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We’re really pleased to have partnered with Beaconhills College to install a dual port ChargeAmps AURA at their school so the staff, students and parents can get a taste for electric driving.
Our media release is below, with coverage from The Driven here.
Thanks to everyone at Beaconhills College for their enthusiasm and vision in taking up and trialling this exciting initiative!
Beaconhills College the first school in Victoria to install an electric vehicle charging
Environmentally-focused student learning will be enhanced at Beaconhills College, the first Victorian, and possibly Australian, school to install an EV charge point.
It’s part of a pilot program that the College hopes to expand as their fleet and staff cars, and eventually parents, move towards EVs.
It is one of a range of sustainability initiatives the College is introducing in order to reduce their carbon footprint. It will also encourage the school community to take action on climate change.
Powered by a 100kW solar system, the dual port 22kW AURA charger from Swedish company ChargeAmps, can provide 40-100kms of battery-powered driving for every hour of charge, depending on the type of electric vehicle. The College has a total of 630kW of solar power across two campuses.
EVs part of the plan
“We see electric vehicles as part of our sustainability programs.” Beaconhills College Headmaster Tony Sheumack said.
“Our Sustainability Coordinator Jack Donkers explored EV charging options and how we could reduce air pollution around campuses. In addition, wanted to encourage the uptake of EVs, both at the College and in the wider community.”
“The information the AURA generates will be used in the classroom to help students understand the benefits of electric vehicles. It will also help them be more informed when purchasing a car in future.”
Students will also study the limitations of EVs and explore challenges the transport sector faces in reducing vehicle emissions.
Beaconhills College Sustainability Coordinator Jack Donkers with the dual port AURA.
Proud to recommend and install the ChargeAmps AURA
The College partnered with Melbourne-based EV specialists EVolution Australia to install the AURA charging station.
“We’re so pleased to see the uptake of electric vehicles firmly on the agenda for Beaconhills College. We’re sure other schools will look to them as a leader in this space.” EVolution Australia director Russ Shepherd said.“Our research shows that many families waiting for the release of new electric vehicles in 2019, such as the Tesla 3 and Nissan LEAF.”
“Transport is the second largest greenhouse gas contributor, and emissions are projected to continue to grow up to 2030*. It’s clear to see why it’s vital to curb our use of traditional diesel and petrol vehicles as soon as possible.”
* Source: https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/transport-emissions-and-climate-solutions/


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Too bad, so sad, it appears as though the American people have spoken!!!
Nordstrom has 350 stores across the United States, so this is a MAJOR blow for Ivanka Trump’s clothing line! Neiman Marcus’ 42 stores will hurt her, too!
A Nordstrom spokesperson had said at the time:
Add Neiman Marcus to that list now, though, with a spokesperson saying this weekend:
“Neiman Marcus has a very small Ivanka Trump precious jewelry business which is comprised 100 percent of consigned merchandise (merchandise owned by the vendor). Based on productivity we continuously assess whether our brands are carried in stores, on our website, or both.”
HA HA HA HA HA NO ONE IS BUYING HER SHIT ANY MORE!
Cue the conservative tears about boycotts! And you can tell ’em — no, you looney tunes, that’s called capitalism!
The people have spoken!!
[Image via Dennis Van Tine/Future Image/WENN.]

domain: news


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A few months after issuing a bank license to Lunar Way the Danish fintech industry can once again raise their champagne glass in a toast. The Cardlay company has made an investment of DKK 70 million.
With it Cardlay, based in Odense, represents one of the largest capital contributions in the industry behind technological solutions for the financial sector.
Jørgen Christian Juul, in the front, has gained more financial muscle after chairman Torben Frigaard has invested in the company Cardlay. At the same time, Juul has signed an agreement with SEB, the financial concern behind Eurocard, which now offers the digital platform from Funen to its 1 million customers in the Nordic region.
“I joined just over a year ago and was asked to take over as chairman of the board as the company was going to execute on a global strategy - something I know a lot about from my time in E-conomic and Mobile Industrial Robots (MIR)”
says Torben Frigaard Rasmussen, who has invested a double-digit million amount in Cardlay.


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A game developer, Inti Creates announced that their latest game, Azure Striker Gunvolt 3, will be coming soon in 2022, which is currently still under development.
In an announcement about the game’s release, Azure Striker Gunvolt 3’s “Action Supervisor” Keiji Inafune also told fans that they would have a new Action Director to help with the project’s development.
Also, to make fans feel more interested in their latest game series, Infaume provides gameplay footage which you can see below. From the look of it, the developer of this game seems to get very enthusiastic about the new character, Kirin, who will soon be introduced.
VIDEO: Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 Will be Released in 2022
Not only that, in the video footage above, it seems like the latest update to this video looks the same as the trailer footage revealed last year’s Azure Striker Gunvolt 3. Granted, not many people know about this, but if you look closely, it’s clear that the above snippet isn’t that much different from last year’s Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 footage.
Apart from that, Kirin is a character who has a Hybrid fighting style that includes the Katana use. With this new character, of course, more and more Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 players will be interested. Also, because this is a character who uses Katana and a hybrid fighting style, there will certainly be many players who want to try this Katana user character, Kirin.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is a game that has a variety of genres, from platform games to fighting games to shooting games. This game is reportedly going to be released on the Nintendo Switch platform. For other platforms such as PC and Console, there is still no further information. That’s why you should monitor Wowkia to find out other information related to games around the world.


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Simply EGG-genious: Students invent edible packaging from eggshells
Ready-made meals like ramen noodles are ideal for quickly satisfying hunger: Open the bag, stir – done! However, the quick snacks produce a lot of environmentally harmful plastic waste. To tackle this problem, the student team EDGGY from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart rolled up its sleeves and developed edible packaging made from eggshells and other plant-based raw materials. And even better: they simply dissolve in the hot water and can be eaten as an additional protein boost. For this sustainable and innovative idea, the five students received the prize for the most innovative idea at the EIT Food Reuse2Repack Challenge and prize money of EUR 1,200.
When it’s dry, the 4 x 2 centimeter bag looks like normal plastic. But just a little hot water is enough, and within seconds there is nothing left of it.
No plastic waste that’s harmful to the environment when snacking. “By using proteins, our packaging is even really healthy!” stated Lina Obeidat, who is studying for a Master’s degree in Food Science at the University of Hohenheim.
Obeidat had the brilliant idea while cooking with her mother: "We had cracked eggs for our dish. The moment I was about to throw the shells away, the idea ran through my mind: What protects the egg should also be suitable as packaging, shouldn’t it?”
The name says it all: Eggshells and Cutting EDGE Research
In her module, Obeidat found four fellow students who got enthusiastic about the idea. Alena Fries, Bahar Abrishamchi, Paulina Welzenbach, Cora Schmetzer, and Lina Obeidat competed as Team EDGGY in the EIT Food Solutions: Reuse2Repack Challenge. The competition is about developing a bio-based packaging solution from food waste.
Their idea and claim is also reflected in their product name: Cutting EDGE research and the use of EGGs.
Successes and setbacks: Experience research – and be successful
However, it was to take another 9 months before success was achieved. "Before the first experiments, we first studied technical literature extensively,” recalled Alena Fries. “The whole thing was definitely not a linear process. In the laboratory, we kept reviewing our approach, adjusting the methods and analyzing the results. For example, we experimented with starch, but discarded that idea: The packaging just became way too hard.”
Or they studied the drying process: “When is it too wet, when is it too dry? So we were constantly turning the cogs and examining each prototype for strengths and weaknesses – until we finally got the best result.”
And that is ingeniously simple: “Our packaging is made from a simple mixture of vegetable protein, eggshells, and structuring plasticizers such as water,” said Bahar Abrishamchi. “It’s nothing fancy or complicated – but it works.”
From the challenge to a start-up?
“The production of this packaging material was a journey that was as rewarding as it was challenging,” said Cora Schmelzer. “The Resuse2Repack Challenge has allowed us to go through a research cycle while gaining our own entrepreneurial skills that can be applied to many different areas of life.”
The challenge is now over, EDGGY won the prize for the most innovative idea, and it was honored for this achievement in Rome in November. Is that the end of the product and the end of the team? No, say all five. And Paulina Welzenbach added: “Our product can and needs to be improved, and we want to pursue that, maybe even create our own start-up.”
Nevertheless, they are already proud that “we at EDGGY have developed an idea that can reduce plastic waste. And we’re excited to see what the future holds for us.”


