrued to mean it is a partnership, saying that it would be “misleading marketing” if it happens so.
“If I buy a computer with Microsoft Windows installed, I should not claim to have partnered with Microsoft without clarifying the limited nature of the ‘partnership.'”
For examples, Australia and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) cooperated to launch a project called “Red Belly Blockchain” on Amazon’s AWS, a cloud computing network.
The CSIRO, Australia, AWS Australia, and New Zealand all collaborated on piloting the Red Belly Blockchain project. In this instance, CCN says that the blockchain team at Red Belly “did not claim” to have partnered with AWS since it had only used its services.
Another comment came from Boxmining, a cryptocurrency analyst who suggested that Baidu already operates a blockchain network dubbed Xuperchain. With this in place, the company may not be keen on relying on an external blockchain protocol.
Although Sun’s tweet captured the attention of the community, the expected “partnership” wasn’t announced formally. Lack of transparency can end up misleading investors who may deem an impending partnership as the best time to buy into a cryptocurrency.


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Prime Minister to kick top trio of business leaders off inner circle of advisers
The Prime Minister is set to kick out three of the most revered business leaders from his inner circle of advisers – while keeping on the chairman of scandal-hit search engine Google.
The move is said to have miffed senior business figures who have raised questions about David Cameron’s judgement.
Reshuffle: Sir Martin Sorrell (pictured) and two others are set to leave the Business Advisory Group
Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of advertising giant WPP, Paul Walsh, the boss of drinks giant Diageo and Justin King, boss of Sainsbury’s, have all been asked to step down in a reshuffle of the Business Advisory Group.
Philip Clarke, the chief executive of Tesco, is set to join the panel as he tries to get the supermarket back on track.
Cameron has also chosen to retain the services of Eric Schmidt, the chairman of Google, who said yesterday he was ‘very proud’ of its tax structure despite paying £6m on £2.6bn of sales last year.
The advisory committee was set up in October 2010 and also includes Angela Ahrendts, boss of Burberry, and Dick Olver, chairman of BAE Systems.


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federico in News on March 15, 2016
The Ferrari 488 GTB won Best Supercar at the “Car of the Year Awards”. The car has been so admired by the judgest who have voted for the winner.
Now in its 7th year, the annual competition celebrates shortlisted cars rated on key parameters such as design, technology, driveability, value and style.
The event held


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Coronavirus testing centers are slowly opening up across the country, but tracking them down and finding out if you’re even eligible to take the test has been a challenge. Apple over the weekend rolled out an application for labs and businesses offering covid-19 tests to submit their information to Apple Maps, which should make it easier to find the closest testing center.
Not just anyone can submit a testing center’s details—you have to download Apple’s official template and send it in using a business email address. Apple will review applications to determine whether they’re legit. Once approved, those locations will start appearing on Apple Maps, marked by a red medical icon.
The map will also detail information like whether the testing center is accessible via drive-through, or whether it’s in a parking lot or inside a building. Businesses can also specify whether the center is in an existing lab or one that has been converted to administer covid-19 tests.
The biggest issue with covid-19 testing centers is the lack of detail around how to get a test in the first place. Most locations don’t allow just anyone to come in for a nose swab—you have to call your state health department and ask what the criteria are (exposure, symptoms, etc.).
Despite improvements in the past few weeks, access to testing across the country has remained far short of demand, leaving many people who suspect they might have coronavirus unable to obtain one.
9to5Mac noted that Apple is asking facilities to specify whether a doctor’s referral is needed so people don’t just pull up to a hospital they find on Apple Maps and demand a swab.
It’s unclear when Apple will start displaying testing centers in Apple Maps, but it’s one of several initiatives the company has launched in recent weeks. Last week, Apple partnered with Google to build a cross-platform coronavirus-tracking tool that bridges iOS and Android. The goal is that people will be able to see if they’ve come in contact with someone who has the virus. That API will be open to developers of public health apps starting in May.
Meanwhile, the drive-through testing facilities promised by President Trump more than a month ago are slowly, slowly starting to become a reality, thoug there are few drive-throughs open. Walgreens opened 15 drive-through testing centers in seven states last week. CVS has three drive-through testing centers in three states. Walmart has two. But those tests are by appointment only, so knowing where they are isn’t all that helpful with a doctor’s note.


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A new app called SnoopSnitch can detect International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catchers by keeping a tab if someone is spying on you. Also Read - Apple delays MacBook Pro, AirPods 3rd gen shipments to October 29, but why?
IMSI catchers are eavesdropping devices used for intercepting mobile phone traffic and tracking the movement of smartphone users, media reports said. Security experts recently revealed a massive security flaw that could let hackers listen in on private calls and read text messages on mobile networks. Also Read - How to turn off auto-correct feature on your Android smartphone or tablet
One way in which such hackers get access to such information is by using IMSI catchers or ‘stingrays’. SnoopSnitch can detect IMSI catchers and warn smartphone users if their devices are giving up their personal information and connecting to them. The app scans for signals that indicate a switch from a legitimate tower to a ‘stingray’, where information may be being collected. Also Read - PhonePe announces that all of its UPI transfers online or offline will be free for all users
The app currently works with Android handsets that have Qualcomm chips inside such as Sony and Samsung Galaxy models.


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LONDON — Copper prices held steady on Wednesday as expectations of increased supplies from producers emerging from lockdown offset the impact of output disruptions and the prospect of stronger demand in top consumer China.
Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange traded down 0.1% at $5,215 a tonne in official rings. Prices of the metal used in the power industry and construction touched a six-week high of $5,269 a tonne on Monday, a gain of 20% since the four-year low of $4,371 hit on March 19.
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“At the start of the quarter, the market was positioned for a significant surplus, which so far hasn’t materialized and that has supported prices,” Deutsche Bank analyst Nicholas Snowdon said, adding it was too soon to say prices had bottomed.
“The dynamics around the virus are constantly shifting, the next phase is lockdown policy adjustments in key producing countries, how that feeds into supply improvement and the softening effects on markets.”


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- Claims he has larger cluster than the recently found one
By Yohan Perera
Whilst claiming that he has larger and more valuable stones than the sapphire cluster found in Pelmadulla , a gem collector in Ratnapura yesterday urged the authorities to help him sell his possessions at the gem auction in China.
L. L. A Nandadasa who owns a gem museum in Ratnapura told Daily Mirror that he has larger and more valuable gems than the one which was found recently in Pelmadulla. “The Sapphire cluster found in Pelmadulla is not as valuable as quoted, but I own some which may be more valuable and even larger. Therefore I would like to inform the relevant authorities to take my stones as well to the Chinese auction. I will be satisfied with one third of the price at which my stones are sold,” Nandadasa said. “The sapphire cluster found in Pelmadulla is not as valuable as anticipated as most of the stones in it are dead,” he added. However Chairman Gem and Jewellery Authority Tilak Weerasinghe told media on Wednesday that the gem cluster found in Pelmadulla could be worth $ 10 million as an artefact which can be kept in a museum. “The objects which are good enough to be kept in museums cannot be valued. Can anyone value or quote a price for the Sigiriya rock?,” he questioned. It was reported on Wednesday that the Sapphire cluster found in Pelmadulla will be sold at a Chinese Gem auction in November this year.


