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Meliá signals commitment to expand in China despite Covid19
Meliá Hotels International has indicated that it plans to keep increasing its footprint in China amid the pandemic, as the Spanish hotel group celebrates the opening of the luxurious Gran Meliá Chengdu.
The ongoing recovery of the APAC region’s travel industry represents ‘a sign of hope for the rest of the industry worldwide’, Meliá asserted while announcing the launch of its newest property. We take a closer look at the latest announcement from the high-profile group, which believes that its growth and geographic diversification is proving to be a significant help in resisting the worst effects of the crisis.
Expansion and recovery
In the face of continued damage caused by Covid19 across the world, China is proving to be a pioneering example for international hotel companies’ recovery, according to Meliá. The China Tourism Academy stated that over 90% of the country’s hotels and tourists have now reopened, along with around 60% of China’s travel agencies; more than 80% of the country’s population is also said to have a desire to travel this year.
With this in mind, Meliá has resumed an expansion plan that aims to double its presence in China within two years, taking the number of hotels in operation from five to ten. In addition, the rise in demand for hotels and the reactivation of China’s domestic travel market has given the group the assurance it needed to open the ultra-luxury urban resort Gran Meliá Chengdu at the end of September 2020.
From Chengdu to Zhengzhou
The new resort spans more than 28,000 sq m of land in the south of Sichuan’s capital, Chengdu. Facing Jincheng Lake, this retreat provides an oasis of tranquillity in the centre of the city.
The hotel’s seven buildings fuse the traditional ‘Shu-Han’ design seen throughout Chengdu with modern aesthetics and lush gardens. Here, 265 guest rooms lie alongside a spa, fitness centre and heated indoor pool, accompanied by more than 3,500 sq m of event space and five dining venues serving up everything from traditional Chinese dishes to Iberian cuisine. On top of this, the exclusive RedLevel offering provides additional personalised service and private facilities.
As well as signifying the continued growth of the Gran Meliá brand, the launch of Gran Meliá Chengdu and the upcoming opening of Gran Meliá Zhengzhou are intended to build on the success Meliá has seen in China since the introduction of Gran Meliá Xián five years ago.
“In a situation as complicated as the one faced by the international travel industry, the fact that we can celebrate the opening of a new hotel in China is a great reason to be happy and should also send a message of optimism and confidence with regard to the future,” said Bernardo Cabot, vice president of the region for Meliá Hotels International.
“Meliá has been firmly committed to China for many years, building relationships with key players in the industry, consolidating our brands and gaining the trust of the market. That is why we are very proud that, at a time like this, our presence here is even more valuable.”


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Sumary of Two killed after Chinese electric car falls from third floor of company’s offices:
- It is sometimes label China’s Tesla Killer – an appellation that shows its ambition to rival the US electric vehicle animal in the world’s most populous nation.
- Videos circulated on China’s social media showed local medical workers attempting to liberate the two groups in the automobile.
- To be honest, the last formation of your message (which said it was not make by the vehicle) highlighted the cold-bloodedness of superior, one person from Sichuan remarked.
- ,caption:Sign up to First Edition, our free daily report – every weekday morning at 7am ,isTracking:mendacious,isMainMedia:mendacious,point:The Guardian,sourceDomain:theguardian.com}>Sign up to First Edition, our free daily report – every weekday morning at 7amNio is one of a number of emerging domestic electric vehicle brands in China.
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Article featured in New Zealand Engineering News February issue – A link to the original story can be found here, otherwise full content has been included below:
New Zealand company leads world with wireless recharging
By Phil Whyte
Proving yet again that New Zealanders punch well above their weight in wireless power technologies, PowerbyProxi last month previewed its new integrated wireless charging smartphone solution at Pepcom’s digital experience in Las Vegas.
This move follows on from the company’s announcement earlier in the year that it had secured exclusive rights to a key wireless power patent portfolio from the University of Auckland via its commercialisation company UniServices.
These patents will help PowerbyProxi continue to work on new capabilities for wireless power including multi-axis, position-free and extended-reach wireless power charging. These functions have been widely recognized as key to moving wireless charging forward to full widescale consumer adoption.
PowerbyProxi has developed the world’s most advanced and safest wireless power system. The company gives consumer electronics and industrial product designers the freedom to wirelessly transfer efficient power in the most difficult places: from a miniaturised receiver inside an AA battery to a mission critical solution in the demanding and hostile environment of a wind turbine control system.
PowerbyProxi has its research and development head office in Auckland, and its sales and marketing is directed from Pleasanton in California’s Silicon Valley. None of its 50 customers are in New Zealand, although it is working on a project with Tokoroa-based Waratah Ltd, via that company’s owner John Deere, based in Moline, Illinois, USA. PowerbyProxi has worked with customers on over 50 real world projects and built its deep technical know-how by initially focusing on complex industrial applications.
“The university’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is arguably the world research leader in inductive power transfer and wireless power technology,” PowerbyProxi Executive Chairman Greg Cross told New Zealand Engineering News.
“Our founding team, which originally spun out of this department, along with our exclusive access to key patents developed over many years, gives us a significant commercial advantage in the consumer electronics field.”
The technology is for portable CE devices, semiconductors, and batteries. It has never before been available to a commercial entity for use in CE devices.
Unlike existing wireless power charging solutions, which require devices to be placed in a precise location on a charging pad, inductively coupled power transfer (IPT) offers the unique ability to recharge multiple devices at the same time, regardless of the position or axis.
PowerbyProxi has developed breakthrough technology that allows for the integration of receivers directly into devices with small or thin form factors. The result is the world’s only receiver technology small enough to be integrated directly into smartphones, tablets as well as into rechargeable batteries.
An example of the use of the Powerby- Proxi system in the home is that all battery powered items – from kids’ toys, remotes, hand blender to alarm clocks – plug into Proxi-3D in device charging station and they will all charge up as quickly as if they were plugged into wall sockets.
The licence granted by UniServices in October last year extends to 30 functional areas in the CE field relating to IPT system design and apparatus. When combined with PowerbyProxi’s existing patents, the company has one of the most extensive portfolios in the industry with over 125 patents and more than 900 claims.
The PowerbyProxi launch last month related solely to its solution for wireless recharging of smartphones.
This requires a miniature receiver efficient enough to be integrated into the smartphone’s processor board without causing overheating. The processor works with a transmitter that provides complete spatial freedom of position and is housed in a sleek charging pad.
“OEM feedback has been overwhelmingly positive to our initial samples and test data showing how far we are ahead of comparative solutions.” Mr Cross says.
”This is the most advanced wireless charging system for smartphones available today, not only because our patented design allows for full spatial freedom on the charging pad, but because we can simultaneously charge up to three devices at full speed.”
Wireless charging solutions have been integrated into smartphones to date have typically suffered from problems like over-heating. To combat this requires the development of a special thermal cover to protect the smartphone’s circuitry. As well, the phones have to be precisely positioned on the charging pad for transfer of power.
The devices have also taken much longer to charge than if plugged into a wall socket. The PowerbyProxi recharging pad provides charging at the same speed as wired charging and is based on a loosely coupled design.
PowerbyProxi’s smartphone system is the world’s first wireless charging system capable of being fully integrated into a smartphone: the receiver circuit and coil can fit inside a smartphone alongside other components – no covers, sleeves or other add-ons.
The system has built-in foreign object detection, silverware and other metal objects do not overheat when charging. They remain at room temperature while on the pad and while other devices are charging.
Environmental changes ahead
The growth of wireless technology will bring changes to our living and work spaces as well as environmental gains.
In the 1970s New Zealand houses were built with one power point in each bedroom and perhaps two in the living room and kitchen, and offices were reticulated with similar ecomomy.
Since then we have seen the number of power points multiply in all these locations.
But now we are heading into the wireless age there will be another change, with many electrical items in the home and office powered via a wireless router, says PowerbyProxi Executive Chairman Greg Cross.
“Over the next 10 years wireless technology will increase in most homes,” Mr Cross says, “Wireless charging will permeate the home and business infrastructure.”
He is also bullish about the environmental gains from wireless recharging of batteries.
“These days most people buy ordinary batteries like AAs and throw them away when they go flat, and disposing of batteries is a significant environmental issue,” he says, “and not many people bother to use rechargeable batteries.”
The wireless recharging of batteries will counter this, and manufacturers will be marketing batteries with the required chip as a premium item with a longer life. Your child’s toy or blender will probably wear out before its battery does.