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Sony removed 'Cyberpunk 2077' from the PlayStation Store2020-12-18 18:55 by Daniela
Tags: Sony, Cyberpunk 2077, Playstation
After "Cyberpunk 2077" users have complained about numerous bugs in game in the week since its release, Sony pulled the title from its online store "until further notice." Sony also said it will provide full refunds to customers who purchased the game.
The highly anticipated action role-playing game, starring Keanu Reeves, was created by developer CD Projekt Red and released Dec. 10 — after two previous postponements. The company cited the challenges of racing to meet the previous deadline while getting "Cyberpunk 2077" ready for the next-generation PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X platforms in addition to existing consoles.
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the biggest games of the year and has been a financial success, selling more than 8 million pre-orders and notching sales records for PC games. But players have found the game full of bugs, particularly on the last-generation PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, sending CD Projekt shares plummeting and leading fans and critics to describe Cyberpunk 2077 as unfinished.
Microsoft says it's also offering Cyberpunk 2077 refunds to anyone who has purchased the game via its Microsoft Store. While the company has been offering refunds to some customers already, Microsoft is now expanding this to cover anyone who has purchased the game digitally. Microsoft isn't going as far as Sony to fully remove the game, as the title is still listed and available on the Microsoft Store.
Read more -here-


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2020 is set to be mobile’s biggest year: App Annie report
In India, MX Player, Amazon, TikTok top the charts on App Annie’s the list of Breakthrough Apps. We bring you some of the highlights from the report
Mobile data and analytics platform App Annie recently released its mobile report titled “The State of Mobile in 2020”. The report confirms that within India’s digital ecosystem the mobile phone is now the one-stop-shop for the consumer. From entertainment, e-commerce, utility, banking everything is now happening on our smartphones. While the report is a framework of macro mobile trends across the globe, emerging markets like India are clearly seen bucking mobile trends.
We have put together some of the highlights from the report.
According to the App Annie report, “2020 is set to be Mobile’s biggest year, with advertising fueling revenue.” The analytics company predicts that the global mobile ad spends will touch $240b this year. The report further states that the consumer and mobile ad spend will top $380 billion globally in 2020. Brands today understand that the engagement mobiles offer with consumers is unmatched by any other medium, which is why it is attracting bigger chunks of ad spends with every passing year.
A record 204 bn apps were downloaded last year. What is interesting is that while the annual worldwide downloads have grown 45% in the 3 years since 2016 and 6% year over year, India recorded a 190% jump between 2016 and 2019. Clearly, Indians are hooked to their smartphones and if the last 3 years are any indication, then this obsession is only set to grow stronger.
The report’s findings on the increase in time spent come as no surprise either. India has seen a neat 25 % jump in the average user spending in 2019 from 2017. The overall growth recorded globally shows that consumers are spending 35% more time on the mobile in 2019 than 2 years ago. Once again it is the mobile-first emerging markets like Indonesia, Brazil and India that are posting impressive growth numbers.
Vis-à-vis Gen Z, the App Annie report has a bit of advice based on their findings. The report specifically states, “It is imperative to win Gen Z on mobile, or risk missing out on a mobile-native generation of consumers.” And here is why 98% of Gen Z (born 1997 - 2012) own smartphones and were expected to surpass millennials as the largest generation by the end of 2019. Also their mobile engagement remains the highest amongst users. On an average 3.8 hours are spent per app per month per user among top 25 non-gaming apps by Gen Z.
While the fact that Indians love their smartphones is clear from the report’s findings, what is also clear is that the mobile is fast turning into a favourite shopping destination. India has posted over 50 per cent growth in time spent on shopping apps between 2018 and 2019. In the list of the breakthrough retail apps in India, e-commerce giant Amazon tops the charts followed by Flipkart, Paytm, Myntra and Club Factory.
The mobile phone is now the preferred destination for everything entertainment too. Says the report that globally, consumers spent 50% more sessions in entertainment apps in 2019 than in 2017. How did India fare? Not surprisingly, the top of the charts. A whopping 80% increase between the 2017-2019 time period. In the list of breakthrough video streaming apps in 2019 its MX Player that is sitting pretty on top, followed by Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and last but not the least Reliance owned Jio TV.
When it comes to music too Indians can’t be left behind either. YouTube Music saw a 980 per cent growth in active users worldwide for the 2017-2019 time period. India too contributed substantially to this user base.
When it comes to mobile phones, no conversation can be complete without Social Media. As per the App Annie findings, 50 per cent on mobile is dedicated to social media and comms apps globally. In India, the report points out to an interesting trend, it shows how hyper-local homegrown social apps have grown substantially despite the presence of global social media giants. Case in point – ShareChat which has posted a mind-boggling 305 per cent growth in smartphone usage penetration of specialised social apps between 2017 and 2019. UrbanClap, the services provider app, posted a 265 per cent increase for the same time period.
The TikTok craze swept 2019. Global time spent on the app grew 210 per cent (YOY). While 8 of every ten minutes spent on the app were by users in China, the other markets too have witnessed massive growth and leading the pack is India. The Breakout Social Apps of 2019 in India were TikTik at the number one position followed by Helo-Share your life, Hago, VMate and WhatsApp Business.
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Supercross revs up at fairgrounds
Tickets are available at all local motorcycle and motorcycle accessory outlets for the Supercross Grandstand event taking place Saturday, July 31, at the Mesa County Fairgrounds, 2785 U.S. Highway 50.
The high-speed competition qualifying heats take place all day. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and the main event is from 6 to 10 p.m. Entrant preregistration takes place at Grand Junction Motor Speedway. A freestyle jump show will highlight the intermission.
Food and drink will be available to purchase and parking is $2 per car.
Call 255-7100 for information.
— Compiled by Tammy Gemaehlich


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Chorus' share price reached another record low yesterday as Moody's indicated it could cut the company's credit rating.
Shares in the lines infrastructure player fell 13c yesterday and closed at $2.78.
It follows a 49c drop on Monday when the Commerce Commission proposed to cut the amount Chorus could charge internet retailers for unbundled bitstream access (UBA).
This service enables internet retailers to supply broadband services to households and businesses without the need to replicate Chorus' local copper lines or have their own equipment in telephone exchanges.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
If the commission's UBA decision was finalised, Chorus said it could reduce its annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) by $150to $160 million from December 2014.
As a result of the proposed cut, to be finalised in June, Moody's said it would review Chorus' Baa2 rating and may downgrade it. The downgrade would affect US$2 billion of Chorus' debt.
Although the UBA decision was only a draft, Moody's said "the potential for a final adverse outcome on Chorus' credit profile is meaningful".
But Standard & Poor's said its BBB/stable rating of Chorus was unaffected by the Commerce Commission's move.
S&P said it expected the draft decision would be "subject to significant political deliberation" as it could affect the take-up of fibre services over the Government's ultra-fast broadband scheme.
"Accordingly, in our view, it is likely that the draft UBA decision will be subject to amendment before it becomes final," the agency said. Prime Minister John Key on Monday called the draft determination "problematic" and would not rule out intervening on the matter.


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South Shields care home to be knocked down to make way for bigger Lidl
A care home which campaigners tried to save is to be bulldozed to make way for a bigger food store in South Tyneside.
John Rutherford and his supporters collected more than 5,000 signatures in a bid to keep Oakdale Lodge Care Home, in Stanley Street, South Shields, open.
Their efforts failed – with residents being shipped out last August – and now neighbouring budget food store Lidl has been granted planning permission by South Tyneside Council to expand on to the site.
Plans reveal the current Lidl store, in Boldon Lane, and the nearby care home are both to be flattened to make way for a bigger shop.
Mr Rutherford, whose father Jack, 82, died in December, just months after being moved from Oakdale, says the plans are no real surprise, but is saddened that the campaigners weren’t told of them an earlier stage.
He said: “We all worked so hard to try and keep the care home open.
“It was a lovely place, the staff were brilliant and everyone loved it there.
“Between our online petition and the signatures we gathered from standing on the streets and visiting pubs, we must have had in the region of 5,000 signatures.
“There were always rumours that the care home was closing to make way for the store to expand, but nobody would say for certain, so I’m not surprised by these plans.
“It just would have been good if those involved could have been more honest with us from the outset.”
A sign on the current Lidl’s door states that the shop will be closing on Wednesday, April 13 at 8pm
The care home site will be used to provide the new store with a 128-space car park.
The shop will be two storeys high on the west side, reducing to a single storey on the east of the building.
The application states: “The store will include a sales area, along with warehouse delivery area, freezer room, bakery, manager’s office and staff facilities.
“The site will accommodate a total of 128 parking spaces, including eight disabled spaces and six parent-and-child spaces, which are positioned close to the customer entrance.
“Cycle parking is also provided close to the store entrance.”
As part of the planning conditions, the store will only be open to the public between 7am and 10pm Monday to Saturday and between 10am and 4pm hours on Sundays and bank holidays.
Lidl did not respond to a request for comment.


