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Welcome to the Weekly SEM Rundown, where I recap the past week’s major SEM news and provide insights.
The news for each week is broken up between:
SEO (search engine optimization)
Google AMP rolls out to main mobile search results.
Last month, Google had been warning webmaster that it would be bringing AMP results into the 10 main mobile search results. The change is apparently live (at least for US users). AMP results are now displaying in the 10 blue links. Google later confirmed AMP results were rolling out to the main mobile search results.
Google adds ability to move properties between accounts in Google Analytics.
Google now allows Google Analytics users to consolidate scattered properties into one account. Consolidating properties allows users to apply the same set of filters to the views in all properties, easily manage users for the properties and views in a single account, and use change history to see all events from all properties in the same account. In order to move a property from one account to another you must first have access to both accounts. No retagging is needed when moving properties between accounts.
Google claims recent algorithm updates part of ‘normal fluctuations’.
This past week, webmasters noticed large fluctuations in their search results, as did tools like Mozcast, Accuranker and RankRanger. However, John Mueller tweeted, in response to numerous questions, that the fluctuations in the search results were normal. It is doubtful that many will accept this response.
Google explains how to best fix AMP pages.
Google created a post that explains the best way to debug and validate your AMP pages (since only ‘valid’ AMP pages are displayed in search results). The post reviews both the AMP web validator and AMP browser extensions tools that webmasters can use to diagnose issues.
Google rolling out image thumbnails in mobile search.
Google had been testing image thumbnails in mobile search results for product based searches. Apparently, the test is now rolling out to everyone. It is unclear how Google determines the image to be displayed in search.
Google Webmaster Hangouts move to YouTube Live Hangouts.
John Mueller has been faithful in maintaining a weekly video hangout to answer the questions of webmasters. The hangouts had been run in Google+ hangouts, but have now transitioned over to YouTube Live Hangouts. The transition occurred because Google was closing the hangout on Google+. The next hangout will happen on September 23rd.
Google Data Studio now in beta.
Google Data Studio is a new part of the (paid service) Google Analytics 360 Suite. The tool allows marketers using Google Analytics to easily create reports from the data in GA. The tool is flexible and allows you to change fonts, colors, charts, etc. It provides an easy way for users of Google Analytics to create reports for both in-house and client-facing needs. Google is currently allowing users of free Google Analytics accounts to test out the new tool.
Google lowers image search box in web results.
Mozcast tweeted a lowering of the image search box in search results. A couple different tools noted the drop as well. The number of search queries with an image search box dropped by nearly 50 percent.
Google adds Courses to its schema markup.
Aaron Bradley spotted the change and tweeted that Google had added schema markup for courses. The new markup includes fields for the course name, course provider and a description of the course.
Disqus comments adds AMP support.
Disqus announced they have added support for Google’s AMP. Using the <amp-iframe> tag, Disqus is able to bring their comments into AMP pages. Disqus has posted a getting started document.
Android Chrome adds ‘Make page mobile-friendly button’.
Beginning last month, it was noticed that Chrome for Android was adding a button at the bottom of non mobile-friendly web pages. The button prompts the user to view a mobile-friendly version of the webpage. If clicked, the text is resized and distributed on the page in a much more user-friendly manner.
Google’s interstitial penalty applies to pop-up on scroll.
During a Google Hangout, John Mueller was asked if pop-ups triggered by user scroll would be targeted in Google’s interstitial penalty. Mueller responded that yes, if the pop-up is blocking the content of a page, even after scroll, Google would consider it problematic.
Google still has no date for the Penguin update.
It is nearing two years since the last Penguin update and Google still has not rolled out an update. Last week, John Mueller said that Google was working on an announcement regarding Penguin 4.0, but recently tweeted that there are no dates to announce for Penguin. Everyone keeps guessing, but we all just keep waiting.
PPC (pay-per-click) ADVERTISING
Bing Ads rolling out Structured Snippets for text ads.
Bing Ads is rolling out Structured Snippets for text ads globally over the next few weeks. Structured Snippets are not clickable by users. They only display additional information for that can include: Brands, Types, etc. Up to 20 Structured Snippets can be associated with a campaign or ad group and up to 10 snippets can display with an ad. You can find Structured Snippets in the Ad Extensions tab at the campaign and group levels. Structured Snippets from Adwords campaigns can be imported into Bing Ads.
Google will begin reporting null quality scores on Oct 10, 2016.
When a quality score could not be determined in Adwords a default score of ‘6’ was given. However, the default scores will be replaced with dashes, giving a null score. The rollout of these null scores was initially planned for Sep. twelth but has now been postponed to Oct 10. You should notice null scores for your newly added keywords or keywords that haven’t seen recent activity.
AdBlock Plus now selling its own ads in place of blocked ads.
In a twist of irony, AdBlock Plus has launched its own ad platform. Through a partnership with ComboTag, AdBlock Plus is opening the Acceptable Ads Platform, which will display ads over top of the ads that were blocked. AdBlock Plus is currently not displaying ads on publisher websites if the publisher has not adopted their new ad platform. AdBlock Plus also makes money by whitelisting certain companies like Google, Bing and Taboola to have their ads displayed (when the ads would normally be blocked). We will have to wait and see if users switch from Adblock Plus to one of their competitors over the issue. In response, Google has terminated its relationship with ComboTag. Google’s Sridhar Ramaswamy said the relationship was ending because, “this is not a business that we want to be a part of”.
Adwords conversions for shopify users double counted.
Google posted a note in their Adwords Help forum that warns Shopify users of potentially double-counted conversions. Shopify recently made an update that allows users to check past orders by viewing the Shopify confirmation page. Unfortunately, this page includes the conversion tracking pixel. This results in the double counting of conversions within Adwords. To avoid this, Adwords users need to update their conversion tags to include the Order ID. Here is how to do that.
Bing Ads supports bulk campaign editing.
Bing announced that users of their mobile apps now have the ability to manage multiple campaigns at the same time with bulk editing. Users can now enable or pause multiple campaigns, ads and keywords simultaneously rather than one at a time.
Are these the requirements for detailed Keyword Planner data?
Google explained that a threshold of activity needed to be reached in Adwords in order for users to access exact traffic estimates within the Keyword Planner tool. However, they were not sharing what the threshold was. One advertiser had their Adwords rep give them a bit more information. You must be running campaigns with clicks for a minimum of 3-4 months to gain access to focused keyword data. The exact spend needed over this time period is still unclear.
Google announces updates in Universal App Campaigns and YouTube ‘TrueView for Action’.
At DMEXCO 2016 Google announced that its app ads had driven 3 billion installs for developers. Google followed up the announcement with an unveil of the ability to run event-based optimization in Universal App Campaigns. Universal App Campaigns adjust ads in real time to target the more valuable users for a brand, based on past user behavior. Google also announced a new YouTube campaign called ‘TrueView for Action.’ The new campaign lets advertisers make video ads more actionable with tailored calls to action during and after the video. This campaign type will hopefully drive direct traffic in addition to building brand value.
Big brands join together to form the Coalition for Better Ads.
Due to the increasing percentage of people using ad-blocking technologies, big brands are forming a coalition to improve the quality of online advertising. The coalition will be using technology developed by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) to better serve ads that are safe, fast and secure. Founding members of the coalition include: Google, Facebook, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, the 4As, The Association of National Advertises, The Washington Post, the World Federation of Advertisers, GroupM and the IAB.
Google announces Google Trips.
Google Trips is a digital travel companion app that includes local information grouped in categories: reservations, day plans, things to do, food & drink, etc. The app data is available offline and users can download trip information and save it on their phone. Google Trips is available on Android and iOS.
Google brings trip planning to desktop.
Google added the feature to plan trips in the Map Results for Android and iOS mobile users. The function allowed user to see weather information, flight durations, points of interest and visit itineraries. This feature has now been added to the knowledge box section on the desktop search results. The destination information is posted in a ‘Plan a trip’ section of the knowledge box.
IOS10 Apple iMessage adds transactional local apps.
IOS10 includes an updated version of iMessage that comes with an App store and the ability for third party developers to build app integrations like stickers and app extensibility. New stickers can easily be created an added to apps and developers can also add iMessage apps. With the new functionality, users will be able to tap into the 2 million third-party apps in the App Store.


