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Vinitaly ups global footprint
Vinitaly has launched a promotional plan across 15 strategic markets in order to drive global exports of Italian wine.
Vinitaly, owned and organised by Veronafiere, is the only international event in Italy specifically dedicated to wine and spirits.
It is scheduled in April every year at the Verona Exhibition Centre and involves a net show area of more than 100,000 square metres across seventeen permanent and tensile show facilities.
The exhibition supports the internationalisation of Italian wines through visitors from different countries around the world. More than 4100 Italian and international exhibitors from 32 countries were at the trade show in 2023, as well as 93,000 professional operators in attendance (32% from 143 countries).
The top five countries of origin for buyers at the last edition in April this year saw the US confirm its market leadership, up 45% in attendance compared to 2022, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, China and Canada.
The wine industry in Italy is worth 31.3 billion euros, with 530,000 companies and around 870,000 employees. Vinitaly has also organised an international tour in order to build relationships with export markets.
It has set its sights on 15 carefully selected key countries representing 78% of the value of overall Italian wine exports, with a programme of events lined up by Veronafiere starting in September this year through to March 2024.
Following the Vinitaly China Roadshow (Beijing, Changsha and Hangzhou 11-15 September) and Wine South America (12-14 September) in Bento Gonçalves, Brazil, Vinitaly makes its debut 22-23 October in Chicago at the International Wine Expo (IWE), the trade fair format organised by Italian Expo in partnership with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Chicago and the ICE Trade Agency specifically for wine and food professionals in the US Midwest.
It is then the turn of Wine Vision by Open Balkan in Belgrade, Serbia, 16-19 November, where Vinitaly will accompany group attendance by 50 Italian winemakers.
Vinitaly also plans to target the countries identified as priorities by Vinitaly exhibitors, including Switzerland, Germany and Denmark.
The Vinitaly tour resumes in January 2024 in Japan (Tokyo, 15 January) and South Korea (Seoul, 12 January) before returning to Sweden (Stockholm, 23 January) and Austria (Rust, 25 January) in Europe.
Vinitaly set course once again towards Northern Europe in the UK (London, 6 February) and Belgium (Bruxelles, 19-20 March).
The US will be at the heart of this promotional effort in the opening months of 2024 with two more Vinitaly preview events, while the American roadshow will then resume between June and July in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco.
Finally, May sees Veronafiere in the forefront once again in China for Wine to Asia (Shenzhen, 9-11 May 2024) and in Brazil for “I love Italian Wine” (Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro).


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New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): To boost both Ease of Doing Business as well as Ease of Living and reduce the cost of logistics across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Logistics Policy at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi today.
The Indian logistics sector provides livelihood to more than 22 million people and improving the sector will facilitate a 10 % decrease in indirect logistics costs leading to the growth of 5 to 8% in exports. Further, it is estimated that the worth of the Indian logistics market will be around USD 215 billion in the next two years compared to about USD 160 billion at present.
It has been the vision of the Prime Minister to develop world-class modern infrastructure through the integration of all stakeholders in holistic planning and implementation so that efficiency and synergy are achieved in the execution of the project. The PM GatiShakti – National Master Plan for muti-modal connectivity – launched by the Prime Minister last year, was a pioneering step in this direction. PM GatiShakti will get further boost and complementarity with the launch of the National Logistics Policy.
Need for a national logistics policy
- India’s logistics sector is highly defragmented and the aim is to reduce the logistics cost from the present 14% of GDP to less than 10% by 2022.
- As per the Economic Survey 2017-18, the Indian logistics sector provides livelihood to more than 22 million people and improving the sector will facilitate a 10 % decrease in indirect logistics costs leading to the growth of 5 to 8% in exports.
- Further, the Survey estimates that the worth of the Indian logistics market would be around USD 215 billion in the next two years compared to about USD 160 billion currently.
Key feature of the National Logistics Policy
- The National Logistics Policy has been prepared in consultation with the Ministries of Railways, Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Civil Aviation. Forty-six Partnering Government Agencies (PGAs) inputs were analysed in detail for consideration in the Policy.
- Vision and Objectives for Logistics in India: To drive economic growth and trade competitiveness of the country through a truly integrated, seamless, efficient, reliable and cost-effective logistics network, leveraging best-in-class technology, processes and skilled manpower.
- Key objectives of the national logistics policy: Given the pivotal role of the logistics sector in the development of the economy and the need to incorporate learnings from global best practices, the policy outlines an ambitious set of objectives. The following are some of the key objectives for logistics in India, to be achieved in the next five years:
- Creating a single point of reference for all logistics and trade facilitation matters in the country which will also function as a knowledge and information sharing platform
- Driving logistics cost as a % of GDP down from estimated current levels of 13-14% to 10% in line with best-in-class global standards and incentivize the sector to become more efficient by promoting integrated development of logistics
Objectives of the National Logistics Policy
- Creating a National Logistics e-marketplace as a one-stop marketplace. It will involve simplification of documentation for exports/imports and drive transparency through digitization of processes involving Customs, PGAs etc in regulatory, certification and compliance services
- Creating a data and analytics center to drive transparency and continuous monitoring of key logistics metrics
- Encouraging industry, academia and government to come together to create a logistics Center of Excellence, and drive innovation in the logistics sector
- Creating and managing on an ongoing basis, an Integrated National Logistics Action Plan which will serve as a master plan for all logistics-related development.
- Providing an impetus to trade and hence economic growth by driving competitiveness in exports
- Doubling employment in the logistics sector by generating additional 10-15 million jobs and focusing on enhancing skills in the sector and encouraging gender diversity
- Improve India’s ranking in the Logistics Performance Index to between 25 to 30
- Strengthening the warehousing sector in India by improving the quality of storage infrastructure including specialized warehouses across the country
- Reducing losses due to agri-wastage to less than 5% through effective agri-logistics
- Providing impetus to the MSME sector in the country through a cost-effective logistics network
- Promoting cross-regional trade on e-commerce platforms by enabling a seamless flow of goods
- Encouraging the adoption of green logistics in the country
Policy thrust areas
This policy defines the key thrust areas for logistics in India, which will be the focus of the relevant ministries as well as act as a guide to the state governments. The prioritized focus areas for logistics are detailed below:
- Focusing on critical projects to drive an optimal modal mix and to enable first mile and last mile connectivity
- Driving the development of Multi Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs)
- Driving interventions to reduce logistics costs and promote logistics efficiency for the movement of key commodities
- Creating a single window Logistics e-marketplace
- Setting up a Logistics Data and Analytics Center
- Creating a Center of Trade Facilitation and Logistics Excellence (CTFL) and leveraging the expertise of multilateral agencies
- Creating an Integrated National Logistics Action Plan and aligning with respective state development plans
- Support strengthening of the warehousing sector
- Enhancing transport and rolling stock infrastructure
- Streamlining EXIM processes to promote trade competitiveness
- Reducing dwell time for interstate cargo movement by road
- Promoting standardization in the logistics sector
- Ensuring seamless movement of goods at Land Customs Stations (LCS) and Integrated Check Points (ICP)
- Generating employment, enhancing skilling, and encouraging gender diversity in the logistics sector
- Setting up a Startup acceleration fund
Funding for logistics initiatives
A non-lapsable Logistics fund will be created, to drive progress against the key thrust areas. The Logistics fund can be deployed for the following
- Providing viability gap funding for select MMLP projects, first and last mile projects and projects for poorly-serviced remote areas.
- Incentivizing select logistics skilling programs and training institutes
- Setting up a start-up acceleration fund to incentivize the development of new technology in logistics, particularly the farm-to-plate space
- Creating the Center for Trade Facilitation and Logistics Excellence (CTFL) Setting up a big data enabled logistics data hub and analytics center
- Creating a single window logistics e-marketplace
Institutional Framework & Governance for Logistics
For this purpose, four committees/councils will be constituted:
- National Council for Logistics, chaired by the Prime Minister of India
- Apex inter-ministerial Committee, chaired by the Minister of Commerce and Industry
- India Logistics Forum chaired by the Commerce Secretary with representation from key industry/business stakeholders and academia. An empowered task force on logistics will be created, as a standing committee chaired by the head of the Logistics Wing
The National Logistics Policy formulated by the Commerce and Industry Ministry will improve India’s trade competitiveness, create more jobs, improve India’s performance in global rankings and pave the way for India to become a logistics hub.