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Malawi has once again been hit by a shortage of soft drinks on the market a development which is said to be occurring every year during summer.
According to FaceofMalawi investigations it has been noted that since last month there has been shortage of soft drinks such as Fanta, Sprite, Ginger, Cherry plum and other products.
Reports also indicate retailers and vendors have been forced to scramble for whatever available soft drinks they can find on the market. Alcoholic beverages are the only beverages that seem to be in abundance.
Every attempt to speak to Carlsberg Malawi Corporate Communications Officer, Towera Pilling, proved futile as she could not be reached for questioning.
But however Association of Malawi (Cama) Executive Director, John Kapito, has has blasted Carlsberg Malawi for failing to improve the situation.
âIt is indeed becoming a habit by Carlsberg Malawi through its subsidiary Southern Bottlers Limited that as we approach the hot season every year there is shortages of drinks of all kinds. The question is why we continue having the very same scarcities year in year out, and why they are failing to learn and improve on their weaknesses?â wondered Kapito.
âThe Malawi market we are told has been liberalised why then do we continue to protect non-performing industries? Infact the protection that this company has been unfairly given has failed us other than assisting the industry to improve. I am sure this company would have a regional power by now exporting within the region if it was given some competition,â said Kapito.
The time is ripe for SBL to improve and introduce new and innovative products on the market, wondering why it is failing to meet the demand of a small market like Malawi, said Kapito.
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What do you get when you combine legacy publishing with crowdfunding? A new model of publishing through Inkshares. It’s called crowdfunded publishing.
The startup will provide editing, design, marketing and distribution, just like a regular publisher. But unlike a traditional publishing company, Inkshares will raise the money to pay for those services through crowdfunding.
“Legacy publishing is not broken. It’s just no longer the most efficient way to produce books,” said Adam Gomolin, Inkshares chief legal officer, on the company’s blog.
New Publishing Model
Under the Inkshares publishing model, a book will not get published until it has raised the funding necessary to cover the publishing costs and an initial print run of 1,000 copies. It’s an all-or-nothing model, which means the author must hit the funding goal by end date before he or she sees any of the money. The author may raise more, but not less than the funding goal.
Inkshares will set the price of the book. Once it’s published, authors will receive 70 percent of the net receipt for both paper and digital copies. A traditional publisher typically pays 10 percent to 15 percent.
Inkshares will release titles in print and digital forms. Authors can choose to print in digital only for a lower funding floor.
Crowdfunded Publishing: What to Do
If you’re a writer who is unable to find a traditional publisher, but not interested in self-publishing, this might be the model for you. You can submit a proposal for your project (book, article, e-book) to Inkshares. Backers, typically interested readers and the writer’s network of friends and family, will support the project by pre-ordering the work. When you receive sufficient support, the publishing process begins.
Publishers Weekly published an article about Inkshares. To read it, click here.


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Madi opens largest showroom in region
Dubai, March 25, 2012
Madi International, a leading distributor of professional salon furnishing, beauty equipment and beauty brands, has announced the opening of its the opening of its largest showroom in the region.
The opening was inaugurated by Sheikha Hind Al Qassimi, chairperson of the UAE Business Women Council and Sahar Madani, president of the Diplomatic Ladies in Dubai.
The new showroom, spread across a whopping 9,000-plus sq ft, is strategically located in Deira business district adjacent the Lamborghini showroom, and diagonally opposite the Nissan Showroom.
The opening of the new showroom comes amidst the unveiling of Madi International’s new brand identity, which includes a revitalized logo aimed at enhancing its appeal.
The new identity encapsulates a new brand logo, concept and a new vibrant look evident at all its stores, including the new showroom.
The new showroom showcases all the leading beauty brands in hair care, skin care, nail care, make-up, salon & Spa furniture and equipment, among others. It offers a one-stop-shop destination which caters exclusively to the beauty and wellness needs of consumers from the latest collections and styles available.
Mohammed Madi, president of Madi International Group, said: “At Madi International, we believe that the customers behavior is changing very fast and consumer connect is the most important thing in business.”
“With this in mind, we aim to spread our presence in the professional salon supplies domain through geographical expansion, which will help us to provide a wide range of products that will match their needs and realize their dreams while selecting furniture and beauty products for their salons."
He added: “The move is significant as it provides a bigger, more modern space for our product displays and showcase. With new offerings and a new strategy, we are happy to unveil our new Brand Identity. Our corporate identity clearly communicates the evolution of our business as well as our commitment to our customers. I am confident that we will strengthen our existing customer relationships, as well as develop new ones.”
Adnan Abou-naaj, general manager of Madi International in UAE, Qatar and Oman, said: “The new showroom is a significant step in our growth across the Middle East. Our strategy is to showcase our wide range and selections of world renowned brands in salon furniture, beauty equipment and professional beauty products, be it, in hair care , nail care, skin care and makeup in ideal settings and hence, presenting concepts for our customers to choose from.”
“This, coupled with the new identity is aimed at making our stores look vibrant, coupled with a smart, positive delivery experience and a dynamic brand image. All these will play a major role in helping us grow the business even more – a key step forward in emphasizing our market leadership. We look forward to further expansion across markets in the years to come.” – TradeArabia News Service
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Shares of Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) have gained 28% in the past one month. The social media giant reported an 18% increase in total revenue for the first quarter of 2020 while profits more than doubled.
Facebook is one of the companies that has benefited from the stay-at-home trend brought on by the coronavirus outbreak. The pandemic has led to a spike in social media usage as people sitting at home look for options to stay engaged, connect with family and friends as well as look for updates on the current situation.
User growth and engagement
Facebook saw double-digit increases in its user metrics during the first quarter. Family daily active people, which measures the number of users who visited Facebook’s family of products (Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp) on a given day, increased 12% year-over-year. Family monthly active people increased 11%.
The company said there are currently over 3 billion people actively using its products each month and this includes 2.6 billion people using Facebook alone and over 2.3 billion people using at least one of its services every day.
Facebook saw an increase in usage across all its services, especially in markets that saw the heaviest impact from the virus. In several of these areas, messaging volume has increased over 50% while voice and video calling have more than doubled.
The company is also seeing good traction in live video with over 800 million daily actives engaging with livestreams across workout classes, concerts and more every day. However, Facebook believes that there will be a decline in the level of engagement once the pandemic subsides and people go back to their normal routines.
Total ad revenue for the first quarter increased 17% to $17.4 billion. Facebook saw strength in advertising at the beginning of the quarter but from the second week of March, the pandemic impacted the business significantly.
Looking at the trends by vertical, the company witnessed strong growth in gaming as well as stability in technology and ecommerce due to the current shelter-in-place trends. During the last three weeks of March, the travel and auto verticals were hit the hardest. These trends have continued into the second quarter.
On a regional basis, ad revenue growth was strongest in Asia-Pacific at 21% followed by US & Canada, Europe, and Rest of World at 16% each. But Facebook is generating sales at lower prices due to the overall reduction in ad demand.
Facebook recently signed an agreement to invest approx. $5.7 billion into Jio Platforms in India. The company believes there is a massive opportunity to serve small businesses and enable commerce over the long term in India, which has the biggest Facebook and WhatsApp communities in the world.
Facebook hopes to immensely improve the shopping experience in the country by bringing together JioMart, Jio’s small business initiative to connect millions of shops across the region, and WhatsApp. Facebook sees significant growth potential here and also hinted that it might look at similar initiatives in other countries as well.
Looking ahead, as advertisers continue to spend less and as the business performs below expectations, the company plans to reduce spending in certain areas such as travel and marketing, and also expects profit margins to decline during the year. Total expenses in 2020 are expected to be $52-56 billion, down from the prior range of $54-59 billion.
After the initial decrease in ad revenues in March, Facebook saw signs of stability during the first three weeks of April, where advertising revenue has been approx. flat versus the same period a year ago. The April trends reflect weakness across all geographies as most of the major countries had imposed shelter-in-place rules.
Facebook remains cautious as most economists are forecasting a contraction in global GDP in the second quarter which indicates the potential for a more severe advertising industry contraction.
Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE: CRM) achieved accelerated sales growth and profitability in recent quarters, in line with its transformation goal. The customer relationship management platform bets on new opportunities in generative
Shares of Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) rose more than 1% on Friday. The stock has dropped 17% year-to-date. The discount retailer is slated to report its third-quarter 2023 earnings
Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN), a leading lifestyle products and services company, has reported higher sales and earnings for the third quarter of 2023. Q3 net income rose to $83.0 million or $0.88 per share