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Langton Capital – 2017-09-11 – Profit warnings, discounting, directors’ buying & other:
Profit warnings, discounting, directors’ buying & other:
A DAY IN THE LIFE:
Bit busy this morning. On to the news:
60 SECONDS: TOUGH SUMMER DENTS PUB PROFITS:
Greene King warns summer has been tough – September could be worse:
• Greene King says LfL managed sales in the 18wks to 3 Sep fell by 1.2%
• Sales in the first 10wks were flat (0% LfL)
• This implies they fell by more than 2.5% LfL in July & August
• September comps are very tough; there will be a relative September shortfall
Greene King’s news in context:
• Given the weather, the slowing economy & Brexit fears, tough trading is not a surprise
• All five listed restaurant companies have warned on profits in recent weeks
• Though GNK is only 1/3 of the way through its financial year, forecasts are being reduced
• We cut PBT estimates for 2018 & 2019 by c6% to £254m and £260m respectively
• This represents EPS of 66p and 68p. Dividends may edge forward to 33.5p and 34.0p
Implications for the sector:
• Whilst digesting Spirit has its issues, much of the Greene King comment is market-related
• MARS and MAB (and EIG) have September year ends, FY17 will not be finishing strongly
• We therefore reduce our MARS and MAB profit estimates by around 4%
• GNK and MAB are aided by their London estates but MARS has better margin progression
• Marston’s PBT is estimated at £100m for Sep 16 and £111m in FY18 (EPS 13.6p & 14.0p)
• The economy is slowing & confidence is slipping
• Big ticket spending is under pressure; affordable treats are not immune
• But operators are (for the most part) well financed and asset backed
• They are better positioned to deal with (the currently building) headwinds
• Good operators will succeed but the going is tougher than it has been for a number of years
PROFIT WARNINGS. WHAT’S NEXT; INCREASED DISCOUNTING?
• After the profit warnings, should we expect more discounting? Well, yes. Pizza Express’s 40% off meal prices deal expired yesterday. It looks like it’s been replaced with another 40% off voucher. This one expires in 3dys. I think we can guess what might happen on Thursday.
• Hungry Horse (GNK) is offering 33% off main meals this week. Frankie & Bennies’ (RTN) is offering 25% off meals with a Rewards Card signup and Harvester (MAB) is offering £10 off bills over £30. That’s 33% if you get it right. Pizza Hut is offering 33% off food, Strada is offering 33% off mains etc. etc. Some operators appear to be absent (or at least less present). These include MARS, Wagamama, Nando’s and others.
• Macro vs micro. On the industry level, discounting is a bad idea. The same customers (pretty much) eat the same meals but they pay less money. Industry profitability suffers. The industry as a whole does the same work but margins and profits fall. The problem, of course, is that at the company level, the micro level, discounting can make sense.
• Beggar thy neighbour; has the policy got legs? At the micro level, it maybe has. And for companies in trouble (maybe not existential trouble, maybe just trouble in hitting revenue numbers), there’s arguably little point in telling them that they’re disadvantaging the whole industry by cutting prices.
• Where’s the road back? This is one of the other issues. You can give vouchers away easily enough. Giving a tenner away for nine quid has never been a problem but how do you wean the public off vouchers when you’ve been supplying them for months? Well, it’s tough. Particularly if a large number (or any number) of operators are still offering discounts. Watch this space.
PUB, RESTAURANT & DRINK PRODUCERS:
• Headline writers out saying pub profits go flats, sales lose their fizz, results fail to sparkle etc.
• Greene King’s share price fell almost 15% to 560p on the back of last Friday’s profit warning, which showed that like-for-like sales declined by 1.2% in its managed arm n the 18 weeks to 3 September.
• Greene King’s shares are now at their lowest level since mid-2012.
• The Telegraph reports GNK boss Rooney Anand as saying that the rising cost of overseas holidays will constrain consumer spending in pubs going forward. Mr Anand tells the ‘paper ‘the types of things customers are saying is that it has cost them more to go on holiday and they had taken out more euros than they thought they would have to.’ Staycations must have mitigated this but GNK’s opinion is that the overall balance has been negative for trade.
• Marston’s CEO Ralph Findlay on Friday bought 47,121 shares in Marston’s at a price of 105.52p. Fulham Shore directors also bought shares in the company that they manage last week as share prices fell across the sector.
• JDW Friday bought back 200k of its own shares for cancellation at 1024.6p per share.
• Visa has reported that 2017 is set to be the weakest year for UK consumer spending in four years. It says the falling pound has dampened spending. Visa says ‘consumer spending in August has bucked the trend of the previous three months, registering a marginal increase against the same period last year.’
• Visa reports consumer spending has increased by an average of 0.2 per cent each month so far this year.
• BRC Springboard data shows high street footfall declined by 2.6 per cent in August versus a 2.1 per cent drop in July. The BRC says ‘encouraging shoppers back to more of our town centres is crucial to reducing the high number of vacant premises and the increasing gap between the vibrant and in-demand areas and those at the much more economically fragile end of the spectrum.’
• Research commissioned by The Daily Telegraph shows that nearly a quarter of shoppers have abandoned the British high street. Following a string of big high street chains such as Woolworths, Phones 4U and BHS closing, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) warns that up to 80,000 more stores could close as retailers struggle against increasing costs. Footfall in August fell 1.2% yoy.
• Wetherspoons’ second price rise in six months has been blamed on Brexit by experts. Meal deals have increased 10p and a pint has increased by 6p. Wetherspoons said Brexit had nothing to do with it saying ‘There’s been no increase in real ale. Food and drink are up by an average of 1%.’
• Pizza Hut is targeting millennials through a new smartphone app, an increased alcohol and cocktails menu and offering the lunchtime buffet in evenings in selected stores. The pizza chain is on track to redesign 90% of its restaurants by the end of this year. For the year ending 6 December, 2016, sales grew from £225m to £233 but pre-tax profit fell from £7.9m to £5.2m.
• Half of Britons now expect their kids to be worse off than they are themselves.
• NRN reports that Chili’s Grill & Bar is cutting choice on its menu by 40%. It says ‘by eliminating 40% of our menu, we’ve reinvested in meatier burgers, ribs and fajitas – the items that we’ve always been known for.’
• London’s housing crisis will force workers to either live in so-called “micro flats” or leave the capital according to data from London-based firm U+I. The developer intends to build thousands of flats in London of around half the size now recommended for dwellings. Satirical journal The Daily Mash recently reported that software companies were developing apps to allow Londoners to see what it was to like to have a garden. Or a life, some might say.
• Fentimans is moving into the craft beer market via the new Fearless Brewing Company, named after founder Thomas Fentiman’s dog. The group has repurposed its old facility into a brewery for Fearless Brewing, which plans to bring its first beers to market within the next two years.
• AB InBev has laid off almost 400 employees from its High End division. The division is in charge of craft beer acquisitions and ‘super-premium’ imports and has bought 10 US craft breweries since 2011.
• MCA writes that JD Wetherspoon has put three pubs on the market — The Crown & Sceptre in Streatham Hill, The Widow Frost in Mansfield, and The Grapes in Sutton.
• The Scotch whisky tourism industry has been boosted by the weak pound, with a record 1.7 million tourists paying a visit to a Scotch distillery in 2016. This is an 8% rise on the previous year. Almost £53m worth of revenue was generated by visitors and the average spend per person rising by 13% from £27 to £31 compared with the previous year. ‘Brexit and the weakness of sterling have given a short term boost to distilleries, and, despite some uncertainty about the long-term, they are continuing to invest to improve visitor facilities,’ said Karen Betts, SWA chief executive, while Diageo credited the rise in tourism to increasing interest from Russian and Chinese consumers specifically.
• Peter Furness-Smith, former managing director of McMullens, has become a non-exec at pub operator and brewer Brakspear. Furness-Smith said, ‘I’ve been impressed with what Brakspear has achieved over the last few years, particularly the clear market positioning they have developed for each of their pubs.’
• In partnership with Ford Motor Co., Domino’s Pizza Inc is testing pizza delivery using driverless vehicles in the US.
• US casual diner TGI Fridays has seen take-out sales grow by 30% in the year since introducing online ordering. As a result the Dallas-based operator is investing heavily into new digital technology.
HOLIDAYS, LEISURE TRAVEL & HOTEL:
• President Trump said hurricane Irma is ‘of absolutely historic destructive potential. I ask everyone in the storm’s path to be vigilant and to heed all recommendations from government officials and law enforcement’.
• Pilots at Thomas Cook have gone on a 12-hour strike for the first time in 40 years over pay. Balpa, the union, said it was committed to finding a solution to the dispute and urged Thomas Cook to put forward an offer the pilots could accept.
• STR has released strong results f0r the US hotel industry with occupancy climbing 2.2% to 65.9%, ADR rising 2.1% to $121.76 and RevPAR increasing 4.3% to $80.22.
• The EMEA has found that London is the top destination for meetings and events, with the city benefitting from a weak pound.
• The UN World Tourism Organisation has recorded a global increase in international tourists (up 6%) for the six months to June. UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai stated that the strong results could in part be attributed to ‘a significant rebound in destinations such as Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia that suffered decreases in previous years.’
• Luton airport progresses plans for improved transport links on the back of a record summer, which saw passenger numbers increase 6.8% y-o-y to 4.7m.
• Caravan park owner Park Leisure has reported a drop in profits of 43% to £3.29m. Turnover was flat at £57.8m but costs rose.
FINANCE & MARKETS:
• The NIESR has suggested that output grew by 0.4 per cent in the three months ending in August 2017 after 0.2 per cent in the three months to July. It says ‘we estimate that economic growth accelerated to 0.4 per cent in the three months to August. Our estimate is in line with our latest forecast for third quarter GDP which also stands at 0.4 per cent. Service sector output as well as industrial production appears to have contributed to the uptick in GDP growth.’
• The latest quarterly review of inflation expectations undertaken by the Bank of England suggests that consumers expect the rate of inflation to be around 2.8% for the next year. The survey suggests that expectations for inflation over the entirety of the next five years is 3.4% per annum.
• The ONS reports that manufacturing output grew at the fastest pace this year in July.
• The ECB has indicated that it will begin tapering QE over the next few months.
• BCC says there is ‘no sign on the horizon of a return to healthier levels of growth’. It expects to see 1.6% growth this year with 1.2% in 2018 and 1.4% in 2019. The BCC says ‘the rising upfront cost of doing business in the UK, the uncertainty around Brexit and the constraints created by skills gaps and shoddy infrastructure collectively outweigh any benefit arising from the recent depreciation in sterling.’ It says ‘a cheaper currency does not automatically mean an export boom, no matter how politicians or commentators will it to happen.’
• UK trade deficit £2.9bn in July. Same as June.
• Oil down to $54.05
• Sterling up vs dollar at $1.3172
• Pound up vs Euro at €1.097
• UK 10yr gilt yields up 1bp at 99bps
• World markets: UK down on Friday but Europe up. Wall Street down but Asia mostly up in Monday trade
o TUC lectures Tories on economics. Says Mrs May’s demands of the EU are like a ‘letter to Santa’.
o Tory donor Lord Harris of Peckham has said that Mrs May is ‘hopeless & weak’.

domain: news


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Innovators and entrepreneurs could be worth more than £18bn to the UK economy this year but further growth could be held back by financial barriers, skills shortages and a lack of understanding about emerging technologies.
The maker community - the name given to people who apply DIY culture to business and technology in a collaborative and experimentational environment - is estimated to support up to 298,000 jobs across the country.
Research from Deloitte, commissioned by the Olympic Park start-up campus Here East, also found that embracing maker culture could help the UK tackle its slump in productivity, a measure of individual output per hour.
Makers are 51pc more productive than the average UK worker, contributing £72,000 per year compared to the national average of £47,700.
In London, which accounts for around £1.9bn in economic value and supports up to 30,000 jobs, productivity rises to £87,800, a third higher than the city-wide average of £66,000.
The availability of open-source platforms and 3D printing combined with the expanding network of connected smart objects known as the internet of things has created a community of creators and developers who can experiment and innovate without needing to rely on corporate backers, large investors or a long production line.
John Nolan, a Hackney-based designer and creator, makes adjustments to a robot
“The last few years have seen a making revolution quietly taking place throughout UK industry,” said Gavin Poole, chief executive of Here East. “Improving productivity is the biggest challenge facing the UK economy, and it is clear that making has the potential to significantly boost economic output.
“However, if we want to remain at the forefront of global innovation, we must address the barriers to growth. We need better-skilled workers, greater access to finance, and crucially we need to enable collaboration between large and small companies. We must also develop a better understanding of the crossover between new and traditional industry sectors.”
More than a quarter of British makers work in the construction sector, followed by architecture and engineering makers who account for 14pc of the community.
London is more creative, counting entertainment producers, advertisers and publishers among its top 10 making industries, while human health is the capital’s biggest sector, comprising a fifth of makers.