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Property developer Mitiska REIM has opened a new retail park in Baia Mare and inaugurated an extension of another retail project in Mediaș. The development activity was carried out in partnership with Square 7 Properties.
The Baia Mare-based project has a gross leasable area of 8,200 sqm and includes various retail brands and Lidl as food-anchor. Meanwhile, the retail park in Mediaș was extended by 1,000 sqm and reached a leasable area of 9,000 sqm.
Following the latest investments, Mitiska REIM’s local portfolio totals 24 retail. The company aims to obtain BREEAM ratings for all its Romanian projects by 2022.
“We believe the targeted locations, diversified tenant mix and sustainable approach, in combination with the positive socio-economic trends in Romania, will continue to drive future growth opportunities across the portfolio,” said Tomas Cifra, Mitiska REIM’s Investment Director for Central and Eastern Europe.
The developments in Baia Mare and Mediaș were backed by a senior debt facility arranged with Erste in March 2020 for the entire Romanian portfolio. Mitiska REIM says it has secured a pipeline of three additional retail park opportunities in Romania for 2022.
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text: This article originally appeared on ABACUS Smartphone brand Nubia has a new 5G gaming phone, and it hopes to attract you with its high-refresh display. The 5G Red Magic has a display with a 144Hz refresh rate. That’s higher than any other flagship on the market, a handful of which use displays with a 120Hz refresh rate, like the Samsung Galaxy S20. A screen’s refresh rate is the number of times that the image on a display refreshes each second. So the 5G Red Magic refreshes 144 times per second. Although there have been debates about whether a higher number of hertz matters that much for ordinary users, some experts say gaming phones could benefit from this trend. But while a better screen can help offer a smoother gaming experience, other factors are also important, such as cooling for hardware with powerful processors. Nubia, started by Shenzhen-based ZTE, seems eager to stand out among gaming smartphone rivals like Razer and Asus ROG. The new Red Magic comes with the latest Qualcomm chip, the Snapdragon 865, and includes up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage. It’s also equipped with a 64-megapixel main camera and 8-megapixel selfie camera. A specially designed cooling system might give it some extra oomph, too. The smartphone started pre-orders on Thursday in China, selling for between 3,799 yuan and 5,199 yuan (US$540 to US$740). Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.


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If you are one of the fortunate who shops at the Commissary soon you will have an even greater chance at saving on your items!
The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) announced what they are calling a “loyalty card” at a recent conference in Norfolk, Va., according to the Army Times. The card is expected to be available in the fall.
From the details given this will not be a typical store card (all items will still be available at their sale prices to everyone- no card required). This new card will allow you to download coupons onto your card for the additional savings.
Obviously there are still some questions to be answered but as this is not exactly new territory for grocery stores I am sure they will be taking their cues from Cellfire and other similiar sites.
As soon as I find out more I will let you know. Be sure to pass this post along to your fellow couponers to share in the excitement!
A big thank you to Charlotte from My Active Child for shooting me this information!


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Learn about the most popular cryptocurrency on Twitter in November?
The content site is one of the sites that provide the service of answering general questions and solving puzzles and crossword puzzles
Where the content site is primarily interested in answering your questions in all areas, including solving puzzles and crossword puzzles
Answer Learn about the most popular cryptocurrency on Twitter in November?
Some consider the popularity of a digital currency and its spread on social media as one of the main indicators of the extent to which its community interacts with it.
Despite the fact that SHIB’s price fell 43.1% in November, its momentum on Twitter remains strong.
According to data shared by cryptocurrency analytics platform CryptoRank, SHIB was the second most popular cryptocurrency on the social platform in November with a total of 4.02 million mentions.
Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency, ranks first with more than 10 million signals.
Ethereum managed to record 2.7 million signals and secure the third position.
Cryptocurrencies (CAKE) and (DOGE) are also in the top five with over 1.86 million and 1.76 million mentioned on Twitter respectively.Read:Coinbase announces the addition of a reward system to the Visa debit card…Details here
While it failed to regain its upward momentum, “Shiba Inu” continues to see more commercial adoption, as electronics retailer Newegg recently confirmed its plan to add “Shiba Inu” as a new payment option.
The meme coin also continues to see more listings on exchanges despite the drop in prices.Read:How does the BIS see banks dealing with cryptocurrency?
Shiba Inu’s official Twitter account surpassed the Ethereum account in early November 2021.
Bitcoin wraps up its worst day since September…Details here
What is the mystery behind printing a billion dollar USDT and will it pump up Bitcoin prices?
And you can ask questions on the content site through the word “Ask a question” at the top of the site, where we answer your questions in a short time


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Bitcoin and other crypto assets will be regarded as financial products in South Africa as the country attempts to regulate cryptocurrencies.
Regulation of the nascent cryptocurrency industry remains challenging to several countries due to its infancy and intricacies. Some nations, such as China, have resorted to restricting the use of cryptocurrencies, while others put in efforts to leverage the industry for economic growth through proper regulation.
South Africa is one step ahead in its journey towards regulating the cryptocurrency scene, as a recent declaration regards Bitcoin and other crypto assets as financial products. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa recently published a notice in this regard.
The South African FSCA regulates the financial markets in South Africa. The General Notice published Wednesday informed the public of the FSCA’s declaration of crypto assets as financial products under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act of 2002.
This move from South Africa indicates that the country will start regulating all crypto assets, including Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), as every other financial product, subjecting them to provisions of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act of 2002.
For clarification, the FSCA revealed three different criteria that would qualify an instrument as a crypto asset. The agency described crypto assets as:
“a digital representation of value that –
(a) is not issued by a central bank, but is capable of being traded, transferred or stored electronically by natural and legal persons for the purpose of payment, investment and other forms of utility;
(b) applies cryptographic techniques; and
(c) uses distributed ledger technology.”
According to the FSCA, the declaration’s provisions are to take effect on the date of the notice’s publication, October 19. The decision brings South Africa closer to achieving regulatory clarity on cryptocurrencies.
Whether this declaration will foster the growth of cryptocurrencies in the country or not remains to be seen. Notwithstanding, it should aid the authorities by providing a more concrete framework for proper consumer protection, as the country is in dire need of that, considering the surging adoption rate.
A Finder’s report on crypto ownership by country in September ranked South Africa 18th out of 26 surveyed countries on crypto adoption rate, with individuals aged 18 to 34 years representing 43% of South African cryptocurrency owners.
The report notes that the crypto ownership rate in the country sits at 10%. Nevertheless, in 2020 when cryptocurrencies saw one of the highest influx of users, the Global Web Index highlighted that an estimated 15% of South Africa’s population invested in BTC.


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The FTSE 100 looks set to start today’s session little changed, pegged by ex-divs, and with investors digesting the latest Brexit developments. Royal Mail Group (LON:RMG) is scheduled to post its interims this morning, having warned on full-year profits last month.
Index seen steady
IG’s opening calls suggest that the Footsie will start trading 0.06 percent higher at 7,038 points. Investors will eye the ongoing Brexit process, with Reuters reporting that Prime Minister Theresa May has won the backing of her senior ministers for a draft European Union divorce deal.
In the US, shares fell last night, pressured by the banking sector and volatility in Apple’s stock.
“I believe the stock market is experiencing is a continuation of the selling pressure that began in early October,” said Robert Pavlik, chief investment strategist at SlateStone Wealth, as quoted by CNBC. Asian shares meanwhile have been mixed this morning.
In the UK, the FTSE 100 closed marginally lower, giving up 0.28 percent to end trading at 7,033.79 points.
Today’s macroeconomic releases include UK retail sales data for October, due out at 09:30 GMT. IG reports that retail sales are expected to have fallen 0.4 percent month-on-month, but to have climbed 3.6 percent year-on-year, from a 0.8-percent fall and a three-percent rise respectively. In the US, the Empire State manufacturing index for November and retail sales for October will be announced at 13:30 GMT.
Royal Mail’s results will be in focus in today’s session, with the blue-chip group potentially facing relegation from the FTSE 100 following last month’s slump in the shares prompted by the postal operator’s profit warning. 3i (LON:III) is also reporting today.
Blue-chips, whose shares will be trading without the attraction of their latest dividend in today’s session, include Bunzl (LON:BNZL), GlaxoSmithKline (LON:GSK), Marks & Spencer (LON:MKS), Royal Dutch Shell (LON:RDSA, LON:RDSB), J Sainsbury (LON:SBRY) and Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust (LON:SMT). Reuters’ calculations suggest that ex-divs will knock 16.2 points off the Footsie.


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A visitor smells sachets at the intangible cultural heritage exhibition of the Tourism Plus Shanghai on May 29. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]
The second phase of Tourism Plus Shanghai commenced at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in the Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District on May 29 and will run until June 1.
Covering all elements of the tourism industry chain, the expo boasts an impressive lineup of over 3,000 exhibitors displaying an extensive array of over 150,000 novel products. Anticipated to attract about 250,000 visitors, the event promises to be a remarkable gathering.
Alongside the exhibition, there will be 13 competitions, 38 professional forums, and a range of exciting events, including matchmaking investment meetings, road shows, promotional events, a coffee and food festival, and a display of intangible cultural heritage items.
The expo showcased the latest developments and operational experiences in the leisure tourism industry, with many innovations presented, such as floating holiday homes, camping vehicles, and automatic manned flying devices.
The first phase of Tourism Plus Shanghai succeeded greatly at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from May 28 to 31. The 210,000-square-meter exhibition area features hotels, commercial spaces, yacht displays, and a distinctive Shanghai way of life, attracting over 2,000 exhibitors and over 162,000 professional viewers.


