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TOUGH LUXE: With Wall Street reeling and banks struggling to regain their balance, upscale retailers have endured some of the harshest medicine the economy has to dish out. Even excluding $560.1 million in impairment charges, privately held Neiman Marcus last week reported a second-quarter operating loss of $32.6 million versus $134.3 million in operating income in the comparable 2007 period. Net sales dropped 21.4 percent, to $1.08 billion. Burt Tansky, chairman and CEO, reiterated his belief in the long-term reliability of the luxury customer, but indicated that Neiman will be closely watching expenses and paring its vendor roster at least until that customer returns in force. In addition, Neiman’s 22.8 percent drop in quarterly same-store sales was the highest decline among the Big Three of luxe retailing, with its 22.8 percent drop significantly larger than the 15.3 percent slip reported earlier by Saks Inc. and the 15.8 percent decline registered in Nordstrom’s full-line stores.
DIVING WHILE IMPAIRED: Dick’s Sporting Goods Inc. last week became the latest retailer to see its fourth-quarter earnings wiped out by a noncash impairment charge — in this case, a pretax $193.4 million (or $1.44 a share after-tax) blow that left it with a net loss of $104.4 million, or 93 cents a diluted share. Without the charges, which relate to the acquisition of Golf Galaxy in 2007 and the decline in value of certain store assets, the company would have earned 55 cents a diluted share, 2 cents more than analysts expected. Dick’s joins the long list of retailers who have bled as much as nine figures and can still claim to have had a “good quarter.” And even though it predicted lower first-quarter profits, Wall Street wasn’t disputing the firm’s characterization. In the first two days after the fourth-quarter report, the Pittsburgh-based company’s shares soared 22.7 percent, fueled by both the first two-day winning streak for the S&P Retail Index in more than a month and a sense that perhaps retail shares had reached a short-term nadir. Among the strong points at Dick’s were a year-on-year reduction in inventory per square foot of 13.9 percent and that all $440 million of its credit agreement unused and available. “As we plan our business for 2009, we are not anticipating any improvement in the macroeconomic conditions compared with what we experienced in the fourth quarter,” said Edward Stack, chairman and CEO. “We will continue to remain focused on servicing core athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, carefully managing inventory levels, tightly controlling expenses and modestly growing our store base.”
QUIK, BE NIMBLE: There’s a commercial on TV these days in which Robert McKnight, introduced as the “Surfin’ CEO” of Quiksilver, gives his thoughts on the current “economic tsunami” and how important technology is in today’s business environment. But in reality, Quiksilver has been battling financial headwinds since 2005, when it made what seemed like the enlightened decision to buy Rossignol Group and expand its focus beyond the seashore to the ski slope. But the acquisition was never anything but trouble, and the company wound up selling it last November for about $50 million, less than one-sixth of what it paid. And the Rossignol debacle haunts the company to this day, with its operations and expenses responsible for $134 million of the company’s fourth-quarter net loss of $194.4 million. The financially strapped Huntington Beach, Calif.-based owner of the Roxy, DC and Hawk brands is in the process of exploring a range of strategic and financing options with the goal of improving its liquidity position and capital structure — and speculation has been rampant that either some of its businesses or the entire company might be sold. (FN reported in January that VF Corp. is said to be pursuing the DC Shoe brand, and analysts believe that marriage would be a good one.) To accommodate the timing of a potential transaction, Quiksilver won an extension of the maturity date of a 55 million euro, or $69.8 million, line of credit from European lenders to June 30 from March 14.


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While it’s not uncommon to see people working on their laptops in coffee shops, flooding in Bengaluru recently forced a man to carry his desktop to a cafe.
Twitter user Sanket Sahu shared a photo of a man working from a coffee shop in Bengaluru, where he had set his desktop on a table. In the caption, Mr Sahu claimed that a group was operating out of “Third Wave Coffee” with a “full-fledged desktop setup” because their offices had been flooded.
“Just saw a group working out of the Third Wave Coffee with ‘a full-fledged desktop setup’ because their offices have been flooded,” the Twitter user wrote, sharing the photo on Sept. 7.
Take a look below:
— Sanket Sahu (@sanketsahu) September 7, 2022
Since it was shared, the image has caused amusement on social media. “It would have been understandable if the monitor was used as an external display along with the laptop. But man, he got the whole CPU stuff with it,” wrote one user. “legit ride or die situation,” said another.
Some internet users even pointed to the deeper problem of the toxic “hustle culture”. “This is really bad. Is Bangalore the newest city with a toxic corporate culture?” said one user. “I don’t think we should romanticize this. This is actually sad,” commented another.
Also read | The first moon-shaped luxury resort could open soon in Dubai: report
Meanwhile, last week’s flooding in Bengaluru spared no one, not the impoverished people in their shacks, nor the wealthy CEOs who lived in their lavish homes. Flooding led to traffic congestion and disruptions in the lives of residents in various parts of the city. Basements of shops and apartments were also flooded in many places.
Bengaluru’s civil body was blamed for being unprepared when heavy rains caused flooding in the IT city, nearly drowning flats and villas, some costing up to several crores each.
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According to a report by Bloomberg, Uber has agreed to sell their South East Asian stake to Grab. Rumors have been floating in the air and now with this report coming in, it looks like Grab will be dominating the lion’s share of the ride-hailing business in this region.
The report goes on to say that the deal would involve Uber taking a 25-30% stake in the new combined business. This is similar to the deal in which Uber had with Didi Chuxing when it exited the China market as well as with Yandex as Uber left the Russian market.
As of now, both companies have declined to comment on anything which leads to perhaps a proper announcement on Monday morning. With Uber backing out of South East Asia, it seems Grab can then focus on battling out Go-Jek in South East Asia.
Both Uber and Grab have investors in the likes of Softbank so playing nice seems to be the strategy in the long term. Uber is seen leaving certain markets in order to focus on profitability as well as clean up its books before the IPO in which CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi seems to be focusing on.


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U.S. markets opened in the red on Friday after disappointing earnings from companies such as Amazon.com, and weak housing market from the day before weighed down traders.
Investors didn’t respond positively to stronger-than-expected orders for durable goods, which were released before the opening bell. The Commerce Department reported orders for long-lasting goods climbed 0.7 percent in June from March, beating estimates of a 0.5 percent increase
The S&P 500 opened 9 points, or 0.4 percent lower at 1,980.96, falling off from the record close reached on Thursday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 117 points, or 0.7 percent to 16,965.02 at the opening bell.
The Nasdaq Composite opened 30 points lower, or 0.7 percent at 4,441.20, hurt by Amazon.com and Pandora, both tumbling 12%.
Follow MarketWatch’s live blog of today’s stock-market action.
Investors were disappointed with Amazon.com(NASDAQ:AMZN) and a wider-than-expected second-quarter loss late Thursday. Shares plunged 11%. Also read: Is Amazon spending like a drunken sailor?
Pandora Media (NYSE:P) fell a whole 9 percent on larger-than-expected losses reported late Thursday.
Starbucks Corp.(NASDAQ:SBUX) hit the bricks as another top loser, down 3 percent at the open. The company posted a 22 percent profit increase and lifted its outlook, but many view the company’s 2015 outlook as cautious.
Shares of Xerox (NYSE:XRX) also fell 2.7 percent, as second-quarter earnings fell in large part due to revenue from its document-technology business coming up short.
The day’s trading debuts include fast-food chain El Pollo Loco(LOCO), which priced shares at $15, the top of the range.
Investors will also closely watching Cynk Technology (OTCMKTS:CYNK), which will begin trading again after the Securities and Exchange Commission suspended trading in the stock earlier this month.


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From the what the fuck file:
Los Angeles, CA - Monday, February 4, 2008 -- Slayer, the Grammy-winning, undisputed kings of thrash/punk/metal, have joined forces with O'Neal USA, one of the leading manufacturers of motorcycle and BMX accessories, to produce a limited edition of Slayer helmets that feature the band's distinguished and celebrated artwork. The helmets will launch under the name of RockHard, and will be sold at all Cycle Gear locations and at finer motorcycle dealerships worldwide . In addition, each helmet will be certified and numbered with its own Certificate of Authenticity. Slayer's RockHard Helmets go on sale on Monday, February 25 and once they're gone, they are GONE...
...While musical trends have come and gone, the members of Slayer - Tom Araya/vocals, bass; Kerry King/guitars; Jeff Hanneman/guitars; Dave Lombardo/drums - have continued to stay true to their thrash roots and loudly defied the music industry's standards for the past 27 years. The band is nominated this year for its third Grammy Award (Best Metal Performance for the track "The Final Six" off of 2007 limited edition "Christ Illusion." On "Christ Illusion," Slayer takes on the Government and God, looking at the World Trade Center disaster from the terrorists' point of view and repeatedly committing lyrical blasphemy, which caused one major daily reviewer to hypothesize, "If Thomas Jefferson were alive today, he undoubtedly would be listening to Slayer. Beneath this aggressive veneer is a social, political and interpersonal message that would put proud smiles on our nation's founders."
This post is useless with out a link to and image of said helmet.
Ha ha ha, good point. Added.
Post a Comment


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Oaks Day equals fun and fashion
Fun, fashion and frivolity will be the order of the day as women frock up in their finest for a day of fine food, champagne and horse racing at the Corowa Golf Club Ladies Oaks Day on Thursday, November 9.
There are still tickets available for the luncheon that will this year be held in the lounge area of the Corowa Golf Club, with a limited number of tables available on the balcony already sold out.
Organiser Kerryn Alexander said the event was a tradition that was now well and truly established in Corowa.
“It’s always a great day and we are always amazed by the standard of dress,” she said.
“The women come dressed in their finest hats and outfits, which is always the highlight of the day.”
Fashions on the Field will be judged throughout the day, with the winners announced in the afternoon.
Fashions on the Field categories include best dressed lady, best hat, best fascinator and people’s choice.
Kerryn said the day promised to be fun filled, packed with delicious food, fine wine and friendship.
“Don’t miss this truly traditional event held especially for the ladies of Corowa and surrounds,” she said.
“We have had ladies from interstate as well as far flung regional areas such as Broken Hill, Bright, Korumburra and Albury who have attended with their friends.
“Our visiting ladies have all agreed that the Corowa Golf Club Ladies Oaks Day has certainly lived up to the reputation of being a must attend event in Corowa.”
Kerryn said the change of location from the Golf Club’s auditorium to the lounge area would provide a greater atmosphere.
The decor for the day has once again been donated by Katie Massari from Poppy Emporium.
The day will start at 11.30am with bubbles and nibbles followed by a sit down two-course luncheon at 1pm. All the races will be shown on the big screen. Tickets cost $40 per person, contact the Golf Club on (02) 6033 1466.
Sheridan Kaye, Olga Anderson, Patty Ferguson and Kerryn Alexander enjoying one of the Corowa Golf Club Ladies Oaks Day luncheons.


