text:
Christmas is more than four months away, but analysts at Credit Suisse already have a warning for investors in department stores: don’t be surprised if they start trimming their outlooks next week.
There’s “mounting evidence” that stores have “significantly lowered their inventory receipt plans ahead of holiday 2019,” analysts led by Michael Binetti wrote in an Aug. 8 note. “Expect a wave of lowered guidance” next week as companies including Macy’s Inc., Dillard’s Inc. and J.C. Penney Co. report results.. . . more


text:
Fisker Unveils EV Planned for Foxconn’s Lordstown Plant
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Electric-vehicle manufacturer Fisker Inc. on Thursday unveiled publicly for the first time the compact, tech-heavy and sporty EV crossover that it wants to build at the Foxconn plant in Lordstown.
Fisker founder and CEO Henrik Fisker presented its Pear EV and two future products – the Ronin EV convertible and the Alaska EV pickup – during its first Vision Day event in Los Angeles.
Fisker and Foxconn have an agreement in principle to build the Pear at Foxconn’s Lordstown complex, although no final deal is in place.
“We continue to work with Foxconn on finalizing plans for an innovative manufacturing setup that we will require for this unique engineered Pear,” Fisker told investors during a conference call Friday morning.
“When you deal with contract manufacturing, it’s a little different because you have to go through all the details of each vehicle to understand the exact cost of assembly,” he added.
Fisker and Foxconn formally announced in May 2022 that they planned to partner on production of the Pear at the Lordstown plant, which Foxconn purchased from Lordstown Motors Corp. that same month.
Foxconn bought the 6.2 million-square-foot complex – a former General Motors facility – for $230 million and plans to manufacture multiple EV products at the plant.
Fisker said during the conference call that an announcement on manufacturing sites for the Pear and other vehicles should be forthcoming within three months.
The event Thursday evening in Los Angeles outlined Fisker’s goal of manufacturing three new models over the next several years.
The Fisker Pear – an acronym for Personal Electric Automotive Revolution – is expected to be on sale to consumers by mid-2025, Fisker said. He confirmed that the price tag would begin at $29,900.
Since the vehicle would be built in the U.S., buyers could qualify for a tax credit of up to $7,500 on the EV, Fisker noted.
“That means the price would be $22,400,” he said.
Fisker said the Pear comes equipped with innovative storage capabilities in the front and rear and technical features that are revolutionary for a vehicle this size.
For example, the EV includes a dashboard with additional storage capability and a “Houdini trunk” that doesn’t require a hatch. Instead, the back window automatically slides down and the trunk floor is raised. Once filled, the trunk floor lowers and the window closes.
The Pear also features a “lounge mode” in which the front and back seats are folded back so passengers can relax. The five-seat version of the vehicle comes with a 17.1-inch rotatable screen, “which means you can just lounge in this and watch a movie.” The Pear will also come in a six-seat model.
Also, the exterior design of the vehicle features a wrap-around windscreen that allows drivers a panoramic view that is ideal for driving in the city, Fisker said.
“This vehicle is sitting on a new platform called SLV 1,” he said, meaning Simple, Life and Volume. The design team was able to reduce the parts count in the Pear by 35%, Fisker said, which allows it to reduce manufacturing costs and sell at an affordable price.
“The Pear is our vision of a sustainable EV as a connected mobility device,” Fisker said. The EV would be powered by a new supercomputer that is under development at Fisker, he said.
Burchard Hunche, Fisker’s chief technology officer, said the Fisker Blade is a slim, high-performance computer that governs the vehicle’s Ethernet, 5G connectivity, internet capability and Wi-Fi.
“Every car becomes a mini-data center,” he said. “That’s exciting. No byte is left behind.”
Fisker also introduced two additional models, the Fisker Ronin – an all-electric four-door convertible luxury sports car, and the Fisker Alaska, an all-electric pickup that the company expects to deliver in 2025.
The company also unveiled a new off-road version of its Ocean SUV, which it launched in November. That model, the Force E, is expected to be available during the first quarter of 2024.
Fisker said the company expects to produce between 20,000 and 23,000 Oceans in 2023, mainly because of short-term capacity issues with a supplier. During the second quarter, the company’s contract manufacturer, Magna, produced 1,022 vehicles – 1,009 in July alone.
The Ocean is manufactured at a Magna plant in Granz, Austria.
Pictured at top: In this image captured from video, Fisker founder and CEO Henrik Fisker introduces the Pear EV.
Copyright 2023 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.

domain: news


text:
A virtual taste of pisco, aimed at British travel agencies and tour operators, was organized by the Embassy of Peru in the United Kingdom on Thursday 22 July as part of the bicentenary celebrations of Peru’s Declaration of Independence.
The activity, which included a virtual conference attended by a select group of companies in the tourism sector, was Inaugurated by Ambassador Juan Carlos Gamarra and Colin Stewart, president of the Latin American Travel Association (LATA) and director of Air Europa in the United Kingdom.
Peru: Safe Destination
program is considered a Presentation on Gastronomic Tourism in Peru and the country’s potential as a safe destination for tourism, led by British tour operator Journey Latin America’s representative expert Laura Rendell-Dunn.
To this end, the Peruvian Embassy had previously sent members of the press: A set of ingredients for making Pisco Chilcano and Pisco Sour, To give an interactive character to the virtual event.
Peruvian Beverage Excellence
One of the most attention-grabbing moments was a presentation by pisco expert Johnny Schouler, who Introduction to the History and Origins of Pisco, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated in a press release, describing the unique characteristics of the Peruvian national drink.
The event concluded with a master class and a round of pisco sour testing and questions and comments from the participants.
More in Andina:
— Andean Agency (@Agencia_Andina) July 27, 2021
“Wannabe troublemaker. Pop culture fanatic. Zombie nerd. Lifelong bacon advocate. Alcohol enthusiast. Tv junkie.”