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UAE phone users putting files and photos at risk
One-third of mobile users fail to backup mobile files on a regular basis
One-third of people in the UAE are not taking care to regularly backup the files on their mobile phones.
According to a survey by YouGov on behalf of Western Digital, only 37% of users in the UAE manually back up the files and data on their main smartphone at least once a week and 61% do so at least once a month. Seven percent never back up files at all, excluding automatic backups and data synchs.
Despite the low levels of backup, 58% of users said that they had lost a precious file or video through not backing up. Sixty-one percent of users in the survey of 1,000 adults said that they were worried about the possible theft of files from their mobile, or loss through product malfunction.
Users also frequently run out of space on their mobile devices with 64% saying they have to delete files or data to make space at least once a month.
Khwaja Saifuddin, Senior Sales Director, Middle East at WDC, said: "Our research really highlights the pressure that people are under to choose what they want to keep on their smartphones. With the average person in the UAE taking 34 photos and 18 videos a week on their smartphone, and the size of digital images and video increasing rapidly, devices soon fill up."
"What many people don't realise is that there are all sorts of ways to quickly and easily transfer and store data from smartphones - either by connecting a device to the handset or using Wi-Fi - so you don't have to choose what you delete. In addition, backing up your smartphone remotely also means that you keep precious files safe, should anything happen to the handset."
WDC, unsurprisingly, is promoting a a range of mobile memory products that allow users to easily expand the phone memory or backup automatically, such as wireless backup solutions and charger bases which carry out backup at the same time as charging the device battery.


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The Texas International Food and Wine Roundup Celebrates Global Vino and Cuisine on November 18th
November 15, 2017 | cimgroup
Even after the Texas International Wine Competition winds down on November 18th, the fun isn't quite over yet. That evening at the Ironwood Hall in downtown Austin, the Texas International Food and Wine Roundup caps off the two-day event celebrating all things vino, including the many different pours that earned major accolades at the competition.
The bash kicks off at 6 p.m. with samples of the wines that won awards at the competition, paired with internationally inspired bites. While you sip and snack, enjoy live music and socializing with fellow wine enthusiasts. The event will take place until 10:30 p.m. Don't miss this chance to savor some of the best wines from around the world.


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Arun Sudhaman 26 Jul 2014 // 5:35AM GMT
HERZOGENAURACH, GERMANY—Puma is set to shift global consumer PR duties to Ogilvy, as it plots to revive its struggling brand.
The sportswear retailer made the decision following a competitive review that sees it part ways with Interpublic Group, which had handled the assignment among its PR firms for the past two years.
The brief is thought to be worth a high six-figure sum in annual fees, and covers consumer marketing and PR across earned, shared, owned and paid media.
Last year, Puma conducted a global creative review, moving the business from Droga5 to JWT. That decision followed the arrival of new CEO Bjoern Gulden, who is charged with turning around the business.
Guilden has indicated that he wants the company to dispense with its fashion and lifestyle positioning in favour of a return to its football and athletics roots.
The repositioning is expected to involve a bigger marketing budget, as Puma readies its 'Forever Faster' global campaign. Earlier this year, meanwhile, the company signed Arsenal from Nike for the largest sponsorship contract in the club's history.
Puma's global sales of $4bn are well behind Nike ($25bn) and Adidas ($20bn). The company reported a discouraging sales slump in 2013, thanks in part to flagging footwear sales, with sales also down 25 percent in the first quarter of this year.
Representatives from Ogilvy PR declined to comment. A Puma spokesman said the company had not signed a contract with an agency to support its global PR operations "at this time".


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Many companies, including several original baby product manufacturers, are taking aim at the profitable retailing market.
The Jiangsu-based baby stroller maker Goodbaby Group is now the largest supplier of strollers in North America, Europe and China. After more than 20 years of global business, Goodbaby has a 40 percent share of the baby carriage market in the United States and an 80 percent share in China.
Enthused by the current baby boom, the company has been increasing its brand building efforts in China. The company entered the retailing business in 2006 with a shop in Xizang Zhonglu, Shanghai. At present, it has 16 mother- and baby-product stores in China.
The Taiwan-based Les Enphants Co Ltd, which makes and sells childrens clothes, sportswear and accessories under the Les Enphants and Petit Chou brands, entered the mainland market in 1993. It is also an authorized sales distributor for mid- and high-end brands such as Disney Baby, OshKosh Bgosh and Nike Junior. But the real star for the company is the Les Enphants brand, which occupies the top slot in the retail market for childrens apparel.
The companys mainland business accounted for more than 64 percent of total revenues in 2009, and rose to 65 percent last year. It now owns around 1,500 stores in China and plans to add another 300 more outlets this year.


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Get the Latest Flooding Safety Information on Mobile App: Free public health emergency preparedness app available
February 18, 2020
JACKSON, Miss. — MS Ready, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH)’s emergency preparedness mobile app, keeps you up-to-date with public health and safety information throughout Mississippi during an emergency and provides a full library of disaster preparedness tips based on lessons learned in the 15 years since Hurricane Katrina.
From breaking news and alerts on emerging diseases to agency closures and severe weather warnings, MS Ready is the best way to stay fully prepared when it comes to health. The app is available free through your app store for both Apple and Android mobile devices.
MS Ready is a two-time winner of the Platinum Hermes Creative Award, an international honor bestowed by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals.
Features of MS Ready include:
To find the app, search your app store for MS Ready or visit www.HealthyMS.com/apps.
Press Contact: MSDH Office of Communications, (601) 576-7667
Note to media: After hours or during emergencies, call 601-576-7400.
Find this page at http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/index.cfm/index.cfm


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Critics are calling the curvy model out for perpetuating an "unhealthy" lifestyle, but her fans love how real she is.
Inspired by her own journey to self-love, model Iskra Lawrence has created a makeover show to help others with "crippling insecurities" by addressing the things that make them view themselves in harmful ways.
If she could just grow these a little bigger, a stranger on the internet would think she's perfect.
Model Iskra Lawrence had a major Jessica Rabbit moment on the Cannes red carpet in a custom Justin Alexander gown.
Iskra Lawrence is known for being herself, unapologetically. But now the curvy model's mother Wilma, 50, is getting in on the act, starring alongside her 27-year-old daughter in Aerie's latest swimwear campaign.
Is there any treat more quintessentially summer than those Popsicle Firecracker ice pops? You know the ones: chaped like a rocket, with cherry red, white and blue flavors (what are the flavors of the blue and white?). Between the bright colors and the cooling effect of the popsicle, they're ...
Curvy model Iskra Lawrence posted a fun Instagram video, dancing to Demi Lovato’s hit song “Sorry Not Sorry” and sharing that she does not retouch her photos.
Jennie Runk, a plus-size model, is breaking down barriers in the fashion industry. Last night marked the premiere of the new EPIX documentary Straight/Curve, a film looking into the influencers working hard to redefine modern beauty standards and promote body diversity.
Coach Rob wants to be the male version of Ashley Graham. "That’s my goal. That’s how successful I want to be."
Iskra Lawrence is giving major vavavoom vibes. The model and body-positive activist known, among other things, for her extensive work in the Photoshop-free Aerie campaign, shared a photo of herself in a bright red Prabal Gurung dress on Instagram Tuesday afternoon. Posing next to a full-length mirror and in front of the New York City skyline, Lawrence holds a photo of herself in said red Prabal dress in one hand and a gold clutch in the other.
This summer (though it still seems to be ages away) it could be Aerie’s Super Scoop One Piece Swimsuit. Aerie’s models have been rocking the look on social media, pretty much making the rest of us want to run to the stores to pick one up. Iskra Lawrence, Aerie model and body activist has recently taken to social media to alert folks that it’s back in stock.
Many models cite their troubled industry as a source of body image issues. The impossible standards that models are expected to uphold from a young age take a toll, often resulting in eating disorders and low self-esteem.
Model Iskra Lawrence encourages women to embrace their bodies and speak out against body shaming. While Iskra Lawrence started her career as a model, she’s set herself apart in the industry by becoming a body positive advocate.
“I didn’t want my first runway to be a plus-sized show,” Iskra Lawrence, on walking for Chromat at New York Fashion Week.


