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Not all companies are expected to survive 2017's changing consumer landscape.
Houston-based Stage Stores Inc. has closed on a multimillion-dollar deal to buy certain assets from bankrupt Midwest retailer Gordmans Stores Inc. Stage Stores (SSI) plans to pay $35 million to $40 million for the inventory, according to an April 7 press release . The company announced March 30 it won a bid to acquire about half of Gordmans’ stores and other assets through a bankruptcy auction, but financial terms were not disclosed at the time.


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The trend of complication of Russian beer market is going on and in several directions at the same time. The range has got wider, the import and small segments are growing, namely craft beer, alcohol-free beer and special flavor beer. At the same time, all ex-mega brands and light lagers by Russian brewers are experiencing a decline of their shares. AB InBev Efes, Heineken, MBC and Pivzavod Trekhsosenskiy have exceeded the market, Carlsberg was developing slower than the market and Ochakovo as well as some other mid-sized breweries have been cutting down their volumes. To a big extent brewers’ performance was connected to their ability to reach agreement with networks, sacrifice their margin and enter new markets. Craft brewers are facing a serious danger of producers’ registration introduction – de facto licensing. ...
The global outlooks of the legal market of cannabis are excellent. It is possible to simultaneously imagine dry law repeal and craft brewing boom but not in one but in several consumer categories. For alcohol is contained in liquids and cannabis derivatives can be in three physical forms.The value of legal market of cannabis and its products can reach 10% of the world beer market in five years, and in 2030-2040 even reach the same scope provided the current rates of legalization and development of market infrastructure remain at the same level. Cannabinoids are actively integrating into the food industry from chewing gum to beverages deforming the pharmaceutical and alcohol markets, they influence the trends of healthy lifestyle and beauty. ...
Beer market of Kazakhstan acquired both traits of East European countries and South Eastern Asia taking a transitional position between them by many criteria and consumption style. Yet there is a positive trend in beer production which differs Kazakhstan from most of the neighboring countries. The market has remained consolidated in the hands of two international players because of its small size. However, it faces dynamic processes such as fast growth of draft beer sales, up and downs of regional companies and Carlsberg Group’s ultimate expansion. Excessive mainstream segment has declined over the recent years, yet, Zhigulevskoe and national brands with regional links have yielded their positions to a range of new products. In our review special attention was paid to regional analysis of the markets. In 14 regions of Kazakhstan we compared the companies’ positions, the market price segmentation and DIOT channel development. Besides we have compared the beer market of Kazakhstan to neighboring countries. ...
India. ‘Panic buying’ lifts Tasmac sales
Even little-known brands, which would not sell on normal days, flew off the shelves in the last one week.
Statistics collated from Tasmac retail outlets in the State show that before May 16, the polling day, sales totalled Rs. 80-90 crore per day.
“Tipplers were worried that there might be an immediate ban on liquor once the new government came in and there was an unusual crowd at all outlets including places like Madurai and Coimbatore,” said a Tasmac Union member, on conditions of anonymity. “Sales were abnormally high is some major outlets. In summer, beer is the most preferred drink. But this one week, other products were also in demand,” he added.
On May 18, sales went up to Rs. 100 crore, and post the results, which were announced on May 19, sales dipped. On May 20, Tasmac sold liquor worth Rs. 68 crore.
“On May 20, sales skid again after news of the AIADMK returning to power. Customers who walked in asked what would happen to the outlets before they paid their bills at the counter,” said the Manager of a Tasmac outlet in T. Nagar.
Both the Dravidian parties – the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – had used prohibition as their main plank in the just-concluded election.
While DMK leader M. Karunanidhi had said that there would be total prohibition if his party was elected to power, his arch rival and AIADMK leader J. Jayalalithaa had promised phased prohibition.
Estimates indicate that on an average, Tasmac, the cash cow of the State, sells liquor worth Rs. 66 crore through its over 6,000 outlets.
About 70 lakh people, about 10 per cent of the population, buy liquor at these outlets everyday, sources said.
On an average, Tasmac outlets sell liquor worth Rs. 66 crore every day
23 мая. 2016

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Trade shows like the Reed Gift Fairs are a great way to get up close and personal with products and find that Christmas blockbuster. Here’s what’s trending for Christmas 2016, and how you can get the most out of the gift fairs next year.
Did you love (and hate) the Rubik’s Cube – the best-selling gift for Christmas 1980? Over 100 million of them were sold between 1980 and 1982. Or perhaps you were one of millions who received or gifted a Nintendo Wii for Christmas 2009, making it that festive season’s breakout hit?
No matter what you sell, Christmas stock that’s right on trend can make or break your Christmas sales. While online marketplaces like Alibaba are a great procurement resource, trade shows and gift fairs should be on your radar, too – for sourcing products, spotting trends and building supplier relationships.
“We’re in competition with the internet now, but gift fairs are still officially a retailer’s most important procurement channel,” says Louisa Theobald, Exhibition Director with Reed Gift Fairs. “Nothing beats meeting exhibitors in person to build relationships, and nothing compares with being able to see, touch and experience a product in situ.”
There have been Australian gift fairs for over 40 years. Reed acquired the trade shows in 2002. “There are now four Reed Gift Fairs each year, two in Sydney and two in Melbourne. The fairs are held in February and in August/September,” says Theobald.
The August Gift Fair in Melbourne is Reed’s flagship event. It runs for five days with more than 750 exhibitors and attracts over 17,000 local, international and interstate visitors. The 2016 February Gift Fair in Sydney attracted around 12,000 visitors. Louisa says the 2017 event is tipped to attract even more people in its new Darling Harbour venue. The other two annual fairs are geared towards smaller, local retailers and are each attended by around 6,000 people.
“There’s a mix of exhibitors, including the big importers and manufacturers,” says Theobald. “We are also keen to nurture the new generation of wholesalers, so we provide a platform for new designers and manufacturers, mumpreneurs and mom-and-pop shops who are really passionate about their products.”
As to visitors, “We get retailers who sell gifts, fashion, homewares, jewellery and toys, buyers from the big department stores, interior designers and even office and shopfitters coming through.
“When retailers come to Reed Gift Fairs, they’re looking for something new. In some cases, they’ve done business in pre-show meetings and showrooms. They’re here to find that one key thing that stands out,” Theobald says.
What’s hot for Christmas 2016
Colours: “We do trend reports and this year we called out midnight blue as a popular colour. We’ve seen lots of products that reflect this colour trend,” says Theobald. Pantone’s 2016 colours of the year Rose Quartz (pale pink) and Serenity (a lilac blue) have also featured strongly.
Australian made: “We’ve seen that Australian-made and Australian-designed products have been popular; people are looking for the story behind the product,” says Theobald.
Quality children’s fashion: “For children’s gifts, licensed products related to big movies are popular, but we also have lots of classics,” says Theobald. “Children’s fashion is big – especially quality items. Parents are much more fashion conscious and it’s also a response to the less-is-more trend.”
When to shop for Christmas stock
The February Gift Fairs are very important for Christmas buying, says Theobald. “Retailers and buyers can see what’s new, consider the trends and get an idea of what might be their Christmas bestseller.”
While the early birds will be securing key items early in the year, some retailers will wait for the August flagship event to do their Christmas buying, as exhibitors often release new ranges for this fair. Others use the August Fair to top up their Christmas offering and find products that will complement what they already have planned or have in stock.
A good Christmas for retail
Theobald acknowledges that times have been tough in retail recently. While Reed has yet to receive all the exhibitor feedback, she says she really felt an uplift in the mood at the recent August Fair. “Visitors who were just looking in 2015 were placing orders in 2016. We’re excited to be driving this,” she says.
Tips for trade show/Reed Gift Fair exhibitors
- Have stock of the products you exhibit ready to ship.
- If you can’t have stock ready or you receive orders for more stock than you have, make sure you have clear timelines for how long delivery will take.
- Display and style your products in a way that allows retailers to imagine how they’ll look online, in a shop and in someone’s home or in use.
Tips for retailers
- The number of exhibitors and products at a trade show can be utterly overwhelming! Use the trend reports, exhibitor and product directories and apps to plan who and what you want to see. You can even set up some supplier meetings in advance.
- Set aside time to just walk around, soak up the atmosphere and spot the trends.
- If you order stock from a new supplier, make sure you do your usual due diligence and agree on delivery times. “The larger wholesalers may take an order and be able to ship within 24 hours,” says Theobald. “Others may first take the retailer’s order before manufacturing the product, which could mean a six to eight-week wait.”