domain: news


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HB Studios has released a new gameplay video, showing off TPC Southwind at hole 18. The game is scheduled to release sometime this summer and includes the PGA Tour license. Summerlin, Scottsdale, Sawgrass, Southwind, Deere Run and Boston will be featured in career mode.
EA Sports UFC 3 has been well-supported with new content and gameplay improvements since releasing early this year, but that support is coming to a close with the release of a new patch today. The free update does a lot for gameplay, makes Knockout Mode and Stand and Bang Mode playable online, and adds five prominent fighters to the roster in Tito Ortiz, Matt Serra, Kimbo Slice, Mirko Cro Cop, and Wanderlei Silva.
After a long journey that began with a failed Kickstarter, Mutant Football League came out in late 2017 on PC and then followed on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 earlier this year. The game was rough around the edges, somewhat intentionally so, and offered some enjoyment but maybe not the longevity one would hope for. That could change due to additions being made to the game late this summer which were initially announced last month.
Super Mega Baseball has come a long way since its successful debut back in late 2014. Indie Development company, MetalHead Software, hit a home run with their original Super Mega Baseball game in a genre that was truly non-existent at the time and had lost its lust, so to speak. Classics from the past like the original RBI baseball series and Baseball Stars from SNK were some of the best titles in this sport. Nowadays, in an era where licensed sports games...
NBA Live 19 is making a return this year to see if they can capitilize on their Career mode while improving gameplay with Real Player motion and new animations being added to the game. This makes sense due to the stronghold NBA 2K has on the basketball market and differentiation is key to NBA Live's success moving forward.
HB Studios announced The Golf Club 2019 last month with a newly licensed PGA Tour Career Mode and six authentic golf courses. The game is set for an August 2018 release date and closed stress tests have initiated in preparation for go-live.
EA Sports has shared quite a bit of news since their lackluster EA Play conference took place a week ago or so. They've shared news of Madden 19 coming to PC, details of Franchice Mode additions, Gameplay Running changes and MUT Improvements to name a few. Now EA has released new information regarding the Presentation, or lack thereof, in Madden 19.
Electronic Arts Inc. today unveiled the first look at EA SPORTS NHL® 19 to hockey fans at the 2018 NHL Awards™ presented by Hulu in Las Vegas. Electronic Arts also revealed Nashville Predators’ Norris Trophy-winning defenseman and Olympic gold-medalist, P.K. Subban, as the NHL® 19 cover athlete.
A new video has been released by one of EA's Game Changers sharing the top rated players coming to MADDEN NFL 19. He goes through each team's top 10 rated players and reveals the current overall ratings from EA's upcoming football game.
Player Locomotion, or Run Cycles, is the feature that is going to have the biggest impact on Madden gameplay. The Locomotion system has been rebuilt using technological innovations from across a variety of EA games and was designed in a way that intuitively balances the line between responsiveness and authenticity.
EA Sports has released a new Teaser Trailer for its NHL 19 series in preparation for the NHL Awards in Las Vegas this Wednesday June 20th. Included will be the cover athlete unveiling, first trailer, and pre-order details. EA Sports confirmed the upcoming appearance with the release of a teaser video that may provide insight on one of the major new features for this year.
New information has been released by EA Sports on their upcoming Madden NFL 19 Franchise mode. There's been quite a bit of information since the cover was announed just a couple of weeks ago and EA Play's lackluster event. Franchise mode has been extremely light for the last so many years and has not been made a priority by Tiburon over that time.
Konami has announced Hyper Sports R, a successor to the Hyper Sports arcade game, is heading to the Nintendo Switch. HYPER SPORTS R, is a new sports simulation title, to arrive on the Nintendo Switch. Compete in a variety of individual and team sports, and train a team to take on rivals as you race for a spot at the top. There will be multiple modes in Hyper Sports R, though only to have been revealed so far. Campaign lets people pick one of over 20 characters, put them on a team...
Madden 19 has shared news that it will be coming to PC this year. This is the first time since 2007 that fans have experienced Madden on the PC. Madden 07 is still played and modded by fans even today and I'm sure PC gamers are estatic about the news. PC rumors have always been at play over the last decade and now it's a reality.
MotoGP 18 is now available on the Xbox One, PS4, and PC with the Nintendo Switch coming on June 28th. The game comes in at a price tag of $49.99 with DLC available at $4.99 for the MotoGp 18 Booster Pack.
MLB The Show 18 is releasing a new Patch 1.11 is scheduled for Thursday June 7th at 3AM PT to try and improve PCI placement rewards when batting. The update doesn't seem to have any effects on groundballs and popups, but instead lining up the PCI accuractely left/right will expand the cutoff between a fly ball or a popup more than in previous versions. This really only focuses on balls thrown directly above or below the center of the PCI marker.
2K Sports made an announcement today sharing news that Lebron James will appear on the cover of NBA 2K19 in a special 2oth Anniversary Edition. The Special Edition releases 4 days earlier than the Standard Edition and comes with a price tag $40 north of the Standard Edition's.
FIFA 2018 World Cup is now available for FIFA Mobile on Apple and Google stores! Players can select from 32 qualified nations and 16 non-qualified nations to play along with the world's most significant football event.
Mario Tennis Aces for the Nintendo Switch releases on June 22 but has provided an early access demo this weekend to play the Online Tournament mode. Download the pre-launch Online Tournament demo from Nintendo eShop. Beat rivals and earn points to unlock additional playable characters in the demo. By participating and keeping your save data, you can unlock Mario’s classic outfit in the full version of the game, once...


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The Jakob Consortium of Sweden is ready to bid on Volvo — but is Ford ready to sell it to the group?
The chief executive of Jakob, Peder Fast, told the news agency TT on Tuesday: “We have told Ford we are ready to submit a financed bid for Volvo.”
That makes Jakob number three, after the Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which is the preferred bidder after offering $1.8 billion, and Crown consortium, an American group led by former Ford executives Michael Dingman and Shamel Rushwin.
Neither Volvo nor Ford had any comment on the announcement by Jakob.
Geely is the only bidder Ford has named in its official communications, although the American automaker has not excluded talks over other offers.
“Negotiations continue intensively,” said Tim Burt, a spokesman for Geely, “and we hope all parties can arrive at an agreement as soon as practical.”
The Chinese automaker has said it offers a network of dealerships, purchasing power with suppliers and marketing support, all of which could strengthen Volvo’s presence in China, one of the few remaining automobile markets to show growth, and help it swing back to profit.
It has also made assurances that the Volvo brand will retain its identity, senior management will remain intact, and the company will be able to pursue its existing business strategy.
Last week, Reuters reported that Geely trying to line up $1 billion in loans from Chinese banks as part of a $1.8 billion bid. Neither Ford nor Geely would confirm the amount of the offer.
“We’re on a level with the bids rumored to come from the others,” Mr. Fast told TT. Financing, he said, would come from an international group of investors, without providing specifics.
The Jakob effort has been in the works for months.
In September, Soren Gyll, former Volvo chief executive, became chairman of Jakob’s advisory committee.
“I want to see a Swedish solution for Volvo,” he told Dagens Industri, the Swedish financial daily, at the time.
Volvo is the last brand Ford is seeking to sell from a group that once included Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover. It first announced it was in talks with potential bidders nearly a year ago.
– Chris V. Nicholson
The $662 million buyout bid for Pactera Technology International, an outsourcing firm, is the latest in a series of deals by private equity groups to privatize Chinese firms listed in the United States.
The wireless company attributed the decline to a slump in Southern Europe and price cuts required by European regulators. Revenue fell 4.2 percent.
Yahoo’s deal for Tumblr raises questions about its ability to make money by selling ads, among other thorny issues.
For years, oil producers have used natural gas to heat rock below ground to make the oil flow more easily. Oman will use solar power instead.
Designers focused on improving lives for poor farmers have a solar-powered pumping plan.
Robert Douglas Lawler, an executive at Anadarko, will succeed Aubrey McClendon, a Chesapeake co-founder who was forced to leave after a shareholder uprising.
Courts are looking to Urban Dictionary, a crowdsourced Web site, as one way to define words on which a case may turn.
Daylight and a hovering helicopter allowed cable news channels to bring startling images of the mile-wide tornado in Oklahoma to viewers on Monday.
Officials searched the personal e-mails and tried to track the movements of a Fox News correspondent, James Rosen, in investigating a leak.
A federal judge’s ruling could halt the resale of digital music as well as other digital good like e-books.
A world-renowned physicist meets a gorgeous model online. They plan their perfect life together. But first, she asks, would he be so kind as to deliver a special package to her?
The Winklevoss brothers have moved on from their battle with Mark Zuckerberg and are more active than ever.
The cost of claims for people with serious medical conditions has exhausted most of the $5 billion provided by Congress for the health insurance program.
Ms. Brenner, who led Breast Cancer Action for 15 years, took on the medical establishment and industrial companies as she crusaded for research on the disease.
With pimples emerging well before the teenage years, and a rise in the number of preadolescent patients, doctors have put together guidelines on treatment for children as young as 7.
To understand Yahoo’s acquisition of Tumblr, consider Yahoo’s deal for GeoCities in 1999. | For technology deal makers, business is booming. | SAC Capital Advisors is bracing for another round of withdrawal requests. | Apple avoided billions in taxes in the United States and around the world, Congressional investigators disclosed.
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MUMBAI (Reuters) -Research house Nomura expects India’s current account deficit (CAD) as a share of the gross domestic product to triple this fiscal year, saying that a global economic slowdown will further skew the country’s trade imbalances.
In a note dated Sept. 5, the research house said it now expects India’s CAD to rise to 3.5% of GDP in the current fiscal year from 1.2% last year. It had previously forecast the share to be 3.3% of GDP.
Further, the slight decline in India’s trade deficit to $28.7 billion in August from a record $30 billion in the previous month offers little relief, Nomura said. The pace of growth of both imports and exports moderated, though the slowdown was more pronounced in exports, it added.
“While moderating commodity prices and the uneven pace of growth recovery will affect import growth in coming months, slowing global growth is likely to weigh further on exports and lead to persistently elevated trade deficits.”
The Nomura India Normalisation Index (NINI) for trade, which excludes base and seasonal effects, showed that export growth has fallen to near 26% in August from a peak 48% above pre-pandemic level in June 2022. In contrast, imports have fallen to 60% from 78% over the same period.
Nomura highlighted that the average monthly trade deficit in this fiscal year to August has been around $26 billion, as against last year’s average of $16 billion.
“High monthly trade deficits are increasingly becoming the norm rather than exception. External sector risks remain elevated,” the research house said.
While foreign direct investment (FDI) flows are likely to remain stable, it is unlikely to fully offset the weakness in portfolio flows, it added.
This should lead to a negative basic balance of payments.
(Reporting by Nimesh Vora; Editing by Dhanya Ann Thoppil)
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


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‘GTA 6’ release date: Leak suggesting 2021 announcement correctly predicts ‘GTA Online’ summer update and new Heist later this year
The truth is not every information online claiming to be a “leak” can be easily trusted. However, fans’ perception change when details from the same source are getting confirmed little by little. That might be what’s going on in the case of an earlier posted Rockstar Games leaks that also claimed “GTA 6” might be announced next year.
‘GTA 6’ leak suggests 2021 announcement
A fan in the GamingLeaksAndRumors sub-Reddit recalled a post from u/markothemexicam in April where the possibility of a “GTA 6” announcement was suggested. The three-month-old post resurfaced after other gaming fans noticed that it correctly predicted some details of the “GTA Online” update in July or August and a “new heist” launching in December.
Rockstar announced its big plans for its online multiplayer titles in the remaining months of 2020. Particularly for “GTA Online,” the developer promised a “massive update” going live in summer plus the “biggest ever update” that highlights a new Heist content set in a new location to be released “later this year.”
As for the “GTA 6” announcement timeline, the original poster did note that the information is very tentative and even his source was not sure about it. But it would not be surprising if Rockstar may want to keep its momentum by announcing the much-awaited next-generation title shortly after the launch of “GTA V” on PlayStation 5. The expanded game is planned to be released in the second half of 2021.
‘GTA 6’ gameplay rumors: Return to Vice City?
With “GTA 6” being a next-generation title, it is only fitting to expect major upgrades in gameplay mechanics. But since this is “GTA,” another important aspect of the next game is its plot.
The same set of leaks mentioned that, as earlier rumors suggested, “GTA 6” would take place in Vice City, but the era at which the story is set remains unclear. The source purportedly worked on some early weather features like how NPCs can be struck by a lightning.
It should be noted that the original poster said their source was a roommate who “did some programming” on “GTA 6” before getting fired from Rockstar North a week before the Reddit post was published. Despite some of the details seemingly confirmed recently, fans are still advised to read it with a pinch of salt.


