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The Goldman Sachs technology M&A team, led by Sam Britton, has cashed in on its software focus and decades of experience to dominate 2019's biggest deals.Technologyread more
American small and medium-size companies that rely on China are scrambling to adjust their business plans in response to the escalating trade war.Traderead more
Here are the products that stand to be the most affected by China's new tariffs on $75 billion worth of U.S. goods.Marketsread more
The summit comes amid fears over a global economic slowdown, and U.S. tensions over trade allies, Iran and Russia.Politicsread more
The world's second biggest economy is past a point where it cannot ignore its enormous debt anymore, according to an analyst.China Economyread more
Carl Medlock used to work at Tesla. Now he's one of the few people in the U.S. that can fix the company's original Roadster electric vehicles.Technologyread more
Trump does have some powerful tools that would not require approval from U.S. Congress.Politicsread more
Stocks dropped after Donald Trump ordered that U.S. manufacturers find alternatives to their operations in China.US Marketsread more
As demand for lab monkeys continues to rise, U.S. scientists are reporting delays in research projects because they can't obtain enough animals, according to the National...Politicsread more
The European Union will respond in kind if the U.S. imposes tariffs on France over digital tax plan, EU chief Donald Tusk told G-7.Technologyread more
Trump said he will raise tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods to 30% and hike duties on another $300 billion in products to 15%.Politicsread more
In an age of Alexa, Cortana, the Google Assistant and Siri, Facebook wanted to provide the world with an assistant that could do more. In 2015 the company launched M in its Messenger chat app.
M wasn't just another chatbot that was trained to provide text responses based on previous conversations, using artificial intelligence. It had the power to take care of practically any task, as long as it wasn't illegal, because people were really doing the work. It was limited in its deployment, with M being made available to around 2,000 people, the Verge said, out of 1.3 billion Messenger users.
Last year Facebook altered M by introducing automatic actions and responses into Messenger conversations for millions of people. And on Monday, the company finally did away with the human-powered version of M altogether.
Relative to Facebook's expansive use of AI, M assistant was never very significant. Every day, for billions of people, Facebook counts on AI to make sense of text, speech, photos and videos.
Here's an incomplete list of ways Facebook uses AI at a bigger scale than the full-blown M assistant.
Facebook first established its AI research lab in 2013, and the company has for it. With that commitment, Facebook's use of AI is only going to increase.


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Retail gasoline prices dipped for a 17th week since July 4, falling below $2 a gallon in a number of states and approaching $1.50 at some service stations around the country. The price of crude fell again too, hitting a 20-month low.
While consumers worried about a weak job market and slumping investments are grateful for the price relief, economic reports increasingly suggest they’re hanging onto whatever savings they see at the pump.
Filling up her 2008 Toyota Highlander for $1.89 a gallon in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, dental hygienist Shelly Dalamaggas said even when gasoline was $4 just a few months ago, there was little choice but to pay and cut spending elsewhere.
“When you have to go to work, you have to go to work,” said Dalamaggas, who has two children, ages 9 and 13. “When you have to take your kids places, you have to take them places. You do what you have to do to cut back in other places.”
Retail gasoline prices fell overnight to a national average of $2.22 a gallon, dragged down by the falling price of crude, which now costs 60 percent less per barrel than it did in mid-July. The average price for regular unleaded gasoline has fallen nearly 32 percent in the past month.
In the Twin Cities Tuesday, the average was $1.968, down from $2.989 a month ago, according to automotive club AAA. Minnesota’s statewide average was $2.035 Tuesday.
Light, sweet crude for December delivery fell $3.08 to settle at $59.33 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest closing price since March 2007. Prices had dipped a dollar below that earlier in the day.
The latest decline comes two days ahead of a report from the International Energy Agency, which some analysts expect will cut its 2009 oil demand forecast for the third consecutive month.
Sharp swings in crude prices are taking place almost daily on the New York trading floor.
While the Nymex contract is now trading near first-half 2007 prices, the difference then between daily highs and lows was around $1.50 a barrel. Now, the average daily range is around $5.50 a barrel, with recent daily peaks at $9.50, said analyst Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland.
The overall trend for oil and gasoline prices, at least for now, is down.
Gas prices already have fallen well below $2 in some places. In Missouri, the Web site GasBuddy.com, where consumers post prices they spot, said a few stations in the Kansas City area were charging $1.61 for regular. Drivers were paying only slightly more in parts of Oklahoma, Iowa, Ohio and Texas.
On twincitiesgasprices.com, a site that uses similar methodology in the Twin Cities, an area low price of $1.81 was reported in New Brighton on Tuesday.

domain: news


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Author: Syedur Rahman 21 January 2022
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is looking to tighten the rules on advertising as it prepares to oversee the promotion of cryptocurrencies.
In an announcement, the FCA said it had been considering rules for advertising high-risk investments, as a result of what it called a “rapid growth’’ in risk-taking during the coronavirus pandemic.
The FCA’s announcement is likely to promote serious thinking by companies that market crypto assets and services. Its draft rules include details of how it intends to govern adverts. They come in the wake of Spain, Italy and Singapore all introducing measures to protect consumers regarding cryptocurrency advertising.
The new UK rules will ban payments to new customers who sign up or refer their friends. They will also require tougher wording on risk warnings in adverts and impose new conditions that will have to be met before planned promotions can be published.
In 2021, the FCA stated that approximately 2.3 million UK residents owned some crypto assets. But it said its research found that consumers who bought tokens based on adverts were more likely to regret their decision.
The FCA also intends to rewrite its marketing restrictions for other categories of high-risk investment, such as minibonds.
FCA chair Charles Randell has previously voiced frustration at not being able to take action against certain cryptocurrency advertising campaigns. With cryptocurrency adverts coming under the oversight of the FCA, most of them will need to be from a company authorised by either the regulator itself or the Prudential Regulation Authority. Some crypto-related businesses may even struggle to find an authorised firm to check its adverts.
The FCA’s planned changes are likely to result in less crypto adverts being seen. They will, to some extent, give a degree of confidence to those who are considering investing in such products, and can be seen as an important move towards enhanced consumer protection.
But, at the moment, it is unclear exactly what types of institution or company will be allowed to advertise. There will also need to be further clarity at some stage on precisely how the FCA plans to govern these types of adverts. There is, arguably, a case to be made for the Advertising Standards Authority being made to take a closer look at the adverts that are being produced, in order to ensure everything possible has been done to ensure that consumers are made fully aware of the risks of investing.
Syedur Rahman is known for his in-depth experience of serious fraud, white-collar crime and serious crime cases, as well as his expertise in worldwide asset tracing and recovery, international arbitration, civil recovery, cryptocurrency and high-stakes commercial disputes.


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HEINE, a global primary diagnostic instrument manufacturer, announces two new dermatoscopes available for purchase in the U.S.
HEINE, a global primary diagnostic instrument manufacturer based in Germany, announces the launch of two new dermatoscopes, DELTA 30 and DELTAone.
Inventor of the first handheld dermatoscope in 1989 (HEINE DELTA 10), the company is celebrating 30 years by introducing these two new products in the United States that include an enhanced achromatic optical system for pristine images, according to a press release.
Along with the optical system, the dermatoscopes include three degrees of luminous intensity and a more convenient way to switch between non-polarized and polarized illumination. The devices are also equipped with high-quality color rendering powered by HEINE LEDs and autoclavable contact plates with scales.
The new DELTA 30 is equipped with a sizable field of view at 30mm, yet is lightweight and easy to handle, while the DELTAone can be described as a more compact version with a field of view of 21mm and designed to fit into pockets, according to the company.
Also, the HEINE DERM app and the iPhone 6 or newer can be used in conjunction with the dermatoscopes to archive images, create new patient files and save consecutive progress documentation.
Two new dermatoscopes from HEINE Optotechnik. Two new dermatoscopes - HEINE Optotechnik. https://www.heine.com/en/press/two-new-dermatoscopes. Accessed April 6, 2020.


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Here's your clearest look yet at the next Moto G
If there was any doubt left that Motorola will unveil a new Moto G at its July 28th event, Swiss retailer Digitec just removed it. The store has posted listings for a "3rd gen" Moto G that offers the clearest look yet at what this budget smartphone w...
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Geely’s Volvo Car AB has warned it would struggle to meet its production forecast for this year as the shortage of semiconductors again forces factories to a standstill.
The carmaker told Bloomberg disruption was expected to last through the second quarter because of issues procuring a specific type of microprocessor. Volvo now expected only “marginal” growth in deliveries this year, after previously saying sales volume would rise, the news agency said.
Volvo added its issues were not related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to Bloomberg. Volvo had previously said the supply of semiconductors, as well as production, was gradually improving. Carmakers globally had repeatedly idled factories over the lack of chip supplies, leaving them unable to make enough vehicles as demand recovered as economies started to recover from the pandemic.
Earlier, Swedish daily Goteborgs-Posten reported the automaker had decided to cancel five shifts at its Torslanda factory, which makes the XC60 and XC90 SUVs, Bloomberg said.


