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As London’s hotel supply grows, and threatens overall performance of existing properties, Qatari Diar has awarded the management contract for the U.S. Embassy building in London to Rosewood Hotels.
The hotel will be Rosewood’s second in the city, and will join a number of luxury properties in the pipeline for London, including Raffles at the Old War Office and Victory House, an M Gallery by Sofitel.
According to CBRE Hotels, 871 new luxury, five-star guestrooms have entered the Central London market since the start of 2016. Looking forward, the city has 2,032 five-star guestrooms in the development pipeline with a confirmed opening date between now and year-end 2019. This will represent a 12 percent increase in London’s five-star guestroom stock.
Last week, PwC released its forecasts for 2018, with the company commenting that the current pace of London's hotel performance growth was not sustainable through the second half of the year and into 2018.
“Some London hotels recently reported weaker weekend domestic demand and some luxury operators stated having seen a softening in demand from Middle Eastern markets," the report claimed. "Looking to 2018, the biennial Farnborough International Air Show returns, it’s one of the largest events in the aerospace calendar and will help provide an uplift for hotels in London and the south east.”
PwC forecast year-on-year London occupancy growth of 0.2 percent in 2018, taking occupancy to 83 percent. ADR growth was forecast to increase by 2.2 percent in 2018, taking ADR to £148. The RevPAR gain will be less than 2017, a further 2.4 percent in 2018, reaching £123 in 2018.
“Luxury hotel are of course the jewels in the crown of the hotel sector and with other luxury goods they have traditionally been a bit of a battleground for consumers’ wealth,” Liz Hall, hospitality & leisure head of research, PwC, told HOTEL MANAGEMENT. “But definitions of luxury change, or at least blur, or stretch, so as more people can afford luxury today, it's getting the product right for today that's important.
“Luxury hotels do very well in the good times but the opposite in bad times. They are often the first to take a dive when times are bad, yet consumers still expect the best even in hard times.
“Room rates are key and there used to be a figure about luxury getting 75 percent of revenue from rooms and in excess of 50 percent profits, but this varied by location and type. There’s a lot at stake, but they do also benefit from ancillary facilities, such as spas. It's expensive for existing luxury hotels to keep up appearances and incorporate all the modern things we want, so the new ones have an advantage. For a while.”
Construction on the upcoming Rosewood is due to start later this year, when embassy staff have moved to their new property in Nine Elms, with no final opening date confirmed. With Brexit looming in 2019, it is likely that the hotel will open in a city that is no longer part of the EU. As PwC reports a fall in business travel to the UK, eyes are currently on the government to ensure that Brexit negotiations do not see the country slip out of the sphere of global business, forcing hotels to lean further on the frugal leisure consumer.
Katherine Doggrell is an editor at Hotel Analyst, the U.K.-based news analysis service for hotel investors.


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The International Air Transport Association's (IATA) new app for managing COVID-19 testing and vaccination certificates has completed a successful trial run at London’s Heathrow Airport.
The “IATA Travel Pass,” announced in November 2020, was developed to enhance compliance with health requirements for air passengers amid the global pandemic.
The digital platform allows authorized labs and test centres to securely send test results or vaccination certificates to passengers, offering a more seamless experience.
Digital credentials “will be essential”
Singapore Airlines was the first airline to test the new technology, IATA reported on Wednesday (March 17).
“The successful implementation of IATA Travel Pass in this trial with Singapore Airlines passengers demonstrates that technology can securely, conveniently and efficiently help travellers and governments to manage travel health credentials. The significance of this to re-starting international aviation cannot be overstated,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO, in a statement.
JoAnn Tan, acting senior vice-president, marketing planning at Singapore Airlines, said that digital health credentials “will be essential” as borders reopen and travel restrictions get lifted.
“The successful implementation of the IATA Travel Pass reflects Singapore Airlines’ goal of using secure digital solutions to verify health credentials, and support a safe and seamless travel experience for our customers.”