text:
One concern is that political leaders will mismanage things in the world’s largest and second-largest economies.
The low-hanging fruit of the pandemic economic recovery has been eaten. As a result, the expansion is entering a new phase — with new risks.
For months, the world economy has expanded at a torrid pace, as industries that were shut down in the pandemic reopened. While that process is hardly complete — numerous industries are still functioning below their prepandemic levels — further healing appears likely to be more gradual, and in some ways more difficult.
Reopening restaurants and performance arenas is one thing. Fixing extraordinary backups in shipping networks and shortages of semiconductors, among the most vivid examples of supply shortages holding back many parts of the economy, is harder.
And a range of risks, including the hard-to-predict dynamics of Covid variants, could throw this transition to a healthy post-pandemic economy off course.
One looming risk is if political leaders mismanage things in the world’s largest and second-largest economies. Namely, in the United States, a standoff over raising the federal debt ceiling could bring the nation to the brink of default. And in China, the fallout from the property developer Evergrande’s financial problems is raising questions about the country’s debt-and-real-estate-fueled growth.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development last week projected that the world economy would grow 4.5 percent in 2022, downshifting from an expected 5.7 percent expansion in 2021. Its forecast for the United States shows an even steeper slowdown, from 6 percent growth this year to 3.9 percent next.
Of course, a year of 3.9 percent G.D.P. growth would be nothing to scoff at — that would be much faster growth than the United States has experienced for most of the 21st century. But it would represent a resetting of the economy.
“We’ve had liftoff, and now we’re at cruising altitude,” said Beth Ann Bovino, chief U.S. economist at S&P Global.
After the global financial crisis of 2008-9, the great challenge for the recovery was a shortfall of demand. Workers and productive capacity were abundant, but there was inadequate spending in the economy to put that capacity to work. The post-reopening stage of this recovery is the opposite image.
Now there is plenty of demand — thanks to pent-up savings, trillions of dollars in federal stimulus dollars, and rapidly rising wages — but companies report struggles to find enough workers and raw materials to meet that demand.
Dozens of container ships are backed up at Southern California ports, waiting their turn to unload products meant to fill American store shelves through the holiday season. Automakers have had to idle plants for want of semiconductors. Builders have had a hard time obtaining windows, appliances and other key products needed to complete new homes. And restaurants have cut back hours for lack of kitchen help.
These strains are, in effect, acting as a brake that slows the expansion. The question is how much, and for how long, that brake will be applied.
“The kinds of growth rates we are seeing were a bounce-back from a really severe recession, so it’s no surprise that won’t continue,” said Jennifer McKeown, head of the global economics service at Capital Economics. “The risk is that this becomes less about a natural cooling and more about the supply shortages that we’re seeing really starting to bite. That may mean that economic activity doesn’t continue to grow as we’re expecting it to, as instead there is a stalling of activity and price pressures starting to rise.”
The problem is that the supply shortages have many causes, and it is not obvious when they will all diminish. Spending worldwide, and especially in the United States, shifted toward physical goods over services during the pandemic, more quickly than productive capacity could adjust. The Delta variant and continued spread of Covid has caused restrictions on production in some countries. And the lagged effects of production shutdowns in 2020 are still being felt.
Then there are the risks that lurk in the background — the kinds of things that aren’t widely forecast to be a source of economic distress, but could unspool in unpredictable ways.
Debt ceiling brinkmanship in Washington is a prime example. Senate Republicans insist that they will not vote to increase the federal debt limit, and that Democrats will have to do so themselves — while also planning to filibuster Democratic attempts to do so.
Failure to reach some sort of agreement would risk a default on federal obligations, and could cause a financial crisis. For that reason, a deal in these cases has always ultimately been done — even if, as in 2011, it created a lot of uncertainty along the way.
The risk here is that both sides could be so determined to stick to their stances that a miscalculation happens, like two drivers in a game of chicken who both refuse to swerve. And to those who are closest to American fiscal policymaking, that looks like a meaningful risk.
“Chances of a default are still remote, and Congress will likely increase the debt ceiling. but the path to a deal is more murky than usual,” said Brian Gardner, chief Washington policy strategist at Stifel, in a research note. He added that the political game of chicken could spook markets in coming weeks.
And on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, the Chinese government has its own challenge, as Evergrande struggles to make payments on $300 billion worth of debt.
Real estate has played an outsize role in China’s economy for years. But few analysts expect the problems to spread far beyond Chinese borders. The Chinese banking and financial system is largely self-contained, in contrast to the deep global linkages that allowed the failure of Lehman Brothers in 2008 to trigger a global financial crisis.
“Everyone’s learned a trick or two since 2008,” said Alan Ruskin, a macro strategist at Deutsche Bank Securities. “What you have here is the world’s second-largest economy, and one that has lifted all boats, could be slowing more materially than people anticipated. I think that’s the primary risk, rather than that financial interlinkages shift out on a global basis.”
All of which could make for a bumpy autumn for the world economy, but which in the most likely scenarios would lead to a solid 2022. If, that is, everything goes the way the forecasters expect.
Oil prices climb to highest in years as COVID recovery, power generators stoke demand
Oil prices hit their highest in years on Monday as demand continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, boosted by more custom from power generators turning away from expensive gas and coal to fuel oil and diesel.
Brent crude oil futures rose 87 cents, or 1%, to $85.73 a barrel by 0111 GMT, the highest price since October 2018.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed $1.12, or 1.4%, to $83.40 a barrel, highest since October 2014.
Both contracts rose by at least 3% last week.
“Easing restrictions around the world are likely to help the recovery in fuel consumption,” analysts from ANZ bank said in a note on Monday.
“The jet fuel market was buoyed by news that the U.S. will open its borders to vaccinated foreign travellers next month. Similar moves in Australia and across Asia followed.”
They added that gas-to-oil switching for power generation alone could boost demand by as much as 450,000 barrels per day in the fourth quarter.
Still, supply could also increase from the United States, where energy firms last week added oil and natural gas rigs for a sixth week in a row as soaring crude prices prompted drillers to return to the wellpad.
The U.S. oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, rose 10 to 543 in the week to Oct. 15, its highest since April 2020, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co said last week.
China’s economy, meanwhile, likely grew at the slowest pace in a year in the third quarter, hurt by power shortages, supply bottlenecks and sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks.
The world’s second-largest oil consumer issued a new batch of oil import quotas for independent refiners for 2021 that show total annual allowances were lower than last year, a first reduction of import permits since these firms were allowed into the market in 2015.
(Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
Stop handing out free money (and other ideas for getting the economy back on track) | TheHill – The Hill
Supply chain shortages and inflation are hurting consumers and Democratic election prospects in 2022 and 2024. The Biden administration, no doubt aware of this possibility, is taking action to address the ill-effects of scarcity and higher prices. Recently, the administration mandated that the Port of Los Angeles remain open 24 hours a day so merchandise idling in shipping containers can be delivered faster to fill empty supermarket shelves and consumer shopping carts.
But this response may be coming too late, because shortages and inflation have created uncertainty in the minds of consumers that cannot be easily reduced.
While the administration has handled the COVID-19 pandemic well, it has been much less successful in dealing with the negative effects of the ensuing adjustments, including shortages, inflation, supply chain disruptions, high demand and uncertainty.
The widespread shortages were caused by sudden and rapid increases in consumer demand and by manufacturers and suppliers that were too slow or unable to respond swiftly.
Once supply chain disruptions are straightened out as manufacturers increase their production and distributers move their products faster, shortages are bound to ease, though some could linger.
The U.S. economy is also experiencing a modest annual inflation rate of 5.4 percent, caused by the trillions of dollars that the Treasury gave Americans in 2020 to spend to avert a pandemic-induced depression. Flush with this cash and what they had saved while sheltering in their homes during the pandemic, consumers quickly increased demand for most products and services. They became less price sensitive and pushed inflation higher. Still, though worrisome, an annual inflation rate of 5.4 percent is hardly runaway or stagflationary.
But the excess cash is tapering off. Without it, consumers will be forced to reduce their demand and thereby push most prices downward. As a result, future inflation won’t be as drastic or widespread, especially since the Federal Reserve Board is planning to reduce the money supply, which will dampen inflation.
But the uncertainty produced by the pandemic is likely to prevent people from getting back to normal and might foster some continued shortages and inflation.
Americans have been feeling confused and unsure about their future. Before the pandemic, they took stable prices and product availability for granted, knew the content and location of their jobs, woke up in the mornings to feed their kids and send them to school and were fairly content with their lives. Not anymore. Their world had changed, and the new one seems unfamiliar and scary to many. As a result, 4.3 millions have left the labor force since the onset of the pandemic.
What can the White House and Congress do to alleviate shortages, inflation and uncertainty? Here are four ideas.
1. Take measures to ease shortages. Mandating that the Port of Los Angeles work nonstop will increase some supplies, but it’s not enough. It should be followed by similar action in other ports. Likewise, factories should be instructed to increase production. Such measures are easy to take in the case of consumer staples but more difficult in the case of computer chips, as chips are part of a global industry, and increasing their production requires building large factories and investing billions of dollars.
2. Stop handing out free money to consumers. With less money to spend, demand and inflation will ease. Though Americans are no longer receiving government manna, many still have cash to spend, which will continue to exert some upward inflationary pressures.
3. Think again about the size, timing and spending schedule of infrastructure and Build Back Better initiatives. Pumping trillions of dollars into the economy could create a new round of inflation inflammation.
4. Reduce uncertainty. Unfortunately, policymakers lack the knowledge, skills and tools to address this effectively. What is desperately needed is trusted and steady leadership to assure Americans that their lives as consumers, employees, parents and human beings will be more certain again. Unless they can be made to feel more content with their lives, the economy may continue to sputter and keep a fuller economic recovery at bay.
Can these challenges be successfully addressed in the coming year or two? Maybe. The U.S. discovered and produced a life-saving vaccine against COVID-19 in record time and enacted policies that averted depression. Likewise, I expect shortages and inflation to subside and a sense of normalcy to rise. This, plus efforts to make consumers feel more confident, would put the country on a more prosperous path.
Avraham Shama is the former dean of the College of Business at the University of Texas – Pan American. He is a professor emeritus at the Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico. His book, “The Impact of Stagflation on Consumer Psychology,” was published by Praeger publishing.
Shekel surplus weighs down Palestinian economy – FRANCE 24
Issued on: 17/10/2021 – 05:06Modified: 17/10/2021 – 05:04
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP)
Palestinian businesses flush with too much Israeli cash: it may not be the most talked about aspect of the occupation, but experts warn it is a growing concern for the Palestinian economy.
Palestinians in the West Bank use the Israeli shekel but, beyond that commonality, the two financial systems are dramatically different.
In Israel, as in many advanced economies, digital payments are rapidly growing, taking the place of transactions once done with bills and coins.
But in the West Bank, a territory under Israeli military occupation since 1967, cash is still king.
Tasir Freij, who owns a hardware store in Ramallah, told AFP he now has to pay a two percent commission to deposit paper money because his bank is reluctant to receive it.
“This is a crisis… and we are feeling its effects,” Freij told AFP.
Much of the paper money is brought in by the tens of thousands of Palestinians who work inside Israel or Jewish settlements in the West Bank, and who get their wages in cash.
Experts and business people say the buildup of hard currency risks stifling the Palestinian financial system.
Freij fretted that buying goods from abroad typically requires converting shekels into foreign currencies, especially dollars or euros, but the abundance of shekels in the market has forced him to accept painfully unfavourable rates.
– ‘Dumping ground’ –
The Palestinian Monetary Authority, which functions as the central bank in the West Bank, has warned that paper shekels are building up because it has no way to return the hard currency to Israel.
PMA governor Firas Melhem told AFP that the cash buildup was “a very worrying problem,” causing headaches for banks and businesses.
“If the problem is not resolved quickly, the Palestinian market will turn into a dumping ground for the shekel,” he added.
The shekel was established as the official currency in the Palestinian territories as a result of economic protocols known as the Paris agreements that followed the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
Much has changed since those 1994 agreements.
As they lean more on digital transactions, Israel’s banks no longer want to reabsorb paper cash that accumulates in the West Bank but does not circulate rapidly through the Israeli economy.
The Bank of Israel cited security as another reason.
“We stress that uncontrolled cash transfers could be misused, especially for money laundering and terror funding, and would not be in compliance with international standards on the prohibition of money laundering and terror funding,” the bank told AFP in a statement.
– Solutions? –
Palestinian banks have tried to encourage customers to moderate their cash deposits, but that risks limiting the capital available to banks, which would lower their ability to offer loans.
The cash surplus predicament has fuelled renewed calls from some Palestinian experts in favour of ditching the shekel, either in favour of a unique Palestinian currency or that of another nation, including the Jordanian dinar, which also circulates in the West Bank.
The Palestinian Monetary Authority is also pushing the Bank of Israel to take back more hard currency.
But Melhem stressed that Palestinians also needed to “keep up with developments in financial technologies,” and move towards more cashless payments.
© 2021 AFP
How many lives have coronavirus vaccines saved? We used state data on deaths and vaccination rates to find out – Devdiscourse
Marlene Dumas: The art exposing the evil in the ordinary – BBC News
The new resurgence in tablet art – ArtsHub
Silver investment demand jumped 12% in 2019
Europe kicks off vaccination programs | All media content | DW | 27.12.2020 – Deutsche Welle
Iran anticipates renewed protests amid social media shutdown
Media19 hours ago
'Don't squish them': Photos on social media show slimy, sticky salamanders in Labrador – CBC.ca
Business18 hours ago
Bank of England will have to act to contain inflation – Bailey
Business19 hours ago
UPDATE: U.S. expected to reopen border November 8, mixed doses eligible – BlackburnNews.com
News17 hours ago
No end in sight to volcanic eruption on Spain’s La Palma – Canaries president
Business17 hours ago
Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ estimated to be worth about $900 million – Bloomberg News
Investment20 hours ago
Turkey's Erdogan says U.S. proposed F-16 sales in return for its F-35 investment – Reuters
Science22 hours ago
NASA launches first space probe to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids – Ottawa Citizen
News17 hours ago
China condemns U.S., Canada for sending warships through Taiwan Strait