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The use cases for the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare are many. Indranil (Neal) Ganguly gave three use cases for IoT in healthcare when he spoke with SearchHealthIT at HIMSS 2016: inventory management, workflow optimization, and medical device integration. And healthcare companies are working to create the technology necessary to make IoT happen.
“I think we’re going to see that increase over the next few years dramatically, but in general, hospitals are just scratching the surface with IoT,” Ganguly told SearchHealthIT at HIMSS 2016.
A new report by Allied Market Research backs up Ganguly when he says that the use of IoT will increase dramatically in the next few years. The report predicts that by 2021, the IoT healthcare market will reach $136.8 billion worldwide.
The report attributes this growth—and the continued growth– to various phenomena:
- Accessibility of wearable devices
- The decreasing cost of sensor technology
- The launch of technologically advanced devices such as smart shirts, smart lenses and smart bands
- The rise in rates of chronic diseases
- Demand for cost-effective treatment and disease management
- Better access to high speed internet
- Implementation of favorable government regulatory policies
However, IoT in healthcare is not without its barriers, the report said. High costs of IoT infrastructure, and data privacy and security concerns, to name a few, are some factors that could restrain the market growth.
Despite this, general growth within the world IoT healthcare market is expected to continue. The report projected that the fastest growing segment would be devices, that patient monitoring will continue to dominate, Fitness and wellness measurement applications will keep growing, and healthcare providers and patients will continue to lead the market.


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So the news came out tonight that Facebook have bought yet another company, this time being Oculus VR – a company that creates virtual reality headsets for gamers. This latest cutting edge piece of tech is named the ‘Oculus Rift’. Although they aren’t available to the general public yet (I can imagine there’s a hefty price-tag to be included) well known Youtuber “PewDiePie” has showcased the device to much acclaim and reviews amongst the internet are hailing the rift as the next big thing in gaming. See the most-subscribed you tuber having a bit of a nightmare with the Oculus here (mind the swearing!)
As fun as the Rift looks, I come to have a problem with the product itself. Remember when 3-D came back to our cinema screens not so long ago? No, me neither. This is where the entertainment industry is falling short, making huge investments in ideas that are, essentially, a novelty. 3-D sustained a short lifespan amongst big blockbuster films and 3-D television is still yet to find it’s feet amongst a large audience. Now Facebook have involved themselves in such a massive industry, how will gamers react to VR once it’s released? I can imagine there will be a good few sales upon the Oculus Rift’s launch (whenever they decide that to be – this year, 2015?) but is there really going to be a longevity in such a product? For what is an easy thumb movement on a controller, there will be a much more physical turn of the head, just for a change of camera viewpoint. After a long time using the rift, I can imagine most gamers would get bored of having to go to the effort! I know I’d get bored easily, not to mention the eye-strain of having the screen so up-close and personal. Despite there being physical drawbacks with the Oculus, I would absolutely love more social media integration and hopefully Facebook will take the lead in connecting a more social side to the gaming network. No matter how the Oculus Rift pans out now Facebook are involved, I just hope and pray that this advancement in gaming doesn’t affect the quality of games overall. Over the last year we’ve seen such a rise in fantastic gameplay, scriptwriting, cinematography, musical arrangements and graphics in games (The Last Of Us, Bioshock Infinite, Tomb Raider, Gone Home, The Walking Dead to name a few of my favourites) The industry is also expanding, with gaming becoming more of a socially accepted form of entertainment as time progresses. I really do hope game developers don’t see the Rift as too much of a distraction over the next year or so and the quality of games continues in this lovely new cycle of next-gen!


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Shobhit Bansal had just graduated from business school when he decided to return to his family’s decades-old textile business. “When I shared my plans to modernize the business, my ideas were dismissed,” he says. “So I branched out and started retailing fabric through an online marketplace.”
In two months, Shobhit achieved sales worth Rs 1 lakh (almost USD 1,400). This encouraged him to start an e-commerce platform for the business. Then, a family dispute resulted in him having to give away the business he had just built.
That’s when he started The Libas Store in January 2018 as an omni-channel business retailing fabric for suits and shirts.
“It had taken me four years to build an online business,” says Shobhit. “I had to start from scratch.”
In just over a year, The Libas Store achieved an annual turnover of Rs 1.4 crore (approximately USD 195,000). According to him, “Our online sales have grown five times and continue to grow rapidly.”
Shobhit believes that a platform like WhatsApp can be leveraged to his advantage.
“It helps create brand identity and authenticity"
“We use the WhatsApp Business app to connect with customers to answer queries and market our products. In fact, customer referrals through WhatsApp alone contribute to about 5 percent of the business.”
He believes the WhatsApp Business app is a blessing for small businesses.
“It helps create brand identity and authenticity by enabling users to access details on the profile. That apart, features like broadcast and quick replies are just what small businesses like ours need,” says Shobhit.
The Rohtak-based business is ramping up its operations to start selling customized stitched shirts and to expand their offline footprint. “By the end of 2020,” says Shobhit, “we want to set up an offline store in the NCR, and in the next five years, set up at least five stores across India.”


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Table of Contents
Boycott Lux status For Whatsapp
Deepika Padukone’s JNU visit is receiving mixed reactions. Some Bollywood celebrities have condemned the move before the release of ‘Chhapaak’, while people on social media have condemned it as a publicity stunt. The trend of boycotting ‘Chhapak’ and Deepika was also followed on social media. Now the controversy is no longer limited to ‘Chhapaak’ films. Deepika, who promotes brands, has also launched a campaign to boycott social media.
According to a report in the Economic Times, the brands that promote Deepika are refusing to show their ads for the few days or they are showing less.
#Deepika_Hutwa_lux_ Save The Trend Deepika is the brand ambassador of Beauty Soap Lux. A campaign to delete her from Lux has been launched on social media. Save #deepika_tw_lux_ on social media is trending. Many users are sharing the meme and demanding to remove Deepika from Lux.
The anti-national soap!!!
I will not buy product of brands being promoted by Deepika Padukon unless she clarifies hers position upon JNU visit and seek apology for standing along with tukde tukde gang. #BOYCOTT_LUX
Ages since I stopped using lux! Nothing like Patanjali soaps,excellent quality. #BOYCOTT_LUX Just the way the Nation United to ensure Chapaak turned out to be a dud of a movie,the same treatment needs to be given to the products that endorses! Strength in unity!
#bhakts after boycotting #lux#दीपिका_हटाओ_LUX_बचाओ
Remove Deepika from lux advertisement and save Lux! #दीपिका_हटाओ_LUX_बचाओ #दीपिका_हटाओ_LUX_बचाओ
After seeing this trend on Twitter #दीपिका_हटाओ_LUX_बचाओ
Dipika Padukone be like
23 brands advertisement done by Deepika are:
In addition to Deepika Lux, Axis Bank, Royal Atmos, Extra, Kellogg’s, Nescafe, Britannia, Gillette Venus, Goibibo, Coca-Cola, Tanishq, Oppo, Jaguar Lighting, Loreal Paris, Geo, Nestle Fruita Violets, Tetley A Green Tea, Lyta- Many brands like All About You endorse. She charges Rs 8-10 crore for advertising.
A fee of Rs 26 crores for ‘printing’
Deepika is currently the highest-paid actress. She has received a fee of Rs 26 crore for the film ‘Chhapaak’. According to a Forbes report in 2018, its net worth is around Rs 100 crore.
If you are seeking Boycott Lux Memes, messages & statuses, then this article will help you a lot.
Britishers used to wash their ass with lux and now Indians are washing Thier face with this.
Power of Bhagwa, Jai Hind
LUX कुत्ता नहलाने का साबुन है,,
अभी तक लोग अज्ञान बस इससे नहाने का भूल कर रहे थे।
जिंदा रहे तो कल फिर मिलेंगे नही तो आज के आनंद की जय । शुभ रात्रि