A one-stop shop
Passengers on Singapore Airlines flights from Singapore to London during the trial could use IATA Travel Pass to:
- Create a secure digital version of their passport on their mobile device
- Input their flight details to learn of travel restrictions and requirements
- Receive verified test results and a confirmation that they meet all travel requirements
“Today’s success is a big win for many parties,” said de Juniac. “It gives travellers a one-stop-shop to help them comply with the new rules for travel. It shows that governments can efficiently manage these travel requirements with complete confidence in the identity of the passenger and the veracity of the travel credentials—importantly, avoiding long queues.”
“And it’s a purpose-built means for airlines to manage the new travel requirements without drowning in inefficient and ineffective paper processes.”
A "workable digital solution"
Nick Careen, IATA’s senior vice-president airport, passenger, cargo and security, said the IATA Travel Pass is “real-life proof” that the airline industry has a “workable digital solution” that will ease the pressure of implementing health checks into the travel process, including at borders.
“Airlines understand that their ground operations will grind to a halt if they have to manage COVID-19 travel requirements—test results or vaccine certifications—with paper documentation,” said Careen, noting how the U.K is ahead in mapping a way to re-starting international travel.
He said the trial is an opportunity for IATA to work with the UK government to “demonstrate that the solution works” and to share the results with others IATA builds a robust and efficient system that will “help the world get moving again.”
IATA recently surveyed travellers and found that 89% agree with the need for global standards and 80% are keen to use a mobile app to manage their travel credentials.
Survey participants also sent a clear message on the importance of data security.
Some 78% said they will not use an app if they are not in full control of their data and about 60% said they will not use it if data is stored centrally.
Last Friday, ICAO moved the establishment of global standards for testing/vaccination certifications a step closer to reality.
Next governments need to provide a digital COVID-19 test/vaccination certificate when people are tested or vaccinated so they have a verifiable document on their mobile device.
This, IATA says, will ensure acceptance of COVID-19 certifications for passengers when they travel around the world.
Singapore Airlines is one of several airlines around the world on board to test the IATA Travel Pass.
Air New Zealand, Copa Airlines, Etihad Airways, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines, RwandAir and Thai Airways (including Thai Smile) have all signed up to give the pass a go.
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Peruse pictures of the new iPhone 15 models to see exactly what they can do.
Huawei held a product launch event in China earlier today where we got the new Mate 60 RS Ultimate Design edition alongside a new tablet entry dubbed MatePad Pro 13.2. As the name implies this tablet features a sizeable 13.2-inch OLED display with 1920 x 2880px resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. The panel
Apple dedicated a few moments from its nearly 1-hour iPhone 15 presentation to the new Pro models' custom 28mm and 35mm shooting modes. Technically, you get a cropped 28mm or 35mm portion from the native 24mm primary lens and you get it in the same 24MP resolution as the default 24mm images. Apple says
The new feature turns voicemails into a kind of text-based answering machine you can read in real time.
For years, Huawei and Porsche Design partnered on special edition Mate series phones and smartwatches but that partnership ended with the Mate 50 RS Porsche Design last year. Huawei is now entering a new phase with its Ultimate Design lineup and the Mate 60 RS Ultimate Design is the first device in the new
Boost Infinite's new Infinite Access for iPhone plan gets you the latest Apple phone with unlimited data for $60 a month -- without the need to trade in.
Micron laid the foundation for a new semiconductor plant in India, which will cost the company $2.75 billion (INR 22,500 crore). The investment will be for a chip assembly and test facility and will be in Sanand, Gujarat. The complex is being built by Tata Projects. The facility will focus on transforming wafers into Ball
Samsung silently launched its latest Galaxy A-series members with the Galaxy A05 and Galaxy A05s. Both new phones feature 6.7-inch LCDs with HD+ resolution on the A05 and FHD+ resolution on the A05s. There’s a 13MP front facing cam on the A05s tucked inside a waterdrop notch and an 8MP shooter on the A05. Galaxy
Google is announcing the Pixel 8 duo on October 4. We already know what the phone would look like, and reports suggested a price increase in Continental Europe. Today, the alleged cost of the phone in the United Kingdom and the United States also popped up online, and one of the leaks also had
In a past installment we looked at the history of the memory card. The microSD emerged as the clear victor, but it might soon follow MMC and Memory Stick into the great beyond, at least as far as smartphones are concerned. These days a microSD slot is a rare sight. Even SIM cards are starting


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MaMa Rosa's under new ownership
Refrigerated pizza-maker MaMa Rosa's Pizza is now solely under the ownership of Huntsman Gay Global Capital.
