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Japan’s wholesale prices, excluding the impact of a consumption tax increase, declined for the first time in 20 months in November with a 0.2 percent fall from a year earlier, the Bank of Japan said Wednesday.
Lower prices of chemical products stemming from sluggish demand in Asia, falling petroleum and coal product prices amid the downturn in the oil market and a drop in rice prices led to the first drop since March 2013, a BOJ official said.
The index of corporate goods prices, excluding the effect of the consumption tax hike in April to 8 percent from 5 percent, stood at 102.3 in the month against the 2010 base of 100, the central bank said in a preliminary report.
Price trend is a key indicator for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bid to move Japan’s economy out of its long deflationary malaise.
Including the tax impact, the wholesale prices rose 2.7 percent in the month from a year earlier for the 20th straight month of increase, driven by higher prices of iron and steel, metal products and nonferrous metals, the BOJ said.
The pace of increase was slower than a 2.9 percent rise in October and 3.6 percent growth in September, reflecting the recent downturn in the oil market.
Content is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please access the RSS feed or contact us at email@example.com. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © 2023 OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.


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While 2020 may be over, many of its troubles will continue to leak over into 2021—Brexit, the UK’s plan to leave the European Union, among them. Talks of a deal or no-deal and the implications that either outcome would have had were never in short supply throughout 2020.
While trade negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union seemed like they would never come to a resolution, a deal was finally struck in the eleventh hour that should avoid some of the chaos that was expected from the no-deal alternative. However, deal or not, Brexit will bring a lot of changes for the people of the UK, the EU, and the world.
History of The EU and The Reasons for UK Leaving
The European Union (EU) was created following World War II, as an antidote to the extreme nationalism that devastated parts of Europe. Brexit, short for “British exist”, refers to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Prior to Brexit, the EU consisted of 28 countries, known as “member states”. These member states developed an internal single market through an agreed upon system of laws in which all members agreed to comply. EU policies aim to protect the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the internal market. The idea was to foster a harmonious relationship throughout all member states.
The UK joined the EU in 1973 and officially withdrew on January 31st, 2020. Since the very beginning of its membership, the UK has debated the pros and cons of being in the union, specifically for political and economic concerns. Leading up to 2016, UK independence was steadily gaining popularity among its people. Finally, on March 29, 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May signed the order to officially withdraw Britain from the EU.
Post-Brexit Importing and Exporting
Of primary concern to the shipping world are the changes Brexit will have on international trade. The main issue that Brexit poses for shippers is the establishment of border checks and customs between the UK and the EU. All shipments between the UK and the EU will be considered an import/export, which means added cost and time for anything moving between these two areas.
US companies that have operated warehouses or distribution centers in the UK as a hub for trade throughout Europe will also have to face a few more obstacles now than they did prior to Brexit. These changes are likely to cause delays and disruptions at numerous transportation points such as ports and border entry points. It is expected that these bottlenecks will have knock-on effects that impact storage needs, product leads, and manufacturing operations.
The ultimate impact of Brexit has yet to be seen, but shippers should make a point of taking added precautions for navigating these troubled waters, especially during the tumultuous transition period ahead. Get in touch with the experts at Clear Freight with any questions or concerns about the impact Brexit might have on your supply chain.

domain: news


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Apple’s updates endanger the industry’s key metric, but it’s a minor hiccup
In the booming newsletter business, there are few metrics as important for publishers and advertisers as open rate.
Last week, Apple announced its new iOS version will make this cornerstone metric virtually irrelevant. The company introduced a privacy feature that would prevent senders from knowing if the receiver opened an email.
As Nieman Lab’s Joshua Benton puts it, “this is another sign that Apple’s war against targeted advertising isn’t just about screwing Facebook — they’re also coming for your Substack.” Although the new feature is great for users’ protection against intrusive marketing emails, some experts argue Apple could have paid more attention to the interests of news publishers.
Thus, it seems that, in the near future, newsletter authors will have to find another way to convey the successes of their product to advertisers (or corporate backers or donors, for that matter). Click-through rates aren’t going away, and you can always do a good old reader survey.
Still, while this update might be a pain for publishers, newsletters’ future doesn’t seem in peril. The Fix has reported many times on how newsletters can become a newsroom’s biggest driver of revenue – or at least a useful tool for attracting and retaining your audience and monetising it. Last week underscored two promising points.
First, the growing influence of individual newsletter publishers. In the US, journalist Hunter Walker became the first Substack writer to join the White House press corps. Although Walker isn’t new to covering national politics, it’s “unprecedented access for an independent newsletter writer,” as the Washingtonian notes.
Across the Atlantic, the latest high-profile entry to the newsletter game is Dominic Cummings, a former top adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Apart from a free version, for £10 (€12) a month, you can get “more recondite stuff on the media, Westminster, ‘inside No10’, how did we get Brexit done in 2019, the 2019 election etc”.
The second promising aspect is the potential for a new funding model. Last week, journalist Kyle Chayka announced he would be able to fund his daily entertainment newsletter Dirt using NFTs. Chayka sold 131 NFTs for around $30,000 and says this will allow his venture to “rates competitive with the largest digital media publications.”
Although we’ve seen media outlets sell their individual articles as NFTs, bringing serious money and lots of attention, it’s the first example of “NFTs being used as a more sustainable funding mechanism for journalists as creators,” Axios notes.
As The Fix’s David Tvrdon suggests, “what if the future of media is only newsletters and podcasts?”
This piece was originally published in The Fix and is re-published with permission. The Fix is a solutions-oriented publication focusing on the European media scene. Subscribe to its weekly newsletter here.


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We are living in an era of extraordinary technological change. Right from smartphones to drones, our lives are ruled by technology, with evidence in our pockets, in the sky, at the office and even in the streets. However, when we think about cutting-edge tech, vending probably won’t be the first application to come to one’s mind.
The Berg Insight report forecasts that the number of connected machines will grow by 18.7% by the end of 2020. That means that the number of connected machines will reach a staggering 3.6 million by the end of 2020.
Clearly, the market is shifting, and companies that adopt the right technology early are the ones that are seeing better returns.
Then, why is it difficult for us to fathom the use of technology in vending? The benefits of artificial intelligence and digital payments if applied appropriately and at the right time, will yield unparalleled benefits for vending businesses not only in terms of revenue but also in reducing operational costs.
When credit and/or debit card readers for vending machines were first introduced, the benefit was just one, but the most important one; give consumers what they want, whenever they want, without the hassle of carrying cash. However, cashless payments using card readers have not taken off with vending machine owners due to two main reasons:
High Capex which vending machine owners need to incur to install a card reader in the machine
It only provides a single point functionality for cashless payments but fails to provide end to end business overview to vending business owners
Taking the next step forward, the industry should now focus on the next growing market, i.e. mobile-enabled payments for vending machines!
In a survey published on Statista, U.S. citizens were asked if they strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree if mobile wallets could replace physical wallets. Out of which, 26% of Samsung Pay users strongly agreed, while 31% of users somewhat agreed.
As more consumers start carrying smartphones, vending machines should add mobile payment capabilities along
with applications that can streamline the entire process, making the purchase easier. Vendekin’s patented retrofittable vending machine controller not only provides a cashless interface for consumers to interact with vending machines using their smartphones but also our web app software gives an end to end business overview to our customers.
The Current Big Thing: Digital Payments
It’s no secret that cash is not the king anymore. As mentioned earlier, with the adoption of mobile wallets picking up at rapid speed, everyone, is adopting digital payments as a mode to adopt the latest trends. According to the latest statistics, the volume of digital transactions in the first six months of 2018-19 touched 11.8 billion transactions, in India alone, and is currently achieving its target of 30 billion digital payment transactions.
However, even with the steady growth of digital payment, key challenges still stall its wider adoption around the globe. These include cybersecurity, fraud prevention, and identity authentication. Moreover, lack of literacy, high cost of banking services and excessive regulatory requirements are the key constraints for this mode of payment. It is also important to note that enabling a cashless payment on the vending machine is expensive for the operator due to the high costs associated with card readers. Enter Vendekin.
With Vendekin’s easy to set-up and easy to use technology, vending businesses will be using cutting edge technology at an affordable cost to multiply growth. Using our consumer app, businesses will be able to cash-in (pun intended) on the growing demand for digital payments.
The Next Big Thing: Artificial Intelligence
In this current era, where vendors are continuously looking for improved ways that will help enhance the consumer experience, the intelligent vending machine market has emerged as one of the most rapidly progressing business verticals.
Evidently, the conventional vending machine has undergone a paradigm shift with AI and sensor-based technologies over the last couple of years, successfully changing the way tech-savvy consumers are paying and purchasing.
Recently, PepsiCo partnered with Roby technologies to develop a self-driving vending machine called ‘Snackbot’. And, it goes without saying that PepsiCo is not the only industry giant leveraging AI to advance its vending business. As per certain reports, there is a massive rise in consumption of a variety of beverages, including juices, energy drinks, cold drinks, etc., have significantly impacted the sales and demand for vending machines.
With the introduction of AI, the vending machine market is expected to register a CAGR of 16% over 2019-2024.
Intelligent Vending Machines with Vendekin
For machines of this generation, intelligence basically equals to interacting with the consumer, identifying their preferences and carrying out unique orders tailored to their needs.
With Vendekin’s retrofittable hardware & supporting software, your vending machine will do exactly that! By providing easy to use applications, interface and cashless payment options, consumers using vending machines with our technology will get what they want, however, they want it! Moreover, using Vendekin’s software, businesses will also be able to increase operational efficiency. By using the data generating from vending machines, the app can guide operators to eliminate stock-out and pilferage scenarios, thereby increasing profits while reducing risks.
We at Vendekin take pride in designing a digital product that yields benefits for the users – be it the final consumer or the vending business purchasing our software. Additionally, our goal is to make a platform that is easy to understand and affordable for vending businesses of all sizes. The Vendekin software has modules which can be tailored to specific business needs allowing vending businesses to invest in only that which aligns with their business needs.
Vending machine technology is advancing across the world, and innovation in this field is everywhere if you know where to look. With machine learning keeping pace with robotics, already-impressive machinery is setting the bar high.
We, at Vendekin, are making the most of this changing era… are you?


