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Fashion Forward Launches Season Two
Regional Fashion Community Gear Up For Four Fashion-Filled Days
DUBAI – As part of the official Eid in Dubai celebrations, the fashion community from across the region will descend on the Madinat Jumeirah this week for Season Two of the definitive fashion event for the Middle East, Fashion Forward (FFWD).
Over four days, guests will see 23 designers’ collections across 21 catwalk shows, more than 30 of the most influential regional and international fashion experts will address audiences through 15 discussions as part of the “d3 Fashion Talks” and guests and buyers alike will be able to shop at over 50 collections of regionally made accessories in The Garden.
“We are proud to launch our second season of Fashion Forward, and honoured that so many members of the fashion community will be spending part of their Eid holidays with us celebrating and supporting the finest in Middle Eastern design talent,” said Bong Guerrero, Founder and CEO of Fashion Forward.
Established and emerging designers from Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the wider UAE, will present their latest Spring/Summer ’14 collections to packed out halls. Over 50 regional and international buyers will attend over the four days, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales and Boutique 1. There will also be a strong presence from top-tier media, from across the GCC, Europe and the US, including Editor-In-Chief of Marie Claire Italia, Antonio Mancinelli and Vogue.com and NY Times photographer Kevin Tachman. The designers’ runway presentations will also be live-streamed worldwide exclusively on Style.com/Arabia, the first Condé Nast fashion and beauty publication in the Middle East.
Alongside the runway presentations will be a series of talks and panel discussions, supporting FFWD’s vision to foster debate and nurture the growth of the regional fashion industry. These discussions are in partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), and form the “d3 Fashion talks”. International fashion experts including Ben Malka, Chairman and CEO of Halston, Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) member and designer Nanette Lepore and the Dean of Parsons The New School For Design, Simon Collins, will address audiences drawing from their wealth of experience in the industry.
Also part of the “d3 Fashion Talks” and continuing their support from Season One, are London College of Fashion and Domus Academy, Milan, who will once again bring their academic expertise, hosting talks across the four days.
Season Two has attracted the support of suitably stylish and iconic brands, including Audi, who continue their support of emerging fashion markets, and Mac, L’Oreal and Koko Nails who will be ensuring all of the models are runway ready. Guests will also be able to purchase, for the first time in the region, the latest limited edition Evian water bottles, designed by internationally acclaimed Lebanese designer Elie Saab.
The designers showing this season are:
AMATO by Furne One
AZIZ HUMAID presented by NICHE ARABIA
CHARBEL ZOE presented by IN Magazine
ESSA presented by GRAZIA Middle East
HOUSE OF FATAM
MADIYAH AL SHARQI
REEM AL KANHAL presented by HIA Magazine
TAHIR SULTAN presented by The CARTEL
THE EMPEROR 1688
ZAYAN THE LABEL
For the full schedule please visit www.fashionforward.ae
The latest news and images will be updated throughout the event on the Fashion Forward website www.fashionforward.ae
About Fashion Forward (FFWD)
Fashion Forward (FFWD) is the definitive fashion platform for Dubai and the Middle East — a fashion movement which provides a platform and a progressive direction for fashion. Key components of FFWD include catwalk presentations by established and emerging designers in the Middle East and d3 Fashion Talks, to foster industry discussion.
Article supplied by:
The Portsmouth Group


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Organisers have revealed further details of next month’s Cereals event, which is set to become one of the first major face-to-face farming events following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions.
This year’s event will be held in Lincolnshire on 30 June to 1 July and will comply with all required biosecurity measures against Covid-19.
Event director Alli McEntyre said the physical event will go ahead as planned. “No online webinars, just real people meeting in the fields of Boothby Graffoe,” she added.
“You can walk across real grass, eye-up actual machines, talk to people directly, attend seminars in person, examine the crop plots – and there’s even a soil pit you can get into.”
There will be more than 360 exhibitors to visit across 45ha stands and live demonstrations, including areas dedicated to agronomy, technology, machinery, business, education, environment, and renewable energy.
The Syngenta Sprays & Sprayers Arena will showcase live demos to watch in person from a safe distance.
Details of a range of farming debates and seminars have also been revealed.
On day one (30 June), David Eudall, head of arable markets at AHDB, will chair the Market Outlook seminar in the New Era theatre.
“There’s a lot of volatility caused by global and domestic pressures; from Brexit and the phase out of BPS payments, to the introduction of E10 ethanol and changing consumer demands. But there are a new and reapable opportunities for UK growers.”
Speakers including NFU’s director of trade and market outlook Nick von Westenholz will be putting a spotlight on the challenges and opportunities for UK producers in the global market.
Markets for pulses
On day two (1 July), Roger Vickers, chief executive at the Processors and Growers Research Organisation, will chair a seminar on plant protein potential, exploring the value of pulses in the face of changing consumer needs.
“There is a good future for pulses, not only to meet consumer plant protein demands but also to deliver livestock nutrition and environmental sustainability,” said Mr Vickers.
Speakers will be summarising the market outlook for pulses and where opportunities lie for UK growers.
They will also look at how farmers can use pulses in their rotations to reduce inputs and improve their carbon footprint.
Visitors will also be able to hear from Johnathan Napier, from Rothamsted Research, who has led a ground-breaking project using GM technology to replicate fish oils in the oil plant, camelina – a possible crop choice of the future.
Farmers Weekly, Cereals’ media partner, will distribute more than 59,000 show guides before the event and publish comprehensive previews and show reports.
· For more information or to register for tickets, visit the Cereals website.

domain: news


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US-based manufacturer Boom Collaboration has landed a new distribution deal to become the official video conferencing supplier for ACC Distribution in the Baltics.
This partnership will extend Boom's video conferencing solutions across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
Boom Founder Fredrik Hörnkvist sees the new agreement as a crucial strategic move. “ACC Distribution is a very ambitious company just like us," he said. "This deal provides us with the platform to penetrate deeper into the Baltics as we continue to grow and develop around the world.”
ACC Distribution, a part of the Acme Group, is a tech distributor in Kaunas, Lithuania, with a network of over 300 vendors and a portfolio of over 20,000 tech products.


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Drones won't be delivering weed in California any time soon
Autonomous marijuana delivery is a bridge too far, even for California.
The UN wants all drones registered in a global database
Good luck with that.
American Red Cross is launching a drone disaster-relief program
If the pilot period in Houston is successful, the org will use the drone for future disaster ops.
The reborn Lily drone isn't what you were expecting
The revived drone share the looks and not much else.
DJI Mavic Pro Platinum edition boasts longer battery life
DJI gives the foldable Mavic Pro drone a battery boost.
Yuneec's first commercial drone is ready for filming and rescue
The H520 can carry broadcast and thermal imaging cameras.
DJI pulls drone app plugins that swiped too much user data
It's part of DJI's broader effort to make security a priority.
DJI will pay you to find security exploits in its drones
It's determined to overcome doubts about the safety of its robotic fliers.
Drones will watch Australian beaches for sharks with AI help
They'll spot sharks with greater accuracy than humans alone.


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Tourists aren't the only ones flocking to South Florida.
As hotels fill up, investors are scooping up the properties, buoyed by higher room rates, the economic recovery and the loosening of lender financing, lodging real estate specialists say.
"Hotels are good to invest in right now," said Paul Weimer, a vice president in the Miami-based hotel practice group of real estate firm CBRE. "There's a general perception [among economists] that nothing is going to upset the market … and we're not dropping off a cliff."
Three hotels in Palm Beach County have announced their sales this year. The DoubleTree by Hilton West Palm Beach and the vacant Gulfstream Hotel in Lake Worth were sold in May. And just Friday, Carey Watermark Investors Inc., a real estate investment trust based in New York, announced that it had purchased the Boca Marriott at 5150 Town Center Circle. The hotel will remain a Marriott and undergo more than $7 million in renovations.
In Broward County, five hotels have announced sales: the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port Hotel in Dania Beach, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Sunrise-Sawgrass Mills, the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in Plantation, the DoubleTree by Hilton Deerfield Beach-Boca Raton and the former B Ocean Fort Lauderdale, now Sonesta Fort Laurderdale.
Although no tourism bureau tracks hotel sales, analysts say this year's activity is higher than last year.
"We're coming back to a very active market," said CBRE Senior Vice President Christian Charre. "Today there's more [investment] money and pent-up demand."
More than $450 million in hotel transactions is expected to close in the Fort Lauderdale market in the 12-month period ending in November, according to Jones Lang LaSalle, a commercial real estate and investment management firm.
Surging tourism is one of the reasons. Last year, Broward welcomed 13.1 million tourists who spent $10 billion in the area, according to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. And its hotels were 74.7 percent occupied with an average daily rate of $119.33. That compared with 72.4 percent occupancy and an average daily rate of $114.59 in 2012.
A total of 6 million travelers visited Palm Beach County, generating $6.8 billion in economic impact, according to Discover Palm Beach County, the county's tourism marketing agency. Hotels enjoyed 71.6 percent occupancy and an average daily rate of $145.84. That compared with 67.4 percent occupancy and an average rate of $140.92 the year before.
Investor groups that had tried to enter the Miami market are now attracted to Broward because of rapidly growing demand, international visitors and major investment in infrastructure like the airport and port, said Max Comess, a director with real estate firm Holliday Fenoglio Fowler's Miami hotel group.
Comess' group represented the sellers of the Dania Sheraton, DoubleTree in Sunrise and Holiday Inn Plantation.
"The recent sales and renovations speak volumes about Broward's credibility as a tourism destination," said Nicki E. Grossman, president and CEO of the tourism bureau. "Our increasing occupancy and average daily rates make Greater Fort Lauderdale properties very marketable."
While the uptick in investment is encouraging, Jorge Pesquera, president and CEO of Discover Palm Beach County, said a better reason for optimism is the amount of money owners are spending on renovations. And several new hotels under construction is an even stronger reason, he said.
Staff researcher Barbara Hijek contributed to this report.
firstname.lastname@example.org, 954-356-4209 or Twitter@TheSatchreport.