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52 Week Range
As of on the Tokyo Stock Exchange ∙ Minimum 15 minute delay
Keiyo Co Ltd <8168.T> :Says co issues new shares and distribute treasury stock of totaling 12.6 million shares to DCM Holdings <3050.T> via private placement and raises 6.91 billion yen on Jan. 20.
Keiyo Co Ltd <8168.T> : Says co forms a business and capital alliance with DCM Holdings Co Ltd <3050.T> on Jan. 5 . Says co plans to issue new shares and distribute treasury stock of totaling 12.6 million shares to DCM Holdings via private placement and will raise 6.91 billion yen, with payment date on Jan. 20 .DCM Holdings will hold 19.31 percent of voting power in co and to be the top shareholder after transaction.
DCM Holdings Co Ltd:Announced a business alliance with Keiyo Co., Ltd.Says two entities will cooperate on purchasing and sales promotion and distribution system, product development, as well as store development.Says DCM Holdings to wholly own Keiyo Co., Ltd via share exchange.
Keiyo Co., Ltd. announced that it expects approximately JPY 700 million extraordinary loss due to the earthquake for the fiscal year ending February 2012.
Keiyo Co., Ltd. announced that Takeo Hayashi will resign his position of Chairman of the Board in the Company, effective March 31, 2011.
Keiyo Co., Ltd. announced that it will repurchase up to JPY 800 million or up to 1,500,000 shares of its common stock, or approximately 2.73% of its total shares outstanding. The share repurchase will be conducted during the period from February 3, 2010 to July 30, 2010.
Keiyo Co., Ltd. announced that it has reaffirmed its consolidated full-year guidance for revenue of JPY 187,500 million, operating profit of JPY 3,800 million, ordinary profit of JPY 4,300 million, and raised its consolidated full-year guidance for net profit from JPY 1,800 million to JPY 2,400 million, and earning per share from JPY 32.80 to JPY 43.73, for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2010. The Company raises consolidated full-year outlook due to the merger with subsidiaries. According to Reuters Estimates, analysts on average are expecting the Company to report full-year revenue of JPY 187,500 million and net profit of JPY 2,400 million.
Keiyo Co., Ltd. announced that it has decided to merge with two of its wholly owned subsidiaries, including a Chiba Prefecture-based subsidiary and a Nagano Prefecture-based subsidiary, on September 1, 2009. After the transaction, the Company will become the surviving company, and the two wholly owned subsidiaries, which have both been engaged in the management of do-it-yourself stores, will be dissolved,
Keiyo Co., Ltd. announced that it has lowered its consolidated full-year guidance for revenue from JPY 195,800 million to JPY 190,000 million, operating profit from JPY 4,700 million to JPY 3,500 million, ordinary profit from JPY 5,300 million to JPY 4,200 million, net profit from JPY 2,900 million to JPY 2,200 million, and earning per share from JPY 51.88 to JPY 39.63, for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2009. The Company lowered its consolidated full-year outlook due to the decreased consuming mind. According to Reuters Estimates, analysts on average are expecting the Company to report full-year revenue of JPY 192,300 million and net profit of JPY 2,400 million.
Keiyo Co., Ltd. announced that it will dissolve its wholly owned subsidiary, which has been engaged in the installation of home center products and reform businesses in Chiba, Japan, effective November 30, 2008. The liquidation will be completed in January 2009.
Quote and financial data from Refinitiv. Fund performance data provided by Lipper. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes.


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Facebook Messenger will undergo positive changes. According to Zuckerberg's company, it will be faster and take up less space on users' devices.
An area dedicated to family and close friends will also be implemented. This will tell Stories and all content shared between you and the closest people. It looks something similar to Close Friends that already exists in the Facebook app and also on Instagram.
A function called Watch Party is also on its way. Here, friends can explore, discover and view videos together through messenger, which can be done through video chat or simply group chat.
Although there is already a desktop app, a new version of Messenger desktop will be launched that is very similar in design to the mobile version. This will contain all functions of the original app without limits.
Facebook has been improving Messenger a lot
It is true that Facebook is experiencing a decline of active users but the Messenger app is still widely used. In addition, several businesses use the app to communicate with their customers, about 40 million, according to the social network.
Therefore, Facebook has recently changed the app's design to a cleaner, more modern look. The bottom buttons have been reduced from 9 to just 3, eliminating visual 'junk' from the interface.
Additionally, we finally saw Dark Mode implementing the application natively. We also have the ability to respond to specific Whatsapp style messages and even unsubscribe within a 10 minute window.
For now, Facebook has not announced specific dates for this major update but at the time of this announcement, it should not be long. All of these changes will certainly make the app more dynamic and perhaps encourage more users to use Facebook Messenger.
EBox editors recommend:


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Bringing Books To Life
There is a fundamental shift in the nature of books being announced by the University of Ulster, according to the “Futurist” magazine.
In the July-August issue it says, “No more waiting for the movie version of your favorite book. New multimedia technology, combined with language processing, will allow books to be translated automatically into 3-D animated images. Software developed at the University of Ulster understands natural English-language input and maps it into 3-D multimedia presentations. The potential applications range from bringing a children’s story to life to creating interactive city maps. Filmmakers could also use the technology to produce vivid animated storyboards from screenplays so that directors may experiment with different angles before live actors are brought to the set.”
For more information, see the website: www.ulst.ac.uk .
This announcement marks the first fundamental change in the functionality of a book in over five hundred years. Books have always been the vessel for ideas and entertainment that drives the imagination of the reader. E-books provide a different type of delivery system for the content (an electronic reader versus a paper book) but are still only words that were seen and interpreted by the reader’s imagination. This new software creates 3-D images for the reader, taking imagination out of the equation.
What problem is this solution attempting to solve? Yes, it is a cool technology—both astounding and amazing. Will it reach mainstream readers, however, or be relegated to filmmakers and story boarders?
Does this device solve the illiteracy problem? People younger than 30 years old are reading less. Other media (TV, movies, the Internet, iPod, Xbox, etc) consume more time for youngsters than reading. Experts say that children favor images to words. Illiteracy is on the rise in this age group.
There remains a basic flaw in the adaptation of the software by users—both young and old. The software requires an intermediary computer to render the images—today a PC, tomorrow possibly a hand-held device. Will readers want an intermediary between them and the words? Traditional readers will not. They are fewer and fewer in number, however. Will younger readers want an intermediary? Probably not. There are too many other choices of electronic devices to capture their attention for entertainment.
Furthermore, the software lacks interactivity and variability. The 3-D software interprets the written words as they were written. It is linear. This cannot compete with the interactivity of video games with their multiple scenarios and interactivity for younger users.
It is not clear what problem this new software development solves. It is clear, however, that anyone interested in the printing, distribution, marketing or reading of books should keep an eye on this technology to see where it leads.
If you enjoyed reading this, please forward the URL to colleagues who might also enjoy it, http://bookprint.blogspot.com.


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Recent herd-rebuilding slowed Australia’s beef production significantly in the second half of 2015, with the latest data showing November production down 11.5 percent year-over-year. But annual chilled/frozen exports of Australian beef still reached 1.285 million metric tons (mt) – falling just short of the 2014 record (1.286 million mt). Exports were expected to trend lower at the start of 2015, but persistent drought conditions postponed the slowdown in production to the middle of the year. Through June, Australia’s exports were 10 percent ahead of the record pace of 2014, but exports in the second half were down 9 percent.
Exports were bolstered by the weak Australian dollar, which was down an average of 17 percent versus the U.S. dollar in 2015. Exports to the United States were record-large at 415,951 mt, up 4 percent from a year ago. Shipments also increased to South Korea (167,000 mt, +10 percent), China (148,222 mt, +19 percent, just short of the 2013 record), and Canada (42,575 mt, +29 percent). Exports declined year-over-year to Japan (285,223 mt,-3 percent), Taiwan (30,448 mt, -16 percent), as well as to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Central/South America.
There were some concerns that Australia’s cattle prices were going to take a hit when business resumed after the holidays, but the indicator price reached A$6/kg on Jan. 13 – a new record, and up 38 percent year-over-year. In U.S. dollars, prices averaged $1.90 per pound, up 18 percent. Encouraging rain over the holidays helped support prices, and Meat and Livestock Australia expects Australia’s exports to decrease by 15 percent in 2016 based on smaller production – but rain remains key.
Data sources: Australian Department of Agriculture and Meat and Livestock Australia


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Samsung held its 2020 Unpacked Event in San Francisco where it unveiled its new devices and a look at what the future of Samsung Mobile looked like.
Broadcom has announced an agreement to sell $15 Billion worth of mobile parts to Apple in the next 3 years, but what are these parts? Is this a big deal?
At NRF 2020, Samsung launched the XCover Pro mobile device. Partnering with Microsoft, the new device embeds Microsoft Teams pushing retail innovation.
At CES 2020 Samsung rolled out its new Galaxy Chromebook. Traditionally big for education and light consumer use, does this have commercial potential?
At CES 2020, Dell used the platform to launch a number of new devices including a new 15 inch Latitude 9000, which should be perfect for commercial users.
Intel’s Project Athena, which certifies its definition of ACPCs offered significant announcements at CES 2020, including several new certified designs.
5G is heating up in the US and after TMobile recently launched its nationwide low band 5G, AT&T has expanded into seven more US cities.
In a surprising move from its normal acquisition terror, Broadcom is reportedly looking to exit the RF business, which could mean opportunity for Apple.
At Dreamforce 2019, Salesforce and Apple announced the launch of two new applications and a new SDK to bring Salesforce to the next level on iOS.
Google launched the Pixel 4 at its annual Made by Google event. Exploring the launch and what it means for Google moving forward.