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Financial Planning Newsletter Winter 2013
Check out the latest edition of our financial planning newsletter for Winter 2013. Find out about the latest financial news as well as informative articles on superannuation and more.
You may also like
Many business owners blame sales for not making enough profit. But reviewing expenses can have a dramatic improvement on your bottom line.Read more


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This has been coming for a while. Today Apple has formally announced that WWDC 2020 will start on June 22nd and that it will be a digital first conference. I am excited to see what a digital-first conference will look like. It looks like the majority of interaction will take place through the Apple Developer app, which is not available on the Mac. I expect they will have a web based alternative by the time June rolls around.
If we’re lucky we might be able to have some form of viewing parties by then. Fingers crossed!


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CJ Cheiljedang Corp., South Korea's leading maker of processed foods, said Monday it has completed the acquisition of a Brazilian company to expand its foothold in the vegetable protein business.
Earlier in June, the Korean firm announced its plan to buy Selecta, a Brazilian company that manufactures soy protein concentrate, for 360 billion won ($320 million). It is a world-leading manufacturer of sustainable vegetable protein with sales reaching some 400 billion won last year. Its 2016 operating income stood at 55 billion won, according to CJ Cheiljedang.
"We have established CJ Selecta with a plan to make Brazil our outpost for business in South America," CJ Cheiljedang CEO Kim Chul-ha said.
In this photo provided by CJ Cheiljedang Corp., South Korea`s leading maker of processed foods, its CEO Kim Chul-ha speaks during the opening ceremony of CJ Selecta in Goiania, Brazil, on Aug. 25, 2017. (Yonhap)
CJ Cheiljedang said its new affiliate is expected to post 800 billion won in sales from four countries -- South Korea, Brazil, Vietnam and China -- by 2020.
The acquisition of Selecta was one of CJ's first investment plans that came on the heels of food and entertainment conglomerate CJ group chief Lee Jay-hyun's return to management in May after a four-year hiatus.
The business tycoon served a prison term for embezzlement and tax evasion and was released in August last year on a special pardon granted by then President Park Geun-hye. (Yonhap)


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With increasing digitization, cloud
adoption is taking off all over the world. It seems to be no different in India, giving worthwhile opportunities for channel partners. With growing internet and e-commerce technologies in the country, Livemint has reported
that the cloud market is projected to grow by 54 percent from 2018 to 2020.
This digital transformation ensures growth in selling cloud products and thereby creating steadily rising revenue for the market. The governmental Digital India initiative acts as a catalyst for the industry, allowing local players along with global leaders like Amazon, Microsoft and Google to stake their claims domestically.


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Japanese-owned, but Singapore-based Ocean Network Express (ONE) said it would skip 13 Yantian calls on transpacific, Europe and intra-Asia services up to June 13, including two vessels that would divert to Nansha.
French shipping giant CMA CGM said in an advisory it would omit Yantian on 13 sailings through June 17, five of which would be diverted to Shekou and three will call at Nansha instead.
Although Geneva-based MSC said in a client note that it 'will also be omitting a number of calls at the Yantian port to minimise impact on our vessel schedules.'
Maersk is warning that the partial closing of one of the largest global container ports due to a Covid outbreak was 'getting worse,' with delays now expected to stretch to two weeks, as the container line and others skip calls or dock at other ports.
The longer it takes the Yantian International Container Terminal (YICT) to open its western berth and ramp up port performance, which has been crippled by labour shortage.
This stands to have a bigger negative impact on transpacific on-time vessel performance, which was at 22.2 per cent to the US west coast in April, according to Sea-Intelligence Maritime Analysis.
Speaking to a Maersk webinar, Nikhil Palsule, Maersk Asia-Pacific head of cargo, said it was not yet clear when the west terminal at Yantian would reopen, adding that the congestion there is 'getting worse before it gets better.' The east terminal is operating at around 30 per cent of normal productivity as dock workers remain quarantined or work in smaller teams.
The closure of the three-berth west terminal is causing significant disruption with 'increased congestion and vessel delays up to 14 days are expected in Yantian port,' Maersk said in a customer advisory.
That came as Chinese health officials reported an increase in the number of Covid infections, with around 50 reported for the week to Wednesday, mainly in the Yantian district.
Shekou Container Terminal said laden export containers at the three ports in the area - Shekou and Chiwan - would only be accepted up to three days before vessel departure from June 6 to June 13, compared with five days previously. Yantian has imposed a similar three-day cutoff for laden export containers during the same period.


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Category: Electronic Disclosure
13 September, 2012
Email evidence was a deciding factor in the Apple vs Samsung patent infringement case.
Apple recently won its patent infringement case against Samsung in the US, with a judge giving a $1 billion verdict to the creators of the iPhone.
Samsung may have to stop selling any devices that infringe on Apple's patents as a result of the ruling, but the case is not over yet, as it is likely Samsung will appeal the verdict.
One of the jurors, Manuel Ilagan, said it was email evidence heard in court that caused Samsung to lose the case.
"The e-mails that went back and forth from Samsung execs about the Apple features that they should incorporate into their devices was pretty damning to me," he said.
It is possible that the emails deleted by Samsung before the trial were also considered by the jury to contain information detrimental to the case – even if they did not – which highlights the importance of proper discovery processes.
Electronic Disclosure– Kroll Ontrack has the technological strength, expertise, and commitment to ensure your success in managing small e-disclosure projects as well as large volumes of electronic evidence legally, accurately and cost-effectively.


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Is Valve finally ready to sell out? According to a new media report, the company behind games like Half-Life, Left 4 Dead and many other games, along with the Steam PC gaming download store, met with Korean-based Nexon to discuss a possible acquisition deal.
Joongang News reports, via unnamed sources, that the two companies met in Hawaii on Wednesday, with Nexon reportedly offering a $893 million deal to acquire Valve. Nexon's US PR rep would not comment on the reports and Valve has yet to comment.
Nexon and Valve have partnered in the past, with Nexon launching an Asian version of Valve's Counter-Strike franchise. Nexon has also had success in the US with its many free-to-play games, including MapleStory and Combat Arms.
However, Valve in the past has resisted being bought out by larger companies as it seeks to go its own way, including developing its own hardware prototypes and expanding its Steam platform to work on large screen televisions.
Recently, a report said that Electronic Arts has made moves to purchase Valve in the past, but Valve's founder Gabe Newell has said he would rather have the company "disintegrate" before selling out.


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BBC Masterchef: The Professionals winner Jamie Scott today launched a new campaign to promote Scotch Beef PGI – recently named Scotland’s favourite food. Jamie, joined staff at The Macallan distillery in Speyside to raise a glass of one of world’s most iconic Scotch whiskies to the success of the campaign, which aims to very clearly differentiate Scotch Beef.
The nine week Quality Meat Scotland campaign, created by The Union, kicks off this week with the line “There’s beef, there’s Scottish beef, then there’s Scotch Beef”.
Laurent Vernet, head of marketing at QMS, said: “By targeting professionals, food enthusiasts and busy families alike, this campaign aims to show just how simple and versatile cooking with Scotch Beef can be. It is an every day premium product that can be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet.”
PGI status guarantees the meat is sourced from selected Scottish farms that must adopt best practice regarding animal welfare and natural production methods. The PGI is a guarantee of a genuinely authentic product.


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Auto Italia Canberra 2014
Each year the Italian Cars Association (ICA) presents a one-day event in Canberra showcasing a range of Italian cars, motorcycles and scooters. Held on Sunday, March 30, Auto Italia brought together just over 250 classic and modern vehicles from across the country in the one central location – around the picturesque lawns of Old Parliament House.
Overcast skies in the morning and the threat of more rain in the city didn’t deter the crowds, with an estimated 12,000 spectators adoring the polished treasures on display. Official photographer for the event – and Italian car lover/owner – Marisa Gangemi captured some of the Italian flair and colour from the two-wheelers in these photos.
Auto Italia 2015 is scheduled for Sunday, 29 March. For more information, visit the website http://www.autoitaliacanberra.com/
Visit Marisa’s website for the full gallery: www.marisagangemi.com


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OnePlus, earlier this week, launched the OnePlus 10 Pro smartphone in global markets including India. Within a few days after the launch, the brand has now started rolling out a software update for its flagship handset. The update brings several camera and network optimizations to the OnePlus 10 Pro. OnePlus took to OnePlus Community to make an announcement for the same.
The Indian variant of the OnePlus 10 Pro is receiving an update with firmware version NE2211_11.A.11. Whereas, OnePlus 10 Pro users in Europe are receiving NE2213_11.A.12 update as per the announcement. Let us take a look at the changes that the update brings to the OnePlus 10 Pro.
OnePlus 10 Pro Update Changelog
As reported by several users on Twitter, the OnePlus 10 Pro Indian units are receiving an update with an OTA size of 809MBs. With the update, OnePlus has optimized the portrait mode output. The brand has also optimized the focusing speed for slow-motion videos.
The company also claims to have optimized the fingerprint algorithm which results in an improved success rate of unlocking. The update also brings with it optimized WiFi performance. Take a look at the changelogs below,
- [Optimized] the speed of focusing for videos shot in SLO-MO mode
- [Optimized] the quality of taking photos in PORTRAIT mode
- [Optimized] the white balance effect for the front camera
- [Optimized] fingerprint algorithm and improve the success rate of fingerprint unlocking
- [Optimized] games performance and fluency
- [Improved] system stability
- [Optimized] timeliness and stability of Wi-Fi connections, enhance Wi-Fi experience
- [Fixed] the issue of unstable mobile signal in specific scenarios
OnePlus says that the update is rolling out in phases, so it might take a while before the update appears on your unit. Also, do not forget to check out our OnePlus 10 Pro review, in case you’re interested in buying it.
What do you think of the OnePlus 10 Pro? Do let us know down in the comments below.