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Handheld sales: Palm even, HP down, Dell up
The second quarter of 2005 was not a great one for handheld device sales, with a lack of new releases and an overall market slump taking a toll on at least one of the major manufacturers.
Palm gained 3% over their sales in the first quarter of this year, remaining the number one single seller despite a decline in shipments of 31% compared to a the second quarter of 2004.
HP stayed in second place, with a sales drop of 35% from Q1 2005, and 39% from the period a year ago.
In a surprise third-place finish is Acer, usurping Dell’s usual spot in the list. Acer, whose PocketPCs are virtually unknown in the US, had a massive sales spike on demand for its GPS-integrated devices, rising 61% from the first quarter, and a whopping 608% compared to a year ago. It remains to be seen whether they can sustain such a spike–other manufacturers such as Medion have come and gone from the top five, frequently on just this sort of spike in the GPS PocketPC market.
Dell, coming in at number four, had a mixed quarter. Their sales were down 17% compared to a year ago, but up 17% compared to the previous quarter. It’s worth noting that in Q2 2004, Dell released the massively popular X30 series, stimulating a burst of sales, while they did not have any releases in Q2 2005.
Rounding out the top 5 is Germany-based Yakumo, a manufacturer of PocketPC based GPS navigation systems which are popular in Europe. Like Acer, Yakumo is also in a sales spike, gaining 52% over Q1 2005, and 346% over Q2 2004.
Despite the fact that Dell and Palm are actually up, this is being taken by many as an opportunity to shout about the total implosion of the handheld market–in fact, the title of the CNET article is Handheld market still tanking, study says. Realistically, a moderate early-year slump is usually to be expected for most manufacturers, since it’s the time of least buying and fewest new releases. While I suspect that pundits would pronounce the handheld market’s imminent death even if all the manufacturers we showing sales upsurges, the current argument hinges on HP’s performance.
Many of HP’s recent round of PocketPCs have been lackluster in design and overpriced, leading users to consider products by Dell, others, or simply to not upgrade at all. While good for Dell and others, this results in significant losses for HP. If the handheld market is dead, someone has neglected to inform Palm, Dell, and Acer.
Memo to HP: The pay really ISN’T the same whether you try or not, and it appears that the days of being able to charge a massive premium for the iPaq name may be over.
Pretec shipping 4 GB SD card
Pretec has taken the wraps off their newest memory card. Rated at speeds up to 133x, the 4 GB card is the largest SD memory card on the market, and yes, I want one.
But as drool-worthy as this is, don’t pull out your wallet yet. The new cards are currently shipping at a price of $700. While this is likely to come down once the new cards start shipping in larger quantities, some time next month, it will be some time before it has become really affordable to the consumer market.
In related news, Pretec has dropped the list price of their 12 GB CompactFlash card from a cattle-stunning $10,000 to a merely Taser-like $5,000.
Pics, specs of HTC Wizard models
Norwegian language site WindowsMobile.no has acquired at least one live HTC Wizard PocketPC phone, and posted photos and specifications. The site lists a 320 x 240 QVGA screen, EDGE/UMTS wireless data, Bluetooth, WiFi, MiniSD, 1.3 megapixel camera, and Windows Mobile 5.0.
Meanwhile, the FCC has opened the lid on at least two more Wizard variants: a Wizard 100, in versions with and without a camera (the latter being marked as the 110), and a Wizard 200 with a different style of slide-out keyboard and physical design, the latter being the model demoed by WindowsMobile.no. Interestingly, according to the FCC filing documents, HTC says that the internal circuitry on all three models is the same, which begs the question of what the different versions are intended for. The confidentiality date on the filings is September 2005, suggesting that the Wizard may be available relatively soon.


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00:00 / 00:00
12 July 2016
We turn the spotlight back on itself and take a look at the state of the lighting-design industry. We talk to the man behind lighting giant Flos, visit Vienna’s brightest new-builds and meet the Danish lighting designers making it in the city.
12 July 2016
Photo: Vincent Van Duysen
With a history spanning a half-century, Italian lighting firm Flos has gained an industry-leading reputation. CEO Piero Gandini talks about striking a balance between brand integrity and commercial responsiveness and the relationship between technology and design.
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Photo: Matti Östling/ArkDes
In June, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden made a rare foray into public life by denouncing British architect David Chipperfield’s design for the new Nobel Centre in Stockholm. We explore the relationship between architecture and politics with James Taylor-Foster, European editor at large of architecture site ArchDaily.
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Since 2013, Made by Hand has created lacquered-aluminium pendants and stainless-steel desk lamps, among much else. We speak to co-founder Thomas Baldur-Felskov about why the company firmly believes in keeping manufacturing in the city.
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Last week, Barkham Beauty Rooms celebrate their imminent 10th Anniversary with the launch of their new logo.
Owned by local sisters, Stacey and Tara Jones, the business will continue to celebrate their tenth birthday over the next year, with many themed events at the salon on 330 Barkham Road.
Stacey Jones said: “This is such a big deal for us. As we enter the new year we begin a countdown until we turn 10.
“We hope to run lots of fantastic offers and are looking at the possibility of collaborating with other local businesses as well.”


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An area ice cream parlor is scooping up a sweet deal.
Lakeside Parlor in Cassopolis, Michigan is giving away a trip.
"We decided that we wanted to do something for our customers that nobody has ever done before. What ice cream shop gives away a trip," said one of the parlor's owners, Karen Smoots.
Everyone, even those who aren't customers, can enter to win the trip. They'll have from now, until Labor Day to do so. The trip will be later in the fall to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
To learn more about the giveaway or for more information on Lakeside Parlor, call 574-445-3143.


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The use of cryptocurrencies in India will be banned completely in the near future, according to an anonymous source claiming to be a senior Indian Finance Ministry official.
The source told Bloomberg that a new law being introduced in the parliament will ban the use of cryptocurrency in all its forms, and this will include overseas transactions.
The source added that investors will be granted a three- to six-month window to exit their positions after the new law comes into effect.
The official said the government is targeting cryptos because they are not backed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
In January, India’s parliament introduced the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021 for debate.
The aim of the bill is to create a facilitative framework for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) issued by the RBI, and to “prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India.”
Sathvik Vishwanath, the co-founder and CEO of major Indian cryptocurrency exchange Unocoin, told Bloomberg that crypto stakeholders are anxiously waiting for more information.
He said, “If government goes ahead with banning all cryptocurrencies, except the one backed by the state, it will not make sense to continue our business in India. But we’ll have to wait and watch.”
In March 2020, India’s Supreme Court overturned the RBI’s April 2018 blanket ban on local banks catering to crypto-related businesses.
However, hopes for the legitimization of the sector were dashed in June 2020 when the Ministry of Finance proposed legislation that would again ban crypto assets.