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The increased functionality and technology that comes packed within smartphones’ compact shells and other portable devices such as tablets is making them more and more of a must-have item amongst consumers. Apps help to amplify a device’s functionality, whether it is for productivity or pleasure. As the tech world becomes crazier for apps, many developers are jumping into the field in an attempt to not only gain recognition, but also financial profit. While most app developers probably have plenty of experience under their belts, some are brand new to the game and very young as well.
When you think of the word “young” in terms of app developers, you may envision a twenty-something who develops on the side while also attending college. For the purpose of this article, however, think much younger, such as those in their teenage years. In fact, there are developers making their mark at a mere 12 years of age. It’s not all for fun, either, as some of these youngsters are making enough money off their app sales to buy their favorite tech products or even save for college.
Take a look at the United States’ Thomas Suarez, for example. Only 12 years old, Suarez has already developed and placed two apps for sale on Apple’s iTunes store. Bustin Jieber, which sells for 99 cents, is Suarez’ personal favorite and it also happens to be his bestseller. The app is a play on recording artist Justin Bieber’s name and is presented in the Whack-a-Mole format. He also developed Earth Fortune, an app which presents the Earth in varying colors according to your so-called personal fortune. Suarez’ experience at such a young age gave him the luxury of presenting an inspirational speech at the TEDxManhattanBeach conference last month. He also created an app club at school dedicated to teaching his counterparts the tricks of the trade when it comes to app design. “A lot of kids these days like to play games, but now they want to make them. And it's difficult because not many kids know where to go to find out how to make a program…and not many parents have written apps,” Suarez said.
Robert Nay, a 14 year old from Utah, showed just how successful a very young developer could be when he released his free Bubble Ball app. The physics-based app surpassed the 9.1 million download mark since its release, which allowed it to surpass the immensely popular Angry Birds app on the free charts at one point. Nay decided to create the app after his schoolmates acknowledged his talent with computers and urged him to take the plunge. He followed up by going to the local library to study programs to help with the app building process, and the rest was history. Nay’s dedication has paid off, as the in-app purchase feature of Bubble Ball that grants purchasers 23 extra levels sells for 99 cents.
Australia’s Brandon Cowan is another example of a young and successful app developer. The 17 year old partnered with Hilton Rosenfeld, a family friend, to create the iParkedHere app. For $2.99, users can call on iParkedHere to not only receive alerts when their parking time is about to expire, but to also remember where they parked. The app managed to achieve the distinction of being iTunes’ top grossing app in the Lifestyle category for one day and also went as high as 31st among all of the Australian store’s apps. Cowan did not release any actual figures as to how much he earned from the app’s popularity, but top apps usually reach in the neighborhood of hundreds of downloads on a daily basis.
If you are looking for specifics concerning the possibility of a young developer’s profits, look no further than Nick Garcia of Phoenix, Arizona. The 16 year old, who has authored such iTunes apps as Caffeine Meter and Ultimate Vuvuzela 2010, reportedly earned thousands from Apple for his development efforts. His YouTube videos have also helped to boost his buying power, and he claims to have made over $100,000 for all of his work.
The hard work, dedication, and ingenuity being displayed by young developers has been noticed by their elders, such as Marc Edwards, founder of Bjango, an app development company that creates selections for the iTunes Store. He said: “It's great to see these guys succeed,” he said. “They're getting a huge jump start in life, learning skills others may never have. What's best is that it's been done independently, motivated by a desire to explore and learn.” Edwards noted the difficulty of getting noticed in such a swamped app market, which makes the accomplishments of the young developers that much more impressive. As for the prospects of a future as an app developer, Edwards added: “There's a massive industry that has grown around the [Apple] and Android app stores. If you can build and release a hit, you shouldn't have any trouble paying the rent.”


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Tag: Global Talents Digital
Global Talents Digital is announcing a new call out for sustainable emerging designers, inviting them to show their new collections for clients, the press, buyers, celebrity stylists, and industry leaders – by means of video presentations/live streams/AR/VR. The brand-new edition of Global Talents Digital is inspired by sustainability and aims to educate and inspire the world with it. Designers should be focused on one or more directions like upcycling, recycling, ethical fashion, slow fashion, or zero waste.
Global Talents Digital took place online on June 10 to 11. In the first edition of the international hybrid fashion project designers presented their new digital and real collections, demonstrated by virtual and human models. Totally, the show included 50 designers from 20 countries, 8 virtual shows and 38 collections. 8 digital artists and 6 digital models joined Global Talents Digital, the off-season online project by Russian Fashion Council powered by Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. The event was broadcasted life on Be Global fashion Network as well.
On June 10 to 11, 2020, Global Talents Digital is taking place, the world’s first hybrid international online fashion-project, which will combine real designer collections along with the digital ones. Virtual and human models will present new fashion collections. Virtual Instagram celebrities will deliver their personal digital collections. 50 participants from 20 countries will show their collections and works in an unconventional format of video presentations, some of them using AR technology and digital avatars.


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Country hitmaker returns to the road on May 30th in Kaysville, UT
Country music hitmaker Collin Raye has announced his return to the road. Raye is set to headline a free live concert, headed up by the Utah Business Revival, in Kaysville, Utah at Barnes Park on May 30th. The event marks Raye’s first public performance since COVID-19 ushered in national “safer-at-home” orders, forcing him off the road. It’s one of, if not the first, live concerts being held in the United States since the pandemic halted touring earlier this year.
The outdoor event will also feature booths for local nonessential businesses to give company owners an opportunity to interact with the public to sell their goods and services.
“Hopefully, this concert will inspire similar events in other states around the country as we try to unify and start pushing back against the effects of this pandemic,” explains Raye. “We will be utilizing the recommended sensible safety precautions, and I’m confident it will be a huge success for small businesses, and hopefully, the country at large.”
Attendees are asked to stay at least seven feet apart. Protective masks are recommended.
Kaysville mayor Katie Witt recently re-opened the city and is thrilled to bring the event to her local community. “Come support our local businesses, listen to country music, and be a pioneer and a patriot with us!” says Witt.
“If we can all stand in line waiting for toilet paper, we can certainly all shop safely in an open air market and enjoy a country music legend, Collin Raye,” notes Utah Business Revival event organizer Eric Moutsos.
Barnes Park is located at 950 W 200 N in Kaysville. The event begins at 6 pm MT and is free and open to the public.
Contemporary country star Collin Raye burned up the sales charts in the ’90s, thanks to a blend of country-rock tunes and socially conscious material. Nothing if not passionate, Raye’s soulful delivery set the country standards with searing ballads as “Love, Me,” “In This Life,” “Not That Different” and “If I Were You,” while also blazing through the other side of the spectrum with vivid rockers like “My Kind of Girl,” “That’s My Story,” “I Can Still Feel You” and “I Want You Bad.” With 24 Top 10 records, 16 No. 1 hits, and a 10-time Male Vocalist of the Year nominee, Raye remains one of the great voices of our time.


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watchOS 5.0.1 is now available for download. You can grab it by going into the Watch app on your phone and then selecting General > Software Update. Keep in mind that your watch will need to have at least a 50 percent charge and be on a charger in order for you to update.
As for what’s included, this is a smaller update, which you might’ve guessed since it’s an x.x.1 release. This update fixes an issue that caused a “small number of users” to see increased exercise minutes as well as an issue that caused some Apple Watch owners to note get Stand credit in the afternoon. Finally, it fixes a bug that could prevent the Apple Watch from charging.
If you’ve got a compatible Apple Watch, go grab watchOS 5.0.1!
SOURCE: PhoneDog.com – Latest videos, reviews, articles, news and posts – Read entire story here.


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The Federal Communications Commission cited a California company last month for marketing and selling six radios that ran afoul of federal regulations.
Rugged Radios of Arroyo Grande marketed four radios that allowed programmers to receive and transmit on frequencies that the FCC never authorized and another two radios sold that never received FCC approval at all, according to a public notice filed with the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau in November.
All of the radios in question were first offered for sale by Rugged Radios between 2014 and 2017, the FCC said.
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Elm Street Motors maintains a petty cash fund of $200. On December 31, the fund holds $12 cash, petty cash tickets for office supplies, $121, and delivery expense, $55.
1. Make the journal entry to replenish the petty cash fund.
2. Elm Street Motors decided to increase the petty cash fund by $80. Prepare the journal entry.