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Reliance Industries says net proceeds for the sale will be finalised on completion of the transaction, which is expected in a few months
Mumbai: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) on Tuesday said that it has sold its entire 76% stake in African fuel retailer Gulf Africa Petroleum Corp. (Gapco) to Total SA of France for an undisclosed sum.
The stake in Gapco was held by RIL’s indirect wholly-owned unit Reliance Exploration and Production DMCC or REPDMCC.
Gapco, a holding company incorporated in Mauritius with operating subsidiaries in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, is engaged in petroleum product imports, trading, storage, distribution, marketing, supply and transport of oil products in East Africa.
Total, a petroleum product retailer in Africa, will acquire the assets in these countries.
The company, in its statement, said net proceeds for the sale will be finalised on completion of the transaction, which is expected in a few months.
“REPDMCC’s agreement to sell its interest in Gapco is part of a joint transaction, wherein both REPDMCC and the minority shareholder have agreed to sell their entire respective holdings in Gapco for cash,” RIL said in a press statement.
“Since the acquisition of 76% equity in Gapco by REPDMCC in 2007, Gapco has significantly grown and is one of leading petroleum marketing company in East Africa, which now operates 108 retail outlets and owns 260,000 kilo litres of storage capacity,” the company said.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions that are customary for similar transactions, RIL added.
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Fighting high fuel costs in the air and on the ground, UPS Inc. is still expected to report higher earnings next week when the shipper turns in its third-quarter results.
Analysts expect UPS to earn 86 cents a share, according to a consensus estimate from Thomson First Call. Revenue is forecast at $10.369 billion. Last year, the company earned 70 cents a share, according to First Call.
Against the backdrop of high fuel prices, competition is not relenting on any front. When rival FedEx Corp.
"The pricing environment remains very competitive which compounded by rising fuel prices may have limited upside to earnings in the quarter," wrote Morgan Keegan analysts in an Oct. 13 note.
Legg Mason Capital Markets analysts wrote in an Oct. 7 research note that it expects that overseas business and the company's supply-chain business will help counter the domestic package business. As well, UPS is ramping up its flights to China.
In the prior quarter, UPS' international package revenue grew at a 23% pace vs. 5.7% for domestic package revenue. See full story.
Hot spots remain the company's pilots union, which has strike authorization, the Legg Mason analysts wrote.
Another front worth watching will be any new comment on a Die Welt report last month that the company is considering acquiring European postal delivery companies. See full story.
So far this year, UPS stock is down almost 20%.


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Tata Motors today said its small car, Nano, has received the good design award for 2010, from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design with the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The award for Nano has come in the category of transportation, Tata Motors said in a statement. The design is such that it offers incredibly spacious passenger compartment, which can comfortably seat four adults.
With a length of just 3.1 metre, width of 1.5 metre and height of 1.6 metre, Nano has the smallest exterior footprint for a car in India but is 21 per cent more spacious than the smallest car available today, it said.
Tata Motors recently announced a special finance scheme by which a customer will get within 48 hours, a loan for the Nano.


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Washington D.C.'s first commercial office building made of mass timber will be leased to the nation's largest trucking association.
Eleven manufacturers have established new showrooms and 19 other existing tenants have renewed or expanded their spaces at theMart ahead of NeoCon.
Jeld-Wen Canada is shooting to build brand awareness of its window and door products among basketball fans through a new TV commercial campaign.
Countertop is designed to custom fit over existing surfaces and preserve existing cabinets, doors & appliances.
A shortage of foam has forced production and hour cutbacks for several furniture manufacturers.
Richelieu Hardware will display its Smart Corner, a solution for hanging and retrieving clothes from blind corners in closets, at the Closets Expo, June 9-10.
President Biden appointee Katherine Tai has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate in a 98-0 vote as the new U.S. Trade Representative.
Ryan Haasen's custom board room table is a sight to behold.
Organizers of SkillsUSA and Skills Canada are working out details for holding their respective national student competitions virtually this June.


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Telecom companies have celebrated 20 years in the Romanian market and what a period it has been. From clunky mobile phones dubbed “bricks” and the squeaky sound of slow dial-up connections we have moved to extremely powerful devices that are processing impressive amounts of data in complete silence.
Moving from little over half a million users in 1998 to more than 26 million in the first half of 2017 proved an impressive feat for telecom players, which have made constant investments in technology. Their next milestone will be the deployment of the new 5G wireless infrastructure, which should happen locally by 2020. Through such investments, autonomous driving will edge one step closer to reality in large cities.
And the disruption doesn’t stop here. The financial sector is ripe for massive changes due to blockchain technology, while consumers are becoming more reliant on the gig-economy with the uber concept being adapted to everything from transport, to food deliveries and home cleaning.
In spite of the expansion of interned-based companies, Romanians’ online access has remained below EU norms. Some 64 percent of Romanians aged 16-74 had used the internet in the past three months, while the EU average stood at 84 percent, according to a survey carried out in 2017 by Eurostat, the statistics office of the EU.
“Software is eating the world, but AI is going to eat software,” said Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, in an interview with MIT Technology Review in mid-2017. The company has been one of the beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence investment boom as it makes hardware for machine-learning algorithms used in the research of autonomous driving.
Who benefits most from AI
Companies are weaving themselves seamlessly into the fabric of how people live today through technology, agreed 84 percent of 6,300 IT managers and executives surveyed by Accenture.
“Just as cities developed around ports and then railroads, or people rebuilt their lives around electricity, the world today is reimagining itself around digital innovation – and, by extension, the companies that provide those services,” said Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s chief technology & innovation officer. The company has identified five emerging technology trends that companies need to be aware of: Citizen AI, Extended Reality, Data Veracity, Frictionless Business and Internet of Thinking.
For instance, companies looking to harness the potential of AI must acknowledge its impact on people’s lives. Some are already calling for the regulation of AI, and entrepreneurs with global reach, such as Elon Musk and Pether Thiel, support research into safe artificial general intelligence.
“AI will be the best or worst thing ever for humanity,” said Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, in 2017. On the other hand, Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg has criticized the doomsday scenarios for AI, suggesting that instead it can help the world get better. The economic benefits of AI have already been estimated. PwC forecasts that AI will provide a USD 15.7 trillion boost to GDP worldwide by 2030. China is set to receive the greatest economic benefits (USD 7 trillion) as AI is integrated into various industries. The impact on Northern Europe is estimated at USD 1.8 trillion, while the figure for Southern Europe has been put at USD 0.7 trillion. North America will boost its economy by USD 3.7 trillion due to AI.
Manufacturing is set to reap the most benefits from adopting AI technology. Accenture estimates the benefits of the use of AI at USD 12.2 billion by 2035. Professional services will gain close to USD 10 billion, while wholesale & retail and financial services will grow by USD 8.4 trillion and USD 4.6 trillion respectively.


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Smashing but expensive time
The French Apple customer who became an internet sensation with his rather clear view of Apple products has avoided going to jail for smashing the shiny gear with his balls of steel.
Now hear this
Fruity tax dodging cargo-cult Apple has put the brakes on the release of its super-expensive and largely pointless ear-buds.
Apple sees first sales decline since 2001
The shine has finally come off the tax-dodging fruity cargo cult Apple and no amount of spinning is saving it.
There could be a memory shortage for PC vendors brewing, after aggressive short-term orders coming in from smartphone vendors.
IDC confirms what we have been saying for years
The Tame Apple Press’s efforts at plugging the iWatch for a couple of years have been next to near useless. According to the latest figures no one really wants one.
Defective Note 7 owners don't defect
Samsung Electronics' flagship handset Galaxy S7 is regaining popularity as Korea's best-selling smartphone, filling the void in sales left by the incredible melting Galaxy Note 7.
It does not appear interested in 10nm
TSMC thinks that it can win back Qualcomm’s chip business with its 7nm process technology, but has all but given up expecting it to return for 10nm.
Intel modems not that hot
It seems that a row is brewing between Apple fanboys who were given a phone with an Intel modem and those who have something from Qualcomm instead.
If only Amazon had good reason to love Apple
The fruity tax-dodging cargo cult Apple is furious that 80 percent of the “Genuine Apple” accessories on the Amazon site are fakes.