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Cingular wireless opens doors
Published 12:00 am Thursday, April 28, 2005
Wednesday Cingular Wireless officially became the newest addition to Demopolis’ Canebrake Commons. The store officially opened its doors Wednesday morning and never slowed down the rest of the day.
President Ron Foster said they received a very encouraging outpour of support on their first full day open.
“This was the first day we have opened up and we stayed really busy,” Foster said. “It has been wide open al day long.”
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The new store will offer most any phone and accessory people will need along with timely service. Foster said the store, which is an agent for Cingular Wireless will have the ability to provide on site service for their customers needs.
We are a fulltime facility,” Foster said. “We can provide full customer service and bill paying right here.”
Foster, who has been an agent for Cingular Wireless for 10 years, said the store will offer a full line of phones and accessories all the while living up to their creed of “lowest price guaranteed.”
The new store will be one of several in the area. Foster said they have agents all over the twin states and planned to open another branch nearby in the next month.
“We will be opening a store in Selma in the next three weeks and we have stores all over Mississippi and Alabama,” Foster said. “I think our reputation will help us. We have a really good reputation and that is something we take a lot of pride in. Service and service after the sale.”
Cingular plans to open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday hours will likely be set for 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
The first Saturday will be the biggest as the store will celebrate its grand opening. Foster said they already have fun, entertainment and food lined up along with very good rates on new service.
“We will have the radio station coming out and we will have free drinks and pizza,” Foster said. “We have also introduced our promotion of free phones with new activation.”


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ViacomCBS has revealed “Paramount+” as the brand name for the company’s rebranded global streaming service, building on a legacy of innovation and superior storytelling that distinguishes one of the most iconic brands in Hollywood.
The company’s transformed subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, 10 All Access, will be rebranded as Paramount+ in early 2021 as part of the service’s expansion to feature content from ViacomCBS’ portfolio of broadcast, news, sports and entertainment brands. ViacomCBS will also bring Paramount+ to international markets with an initial debut in Australia, Latin America and the Nordics in 2021.
“Paramount is an iconic and storied brand beloved by consumers all over the world, and it is synonymous with quality, integrity and world-class storytelling,” said Bob Bakish, President and CEO, ViacomCBS. “With Paramount+, we’re excited to establish one global streaming brand in the broad-pay segment that will draw on the sheer breadth and depth of the ViacomCBS portfolio to offer an extraordinary collection of content for everyone to enjoy.”
David Lynn, President and CEO, ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), said: “With the global launch of Paramount+ we are poised to become as powerful a player in streaming as we are in TV. VCNI is focused on building a meaningful, global brand presence in our key markets, generating material advertising, subscription and licensing revenue from streaming.
“By leveraging the iconic Paramount brand, leading-edge infrastructure from ViacomCBS along with an incredible, super-sized pipeline of must-see content, Paramount+ will deliver an exceptional consumer entertainment experience and significantly disrupt the streaming industry.”
Chief Content Officer & Executive Vice President of ViacomCBS Australia & New Zealand, Beverley McGarvey, said: “The rebrand of 10 All Access to Paramount+ confirms its place in ViacomCBS’ global streaming network which will carry iconic ViacomCBS library content.
“As we continue to build out our multi-platform offering and with a firm focus on building our streaming offering, we’re really thrilled to be bringing the Paramount+ brand to local audiences.”
ViacomCBS has also revealed plans for additional new original series for Paramount+:
THE OFFER, a scripted limited event series from Paramount Television Studios, based on Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy’s extraordinary, never-revealed experiences of making The Godfather. The 10-episode event series is written and executive produced by Michael Tolkin (Escape at Dannemora and The Player). Ruddy will also serve as executive producer, and Emmy-winning producer Leslie Greif (Hatfields & McCoys) will executive produce and be a writer on the series.
LIONESS, a spy drama created by Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) with Sheridan, Jill Wagner, David Glasser, David Hutkin, and Bob Yari set to executive produce. Based on a real-life CIA program, Lioness follows a young Marine recruited to befriend the daughter of a terrorist to bring the organisation down from within. The series is produced by Paramount Network and 101 Studios.
A reimagination of the Emmy-nominated series Behind the Music entitled MTV’s Behind The Music – The Top 40, which will unlock MTV’s vault from the past 40 years for a unique and intimate look at the 40 biggest artists of all time, through their voices and their eyes. The series will be produced by Creature Films and MTV Studios.
THE REAL CRIMINAL MINDS, a true-crime docuseries based on the hit CBS Television series, and produced by XG Productions in association with CBS Television Studios and ABC Signature.
The service is also developing a revival of THE GAME as part of BET’s programming on Paramount+ from CBS Television Studios and Grammnet Productions.
The new original series announced today join the service’s previously announced plans for KAMP KORAL, a new original children’s series from Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants, and the service’s role as the exclusive SVOD home to The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run in early 2021. Additional new original content will be announced ahead of launch.
This programming will join 10 All Access’ existing offering of more than 10,000 episodes and movies from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Network 10 and more, as well as exclusive original series including The Good Fight, The Twilight Zone, Tooning Out The News, No Activity, Why Women Kill, Interrogation, The Thomas John Experience and Tell Me A Story, as well as upcoming series The Stand, The Man Who Fell To Earth, The Harper House, and Guilty Party.


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The sign franchise has powered through a challenging year, and secured the award for the third year in a row.
The winners of the 2021 Global Franchise Awards were announced on April 30th, and everyone at FASTSIGNS was delighted. John Davies, the UK Managing Director, said,
“We are so proud of our network! 2020 was the year for signage to come to the forefront, as the public suddenly needed clear direction, from signage experts, in the face of the pandemic.”
“We’ve had some exceptional opportunities to provide crucial signage for businesses in the UK – from hospitals, to vaccination centres, schools and the high street. It was a challenging year for our industry and I am incredibly proud of FASTSIGNS’ win.”
CEO Catherine Monson also shared her happiness about the win, which made FASTSIGNS the recipient of the award for Best Signage and Communication three years running.
“This is the third year FASTSIGNS has won this award and I am so thrilled. Our focus has always been on our franchisees so, during the pandemic, we partnered closely with them to help drive sales, pivot to new products and services and be the very best we could be. Throughout 2021, we will continue to provide world-class leadership and support.”
FASTSIGNS, which started franchising in 1986, has over 750 locations across 9 countries, including 20 centres in the UK. The sign franchise provides businesses with a range of visual resources including digital signage, banners, vehicle graphics, wall graphics and building signs.
Franchisees looking to get involved with the thriving sign franchise will need to invest a minimum of £36,000, with franchise fees of £21,000. All new franchisees will be provided with an excellent standard of support, and will receive:
- Support choosing a suitable location
- Training from experts and industry leaders
- Assistance with the pre-opening marketing campaign
- Grand opening support and guidance
- Dedicated access to business consultants
- Access to the Franchisee Mentoring Programme
- 24-hour web-based learning management
- Outside sales support
To find out more about FASTSIGNS, visit its profile page, which is linked above.
Lily Sweeney, Point Franchise ©


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As it became known, all of the active compounds are not organizing Team YP longer be able to participate in any activities of the ESL, as their main sponsor does not meet the new rules.
It is reported portal venturebeat.com with a focus on e-mail correspondence between the ESL and Team YP. According to the statement, the updated rules of the ESL ban be among a team sponsor any sites containing pornographic material. Organization Manager Claire Fisher notes that a ban on participation will apply to all current players Team YP in all disciplines.
Claire also said he was not aware of such a decision by the ESL, because the organization Team YP tried to completely disengage from its main sponsor, the popular site "youporn.com", removing all mention of it from its shape and the brand as a whole.
According to the company manager, everything that connects them with the "adult sites" - a reference to the famous site on the official portal of the team. However, Claire Fisher, says that the organization Team YP works so that any user, search engines look for in their team, in no way will get their title sponsor site.
According to the correspondence, representatives of Team YP even suggested organizing ESL changed its name to the other, which is even less will bind them to said site with restricted content, but ESL stated that it does not change the situation, as YouPorn will still be counted among the organization sponsors .
Recall that this is not the first time that Team YP infringe upon the organizers of their main sponsor. In December 2015, the organizers of the Capcom Cup in 2015 - an annual tournament in California Fighting - Team YP banned players wear T-shirts with the logo of your organization, what the representatives of Team YP originally responded by releasing a new collection of clothes with blurred logo.
It is worth recalling that the organization recently left CIS male composition of the CS: GO, advocated by players like Anton «kibaken» Kolesnikov Vadim «DavCost» Vasiliev. Despite this, Team YP still remains on the female part CS: GO, which is also our region.