text:
Just over nine in 10 (91.2%) card transactions made last year for which contactless payment would have been an option used this technology, according to Barclays data.
The bank said this is the highest ratio it has seen, with 85.6% of eligible card transactions being contactless in 2021.
Transactions eligible to be contactless were those made face-to-face or in-store, up to the value of the contactless card limit, which is currently £100.
“Silver spenders” are helping drive contactless use. Barclays said the fastest growth in contactless usage it has seen is among the 65+ age group.
In 2022, 82.6% of cardholders aged 65 and older were using contactless, up from 78.8% in 2021, according to Barclays data.
Across all age groups, contactless users made an average of 220 “tap and play” transactions last year, up from 180 in 2021.
On average, people spent £15.13 last year when making a contactless transaction.
The bank analyzed consumer data from Barclays debit cards and Barclaycard credit card transactions to make the findings.
In its issuance and acquisition businesses, Barclays said it receives almost half of the country’s credit and debit card transactions.
Hotels, bars, pubs, clubs, the electronics sector and clothing retailers are among the sectors that saw particularly large jumps in contactless spending in 2022, compared with 2021, Barclays found.
As UK shoppers scrambled to complete their Christmas shopping last year, December 23 was the busiest day for contactless shopping, with total value 92.1% higher than the daily average during 2022.
Adam Lishman, head of consumer products at Barclays, said: “The popularity of contactless payments took another leap forward last year.
“The higher limit of £100, introduced at the end of 2021, really made its mark as shoppers returned to the high streets following the easing of coronavirus restrictions, leading to a spike in transactions. Brits are also more comfortable making high-value contactless payments from their mobile phone, and these transactions account for an even larger share of total contactless spend.”
The findings came when the Nationwide Building Society said the value of credit card payments and debt payments was 13% higher in January compared to 12 months ago.
The value of air travel spend by Nationwide members increased 68% compared to January 2022, while vacation spend increased 43% over the same period.
Overall, the value of non-essential expenses fell 11% per month in January, while essential expenses such as household bills, transportation and grocery shopping rose 2% per month, according to Nationwide.
Nationwide’s monthly spending report analyzed nearly 215 million debit card, credit card and direct debit transactions made by society members in January 2023.
Mark Nalder, Nationwide Building Society director of payment performance and strategy, said: “Despite concerns, the nation is preparing for warmer weather and an area of non-essential spending where there has been a significant increase in January are vacations and travel as people look to plan ahead and set aside some time away from home this year.”


text:
Apple v. Samsung Verdict: Opinion on Consumer Impact, Innovation Divided
By John P. Mello Jr.
PCWorldAug 27, 2012 2:03 pm PDT
Since the jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion on Friday in the Apple v. Samsung copyright case, there’s been no shortage of analysis on the Internet about the ramifications of this verdict. The public’s opinion on the verdict appears to be divided — in everything from how the case will affect consumers, to its influence on innovation, to how it will affect companies such as Microsoft and Research In Motion (RIM).
The following is a collection of varying opinions on the matter — some who believe Apple was properly rewarded, and others who believe Samsung was shorted.
Samsung, in a statement following the verdict, maintained that the decision will hurt both consumers and innovation. Stanford Law School fellow Vivek Wadhwa agrees with Samsung’s analysis.
“You’ve taken a major competitor out of the marketplace,” Wadhwa told USA Today. The implication there, of course, is that less competition means higher prices and less inclination toward innovation.
Vice President of the Asia-Pacific ICT Practice at Frost & Sullivan, Andrew Milroy, agrees. Speaking to ZDNet, Milroy argues phone makers may feel they have to “manage risks” for their products. Not only will the increased costs of risk management be passed on to consumers, but such management ay result in “playing it safe,” which will result in phone makers pulling away from innovation and reducing consumer choice.
Designers will also feel their choices are restricted. This verdict could create a minefield for product designers, according to Bill Flora, creative director at Tectonic design firm in Seattle. They’ll be constantly second-guessing whether various features step on Apple’s toes, Flora told The New York Times. Designers may feel that “pinch to zoom,” for example, is off limits. This gesture has become so common to touch interfaces that it will be like designing a car with a square steering wheel, Flora said.
On the other hand, others are more optimistic about how the verdict will impact innovation in the market.
“Within a product cycle or two, consumers will begin to see exciting, new, and different-looking designs,” Christopher V. Carani, a partner at intellectual property law firm McAndrews, Held & Malloy, told The Washington Post.
“If a permanent injunction is ordered, the Apple victory will create some delay to market for look-alike smartphones that need to be redesigned,” Carani added. “But this should be viewed as a perfect opportunity to go back to the drawing board.”
Analysts and experts are also concerned about the future of fellow phone companies Microsoft and RIM. The companies might benefit from handset makers who feel the need to avoid Android phones in the post-verdict world, Eric Zeman from InformationWeek argues.
“Android hardware makers looking to diversify their product portfolios might decide to develop some non-Android devices to protect themselves,” Zeman reasons.
“Even if new players don’t join the Windows Phone team, existing players might ramp up their Windows Phone roadmaps,” he adds. “Companies such as Samsung, HTC, and LG have each fielded a dozen or more Android phones per year, while offering just one or two Windows Phones. Balance that ratio out a bit, and Microsoft benefits.”
According to Mike Cherry, a Windows analyst with Directions On Microsoft in Kirkland, Washington, a more likely scenario is that the marketplace will be in such tumult that nobody will be able to benefit.
“If you look at the mobile market right now, everybody is suing everybody as a result of the [Apple-Samsung trial],” Cherry tells PCWorld. “I don’t think it’s going to reduce very many of those lawsuits, but it’s probably going to give them more ammunition to go after others.”


text:
Briefing: Shopping abroad
Shoppers are costing Irish jobs
Despite the recession, hordes of women are plotting their annual Christmas trip to New York to stock up at Woodbury Common and channel their inner Carrie Bradshaw in Manhattan. But Isme, which represents small Irish businesses, says Irish people who shop abroad are killing jobs, undermining local businesses and robbing the economy of millions in unpaid taxes.
"Each illegally filled suitcase is another job lost," said Mark Fielding, chief executive of Isme. Fielding said it was "galling" that Customs turn a "blind eye" to the clothes, cameras and other goodies in returning shoppers' suitcases. But Revenue says it will repeat last year's pre-Christmas campaign - deploying officers at airports to hand out information leaflets to departing passengers.


text:
On March 19-22, the Russian Textile Industry Week 2019 was held at the Moscow Expocenter.
The event included the following industry international exhibitions:
"Inlegmash '19" - equipment for the production and processing of textiles
"Intertkan '19 Spring" - fabrics and textile materials
“Techtextil Russia '19” - technical textiles and nonwovens
This year, about 2 000 specialists from 20 countries visited the RUSSIAN TEXTILE WEEK. For the first time company Nissa Distribu


text:
Shares of miner Ferroglobe (GSM -2.82%) were down 14.3% as of 1:45 p.m. EST today. The big price drop comes after the company released earnings results that weren't up to investor expectations.
Let's start with the fact that Ferroglobe's stock is already very volatile, and sometimes the stock can move more than 5% to 10% in a given day with no news at all. So a drop this big isn't completely out of the blue.
The small-cap miner reported a per-share loss for the fourth quarter of $0.49, with a per-share loss for full-year 2020 of $1.13. Revenue for the year was down 28% to $1.14 billion. That decline was a combination of lower sales volumes from COVID-related shutdowns and slightly lower prices for silicon metal, silicon-based alloys, and manganese-based alloys.
Shares of Ferroglobe have been on a tear lately, surging more than 580% over the past six months, so there is a lot of optimism baked into this stock. Keep in mind that the company has struggled to maintain profitability since it went public. Perhaps with coronavirus tailwinds easing, it will be able to get back to pre-pandemic production.
But whether that turns it into a consistently profitable company remains to be seen, and the price for that turnaround is pretty high right now. So for now, it may be best to sit on the sidelines.