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The ending of 2019 also brought trouble for a number of businesses in terms of cybersecurity. Before the year-end, another ransomware attack affected IT service provider Synoptek.
Synoptek Faced Cyber Attack
Reportedly, the California-based cloud management and IT service provider Synoptek has fallen prey to a cyber attack. The firm that serves over a thousand customers suffered a cyber attack around Christmas time. Consequently, it caused disruption in various operations.
The news about Synoptek service disruptions surfaced online after people began discussing it on Reddit. However, the firm only confirmed the security incident in a tweet on December 27, 2019. That time too, they merely called it a “credential compromise” which they contained.
As revealed, the incident took place on December 23, 2019, two days before Christmas.
In a subsequent update tweet, they merely mentioned contacting the customers affected by the incident. They did not reveal any technical details about what the incident was, how it happened, and the extent of the attack.
Nonetheless, the government officials more promptly reached the customers in this regard. The State of California and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security alerted the users about the Synoptek cyber attack.
Sodinokibi Ransomware Involvement Suspected
According to Brian Krebs, Synoptek became a victim of a ransomware attack. As per the company sources, Synoptek suffered a Sodinokibi or rEvil infection, a new malware actively targeting the business community.
Even on Reddit, various users confirmed the incident as a ransomware attack. Some of them also fell victim to the ransomware.
Krebs also disclosed the payment of ransom. According to the sources, Synoptek paid the asked ransom to receive decryption keys.
Sources also say the company paid their extortionists an unverified sum in exchange for decryption keys.
Earlier, Sodinokibi also affected a dental backup firm PerCSoft. Though, it remained unclear whether the company paid the ransom to recover the data or not since they merely mentioned about contacting some software company for data recovery.


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“We really believe in caring for the community and we’re proud to support Habitat for Humanity by giving back after each of our conventions,” said CCA Global co-Founder and co-CEO Howard Brodsky.
MANCHESTER, N.H. (PRWEB) January 17, 2020
CCA Global Partners furthered its commitment to building stronger communities by donating to Habitat for Humanity this past week following its 2020 Winter Convention.
The convention draws thousands of business partners from across North America and was held in Phoenix this year. It’s tailored to CCA Global’s flooring retail cooperatives, Carpet One Floor & Home, Flooring America & Flooring Canada, and The Floor Trader. The event features a large exhibition of this season’s trendiest floor coverings — including hardwood, tile, carpet, luxury vinyl, laminate and area rugs — as well as top kitchen and bath products.
Traditionally, CCA Global donates flooring and other household items that are showcased during the exhibit to a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore at the conclusion of each convention.
“We really believe in caring for the community and we’re proud to support Habitat for Humanity by giving back after each of our conventions,” said CCA Global co-Founder and co-CEO Howard Brodsky. “Lack of affordable housing is a widespread issue around the country and it’s been wonderful to make a difference in the areas we visit.”
CCA Global was able to donate two pallets of waterproof hardwood and luxury vinyl tile, two rolls of carpet and vinyl, a table, nightstand, loveseat, side chairs and a bed.
The Habitat ReStore will take these donations and make them available to the public for a fraction of their market price. This not only helps families accomplish their home projects, but also supports Habitat for Humanity’s goal of providing safe and affordable housing.
“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with leaders in our retail world to help fulfill our mission to provide decent, affordable housing,” said Sharyn Logue, who works as the procurement manager for central Arizona’s Habitat ReStore. “Our Habitat ReStores always welcome new product and are honored to accept such incredible donations to offer to our customers.”
CCA Global’s next convention will be held in Nashville in August of 2020 where the company plans to continue its semiannual custom of donating leading flooring items to the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. The tradition has been in place since 2007, making this the fourteenth year CCA Global has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to support local community growth.
For more information on CCA Global Partners, visit http://www.ccaglobalpartners.com.
About CCA Global Partners
CCA Global Partners, Inc. is a privately held cooperative based in the United States with member businesses in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. For over a quarter of a century, CCA Global has partnered with entrepreneurial businesspeople to create a cooperative powerhouse unmatched in the marketplace. With 15 independent business brands and more than 2,800 locations, CCA Global Partners is well positioned to positively impact the success of independent businesses. For more information on CCA Global Partners, go to http://www.ccaglobal.com.


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Imran Khan launches “Raast” Pakistan first ever Digital Payment Gateway
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, on Monday launched Pakistan’s first ever Digital Payment Gateway during the raast launching ceremony held at Islamabad.
“Raast” is a part of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Digital Pakistan vision scheme. It will be used for fast, secure and efficient money transfer throughout the country.
Dr. Reza Baqir, Governor of State Bank of Pakistan, was also the part of launching ceremony of the Raast.
Pakistani’s will be able to make easy and instant transactions.


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The Oregon State University Dairy Club stayed extremely busy the week before Valentine’s Day 2015. But they weren’t shopping for chocolate and flowers for their loved ones. Instead, all their care and energy was focused on 30 heifers that arrived early in the week for the club’s biennial auction, the OSU Dairy Club Beaver Classic Sale, on Saturday, Feb. 14.
Leading up to the sale, club members and volunteers worked tirelessly to take care of the animals and get them ready for their big night. It was a big night for the club, too. Proceeds from the auction funds their activities for the next two years, including industry tours, Beaver Youth Day, Ag Day in the MU Quad and more.
The heifers sold were consigned by dairy farmers and cattle breeders from Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, and the Dairy Club retained 15 percent of the price of each sale. Two farms donated calves, and 100 percent of those sales went straight to the Dairy Club.
Preparation for the auction began last September, when Becky Thomas, Dairy Club member and chairwoman of the sale, formed committees to coordinate every aspect of the event, including cattle section, cattle care, advertising, decorations, dinner and a silent auction. Thomas says the club members worked hard to make the event a success.
Thomas studies agriculture business and hopes to work in the diary industry after graduation. However, several members of the Dairy Club have majors unrelated to agriculture such as engineering and photography. Some have grown up with animals or participated in 4-H, while others have no agricultural background at all.
“They just found us somehow,” Thomas says. “And now we all enjoy working with the heifers, so it’s pretty fun.”
Dairy Club president Andrea Smaciarz says the group offers a hands-on learning experience for students from all backgrounds, and the Beaver Classic Sale is a great time for club members to get their hands dirty — washing, clipping and caring for heifers.
“We have these girls for a week, and we have a lot of fun, but we keep in mind that we’re selling them,” Thomas said of the heifers before the sale.
About 200 dairy industry members attended the event on Feb. 14. The average price for heifers sold was $1,750, and the Dairy Club raised about $4,000.
“The sale was a great learning experience,” Smaciarz says. “It wouldn’t have been such a great success without the outstanding teamwork exhibited by the entire club.”


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Signs are emerging that EU milk production growth is finally slowing, indicating the recent post-quota surge in production is a “one-off adjustment rather than an opening of the floodgates”, according to a visiting expert on the European dairy sector.
Rabobank Netherlands-based senior dairy associate Matt Johnson, who is in Australia delivering a series of industry presentations, said after exhibiting significant growth in the first year after liberalisation, EU milk production growth was “finally starting to taper off”.
“The removal of milk quotas on April 1, 2015 signified the end of more than three decades of regulation in the European dairy industry,” he said. “While the subsequent surge in milk production across many EU member states was anticipated, the fact that this growth has been sustained – despite the slump in global dairy prices – has taken everyone by surprise.”
Mr Johnson said there had “effectively been the perfect storm in global dairy markets, with the removal of quotas encouraging European dairy farmers to increase production to maintain their cash flows. And this just happened to coincide with weaker demand (particularly out of China) – which has prolonged the slump in global prices.”
Presenting to dairy farmers at Rabobank client events across Victoria and Tasmania this week, Mr Johnson has been interpreting the latest trends in the EU dairy market for more than 10 years. With a key interest in the changing milk supply map across Europe, he is a close observer of how European farmers are adapting to the new marketplace post the removal of quotas.
Mr Johnson said European producers had been buffered from some of the downturn in global dairy prices – at least initially – by the favourable Euro exchange rate and slightly lower feed costs. “However, the cost of production is now below break-even for many European producers, and we are starting to see this translate into an increased focus on cost-saving rather than expansion,” he said.
Mr Johnson said while the ‘economics’ would invariably slow milk production growth, the slow-down would not be uniform across the EU, with production showing no signs of abating in Ireland and expected to remain strong in the Netherlands.
“The Irish industry has been given a helping hand, with Irish dairy cooperatives supporting members throughout 2015 to the tune of around EUR 100 million,” he said.
“Production also remains strong in the Netherlands, as uncertainty over environmental regulations has caused confusion, encouraging farmers to hold on to cows they would have normally slaughtered.”
Meanwhile, production growth is set to remain muted in the two largest milk-producing countries, Germany and France, which only posted a respective 1.3 and 1.2 per cent increase in production since quotas were removed.
Operating in an unregulated marketplace, EU producers would now be “more reactive to market signals”, Mr Johnson said. And he advised Australian producers to keep a close watch on their European counterparts.
“Producers in Australia will need to keep an eye on what is happening in the EU, particularly Ireland and the Netherlands, as farmers in Europe will produce more if they are incentivised by markets to do so,” he said. “And we have not seen market signals dictate production in Europe before, like it does here in Australia.”
Mr Johnson said the EU was increasingly targeting marketing opportunities in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, and would directly compete with Australian product in certain markets. “For example, we would expect to see more competition between European and Australian players in the UHT milk market,” he said.
Throughout 2016, Mr Johnson said, dairy consumption growth would remain relatively stable, but there would be renewed import demand out of China and South-East Asia.
“As we see demand start to pick-up, and production growth slow in the EU, the global dairy market will slowly re-balance. This will see global dairy prices improve, but it will take most, it not all, of 2016 for the global market to return to equilibrium,” he said.
Responsible for analysing the dairy sector for Rabobank in the EU, Mr Johnson previously spent 10 years at DairyCo – a UK levy organisation working on behalf of farmers.
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is a part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 115 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 40 countries, servicing the needs of approximately 8.6 million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is one of Australasia’s leading rural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 94 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Head of Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 8115 2744 or 0439 603 525
Media Relations Manager
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 4855 1111 or 0418 216 103


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Update [Tue 11th Jan, 2022 05:30 GMT]: If you were wondering what happened to Platinum's Sol Cresta broadcast that was scheduled to air on YouTube last weekend, it's been postponed.
It's apparently due to "technical difficulties" with streaming equipment and a new date for the broadcast will be organised soon. In the meantime, the company has reassured fans development of Sol Cresta is "doing just fine".
Original story [Thu 6th Jan, 2022 04:30 GMT]: Platinum's shmup Sol Cresta suffered a last-minute delay towards the end of 2021 - with Hideki Kamiya announcing a December 9th launch would no longer be possible.
The team explained how the game needed some more development time and hoped fans would understand. Now a few months later, Platinum has announced it'll be hosting a special live stream later this week on January 7th / 8th (depending on your location) to share some release date information.
As noted above, there'll also be some other new announcements and even a viewer giveaway. So definitely tune in as it's apparently a "must-watch" for anyone excited about the release of Sol Cresta.
Are you looking forward to getting your hands on this game? Leave a comment down below.