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Children’s social media platform Zigazoo has raised $17 million in Series A funding. Liberty City Ventures led the funding round, which included the National Basketball Association (NBA), Causeway Capital Management, Dapper Labs, OneFootball, Medici VC, Animoca Brands, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Zigazoo, founded by Zak Ringelstein in 2020, has become one of the leading platforms for children’s short-form videos. The digital program, which has recently launched a non-fungible token (NFT) collection, aims to provide children with a safe and positive community where they can find joy, develop healthy online relationships,
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can now track and identify cryptocurrency users using a new software program, Coinbase Tracker. The software, offered on a subscription basis, allows the government and private sectors to trace incoming and outgoing funds made through various digital currencies, including Bitcoin, Ether, and Tether. Last year, Intercept revealed that Coinbase had sold its analytics software license to ICE for $29,000. The analytics program, which provides ICE with crypto users’ “historical geo-tracking data,” is one of several small contracts between Coinbase and the U.S. government. In April 2021,
Cryptocurrency platform Binance has joined forces with TikTok star Khaby Lame for the launch of their new NFT series. The influencer, who will join the team as a brand ambassador, will use his signature moves to debunk myths surrounding crypto and the blockchain space. The partnership will see Lame create content that helps clear up any misconceptions people may have around Web3 and cryptocurrencies. As a result, fans will not only be able to purchase exclusive Khaby Lame NFT collections, but they will also have access to educational resources to
Media company, HARTBEAT, founded by comedian and actor Kevin Hart, has announced the launch of their new TV special, “Confessions from the Hart.” The series, which will be the first Web3 experience produced by the media company, is set to premiere on July 6, exclusively on Roku. The program will be released in partnership with the Web3 platform, Moonwalk. The special will kick off the first of many more episodes throughout the year, honoring the company’s mission to globalize its content and reach a wider audience. “My favorite thing to do
Green NFT platform, OneOf, has launched an exclusive NFT collection, allowing fans to collectively license the audio recording of the Notorious B.I.G.’s most famous freestyle. The collection, in partnership with the Christopher Wallace estate, will provide collectors with a series of 3D profile picture (P.F.P.) NFT collectibles, also known as avatars. The characters on offer will be inspired by Biggie Small’s life, style, lyrics, and fashion. Biggie Smalls, who tragically passed away in a drive-by shooting in 1997, immensely influenced the hip-hop scene we all know and love today. In
After shooting his music video “House I Built in the metaverse, Snoop Dogg has decided to explore a series of new ventures. According to a tweet by trademark attorney Michael Kondoudis, Snoop Dogg, real name Calvin Broadus, applied for new trademarks for his new digital cannabis project. The musician filed a claim under the brand names “UNCLE SNOOP” and “UNCLE SNOOP’s.” The virtual business will provide various products, including virtual clothing, headwear, footwear, energy drinks, and pre-rolled hemp cigarettes. Users can also purchase virtual cannabis and downloadable cannabis products authenticated
As cryptocurrency adoption gains steam on the African continent, it will be important for potential investors—and ultimately, regulators—to learn from the scams that have come before. Some high-profile examples of these scams include; back in 2019, Uganda’s Dunamiscoin Resources closed suddenly with $2.7 million in investor money. Dunamiscoin Resources had taken money from more than 4,000 people, promising them returns of 30% returns in 21 days by investing it in bitcoin. The returns never came. Kenya Another is Velox 10 Global, a pyramid scheme with roots in Brazil, in which Kenyans lost
Justin Samuels, the CEO of Render Atlanta and qualified engineer, is on a mission to build on that influence by making Atlanta a true power player in the world of technology, essentially blending software engineering with culture. What does his company Render Atlanta do? It’s a software engineering experience; where tech meets culture, inclusion, and accessibility. RenderATL is a four-day software engineering conference & music festival featuring your next career opportunity with 50+ expert speakers in tech covering upcoming and current best software engineering practices, web3, engineering leadership, accessibility practices, and more.
This month, the city will be opening the Atlanta Blockchain Center (ABC) – its first blockchain startup incubator. Opening in Buckhead, the headquarters — founded by serial tech entrepreneur Marlon Williams — will welcome anyone interested in learning more about blockchain technology. The center is looking to bring together the growing Blockchain-related community and put Atlanta on the map for the development of crypto, Blockchain, and Web3.0 technologies. Fully funded and operated by Starter Labs, ABC is set to feature a coworking space and training center, according to the press release.
Jack Dorsey, the former CEO and co-founder of Twitter Inc and the founder of Block Inc, has teamed up with rapper Jay-Z to launch and self-fund The Bitcoin Academy. The 12-week program will take place in Brooklyn for Marcy House residents with the aim to provide the community with all the necessary tools to gain financial independence, inclusion, and literacy in the childhood place of Jay-Z. It will consist of a series of online and in-person classes focusing on Bitcoin, and the classes will take place twice per week. Notably, the participants of The


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While Apple Pay preserves existing payment systems, CurrentC aims to avoid interchange.
Fiserv pushes back against Symitar claims of market share momentum.
Fiserv disputes Symitar's claim of market share superiority.
AUSTIN, Texas -- Apple Pay set the new payments standard, CU Water Cooler panelists say.
AUSTIN, Texas — Credit unions should provide advice to financial engaged consumers, a speaker says.
As business lending heats up, credit unions must closely monitor every risk to avoid wounding portfolios for years to come.
For some credit unions, a stronger insurance product and service offering is worth the time and expense.
Fans of the San Francisco 49ers are such avid users of social media channels that Esurance seized on an opportunity to create for them even stronger ties to the NFL football team.
Read about increased mobile costs, online banking conversions and more in this Focus Report.
A new report finds that the use of electronic bill pay continues to grow sharply among Americans but that there's still plenty of paper in the mail.


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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A rejection or labored approval of a free trade deal struck with Canada could scupper the European Union’s chances of opening access to new markets, the EU and Canadian trade chiefs said on Wednesday.
The European Commission, which negotiates trade agreements on behalf of the 28 EU members, and Canada have concluded talks on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that could increase trade between the two by some 20 percent.
It is likely to secure backing in the Canadian and European parliaments, but support from the 28 members is far from certain.
“If the two closest allies in the world cannot agree a deal, then who can?” EU Trade Commissioner Cecelia Malmstrom told the European Business Summit in Brussels. Her view was echoed more bluntly by Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland.
“If the EU cannot do a deal with Canada, I think it is legitimate to say who the heck can it do a deal with,” she said.
Malmstrom said her hope was that the deal would be adopted before the end of October when it could be signed during a planned visit to Brussels by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The Commission needs to determine in the next month whether it can be cleared by governments alone or if each country needs to push the trade deal through their parliaments - or in Belgium’s case four parliaments, one of which opposes the agreement.
Bulgaria and Romania have also expressed reluctance given Canada does not extend its visa-waiver entry system to their citizens.
The deal is also facing opposition from campaign groups and trade unions, who say CETA is as dangerous as their bete noire - a planned EU-U.S. trade deal called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). They say the deals hand power to multinationals and are a threat to democracy.
Groups in Austria and Germany, which proponents say would benefit most from a trade deal, have staged a series of anti-TTIP and CETA rallies, with a large demonstration planned in Berlin on Sunday.
The Dutch also voted against a trade deal with Ukraine in a referendum in April.
“We must be mindful that all 28 countries and the European Parliament are very demanding institutions ... We can’t have local referendums on all trade agreements,” Malmstrom said.
The commissioner also expressed frustration that politicians voiced strong support for trade deals at EU meetings then briefed local media about their doubts.
A frustrated Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will urge EU leaders at a summit this month to back free trade talks with the United States in the face of growing scepticism in member states.
Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Alison Williams
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