text:
The last five decades of the US Tire Industry was quite eventful and marked by a series of mergers and acquisitions involving mostly foreign players who were far ahead in adopting advanced tyre manufacturing technologies. Today, the tire industry in USA is the largest of any in the world and its future will be similar to what will be seen in the rest of the world, since world tires are now similar in construction and operation and depend more upon vehicle use than nationality.
LOGAN, Utah — Business management software developer Tire Guru Software has begun integrating Tiremetrix L.L.C.’s Tire Registration Plus and TPMS Manager platforms with its own Business Center products.
NASHVILLE—Goodyear made some tire industry music in the Music City, unveiling several new products during its 2018 Customer Conference at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.
The might of the US rubber industry over the years has grown by leaps and bounds. Changing with the times, the region continues to be a major force in terms of rubber and tyre consumption apart from being a major producer and consumer of synthetic rubber (SR), a host of speciality rubber chemicals and home to a booming US$130 billion medical devices market, the largest in the world. The region is also fiercely competitive in all aspects of the wider tyre market — passenger car tyres, truck and bus tyres, agricultural tyres and OTR tyres.
The United States’ rubber industry has an eventful past, a pulsating present and a challenging future. During the late 19th century, Ohio emerged as the leader of rubber production in the United States. Numerous rubber companies
Giti Tire has named Tim Fulton as chief operating officer of Giti Tire Manufacturing USA and Jim Mayfield as senior executive vice president of sales and marketing in North America. It also promoted eight-year Giti veteran Lou Monico to vice president sales and marketing for Canada, with concurrent responsibility for corporate accounts.
With just a month to go until Tire Technology Expo 2018 gets underway in Hannover, Germany, the shortlisted nominations for this year’s Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence have been revealed!
The awards are decided by the votes of a 30-strong panel of experts from the tire industry and academia. The winners will be announced during the Expo at a Gala Dinner in the beautiful Kuppelsaal at the Hannover Congress Centrum, on the evening of February 21.
Western Canada Tire Dealers (WCTD) has announced the passing of former executive director Don Blythe. Blythe, a 2010 TIA Hall of Fame inductee, had over 60 years of experience in the tire industry. He passed on January 5.
Blythe began his career with Goodyear in 1957, and spent much of his career as an employee and franchisee of OK Tire, where he was ultimately named president in 1983.
(Bowie, MD – 1/4/2018) – The Tire Industry Association (TIA), a leader in tire safety, announced today that Senior Technical Consultant Marvin Bozarth, will officially retire at the upcoming 2018 Off-the-Road (OTR) Tire Conference. Mr. Bozarth has been with TIA since 1990 and has served as the Executive Director of the American Retreaders Association (ARA) and International Tire and Rubber Association (ITRA) from 1991-2002.
The end of any year is not only a time to look back at what happened and why, but also an opportunity to cement plans heading into the new year. Though as the rubber industry heads into 2018, there are many things that currently are uncertain.
A lot of that centers around activities in Washington, where many agenda items remain unsettled that will impact greatly companies in our industry going forward.
Of course, the item at the top of all of the newscasts are the House and Senate tax bills that will have an effect on all companies, big and small.
But that’s hardly the only topic that will be watched closely.
At or near the top of that list for the manufacturing community is the ongoing re-negotiation talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement. The U.S. currently…
The global tire industry almost saw another big merger in 2017, but there was plenty of other activity keeping firms busy in the year. From new investments to new structures, here are four of the biggest events within the tire sector.
Doublestar tries to buy Kumho
It looked for a moment another big-time tire merger was about to happen.
Doublestar Tire Co. Ltd. had agreed to acquire Kumho Tire Co. Inc. for about $830 million in March, but in September Kumho creditors rejected the deal after Doublestar allegedly asked for the price to be reduced by 16 percent amid disputes over trademark rights.
The deal is on thin ice as both sides were…


text:
August 30, 2018
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese retail sales rose 1.5 percent in July from a year earlier, more than a median market forecast for a 1.2 percent increase, data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry showed on Thursday.
(Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto)
The post Japan July retail sales rise 1.5 percent year-on-year appeared first on One America News Network.
August 30, 2018 at 05:35AM
from One America News Network


text:
A necklace was recently sold by a luxury brand for 400,000 — an impressive feat by any measure — yet that necklace wasn’t sold in a high-end jewelry store in Shanghai, Paris, Monaco or New York, but, surprisingly, on the online luxury retailer Moda Operandi, according to a report in Vogue Business. This is remarkable since most luxury brands still primarily rely on sales via their classic brick-and-mortar stores.
Obviously, there are many good reasons to visit a store and experience products in person. If you think about luxury skincare cream or makeup, applying the product on your skin is essential for many consumers before they purchase the item, and consumers might want to test drive a car or try on a piece of jewelry for similar reasons. Aside from personally experiencing the product, the luxury store staff can also provide a customer with recommendations, suggest alternatives, or inspire them to consider products they never would have chosen otherwise.
However, the examples of online purchases that exceed 100,000 in value last year show that consumers are increasingly open to buying luxury online. And having the world’s most digital consumers, China is leading this trend. Data for 2018 estimates that online penetration for luxury in China stands at almost 60 percent for Gen Zers (those born after 2000), roughly 40 percent for millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) and only 25 percent for Gen Xers (born between 1960 and 1980). With more than 80 percent of luxury purchases in China coming from consumers younger than 40 years of age, a large shift in where luxury consumers make purchases is clearly happening.
It is important to note, though, that digital is not replacing brick-and-mortar purchases. We estimate that only about one percent of all consumers in China buy luxury exclusively online. Around 40 percent of all Chinese luxury consumers mix online with offline buying, and this includes Gen Xers. Vogue Business cites Cartier, stating that their online sales were incremental to the sales in stores, but their relaunch of the iconic Panthère watch through a Net-a-Porter pop-up was so successful, the company opted for a permanent presence on that platform.
Even if the vast majority of luxury purchases are still in stores, online plays a vital role in influencing those purchases. I asked the general manager of a successful luxury car dealership in Asia how many customers decided on their purchases in the store. His answer? Almost no one. He told me that most customers had already made up their mind using the internet before they’d entered the store. They search for reviews, data, and information, and they compare thoroughly. In China, consumers, who spend most of their digital life on WeChat, follow influencers and form their opinions about the brand before they enter the store, or in this case, the luxury car dealership. However, he added, the dealership experience is an essential part of the sale. Coming to the store confirms the decision in the best case or reverses the choice in the worst case. Online and offline are not separate experiences anymore — they’re fully integrated, and brands need to treat them as such. When brands create a seamless experience that includes all digital and physical touchpoints, value creation is at its highest.
McKinsey confirms that about 80 percent of luxury purchases are digitally influenced, and consumers average five different brand interactions before deciding on a final purchase. Those interactions can be physical or digital, and the purchase can be physical or digital. Hence, creating an end-to-end experience between all touchpoints is of utmost importance. When a consumer wants to buy in a store, he or she should have the opportunity to do so, and when he or she wants to buy online, there needs to be a seamless option.
Therefore, brands should map their entire customer journey digitally and collect and connect data for each touchpoint. Independent of digital or physical interaction, it is essential that the customer is always being optimally and consistently served. Given the millions of customer journeys that happen with larger brands at any moment in time, a digital infrastructure connecting online and offline is the only way to ensure a seamless brand experience.
Surprisingly, most luxury brands do not have that capability today. Many that present themselves as leaders in digital transformation focus mainly on the online part but forget (or refuse) to create an integrated data infrastructure with advanced insight and digital marketing capabilities. Especially for China, the ability to connect online with offline experiences is the only game-changer, and it’s an excellent opportunity for new brands to start with a clean slate.
What are the best practices for implementing the seamless online-to-offline change that Millennials and Gen Zers demand? Among the most transformative exercises have been luxury leadership workshops with the leadership teams of luxury brands, where successes and failures are studied across topics like Gen Z perspectives, influencers, social media, stores of the future, digital leadership, and the application of AI along all touchpoints. Each topic leads to an assessment of what needed to be changed, which generates significant input for long- and mid-term strategies.
Generation Z and Millennials are changing the face of luxury, both online and offline. Companies need to rethink their approach from the top down, and only brands that make the aforementioned shift will become the luxury leaders of the future. This digital transformation isn’t optional, either — it’s critical.
Daniel Langer is CEO of the luxury, lifestyle, and consumer brand strategy firm Équité. He consults some of the leading luxury brands in the world, is the author of several luxury management books, serves as a regular keynote speaker, and holds management seminars in Europe, the USA, and Asia. Follow @drlanger


text:
Mahindra revealed its first all-electric SUV, the XUV400 a couple of months ago and scheduled it for a January 2023 launch without giving a hint about its price. As per a report shared by Autocar, the XUV400 will be offered in three variants called Base, EP and EL. While a variant-wise feature breakup is yet to be shared, the top-spec trim will get features such as a 7.0-inch touchscreen with the brand’s Adreno X software, connected car technology with over-the-air (OTA) updates and a single-pane sunroof among other features. To score big on safety, the e-SUV will get six airbags, all-round disc brakes and ISOFIX child seat anchorages as some of the safety tech. More details about trim-wise features is likely to reveal closer to the launch.
The Mahindra XUV400 EV will be powered by a 39.4kWh battery pack sending power to the front-axle-mounted electric motor that churns 150hp and 310Nm of peak torque. The e-SUV claims to sprint triple-digit speed from a standstill in 8.3 seconds with the top speed controlled at 150kph. A driving range of 456 kms on a full charge is promised with the XUV400 and the battery claims to be charged up to 80% in 50 minutes using a 50kW DC fast charger. Using a 7.2 kW/32A outlet, 0-100% charge takes around 6 hours 30 minutes.
The Mahindra XUV400 will also get 3 driving modes – Fun, Fast and Fearless that adjust throttle and steering response as well as the level of regenerative braking.
Based on the XUV300, the XUV400 e-SUV is expected to be priced around Rs. 18-20 lakh, ex-showroom when it is launched in January 2023. It will rival the Tata Nexon EV Maxx which is priced in the same bracket in India.


text:
The newly announced Super Mario Mash-Up Pack for Minecraft will be a Mario themed update for the popular game on Nintendo's Wii U console.
Microsoft and Nintendo have not collaborated much in the past, and the two companies are of course rivals in the home console market with the Xbox One and Wii U. However, Microsoft's Mojang (developer of Minecraft) is working with Nintendo on a new “Super Mario Mash-Up Pack” for Minecraft, which will be available for the Wii U.
At the moment it seems as though the pack is an exclusive for Nintendo's console and that is unlikely to change considering this is Mario and the Japanese company doesn't exactly share its icon with other platforms.
The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack will add 40 Mario themed skins, while the game as a whole will be given an enhancement to look better. To show us exactly what to expect, Nintendo has released a video (above) that that highlights the new Super Mario pack for Minecraft.
The Wii U version of Minecraft features the full game, as well as many of the most popular previously released content packs for no extra charge. Downloading the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack gives players 40 new Super Mario-themed skins, which transform the game's characters into familiar heroes like Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, and even troublemakers like Bowser, Wario and all seven of Bowser's minions. All the world and item textures in the game will also be redone, providing players the opportunity to create their own Super Mario-themed locations within the world of Minecraft. While building, players will even enjoy listening to the smooth sounds of 15 pieces of music from Super Mario 64. Builders of all ages will love crafting massive new worlds using building blocks inspired by a series as accessible and recognizable as Super Mario.
Interested? If so you will have to wait a little longer as the Super Mario Mash-Up Pack is not going to be launched until May 18, but the good news is it will be free.