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- LISWire: La Veta Public Library Goes Live on LibLime Koha 4.14
- LISWire: Griffin Free Public Library Chooses ByWater Solutions’ Koha Support
\"The Internet changes the entire dynamics of publishing. When Stephen King\'s words can be packaged into a PDF file and downloaded by anyone with a computer in a few minutes, one must begin to question what his publisher, Simon & Schuster, is doing to earn its share of the income pie.\" -- Read More
Cabot writes \"National Library of Canada Consultation on Online Publications
Includes reports from a recent forum of publishers and National Library staff, to identify key issues for collecting and giving access to online publications.
URL: http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/consult/consulte.htm \"
\" Books use sensors to produce
sound, dozens of pages of text fit onto one screen,
ordinary-looking business cards can be encoded with
\"glyphs\" containing invisible resumes, and a little boy\'s
life story can be laid out on a giant fish-eye
The Times of India has this neat article regarding the future of the print publishing.
\"The printed word and books would retain their importance in the coming years, despite the advent of digital technology and the electronics revolution, according to James Billington, librarian of the American Library of Congress.
Mr Billington, chief of the world\'s largest library, appeared face to face with librarians and information technology officials of Mumbai, at the first digital video conference held at the American Center on Thursday evening. It was held in celebration of 200 years of the library.\" -- Read More
\"It was Tuesday evening on the 6:26 in a Long Island-bound train crowded with weary commuters lurching in the aisles, elbow to elbow, briefcase to briefcase. Unfolding a newspaper was unthinkable. Flipping through a hardcover might form an instant but awkward book club of strangers. So I rummaged in my purse in search of something for just such a literary emergency. Even in a rush-hour commute there was ample reading room for a novel stored in a Palm Pilot, which is smaller than a paperback yet mighty enough to carry 12 digital titles.\" -- Read More
the online publishing industry may be creating more
obstacles than opportunities for aspiring writers. Within
the next 18 months, the Web will add approximately
500,000 more titles. -- Read More
\"When Apple decided to supply a copy of a little
program called Hypercard on all Macintosh
computers back in the 80s, it prepared the way
for what would become the web\'s most distinctive
feature, hypertext. It also unknowingly launched
a small literary revolution.\" -- Read More
\"My own time line runs a little differently: By 2002, e-books are being sharply discounted in bins near the door of Best Buy. By 2003, e-book enthusiasts join DiscoVision, Commodore, and Pixelvision fans in trading their relics on eBay. By 2004, several books have analyzed the e-book debacle. By 2020, they\'re all out of print.\" -- Read More
\"a long history of research on new products shows consumers resist buying products, even if they have marginal benefits, because they lack compatibility. I\'m not talking about technical compatibility -- technologically oriented firms seem to understand this well -- but compatibility with consumers\' past experiences and values. \" -- Read More


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Eslite Spectrum Corp, which runs the Eslite bookstore chain in Taiwan, is waiting for approval from its landlord to extend the lease for its 24-hour store in Taipei’s upscale Xinyi District (信義).
In its annual general meeting on Friday, Eslite chairwoman Mercy Wu (吳旻潔) told shareholders that the bookstore chain has been at a stalemate with conglomerate Uni-President Group, the largest of its seven landlords of the Xinyi store, in its talks to extend the location’s lease, which expires at the end of 2023.
The statement has raised fears that Taiwan’s only 24-hour bookstore could disappear if it cannot extend its lease.
The Xinyi store began 24-hour services in the spring of 2020, soon after the Eslite branch in the Dunnan (敦南) area closed in May that year. That branch opened in 1989 and began 24-hour operations in 1999.
Eslite has twice offered better terms in a bid to keep the location, with six of the seven landlords supporting the lease, and Uni-President Group being the only one to not respond, Wu said.
Eslite has agreed to a rent increase and to allow the landlords to share more of the sales revenue from the Xinyi branch, she said.
Eslite has paid NT$8 billion (US$272.57 million) in rent for the Xinyi branch over the past 18 years, she added.
Market sources said that Uni-President Group, which owns Taiwan’s largest food brand, Uni-President Enterprises Corp, and runs the 7-Eleven convenience store chain in Taiwan, owns an approximately 40 percent stake in the property where the Eslite Xinyi branch is located.
The other landlords include Prince Building and Development Corp, Tainan Spinning Co, Universal Real Estate Development Co and Kung Ching International Development Co.
Wu said many shareholders are concerned about whether the lease might be extended, adding that Eslite has been sincere in its dealings with the landlords about continuing the Xinyi branch, which attracts 12 million visitors a year.
Sources said Uni-President Group is considering using the property to extend the Uni-Ustyle department store, which is adjacent to the Eslite Xinyi outlet.
The Uni-President Group said that it is still considering the terms of the new contract given that there is ample time before the current lease expires.
Wu said that she hopes to receive a reply soon so that Eslite can move forward in its operational planning, emphasizing that her company does not want the location to close.
Eslite has new stores in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) and Taichung scheduled to open next year, Wu said.
The Sindian store is planned to be an 19,000 ping (62,810m2) mega outlet within a shopping center being developed by the automaker Yulon Group, Wu said.
That branch is to contain restaurants, coffee shops and cultural creative stores, and is currently seeking tenants, she said, adding that the branch is expected to generate NT$4 billion to NT$5 billion a year, with food and beverage shops accounting for up to 40 percent of revenue.
Eslite is also planning a to open a new store in Tainan in 2024, which at 6,500 ping would be the largest bookstore in the city.
EVA Airways was ranked the eighth-best airline in the world for this year, the only Taiwanese carrier to make it into the top 25 Airline Excellence Awards this year, aviation reviews Web site AirlineRatings.com said on Wednesday. AirlineRatings.com has a seven-star rating system to evaluate more than 360 airlines around the world every year, EVA Airways said in a statement on Thursday. “We are delighted that efforts by the entire EVA staff have been recognized by Airline Ratings,” EVA Airways president Clay Sun (孫嘉明) said in the release. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company identified and adopted services and procedures that enhance and
Exiled Chinese democracy advocate Wang Dan (王丹) yesterday denied an accusation by former Taiwanese political worker Lee Yuan-chun (李援軍) that Wang had sexually harassed him in a hotel room in New York nine years ago. There was a huge gap between Lee’s accusation and his own understanding and memory, Wang wrote on Facebook, adding it was hard for him to respond further regarding a “unilateral description” made by someone else. Wang made the remarks after his initial response on Facebook was met with criticism, with people saying he did not directly address the allegation. Lee on Friday wrote on Facebook that he
‘NEGLIGENCE’: After reporting the incident, her superior allegedly asked her why she did not scream, which was an inappropriate attempt to ignore the allegations, critics said An accusation of sexual harassment led to the resignation of a top Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) official, while President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has called for a thorough investigation into the incident involving a contractor. Vice President and DPP Chairman William Lai (賴清德) yesterday said he approved the resignation of DPP deputy secretary-general Hsu Chia-tien (許嘉恬), who headed the party’s Women’s Development Department when the alleged incident happened in September last year. “Gender equality is among our party’s core values, that we have strived for and advanced along with Taiwanese society,” Lai said. “The DPP did not handle it appropriately at the time,
#METOO MOVEMENT: A woman who formerly worked at the TPP said that she was repeatedly harassed by a party deputy secretary last year and it was covered up Vice President and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairman William Lai (賴清德) yesterday announced new party procedures for filing complaints and investigating reports of sexual misconduct in response to more accusations of negligence against the party in handling reports of sexual abuse. In what local media dubbed Taiwan’s #MeToo movement, more people went public yesterday with allegations about the DPP, other parties and local governments. Lai said he deeply regrets the situation and apologized to the victims, while also praising them for having the courage to come forward. “When facing bullying and violations in the workplace, it is most important to stand up to


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Talk about your niche markets!
A company has come up with a kosher tequila just in time for Passover AND Cinco de Mayo. Half a million cases of Agave 99 are being manufactured in Mexico under conditions certified by a rabbi.
The tequila will sell for $41.95 a bottle.
Tags: Agave 99