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Military AutoSource and Ford are giving 15 lucky military members the chance to test-drive Ford vehicles at Hockenheim-Ring, home to the German Grand Prix.
United States Military members stationed in Germany have the chance to win a day trip to the Hockenheim-Ring, during the Military AutoSource (MAS) Driving Freedom with Ford event, being held June 9th. The 15 winners will visit the Hockenheim racetrack to test-drive the all-new, redesigned Ford Mustang or F-150 and spend the day with Ford pro drivers.
Active military members are invited to enter for their chance to win now through May 22nd at MAS on-base in Germany or online at militaryautosource.com/freedom
Together with Ford Motor Company, the Driving Freedom with Ford event was created exclusively for those deployed in Germany to give U.S. Military personnel a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Hockenheim-Ring, home to the German Grand Prix, is a racetrack that was built in 1932 and redesigned in 2002, featuring a quarter-mile track designed for drag racing. Ford pro drivers and experts will be on hand to educate the winners on the available models, and give tips for driving on the legendary Hockenheim racetrack. Sales Representatives from MAS will be in attendance to educate the winners on their exclusive Ford benefits offered by Military AutoSource


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Monday, March 17, 2008
Peter Gabriel Takes 'Sledgehammer' to Old Music Models
'Personality of the Year' Shows Hope for Marketers, Artists
Posted by Mike Tunnicliffe in Ad Age Songs For Soap on 01.31.08 @ 12:20 PM
Music veteran Peter Gabriel was lauded as a visionary this week when he was named "Personality of the Year" during the annual MIDEM international music conference in Cannes.
Gabriel has invested significant sums of money and energy into various forward-thinking new ventures and business models, including a joint venture with leading UK VC Ingenious Media, who will finance his future albums and receive a share of revenue from his back catalogue.
His latest venture is the recently launched the We7 internet service, which allows consumers to access free, legal music downloads by inserting ads ad into the start of each song. Whilst ad-supported download models have sailed into stormy waters in Cannes this week, Gabriel's We7 has been received favorably by the advertising community. Gabriel also acknowledged that art and commerce will be inextricably linked in the future.
From the LA Times:
"It's climbing in bed with the devil," he said shortly before the award dinner at the Carlton Hotel. But the day of keeping the two-segregated may well be over.
"I'm a big fan of Neil Young," Gabriel said, "but the artist who has complete control of his music and keeps his music completely apart from advertising is probably a thing of the last century."


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Iran's PJSC, Italian Tecnimont ink cooperation deal
Accordingly, Maire Tecnimont will reportedly provide assistance in engineering for the construction of the company’s new plant. Upon completion, the new facility will have the ability to produce 266,000 ton/year of different petrochemicals, the media reported. Details about the planned products were not revealed at the time of press.
Maire Tecnimont, meanwhile, signed a memorandum of understanding worth an estimated €1 billion with the Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. (PGPIC) last year.
More free plastics newsPlastic resin (PP, LDPE, LLDPE ,HDPE, PVC, GPS; HIPS, PET, ABS) prices, polymer market trends, and more...
- Supply limitations bolster Feb PP and PE outlook in Turkey
- China’s import PP markets climb to 6-month highs prior to Lunar New Year
- Weak activities press import PE, PP suppliers for discounts in Egypt
- Price erosion continues inside Middle Eastern polyolefins markets
- European PP, PE markets open 2023 with renewed drops
- Tight supply keeps expectations bullish in Turkey’s PVC market
- End of China’s ‘zero-COVID’ stance: Double-edged sword for Asia PVC, PP and PE markets
- Mid-Eastern sellers approach China, SE Asia and Turkey with firmer PP, PE prices for Jan
- Egypt’s local PE, PP markets head north as pound plunges to new low
- Styrenics markets reverse slump after months-long downtrend in Europe


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Waist trainers are likely a waste of your time.
TikTok is having fun mocking the latest filter for its body-shaming effect.
Mom of three offers age-appropriate explanation about menstruation.
Khloé Kardashian took to Instagram with a long message about her unedited bikini photo.
Cydni Akbar has no plans on shaving her unibrow — despite what “offended” commenters say,
The brand carries swimsuit tops that accommodate band sizes 28-44 and cup sizes C-H.
Lizzo has become the unofficial face of the body acceptance movement online — and rightfully so, according to one TikToker.
31-year-old Cali Rockowitz blames a clause in the Bumble dating app for deleting her photos.
A professional hula hooper issued an expert clapback after one of her fellow TikTok users tried to assert that crop tops weren’t “for her.”
One personal trainer is on a mission to dispel the harmful myths surrounding physical activity.


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Uber Just Got Cheaper in Orlando!
Get excited for 20% lower fares on Uber rides! With this price cut, uberX in Orlando will be 40% cheaper than a taxi. From UCF to the resorts and everywhere in between, uberX is the most affordable ride in town.
SPREAD THE NEWS
How These Prices Compare
UCF to Amtrak
No Hassles, No Worries
You’ll see this price cut automatically applied on your uberX receipts. So stop dealing with taxis and expensive parking — Uber on! For more information on pricing or to request a fare quote, visit our city page.
Team Uber Orlando
We’re excited to expand the Uber for Business platform beyond business travel, to include a world-class customer transportation solution, Uber Central. With Uber Central, organizations of all shapes and sizes can now easily provide on-demand, door-to-door transportation for their customers, clients, and guests.
A little over a year ago, we set out to put a new spin on an old classic–make reliable food delivery available at the tap of a button. Back then, we started by offering food in the UberEATS app from 1,000 pioneering restaurant partners in four cities. And today, more than 40,000 restaurants globally–from poke shops to pasta spots–are sharing food with customers through UberEATS. With a growing restaurant community comes more choices and more complexity. So we’re cooking up features to continue to make UberEATS easy and reliable. Here is a taste–
This flu season, we’re delivering free flu-fighting care packages across the country. When you receive a pack, you’ll have the option to request a free flu shot from a registered nurse–for up to 5 people.


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Missed previous Intel updates? We got you covered, boo: Click here for the full archive.
Long Beach Food Scene Intel is a series from Brian Addison that will recap food news throughout the city, both news that needs just a quick mention or repeated news where you might have missed the full features.
Altar Society, city’s newest brewery, catered to the public for the first time
Co-owner Jon Sweeney decided that, in conjunction with the Downtown Long Beach Alliance’s “Date Night” event that took over Pine Avenue between Broadway and 3rd Street, he might as well open his doors to test the waters for the first time since we first peeked inside earlier this year.
“We weren’t going to advertise it—we have three family-and-friend events planned for the weekend—but we figured we might as well get our feet wet,” Sweeney said. “Then we’ll take the rest of the following week off to go over details before formally opening our doors.”
An impressive list of over 10 beers and seltzers were available—from vanilla stouts and IPAs to pilsners and lagers—while New York-style pizza was being churned out of the pizzeria located inside.
Rim Talay Thai Food of Naples officially opens
Rim Talay—roughly translated as “by the sea”—has officially opened its doors in Naples, offering the neighborhood a cuisine that is a staple at every other corner of Long Beach. Bob Lane, president at the Naples Island Business Association, said the restaurant has been “perpetually packed every night since opening.” The new space is located at 5542 E. 2nd St.
Thai District expands citywide presence, permanent parklet
Thai District owners Chef Ty Theara and Andrés Anglès have turned Thai District into a mini-food empire for Long Beach: The much-loved space, which opened in 2015, first expanded when it offered up delivery services through the locally-owned and -operated Partake Collective, offering its original menu along with expanded vegan options. The reason? Their to-go orders were so overwhelming that is equally overwhelmed their brick-and-mortar’s kitchen. Partnering with Partake yet again, it now operates Ramen District out of the ghost kitchen while also recently opening its expanded, permanent parklet at Broadway and Linden Avenue.
National franchise chain Cookie Plug to open locations in Lakewood, Long Beach
The street art-inspired Cookie Plug chain—which has opened over 25 locations nationwide in about three years—will have two of its newest franchisees, Lee and Julie Meng, open locations in both Long Beach (at Long Beach Towne Center) and Lakewood this year, along with hopes to expand into other areas, including Carson, Belmont Shore, and more. The chain, known for their absurdly thick’n’gooey cookies, like Purple Haze—a purple play on red velvet cookies—and Pink Elephant—a strawberry cheesecake creation.
ICYMI: Utopia to permanently close after serving Downtown for nearly 25 years
Utopia, the restaurant-meets-art gallery at the northwest corner of 1st Street and Linden Avenue in DTLB, will be closing its doors after 24 years of service. Their last day of service will be Oct. 28. before being formally handed over to its new owners, which plan on turning the space into an Indian restaurant. Click here for the full article.
ICYMI: Hear Qiana Mafnas, newly minted leader of LB Black Restaurant Week, in her own words
I felt it appropriate to give Qiana Mafnas—the co-owner of Axiom Kitchen and newly minted leader of Long Beach Black Restaurant Week—the platform to talk about why she took on the week, why it is important for Long Beach to celebrate Black food and culture, and why we should support Black business. Read her in her own words; it’s quite beautiful.