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Riverview Walmart Neighborhood Market plans to employ 90 associates
Hiring Center opens for new Walmart
WHAT: Walmart is hiring approximately 90 associates to work at the new Walmart Neighborhood Market slated to open this spring in Riverview. To facilitate applications, the retailer has opened a temporary hiring center at 10616 Riverview Drive.
The hiring center began accepting applications Monday, Jan. 16, and will continue accepting applications from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. Interested applicants can apply online at http://walmartstores.com/Careers.
According to store manager Ronald Freitas, the store will be hiring both full- and part-time associates. “We are excited to add this Walmart Neighborhood Market to Riverview and bring good jobs with career opportunities to the area,” he said. Freitas began his Walmart career in 1998 as an assistant manager at a store in Sarasota.
Freitas said associates are needed to work in all areas of the new store, including supervisory positions.
Walmart’s benefit program is available to eligible full- and part-time associates and provides a variety of affordable health and well-being benefits including medical insurance with no lifetime maximum. Walmart also offers matching 401(k) contributions of up to 6 percent of pay, discounts on general merchandise for store associates, an Associate Stock Purchase Program and company-paid life insurance. Additionally, eligible associates receive a quarterly incentive based on store performance.
The majority of associates will begin work in March to help prepare the store for its grand opening
WHERE: Walmart Hiring Center New Riverview Walmart Neighborhood Market
10616 Riverview Drive 10863 Bloomingdale Ave.
Riverview, Fl Riverview, Fl
WHEN: Hiring Center Opening Date: Monday, Jan. 16, 2012
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.


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Bosch Launches Green TV Spots
BSH Home Appliances, is launching the brand’s first major push to highlight its environmentally friendly major appliances, MediaPost reports. The effort follows the beginnings of a rebranding earlier this year featuring a new tree-frog icon for its green products.
The new campaign extends that brand imagery with TV ads, “invented for life,” that put Bosch appliances in different locations in nature, emphasizing how they help preserve nature and don’t disturb it either, when they are operating.
Energy Manager News
- Energy Manager Today Product & Project of the Year Award Winners Announced
- Mobility, The IoT Gradually Transform HVAC
- Bill Gates-Led Group, India Establishing Energy Funds
- CMU Energy Efficiency Efforts Save $10M in 7 Years
- Microgrids, Now Mainstream, Continue to Advance
- Developing Economies Increasing their Share of Renewable Capacity
- LG Chem In Big German Battery Project
- ERC: Electricity Price Trends for the Week Ending Nov. 20


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New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new premises of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry ‘Vanijya Bhawan’ on Thursday.
Modi will also launch a new portal NIRYAT (National Import-Export Record for Yearly Analysis of Trade), which is developed as a one stop platform for stakeholders to get all information related to India’s foreign trade.
The Prime Minister will address the gathering on the occasion.
Built near India Gate, Vanijya Bhawan is designed as a smart building which incorporates the principles of sustainable architecture with a special focus on energy saving, an official statement said.
It will serve as an integrated and modern office complex that will be used by the two Departments under the Ministry — Department of Commerce and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).


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Through its partnership with Canadian technology startup Block Station, the Jamaica Stock Exchange has agreed to list both bitcoin and ether tokens as part of a trial designed to test both cryptocurrencies’ popularity on the island. Both the stock exchange and Block Station have been in cahoots since the start of 2019 when they announced a plan to launch a “live digital currency trading terminal.”
Ethereum and Crypto Are Growing in Popularity
In addition, the stock exchange will also list security tokens, though at press time, these tokens have not been announced.
Marlene Street Forrest – managing director of the JSE – commented:
Block Station has been a good partner over the past year, working closely with us and our stakeholders to ensure that their platform satisfies every requirement. This is an unprecedented opportunity for the JSE to diversity its product offerings and attract new listings and inbound investments. We welcome retail investors and companies both locally and around the globe to trade digital assets under a safe, efficient and transparent regulatory framework.
Recently, the Jamaican stock exchange was listed as one of the world’s strongest stock markets. The platform’s stocks have spike by over 300 percent in just the last five years alone.
Block Station co-founder Jai Waterman also had a few things to say about the partnership, explaining:
We are incredibly excited to reach this milestone in our partnership with the JSE, bringing digital assets including cryptocurrency and security tokens to mainstream investors. Digital assets are the future of capital markets, and our turn-key solution paves the way for traditional financial institutions to easily adopt this new, game-changing asset class. We look forward to being part of the evolution of finance going forward.
Jamaica’s attitude reflects a general change in how the world and traditional financial markets are viewing cryptocurrencies. One could easily argue that they are becoming more mainstream, especially since the Jamaica Stock Exchange isn’t the only one in line to list digital assets.
Nasdaq is rumored to be releasing its new coin exchange by the second quarter of 2019. An anonymous spokesperson working with the company has commented that present conversations largely center around how digital currencies “will be classified from a regulatory standpoint.”
Nasdaq is connected to organizations such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which means it’s likely to be hit with plenty of regulatory schemes in the coming months granted it takes the crypto route.
Nasdaq Reflects Change in Attitude Towards Crypto
Nevertheless, Nasdaq is expected to receive education from both groups, and plans appear to be underway. The spokesperson commented:
Doing the math here, look for regulatory bodies to provide guidance in Q1 of 2019, and an announcement and a ‘coin exchange’ to either be announced or launched in Q2 of 2019.


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Have you ever purchased a large file on iTunes like a movie or TV show but then realized you had a crappy data connection? Now you can buy something but opt to download it later when you have Wi-Fi access.
Apple on Friday added the new "buy now, download later" option for iTunes purchases of movies and movie bundles, individual TV show episodes, TV season passes, and completed seasons, according to Macworld(Opens in a new window). When buying one of these items, users will now be asked if they would like to download it immediately, or wait until later. By tapping the option to download later, items will be added to a user's iTunes account and accessible for streaming or download in the future.
The new option is only available when purchasing items using iTunes 11 on a Mac or Windows PC, or an iOS device running iOS 6 or later. It also works only in countries where iTunes in the Cloud is available.
Macworld pointed out that the new feature should be useful when users want to grab a sale item before it goes up in price, but don't have a great data connection at the moment.
Meanwhile, Apple will celebrate the tenth anniversary of iTunes on April 28. For nearly a decade, the iTunes Store has dominated the market for digital music downloads. In the fourth quarter of 2012, iTunes grabbed 63 percent share of the paid music download market, followed by Amazon MP3 with 22 percent, according to a recent report from the NPD Group.
Apple in late November released of the latest version of the music software — iTunes 11. The updated software discarded the old left-hand bar, moved playlists and radio stations to the top menu, and pushed other options (movies, TV shows, podcasts, and access to devices and shared libraries) into a drop-down menu.
For more, see PCMag's full review of iTunes 11 and the slideshow above.
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Ascend Adding 220,000 t to PA 6.6 Chain
Houston, Texas-based polyamide 6.6 specialist Ascend Performance Materials has provided details of the planned 10-15% expansion of its value chain – acrylonitrile, adiponitrile, hexamethylene diamine, adipic acid and polymers – announced last year.
The company that regards itself as the world’s largest fully integrated producer of PA 6.6 resin said last year that global demand for its product range across diverse application was growing at 3-4% annually.
Up to 2022, Ascend will add a total of 220,000 t/y to its existing acrylonitrile (ADN) capability of around 400,000 t/y before the project began. The first expansion stage at the US company’s Decatur, Alabama, facility was completed at the end of 2017, adding 50,000 t/y of new capacity. A second 40,000 t/y expansion stage is planned to be completed by the end of 2018, with an additional 180,000 t/y scheduled to be in place by 2022.
CEO Phil McDivitt said Ascend is “committed to supporting the growth of the nylon 6,6 chain globally and has consistently increased capacity throughout the chain as demand increased.” With its latest fifth generation ADN technology, he said the company is able to add capacity without extensive down time.


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Stores earmarked won't be immediately revealed
Marks and Spencer says there will be no specific details for some time over which of its stores may be affected by closures and alterations.
It follows an 88 per cent dip in the retailer's half-year profits before tax.
Sales in its clothing and home departments are being blamed.
The Douglas store is a key part of the Island's retail effort.
Most believe the Douglas branch is a useful money earner for the group, no specific details are available but until the absolute all clear is given, there will be concern about any possible changes.
The Douglas store has a large clothing section as well as a substantial food section.
The five-year programme will, as its termed, "touch more than 100 stores".
That will result in a net reduction of 10% of clothing and home space, with fifty fewer full-line stores.
Manx Radio has spoken to Marks and Spencer on Tuesday morning.
It said there was nothing it could add to what had already been said, ie. the five-year programme has begun and will unfold over that period.