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A well-maintained grapevine can live and produce fruit for over one hundred years. All the plant needs to grow grapes each year is stored in its trunk, according to Russ Reali, the wine-maker at the Spanish Valley Vineyard and Winery.
The winery’s grapevines, which cover five and a half acres, were planted in the 1970s as part of a Utah State University experiment—Zimmerman, the road the winery is located on, is named after the professor who planted the vines.
Originally the vineyard sprawled over 300 acres. Over the years, the winery was pared down as the property shuffled through owners who tried to commercialize the vineyard. Jared Richards bought the space in 2018 and is the fourth and current owner.
A desert vineyard
White wine grapes do incredibly well in the valley, Richards said: the winery’s “superstar wines” are its riesling and gewürztraminer, but it also offers a classic cabernet sauvignon and a cherry wine made with cherries grown in Payson.
The winery is small—the wines are all fermented and bottled in a room the size of a large garage—but that’s what makes the tasting experience so unique, Richards said.
“You’ll be sitting 20 feet from the vines that produced the wine you’re drinking and you’re talking to the same person whose blood is on the vines from working with them,” he said. “There’s something so cool about that full cycle.”
Reali is just getting started as the vineyard’s winemaker. He is now enrolled in online winemaking classes through the University of California Davis.
He said the process of getting the vines to produce valuable and tasty grapes is “surprisingly precise.”
Right now, as the vines bloom, he’s focused on making sure each vine will grow only a few clusters of grapes.
The idea is that the vine only has so many nutrients to give to the fruit, he said—fewer clusters of grapes mean there will be more concentrated flavor.
It may be surprising that grapes can grow so well in the desert, but Reali says the vines are so established that they don’t require much water.
This time of year is critical for the vines—they’re just beginning to bloom—and for the business, as Richards is trying to make the spot into more of a community staple, adding a new outdoor patio and an elevated viewing platform.
This summer Richards plans to host casual “industry appreciation” nights for anyone in the local restaurant industry to hang out at; there will also be live music on Friday nights.
“If there’s one thing that makes Moab so great, it’s the eclectic and unique group of people here—people have passion and vision, and they’re all doing something for a purpose,” he said.
The Spanish Valley Winery offers tastings ($20 per person) and tours ($50 per person).
“We love our locals,” Richards said. “It seems like right now, most of our visitors are out-of-towners looking for something to do in Moab—but we’d love to see more locals come out here.”


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- 3 min read
Govt set to strike at e-tailers from China bypassing duty
India Post, which collects duty on imported goods, may allow only four gifts per year to a particular address according to new norms that are under discussions, top government sources told.
The government exempts 'gifts' of up to Rs 5,000 received from abroad. While the clause's original purpose was to allow NRIs to send gifts of low value to families back home free of customs duty, it has been alleged that sellers on several Chinese online retail platforms, including Club Factory, Shien and Aliexpress have been sending goods marked as gifts into India to avoid import duty.
India Post, which collects duty on imported goods, may allow only four gifts per year to a particular address according to new norms that are under discussions, top government sources told TOI . The move is expected to give a fillip to Indian sellers facing stiff competition from their counterparts on Chinese platforms.
In addition, India Post will set up 20 export hubs to give a boost to local sellers in cross border trade. "We need to help Indian sellers reach global markets and that can be done through e-commerce in a very cost effective way," said a source. The department of industrial policy and promotion is leading the initiative. An Indian retail source said that Chinese e-commerce websites have become popular in India as they are able to keep the prices very low because the goods are dispatched through China Post and more often than not marked as 'gifts' to evade customs duty.
The products are at least 50-60% cheaper than what's available on Indian e-commerce sites like Myntra or Jabong. "It's even cheaper than Sarojini Nagar market. You can get a frock for less than Rs 500," said media executive Monami Thakur, who shops frequently from Chinese e-tailers.
The popularity of Chinese e-commerce sites has been steadily rising in India. For instance, Shein's mobile app has crossed five million downloads in India, it delivers to 15,000 pin codes in Tier I and Tier II cities and it is handling over 10,000 orders from India daily, according to industry estimates.
Similarly, Club Factory, Aliexpress, Romwe are among some of the other top-performing Chinese e-commerce apps doing brisk business in the Middle East and India, according to analytics firm App Annie. Club Factory, more than half of whose 70 million global customers are from India, is ranked among the most popular apps on Google Playstore.
A preliminary examination showed most of these Chinese online platforms list their products in rupees, while some have even held fashion shows across the country - Club Factory had signed up Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh for an ad - and use social media such as Facebook and Instagram to target users. Several Indian fashion bloggers, too, have dedicated online videos on navigating these sites.
"They don't pay customs duties or goods and services tax (GST). They don't display maximum retail price (MRP) as is mandatory according to the Packaged Commodities Rules 2017 amendment that covers foreign e-commerce sites doing transactions with Indian consumers," said a senior executive at a large Indian e-tailer. "Similarly, when the products are delivered, the invoices are missing. Cash on delivery (COD), too, works with the orders."


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Facebook has announced that its United Kingdom customers will be migrated to a US user agreement in 2021. The move is a response to the end of the Brexit transition period on 31st December, after which time the country will no longer be covered by EU laws. Until recently, customers in Blighty were covered by agreements with Facebook’s European headquarters in the Republic of Ireland, in order to comply with European Union data protection laws, including GDPR. When customers are migrated back to Facebook’s California base, they will no longer have the same protections, although the company will have to meet the equivalent UK laws, which are expected to mimic GDPR, in the short to medium term.
Facebook has said that it plans to move all non-EU countries over to the US agreement and has hinted that it could consider moving EU residents too if it feels the regulations it is working under have become too unwieldy. The company has confirmed, however, that its GDPR-compliant security controls page will be rolled out globally. In a statement to Reuters, it purrs soothingly: “We apply the same privacy protections everywhere, regardless of whether your agreement is with Facebook Inc or Facebook Ireland,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said in an interview that it will apply GDPR rules globally “in spirit”. What that looks like in reality is a different matter, because Facebook has been clobbered with multiple fines from the EU and will doubtless be keen to find a way to duck its jurisdiction.
The news comes at a difficult time for Facebook, which is already under investigation under competition rules, which could lead to it being forced to sell off WhatsApp and Instagram, which, the case claims, it bought in order to stifle competition. Given that Britons voted for Brexit under the promise of ‘taking back control’ from the European Union, this is just one more slice of reality – it has taken back control, and handed it straight to the US. Not really what campaigners had in mind. Other big tech firms are already getting ready for the changes too, with LinkedIn moving all non-EU customers to Microsoft’s US base, whilst Google did the same thing in February when the UK “officially” left the EU and entered the current 11 month transition period which expires on New Year’s Eve.
The post Facebook to shift UK to US user agreement after Brexit, with more countries to follow appeared first on xda-developers.


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Cathead Vodka distillery is looking confidently to 2019 after the launch of its first bourbon, Old Soul. The Jackson distillery issued 500 nine-liter cases in mid-November in Mississippi only. Next summer, Cathead will produce 4,000 cases to be distributed across the South, according to co-founder Richard Patrick. Briarwood Wine and Spirit at 4949 Old Canton Road had sold all but two cases of 25 as of Tuesday, most to individuals, said store manager Colin Thompson.
“We’ll be out by the end of the week,” Thompson said. Patrick said the release was designed “to get us through the holidays.” The name Old Soul is a twofold metaphor, Patrick said. One is the acknowledgement that bourbon making is a slow process, and the other is homage to the experienced people who make the whiskey, led by distiller Phillip Ladner, Patrick said.
“There’s a lot of art to making bourbon” to go with the science, Patrick said.
Old Soul likewise is a characteristic attributed to people who are wise beyond their years, precocious in a mature way. The whiskey is a blend – 74 percent aged at least four years and 26 percent aged a minimum of 15 months. Its mash is 21 percent rye, 75 percent corn and 4 percent malted barley The package for whiskey was not without considerable thought, Patrick said. The bottle is shaped like a French cognac bottle, has a “nice weight” and a cork top.
Cathead Distillery was founded in Gluckstadt in 2010 and moved to a larger facility in 2015. Bourbon had to wait its turn after Cathead Vodka established its market. Patrick said it takes “massive capital” along with time to produce bourbon.
So the vodka, along with gin and a liqueur, has had to pay the bill, while the bourbon was paying its dues and waiting its turn.