text:
Buy a round of shares in brewer SABMiller, recommend analysts at Swiss bank UBS. "SABMiller has underperformed the sector by around 3% over the last month," analysts report as they give SAB, which has just announced that it is adding Czech lager Kozel meaning "goat" to its UK operations, a buy recommendation. The stockbroker names a 2150p target price on SABMiller.
SELL: J SAINSBURY
Seymour Pierce analysts put out a sell recommendation on supermarkets group Sainsbury's. "Second-quarter results confirmed that Sainsbury's growth strategy continues to deliver industry outperformance," analysts note. However, they believe "this is already reflected in its premium sub-sector valuation and that a premium rating is unsustainable longer term". The target price on Sainsbury shares is 350p.
Hang on to shares in temporary power provider Aggreko, says Panmure Gordon. "We remain fans of Aggreko, though at current levels believe a lot of good news is already in the price and we remind ourselves that there remain areas of weakness in among the ongoing strength of the order book," analysts note. "While we remain holders, some top-slicing may not go amiss." The target is 1484p.
The focus will be on the retailers, as pencil, pen and book pusher WH Smith posts its preliminary figures, kidswear-seller Mothercare posts a trading update, online fashion store Asos gives investors an update — as does cash and carry group Booker.
WH Smith saw its travel division — which comprises outlets at airports, motorway service stations and railway stations — post a 4% dip in like-for-like sales during the third quarter, partly because of Iceland's ash cloud. Seymour Pierce analysts reckon that things have since improved, pencilling in a rise in annual pre-tax profits to £87 million, from £82 million a year earlier.
Elsewhere in the high street, shareholders in Mothercare will be keen to hear about its international development plans, after the group — which has more than 1100 stores in 53 countries — posted booming figures for its international division in the year to April. It reported a 12.4% rise in full-year pre-tax profits, to £37.1 million, as sales grew nearly 7% to £723.6 million.
Leading small-cap investor Mark Slater has ramped up his backing for Norseman Gold, the UK-listed operator of Australia's oldest continually operated goldmine from 5.33 million shares to 7.85 million or 4.64%, worth about £5.46 million.
The acquisition was likely to be through a placement of 25 million new shares at a price of 45p last week, as Norseman raised £11.25 million to continue developing gold deposits. Slater manages the MFM Slater Growth and MFM Slater Recovery funds, and is chairman and chief investment officer of Slater Investments Limited.
Despite the record gold price, Norseman has faced high extraction costs and is attempting to diversify its portfolio. In full-year results published in August the group reported a 23.1% fall in revenue with profits after tax falling 84.7% to $3.1 million (£1.95 million). Identified reserves rose 5% to 420,000 ounces.Reuse content


text:
All Posts Tagged Tag: ‘Virtual Worlds’
The Federal Trade Commission released a report today that found minors can easily access sexually and violently explicit content in online virtual worlds.
The congressionally mandated report, "Virtual Worlds and Kids: Mapping the Risks," calls on operators of virtual worlds to take steps to keep explicit content away from children and teens, and recommends parents become familiar with the virtual worlds their kids visit.
I’m racing headlong to age fifty, but some days I feel older than others. Lately I have been feeling oh-so-twentieth-century whenever someone talks about marketing campaigns in virtual worlds, such as Second Life. I admit it. I just don’t get it.
I’m not saying that virtual worlds aren’t important. I’m not even saying that marketing in virtual worlds won’t go on just as it does in the real world.
What I don’t get is the kind of marketing that we’re doing in virtual worlds.
In the virtual world of Second Life, one can engage in just about every imaginable sort of commerce. Industries spanning from standard retail to prostitution offer the average Second Lifer a veritable cornucopia of possibilities, but it’s the virtual casinos that exist in the online world that are drawing the attention and ire of government agencies in the United States.
Second Life has inspired numerous other start-ups looking to take advantage of the hype surrounding the user-generated virtual world phenomenon.
While many companies are looking to make a name for themselves with such aspirations, Atari just wants to reclaim its piece of the video gaming pie.
Just what sort of unmitigated chaos has been wrought in the wake of Second Life’s popularity?
Anyone believing that online worlds like Second Life have reached the point of saturation had better take a second look at the marketing climate. Current trends point toward even more growth and expansion into virtual environments as the list of Fortune 500 companies launching operations in these online words continues to increase.