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3D Printed Photoresponsive Sunflower Could Have Applications in Soft Robotics and Biomedical Devices
It’s no secret that receiving flowers from someone can brighten your day – it’s nice to know that the other person is thinking of you, most flowers have a lovely smell, and they’re not bad to look at either. However, flowers of the 3D printed variety are more than just a collection of pretty petals. While we’ve seen 3D printed flowers used as unique works of art and advertisements, they’ve also proved to be very helpful when used to study plant evolution, and they can even have applications in the field of soft robotics. This is what a team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore are currently studying, within the fascinating field of biomimetics. They’ve used shape memory composites to create a 3D printed, photoresponsive device: a synthetic flower that blooms on its own whenever it’s exposed to light.
By studying the blooming 3D printed flower and the material used to create it, chemists at the university, which recently opened a new 3D printing research center, believe that the unique material could be used to help create new opportunities for developing soft robotics and smart biomimetic devices. NTU materials scientist Xiaodong Chen is leading the team, which developed a modified polyurethane that shows shape memory, and, when it’s illuminated, can recover its original shape.
The research team published a paper in the Advanced Materials journal about their work, titled “3D Printed Photoresponsive Devices Based on Shape Memory Composites.” In addition to Chen, co-authors include Hui Yang, Wan Ru Leow, Ting Wang, Juan Wang, Jiancan Yu, Ke He, Dianpeng Qi, and Changjin Wan, all of whom work with the university’s Innovative Center for Flexible Devices.
The abstract of the paper reads, “Compared with traditional stimuli-responsive devices with simple planar or tubular geometries, 3D printed stimuli-responsive devices not only intimately meet the requirement of complicated shapes at macrolevel but also satisfy various conformation changes triggered by external stimuli at the microscopic scale. However, their development is limited by the lack of 3D printing functional materials. This paper demonstrates the 3D printing of photoresponsive shape memory devices through combining fused deposition modeling printing technology and photoresponsive shape memory composites based on shape memory polymers and carbon black with high photothermal conversion efficiency. External illumination triggers the shape recovery of 3D printed devices from the temporary shape to the original shape. The effect of materials thickness and light density on the shape memory behavior of 3D printed devices is quantified and calculated. Remarkably, sunlight also triggers the shape memory behavior of these 3D printed devices. This facile printing strategy would provide tremendous opportunities for the design and fabrication of biomimetic smart devices and soft robotics.”
The NTU researchers used polyurethane for their work, due to its abilities in shape recovery, and small amounts of carbon black were mixed in as well; this material generates heat when it’s illuminated, so it was used as the activator for the polymer’s shape recovery.
An FDM 3D printing method was utilized to create a 3D printed sunflower, which was able to mimic the plant family’s natural heliotropism (motion of plant parts in response to the sun’s direction) in order to demonstrate the new composite’s memory response.
“When materials comprising these photoresponsive groups are used to fabricate 3D printable photoresponsive devices through photopolymerization, the aforementioned transitions in the 3D printing process can lead to remarkable changes in the optical, mechanical, and chemical properties of the photoresponsive devices,” the researchers state in the paper.
The research team also used luminous triggers, because they can be accurately and easily focused, they’re fast, and they are able to be activated remotely. Once the photoresponsive, 3D printed sunflower was exposed to a xenon lamp or natural sunlight, it bloomed in less than five minutes.
According to the researchers, there aren’t too many stimuli-responsive 3D printed devices available, because there aren’t a lot of functional materials that are 3D printable. In addition, most of the existing devices only respond to temperature changes – not many react to other stimuli like chemical changes, humidity, and light. So, designing and creating 3D printable devices that are responsive to other types of stimuli could have a major impact in medical devices, soft robotics, and customized wearable sensors.
As the paper states, “these 3D printed stimuli-responsive devices may shape the future trends and opportunities of device development in various ﬁelds ranging from biomedical devices to soft robots.”
Discuss in the 3D Printed Flower forum at 3DPB.com.
[Source: Chemistry World / Images: Nanyang Technological University]
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Last week, AT&T (NYSE: T) sold its stake in on-demand video provider Hulu to the majority shareholders, leaving the market speculating about the future of its streaming service. The sale came at a time when the streaming sector is witnessing intense competition with the entry of new players like Disney+ (DIS). Currently, AT&T is gearing up to take on rivals with the recently acquired WarnerMedia, which is being reorganized with focus on video streaming.
The Dallas, Texas-based company is all set to unveil its first-quarter results Wednesday before the opening bell. Market watchers see a 19% growth in revenues to $45.11 billion in the March quarter – mainly reflecting the inputs from WarnerMedia – but forecast a one-cent decline in earnings to $0.85 per share.
The stable demand for its wireless services and the recent revision of TV packages, with a favorable pricing structure, bode well for the company in terms of revenue generation. The top-line will also benefit from the new business model with focus on improving advertising content and data analysts.High operating expenses could be a drag on the bottom-line, including those related to acquisitions, as the world’s largest telecommunications firm looks to establish itself as a telecom-entertainment company. However, the main area of concern is the depletion of the company’s post-paid subscriber-base in recent quarters, which is expected to continue in the to-be-reported quarter, in contrast to the solid additions seen a year earlier.
The stable demand for its wireless services and the recent revision of TV packages bode well for the company in terms of revenue generation
In the December quarter, AT&T registered a double-digit increase in earnings to $0.86 per share, which topped analysts’ forecast by a penny. Supported solely by contributions from WarnerMedia, revenues climbed 15% to $48 billion. The company’s main business segments suffered from muted subscriber addition, especially the linear TV service.
You may also like: AT&T Q4 2018 Earnings Conference Call Transcript
After recording strong cash flow growth and launching a debt reduction program last year, the management is planning to take forward the initiatives to strengthen the balance sheet further. The majority of the analysts following AT&T are bullish about the company’s market value. They have given the stock buy rating, with a consensus price target of $35.
Shares of AT&T witnessed significant volatility in the past twelve months when they lost about 3%, moving closer to the $30-mark. However, the stock had a positive start to 2019, and moved up 8% so far, outperforming the market.
The semiconductor industry is a rapidly growing business segment that currently thrives on the digital transformation wave. The demand for memory chips and other semiconductor products increased over the years,
Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY) were up on Friday, a day after the company delivered disappointing results for the second quarter of 2022. The company reported a
Nike, Inc. (NYSE: NKE) has reported a decrease in net profit for the first quarter of 2023, despite a modest increase in revenues. The company's stock suffered a big loss


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Britain's workers are eating differently. Last week's report on lunchtime habits from contract caterer Eurest, part of the Compass Group, confirmed this.
Although the report was titled Good Opportunities for Caterers, only one in three workers who have access to a staff restaurant use it regularly and 25% of women skip lunch altogether. Those who do take breaks take shorter ones, want healthier food and on average spend just £2 on lunch.
There may well be plenty of opportunities (not least to increase the number of workers using a staff restaurant regularly), but there are also plenty of challenges for caterers trying to hold on to their share of the customer's pound.
Significantly, customers are spending more on snacks, up to £3 a head, which offers contract caterers a greater chance to increase sales.
Since 14 years ago, when Eurest first conducted its lunchtime survey, the catering landscape has changed dramatically. The high street has had a massive impact, leading change and providing stiff competition. The choice and variety of food available in Pret A Manger, EAT, Benjys, Boots and Marks & Spencer have accelerated the speed of change and forced contractors to react quickly to what customers want.
This, according to Eurest's survey, is healthier food. Now, one in three workers are concerned about fat and calorie intake - even though their lunch choice is based first on taste, followed by health, price and quality.
A Compass spokeswoman said the trend towards healthy eating in business and industry contracts is gathering pace: "People are definitely making healthier choices."
But in-house restaurants can't just offer healthy food, said Chris Stern, of Stern Consultancy. "It does depend on where you are in the country, but without a doubt there has been a switch to fresher food. Nonetheless, people often say they want just healthy meals - but you still have to offer chips."
Restaurateur Prue Leith also recognises that consumers' buying habits don't necessarily match their desires. "Workers express a desire for healthy menus, even if the take-up doesn't quite match," she said. "My guess is that the shift to healthier lunches will be driven as much by the employer, who recognizes the cost benefits of a healthier workforce, as by the rest of us, who continue to find sugar and fat pretty well irresistible."
Stern agreed that fresh, high-quality food is one way that caterers can push up workers' spend. "We have found that when the contract caterer's client [the employer] and the caterer go for a high-quality, fresh offering, you get a better uptake by the customer. Without a doubt people are prepared to pay more for quality."
Jonathan Doughty, managing director of Coverpoint Consultancy, agreed: "The offering has had to move from meat and two veg and jam roly poly to healthy paninis, Danish pastries and espresso coffee.
"What you used to have was a canteen that was open from noon to 2pm; now it is far closer to a high-street offering."
But it is not only the food that is changing, it is also the design, which is altering to meet corporate and staff requirements. Now, staff have breakout areas, coffee bars, delis, convenience stores and vending. This, said Doughty, is helping to sustain and maintain business.
It is also good for the employers, and, as Doughty pointed out, having the right work environment and choice of facilities - and that includes the food - is seen as an important benefit to help capture and retain the best staff.
It's a cyclical thing, said Doughty. When an industry is booming, often there aren't enough potential employees, so attracting and retaining staff becomes important, and having the right benefits and environment is a big part of that.
Despite the challenges and an extremely competitive environment, consultants believe contract caterers have a healthy future in the workplace.
"It's a tough environment, and caterers are having to perform better and raise their game and quality," said Stern. "This has been necessary for caterers to charge the price that meets their clients' financial requirements and to satisfy their customers. To be honest, the best operators have risen to the challenges really, really well."
The French comparison - In France, the average lunch break is longer, at 35 minutes.
- Two-thirds of French workers take lunch, compared with 57% in the UK.
- Nearly half of all French workers eat a three-course meal every day.
- Sandwiches are eaten at lunchtime by only 5% of workers in France.
- Only one in eight workers in France eat in a staff restaurant, while 25% eat in a commercial restaurant.
Source: Survey of 1,000 French workers compiled by market intelligence company Ifop
Key findings - how things have changed since 1990 - One in five workers (20%) work through their lunch, compared with just 7% in 1990.
- Average lunchtime spend is £2.02, compared with £1.20 in 1990.
- Tea is the nation's favourite lunchtime drink, with 43% choosing tea and 35% coffee.
- Mineral water is the third-favourite drink, with 21% choosing it compared with just 8% in 1990.
- Organic and GM-free food influence only 5% of workers' choice of lunch.
- Taste is the most important factor influencing people's choice of lunchtime meal.
- Sandwiches are the nation's favourite - 54% take them, though this is down from 65% in 2002. Fruit and salads come next.
The Eurest report polled 2,000 adults nationwide. Good Opportunities for Caterers costs £25 and available by e-mail email@example.com