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The U.S.-brokered normalization deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates in the fall of last year has already helped foster many new business relationships between Jews and Muslims who live in those respective countries.
At the same time, the agreement has afforded Israelis and Emirates who have been quietly working together for years the opportunity to openly partner with each other in order to expand their relationships like never before.
One of the companies that has been doing business in the UAE for several years and is now reaping the benefits of the deal is D’vash Organics, which produces a line of date honey or date syrup (silan) products.
While D’vash Organics is technically based in Los Angeles, its co-founder and CEO Brian Finkel lives with his family in Yakir, an Israeli community in Judea and Samaria, more commonly known as the West Bank.
Finkel, who immigrated to Israel in 2013 from the Chicago area, told JNS that he was unfamiliar with date syrup until he saw “how ubiquitous it was in Israel.”
He added, “I would find it up and down the aisles of Israeli supermarkets.”
In 2017, Finkel went into business with David Czinn—a friend he made as a student during his gap year in Israel who was already in the food business in California—with the hopes of introducing products made from date syrup into American markets. The pair succeeded to entice investors to join their venture, including many Israelis.
After compiling their research, Finkel reached out to the Dubai-based Al Barakah Dates Factory, the largest manufacturer and supplier of date products in the world. Without knowing he lived in Israel, Al Barakah became his largest supplier. As the relationship grew, the two companies ended up forming a strategic partnership.
“Al Barakah approached us about forming a partnership the same week that the Abraham Accords were announced,” explained Finkel. “Even though these two events were unrelated (since they still didn’t know that I was based in Israel), the timing couldn’t have been better. I took one of the first-ever direct commercial flights from Ben-Gurion [Airport] to Dubai in early December, and I was joined by my partner, who flew in from LA. It was only then that I disclosed that I lived in Israel.”
Finkel said that his new partners “had no animosity towards me, and were even very happy and excited that I was from Israel.”
He added that the UAE group had been indirectly doing business with Israel for years, and the heads of the company had even visited Israel in the past. And with the Abraham Accords, he said Al Barakah can now print Hebrew labels on their products, which are found on the shelves in Dubai. “Now they can do this publically,” noted Finkel.
Both sides benefit from the new partnership as Al Barakah was seeking a foothold in U.S. retail markets, which D’vash Organics had, while D’vash was granted access to additional financial resources, along with greater manufacturing and supply capabilities.
D’vash products, including their new date-syrup snack bars, will soon be on the shelves of CVS, a major North American pharmacy, and a deal for some of their other products is in the works with Costco, one of the largest wholesale retailers in the world.
Finkel said that “there is no contradiction in terms between settling the land and doing international business.” He also mentioned that until now, there haven’t been any issues raised because of where he lives.
And he added that he is undeterred by any possible backlash from the anti-Israel BDS movement that discourages companies from doing business with Israelis connected to the settlement movement.
‘A triumph of coexistence, peace, mutual respect’
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, and co-founder and president of the UAE-Israel Business Council, a group that helps foster business partnerships between Emiratis and Israelis, told JNS that the relationship between the two countries is a victory against BDS.
“Having been to Dubai a number of times, and visiting their supermarkets, Israeli products and Israeli flags are proudly on display,” she said. “This is the opposite of BDS and is the complete antithesis of the discriminatory labeling of Israeli products like in Europe.”
Hassan-Nahoum was referring to European Union nations that label products originating from Judea and Samaria as “Made in Settlements,” as opposed to “Made in Israel,” which is how the products are now labeled in the United States as a result of a directive given by the former Trump administration.
Avi Zimmerman, president of the Judea and Samaria Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a group D’vash Organics is affiliated with, said “the novelty is not in realizing the potential of Jewish-Arab partnerships, but rather, in applying those principles to a global platform.”
He noted that “some choose to fight BDS head-on, while others prefer to ignore the movement.”
Zimmerman added that the approach of the chamber is very different: “We believe in contributing to the global marketplace by generating value. The success of this region has long been rooted in ingenuity, pioneering perseverance and interpopulation partnerships. Our success will continue to grow because our value proposition is tried and true.”
As for the success of Finkel’s company, he says it would not have been possible without its connection to Israel.
At the same time, while his company is not based in Judea and Samaria, he said simply that “if anyone doesn’t want to buy my products because of where I live in the Jewish homeland, they can go somewhere else.”
He made it a point to say that “beyond the obvious and exciting business opportunities afforded by this deal, we see our agreement as a triumph of coexistence, peace, mutual respect and hope for a prosperous future in the Middle East.”


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Still looking for a gift for a hard-to-please friend or colleague? The Campus Bookstore has suggestions, including a bunch of ideas that cost less than $20.
It is promoting Lancer gear, UWindsor apparel, winter wear, books, and games for last-minute shoppers hoping to take advantage of its “scratch & save” sale for UWindsor employees today — Thursday, Dec. 20. See its gift ideas flyer or seek out the new UWindsor necktie: just $42.95, $49.95 with matching gift box.
Staff Appreciation Day offers discounts of between 10 and 25 per cent on purchases, excluding course materials and already-discounted merchandise. The Campus Bookstore is located on the lower level of the CAW Student Centre, open Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.


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TSSA members arrested whilst they defend their jobs
Around 20 TSSA members working for Thomas Cook in Dublin have been arrested whilst staging a sit at the store they work in, which the company is trying to shut down. You can read the story via Labour Start below;
The sit-in began at the store on July 31st when managers arrived to announce they were closing it, together with another shop, once staff had been cleared from the premises. The move by Thomas Cook coincided with the announcement by TSSA that on an 84% turnout members in the two shops had voted 100% for strike action.
Union members had been balloted in response to the company’s plans to quit Ireland by the end of August and make over 50 staff redundant after 125 years in the Republic.
More information on the dispute is available at the TSSA website – www.tssa.org.uk


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Samsung Electronics has announced two high-density memory solutions - a 64GB moviNAND memory device and a 32GB microSD memory card - for mobile devices. The new memory solutions are based on the company's 32Gb NAND flash.
The 64GB moviNAND, which measures 1.4mm in height, consists of 16 30nm-class 32Gb MLC NAND chips and a controller. The 17-die stack was achieved by using 30-micron thick chips and advanced package technology.
The 32GB microSD card stacks eight 32Gb NAND components and a card controller, and is enabled by the use of Samsung's 30nm-class 32Gb NAND flash memory technology.
Samsung said it began mass production of the new 64GB moviNAND in December 2009. Its 32GB microSD is now being sampled with OEMs, with mass production slated for February 2010.


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The Toyota Glanza – rebadged Maruti Baleno premium hatchback – has already begun reaching dealerships across India. It’s likely that the Glanza you’re watching in the video lined up below is a display unit, meant to be showcased at Toyota dealerships across the country. This is perhaps the reason why there’s only a single unit of the Toyota Glanza in a dealership stockyard filled with Innova Crysta MPVs. Notably, the Innova Crysta is Toyota’s best selling car in the Indian market, clocking about 6,000 units on an average each month.
The Toyota Glanza, which is a rebadged and restyled version of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno, will be offered as a petrol-only car. To power the Glanza, Toyota is expected to pick either the 1.2 liter K-Series petrol engine or the 1.2 liter DualJet petrol engine with a mild hybrid. The exact specifications of the car’s engine will be known soon even as the launch date is scheduled for the 5th of June, 2019. There will be two gearbox options on offer – a 5 speed manual and a CVT automatic.
Toyota dealers have already begun accepting bookings for the Glanza, which is expected to be priced higher than the Baleno. Apart from a new front grille and changed logos at the front and rear ends of the car, the Glanza is more or less a Maruti Baleno with different badges. Even the interiors and features on offer with the Toyota Glanza is expected to be similar to what’s on offer with the Maruti Baleno. Twin airbags, ABS, a reverse parking camera, speed alerts, seat belt reminder and a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be offered on the Glanza.
Maruti Suzuki will produce the Glanza at its factory in Gujarat, and ship it to Toyota’s factory in Bidadi. Customers wanting more choice will have to opt for the Maruti Suzuki-badged Baleno though. The premium hatchback gets two more engine options with the Maruti badge – a 1 liter-3 cylinder BoosterJet turbo petrol motor with 101 Bhp-150 Nm and a 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet turbo diesel motor with 74 Bhp-190 Nm. Both these engines are paired to five speed manual gearboxes.
The Glanza will be Toyota’s first badge-engineered car in the Indian market, and the automaker has plans to export the car to developing markers around the world. Toyota will launch more badge-engineered cars in India, and all these cars will be ones from Maruti Suzuki. The Vitara Brezza compact SUV is the next badge engineered car from Toyota, and there’s talk that Toyota will also build the Vitara Brezza at its production facility in Bangalore. Other cars that will be badge engineered by Toyota will be the new Ertiga MPV and the Ciaz C-Segment sedan.


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Panera builds on its vision
By the end of 2013, it was obvious something was wrong at Panera.
A fast-casual standard bearer—the brand that initially built its reputation on guest comfort and satisfaction above all else—found from its own surveys that more than a quarter of customers had begun avoiding the chain because of slower service, less comfort and botched orders. Its comps, while still positive, were falling and had been all year. Its transaction counts were falling as well.
As Panera Bread CEO Ron Shaich explained during an all-cards-on-the-table investor call that October, the company had taken its eye off the ball. Managers were focused on efficiency and costs, and the customer was being ignored.
“Walk into our cafes at 12:30 p.m. during the lunch rush, and you’ll see the lines,” Shaich explained. “Any one of us can visit a Panera and see that, and see that many customers walk out of our cafes every day when they can’t or won’t wait in the line,” he said.
“They were reaching capacity constraints on their box,” says Sharon Zackfia, an analyst with William Blair and Company. “I’m sure they wish they had discovered the problem earlier.”
Not for the first time, Shaich found himself in need of reinvention. He already was a pioneer in the fast-casual realm, and he had shown the business world new ways to connect with customers through shared values.
But then regional upstarts were doing “Panera” better than Panera. They had conscientiously sourced menus and designed inviting stores, and were conceived with technology built into the brands, connecting with guests in ways Panera wasn’t.
“There has been a modernization of a.m. eateries that have picked away at Panera’s customer base,” says Darren Tristano, president of Chicago-based research firm Technomic. “There’s also the competition of convenience during the week. QSRs have been picking away at the fast-casual category.”