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As a media agency we are most likely to talk about impressive campaigns, tech innovations on Out-Of-Home but we know that but our Industry involves much more than just billboards and transit shelters. A potential client is out there and the big brands know it and so should you.
Last week we talked about the impact and brand awareness that a 30 sec ad during the Super Bowl can create.
Super Bowl commercials have become a cultural phenomenon of their own alongside the game itself; many viewers only watch the game to see the commercials. Super Bowl advertisements have become iconic and well known because of their cinematographic quality, unpredictability, surreal humor, and use of special effects. The use of celebrity cameos has also been common in Super Bowl ads. Several major brands, including Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Doritos, GoDaddy, Master Lock, and Tide have been well known for making repeated appearances during the Super Bowl.
The prominence of airing a commercial during the Super Bowl has carried an increasingly high price. The average cost of a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl has ranged from $37,500 at Super Bowl I and by Super Bowl LIV in 2020, the cost had reached $5.6 million for a 30-second slot.
Some brands have come up with ways to get attention at this time of year without the cost and headache of suiting up for the game.
Stella Artois Puerto de Stella
Stella Artois had big plans to promote itself during the Super Bowl and none of them involve a commercial. Instead of spending up to $5.6 million on a 30-second spot, the beer brand is sponsoring a three-day event in Miami, the host city of the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. The gathering, called Port de Stella, started Thursday. It features a performance by the musical duo Sofi Tukker, appearances from celebrities like the actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and pop-up restaurants catered by chefs like Rosio Sanchez. Visitors can skip causeway traffic by taking yachts emblazoned with the Stella Artois logo from South Beach to the event’s downtown Miami location.
Courtyard Marriott Super Bowl Sleepover Contest
NFL hotel sponsor Courtyard by Marriott is bringing back its in-stadium activation, which invites contest winners to sleep in a replica of a Courtyard suite at Hard Rock Stadium. This year’s winner is Denise Ammon, who can invite three friends to sleep in the suite and wake up inside the stadium on Super Bowl Sunday. Courtyard partnered with 160over90 to produce the activation.
The official pizza sponsor of the NFL plans to deliver nearly 30,000 free slices in Miami on Super Bowl weekend. Pizza Hut will launch a delivery fleet of branded Ford F250 Trucks, scooters and bikes, which will travel to more than 15 spots in the city including Wynwood Walls, Little Havana and the University of Miami. The brand will also sponsor the MVP Award at NFL Honors the night before the Super Bowl. And to celebrate the host city, Pizza Hut and nonprofit partner First Book will donate $54,000 in grants to local educators across greater Miami.
Even thought these brands decided to advertise with activations it doesn’t mean that others didn’t go for the oldie but goddie billboard advertising.
Bienvenidos a Mi Yummy. Yes indeed, welcome to the party in Miami, Florida, home to Super Bowl LIV! And you know you'll want to stock up on some great snacks. This Bulletin on I-195 in Miami was set up before the Super Bowl, reminding you of the delicious taste of these snacks.
Out of home ad spends can be extremely valuable and stretched to gain big and high-quality impressions. With so many media options and levels of engagement, OOH campaigns can be tailored to meet any brand’s specific goals and successfully reach its target audience.
For more information on OOH and DOOH advertising, and how can we help with your next campaign, contact us today at 210-610-5012 or email firstname.lastname@example.org
Source: Adweek, THE New York Times, Carter Outdoor.


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Kawasaki Jet Ski has extended its $1500 discount offer from the 2023 Sydney Boat Show and applied it to all models nationwide, effectively undoing the most recent round of price rises.
There are now 11 Jet Skis that eclipse the $30,000 price barrier in Australia. That’s enough money to buy a boat. Are Jet Skis getting too expensive, or is the desire for more technology driving up the cost?
Kawasaki Jet Skis in Australia have been subject to two price rises in less than a year, and one model now eclipses the $30,000 barrier for the first time.
Prices, specifications, and colour changes for the 2023 Sea-Doo line-up have been revealed before Australian showroom arrivals next year.
Exclusive data sourced by Watercraft Zone shows Sea-Doo increased its dominance in the Australian personal watercraft market last year, as Yamaha and Kawasaki struggled with stock shortages.
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JAPAN: Toyota to import UK-built Avensis sedan - report
Toyota is to import 20,000 to 30,000 British-made Avensis sedans a year to sell in its Japanese home market, Automotive News reported, citing the Nihon Keizai Shimbun's online Saturday edition. The newspaper incorrectly claimed that Toyota would be the first Japanese automaker to sell European-built cars at home. Nissan has previously imported the UK-built Primera five-door hatchback and the Spanish-made Terrano SUV while Honda currently imports the UK-built Civic Type R.
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Nike continues to see solid revenue and earnings growth, but has been dealing with increased competition from a resurgent Adidas, while also facing pressure from Under Armour in its basketball division in North America. This has put some pressure on Nike’s revenue growth over the last few quarters. Additionally, future orders - which indicate demand - remain relatively soft in comparison to earlier quarters.
In 2015, Nike boldly announced its plans to cross $50 billion in sales by 2020. That is to say that the company hopes to increase its sales by about $20 billion in a span of five years. To put things into perspective, Nike took 13 years to add $20 billion in revenues the last time around, in jumping from a $10 billion business to a $3o billion one in 2015. So from the get-go, this target seems a little ambitious.
The company revealed that it hopes to grow its overall business by concentrating its resources in three main areas: e-commerce, women, and the Jordan brand.
E-commerce accounts for a large part of Nike’s growth strategy. The company expects to achieve about $7 billion in sales from the channel by 2020. This would imply a compound annual growth rate of 42% from the $1.2 billion in digital sales in 2015, when the target was set. As high as that may seem, the company was on course through fiscal 2016, largely because Nike began offering its e-commerce capabilities in new markets. Since the announcement in 2015, the company added e-commerce offerings in Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Chile, Turkey and Mexico.
That said, the company's e-commerce growth has since slowed down, with digital commerce sales growing by just 18% in the most recent quarter. For the first 9 months of fiscal 2017 thus far, Nike has managed to grow its sales in the channel by around 35%, which is well below the previously targeted growth rate. What’s more, e-commerce sales growth has been declining each quarter in the year so far, which makes achieving the target that much more difficult.
Nike has placed growth in the women’s segment high on its priority list going forward. At present, Nike’s Women’s category consists of about 29% of total Men and Women’s sales. The company hopes to build the business to $11 billion by 2020, from $5.7 billion in 2015. The company has emphasized creating apparel specifically for women, and now operates several “women’s only” Nike stores. The Athleisure market has seen strong growth in recent years, and Nike is looking to tap into that demand to drive further growth in its women's apparel sales. Nike’s women’s business has been outpacing its men’s business of late, seeing growth in the double-digit territory in recent quarters.
Nike expects to double its sales at Jordan, bringing in about $4.5 billion in revenues by 2020. The company has dealt with intense competition in the footwear market, primarily from Adidas and Under Armour, in the last few quarters. In the basketball segment specifically, Under Armour has emerged as a major competitor driven by Stephen Curry’s popularity. The Curry series of basketball shoes has been selling much better than most of Nike's counterparts in recent quarters - and this led Nike to release cheaper variants of its KD and LeBron shoes in an effort to regain some of the lost market share, even though the move dented margins.
To really achieve its ambitious target, Nike likely needs to focus on increasing sales abroad, considering the competitive pressures in the domestic market.
Can Nike Reach Its Goal?
Overall, it seems unlikely that Nike will be able to reach its previously stated revenue target, though it could come close. Given the heavy competition and the (relatively) sluggish digital sales growth, Nike could take a while to cross the $50 billion mark.
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Accommodating Budget to Luxury Hotels
Leading distribution company, SiteMinder, has significantly expanded its online network by connecting hotels to six more major online travel agents around the world.
Offering online bookings to hotels from the budget sector right through to the luxury end of the market, the six new reservation sites now connected to SiteMinder include:
Atrapalo – a leading hotel booking site in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries in South America – www.atrapalo.com
Hotel Shop UK – a British site specialising in discounted bookings for UK and European accommodation and short stays – www.hotelshopuk.com
Travel Stay – a popular site for affordable accommodation across the UK, especially London, Edinburgh
and Glasgow – www.travelstay.com
Priceline Hong Kong – a leading online booking site in Asia offering accommodation around the world –
Worldview – a rapidly growing company specialising on the reservation of hotels and serviced apartments in the UK and around the world including the popular booking agents www.citybaseapartments.com,
www.central-london-apartments.com and www.londonnights.com
SiteMinder’s Partnership’s Manager, Duncan Waterman, said the six booking sites would help SiteMinder’s global hotel customers reach new and bigger online audiences around the world.
“All these major OTAs can now be managed by hotels using SiteMinder, adding to the long list of sites we are already connected to,” Mr Waterman said. “Real time inventory can now be listed on all these sites and, in turn, bookings from these OTAs can be delivered directly back into hotels’ PMS and CRSs, removing the need for manual data entry and eliminating the risk of overbooking,” he said.
“These latest sites confirm we can offer hotels a breadth and depth of online booking networks that can grow their business. The new connections also underline SiteMinder’s rapid growth as a premier distribution platform.”


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“BlackBerry, the troubled Canadian smartphone company, just reported its quarterly results,” Arik Hesseldahl reports for AllThingsD.
“Its loss, on a GAAP basis, came out to $4.4 billion on revenue of $1.2 billion. That works out to a per-share loss of $8.37. The loss was the result of a huge $2.7 billion charge against assets, and another $266 million restructuring charge,” Hesseldahl reports. “After backing out those charges, the company lost $354 million, or 67 cents a share. It exited the quarter with $3.2 billion in combined cash and short-term investments. Sales fell by 56 percent compared to the year-ago quarter.”
“The company also said it has cut a five-year strategic partnership with Foxconn, the China-based contract manufacturing giant that builds much of the world’s consumer electronics,” Hesseldahl reports. “Under the terms, Foxconn will help BlackBerry develop new phones, build them, and then manage the inventory. The first target of the effort will be a phone aimed at the Indonesian market.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Another piece of iPhone roadkill inexorably rots away.
Goog morning, Waterloo! Enjoy your breakfasts!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Analyst: Unlikely that beleaguered BlackBerry will be able to continue in its current form – December 19, 2013
Obama stuck with BlackBerry, says not allowed an iPhone ‘for security reasons’ – December 5, 2013
Beleaguered BlackBerry CEO: ‘We are here to stay’ – December 2, 2013
Three execs ousted from beleaguered BlackBerry as new CEO tries to salvage what’s left of company – November 25, 2013
Pfizer dumps beleaguered BlackBerry phones for Apple iPhone, Android phones due to company’s ‘volatile state’ – November 15, 2013
Beleaguered BlackBerry plunges after sale to Fairfax falls through; CEO Heins out – November 4, 2013


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Nearly 21% of all retail spend in the UK is now made online via ecommerce, so this presents a huge opportunity to retail businesses and those without ecommerce websites are missing out on valuable sales.
Last year in the UK alone, £91bn was spent online and this figure is going to keep on rising, according to IMRG, as 2014 looks to like it will be the year to break the £100bn marker for UK online spend.
Over the next week, we want to have a closer look into the value behind Ecommerce and the great potential available to businesses that are not yet selling online in the UK – did you know that the UK is the largest online spender per person worldwide?
Our infographic below shows the scale of online spending but that is not to say that simply having an ecommerce website will ensure sales come your way. Online spenders are just as impatient and picky as any of us are in-store but armed with a wealth of research information online and competition just a click away, meaning your Ecommerce website shouldn’t just exist – but it should stand out. We will be looking into the importance of User Experience in the next article, which is one of the biggest causes for loss of sales and the following article will go on to evaluate the boom in mobile shoppers and the consequences this has to any ecommerce website.