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Apple’s MacBook Pro with Retina display, which stirred controversy when the manufacturer withdrew and then reinstated use of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, has been verified as meeting EPEAT standards, as EPEAT announces that all ultralight devices listed in its registry met the organization’s environmental criteria.
This includes ultrathin notebooks from Apple, Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba, which were all selected for physical verification testing.
Apple abrubtly pulled out — and then, just days later, reentered — the environmental electronics rating system this summer, leading to speculation that tough disassembly was behind Apple’s withdrawal from the standard: teardown site iFixit said the MacBook Pro with Retina display had a battery glued to the case and was the least repairable they’d ever taken apart. Under EPEAT, manufacturers must show that recyclers can easily disassemble their products and separate batteries and other toxic components.
But following tests conducted by an independent technical lab, EPEAT’s product verification committee has found all investigated ultrathin notebooks to be in conformance with its criteria, clearing the way for all the products investigated to remain on the EPEAT registry. Greenpeace slammed EPEAT’s decision, saying it would add to the world’s electronic waste problem and mean less recycling, PC World reports.
For the tests, the lab bought devices on the open market, and disassemble them according to the instructions provided. Time for total disassembly of each of the products was under 20 minutes in all cases; for the removal of batteries the time required was between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, EPEAT says, adding that these times probably exceed what a skilled recycler would require.
EPEAT said its testing addressed other areas of concern including whether products could be upgraded and if tools were commonly available to accomplish those upgrades.
EPEAT says it took several measures to ensure the registry’s integrity including:
- A request for formal clarification of the standard requirements from the independent product verification committee, a group of experts on electronics and environmental issues who provide interpretation of conformity requirements and rule on verification findings.
- A review of publicly available technical information for notebook products in the EPEAT registry.
- An independent verification investigation for those products where public information did not resolve questions of potential non-conformance.


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Nine months may be a long time for some expecting moms to go without a glass of wine or their favorite latte. But the baby’s arrival doesn’t automatically give the all-clear to indulge again.
Mothers considering breast-feeding need to be careful about drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, lactation experts say: The effects can be troublesome to newborns, who run the risk of becoming extremely agitated to extremely drowsy, depending upon how much they are exposed to.
Alcohol can be transmitted through breast milk rapidly, typically getting into the breast milk supply 30 to 60 minutes after consumption, says Merrie Rheingans, clinical manager for lactation services at Banner Children’s Hospital in Mesa. Its effect is relative to the amount the mother took in.
Side effects from too much alcohol in a baby’s system can run the range of intoxication and drowsiness to weakness and weight gain. “If a mother has one drink or less in a day, it probably won’t harm the baby,” says Rheingans, who recommends the mother pump and discard the batch of breast milk right after having the drink if she is unable to wait two to three hours until the next feeding (alcohol will pass freely through the mother’s body in that two- to three-hour window).
And what about that old wives’ tale about drinking beer to produce more breast milk? Not so, says Mary Wisneski, a licensed practical nurse and certified lactation educator in Mesa, who says it’s better to wait until after the feeding to indulge.
KEEPING TABS ON CAFFEINE
Mothers also should limit their intake of caffeinerich products — everything from coffee to soft drinks, chocolate and even some cold medications.
Moms should limit their overall intake to less than 750 milliliters a day, suggests Rheingans. For coffee, that translates to about 25 ounces of java — the brewed kind, that is. Espressos, Rheingans points out, are stronger.
If a mother doesn’t watch her caffeine intake, the child will most likely become hyperalert, overstimulated and fussy, Rheingans says. Those effects, say experts, can last for a while.
“If a baby gets too much caffeine, it will take them seven times longer to clear it from their system than it will take the mother,” says Wisneski, who recommends drinking that morning cup of coffee after a feeding, rather than before.
Baby, Mother & More hosts a free breastfeeding class for expectant moms 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. every other Saturday. The next class is scheduled for April 21 at the store, 1235 S. Gilbert Road, Mesa. (480) 964-0987.


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This summer, European luxury houses refrained from their usual extravagant cruise resort shows. Resort is traditionally a very profitable and important season for many designers. Resort wear hits the shelves in October and remains relevant till June. The concept, which started as a capsule collection in pre-World War II Europe for the privileged jet-set who took holidays in the winter to escape the cold, has now evolved into a major part of the fashion ecosystem. These collections allowed you to escape in style—whether you choose to travel or not—by adding a feel of ease and joy into a wardrobe.
The pandemic has further elevated resort from being the playground of high fashion and niche labels to mainstream fashion. Resort is now part of our everyday dressing. Rating high on wearability, it makes a responsible addition to the wardrobe. “Resort styles tend to be the most versatile ones in a wardrobe. Contrary to its location-specific name, it passages in everyday wardrobes. With the pandemic pushing people homewards, these silhouettes saw a new light outside the realm of holidays” says Narresh Kukreja, creative director of resort wear label Shivan & Narresh. One of the functions of fashion is to provide women with clothes that allow them to escape from the mundane, as British designer Alice Temperley adds, “Clothes can transport you to another place, another era, and should never be boring.”


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China fines Ritz-Carlton, others for raising prices after VAT rollout
[BEIJING] China slapped fines of more than US$300,000 on the Ritz Carlton and Crowne Plaza hotels in Beijing, along with four other companies for using recent tax reforms to justify price increases.
The country's top economic regulator, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), posted the names of six businesses that had been fined 2 million yuan (S$406,878) apiece on its website on Friday.
The companies had raised prices following the May 1 rollout of a value-added tax (VAT) system in the construction, property, finance and life services - which cover the hospitality, healthcare and tourism industries.
Aside from the two hotels, the regulator also fined China World Trade Center, a subsidiary of Singapore developer Capitaland, a property management subsidiary of New World Development Company in Shanghai and Shenyang, and Hang Lung Properties Ltd, a subsidiary of Hang Lung Properties Limited.
The fine resulted from a misunderstanding over the new tax system and the hotel adopted a new pricing policy over the weekend, said Michele Lv, a Ritz-Carlton PR manager for Asia Pacific.
China started applying VAT to some sectors in 2012, and the May rollout extended the tax to the final four industries not yet covered.
The government hopes the reforms will cut firms' tax burdens by more than 500 billion yuan this year, part of a broader push for "supply-side reforms" aimed at cutting red tape and scaling back the role of government in business to allow market forces greater room to flourish.
The new system replaced a business tax, which directly taxes businesses, whereas a VAT - sometimes known as a goods and services tax - is borne by the end consumer, reducing the burden on companies which are facing rising costs and a slowing economy.


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BMW Ramps Up Investment in China to Meet Electric Demand
German automaker BMW is taking a majority stake in its China joint venture and investing 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) in factories there, underscoring the importance of the Chinese market as the company prepares to meet increased demand for electric vehicles.
China Airbnb Rival Xiaozhu.com Raises Nearly $300 Million From Jack Ma Fund
Chinese short-term rental firm Xiaozhu.com said on Wednesday it has raised nearly $300 million in a funding round led by Jack Ma's Yunfeng Capital, amid fierce competition from U.S. giant Airbnb Inc and local rival Tujia.com.


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DULUTH, MN. -- Duluth business owners who don't have a storefront for their shop got the opportunity to show off their businesses today as part of the Ho-Ho-Holiday Pop Up.
With the holiday's right around the corner, the festive holiday popup sale featured local artisans showing off things like graphic designs, paintings, and jewelry.
Local artist Stacie Renne says events like these stress the importance of shopping local.
"Your dollar stays here, so that's how we support ourselves. Especially artists who are constantly working and don't have store fronts, it's extremly important to keep everything local so our money goes back into the community to support others", said Renne.
The event was hosted at Zeitgeist arts cafe. Work will be on display there for the rest of the month.