text:
Recognized asbestos litigation authority and W&L partner Charles M. Ferguson has once again been invited to serve as co-chair for the upcoming Perrin Asbestos Litigation…Read More
We are no longer accepting new cases.
FDA and CDC Investigate Outbreak of Lung Disease Caused by Vaping
In August of 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a joint statement announcing an investigation in response to an outbreak of “distressing incidents of severe respiratory disease” among e-cigarette users. (1) At the time of their statement, the outbreak consisted of 215 potential cases, including one death, in 25 states. (2) (3)
A week later the number of potential cases surged to 450, in 33 states, though later this number was revised to 380 cases in 36 states after investigations were completed. (4) Federal health officials reported at least six deaths. (5)
Since then, the number of reported potential cases has climbed to over 500 cases, with the numbers increasing every day, with no particular manufacturer or kind of use identified as the cause of the outbreak.
According to a preliminary report published in The New England Journal of Medicine of cases reported in Illinois and Wisconsin, 94% of patients with vaping-related lung injuries required hospitalization and nearly a third were put on a mechanical ventilator. (6) These patients ranged in age from their teens to their fifties, with a median age of 19. (7)
On August 30, the CDC published a health advisory recommending people consider refraining from using e-cigarettes until the investigation determines the cause of the outbreak. (8) An editorial in The New England Journal of Medicine calls this “an epidemic that begs for an urgent response.” (9)
FDA Reports Potential Risk of Seizures
In April of 2019, the FDA released a statement notifying the public about reports of seizures occurring after e-cigarette use, particularly among young adult users. (10)
The FDA identified 35 cases of seizures in e-cigarette users reported to the FDA and poison control centers over nine years. (11) The agency believes these cases “warrant scientific investigation into whether there is in fact a connection.” (12) Most of the reports involved youth and young adults. (13)
The agency also noted that because reporting is voluntary, other instances may have gone unreported. The FDA statement urges healthcare providers and consumers to become aware of vaping and seizures, and to report any adverse experiences to the Safety Reporting Portal (SRP). (14)
What Is an E-Cigarette?
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes or e-cigs, are handheld devices that produce “vapors” for users to inhale. The vapors are formed by heating a liquid that typically contains nicotine, artificial flavorings, and other chemicals. (15) (16)
Initially designed to simulate the experience of smoking a cigarette, “vaping” is now a popular habit among people, especially adolescents, who have never been smokers. (17) (18) Some e-cigarettes resemble tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars, while other designs look more like pens or USB sticks.
Common nicknames for e-cigarettes include:
- Vape pens.
- Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).
Popular e-cigarette brands include:
The liquid in e-cigarettes, known as “e-liquid” or “e-juice,” is typically sold in cartridges or “pods.” The ingredients and composition of e-liquid varies greatly across brands. There are more than 7,000 different flavors available on the market. (19) Nicotine concentrations and additives vary widely across products. (20) (21) (22)
Nicotine is extremely addictive. Some e-cigarette products deliver higher doses of nicotine than traditional cigarettes. Many of the other chemicals found in e-liquid are unstudied, and the long-term health consequences of vaping are unknown. (23)
Vaping Industry Under Fire for Aggressively Marketing to Youth
Fueled by misleading safety claims, aggressive marketing, youth-tempting flavors, and one of the most addictive substances known to humans, e-cigarettes have hooked a new generation of young people on nicotine.
E-cigarettes are increasingly popular with children and young adults. In 2018, one in five high school students and one in twenty middle school students used e-cigarettes. (24)
The most popular brand of e-cigarette is JUUL, which accounted for 70% of the e-cigarette market share in 2019. (25) The JUUL is a device shaped like a USB flash drive and charge using a USB port. “JUULpods” come in flavors like “mango” and “creme.”
E-cigarette companies claim their products are intended as a safer alternative to cigarettes for people who already smoke. But the industry uses marketing tactics that seemingly target adolescents, even though very few are smokers. Aggressive social media campaigns, music festivals sponsorships, candy- or other food-like flavors, and youth-oriented packaging have lured millions of youth into tobacco addiction. (26) (27)
FDA Notifications to JUUL
In May of 2018, the FDA sent official requests to JUUL and three other e-cigarette manufacturers “requiring them to submit important documents to better understand the youth appeal of these products.” According to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, the agency is “taking a hard look at whether certain design features and product marketing practices are fueling the youth use” of e-cigarettes. (28) In response, some e-cigarette manufacturers produced a plan to curb underage vaping. But in early 2019, the FDA accused e-cigarette manufacturers of backtracking on their promises “to restrict their products in a way that will decrease access to kids.” (29)
In September of 2019, the FDA sent a warning letter to JUUL. (30) The FDA found JUUL had violated multiple regulations, including marketing its productive as a “safer” alternative to smoking without regulatory approval. The FDA was particularly concerned with comments JUUL representatives made to students, including calling the product “totally safe.” (31)
Dangers of Vaping
There are many dangers inherent to vaping, especially among youth and young adults. E-cigarette use has been found to predict the use of combustible cigarettes and other tobacco products. Adolescents who had “no intention of smoking” when they start vaping were found to be more likely to become combustible cigarette smokers than adolescents who have never used e-cigarettes. (32)
Nicotine exposure can harm adolescent brain development, affecting attention, memory, and cognition. (33) Using nicotine products may “prime the adolescent brain for addiction to other drugs.” (34)
Beyond nicotine, the flavorings found in e-cigarettes, which significantly contribute to their popularity with youth, are another source of health risks. (35) According to the Surgeon General, “Some chemicals in e-cigarettes, although approved for ingestion, have established adverse health effects when inhaled.” (36) For example, chemicals used to produce vanilla, cinnamon, and chocolate flavors have demonstrated cellular toxicity. (37) (38) (39) Also, mixing flavors together, as young people often do in social settings, may increase toxicity. (40)
The relationship between vaping and seizures is another cause for concern for young e-cigarette users. Developing brains are more susceptible to seizures than adult brains. (41)
These websites contain more information about the dangers of e-cigarettes, particularly for teens and young adults:
- Beneath the Smokescreen.
- The 8ighty 4our.
- Don’t Get Vaped In.
- The Surgeon General’s Reports on E-cigarette Use.
- Parents Against Vaping E-Cigs (PAVE).
E-Cigarettes, Pulmonary Disease and Respiratory Failure
A recent surge in cases of severe vaping-related lung injury has alarmed doctors and public health officials. Users of e-cigarettes have been hospitalized with a range of respiratory issues, including difficulty breathing and abnormal lung morphology, as seen on chest radiographic imaging. (42) Patients may require time in the intensive care unit or may spend time, up to weeks, on a ventilator. (43)
In many of these cases, the patient appears to be suffering from pneumonia but has no bacterial or viral infection. (44) “Pulmonary infiltrates” and “ground-glass” opacities may appear on the chest radiographs of some of these patients. (45)
Some e-cigarette users have been diagnosed with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP). (46) (47) AEP occurs when the lungs are exposed to irritants that trigger an immune response. This results in the rapid accumulation of a type of white blood cells called eosinophils. (48)
Other e-cigarette users have received diagnoses of acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia. (49) (50) (51) Lipoid pneumonia occurs from inhaling vaporized oil or fat molecules. (52) When the oil droplets cool, they deposit in the lungs. This can spur an inflammatory response that can be fatal. (53)
E-cigarette liquids may contain a variety of lipid sources. (54) Vape liquid samples in New York State recently tested positive for vitamin E oils. (55) Another common lipid found in vape fluids is vegetable glycerin. (56)
E-Cigarettes and Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia
Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP), also often referred to as cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), is a rare lung disease characterized by inflammation that manifests as swirls of fibrous tissue filling the bronchioles and alveoli in the lungs. (57) (58) There are at least two published case studies of e-cigarette users developing BOOP, both of which required hospitalization, intubation, and mechanical ventilation. (59) (60)
E-Cigarettes and Strokes
Support for the link between e-cigarettes and strokes is provided by a 2017 study on the pulmonary effects of e-cigarettes. The study examined healthy young adults after 30 minutes of vaping and found “a significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure in the volunteers who were exposed to e-cigarettes containing nicotine.” (61) High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for strokes. (62)
“A significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure in the volunteers who were exposed to e-cigarettes containing nicotine.”
E-Cigarettes and Heart Attacks
Smoking has long been known to increase the risk of heart attack (also called myocardial infarction). New research suggests vaping may carry similar risks.
An analysis of National Health Interview Surveys showed that daily e-cigarette use was associated with increased odds of heart attack. (63)
Nicotine adversely affects the cardiovascular system in numerous ways. (64) New generation e-cigarettes deliver high doses of nicotine. (65) Using these devices produces heart-rate acceleration, increased blood pressure, and increased heart contractility. (66)
Endothelial damage is one of the primary mechanisms of smoking-induced cardiovascular disease. (67) Endothelial cells line the entire cardiovascular system, including the heart and blood vessels. A recently published study found that rats exposed to e-cigarettes had comparable impairment to endothelial function as rats exposed to combustible cigarette smoke. (68)
Symptoms of Pulmonary Disease and Respiratory Failure
Patients suffering from vaping-related lung injuries, including respiratory failure, have experienced the following symptoms: (69) (70) (71)
- Difficulty breathing.
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
- Chest pain.
- Low oxygen concentration in the blood (hypoxemia).
- Weight loss.
- Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Symptoms of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia
Patients suffering from bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia may experience a flu-like illness, cough, shortness of breath, severe respiratory distress, and crackling or rattling sounds in the lungs (known as crackles or rales, respectively). Diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia is usually confirmed by evaluation of clinical symptoms, a chest x-ray or high-resolution chest computed tomography (CT), and a lung biopsy. (72)
Symptoms of Seizures
Symptoms of different types of seizures may include: (73)
- Muscle spasms.
- Loss of consciousness or awareness.
- Uncontrollable jerking of your limbs.
- Perceptual disturbances.
- Staring spells.
- Body stiffening and shaking.
- Loss of bladder or bowel control.
Several of the seizures described in the incident reports released by the FDA describe grand mal or tonic-clonic seizures, (74) characterized by the dramatic convulsions people often associate with seizures. But there are many types of seizures, and some have subtler, more mild symptoms. (75) Mild seizures are probably less likely to be reported.
Symptoms of Strokes
The National Stroke Association recommends the acronym FAST to identify the warning signs of a stroke: (76)
- Face: does one side of your face droop when smiling?
- Arms: when you raise your arms, does one arm drift down?
- Speech: is speech slurred or odd?
- Time: is of the essence. Call 911 immediately if you witness or experience any of these symptoms.
Additional symptoms of strokes include: (77)
- Sudden severe headache.
- Sudden numbness or weakness in face or limb, especially on one side of the body.
- Sudden confusion or trouble speaking.
- Sudden vision problems, in one or both eyes.
- Sudden loss of balance or coordination, dizziness, or trouble walking.
Symptoms of Heart Attacks
According to the American Heart Association, warning signs of heart attack include:(78)
- Chest pain or discomfort.
- Nausea, vomiting, or light-headedness.
- Pain in jaw, neck, or back.
- Arm or shoulder pain or discomfort.
- Shortness of breath.
Potential Lawsuit Claims
E-cigarette users, especially teenagers and young adults, have been lured into a highly addictive habit without being informed of the risks. Many vape just for the flavor. They are unaware they are inhaling a dangerous drug. According to the Surgeon General, “It is questionable whether youth know what nicotine is, let alone whether it is contained in the e-cigarette products that they are using.” (79)
Even e-cigarette users who are aware of the risks of nicotine may be coaxed into a false sense of safety. Featuring high-tech designs and free of messy smoke, vapes seemingly offer precise control over what goes into your body.
But e-liquid labels often state an inaccurate nicotine content. A study of e-liquids for sale in North Dakota vape stores found more than half the products sampled listed nicotine concentrations that were off by 10% or more. One sample contained “172% more than the labeled quantity.” (80)
E-liquid also contains many other chemicals, including solvents, flavorings, and other additives. Often these substances are not all listed in the ingredients, and very little study has been done to see the effects of inhaling the mixture of these different chemicals all at once.
E-cigarette manufacturers have made unfounded and misleading safety claims about their products. The long-term health effects of inhaling cocktails of chemical vapors are unknown. Companies are using consumers, in particular teens and young adults, as guinea pigs while they profit.
People harmed by vaping products may be entitled to compensation. Weitz & Luxenberg is currently taking cases on behalf of JUUL e-cigarette users who experienced:
- Pulmonary disease and/or respiratory failure, without infection.
- Hemorrhagic stroke (intracerebral hemorrhage).
- Ischemic stroke.
- Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (also called cryptogenic organizing pneumonia).
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction).
- Death due to any of these.
- Addiction that began while a teenager and before 2019.
Weitz & Luxenberg is one of the law firms appointed by the court to serve as co-lead counsel for the JUUL e-cigarette multidistrict litigation (MDL).
W&L’s attorneys have decades of experience helping people harmed by dangerous products obtain justice from the corporations responsible for their injuries. Some of our recent successes include billions of dollars in settlement funds for dangerous metal-on-metal hip implants and a $9 billion jury verdict for a client who developed cancer after taking the drug Actos.*


text:
By Fergal MacErlean •
Updated: 25 May 2022 • 16:38
The Food Standards Agency has published a list of sanctioned CBD oil and supplements after reviewing whether their manufacturers have a sufficiently robust testing process to show their products are safe, the Times reports today, April 9.
More than 1.4 million Britons take CBD, a legal and non-psychotropic extract of the cannabis plant.
Advocates claim the extract can help with insomnia, depression and dry skin. But manufacturers are not allowed to make medical claims on their packaging or in marketing.
Many brands have failed to make the list.
One of the highest profile casualties is Cellular Goods, part-owned by David Beckham.
It sells CBD capsules, drops and sprays for up to £49 but none of its ingestibles is on the list.
Cellular Goods insists its products are safe. It declined to say if it would withdraw them from sale, the Times reports.
Being on the list does not mean a product is safe nor does not being listed mean it is unsafe.
The FSA says testing is required to prove whether listed products are safe or unsafe. Results will not be known until at least next year.
The FSA said: “If a product isn’t on the list, retailers should remove it because it’s not attached to a credible application for market authorisation.”
The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry welcomed the move. It said: “The list is a major milestone and will increase consumer trust.”
The CBD market in Britain was worth £300 million in 2019 but is now worth nearly £700 million, according to the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry.
Image credit: https://bloom.express/
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Share this story
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don't already have one. Review our
Originally from Dublin, Fergal is based on the eastern Costa del Sol and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news.
Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Download our media pack in either English or Spanish.