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Local Licencees Scoop Top Award for Cask Ale Quality
The licensees of the popular Hand & Crown pub are celebrating this week after scooping a prestigious award for the quality of their beer with a perfect pass score.
Matthew Hall and Darren Grover, who own and run the Hand & Crown in High Wych, have been awarded the Cask Marque accreditation for serving the perfect pint of cask conditioned ale.
Darren Grover says “We are delighted to receive the Cask Mark Award which recognises the quality of our real ale and the hard work of our fabulous team to ensure our customers enjoy the best possible quality of beer.
“With the recent significant investment in our pub we look forward to continuing to serve top quality fresh made food accompanied by award winning beer!”
Backed by 50 of the country’s leading brewers and pub companies, Cask Marque accreditation is only awarded to licensees whose ale passes a series of rigorous independent quality audits of both the beer and the cellar standards.
Since its foundation in 1998, Cask Marque has inspected over 750,000 pints of beer and accredited over 10,000 of the country’s 40,000 pubs estimated to serve cask conditioned ales.


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Imagine the feeling when the application you installed in your mobile phone has completely vanished! There is a high possibility of this happening, courtesy the “kill switch.”
This killer is being used in many areas in various forms:
A “dad man’s switch” stops vehicles and machines, in case the operator has problems and loses control. A kill switch at pumping stations is used for gasoline pumps and other devices that pump flammable or explosive chemicals. Even treadmills have a “safety key” that comes into action when a person trips or falls.
In IT language, a kill switch is a security measure used to shut off a device or a program. Where software is concerned, the software is rendered useless to users if it is pirated and not obtained in the right way.
Kill Switch in Apple and Google
Coming to the mobile phone segment, kill switch has been incorporated by Apple in the iPhone. Through these switches, the company has the capability of uninstalling or deleting any application that they think should not be on your phone.
This was not something Apple made a whole lot of noise about and preferred to let silence rule – until people discovered it for themselves and the world was up in arms.
The iPhone quietly connects to Apple’s servers to check an application blacklist, and disable any apps that should not be there.
Now, Google also seems to be following Apple’s lead and has made a similar inclusion in its open-source Android platform. This leader of Web search, with the help of cookies already keeps tabs on the searches that are done from your PC. It is almost like someone peeking into your screen while you are surfing the Web, and now the kill switch in the Android phone.
Google mentions it in the terms and conditions or the license agreement, which says, “Google may discover a product that violates the developer distribution agreement. In such an instance, Google retains the right to remotely remove those applications from your device at its sole discretion.”
Difference between the two
However, there is a difference between the two switches. With Apple, only Apple’s applications can make their way into the mobiles; however, Google has made it clear that it is not going to control whose applications are used, but has the switch only to ensure malicious applications that are potentially harmful to the user’s personal information and to the phone are not used.
Google and Apple have explained the reasons behind having the switches.
Google says that an open-source application makes the phone prone to attacks, and this switch is in the best interests of the users.
Steve Jobs stated that Apple needs this capability, in case it allows a malicious program inadvertently – something that stole personal data of the user. He said, “Hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull.”
Breach of Freedom?
The lever that Steve Jobs talked about seems to be pulling a whole lot more than Apple bargained for, in the form of criticism from users.
This move by Apple and Google is perceived by many as a breach of freedom, as it means letting vendors break into the users’ private life and compromise on privacy. Some users have even gone to the extent of saying that Apple wants draconian control over their devices. Subscribers not only use the mobile phone to store music, contact lists, photos but also to surf the Web and check e-mail. They believe this feature can also be abused by hackers to spy on people. They do not like the idea that Apple and Google are playing self-proclaimed cops by saying they are doing this for the protection of the users.
People, who look at the whole issue of the kill switch with different eyes, say that collection of data is not new and several companies collect user data. For example, Handango, knows all about the phone models used and applications bought by their users. Even Nokia and Microsoft are said to have their own “kill switch” tools; although they are limited in scope when compared to Apple.
Through the whole thing, Apple did not respond to any of the requests to comment, but they have put up a disclaimer on their website, that says, “We collect information regarding customer activities. This helps us to determine how best to provide useful information to customers and to understand which parts of our websites, products, and Internet services are of most interest to them.”
Apple can also track the quality of wireless networks used by its devices and this is done by checking on the download speeds. Experts believe this is an admirable feat as no one else had been able to do anything like that before. This is the reason Apple is able to be super-responsive to glitches.
Since this is certainly not the last we have heard of the kill switch, which way is it going to go? Will the other manufacturers follow suit?


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Two-and-a-half months after setting off, a tiny robotic boat has crossed the Atlantic to reach the finish line of the Microtransat Challenge, near Northern Ireland: the first unmanned craft in history...
Microsoft contractors listened-in on Xbox users - often picking up private conversations when users hadn't even 'hailed' the console
President Trump has claimed that Amazon was involved in a conspiracy to win the contract
Only the most impressive firms in the UK cloud industry have made the list
Trump could stop JEDI cloud contract over competition concerns as bidding comes down Microsoft versus Amazon
Having been an early adopter of Kubernetes, bet365 is now exploring the implications of expanding the scope and scale of the platform, writes James Nightingale


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NEPC, NCAC declare support for fashion festival, FONFEST 2017
As preparations for the debut edition of the Face of Nigeria Fashion Festival (FONFEST) gathers momentum, both the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) have thrown their weight behind the Fashion festival.
The Executive Director and CEO NEPC, Mr. Segun Awolowo, and the Director General NCAC, Otumba Olusegun Ronsewe, pledged their full support for FONFEST 2017 when the organisers of the fashion festival paid them presentation visits in Abuja, respectively.
Speaking during a visit to his office by the organisers led by Mr. Charles Ozoemena, the Executive Director NEPC, Mr. Segun Awolowo, commended the initiative saying “NEPC will support you because FONFEST is in line with the desire of the present administration not only to promote ‘Made in Nigeria’ products but also diversify the economy through non-oil products”
He commended All Times Promotions, organisers of the festival, for choosing to host the programme in Abuja, shifting attention away from Lagos to cover the Northern fashion market. He observed that Japan, China other Asian countries are controlling about 75 percent of the international fashion market, imploring Nigerians to rise-up to the challenge of producing and patronizing Nigerian products, as well as competing in exports.
Receiving the delegation in his office, the Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otumba Olusegun Ronsewe declared full support for FONFEST, saying “For this fashion festival, we will give you our full support to ensure it’s a huge success”.
Looking at the state of the nation’s textile industry, he called on Nigerians to patronize Made in Nigeria fashions and textiles and look Nigerian.
“In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), you hardly see a UAE citizen wearing suits. Even if they wear suits, they will still put on their long robe and scarf” he admonished.
Ronsewe observed that some of the textile mills in Nigeria have begun to relocate to Ethiopia, citing examples with United Textile Mill and Arewa Textile Mill. “The name Arewa Textile Mill has now been changed to Domino Textile Mill”, he said regrettably.
He revealed plans by the NCAC to come out with a National Dress Code, in addition to recommending the use of local fabrics, such as Ankara for school uniform in Nigeria. While revealing that NCAC has a big plan for the cultural sector, he urged Nigerians to be proud of the Nigerian culture as there is no country in the world that makes a major impact in global arena without a brand identity. “Brand Identity can never come up without a culture”, he stressed.
The Face of Nigeria Fashion Festival (FONFEST) is a three day fashion fiesta, comprising of exhibitions, ‘Wear Nigeria, eNjoy Nigeria’ Road-Walk, Conference and Fashion Shows. The festival aims at showcasing Made-in-Nigeria fashions and fabrics for the purposes of stimulating local and international patronage. The idea is to create an annual platform for celebrating not only Nigeria’s textiles and apparels but also stimulating local market for Nigeria’s fashion designers


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As 2018 drew to a close, manufacturers were able to add up the figures and tell the world how they did in the past year. BMW announced that it recorded a slight increase in sales overall last year, while other manufacturers weren’t so lucky, Mercedes-Benz included. The Stuttgart-based car maker reported a drop in sales of 6.3 percent but that wasn’t enough to allow BMW to steal its crown as king of the premium segment in the US.
Over the course of 2018 BMW sales recorded an increase of 1.7 percent, adding up to a total of 311,014 units. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, reported a total of 315,959 units. The battle is getting more heated though, as the BMW people seem poised to retake the crown which they lost some three years ago. As a matter of fact, BMW won in December, sales of the Bavarian brand adding up to 34,357 units whereas Mercedes sold 32,016 units. However, while the top two contenders are showing great numbers, others are not so lucky.
Lexus came in third overall posting a drop of 2.2 percent in sales, adding up to 298,310 units. Audi, on the other hand, showed a drop of 1.4 percent to 223,323 units. These changes are on par with the overall US luxury segment, which showed a drop of 0.3 percent for the year, the grand total rising to 2,027,312 units. In the rankings, Acura surprisingly overtook Cadillac last year, selling 4,232 units more than the American brand, adding up to a total of 158,934 units.
If you’re wondering which models are the most popular, SUVs are definitely topping the list. BMW’s X3 was its top-selling model in the US, followed by the X5. The two models combined added up to about 20 percent of overall sales in December. It’s the same in the other camp, with the Mercedes-Benz GLC being the best seller followed by the C-Class and E-Class models. Over at Porsche, the Macan is running things, followed by the Panamera.