According to theKansas City Business Journal, several Kansas City-area private equity firms sold to the Palo Alto, Calif., private equity firm that claimed to have used "its debut $1.1 billion fund to buy the company." Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
MaMa Rosa's, founded in 1979 and based in Sidney, Ohio, sells more than 3 million cases of pizzas a year to more than 10,000 stores in the United States and Mexico. Its other brands include Mama Angelina's, Our Old Italian and Lean Lifestyle.
Huntsman Gay Principal Ryan Stratton said in a press release that MaMa Rosa's offers "a tremendous opportunity to develop a sizable platform, and we fully intend to grow the company through add-on acquisitions of other food businesses over time."
For more info on operations management, click here.


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A company that holds property auctions in the Midlands is selling its houses so fast that it had to cancel the last live auction because it had already sold all of the lots.
Pattinson Auction was due to hold it Midlands and Yorkshire auction at Nottingham Racecourse but the auction was cancelled because all 28 properties had been sold beforehand, for a total of £4,180,570.
Deborah Adams, Midlands Auction Manager at Pattinson Auction, said, “With Pattinson Auction, buyers don’t have to turn up on the day to make a purchase. If we made people wait until auction day they might buy something else.
“Our auctions are very flexible, transparent and people can bid without attending the event. They just need to watch on the website and bid, wherever they are, it’s easy.”
This is the first time that the company has cancelled one of its auctions because all of the properties had been sold.”
Figures from the Essential Information Group show that Pattinson has seen 16.9 per cent growth over six months and business has increased by £3.2 million.


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Here Are Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Most Expensive Works at Auction
'I wanted to be a star,' Basquiat once said. 'Not a gallery mascot.'
The record-breaking sale of Jean-Michel Basquiat‘s Untitled for $57,285,000 at Christie’s stands out as the most memorable event at last week’s auctions. This one sweeping gesture raised the bar on Basquiat’s work and established Japanese collector Yusaku Maezawa as a taste maker to watch.
Maezawa’s interest in Basquiat is guided by a reliable upward trend in the artist’s market. Since 2012, Basquiat’s canvases (namely those painted in the early 1980s) have been steadily advancing him to the top of the auctions.
With tales of interested collectors being priced out of Basquiat’s market dating as far back as 1985, it’s little wonder that the artist continues to enjoy posthumous success. “I wanted to be a star,” Basquiat told Cathleen McGuigan in his 1985 interview for the New York Times, “not a gallery mascot.”
To contextualize the sale of Untitled, artnet News dips into the artnet Price Database and looks back at the artist’s 10 most expensive works.
1. Untitled (1982): $57,285,000
With the sale of Untitled (1982), Japanese tech powerhouse Yusaku Maezawa effectively took the artist to a new record high. Describing his interest in the painting (and the artist), the collector told artnet News: “When I encountered the [Basquiat painting] at the Christie’s New York preview, I had an immediate visceral connection to it. Generationally, I relate to Basquiat’s culture and the essence of his life story.”
2. Dustheads (1982): $48,843,752
Before Untitled (1982) took the throne, Dustheads reigned as the artist’s most expensive work since 2013. Dustheads, which was painted in the same year as Untitled, sold at a Christie’s evening sale, exceeding the high estimate of $35 million. According to Christie’s, the present owner acquired the piece from Tony Shafrazi, one of Basquiat’s earliest dealers.