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Telecom companies charged Amazon $100 million for its Phone bill!
“Out for delivery - Your order from Amazon.in XXXX is out for delivery. Our delivery partner would be at your doorstep shortly.”
This message must have brought a smile to your face a lot of times. Amazon sends dozens of these messages to its customers. But these messages cost a fortune to the e-commerce giant.
$100 million or INR 800 crores is what Amazon has to pay to Telecom companies for these messages.
Okay, just to give you some context, Meesho, an e-commerce retailer made that kind of money in FY 21.
The price tag Amazon is paying for these messages is huge, and considering it is paying much more than the domestic players, as telecom companies like Reliance, Airtel, and Vi, charge it international SMS rates.
Amazon wasn’t happy paying a massive amount, but since India is one of its biggest markets, it had to comply with the rules. Things got bad when last year telecom companies decided to hike the SMS price for international players to $0.03, or Rs. 2 per message. This price is around 20 times higher than the rate telecom companies charge to the domestic players.
Now according to telcos, “Any entity that has its cloud servers outside of India and has data of Indian customers being processed by those external data centers is classified as international,”.
Amazon couldn’t take it, it decided to seek help from TRAI, it alleged that telcos are overcharging it and they should not charge it international prices as its messages originate from servers in India.
While telecom companies argued that the company has its servers outside of India, and its messages are triggered by servers located in Dublin and thus they have to charge international prices from the company.
These prices have not only pinched Amazon, but also the local companies that have to use SMS services extensively, like Fintech companies and Banks. They have to send messages to share transaction details, OTPs, login credentials, and whatnot.
These companies knew telecom companies would not budge and hence they decide to seek help from RBI to loosen the guidelines a bit. Companies like Google Pay and Paytm filed a petition to consider allowing app-based notification for transactions.
Their argument was that the country recorded digital payment transactions worth Rs 8,734 crore in the financial year 2022, and the cost of SMS -based notifications would be approximately Rs 1048 crore. If they used, in-app notifications the cost would have just been about Rs 8.8 crore.
Just like these companies, Amazon texts its customers for a variety of reasons, like login, resetting the password, OTPs, etc. According to the report Amazon sends approximately 300 million messages in a month in India, while Meta - which has Whatsapp, Instagram, and Facebook spends a similar amount for all apps combined.
The reason Amazon is fighting hard to establish the fact that its messages are from Indian servers is that TRAI has prescribed termination charges of 5 paise for domestic messages. Termination charges are basically charged that operators levy on other telcos for terminating the messages. For international messages, there isn’t a prescribed charge and hence Telcos can charge international players according to their will.
Now, Amazon wasn’t the only one suffering from this high tariff, other international players like Meta and Google were also bearing the heat of tariff hike, but unlike Amazon, they decided to solve the issue.
They went to the telecom companies and politely requested them to work out long-term agreements, wherein the tariff would be economical and Telecom companies could not have said no to them, as they have invested billions in them. For instance, Meta owns 9.99% of Jio platforms, while Facebook owns 7.73% of it.
Sadly, Amazon does not have any such strategic alliance with a telco in India.
That's why Amazon decided to take matters into its own hands and knocked on the doors of TRAI to look into the matter, but given the financial state of Telcos in India, TRAI chose to be silent on the matter. Amazon makes up for more than 20% of the international messages sent in India and charging it domestic SMS prices could have led to a loss of millions for Telcos hence the regulator decide to not act upon it
Well, Amazon could not budge the telcos, rather it decided to cut down on the messages it sends to its customers to lower the financial burden. It reduced the number of messages per order from six-seven to two-three. It has also defined a fixed order value to determine whether a customer would receive a message or just an app notification which costs much less.
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Like so many other business owners in Vietnam, Nguyen Tien Trung found himself struggling to sustain his livelihood when the novel coronavirus broke out across the country. But when he was forced to close down his seafood restaurant, he decided to pivot online – a decision that proved crucial for him and his young daughter.
With lockdowns and other unprecedented offline disruptions caused by COVID-19, the 31-year-old single father realized he had to look to digital solutions if he wanted to provide for his child. He started doing research on different eCommerce platforms and eventually sold his most prized possession at the time – a motorbike – so he could use the money as capital to launch his first online business, selling home and living products on Lazada.
“I researched several different eCommerce platforms, but Lazada was the most suitable choice for sellers with no or little online experience,” Trung said, referencing the round-the-clock support the platform provides to new merchants.
Since joining Lazada, Trung has not only been able to connect with a vast customer base, completing his first order after only just four days of signing up, he’s been using the platform’s insights and resources to grow his store. He is vigilant about studying and analyzing his store’s metrics using Lazada’s real-time data dashboard and often adjusts his business strategy accordingly as a result. For example, after finding out that 95% of his orders came from South Vietnam, he relocated his business to Ho Chi Minh City and has since seen sales rapidly increase to VND25-30 million per week.
Trung has also taken part in Lazada’s mega campaigns, which have helped bring in hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong in daily sales. While he had no experience in these sort of large-scale retail events prior to joining Lazada, the platform’s dedicated key account management team helped him easily – and quickly – find his footing and path to success. Not only did the team offer guidance on choosing the right products for campaigns, it also offered marketing support to help Trung better connect with and engage customers.
“The Lazada team helped me with new promotional tool and store setups and motivated me to do more livestreams. Because of this, I’ve become more confident in interacting with customers and have also learnt how to take attractive images and videos by myself to promote my products,” Trung explained.
Trung now spends his time between running his successful business and being a father. While it can be challenging at times, he says the flexibility of having his own online business means he can spend more time with his daughter, whether it’s to play with her or to make her breakfast and take her to school, while still being able to take care of his store’s operations and expand his own digital skills by taking courses at Lazada University.
Having experienced firsthand the benefits of using eCommerce, Trung has become especially passionate about encouraging his friends to start their own stores on Lazada and has helped them navigate the platform’s many tools and resources to optimize their businesses and drive traffic and conversions. Thanks to these efforts, many of his friends have achieved success since joining Lazada.
Trung himself has expanded his business with two more stores on Lazada that focus on electronic accessories and sporting goods. He also plans to open an online seafood store on the eCommerce platform in the future so he can utilize Lazada’s fresh-food delivery service.
“Running an online business is very interesting, and thanks to it, I can have more time to care for my daughter and maintain our livelihood,” he said.
Thu Pham is from Lazada Vietnam’s public relations team.
“Lazada ECommerce Education” aims to inspire young talent to join the eCommerce industry
Highlights from Lazada’s 6.6 Super WOW Sale, Lazada Run’s race in Indonesia and a new haircare microsite.
Rizza Lana is the woman behind the clean beauty brand and other thriving businesses.


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A glimpse to a chic future of fashion seen through age-old aesthetic and craftsmanship
What do you get when the worlds of Louis Vuitton and Fornasetti collide? A whimsical celebration of fashion that mirrors the art of Europe’s distinct cultural era that is the Renaissance.
For its fall-winter 2021 offering, the French maison worked hand-in-hand with the Italian home decor label in bringing to life fashion pieces that are worth to be called masterpieces. With the two’s shared sense of experimental traditionalism, the LV x Fornasetti capsule collection is a glimpse to a chic future of fashion seen through age-old aesthetic and craftsmanship.
Rich color combinations, textures, and design motifs such as architectures, locks, keys, and portraits are beautifully featured in every piece of the collection.
“Exploring the Fornasetti archives had the excitement of an archaeological dig, searching for and finding drawings from the past to give them a new life for Louis Vuitton–for now and the future,” Louis Vuitton’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquière says.
Breathing new life to Greek and Roman art, the collaboration was first presented earlier this year during its fall/winter 2021 runway show held at the Michelangelo gallery in the Louvre in Paris. This August, the French fashion house released a campaign marking the debut of the LV x Fornasetti capsule collection.
Watch Louis Vuitton’s fall/winter 2021 presentation here:


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According to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is expected to announce the name at the company’s Connect conference on October 28, reports The Verge.
As per report, the rebrand would likely position the Facebook app as one of the many products under a parent company overseeing groups like Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and more.
Facebook first announced its plans to build out the metaverse — a term used to describe virtual, interactive spaces in the digital world — last month.
Facebook earlier this month announced to hire 10,000 people to help the social network build the metaverse — a new phase of interconnected virtual experiences using technologies like virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR).
According to the company, the next computing platform has the potential to help unlock access to new creative, social and economic opportunities.
“We are announcing a plan to create 10,000 new high-skilled jobs within the European Union (EU) over the next five years,” said Nick Clegg, VP Global Affair at Facebook.
“Beyond emerging tech talent, the EU also has an important role to play in shaping the new rules of the Internet,” he said.
Facebook in September announced that it will invest $50 million to partner with the organisation to responsibly build the metaverse.
The “metaverse” is a set of virtual spaces where one can create and explore with other people who aren’t in the same physical space.
Zuckerberg in 2004 said that the key to Facebook’s future lies with the metaverse concept — the idea that users will live, work and exercise inside a virtual universe.