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Two big anniversaries took place over the course of July 2018: July 15th marked the 35th anniversary of the release of the Nintendo Famicom in Japan (as well as the SEGA SG-1000, but sadly, I’m not paid to talk about that), and five years later, Nintendo Power magazine was launched in the United States. (This is a little late, I know, but I just found out, so I’m running with a) better late than never, and b) Nintendo Power was bimonthly at the time, giving the first issue a July/August cover date, so I think I’m good on that one.)
While the Famicom would go on to achieve great success both in its homeland of Japan and around the world — particularly in North America, where it’s credited for effectively reviving the video game industry following the infamous crash of 1983 — it wasn’t smooth sailing from the outset. Though sales were brisk, the initial batch of consoles turned out to be defective, its chips causing the system to crash.
Though the move would cost them millions to implement, then-Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi made the decision to issue a recall for all of the systems sold while also temporarily suspending production as they set about fixing the problem. This consumer-friendly move would prove beneficial to the company’s reputation moving forward as the console would ultimately go on to sell over 2.5 million units in the Japanese market by the end of 1984.
The success of the Famicom in Japan would lead to the eventual release of the Nintendo Entertainment System in the United States in 1985, Nintendo of America faced an uphill battle of their own in convincing the buying public to give video games another shot. Slowly but surely, they gained momentum, and by 1988, the platform had become a bonafide phenomenon.
To help in getting the word out about their product and reach their chief audience — kids — marketing manager Gail Tilden spearheaded an initiative to evolve their free quarterly-turned-bimonthly Nintendo Fun Club News into a full-fledged magazine: Nintendo Power.
Each issue was loaded with coverage of numerous NES games, starting with the cover story for the complimentary first issue: The hotly-anticipated Super Mario Bros. 2. Members of the Nintendo Fun Club received the first issue for free, and an estimated 3.6 million copies of that issue were distributed.
Maps, hints, gameplay details, and tons of screenshots were part and parcel for every issue. Other features included pull-out posters, tip books, letter columns, comics, and the Player’s Poll contest, where readers could tell Nintendo directly which games they were interested in for a chance at prizes ranging from NES games, Nintendo Power shirts, and all sorts of trips and prize packages often relating to a current release.
The magazine would run for 24 years and 285 issues, falling short of both its silver anniversary and 300th issue marks. Along the way, it evolved as new Nintendo platforms were released and new audiences were introduced to their games. The magazine would move from in-house publication to publisher Future US in 2007, where it would remain until Nintendo opted to cease renewing their license, bringing its grand run to a saddening close.
In December of 2017, Nintendo of America revived the Nintendo Power brand as a podcast hosted by their Manager of Corporate Communications, Chris Slate, who served as Editor-in-Chief of the magazine throughout its tenure as a Future publication. Other members of the magazine’s staff can also be heard on a separate podcast, Power Pros.


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Despite his derision of “Mega MAGA Republicans” who have adopted Trumponomics, President Joe Biden has embraced one component of his predecessor’s economic doctrine: trade protectionism. In fact, the protectionist tenet of Bidenomics is a nearly carbon copy of former President Donald Trump’s policies, except the part that involves directly giving billions of dollars in taxpayer money to multinational corporations and Chinese-linked firms. But whether it is the Buy American mantra or subsidizing wealthy companies, this public policy pursuit might backfire, especially in the national push to go green. After China’s latest announcement, the left’s transition to sustainability might be under threat.
China Laughs at Biden’s Trade Protectionism
The Chinese government announced on Aug. 1 that it would be imposing export controls on two rare earth metals: gallium and germanium. The Ministry of Commerce stated that the policy, which is meant to “safeguard national security and interests,” will prohibit the export of these metals unless a license is obtained from Beijing.
“Export operators should go through export licensing procedures in accordance with relevant regulations, submit an application to the Ministry of Commerce through the provincial commerce department, fill out the application form for export of dual-use items and technologies and submit the following documents,” the government said in a statement.
This is a consequential decision for the United States for many reasons. First, Beijing controls much of the world’s processing and refining of rare earth metals. Second, the two components in question have become critical for manufacturing electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, and defense weapons since gallium is typically found in semiconductors and transistors. With the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS Act, and the flood of taxpayer-funded money flowing through the green economy, it could prove to be challenging to achieve the president’s aims. Meanwhile, experts purport that this measure was in response to Biden’s latest trade protectionism that consisted of banning exports of chipmaking technology to Beijing amid the recent escalation in US-China tensions.
Biden Pushing Everyone Away
As Liberty Nation noted in May 2023, Biden has launched a global subsidy arms race, forcing governments everywhere to try to emulate Uncle Sam’s deep pockets by begging rich corporations to stay in their countries and expand operations with generous funding. Moreover, one of the key facets of trade protectionism is ensuring that more goods are manufactured and purchased at home, meaning that other markets will no longer be unable to exploit the biggest economy on the planet.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that they would retaliate against what they call unfair trade competition from the United States. They claim that the president’s state subsidy plans are market-distorting endeavors since businesses are subsidized to shift their production to the United States. While their grievances are accurate, these actions are little different from what these nations have done for decades. “We need a Buy European Act like the Americans, we need to reserve [our subsidies] for our European manufacturers,” Macron told a local television news channel in October 2022. “You have China that is protecting its industry, the U.S. that is protecting its industry and Europe that is an open house.”
As the 1955 Julie London song goes, “Cry Me a River.”
Still, even if the US government feels justified in its trade protectionism, this would facilitate the unintended consequences of allies and adversaries continuing to run into Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arms. It has been reported that Macron has been trying to get a seat at the BRICS table, anticipating that the bloc consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa will only expand its tentacles in the coming years. Paris ostensibly wants to have its cake and eat it too by playing both sides of the game.
Although reshoring is an authentic trend, Chinese exports continue to seep into every crevice of the global economy, because of cheap products or Belt and Road Initiative partnerships. In the first quarter of 2023, China’s green-related shipments surged 66.9%, buoyed by solar batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and electric vehicles. These environmentally friendly exports contributed 2% to the country’s overall export growth, up from 1.7% in 2022. In addition, customs figures revealed that these products were shipped to more than 200 markets, led by the United States, eurozone, the United Kingdom, and South Korea.
Let’s face it: China has garnered tremendous influence on the world stage, serving as the largest sovereign creditor to developing markets. Washington has been trying to curtail Beijing’s stranglehold by promising to give more money to international financial institutions, like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. But is it too late for the United States to oust China from this role? If countries are desperate to go green and Beijing possesses the world’s largest inventories of rare earth metals, the international community will be beholden to the Red Dragon.
Trade Protectionism Is Bad Economics
Trade protectionism is bad news under both Republicans and Democrats.
Former President Donald Trump’s trade dispute with China cost US taxpayers tens of billions of dollars because he cut a check to farmers impacted by his administration’s tit-for-tat tariff battle with Beijing. After the Great Recession, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that included various Buy American requirements, which later was revealed to have bolstered costs exponentially, including steel (40%). In 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act that raised levies on more than 20,000 imported goods, something that economists agree worsened the Great Depression.
Trade protectionism might seem like a worthy pursuit since proponents will champion employment and national security causes. However, history has regularly revealed that these mechanisms have devastating consequences, except for large corporations and special interests, namely unions. At a time when the geopolitical landscape could metastasize into a war zone at any moment, the protectionist crusade could have far-reaching ramifications for the US and global economy.
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PhonePe on Thursday said it has partnered cab aggregator Ola that will allow riders to book rides using the former’s payment platform. “With this partnership, our users can enjoy the ease of using their preferred ride sharing app from within PhonePe while being assured of the reliability and integrity of their payments,” PhonePe co-founder and CTO Rahul Chari said.
He added that PhonePe has also added ‘Auto-pay’ feature that allows users to make payments seamlessly. Chari added that users can switch off ‘Auto-pay’ instructions anytime they want.
“This is part of our vision of being an open payments ecosystem, enabling businesses of all sizes to build and deploy apps on our platform with a unified login and payments experience for our users,” he said.
This will enable businesses to reach out with their services to a highly relevant and rapidly growing base of over 100 million PhonePe users, he added.
Going forward, PhonePe is rapidly adding partners in the travel, hospitality, ticketing and food segments to its micro-app platform, the official said.
PhonePe is owned by Flipkart in which US retailer Walmart recently had bought ownership stake. Meanwhile, Walmart believes Flipkart’s “ecosystem” of businesses, including Myntra-Jabong and PhonePe which are part of its mega USD 16 billion deal with the Indian company, could be a “true advantage” for the US-based retail giant.
Judith McKenna, Executive VP, President and CEO of Walmart International, on a recent investor call has said the e-commerce market in India, while it is still nascent at 2 per cent penetration, is forecast to grow rapidly.
“… what’s really unusual about Flipkart is that it’s not just an e-commerce retailer. What we’re really interested in as we’ve got to understand this business better is it’s actually creating a platform, an ecosystem, if you like, of operating within that market. And we think that’s one of the areas that gives it a true advantage,” she said.
The executive emphasised that Walmart is also looking at taking its learnings “from this business back into other businesses around the world”.
In May, Walmart had signed a blockbuster deal with Flipkart (registered in Singapore) under which the American retailer will pick up about 77 per cent stake for about USD 16 billion. The transaction is now awaiting approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
Walmart expects the deal to close later this calendar year, subject to regulatory approvals. Various trader bodies in India have opposed the deal alleging violation of foreign direct investment (FDI) norms as foreign companies are not allowed to operate in multi-brand retail in the country yet.
The American retailer, which has cash-and carry operations (B2B) in India, has clarified that its business will continue to operate separately from Flipkart (which has a marketplace model) but leverage the combined strengths of both the companies. India allows 100 per cent FDI in the e-commerce via marketplace model.
McKenna explained that while Flipkart’s general merchandise site is by far the biggest part of the business, there are other growing businesses like Myntra and Jabong as well. DNA


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The district co-operative dairy has hiked the price of milk by Rs 1 per litre. Now, the federation will purchase milk at Rs 20 and sell it at Rs 33 per litre.
The decision was taken keeping in view the producers and the consumers, informed chairman of the dairy Haribhau Bagade in a press conference here on Saturday.
The inflow of milk has reduced and cost of milk production has also increased in recent time. Hence, the diary has taken the decision to increase the rate by Re 1 from October 1.
"We have withheld the decision to start the project of packed water bottle at present. The dairy is paying more attention on measures to maintain the quality of milk than other milk dairies," Bagade said.
Vice chairman Kachuru Dike Patil and others were present.