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Monday, June 4, 2012
The owners of the South Main Street business plan to meet with borough officials to come to a compromise.
The owners of the Doylestown Produce Outlet will come before the borough’s Public Safety Committee to address traffic concerns at its South Main Street location. Owners Kathy and Stephen Terinoni agreed with Doylestown Borough police and District Judge Mark Douple on Monday to work with borough officials. They hope to discuss what can be done to help customers pulling out from the produce outlet’s parking lot onto South Main Street. Under the terms of the agreement reached Monday, no employees of the produce market may stop or attempt to direct traffic on the busy street. Monday’s hearing was for Doylestown Produce employee Pat Huhn, who was cited on April 7 and May 10 by Doylestown Borough police for obstruction of highways, according to …
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
The business on South Main has been cited for directing traffic at its busy location.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
To the Editor: There is a conflict going on about the business, Doylestown Produce (also known as Rock & Roll Produce) on South Main Street. Several of the people who work there are kind enough to direct traffic so that there are no accidents occuring. It is a 25 mph zone which is not enforced and if it were, I think they would not have to direct traffic. Many people have expressed their opinions (here), and overall, we are all supportive of the Produce business. This business has fresh produce and plants and other items at terrific prices and is very popular with the local population, so why do the police want to take them to court? This will happen on June 4th at 11:30 a.m. and seems absolutely unnecessary. Why can't the local …
Friday, May 25, 2012
The outlet has been charged for directing traffic at its busy location on South Main Street.
The Doylestown Produce outlet will be heading to district court next week over charges that they are guiding traffic without the authority to do so. Stephen Terinoni has owned and operated the produce outlet on Doylestown's South Main Street since 1990. In that time, he says, the volume and speed of traffic heading into and out of town has risen sharply. That makes parking at his shop difficult; drivers sometimes have to back up into the street, and customers sometimes have to cross the road from the parking spaces across the street. So Terinoni and his cousin started doing what they thought was right. The two men can be found nearly every day in front of the shop helping customers in and out, sometimes walking out into South Main Street …


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In what publisher NCsoft says is a worldwide first for massively multiplayer online games, new RPG Guild Wars is to launch in both Europe and North America during the same week.
The game will go on sale in the US on April 28 and in Europe the following day. It has already topped pre-order charts in both continents, and more than 500,000 players have taken part in preview events.
"All of our hard work and effort that has gone into this simultaneous release finally feels justified," said Max Brown, sales and operations director for NCsoft Europe.
"Guild Wars, with its unique server technology, will allow people from all over the globe to play together. In light of that, we felt it was important to have both sides of the ocean starting at the same time, and we're pleased to say we have made that possible."
Guild Wars is the first title from ArenaNet, which was founded by members of the Warcraft and Diablo development teams. It allows players to explore a fantasy gameworld, build unique characters and compete with others around the world in head-to-head guild battles.
The game has been designed with global play in mind, so there are no sharded servers and no language-specific versions. Launches in other territories are planned for later this year, and NCsoft is confident Guild Wars will be a worldwide hit - it has already been named most anticipated game of 2005 by Korea's Electronic Times.


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|Bid||0.27 x 0|
|Ask||0.28 x 0|
|Day's Range||0.27 - 0.28|
|52 Week Range||0.26 - 1.65|
|Beta (3Y Monthly)||-0.31|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||N/A|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y Target Est||1.02|
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - October 12, 2018) - NetworkNewsAudio announces the Audio Press Release (APR) titled "Exponential Increase in EVs Drives New Cobalt Supply Chains," featuring First Cobalt Corp. (TSXV: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF).To hear the NetworkNewsAudio version, visit: http://nnw.fm/6bSmMTo read the full editorial, visit: http://nnw.fm/VXo1IThere's an ever-rising chorus from EV makers clamoring for secure, ethically sourced cobalt. As part of a collective response to these concerns, First Cobalt Corp. (TSXV: FCC) ...
NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire – NetworkNewsAudio announces the Audio Press Release (APR) titled “Exponential Increase in EVs Drives New Cobalt Supply Chains,” featuring First Cobalt Corp. (FCC.V) (FTSSF). “First Cobalt’s strategy is to explore, mine and refine cobalt material in North America with the goal of providing cobalt to the American EV market,” Mell stated. “Henrik’s knowledge of the EV space and experience as a successful OEM automotive manufacturer will play a key role as First Cobalt continues to execute on this strategy.
NEW YORK, Oct. 11, 2018 -- via NetworkWire — NetworkNewsWire ("NNW"), a multifaceted financial news and publishing company, today announces the publication of an editorial.
TORONTO , Oct. 11, 2018 /CNW/ - First Cobalt Corp. (FCC.V) (FCC.AX) (FTSSF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the release of a corporate video featuring the First Cobalt Refinery in Ontario, Canada . The new video introduces the features of the First Cobalt Refinery, which was the subject of three recent studies supporting a restart of the facility in Ontario, Canada (see October 10, 2018 press release). The studies note that under a 24 tonnes per day (tpd) base case scenario, the First Cobalt Refinery could potentially produce 568 to 1,063 tonnes of cobalt per year and that a restart is possible within 18 months of selecting a feedstock.
TORONTO , Sept. 27, 2018 /CNW/ - First Cobalt Corp. (FCC.V) (FCC.AX) (FTSSF) (the "Company") announces the appointment of Henrik Fisker , Chairman & CEO of California -based electric vehicle OEM Fisker Inc., to the Company's Board of Directors with immediate effect. As a global automotive design icon and renowned entrepreneur, Mr. Fisker brings his unique electric vehicle (EV) understanding and outside perspective to the Company.
First Cobalt Announces Inferred Mineral Resource for Iron Creek Project - Open at Depth and Along Strike
OTCQX: FTSSF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the acquisition of 100% ownership and elimination of the outstanding royalty on the Iron Creek property in Idaho, USA . "Our outlook for the Iron Creek Project was instrumental in the decision to eliminate the outstanding royalty and acquire 100% ownership of the project at this time. Drilling has identified two broad zones of cobalt-copper mineralization that extend well beyond the historic resource area.
Phoenix Global Mining (PGMH.L), which is reopening a U.S. copper mine abandoned during World War II when its workforce left to fight, plans to list in New York in September after a disappointing launch on London's AIM market. The London market is dominated by institutional investors and junior miners trading on the AIM market for smaller companies have often struggled. After the commodities price collapse of 2015-2016, new mining listings dried up.
OTCQX: FTSSF) (the "Company") reports that while it does not normally comment on market activity or market rumours, the Company feels it is appropriate to issue the following remarks in light of the unusual activity related to its common shares. First Cobalt reiterates that the fundamentals of its business have not deteriorated but rather, since completing the acquisition of US Cobalt, it believes they have improved. The Company is aware of no material events that would contribute to the unusual trading activity.
TORONTO , June 11, 2018 /CNW/ - First Cobalt Corp. (FCC.V) (FCC.AX) (FTSSF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce a $9 million work program for the Iron Creek Project in Idaho, USA , which it acquired on June 4, 2018 . The Company intends to publish a mineral resource estimate by October 2018 and complete an additional 30,000 metres of drilling designed to double the mineralized zone along strike beyond the area drilled in 2017.
In this article, I’m going to take a look at First Cobalt Corp’s (TSXV:FCC) latest ownership structure, a non-fundamental factor which is important, but remains a less discussed subject amongRead More...
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - June 7, 2018) - NetworkNewsAudio announces the Audio Press Release (APR) titled "Cobalt on Critical List as US Moves toward Mineral Independence," featuring First Cobalt Corp. (TSXV: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF). To hear the NetworkNewsAudio version, visit http://nnw.fm/5K9UhTo read the original editorial, visit http://nnw.fm/Mc3DWAs a fast-growing North American cobalt company, First Cobalt Corp. (FTSSF Profile) is in a strong position to make the most of this shift.First Cobalt's recently ...
OTCQX: FTSSF) (the "Company") has today released a letter to shareholders from the Company's President and CEO, Trent Mell , to provide an update on the Company's business activities for the remainder of 2018. This letter is available on our website at www.firstcobalt.com. The global fleet of electric vehicles grew 54% in 2017, however this only represents a little over 1% of global vehicle sales. Assertions that cobalt could soon be eliminated altogether from electric vehicles are simply wrong.


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President Biden keeps trying to put a politically favorable spin on our current economic turmoil. One of his favorite ways to do so is to claim that “wages are rising”–but the latest inflation data just obliterated that spin.
BIDEN: "My plans have produced the strongest, fastest, most wide-spread economic recovery America has ever experienced—with record jobs, record small busineses and wages rising." pic.twitter.com/VDOzZ4AE5W
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 6, 2022
With all the bright spots in our economy—record job growth and higher wages—too many families are struggling to keep up with the bills. Inflation is robbing them of the gains they might otherwise feel.
I get it. That’s why my top priority is getting prices under control.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) March 10, 2022
The latest Consumer Price Index was just released, and it showed average consumer prices rising 8.6% between May 2021 and May 2022. That’s the highest figure recorded since December 1981!
Inflation just hit a NEW 40-year high.
Overall CPI: +8.6% since last year
Fuel Oil: +106.7%
Meat, Poultry, & Fish: +13.1%
Used Cars: +16.1%
Airline Fares: +37.8%
Real Average Hourly Earnings: -3%
— Jacki Kotkiewicz (@jackikotkiewicz) June 10, 2022
You’ll see this top-line number everywhere, and it is indeed significant. But arguably more important is an additional aspect of the latest data release that shows how inflation is outstripping wages.
Real Wages = Real Pain (guess when it went south?) pic.twitter.com/ViKKQ29ud3
— Charles V Payne (@cvpayne) June 10, 2022
Remember, what matters is not nominal wages–the number that shows up on your paycheck–but what that paycheck can buy you. And thanks to this new release, we now know that real weekly earnings–basically, wages factoring in inflation–have declined 3.9% over the last year.
That’s right: wages are down, not up, and significantly so.
President Biden and his aides can keep trying to spin the current economic reality and convince us that everything is alright. But Americans aren’t clueless, especially when it comes to what’s going on with their own wallets.
Mountains of data and real-world experience prove that real wages are in decline, despite the president’s insistence otherwise.