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Collecting 30,000 Pounds Of Pet Food In just 30 Days
Fort Wayne local, Rachelle Reinking, requests the community’s support to reach the goal of collecting 30,000 pounds of pet food in 30 days for Humane Fort Wayne’s Pet Food Pantry. The 30K in 30 Days Pet Food Drive began collection on November 26, 2022 and will end on December 26, 2022 – Reinking’s 30th birthday.
“For this milestone birthday, I wanted to contribute something more than a Facebook fundraiser,” said Reinking, who volunteers for Humane Fort Wayne. “I set what some might consider a lofty goal, but I have seen the generosity of our community time and again. I believe we can make this happen together.”
Local donation drop oﬀ is available at the following partner locations:
- Humane Fort Wayne Pet Food Pantry (2502 Church Street) – Tuesdays, 1- 5:30PM
- Pet Supplies Plus locations (6326 W Jeﬀerson Blvd; 6101 Stellhorn Rd; 4714 Coldwater Rd) – Monday to Saturday, 9AM – 9PM, and Sunday, 10AM – 6PM
- Bread & Circus Art Gallery (3400 N Anthony Blvd) – Wednesday to Saturday, 11AM – 7PM
- Fae’s Cabinet (3210 Crescent Ave) – Monday, 10AM – 5PM, Thursday to Friday, 10AM – 7PM, Saturday, 10AM – 8PM (until 10PM on November 26), and Sunday 11AM – 5PM
- Just Cream Ice Cream Boutique (338 E Dupont Rd) – Tuesday to Thursday, 2 – 9PM, Friday, 2 – 10PM, Saturday, 12 – 10PM, and Sunday, 12 – 9PM
- Studio Seva (3511 N Anthony Blvd) – Before and after classes
Eligible items for donations include dry and wet food for dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens. Donation orders can also be made online through Humane’s online wishlist at Chewy.com, which will ship purchased items directly to the organization: www.chewy.com/g/fort-wayne-pet-food-pantry_b73225741
Since its inception in 2010, the Fort Wayne Pet Food Pantry has been providing no-cost pet food to neighbors in need in our community. In doing so, the organization has helped keep pets in loving homes while reducing shelter intakes and euthanasia. In February 2022, the Pet Food Pantry joined Humane Fort Wayne as a joint initiative to serve pets and people in Fort Wayne.
To learn more about the Pet Food Pantry and other programs of Humane Fort Wayne, visit humanefw.org. If your business or organization would like to be a donation drop oﬀ location, here: form.jotform.com/223187170276154
- May 26, 2023 Local Text Ads - May 28, 2023
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11-27-2012 Industry News & Analysis Published in CSP Daily News
Inside store, foodservice buoys performance amid tobacco woes
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Part 2 in Fare’s look at the fuzzy, far-off future of foodservice at retail
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Latest news from McDonald’s, Starbucks and other foodservice leaders
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Mama DeLuca's features build-your-own format hot in fast casual
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Foodservice has been at the forefront of the convenience retailing industry for a few years now.
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Japanese-owned c-store chain had hoped to open 200 stores in America


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Tag Archives: H&M
The 2nd largest fashion chain in the world, H&M, finally made a home in 16th Street strip mall, in Cherry Creek Mall, and at Flatiron Crossing exactly 1 year and 1 month ago. Our rewards for waiting so patiently? The Swedish company has announced that they plan to incorporate an apparel recycling program to their business model in February 2013.
The cool part is that, unlike our Metro-Denver favorites Buffalo Exchange and Plato’s Closet, H&M plans to accept all styles, from all brands, in all conditions. Karl Johan-Persson , the company’s CEO, explains in a public statement that , “[H&M’s] sustainability efforts are rooted in a dedication to social and environmental responsibility. We want to do good for the environment, which is why we are now offering our customers a convenient solution: to be able to leave their worn out or defective garments with H&M.”
The exact details on how the program will function are still unavailable to the public but as far as we can understand, in exchange for a bag of unwanted clothing, customers will receive a kind of voucher that can be redeemed as store credit. “The collected clothes are then handled by H&M’s partner, I:Collect, which provides the infrastructure in which consumer goods are repeatedly reprocessed and made available for new use,” as stated in the retailer’s press release.
The company asserts that “as much as 95 percent of these clothes could be used again; re-worn, reused or recycled,” and in an effort to lessen the global carbon footprint of apparel production, consumption, and disposal, they want to spark a movement to close the loop. Although this move may not affect the quality of clothing sold in H&M stores, it might inspire a new perception of the fashion industry and it’s place in our culture.
Unfortunately, the program will only launch in selected stores, so we can only hope that Denver’s newly born locations will get to participate. In the meantime, throw a little “Closet Clean-Out” party with your favorite fashionistas and get a few 2nd opinions on whether you should keep that zebra-striped romper you bought in March with the tags still on it.
Send us your funniest CCO party photos at firstname.lastname@example.org to be entered to win a $20 H&M giftcard!


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A car is reported stolen every 45 seconds. In one out of eight cases, the owner made it easy by leaving the keys or a keyless fob in the car.
It’s a growing problem, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This type of theft has grown 31% in the last three years. Last year, 57,096 cars were stolen with keys — 21% more than in 2014.
The top 5 states for car theft using keys were California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Nevada. The top 5 cities were Las Vegas, Detroit, Atlanta, Miami, and Philadelphia. Only Hawaii had zero reports.
Everyone knows not to leave a car unlocked with the keys inside, but did you know a wireless fob can be used to break into your car? Or that you can stop hackers by keeping it in your freezer or wrapping it in aluminum foil?
In the old days, stealing a car meant breaking a window and hot-wiring the engine. Today it is easier to use a laptop or other hacking devices. Police in Atlanta, Seattle, New Orleans, and other cities have issued warnings.
Thieves do not even need to understand electronics — some devices can be purchased online for less than $50. The entire system uses a few cheap microchips, batteries, a radio transmitter, and an antenna.
The thief must be within 300 feet of the vehicle. The device “eavesdrops” on the signal between the car and the wireless key, and clones the signal to make a new key.
Wired recently described a simple hack that can unlock and start an estimated 100 million vehicles — including nearly every Volkswagen sold since 1995 and millions of Fiat, Ford, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and other vehicles.
Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau


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By Arjun Panchadar
(Reuters) – Match Group Inc predicts a tight quarter-on-quarter benefit below analysts' estimates on Tuesday, affected by higher costs for Tinder and its other dating applications, their stock shipments dropped 10 percent in the aftermarket to the market
Match Group, who plays with his cupid through his PlentyOfFish and Match.com services, has invested heavily to take his Tinder vacation cash to emerging markets and promote his other dating services as competition in the market of young people warm up
Marketing costs expect to increase about 20 percent year after year for Tinder and its other brands such as Hinge and Pairs.
The company expects adjusted earnings in the fourth quarter to be between $ 165 million and $ 170 million, below estimates of $ 170.9 million, according to Reefivist's IBES data.
The company also expects fourth-quarter revenue to be between 440 million and 450 million dollars, below estimates of 454 million dollars, largely due to a saving of about $ 6 million from a dollar The stronger and softness of indirect revenue due to the General Regulation of Data Protection and minor impressions.
Legislation was put into practice by the European Union in May to protect personal information and forced online gamers to make sure they have permission from users to manage their personal data.
Tinder – where users swipe left or right on their phones to signal the interest of a person – added 344,000 average subscribers in the last quarter, which represents a total of 4.1 million.
The total subscribers of the Match Group amounted to 8.1 million in the third quarter.
Match Group said it now expects revenues throughout the year to reach the top end of its previous forecast of $ 1.68 billion to $ 1.72 billion. Analysts expected revenues of $ 1.72 million.
Net profits attributable to shareholders fell to $ 130.2 million, or 44 cents per share, in the quarter ended September 30, of $ 287.7 million, or 98 cents per share a year earlier.
In a way adjusted, the company obtained 39 cents per share, above the estimates of 36 cents analysts.
Total revenues rose 29.3 percent to 443.9 million dollars, exceeding estimates of 438.1 million dollars.
Dallas-based Dallas-based shares have risen almost 90 percent in the last 12 months, although 22 percent fell in May through the Facebook plan to create their own dating service.
Company shares fell 9.4 percent to 46.64 dollars.
(Reports by Arjun Panchadar and Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta, Bernard Orr)