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Last Monday's shutdown of the federal government has left many area merchants nervous that their already sluggish sales may not pick up as much as they had hoped this Christmas season.
Around the city, retailers say they are "cautiously optimistic" that sales, in decline during the last two months, will begin a reversal today, the start of the busiest shopping season of the year.
Yet, store officials acknowledge that their optimism has been sharply tempered by the unresolved dispute between Congress and the president over federal funding levels. If the dispute continues and the threat of another furlough for government employes remains through much of the Christmas season, store officials fear their sales may suffer.
"Monday kind of scared us," said a spokeswoman for Woodward & Lothrop Inc. With sales "running below projections, not doing as well as we had hoped," the chain is counting on a rebound during the holidays, when Woodies does at least 50 percent of its business for the year, she said. However, after Monday, "we just don't know."
This unknown is a critical one for all retailers, who chalk up approximately 40 percent of their earnings during the Christmas season.
"If you don't get in a strong cash position in November and December, it makes for a hard year ahead," one concerned retailer said this week.
The furloughs, "coupled with the other concerns about government RIFs reductions in force may certainly have some detrimental effect on consumer purchasing," commented Frank H. Rich, owner of Rich's Shoe Stores.
As a result, Rich predicted, "it's going to be a practical Christmas for the rank and file person of this community. The money spent will be for things people really need, not for frivolities."
Financial analyst Jeffrey Edelman, a first vice president of Dean Witter Reynolds, agreed. "Santa Claus will come this year, but maybe he'll bring the same size bag as last year. He won't bring a larger bag as he has in preceding years."
For retailers, that means, "they will be doing less than what they had expected," Edelman said. Noting that retailers normally increase their Christmas sales by 3 percent to 7 percent over the previous season, Edelman predicted that this year sales "will be flat or up about one percent" from last year.
Edelman said the prediction holds true even for the Washington area, which until recently had been considered recession-proof because it was rarely affected by growing unemployment in the rest of the country.
But now, with government layoffs and the closing of several private firms, the recession is beginning to be felt here.
Woodies, regarded as a bellwether here, just reported a smaller than expected level of growth for October and November. The same has been true for Rich's, where "October was a tough month and November has not been very scintillating," Rich said.
At Raleigh Stores Corp., "sales are running just behind plans," said Ike Diamond, vice president for sales promotion. "Our outlook for Christmas: We're hoping to do as well as we did last year although prospects look a little dim . . . Usually, we do better than the year before."
William D. Striegl, district manager for Washington and Baltimore area J.C. Penney Co. stores, expects sales to increase "somewhere in real terms of 6 percent. Last year, our increase in real terms was around 15 percent."
The same experience is being encountered at smaller stores. Appalachiana Inc., an 11-year-old Bethesda store that specializes in American crafts, has normally shown 20-25 percent growth in revenues and profits during the Christmas season. "I think I may meet last year's figure--or maybe 5 percent above," but probably not more, said the store's owner, Joan Farrell.
"There is a whole panic about the economy and people are very job threatened . . . so people just don't go out and buy the essentials now. I've not yet seen my old reliable customers who come with money for serious Christmas buying." As a result, Farrell said, for the first time since she has had the store "I have canceled orders" for new merchandise.
One of the few stores open yesterday reported higher than expected sales, however. Zipper's, a clothing store that was offering discounts on a wide variety of apparel, did more than twice as much business as it expected in its Greenbelt store-- $1,000 in sales compared to the $400 it anticipated on the holiday. On a normal Thursday the store does $1,500 in business.
Although the sluggish sales may mean bad news for retailers, they are certain to bring good news to consumers. Stores will be offering deep discounts and bargains to attract customers.
"From the consumer standpoint, there are some incredible values out there that weren't out there last year," noted David Milbrandt, vice president of merchandising for Garfinckel's. "There were more sales and markdowns in early November than has been the historical pattern . . . If business doesn't materialize, obviously there would be more markdowns."
Many high-priced designer goods are already on sale, as are many winter items, thanks to the warm weather this month which deterred buying.
Furniture, which has been selling slower than most other items, is also being heavily promoted. W & J Sloane Inc., for example, has launched a special discount sale in which all items--even those already marked down--will be reduced by another 10 percent. Another first-time-ever sale, which will result in 20-50 percent discounts, also will be offered this month, according to Frank Mannarino, Sloane's executive vice president for Washington area stores.
Electronics is another area where sharp discounts are expected. As Penney's Striegl explained, "There is an abundant supply and a variety of goods available and it is a highly competitive situation . . . There will be some cutting, especially as it gets close up to Christmas."
Discount stores also will benefit as large retail stores, eager to get rid of their large inventories, begin selling them goods. Lynda Mobley, manager of the Alexandria outlet of the national Tuesday Morning discount chain, which sells close-out merchandise, acknowledged that trend, saying 'We're getting much better quality of merchandise."
In the end, financial analyst Edelman predicts, all the inventories will be sold--but probably at lower prices than retailers first had hoped.
But as Raleigh's Diamond noted, there is one more day of shopping between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year--a nice and apparently badly needed present for the retailers.


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General Motors has revised its outlook for U.S. new vehicle sales in 2017, with the automaker now forecasting sales to be in the “low 17 million” unit range across the industry.
The new estimate reflects a widespread expectation that auto sales will see a modest downturn, according to GM Chief Financial Officer Chuck Stevens.
“The market is definitely slowing … it’s something we are going to monitor month to month,” Stevens said during an analyst conference call. “Pricing is more challenging.”
U.S. new vehicle sales reached 17.55 million in 2016 following a growth spurt that started in 2010. One of the reasons for the lower sales forecast in 2017 is an overabundance of nearly-new used vehicles that will become available on the pre-owned market as a result of lease returns, thereby undermining new car sales.
Many automakers are already have already reported sales declines for first five months of 2017, including:
- GM — down 1.05 percent to 1,171,291 units
- Ford Motor Company — down 3.58 percent to 1,073,123 units
- Fiat Chrysler Automotive — down 6.57 percent to 880,014 units
- Toyota Motor Company — down 4.7 percent to 999,545 units
- Honda Motor Company — down 0.2 percent to 652,093
GM ‘Somewhat Insulated’
Previously, General Motors forecasted 2017 new vehicle sales in the “mid-17 million” unit range. So, how will the modest downturn impact GM?
Stevens said that the automaker’s sales could fall by 200,000 to 300,000 units in 2017, adding that GM had “somewhat insulated” itself from a decrease in sales volume by reducing sales to rental fleets, which keeps factories making vehicles that are sold at little to no profit, while lowering vehicle residual values.
U.S. Market Reliance
The automaker is selling its European Opel unit, including the Vauxhall brand, to French automaker PSA Group. It also recently announced plans to cease selling its cars in various global markets, including South Africa and India.
During the call, Stevens reiterated that GM will “remain disciplined from a go-to market perspective”.
Discipline was a quality typically not a quality associated with the pre-bankruptcy “Old GM”, which was known for producing more vehicles than there was demand, and then selling them at a loss or at razor-thin margins by way of luscious cash-on-the-hood incentives and zero percent financing.
Stevens also stated that GM is looking to bring U.S. vehicle inventory down to 70 days’ supply by December 2017. The days’ supply was 110 days in June.
Further Info & Reporting
- GM sales forecast news
- GM sales numbers
- GM earnings news
- GM profit news


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Croatia: Inflation accelerates in January
February 24, 2017
In January, consumer prices dropped 0.1% from the previous month, following December’s slightly sharper 0.2% decrease. According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the monthly fall was mainly driven by lower prices for clothing and footwear as well as for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels.
Inflation came in at 0.9% in January, above December’s 0.2% increase and marking the highest reading since November 2014. The annual average variation in consumer prices in January was minus 1.0%, marginally up from December’s minus 1.1%.
The core consumer price index, which does not include more volatile categories such as fresh food and energy, fell 0.5% month-on-month in January, up from December’s 0.6% drop. Core consumer prices declined 0.3% on an annual basis, marginally up from December’s 0.4% decline.