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Myafricatoday.net can report that tension is brewing in the tomato trading space within the Greater Accra Region.
This follows a litany of accusations levelled against the Chairman of the Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association (GNTTTA), Mr Eric Tuffuor, by various tomato groups in markets including CMB, along the Agbogbloshie Railway, Kingsway, Accra Brewery Limited Avenue, Farisco, Makola, Dome, Mallam Atta, Ashaiman and Tema—all in the Greater Accra Region.
Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday to break their silence, the tomato traders who were wearing red arm bands and head gears disclosed that over the last couple of years, Mr Tuffuor has arrogated to himself the Chairmanship position of the Greater Accra Tomato Traders Association.
And using this position, the traders alleged that Mr Tuffuor visits tomato traders in CMB, along the Agbogbloshie Railway, Kingsway, Accra Brewery Limited Avenue, Farisco, Makola, Dome, Mallam Atta, Ashaiman and Tema markets and allegedly extort monies from them.
According to them, during one of his visits, Mr Tuffuor approached them and claimed he needed an amount of GH¢30,000 to help him secure documents on behalf of members of the Greater Accra Regional Tomato Traders Association from the Ministry of Trade which would give legal backing to tomato traders to share a routine schedule for the sale of the tomatoes in CMB and Agblogbloshie markets.
Continuing, the visibly worried tomato traders recounted that last year (2019), Mr Tuffuor allegedly succeeded in collecting GH¢500.00 from each group of tomato traders within the various tomato markets in the Greater Accra Region to execute the above agenda.
According to them, Accra CMB has thirteen (13) tomato traders groups with Agblogbloshie market having ten (10) while Makola has six (6) including other groups in the tomato trading space in the whole of the Greater Accra Region.
“All these tomato groups put together one can imagine how much money Mr Tuffuor managed to raise from the traders. But painfully and till date we have not receive or seen even a single document from him,” they said.
Meanwhile, the traders pointed out that their checks have revealed that Mr Tuffuor did not succeed in securing that document and that when they confronted him for the refund of their monies he got furious which situation was creating tension and confusion between the various tomato groups and Mr Tuffuor.
That notwithstanding, the traders stated that Mr Tuffuor “even sometimes if he wants to organise meetings in the various tomato trading markets in Accra under the Greater Accra Regional Tomato Traders Association demands to GH¢1,000.00 for his transportation before he can facilitate the meeting.
“And when we fail to raise this money for him he will not show up for the meeting,” they said.
They also accused Mr Tuffuor of being the brain behind the recent increment in prices of cartons of tomatoes imported from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, saying that the increment has seen of the traders incur huge debts since many of them are working with bank loans, and more especially when they do not get a ready market for their products.
In December last year, the traders recounted that they were informed that Mr Tuffuor travelled from Ghana to Burkina Faso to have a secret meeting with the various tomato farmers, stakeholders and language interpreters at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, without the knowledge of members of the local association.
The traders indicated that during that meeting, Mr Tuffuor was reported to have advised the farmers not to continue to sell two-in-one per carton of tomatoes at the cost of 75,000 CFA which is equivalent to GH¢735.00 to traders from Ghana, with the claim that such a transaction enabled Ghanaian traders to rake in more profit at the expense of their colleague farmers in Ouagadougou.
According to the traders, their sources in Burkina Faso told them that Mr Tuffuor explained to the tomato farmers in Ouagadougou that in Ghana tomato farmers indeed sell one-in-two per cartoon of tomatoes to traders and not two-in-one per carton of tomatoes as it was done in Ouagadougou.
The traders mentioned that they were also informed by their sources that Mr Tuffuor initiated such a move so that famers could share with him and their language interpreters in Burkina Faso proceeds they gained from the bounty sale of one-in-two carton of tomatoes “but interestingly according to our sources the interpreters were reported to have vehemently disagreed with Mr Tuffuor.”
According to the traders, following Mr Tuffuor’s discussion with tomato farmers in Ouagadougou, the farmer price for the purchase of tomatoes in the international community has increased drastically, which has worsened their business, rendering their capital investment into serious debts.
“We cannot this time round sit idle for Mr Eric Osei Tuffuor who is not even a recognised member of our association and his associates to be cheating us. We do not want Mr Tuffuor again to be parading himself as the Chairman of the Greater Accra Tomato Traders Association; we are telling him that he should go and lead as the Chairman of Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association period!” the traders warned.
They stated that the CMB Tomato Traders Association with 265 members has a routine schedule for the sale of tomatoes but Mr Tuffuor and his cronies have managed to create artificial shortages in the system.
According to them, the idea behind the schedule was to bring sanity into the system and to minimise the situation of tomatoes getting rotten in the markets as result of over importation.
They also indicated that based on an extensive survey they conducted, they were aware of the number of tomato cartons the country needed within a day, across all regions and markets, hence the schedule will in no way create shortages.
To this end, they called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the regional minister to help ensure that the agreed schedule was maintained and complied with so as to push intruders away for them to have their peace and carry out their businesses without any confrontations.
The traders are extremely frustrated with the situation and they feel that they have been neglected by stakeholders. They claimed that three people have already died this year due to pressures associated with the business.
They also threatened to commit suicide if government doesn’t come to their aid.
“We are wallowing in debts so we beg Nana Akufo-Addo to help us because we are dying. If care is not taken, by the time we return from Ouagadougou on our next trip, if you pick100 people you will only get 10 because the rest of the 90 will drink poison and die because all our money is gone to the extent that we have to borrow money from interpreters before we can do business,” the traders pleaded.
However, when contacted via telephone on Wednesday, February 11, 2020 to get his side of the story, Mr Tuffuor vehemently denied all the allegations against him by the traders.
According to him, it was not true that he collected GH¢500 from each group of tomato traders within the various tomato markets in the Greater Accra Region and failed to use the money for its purpose.
He explained that the money collected from the various groups of traders was used to organise a national conference for various associations of the tomato traders across the country and that such money was not even collected by him personally.
He went on to say that the national conference, which was held in Kumasi on December 2019 and attended to by twenty-two delegates from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, was aimed at discussing the way forward on how to bring sanity and transparency to the tomato business in both Ghana and Burkina Faso.
He further denied informing tomato farmers in Ouagadougou to stop selling their products to traders from Ghana in two-in-one per carton of tomatoes, saying that the farmers in Ouagadougou have taken their own decision to adopt that selling method.
“I am not benefiting from the sale of tomatoes from farmers in Ouagadougou to Ghanaians,” he stressed.
He added that the allegations by the traders that he has arrogated to himself the Chairmanship position of the Greater Accra Tomato Traders Association was also not true, saying that he is performing his task as the recognised Chairman of the Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association.
Please send us your articles for publication via firstname.lastname@example.org
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The BBC plans to launch a high definition version of its BBC America channel shortly, BBC Worldwide Channels’ managing director Darren Childs tells TBIvision.
Worldwide has just launched its first high definition channel in an international market with BBC HD forming part of the launch line-up of Australian pay TV operator Foxtel’s HD service, which rolled out earlier this month. Worldwide now plans to launch a fully HD version of its popular BBC America channel.
"The next big push for HD is the US and an HD version of BBC America," Childs says. "The market for HD channels is evolving in two ways: in the US all channels are going HD and the number of SD channels is diminishing. Whereas in Europe HD is being used as more of a premium service and that’s why we will have a mixed genre service there."
Worldwide has launched numerous channels under the leadership of former Sony exec Childs. He joined Worldwide in late 2005 since when the international channels offering has been tweaked with BBC Prime becoming BBC Entertainment and lifestyle programming being carried on a dedicated channel, BBC Lifestyle. Worldwide has also launched its kids channel CBeebies into several markets.


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Cosmetics manufacturers operating without valid licenses are now under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) radar.
With proper marketing, cosmetic products like body lotions, skincare solutions including moisturizers, skin whitening creams, bleaches and facial scrubs have slowly made their way into households in the small towns and villages of Maharashtra. This has propelled the demand for such products over the years, resulting in small entrepreneurs entering the manufacturing business to earn quick money by producing cosmetics at cheaper rates and using ingredients of inferior quality.
A stock of drugs and cosmetics worth Rs 18.44 lakh was seized during our routine surveillance between April 2013 and March 2014. FDA has intensified their drive to detect more such erring cosmetic manufacturers, who are running the business without the mandatory license under Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940.
The cosmetic manufacturers and Ayurveda manufacturers were found manufacturing medicines without seeking license from FDA in Pune division. License is not needed for selling Ayurveda products, but a person mandatorily needs to seek a license if he/she is manufacturing Ayurveda products. Two firms in Satara, were in the manufacturing business without licenses.


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Lawbreakers is still in a bit of a rough spot. Having launched a few months ago now, it feels as if those who did pick it up at launch bought into a wasteland. Concurrent player counts on Steam are basically non-existent, but the developers are hoping to get some matches going by joining in themselves.
Following designer Cliff Blezinski's plans to get things up and running again, they recently hosted a Dev Night that could hopefully become a regular thing.
Taking place early this morning - or late last night depending on your locale - a handful of the development team jumped into the US-East/US-West servers to square off against however many players still remain. Looking at Steam Stats, the last 24 hours of the game had a peak player count of just 80. That's enough to get a couple of matches going, yet still a fraction of the players hitting up something as obscure as the Payday 2 demo right now.
The announcement, made on the game's forums a day or two earlier, only garnered a single reply - and that came from a European player stating how they likely wouldn't be able to join in because of the timezone difference. How many of the devs just ending up being matched against their co-workers in the end?
Lawbreakers took many years to push out of the door, so we can imagine Boss Key isn't going to just let this one die without a real fight. Many suspect it to roll out a F2P version over time - as originally planned - but there's no word on that just yet. It may not even be enough, but the shift is inevitable at this point.
The next dev session will be with PS4 players next week, but maybe they'll announce plans to rotate the activity around each week. As Overwatch and Final Fantasy XIV has proven, consistent developer interaction goes a long way.