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The company has reached 200 stores after experiencing massive online and in-store growth over the past year and a half.
Their latest store launched in Southport earlier this month and that means the brand now has a total of 203 stores across the UK.
Sanjay Vadera, Owner and Managing Director of The Fragrance Shop, said: “This is a major milestone for the business – we are a family business, and now we are celebrating our 200th The Fragrance Shop store, carrying our portfolio global stores at 203. across the UK. The last 18 months have been difficult for consumers and the UK high street as a whole, but it is a testament to our customers that we are able to continue to grow and open new stores to meet demand.
Following store launches in Harrow and Cambridge this year, the retailer now plans to open 20 new stores a year across the UK.
Vadera added, “We are committed to continuing to expand our physical store presence, enabling The Fragrance Shop to convey our passion, innovation and expertise to our dedicated face-to-face shoppers, and to offer more jobs to local people to stimulate the economy. With The Fragrance Shop continuing to grow – both in-store and online – we have more exciting plans in the pipeline for the future.


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Wild Turkey has released the sixth limited edition expression in its Master’s Keep collection, Master’s Keep One. The series is a collaborative effort between Eddie Russell and his father, Jimmy, who shared the role of Wild Turkey master distillery.
Campari Group-owned Wild Turkey Bourbon has released the sixth limited edition expression in its Master’s Keep collection. The first bottle in the series, a 17-year-old whiskey, was launched in 2015, and the link has gone on to include the Decades, Revival, and Cornerstone Rye expressions as well as last year’s bottled-in-bond release.
Master’s Keep One combines Jimmy’s love of mid-aged bourbons (eight to 10 years) with Eddie’s passion for the complexity of older bourbons, in this case a 14-year-old whiskey. Both whiskeys have been matured twice using new oak barrels that have been toasted and charred in the Tyrone G timber rickhouse.
“Wild Turkey’s heritage was built on family values, a love for whiskey making, and an endless search for bold flavours,” said Eddie Russell, who celebrates his 40th anniversary at the distillery this year. “Master’s Keep One honours the tools, techniques and tradition that my father handed down, and is a culmination of our shared love of Bourbon. Jimmy instilled in me the most rewarding lessons for success in work and life – passion and discipline – and I’ll always be grateful to him for setting me on this path 40 years ago.”
The finished product offers notes of toasted and charred oak, which result in an enticing aroma of sweet honey and brown spice, with bold vanilla, butterscotch, and caramel that evolve into a fresh and lingering toasted oak finish.
Bottled at 50.5% ABV, Wild Turkey Master’s Keep One is priced at $175 and available to buy from select US retailers.
For more information, head over to Wild Turkey’s official website.


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CBS Corp. to sell its outdoor unit
Yesterday CBS Corp. said that an associate of private equity company Platinum Equity prepared a binding offer to buy CBS Outdoor International. The deal is said to be valued at around US$225 million.
The firms involved in the transaction said that the proposed deal for the CBS Outdoor International is still subject to conditions. CBS Outdoor International is CBS Corp.'s outdoor unit and is centered on Europe but the unit also includes a small-scale Asian business portfolio. CBS Corp. had in the past said it wanted to sell portions of its outdoor business.
CBS Corp., under the deal, would still continue to possess the Canadian and U.S. outdoor units. CBS Corp had also stated that these North American units will soon be transferred into a real estate investment trust.
"Today's news represents a key strategic milestone for CBS. As we continue to focus our company around creating and distributing premium content, we are very pleased to announce that we will achieve very good value for these outdoor properties," CEO and president of CBS Corp. Leslie Moonves said.


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DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - The downtown Davenport Post Office is announcing temporary hours as a precautionary measure with the projected flood forecast.
Officials with the post office say they are doing this to ensure they continue to provide service to its customers while keeping the safety of those customers and employees at the forefront.
Effective Friday, May 31, the Davenport Post Office will temporarily change its hours to:
Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Officials are asking that customers refrain from using the front entrance before 10 a.m. to allow drivers and carrier to unload and load mail with the closure of the rear lot.
Retail services are available prior to 10 a.m. at the Davepnort Northwest Station located at 4018 Marquette Street with full hours of 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturday.
"If the main Davenport Post Office experiences water intrusion, alternate plans are in place to ensure we provide uninterrupted service. A notification outlining our contingency plan will be sent immediately should that event occur.
The Postal Service apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this unfortunate weather event.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations"


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The VW ID.3 has been named by Motor Trader as New Car of the Year.
It’s a pretty big achievement for the car and for VW UK, who say that the recognition it is gaining focuses on the ID.3’s key strengths – its breadth of appeal, value, and electric mobility without compromise. Together these qualities combine to earn the ID.3 the unofficial title of the ‘Electric People’s Car’ from numerous titles and experts.
John Kirwan, Editor of Motor Trader, said: “The Volkswagen ID.3 was voted the New Car of the Year in the Motor Trader Industry Awards 2021 for its strong sales success and environmental credentials. The judging panel considered it to be an excellent all-round electric vehicle.”
Sarah Cox, Head of Marketing at Volkswagen UK, said: “Christmas has come early for the ID.3, securing yet another trophy for the collection, and more praise from UK experts.
“Especially satisfying is independent recognition of the ID.3’s success in the sales charts, as well the key role it plays in the brand’s strategy to reduce its environmental impact – it is an electric car built net carbon-neutral after all.”


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The Cortland County Business Development Corporation (BDC) has announced that over $300,000 dollars has been distributed to area small businesses from Federal COVID-19 Funds.
The BDC has disbursed more than half of the $600k in Federal American Rescue Plan funds the county had awarded to the agency earlier this year. The grants given to small businesses also gained over $200,000 dollars in private investment.
“We are very happy with the results we’ve had so far,” said BDC executive director Garry L. VanGorder. “More than a half a million in economic impact and we’re only halfway through the program. Impressive.”
Over 30 businesses have already received the funding through programs currently. The BDC funded various small businesses throughout Cortland County and also included multiple minority/women owned businesses.
The remaining projects that were awarded funding will be completed by the end of this year with an exception for projects that have been delayed due to supply chain issues, contractor availability, or weather conditions. Those will be scheduled to be completed in 2023.
Three separate grants were organized by the BDC to support small businesses throughout the county. Those included support for new start-up businesses, existing businesses, and funds to incentivize commercial property owners to make repairs and investments to their properties.


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Coldwater Creek will be revived – online and in print.
CWC Companies, parent company of the women’s apparel retailer, which shut down operations at the end of July, has been acquired by Newtimes Group, one of world’s largest supply providers to the apparel industry. The Hong Kong-based Newtimes said it purchased CWC’s inventory and intellectual property assets from Sycamore Partners for $12.2 million.
Newtimes plans to operate the acquired assets as an independent entity under the newly formed Coldwater International and will provide sourcing and back-office support. The company plans to relaunch the Coldwater Creek website in a few weeks and issue a new Coldwater Creek catalogue before the end of the year.
“We have chosen to acquire CWC’s online and catalogue business in order to expand and enhance our portfolio of companies,” said Alex Angelchik, Newtimes Group’s managing director. “We believe in the integrity of the Coldwater Creek brand, which has a long and proven track record of providing stylish and affordable apparel to American women. We are committed to enhancing Coldwater Creek’s quality and design, with the hope of increasing the brand’s appeal to an even larger audience.”
Newtimes Group offers fabric, product development, design, sourcing, technology and quality control solutions to retailers in North America, South America and Europe. The nearly 60-year-old company has 55 offices in Asia, Europe, India, the Middle East and Central America.


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ABC Board Looking for Real Estate
September 26, 2022
The Alabama Beverage Control (ABC) Board announced that it is looking to build wholesale and retail spaces in two locations. Specifically, the ABC Board wants to build a 2,950 square foot wholesale/retail store in Millbrook and a 3,200 square foot retail-only store in Albertville. Frontage road is a requirement for both stores.
Interested parties should email proposals to firstname.lastname@example.org.
For additional details and submission instructions, click here.