text:
Shropshire companies set for Japan visit
Businesses from Shropshire are set to head out for a major trade visit to Japan in a bid to develop contacts and win contracts in the Far East.
Five county firms are among the eight to have signed up for the visit, organised by UK Trade & Investments' branch in the county, which heads out this weekend.
Most of the companies are in manufacturing, with a number also holding interests in the automotive sector.
Bridgnorth companies Grainger and Worrall, Filtermist and Genvolt will be joined by Telford firm Midland Alloy and Newport-based HCI Systems on the visit.
They will also be accompanied on the six-night visit by Birmingham-based Delcam, Phoenix Calibration from Brierley Hill, and Leader Chuck Systems in Tamworth.
Richard Smith, the Telford-based international trade advisor for UKTI, said: "Japan is a market that is so developed that you have got to have something in the locker, a unique selling point to what you are attempting to take out there.
"Being British is going to stand you in good stead, but you have got to have something unique.
"All the companies that are joining the group are very specialist in what they do."
Japan is the world's third largest economy, with a gross domestic product of £5.96 trillion, with cutting edge technology a key part of the country's output.
"It's still one of the economic powerhouses of the world, so from the point of view of opportunities it is fantastic to be taking an advanced engineering group to Japan," Mr Smith added.
The visit will include a trip to the Japan International Machine Tool Fair in Tokyo, as well as a reception at the British embassy in Tokyo, while the companies will also be organising individual visits to key manufacturers. Oil mist extraction unit manufacturer Filtermist already has contacts in Japan, and counts Asia as one of its key export markets, while technical castings firm Grainger and Worrall – the largest of the Shropshire firms participating, which counts cutting edge Formula 1 teams among its customers – will use the forthcoming trip to test the water for future work in the country.
Genvolt, based at Highley, is a manufacturer of high voltage power systems, is similarly using the trip to look into the possibilities presented by a relatively new market.
Meanwhile HCI, a small, cutting-edge automotive electrics company which also serves motorsport industries, will be hoping to use the visit to meet with some of the country's racing manufacturers.
Complex metal product maker Midland Allow will use the trip both to generate new leads in the country, and to look into future technologies that it could use in its Stafford Park factory.
Mr Smith added: "From the point of view of what we want to achieve, each company has given us a wish list, and they all differ.
"While there is a standard programme – we have an evening reception and every company will be at the show on Monday – the rest of the week will be designed to each company's specifications."
Meet the companies representing Shropshire's manufacturing sector in Japan
Filtermist, Genvolt, Grainger & Worrall, HCI Systems and Midland Alloy will all set off with different expectations, but will universally hope to bring new business to Shropshire.
Mike Tickner of HCI said: "There's a massive motorsport industry in Japan so we are arranging meetings with Honda and Nissan, and some components manufacturers.
"We are not expecting orders straight away, but we want to keep going back to build relationships."
Filtermist's Alison Green said: "We've had a distributor in Japan for 15 years, who have been working well with us, and we hope to develop them further. This is an ideal opportunity for growth."
James Beirne, of Midland Alloy, added: "Networking is the key thing, to make some good contacts in areas we are looking to promote. It's also a research and development exercise."
Genvolt's Stuart Morgan said: "We have an enterprise in China, but not in Japan so we are making an exploratory visit, and I'm visiting a company we hope to collaborate with."
Charlie Bamber, of Grainger and Worrall, added: "We are focused on China but have customers in Japan, and this is a chance to refresh those contacts and expand our opportunities there by growing our network. It's a chance to expand that network one step at a time."
Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.


text:
Goodman Restaurant Group will open Rex & Mariano, an ambitious new seafood restaurant located on the former Vodka Revolution site in Soho in late November.
Kingham’s The Wild Rabbit has been named Pub of the Year in the 2015 edition of the Michelin Eating Out in Pubs Guide.
Family-run restaurant group Rosa’s Thai Café launched its fifth London site in Chelsea last week and will open its sixth in Angel in November.
Serviced apartment provider Flying Butler has opened a new venue in London Westminster.
Massimo Bottura will launch a limited edition Shake Shack burger and take over the kitchens at the Connaught hotel when he arrives in London to promote his new cookbook next month.


text:
POPSUGAR: Can you provide specific data about the traffic to your site after Meghan was spotted wearing her HATCH dress in January 2019?
HATCH: Meghan stepped out on Jan. 10, 2019, which was a Thursday. That weekend, we saw over 300 percent increase in daily traffic. That month we saw a 500 percent increase in sales of the Eliza dress, and since then, we have sold out completely of the item eight times.
"[Meghan] embodies a vision of stylish, comfortable, and confident maternity dressing that reflects her personal style."
PS: How is the brand notified as soon as Meghan steps out in HATCH?
HATCH: That morning, Ariane woke up to a flurry of excited texts, emails, and calls from friends in London celebrating the news. At first, she thought it must be a mistake, but upon seeing the photos of Meghan wearing the formfitting Eliza Dress, she was blown away that she chose HATCH to proudly show off her bump for her first public appearance.
PS: What is it about Meghan's maternity style that's so relatable?
HATCH: Meghan's maternity style is appealing to the everyday woman because she dresses like the everyday woman. She's both aspirational yet totally down to earth. She embodies a vision of stylish, comfortable, and confident maternity dressing that reflects her personal style, which is exactly what HATCH is about. She isn't afraid to flaunt her growing bump and celebrate this incredible time, yet she still looks so chic and effortless.


text:
Mario Kart is a beloved Nintendo IP and a franchise that has been around since the days of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Each new console came to a brand new installment and for the most part, fans have enjoyed the games throughout the years. It wasn’t long ago that Nintendo made a jump towards supporting the smartphone and tablet market. By doing so, they are bringing over different adaptations to their line of IPs, one of which is Mario Kart.
Within Mario Kart Tour, players go through various classic maps with a slew of familiar Nintendo characters. It plays just as a standard Mario Kart title would play. Now new support is coming to the mobile title that will add in multiplayer. If you want to connect with friends, enjoy some competition with nearby players or simply play online against anyone else enjoying the game, you’ll soon be able to do so.
Mario Kart Tour will receive an update on March 8, 2020, that’s this Sunday and with it will come the new multiplayer support. It will add in a few different options just as we made mentioned above. However, for those of you who want to compete in premium races which will feature 150cc and 200cc options, though they will be locked outside of those who are Gold Pass subscribers.
Perhaps this game will continue to find support for those who are still enjoying the mobile adaptation of Mario Kart. For now, we can at least mark our calendars for March 8, 2020, when the game will receive the latest update that adds multiplayer and competitive races.


text:
Apple grabs 31.3% phone sales in US, Android on the decline
Apple`s iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 6s were the three most popular smartphones in the US at the beginning of the three-month holiday period last year, making a combined share of 31.3%, media reported.
At 55.3% of all smartphone sales, down from 60.4%in the same period last year, the holiday period marked the sixth consecutive period of decline for Android devices in the US market, Digital Trends reported on Wednesday, quoting data collected by consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge were the fourth and fifth best-selling phones in the US, with Samsung capturing 28.9%of smartphone sales.
In the US, iOS grew 6.4% in the same three-month period, rising to a 43.5% share of the market.
ALSO READ: Apple's iPhone is now 10 years old
Although Android decreased in the US, Google Pixel recorded 1.3% of sales in the three months ending November 2016, with more than half of that business done through Verizon.
"Both Android and iOS increased their presence across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Great Britain, "largely due to the decline of Windows," the Kantar report said.
Apple reportedly shipped 207 million iPhones in 2016, down from 236 million in 2015.
In urban China, iOS was down year-on-year at 19.9%, but continued strong period-on-period growth with sales from iPhone 7.
"In China, iOS fell to 19.9% of smartphone sales, down 5.4% from the same period in 2015. About 80%of all smartphones sold in China in the three-month period ending November were running Android," the report said.
Oppo posted strong growth in China with 12.9% of smartphone sales. Apple, iPhone 7 became the best-selling device in urban China at 6.6%, pushing Oppo R9 to second place at 4.7%.
ALSO READ: Apple iPhone 6s world's top selling smartphone: Report
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Place: The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas
Send this story to a friend
Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge opening delayed in Dallas
Recent rain delays in construction have caused the City of Dallas to postpone the opening of the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge until the end of March.
The city had planned to open the bridge on March 5 at the conclusion of a weekend of events to celebrate the new bridge, but now it will open on March 29.
The celebration planned for March 2-4 on the bridge will still take place.
Lance Murray edits and writes for the DBJ's website and can be reached at 214-706-7106
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Account Executive Dallas Business Journal | Dallas, TX
- Area Sales Manager SDB Group | Denver, CO
- President/CEO Cristo Rey Dallas College Preparatory School | Dallas, TX
- New Restaurant Opening Soon! Chipotle Lakewood Chipotle Mexican Grill - Corporate | Dallas, TX
- Data Warehouse Architect TEKsystems, Inc | Fort Worth, TX
- Most popular
- 25 of the world's billionaires call Dallas-Fort Worth home
- RadioShack to close 1,100 stores as losses continue to grow
- Holy guacamole! Chipotle considers
- Albertsons, Tom Thumb parent Safeway to merge in $9B deal
- Brookfield buys BlackBerry campus in Las Colinas
- Could EFH bankruptcy lead to a sale of Oncor?
- Virgin America going after gates at Love Field for five new stops
- Executives drop RadioShack stock just before price plummets
- A slice of life inside Pizza Hut's corporate headquarters
- ClubCorp buys Prestonwood Country Club from Miller family
Email Newsletter Signup
Start your morning with business news essential to Dallas-Fort Worth's leaders.