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The six-week-old YouTube Kids service is a "hyper-commercialized" environment that intermixes advertising and other programming in a way that deceives its target audience, a coalition of privacy and children's advocacy groups said in a complaint to t...
A consumer privacy proposal from U.S. President Barack Obama's administration gives people too little control over their personal data and companies too much latitude to use that information, a coalition of 14 privacy and digital rights groups said.
U.S. businesses that collect personal data would be required to describe their privacy and security practices and give consumers control over their personal information under a proposed privacy bill of rights released Friday by President Barack Obama...
Thirty U.S. data brokers and data management firms, including Adobe Systems, AOL and Salesforce.com, are violating privacy promises they've made regarding their handling of the personal information of EU residents, a privacy group said in a complaint...
A facial recognition trade group's proposals for privacy standards are an "extreme" departure from U.S. expectations on how personal data should be handled, a privacy advocate said Tuesday.
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French aircraft design and manufacturing group Latécoère recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, and over the last century has become a leader in aerostructures and interconnection systems, holding multiple distinctions: the company is the world leader in avionics racks, the European leader in satellite wiring, the world’s leading independent manufacturer of aircraft doors, and is second in the world for electrical harnesses. Latécoère serves a number of major aerospace clients including Airbus, Bombardier and Dassault Aviation.
It’s also a frequent user of additive manufacturing technology – in particular, the Stratasys Fortus 450mc Production 3D Printer, which the company is using for both rapid prototyping and production tooling. 3D printing has helped Latécoère cut back on long lead times and cost for multiple design iterations.
“Additive manufacturing has integrated seamlessly into our design and production process, and has seen us enjoy improved lead-times, reduced costs and enhanced operational efficiency,” said Simon Rieu, Composite and Additive Manufacturing Manager at Latécoère’s R&D and Innovation Center. “As the requirements of the aerospace industry become more demanding, we’re also mindful of the need to maintain our competitive edge, and Stratasys additive manufacturing enables us to meet that objective.”
Previously, Latécoère had used CNC machining for rapid prototyping, but the technology proved to be less than satisfactory for the company’s needs.
“We recently produced a 3D printed prototype to verify the fit and function of a part for the interior lining of an aircraft door,” said Rieu. “Previously, this would have been made from sheet metal – an often-time-consuming process. With our Fortus 450mc 3D Printer, we produced a fully-functional prototype in two days, reducing our lead times by a staggering 95%. Crucially this has accelerated our design validation process before committing to costly and time-consuming tooling.”
Recently Latécoère produced a prototype camera case for design validation for the Airbus A380, with all of the camera’s internal parts housed inside. The company used ULTEM 9085 material to 3D print the case, resulting in a prototype 50% lighter than a directly manufactured metal part would have been, and also significantly less expensive.
Latécoère is also using the Fortus 450mc for the on-demand manufacture of customized production tools, which has reduced time and cost and also enhanced operator efficiency.
“Using metal sheet manufacturing, creating a tool can take up to six weeks. Now we can 3D print a tool in just two days and 50% lighter using ULTEM 9085 material,” said Rieu. “With our 3D printer, we can also optimize the geometry of the tool to perfectly fit the part – making the operator’s job much easier. Not only has this accelerated our production process dramatically, but I also estimate that we’ve reduced our tool production costs by a massive 40%.”
Latécoère’s plan for the future is to 3D print final production parts for its leading aircraft manufacturer clients. The company has been looking at the potential of using the Fortus 450mc to produce final interior aircraft components with certification in mind. It has already used the 3D printer and ULTEM 9085 material to produce 3D printed air duct housing components, which has reduced weight and saved time compared to traditional production methods.
“Latécoère, like many of our aerospace customers, are benefiting from our proven FDM technology and high-performance materials for this industry,” said Andy Middleton, President of EMEA, Stratasys. “Our application-driven approach enables us to have a close interface with our customers to develop solutions optimized for their design and production processes. Whether it’s accelerating design validation or the on-demand production of lightweight manufacturing tools, or even 3D printed interior aircraft parts, we are committed to ensuring our customers are given the right tools to optimize the use of additive manufacturing.”
Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.[Images: Stratasys]
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At a new edition of the Technical Innovations awards that Smopyc organises as part of its events related to the trade fair in Zaragoza, the Gold Award in the “New machinery developments” category has been awarded to AUSA’s DR601AHG dumper with reversible driving. The jury, made up of independent experts from the construction industry, recognised the commitment to “R&D&I, quality, environmental engagement, sustainability and safety at work” that AUSA has brought to the fore for the development of this dumper.
Specifically, the jury highlighted the innovation in terms of “the reversibility of the driving position, allowing driving in the direction of the hopper or in the opposite direction without having to stop the machine”. They also placed value on
“its hydrostatic transmission, the Stage V engine and a long list of technological advances that facilitate maintenance while enhancing the safety and productivity of the machine”.
AUSA will exhibit the winning DR601AHG reversible dumper at the Smopyc trade fair, where it will have a stand in hall 6. The compact all-terrain vehicle manufacturer will exhibit up to a total of twelve vehicles in the space, including the main innovations it has launched recently and that will be exhibited for the first time at a fair in Spain.
As well as the DR601AHG reversible dumper with a 6-tonne payload, the new D1001APG will be exhibited, the brand’s largest model, with a 10,000 kg payload and a swing skip, the D450AHG with a 4,500 kg payload and hydrostatic transmission, the D300AHG with a 3,000 kg payload, the compact D150AHA with 1,500 kg and skip tipping at height and the D201RHGS rigid dumper with a 2,000 kg payload and hydrostatic transmission.
AUSA’s new range of all-terrain forklifts has been completely redesigned recently, incorporating a long list of equipment for greater all-terrain capacity, value for money and connectivity. The new models will be exhibited for the first time at a national fair. The machines that will be exhibited are the C501H, the largest in the range with a 5,000 kg payload, the C351H with 3,500 kg, the C251H with 2,500 kg and the C150H, the most compact with a 1,500 kg payload.
Compact telescopic handlers
In the telehandler section, AUSA will also exhibit its innovations with the updated T144H, the ultra-compact telehandler with a 1,350 kg payload and a lift of 4 metres, as well as the new T235H, the largest in the range with a 2,300 kg payload and a maximum lift of 5 metres.


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HOUSTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States and China need to resolve their trade issues before both economies get hurt, a U.S. market expert said here Saturday.
U.S.-China trade tensions can be detrimental to both economies, and they need to be resolved as soon as possible, said Carl Larry, market development manager of Refinitiv, a global provider of financial markets data, information, and technology.
He made the remarks on the sidelines of the 2019 Southern-U.S. China Summit, which was co-hosted by Houston Tsinghua Alumni Association and Peking University Alumni.
"If the U.S. can't maintain growth because we have issues with our trade partner, the second largest economy in the world, then we'll see the negative impact," he told Xinhua.
"Knowing the way business works, I think we'll stop before we get to that point," he added, expressing optimism about the two sides resolving the row soon.
"Once we resolve our issues, I think China and the America will have a really good path through economic growth," he said.
In the latest flare-up of U.S.-China trade tensions, Washington increased additional tariffs on 200 billion U.S. dollars' worth of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent on May 10, and has threatened to raise tariffs on more Chinese imports.
In response, China raised additional tariffs on a range of U.S. imports on June 1, and has vowed to "fight to the end" to safeguard not only its own rightful interests but also the norms of international relations and the free trade system.
Themed "Tsinghua University and Peking University, Jointly shoulder the Responsibility of the New Era," the one-day meeting was dedicated to celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 40th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations.
The event attracted around 200 scholars, business representatives, and alumni of Tsinghua and Peking -- the top two universities in China -- to discuss education, energy, health care and investment among other subjects.