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Who’d have thought that a company that makes intercoms would be the cause of a new round of 3G iPhone rumors? Telecoms.com reports that Japanese intercom maker Aiphone, which has trademarked the “Aiphone” brand in Japan and a slew of other countries, has been chatting with Apple.
According to the story, in Japanese “Aiphone” and “iPhone” are similar enough for iPhone to be included in the Aiphone trademark. Now, Aiphone is saying that it recently came to some sort of agreement that would allow Apple to use the iPhone brand in Japan. So of course there’s tons of speculation that Apple is indeed planning to tackle the Japanese cell phone market. And, as Telecoms.com points out, “given the technological landscape of the country,” with major wireless carriers using WCDMA and EV-DO networks, it will probably be a 3G iPhone.


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A class action lawsuit is accusing Hormel, Tyson Foods, and other meatpacking companies of artificially raising the price of hot dogs, bacon, and other pork products with the help of a company called Agri Stats, an info-sharing service. A Bloomberg report says the complaint was filed by a group of meat buyers in a Minnesota court on Thursday.
The complaint accuses the meat packers of conspiring with the service to exchange “detailed, competitively sensitive, and closely-guarded non-public information.” The buyers claim that the scheme boosted prices by more than 50 percent. The “year-average” price in the hog market was $76.30 in 2015, after being at or below $50 annually from 1998-2009.
Hormel Foods issues a statement saying, “Hormel Foods is a 127-year-old global branded food company with a reputation as one of the most respected companies in the food industry. We are confident that these allegations are completely without merit and intend to vigorously defend this lawsuit.” A Tyson spokesman says they haven’t seen a copy of the lawsuit so they’re unable to comment on it.
WASHINGTON – Today National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Director of Government Affairs Danielle Beck issued the following statement in response to the Food and Drug Administration’s announcement that they will hold a public meeting on foods produced using animal cell culture technology:
“NCBA looks forward to participating fully in the public meeting, and will use the opportunity to advocate for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversight of lab-grown fake meat products. The Food and Drug Administration’s announcement disregards the authorities granted to USDA under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, as well as USDA’s significant scientific expertise and long-standing success in ensuring the safety of all meat and poultry products. Under the current regulatory framework, FDA plays an important role in terms of ensuring the safety of food additives used in meat, poultry, and egg products. All additives are initially evaluated for safety by FDA, but ultimately FSIS maintains primary jurisdiction.”
According to the FDA, the public meeting is intended to provide interested parties and the public with an opportunity to comment on emerging lab-grown protein technology. The public meeting is not a formal decision and will not prevent USDA from asserting primary jurisdiction.
USDA oversight of lab-grown protein products is consistent with existing federal laws. Lab-grown protein products fall within statutory definitions of a meat byproduct. USDA is responsible for ensuring the safety and proper labeling of all such products under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA).


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Halo Infinite will be a “spiritual reboot” of the series and, so as to welcome new players, “will mark the beginning of a new chapter and challenge for [series protagonist Master] Chief”.
That’s according to a new post on the Halo blog by developer 343 Industries. The devs assure us that, for veterans, the story will “respect and continue threads that led to this point,” while also being a great place to jump in for new players. It makes sense, as Infinite will be the first Halo title to launch on PC alongside Xbox. Having never owned an Xbox, it’ll be my first Halo game – though I’m looking forward to playing through Chief’s backstory in the Master Chief Collection, too.
The Halo news still felt a little thin this year, but the devs sign off by promising that “E3 2020 will be a big moment for Halo Infinite”. That’s understandable, given that, as a Project Scarlett launch title, it will release roughly six months later during holiday 2020.
As for that tip about its setting, that comes from eagle-eyed fans on Reddit who noticed a date in its latest trailer. Check it out:
Halo 5: Guardians took place in 2558, eight months after Halo 4. In the trailer above, look for a few lines of text when the Chief’s power armour boots up. One reads: ‘last modified by C. Halsey, 09.19.2561.’ Catherine Halsey is a scientist who worked on the supersoldier programme of which the Chief is a part. I doubt she’s been fiddling with his armour while adrift in space, so depending on how long he’s been out there, the game could be set even later than 2561. But clearly this confirms that at least three years have passed since Halo 5.
Catch up: here’s what we know about the Halo Infinite release date
We’ll have plenty more from E3 2019 on the site – our staff are on the ground in Los Angeles and covering the conferences from our UK office, so stick around for the latest news.


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AVALON — Shop-a-Holics weekend will kick off this year’s events in Avalon Thursday through Saturday, March 8-10 at The Princeton and The Whitebrier.
The festivities begin with a preview party featuring designers, deals and drinks 4-9 p.m. Thursday at both venues and continue 4-9 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, according to organizers.
Hosted by the 7 Mile Business Community Association, the event offers shoppers two indoor venues with a variety of Avalon and Stone Harbor shops represented, including Tiger Lily, Hassis Men's Shop, The Preppy Palm, Global Pursuit, Armadillo Ltd., and more.
Throughout the weekend, The Princeton and The Whitebrier will serve drink specials and a small-plates menu so folks can sip, snack and shop their way through each boutique and business.
“The Shop-a-Holics event is many things to many people,” said Kathleen Wierzbicki, the event coordinator. “To some, it represents a chance to reconnect with their shore friends and enjoy a weekend away; for others, it is an opportunity to take advantage of all the great bargains from the best shops on Seven Mile Island, all while supporting the local charity, Friend In Need. Whatever your reasons, it a ‘must attend’ on your calendar."
More than 30 stores are participating, including Coco Blu, ellelauri, Annabelle, Gingy's, Closet Boutique and Shades of Avalon. Coffee Talk will be serving coffee and pastries.
Donations will be accepted for this year's beneficiary, Friend In Need. The organization was created to help those who are in need in Cape May County.
The event is supported in part by a grant from the state Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism.
A list of participating businesses is available at visitavalonnj.com.


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Some analysts commented that the market was disappointed with some aspects of the merger deal
Staples announced its agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Office Depot for $6.3 billion yesterday.
Staples Chairman and CEO Ron Sargent said the acquisition is transformational that would allow the company to provide more value to customers and effectively compete against its rivals in rapidly evolving competitive environment.
Baupost's investment process involves "never-ending" gleaning of facts to help support investment ideas Seth Klarman writes in his end-of-year letter to investors. In the letter, a copy of which ValueWalk has been able to review, the value investor describes the Baupost Group's process to identify ideas and answer the most critical questions about its potential Read More
On the other hand, Office Depot CEO Roland Smith said the merger would deliver great value for shareholders. It would also create a company that would be ideally positioned for long-term growth.
Staples’ decision came after Starboard Value intensified its demand for the company to combine its business with Office Depot. Last month, the company pointed out that a “merger makes too much sense to ignore.”
Staples-Office Depot transaction details
Under the agreement, the shareholders of Office Depot will receive $7.25 in cash for every ODP stock and 0.2188 of a share in SPLS stock at the closing. The acquisition price for Office Depot is $11 per share, a premium of 44% base on the closing price of the stock on February 2, 2015.
Staples said the merger will deliver at least $1 billion of annualized cost synergies by the third full fiscal after the closing of the transaction.
“We expect to recognize at least $1 billion of synergies as we aggressively reduce global expenses and optimize our retail footprint,” said Sargent.
After the completion of the acquisition, Staples will increase the number of its board members to 13 including two directors from Office Depot. Sargent will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of Staples.
The company temporarily suspended its stock buyback program, but remained committed to its current quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share.
Staples obtained financing commitments from Barclays and Bank of America Merrill Lynch for a $3 billion ABL credit facility and $2.75 billion 6-year term loan.
Analysts’ reactions on the proposed merger
Jefferies analyst Daniel Binder and his team commented that the market was disappointed with some of the aspects of Staples proposal to acquire Office Depot. According to the analysts, some were disappointed with the estimated synergies of at least $1 billion, but they were not surprise.
Binder and his team also noted the divestiture caps for Staples to walk away seemed low and they think that regulatory concerns regarding large contract business maybe weighing on the shares of both companies.
On the other hand, Barclays analyst Alan Rifkin and his colleagues temporarily suspended their ratings for Staples and Office Depot following the announcement of the merger because of the firm’s role in the transaction.
Meanwhile, analyst Michael Lasser and his team believed that the shares of Staples have a lot of potential and uncertainty. They updated their merger model to reflect the terms and structure of the deal.
According to them, “Using a majority of cash will allow for Staples to create value by deleveraging its balance sheet over time.” They believe that the company can also take advantage of very attractive financing rates.
The analysts estimated that the combined company would be able to generate $2.19 in earnings per share (upside case puts the EPS power closer to $3.50) by 2018 based on the assumed $1 billion in cost synergies.
“Yet, this balanced by the fact that we don’t know how much SPLS will look to reinvest the cost savings back into the business to better reposition it for the LT,” according to Lasser’s team.


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The Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update has started rolling out to Android One smartphones in India. The devices that are receiving the update include the Micromax Canvas A1, Spice Dream UNO Mi-498, and Karbonn Sparkle V. Continue reading
Motorola’s Droid Turbo smartphones now have an official Android 5.1 OS update release date, thus putting to rest months of speculation about the seeding of Google’s more recent firmware upgrade. Continue reading
Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge owners on Verizon are receiving their first update, which brings some minor changes and bug fixes along with it. The new adds a drawing feature to the Photo Editor, an emergency call button, and an alarm popup message that tells you the amount of time you have before your alarm sounds. Continue reading
Good news for Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 owners that purchased their tablets via US Cellular’s official retail channels, as the carrier is now rolling out Android 5.0.2 Lollipop update. Continue reading
Verizon has started to roll out the Lollipop update for this tablet, only weeks after it released Android 5.0.2 for the Galaxy Tab S 10.5. The file size is going to be around 1GB since this is a major update after all.