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After dealing a significant financial blow in 2022, the crypto industry hopes for a strong rebound this year as new regulations come into force, making the cryptocurrency space more secure. In addition, India, which took over the G20 presidency, has announced collaborations and synergies among nations to develop international crypto laws and frameworks.
Expected Crypto Market Trends In 2023
The use of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDCs) globally will usher in a new era of trade agreements, economic value creation, hardware manufacturing deals, and bilateral relations. "It is also teaching investors to have patience regarding their investments. For 2023 end, we expect a rise in the market as new regulations are coming to make crypto a more secure space. However, rising interest rates and easing monetary stimulus will likely produce a tougher funding environment that will narrow the field of potential investors that can win high strikes," says Kumar Gaurav, Founder & CEO of Cashaa.
Increased Adoption: As more people become aware of cryptocurrencies and the technology that underlies them, the number of people using these assets will likely continue to grow. It could lead to increased adoption by businesses and individuals, which could drive the demand for cryptocurrencies.
Greater Regulatory Clarity: As the cryptocurrency sector continues to grow and mature, regulatory bodies worldwide will likely provide greater clarity and guidance on how these assets should be treated. This could help to build confidence in the market and encourage greater adoption.
Improved Infrastructure: The infrastructure surrounding cryptocurrencies, such as exchanges, wallets, and payment processors, will likely improve and become more user-friendly. This could make it easier for people to buy, sell, and use cryptocurrencies in their daily lives.
Eye On Taxation: In the 2022 budget, the government imposed a 30 per cent tax on virtual digital assets (VDAs). "The ecosystem is advocating for lower tax rates - 0.01 per cent TDS on sale transactions instead of the existing 1 per cent, parity with securities market long-term/short-term gains instead of 30 per cent tax on gains," says Rajagopal Menon, Vice President, WazirX, a crypto exchange.
"This advocacy is to promote homegrown crypto projects and boost adoption to create a self-reliant crypto industry in the country," he added.
Institutional Crypto Investment: The momentum of institutional investment in crypto assets is expected to continue for a while. The market will likely have increased liquidity and the popularity of crypto assets as a store of value. "However, the average funding value is expected to follow a similar trend of 2022, with only the most promising projects with market viability getting supported by investors after careful consideration," says Menon.
Progress Of Web3 In 2023: Leon Foong, head of APAC, Binance, a global crypto exchange, said the Web3 infrastructure will continue to grow and draw investors' attention. "To build a robust Web3 infrastructure, security is important, and Binance plans to continue with initiatives such as Global Law Enforcement Training Program, disclosing Binance's hot and cold wallet addresses through Proof of Reserves, and establishing the Industry Recovery Initiative (IRI) to protect consumers and rebuild the industry," he said.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - Intel Corp.
and the New York Attorney General have agreed to end a lawsuit in which the tech company was accused of violating U.S. and state antitrust laws, the chip maker said Thursday. The agreement comes two months after a federal court in Delaware dismissed some of the claims in the New York Attorney General's 2009 suit accusing Intel of abusing its dominant position in the chip market against rival Advanced Micro Devices
Under the agreement, Intel will pay the $6.5 million in costs incurred by the New York Attorney General in the litigation. However, the company "does not admit either any violation of law or that the allegations in the complaint are true, and it calls for no changes to the way Intel does business."


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The Limited’s Heasley to become Lane Bryant CEO
- Staff New York Business Journal
Heasley has been president and CEO of The Limited for six years, where she is credited with returning The Limited to sustained profitability for the first time in 17 years, Ascensa said. Among her initiatives was revamping store product lines, introducing new brand positioning, launching e-commerce, commissioning a new store design, introducing a new plus-size brand, and launching a new national advertising campaign.
Heasley also has held senior leadership roles at Timberland, Limited Brands Inc. and drugstore chain CVS.
“A very focused search process was conducted and the organization was able to attract a number of highly qualified candidates,” Ascensa President and CEO David Jaffe said in a statement. “Linda is the ideal person to lead Lane Bryant. She has a track record of impressive business results, an engaging and collaborative style, and a passion for the customer.”
“I’m extremely excited about this opportunity,” Heasley said. “Lane Bryant is an iconic brand and I’m looking forward to being part of its revitalization.
Ascena operates about 3,800 stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, including the Justice, Lane Bryant, Maurices, Dressbarn and Catherines brands.
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A novelty at IMTS 2008, 3D printing is taking its rightful place as an industrial solution.
McLean, Va., March 9, 2016 – To enter the North Building at McCormick Place, visitors to IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show – must exit the Grand Concourse and pass through the new Additive Manufacturing Pavilion. Previously the technology has been featured in AMT’s Emerging Technology Center as a cutting edge technology and then added to the Fabricating and Laser Pavilion. For IMTS 2016, additive manufacturing technology has earned a stand-alone spotlight at the show, which runs from Sept. 12-17, 2016.
“Additive manufacturing is a reality for the industrial marketplace. It’s not fully mature, but the technology has progressed far enough that if you’re ignoring 3D printing at IMTS 2016, you’re making a big mistake,” advises David Burns, founder and principal of Global Business Advisory Services, LLC. “Fortunately, within the IMTS Additive Manufacturing Pavilion, you’ll find companies that offer a full suite of 3D products, and they’re good at explaining the benefits.”
Burns well understands industrial manufacturing. IMTS 2016 will mark his 16th show. Before he started advising industrial companies, Burns co-founded and was President and COO of ExOne™, a leading provider of 3D printing machines, products and related services. Prior to ExOne, he was CEO for gear manufacturer Gleason Corporation.
Burns says that technology advancements occur so rapidly that staying on top of new developments requires constant work. As it applies to 3D printing, developments include new metallurgies, new machines and a suite of design tools.
“Designing for 3D printing requires a completely different approach, as does integrating the power of 3D printing into your industrial manufacturing operation,” he says.
As an example, Burns cites an aerospace part redesign where 3D printing reduced weight from 7 to 2 lbs. and offered better mechanical properties. Saving 5 lbs. per part over several parts adds up to serious fuel savings when you consider that American Airlines claims it will save $1.2 million in fuel per year by switching from 35-lb. paper manuals to a 1.5-lb. iPad.
In another example, 3D printing enables the integration of conformal cooling channels in the tooling for injection molded parts. The new design reduces cycle time, reduces reject rates associated with warping and offers a claimed productivity rate increase of 20 to 70 percent across several applications. In yet a third example, 3D printing enabled a design team to combine 18 parts into a single component that was 25 percent lighter and, more importantly, eliminated maintenance issues.
“If you’re just trying to emulate an existing design, you need to expand your thinking to fully harness the power of 3D printing,” says Burns. “Savings and productivity improvements are going to come from ways you have yet to imagine.”
The Additive Manufacturing Pavilion
“Additive manufacturing is incredibly dynamic, and in order to see new materials, new design ideas and new production techniques, you need to attend IMTS 2016,” says Peter R. Eelman, Vice President – Exhibitions & Communications at AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. Eelman emphasizes that the term additive manufacturing encompasses a collection of diverse technologies that includes material providers, 3D printers and associated equipment such as sintering furnaces, design and production software, scanners that capture points to create a parametric design and 3D printing service centers.
“The Additive Manufacturing Pavilion showcases essentially every component necessary for a manufacturing cell,” he says. “In addition, the technology has progressed so far that you’ll also see it on the show floor. Several of the leading machine tool providers will demonstrate ‘hybrid machines’ that integrate 3D printing and traditional machine tool capabilities.”
Pavilion exhibitors include ExOne, EOS of North America, 3D Systems, Statasys, HP, Optomec, Proto Labs, EnvisionTEC, Cideas, DM3D Technology, SCIAKY, 3rd Dimension Industrial 3D Printing, Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies, GPI Prototype & Manufacturing Services, Linear AMS — and more still being added. Use the MyShow Planner tool to set up meetings with these and other companies, and even bring a hard copy of your print.
View the Additive Pavilion exhibitor list
Download the IMTS 2016 logo and photos – IMTS.com/media
Leading up to IMTS 2016, we are featuring members of the IMTS community who shared what the show means to them. Read more at IMTS.com/WeAre
View the IMTS 2016 floor plan – IMTS.com/floorplan
Watch IMTS YouTube Channel – youtube.com/imtsvideos
IMTS – International Manufacturing Technology Show
The largest and longest running manufacturing technology trade show in the United States is held every other year at McCormick Place in Chicago, Ill. IMTS 2016 will run Sept. 12-17. IMTS is ranked among the largest trade shows in the world. Recognized as one of the world’s preeminent stages for introducing and selling manufacturing equipment and technology, IMTS attracts more than 114,000 visitors from every level of industry and more than 112 countries. IMTS is owned and managed by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. www.IMTS.com
AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology represents and promotes U.S.-based manufacturing technology and its members—those who design, build, sell, and service the continuously evolving technology that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Founded in 1902 and based in Virginia, the association specializes in providing targeted business assistance, extensive global support, and business intelligence systems and analysis. AMT is the voice that communicates the importance of policies and programs that encourage research and innovation, and the development of educational initiatives to create tomorrow’s Smartforce. AMT owns and manages IMTS — The International Manufacturing Technology Show, which is the premier manufacturing technology event in North America. www.AMTonline.org