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1.762 million bought an all in one desktop, mugs.
The PC industry is trapped in a battle between the immovable objects that are Intel shortages and crap consumer demand, versus the unstoppable force of enterprises upgrading to Windows 10. Analyst house IDC has forecast shipments to Western European channels - distributors and retailers - to shrink 3.3 per cent this year to 76 …
Windows 10 continues to be a lure for PC buyers in the wider enterprise space(?)
Since *WHEN* has Windows 10 been a LURE for PC buyers???
And THIS is why the PC market has slumped. It is NOT because people don't want new ones.
IT! IS! BECAUSE! THE! NEW! ONES! COME! PRE-ENCUMBERED! WITH! WIN-10-NIC!!!


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Sara Lee Reveals Name for North American Business
NEW YORK -- Sara Lee Corp. has chosen Hillshire Brands Co. as the new name for its North American business. The decision comes as Sara Lee preps for its split into two independent pure-play, publicly-traded companies on June 28.
After the split, D.E. Master Blenders 1753 will focus on international coffee and tea, and Hillshire Brands will focus on meat-centric food products and foodservice operations. Hillshire Brands will include several popular, market-leading consumer brands including Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Aidells, Gallo Salame and State Fair. Hillshire Brands will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol HSH.
Sara Lee began the move to two companies when it sold a majority of its coffee segment to The J.M. Smucker Co. earlier this year, as CSNews Online previously reported.
"As a pure-play company with strong momentum, we needed a name and identity that captures the potential of this new organization," said Sean Connolly, CEO of Sara Lee North American Retail and Foodservice, who will become CEO of Hillshire Brands. "Hillshire Brands represents our strong heritage in quality and great taste, as well as our ambitions for growing our portfolio of iconic brands in the future."
Sara Lee tapped Connolly to lead the new company earlier this year. He officially came on board Jan. 17, as CSNews Onlinepreviously reported.
Sara Lee turned to the Hillshire Farm brand, which it acquired in 1971, as the lead moniker for the new company. Friedrich (Fritz) Bernegger founded Hillshire Farm in New London, Wis.
"A key goal was to retain the strong equity with consumers and customers that the Hillshire name brings us," Connolly added. "'Hillshire' is a name that stands for quality, integrity and superior taste." After the spin-off, Hillshire Brands' Foodservice division will continue to be known as Sara Lee Foodservice, according to the company.
The company has also adopted a new visual identity to help position Hillshire Brands as a leader focused on providing innovative meat-centric brand and snack solutions, but at the same time, create a distinction between the new corporate name and the leading Hillshire Farm brand. The identity will be instilled throughout the organization through signage, stationery and a branded office space currently under construction in Chicago, a release on the name change detailed.
To assist in crafting a brand image that accurately reflects its new strategic direction and name, the company engaged branding firm Duffy & Partners.


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Check out buying a gift card. Even if you plan to use it yourself, you could save 5 to 10% off the retail cost, and might even include benefits like discounts on food and merchandise!
Developers are pitching US airlines financial options for helping pay for the development of a new “supersonic” passenger plane that will cut flying time from London to New York to 3.5 hours and LA to Sydney in half to less than 8 hours. The new aircraft, offering around 65 seats, will fly at 1,300 mph — no estimates on development costs or travel fares. Hold on!!!
Maybe! US airlines are exploring adding inflight gambling to their inflight entertainment options — with use fees and partnerships as a much-needed revenue resource to offset huge pandemic and current operations revenue loss — maybe even adding frequent flyer miles as a BIG incentive to “roll the dice”!!!
Another big price jump for Disney Park visits (CALIFORNIA PARKS) — can cost your as much as $179 for a one day one park visit. Prices are based on guest visit projections (Disney is very good at that) and less popular days could have less expensive ticket price options. Be flexible when you Park visit shop — Disney Parks — still a good experience – just somewhat more expensive!!!
ALASKA — the once “thriving” Alaska cruise market is way, way down — maybe Covid Blues? So if you want to travel on a cruise ship and are looking for a real deal — maybe even more than 50% of regular prices — check out an Alaska cruise and don’t be “shy” if you plan to book. Lots of additional benefits and discounts just for the asking (like land tours – cabin upgrades & VIP services) AHOY and away!!!
Expect “airport chaos” in Europe through the fall. Lots of passenger in and out bound traffic, airports and airlines short on staff and any delays, and long lines will force even more problems. Most major European destination airports are trying to limit airport landings and take offs to help — but may be too late … would seem lots of “pent up” travel and everyone wants to GO NOW!!!
Alaska Airlines, the Curmudgeon’s top choice when it comes to customer service, continues to impress, inviting their OneWorld members to their first Flyer’s Forum — an online event bringing Alaska executives and customers together for company updates, new member benefits and a Q&A session. The rest of the airlines should take notes!
NOW — there’s still some good prices but you have to move fast — call your airline in the evenings — and for best prices -for even longer lead travel plans (like next year) late Sunday evenings (after midnight) is best — that’s when airlines currently offer the best prices!!!
Some US airports have started charging YOU to charge up your electronic devices or phones at many US airports. Can be as much as $10 a device or phone for each charge up. Just another way for airports to generate revenue with airline schedule cutbacks — water in restrooms and drinking fountains still FREE — but for how much longer???
Yup — as an example, enjoy a beer and expect to shell out $28 OR MORE …. and that’s without tax and additional airport fees!!! Look for food and beverage prices to be even higher as airlines cut back service in the fall!!!!!


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The U.S. Customs Service is putting private carriers such as the United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp. at a competitive disadvantage, according to a study released this week by the Air Courier Conference of America, Washington. The USCS does not inspect the majority of shipments entering the United States through the U.S. Postal Service, while it does so for 90 percent of the express shipments handled by private carriers.
The study, which was conducted by Wirthlin Worldwide, McLean, VA, a strategic research and consulting firm, also found that the actions by the USCS result in a loss to the U.S. Treasury of more than $1 billion.
In general, the study by the ACCA, whose members include FedEx and UPS, found that the USCS properly inspects and assesses duties and fees on only 6 percent of USPS shipments, while rigorously implementing these responsibilities for nearly 90 percent of the express shipments handled by private carriers.
As part of the study, shipments of two identical sets of 90 dutiable packages were sent to the United States from Aug. 4 to Aug. 16, 1999, from 10 countries with the same destination address. Ninety packages were sent via the express mail service provided by foreign postal administrations with transfer either to the USPS or to express carriers. The other 90 were sent via UPS or FedEx.
The study found that the USCS properly entered only 6.3 percent of the shipments transferred to USPS, compared with 88.9 percent of similar shipments transported by private carriers. It also showed that when USCS properly enters USPS shipments, it collects much smaller amounts of duties than it does from private carriers.
“When it comes to the postal service, the Customs Service is turning a blind eye and compromising its critical enforcement and assessment mission,” said Joe Morris, executive director at the ACCA, which represents the air express industry. “This study starkly illustrates a Customs process that creates a huge competitive disparity for private carriers [and] costs the American taxpayer.”
Customs spokesman Dennis Murphy reportedly acknowledged that the agency has trouble processing inbound shipments handled by the USPS and thus could be losing money from potential duties and fees. He said that private carriers have sophisticated computer systems in place that can track each parcel and its contents from its point of origin to its destination – information that is relayed to Customs, allowing it to easily determine which shipments need to be processed and are subject to duties and fees. But, Murphy said, the USPS doesn’t have that kind of automated tracking capability.
USPS spokeswoman Monica Hand disputed the ACCA claims and said that “we are in compliance with [Universal Postal Union] guidelines concerning customs rules and regulations.”
Hand added that the USPS is examining the study more closely, but that on first inspection, “the fact that the study is based on a sample of mail – and not real mail, we take exception to it.”
While the study aims to show the government that its second-largest source of income – the USCS – is failing in its obligation to collect all applicable duties and fees, resulting in revenue loss to the U.S. Treasury, it actually gives overseas direct marketers shipping merchandise or direct mail to the United States an incentive to use the USPS vs. other carriers.