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Molton Brown is entrenching itself deeper into the New York cityscape with its first U.S. flagship, on Madison Avenue. The 843-square-foot space, meant as an homage to nature and science, is expected by industry sources to do about $2 million in its first year, or roughly 75 percent of the business generated by the brand’s U.K. flagship.
Alberta Ferretti's "Rainbow Week" sweaters are back. The designer closed her #MFW show with a few day-of-the-week sweaters, which first debuted on the catwalk last January as part of the pre-fall 2017 collection. #wwdfashion (📷: @delphineachard)


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Gruppo Cimbali has established a significant partnership with Slayer (Seattle Espresso Machine Co.), a US manufacturer of hand-crafted expresso coffee machines under the eponymous iconic brand and headquartered in Seattle.
The partnership is part of the Group’s expansion plans and aimed to consolidate Cimbali’s position in the growing specialty coffee segment.
Gruppo Cimbali expects to close 2017 with a turnover of around 180 million euro (+7% over 2016).
Gruppo Cimbali, a leading Italian company in the design and manufacture of professional machines for making coffee and drinks with a fresh milk base, has bought a controlling stake in Slayer, a Seattle-basedmanufacturer of traditional hand-crafted espressomachines with a unique design and innovative patented technological equipment.
“The partnership with Slayer,” Franco Panno, CEO of Gruppo Cimbali explained, “is part of our expansion plans and strengthens the Group’s position in the specialty coffee market, a coffee consumption trend on the rise globally and recently increasing in popularity in Italy too.”
“This partnership will enable Slayer to tap into Cimbali’s expertise, technology and lean manufacturing skill sets and amplify its production efforts to meet global demand. This partnership move was written into my business plan at conception; I simply had to find the right partner”- Jason Prefontaine, Founder and CEO of Slayer.
The partnership, financed entirely by the Group’s own funds, will enable Gruppo Cimbali to expand its portfolio of Brand Champions with a reinforcement in the top-end segment and to consolidate its position in the North American market through its direct presence in Seattle, one of the world’s espresso coffee centres.
Slayer will continue to pursue its own development plan under an independent management team, a separate sales network and within an agreed corporate governance structure. Jason Prefontaine, founder and current CEO, will continue at the helm of the US company, which expects to reach a turnover of around US$ 13 million in the current financial year with a significant growth compared to previous year.
In collaboration with Gruppo Cimbali, Slayer will accelerate its presence on international markets thanks to financial support, optimization of production processes and the benefits of technological and industrial co-operation with the leading player in traditional coffee machines.
Caretti & Associati acted as financial advisor to Gruppo Cimbali in establishing this partnership, with Thomson Coburn and the Gardenal firm being the Group’s legal advisors.
Gruppo Cimbali expects to achieve a turnover of around 180 million euro in 2017 (+7% over 2016), of which 81% comes from overseas sales. The hire of 110 employees (50% of which under 35) over the past 3 years, and leading to a workforce of around 700 employees, well testifies to Gruppo Cimbali’s commitment to growth.
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DETROIT -- Farmer Jack here said it is pulling the plug on a "fresh or free" guarantee it launched in 2003, in view of the program's high costs and an inconsistency within its parent company A&P's other operating divisions.
The campaign, which guaranteed customers who found outdated products would receive a fresh, similar item for free, ended last Friday. It was part of the a larger initiative at Farmer Jack called We're Thinking Fresh.
Officials at the struggling 71-store chain, a division of the Montvale, N.J.-based Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., based their decision in part on feedback from employees who claimed the program had become too costly. In some cases, employees said, customers would hide products until they expired and then demand free items from the chain, according to published reports.
Richard DeSanta, v.p. of corporate affairs for A&P, was quoted as saying that the chain was committed to revitalizing its freshness proposition as a "main thrust" of its strategy at all operating divisions.
"Although we have different banner names, it is one company," DeSanta said, noting that A&P offers no such fresh-or-free program in its other operating areas. It does not, however, mean a lessening of A&P's fresh approach at any of its locations, he noted.
In other news, earlier this week the chain obtained wage concessions from workers in conjunction with a major cost-cutting initiative put into place amid a campaign to profitability.


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Just as with food labels, cosmetic labels can be misleading and dangerous. But unlike foods, cosmetic companies are given more free rein and allowed to use whatever they want without warnings or much testing at all. As a result, millions of women around the world slather their faces daily with potentially dangerous toxins.
One recent investigation on the dangers of cosmetics was carried out in Manila, where Aileen Lucero, the acting national coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition, decided to look more closely into the cosmetic-ingredients being used by women there. What she found was that nearly all tested brands contained traces of heavy metals, and some even exceeded “safe” heavy metal limits set by the Association of South East Asian Nations.
Mercury, lead, and arsenic were just a few of the toxic ingredients. These along with barium, chromium, and cadmium—also found—could be wreaking havoc on the health of women and even the health of their unborn children.
Here in the US, we can find similar investigations uncovering similarly-troubling truths at the Environmental Working Group.
The Environmental Working Group’s SkinDeep database was amassed to include some 72,000 cosmetic products and the results of chemical analyses. Consumers can search for their favorite products or look for those that rank the best.
As an example, a quick search for the popular foundation Almay Clear Complexion reveals the make-up received an overall score of 6, which puts it in the “moderate hazard” category. The database admits their information on this particular make-up is limited, not surprising when cosmetic companies have a vested interest in keeping the dangers a secret.
You can scan through the ingredients of the foundation as each one of the ingredients is also given a score. Propylparaben, for instance, is given a 10 or a high hazard because of its effects on the endocrine and reproductive systems.
Because the cosmetics industry doesn’t want their consumers straying, they make information like that provided in the SkinDeep database difficult to find. These companies aren’t required to list their toxic ingredients, and cosmetics are not required to get FDA clearance before hitting the market.
In other words, it’s a free for all, a race to make money before the true extent of the damage is known.
The cosmetics industry is massive, further spurred on by a twisted idyllic sense of beauty perpetuated by the fashion industry. To that end, women are often putting themselves at risk of disease or infertility simply to look “better” or to fit into some standard of beauty that is likely seriously flawed to begin with.
The solution: show companies what we want by purchasing from transparent and respectable cosmetic-makers. You’ll also find that you can often avoid the industry altogether by learning simple and safe DIY beauty treatments.
You can find many articles on natural beauty here at NaturalSociety – here is just one outlining 10 ways to use lemons for beauty.


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The Chicago industrial market has recorded its 22nd consecutive quarter of positive absorption in Q4 2015, according to CBRE Research. Data shows that the availability rate lowered to 6.5 percent—the lowest it has been since 1996.
Other highlights from the report include:
- The fourth quarter recorded 7.6 million square feet of positive absorption, bringing the annual total to 23.1 millions square feet.
- Of the top 25 transactions in Q4, 43 percent of them were with transportation and logistics companies, while 37 percent were from manufacturing companies.
- As the availability rate has continued to dip, rents have steadily risen for landlords. The average market rents climbed to $4.76 per square foot in Q4, representing a 5.78 percent increase from year-ago levels and considerably higher than the pre-recession peak of $4.53 recorded in Q1 of 2008.
- With this rent growth has come new construction activity, as 2015 ended with 15.3 million square feet of construction starts, up 16.6 percent from 2014.
Click here to read CBRE’s latest Chicago Industrial MarketView.