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It is obvious to many that digital marketing is taking the front seat when it comes to driving the business through Covid crisis. The absence of other channels like live events, face to face business and a combination of restrictions on the usual marketing strategies are a huge challenge. Scorpion’s franchise development team explored more than 50 active client franchise development websites and digital lead generation campaigns. They found successful franchises to invest more in digital marketing during Covid crisis.
On one hand we also see how the pandemic has resulted in a lot of qualified people losing their jobs. These people are looking to build on their income source by investing their savings. And they are all looking for new career alternatives online.
Note: More people are spending more time online now. Studies show that paid advertising correlates to the organic traffic for brands. People who see the franchise advertisement while working on Google, Youtube, Facebook or other social media, will enter the franchise brand when they are looking for franchise opportunities.
Results of paid ad impressions during the corona period is as follows.
Note: The Ad inventory is up, with more people spending their time online. Competition for ad inventory is down, with brands cutting back ad campaigns. More supply and less demand has resulted in lower prices for the ad inventory.
Note: Since across the board organic leads are dropping, paid marketing is our last resort. Continuing paid advertising can help the brands with lead volume. The difference between 28% in paid impressions and 3.7% in paid lead can be explained. The Franchise Insights buyer sentiment study suggests that while interest remains high, some buyers may be holding off on active discussions with franchisors. Constant awareness and engagement can help the franchise brands the advantage of expansion post pandemic crisis.
Similar Read: Ways to improve traffic to your restaurant


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The Otago Chamber of Commerce is welcoming a new move to better understand the business community's needs in Dunedin.
The Dunedin City Council last week launched an online survey seeking to gauge the views of business people who have dealt with the council in the past year.
The aim was to understand how the council was performing as it sought to become more business friendly, Enterprise Dunedin director John Christie said.
''Sometimes we get really great feedback about how business people have found working with us _ other times, the feedback is really bad.
''We need more than anecdotes, good or bad, to inform us for our ongoing work to consistently be more business friendly,'' he said.
The initiative was welcomed by chamber chief executive Dougal McGowan, who said it could help encourage partnerships and future growth strategies.
He would be ''particularly interested'' in responses from the retail and manufacturing sectors, but cautioned gathering opinions was only the first step.
''It all depends on the work that happens after you get the data, and the plans that get put in place there.''
Cr Hilary Calvert also welcomed the ''very positive'' initiative, having called for one during her 2013 election campaign. She believed it would help the council better understand business community needs, and help encourage growth in the city.
''We've seen some businesses who don't do business in Dunedin as a result of just finding it too hard, so we really want to make sure we maximise the number of people who think it's really good to do business in Dunedin.
''I think it's got a very definite potential to [aid] growth. People do have choices ... and it makes a huge difference.''
The survey, launched last Thursday, was specifically targeting businesses which had dealt with the council in the past year.
Those identified would be sent an email asking them to complete the anonymous survey by May 6. The results would form the baseline for future surveys, Mr Christie said.


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Q1 exports tally 7-year growth high
Thailand's exports continued to grow in March, albeit at a slower pace, helping first quarter shipments rise 11.3%, the highest in seven years.
The Commerce Ministry reported Monday the country's customs-cleared exports grew for the 13th straight month in March, up by 7.06% year-on-year in March after increasing 10.3% in February.
Shipments last month fetched the country US$22.4 billion (706 billion baht), led by stronger exports of cars and auto parts, computers and parts, rubber products, plastic pellets, chemicals, gems and jewellery, electrical circuits, finished oil, machinery and parts, and air conditioners and parts.
Imports in March were up 9.47% from a year earlier to $21.1 billion after jumping 16% in February. This resulted in a trade surplus of $1.27 billion in March.
"Shipments rose for all markets except China, which contracted 8.7% year-on-year because of a high base last year," said Pimchanok Vonkorpon, director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office. "The highest exports in March were to India, gaining 21.7%, with Asean growing 17.8% and South Asia 16.9%. Also seeing strong growth were shipments to the US [up 11.1%], the Middle East [10.6%], the EU [up 8.7%] and Australia [up 6.2%]."
The ministry reported exports of agricultural and agro-industrial products shrank for the first time in March after rising for 16 straight months, down 3.3% year-on-year to $3.45 billion.
The drop was primarily because of lower rubber shipments based on export control measures as well as a dip in sugar exports. However, other farm products like tapioca, rice, chicken and fruit still retained growth momentum.
Overall industrial product shipments also posted an expansion for 13 months in a row, up 7.7% in March to $17.99 billion, thanks to strong exports of electronics, chemicals, and plastic pellets.
For the first three months, exports grew 11.3% from the same period of last year to $62.82 billion, with imports rising 16.2% year-on-year to $60.9 billion. Thailand enjoyed a $1.95-billion trade surplus over the period.
Despite a strong baht, the ministry targets an export growth of 8% this year, after a 9.9% rise last year.
The baht has risen 3.9% against the dollar so far this year, hovering over a four-year high.
"We still believe overall exports will fare quite well this year on the world's economic expansion and economic recovery of key trading partners such as the US and EU," said Ms Pimchanok. "Economies of other countries such as Japan and China are also on the path of continuous expansion."
Visit Limlurcha, vice-chairman of Thai National Shippers' Council, said Thailand's exports are likely to keep growing further thanks to promising shipments of industrial products like electronics and electrical appliances, notably in the Internet of Things and smart phone segments.
However, Mr Visit said he remains concerned about the negative impact of the strong baht and trade brawls between the US and China.
A close watch on the impact of an incoming tropical storm during April 24-27 on the farm sector is also needed, he said.
In a related development, Siam Commercial Bank's Economic Intelligence Centre (EIC) has raised its export forecast for this year to 7.5% from the previous projection of 5% due to higher global demand derived from the global economic recovery.
The IMF has revised up its forecast on global imports to 5.7% from 4.3% in 2018.
An upward revision in export growth projection is also attributed Thailand's extension of Generalised System of Preferences with the US to 2020, which helps ease concerns over the impact of the US's trade protectionist measures, according to the EIC.
Petroleum exports could reap a windfall from increasing crude oil prices, of which the EIC projects Brent crude price at US$68 per barrel for this year, a 26% year-on-year rise compared with $64 projected previously.
"Potentially improved exports for 2018 could push Thailand's annual economic growth to above 4%," said the EIC.


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(Sharecast News) - Boohoo shares slid on Monday after the fast fashion retailer confirmed that PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will not be participating in its tender process for a new auditor.
Over the weekend, press reports suggested that PWC was stepping down as auditor of the company due to concerns about governance.
Boohoo - which has been rocked over the last few months by allegations of poor working conditions at some of its suppliers - said in a very brief statement: "The group would like to place on record that PwC is still the group's auditor at this time. The group's Audit Committee has recently launched a competitive tender process for the group's audit, and will update shareholders at its conclusion.
"PwC signed an unqualified opinion on the group's 2020 financial statements and having served as the group's auditor since 2014, is not participating in this process."
Broker Shore Capital said it will be interesting to see which firm is appointed as their new auditor following publication of the Levitt enquiry.
"Perhaps, appointing a new auditor will not be a walk in the park as any new auditor will want to understand what has changed/is changing at the company.
"The change of auditor follows the review by an independent QC that criticised weak corporate governance at the company. The company has also faced controversy over its executive pay plan that will hand senior executives up to £50m each, dependent up on the share price over the next few years.
"Boohoo is breaking with the UK corporate governance code and not putting the plan to a shareholder vote."
At 0817 BST, the shares were down 15% at 266.70p.
BROKER RATINGS: Exane BNP downgrades three property companies


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The Olympus E-P5 will be the first camera with the full “Olympus Pen” definition marked on the front. It’s a clear sign from Olympus that they consider the new E-P5 the real digital [shoplink 37006 ebay]PEN-F[/shoplink]. Too bad they forgot to made the built-in viewfinder that the PEN-F has :) As you know the PEN-F has “porro prism viewfinder” that allowed them to create a very compact camera with viewfinder.
Some of you said that the built-in exclusivity of the OMD range. Just for the record: Last year Mr. Tarada told at Onfoto (Click here) that “A built-in viewfinder is not exclusive for the OM-D line”.
P.S.: There are still plenty of PEN-F auctions on [shoplink 37006 ebay]eBay (Click here)[/shoplink].