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Proud member of Del Grande Dealer Group serving the entire San Francisco Bay Area.
Hyundai unveiled the Veloster Rally Edition at the Chicago Auto Show. http://bit.ly/1vIRsRv
This is Hyundai's next-gen 2017 Equus luxury sedan! http://bit.ly/1I3UwNe
Competing against the Volkswagen Golf, Subaru WRX STI, Audi A3 and Ford Mustang, AuotGuide’s editors chose the Genesis as 2015 Car of The Year!! http://bit.ly/1Hm68e7
By jumping on that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto bandwagon, most Hyundais won’t have a cd player by 2018. http://bit.ly/1yOkTAx
This camouflaged car appears to be the upcoming hybrid hatchback Prius fighter, the first dedicated hybrid model in the Hyundai lineup. http://bit.ly/15ABxbS
The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe is a family car that’s luxurious enough to take out for date night, making it our Family Car of the Year!


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MEXICO CITY — Brazil’s beauty industry, the world’s third-largest, is expected to grow by 11.8 percent to 42.6 billion reals, or $19.2 billion at current exchange, this year, despite slowing consumption on the back of Brazil’s economic downturn.
Latin America’s largest economy is set to grow a mere 1 percent in 2014, down from a 2.3 percent hike last year and much higher growth rates in the past few years.
The slowdown, however, is not worrying the beauty industry, which continues to grow at double-digit rates, driven by buoyant consumption of low-price items in the flagship hair-care, fragrance and deodorant markets, which make up 50 percent of turnover.
“The industry remains unfazed by the fluctuations of the Brazilian economy since cosmetics, toiletries and fragrances are low-average-ticket products that don’t impact consumers’ budgets,” João Carlos Basilio, president of main industry lobby Abihpec, told WWD. He added the sector remains a top employer with 5.6 million workers and is “highly competitive.”
This year, the industry will step up investment by 5.2 percent to $14 billion reals, or $6.3 billion, with the majority going toward brand development, expansion and research and development activities. Beauty leads other industries in brand investment, with new product launches a key revenue booster, Basilio said.
“It is essential to invest in brand positioning,” he noted. “The market renews itself very quickly.”
According to Basilio, the beauty circuit has been growing at 3 to 4 percent above the economy in recent years. In 2016, Abihpec forecasts it will account for 2 percent of gross domestic product, up from 1.8 percent now.
“The industry remains optimistic, investing to increase production capacity, research and innovation,” Basilio asserted. Brazil’s beauty industry is now the world’s third-largest after the U.S. and China — but first in some segments including deodorant, sunscreen and fragrance, Basilio said.
@kering_official is spinning off its stake in puma in an effort to focus on its luxury brands, the brand operator announced yesterday. “We are proud to have supported the turnaround of Puma, which now has unrivaled capabilities to take full advantage of the specific dynamics of its global markets and is poised to achieve substantial growth,” said François-Henri Pinault, Kering’s chief executive officer and chairman. Artémis will become a “long-term strategic shareholder” of Puma with a 29 percent stake. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
The fashion world mourns for celebrated street style photographer, Nabile Quenum, who died at age 32 in Paris.
Quenum, creator of the fashion blog “J’ai Perdu Ma Veste,” was a fashion week fixture, and regularly shot for New York magazine’s The Cut, among other outlets, and brands such as Louis Vuitton, Moncler and Adidas. He was also actively involved in the #NoFreePhotos initiative, which kicked off in the fall. Read more about Quenum in @kbsmoke's story on WWD.com. #wwdnews
@verwanggang and @maisonladuree have teamed up on a dessert collab called Vera Wang Pour Ladurée. The collection, which launched this week, features a specialty macaroon, as well as a wedding cake inspired by one of the designer’s gowns. “I could not imagine a more delicate or sophisticated creation to grace any couple’s celebration,” said Wang. #wwdfashion
“I’m Russian and I love to use all these little tricks that I got from my grandma or my mom. We didn’t have a lot of money for creams or anything like that so we would use a garden as a beauty treatment regime. We’d put cucumber in the fridge and do a cucumber mask,” says model @irinashayk on one of her beauty hacks. WWD asked celebs what their go-to self-care rituals are. See what Naomie Harris, Freida Pinto and more said on WWD.com. #wwdeye #wwdbeauty (📷: @zefashioninsider)
Exclusive: @viktorandrolf are teaming up with @Zalando on a collection made from leftover clothing. The lineup, which lands at the retailer February 1, includes 17 pieces adorned with sliced up and repurposed overstock from the retailer’s private label collection. Pictured here is a look from the collection –– see more on WWD.com. #wwdfashion #wwdnews
@duewestnyc is the newest bar joining the collection of intimate neighborhood-focused spaces in the West Village. The cocktail menu, which includes bitters and syrups made in-house, offers a “Build Your Own Old-Fashioned” – like the one pictured here – where guests can choose from a list of spirits and unexpected sugars and bitters. #wwdeye
Spotted at last night’s National Board of Review gala in NYC: Angelina Jolie. Jolie – along with Meryl Streep, @lupitanyongo and more – continued the all-black dress code from Sunday’s Golden Globes. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)


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TROY - After their successful 20-year run in the confections business, Vanilla Bean Bakery owners Buster and Debbie Alberino never expected they would be baking their famous Fudge Fancies cookies for the last time this Sunday.
"Closing down like this is terribly painful and it's certainly not the way I ever imagined it would happen," said a teary-eyed Buster Alberino as customers came in to say their last goodbyes and pick up tiramisu, cupcakes, pastries and other dessert items Wednesday morning.
The couple faults a combination of financial, family, health and other problems that forced them to shut down the popular Fourth Street bakery.
"It's very hard to watch everything we've worked for disappear before our eyes," said Debbie Alberino, who says she will continue the wedding cake end of the business. "I just want to say thank you to all our loyal customers who stayed with us throughout the years."
During better times, the family-owned Vanilla Bean had more than 101 employees, raked in $3.5 million a year and operated bakeries and cafes in North Greenbush and Latham.
In more recent years, competition and other factors, such as insurance, energy and other ballooning costs caused the Alberinos profits to nosedive, forcing them to downsize the operation and let go a majority of their employees.
As a result, the Alberinos walk away from the bakery business they poured their hearts into with not much more than the shirts on their backs and, thankfully, many memories they will always cherish.
One of those more recent memories includes a devoted customer who, after hearing of their financial woes, gave the Alberinos a thank you card that to everyone's surprise had a $500 check inside.
"While the corn was growing, I never canned any ... not planning for the end was one of the biggest mistakes I made," said Buster. "They knew we ran into difficulties and they said the $500 was to help us in our new adventures ... that was really heartwarming."
If the business going under wasn't bad enough, Buster got a heavy dose of reality when he starting having heart problems and needed to be fitted with a pacemaker.
"We went through a scary spell when my heart wasn't pumping right, but I'm feeling pretty good now," said Alberino, while decorating a birthday cake.
The last eight remaining employees said they couldn't imagine a better employer who made them feel like a part of the family every time they walked through the door.
"I had kids to support and this place helped me turn my life around," said cake decorator Erin Sherman, who was broke when she started working at the bakery 11 years ago and now owns her own home. "I told Debbie I'm not leaving until they lock the doors."
Sherman says she might end up taking her baking skills to a job at Hannaford, but other employees, like Susan Stella, say the emotional connection to the Vanilla Bean family might force her to leave the industry behind for good.
"This place has been my life," said Stella, from the Catskills. "I don't know if I'll be able to decorate another cake. ... I might have to get an office job, but we'll see after I have some time to heal."
Customers say they will miss the friendly staff and all the wonderful confections the bakery whipped up over the years.
"We always go to the Red Front (restaurant on Division Street) and then it's Vanilla Bean for dessert," said a local resident who only gave her first name (Robin). "All you have to do is look at how tasty those Fudge Fancy cookies seem to know how much people will miss them."
Just next door, Flavour Café owner Charles Staatz called Vanilla Bean an anchor business in the Little Italy neighborhood that will be hard to replace.
"It's disheartening to see wonderful people with a great business fade away," said Staatz. "It's not good for the neighborhood ... what that means for my business I'm not sure, but I do know there will be less traffic in the area."
Troy Mayor Harry Tutunjian praised the Vanilla Bean for helping to attract new businesses to the area and having a solid reputation and customer base, not just in Troy, but throughout the Capital District.
"Certainly Debbie and Buster should be proud of their accomplishments," said Tutunjian, who only heard about the closing a few days ago. "They touched many lives and we're sad to see them close their doors."
The Alberinos are putting the building up for sale and Tutunjian says the city is ready to assist in marketing a property that he believes is in too much of an "attractive" location not to get snatched up.