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Historically, the smokeless tobacco category in convenience stores hasn’t benefited from a frequent influx of new products, packaging redesigns or special-edition flavors, unlike candy and snack categories that regularly welcome innovations. Over the past several months, however, this other tobacco product (OTP) segment has expanded, which could inject new energy into an otherwise quiet category.
In October, Swedish Match released the Thunder Xtreme line of snus with packaging prominently branded by a large “X.” Its ZYN nicotine pouch — test marketed exclusively in the West — started rolling out nationwide on April 1.
Last month, the American Snuff Co., a subsidiary of Reynolds American Inc., announced a national relaunch of Grizzly Dark, its premium brand. In addition to redesigned packaging, the manufacturer updated point-of-sale (POS) materials and initiated an online sweepstakes to reinvigorate consumer interest.
These announcements have captured the attention of c-store owners and operators.
“I am excited to see how ZYN performs…It is basically the same concept to moist as Juul is to the e-cigarette category,” said Dave Linder, chief operating officer for Meyer Oil Co., DBA Mach 1, which owns and operates 19 Phillips and Marathon retail sites in its home state of Illinois, and one in Indiana.
Even before this recent series of product introductions and updates, smokeless has been making incremental gains while cigarette volumes continue to weaken. In fact, smokeless banked more in total dollar sales for most of 2018 than the trending electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) sector. According to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm, smokeless tobacco products cashed in more than $6.8 billion in sales at U.S. c-stores for the 52 weeks, ending Jan. 27, compared with $3 billion for electronic smoking devices.
However, ENDs experienced a 169% increase over the previous year’s performance, compared with a 5.6% gain for smokeless tobacco, while cigarettes eked out a mere 0.1% gain for the same period.
Within the category, there’s a significant split between chewing tobacco — or moist — and spitless tobacco — or snus. The moist segment accounted for more than 94% of dollar sales.
“Year to date versus prior sales are up 7.5%, but … snus are a … small piece of the pie,” said John Kolb, director of merchandising for FKG Oil Co. The Belleville, Ill.-based chain runs 79 Moto Mart stores in six states. “Snus represent 5.5% of the sales when combined with moist.”
Still, snus are gaining ground by posting the larger change in dollar sales at 25.8%, opposed to 4.6% for moist. The difference in unit sales is even more jarring. Moist outsold snus in volume by more than a 15:1 ratio; but snus registered a 17.5% increase for the 52 weeks versus a loss of 1.1% in unit sales for chewing tobacco, according to IRI.
Merchandising strategies for categories with frequent product introductions are more fluid and receptive to changes. Planograms for tobacco products rarely change, due in part to regulations that dictate where cans and pouches can be displayed. Plus, c-stores are limited under law as to how to promote this category, and as such, OTPs do not lend themselves to innovative marketing and merchandising options. In fact, neither Linder nor Kolb has initiated new campaigns for smokeless tobacco products in their stores.
That said, customers have responded to discounts.
“The manufacturers have done a few consumer engagements at the store level with coupons, and that always helps,” said Linder. “However, I have not seen any significant increase in repeat sales/purchases.”
But, smokeless does demonstrate extreme strength in brand loyalty. Data from Nielsen and Wells Fargo Securities suggests unit share among the most popular product lines has not significantly changed. Copenhagen, manufactured by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., a subsidiary of Altria Group, led with approximately 34% of unit share for the four weeks ending Feb. 23. It’s held steady at this percentage for the 12-week period, and was only slightly less — 33.2% — for the 52-week gauge.
Other brands performed similarly: Grizzly maintained an estimated 28% for each period; Skoal registered 13.6% at four weeks, 13.5% at 12 weeks and a slight bump to 14.4% for 52 weeks. Each of the remaining brands claimed less than 5% each, none of which posted any notable movement up or down from one period to the next.
Of course, no discussion of tobacco products would be complete without reviewing the latest on the regulatory front.
“Twenty-eight states are considering bills to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products. If a state adopts and enacts this kind of legislation, retail sales would decline due to the loss of consumers in the 18-, 19- and 20-year-old age range,” said Thomas Briant, executive director for the National Association of Tobacco Outlets.
Plus, some states are contemplating tax hikes: Tennessee is weighing a 17% tax on wholesale of OTPs; Mississippi has proposed a 22.5% tax on the manufacturer’s list price for all tobacco products other than cigarettes; and Nebraska may raise the state excise tax on OTPs to 65% of the purchase price, a 45% jump from the current level.
In Southern California, Beverly Hills city leaders proposed banning all tobacco sales within its limits at a February city council meeting. As of mid-March, no further action had been taken.
Nationally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has gone public regarding its intent to heavily oversee sales of tobacco. In November, then-Commissioner Scott Gottlieb announced two major proposals — to ban menthol in combustible cigarettes and prohibit flavors other than mint, menthol and tobacco in e-cigarettes. Last month, the FDA delivered its plan for the e-cigarette flavor ban to the White House. Also last month, Gottlieb announced his resignation, prompting some analysts to forecast a reprieve from the tighter oversight. Others suggest his replacement may further the FDA’s focus on menthol regulation. For now, the federal agency’s newest proposed rule changes do not specifically call out smokeless tobacco.
“The FDA’s actions are all about youth tobacco use. What’s saving smokeless tobacco from the flavor ban is the fact that it’s not very popular with young people,” said Alex Clark, CEO for the Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association. “But if we start to see teenagers in more affluent neighborhoods start picking up smokeless products, you can bet there will be action.”
The FDA’s decisions on multiple applications for modified risk tobacco products (MRTP) could directly affect the category’s future potential. Eight Swedish Match General snus are under consideration, there’s an MRTP application pending for Copenhagen fine-cut moist snuff, and Reynolds American has submitted documentation for its Camel snus.
Approval of a modified-risk order by the FDA might help correct people’s misconceptions about the risks of smokeless tobacco, Clark said. “The ability to make modified-risk claims about any of these products could lead to a measurable consumer shift from combustible products to smokeless tobacco.”


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Global Center for Digital Business Transformation
It’s Time to ‘Do or Die’ in the Growing Global Bazaar
A whopping 59 percent of manufacturers expect their company’s strategy to change as a result of real-time information in the next three years. That’s in just three years. But what about the years after that? Our team developed The Business World in 2025 report with the Global Center for Digital Business Transformation, an IMD and […]
In Less Than Ten Years, Your Organization Could Be Out of Business!
Four of today’s top ten incumbents—in different industries—will be displaced by digital disruption in the next five years. Four! This stat has kept me up at night. Which organizations will thrive? Which will cease to exist? How can organizations successfully navigate the digital age? I believe it begins with the right strategy to stay ahead […]
Digital Agility Can Save Your Organization From Disruption
Today, industries are colliding and recombining in new ways. These collisions are yielding new competitive forms. A new paper from the Global Center for Digital Business Transformation (DBT Center), a joint initiative between IMD and Cisco, calls this ‘Value Vampires’ and ‘Value Vacancies.’ Value vampires are companies whose competitive advantage actually shrinks overall market size. […]


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Digg.com has just launched a brand new feature called the DiggBar, which , lets users make use of Digg's voting and community while viewing a source article via a Digg URL. According to a post on the official Digg blog, users will also soon be able to create their own shortened URLs right through Digg and third-party microblogging services like Twhirl.
What's neat about the DiggBar is that it accomplishes most of what traditional software toolbars are able to do. You can see and interact with user comments, view related stories, and see other stories that were dugg from the same news source. All the while, the user experience follows you and lets you hop back to Digg. This is also good for publishers because it keeps users on their site while they're doing these activities, which previously would have taken place back at Digg.com.
It also lets everyone in on how much traffic Digg is driving by showing how many views a story has gotten, which in most cases surpasses the number of diggs the story got. This was information that previously only Digg and the publishers were privy to.
Where Digg may get some heat for the DiggBar is with its inclusion of a "random" button that takes users to a random story on Digg. StumbleUpon, which pioneered this concept, has had the same thing for years, and more recently as part of . Will Digg fans get on the company about this? Probably not, but it's worth noting that hopping to a random story has never been something you could do from Digg's own site, and as of now is only available on the DiggBar.
Two things that appear to be missing from today's release--and have been long promised, are support for Facebook Connect log-ins, and an improved search tool. Digg was back in July of last year, and it's still not a part of the site. Jay Adelson has recently gone on the record with Wired and on his own Facebook page about an updated version of Digg's site search.
Here's Digg's demo of how it works:
DiggBar from Kevin Rose on Vimeo.
Update: This should now be live for all users. It looks like the shortened links were only showing up for a small portion before getting pushed out to everyone at around 4:30 PST. Also, to make a DiggURL link out of any site you can simply put a "Digg.com/" before any URL and it will be shortened for you. There's also a bookmarklet, which can be found on Digg's explanatory page.