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Chinese Luxury Insiders Point To Concerns In City’s Unique Private Lending Industry
Amid a simmering debt crisis made worse by dropping property prices and lingering global economic doldrums, the once red-hot luxury consumption that defined the southern Chinese city of Wenzhou (previously on Jing Daily) is now showing signs of cooling down. As the Wall Street Journal noted earlier this month, “the trust-based financing networks that took the place of banks in Wenzhou and fueled its binge are collapsing in the face of slowing exports, a trend made worse by Europe’s economic woes.” In the face of massive systemic problems caused by the breakdown of the city’s trademark private lending industry — which has, for decades, been a defining economic feature of Wenzhou — retailers in the famously profligate city of 9.1 million are, for the first time in years, concerned. However, some industry observers are cautiously optimistic, noting that part of the reason for Wenzhou’s cooling luxury market could come down to more rational spending among the city’s middle- and upper-middle-class.
As the Wenzhou City News (温州都市报) writes this week (translation by Jing Daily team):
At the opening of the Fifth Wenzhou International Luxury Expo on November 19, exhibitors noticed far fewer people coming to visit, compared to previous years, and felt a decrease in spending power. Reporters have also noticed a similar lack of optimism taking hold at several high-end shopping centers in the city. Now the question remains: is Wenzhounese luxury consumption coming back to earth? Or has the private lending crisis had a real impact?
At 3:00 PM on November 20, reporters saw a sparse assemblage of guests coming by the Wenzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center to check out the Luxury Expo. Some exhibiting staff members stood around and chatted with one another, while others played videogames to pass the time and another napped in a chair.
“We haven’t seen many people these past two days,” one staff member at a luxury car display said, adding that most visitors just stopped by to take photos, with few actually buying. An information display put up by organizers said that it wasn’t uncommon for over 100 million yuan (US$15.72 million) worth of luxury cars to be sold at the Wenzhou International Luxury Expo just a few years ago.
In the first half of this year, the [Beijing-based] “World Luxury Association” released its official 2011 Blue Book, which ranked Hangzhou, Wenzhou and Qingdao after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in terms of luxury consumption. The huge potential of the Wenzhou consumer market has, over the past several years, attracted a large number of international high-end brands. Currently, around 70 percent of the world’s major luxury brands operate in Wenzhou.
Last year, Gucci settled in Wenzhou, achieving its annual sales goals within six months; Wenzhou became Omega’s top sales market globally; daily sales of VERTU mobile phones (which range in price from 40,000-300,000 yuan) matched those in Beijing and Shanghai. In Wenzhou and its surrounding areas there are 10,000 Mercedes-Benzes and more than 17,000 BMWs — accounting for nearly five percent of these cars in the entire country.
But over the course of the year, luxury consumption has gradually shrunk. According to a manager at a local luxury store, “Business started to decline in July of this year, and sales have really plummeted over the past month.”
Industry sources point to two factors that have led to a “slump” in Wenzhou’s luxury market. The crisis surrounding the city’s private lending system has caused some people’s personal wealth to shrink, leading to a decline in spending power. At the same time, to a certain extent, individual luxury consumption has become more rational. Wenzhounese have begun to focus on brand positioning and become more interested in brand experience, rather than blind consumption.
While it’s entirely believable that many in Wenzhou are now thinking twice before taking another luxury shopping spree, the city’s macroeconomic issues are unlikely to put a permanent crimp on high-end consumption. Even declining property prices in major Chinese cities are failing to curb luxury spending in any significant way. In comparison to major Western economies, where luxury purchases are usually the first to go in the face of economic concerns, the FT notes this week that “Asia is different in many ways – the identification of one’s self-worth with luxury brands is much more intense.” Will this still be the case in Wenzhou?


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World's largest economy grows at slowest pace in two years, signalling a weakening outlook for all sectors except the housing market.
US economic growth braked sharply to its slowest pace in two years as consumer spending softened and a strong dollar continued to undercut exports, but a pickup in activity is anticipated given a buoyant labor market.
Gross domestic product increased at a 0.5 percent annual rate, the slowest since the first quarter of 2014, the Labor Department said on Thursday in its advance estimate, also as businesses doubled down on efforts to reduce unwanted merchandise clogging up warehouses.
The economy was also blindsided by cheap oil, which has hurt the profits of oil field companies like Schlumberger and Halliburton, resulting in business spending contracting at its fastest pace since the second quarter of 2009, when the recession was ending.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the economy expanding at a 0.7 percent rate in the first quarter. The economy grew at a 1.4 percent pace in the fourth quarter.
Almost all sectors of the economy weakened in the first quarter, with the housing market the lone star.
The slowdown in growth is likely temporary, given a fairly robust jobs market. Applications for unemployment benefits are near a 43-year low and employment gains averaged 209,000 jobs per month in the first quarter.
In addition the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing and nonmanufacturing surveys, which are closely correlated to economic activity, have rebounded in recent months.
While the Federal Reserve on Wednesday acknowledged economic activity had "slowed," it also said labor market conditions had "improved further." The US central bank appeared to view the threats from the global economy and financial markets as having diminished.
The Fed left its benchmark overnight interest rate unchanged and suggested it was in no hurry to tighten monetary policy further. It hiked rates in December for the first time in nearly a decade.
Economists also say the model used by the government to strip out seasonal patterns from data is not fully accomplishing its goal despite recent steps to address the problem.
Residual seasonality has plagued first-quarter GDP, with growth underperforming in five of the last six years since the recovery started in June 2009.
Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, increased at a rate of 1.9 percent. That was the slowest since the first quarter of 2015 and was a deceleration from the fourth quarter's rate of 2.4 percent.


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, based in Chicago, has announced that one of its subsidiaries has acquired ., an automotive recycling company headquartered in Quebec. LKQ provides aftermarket and recycled collision replacement parts and refurbished collision replacement products.
LKQ operates more than 430 facilities, including facilities in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico and Central America.
Lecavalier has four recycling facilities in Quebec. The company’s main facility is located in Ste. Sophie, Quebec. The facilities process salvage vehicles to provide replacement automotive parts to mechanical repair facilities, body repair facilities, and direct consumers.
According to a news release, Lecavalier Auto Parts will continue to be managed by Roger and Philippe Fugère, its former owners. "It's an opportunity for our business and employees to grow in a market that is being highly consolidated. For our customers, they will have more availability of products and services in one call."
The Switch Out team would like to congratulate Lecavalier Auto Parts for being chosen as the recipients for this prestigious award. They are setting a great example as environmentally responsible industry leaders and we are proud to have Lecavalier as participants in the Switch Out program!
Lecavalier Auto Parts was recently the proud recipient of Quebec’s Phénix de l'Environnement award, which is the highest level of recognition in the province for environmental initiatives and sustainable practices. They were awarded this recognition for their Industrial Visit program, which facilitates educational site visits for students and repair industry professionals to teach them about the environmental benefits of using recycled auto parts.
Founded in 1942, Lecavalier Auto Parts currently has five locations and 190 employees. Lecavalier first registered for Switch Out in 2007 and has always maintained an active presence in the program. Since registering, Lecavalier Auto Parts has collected over 500 mercury switches for the Switch Out program, ensuring that this hazardous substance doesn’t pollute the environment or endanger people’s health.
2010-11 Dominion Vincent Lecavalier Auto # 1/10 Ebay 1/... 2010-11 Dominion Vincent Lecavalier Auto # 1/10 Ebay 1/...
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When Steve Jobs announced that Apple would no longer support Adobe’s Flash in favor of HTML5, it was a calculated risk. Jobs laid out why he thought Flash should be excluded, citing everything from security concerns to reliability, in defense of Apple’s decision to not allow developers to use Flash on Apple’s iDevices. But despite a chorus of voices in agreement that included Microsoft, to ban the program that dominates the video playback market on the internet was a gamble. The choice was clear: side with Flash and lose Apple, or abandon Flash in favor of Apple and HTML5.
The decision did not seem to affect iPad sales, as the tablet officially crossed the 2 million sold mark, but two more media giants have decided that developing content for the iPad just isn’t worth it.
Time Warner and NBC Universal have told the NY Post that they both intend to stick with Flash, because retooling their extensive libraries would be too expensive, and not worth it because Flash dominates the market.
One media exec told the NY Post that Apple’s position was eroded by the announcement of Google TV, which will use Flash. Others claim that the iPad’s Flash friendly rival tablets that are on the way further weaken Apple’s demands to switch to HTML5.
Hulu- which is owned by NBC Universal, Fox Entertainment and ABC, recently announced that it would also remain with Flash. CBS has begun to work with Apple, but will only offer a limited number of show, while Fox and CNN offer select clips only. ABC, which is owned by Disney, has created an app to stream ABC videos, which is not surprising since Jobs is Disney’s biggest shareholder.
The battle for the future of online video content continues.
- Best Apple deals and sales for May 2022
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- European Union looks to block Apple’s hardware ‘gatekeeping’
- Google backs down, keeping cheaper way to date online intact
- Google is making Android better for the visually impaired


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Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has joined Disability:IN’s “Are you IN?” campaign that aims to encourage more businesses in “advancing equality and inclusion”. Jim Ryan, CEO of SIE is one of the 57 CEOs that has signed the open letter.
The letter details that there are over 1 billion people globally that have a disability, and that the campaign looks to bring inclusive hiring, contracting with disability-owned business enterprises, and creating accessible tools and technology for all. Disability:IN details that research shows disability-inclusive companies “stand to gain as much as 28% higher revenue, double the net income and 30% higher economic profit margins than their peers.”
Jim Ryan also had words to share in an official Sony Interactive Entertainment announcement: “At Sony Interactive Entertainment, we strive to create products and experiences accessible to people of all abilities.” He said, “Our commitment to supporting an inclusive environment for our community of players, developers, employees, and partners is core to our business and builds the foundation for our mission: to connect the world through the power of play. We are proud to join Disability:IN to help workplaces become more inclusive, accessible, and equitable to all.
It’s also detailed that “each signatory commits to leveraging the Disability Equality Index (DEI), a comprehensive benchmarking tool for disability inclusion created by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities.” As such, SIE will be taking part in this years DEI.
Jill Houghton, President and CEO, Disability:IN said in the SIE announcement: “Sony’s commitment to making technology platforms accessible to customers with disabilities has opened up gaming to millions of people.”