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The partnership between Practo and Uber will pilot in Singapore, India, Indonesia and the Philippines
Practo, an app that allows consumers to search for and book appointments with doctors, has announced a partnership with ride-sharing company Uber, allowing its users to find and book a ride to the doctor’s clinic more easily.
Piloting in Singapore, India, Indonesia and the Philippines from today, Practo will allow users — on its consumer app Practo Search — to find the closest available Uber vehicle through a reminder issued for their medical appointments. Users can confirm the Uber booking to bring them to their medical appointment by clicking on the alert.
“We realised that transportation issues often bring additional stress to a doctor’s visit — having to drive through traffic, then hunt for parking — all while you or your loved one is sitting in the car feeling ill is a terrible experience,” said Shashank ND, Founder and CEO of Practo. “There are also many patients who may not be able to drive themselves to a doctor at all.”
The partnership will allow the user to view the estimated fare and the waiting time for the Uber vehicle to arrive. Upon booking, the Uber driver will be given the destination of the medical appointment.
New users who book their first doctor’s appointment on Practo can use the promotion code “UBERPRACTOSG” to claim up to two free rides, up to SG$20 (US$14) per ride, with Uber. The offer will be valid till December 31, 2015.
Practo — which is currently available in 10 countries in Southeast Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Latin America — and Uber are looking to expand this partnership to cover more countries.
Image credit: Shutterstock
The post Practo and Uber partner to make trip to the doctor a breeze appeared first on e27.
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Electrum has announced the release of the new version of the famous Bitcoin wallet with support for Lightning Network (LN).
The new version will be the 4.0, with the last one available to date being the 3.3.8, and will be launched this week, although they didn’t say on which day.
In addition to LN, it will also support PSBT, watchtower and Submarine Swaps.
About the integration of LN, the official GitHub repository says it will be hosted on Electrum servers, but users will also be allowed to use other servers.
In addition, for LN wallets that remain offline for a long time, it is recommended to set up a watchtower.
Since the funds stored in an LN channel cannot be restored from the seed, it will be possible to create static backups of a channel, although these cannot be used to perform transactions, rather to only remotely activate forced closures of the channel.
These backups can also be exported, for example via QR code, and imported into other instances of the wallet.
The new version 4.0 will contain other new features, but the most anticipated one is definitely the Lightning Network, as Electrum is one of the most used Bitcoin wallets in the world. The possibility to use LN channels for immediate and cheap BTC transactions could be very appreciated by those who use Electrum to make transactions of small amounts, and with a certain continuity.
The announcement of the integration of LN in the new version of the wallet was made in October of last year, and since then there has not been much news about it.
Therefore, it is plausible that the developers of Electrum have been working on it for a long time, in the hope that the result will be safe and easy to use even for users who are not particularly experienced.


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4 Top Stocks to Buy in 2014
Tap these pharmaceutical and auto plays for a quick jump in the new year
Now that the champagne is uncorked and the noisemakers are put away, we’re taking a look at a number of stocks to buy so you can get a jump on 2014.
Three of these four picks are riding the healthcare megatrend, benefiting from the overall increased use of medical supplies, as well as the continued move toward generic drugs. Meanwhile, the fourth is a great play on the resurgent auto industry.
Without further ado, here’s a look at four stocks to buy in 2014:
AmerisourceBergen (ABC) is riding the momentum of a strong fourth-quarter earnings announcement and 2014 guidance, which bodes well for ABC stock.
Compared with Q4 2012, sales increased 34% at its Drug Corporation unit and by 12% at its Specialty Group unit. Total revenue jumped 28% to $24.5 billion, topping the $23.96 billion consensus estimate.
Meanwhile, net income fell from $163.49 million to $51.02 million as ABC recorded a $154 million inventory charge and divested its AndersonBrecon and AmerisourceBergen Canada operations. However, excluding special items, adjusted earnings climbed 3% to 79 cents per share and topped the 75 cents consensus estimate by 5%.
ABC also has strong expectations for the next year. Looking ahead to 2014, AmerisourceBergen expects adjusted EPS in the range of $3.60 to $3.73 per share, meeting analyst estimates in the middle of the range. This amounts to earnings growth between 15% and 19% and revenue growth of 28% to 31%.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX)
Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX), a Canadian drugmaker, is making a splash in the eye health market now that it has bought out Bausch + Lomb. The deal is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings and should yield hundreds of millions in annual cost savings by the end of this year.
I consider now a great time to buy in the wake of third-quarter earnings. VRX did post a net loss of $973.2 million, or a loss of $2.92 per share. However, excluding special items, the company posted adjusted earnings of $486 million, or $1.43 per share, which beat the consensus earnings estimate by a penny. Meanwhile, total revenues jumped 74% year-over-year to $1.54 billion thanks to strong growth in Valeant’s dermatology prescription brands and its oral health portfolios.
When it comes to Valeant, my eyes are on the horizon. Looking ahead to full-year 2013, the company forecasts cash EPS in a range of $6.11 to $6.16. Total sales are expected to be $5.7 billion to $5.9 billion. This represents 61% to 66% annual sales growth and 35% to 37% earnings growth.
The integration of Bausch + Lomb is going according to schedule, and Valeant expects to realize $850 million (or more) in synergies. I consider VRX one of the strongest pharmaceutical stocks out there.
Actavis (ACT) is one of the world’s largest generic drugmakers. With a portfolio of over 190 pharmaceutical product families, Actavis has its name on everything from antibiotics to contraceptives to smoking cessation treatments.
ACT just posted strong quarterly results on the heels of successful launches of generic versions for Lidoderm, a topical patch for after-shingles pain, and Opana ER, a narcotic pain reliever. During the third quarter, the company also received FDA approval of a generic version of Lamictal ODT, a seizure medication.
Compared with Q3 2012, net revenue jumped 57% to $2.01 billion. Adjusted earnings per share advanced nearly 55% to $2.09 per share, meeting estimates.
Looking ahead, ACT expects Q4 adjusted earnings of $2.95 to $3.05 per share, well above the $2.26 Street view. For fiscal 2013, Actavis forecasts adjusted earnings between $9.26 and $9.39 per share, up from its previous range of $8.15 to $8.50 per share. The company also lifted its sales forecast to $8.6 billion from $8.1 billion. Analysts are calling for 2013 earnings of $8.35 per share of ACT stock on $8.08 billion in sales.
Magna International (MGA) is a leading supplier to the auto industry. Based in Ontario, Magna International provides services ranging from vehicle engineering and assembly to production of exterior trim and building interior door panels. Ford (F), General Motors (GM) and Toyota Motors (TM) are all long-time clients of Magna.
I like Magna because it is profiting from the rise in outsourcing and just-in-time manufacturing demands on the auto industry. And while Magna is based in Canada, it’s a global company that is largely immune to currency valuations that would otherwise hurt its competitiveness. That’s because MGA has the ability to transplant its manufacturing operators to the most competitive countries.
And then there’s profit potential. Magna International has been working overtime to revamp its business in Europe, and its efforts have paid off. Production sales to that region improved 18% year-over-year to $2.36 billion. Sales in North America advanced 11% and sales to the rest of the world jumped 16% over last year. So total sales rose 13% to $8.34 billion, topping analyst estimates of $8.23 billion.
MGA was hit with restructuring charges during the third quarter, so profit fell 18% year-over-year to $390 million, or $1.39 per share. Even so, that trumped the $1.34 EPS consensus estimate by 4%.
Looking ahead to full year 2013, Magna International has lifted the low end of its sales outlook to a range of $28.1 billion (up from $27.7 billion) to $28.7 billion.
FleetCor Technologies, a provider of payment processing services and private-label fuel cards, is building both a sturdy foundation and a launching pad for growth.Continue Reading


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Surgical devices maker Encision (PINK:ECIA) found itself the unfortunate target of nearly 50 lawsuits over alleged injuries caused by transvaginal mesh devices that Encision neither manufactures nor distributes.
The Encision revealed in a recent SEC filing that it was named as a defendant in 47 separate but similar lawsuits over surgical mesh products manufactured by another unnamed company.
"We did not distribute or sell the manufacturer’s mesh product, which is the subject of these lawsuits," according to the company filing. "We believe that we have been named as a defendant in these lawsuits only because we served as a distributor for other unrelated products of that manufacturer."
The lawsuits should be covered by insurance and outcomes should not affect the company’s operations or finances, Encision added.
A raft of medical device companies – including Johnson & Johnson‘s (NYSE:JNJ) Ethicon subsidiary, Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX), C.R. Bard (NYSE:BCR), Endo Health Solutions (NSDQ:ENDP), Cook Medical and Coloplast (CPH:COLO B) – are facing thousands of product liability and personal injury lawsuits over their respective pelvic mesh devices.
Controversy over the surgical mesh as been growing for years, gaining momentum in 2011 after the FDA issued safety communications about potential complications associated with the implants, suggesting that the devices be given a higher risk profile.


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Arkona, Inc., which supplies business management software to powersports and automotive dealerships, reported a 14 percent increase in revenue for its second quarter over the previous year.
The company said its gross profit rose slightly to $1.5 million from $1.4 million for its fiscal second quarter, which ended Sept. 30, compared to the previous year quarter.
The revenue and gross profit increases came as a result of the company’s dealer management software suite gaining market acceptance, the company reported.
For the six months ending Sept. 30, total revenues increased to $6.1 million compared to $5.28 million for the same time period for 2005. Gross profit increased 17 percent to $2.52 million.


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According to an IDG News Service article on The New York Times, Sergei Tsurikov, 26, of Tallinn, Estonia, one of the alleged masterminds of an attack on payment processor RBS WorldPay, will be extradited to the U.S. He is facing a variety of hacking and fraud charges.
As we reported last February, hackers broke into RBS’s databases and took personal and financial data on 1.5 million customers of its payroll cards business. They used that information to withdraw $9 million from ATMs from 49 cities.
Tsurikov is one of eight people indicted by the Department of Justice for the fraud. He is the first to be extradited to the U.S.