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Sleeping Dogs was one of the surprise breakout hits of last year, spending most of its development cycle as the third entry in the True Crime series before launching as its own IP in the fall of 2012. Despite the lack of established franchise to fall back on, the Hong Kong-set open-world title still managed to garner over 1.75 million in sales by April 2013.
These are impressive numbers for a new IP, but Square Enix still pronounced the game a commercial failure. Despite this, it looks like we'll be seeing a new Sleeping Dogs title after all from developer United Front Games.
We don't know much about the game, other than it's based in the Sleeping Dogs universe and it has something to do with the recently trademarked "Triad Wars" title by United Front Games.
UFG has stated that they will release more information in 2014, but regardless, this is news that will surely please fans of Sleeping Dogs.
So what will it be? Sequel? Spin-off? Mobile title? I guess we'll find out next year.
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The term has become one of the key areas of companies’ business strategies, so much so that it has been incorporated as a must for most day-to-day activities.
And speaking during a Euromonitor podcast, Head of Beauty and Personal Care research, Irina Barbalova stated that industry initiatives to do business more responsibly, ethically and sustainably are currently driving the trend.
According to Barbalova, by incorporating sustainability initiatives companies can boost their image as well as provide a good basis for profitability.
The view of sustainability has shifted over time and now runs in parallel with efficiency. For example, if a company is reducing waste or transportation of products, then they can also be cost-saving as well.
Big players set the example
In the industry, many companies have committed themselves to achieving sustainability goals and outlined their strategies to reveal how they will realise this.
Consumer products giant Procter and Gamble has released its report claiming it will replace 25 per cent of its petroleum derived materials with sustainable materials by 202, in a bid to become more sustainable.
Likewise, Anglo-Dutch player Unilever released its report last year aiming to implement a sustainable sourcing strategy, reduce environmental impact, and ensure the health and hygiene of people across the globe, while still growing the business.
One of the ways it has done this is to purchase sustainable palm oil certificates and is looking to ensure that in the future it purchases 100 per cent sustainable palm oil.
This is a tactic many companies are looking at according to Euromonitor. Palm oil is used in a majority of personal care products, and beauty companies are becoming more committed to using RSPO certified palm oil.
“Given all the evidence in the industry at present, sustainability will remain a key issue… [and will] become a must-have for everyone in the industry,” commented Barbalova.
Consumer and media pressure
Sustainability now affects companies in a number of ways, and there is now much bigger pressure from both the consumer and the media.
There has been a massive rise in the ‘back to nature’ trend, says Barbalova, and consumers are now becoming more concerned with safety and taking a more active role as to what ingredients are used in products.
There is also pressure from the media, which comes from both sides of the coin. On the one hand, media outlets positively voice the sustainability initiatives that companies undertake, but it also challenges the industry further by publicising controversial cases or aspects.


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Mobile phones, computers and tablets play a vital role in our lives today, but they also contribute to a growing electronic waste problem. Given the speed of developments in technology, the shorter lifespan of these products and the replacement of electronic devices with newer models, e-waste will only continue to grow.
Electrical and electronic equipment waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world and Egypt is no exception. According to the latest report by Global E-waste Monitor, Egypt is one of Africa's biggest e-waste-generating countries at 0.5 million metric tons annually. The world is reported to have generated a total of 44.7 metric tons of e-waste in 2017.
Most of this waste is not recycled. Globally, 15-20% of e-waste is recycled while only 5% of e-waste is processed in the Middle East and North Africa. The rest is usually dumped in landfills.
Recycling this waste is the right thing to do not only for Egypt's ecology, but for its economy as well. Ghada Moghny, senior program specialist at the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), believes that e-waste holds a lot of potential for Egypt.
“E-waste can be a profitable industry for Egypt,” Moghny told Al-Monitor. By creating factories that recycle e-waste and make use of precious metals, you help create jobs in collecting, dismantling and recycling e-waste. But there are also hazards that we have to watch out for and prevent.”
Heavy metals and other toxic substances found in electronics such as lead, arsenic and mercury contaminate groundwater and soil, posing serious health and environmental hazards. But e-waste also contains precious metals such as gold, silver and other valuable materials such as glass, plastics and ceramics that can be reused in different products.
The problem is that extracting precious metals and materials from electronic devices can be hazardous for those who do the job by hand, usually garbage collectors and scavengers — the so-called informal sector. They often rely on unsafe recycling methods such as burning cables to extract copper and submerging equipment in toxic acids.
“There is very limited awareness by informal workers about properly handling electronic waste,” said Mostafa Hemdan, founder of Recyclobekia, one of Egypt’s first e-waste recycling companies. “Many practice the open burning of waste, which releases a lot of dangerous emissions, such as [persistent organic pollutants].”
Moghny pointed out, “They are only concerned about the precious metals and they don’t think about how to extract these metals without it being hazardous to their health first and foremost, then on the environment.”
Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology partnered with Sustainable Recycling Industries (SRI) of Switzerland in 2016 to implement standards for handling e-waste for the first time ever in Egypt.
“We now have a new conformity system,” explained Moghny. “In any government auction, electronic waste must now be separated from other waste before selling it by the ton. Bidders participating in the auction must also be accredited by the Environment Impact Assessment to ensure that e-waste will be handled in an environmentally friendly manner.”
Moghny said that although there are no rules or regulations yet for the private sector, she believes that they will soon follow: “With the government already taking the first step to address and develop a formal system for handling e-waste, this will trickle down to the private sector.”
There are currently four factories in Cairo that recycle e-waste. Their main challenge seems to be getting enough waste to recycle. Although Egypt produces large amounts of e-waste, most of it is processed by the informal sector.
Ahmed Yehia, head of the International Technology Group, one of Egypt’s biggest e-waste recyclers, told Business Monthly, the English-language magazine published by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, that informal waste recyclers collect most of the e-waste produced in the country, leaving very little supply for formal recyclers. “They sort it and export it in bulk as waste with zero government oversight,” he said.
Informal workers collect e-waste and sell it to workshops or waste recyclers, who usually dismantle the items and sell each material independently, according to CEDARE’s recent report on e-waste in Egypt.
To help integrate informal recyclers, the SRI project provided training on how to make e-waste recycling safer and more sustainable through its Youth Incubation Program. “We help refine their ideas into a doable business model,” said Moghny. “It is a good opportunity for Egypt’s youth, especially for those who struggle to find jobs.”
Meanwhile, entrepreneurs are setting up businesses to make money from recycling electronic waste. Mostafa Hemdan started Recyclobekia with a few university students seven years ago in his parents’ garage. Although he had no prior knowledge or experience in e-waste recycling, he got the idea after watching a documentary about electronic recycling. Today, he employs more than 20 people and sells $2.4 million worth of electronic waste a year, according to Egypt Independent.
Hemdan believes that working with the private sector is key to increase the volume of e-waste recycling. “E-waste is a lucrative industry, but with Egypt being a consumer-based economy, it doesn’t produce or manufacture much electronic or electric appliances,” Hemdan told Al-Monitor. “We therefore have to increase our cooperation with the private sector to ensure that we have enough e-waste to recycle.”
But with little awareness about recycling, many people don’t know what to do with their old and used devices. While it may be easy to just dump them, Moghny recommends giving them to non-governmental organizations that collect e-waste or to maintenance and repair shops that make use of old parts.
“We have to educate people on the right and wrong ways of handling electronic waste. We must also provide alternatives and practical ways of collecting waste,” said Moghny.
With electronic waste destined to grow, proper handling becomes all the more pressing.
“If e-waste doesn’t get recycled, we lose out economically, environmentally and health-wise. It will be a lost opportunity,” said Moghny.


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HOUSTON – At 29 years old, Amanda Stafford is getting ready for the biggest day of her life -- the day she will finally marry her longtime fiancé Oscar Cina.
Unlike many young couples, Stafford and Cina are paying for their wedding out of their pockets. They are also right in the middle of raising four young children, so money is tight.
“We both work, we both go to school, we have four kids and we are right in the middle of a major remodel of the house," Stafford said. "We can’t afford to throw money away -- especially now."
After planning every last detail of her wedding day, Stafford has just found out that her wedding cake maker, Adam Longoria of Edible Designs Cakery And Desserts, is nowhere to be found.
The worst part is that Stafford and her fiancé have already paid Longoria $633.50.
“I mean, who carries around just $600 to just throw around, down the drain? I don’t," Stafford said.
For the busy, hardworking mom, that $600 might as well be $6,000, and she can’t afford to lose it.
“I mean, where is this guy?" she said. "Why is he not returning emails, phone calls? Where is he?” Stafford said.
Since KPRC's first story on Adam Longoria aired more than a week ago, Channel 2 Investigates has identified 24 couples who have all paid the cake maker between several hundred and several thousand dollars.
And the Houston Chapter of the Better Business Bureau has compiled a list of 14 different couples who have filed official complaints against the business.
Greg and Kelly Dykes of Katy paid Longoria $525 as a down payment on a wedding cake for their soon-to-be-married daughter, Bethany.
But they can’t reach him by phone or email, and they've gone by his shop only to find it closed.
“We just feel so ripped off,” Greg Dykes said.,
So far, Longoria has refused to do any kind of on-camera interview with Channel 2 Investigates to explain what is going on.
Ernesto Maldonado, the CEO of Mundo Latino TV, said he is not surprised Longoria is not talking.
Maldonado used to own a cake shop called Supreme Cakes that employed Longoria. Maldonado fired him in 2015 because of work issues, he said.
“He would sell a cake for $2,000, take a deposit of $1,000, change the order around so it would look like he sold it for $1,000 and then pocket $1,000.
That’s what he did,” Maldonado said.
Stafford doesn’t have $600 to $700 to buy another wedding cake from another cake maker, and she said she knows exactly what she wants for Adam Longoria.
“I want him to never be able to take advantage of people like this again," she said.
Click here or on the link below to view a copy of all 14 official complaints that people have filed against Edible Designs Cakery and Desserts.