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The tourism industry is moving towards a fusion of technological and consumer trends. “Many consumer trends are based on technology, while numerous technological innovations are inspired by customers,” explains Daniel Batchelor, communications director of Amadeus.
The ten main tourism trends for next year are summarized below, according to the analysis carried out by this company.
1. Automated customer interactions
«Messaging applications began as a form of interaction between people. But now these applications allow companies to interact directly with customers, ”recalls Amadeus.
Earlier this year, Facebook informed investors that currently, the number of messages sent between people and companies each month amounts to 10,000 million
«More and more interactions between clients and companies are automated through a chatbot (…) The chatbots landscape is changing, since they are now able to” learn “many more things. If you connect the chatbots technology to internal data sources and overlap some machine learning machines, the bots get better over time and, in this way, learn more about how to respond in the best possible way to the queries received » .
Thus, “there are many travel agencies that use bots to boost product sales and cross-selling.”
2. Social networks will increase their power of influence
«As with chatbots, travel agencies should be interested in these platforms, since it is in them where their customers are. Instagram has about 500 million daily active users, 80% of whom follow at least one company, ”explains Amadeus’ communications director.
“Many companies are connecting their booking engine to an image or using the super sophisticated targeting offered by platforms to reach specific audiences who see specific images”
“These advertising products will become more sophisticated over time as the owners of the platform try to monetize users. Moral: Photo platforms are not limited to being a source of inspiration; they can lead to conversion.”
3. Consumers more aware of climate change
«Last October, the Swiss bank UBS observed that one in five Western travelers admitted to having flown less for environmental issues, among which the concept of“ flight shaming ”stands out (although not exclusively) fly) », points out Amadeus.
The sector must pay attention to this issue, as travelers are watching over us
“Many customers think that traveling is bad for the planet. The sector needs to find a way to dispel these fears and lead the debate at local and global levels. ”
4. Payment methods will be multiplied
“By having several credit and debit cards in our physical wallet, in addition to applications such as PayPal as a digital wallet, passengers hope to choose how to pay for their flights and hotels,” recalls Amadeus.
On the other hand, “one of the reasons that explain Uber’s global expansion is that the application serves as a de facto virtual wallet for transport when users are away from their homes. Comfort is what commands today. ”
Most international hotel chains have realized that Chinese guests who buy property want to use Alipay
Currently, as Amadeus explains, «travelers have more than 300 different forms of payment available to them. The financial technology sector (or fintech) helps suppliers by offering payment gateways and easier access to the platforms that travelers use ».
5. Individual trips will go further
As revealed by an Agoda report on solo travelers, in Asia millennials and members of the Z generation are the most likely to travel alone.
In the West, solo trips are more common among those of the X generation and the baby boom
In the United Kingdom, ABTA found that in 2018, more than one in six people had taken a vacation on their own, “which is a three-fold increase in just seven years.”
As Amadeus explains, the tendency to travel alone concentrates and expands the concept of bleisure (business + leisure). “Almost all business trips are done alone, so when they go on for free time, they become solo trips.”
6. Back to basics: people attending to people
«To achieve a good result, a chatbot needs to know when the conversation should be transferred to a real agent. As chatbots move from service to sale, transfer protocols become critical to the business, ”explains Amadeus.
«The abandonment of the purchase at mid-reserve is a matter of great importance today; the abandonment of bots could occur soon »
According to Amadeus, «travelers want to have options to choose from. Not everyone wants to register with their smartphone: some guests enjoy the advice of the concierge »
In any case, we see how at airports “self check-in, biometric passports, facial recognition, prior authorization and queue management are concrete examples of how technology is beginning to make everything better for the human beings.”
7. We’ll talk more to voice assistants
“In recent years, accuracy rates in speech recognition and natural language processing have been above 95%,” recalls Amadeus.
«Amazon has developed Alexa for Hospitality, aimed at large hotel chains and vacation rentals»
The Alexa for Hospitality system “makes tasks like playing music, asking for towels, controlling the temperature or lighting of the room, finding restaurants and places to visit, calling and even checking out are easier for guests” .
Occasional attendees can not only improve what the guest experience improves, “they also enable product sales, cross-selling and merchandising.”
8. Superplications arrive
«The idea of a super application for travel has been around for a long time. We believe that this idea will become important in the coming years for two reasons: the open source environment / API / associations means that it is possible to integrate all sources in a super-application, and customers are delighted with the idea, ”explains Amadeus.
To some extent, super-application already exists in several countries in Asia, “where e-commerce and courier companies, such as WeChat, Alipay and Meituan in China; Line in Japan and PayTM in India, have created multipurpose applications with which users can buy and pay for flights and hotels in the same place where they order takeaway, call a taxi or buy a shirt ».
9. Loyalty technology
«Loyalty to a particular brand or destination seems to belong to another era, with so many options just a click away. But we can use technology to foster the loyalty of today’s travelers, ”says Amadeus.
“Retaining customers is better than trying to get new ones.”
In any case, «personalization only works if the data can be captured, analyzed and managed so that the right product can be displayed at the same time, to the right customer».
10. Virtual reality, increasingly real
“Virtual reality is another trend that will probably gain prominence in the near future,” says Amadeus.
In fact, some applications already work in the field of travel reservations. The lowering of costs (software to produce it and the hardware to display it) will allow it to expand its use. “This means that travel providers can start thinking about virtual reality on a large scale.”
«Virtual reality has the potential to revolutionize the entertainment system on board airplanes»
Airlines such as Iberia, Singapore Airlines or SunExpress have conducted satisfactory virtual reality tests, which allowed passengers to use special glasses to watch 3D movies or play games.


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Apple has a lot of love for hipsters.
If you scan the tech giant's website, you will find photos of its products displaying content that caters to their interests. An iPhone 7 plays electro-pop artist Flume, while another shows a Lyft pick-up in a hot warehouse district. The Apple Watch gives a reminder for a coffee date.
But one small, bougie café in San Francisco's Mission District pops up again and again.
Tartine Bakery, where customers queue up around the block and shell out upwards of $10 for pastries, made its way into Apple lore in roughly half a dozen product images last year, as first reported by BuzzFeed.
We asked Apple how its love affair with Tartine began, and will update this post if we hear back. Until then, take a look inside Apple's favorite hipster bakery.
The word "hipster" may have originated in Brooklyn, but the Mission took it to a new level. The neighborhood is abundant in beards, bicycles, and overpriced lattés.
The Mission is also one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the most expensive rental market in the US. The tech boom of the 1990s brought an influx of tech workers there.
Last April, Silicon Valley's favorite and most funded coffee company, Blue Bottle, announced a bid to acquire Tartine. The merger fell through later that year.


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Help stop the European 'Veggie burger ban'!
Next week, the European Parliament will vote on a ban on 'meat names' for vegetarian and plant-based products. Worldwide, this has been heavily lobbied for years, especially by representatives of the meat industry. The Dutch Party for the Animals opposes the criminalization of 'meat-like names' at a national and European level: such a ban stands in the way of innovation and the promotion of plant-based food. “While we should – again according to the EU itself - switch to a more plant-based diet to tackle the climate, biodiversity, and health crises of our time”, said MEP Anja Hazekamp. Help convince the European Parliament to prevent this ban!
What’s in a name?
'Vegetarian burger', 'Vega sausage' or 'veggie burger'; if it were up to the Committee on Agriculture of the European Parliament, these names will soon no longer be used. According to the committee, designations such as "plant-based yogurt" for dairy substitutes should also be prohibited. Any reference to animal products in the naming of plant-based foods would be misleading to the consumer.
According to opponents of the ban - including NGOs, scientists, and producers - the names actually help consumers to make a more sustainable choice. They point out that plant products are crucial for the transition to a more sustainable and healthier food system and that the current names make it clear that it is a product without animal ingredients, but with a similar taste and texture. A ban on this would not only cost a lot of money and harm producers of plant-based foods, but also directly go against the EU's climate and sustainability policy. Animal products are the most environmentally harmful part of our diet and more and more experts argue that we need to limit the consumption of animal products in order to achieve the climate goals.
Do your part!
You too can help to prevent the European Parliament imposing this unfair restriction on sustainable plant-based products. Sign this petition and kindly let MEPs know through social media before October 20 that they should vote against the proposal (Amendment 171). Use the hashtags: #StandUpForPlantBased, #RejectTheVeggieBans, and #IAmNotConfused and tag the European Parliament in your message. You can also find the contact details of all MEPs here.
The future is plant-based
The Dutch Party for the Animals is committed to the transition to a plant-based food system at a national and European level. “The meat industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change, nature degradation, biodiversity loss, animal suffering, air pollution, and harm to human health. With the current arable land, we could feed four billion extra mouths if we could use the harvest directly for human consumption instead of for meat production. We have to reduce the livestock considerably to deal with the major crises of our time”, said MEP Anja Hazekamp. “It is important that it becomes as easy as possible for people to make a more sustainable choice in the supermarket. The proposed ban goes against that.”
The same view was expressed by former party leader Marianne Thieme of the Dutch Party for the Animals by wearing a 'Vega Meat' dress during the opening of the parliamentary year two years ago, bearing the names of all vegetarian and vegan meat products that were were available all over Europe. In the documentary #Powerplant, which drew packed theaters in the Netherlands and abroad, she explored the transition to a more plant-based and animal-friendly society in conversation with scientists, top chefs, and celebrities.
The Party for the Animals wants to stimulate plant products by lowering the tax on them and by increasing those on meat and proposes to abolish the the millions of European subsidies going to the production and promotion of meat and to use them for the conversion to sustainable agriculture. All measures that contribute to the food revolution to which the party, together with sister parties worldwide, is calling for.


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Atout France, the country's national tourism development agency, launched a five-month influencer campaign in the spring, leading up to the IMEX Frankfurt meetings industry trade show last month.
The agency contracted London-based Irina Trofimovskaya, founder of The MICE Blog, to drive higher online and offline engagement around the #BizInFrance hashtag on Twitter and LinkedIn.
This is new for a destination to use influencers to engage meeting planners, at least at this scale. Atout France reported both a rise in social media interactions before IMEX, and a jump in meeting planners visiting all of the French partners during the show.
Jerome Poulalier, manager of Atout France’s meetings department in Frankfurt, said, “Our other goals included increasing awareness of French destinations beyond the most popular cities, extending the engagement lifecycle beyond the IMEX Frankfurt event, and creating more sharable, visual content.”