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Inflation rises to 7.81% in Sept
Inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), was 7.55 per cent in August.
In September last year, however, it was 10 per cent. In the food articles category, wheat turned expensive by 18.63 per cent, up from 12.85 per cent in August. Cereals too became dearer by 14.18 per cent, from 10.7 per cent in the previous month.
Inflation in diesel shot up to 8.94 per cent during the month, from 0.36 per cent, following government raising prices of the petro-product by over Rs 5 per litre on September 13. For the fuel and power category, inflation surged 11.88 per cent from 8.32 per cent. Besides diesel, aviation turbine fuel and kerosene became expensive.
Food inflation, as a category, declined to 7.86 per cent during the month, from 9.14 per cent in the previous month. Food articles have 14.3 per cent share in the WPI basket. Year-on-year basis, however, potatoes were costlier by 52.20 per cent and rice by 12.41 per cent.
In the manufactured items category, prices rose for cotton textiles, paper and paper products, rubber and plastic products.
The rate of price rise in the manufactured products was 6.26 per cent in September, as against 6.14 per cent in August.
The Reserve Bank is scheduled to unveil its policy on October 30. Industry has been demanding a rate cut in view of fiscal measures taken by the government, but the high level of inflation may dissuade RBI from easing the policy.
Inflation in eggs, meat and fish prices was 12.44 per cent, while in milk and fruits it was 6.25 per cent and 6.96 per cent respectively.
However, vegetables prices have eased to (-)6.78 per cent in September on year-on-year basis. Inflation in this segment was 9.98 per cent in August.
However, the pressure on prices of onions declined during the month to (-) 24.88 per cent. In non-food articles, inflation in oil seeds was 28.13 per cent, fibres (-) 5.67 per cent and minerals 12.38 per cent.
Inflation for July was revised upwards to 7.52 per cent, from 6.87 per cent as per provisional estimates. Before the September inflation number, as per the data released today, June had the highest rate of price rise in this fiscal at 7.58 per cent.


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2020 Ford Focus RS Release Date, Price and Specs
One of the hottest rumors today came from Dearborn automaker Ford who plans to introduce the all-new 2020 Focus RS with more powerful engines and more efficient fuel economy. If so, that means Ford is currently developing the latest Focus RS and it’s likely to use the new mega-hatch platform with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The most highlighted is that the 2020 Ford Focus RS is claimed to be able to cranks out 400 BHP and 425 lb-ft of torque, which comes from a combination of its gasoline engines and electric motors. Ford with the upcoming Focus RS seems to be trying to challenge Audi and Mercedes-AMG.


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Chinese Exports Slip Amid Strong Yuan
Currency Has Strengthened 14% Since Middle Of Last Year
Exports in China unexpectedly fell 15% in March, a striking miss as economists largely predicted gains of 10% or more. A key reason for the slide is the strengthening of the yuan, which has appreciated 14% since the middle of last year against an index of several global currencies. China’s central bank has so far been reluctant to weaken the yuan, which it pegs to the U.S. dollar, seemingly concerned more about accelerating capital outflows.
Chinese exports, data showed, did fare better for the first quarter of the year, climbing 4.7% compared to last year’s Q1. Imports, however, fell 17.6% for the quarter, another sign of China’s lower-growth economy. In fact, China just recorded its lowest Q1 rate of growth in six years, according to figures released this week by the country. China’s statistics bureau revealed that the nation’s gross domestic product rose 7% in the first quarter of 2015 versus a year ago. The figure was in line with economic forecasts based on a number of indicators for the country, including unmet expectations for retail sales and power output.
Sheng Laiyun, spokesman for China’s National Bureau of Statistics, cited “the subsiding of traditional drivers” for the result, but refused to sound the alarm about the state of China’s economy. “The risk of the Chinese economy having a ‘double dip’ or a ‘hard landing’ is very small,” he told reporters, according to Reuters.
Following this week’s data release, the Chinese government has revamped its official growth target this year to 7%. The number would be the smallest annual rate of growth in 25 years.


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Ferguson’s Six Killer Apps
All the wealth in the world adds up to just under $200 trillion dollars (the world economy is worth $60 trillion a year, as we mentioned in a recent story), most of which was created in the last two centuries and two-thirds of which is owned by Westerners, who represent just a fifth of the population. That’s a thumb-sketch of the world economy given by economic historian Niall Ferguson in a recent TED talk called ‘The 6 killer apps of prosperity’. What explains this ‘great divergence’? Not geography or national character, says Ferguson, but a half-dozen ideas and institutions that set the west apart from the rest: competition, the scientific revolution, property rights, modern medicine, the consumer society and the work ethic. “Any society can adopt these institutions,” says Ferguson - and in fact it’s already happening. The average American, who used to be 20 times wealthier than the average Chinese, is now five times wealthier than the average Chinese, and soon the multiple will be just 2.5. Indeed, says Ferguson, China is tipped to become the world’s biggest economy in 2016.


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People gather outside a two-wheeler showroom at Karolbagh in New Delhi (Photo: PTI)
Two- and three-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company closed FY 2016-17 with a total revenue of Rs 13,363.43 crore and net profit of Rs 558.08 crore, the company said.
In a statement issued here, TVS Motor said it earned a revenue of Rs 13,363.43 crore last fiscal, up from Rs 12,194.77 crore posted during the previous year.
The company registered a net profit of Rs 558.08 crore last fiscal as against Rs 489.28 crore logged during FY 2015-16.
Last fiscal, the company sold 28.58 lakh two-wheelers and 69,000 three-wheelers.
The board of directors of the company has declared two interim dividends of Rs 1.25 (per share) each at their meetings held on October 27, 2016, and on March 6, 2017, for the year 2016-17.
The total dividend paid for the year ended March 31, 2017, aggregated to Rs 2.50 per share. The board does not recommend any further dividend for the year under consideration, the statement said.


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Dunkin’ credits espresso, cold brew, and a revamped food menu for positive 2019 results, including 2.1% like-for-like sales growth in the US
Premium coffee and food contributed to 2.1% like-for-like sales growth across Dunkin's US business in 2019
Announcing its full year results to 28 December 2019, Dunkin’ said its global portfolio had expanded by 385 net new stores, including 211 new US locations, to reach over 13,000 stores globally. The coffee and food-to-go chain achieved like-for-like sales growth of 5.7% across its international portfolio and 2.1% in the US during the period.
Profits across its US business in the fourth quarter increased to $124.3m, an increase of $4.5m on the previous year’s period, with Dunkin’ returning $36m to shareholders, including $31.1m in dividends.
In a press statement, Dunkin’ said an increase in average ticket sales was driven by premium espresso, cold brew, and a revamped food menu, which includes its vegan Beyond Sausage sandwich.
Strong sales of premium products will be welcome news for the traditionally value-focused US coffee chain. In September 2018 Dunkin’ announced a major coffee-focused rebrand
placing premium beverages, such as espresso and cold brew, at the centre of its growth strategy.
“Better quality food and beverage enabled by better equipment is a cornerstone of the Dunkin' Blueprint for Growth, which is the reason we are investing $60m in high-volume brewers for our franchisees' restaurants in 2020 as part of our commitment to beverage leadership,” said Dunkin’ CEO David Hoffmann.
Dunkin’s focus on premiumisation
is shrewd given slowed outlet and sales growth in the US coffee shop market
, with 80% of US industry leaders
surveyed by World Coffee Portal in 2019 identifying cold brew as the fastest growing product in coffee shops.
Dunkin is the second largest coffee chain in the US behind Starbucks, with its 9,700 locations comprising more than a quarter of the total US branded coffee shop market.


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Singapore – 14 November 2023 – In September, Wind, the innovative cross border payments provider, elevated its standing in the fintech arena via acceptance in the XRPL Accelerator in Singapore, a program lead by Tenity and Ripple.
Hussain Elius, Wind’s Co-founder and CEO, conveyed appreciation to Tenity, Ripple, and the XRPL community for the unprecedented opportunity presented by the accelerator. Spanning 12 weeks, the program is poised to propel Wind to new heights, perfectly in alignment with their vision of building a borderless financial landscape.
Continuing its momentum, Wind actively engaged in XRPL Demo Day on 14 November. The demonstration accentuated Wind’s products in front of Investors, VCs and fintech community members and other stakeholders, emphasizing streamlined and cost-effective cross-border payment solutions.
Hussain M Elius expressed eagerness about XRPL Demo Day, noting it as an incredible platform to showcase the tangible impact of Wind’s cross-border payment solutions fueled by XRPL. Wind’s robust involvement in Demo Day highlights its commitment to pushing the boundaries of cross-border payments within the blockchain and digital assets industry. As the fintech landscape evolves, Wind maintains a leading position, actively stirring up innovation within the XRPL ecosystem.
XRPL, known as the XRP Ledger, stands as a decentralized, public blockchain championed by a global consortium of businesses and developers. Acknowledged for over a decade of steadfast performance, XRPL offers efficient development, economical transactions, high performance, and sustainable practices. Functioning as an open-source platform, XRPL invites contributions from all quarters and is diligently maintained by a committed community.
Developers gravitate towards XRPL for deliberate innovations, tools, and documentation expediting time-to-market. With transaction settlements in seconds at a fraction of a penny per transaction, XRPL accommodates a spectrum of blockchain use cases. Notable features include a decentralized exchange, cross-currency payments, payment channels, multi-signing options, and the ability to represent currencies as tokens. The platform’s support for various programming languages also amplifies accessibility for developers.