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After making a mark in the environment and energy industries with saturated steam production for industries, businessman Tran Dinh Quyen is cherishing a new transport-based mission in the United States.
Tin Thanh Group is well-known in Vietnam for its saturated steam production for industries such as food processing, rubber, paper production, packaging, and textiles.
|Groundbreaking ceremony for Tin Thanh Group’s tyre filling, recycling, and lubricant production plant in South Carolina in the United States
Currently, the company provides renewable energy to replace fossil fuels for more than 40 industrial plants. Brands such as SABECO, HABECO, Casumina, Hoa Sen Group, Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, Cholimex Food, Saigon and Long Thanh paper mills, and Hue Textile & Garments are using Tin Thanh’s technology.
Tran Dinh Quyen, chairman and CEO of Tin Thanh Group, is paying attention to developing a service package project to operate all-in trucks in the US that he and his associates have prepared over the past 15 years, with 20 patents already granted by Vietnam and the US.
“In March, we broke ground on a tyre retread, tyre recycling, and lubricant production plant in South Carolina. The ceremony was attended by the governor of South Carolina, US ministers and congressmen, and the ambassador and commercial counsellor of Vietnam to the US,” Quyen said
Believing the new development to be a foundation for Tin Thanh’s investment strategy, construction is expected to start in the third quarter of 2023, and operations will begin a year later.
In addition to tyre production, Tin Thanh Group also has a project to produce green hydrogen with an annual capacity of 150,000 tonnes made from sorghum material with additional source of locally available biomass materials. The project has been approved and is eligible for investment incentives of $350 million over 20 years.
Tin Thanh Group and a major US partner will strategically cooperate with big carmakers around the world to supply hydrogen fuel for the vehicles that they are manufacturing, selling, and operating throughout the US. Additionally, it plans to work with more than 50 factories across the US for tyre retread outsourcing, as well as develop 2,000 mobile service stations related to all-in truck projects across the US.
“Tin Thanh’s strategy is to become a full-service business and pioneering company on the basis of our patents, and become a circular service chain that includes technology, industry, production, trade, and recycling,” said Quyen.
Specifically, an app called Ecore and a smart chip with more than 10 features will be unique benefits to the operation of the all-in truck service package. The outstanding features of the app are similar to the software used by airlines, including notifying the origin, pressure, temperature, speed, location, tyre wear and more. The vehicle owners can access the information anywhere if a mobile phone network is available.
Moreover, Tin Thanh has a fleet of mobile technical engineers for maintenance services and help can also be given in the case of a driver’s health issue.
The company will fill nitrogen instead of normal air in each tyre provided by its partner, at Tin Thanh’s 2,000 technical mobile stations in the US. Instead of air, pure nitrogen is filled in the tyres to add nine features beneficial to operation and use.
The lubricants that Tin Thanh provides, and is also produced at the tyre retread and tyre recycling factory, adding the group’s exclusive graphene super nano additive. Thanks to this additive, the life of the oil and engine will be greatly increased, in addition to significantly saving the fuel, which has been patented in the US.
Owner Quyen revealed that Tin Thanh is piloting these services in Vietnam and will carry out experimentation and testing in the US in the third quarter of this year. It is expected that in the fourth quarter, the company will start providing the services package to a partner with 1,000 container trucks and another one with 13,000 container trucks. The company is negotiating and possibly signing to provide services package to a truck union with 250,000 vehicles specialising in transporting goods for major companies in the US in the fourth quarter of 2023.
|On April 13, the US ambassador to Vietnam and the US Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City visited and voiced support for the projects of Tin Thanh Group and King Coffee. After listening to my presentation in detail, the ambassador welcomed and reaffirmed that these are key initiatives for the two countries. After the meeting, I also presented details to the Vietnamese ambassador to the US and received supportive comments. He emphasised support for the development of the venture to balance two-way trade turnover. We are preparing a dossier on the projects and will submit it to stakeholders in this quarter. ‑ Tran Dinh Quyen Chairman and CEO, Tin Thanh Group
A true circular service
The biggest expectation that Tin Thanh sets forth during implementing the project is that operations are beneficial, useful and user-friendly for all. Especially, the company aims to reduce the total cost for vehicle owners by 5-10 per cent, and cut emissions by at least 50 tonnes of CO2 per year for a container truck.
“People currently spend about $3.10 per mile for a container truck in the US that runs more than 100,000 miles per year. Tin Thanh will drop that cost to less than $2.80 per mile for running more than 100,000 miles per year as well,” Quyen said. The vehicle owners will also enjoy 30 per cent of the revenues from a clean development mechanism for contributing to reducing carbon emissions.
When participating in the all-in service package, managers and drivers will enjoy benefits that are provided Tin Thanh only. For example, in addition to receiving salary and social benefits, they receive other services during the operation, healthcare at Tin Thanh’s stops, and can connect to technical stations which the vehicle owners can monitor carefully.
In addition, with a network of 2,000 technical mobile stations and links with other strategic partners of Tin Thanh, customers can easily find and use its services anywhere in the US. The social networking application developed by the company will connect and create a community including all users and customers using the company’s services.
Quyen has set a goal to reach one million container trucks using Tin Thanh’s services each year by 2028, and occupy 10-20 per cent of the market share of all-in service trucks in this country. After putting the project into operation, Quyen expects to build a circular service delivery ecosystem and create thousands of jobs. For example, the group can provide items for drivers such as water, snacks, and face wipes; coffee from partner King Coffee; other goods for vehicle operation such as tyres from Danang Rubber; and other products such as bearings, belts, electric batteries, electrical wires, copper pipes, and light bulbs for the vehicle. All products will be Vietnamese brand names.
Moreover, Tin Thanh could provide about 70,000 drivers and technical staff to fill the current shortage of more than 200,000 workers in the US transportation industry.
“Based on the great potential, we plan to enable these projects in order to further tighten trade ties and contribute to the balance of trade. This proposal has been strongly agreed and supported by many leaders of both countries,” said Quyen.
“This is such a large field related to numerous industries in which big players have gained market share for many years, such as Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear, Shell, and many more. However, with our technologies, services, and the strength of available raw materials, we are confident of competing and developing within the schedule set forth,” stated Quyen.


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Consumer Reports Warns Buyers about the 5 Most Common E-Cigarette Problems
Just how safe are electronic cigarettes known as “e-cigarettes” by consumers, and who’s regulating their production and sale? According to a recent special report by experts from Consumer Reports on Health, not much about their safety is known. And currently - nobody is overseeing and regulating their manufacture and sale.
E-cigarettes are marketed as the smart alternative to smoking regular tobacco cigarettes because they deliver an atomized form of nicotine vapor without added carcinogens, carbon monoxide or harmful smoke particles. How they work is that as a user puffs on one end, a tiny electronic device in the e-cigarette becomes activated and heats up a nicotine cartridge. The contents of the cartridge become atomized into a vapor that is then inhaled. The remainder of vapor that is exhaled by the smoker then quickly evaporates and thereby avoids the complication of emitting noxious second-hand smoke.
While the makers of electronic cigarette make claims that e-cigarettes are a safe and smart way to quit smoking, neither claim has been thoroughly put to the test to convince experts one way or the other. One of the biggest fears of e-cigarettes is that while some carcinogens have been removed from the hazard of smoking, it is only being replaced by another type of carcinogen—namely, diethylene glycol, a dangerous chemical used in antifreeze.
Furthermore, many brands of e-cigarettes contain unlisted ingredients that may be just as harmful as those found in regular tobacco cigarettes. Without regulation by the government and disclosure by manufacturers, it’s a health risk to inhale who-knows-what.
From data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, Consumer Reports on Health recently disclosed the 5 most common e-cigarette problems reported by users and healthcare providers. These complaints consist of:
• 32 complaints of respiratory problems, some related to secondhand exposure.
• 12 hospitalizations involving blood pressure abnormalities, disorientation, pneumonia, seizures, other health problems including 2 reported deaths.
• 10 heart problems including arrhythmias and congestive heart failure.
• 10 allergic reactions.
• 4 exploding e-cigarettes with 3 reportedly resulting in burns.
While, Consumer Reports on Health adds that these reports of complaints are not proven to be directly caused by the e-cigarettes, and that some of the complaints could be related to pre-existing medical conditions or other unrelated causes, their final recommendation to consumers is that e-cigarettes should be avoided and not to be started as a new habit out of fun believing that they are safe.
For an informative article about a study that reports that e-cigarettes are not safe, click-on the titled link, “Smoking Alternative E-cigarettes Not Safe Study Says.”
Image Source: Courtesy of PhotoBucket
Reference: Consumer Reports on Health April 2014 issue