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Herbalife Ltd. and the Federal Trade Commission have reached a long-awaited settlement agreement resolving an investigation of the Los Angeles-based nutrition company that began more than two years ago. The deal, which requires Herbalife to make specific changes to its U.S. operations and pay $200 million, will be studied closely by the wider direct selling channel.
Herbalife also reached a settlement with the Illinois Attorney General, resulting in the company agreeing to pay $3 million to the office, separate from the FTC agreement.
Company executives and investors responded positively to the settlements, with shares in the company trading above $66 at midday, an increase of more than 10 percent.
“The settlements are an acknowledgment that our business model is sound and underscore our confidence in our ability to move forward successfully, otherwise we would not have agreed to the terms,” Herbalife Chairman and CEO Michael O. Johnson said in a statement announcing the settlement. The statement went on to say that the company believes many of the allegations made by the FTC are factually incorrect but that the settlement is in the company’s best interest in light of the financial cost and distraction of protracted litigation. Herbalife said management can now focus all of its energies on continuing to build the business.
The FTC commenced an investigation into Herbalife 26 months ago, following accusations by hedge fund manager Bill Ackman that the company is defrauding customers. Ackman launched a campaign against the supplement seller in December 2012, backing his claims with a $1 billion short position in Herbalife stock.
As part of the deal, the company will pay a $200 million judgment and has agreed to various business procedures and policy enhancements. The $200 million figure is what Herbalife had floated in its first-quarter financial report as the company’s best estimate of a settlement. The FTC said this is the largest such consumer redress settlement obtained by the FTC and that it will provide information at a later date about how it will make those funds available for consumers.
The business procedures and policy enhancements included in the settlement pertain largely to Herbalife’s compensation model and marketing claims, which the FTC criticized in its complaint against the company. The settlement stipulates that the company must distinguish between individuals looking to build an Herbalife business and those who sign up simply to purchase products at a discount—a practice Herbalife management, in fact, implemented several years ago. Discount buyers are not eligible to sell product or earn rewards. The company is also required to ensure that at least two-thirds of rewards paid out to distributors are based on verified retail sales, rather than distributors’ personal consumption. And, in order to pay compensation to distributors at current levels, at least 80 percent of Herbalife’s product sales must be comprised of sales to legitimate end-users. If that threshold is not met, rewards to distributors must be reduced.
The company also agreed to:
- require distributors to complete their first year, as well as a business training program, before opening a Nutrition Club,
- increase protections on income and lifestyle claims put forth by those promoting the business,
- pay for any shipping costs of unopened product associated with returns by business opportunity participants, and
- require specific training for business opportunity participants as they begin the business.
In a press conference following the settlement announcement, FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said the FTC hopes the principles embodied in the agreement will set an example for the multi-level marketing industry and that the commission plans to provide more guidance to the industry. “I think what we achieved in this case is unprecedented,” Ramirez said. “I think the protections that we have in place here are aimed to ensure that going forward Herbalife operates legitimately, but I do think they provide important guidance to the rest of the MLM industry about what they need to focus on in order to ensure they are not engaging in unfair or deceptive practices.”
Herbalife also acknowledged the likelihood of its settlement agreement having an impact on the wider direct selling community, much like the FTC’s Amway decision in 1979. In its press release, Herbalife said it “believes that while some of the additional terms do not have significant impact on the company, these provisions will improve policies throughout the industry.”
Herbalife’s board unanimously approved the settlement and formed an Oversight Committee to ensure compliance with the terms. The board also appointed Jonathan Leibowitz, partner in the law firm of Davis, Polk and Wardell, and former Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, as a Senior Advisor to the Board. Henry Wang, currently Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, was put in place to lead implementation efforts and report directly to the committee, with Pamela Jones Harbour, Senior Vice President of Global Member Practices and Compliance and former FTC Commissioner, overseeing implementation of new distributor compliance initiatives.
The company also said it has granted billionaire investor Carl Icahn, an ally in its battle against Ackman, the right to increase his stake in Herbalife to up to 34.99 percent of the company’s outstanding shares, a jump from a previous max of 25 percent. Icahn currently own 17 million shares of Herbalife’s common stock, or about 18.3 percent.
“I have always believed in Herbalife’s strong fundamentals and am pleased the Board has decided to increase my ownership limit from 25 percent to 34.99 percent of the Company’s outstanding shares. A significant part of my investment success is directly tied to our in-depth investment research and understanding of often complex and unique issues facing companies,” Icahn said in the announcement.
“I have the greatest confidence in Herbalife’s CEO, Michael Johnson, and the entire management team, who have skillfully led the company through adversity, including holding firm against a high-profile PR campaign against the company by Bill Ackman where it was alleged more than once that the company would be shut down. Obviously, we are still here.”


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API Makers Must Control Dangerous Impurities Better, FDA Compliance Official Says
The compliance chief for FDA’s center for drugs said API makers need to do a better job of testing their products for impurities to avoid exposing patients to safety risks, as has occurred with at least one supplier’s valsartan API.
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FDA Expects Drug GMP Warning Letter Tally To Reach 90 This Year
FDA official says OTC firms that have not been inspected before and have limited to no knowledge of US GMP requirements appear to be driving the upward surge in drug GMP warning letters issued by the agency since January. One especially “scary” warning letter trend is manufacturers not testing incoming ingredient for diethylene glycol (DEG) or ethylene glycol (EG). Over the years, DEG contamination in pharmaceuticals has resulted in lethal poisoning incidents around the world.
The Quality Lowdown: The More Things Change …
US FDA inspection offers hints that Zhejiang Huahai’s genotoxic valsartan impurity could have been caught earlier, while EMA expands its quality review to other sartans that contain the same trouble-prone tetrazole ring. A micro lab will have to jettison its microbrewery, and compounding supplier Fagron must ID its API sources.
FDA Clears Lupin API Site Of NDMA Risk, Compliance Efforts Ongoing
Lupin’s Tarapur API site for ‘sartans’, including valsartan, has been cleared of NDMA concerns by the US FDA, and the Indian firm has also provided analytical reports to EU authorities to affirm its case. The FDA inspection, though, did end with a lone observation at the site.


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Charities have made little progress on when it comes to using new technology and increasing digital skills, according to the second annual survey measuring progress in the sector.
The Charity Digital Skills Report 2018 was published this morning and reveals that only incremental progress has been made, with funding being cited as the biggest barrier.
Over 500 charities responded to this year’s survey with 58 per cent saying that funding was the biggest barrier, up from 52 per cent last year. Skills is the second biggest challenge, with 51 per cent (down from 57 per cent) saying it is an issue.
This year 15 per cent of respondents said their charity had been through and embedded digital transformation, compared to 9 per cent last year. 22 per cent have a digital strategy, but have not started the digital transformation process, which is a similar figure to last year.
In terms of skills, 40 per cent of respondents rate their overall understanding as good, a slight increase from last year. But 60 per cent say their ability to keep up with their audience is fairly low – a slight improvement on 64 per cent last year.
Zoe Amar, founder of Zoe Amar Communications and co-author of the report, said: “This year’s report uncovers a worrying lack of digital progress across the board. This includes everything from leadership, skills, culture, embracing emerging tech and a lack of funding is rising as a huge challenge.”
She added: “Some improvements have been made including using digital more strategically and getting GDPR ready, but this slow pace of digital change could be putting charities at high risk of becoming unsustainable and irrelevant.”
Dave Evans, product marketing manager at the Skills Platform and co-author of the report, added: “Whilst progress has undoubtedly been much slower than we had anticipated, it is undoubtedly a true reflection of the difficult climate charities have been operating in.”
A survey of 526 charity professionals was carried out in January and February this year. 41 per cent of respondents were based in London and nearly one third of respondents worked for charities with an income of £10m or more. 40 per cent of respondents worked in digital.


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Global sourcing leader Li & Fung may be looking to aid Chinese department stores in creating their own clothing collections.
According to Bloomberg, sources familiar with the matter said Li & Fung will form joint ventures with Shanghai Bailan Group Co. and Beijing Wangfujing Department Store Group Co. to develop private label lines.
Li & Fung would also help source their products, license and manage the brands.
The new endeavor could help the sourcing company draw on demand from China’s growing middle class.
Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Catherine Lim said Li & Fung brings its experience with overseas retailers to the Chinese retailers. “One of the challenges of building private labels in China lies with the marketplace, which is highly fragmented and already crowded with many brands,” Lim told Bloomberg.
Sources said the apparel brands will cover the menswear, womenswear, children’s clothing and home product categories.
Lim said roughly 70 percent of department store operators are starting to develop their own private lines, like Golden Eagle Retail Group Ltd., though some are hampered by their geographical presence.
“It’s a fairly new business for them,” Lim told Bloomberg. “It’s easier said than done because it requires investment. Until there’s enough scale, it probably wouldn’t make a lot of money.”