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Prof. Jagdish Shettigar (View Full Profile)
Area Head, Economics
Professor of Economics
Prof. Pooja Misra (View Full Profile)
Chairperson, PGDM (Retail Management)
Associate Professor of Economics
With India trying to adapt to the “New Normal” post the havoc that the Covid19 pandemic has wrecked on the Indian economy and analysts and economists scrambling to revise their GDP growth estimates, the Indian Government has decided to open the Lockdown announced on March 24, 2020 in a phased manner and restart the economy. The Government has progressed from “India chose to sacrifice its economy and save lives” – “जान हैं तो जहान हैं” to “जान भी जहान भी” – “Lives as well as livelihoods”.
Any lockdown results in the economy coming to a standstill and being brusquely halted in its track of economic growth. With the pandemic having negatively impacted countries across the world, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had revised its projection for FY21 global growth estimates to a contraction of 3%.
In its report World Economic Outlook (Kaur, 2020), states that the growth number for India would be approximately 1.9% for 2020-21. From March 25, 2020 to May 31, 2020, India has announced four lockdowns thereby, forcing analysts and rating agencies to revise their GDP growth numbers for the Indian economy. The lockdown has resulted in disruption in demand and supply chains causing a sharp growth deceleration.
Source: Covid19: India Perspective5.0, file:///D:/Macroeconomics/Covid19/BCG-India-Perspective-COVID19-25May.pdf
What do Economic Indicators suggest…
The belief is that till the time a vaccine and cure for this pandemic is discovered economic activity will face ongoing disruptions for the next 12-18 months as the country and people transition to a post Covid19 world and adopt the “New Normal”. CPI inflation in March 2020 declined to 5.91 (new base 2012=100), compared to 6.58% in February 2020, a reflection of fall in demand which is a disturbing signal. Inflation numbers for food and beverages declined to 7.82% in March 2020 from 9.45% in February 2020. The provisional numbers for April 2020 have not been declared in view of the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the virus.
The exchange rate for INR has been depreciating in comparison to the USD and is currently at 1USD = Rs. 75.33. Rather, the rupee has been steadily depreciating in terms of the Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) in relation to currencies of 36 trading partners thereby reflecting Indian economy’s reducing competitiveness since July 2019. March numbers for rupee depreciation are likely to have been influenced by the net outflow of FIIs from the Indian stock market.
However, with the economy being reopened ie Unlock1.0 and relaxation of restrictions taking place, the cheer and positive sentiments in the stock market is back and the Sensex has rebounded to 34,284 as on June 3, 2020. Interestingly, in May 2020 foreign investors have poured in over Rs 17,000 crore into Indian equities, largely driven by block deals. This could be reflective of the Government’s timely and long term structural reforms.
The silver lining on the wall for India is the impact of lower demand on prices of crude oil. With India importing 80% of its requirement of crude oil, and price of Brent in April 2020 dropping to 19.34$ per barrel as against 32.01$ per barrel in March 2020, this can strengthen India’s fiscal position by reducing the import bill, positively influencing current account deficit, checking inflation, bringing down production levels and boosting of tax revenue for the Government, the flip side being an adverse impact on exports. Rather, Central and State Governments of India are eyeing increased taxes on petrol and diesel to fill their coffers and help supplement the revenue loss impact due to the Lockdown, thereby offsetting of low tax collections to a certain extent. This will help in building the pool for Government to dip into for their welfare schemes and programmes.
Moody’s has downgraded India’s sovereign (long-term) debt ratings to Baa3 from Baa2 earlier but experts believe that the negatives have already been factored in by the Government and that there is unlikely to be any short-term impact of the move. Index of Industrial Production in February 2020 prior to Covid19 having impacted India showed recovery signs and rose 4.5% over last year compared to 2% in January 2020 with manufacturing activity increasing by 3.2% mining output 10% and electricity generation 8.1%. However, the pandemic has brought all economy activity to a standstill resulting in demand and supply challenges for the country and world over.
Source: Covid19: India Perspective5.0, file:///D:/Macroeconomics/Covid19/BCG-India-Perspective-COVID19-25May.pdf
To counter the negative impact and give the requisite boost to the economy, there have been structural reform announcements to the tune of Rs. 20 lakh crore (close to 10% of the Indian GDP) by the Government of India in the past couple of months to address the worrying economic scenario in the country. Critics state that it is too little, but, shouldn’t one appreciate the fact that the Government has kept the burden on taxpayers at a minimum? Some term it as being tepid compared to other emerging economies and far lesser that those announced by advanced economies while others view it as a reformative fiscal package which will have a far reaching positive long-term impact on the economy.
A landmark structural change has been brought about in the agricultural sector. The Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees Act (APMC) has been amended which will allow contract farming companies to procure directly from farmers with a predetermined agreed price without the intervention of APMCs. This will allow food processing companies and multi-brand outlets to directly procure commodities from the farmers’ doorstep and thereby break the traditional chain of middlemen taking away farmer’s genuine remunerative prices. For farmers it will now be a scenario of “my crop, my right”.
Additionally, the Government has also increased the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) by 1.5 times for kharif crops ie paddy, cotton, oilseeds, pulses, cereals etc. With the Prime Minister vying for Indians being “आत्मनिर्भर”, i.e. self-reliant and “Vocal for Local”, to name few other measures announced by the Indian Government in this direction are: FDI limit in defence manufacturing under the automatic route has been increased to 74%; privatisation to be undertaken of power distribution in UTs; PSEs other than those operating in strategic sectors to be privatised with private companies also to be allowed in the strategic sectors; encouraging private participation in coal and mineral industry; world-class airports to be developed through the PPP model; suspension of fresh initiation for insolvency proceedings to be suspended for one year, definition of MSME widened, street hawkers and vendors to be given a collateral free loan of Rs. 10,000; Rs. 3 lakh crore to be given as collateral free automatic loan to MSMEs, Rs. 30,000 cr special liquidity scheme for NBFCs/HFCs; CRR reduced to 3% leading to additional Rs. 1,37,000 crore liquidity enhancement; allocation of additional Rs. 40,000 crore under MNGREGS scheme to help boost employment in rural areas and 10% increase in MNREGA wage to Rs. 202/- per day from Rs. 182/- per day.
There have also been some demand boosting measures such as direct cash transfers to the people at the bottom of the pyramid, Government bearing EPF contribution of those earning Rs. 15000/month-for three months, reduction in EPF contribution from 12% to 10% for three months.
Consumers and Businesses concerns continue…
The million-dollar question being actively discussed in business circles now is how much more the Government of India could have done to revive and kick-start the economy / have adequate measures been adopted?
The stimulus package is a mix of fiscal and monetary support, ease of doing business processes, as well as some fundamental reforms. However, the catch still lies in the impact that this pandemic has had on changing consumer behaviour with higher demand being there for essential items ie food, health and wellness and lower spending on discretionary and luxury items.
Domestic and export demand has declined sharply and availability of credit for B2B and B2C customers has gone down. With businesses still trying to open up and restart the production process the impact on supply chain disruption is taking time to recover and settle. This is the time for businesses to re-strategize, re-imagine operating models, re-define customer value proposition and re-build customer confidence.
To further worsen the situation, with migrant labourers going back to their native villages due to the mental, financial and emotional agony inflicted because of job-loss, lack of job and livelihood opportunities has led to a huge exodus of workers from major cities of India to their native villages. This will have serious ramifications for labour availability and with social distancing norms in place the process of production will be further hampered. Less supply of labour will lead to an increase in wage rates. The flip side of the reverse migration is that states like UP and Bihar have initiated steps to tide over this crisis and to transform this tragedy into an opportunity.
Bihar government has started skill profiling exercise for the returning migrants so that this data can be utilized by them to create employment opportunities for the utilization of their skills and development of the State. Rather data shows that 86% and 68% of the total number of households who worked under MGNREGA in Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh respectively have participated in the job scheme in 40 days in 2020-21.
It is imperative on the part of policy makers both at the Centre and State to scale up their responses as challenges unfold. This is mandatory to minimize the damage and shock caused by this pandemic on the formal and informal sectors. This could help pave the way for a V or U -shaped recovery for the Indian economy at large and help kick-start the journey back on the road to rapid economic growth that India has been treading on for more than over two decades.
So, the question now is: Should the Government have focussed more on demand side measures as against supply side measures?
Should it have given out cash doles, direct income transfer to the lower strata of society thereby helping them in sustaining their living? This will also fuel demand in the economy and give the requisite push to the production process leading to revival of economic growth.
Is this the right time for the Government to worry about a widening fiscal deficit? Should monetisation of deficit be done? If yes, what about its implication on future inflation and interest rates?
Would like to end again by drawing your attention back to the fact that ‘This is the time for the Government and fellow Indians to reboot, redraw and reinvent the wheel of progress and paint a new standing in the World Economic Order’. Has the process already begun with countries such as US and UK asking for India to be included in G7 group of countries?


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Mazda drops hints on a new MX-5 Miata
NEW YORK -- First the good news: Mazda will create a new MX-5 Miata, its small, fun roadster.
And the bad news: We were teased, but a new Miata never made an appearance at the New York Auto Show.
Instead we got a 25th anniversary edition, of which only 100 will be made. It will come with an anniversary logo and a matching wristwatch.
We also got a gander at the chassis of the next one. Because of advances, the next car will be at least 200 pounds lighter than the current Miata. Not only does it mean better gas mileage, but better handling and lots of other benefits.
Mazda's U.S. chief, Jim O'Sullivan, also made hay of how the company's SkyActiv technology to boost gas economy in cars without going to costly hybrid technology is reaching acreoss the lineup. It made us think the next Miata will be next to receive it.
All in all, though, not seeing a new Miata was disappointing considering the sea of colorful vintage Miatas that Mazda came to display.


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Swiss start-up xLongevity is advocating the need to test the efficacy of nutrient supplementation and has started doing so in Asia, beginning with a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) test currently offered in India.
Health & Happiness Group (H&H Group) says demand for its high-end adult nutrition brand Swisse Plus+, especially its nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and liver health products, is key to the 37.4 per cent revenue jump for its adult nutrition...
Trigonelline, an alkaloid found in plants and animals, is found to be closely linked to muscle health, with low serum levels reported in seniors suffering from sarcopenia, new findings from a Nestle-funded study have shown.
The testing of 18 commercially available NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) supplements sold in Singapore found that most products did not meet label claims, and researchers have called for industry-wide effort in resolving the issue.
A 60-day trial in India found that taking nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) at 600mg per day is the optimal dose for boosting the body’s nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) level and physical performance.
NMN, an anti-aging ingredient, has been disallowed by FDA because of its prior investigation as a drug. The determination, which came as something of a surprise given the ingredient’s market history, has raised questions of fairness and transparency.
This round-up of new scientific findings will look at how low NAD+ level is associated with anaemia in women, Mitsubishi Life Sciences’ NMN clinical study findings, and the benefits of vitamin E for exercise recovery and PCOS.
Supplements that claim to boost the body’s level of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), namely nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and nicotinamide riboside (NR), are increasingly common in Asia’s dietary supplement market.
Next Miracle Nutrient is opening its first retail outlet in Hong Kong selling its nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplement, with the firm also hoping it will serve as an ‘experience centre’ to educate the public on NMN.


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PAOLI, Ind. - Plenty of white stuff is producing revenues in the black for the folks who operate a ski resort on a 300-foot hill here.
While some may lament the prolonged cold snap, Paoli Peaks 90 miles northeast of Evansville "is off to one of our greatest starts in years," said Vickie Lincks, sales and marketing director. "We have a snow base of 54 to 74 inches, more in some places."
Cold weather in December enabled the resort — launched in 1978 by a local doctor and later sold to St. Louis-based Peak Resorts — to open a week early.
Fairly wintry weather since has lured skiers, snowboarders and snow tubers from not only Indiana but Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Because school will be out Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Paoli Peaks will offer Midnight Madness (overnight skiing and snowboarding) not only Friday and Saturday but also Sunday. Midnight Madness ($57 for equipment and lift ticket) runs from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. EST those three days.
Even this week's warmup, with temperatures reaching the low 40s by Thursday, isn't a bad thing, said Lincks, who noted: "It's been so cold that it wasn't comfortable for some people to be out (on the slopes) for long periods.
"With our snow totals we can survive for weeks with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. It will affect the surface (wetter), but it's still great skiing."
Paoli's 17 trails are open 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, although this Sunday will include the Midnight Madness because of the King holiday.
The resort's Arctic Blast snow tubing area is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but has evening hours Wednesdays and Thursdays and hours similar to the ski resort on weekends, including Midnight Madness.
Those who snow tube on Wednesdays and Thursdays get a bargain, said Lincks, because the $25 ticket lets them snow tube for five hours instead of the usual three.
About half of the resort's customers now are snowboarders, according to pro shop owner Roger Sobotka.
Paoli was one of the nation's first ski resorts in the mid 1980s to allow snowboarders on its trails.
"We had a few snowboarders back then, initially renting maybe 10 to 15 snowboards," Sobotka recalled. "Now it's mainstream and we have hundreds of snowboards (for rent)."
Sobotka laughingly said Midnight Madness is popular with snowboarders because "they're younger and like to sleep late. It's easier for them to get here at 8 p.m. than 9 a.m."
He said snowboarders, who like the G-force of short turns, can use any of Paoli's trails.
However, the resort also has a "terrain park" that's popular with both snowboarders and skiers who use the newer twin-tipped skis. "You can do anything on them that you can do on a snowboard," said Sobotka, referring to jumps and rails.
Sobotka said it's very important for beginning snowboarders to take a lesson, which costs $20.
"The learning curve for snowboarding is different. A skier can pick up skiing the first day, but for a snowboarder it can take two or three days."
Paoli, one of about 15 ski resorts owned by Peak Resorts, attracts about 100,000 skiers and tubers each winter.
For more information on hours and rates, call (812) 723-4696 or visit www.paolipeaks.com online.
Need Help? Call us at 1-877-304-7771.
Monday-Friday: 6am-5pm / Saturday: 6am-11am / Sunday: 7am-Noon