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Spotify will now sell listeners makeup products inspired by popular music artists
|11/13/2017||Posted by BusinessMediaguide.Com under General World News||
- Spotify, the $16 billion music streaming giant, is extending its merchandise partnership to allow artists to sell beauty products, like makeup.
- Merchbar will offer music fans the opportunity to ‘buy the look’ of particular artists through Spotify.
- Spotify will not earn direct revenue on the partnership. The idea is instead to give artists more opportunities to make money on the platform beyond streaming.
In times when Spotify is hotly tipped for a massive IPO, you probably wouldn’t expect it to branch out into eyeliners.
But that’s exactly what the $16 billion streaming giant announced today, as it expands its ongoing partnership with Merchbar read more >>>


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May 29, 2013
On Apple & DOJ/Amazon lawsuit about iPad iBooks "Agency Pricing"2013-05-29T10:10:00-04:00https://images.c-span.org/Files/f1c/20130529101259002_hd.jpgSargent discusses displeasure that DOJ protected Amazon with ~90% ebook market share, selling below-cost, against Apple & publishers.
Sargent discusses displeasure that DOJ protected Amazon with ~90% ebook market share, selling below-cost, against Apple & publishers.
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Polarization of Politics Having an Effect on Brand Management
As unlikely as it may seem, the polarization of the U.S. electorate brought about by the Trump administration appears to be having an effect on brand management, according to a leading independent marketing and brand consultant.
Peter Horst, head of CMO Inc., a consulting company, and the former chief marketing officer of Capital One, Hershey, General Mills, US West, and TD Ameritrade has published a book is entitled Marketing in the Fake News Era: New Rules for a New Reality of Tribalism, Activism and the Loss of Trust.
According to Horst, ever since Donald Trump was elected President “there’s been a giant elephant in the room” – not just the symbolic one that represents Republicans’ control of the House and the Senate, he writes – but a metaphorical one that indicates the uncertainty marketers feel in terms of how they should engage with consumers.
Trump has an ultra-loyal 35-40% of the electorate who will follow him anywhere. On the other hand, the anti-Trumpers have an equal or greater percentage of the population that feels exactly the opposite.
Horst goes on to write that this pro- or anti-Trump phenomenon kicks in when brands have been applauded or chastised by Trump for the company’s CEO’s stance on Trump. For example, some companies, such as Starbucks, have crossed Trump when Chairman Howard Schultz’s wrote his open letter in response to Trump’s original executive order on immigration.
Other companies like L.L. Bean, which was praised by the President in a tweet, received a backlash from members of the anti-Trump population who threatened to boycott the outdoor gear and apparel brand.
Evan companies that have remained silent have had problems, according to Horst. Oracle, for example, has faced problems with employees, according to BuzzFeed, who criticized their employer for not speaking out against the executive order on immigration.
Other brands that have run into the Trump buzz saw include Uber, who announced it was suspending surge pricing as a protest to Trump’s immigration executive order. Moreover, the collapse of the President’s CEO committee after Charlottesville had victimized IBM’s Ginni Romette and Tesla’s Elon Musk.
The question is: how does a corporation walk the narrow line between favor and disfavor. Horst writes: “Companies corporate reputations are more readily impacting their brand health. As a result, marketers need to be more mindful of relationships between the two.”
Horst offers the following advice to companies seeking to maintain a more resilient brand in the Trump era.
First — build your foundation. “Instead of just jumping on the next bandwagon, brands need to have a clear sense of their values and purpose then assess which issues are relevant to them,” he writes adding that it’s important for the brands leadership to be on board to provide a unified policy. “You want to make sure that when things get tough everybody is on the same page and running in the same direction,” he writes.
Second — make sure that brand reality matches brand values. When assessing their brands, marketers need to do an honest audit, he writes. They should review their track record and see if they have a history of supporting the issues they claim to stand behind. Also, he adds, marketers should take inventory of their brands’ weaknesses and hire people who will help them stay honest about these brand values.
Third — be proactively transparent. He advises marketers to understand their customers’ political and social orientations. He suggests marketers seek to identify their brand loyalists and influencers and equip them with talking points.
Finally — react quickly and bravely. He urges marketers not to panic if a brand crisis occurs. They need to respond to the issue in hours not days and address the problem in the same channel. So, if there is a negative consumer conversation on Twitter, marketers should address the issue on Twitter — not in a press release.
The book has been published by Advantage-Forbes Books and is available on Amazon, and other publishing channels.


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tci Part B Insider - 2015 Issue 19
Compliance: MACs to Seek Sleep Study Refunds in Wake of OIG Report
Medical records were sorely lacking in this audit. Your polysomnography documentation—or lack thereof—could be your calling card for attracting attention from auditors. On May 20, the OIG released a report detailing its audit of sleep study claims paid by Part B MAC First Coast Service Options. According to the agency, First Coast overpaid practices by a startling $15.7 million for sleep study claims between 2011 and 2012—and CMS wants that money back. It’s likely that other MACs will be scrutinized for sleep study payments as well, so be on the lookout for claim viability...
To read the full article, sign in and subscribe to tci Part B Insider.


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In April 2017, the Market Growth Index grew to 58.5 as the monthly Sales Growth Index went up to 56.7, its highest value since 2015 and representative of rapid growth. Afterwards, World Economics declared that Nigeria was out of recession. How true is that? Has there been a stabilization in the economy of the country?
The recession came with Naira devaluation, price hike of products and services, loss of jobs, relocation of foreign companies and residents, decrease of salaries and more. Has all of that changed? Is there a significant improvement that confirms that Nigeria is indeed out of Recession?
On this episode of Analyse This Season II, Tunji Andrews and Honey Ogundeyi discussed several survival methods that Nigerian residents and companies employ while waiting for the Nigerian economy to regain full stability.
It’s over two years now since Nigeria went deep into an economic recession that has earned the title of the worse economic downturn in the history of the country. So far, people are beginning to get used to the new social lifestyle that comes with a tight budget as money flow is no longer as fluid as it was some three years ago.
There is so much uncertainty about how soon Nigerian will get back its economic strength and residents of the country have a lot to say about the situation.
Watch this intriguing episode of Analyse This on Ndani TV as Tunji Andrews and Honey Ogundeyi take the discussion into the streets.


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Barclays Says Second-Generation iPhone X Could Have Smaller Notch
Apple will launch a trio of new iPhone models later this year with a second-generation TrueDepth camera system, which will potentially be reduced in size, according to a research note issued today by analysts Andrew Gardiner, Hiral Patel, Joseph Wolf, and Blayne Curtis at investment bank Barclays.
While the analysts believe the new TrueDepth system will only "evolve slightly," they predict it could allow for a "smaller notch" on the 2018 range of iPhones with Face ID, which is rumored to include a second-generation iPhone X, a larger iPhone X Plus, and an all-new mid-range 6.1-inch LCD model.
MacRumors obtained a copy of the research note, which also corroborates rumors about Apple extending Face ID to the iPad Pro this year:
Based on several data points within the 4Q17 reporting period and our supply chain meetings at CES, we remain confident that Apple is set to deploy its TrueDepth 3D sensor across the iPhone range in 2018 and to also add it to the pending iPad Pro refresh as well.
Given the complexity and multiple years spent developing the current generation of module, combined with supplier comments over the past month regarding multi-year customer commitments, we do not envisage a major change to the architectural make-up in 2018 […]
We do expect the sensor to evolve slightly, potentially reducing in size (i.e., smaller notch) and improving in specificity […] helping to further drive very strong growth [for some Apple suppliers] in 2H18 as the second generation of sensor ships in this year's new iPhones.
A smaller notch would be a welcomed change for critics of the iPhone X design, but it remains to be seen if it will happen so soon. An earlier rumor suggested the notch won't be reduced in size until 2019 or later, and it's generally expected that 2018 iPhones will look virtually identical to the iPhone X.
The prevailing thought is that Apple doesn't want to deal with the type of delays it faced with the iPhone X last year, and by keeping the hardware relatively unchanged, suppliers could avoid some retooling. However, it's certainly possible the TrueDepth camera system could be slightly shrunk down this year.
Beyond this year, the Barclays analysts believe Apple is "working hard" on a rear-facing TrueDepth camera system for future iPhones. The technology could be ready by 2019, but it sounds too far out to know for certain.
A key discussion point regarding 2019 is whether or not Apple will be ready to insert a rear or world-facing sensor, given the additional complexity associated with a greater range and field of view and […] the potential safety implications for the human eye.
Our discussions with suppliers suggests Apple and its partners are working hard on a world-facing solution, but development is ongoing and with over 18 months to go until the 2019 iPhone cycle, not all is yet determined.
The rear-facing TrueDepth camera system would pave the way for expanded augmented reality capabilities on iPhones. Apple has repeatedly expressed a profound interest in augmented reality, and recently highlighted some use cases of the technology in areas like education and gaming with a new page on its website.
Bloomberg News previously reported that Apple is exploring rear-facing 3D sensing, to be added to iPhones as early as 2019, while KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo agrees the technology won't be ready in 2018, so there does appear to be consensus about back-and-front TrueDepth being a next-year feature.
Apple's trio of new iPhones should be announced in September as usual, while the new iPad Pro with Face ID could debut in June.


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'Hamburger Report' finds rat DNA, missing ingredients in many vegetarian patties
With weather warming up, it's might feel like time to light the charcoal and slap a few burgers on the grill.
But "The Hamburger Report" may make you think twice.
The independent California firm Clear Labs recently analyzed ground meat, frozen patties, fast food burger products, and veggie burger products, checking quality, ingredients, and accuracy of labelling. Of 258 products sampled from 79 brands and 22 retailers:
- 2 cases of meat found in vegetarian products
- 1 black bean burger contained no black beans
- 4.3 percent of the products contained pathogenic DNA
- 3 cases of rat DNA
- 1 case of human DNA
The report also analyzed the accuracy of the nutrition labels. Vegetarian products did not fare well – 23.6% of vegetarian products showed some form of discrepancy between product and label, compared to the 13.6% of all samples. All 14 samples missing ingredients listed on their labels were vegetarian products. 15.7% of vegetarian products tested had at least 1 missing ingredient.
For more on the Hamburger Report, go to https://www.clearlabs.com/reports/the-hamburger-report.