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- Connecticut launched the first statewide mattress recycling program in the U.S. Friday.
- The law passed in 2013 that would require retailers to collect a fee from consumers at the point-of-purchase that would go toward recycling mattresses.
- State officials estimate municipalities handle more than 175,000 discarded mattresses annually.
Officials estimate that the program has the potential to save local municipalities $1.3 million annually, while providing a boost to recycling businesses.
The program requires Connecticut retailers to charge a $9 fee to mattress purchases. The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) will oversee the collection. The mattresses will then be recycled.
Robert Klee, the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said, “This program mirrors similar stewardship programs the state has enacted for electronics, paint and thermostats.”


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Article preview: The UK economy is staging a strong recovery following the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane, the economy is “going gangbusters”, but that raises the concern of price inflation. Haldane said that the UK needs a pay rise if the economic recovery continues going in the right direction.
Economy is ‘going gangbusters’ but inflation is a concern
This 342-word blog post considers comments from Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane about the economy recovery and rising price inflation. Written on 9th June 2021.
Your purchase gives you rights to publish this blog post on your IFA, financial planner or wealth manager website blog, news or insights page, along with access to the text of the blog post to copy and paste into your blog. You can publish this blog as written or edit it before publishing, and you can post it under your name.


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Image: Merchants Fleet
November 23, 2021New midsize electric van offers electrification option for Merchants’ last-mile and delivery clients across North America.
via Fleet Owner
November 22, 2021In Illinois, city fleets are looking at varied solutions to enhance their sustainability initiatives while maintaining an efficient delivery of city services and mobility.
Image: Adobe Stock
November 10, 2021TCO is one the most important parts of making alternative fuel vehicle purchase decisions. Learn more about TCO in an upcoming webinar.
Valley Fleet Support
November 10, 2021As more electric trucks hit the road, your wine, beer, snacks, international packages, and more may be delivered in an electric truck.
Image: Hexagon Purus
November 3, 2021Hexagon Purus recently received a contract for a hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 drayage truck from a North American customer, which includes a service and support program that incorporates performance monitoring and reporting of the truck vs. current diesel drayage trucks.
via NGV Journal
November 3, 2021Eight fleets were recently honored at NGVAmerica's 2021 Industry Summit and Annual Meeting, recognizing their advancement of natural gas in transportation industry.
Natural Gas Vehicles for America (NGVAmerica)
October 26, 2021Renewable propane is produced from renewable raw materials, and has a lower carbon intensity than conventional propane.
Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)
Image: Adobe Stock / J-Mel
October 25, 2021The hydrogen and fuel cell industries offer viable low-to-zero emission options to power transportation and a range of other applications.
Fuel Cell Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA)
Image: Adobe Stock / viktor88
October 20, 2021Fleet-friendly, accessible, and technology-neutral funding sources are an integral part of the transition to cleaner technology that best fits the needs of the over the road freight industry.
October 20, 2021The annual Tesla shareholders meeting took place on October 7, at the Giga Texas factory in Austin, where Musk announced the 2023 deployment.
Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA)
October 20, 2021As further proof of the short- and long-term advantages of the alternative fuel, fleets are sharing their firsthand experiences of operating their vehicles on autogas.
October 13, 2021The New York City Council passed a bill on Oct. 7 that requires that all school buses in use by Sept. 1, 2035, are to be powered by all-electric, zero-emission drive systems.
via School Transportation News
October 12, 2021In NYC, the addition of EVs and charging infrastructure helps support the goal of transitioning to an all-electric fleet by 2040.
Empire Clean Cities
Image: New Flyer
October 12, 2021Long Beach Transit has ordered 20 next-generation battery-electric 35-foot Xcelsior CHARGE NG heavy-duty transit buses from NFI Group Inc.’s subsidiary New Flyer of America Inc.under a three-year contract.
via NGT News
October 12, 2021An upcoming Valley Fleet Support webinar will discuss the available options for alternative fuels and vehicles for fleets in the Central Valley.
Valley Fleet Support
Image: Volvo Trucks
October 6, 2021Volvo Trucks received an order for 100 Volvo FM Electric trucks from DFDS, Northern Europe’s largest shipping and logistics company. The deal is the largest commercial order to date for Volvo electric trucks, and one of the largest yet for heavy electric trucks worldwide.
via Green Car Congress


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Bind Biosciences raises $11M, appoints CEO
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Bind Biosciences, a Cambridge nanoparticle-based drug developer co-founded by MIT’s Robert Langer and Harvard Medical School’s Omid Farokhzad, has raised $11 million in a third round of financing, according to a company spokeswoman. The company also announced it has appointed Scott Minick as president and CEO. Minick was a managing director at ARCH Venture Partners, one of the company’s chief investors.
In addition to ARCH Venture Partners, the company’s investor consortium includes Flagship Ventures, NanoDimension AG and Polaris Venture Partners — all of whom participated in the round. The company has approximately $29.5 million since its launch in 2006.
The company’s new CEO, Minick, previously served as the president and COO of Sequus Pharmaceuticals/Liposome Technology Inc. During his tenure, the company won FDA approval and successful commercial launch of the leading oncology drug, Doxil (liposomal doxorubicin). Sequus was subsequently acquired by ALZA for $580 million.
BIND Biosciences develops nanoparticle technology that concentrates a drug at the intended site of action while minimizing exposure to the rest of the system, improving efficacy and reducing side effects.
Health Care/Life Sciences
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Deadly ecstasy alert: Experts warn super-strength UPS tablets are flooding streets of Glasgow
DEADLY tablets said to be 10 times the strength of normal ecstasy are flooding Glasgow, experts warn.
The yellow party pills, stamped with a UPS logo, are still being sold by dealers despite knowing the dangers.
The drugs are thought to be responsible for the hospitalisation of six clubbers in Middlesbrough at the weekend.
Tests have found UPS pills, which are believed to originate in Switzerland, contain up to 275mg of MDMA, compared to other tablets circulating in Glasgow which contain around 35mg.
Research carried out by a European charity reveals the super-strength batch of the UPS party drug is “neurotoxic and increases the likelihood of irreparable brain damage”, according to a report by the Evening Times.
A source told the paper: “We have some intelligence that yellow UPS tablets are on sale in Glasgow.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s yellow UPS, pink Superman or green Rolex tablets, you don’t know what is in them.
“They simply are not safe.”
The Scottish Drugs Forum posted a warning about the potent batch of ecstasy.
It said: “UPS ecstasy circulating in some parts of Scotland.”


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NEW DELHI (Oct. 26, 1:10 p.m. ET) — Composite Pipes Industry LLC Oman is entering India, with plans to set up a 5,000-metric-ton-per-year plant by 2013, with an initial investment of about $10 million. Officials said the company plans to select a site in the second quarter of 2013.
Plastic pipe will post the strongest gains through 2018, continuing to take market share from competing materials in a range of markets.
Our latest market report provides in-depth analysis of current trends and their financial impact on the pipe, profile and tubing extrusion industry in North America.
In the wake of the economic turbulence earlier in this decade, molders today find themselves in much better shape. Molders are gaining a competitive advantage by investing in people, equipment and seeking inroads into new markets on a global scale.
Growth in the injection molding industry is going to be driven by low financing costs and a continued move to reshore some business.


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“Sneakers are a global language and culture that seemingly cannot be contained.” These are the words of Marc Hare, the streetwear maestro joining Lacoste Footwear.
Today, Pentland announced his appointment as product director of the Lacoste Footwear Joint Venture.
Hare joins the business after having run his own successful streetwear-inspired sneaker brand, Mr.Hare, since 2008. The designer will lead Lacoste’s new Mainline and Future Concepts product teams. He will work closely with Lacoste JV CEO, Gianni Georgiades.
“I’m delighted that Marc is joining the team” Georgiades said in a statement. “His appointment reinforces the ambitions we have for Lacoste footwear and I’m looking forward to watching the team push the boundaries into a new domain of innovation and excitement under Marc’s direction.”
“Rene Lacoste’s life is one of the greatest stories of 20th century sport,” said Hare. “Lacoste is one of those brands that everybody fell in love with at a defining moment in their lives.”
“Opportunities like this don’t come around very often, so any attempt at describing the excitement erupting from within me, at joining this team, would be a woeful understatement.”
Hare launched Mr Hare in 2008 and opened his first store in London’s Mayfair in 2012. It ceased trading in 2016, posting a cryptic message on its website.
In January 2018, Pentland and The Lacoste Group announced a 50-50 joint venture (JV) based at Pentland headquarters in North London. The JV manages the design, production and manufacturing of Lacoste’s footwear globally. Pentland continues to manage UK distribution, while Lacoste handles distribution in its main territories.
Hare will join the business on Sept. 10.


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Life of Pi fashion design wins award
on Thursday,March 03,2011 21:03
A collection of clothing inspired by the renowned novel Life of Pi has recently won the Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) Award at Nottingham Trent University in Britain, according to CreativeBoom.uk. The contest itself had a fantastical theme that inspired hundreds of different contestants. The winning garments mostly featured distinctive animal prints and unique details to add contrast to their shape.
The designer, student Milly Jackson, was chosen as the winner by a unanimous decision of the jury. She won 2,000 pounds and her designs will be placed with clothing store Whistles. The CEO of the company described the college show as "the most exciting she had seen all week."
Another student, Annie Vallis, won the runner-up prize of 1,000 pounds and her work was placed with Jaeger Menswear.
"This is a really excellent achievement for both Milly and Annie, as well as the university," fashion design course leader Gilly Staples told the news source. "Our congratulations go to Milly for taking first prize, despite the extremely stiff competition. She had worked so tirelessly to produce a stunning selection of work."
The FAD initiative is meant to teach young designers how to operate in the industry and also enables charitable efforts so that individuals can give back to the community through their designs, according to FAD.org.
Latest Articles & News
It is no secret to many that music artist Kanye West is no stranger to fashion, and now he will be showing his new collection during Paris Fashion Week later this week, according to the Elle Magazine.
Teenlike.com, an ongoing online competition for young home decor designers, announced its second winner. Brandon Dover of Apply Valley, California, was this year's winner, as he created an abstract pen and inkwork design for a bedspread.