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Ransomware activity doubles in transportation, shipping
The telecom industry ranks globally as the most impacted by ransomware, followed by transportation and shipping.
Trellix addresses cybersecurity incidents with XDR initiative
According to the research of cybersecurity professionals, including 1,000 from Australia, 60% of respondents feel like they’re losing ground
Trellix set to launch new unified partner program in 2023
"We co-developed the Xtend program with our partners to create the right business model for deploying Trellix XDR."
Trellix enables greater cyber resiliency with extended XDR platform
"Legacy SIEM technology has failed to modernise security operations. We are confident Trellix XDR fills this critical gap.”
Trellix advances threat intelligence with new research centre
Trellix has announced the establishment of the Trellix Advanced Research Center to advance global threat intelligence.
Absolute Software extends persistence technology to Trellix
Customers can benefit from Absolute’s firmware-embedded connection, ensuring that Trellix's endpoint protection solution remains effective and healthy.
Business services top target of ransomware attacks
Trellix has released The Threat Report: Summer 2022, analysing cybersecurity trends and attack methods from the first quarter of 2022.
Individual consumers number one target of cybercriminals
Individual consumers are the number one target of cybercriminals, closely followed by the healthcare vertical, according to a new report.
Attacks on critical infrastructure continue - Trellix report
“We’re at a critical juncture in cybersecurity and observing increasingly hostile behaviour across an ever-expanding attack surface."
Government cooperation key to stopping cyber attacks
The majority of respondents from a recent Trellix report believe government-led initiatives can play an important role in protection against cyber threats.
Finance industry revealed as sector most under threat by cyber attacks
The finance industry has been revealed as the sector most under threat from cyber attacks, according to a new study released by Trellix.
'Living security' firm Trellix emerges from ashes of FireEye, McAfee Enterprise
Named after 'trellis', a supporting structure commonly used to support trees and plants, the company's ‘living security’ will learn and adapt.


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Uber inks deal to join Lyft in serving Rochester airport
The ride-sharing company Uber has reached an agreement with Monroe County to serve passengers flying in and out of Rochester's airport.
Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo announced the agreement Monday.
Beginning Monday, passengers riding with Uber can be dropped off in front of the terminal and can make arrangements for an Uber pickup in front of the baggage claim area, Dinolfo said.
Uber agreed to pay the county's airport authority a $10,000 licensing fee plus $2 for each passenger picked up or dropped off at the Brooks Avenue terminal, county spokesman Brett Walsh said Monday.
Uber's prime competitor, Lyft, reached a similar agreement in late June.
In its first month of service here, Lyft's No. 1 passenger destination was Greater Rochester International Airport, according to a list released by the company. Uber's leading locations were east-side bars and entertainment venues.
Here are the top Rochester destination spots for Uber, Lyft riders
After months of wrangling, state lawmakers approved the use of ride-sharing companies such as Lyft and Uber in upstate New York in May.