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Unifiedpost Group expands business platform Billtobox with payment functionality
Billtobox now combines invoices and payments in one platform.
One of Europe’s leading Fintech firms, Unifiedpost Group, is enabling SMEs using their Billtobox platform to start paying and receiving payments within the platform. “To make administrative and financial processes simpler and smarter, Billtobox customers will now be able to manage invoicing, digital archiving of documents, accounting and payments in a single platform,” said Unifiedpost Payments CEO Arthur Paijens.
Starting today, SMEs using Unifiedpost Group’s Billtobox platform will be able to opt into a service that enables them to manage payments within the platform. Following the recent implementation of the PSD2-directive, Unifiedpost Group, via its licensed payment institution Unifiedpost Payments, is able to offer Billtobox clients payment solutions within the Billtobox platform without the direct involvement of a bank. Billtobox is a digital platform that allows SMEs to manage invoices and other documents, and to easily share them with their accountant.
Now, clients can not only manage digital document archives, invoicing and other accounting processes, apart from that they will also be able to pay and be paid, as well as track all unpaid invoices in both directions. The tool offers 100% automated reconciliation based on real time information, and ensures SMEs can keep track of outstanding invoices, 24/7, giving direct insight into their working capital position.
Unifiedpost has been offering payments since 2016, but now, for the first time it has brought payments together with other tools within their product range for SMEs. This unique combination of payments, documents, identity and invoicing supports the digitisation of the entire financial and administrative value chain, especially for SMEs.
"By enabling payments in Billtobox, we're continuing our missison to make administrative and financial processes simple and smart for entrepreneurs.
We want to make the Billtobox experience even better for our SME customers and continue to innovate."
explained Arthur Paijens, Unifiedpost Payments CEO.
Efficiency, speed and peace of mind
The new functionality offers significant gains for companies. To start with, the European Commission estimates a potential annual benefit of 40 billion EUR if all European companies started using e-invoices. Furthermore, digital invoices are paid significantly faster than paper invoices. Offering the payment directly within the platform promises to speed up this process further.
Arthur Paijens added.
Covid-19 as a catalyst for digital transformation
In all aspects of society, digital transformations and innovations quickly follow one another. The world of accounting and invoicing is no exception: more and more companies use digital invoicing and document processing to facilitate financial and administrative processes. In the past couple of months, Unifiedpost Group noticed a spike in the number of newly created accounts on their Billtobox platform.
“As more people are working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more companies seem to be seeing the benefits of digitising administrative and financial tasks. As a consequence, the amount of new accounts created is growing rapidly,” Mr Paijens concluded.


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The Food and Drug Administration yesterday "strongly recommended" but did not demand recall of a brand of plastic lenses that had to be surgically removed from 30 patients in whose eyes they were implanted.
The Surgidev Corp. of Santa Barbara, Calif., began selling its "Style 8 Anterior Chamber Lens" in April, 1976, to replace natural lenses removed from cataract victims. Physicians implanted them in about 1,000 patients.
About 6,600 more lenses are in the hands of physicians or hospitals, or in the supply pipeline.
Three weeks ago, the company told the FDA's Bureau of Medical Devices that it knew of significant adverse effects in 98 of the 1,000 users, including 30 in which surgical removal was necessary. Some users suffered decreased vision.
As a result, the company notified hospitals and physicians on June 24 that it had "temporarily discontinued" distribution of the lenses and requested them to stop implanting the devices and to "closely monitor" patients fitted with them.
Contending that this action was insufficient, the Health Research Group, which is financed by Ralph Nader's Public Citizen, Inc., yesterday requested FDA Commissioner Donald Kennedy to compel Surgidev to recall the unused 6,600 lenses and to require that users be asked to seek examinations for possible eye damage.
The FDA said it "strongly recommended" but did not insist upon the recall, mainly because it hasn't determined whether changes in the lenses or in the instructions for implanting them could solve the problem.
The company has termed a recall "unwarranted." Dr. Sidney M. Wolfe, director of Health Research, accused the FDA of having "yielded."
The agency also said it will contact all 604 hospitals and doctors who have implanted the lenses to be sure they have received a June 24 company advisory letter and are aware of the hazards.
The FDA learned of the problem when Surgidev president Myron E. Lippman reported in a May 19 letter that a single physician had removed, months after implantation. Style 8 lenses from five patients who had developed adverse reactions "which he was unable to get under control." The letter said that a second doctor had 10 problem patients and a third had about 11 who had suffered "mini-hemorrhages."


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Most shoppers in Arnold welcome the redevelopment of the market, but there is a strong feeling there are too many charity shops in the area.
Residents and traders have previously said they're excited about the town market's revamp, but that work is taking 'too long'.
The building is expected to be completed by spring 2022 after work started on the multi-million pound redevelopment earlier this year in Spring.
The new look market will be rebranded 'The AMP', which stands for The Arnold Market Place, Gedling Borough Council has confirmed.
Shoppers had mixed views on the market, with one saying they did not think it would attract people to the area.
Cathy Bradley, 45, who does children's music and movement classes and lives in Arnold, said: "I don't think it will attract people, I think they tend to go to a supermarket to get everything.
"It's something a bit different - it will be nice to have some decent shops but there’s empty shops already in Arnold.
"I would like to see more individual independent shops - I think everyone likes to try and shop as local as they can now, but there are far too many charity shops."
However, most locals welcomed the redevelopment.
Dorothy Covell, 89, retired who lives in Arnold, said:
"It’s nice, when the market is there now you haven’t got many stalls and there isn’t many things but now they've made the unit, it will be nice.
"I would like to see more of an open market but apart from that, it will be alright.
"It’s what Arnold needs, you used to have all the shops and everything but now they’re all gone - whether they will come back and be put in the shops, I don’t know but it would be nice.
"We could do with things like curtain shops and bedding shops - things like that, as there’s certainly enough charity shops.
"It will be an improvement - it used to be lovely as you didn’t have to go anywhere for anything."
Ellen Smith, 57, who works in management and is from Calverton said: "It's great, it will definitely rejuvenate the area - a lot of people say the market has gone downhill and that it’s not as good as it used to be.
"I think it will bring a lot of new people in as well and I think it will bring people back in because they’re trying to revitalise the high street too.
"We have all the new bars as well, there’s three new ones, and I think this will be really good.
"I would like to see independent craft shops, candle shops, jewellery, and wallpaper shops, maybe a curtain and bedding shop too - it will bring a bit more variety."
Paul Hale, 38, and ex-stone mason who lives in Arnold, said:
"It’s nice to see - it will get more people out and about and it’s needed for Arnold, it would definitely create more jobs which would be good for local people."
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Prada Group supports the economic inclusion of women in Ghana and Kenya.
In an effort to use fashion for ends rather than just for profit, the luxury company has partnered with the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA to hone a cohort of women and girls in the fashion skills that will eventually lead them to fashion jobs.
Officially unveiled on Wednesday to first see the fruits of the first fashion training program launched last May for 30 women in Ghana and 15 women in Kenya, the “Fashion Expressions: The Stories She Wears” program has already proven to have empowered its participants, according to UNFPA.
“The idea is to not only have technical expertise for the module, but also to make sure that somehow [the women and girls] are connected, that there are channels for program sustainability at the local level,” Mariarosa Cutillo, UNFPA’s strategic partnerships manager, told WWD. “We’re talking about the techniques, but there’s also the part of running the business at that time and therefore managing the finances and therefore also becoming economically self-sufficient.”
For six months, women and girls – between the ages of 15 and 30 and from vulnerable backgrounds, whether they have been victims of abuse, early pregnancies or family deaths resulting in economic hardship – will be trained in the techniques of fashion and business. .
These include skills ranging from fashion design and illustration to pattern making, sewing and, thanks to local partners with traditional skills, things like batik dyeing. When it comes to sustainability, the cohort will also be trained in using recycling and alternative materials to make the clothes they want to make. On the business side, they will have the opportunity to learn financial literacy skills, including bookkeeping, budgeting, and business management.
“We actually work with local experts, so [UNFPA’s] country office, and we have a consultant from Ghana who is a local fashion expert who makes all the connections with the right local suppliers. They are local fashion experts. They are local experts, for example, batik; they are local experts in all traditional techniques, so it is also a way of giving visibility to these local techniques which are so powerful in Africa in general and, in this case, particularly in Ghana and Kenya,” said Cutillo said. “If you see some of the designs, they are so powerful. And it also gives motivation to the girls because it’s something that is their reality there. It’s completely thought locally and implemented locally.
Beyond the fashion itself, and in line with UNFPA’s mission, the training program is also designed to help empower women and girls in health and protection. sexual and reproductive. As part of the program, there will be “comprehensive education sessions” on topics such as menstrual health management, teen pregnancy prevention, gender-based violence prevention and response, and practices like child marriage.
“The general idea is really to promote social and economic justice for these women in particular, because the idea is that they then enter the world of work in their country by implementing what they learn through this module,” Cutillo said.
UNFPA and Prada will continue their ongoing work of collaborating with local partners, including International Needs in Ghana and the Kitui County Textile Center in Kenya, as well as established local fashion brands to facilitate connections between Fashion Expressions interns. “which will provide fixed-term employment opportunities.
Although Prada’s role has been more of a supportive observer letting the program take shape locally than being actively involved in training or sharing techniques, Lorenzo Bertelli, marketing director and head of social responsibility at the company, said the effort is in line with Prada’s beliefs.
“This training program reflects the Prada Group’s belief in fashion as a force for good,” Bertelli said. “We are honored to partner with UNFPA on this unique project to harness the social and economic power of our industry to create more inclusive and equal societies.”
The pilot of this program for the first cohort will end at the end of the year, and UNFPA is already looking to places like Latin America to deploy similar ones.
“We want this to be a sustainable program and one of the things that will be important is the channel that we can also create with these girls and women to access the world of work…the pilot does not end with the pilot,” Cutillo said. “As an outreach, we’d like to see these girls really become champions in their own communities for women’s empowerment… It’s a really practical way to bring that concept to life. United Nations ”leave no one behind.'”