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Hawaii households will see a total reduction of more than $710 million in federal individual income tax for tax year 2018, according to a report released by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism on Monday.
The study, titled, “The Impact of the Federal Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) on Hawaii Households,” provided average figures for Hawaii households on their 2018 tax reductions in individual income tax.
“We’re looking at disposable personal income increasing by $710 million, where we will see an increase in consumer spending by more than $600 million,” DBEDT Director Luis Salaveria said in a statement. “This should help to boost our economic growth, if federal spending in Hawaii remains unchanged.”
Chief State Economist Eugene Tian said in general, households with adjusted federal gross income less than $500,000 will see tax reductions and households with AGI above that level will see an increase in individual income tax.
“However, high-income households will benefit more from business tax reductions since most of their income are from businesses and investment,” he added.
DBEDT said the analysis in the report is based on the 2015 federal income tax returns from the Internal Revenue Services, which is the latest year available for detailed state level data.
Click here to see the full report.


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PHOENIX , Sept. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --skin better science , a new physician-dispensed clinical skincare company, announced today the launch of... ...https://www.asianhhm.com/prnews/skinbetter-science-debuts-nationwide
-- Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519) and Fuji Pharma Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4554) announced today that they agreed to transfer the rights to... ...http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/chugai-transfers-manufacturing-and-marketing-rights-vesanoid-fuji-pharma
The Indian pharmaceutical market (IPM) has registered a strong growth of 15.3 per cent to Rs. 9,643 crore during August 2016 as against 13.2 per... ...http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=97425&sid=1
There are plenty of skin conditions that can be treated with the right products, and lifestyle changes. But try as you may, there are some that... ...http://www.idiva.com/news-style-beauty/straight-talking-5-skin-conditions-that-can-be-controlled-but-not-cured/16091399
Comments SAN DIEGO, June 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Suneva Medical, Inc., a privately-held aesthetics company, has revealed the results of a new acne... ...http://www.andhranews.net/Intl/Web/79-93.asp
Tretinoin , Generic Retin-a , Retin-a...
I did a stupid thing earlier in the...


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RECUR and Care Bears™ announced that they have signed a multi-year NFT partnership to bring the iconic brand of huggable bears from Care-A-Lot into the metaverse. As fans enter the Care Bears metaverse, they will not only discover the beloved original bears, but also brand new, never-before-seen Care Bears. The dedicated experience, launching in the first half of 2022, will allow fans to buy, collect and trade Care Bears NFTs as digital products and collectibles.
Robert Prinzo, Head of Global Licensing, Cloudco Entertainment, said, “For nearly 40 years, the Care Bears have been building a diverse, global community of fans of all ages. The Care Bears’ key messages of sharing, caring, and inclusivity are seen throughout all of our collaborations, and we pride ourselves on aligning with partners that are able to create products that keep our fans excited. As we enter the metaverse, we look forward to introducing a new way to collect Care Bears alongside the brilliant team at Recur.”
Trevor George, Co-CEO of RECUR, stated, “We are reimagining 40 years of Care Bears through this partnership and can’t wait to bring the bright, colorful and emotionally exuberant IP of this iconic brand to the metaverse. Fans will have the opportunity to gain early beta access to Care Bears NFTs in the first half of next year by owning a RECUR pass, which can be purchased next week.”
RECUR announced the launch of its first proprietary NFT, the RECUR Portal Pass, earlier this month. The RECUR Portal Pass will offer early beta access to all of RECUR’s coveted experiences in entertainment, sports, and pop culture including Care Bears, among others. The pass will be available to purchase for 24 hours only on December 9th, 2021. Pre-registration opens on November 30th, 2021. For more information, please visit recurforever.com/pass and join the RECUR Discord at https://discord.gg/recur.


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The fintech industry is rapidly evolving and disrupting traditional financial systems. In this article, we bring you the latest research insights to help you stay ahead of the curve and understand the future of financial technology. Enjoy researching!
African Fintech Ecosystem Recorded A Significant 26 Startup Acquisitions in The Last Two Years (Takedia)
In a recent Disrupt Africa report, African Fintech startup space recorded a significant twenty-six (26) startup acquisitions between June 2021 and July 2023, up 270% from 7 in 2019-2021.South Africa led the way, accounting for 10 of the deals over the last 24 months and 16 overall. One famous acquisition was the deal, which saw MFS Africa, a South African digital payment company that describes itself as Africa’s largest digital payments gateway, announce the acquisition of Baxi, a Nigerian fintech startup. Read more
eComms is in the regulatory spotlight – is your firm ready to stand up to the scrutiny?
What makes eComms compliance especially challenging is that it’s constantly evolving. Compliance teams need to be able to monitor the communication channels that employees are using today and be ready for any innovations that tomorrow will bring. Although it might be tempting for firms to enact policies that employees can only communicate via company landlines and email, it’s just not practical. Both customers and employees have come to expect quick and easy communications using electronic channels. Read more
Europol Report: An analysis of financial and economic crime (Payments, Cards & Mobile)
The criminal landscape constantly evolves, as criminals seek out new opportunities and exploit crises for their own interests. Criminal actors involved in economic and financial crimes are highly adept at taking advantage of our economy for their purposes, and at targeting increasing numbers of victims. Read more
The evolution and future of customer ID verification in the digital age (Fintech Global)
The journey of customer ID verification is a reflection of humanity’s evolving societal structures, technological innovations, and the inherent need for trust in transactions. To understand the future, it’s pivotal to trace the roots of this journey, delving into the historical context of ID verification. Historically, personal recognition was the first and most basic form of identity verification. In small communities, members identified one another through personal relationships and face-to-face interactions. A person’s word was their bond, and trust was built upon reputation. Read more
Biannual Threats Report: Emerging fraud schemes in retail and e-commerce (Payments, Cards & Mobile)
Visa has released the Fall 2023 edition of its Biannual Threats Report which highlights emerging fraud schemes targeting the global economy. This edition showcases a significant rise of phishing schemes proliferated through generative AI tools, and a marked increase in enumeration and ransomware. The report also shows how Visa is working with law enforcement around the globe to bring perpetrators of fraud to justice. Read more
Huge appetite for embedded finance amongst UK banks (Payments, Cards & Mobile)
A new whitepaper offers insights into the nuances influencing the approach to embedded finance innovation across UK banks and financial institutions. Carried out in collaboration with Censuswide during May 2023, Weavr’s research delves into ten crucial questions, extracting a wide range of thought-provoking answers. While responses to the survey indicate embedded finance is a promising commercial growth opportunity, a significant number of businesses appear to lack a defined strategy to capitalise on it. Read more
Do you have any news to share: please put email@example.com on your press list.


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Popular Post dalsingh101 Posted January 24 Popular Post Report Share Posted January 24 Rare fringe jacket 'made in 1850s by indigenous nations in west Canada' turns up at a vintage clothing warehouse in Barnsley - and shop bosses want to reunite it with its community A rare Indigenous Canadian jacket believed to be more than 170 years old has turned up at a vintage clothing warehouse in the UK. The brown fringe jacket arrived at the Glass Onion vintage warehouse in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, after it was brought to Britain from a clothing bale in America. It is believed that the jacket was made in the 1850s by someone in one of the Métis or Cree indigenous nations in western Canada. Alice Leadbetter, 27, the shop's head of marketing, said the item of clothing is in 'great condition' and 'instantly stood out' to her as soon as she saw it. The store will not put the rare historic item on sale as it wants to reunite the jacket with the community that made it. Alice said: 'The jacket was amongst hundreds of others that came in the bales, but thankfully our team are experts in vintage clothing and instantly knew this one was special. 'We've been in the vintage business for over 15 years, and we have never seen a jacket quite like this one. 'The super soft leather, incredible beadwork, and attention to detail in the design were what instantly stood out as soon as we saw it. 'Next to the other 60s and 70s fringe jackets, it was obvious that this one was extra special and had an amazing story to tell.' Alice is currently investigating where the jacket is from and has said she is 'determined to discover its story.' It is believed that the jacket was made in the 1850s by someone in one of the Métis or Cree indigenous nations in western Canada She said: 'A lot of hours have gone into researching the jacket's possible origins, but I've been determined to discover its story. 'The jacket is yet to be assessed by a professional in person, but thanks to the help of the TikTok community and experts all over the world, we think we think we've been able to narrow it down. 'Certain design elements (such as the olive-green chain stitch on the pockets) indicate it was likely made around the 1850s, possibly by an artist for a family member or a fur trader. 'The consensus is that it it's likely Métis or Cree from Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Alberta). 'We've recently found out that the fringe tassels are wrapped in dyed porcupine-quills too which is pretty crazy. 'The research is still ongoing but I'm constantly discovering something new about this incredible piece so feels like we're one step closer every week to uncovering its history.' She has also said she would love to reunite the jacket with its community and has said that if anyone has any information about it, they should contact Glass Onion. Alice, of Ormskirk, Lancs,. said: 'I'm trying not to rush anything and make sure I'm doing everything in the right and respectful way. 'It would be amazing to get confirmation of where the jacket is from and who made it so we can look at reuniting the piece with its community. 'It feels like we're not far away now.' https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11671637/Jacket-1850s-indigenous-nations-Canada-turns-vintage-clothing-shop-Barnsley.html 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Windows 10 Anniversary Update Release Date Accidentally Revealed
Have you been wondering when the first major update to Windows 10 would arrive? Those who regularly interact with the platform on a variety of device types may be loving what Windows 10 already offers, but have more than likely been quietly debating with themselves about when exactly will the first major update to Windows 10 dubbed “Windows 10 Anniversary Update” will be released to the public?
It looks like the Software giant may have inadvertently answered part of that riddle by posting, and subsequently deleting, a blog post with the title “Microsoft announces Windows 10 anniversary update available Aug. 2“. Anyone for an August 2nd Windows 10 update?
We can’t exactly take that date as an “official” confirmation just yet, but it’s a fairly good sign of when it’s about to come. In reality, it would appear that someone within Microsoft accidentally pressed publish on the blog post a little ahead of the actual plan. There is of course a chance that the date shown is wrong, but at the very least we can expect an official and formal announcement on the availability of Windows 10 Anniversary Update to come out from Microsoft very soon.
So, we have a good indication of the approximate time that the update will arrive on, but what about the improvements and feature additions contained within? The update itself was originally announced during the company’s annual Build conference back in March of this year.
The primary focus of this update will be Windows Ink, with the intention being to integrate additional features and improvements that will provide users with a more powerful experience when interacting with Windows 10 content through a stylus. Given the number of different device types that Windows 10 is available on, it makes perfect sense that Microsoft is looking to improve that input type.
Additionally, Microsoft will also focus engineering resources on making improvements to Windows Hello as well as Cortana – the company’s voice activated digital assistant that is starting to become a pivotal part of the Windows 10 experience. The company will also introduce extensions to its web browser, Edge, which will allow additional functions to be added to the browser through third-party developer extensions.
When it arrives, the Anniversary Update will be free to everyone who already have Windows 10 installed, but will require a payment of approximately $119 for those looking to upgrade from earlier versions of Windows.