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COVID-19: Just buy what you need! Stop the panic buying!
In the U.K, empty shelves have been a common sight at major supermarkets in recent days – and the supermarkets have now enforced new rules to stop panic buying — but we can all help by becoming more conscious.
What does this mean? It means to buy normally, as if there were no danger of supplies running out.
Emotional knee-jerk reactions override the ability of the rational mind to function as it normally would, so how can we train our minds to be present (here and now) and not ‘in the future’ and ‘in fear’ of practically everything and everyone?
Ironically, people stockpiling this week in the U.K. has caused a frenzy as more people then rightly panic that they can’t buy what they need for their families. It’s a downward spiral.
In an interconnected world, every action we individually take leads to an effect, but the cumulative effect of millions of people acting in crisis mode has led to precisely this moment in time where there is practically nothing on the shelves, and delivery dates for food items being pushed way into the future.
Mainstream media is largely to blame here, for instigating (and selling!) fear at every opportunity, rather than sensible caution, something I’ve spoken about before time and again on Energy Therapy’s facebook page (check out my video). Mindful awareness can bring us back to this moment and help us navigate turbulent times.
The UK isn’t the only place, of course – this is not a ‘localised’ phenomenon. Across the world from Germany to Penang, Malaysia, people have been doing the same thing.
In Germany, a spokesperson for supermarket chain REWE, appealed to people to “spread out shopping over the week.” That way, “employees would also have a chance to replenish shelves quickly enough”.
Sharp spikes in demand out of irrational fears that supplies will run out is a type of mind-based insanity that no system can cope with.
Fear is truly the opposite of what we want – and fear, as we can see, creates more misery for everyone.
U.K. Supermarkets limit buying
Tesco has suspended all-night opening for stores, while the boss of Morrisons has urged shoppers: “Just buy what you need.”
Tesco and Sainsbury’s are telling customers they can only buy three of any grocery item, and ASDA is taking similar action, whilst Morrisons is limiting purchases across 1,250 lines.
Online supermarket Ocado has introduced a virtual queuing system but yesterday, Wednesday evening, the website said it had decided to temporarily close until Saturday so that it could fulfil orders after a “simply staggering amount of traffic”, with more demand than they could meet.
The latest limits, which effectively ration purchases of a huge range of goods, significantly widen the scope of restrictions that had previously been implemented on a small number of items such as hand sanitiser.
Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe said: “We have enough food coming into the system, but are limiting sales so that it stays on shelves for longer and can be bought by a larger numbers of customers.”
This is great news and something people can focus on here in the UK.
More measures to counteract the chaos of COVID-19
Meat, fish and pizza counters and cafes are being closed from Thursday to free up lorry and warehouse capacity, as well as shelf-stacking time, for essential items to be replenished.
Sainsbury’s has also announced that its stores will only be open to customers over 70 and those with a disability for the first hour of trading on Thursday.
Plans are in place to beef up its “click and collect” offering, and these two groups will be given priority access when new slots become available.
Britain’s food retailers have urged households to refrain from hoarding goods.
Tesco, Britain’s biggest supermarket, has suspended all-night opening in big stores so that shelves stripped bare by over-anxious shoppers can be re-stocked.
It said vulnerable and elderly customers would be given priority between 9am and 10am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The company’s statement added: “Tesco store colleagues can’t work from home and a good number of them will need to respond to personal or family challenges connected with dealing with COVID-19.
“So we would please ask that you understand the challenging environment in which we are all working. If you do go in-store and want to say thank you, then I’m sure they’d appreciate it.”
Waitrose has drafted in 1,200 staff from sister retailer John Lewis to cope with demand.
The supermarket emailed customers on Wednesday to say that it too was “reluctantly” introducing limits on some of its most in-demand online items.
Morrisons reported that it had seen a “considerable” degree of stockpiling and its chief executive David Potts urged customers to “just buy what you need”.
Business secretary Alok Sharma said he was ‘confident’ supermarkets had the resilience to keep shelves full of stock but this misses the point. Calm buying is the most important message for today.
We all need to think of young mothers, the elderly and vulnerable in general. We can widen the circle of compassion to see beyond our own noses.
Mindfulness, or being here now’ (i.e. a state of intense Presence), is a vital inner technology, or practice, for everyone to adopt. It is no longer something that people can put off — indeed, it will be increasingly necessary as we navigate difficult and turbulent times ahead.
We have been seeing a dramatic rise in censorship across Big Tech platforms like YouTube and Facebook but want to bring you the truth about COVID-19 that is being blatantly ignored by mainstream. Facebook even went so far as to delete our 2M page in February 2021 but we continue on because the TRUTH must NEVER be suppressed!
- Sign up for our global email list “The Truth About Health and Science” at http://bit.ly/entherapy
- Follow us on Telegram here: https://t.me/entherapy
- Watch this groundbreaking interview between Israeli Holocaust Survivor Vera Sherav and Dr. Reiner Fuellmich on the unfolding ‘Global Genocide’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdlWhuUFuKs&feature=youtu.be


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So much SEO news today. The word is that Google will announce tomorrow that only 1 affiliate per merchant will be allowed to advertise. This could be a huge shakeup in the affiliate industry. Read more about it at www.webmasterworld.com/forum81/4204.htm.
In addition, Google has been granted a patent for highlighting search results. That should make a few people who offer that feature hot under the collar. More about this at www.threadwatch.org/node/966


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“Hyundai Motor Group’s future business will be 50% automobiles, 30% Urban Air Mobility (UAM), and 20% robotics.” Eui-sun Chung, chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, will celebrate the first anniversary of his inauguration on the 14th. Over the past year, Hyundai has accelerated the transition from a traditional automobile company to a future mobility company. Announcing the cessation of sales of internal combustion cars by 2040, they have accelerated the strengthening of future new businesses such as electrification, autonomous driving, hydrogen, and robotics.
Chairman Jung made a drastic investment of trillions of KRW in new businesses and laid the foundation for the mobility ecosystem. In the second quarter of this year, which was considered as the semiconductor hardship period, the Hyundai Motor Group showed the potential to achieve the highest performance. Quarterly sales exceeded 30 trillion KRWfor the first time, and Kia also achieved the highest sales and operating profit. Hyundai Motor's operating profit margin was 6.2%, up 3.5 %points (P) from the same period last year, and the highest since the second quarter of 2016 (7.1%) in 19 quarters.
It also instilled confidence in the future value. At the IAA Mobility 2021 held in Munich,Germany on the 6thof last month, Hyundai Motor Company unveiled their blueprint to achieve zero(0) carbon emissions in all stages from car production to operation and disposal. In Europe, they announced that they would sell only electric vehicles from 2035, five years earlier than original plan. In Korea, sales of internal combustion cars will be stopped by 2040. Luxury brand Genesis will also convert all vehicles to hydrogen and battery electric vehicles from 2030.
Chairman Chung saw hydrogen as a future fuel for Hyundai Motor Company and drew the participation of major companies. He took the lead in establishingthe Korean version of the Hydrogen Council for the Korea H2 Business Summit launched on the 8thof this month. A total of 15 companies, including 10 domestic companies such as SK, Lotte, POSCO, Hanwha, and GS, participated. Chairman Chung said, “We will move the business and policy and financial sectors together to improve the integrity and competitiveness of the hydrogen industry ecosystem and establish itself as a leading platform that contributes to the development of the hydrogen economy.”
They also showed confidence in autonomous driving and robotics businesses. He announced the commercialization of robo-taxi through Motional, a joint venture, and announced that he would use Boston Dynamics' four-legged robot Spot, which he acquired with his own personal resources, as a facility inspection and security solution.
Favorable comments followed after the hard work. Autocar, a British automobile magazine, presented Chairman Chung the highest honor, the Issigonis Trophy, at the 2021 Autocar Awards. For the first collective bargaining agreement after his inauguration, a dispute-free settlement was reached and a stable production base was established.
There is still remaining homework. In order to strengthen the group's dominance, Chairman Chung must promptly solve the problem of reorganization of the corporate governance structure that has formed four cross-shareholding structures. They also have to solve problems such as making a breakthrough in the Chinese market, which is on a downtrend in sales, resolving the supply and demand shortage of semiconductors,building a Global Business Center (GBC), which was a long-cherished dream of Honorary Chairman Mong-koo Chung, and entering the used car market.
By Staff Reporter Chi-yeon Chung email@example.com


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Google has closed its Digital Garage in Sheffield after a year in business.
The facility was launched in April 2017 in Barker's Pool to help individuals and businesses tune up their computer skills free of charge.
Alina Dimofte, head of Digital Skills Policy at Google UK, said: “Since the opening of the Sheffield Google Digital Garage back in April, we’ve helped thousands of local people, from all walks of life, learn essential digital skills.
“We’ve helped young people looking to upskill and be able to apply for more and better jobs as well as experienced workers looking to make a change in their careers.
"We’ve even welcomed two centenarians who wanted to take their first steps online and who’ve sent their first email from the Garage!
“We were also impressed by the fantastic innovation and entrepreneurial spirit the city has to offer and helped many local business owners learn how to navigate the digital world more effectively, grow their customer base and boost their bottom lines.”
Other cities, including Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester, have hosted Google Digital Garages, but Sheffield was the first city to host one for a full year.
Despite its closure, the Digital Garage legacy project is still running with the Job Centres and Princes Trust in Sheffield.
“Sheffield was the first Garage actually on the high street and the results have been really amazing,” said Ms Dimofte.
“Given its unique high-street location, the Sheffield Garage has been a tremendous success and we’re thrilled to boost investment and keep it open for a full year – a first for us since starting the programme over two years ago."