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Here comes earnings.
On the Horn With PepsiCo's Chief financial Officer
A sense of sadness has come over me while analyzing the last two quarters of beverage and snacks giant PepsiCo (PEP - Get Report) . The Action Alerts Plus holding has been a bedrock of consistency under CEO Indra Nooyi while the packaged goods industry has essentially been disrupted thanks to the price war between Amazon (AMZN - Get Report) and Walmart (WMT - Get Report) , and millennials preferring kale drinks as opposed to greasy potato chips or soda for midday pick-me-ups. But it just feels as if even mighty PepsiCo, after a stellar run of performance, is showing that it isn't immune to industry forces ripping through supermarkets that are also impacting the likes of Procter & Gamble (PG - Get Report) , Kimberly-Clark (KMB - Get Report) and others. While the company beat on its fourth quarter earnings by a penny, its adjusted earnings outlook of $5.70 a share for 2018 was shy of Wall Street estimates of $5.77. In the core beverage business, volume dropped 2% and operating profit excluding items fell 23%. Both of the division's metrics fell in the third quarter, too (though volumes improved sequentially). Frito-Lay showed it's still a supermarket powerhouse, notching volume and operating profit growth of 3% each. Overall, adjusted operating profits dropped in four out of six business segments. So is this an evolving PepsiCo? I asked PepsiCo's well-regarded Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston if the company got swept up into a more challenging industry landscape in late 2017: "I think the market has certainly gotten a bit more competitive for all of consumer products companies and obviously we aren't immune to those challenges whether they are in the retail space or food and beverage slowing down a bit in the second half of last year. That said, our business has broadly continued to execute well. The Frito-Lay business just delivered a terrific quarter. The North American beverage business showed sequential improvement as we expected it would as we shifted some of our resources behind some of the bigger brands like ad spending or shelf space allocation. I think we are controlling what we can control, we are making the right moves and as a result the overall PepsiCo portfolio is working well. We delivered a good quarter."
Hey bears, catch the license plate on that Tesla (TSLA - Get Report) semi truck that has run you over the past two sessions? Channeling my inner millennial, "LOLz." But seriously for a second, the bulls have entered the week with two powerful arguments: Corporate earnings remain robust and companies are sitting on so much cash they would be crazy not to buy back stock here now that the quarterly blackout period has lifted. Since Trump's tax plan was passed on Dec. 22 and through to Feb. 8, Wall Street has hiked its S&P 500 profit estimates for 2018 by $10.62 to $156.88 a share, pointed out Yardeni Research. Wall Street's consensus estimate for 2019 has risen $11.60 to $172.67 a share over the same period. Even the S&P 500's projected revenue growth for 2018 has accelerated from 5.6% before the tax cut to 6.2% last week. "We believe that the melt-up in earnings estimates should limit the recent meltdown in the S&P 500's forward price-to-earnings, which dropped from a recent high of 18.6 on Jan. 26 to a low of 16.3 on Feb. 8," Yardeni Research said. "Actually, the rapidly rising outlook for earnings should revive valuation multiples, and may have started to do so late last Friday."
Keep an Eye on the Goldman Sachs Tech Conference
TheStreet's senior tech columnist Eric Jhonsa will be on the ground at the Goldman Sachs tech conference the next two days. I highly suggest following Jhonsa on Twitter for what is shaping up to be one heck of a conference. For me, the storylines are easy to spot. Given the stock's weakness of late, Apple (AAPL - Get Report) Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri would be wise to signal Apple's cash usage this year beyond building physical structures. As you know, Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts Plus. Snap Inc. (SNAP - Get Report) co-founder Evan Spiegel, making a rare appearance at a banking conference, would be wise to explain why his company is truly worth its latest post earnings valuation surge. Twitter (TWTR - Get Report) founder Jack Dorsey should keep it low-key so as to not dent the uber-bullishness on Wall Street about the stock right now. GoPro (GPRO - Get Report) founder Nick Woodman needs to more strongly signal his company is up for sale and that there has been interest. The stock has continued to plunge in the wake of weak fourth-quarter earnings (and despite Woodman's comments he is open to a sale). Overall, I'm wondering what big deal will come out of a room full of movers and shakers.
More from the Morning Jolt Archives:


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Google Assistant is adding support for a range of new devices, according to new documentation that was apparently mistakenly posted..
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Patalab Architecture has won approval for what it claims will be, on completion, the tallest building in the world made from shipping containers
Approved this week by Tower Hamlets council, the nine-storey office development in London’s Whitechapel will be fabricated offsite from reclaimed shipping containers and will stand 26m high plus lift overrun. This will be slightly higher than the 26m Freitag store in Zurich.
The council has given the go-ahead for the demolition of existing buildings on the site in Vallance Road, a street which was once home to the Kray Twins, and the addition of the new office block with ancillary retail space.
Under Patalab’s design, the containers, treated with a unified cladding and ‘softened’ with glazed balconies and planting, will be stacked in a gridded arrangement. The interior colour scheme will be inspired by freight company colours and the walls lined with corrugated metal.
The London and Berlin-based architects worked closely with the council and planning consultant Barton Willmore to win permanent planning permission, rather than the temporary approval typically associated with container construction.
Uwe Schmidt-Hess, director of Patalab, said: ‘We are very excited about this scheme as it will see shipping container construction lifted to a new level. Apart from being the tallest building, it combines cost-efficient offsite fabrication with sustainable design, providing flexible and affordable office space to companies in East London.’
Construction is expected to take nine months
Most of the new structure will be made from recycled material, with photovoltaic cells installed on the roof. The design aims for a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating.
Owing to the prefabrication, the construction cost is expected to be around 30 per cent less than traditional techniques.
The project will start on site in the autumn, with construction expected to take nine months.
Container tallest in world patalab elevation
Location Whitechapel, east London
Type of project Commercial
Client The Estate Office Shoreditch
Architect Patalab Architecture
Planning Consultant Barton Willmore
Sustainability Consultant Eight Associates
Services Engineer Ingine
Contractor Urban space Management/Container City Projects
Start on site: Autumn 2019
Construction period: Nine months
Date of planning permission: 25 June 2019
Patalab container whitechapel vallance road model


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Earlier this month, Apple held (in person at the Steve Jobs Theater) its employee-only artificial intelligence event. Now, a Bloomberg publication offers some details about what happened (and what didn’t) at this event, while these days the AI race continues to heat up with almost weekly updates from Big Tech.
As we discussed earlier this month, Apple’s AI Summit is an annual event described as the “WWDC of AI”, but it is only programmed for the employees of the company itself. This year, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the event was held in person at the Steve Jobs Theater. It was also broadcast live for employees who were unable to attend in person.
Although this is an annual event at Apple, has received more attention this year, as the likes of Google and Microsoft have announced new ways to adopt and integrate AI into their services, along with, of course, the continued evolution of ChatGPT.
In the latest issue of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shared a brief recap of this year’s event. According to Gurman, Apple’s AI chief told his employees that “machine learning is moving faster than ever” and that Apple’s talent is “truly at the forefront.” Despite this, Gurman says Not being aware of any revolutionary announcements that it was a “game changer” by Apple and that nothing was mentioned to compete with Bing or ChatGPT.
This has not been a big surprise. It is already estimated that Apple will save any AI and machine learning announcements for WWDC in June. This AI event is geared towards employees and is likely to focus more on a broad discussion of roadmap and strategy than announcing specific features in the future. We will have to wait until the next WWDC or until the possible prior announcement of Apple Reality to find out what Cupertino has in store for us in relation to AI.