text:
Ringing wedding bells will be on the minds of many soon-to-be brides this weekend as the Wonderful Wedding Show takes over the Winnipeg Convention Centre.
The wedding consumer show will feature over 300 displays showing off the latest wedding gowns, tuxedos, photographers, florists, caterers, gifts, and prize giveaways.
Couples can also enter to win a dream wedding valued at over $20,000 at the Fairmont Winnipeg, including a honeymoon vacation. Entry forms will be available at the Hot 103 display.
Couples who pre-register for the show can be entered to win hourly door prizes, plus diamond wedding bands from W.K. Chan Jewellers. Early registration also gets couples into the show at 10 a.m.
Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz will even be in attendance this year, according to what he told Ace Burpee on Monday. Katz is set to marry girlfriend Leah Pasuta later this year. Oh, and Sam tells Ace there will be an open bar if you’re fortunate enough to be invited to the big day.
Tickets are $12 plus an agency fee at Ticketmaster. Show times are Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with fashion shows at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Proceeds from the show will go to support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s “Kiss for a Cure” program.


text:
A statement from pan-Europeam motorcycle industry body ACEM has stressed how our business has effectively ground to a halt at both manufacturer and dealer level across Europe, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. And to recover, it will need substantial support measures.
“Every effort is being taken by the motorcycle industry to protect our employees and customers. Public health and safety is the number one priority of us all; notwithstanding this need, preservation of the European economy and the protection of jobs are also paramount.
“The current situation is particularly challenging for motorcycle dealers and manufacturers. The ongoing pandemic has severely disrupted supply chains, manufacturing operations and the development of new Euro 5 models. This disruption, in addition to virus containment measures taken in factories, has led to a near complete standstill of the industry in many countries.
“The recent lock-down and stringent measures to contain the pandemic have also paralysed motorcycle retail business activity. This is progressively affecting all European markets, creating unsettling uncertainties for the motorcycle sector. The COVID-19 crisis is placing dealerships, most of which are small family-run operations, under extreme financial hardship. Immediate cashflow concerns will need to be addressed through support measures in every impacted country.
“Against this background, the motorcycle industry urgently calls on the European Commission and national administrations to swiftly adopt all necessary measures to help the sector come through this unprecedented crisis. The motorcycle sector is ready to work with all policy makers to achieve this aim, protecting the 300,000 jobs linked to this industry.”
Commenting on the statement, ACEM president and Pierer Mobility chief executive Stefan Pierer said: “The COVID-19 crisis will test our ability to cope simultaneously with a major health and economic crisis. ACEM members are fully cooperating with authorities to slow the spread of COVID-19. We take care that our employees and partners are safe, and count on policy-makers to find solutions in the challenging weeks and months that are ahead of us in order to break the wave that may otherwise hit the sector.”
ACEM secretary general Antonio Perlot added: “ACEM is engaging with our partners in the EU and national administrations to find solutions to this unprecedented challenge. Things are evolving rapidly and ACEM is closely monitoring the situation, in tight cooperation with industry associations across Europe and vehicle manufacturers. We call on policy-makers to work together and adopt the necessary measures to protect our citizens and economies in the short and longer term.”


text:
Busy Week for Celsius PR Department
Celsius Available at Roche Bros
In continuing a trend of targeting the northeastern portion of America, Celsius Holdings (CSUH.ob) has announced another distribution deal in that part of the country.
Celsius, the world's first calorie burning beverage, will now be available in 195 locations of Shaw's Supermarkets. Shaw's has locations in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont.
This announcement complements the two distribution agreements announced last week and provides more evidence that Celsius is a growing brand, specifically in the areas targeted by the ongoing radio ad campaign.
Trading at it's 52-week high of twenty cents, CSUH offers a nice buying opportunity for those who see potential with Celsius but have not yet bought into the company.
Next quarter will most certainly reveal over a million dollars in sales. Based on the current growth rate and last quarter's earnings of near $1 million, I expect to see a number in the range of $1.5 million in sales for Q2, if not more.
The company is also expected to announce the launch of a new 'Celsius energy shot' before long.
With summer looming, things are heating up for Celsius.
VFC is long CSUH.ob


text:
Ever heard of the term bitter sweet, well that’s what the Golf 8 GTI is doing to us in Mzansi
VW Mzansi has finally confirmed that the Golf 8 GTI will be launched in South Africa from the third quarter of 2021 instead of this month as originally planned. This is due to shortage of electronic parts, something which has affected almost all global manufacturers.
“The Volkswagen Group has been impacted by the global shortage of the semiconductor chips and all vehicles built on the MQB platform have been affected. For this reason, the launch of the Golf 8 GTI in South Africa will now move to the third quarter,” said Steffen Knapp, Head of the Volkswagen Passenger Car Brand.
“We are working closely with our German counterparts to ensure that we get as many Golf 8 GTI units for the local market as possible. A few Golf 8 GTI units started arriving in the country from mid-April. These units will be stockpiled until we have enough vehicles for the launch at the beginning of the third quarter,” added Knapp.
Volkswagen’s launch plans for the Golf 8 GTI include a digital South African premiere and countrywide customer events which will allow enthusiasts to be among the first to experience the new Golf GTI.
The Golf 8 GTI is Volkswagen’s highly anticipated vehicle launch this year. South Africa is one of the biggest Golf GTI markets outside of Europe. The Golf 7 GTI sold over 14 000 units since its launch in South Africa in July 2013. The Golf was also the best-selling model range in the A Hatch segment in South Africa last year with a 29.1% segment share.
Customers who want to be kept informed on launch plans can visit the Volkswagen website: New golf GTI KMI (vw.co.za)


text:
Oil companies and utilities won’t dispute that electric vehicles are on the cusp of becoming mass market. Their battle will be more over which business will dominate the booming charging infrastructure that will go along with it.
BP and Shell have charging company acquisitions in the works, with Europe being a key market for EV in-frastructure growth.
Utilities see huge potential in the surging demand for electric power that would accompany predicated high-volume EV sales in the next decade and beyond.
Power companies are working closely with global automakers building EVs, said Erik Fairbairn, CEO of Pod Point, one of the UK's largest EV charging companies. The oil industry "is realizing if they get this wrong then the requirement for them in the future is significantly diminished,” he said.
Demand is expected to grow as new vehicle buyers express growing interest in EV purchases in the near future, which is expected to surge by leaps and bounds as automakers roll out lineups of electric sedans, SUVs, crossovers, and trucks. Governments around the world, including China, France, the UK, Norway, and Germany, are passing rules mandating EVs in decades to come. The U.S. and Canada are also expected to play a role.
BP is taking a very serious approach, predicting that EV sales will leap by 8,800 percent between 2017 and 2040. If that were anywhere near accurate, oil companies will be selling much less petroleum as consum-ers and fleets switch over to the new technology and leave internal combustion engines behind. Related: OPEC Losing Control After Libya Outages
The British oil major will be investing about $170 million to acquire EV charging company, Chargemaster. The advantage for BP will come through adding the company’s charging stations to its existing network of retail fueling stations.
Companies such as BP already have major fueling station networks in place. Why not add EV chargers to what they already have set up?
"BP wants to remain a fuel retailer of choice, therefore they need an EV offering as those vehicle types rise in number,” wrote Oswald Clint, an analyst at Sanford C Bernstein, in a report.
Pod Point CEO Fairbairn sees utilities having the real advantage here. Fairbain estimates that only 3 percent of EV charging will take place as EV drivers commute to the workplace. Most of it will be done when EV owners charge at home overnight, power that will be supplied by existing utilities.
Utilities are working hard at preparing for the surge to come. They’re expecting to be the leading suppliers meeting growing demand for power.
Sweden's Vattenfall and Finland's Fortum Oyj utilities are currently installing chargers at homes and at workplaces.
"What we see is that most charging takes place when the car is parked for four hours or more," said To-mas Bjornsson, vice president of e-mobility at Vattenfall. "Essentially at home, at work or at a destination like if you're going to a shopping mall, football game or whatever it could be. So this is really where we want to make sure that EV drivers get access."
Royal Dutch Shell sees most of the charging evenly split between home and work, at 40 percent for each. Like BP, Shell is preparing to hedge its bets on future market growth.
Last year, the oil giant bought First Utility, the UK’s seventh largest electricity supplier. That will compete directly with UK utilities investing in the EV infrastructure.
There have been other charging company investments in the works for Shell. Last October, the oil compa-ny announced it would be buying NewMotion, Europe’s largest EV charging company. Related: Saudi Arabia Won’t Bring 2 Million Bpd Online
The following month, Shell made an agreement with IONITY, a collective venture forged by BMW, Daimler, Ford, and Volkswagen. Their charging network will be stretched out to cover 10 European countries.
Speculation continues over which companies will have influence in the charging infrastructure. Automakers such as Tesla could be well positioned, especially through Tesla’s Supercharger stations. Property owners could play an important part as charging infrastructures grow at multi-unit dwelling complexes, airports, parking garages, workplaces, and retail shopping outlets.
A Bloomberg New Energy Finance analyst doesn’t see the future necessarily bringing a win-win for either one of the energy sectors. Aleksandra O'Donovan, an advanced transportation analyst at the company, sees both oil giants and major utilities having a part to play. Demographics and geography will have much to do with it.
"It won't be one solution fits all," O'Donovan said. "The split will vary from country to country depending on how people live. It will be a different story in Norway versus Tokyo.”
By Jon LeSage for Oilprice.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
- Mexico’s New President Has The Energy Sector On Edge
- The New Oil Cartel Threatening OPEC
- The Netherlands Can’t Afford To Keep Its Natural Gas Promise