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October 10, 2023
Coimbatore, October 09, 2023: Amazon is committed to making the festive season successful for sellers in Tamil Nadu and across India. As part of this commitment, Amazon has announced a number of initiatives, including 50% waiver on referral fees for new sellers joining Amazon.in between 27 Aug- 4 Nov 2023. This waiver is valid for 60 days from the date of joining and aims to incentivize new sellers, help them build a customer base and establish a foothold in the competitive e-commerce market by reducing upfront costs.
Amazon.in also announced the “Great Indian Referral Offer” where sellers can refer their friends to sell on Amazon.in and receive Rewards worth up to INR 11,500/-. Referrals made between September 28th and October 27th, 2023 will be eligible for rewards. In addition, Amazon has introduced technological initiatives to make online selling easier and more successful for sellers. These initiatives include Simplified Registration Process which makes it easy for Indian sellers to start selling online, Sale Event Planner – a tool which will help sellers offer great deals on their products, plan for optimum inventory well in advance and potentially grow their sales, and New Seller Success Centre which is a helpful onboarding companion for first-time sellers entering the Amazon marketplace.
Recently, Amazon.in also announced multi-channel fulfilment which democratizes customer order fulfilment and enables sellers to expand their reach by leveraging Amazon delivery network serving 100% of India’s serviceable pin-codes. With MCF, sellers can leverage Amazon’s fulfilment capabilities to pick, pack and ship products to the customer from the sellers’ inventory in Amazon fulfilment centers. This initiative simplifies order management, tracking, tax invoicing, and shipping, irrespective of the channel where the order comes from. It allows entrepreneurs to focus on core business activities such as product development, marketing, and customer service while Amazon handles order fulfilment.
Vivek Somareddy, Vice President, Fulfilment Channels & Global Trade, at Amazon India, said, “Tamil Nadu is a key market for us both from a sellers and customers’ perspective. We have close to 90,000 sellers from the state selling on Amazon.in, our focus remains on making online selling easier and more productive for them. Our endeavour is to provide our sellers with the best possible fulfilment technology to help them succeed. With our latest innovations, we’re making it easier and faster for sellers to get their products to customers, we are excited to see how technology empowers small businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive in the digital age”.
With Amazon Great Indian festival live from Oct 8, there is a massive opportunity for businesses of all sizes in Tamil Nadu to grow their business online, with an expected surge in demand. According to a study conducted by Nielsen Media on behalf of Amazon India, 81% of consumers are keen to shop during this festive season. Online shopping sentiment remains bullish not just across metros but also tier 2 and 3 cities. Over 78% consumers trust online shopping; 68% consumers have identified Amazon.in as their go-to and convenient online shopping destination with almost half identifying Amazon.in as the most trusted and loved online brand for festive shopping.
Amazon’s Investment in Tamil Nadu
Amazon has made significant investments in Tamil Nadu over the years, creating a robust physical infrastructure and providing a regional language experience for customers and sellers. Today, Amazon.in has close to 90,000 sellers from Tamil Nadu selling a wide variety of products, and hundreds of thousands of small sellers have embraced e-commerce through Amazon’s programs and tools. Amazon.in also has lakhs of customers from the state and several offices with thousands of employees, mostly based in Chennai and Coimbatore.
In addition to its offices, Amazon has invested in setting up 5 fulfilment centres in Tamil Nadu across Chennai and Coimbatore, offering more than 3 million cubic feet of storage space. To support middle mile, Amazon.in also has 3 sort centers with more than 1.5 lakh sq.ft. of sortation area. These fulfilment centers and sort centers help Amazon serve sellers and customers, creating thousands of employment opportunities for local residents. Today, Amazon.in has close to 110 Amazon-owned and Partner Delivery Stations, as well as more than 1800 ‘I Have Space’ stores in the state.
In 2021, Amazon set up its first devices manufacturing unit in India in the state of Tamil Nadu in Chennai. These investments in infrastructure have helped generate thousands of jobs in the state. Amazon’s journey in Tamil Nadu started with just 50 employees a few years ago, and today it has more than 10,000 employees spread across offices in Chennai, Salem, and Coimbatore.
The Amazon.in marketplace is operated by Amazon Seller Services Private Ltd, an affiliate of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN). Amazon.in seeks to build the most customer-centric online destination for customers to find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online by giving them more of what they want – vast selection, low prices, fast and reliable delivery, and a trusted and convenient experience; and provide sellers with a world-class e-commerce marketplace.
For more information, visit www.amazon.in/aboutus
For news on Amazon, follow www.twitter.com/AmazonNews_IN


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IS. “Soma” Somasegar joined the venture capital firm in late 2015 as a venture partner. In addition to naming him to the firm’s highest title, Madrona made other personnel moves.
Madrona Venture Capital has named former Microsoft executive S. “Soma” Somasegar as a managing director, the firm’s highest title.
Somasegar joined Madrona as a venture partner in November 2015 after 27 years at Microsoft, where he most recently served as the executive in charge of the company’s developer software unit.
Madrona, the most active venture capital firm in the region, also announced it was promoting two employees and bringing on a new venture partner.
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Hope Cochran will join the Madrona team this month. She most recently served as chief financial officer of King Digital, known for creating the popular “Candy Crush” game. Cochran also was chief financial officer of Clearwire, a onetime major wireless company based in the area, for nearly three years.
She also founded the Seattle Entrepreneurial Women’s Network, a forum for women in the startup world.
Madrona also promoted Daniel Li, who joined the company in 2015, to senior associate.


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Doug OhlemeierAlfie Badalamenti (left), vice president of Coosemans New York Inc., and Ray Hernandez, a buyer, show off zucchini flowers from Israel. Despite the slow economy, wholesalers report steady specialties demand.NEW YORK — Despite the lagging economy, specialties demand remains steady.
Though customers during the past couple of years seemed to be weaning away from the category, distributors say sales are starting to rebound.
Demand varies depending on the season, said Alfie Badalamenti, vice president of Coosemans New York Inc. Badalamenti said demand increases during many ethnic or religious holidays such as the Jewish New Year.
Coosemans prides itself as being one of the last produce houses on the Hunts Point Terminal Market that focuses on specialties, he said.
“Specialty items use to be hard to source 25 years ago,” Badalamenti said.
“But as the years go along, people see a good thing and want to jump on it, as you see more conventional fruit and vegetable houses carrying specialties. They supplement their regular items with a few specialties.”
Badalamenti said retail merchandising of specialties varies, with small bodegas buying only the basic items. Some of the fancier fruit stands in midtown Manhattan, however, carry specialties, he said.
Big specialty movers include french beans, mesclun mix, arugula, baby arugula and baby spinach, baby lettuces, baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, passion fruit, starfruit, and pepino and kiwano melons, Badalamenti said.
Coosemans carries 450 specialty produce stock-keeping units.
Specialties demand remains strong for the suburban New York distributors as well.
“Specialties are starting to surge more,” said Joel Panagakos, executive vice president of J. Kings Foodservice Professionals Inc., Holtsville, N.Y.
“Though they’re a little higher priced, it’s coming back pretty good. There’s decent demand, especially with the Hiltons and the big hitters like that. They try to make a ‘wow’ for their diners.”
Maurice A. Auerbach Inc., Secaucus, N.J., distributes a variety of specialty produce items, including baby bok choy, cippolini onions, pearl onions, treviso and root items such as horseradish and celery roots.
“Demand varies, but there is demand,” said Paul Auerbach, president.
“We do a very large foodservice business. With the new variety of menus out, a lot of chefs are very creative.”
While Auerbach has long sold bok choy, its sales of baby bok choy increased by 10 times, Auerbach said.
Specialty citrus such as pink and heirloom navels and blood oranges remain big draws, said Joe Granata, director of produce for RLB Food Distributors LP, West Caldwell, N.J.
“Specialty movement has kind of slowed a little only because of the way the economy is,” he said.
“As specialties are a fringe item, people tend to go to the basic items. When money isn’t as big an issue, specialties aren’t a luxury item and can become a staple item.”
Foodservice distributor Riviera Produce Corp., Englewood, N.J., sells a couple of hundred stock-keeping units of specialties.
Benjamin Friedman, owner, said garbanzo beans and pomegranates remain in high demand as well as other seasonal products.
“Specialties are still a main staple for the high-end customers,” Friedman said.
“They still sell strong and they’re part of what they do and how they separate themselves from the one- and two-star restaurants.”


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Disappointing GDP Data May Lead To Monetary and Fiscal Stimulus
At the start of the week, second quarter GDP numbers out of Japan were released that came in weaker than expected. The Japanese economy grew just 0.3 percent in the second quarter while economists were pointing to double that number. The weakness was not only in terms of missed estimates but also in relative terms when we compare the number with the growth rate of 1.3 percent experienced in quarter one.
There are two main reasons for the failed growth. Firstly, government intervention in the aftermath of last year’s earthquake and tsunami disasters is now beginning to fade whilst the second aspect is the perpetual bane in the side of the BoJ & exporters – the yen which has been rising again since bottoming in March and is putting pressure on exporters.
Internal demand, which has been the main booster for the Japanese economy, is suffering from fading fiscal intervention. Last year, the Japanese government passed three extra aid packages totaling 18 trillion yen and implemented an extra one of 2.5 trillion so far this year. The extra help given by the government was significant and certainly helped avoid a contraction last year and also weighed positively on this year quarter one 1.3 percent growth. But, when comparing the aid injected last year with this year’s, it seems the government was beginning to turn off the tap. This has also spilled over the consumer sector with slowing consumer spending a direct consequence of this.
External demand is not helping the Japanese economy at this point too. At a time when the European economy is struggling and the US is not in the best of shape, Japanese exporters have an additional headwind of a stronger yen that makes their goods look relatively more expensive, certainly in contrast with Europe and their weak euro. Although the pair USD/JPY is down just 2% so far in 2012, it is down more than 6% from its peak observed in March.
Monetary easing led by the central bank with two intervention this year (February and April) has not been enough to weaken the yen. The main reason is the international turmoil we are currently experiencing. Investors have been desperately looking for safety and are blindly adding government debt from the safest countries to their portfolio even at negative nominal rates and are also similarly buying the safest currencies. Remember what happened to the Swiss Franc? Demand for the currency was so heavy that the Swiss national Bank had to peg its value to the Euro and virtually supply any amount of Swiss Francs that the market demands. With the USD/JPY currently sitting at 78.50 – near multi-month lows, there is a strong and growing reason for the Bank of Japan to intervene in the market. It can do this through extending its asset purchase program or, as many economists are now demanding, direct currency intervention flooding the currency market with Japanese yen while buying US dollars.
With the depressed quarter we have just seen, it looks also likely that the Japanese government will add to the efforts of the central bank by approving additional aid packages to boost consumer spending.
Weighing all these facts up, we think the odds on further intervention are now at the highest for some months. Shorting the yen has been a nil gain trade for a number of years now that it is an ‘under the radar’ one – precisely the point at which any move by the BoJ will have maximum impact, If a currency intervention does occur, the gains from holding short the yen may be substantial. We think that the currency most likely to benefit from such a move would be sterling and have opened a long GBP:JPY position at 1.23 to add to our Trading positions.
Filipe R Costa & Editor


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In this May 4, 2014 photo, the Pfizer logo is displayed on the exterior of a former Pfizer factory in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Pfizer says it does not intend to make a takeover offer for British drugmaker AstraZeneca. The Monday, May 26, 2014 announcement comes a week after AstraZeneca’s board rejected a proposed $119 billion buyout offer from Pfizer, the world’s second-biggest drugmaker by revenue. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) ORG XMIT: NYBZ133
Tupperware Brands TUP flattened $8.64 to $62.77 after the container-maker’s third-quarter earnings spoiled investors.
Shares of Regulus Therapeutics jumped more than 100% in one day after preliminary testing of a hepatitis C drug looked positive.
Rail stocks skidded Wednesday after Norfolk Southern NSC CEO Wick Moorman dismissed talk of industry mergers.
Angie’s List crumpled by third quarter losses, lagging membership.
Food products marketer cracked by earnings shortfall.
Investors should watch a study that indicates lower prices result from more information.
The unemployment rate is below 5% in 15 states, with North Dakota leading at 2.8%.