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That was an E3 that happened This year was a mixed bag of quality for the press conferences for me in terms of consistency compared to last year, but it did give us quite possibly the greatest E3 press conference ever. Lets be honest here, this isn’t so much about finding a winner – we already have – but rather determining who came best out of the rest. Here it is.
Bethesda – 8/10
For a first ever press conference, Bethesda more or less held its own here. A really slick presentation MC’ed by Bethesda VP Pete Hines and a set of games from well known franchises that’ll appeal to the core. Well, Battlecry didn’t jump out for me and although I can understand why they’re doing it, The Elder Scrolls Legends somewhat wiffs of riding Hearthstone’s coattails. And there was TESO too.
But otherwise, there was some other fantastic stuff. Small worries aside about it, Doom looks incredible and seems like will be my first proper foray into the series. Dishonored II’s debut trailer went down super well, having Princess Emily from the first game be front and centre of it as duel protagonist of the game (alongside Corvo) and a definitive edition of the first game to tide people over before the sequel comes out next year is a big crowd pleaser too.
And of course, a little game called Fallout 4. There was nothing negative about how it was presented, everything that was shown by Todd Howard impressed. From crafting to VATs looking much slicker and everything inbetween, it was more or less the perfect demo. The fact it’s coming out this year too (though not the specific date I would have picked) was just the cherry on the cake. The sprinkles on the cake came in the form of mobile game Fallout Shelter.
Bethesda did good for a first attempt. It seemed like the perfect time to do it with a lineup building over time and made do with the hour it went with and didn’t drag it out (unlike another third-party who we’ll get to in a minute). Who knows if they’ll do it again next year, but after this year, I hope so.
Microsoft – 9/10
In any other year at E3, this would be the press conference that won it. Microsoft had perhaps the most unfortunate luck this year ahead of what would happen a few hours later at Sony, but this was a press conference that was on its own merits great. Backwards compatibility for Xbox 360 games on Xbox One got a huge, huge cheer and had more or less piled the pressure on the point of PlayStation Now.
There was a decent focus on new IP too with Keiji Inafune and Armature’s Recore announced for Spring, whilst Xbox One and Windows 10 moba Gigantic coming in August. A much better indie focus with ID @ Xbox this year: Tacoma announced as a Xbox One exclusive (albeit timed) is a big get, as is the announcement of an early access program featuring the announcement of an Xbox One version of Day Z and its creator Dean Hall announcing his own game for the program, his first since leaving Bohemia and Day Z.
There was the obvious third-party appearances too with the exclusive Rise of the Tomb Raider, Fallout 4, Rainbow Six: Siege, The Division, Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 and the reveal of Dark Souls III getting a run out. But it’d be Microsoft’s two flagship IPs that would start and finish the show with Halo 5: Guardians giving quite the decent campaign demo and a new look at a new multiplayer suite, while Gears of War skips past the Gears 1 Remaster besides a brief mention of a date and a beta and going straight into a demo of Gears 4, at least eighteen months before it comes out. Forza 6 and Fable Legends got there too, whilst Rare’s new IP Sea of Thieve looks like possibly a return to some of Rare’s old days (which is also why a Rare collection of all of its previous game is just great). And that’s nearly forgetting an incredible Mincraft demo featuring Hololens.
On any other year, this would be a Microsoft E3 win. This was, for me, their best press conference since their 2009 effort. At least in August, plus with the addition of Scalebound, Quantum Break and Crackdown, they won’t have to worry about what the competition will do next in Cologne a few hours later.
EA – 4/10
I’ve typically given EA a lot of leeway for their past press conferences at E3. I even enjoyed last year’s press conference, one of the very few who did. Nope, not this year. Sure, they started it with a great reveal trailer for Mass Effect: Andronmeda, but it all just went downhill from there. Need for Speed looking very unappealing, an unneeded mobile appearance, sports stuff (besides NHL maybe) went complete long in the tooth. Oh and that’s piling into that nugget of complaint of an onstage Pele interview that went way too long for its own liking. And I say that as someone who’s looking forward to FIFA 16 this year.
In fact, that interview was what sealed EA’s fate for me. For a publisher that typically has an hour-long presser, padding it out with a 20 minute interview, even if it is one of the best footballers of all time, is just ridiculous in the worst possible way. And then to stick the knife in with those Madden and NBA bits as well.
Not to say EA had their moments. Earlier Mass Effect announcement aside, Unravel was heartwarming and is perhaps one of my favourite games this E3 so far. We also had the first proper look at Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst, which just looks flat out stunning. The fact they’ve completely dropped guns from the game as a player thing is even better news. And you know what? After that unconvincing first trailer and its gameplay reveal taking its time, I’m convinced of Star Wars: Battlefront.
But that was as good as it got. EA was a straight up bust. Presentation was dire, it was super padded out – with massive help (but not entirely by) Pele – and not including said FIFA segment, EA Sports segments were dire. EA really had a big fall (not a typo) this year.
Ubisoft – 5/10
Ubisoft was a bit better, but didn’t fare as great as last year: For Honour (without a U, but I’ll use it) didn’t really look all that amazing to me, Just Dance 2016 was Just Dance and Trackmania was not all that appealing. And no matter how hard they try, this is the first time I’ve never felt a semblence of interest for an Assassin’s Creed game – stop trying to make Syndicate happen Ubisoft, it won’t happen. Sadly, it felt felt like Aisha Tyler was off this year. She was a terrific presenter last year, but this year, it just felt forced and that she was maybe just trying too hard.
That said, Ubisoft gets an extra point for the fact we got the announcement of a new South Park game. Plus Rainbow Six: Siege looked alright, The Division looks cool (and much better than the trailer shown at Microsoft) and the announcement of Ghost Recon: Wildlands show a game that could have massive promise if done right.
And I’ll give Ubisoft credit for actually sticking to an hour or near abouts compared to EA.
I’d give it a six, but Jason Derulo means it drops a point. Because Jason Derulo ruined one of the finest Imogen Heap songs ever.
Sony – 10/10
Seriously. I mean, what the actual fuck. This was not even close. It’s not even comparable to 2013 and that was a great press conference. This is the stuff of legend that’ll be told years down the line. Where were you on June 15 when Sony had its E3 2015 press conference?
If you had said we’d see at least one of either The Last Guardian, Final Fantasy VII Remake:or Shenmue III, that would be enough to get everyone in a tizzy. But the fact all three were announced within an hour was just pow after pow after pow. Just having one of them is a megaton. Having all three there is basically a full-scale nuclear war sense of detonation. You will never see this again or at the very least, for a very, very long time.
But besides those three, Sony was just wall-to-wall full of games. Guerrilla’s Horizon just looks stunning, Media Molecule’s Dreams has wonderful potential, the reveal of Hitman looked rad, No Man’s Sky got its first ever public live demo and looked incredible as it would, Street Fighter V shaping up nicely and after its showing at EA convinced me of its potential, more Battlefront isn’t a bad thing. As isn’t more Destiny. And even if you’re not exactly a fan of the series, Sony poaching Call of Duty from Microsoft is shrewd business but one that makes a whole lot of business sense. Oh and Black Ops III? Yup, I’m in.
In 2013, there was a 10 minute spell of Sony Pictures which gave nothing and last year, another ten minute segment given to Powers – which felt like 20 minutes. This year, there was a brief mention of PlayStation Vue, but that was no more than five minutes. I can honestly live with that.
My only complaint – and it is literally the only one – is that I would have spaced out the announcements a bit more. Have Last Guardian start the show, as it did, then have Shenmue III’s Kickstarter be the midway point announcement and then have the Final Fantasy VII announcement for the end. Because having it end on Uncharted 4, as impressive as that demo was, felt like a bit of an anticlimax after what had just happened earlier. And that tells you a lot about what happened when I consider a new demo for perhaps my most anticipated game of 2016 from my favourite developer as a conference closer an anticlimax.
Seriously, you will never see another press conference like this with so many megatons. All it needed at that point was Half-Life 3 and it would have gotten infinity/10. But man, this was just incredible. The best press conference E3 has ever had.
Nintendo – 5/10
Call me bitter, but the way Nintendo handled the Animal Crossing stuff – was just dire. Admittedly, having thought it was just a smaller game based solely on interior design, it dawned on me watching it in the Digital Event that Happy Home Designer on 3DS was a new, fully-fledged title. And you know? I’m now going to buy that in September.
But it was Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival that really provided the knife in the stommach moment. It’s not so much that it exists – I’m okay with it existing (and the fact it’ll be free to play (albeit, get some amiibos) takes the sting out) – but the way Nintendo built that announcement up as if we were about to get a fully-fledged Animal Crossing for Wii U, something I’ve been clamoring for for nearly eighteen months (and also a big reason why I still have a Wii U post-Bayonetta 2) only for it not to be is what got my goat to the point I had actually had a minor meltdown about it. And now I can basically give up on it coming to Wii U because at this point, the Direct was also Wii U’s death sentence with Nintendo more or less affectively acknowledging it’s now in a holding pattern ahead of NX’s reveal next Summer.
Sure, StarFox Zero from Platinum looks promising ahead of a Holiday release, we’re getting Xenoblade Chronicles X in December, Mario Maker confirmed for September (and to give Nintendo credit, the Nintendo World Championship really sold that game) and Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem is definitely coming west next year. Oh and Yoshi coming out in the States months after the UK, Europe and Australia (we get it next week).
But besides Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival and a new Mario Tennis, there was nothing announced for Wii U we didn’t already know about. That’s including Zelda, which was, as promised by Nintendo, not shown. Watch for that to show up as a duel-platform Wii U/NX game next year.
Meanwhile, 3DS goes from strength to strength. A new Zelda: Four Swords-like game with Triforce Heroes looks great, Hyrule Warriors 3DS getting a shoutout too, Fire Emblem Fates confirmed for 2016 and the hugely popular in Japan Yokai Watch confirmed for this Holiday. And then there was Metroid Prime: Federation Force for 3DS, which has everyone up in a tizz. Petitions, by the way, aren’t going to get this game cancelled for, say, a new Metroid Prime.
The only reason it gets a five is for the strength of 3DS’s lineup this year. Otherwise, for the Animal Crossing debacle and essentially confirming this was essentially the end for Wii U this year, it’d be getting a lower score.
Iwata, Reggie and Miyamoto muppets were nice, though.
Square Enix – 7/10
Hands up who thought Square Enix would have a better press conference than one of the first-parties? Nope, I didn’t think so too. But lo and behold, it happened.
That’s not to say Square was flawless – far from it – as some of their presenters, including Square Enix west boss Phil Rodgers, was dullfully trotted out. And not to mention, that one guy who clearly wasn’t told this was a press conference, not a PAX panel, when Kingdom Hearts III was shown.
But otherwise, they had a great lineup and decent surprises to cover it. Just Cause 3’s first proper gameplay video showed promising stuff ahead of a December release, a surprise Nier sequel from Platinum Games was massive news (though the lasting image of that segment will always be Taro Yoko wearing a mask on stage), the announcement of Star Ocean V being localised, Lara Croft Go from Square Enix Montreal who are just on a roll right now with mobile hits, the incredible looking first gameplay of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the first gameplay of io’s Hitman reboot just looked swish as hell and the announcement of Project Setsuna, a new IP from new studio Tokyo RPG Factory that’s due to release globally next year.
Of course, the main event was when Square Enix
regular troll master producer Shinji Hashimoto came to represent Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. Another look at World of Final Fantasy’s trailer from Sony the night before, the Final Fantasy VII remake trailer with additional caveat we’d get more info on it this Winter and the big one: new gameplay of Kingdom Hearts III for the first time in nearly two years, as well as the confirmation of the first world in the game being related to Disney’s Tangled.
Square Enix’s presentation had the perfect mix of eastern and western games, something I was perhaps a bit unsure of going into the event, as well as a few handful of surprises: I certainly didn’t expect Kingdom Hearts III ahead of a previously announced blowout at D23 Japan later this autumn, but hey, we got it.
So well done, Square Enix. Just improve on your presenting skills a little bit and if you have a lineup like you did this year, you can definitely come back again next year.
No score for The PC Gaming Show as I never got to watch it due to sheer exhaustion.