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Asia-Pacific airlines enjoyed a strong international travel recovery during 2022, as travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic were largely abandoned.
During 2022, Asia-Pacific airlines carried 105 million international passengers, compared with 17.4 million in 2021, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).
International ASKs during 2022 nearly tripled from 2021, while RPKs grew fivefold. Load factors for 2022 jumped 39.9 percentage points to 72.8%.
“2022 marked the start of a long-awaited recovery in international travel markets as governments across the region eased travel restrictions over the course of the year in a bid to welcome back visitors,” says AAPA director general Subhas Menon.
“The release of pent-up travel demand drove a 507% annual increase in the number of passengers carried for the year. However, demand in 2022 averaged just 27% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels, underscoring the significant progress still required towards full recovery.”
AAPA’s traffic results reflect the performance of 40 Asia-Pacific airlines.
Underscoring how much things improved during 2022, in December the region’s airlines carried 16.1 million international passengers, up from 2.6 million a year earlier.
December’s international ASKs nearly tripled year on year, while RPKs grew nearly fivefold.
International air cargo saw softening demand in 2022 following notable strength in 2020-21.
“Reflecting falling export orders alongside worsening business and consumer sentiment, international air cargo markets weakened after a relatively steady start to the year,” says Menon.
In 2022, international FTKs at Asia-Pacific carriers fell 8.2%, while capacity as measured by FATKs grew 2.2%. International freight load factors slumped 7.5 percentage points to 66.6%.
December 2022 highlighted the tough air cargo market, with FTKs dropping 20.7% year on year and capacity as measured by FATKs falling 7.7%. December’s freight load factor dropped 10.3 percentage points to 63%.
“The outlook for 2023 is broadly positive, notably for passenger travel,” adds Menon.
“The recovery of passenger demand is expected to progress further in the coming months, driven by strong appetite for travel. In particular, the recent easing of travel restrictions in China will further fuel demand, although the re-imposition of testing requirements for inbound travellers by some governments may somewhat slow down recovery in the shorter term.”


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Ellen DeGeneres Teases Beats Music Super Bowl Commercial and Partnership
Yesterday The Ellen Show released a YouTube clip that seems to be from today’s yet-to-air show in which she announces that she’s partnering with Beats Music and that she’s going to be in one of their Super Bowl commercials. She also plays a brief clip from the commercial and says she’ll show more on Thursday. Bringing in Ellen signals just how mainstream Beats Music’s commercial push will be. It’s one thing to get a bunch of celebrities out to a launch party during Grammy weekend thrown by a company that’s making some of them lots of money and it’s another thing to play the Ellen card.
Beth Snyder Bulik at AdAge seems to have broken the news that Ellen DeGeneres is partnering with Beats Music and appearing in a Super Bowl commercial. Sounds like a deeper relationship beyond just the commercial.
That makes a lot of sense. Their ties go back to Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones from Monster and have continued through the recent announcement of a shopping season release of special edition Ellen Wireless Beats by Dre Headphones (shown above).
Ellen’s Teaming Up with Beats!
As Bulik notes, there was a Grammys commercial for Beats Music narrated by Trent Reznor. It’s one of those “connecting to deep feelings in hopes of connecting those feelings to the brand” type ads.
It doesn’t seem to have gotten much attention beyond the viewership but Ellen’s involvement certainly will. In both cases, love for the particular celebrities will drive attention and shares though Trent Reznor’s touchy feely ad doesn’t really fit his brand like the tweet giving the Grammys a “heartfelt Fuck You” for rolling credits during the closing performance.
Tying Beats Music to Beats By Dre
What did catch some attention was the Beats Music launch party fueled by celebrities and the power of Beats By Dre headphones.
Beats By Dre is revving up for the Super Bowl with a solid Richard Sherman commercial. They, along with Graff Diamonds, also fueled Sherman’s gifting of Beats By Dre diamond-encrusted headphones to his teammates.
Obviously there will be a lot of cross-marketing between Beats by Dre headphones and Beats Music. But it’s been surprisingly light so far perhaps because the connections are obvious to consumers especially if the same celebrities start working both products.
Though I initially compared the emerging outlines of Beats Music’s marketing campaign to that of a major label artist, a more appropriate comparison would be to a consumer brand intended for the mass market. Especially since that’s what it is.
So I guess Beats Music will follow the Beats By Dre path and see if what worked for an individual product sale will also work for a monthly digital subscription.
Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (Twitter/Facebook) is currently relaunching All World Dance. To suggest topics about music tech, DIY music biz or music marketing for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.


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OceanHub Africa Team (L-R) Herland Cerveaux, Alexis Grosskopf and Sabrina Long (Images: Supplied)
OceanHub Africa is organising its 3rd acceleration program, set to run from mid-July until the end of February 2023. OHA’s Acceleration Program aims to support ocean-impact ventures by accelerating their exposure, innovation and financial capacities.
Since its launch in 2020, the Cape Town-based accelerator has supported a total of 16 African ocean-minded startups in various sectors of the Blue Economy (aquaculture, fisheries, shipbuilding, marine renewables/biotechnologies, coastal tourism/ocean sports, awareness/education, data.exploration, ocean plastic circular economy). The business accelerator has supported them to raise 5.4+M USD in total.
This edition of the Pan-African acceleration program will be a hybrid event. OceanHub Africa’s program will start in mid-July and will include an in-person bootcamp in Cape Town. Which will cover training sessions on access-to-market, investment readiness in the impact space as well as feedback sessions on your pitch. At the end of February 2023, the accelerator will organize the 4th edition of Ocean Innovation Africa. Its international Summit dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the African Ocean Space.
During this event, the startups selected for the acceleration program will have the opportunity to showcase their innovation, pitch their business and network with potential investors, policy makers and corporates involved in the ocean innovation space. Following the end of the program, the selected candidates will take part in OceanHub Africa’s alumni program. Through which they will benefit from fundraising, business development and networking support.
- Your start-up is ocean-minded: it has a direct or indirect positive impact on the oceans (addressing climate change, pollution or overexploitation of the ocean) and promotes ocean equity.
- You are a for-profit and operate in Africa.
- You have a scalable service or product available on the market or soon to be available on the market.
- Your product or service is clearly innovative and/or your business model is disruptive.
- You are looking for investments or new markets.
More information and registration HERE.
Startups from past cohorts:
INSECO (South Africa)
Founded in 2016, INSECO farms insects and turns them into a high-protein powder for fish farming purposes. Its solution allows to prevent overfishing of bait fish which, although commonly used to produce fish meal in the aquaculture sector, are essential to the marine food chain. Since graduating from OHA’s first cohort, the start-up has successfully closed a pre-seed fundraising of 1,5M USD, one of the largest ever raised in South African history. The impact venture has also developed new applications to its products in sectors such as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Soso Care (Nigeria)
Soso Care is a social for-profit business which proposes a Waste-To-Health service. The startup allows people in underserved communities in Nigeria to redeem plastic recyclables to finance their yearly health cover, contributing to solving Nigeria’s plastic pollution and access to health challenges. After taking part in OHA’s acceleration program in 2022 with a focus on investment-readiness, the social-impact venture has been selected as one of the 9 startups to receive funding from the Global System for Mobile Communications. Soso Care is now focusing on scaling its social innovations across Nigeria before expanding to other African countries.
Plant Biodefenders Ltd (Tanzania)
Plant Biodefenders Ltd has developed a climate resilient and organic pesticides proven more efficient than harmful pesticides against two of the main invasive pests affecting crops in Sub Saharan Africa. Named Vuruga (meaning ‘disruptive’ in Kiswahili), the patented biopesticide can not only contribute to food security and increase revenues for small scale farmers. But it can also help regenerate coastal and marine ecosystems by resorbing spillage of chemicals into the Ocean. After working on refining their revenue model to pivot from a B2C to a B2B model, the biotech startup is gaining more and more traction with small farmers cooperatives across Tanzania and has started to export to Kenya. Its next focus will be to raise funding to increase their production capacity.
B.TECH, Fawry expand Partnership to avail easier access to finance for Customers
Mastercard and OPay strategic partnership to grow cashless ecosystem and advance digital financial inclusion for millions
Mastercard and fintech giant OPay today announced a strategic partnership, which marks a significant boost for wider financial inclusion and economic prosperity by opening up digital commerce to millions of people across the Middle East and Africa. The collaboration enables OPay consumers and merchants in the region – including Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa and the UAE – to engage with brands and businesses anywhere across the globe, thanks to a Mastercard virtual payment solution linked to the OPay eWallet.
This partnership is the latest milestone in Mastercard’s emerging market strategy where the technology company is collaborating with growing Fintech’s such as OPay to expand access to digital payments, enable multiple lifestyle services, create new pathways to financial inclusion and support the next generation of super-apps. Consumers are increasingly looking for seamless user experiences on a single platform offering easier interactions to complete various day-to-day needs, including sending and receiving money, ordering food and groceries, organizing transport, lending, investing and listing items they wish to sell.
In the initial phase of this partnership, OPay customers will benefit from the Mastercard virtual payment solution linked to their OPay wallets, to shop at well-known global brands for leisure, travel, accommodation, entertainment, streaming services and more. The service is available regardless of whether or not the customer has a bank account. It also allows small business owners to purchase from suppliers abroad and pay with the secure virtual payment solution.
Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President for Market Development, Mastercard EMEA, said: “At Mastercard, our innovation strategy is rooted in partnerships to support inclusion at scale. Our partnership with OPay demonstrates our commitment to supporting payments providers across the world to create an interconnected global payments ecosystem that benefits an array of consumers with unique needs.”
Yahui Zhou, CEO of OPay, said: “As the leading fintech in the Middle East and Africa, we are delighted to be partnering with Mastercard as we continue on our journey to promote financial inclusion, helping to open up the global economy to more consumers and businesses across Middle East and Africa.”
Since its operations started in 2018, OPay’s active users have grown to 15 million in dozens of markets in which it operates. The company processes millions of transactions per day on average. In Nigeria alone, where OPay takes significant market share, users have saved billions of US dollars in the last four years through credit-linked savings accounts from their mobile wallets and small loans from lenders that use its platform.
Plans are in place to launch OPay services in other markets in the next three to five years, significantly driving the growth of digital inclusion and digital commerce, while at the same time widening OPay customer inclusion into the global economy. Mastercard has made a worldwide commitment to financial inclusion, pledging to bring 1 billion people and 50 million micro and small businesses – with a focus on 25 million women entrepreneurs – into the digital economy by 2025.
Autochek acquires Morocco’s KIFAL Auto to drive North Africa expansion
Autochek, the automotive technology company making car ownership more accessible and affordable across Africa, has announced the acquisition of KIFAL Auto, Morocco’s leading automotive technology startup, to drive its expansion into North Africa. This acquisition represents the first major expansion of a West Africa-based startup into North Africa and it will facilitate effective Pan-African collaboration to drive innovation across the continent’s growing automotive market.
KIFAL Auto was founded by Nizar Abdallaoui Maane (Essec Paris graduate and former BNP Paribas consultant) in 2019 to transform the automotive experience in Morocco by providing a seamless process for buying and selling used cars, and enabling access to financing, warranties, insurance and other value-added services. The startup was the first to be accepted into the inaugural cohort of CDG Invest’s 212 Founders accelerator programme, which aims to fund and support world-class startups linked to Morocco and Africa.
Morocco is one of the most developed automotive markets in Africa, with more than 180,000 new cars and around 560,000 used cars sold annually. As a result of various policy developments and investments in infrastructure, Morocco’s automotive sector is set to grow a further $14 billion over the next five years. The country is home to an innovative technology hub, powered by a thriving startup ecosystem that delivers a wide range of solutions to support the automotive industry. Over the years, KIFAL Auto has emerged as a trusted partner for individuals and organisations in Morocco seeking to buy and sell used cars, with its transparent, secure and cost-effective processes.
With this acquisition, Autochek is uniquely positioned to tap into the innovation that underpins Morocco’s thriving automotive ecosystem, introduce its market leading solutions to alleviate various challenges across the value chain and further integrate the Pan-African automotive industry to drive shared value for consumers, manufacturers, financial institutions and other stakeholders.
Autochek is building the financial infrastructure to drive the penetration of auto financing across Africa, powered by a data analytics engine that makes it easier for financial institutions to offer credit to consumers. It has existing operations across West and East Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Uganda), a partner-led retail footprint in over 1,500 dealer and workshop locations, and more than 70 banking partners including Access Bank, Ecobank, UBA, Bank of Africa and NCBA Bank.
Commenting on the acquisition, Etop Ikpe, CEO and co-founder of Autochek said, “from my first interaction with Nizar and his team at KIFAL Auto, I was so impressed by their passion for delivering effective solutions and their commitment to innovation. They have built an excellent platform and we are thrilled to have them onboard at Autochek to support the work we are doing to improve the automotive finance value proposition in Africa. There are so many parallels in our individual stories and I look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship for years to come.”
Nizar Abdallaoui Maane, CEO and Founder of KIFAL Auto, said “I have long been an admirer of the work Autochek has done to enable improved experiences across Africa’s automotive value chain. There is so much we can learn from each other and I am looking forward to bringing my experience and expertise to deliver more game changing innovation in Morocco and beyond. In our Industry and especially in an African context, it makes a lot of sense to continue growing with a large player. Morocco is a gateway into North Africa and I am confident that we can unlock new value and drive further transformation across the board”.
Yassine Haddaoui, Head of CDG Invest said, “KIFAL Auto is a great example of the real change that innovation and a focus on value creation is driving across Africa today. Nizar and his team have shown a lot of passion, vision and entrepreneurial spirit to drive the success the company has seen to date and we are confident that this success will continue as they join the Autochek family.”
Nizar and the KIFAL Auto team will join Autochek and continue to explore new opportunities to deliver solutions to drive positive change in the automotive industry in Morocco and beyond.