3. The Field Next to the Other Road (1981): $37,125,000
Interest in The Field Next to the Other Road ran high in Christie’s evening sale last spring. As Brian Boucher reported in May 2015, underbidder Christophe van de Weghe, who first attempted the acquisition of the painting back in 1993, said he “failed twice.” The prevailing bidder, however, is yet to be identified.
4. Untitled (1981): $34,885,000
Characterized by Christie’s as a seminal painting that represents the artist’s “transition from underground street artist to art world icon,” Untitled sold at the auction house’s evening sale in the spring of 2014. Its present owner acquired the piece from the Annina Nosei Gallery, where it had been since 1982.
5. Untitled (1982): $29,285,000
Untitled (1982) stands supreme among Basquiat’s becrowned portraits. This iconic skeletal king, which sold well within Christie’s 2013 estimate range of $25 million–$35 million, has passed through many hands, including the Annina Nosei Gallery, the Fredrik Roos Collection, and Tony Shafrazi Gallery, among a handful of private collectors.
6. Untitled (diptych) (1982): $28,928,434
Untitled (diptych) sold at a Christie’s London sale in 2013, rendering it the highest to sell at auction overseas. Standing at 6 feet (and a little over 8 feet wide), the premium paid for the large work was 18,765,876 GBP ($29 million). Notably, Annina Nosei Gallery exhibited the work in a group show in the same year it was created.
7. Untitled (1981): $26,402,500
Amidst enormous market success in the months leading up to the sale, Untitled (1981) was anticipated to break records at Christie’s in 2012. Needless to say, the sale lived up to its hype. At $26,402,500, Basquiat broke his previous record of $20.1 million for another Untitled, which now sits as the tenth item in this roundup.
8. Untitled (Yellow tar and feathers) (1982): $25,925,000
According to Sotheby’s, Untitled (Yellow tar and feathers) belongs to a collection of works Basquiat exhibited in a 1982 show at Larry Gagosian’s Los Angeles gallery. Gagosian sold the painting to a private collector, and there it stayed until its present owner snagged the historic work for well-above the high estimate of $20 million.
9. Undiscovered genius of the Mississippi Delta (1983): $23,685,000
With a wingspan of 15 feet, Undiscovered genius of the Mississippi Delta stuns in both imagery and scale. Grégoire Billault, a senior VP at Sotheby’s Contemporary explained the significance of the piece in an interview with the Huffington Post: “By coupling the symbols and phrases most closely associated with the African American story with the abstract expressionist painterly technique in the multi-panel format, Jean-Michel Basquiat created an exceptional masterpiece of history painting.”
10. Untitled (1981): $20,092,132
2012 was a big year for Basquiat, and the sale of this painting elevated his market to a new stratosphere. But as we know, in retrospect, it wouldn’t be long before other works in his oeuvre outpaced the sale of this $20 million canvas.
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- Nov 10, 2017
Last week, Microsoft released Windows 11 build 23545 for testing in the Dev Channel, with the biggest change being a series of much-needed File Explorer performance improvements. Traditionally, the build also contains unannounced and hidden changes easily discoverable by sharp-eyed enthusiasts and tinkerers.
As it turned out, Microsoft is testing the idea of adding folders to the Recommended section in Windows 11's Start menu, giving users access to more recently added applications and suggested files. The release notes do not mention the change, and enabling it requires a third-party app called ViVeTool.
The Recommended section is not the most well-received change in Windows 11, and many users have long been asking Microsoft to let them turn it off for good (you can do that using an app we recommended in our "Top 10 apps to fix Windows 11's inconveniences" article). However, if you find it useful on your machine, here is how to try its upgraded version in Windows 11 build 23545.
Users discovered a new hidden feature in the recently released Windows 11 build 23545. As it turned out, Microsoft is testing folders for the Recommended section in Windows 11's Start menu.


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Reshaad Sha has resigned as Liquid Telecom South Africa CEO to head up a new artificial intelligence venture.