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SEARCHED FOR:FESTIVAL SEASON
Chana futures turn bullish in short term ahead of festival season
Chana futures have remained range bound at Rs 4020/quintal to Rs 4345/quintal since end of March.
Exports and festival season demand may drive moderate recovery in jeera futures
Though Covid-19 is expected to play a part in overall demand ...
Appliances, consumer electronics industry hopeful of robust sales this festive season
The consumer electronics and appliances sector, which h...
Automakers pin demand hopes on festive season, govt intervention
Passenger vehicle sales are making a slow but steady come back. But the market share positions of automakers are in a flux.
Myntra and Nykaa gear up for festive season sales, brands expect orders to double
The fashion and beauty categories were the hardest hit by the nationwide lockdown as people cut spends, especially discretionary spending for special occasions.
Big Billion Days to create 70,000 seasonal jobs this festive season: Flipkart
The Bengaluru-based company said while direct job opportunities will be created across Flipkart's supply chain, including roles like delivery executives, pickers, packers and sorters, there will also be additional indirect jobs created at Flipkart's seller partner locations and kiranas.
Coronavirus pandemic-hit tourism industry pins hope on festive season
"There is interest and queries are coming in about destinations and safety measures, but these are yet to be translated into bookings,"Travel Agents' Federation of India (TAFI) eastern region head Anil Punjabi said, adding that people have changed their priorities amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Audi India business back on track, sees heightened demand in festive season
"As we have moved out of this pandemic in terms of business, of course, the number of cases is still growing, but by and large the business is back on track and so are the customers," Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon told.
TV advertisement volumes surge as the festive season kicks in and lockdown eases
“We are seeing positive sentiments ahead of the festive season, and I think, many brands will be looking at increasing their share of voice around festivals,” said Ashish Sehgal, chief growth officer , advertisement revenue at Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEE).
Indian gold dealers bank on festivals to bring back customers
In India, discounts eased to $23 an ounce over official domestic prices, inclusive of 12.5% import and 3% sales levies, from last week's $30.
Companies launching single products with dual advantage ahead of the festive season
Shower gels are doubling up as face wash, hand creams and air fresheners are twinned with sanitisers and hygiene benefits to factor in a pandemic induced need to maximise value at minimum cost. Industry executives said Hindustan Unilever, Himalaya and Emami could soon follow suit.
State-run lenders pin hopes on festive season to drive demand
Some of the lenders such as Indian Bank and Bank of Maharashtra have announced concessions on interest rates and processing fees to encourage consumers in the car and home loan segments although the traction is most visible in the gold loan business, two senior bank officials familiar with the matter said.
For two-wheeler companies, Diwali may arrive on a Mobike this festive season
Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor and Royal Enfield are major players who have charted out a new output plan for September-October, adding to their earlier Diwali plans drawn up in June-July. Continued preference for personal mobility choices and strong rural buying are manufacturers’ reasons for betting on a brighter Diwali.
Overall consumption will see an increase in the festive season: ITC Ltd chairman Sanjiv Puri
Puri said even some discretionary categories like perfumes, cosmetics, skin care and confectionery have started to revive in the last two months though it is still below pre-Covid19 pandemic levels.


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HAWAII KAI, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Japanese business is counting on its recipe for success with its plan to open 20 new restaurants in Hawaii in the next five to six years. The first one, Gokoku Sushi, launches in a little more than a week at the Koko Marina Center. The eatery features a sushi and tempura bar with a view of the water.
"We do typical Japanese plus something really more creative for a new type of menu," explained Masayoshi Kurita, vice president of Pierthirty USA.
Pierthirty already operates more than 200 restaurants in Japan and China. The Hawaii expansion will create jobs for up to 700 people, according to Kurita.
"In Japan, the restaurant group has about six or seven restaurant concepts. They vary from a tempura bar to an Italian bakery to noodle shops," said business advisor Jo McGarry of MoJo The Business of Food.
Pierthirty expects to unveil an Italian bakery and a tempura restaurant in the new Bloomingdale's wing at Ala Moana Center next fall. The company is also looking at locations in Kapolei and Waikiki.
"I'm sure that they will be successful. I don't know if they will actually end up opening 20 restaurants, but if they open up one or many, I'm confident that they will do it well and they will be successful," said Roger Morey, executive director the Hawaii Restaurant Association.
Morey said he welcomes the new competition in the industry.
"I don't think it's going to hurt any solid performing restaurant," said Morey. "It might affect their business, but not in the long run. There's room for growth. There's room for competition."
Gokoku Sushi is Pierthirty's first restaurant in the United States. The company hopes to continue growing, with the launch of new locations on the mainland in the near future.
"It's not easy and we do realize it's ambitious, and we are really just trying to build a team that will have an impact in Hawaii in the best way for the longest time," said McGarry.
The grand opening festivities begin on December 9. The restaurant opens to the public on December 14.


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In an effort to loosen its reliance on Google's Android, Samsung is preparing to launch a Tizen-based smartphone in Russia and India, according to The Wall Street Journal. The upcoming device would be first launched in Russia as the company is already planning an event in Moscow in the coming weeks.
The event will reportedly have the same format that Samsung uses to unveil its flagship devices and is timed to take place around a developer's conference that Tizen's backers organized for early June in San Francisco.
The South Korean company is also close to the launch of a Tizen smartphone in India, where it is working to extend its operating system's reach beyond just smartphones to include television sets.
The news comes just a couple of months after the company released Tizen-based Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo smart watches.
Tizen powered smartphones were supposed to start shipping towards the end of the last year. But things didn't go as planned as mobile operators Orange and NTT DoCoMo backed off plans to sell the phones.
India and Russia, which are the third- and eighth-largest smartphone markets in the world, respectively, provide an opportunity for Samsung to drive volume. Coupled with the fact that operator distribution isn't the primary route to market, makes the two countries excellent launch pads for the company's homegrown operating system.
The Tizen project was born around 2.8 years ago when Linux Foundation and Limo Foundation agreed to merge their respective open-source mobile OSes, MeeGo and Limo, with an aim to compete with iOS and Android.


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An affiliate of Beloit-based Hendricks Commercial Properties LLC dropped its option to purchase its first development site near downtown Milwaukee this week.
The company was planning to purchase the 13,289-square-foot warehouse at 135 E. Pittsburgh Ave. and the adjacent parking lot at 120-138 E. Oregon St. in Walker’s Point from Greenfield-based real estate development firm Ener-Con Companies Inc.
The deal fell through during the due diligence process, according to Ener-Con. Calls to Hendricks were not returned.
The Ener-Con management team will be meeting later this month to go over future development plans for the team, Hurst said. Those plans could include a mixed-use development, with retail on the first floor and residential above.
The warehouse will be demolished, Hurst said.
Ursula Twombly, vice president of the Walker’s Point Association, said the association would like to see a parking garage that would include apartments on the site of the surface parking lot. She would like to see apartments and small retail along Pittsburgh.
“It’s quite a large piece of property and there continues to be struggles with that site,” Twombly said. “Other developers have tried to buy the whole block, but it is owned by three different entities and you need agreement from all, which doesn’t happen.”
The warehouse at 135 E. Pittsburgh Ave. is currently occupied by Indian motorcycle manufacturer Royal EnfieldNorth America Ltd. The building will become vacant on July 1, when the company moves into its permanent home at the former Mitchell Leather Factory & Retail Store building at 226 N. Water St.
Ener-Con purchased the 39,450-square-foot Mitchell building in 2015 and is redeveloping it into Mitchell on Water, a mixed-use building that will include 12 apartments.


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Will house APIs, micronised materials, highly potent substances and cytotoxic products
Micro-Macinazione, a leading European specialist in the micronisation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), has expanded its storage capacity by opening a new warehouse to meet a growing volume of orders and to pave the way for further growth in the business.
The warehouse, located in Molinazzo di Monteggio, Ticino, Switzerland, has been officially inspected by Swissmedic, the Swiss agency for therapeutic products and quality standards for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). The certified storage facility will hold incoming materials as well as already micronised, highly potent substances and cytotoxic products, which are subject to special safety requirements.
The new 500m2 warehouse offers extra space on two floors for 630 Euro-pallets.
The firm said business is going well, with sales up 23.4% in the first quarter of 2016 compared with the same period last year.
'This pleasant course of business is the direct result of our investments in research and development, and in new production units and mills,' said Giovanna Libralon, Head of Business Development.
Over the last two years, Micro-Macinazione has invested more than CHF4m (€3.6m; US$4.01m) to establish a new R&D department, build a new control banding system and construct new production units for the micronisation of highly potent substances and cytotoxic products.
The company also has a new jet mill for processing very large volumes of highly active ingredients.


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Customers all around Canada are still basking in the glow of the legalization of recreational marijuana, however some aren’t so happy when it comes to the packaging, according to news reports.
One consumer said the box she purchased cannabis in was “huge,” and that it makes it appear the customer is getting much more than they actually do. A Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation cannabis outlet photo shared on social media revealed the amount of waste generated by what is considered by many to be a “green” product.
Mark Butler, policy director at the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax, said the consumer carries too much burden with all of the excess packaging. According to Butler, the environmental impact is the last thing on a company’s mind when developing a new product. The result is excess packaging, much of it not easily recycled. He said this is true across many sectors, not just the cannabis industry.
Health Canada sets the regulations on how cannabis products are packaged by companies according to the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation, who said that products are already sealed when they arrive at the store.
Butler said while some consumers feel the product is more difficult to access due to excessive packaging, he believes companies might make a greater effort to minimize packaging if there were incentives put in place. A few consumers believe the heavy amount of packaging makes the product safer, however the general consensus is that it’s just too much.
REA JET Canada provides industrial coding and marking solutions for packaging, consumer goods packaging, plastics, food, pharmaceutical, wood and other industries. From cardboard cartons and paper bags to glass bottles, corrugated cardboard, tray packaging and plastic bottles, our coding technologies provide clear, durable marking in the harshest environments. Trust REA JET for all of your coding and marking system needs.