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Here's what you need to know-
The Health Department of Maharashtra, issued a notification on Thursday that bans the sale of loose cigarettes and beedis in the state. This ban has come in the view that loose cigarettes do not inform the smoker of the consumption and health warning which are otherwise present on cigarette packets.
This notice of public interest has been issued under subsection (2) of section 7 of the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act 2003 (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and commerce Production, supply and Distribution).
Sale of Loose cigarettes and beedis banned!
About 85% of the cigarette packets contain a graphic warning about the health hazards that follow due to excessive consumption of tobacco, and this warning remains absent when consumers buy loose cigarettes. This has become the main reason behind the ban, which also extends to beedis.
Though met with strong criticism by the traders, an order has been passed regarding the same and all municipal corporations in the state have to now ensure that sale of loose units of cigarettes and beedis does not take place in regions under their jurisdiction. The traders are of the opinion that the ban may bring down their sales as well as backfire for the state; not everyone has the capacity to buy full packets and those, that in fact buy the entire packets, will have the urge to smoke more beedis or cigarettes than usual.
With Maharashtra showing the lowest smoking rate in the country as per the Global Tobacco Youth Survey 2016, it serves as the prototype base for implementing a move like such which can be later re-scaled on a national level as well. Mumbai holds an authority of influence over other metropolitan cities, which may resonate with similar bans.


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New York City’s plans to close seven blocks of Broadway to vehicular traffic were met with mixed reviews from Garment District tenants.
As part of “Green Light for Midtown,” a $1.5 million pilot program, Broadway from West 47th to 42nd Streets, and from West 35th to 33rd Streets will be closed to vehicular traffic. The aim is to alleviate Midtown traffic snarls, especially in and around Times Square and Herald Square, while encouraging walking as a mode of transportation.
Traffic will begin to be diverted starting Memorial Day weekend and all work is expected to be completed by September. Results of the pilot program will be tracked closely by city officials through the end of the year to determine if the program should continue.
Barbara Randall, executive director of the Fashion Center Business Improvement District, was enthusiastic about the changes afoot, primarily due to the anticipated reduced traffic.
“Anything you can do to encourage people to get out of cars is a good thing,” she said. “Times Square is all pedestrians already, so why not give them the space they need?”
Pedestrian-friendly blocks will only enhance the property value of area businesses, she said. The FCBID plans to survey the neighborhood’s tenants and landlords to gauge public response.
Jeanette Nostra, president of G-III Apparel Group Ltd., who commutes by car to her Seventh Avenue office, said she likes the idea conceptually in terms of how it could improve the area’s ambience, but is worried about how it would affect businesses.
“If it were seasonal, it would make more sense,” Nostra said. “I just don’t want it to have any negative economic impact on the operations of any businesses.”
Ed Goldberg, senior vice president for government and community relations for Macy’s Inc., said the street’s rerouting should relieve congestion, make Times Square and Herald Square much more attractive to tourists and the community, boost sales, and improve the street’s safety and utility. Goldberg said the plan wouldn’t effect trucks making deliveries to the store’s 35th Street loading dock. Macy’s will move its taxi rank to Seventh Avenue from Broadway.
Bud Konheim, president and chief executive officer of Nicole Miller, was less convinced and questioned the mayor’s decision to invest in these uncertain financial times.
“What’s on everybody’s mind?” Konheim asked. “The economy. High-end New Yorkers have been decimated and everyone is feeling the effects. This is Nero fiddling while Rome is burning. If he wanted to do something for business, why not close off Madison Avenue for a 12-block stretch? It’s already a great shopping and walking street with great restaurants.”
EXCLUSIVE: @tomford is opening its first-ever beauty store. The boutique, which opens November 20 in London’s Covent Gardens, was designed with the over-the-top glam Ford is known for. Read the full story on WWD.com, link in bio. #wwdbeauty #wwdnews (📷: Simon Wagner) #TomFordBeauty
New York-based DJ @harleyvnewton threw a party to celebrate the holiday collection of her dress and pajama line @hvn at the Ladurée Beverly Hills. It Girls @katebosworth, @rashidajones and more joined in on the fun, which included cocktails, croque monsieur sandwiches and a photo booth. #wwdfashion (📷: Owen Kolasinski/BFA.com)
For the holidays, @Burberry partnered with 20-year-old artist @blondeymccoy on a series of three outdoor murals in downtown Manhattan. The murals are McCoy’s interpretation of a Christmas eve party, the idea of charity and the spirit of family. His third mural, pictured here, is the most personal. The image depicts McCoy’s grandparents and father in London’s Trafalgar Square in the Seventies. “My work often features lots of sentimental objects.” #wwdeye
For spring 2018, designers applied bold colors and cartoonish motifs on everything from sneakers and belts to key chains. See all the top men’s accessories trends on WWD.com. #wwdtrends (📷: George Chinsee; Prop Styling by @rnasti; Market Editor: @luiscampuzano)
The @dior-sponsored @guggenheim international gala pre-party has a history of drawing cool-girl musical acts to serenade the crowd –– and last night was no exception. @haimtheband performed songs both new and old, and lured a star-studded audience with the likes of Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Mamoudou Athie and more. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)
In a partnership between the @metopera and the @englishnationalopera, “Marnie” was born. The opera, with costumes sponsored by @mrporterlive, is an adaptation of the 1961 thriller by Winston Graham. Arianne Phillips, who created the costumes, is no rookie: She’s styled Madonna for her tours and created costumes for a myriad of films in the past. Read WWD’s interview with Phillips, where she talks about her inspiration for the opera’s costumes on WWD.com #wwdfashion
@barneysnyc took a different approach to their holiday windows this year. Instead of Christmas decor, Barneys tapped @thehaasbrothers to tell a story of positivity, gratitude and inclusivity via heartwarming silliness and humor. “It’s about kids and it’s about coming together and being family and loving each other,” said Simon Haas. #wwdfashion (📷: @joshuascottphoto)
Beauty influencer @kandeejohnson makes her foray into hair care with a collaboration with @ogx_beauty — making it the first time that OGX has teamed up for a product creation. The collab includes shampoos and conditioners in three scents. At 39 and a mom, Johnson is a different profile than the emerging social media stars, but is considered one of the pioneers of the digital beauty influencer world. Read WWD’s interview with her on wwd.com, including the strangest beauty product she’s ever tried #wwdbeauty


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NORCROSS, Ga., Dec. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — BPI Sports LLC (“BPI Sports”), a global manufacturer and marketer of dietary supplement products, announces that it has been acquired by Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals, which has been BPI’s primary contract manufacturer for over a decade. The recapitalization of money to BPI by Hi-Tech was implemented through a prepackaged Chapter 5 process in the United States, which is thought to be the first Chapter 5 “prepack” and was financed by Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals and existing sales. “Today marks an important moment in BPI’s history and evolution,” said Chris Mckenzie, CEO of BPI, in a statement. “We look forward to unlocking the full potential of our globally recognized brand and continuing to offer our customers the iconic products they have loved for over a decade, and launch new, innovative products in the near future.”
Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals (“Hi-Tech”), a leading global provider of Sports Nutrition, Weight loss products, Healthcare supplements and Contract Manufacturing services, acquired BPI Sports, a leader in the design, development, marketing and distribution of scientifically advanced, safely sourced, high quality and effective nutritional supplements. The company is known for creating innovative products using the best of what science has studied and nature has to offer. The transaction will continue to bolster Hi-Tech’s leading Sports Nutrition and Weight Loss arsenal and expand its position as a top player in protein and amino acid products and continues to add to its family of top tiered high quality Nutrition brands.
“BPI Sports is ready and fully able to succeed in this dynamic and constantly changing dietary supplement industry,” said Chris Mckenzie in a statement. Hi-Tech Vice-President Brandon Schopp commented, “Hi-Tech’s impeccable reputation for pharmaceutical-grade quality, strong innovation and manufacturing expertise make it a perfect complement to BPI Sports brand of high quality nutrition products. Additionally, having access to our extensive production capabilities across a variety of product formats is a significant competitive advantage.” The acquisition, in combination with an expansive capital investment program, will create world-class formulation, product development and production capabilities across in excess of 600,000 square feet of manufacturing space. “Compliance and enforcement have raised the bar for manufacturers, and this acquisition continues to bolster Hi-Tech’s brand portfolio. Hi-Tech is a top-tiered company with an incredible manufacturing scale and capabilities in an otherwise fragmented segment of the market. Hi-Tech and its Sports Nutrition and Healthcare brands will be a one-stop shop for Sports Nutrition stores,” said Schopp.
Hi-Tech has been able to increase its market share in the United States through the acquisition of Florida-based Synergy Nutritional Industries in 2005, and gained a larger market share when it acquired Advanced Performance Supplements (“APS”) in 2011. Hi-Tech gained further industry dominance when it acquired Nittany Pharmaceuticals in Pennsylvania and ALR Industries in California in 2012. Hi-Tech’s recent strategy has been, and according to its leaders will continue to be, growth through Merger and Acquisition activity. In 2015, Hi-Tech acquired Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Nutritionals in Mexico, FormuTech Nutrition, Sports One, Innovative Laboratories and LG Sciences. In 2016-2017, Hi-Tech acquired iForce Nutrition, Prime Nutrition, Advanced Muscle Science (“AMS”), and Top Secret Nutrition. In recent years, Hi-Tech has also acquired Experimental and Applied Sciences (“EAS’), USP Labs, and launched its Nature’s Essential brand of healthcare products based upon its proprietary Cyclosome ™ Technology.
SOURCE Hi Tech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.