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Samsung announced last week a device, named as The Monster Phone especially due its huge 7000mAh battery, has now launched in India for INR 24,999. The phone comes in two options, one has 6 GB of RAM and 128 Gb internal storage, priced at INR 24,999 ($340) and the other one has 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB storage which will be sold for INR 26,999 ($368). The phone might launch in Pakistan very soon for expected price tag of PKR 56,999 and 61,999 respectively.
The Samsung Galaxy M51 comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset and Android 10. It offers an Infinity-O Super AMOLED Plus display with a punch hole in top center for the 32MP selfie camera. On the back, the phone has a rectangular camera setup that houses a 64 MP main camera, 12 MP ultrawide, 5 MP macro and 5 MP depth sensor along with an LED flash light.
The main attraction of the phone is its massive 7000mAh battery which according to Samsung will go from 0% to 100% in 115 minutes with 25W fast charger. This monster also supports reverse charging.


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It’s been somewhat quiet in the news front recently, so here’s something to quench your most burning thirst for Akira Kurosawa news: last week, Wired listed Seven Samurai 20XX among the top ten worst video games based on movies.
This is what Wired’s Chris Kohler had to say:
Wired.com reader Fnord called this PlayStation 2 game “a generic-to-bad brawler game that was trying very hard to be Ninja Gaiden, shoehorned and chopped and hammered into something that tried to resemble the plot of one of the best movies ever made.”
We simply call it an atrocity. Akira Kurosawa wasn’t even five years in his grave, and already his son Hisao was whoring out his classic films to the highest bidder, allowing Japanese pachinko-maker Sammy to turn Kurosawa’s samurai masterpiece into a campy futuristic fighting game. It’s embarrassing to even say this game’s title out loud, let alone play it.
The full article can be found here.
I am actually still wondering if I should get a used PS2 just to try this game, as well as the few other games based on Kurosawa’s work that have been released exclusively for Sony’s console.


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Oct. 11, 2013
Investment bank Piper Jaffray & Co. has released its 26th semi-annual "Taking Stock With Teens" consumer insights project, which pointed to a sequential sign of spending moderation and tempered intent to spend across multiple categories and household income levels.
"Our fall 2013 survey results suggest teens are experiencing general spending fatigue across key categories, specifically fashion related items. The absence of a clear product catalyst is a key contributing factor to diminished spending proclivity. Intent to spend also moderated, despite over two-thirds of teens signaling confidence the economy is stable to improving," Steph Wissink, co-director of research and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, said in a news release. "We are also observing trends that imply teens are browsing regularly on their mobile devices, shopping less frequently and engaging with brands 'on demand' on their own time. This dynamic alters the assumptions surrounding the square footage and retail inventory needed to service this target demographic. A period of rationalization may be needed."
Some findings from the survey include:
- The fashion category accounts for roughly 39 percent of teen budgets, consistent with prior survey cycles. Spending declined mid-single digits to the prior year and prior season. Shopping frequency declined and trip measures are down nearly 25 percent from prior peak.
- Within the fashion category specifically, footwear is outperforming apparel and accessories and insights into key trend changes include a modest improvement in action sports mindshare, further contracting demand for "fast fashion," and growing preference for fashion athletic wear.
- Teens are shopping less in single brand, vertically integrated stores and more in multi-branded, multicategory and online retail environment. Approximately 78 percent of females and 82 percent of males shop online, and respondents indicated that a mid-teens percentage of their spending is online.
- Roughly 60 to 70 percent of teens indicate they prefer to shop the websites of their favorite stores-based retailers. In addition, teens prefer labels to logos and seek value in their purchases, owing to the rise of spending in the outlet and off-price channels. Approximately 71 percent of teen girls and 57 percent of teen boys shop at off-price stores.
- The shift toward digital is proliferating softlines, hardlines and media purchases. DVD by mail and streaming account for 52 percent of movie rentals and online music provider Pandora accounts for 25 percent of preferred music sources.
- Teens have cited "friends" as the strongest influence over their purchase decisions for the duration of our survey history, but "Internet" is quickly rising in profile. More than half of teens indicate that social media impacts their purchases with Twitter being the most important, eclipsing Facebook, followed closely by Instagram.
- The popularity of Facebook is waning among teens with 23 percent citing it as the most important, down from 33 percent six months ago and 42 percent a year ago.
The "Taking Stock With Teens" survey is a semi-annual research project comprised of gathering input from approximately 8,650 teens with an average age of 16.2 years.
Read more about consumer behavior.


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Euro Moto brings the hottest brands in European motosports. The public will have the opportunity to check out hundreds of the latest bikes from the best European motosport manufacturers, attend seminars and see aftermarket accessories, tires and riding apparel from the top brands in the industry. Displays are hosted by local dealers. Expect new models, dealer customs, financing and sales promotions.
Admission is free with a $5 suggested donation to Riders for Health, an organization whose mission is to ensure that health workers in Africa have uninterrupted access to reliable transportation.
Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. For more information see https://euromoto-northwest.com/