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“The significantly refreshed Ford Escape is a great-driving small SUV, now with even more features for the money,” said Cars Editor-in-Chief Patrick Olsen. “Between its huge infotainment system, comfortable and quiet ride and impressive built-in storage, the Escape is a real winner.”
In particular, the staff from Cars.com praised the Ford Escape’s new SYNC 3 infotainment system, saying that it was “clean-looking and easy to use,” and offered simple smartphone integration. The new Ford Escape also “has the best driving dynamics and manages to feel responsive and composed over bumps,” according to Assistant Managing Editor of Data Bill Jackson.
Cars.com did have one or two hangups with regard to the new Ford Escape, however. “There’s a sea of hard plastic and interior design that probably was futuristic when Ford first went to it years ago, but it could use a rethink,” said Mr. Jackson. Moreover, Jackson’s colleagues seemed to disagree with his assessment of the Escape’s ride and handling, with Assistant Managing Editor of News Jennifer Geiger remarking that “composure over bumps is a problem,” and that “Ford said it improved interior noise levels with this model but there’s more work to do.”
The 2017 Ford Escape was nonetheless selected the overall winner, with earning a higher mark than the 2016 Honda CR-V, 2016 Hyundai Tucson, 2017 Kia Sportage, and 2016 Toyota RAV4. It came up last in the Interior Quality and Comfort categories.


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Is e-RUPI Another Feather in India’s Digital Payments Cap?
India gets a digital boost with the launch of e-RUPI, a cashless and contactless one-time digital payment mechanism. While the new digital payment system may become the preferred mode for direct benefit transfers (DBT) as it could help avoid leakages in subsidy transfers, experts have also raised some concerns that need to be addressed.
The new digital payment mode is basically a prepaid voucher that can be issued directly to citizens after verifying mobile number and identity. Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India on its UPI platform, in collaboration with the Department of Financial Services, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, National Health Authority and 11 partner banks, the e-RUPI voucher will be delivered in the form of a QR code or SMS string-based e-voucher to the beneficiary’s mobile number, the government said in a press release.
The contactless payment system has been hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a person and purpose specific digital payment solution and targeted delivery of benefits,” and is now available only for health services. At a later stage however, it will be expanded to other segments is in line with the BHIM-UPI payment system launched in December 2016.
While banks and payments systems have a huge role to play in this ecosystem, the PM said that the hospitals and corporate entities have also shown interest in adopting this technology. In fact, the e-RUPI can be used by even private corporate entities as part of their corporate social responsibility. Modi gave an example of a corporate sponsoring vaccination of 100 people in a private hospital. In that case, the beneficiary will get the vaccine free from the hospital, but only after showing the e-RUPI SMS or QR code.
However, in a report by Bloomberg Quint, Mihir Gandhi, partner and leader-payments transformation at PwC India said, “These could be any one-time payment options, such as gift vouchers, fuel top-up, donations and food subsidy. e-RUPI can be issued by government or by corporates to their employees for targeted use as it only allows purchase from merchant outlets, but does not permit direct cash out or peer-to-peer transfer.”
Bharat Panchal, Chief Risk Officer for India, Middle East & Africa for FIS Global, told CXOToday cautioned that e-RUPI needs some stronger controls to monitor any possible frauds.
“If real beneficiary starts encashing such vouchers in lieu of cash than it would be difficult to trace such pre-paid instruments once it starts to move from one hand to other. Therefore , It would be effective to match the beneficiary’s details at the time of redemption to make sure that real beneficiary only is using it and not someone else,” he said.
According to a report by McAfee, QR based payments may give rise to Qshing or QR code-abuse.The report predicts that hackers will find opportunities to use social engineering to gain access to customer’s personal data in a single scan.
Experts also believe, e-RUPI as a digital payments solution can only work if the cybersecurity framework backing the prepaid instrument is resilient. There must be a two-step verification to identify the services are being delivered to the right beneficiary, and a grievance redressal process must be put in place to address the lags and user concerns.
Although the e-payments space in the country looks promising, there is a requirement for data protection laws and consumer protection laws in order to make the space more reliable and secure.
Avinash Shekhar, Co-CEO of ZebPay however believes that e-RUPI and digital currencies such as crypto assets can co-exist in the digital Indian economy.’
Despite challenges however, the last one and half years have seen amazing shifts in the digitization of payments in India. ACI Worldwide’s recent report indicated more than 70.3 billion real-time payments transactions were processed globally in 2020, a surge of 41% as compared to the previous year. It projected a CAGR for real-time payments of 23% from 2020 to 2025.
For example, the BHIM UPI not only made it easy for businesses to transact money but also empowered the hundreds of small businesses with seamless transactions. The UPI system has indeed changed the payment landscape in India and has become the preferred mode of payment in many cases. In July alone, UPI registered 3 billion transactions, worth Rs 6 trillion-plus.
So, while it’s too early to predict the success of e-RUPI, its clear that with Covid-19 pandemic placing a greater reliance on real-time and digital payments, the trend is here to stay. It and evolve as new technologies and platforms.


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Monese, a London, UK-based fintech startup that allows users to open up a UK bank account on mobile, raised $1.8m in seed funding.
Backers included Seedcamp, Spotify investor Shakil Khan and a select group of other angel investors.
The company intends to use the funds to launch during Summer with plans for international expansion in the near future.
Founded by CEO Norris Koppel, Monese provides banking services for immigrants and expats across Europe. This summer, it will launch a branchless digital banking service that offers instant account opening via a mobile app, a fully-featured current account interface, global payments and a contactless debit card.
The company is licensed and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).


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Apple introduced new child safety protections to help detect known child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in August of 2021. Little more than a year later, it backed down on its CSAM-scanning plans and now we know why.
Part of Apple’s child protection initiative was to identify known CSAM material before it was uploaded to iCloud Photos, but that proved controversial among privacy advocates who worried that a precedent was being set and that the technology could be misused. Now, it appears that Apple ultimately agreed.
Apple is again being taken to task over its lack of CSAM iCloud protections and that’s triggered the company to explain its thinking, saying that “scanning every user’s privately stored iCloud data would create new threat vectors for data thieves to find and exploit. »
A child safety group known as Heat Initiative recently sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook to demand the company does more to protect children who are abused, according to a Wired report. Cook didn’t respond, but Erik Neuenschwander, Apple’s director of user privacy and child safety, did.
The response was also provided to Wired which means we now get a better understanding of Apple’s thinking behind its decision to ditch the scanning of CSAM content — despite many misunderstanding how it would actually work.
Alongside creating new thread vectors, Neuenschwander argues that scanning iCloud data « would also inject the potential for a slippery slope of unintended consequences. Scanning for one type of content, for instance, opens the door for bulk surveillance and could create a desire to search other encrypted messaging systems across content types.”
Apple ultimately chose privacy over trying to prevent known CSAM material from being stored on its servers, it seems. “We decided to not proceed with the proposal for a hybrid client-server approach to CSAM detection for iCloud Photos from a few years ago,” Neuenschwander reportedly said in the response to Heat Initiative. “We concluded it was not practically possible to implement without ultimately imperiling the security and privacy of our users.”
Heat Initiative chief Sarah Gardner called Apple’s decision « disappointing, » telling Cook that “Apple is one of the most successful companies in the world with an army of world-class engineers,” Gardner wrote in a statement to WIRED. “It is their responsibility to design a safe, privacy-forward environment that allows for the detection of known child sexual abuse images and videos. For as long as people can still share and store a known image of a child being raped in iCloud we will demand that they do better.”


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Because of COVID-19, PCs, tablet, and mobile phones are expected to decline by nearly 2 billion units in 2020 over last year, a decline of 13.6%, analyst firm Gartner said Tuesday.
That’s the case even though work from home (WFH) and school from home due to the pandemic forced purchases of more notebooks, Chromebooks and tablets, Gartner analyst Ranjit Atwal said. Without that push, the decline in the PC market could have been much worse, he added.
PC shipments for the year will drop by more than 10%, while total mobile phone shipments will decline nearly 15%, including a nearly 14% decline for smartphones.
Gartner also predicted that 48% of employees will likely WFH at least part-time after the pandemic, up from 30% pre-pandemic. The WFH trend will force business notebooks to displace desk-based PCs through 2022.
Users have increased use of their mobile phones to be sure during the pandemic. However, reduced disposable income will result in fewer phone upgrades, Atwal said. Phone lifetimes will jump from 2.5 years in 2018 to 2.7 years in 2020.
Gartner reduced the total of 5G mobile phones to be shipped in 2020, now put at 11% of the total of all mobile phone shipments. Overall mobile phones, nearly 1.5 billion will ship in 2020, down from more than 1.7 billion in 2019.
“Delayed delivery of some 5G flagship phones is an ongoing issue,” according to Annette Zimmermann of Gartner. “Moreover, the lack of 5G geographical coverage along with the increasing cost of the 5G phone contract will impact the choice of a 5G phone.”
Even with Gartner’s downward forecast for devices, analyst firm VLSI last week tracked a 17% increase in second quarter semiconductor sales globally.