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Many supplements marketed for muscle growth, sexual enhancement, and weight loss contain unapproved or recalled pharmaceuticals that have "the potential to cause serious adverse health effects," according to a recent study in JAMA Network Open, the Washington Post reports.
For the study, researchers from the California Department of Public Health and other state agencies reviewed FDA's Tainted Products Marketed as Dietary Supplements database, which contains supplements the agency has tested and found to be adulterated.
Between 2007 and 2016, FDA flagged 746 supplements that were pharmaceutically adulterated.
Around 80% of those supplements included one unapproved pharmaceutical, 20% contained at least two unapproved pharmaceuticals, and two of the supplements were contaminated by six unapproved pharmaceuticals. The most common unapproved pharmaceuticals were sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, which was found in sexual enhancements supplements; sibutramine, the active ingredient in the weight loss drug Meridia, which was found in weight loss supplements; and synthetic steroids or steroid-like ingredients, which were found in muscle-building supplements.
The researchers said the unknown presence of these drugs in supplements "poses a serious public health risk," as the drugs could interact negatively with other medications or underlying health conditions.
The researchers also called into question FDA's ability to police the supplement industry, noting that the agency did not require any of the 146 companies that produced the tainted supplements to remove their products from the market. Of the 746 adulterated supplements flagged in the database, 360 were voluntarily recalled by manufacturers. In 342 cases, FDA placed a warning on its website about the supplements, and in seven cases, the agency sent a warning letter asking the manufacturer to remove the products.
The researchers called the findings "alarming, especially considering that the FDA is only able to test a portion of products available on the market."
Pieter Cohen—an internist with Cambridge Health Alliance in Boston and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study—criticized FDA for failing "to recall more than half of the potentially hazardous supplements." He asked, "How could it be that our premier public health agency spends the time and money to detect these hidden ingredients and then doesn't take the next obvious step, which is to ensure that they are removed from the marketplace?"
However, Josh Sharfstein, former principal deputy commissioner of the FDA, noted under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, FDA has the authority only to regulate supplements after they've reached the market. "Until the FDA has more authority to know what's on the market, there's no way they are ever going to get control of it," he said.
Both Cohen and Sharfstein agreed that current law should be changed to give FDA authority to ensure supplements are safe before they reach the market, such by requiring supplement manufacturers to register their products with the agency.
Daniel Fabricant, president of the Natural Products Association, a supplement industry trade group, said the products flagged in FDA's database should not be placed in the same category as dietary supplements. "We're completely on the FDA's side here," he said. "This is someone spiking the product. They're saying it's a supplement. It's not a supplement in any way, shape, or form."
In a statement, the FDA said it is "committed to doing everything within its resources and authorities to identify and remove unsafe products from the market" and "to help ensure that products marketed as dietary supplements are safe, well-manufactured, and accurately labeled" (Cohen, "Shots," NPR, 10/12; Bernstein, Washington Post, 10/12; Dreyfuss, Wired, 10/12).
Prescription drug expenditures are the fastest growing component of health care spending. And while reducing unwarranted prescribing variation is the single biggest improvement opportunity, there are several other near-term chances to reduce spending and grow revenues.
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Social networking sites are allowing people to meet each other and developing lasting friendships. But why should the value of these sites be limited to just connecting people? Pedi, a Japanese company, has launched a new social networking site aimed at connecting pets with people they are compatable with.
Pedi allows owners to create profiles for their pets which include favorite foods, tricks, pet photos, and blogs. You can also exchange messages with other pet owners to find out all sorts of new ideas.
One very useful feature, and first of its kind, is that Pedi allows owners to upload pedigree certificates. With those uploaded, the system can determine mother, father, and sibling connections among the pets. This information can be very important in determining what type of diseases pets will suffer from that are genetically passed down. Without Pedi‘s service, this sort of information is almost impossible to track down for most people.
I believe this idea could actually work here in the states. In fact, an English pet social networking site, YouPet.com has stepped been created for those wanting to find partners for their pets. This just shows that pets have become an important part of many lives. Via Yahoo.


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HAMBURG: Syria's state grains agency has issued a new international tender to purchase 100,000 tonnes of soft milling wheat, European traders said on Thursday.
The bidding deadline was Jan. 9, 2012, with shipment sought within two months from the opening of a letter of credit on the deal.
The tender sought wheat of any origin. Offers of under 100,000 tonnes would not be accepted, traders said.
Offers must be made in euros including C&F free out to Syrian ports, terms which include extra provisions for the cost of ship unloading.
In its previous tender on Dec. 7, Syria's grains agency purchased 100,000 tonnes of Black Sea region wheat, which traders thought was likely to have come from Romania.
The agency made no sale in a separate tender that also closed on Dec. 7 to sell and export 50,000 tonnes of durum wheat.
Syria had rejected offers and made no purchases in three previous tenders to buy 100,000 tonnes of wheat which closed on Nov. 14, Oct. 24 and on Sept. 26 as prices were too high.


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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA)— One local retail store owner says he needs clarity on whether he can reopen his business during the coronavirus pandemic.
Adam Harris owns Scrub-ville in the Cotton Crossing shopping center.
He sells scrubs, medical shoes and accessories.
Scrub-ville serves hospital workers, dentists, veterinarians and daycare workers.
Harris said since the coronavirus surfaced in the area he’s lost some business.
Governor Tate Reeves ordered all non essential businesses to close.
Harris said he falls under the retail store category and assumed that he had to close his store down.
However, Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said because Harris’s store serves essential workers he can open his business.
She suggested that he close the inside of his store to the public and do curbside orders only.


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At today's much-awaited Apple event, the company announced many updates to Apple TV, with one of the most significant of these a new operating system built specifically for the living room – Apple's tvOS. This comes as a surprise to many who didn't expect Apple to be running a separate OS for its TV arm.
Adding to the already updated features that come with the new Apple TV – a new touch-sensitive remote, polished UI, compatibility with Siri to find TV shows and movies, and the inclusion of Apple Music and the App Store – tvOS also caters to the community of 11 million developers to build apps specifically for TV. Big-time content companies Netflix, HBO GO, and Hulu all have redone apps as well.
Apple isn't even close to done just there. The tvOS also offers support for games such as the new Guitar Hero, Shadowmatic and Disney Infinity, in addition to a hoard of small-time games.
(Photo : Apple)
The OS also adds apps like AirBnB and Zillow and online e-tailer GILT to its roster. Finally, there is also an MLB app specifically designed for the operating system, sending users live updates on at-bats and big plays, and a split-screen mode to watch multiple games. The NHL Game Center, too, is coming in 2016.
The beta for tvOS is out today, and the operating system will be available on Apple TV starting late October.
Check here for more news from Apple's September announcements.


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On Jan. 27, 2016, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler announced an initiative called AllVid, saying that it “is time to unlock the set top box market.” Wheeler proposed that any company be able to sell a set-top box that would interface with the existing cable and satellite architecture. Within hours of the announcement, Google’s Washington, D.C. office sent out an invitation. It read:
Test Drive the Future: Demo the Competitive-Video Solution… Please join the Competitive Video Choice Coalition (CVCC) on Friday, Jan. 29, at Google’s office (25 Massachusetts Ave, N.W., 9th Floor) at 10:45 am for a one-hour demonstration of a competitive set-top box solution.…The competitive solution demo will address key policy questions…
The obvious conclusion is that Google’s inside access to the FCC had allowed them to get a jump on the market with a product that would decimate the local spot advertising market for broadcasters. Anyone who has read Public Citizen’s Report on Google’s Power in Washington, D.C., called Mission Creepy, will understand how the nation’s richest corporation is using the capture of Washington regulators to destroy adjacent businesses. I have written recently in the New York Times about the effect of Google’s YouTube on the music business. Google Books is also wreaking havoc in the book business. But the goldmine of local TV advertising is what Google really has in its sights.
While I fully support the FCC’s desire to create a more vibrant and competitive ecosystem for accessing TV programs, I am deeply worried the effect this proceeding might have on the market for local television advertising, which supports much of the local news and public affairs programming on local TV broadcasting stations. I am aware that the cable industry has not innovated at the set-top box level for many years and that users need a more intuitive way to find TV programs, especially in an era when much of the content is being accessed OTT, in an on demand fashion.
My main concern is that firms like Google will offer subsidized set-top boxes in order to sell local interactive advertising on the home screen of their STB, such as in this example.
Google could essentially offer the local restaurant, auto dealer or other advertiser a targeted interactive ad, that would be far more efficient than advertising on the local TV station. The effect of this would be to totally kill the local TV spot advertising market, which funds most of the local broadcasting programming. We have seen what these kinds of competitive services have done to the local newspaper business, with U.S. newspaper ad revenues falling from $66 billion to $17 billion since Google entered the market.
I don’t think the FCC wants to totally decimate local broadcasters in the same fashion that local newspapers have been destroyed. If my local channel can no longer afford local news broadcasting, Google will not be there to replace it. As the analyst Scott Cleland has written, “At its simplest, what the FCC AllVid proposal does is force the regulated pay TV industry to create a Google-most-friendly IP search interface/portal into their proprietary pay TV offerings. That way Google would be enabled to index and then monetize their competitors’ most valuable proprietary information for free, by adding Google Internet ads as an overlay to competitors’ ad-supported content, and by skipping the ads of their competitors, to kneecap their competition’s relatively much smaller advertising businesses, and to devalue their competitors’ paid content assets made vulnerable by the FCC proposal.”
So perhaps some provision that providers of these new types of set-top boxes not be allowed to sell advertising might be a way to mitigate this risk. Google has none of the privacy restrictions that the FCC has imposed on the cable, telecom and satellite businesses and so it would have one more massive data set to sell advertising against. Apple seems happy to sell an Apple TV box that does not vacuum up all your TV watching data to resell to advertisers. If Google and Amazon really want to be in the set-top box market, let them compete on a level playing field without advertising.
Jonathan Taplin is director of the Annenberg Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California.