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Aleta Planet Partners Tencent to Offer Remittance From Singapore to Chinaby Fintech News Singapore December 8, 2021
Singaporean payments service provider Aleta Planet has partnered with Tencent Financial Technology to enable local residents to remit money to Weixin users in China.
Aleta Planet said that this is the first time Tencent Financial Technology has partnered with a Singaporean fintech for cross border transfer of funds
The service rides on Aleta Planet’s proprietary technology allowing residents to send money in a safe, secure, and speedy manner and at a lower cost than through conventional methods.
Customers who wish to use the remittance service need to sign up for an Aleta Planet/Nestia digital card and perform the remittance to Weixin users in China.
Founded in 2014, Aleta Planet also provides card issuance and merchant acquisition for various card networks including UnionPay International, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, Visa and MasterCard.
It is also Weixin Pay and PayNow enabled.
Ryan Gwee, Founder and Group Chairman of Aleta Planet said,
“We are honoured to partner Tencent Financial Technology in this innovative solution to make it easier for residents to remit funds to China.
Aleta Planet will continue to innovate and seek new partners in our mission to make cashless payments more accessible and affordable for individuals and businesses.”
Wenhui Yang, General Manager, Tencent Financial Technology Asia Pacific said,
“The Covid situation in recent years had led to an increase in demand for remittance services into China.
We are committed to partnering with innovative partners like Aleta Planet globally to innovate and improve the remittance experience for Chinese citizens residing worldwide,”


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Ahead of Diwali, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a host of measures to boost the economy. She introduced Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 stimulus package for the first time home buyers, farmers, informal sectors and others. The package, which involved subsidies for companies that make fresh hirings, has been in the works for more than three months, focused on helping stressed sectors, middle income groups, MSMEs. But, to what extent the new stimulus can help in economy's revival? Rajeev Dubey, Editor, Business Today explains.
Copyright©2021 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today


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Terra Lycos Looking To Sell Lycos Portal
Wanting to concentrate on their Spanish language businesses, Terra Lycos has retained the services of Lehman Brother investment bank in an effort to sell its US-related businesses. This appears to include web portal Lycos.com.
Terra and Lycos merged in 2000, at the height of the dot com craze for $12.5 billion. News.com obtained a document that outlined Terra Lycos’ plan.
The document says, “an acquisition of Lycos, one of the last available premier Internet search and content properties, represents an outstanding and unique value creation opportunity at a time when advertising budgets are increasing, paid online content is gaining broader acceptance and public markets are favorably rewarding consolidation in the rapidly growing search market.”
Terra Lycos is looking to sell the portal, along with its other US-based businesses, for $200 million. The company feels that the Lycos portal is becoming a more attractive property because of the increase in online advertising revenue, particularly keyword spending.
Lycos Generated $98 million last fiscal year. Many investing news outlets feel a sale like this is possible because of increased confidence based on recent revenue reports. Although none expect a return to the late 90’s craze of spending that swept internet related properties.
WebProNews | Breaking eBusiness News
Your source for investigative ebusiness reporting and breaking news.


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Canon announces EOS R3 pro mirrorless camera in development
Last month Nikon announced the development of its highest-end mirrorless camera to date, and now Canon has responded with the announcement of the EOS R3, which ought to fit in a similar bracket. The R3 is still in development and details are thin, but it’s clear that it’ll be positioned above the EOS R5, which is currently Canon’s flagship mirrorless camera.
Like Nikon’s upcoming Z9, the EOS R3 looks to be a hefty camera with a built-in vertical grip for shooting in portrait and landscape orientations. The body design and control layout is broadly similar to the EOS-1D X Mark III, Canon’s highest-end pro DSLR, and the body features dust and water resistance.
Canon says the EOS R3 will be the first camera to use a new 35mm full-frame…


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Lusaka, January 6, 2020
As consumers stepped into 2020, the latest statistics recorded inflation at an all-time 2019 high of 11.7 percent. According to the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, Zambia’s inflation target rate is supposed to be between 6 and 8 percent however this target was breached as early as May 2019. As we look towards 2020 the Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS) urges consumers to be as prudent a possible in their spending as we anticipate that the cumulative impact of increases in food, power tariffs and fuel prices on consumers will prove to be very difficult.
According to the Zambia Statistical Agency, the largest contributor to the rising inflation was the increase in the cost of food. The food inflation rate for December 2019 was recorded at 15.2 percent compared to 13.5 percent recorded in November 2019. Food constitutes a significant proportion of household expenditure, particularly for low-income households and according to research we undertook last year, an increase in the cost of food results in most households cutting down on either the number of meals they take or their food portions.
As last year drew to a close, the Energy Regulation Board increased the price of both electricity and fuel. This increase was received with much consternation from various stakeholders as both fuel and electricity are key inputs into the production processes of both goods and services within the economy. On this basis we can expect that that following the increase in the costs of production, producers and retailers will be hiking their prices in 2020 in order to shift the burden of the increased tariff hikes to consumers.
To this end we have already begun to see the likes of companies such as Lafarge indicating that they will be increasing their price of cement by 20 percent due to the increase in the prices of fuel and electricity. Further to this, earlier today a hike in the cost of public transportation was approved which have further negative effects on consumers.
In addition to the knock-on economy-wide effect, household incomes will be eroded as both fuel and electricity are key households consumables. Following the increase in electricity tariffs the President indicated that these hikes would have an adverse impact on the poor. Indeed, the expected increase in the cost of living will most negatively affect the poorest and most marginalised households in Zambia. There is, therefore, a need for the government to provide a tangible solution on how it expects to cushion low-income consumers in 2020. Following the increase in current electricity tariffs, we anticipate that an estimated 182 000 people will fall into poverty.
Consumers find themselves in this situation due to the country’s difficult macroeconomic situation. While we saw the Bank of Zambia indeed take some steps to curb inflation there is a need for the government to do more. Due to the country’s fiscal constraints as a result of the country’s growing debt burden, the government is unable to take steps to cushion consumers from the external shocks that are contributing to the high cost of living. As we enter into 2020 we urge the government to articulate how it will seek to address the country’s debt situation which is having a negative spillover effect on the lives of consumers. It is therefore imperative for the government to not only derive and communicate a strategy on how it intends to deal with the country’s debt, but action it as well.
Kindly quote Ms Chenai Mukumba, CUTS Centre Coordinator
For further information please contact: Njavwa Wilanji Simukoko, Communications Officer. Email: email@example.com or phone: +260964905611


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CXOtoday News Desk
Myntra Acquires Smart Wearables Firm Witworks
This acquisition will enable Myntra to develop wearable products for their in house brands as well as leverage the technology to drive innovation and enhance consumer engagement in the future.
Poor Visibility, Greatest Challenge To Cloud Adoption
This uncertainty and lack of visibility to new environments are causing some executives to move slowly or stick to their known paths, says a new study.
BI in Insurance Industry: What Are The Possibilities?
Insurance companies need to provide the right information to the right people in order to amplify the ROI of the business intelligence.
Tata Comm To Help CII With Digital Transformation
Tata Communications spearheads Center for Digital Transformation with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
Global IT Spending to Grow 6.2 pc In 2018: Gartner
Worldwide IT spending is projected to total $3.7 trillion in 2018, an increase of 6.2 percent from 2017, according to the latest forecast by Gartner.
Why AI Could Be Cybersecurity’s Next Big Thing
If cyber security is already daunting for many organizations, AI could be a way to make protecting data any more manageable
Microsoft To 'Scale Up' AI, IoT, Big Data Startups In India
During the six-month program, these startups will work closely with Microsoft leaders, industry experts and leverage the Microsoft Partner Network to scale their business models and serve enterprise clients.
India’s 4G Feature Phone Segment To Touch 40 Mn: Report
The entire feature phone vendor segment is aiming at upgrading 500 million basic phone users to smartphones by making them affordable.
Airtel Hires Santanu Bhattacharya As Chief Data Scientist
He will oversee Airtel's upcoming digital innovation lab in Bengaluru that will focus on emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, AR and VR activities.
Microsoft To Invest $5-Bn On IoT Globally; Bullish On India
Microsoft in India is enhancing its focus on IoT as part of its digital transformation vision, in the areas of healthcare, agriculture, electricity and smart governance.


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World War 2 shooter Day of Infamy has begun its free weekend for players on Steam. It kicked off at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET/6 PM BST/7 PM CEST and players can download the full game to try out till October 16th. The free weekend is meant to commemorate a new update that’s live for the game which brings a tutorial mission and a new map, Britanny.
If that weren’t enough, all players will earn double XP during the free weekend thus allowing for outfits and other cosmetic items to be purchased. The game is also 50 percent off on the Standard and Deluxe Editions. If competitive multiplayer isn’t your thing, then Day of Infamy also has co-op game modes where players can team up against bots.
With nine different classes to choose from and a number of different maps, there’s quite a bit to experience. Day of Infamy has been out on PC since March 23rd 2017 and has some decent critical acclaim on Metacritic. Will you partake in the free weekend? Let us know in the comments.


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Retail News Breaks Archives
ECRM mourns passing of founder Charlie Bowlus
August 12th, 2011
SARASOTA, Fla. – Charlie Bowlus, founder and chief executive officer of ECRM, died unexpectedly yesterday following complications from surgery. He was 64.
Bowlus started ECRM (Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing Inc.) in 1994 as a new way to bring suppliers and retailers together. The company holds dozens of events every year in which industry participants meet for 20 minutes at a time in what are called Efficient Promotion Planning Sessions.
The events have become some of the most popular conferences in the industry.
In addition to developing the novel meetings format, Bowlus introduced software tools to streamline the buyer-seller process.
A graduate of Ohio State University, Bowlus spent most of his adult life in retailing. He began his career with the now-defunct drug chain Revco DS and later went on to work for Gray Drug, Target Corp., Cook-United and Boston Distributors, where he was executive vice president.
In a statement Bowlus' son, ECRM president Mitch Bowlus, said, "My father and lifelong business partner has left us, but his unshakable faith in the values of this company and the character of our people has laid for us a stronger and better foundation."
ECRM announced in June that Mitch Bowlus was named president after having served as chief financial officer. With the move, the company said Charlie Bowlus was transitioning to a greater focus on software development and humanitarian initiatives.


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Seattle – Amazon.com (NASD: AMZN) on Monday released an update to its
Kindle e-book reader applications for Apple’s (NASD: AAPL) iPad and iPhone that adds the
ability to play embedded video and audio clips in Kindle books. The first
titles to take advantage of the new technology feature include a London walking
tour book with audio narration, a cake book with video recipe tips, and a book
of bird songs that adds audio clips.