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July 9, 2018 — San Leandro, CA — Supply chain blockchain pioneer SyncFab today announced its Founding CEO, Jeremy Goodwin, will be a featured speaker at the 3rd IoT Global Innovation Forum, July 11 which is being held July 10 – 11 at the World Trade Center in Portland, Oregon. This third edition brings together leading innovators, business executives and industry professionals to examine the latest advances and applications for commercial and industrial end users across sectors within the emerging Internet of Things ecosphere.
Mr. Goodwin’s presentation will be in a panel titled, Toward the IoT Smart City, and will reflect his vision for how the blockchain is accelerating the economic development of smart cities to include connecting their local manufacturing hardware buyers and CNC machine shop suppliers to prospective customers around the US enabling smart cities to create jobs, cut costs and generate clean industry to boost city revenue today, as well as how the successful early adopters will be transformed in the years ahead. On that panel, he will be joined on stage by a senior executive from each of Johnson Controls, UtiliWorks Consulting, and eMotorWerks, an Enel Group Company.
SyncFab this week is in its soft launch of its MFG token enabled Manufacturing Platform, which is currently in Quality Assurance testing, to connect buyers and producers of finely tooled manufactured parts with unprecedented accessibility, accountability, transparency and reliability. The official launch of SyncFab 2.0 is scheduled for later this month.
Incubated, in part, by smart cities in 2016, SyncFab was selected for the Startup in Residence (STiR) program sponsored by the Cities of San Francisco — and San Leandro where the Company is headquartered today and for whom the Company has been a solid contributor to its Smart City initiative.
Mr. Goodwin will be presenting on the panel from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m. Interested municipal officials, strategic partners and customers who would like to set a meeting with Mr. Goodwin on July 11 may contact Throne PR at Robert@thronepr.com or 248-794-8709.
Founded and headquartered near Silicon Valley, SyncFab is an active provider of best-in-class low-cost solutions to supply chain buyers and domestic manufacturers. SyncFab today provides a business-to-business supply-chain and IoT Machine Learning Data mobilization platform matching industrial parts purchasers with a growing network of machine shops and advanced manufacturing facilities mapped by who is local and who is clean — a ISO 50001 US DOE certification for efficient energy management. SyncFab’s state-of-the-art B2B ecosystem enables sustainable local advanced manufacturing economy by allowing buyers to procure, manage and track parts production online, making local production faster and more efficient rendering the procurement bidding process more transparent through the power of the internet, blockchain and online payment. SyncFab’s customers include top 50 industrial manufacturers in the Northern California area. SyncFab collaborates with federal and municipal government initiatives in public-private partnerships to advance civic innovation and economic development.


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- Extra particulars have emerged detailing LG’s forthcoming rollable smartphone and Rainbow flagship.
- The Rainbow is claimed to pack a Snapdragon 888 chipset and energetic stylus assist.
- The LG Rollable’s show will reportedly stretch to 7.4-inches when required.
In a bid to rejuvenate its smartphone enterprise, LG will hit 2021 working with not less than three key smartphone fashions. Per a report from Korean outlet ETNews, the corporate will launch a funds cellphone, a rollable gadget, and a conventional flagship within the first half of subsequent 12 months.
Known as the LG Rollable, the scrolling, stretching smartphone is claimed to sport a 6.8-inch display that may scroll out to 7.4-inches. That achieve doesn’t appear large, however the design reportedly retains the benefits whereas skirting a number of negatives related to foldables. LG’s Rollable is claimed to be thinner and lighter than folding equivalents, whereas the display design ensures there are not any creases or wrinkles.
If LG sticks to its rumored March 2021 launch date for the Rollable, it’ll be the primary commercially obtainable scrollable cellphone from a significant participant. LG’s betting large on the shape issue with the likes of Oppo and Samsung additionally set to hitch it within the house sooner or later.
The outlandish design of the rollable might alienate some customers, however LG received’t abandon its conventional kind issue followers. The LG Rainbow – the corporate’s early flagship of 2021 – will sport a design impressed by the LG Velvet however successfully take the place of the LG V70. The Rainbow is claimed to pack the Snapdragon 888 SoC and embrace Wacom energetic stylus assist. If Samsung doesn’t launch a Notice this 12 months, this LG is likely to be a stable various. A March 2021 launch date is predicted.
Lastly, a funds 5G smartphone referred to as the LG Q83 can also be anticipated to launch within the first half of 2021. Though not as thrilling as its two siblings, it will give 5G cellphone consumers on a funds another choice. No launch date has been given for this specific mannequin.


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Luxembourg's Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), Europe's first crypto license issuer, has identified another unregistered crypto firm.
On 31 January CSSF announced the firm, Crypto Bull, working under the URL crypto-bull.io, has been claimed to be Luxembourg-based while the company does not have any permission to issue crypto services in the country. The warning notice issued by CSSF stated that people were informed that this firm had not been given any permission to issue financial services or other investment services from or within Luxembourg.
While Luxembourg has been favourable to the crypto industry as the nation houses significant global cryptocurrency exchange like Bitstamp. Earlier in 2016, CSSF, which regulates crypto exchanges in Luxembourg, reportedly provided the first crypto license to Bitstamp in Europe.
Some sources previously reported that Luxembourg's government had seen cryptocurrencies as "intangible assets" that cannot be subjected to income tax until they could be exchanged with fiat. As such from August 2019, all crypto transactions were exempted from VAT within the country.
Luxembourg is a country that has been encouraging the local crypto ecosystem development. The country's authorities have always been observing the market for potential fraudsters and scammers. In September 2019, the CSSF red-flagged fraudulent clone website's activities. The site was representing BitPay, a crypto payment service provider. Earlier, an alert was issued by the regulator against another crypto-related entity, Cryptominingoptionsignal. The regulator claimed the entity to be licensed in Luxembourg.
The Crypto Bull's website cited the firm has placed itself as a technologically oriented and reliable platform for crypto trading. Crypto Bull has been claimed to be settled at 2, place de Paris, 2314 Luxembourg. However, the website hasn't regarded whether the company was licensed or not.
According to the phone numbers of three related company on the site, Crypto Bull appeared to be providing services to customers in Spain, the United Kingdom and Russia.
Crypto Bull's domain supposedly was registered in February 2019. It had a good opportunity to cheat crypto users. Some online reviews claimed that the company was not a reliable investment platform but rather a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme. According to some reports, Crypto Bull has already gained some spotlight by officials from Spain and Italy. Both countries have blacklisted Crypto Bull as a scam.


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NEW DELHI: Chinese conglomerate Lead Eastern Group
is picking up 10% stake in Anil Ambani-owned Reliance
Games’ mobile gaming company Zapak Mobile Games
for $15 million, forming a strategic partnership to create and market mobile games globally and giving Reliance Games a foothold in the massive Chinese market.
The transaction will be subject to regulatory approvals and due diligence, and the partners expect to close the definitive agreements soon, they said in a statement. The deal will value Zapak
at $150 million.
Reliance Games, Lead Eastern Investment along with Creative Cultural are also forming a joint venture company in China to create, operate and market mobile games based on intellectual properties owned and acquired by Zapak. They will own 40%, 51% & 9% stakes respectively in the venture.
Amitabh Jhunjhunwala, group managing director of Reliance Group said this will accelerate the growth and reach of their gaming business in the China marketplace, along with continued expansion in the global markets. “This partnership will enable both the companies to leverage their core competencies,” he said.
Chunfeng Wang, chairman of Lead Eastern Company said the strategic partnership between thw two companies will enable them to expand extensively in China and global markets.
Corey Redmond, president and CEO of Creative Cultural said their mission is to provide a gateway for Chinese game developers to use top Hollywood IP to develop enthralling mobile games.
Lead Holding group has business interests in real estate, tourism, finance and capital services, media & entertainment
, gaming, logistics while Lead Eastern, which is a part of Lead Holding, is a listed entity with interests in film, television, gaming content creation, broadcasting and distribution.
Reliance Games develops and publishes games and has seen more than 200 million downloads across its popular titles like Real Steel, Pacific Rim, Hunger Games – Catching Fire Panem Run, Dancing with the Stars, Shadow Strike, among others.