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TIME 2019-10-31 15:25:54Reading：161
The PVC industry in India has historically been driven by agriculture till 2000. Thereafter, the main driver for PVC consumption has been infrastructure, for instance, pipes and fittings.
Indian poly vinyl industry can attract investment of about Rs 20,000 crore over 5-7 years if import duty of PVC & caustic soda is increased from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent, says a FICCI report.
"Today, close to 50 per cent of the demand for PVC in the country is met by imports. When the country's goal today is to 'Make in India', increased imports and lower manufacturing levels contribute to loss of potential employment and widening the current account deficit," the report said.
Indian import duties on Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) are lower than those in the developed world and in the ASEAN region.
Imports of PVC, which were less than 5 per cent of the country's demand 10 years ago, are now at almost 50 per cent and growing rapidly every year and are expected to reach to USD 3 billion in few years.
Therefore, the import of PVC, which was less than 5 per cent of the country's demand 10 years ago, is now at almost 50 per cent and is growing.
©2018-present www.ErAKic.com Copyright


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Interstate Hotels & Resorts Signs Up to Safe to Trade Scheme
October 22, 2020 | Community, News, Openings, Our Team, Signings
Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the International Division of leading US-based global hotel management company Aimbridge Hospitality, has become the largest hotel company to sign up to the UK Safe to Trade Scheme.
A nationwide, independently-verified, COVID-19 safety standard, the Safe to Trade Scheme supports hospitality businesses in becoming COVID compliant and was launched by a team of top-ranking hospitality safety experts, including the former CEO of the Health and Safety Executive and Food Standards Agency.
The Scheme, which has customer and employee safety as its core, is underpinned by an industry-led safety charter which helps UK hotels to trade safely, ensuring that their premises and teams are COVID-secure via ongoing safety checks and monitoring. The Scheme aims to supercharge consumer confidence, getting customers back through hotel doors and an approval from the Scheme is a stamp of endorsement that a business is committed to trading safely.
Experts from the Scheme’s administrators, Shield Safety Group, have worked with Interstate for more than ten years, supporting the third-party management company through a period of substantial growth before working hand-in-hand throughout the Covid-19 crisis.
Debbie Johnson, Vice President of Operations UK at Interstate, said: “We are proud to join the UK Safe to Trade scheme, building on our already long-standing relationship with Shield Safety Group and reinforcing our commitment to ensuring our hotels are able to operate safely, continuing to welcome guests.
“It’s no secret that Covid-19 has presented numerous challenges for our industry so, the support of Shield Safety Group and the Safe to Trade Scheme has been invaluable. From developing risk assessments and updating our internal training manuals, to creating new protocols and policies across all areas of the business, it’s been a huge task to undertake but one that is essential in reassuring our guests and our owners, as well as protecting the health and wellbeing of our employees, too.”
As part of the Safe to Trade Scheme, each of Interstate’s hotels is assisted by expert Environmental Health Practitioners, who work in collaboration with the hotel teams to ensure that all environments are Covid-19 compliant.
Debbie added: “Covid-compliance is now a way of life for all Interstate managed hotels and, alongside Shield, we have devised a robust approach that is not only fit for purpose and in line with current UK government regulations but it is also future-proofed and market-leading.”
Interstate’s 62 Safe to Trade Scheme registered hotels will join hundreds of other hospitality venues on the Safe to Trade Scheme register – a national list of approved establishments that the public can consult to find a Covid-safe venue, as well as to provide feedback following a visit.
Signage across all of Interstate’s approved sites will ask consumers and staff to share honest feedback on each individual hotel’s performance, via the Safe to Trade Scheme website. This feedback is given anonymously and then shared with the hotel and, where needed, the management team is encouraged to make any necessary changes to their safety measures. The register is also made available to local and national safety regulators, to assist with their requirement to risk rate businesses.
Mark Flanagan, Chair of the Safe to Trade Scheme governance board and CEO of Shield Safety Group comments: “We have been working hand-in-hand with Interstate since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, following a 10+ year relationship. Our core focus has been on helping the business to keep their people and their guests safe. From aiding sites with staying open throughout lockdown, to making their premises available to key workers, advising on safety training and redesigning workflows, we have worked with Interstate to interpret regularly changing government and regulator guidance, ensuring that customers can relax and have the peace of mind that they’re visiting a Covid-safe environment.”
He adds: “Interstate has done everything in its power to protect both its people and its customers in what have been highly unusual and highly pressurised times. As a business with a strong inherent safety culture Interstate has excelled in its response to the pandemic, keeping premises open while also maintaining Covid-free environments. This continues to be no mean feat.”
The Safe to Trade Scheme donates 10% of sign-up fees to Hospitality Action and is spearheaded by a governance board of top-ranking industry experts, including the ex-Head of Local Delivery at Food Standards Agency, the ex-Head of Food Hygiene Department at Camden BRI, Former CEO of the Health and Safety Executive and Food Standards Agency, the UK Deputy Government Chemist and Executive Director of the Food Authenticity Network and the Food and Drink Awards’ Scientist of the Year and the CEO of Shield Safety Group – the company which administers the Scheme.
The Safe To Trade Scheme also has assured advice status, which means approved venues can be confident their business is complying with the law and will receive protection from COVID-19 related enforcement action – an important feature when regulators have different views on what a business should be doing to achieve compliance.
To find out more about the Safe to Trade Scheme visit: www.safetotrade.org.uk.


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Cascades has reported sales of $1,134m in Q1 – up $96m from the $1,038m recorded in Q1 2022 – and said it expects results in its tissue papers segment to continue to improve sequentially.
The company said the increase was due to a net benefit of $76m that was driven by higher selling prices in all business segments, and partially offset by a slightly negative consolidated sales mix impact.
It added that the Canadian dollar – US dollar exchange rate was favourable for all businesses, contributing $47m to total sales levels.
However, this was partially offset by a $19m impact related to lower volumes in the tissue papers and specialty products business segments.
An operating Q1 loss of $(80)m compared with $(20)m in Q4 2022 and $(4)m in Q1 2022, whilst first quarter EBITDA (A) increased $76m year-on-year to $134m.
Mario Plourde, President and Chief Executive, said: “We had a solid first quarter. All three businesses contributed to topline growth year-over-year, as benefits from higher selling prices and an advantageous exchange rate more than offset the impacts of a less favourable mix in containerboard and lower volumes in tissue papers and specialty products.
“Higher sales, notably in tissue, and lower raw material costs in our packaging businesses drove higher consolidated profitability levels.”
He added that sequentially, “sales were stable”, with stronger volumes in all businesses counterbalancing the impacts of less favourable sales mixes in containerboard and tissue and lower selling prices in its packaging businesses.
At the end of April, Cascades announced a repositioning of its tissue papers operating platform that will see it close its tissue plants in Barnwell, South Carolina, and Scappoose, Oregon.
Plourde said the decision was “the culmination of an in-depth evaluation of the long-term positioning, competitiveness and performance potential of our tissue operations following disappointing results in recent years”.
“Market conditions in this business have changed significantly, and the closure of these underperforming assets will strengthen not only the operational performance of this business, but its financial and environmental performance as well.”
He added that the 2024 revenue target of approximately $5bn remains unchanged, while the company’s EBITDA (A) and free cash flow objectives have been slightly modified to reflect the announced changes to its business.
Plourde said: “On a consolidated basis, we are expecting slightly lower results in the second quarter, with lower results in our packaging businesses to offset forecasted stronger results in our tissue papers business.
“We expect results in our tissue papers segment to improve sequentially driven by the additional benefits from profitability initiatives, higher selling prices, lower raw material costs and stable demand.”


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Apple may launch a foldable iPhone in future; patent filed
Apple has filed a patent for a foldable iPhone on USPTO.
Could foldable smartphones be the next trend? Well, we think so. Samsung is rumored to working on one for quite a while, and about a month back ZTE launched the foldable Axon M smartphone.
Now, it looks like Apple is following the same suit. The revelation of a patent filed by the company on USPTO has hinted this. So it is very much possible that in future we would see a foldable iPhone. Notably, we have hared rumors about Apple working on a foldable iPhone before as well. The new patent, however, gives us a better idea. The patent states that the company intends to make an iPhone with a display that can open and close like a book.
The summary section of the patent explains, "An electronic device may have a flexible portion that allows the device to be folded. The device may have a flexible display. The flexible display may have a bending region that allows the display to bend along a bend axis when the device is folded."
While this particular type of technology may work better on devices such as digital journals similar to Microsoft's Courier, Apple may be looking for ways to bring the technology to iPhones sometime in future.
"Device [...] may be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a wristwatch, or other electronic devices (e.g., a portable device, handheld device, etc.)," the patent further reveals. This means, apart from iPhones, we could see the technology on many other Apple products as well.
This seems feasible for Apple, given the company often makes certain features available across all its offering. For example, the word is that the much talked about 3D face recognition feature could soon make its way to iPads and MacBook.
Coming back to the topic of foldable iPhone, just because Apple has filed a patent, it doesn't mean, the product will necessarily come to life. In any case, we are pretty excited about the concept of a foldable iPhone.


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DHL EXPRESS WON BEST EXPRESS LOGISTICS SERVICE PROVIDER FOR 32ND TIME AT 2021 ASIAN FREIGHT, LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN AWARDS
Press Release: Singapore, October 22, 2021
The award affirms the company’s continued commitment to excellence in express logistics service
DHL Express, the world’s leading express service provider, was named the Best Logistics Service Provider – Express at the 2021 Asian Freight, Logistics and Supply Chain Awards (AFLAS) ceremony in Hong Kong last night.
“We are incredibly proud that our customers’ votes of confidence have brought us the Best Logistics Service Provider – Express award for the 32nd time. Our global network, and employees’ passion, can-do spirit and commitment to excellence have proven to be a winning formula with our customers. This will continue to serve us well as our customers ride the strong momentum in e-commerce and recovery in global trade,” said Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia Pacific.
DHL Express is investing around EUR750 million from 2020 to 2022 to bolster its aviation network and ground infrastructure across Asia Pacific to support the unprecedented growth in shipment volume and address the ever-growing demand for time-definite express deliveries. In recent months, DHL Express has introduced several new dedicated flights. Powered by the new Boeing 737, 777 and Airbus A300 freighters, the new flights enable DHL Express to expand its airfreight capacity and strengthen its network that spans more than 220 countries and territories.
The AFLAS Awards is organized by Asia Cargo News to honor companies in the logistics industry that exemplify excellence in leadership, as well as consistency in service quality, innovation, customer relationship management and reliability. It is the only Asian logistics awards to be decided by customer votes alone, earning them a reputation as a reliable gauge for customer sentiment in the logistics industry.