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Struggling retailer Bonmarche is set to be taken over by billionaire Philip Day - but a hitlist of stores look set to close.
Mr Day, who is owner of The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group, has acquired more than half of the company’s shares, triggering a mandatory takeover bid.
Using his Dubai-based investment vehicle Spectre, Mr Day has bought a 52.4% stake in the retailer.
Spectre said it would undertake a profitability assessment on Bonmarche’s estate of more than 300 stores and shutter underperforming sites or reduce costs by cutting the number of staff or seeking a lower rent.
The chain has stores in Bangor, Llandudno, Colwyn Bay, Rhyl, St Asaph, Wrexham and Chirk.
The womenswear retailer said it has seen “significantly weaker” trading since the start of the month, reversing a bounce-back in January and February after it resorted to heavy discounting to shift stock.
In a statement Spectre said: “Against the backdrop of the significant decline in Bonmarche’s profitability, Spectre believes it is well positioned to provide advice, guidance and support to secure the long term future of the Bonmarche business, its stores and employees.
“The owner of Spectre, Philip Day, has a successful track record within the retail sector, especially in turnaround and distressed situations.”
Mr Day’s other investments include Peacocks, Proquip, Austin Reed, Country Casuals, Jaeger and Jacques Vert.


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Why ‘free shipping’ is a giant con
FREE shipping seems to be everywhere these days as online stores step up their game to try to lure us in.
But according to one Aussie CEO, "free" is actually anything but for a huge chunk of the population.
Speaking at the 2018 Online Retailer trade event, Kogan.com founder and CEO Ruslan Kogan said the offer was little more than a gimmick - and that Sydney and Melbourne residents were paying the price.
"People love free shipping, so customer-focused businesses have free shipping - but we know it doesn't exist," he said.
"We know that sending something to Broome or Cairns costs more than sending something to metro Sydney or Melbourne.
"But on the website, it still says 'free shipping' - so they punish metro customers and make them subsidise those Broome and Cairns customers."
In a nutshell, the cost of providing shipping for customers across the entire country is absorbed into the product price - so the 10 million-odd residents in our two biggest cities pay the same slightly higher cost than regional and rural customers, even though the price of shipping to them is a fraction of what it costs to deliver items elsewhere.
Mr Kogan said that was the reason he had decided against introducing free shipping at his own business.
And he said Apple's Genius Bars were another example of some customers - in this case, those who buy products but rarely if ever use the service - subsidising it for customers to visit the Genius Bar regularly.
Queensland University of Technology retail expert Dr Gary Mortimer said it was standard practice to charge a flat rate for shipping regardless of true cost.
"The term 'phantom freight' is used to refer to when everyone pays a flat fee of say $8 or $10, knowing that the true value of delivery to the Sydney or Brisbane metro area might be $4.60, while delivery to say Broome might be $16.70," he said.
"They average it out and that way it doesn't disadvantage people in regional areas, because a lot of growth in online retailing comes from people in rural areas because they simply can't get to stores, they live in the middle of nowhere.
"If they were to be charged the real cost of delivery, they would be fundamentally disadvantaged."
He agreed that free shipping was actually a myth.
"I would assume there's no such thing as free delivery, because all logistics have a cost, so I think you'll find the cost of delivery and logistics will be built into the product at some point," he said.
Nevertheless, Australia's online shopping addiction shows no sign of slowing.
Speaking at the same event in Sydney today, Australia Post's executive general manager business and government Gary Starr said e-commerce was worth an enormous $21.3 billion in Australia last year alone.
Citing the newly released Inside Australian Online Shopping report, Mr Starr said that number represents an 18.7 per cent growth from the previous year, and a 19.2 per cent growth in terms of the total number of goods purchased.
Around 80 per cent of that cash was spent with local retailers, and Australia Post expects that by 2020, one in 10 items will be bought online.
Mr Starr said customers were clearly looking for "convenience and choice" as well as simplicity and flexibility when it came to every stage of online shopping, including payment and delivery.
KOGAN.COM'S RISE AND RISE
The company's revenue rose by more than 40 per cent in 2018, and is expected to rake in $405 million this year compared with $289.5 million in 2017, according to a quarterly cash flow and trading statement released earlier this month.
And Mr Kogan revealed that the business is so popular that several big Australian banks introduced a ban on employees having Kogan products delivered at work, as items were clogging up business mailrooms.


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The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has announced plans to train farmers in the South-East region of the country on “good agricultural practices” for exports.
Also, to train the farmers on gap factors and food safety standards and certification, required in export business under Export Expansion Facility Programme (EEFP) among others.
Olusegun Awolowo, executive secretary/chief executive officer of the NEPC, revealed this Thursday, in Aba, Abia State, at a-day sensitization programme, organized by the Council’s EEFP, for farmers and agricultural value chain operators in preparation for the proposed capacity building programme.
To ensure equity and fairness, Awolowo stated that the EEFP team worked in partnership with the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Association of Nigeria (FACAN), the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and regulatory bodies of the value chain operators in designing the roadmap for the selection of the first 20 (twenty) States, as a pilot scheme, for the engagement of farmers and other value chain operators in the sensitization and capacity building programme under the scheme.
Awolowo, who was represented, by Roselyn Ekanem, head – export assistant, NEPC, Aba, explained that the programme is intended to create awareness among the critical stakeholders in the respective States that there would be training programmes for the key players in the agricultural value chain in their respective domains.
According to him, the carefully selected programme scheduled for the 6 regions in the country, was informed by the selection of 10 strategic products to drive the implementation of the zero oil plan for increased economic growth under the Export Expansion Facility Programme.
He commended the present regime of President Muhammadu Buhari, for the EEFP intervention in the non-oil sector, to expand the small and medium enterprises (SME) sector and promote export business to grow the economy in the face of the economic hardship posed by the Covid-19 Pandemic.
He stressed that the facility would significantly help in reviving not only the SMEs but also existing companies in the non-oil export business that have been adversely affected by the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The EEFP, which is an intervention scheme under the National Economic Sustainability plan of the Federal Government, is aimed at accelerating the growth of non-oil sector to effectively diversify the Nigerian economy.
It is a programme designed for one year implementation under the oversight of an Implementation steering committee, headed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to ensure transparency and due process in the overall implementation process.
The NEPC CEO, stated that one of the roles of the EEFP is to identify and address capacity gaps in both downstream and upstream sectors of the export value chain, through training on adoption of best practices and adherence to Food safety Standards, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Export Market Access Programme/Export Competency Development Programme and certification for some stakeholders to improve the standard of their products for export.
He emphasized that out of the 22 identified National Strategic Products under the Zero Oil Plan, 10 have been selected under the EEFP for training of the farmers/value chain operators in 20 (twenty) selected States to change the export of Non-Oil products narrative.
In a bid to achieve a robust vibrant economy despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 adverse effects on the economy, Awolowo assured stakeholders that the Council is committed to implementing various Non-Oil export programmes under the National Economic Sustainability Plan to keep the economy afloat.
He re-iterated that the present regime under President Muhammadu Buhari, is committed to inclusive economic growth and National Economic Sustainability Plan.
Roselyn Ekanem, in her welcome address noted that the uplifting of the implementation of the Export Development fund (EDF) comes with the implementation of the EEFP.
She explained that the EEFP was introduced in 2020 with the aim of addressing the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, noting that many exporters in the country have been benefiting from the fund to cushion the effect of the pandemic, which strenuously affected businesses globally.
Ekanem stated further that the meeting was necessitated by the observation that majority of exporters, especially farmers and other value chain operators on identified selected products are not familiar with good agricultural warehousing and manufacturing practices gap factors, HACCP, food safety and quality standard issues, hence the need for the Council to train exporters to meet standards.