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Avast Software agreed to buy AVG Technologies for $1.3 billion in cash to add software to protect mobile phones from malware as it aims to tap into the growing number of physical devices connected to the internet.
Avast, which is backed by private-equity firm CVC Capital Partners, will begin a tender offer for Amsterdam-based AVG at $25 a share in cash, the companies said in a statement Thursday. That's 33 percent above AVG's closing price Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange.
The deal will give Prague-based Avast more opportunities in internet security-related business, providing it with more scale and an increased geographical reach in both its core business and newer areas such as Internet of Things, according to the statement. The Internet of Things is the name used to refer to the network connecting physical devices, ranging from fridges to cars and clothes, to the internet, a growing area of focus for companies.
The deal between the two companies, both of which were founded in the Czech Republic more than 20 years ago, will provide Avast with 400 million so-called endpoints, 160 million of which are mobile. Avast says it protects 230 million people and businesses with its applications.
Bankers from Jefferies International Ltd. advised Avast, while White & Case LLP and De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek NV provided legal advice. Morgan Stanley is AVG's financial adviser and Bridge Street Securities LLC is advising AVG's supervisory board. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and Allen & Overy LLP are legal advisers to AVG.
Private-equity firm TA Associates, AVG's biggest shareholder with a 13 percent stake, has agreed to tender its shares. Avast plans to fund the transaction using cash on hand and debt financing. Credit Suisse Group AG, Jefferies and UBS AG agreed to provide $1.69 billion in financing. Avast also has contributed $150 million in equity investment.
Closely held Avast planned an initial public offering in 2012, but canceled the sale because of market conditions.


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UnSurprising News: Cheap Tablets aren’t just poorly made, they’re also insecure
As Black Friday weekend draws to a close (followed by Cyber Monday, Tech Tuesday, Wearable Wednesday, and on Thursday, bankruptcy court) a new report is circulating which reminds us that cheap Android devices are about as secure as they are expensive.
A bunch of the tablets they tested had the malicious app protection — the setting that prevents you from installing apps from unknown sources — turned off by default. That makes it far more likely that the five-year-old you foist the tablet off to will download malware, and your credit card number will be gone before you can say 'suspicious charges from a Siberian minicab firm'.
The worrying discoveries don’t stop there, either. A number of the tablets came rooted out of the box, making them more easily compromised by a lazy hacker; a couple were signed using a test signature for AOSP, a custom version of Android, which would make rolling out a malware-infected system upgrade easy; and Staples' $39 tablet even had some security features painstakingly removed for no good reason.
Not that I want to come across as a know-it-all, but this isn’t surprising news (heck, it hardly qualifies as news) nor is it all that worrisome.
I’ve been using cheap tablets on and off for four years, and I have never had a serious security breach. What’s more, I’ve never heard of anyone having security problems – not from their mobile devices, that is.
While those security researchers do have their facts straight they also have their priorities wrong. Yes, cheap tablets are insecure, but the real threat comes from other channels.
I worry less about my cheap Android tablet being hacked than I do about the services I use with that tablet. Those online services are a much more tempting target, and as Jennifer Lawrence and other celebrities learned the hard way back in August, even Apple’s servers are vulnerable.Okay, Android does have security issues, including botnets (a bunch of them, in fact), but the main security issue with Android devices is the user, not the device. All of the malicious Android hacking incidents I have heard of have involved the user making one of the usual mistakes: installing an Android app from an unsafe source (or, sometimes, Google Play), visiting an unsafe website, or opening a questionable email attachment.
In short, folks, I am worried less about an unsecure device than I am about a service I use being hacked, or doing something dumb and handing my Android device over to a hacker. There’s nothing we can really do about the former, but so long as we follow the usual basic steps to keep ourselves safe online, the latter should not be a serious issue either.


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Finnish ingredients and branded foods player Raisio – the owner of the stanol-cholesterol reduction brand Benecol, will continue seeking acquisitions, it announced in its 2010 financial statement that saw EBIT come in at €19.4m for the year.
New Zealand opposition party members are calling on the government to fortify the country’s flour supply and bread output with folic acid, following reports of the success of a similar program across the Tasman Sea in Australia.
Funding of research at a Belgian university into how cereal-derived prebiotics benefit human health will enable the development of fibre-rich cereal foods with greater nutritional value, claims Kellogg’s.
Change4Life healthy food vouchers are just the ticket for food industry marketers. But changing eating habits requires consistent, co-ordinated policy – not hand-outs to ease the population’s post-Christmas conscience.
Britain's biggest biscuit producer, United Biscuits, is aiming to drive growth across the biscuit and cake categories in 2011 through reformulation of products for a stronger health positioning as well as updating packaging, amid ongoing divesture...
A greater variety of baked goods can be enriched with a new bran ingredient that has a milder taste, better mouthfeel and improved microbiological status than the conventional variety, claims German ingredient specialist, Kampffmeyer.


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Research shapshot: Green chemistry set to blow up
- Staff Portland Business Journal
Led by companies as diverse as Nike and Columbia Forest Products and bolstered by university research, Oregon is at the forefront of the green chemistry movement. Just how big that movement is, was highlighted by a recent report by the cleantech analysts at Pike Research.
In green chemistry, a sprawling market covering household cleaning supplies to wood products to running shoes, Pike Research found an area ripe for growth. The chemical industry worldwide is valued at about $3 trillion, and the efficiencies provided by green chemistry advances — which eliminate waste and reduce ecological impacts — have the potential to provide billions in savings.
Pike pegs the green chemical industry’s worth at $11 billion in 2015 and nearly $100 billion by 2020.
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With the upcoming presidential elections on the tip of everyone’s tongue, both the Republican presidential candidates and President Obama need to do address our nations’s current high unemployment rate, and more importantly, develop a plan on how they can assist small businesses and entrepreneurs in this current economy.
The Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act of 2010, which provided assistance and relief to entrepreneurs and small businesses all around the country, was a good step by Congress but did not go far enough. The bill added an increase in the deduction for start-up expenditures, increasing the limit on the tax deduction for trade or business start-up expenditures and helped small businesses grow. Unfortunately, more needs to be done, right now.
Small businesses can’t grow without access to working capital. In order for entrepreneurs and small businesses to grow, lines of credit, loans and other debt financing need to re-open for our nation’s small-business owners. Access to credit is the lifeline necessary for our economy to turn the tide. Most entrepreneurs don’t even know where to turn. Banks only want to lend if you have the money in the bank and if you’re not profitable yet, don’t even try even if you are meeting your plan. It’s difficult to leverage non-liquid assets, even if they have no debt.
Having started several successful companies and made Seed Investments in several others, I know the need for access to capital.
In the end, small business is the engine that will lead us to economic revitalization and growth. Small businesses employ half of all private-sector employees and are the backbone of the economy. Only when Main Street is back on track will our economy follow suit.
Joseph P. Meyer is the Chairman and Founder of Meyer Capital LLC.


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From 1 July European Union (EU) mobile operators will again be required to lower retail prices for roaming calls, in line with EU rules first introduced in 2007.
Consumers opting for the EU regulated ‘Eurotariff’ will pay no more than 35 cents (32p) per minute for calls made, and 11 cents (10p) per minute for calls received while abroad in the EU.
Neelie Kroes, European Commission vice president for the Digital Agenda, said: “These new price caps will temporarily reduce retail prices for making and receiving voice calls when in another EU country during the coming year. But we have to tackle roaming problems at the root with a long lasting structural approach.”
This is the last in the series of regulated price cuts under the current EU Roaming Regulation, which expires on 30 June 2012. Next week the Commission will publish proposals for long term solutions to address the underlying lack of competition in the markets for voice, text and data roaming.
On 30 June 2010 the Commission published a report indicating that, while such price cuts temporarily reduced roaming prices during the regulated period, the current rules did not solve the underlying problem of lack of competition in roaming services and prices remained stubbornly close to the retail caps.
This creates the need for a new regulatory intervention with a view to meeting, in a durable way, the target set in the Digital Agenda for Europe that the difference between roaming and national telecoms tariffs should approach zero by 2015. Such a target will be met if competition in mobile markets gives consumers a rapid and easy choice of roaming service at, or close to, a relevant competitive domestic price level.
For this purpose, the Commission will be presenting very shortly a proposal for a long-term solution to the structural problems in the markets for voice, text and data roaming.


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The new Samsung Galaxy Note10 and Note10 Plus phones are set to be official on August 7, 2019. But guess what, there will also a new Aura White Galaxy Note10 Plus.
Aura White Galaxy Note10 Plus in Sight
The Aura White Galaxy Note10 Plus phone is the new model to leak so far. Early this week, we wrote about the Rose Galaxy Note 10 phone which is coming alongside the Aura White Note10+. These new Galaxy Note 10 series will officially be public by Samsung on August 7. But if you want to get your Galaxy Note10 phone right now, you will only have to pre-order it so that you can get it before the official store launch date.
For people who don’t know, these Galaxy Note10 and Galaxy Note10 Plus handsets will be available in Samsung stores on August 23, 2019. So far, only the rose/pink colorway and Aura White colors have leaked. However, there is also a white Galaxy Note10+ version which is also in the project. To refresh your memory, we would like you to know that the Galaxy Note10+ should either come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ or an Exynos 9820 This is going to depend on the selling market.
For the hardware, the Aura White Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus specs sport 12GB of RAM. For the internal storage, there is 256 or 512GB of UFS 3.0 storage expandable via microSD. On top of that, the Galaxy Note10 Plus camera sports triple shooters on the rear with 3 apertures (f/1.5, f/1.8, f/2.4). The cameras features are 12+12 MP telephoto and ultra-wide shooter of 16 MP. It also has a selfie camera in a punch-hole which is 10 MP.
White Galaxy Note10 Plus Release Date
For the power, the Galaxy Note10+ battery comes with 4,300 mAh with 45W fast wired charging and 20W fast charging technology. The official shipments start on August 23, 2019. For the Galaxy Note10+ price, its cheapest model retails from €1,149.