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WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- The downturn that's been battering the business sector and Wall Street for a year hit the consumer sector and Main Street hard in August.
The August jobs report was a transformational event, forcing consumers, investors and policymakers to re-evaluate where the economy is heading in the next few months.
The jump in the jobless rate to 4.9 percent and the loss of nearly 1 million jobs (according to the household survey) put an end to any idea that consumers wouldn't feel the pinch as economic growth collapsed.
Suddenly, people who'd been talking about a recovery in the fourth quarter were talking about how much more the Federal Reserve needed to do to keep the economy afloat.
Way in the distance, you could hear the chants echoing that the Fed must cut rates immediately without waiting for the Oct. 2 meeting.
President Bush agreed the economy might need more fiscal stimulus, this time to help the business sector.
The jobs report was truly horrible, but there's still plenty of reason for hope that the consumer, though bruised, won't fall. At the same time, the evidence is mounting that business spending could begin to crawl back in the next few months.
It depends on the consumer.
The coming week's economic data won't present anything as dramatic as Friday's jobs report, but it will offer some vital pieces of the puzzle.
Next Friday's action
All the action is on Friday morning, with the release of August's retail sales and industrial production numbers, and the first look at September's consumer confidence.
We'll also see August producer and import prices, July consumer debt, and the weekly jobless claims and retail sales figures.
Once upon a time, long, long ago last week, the August retail sales data figured to be the key number for the Federal Reserve's October meeting: They would show how much the fiscal stimulus was adding to spending and would therefore be helpful in determining how much (if any) additional monetary stimulus would be needed.
But the jobs report changed that: Another rate cut in October (or before) is now a foregone conclusion.
"The economy looks pretty weak," said John Ryding, senior economist at Bear Stearns.
"I don't see how we're going to have industrial production figures that will change that picture," Ryding said. "And I don't see how retail sales will change it either."
Retail sales were flat in July in nominal terms and up just slightly in inflation adjusted terms, but that was before $38 billion in tax cuts began trickling into consumers' wallets.
About half of the checks have been sent out now. If consumers are going to spend the money and help boost demand, the extra spending ought to begin showing up in the August retail sales report.
The evidence so far isn't comforting.
"Confidence has fallen, the bounce in chain store sales has been tepid, and car sales in August eased further," said John Youngdahl, economist at Goldman Sachs.
"We getting a bit of benefit, but it's not dramatic," said Gary Thayer, economist at A.G. Edwards. The tax cuts "don't hit the economy immediately."
Economists surveyed by CBS.MarketWatch.com look for a gain of 0.4 percent in retail sales, far from the 1 to 1.5 percent some were looking for as proof that consumers would spend the bulk of the tax check. See Economic Calendar and Forecast.
We already know that chain-store sales rose 2.8 percent year-over-year, according to Goldman Sachs' retail index, and about 3.5 percent, according to the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi index. Auto sales fell about 2 percent to an annual rate of 16.4 million units.
What we don't know yet is how smaller retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and catalog outlets fared.
The surprising jump in the National Association of Purchasing Management manufacturing index hinted that new orders and production were finally rising after a year of declines and inventory reductions.
But manufacturers will only boost production if consumers demand their products.
"Underlying consumer demand -- excluding the temporary impact of the tax rebates -- is weakening sharply," Youngdahl said. "If final demand is faltering as consumers are pulling in their horns, it is hard to see how orders can expand for long."
"The rise in the August NAPM gave hope that manufacturing had bottomed, but activity likely slipped further given the big drop in factory payrolls," said Sherry Cooper, global economist for BMO Nesbitt Burns. "On a year-over-year basis, production is set to drop by more than 4 percent, with no recovery likely to begin until at least October."
The employment report showed that hours worked in manufacturing fell 1.3 percent in August. Unless there were some tremendous productivity gains, output fell in August for the 11th straight month.
The consensus in the MarketWatch survey looks for industrial production to fall 0.3 percent in August and for the capacity utilization rate to fall to another 18-year low of 76.6 percent.
The rest of the story
The rest of the week's numbers won't matter as much.
Consumer debt probably rose by about $3.9 billion in July after a surprising and rare drop in June.
Consumer sentiment probably dipped to 91.1 in early September from 91.5 in August.
Jobless claims probably didn't change much from last week's 402,000 level.
Meanwhile, inflation is no worry. The producer price index probably rose 0.1 percent in August after sinking 0.9 percent in July on plunging energy prices. The core rate also rose 0.1 percent, economists say.


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Duong Nghia Hiep, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade (DoIT) said this year seafood exports continue to face certain difficulties. Some countries still impose the highest anti-dumping tariffs on Vietnam’s shrimps and put up more trade barriers to protect their domestic production.
To deal with the difficulties, Can Tho has implemented a series of measures to improve the quality of products, speed up the export of high-grade seafood, ensure food hygiene and safety and diversify export products.
It has bought 100,000 tonnes of prawn shrimp, whiteleg shrimp and tra fish from Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, An Giang and Dong Thap provinces to process for exports. This way helps increase the proportion of high-grade export products and meet the needs of fastidious markets in Europe, North America, Oceania and Japan.
According to the DoIT, on the first 10 days of January, the province exported 4,400 tonnes of seafood, earning US$13.3 million, US$1.7 million higher than the same period last year.
Last year, despite technical barriers and trade disputes with many foreign partners, the province still shipped 140,000 tonnes of seafood worth US$420 million, a rise of 9% over a year earlier.


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HMD Global’s Nokia plans recently came out in the open courtesy a detailed report which revealed that the company was looking to launch the Nokia 3, 5, 6, and 3310 at a February 26 event on the eve of the MWC 2017. The in-depth leak didn’t have much to say about the first other than its cost.
Nokiapoweruser now claims that the Nokia 3 is in fact the same entry-level handset it had previously referred to as the E1 back in January this year. The smartphone is apparently going to run Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box, a common feature expected for most upcoming Nokia devices.
The Nokia 3 may be powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core Snapdragon 425 processor which could be supported by an Adreno 308 GPU. In terms of memory, it’ll likely contain 16GB of internal room and 2GB of RAM. Its screen might measure 5.2-inch or 5.3-inch and output a 720p resolution.
As for its photography skills, the Nokia offering is expected to carry a 13MP rear camera and 5MP selfie shooter. VentureBeat thinks the device will be priced at €149 (roughly $158 or Rs 10600). The site says HMD will concentrate on the European market with its fresh crop of smartphones. The handsets might get released sometime between March and April this year.
The Nokia 3 probably won’t be debuting alone at the MWC 2017. It might be accompanied by the global variant of the Nokia 6 and all-new Nokia 5. There’s even talk of a revamped version of the Nokia 3310, a feature phone known for its sturdiness.


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State-controlled Telekom Malaysia said its net profit fell 38% year-on-year to 482.2 million ringgit ($133 million) in the third quarter to September, an Associated Press report said.
The Associated Press report said the lower profits were due to exceptional gains had made in the same period last year due to proceeds from the listing of units Dialog Telekom and Excelcomindo Pratama.
This year's third quarter revenue was up 22.5% on-year to 4.23 billion ringgit ($1.2 billion), thanks to stronger income from its cellular, Internet and multimedia segments, the company said in a statement.
For the first nine months of the year, Telekom's net profit dipped to 1.44 billion ringgit ($397 million) from 1.58 billion ringgit a year earlier, the report said.
Revenue grew 18% on-year to 12 billion ringgit ($3.31 billion) during the period.
Telekom said its domestic cellular business via unit Celcom 'remains very competitive' after recent cuts in prepaid starter pack prices and reduced international direct dialing rates in the local industry.
The company's cellular mobile subscribers fell to 7.39 million in the third quarter, from 7.6 million in the second quarter.


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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In a press statement, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores rebuked an op-ed column published in Thursday’s New York Times that suggested the best way to protect public safety against stolen drugs is for the U.S. Food and Federal Drug Administration to mandate the industry implement track-and-trace technology.
“Katherine Eban and J. Aaron Graham’s call for mandatory use of track-and-trace technology for prescription drugs (“Are You Buying Illegal Drugs?” Op-Ed, April 1) ignores the greatest threat to patients related to stolen medications: the purchase of these products via unregulated, rogue websites not affiliated with state-licensed pharmacies,” stated Steven C. Anderson, NACDS president and chief executive officer, in a letter to the editor.
He added that safety is pharmacy’s highest priority, and pharmacies’ purchasing of medications directly from manufacturers and from reputable and licensed wholesalers is effective in placing legitimate products on store shelves.
According to Anderson, pharmacy companies have taken extensive and uncompromising steps in this regard.
“Track-and-trace technology simply has not developed to the point that it is ready for across-the-board deployment, and thus a mandate would not be effective in protecting patients,” he said.
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