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The latest BlackBerry executive to head for the exits is singer Alicia Keys, who was brought on last year as the company’s “creative director.”
Her tenure got off to an immediate rocky start after she was caught posting to Twitter from an iPhone even after assuming her presumably mostly ceremonial role at BlackBerry.
“We have enjoyed the opportunity to work with such an incredibly talented and passionate individual,” BlackBerry said in a statement to Re/code, adding that during her “yearlong collaboration” Keys provided direction for the “BlackBerry Keep Moving Project” and also helped launch the BlackBerry Scholars program that works to get more women involved with science and math.
Keys was brought on by then-CEO Thorsten Heins as part of an effort to build consumer interest in products built on BB10, the company’s major overhaul of its operating system.
She is among the latest Heins hires to exit in the wake of his ouster. BlackBerry announced in November that COO Kristian Tear, marketing chief Frank Boulben and CFO Brian Bidulka were all leaving the company.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.


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ENACFIRE Launches Their Active Noise-Cancelling, Wireless Earbuds
ENACFIRE‘s BRAND NEW, smart noise-detecting microphones distinguish ambient noises, and produce equal anti-sound, – to neutralise them before they reach the ear.
ENACFIRE, an emerging audio accessories brand, – is launching their A9 wireless earbuds, – the first product in their ENACFIRE range, with built-in active noise cancellation. With a 32-hour total playtime using the compact charging case and an ultra-sleek, lightweight design, – these earbuds are ideal for travel, exercising, and busy day-to-day life.
The ENACFIRE A9 earbuds are equipped with active noise cancellation and smart noise-detect microphones, which distinguishes ambient noises, and produces equal anti-sound to neutralise them before they reach the ear. The earbuds are also equipped with a ‘transparency mode,’ enabling users to hear external sounds clearly, without pausing music, or taking the device out.
With a total of 4 microphones, the earbuds can pick up both the caller and the receiver’s voices with crystal clear audio quality between 100 Hz and 3000 Hz, so those listening to music can enjoy deep bass, as well as an extra loud sound if desired.
Plus, the product has an IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning that users can exercise in all weathers with no need to worry about water damage from rain and sweat, as they’re completely protected. Furnished with a charging case, the earbuds have a 32-hour extended playtime, and Type-C fast charging as well, making them perfect for long lengthy flights, for instance.
ENACFIRE made their debut in the audio accessories market, with their sport-style earphones back in 2016, after seeing the market potential and reflecting on how Bluetooth technology can have a positive impact on daily life. The company innovated its’ tech team into the wireless earbuds field, producing its’ first wireless earbuds, and delivering them to the US market via Amazon.
Mr Chen, the brain behind ENACFIRE birth, spent years researching Bluetooth technology and testing audio devices whilst still at university.
After graduation, he started to worked at a factory that produced earphones and headphones to learn more about the manufacturing process and product technology, and after he saw the huge opportunity and the potential for Bluetooth devices in the global market, he built Enacfire.
Enacfire has now become incredibly successful, being distributed and known in the US, UK, DE, ES and CA, being stocked in France, Italy, Japan and China, AND selling over 1 million units in 2019.
Mr Chen said: “we just want to make wireless more affordable, and integrate this technology into people’s daily lives.”
Find out more here: https://enacfire.com


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Nintendo reveals what the Switch learned from the Wii U's failures
Nintendo hype is at a high right now, thanks to a recent Nintendo Direct event and upcoming games like Pokemon Let's Go and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. But Nintendo had to go through some rough patches to get here. Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America, spoke at the GeekWire Summit 2018 on Wednesday. On stage, Fils-Aime discussed the success of the Nintendo Switch and how the company had to learn from the shortcomings of the Wii U, as reported by GeekWire.


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Vista in Talks to Add DealerSocket, Omnitracs to Solera SPAC Deal
(Bloomberg) -- Vista Equity Partners is in talks to add two portfolio companies to its deal for Solera Holdings Inc. to go public through a merger with blank-check firm Apollo Strategic Growth Capital, according to people familiar with the matter.
The portfolio companies that Vista would combine with Solera are DealerSocket Inc. and Omnitracs, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. The expanded deal would be valued at about $15 billion, the people said.
The discussions are advanced and a deal could be reached within weeks, the people said. Talks could still fall apart or the terms of the deal could still change. All of the companies are related to technology serving the autos space.
Bloomberg News previously reported that Solera was in talks with the special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, sponsored by an affiliate of buyout firm Apollo Global Management Inc. Vista took Solera private in 2016 at a valuation of more than $6.5 billion, including debt.
Representatives for Vista, Solera, Omnitracs, and DealerSocket couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. A spokesperson for Apollo declined to comment.
Vista first invested in DealerSocket in 2014, a statement showed at the time. It acquired Omnitracs from Qualcomm Inc. in 2013 for $800 million in cash.
Omnitracs has about $900 million in debt, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
SPAC deals are becoming more complicated, rolling up several targets into one. DraftKings Inc.’s agreement to go public last year via a SPAC involved merging with another company, sports data provider SBTech.
This week, risk-analytics provider Qomplx Inc. agreed to go public in a deal backed by serial blank-check dealmaker Bill Foley and Casper Sleep Inc.’s chief executive officer that involved buying two other private companies.
Educational technology companies Global Knowledge Training LLC and Skillsoft Ltd. agreed in October to merge and go public through Michael Klein’s black-check company Churchill Capital Corp II in a combined transaction valued at $1.5 billion.
Apollo Strategic Growth Capital, led by Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Patel, raised $817 million in an initial public offering last year.
Units in the blank-check company fell 2% to $10.51 at 3:04 p.m. Thursday in New York trading, giving it a market value of about $1 billion.
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.


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Barbara Endicott-Popovsky, Director of the iSchool's Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity, and Aaron Weller, Managing Director of Concise Consulting Group have co-authored the "Last Word" column in the May 2010 issue of SC Magazine. You can find the article here.
In "Securing virtual worlds," Dr. Endicott-Popovsky and Weller argue effective controls are needed in virtual worlds to protect both users and the virtual environments themselves. As information security professionals, they put forth a challenge to other security professionals to make VWs a better place to live and work.
The article is in response to the growing rate of corporate adoption of virtual worlds for business purposes.


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|Bid||0.00 x 0|
|Ask||0.00 x 0|
|Day's Range||22.18 - 22.61|
|52 Week Range||22.13 - 40.44|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||10.55|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||0.73 (2.54%)|
|1y Target Est||22.18|
July 2 (Reuters) - Fawer Automotive Parts Ltd Co : * SAYS IT PLANS TO SET UP NEW ENERGY AUTO PARTS VENTURE WITH REGISTERED CAPITAL OF 250 MILLION YUAN ($37.59 million) WITH SIEMENS AND VALEO'S JV Source ...
Valeo SA (ENXTPA:FR), a large-cap worth €13.74B, comes to mind for investors seeking a strong and reliable stock investment. One reason being its ‘too big to fail’ aura which givesRead More...
Valeo SA (ENXTPA:FR) delivered a less impressive 19.06% ROE over the past year, compared to the 19.71% return generated by its industry. An investor may attribute an inferior ROE toRead More...
Large European auto parts suppliers will continue their streak of demergers to boost shareholder returns and create smaller, more flexible and transparent businesses, says Moody's Investors Service in a report published today.
Improvement in profitability and outperformance against the industry can be important characteristics in a stock for some investors. Below, I will assess Valeo SA’s (ENXTPA:FR) track record on a highRead More...
French auto parts maker Valeo (VLOF.PA) said revenue growth slowed to 3 percent in the first quarter, held back by a strong euro and a contraction in Chinese and U.S. car production. "Organic revenue growth will accelerate sharply over the rest of the year," said Chief Executive Jacques Aschenbroich, citing the company's order intake. Valeo is well positioned for an industry push into electrified and autonomous vehicles.
French auto parts maker Valeo said revenue growth slowed to 3 percent in the first quarter, held back by a strong euro and a contraction in Chinese and U.S. car production. "Organic revenue growth will accelerate sharply over the rest of the year," said Chief Executive Jacques Aschenbroich, citing the company's order intake. Valeo is well positioned for an industry push into electrified and autonomous vehicles.
Looking at Valeo SA’s (ENXTPA:FR) earnings update in December 2017, analyst consensus outlook seem in-line with historical trends, with earnings growth rate expected to be 16.57% in the upcoming year,Read More...
European shares steadied on Friday as investors digested a flurry of company results, including disappointing updates from Royal Bank of Scotland and Valeo, while BT rallied after Britain's telecoms regulator set network access prices. RBS (RBS.L) declined 4 percent after posting its first full-year profit since 2007. Traders said the underlying result missed expectations, while the lack of an update on a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice for mis-selling toxic mortgage-backed securities also weighed.
Valeo's new low-voltage (48V) all-electric vehicle prototype motorization system, 20% more economical than existing high-voltage solutions, will be making its world début at the show. Valeo technologies are also central to Autonom Cab, the world's first robo-taxi, to be presented by its French designer Navya at CES. This all-electric, driverless vehicle is fitted with seven Valeo SCALA® laser scanners.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU antitrust enforcers approved on Friday Valeo's 819.3-million-euro (730.21 million pounds) bid for German clutch manufacturer FTE Automotive after the French car parts supplier agreed ...
Carmakers squeezed between carbon emissions cuts and falling sales of fuel-efficient diesels have used the Frankfurt auto show to spotlight a future generation of electric cars that will largely come too late to help them out of their bind.


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ClearTax Banks on GST Course to Make 100 cr Business
ClearTax, a financial technology firm, has introduced an online GST course with the purpose to make 100 crore business by March 2020.
The company has a target to train about 75,000 tax professionals and over two lakh businesses. The training would be carried out using the new e-learning course alongside merging with the online education platform, Udemy. The discounted fee and the full enrollment fee structure of the course reveal that the company could make up to 100 crore business by March 2020.
"We expect to train 75,000 tax professionals and more than 2 lakh businesses by our new e-learning course by the end of March 2020, before the launch of the new GST return filing system. This course comes at the cost of 4,800. However, the company is currently giving a discount of 25 percent till December 31," says Archit Gupta, Founder & CEO of ClearTax.
He further adds, "Businesses are expected to be hit with cash-flow problems in the first phase of the new GST return filing system, which is due to be launched soon. The new GST return filing system proposes that businesses can claim input credit only after their suppliers upload sales invoices. This course will provide them for a smooth transition to the new GST return filing system."
ClearTax is an Indian income tax e-filing platform. Based in Bengaluru, the financial-Technology platform provides a solution for income tax filing, mutual fund investments, and GST.
Read More News :


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the us textile and apparel industry,u.s. textile machinery manufacturers to improve their competitive. positions in domestic and foreign textile markets, 1980- 1985, sep- tember 1980, p. ii-57,..foreign garment and textile manufacturers weave their way ,foreign companies are pouring into vietnam and the garment and textiles industry is booming as a result. in the first quarter of 2014, the .
read more about coronavirus impact: textile companies fear fy21 will be a washout on business-standard. most units say there are no orders .top textile companies in india, list of indian textile ,related news more sutlej textiles & industries ltd (stil) is a leading producer of value-added yarns in india. since inception. the company has .employment trends in textiles and apparel, 1973-2005,apparel firms to remain competitive with their foreign coun- terparts, cbi probably has saved some jobs as well. cbi also benefits the u.s. textile industry by .top textile manufacturing companies in the usa,top diversity-owned textile manufacturers the usa 1. fabric development, inc. quakertown, pa 2. carolina narrow fabric co. winston salem, nc 3. ehmke
author xu xu, vice chairman of the new china textile industry federation. main points. the transfer of overseas orders will inevitably lead to . largest textile exporting countries in 2019,china was, by far, the largest exporter of textiles worldwide in 2019, the industry today has been industrialized on such a scale that it is .india's textile and apparel industry,india's textile industry: textile fiber/yarn consumption by type of fiber, for trade and foreign investment in india will be technical textiles (e.g., .foreign enterprises welcomed to visit xinjiang cotton fields ,foreign enterprises are welcomed to visit local xinjiang cotton producing areas and textile companies, talk to cotton growers to make a wise
 china has gained many economic benefits in the textile industry without a undoubtedly is helpful for china's textile industry to win greater foreign market .top 10 largest textile producing countries 2020,global textile industry is to reach $1.2 trillion by 2024, here are top 10 largest textile producing countries and largest textile exporters..all textile companies list by city,the textile industry is not a limited field that only has few attributes and closes the chapter. textile companies are the main pillars to get to know about this industry .growth of the indian textile industry,growth of the indian textile industry: can it take over china as the to export its khadi face masks to foreign countries namely dubai, usa,
only 5 of textile factories are owned by foreign investors, with most of the production being controlled by local investors. in the financial year 2016-2017 the rmg .made in america the textile industry,while the american textile industry supplies customers in all parts of the country, and retail industry receive, and incomparably better than most foreign textile .association of textile companies of russia urge to ban ,russias annual textile market incomes are at approximatel50y usd $31 billion, and more than usd $9 billion of it is the part of foreign imported textiles..more foreign players in the textile sector in 4-5 months ,while the global slowdown may still be far from over, the indian textile industry is expected to have tie-ups with foreign companies in the next
almost 98 per cent of the paid - up capital of textile firms located in the malaysian free trade zones in 1987 was of foreign origin and , in 1988 , foreign investors .top 10 textile companies in china,the company has a competitive advantage over other textile manufacturers on the basis of using advanced technical skills. the company is .top 10 textile companies in china1- chinadaily.com.cn,the textile industry is planning to increase textile and clothing exports by an annual rate of about 7 percent and boost the export value of fiber .textiles and apparel,we do this by undertaking industry analysis, contributing to u.s. trade policy foreign market trade barriers that adversely impact u.s. exports of textiles, apparel
reliance industries is a multi-sector company with spread of business in retail, telecom, petrochemicals, energy, textiles, natural resources with head .the full list of uzbek textile companies can be ,major uzbekistan textile companies with foreign capital. (acronyms: jv joint venture; fc subsidiaries of foreign companies; tbd to be defined). company .report on vietnam textile and garment industry,3.1 raw materials of primary textile industry sector in vietnam. 13. 3.1.1 cotton 4.2 foreign direct investment in textile and garment industry. 24. 4.3 recent


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Consumers have more digital options to shop for their prescriptions online, but many patients still like their face-to-face meeting with a pharmacist, says a new consumer study from research firm J.D. Power.
The study, which is based on survey responses from 12,059 pharmacy customers who recently filled a prescription, also finds that CVS Health and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. are the drug store chains patients are most satisfied with.
J.D. Power scored drug store chains on a scale of 1 to 1,000 based on its consumer survey of prescription drug buyers. Among all drug stores, Good Neighbor Pharmacy ranked highest overall among brick-and-mortar chain drug store pharmacies, with a score of 914. Health Mart (893) was second and Rite Aid Pharmacy third (865).
Sam’s Club ranked highest overall among brick-and-mortar mass merchandiser pharmacies, with a score of 890. Costco (879) ranked second and CVS/pharmacy inside Target (869) ranked third, according to J.D. Power. Among mail-order pharmacies, Humana Pharmacywas highest overall with a score of 900, compared with Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (886) in second and OptumRx (869) ranked third.
Increasingly, with the advent of new online drugstore competitors such as Amazon PillPack, big drug store chains such as CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are rushing to turn their ecommerce sites into virtual healthcare shopping malls where customers can fill and refill prescriptions, see a doctor online and perform related transactions.
But even with more digital options, many consumers still like to see their pharmacist in person, says J.D. Power director of health intelligence Greg Truex. “As technology companies promise to change the way Americans address their pharmacy needs, our data suggests that changing such entrenched behavior will be an uphill battle,” Truex says. “Customers enjoy visiting their brick-and-mortar pharmacy and they get a great deal of satisfaction from speaking directly with pharmacists.”
Other survey findings include:
- Most pharmacy customers that communicate with the pharmacist and staff do so in-person (89%), even though customers that use email or online live chat to interact with the pharmacist or staff are equally or more satisfied.
- Satisfaction with the pharmacist is above 940 (on a 1,000-point scale) when pharmacists cover four or more topics with the customer during their interaction, compared with just one (884) or two (917) topics.
- About two-fifths (42%) of customers who are aware of their pharmacy’s health and wellness services have used one of the services in the past year.
- Only 20% of customers use a pharmacy’s mobile app, but those who did have satisfaction scores as much as 23 points higher than those who do not, says J.D. Power.
“The potential for technology disruption is there,” Truex says. “Although the frequency of use of digital solutions is low, early adopters are showing high levels of satisfaction.”


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Daily roundup of what's hot online right now with new information on the dog food recall, Dustin Hoffman saving a man's life and more.
Trending topic: Dog food recall
The voluntary dog food recall from Diamond Dog Food has expanded after a salmonella outbreak in one of their plants left 14 people sick in nine states, says CBS News. Diamond also recalled several other brands of dog food they produce. To find the latest dog food recalls and product information, visit DogFoodAdvisor.com/dog-food-recalls.
Check this out: Violin instructor dies at 101
Roman Totenberg was a renowned violinist from Poland whose nine-decade career included performances in front of kings and presidents. He died Tuesday at the age of 101. On his death bed, as former students came to visit, he had them play their violins, and he whispered final advice on fingering techniques and feedback.
Video: Dustin Hoffman saves jogger's life
-- GateHouse News Service


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If the swoon this week in financials was one sign of the Trump trade running out of fuel, recent weakness in transportation and infrastructure shares is another. The Dow Jones ..
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For several years, the parent of Sears, Roebuck and Co and Kmart has taken on big losses, closed stores and divested businesses as it faced stiff competition. A changing retai ..
Last year, the workers, who are represented by the Communications Workers of America, voted to authorize a strike. AT&T had 268,000 employees as of Jan. 31, according to a ..


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The GSMA recently released data showing that there are over 23 million mobile money subscribers in Kenya which is about 74% of the country’s adult population.
Mobile money has rapidly grown from a money transfer system to a payment platform supporting many financial products. The launch of M-PESA in 2007 was a critical breakthrough that provided insights on the use of mobile phone platforms to facilitate a basic payment service that could open many opportunities to increase financial inclusion in Kenya, improving the efficiency of financial services by expanding access and lowering transaction costs.
The GMSA has created an infographic representing The Kenyan Journey to Digital Financial Inclusion.
You can see the full sized image here: The Kenyan Journey to Digital Financial Inclusion