Sha was appointed as the CEO of Liquid Telecom South Africa on 1 June 2018, where he was responsible for the company’s turnaround plan.
During his tenure as CEO, Sha also oversaw the successful growth of digital services and the rollout of enhanced network services for enterprises and consumers across the country.
After the successful turnaround of Liquid Telecom South Africa, Sha said he is now ready for his new venture in the artificial intelligence space.
Sha told MyBroadband he will now run BriteGaze, which is set to launch on 10 October 2020.
BriteGaze is a fund that will be used to grow businesses that are committed to building capability around artificial intelligence.
He will use his expertise in the telecommunications sector to focus his target companies on solving complex challenges that the industry faces in optimising and growing their businesses.
BriteGaze has partnered with businesses that bring unique value creation solutions to market.
In each of the respective fields of artificial intelligence, digital payment solutions, and the internet of things, BriteGaze will be addressing multiple solution facets.
Sha’s extensive experience in the ICT field will stand him in good stead in this new entrepreneurial venture.
Before joining Liquid Telecom, Sha served as CEO of IoT network operator SqwidNet and chief strategy officer and executive director of Dark Fibre Africa.
He has also worked for various global technology and telecoms companies, including Cisco and LogicaCMG.
Sha will undertake a handover process until the end of August to Craig Van Rooyen, Chief Operating Officer LTSA who will lead the business in South Africa in the interim.
“Reshaad joined the business at a time when we needed a strong leader to execute the turnaround strategy for Liquid Telecom SA very quickly,” said Liquid Telecom COO Ahmed Mokhales.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without his determination and perseverance”.


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(NewsNation) — Nate Velez, owner of Velez Engines in East Palestine, hasn’t had one customer since Feb. 3.
That’s the day 50 train cars, 10 of them carrying hazardous materials, derailed in the small village on the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania. No one was injured in the derailment, but three days after it happened, authorities burned the vinyl chloride found inside five tanker cars. Since then, residents have reported animals dying, health concerns, and even an odor in the village.
Take a walk down Market Street in East Palestine, and you’ll see in most windows signs of solidarity — and signs apologizing for new store hours.
Some business owners like Velez are officially in the red.
“If anyone sees East Palestine, they’re like ‘Oh, crap,'” and then as soon as I say where my shop is, (they’re) like ‘Oh, crap,'” Velez said. That’s because his shop is right behind the site where the trains derailed. Sulfur Run, a creek people have concerns about, is right by Velez Engines.
“Everyone knows most of the contaminants are in that water, and it’s connected to that hole,” he said.
To get by, Velez has had to sell some of his items, but even that has become difficult. Someone messaged him, asking if his dirt bike has any vinyl chloride.
Another guy, “trolling” Velez, asked how many chemicals were on the paint of a truck he was selling. A GoFundMe page has been set up for Velez to help him during this tough financial time.
About 10 miles away from the crash site is Michelle Graef, who runs a sprawling Airbnb business. She says the train wreck has stopped bookings.
Normally, around this time, it’s full, as people work their way into summer.
Now, though, “I have nothing,” Graef said.
“Everybody that was booked — they canceled,” she said.
To give her guests a homemade meal, Graef normally cooks breakfast for them using blueberries grown in her backyard. That won’t happen this year, though.
“I can’t risk putting these in pancakes and waffles when I don’t really know what they’ve soaked up from this chemical thing,” she said. “The ground was like a sponge. It soaked it up.”


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Will Android TV kill Google's Chromecast?Apr 17, 2014, 06:00 (0 Talkback[s])
(Other stories by Jim Lynch)
Rumors are swirling right now that Google is set to launch Android TV, a new set top box that may challenge Amazon's Fire TV and the Apple TV. While many people are excited about the possibility of buying the Android TV set top box, it has also left us with an important question: What will happen to Google's Chromecast streaming media player?
0 Talkback[s] (click to add your comment)


text: Sumitomo Rubber Industries’ sports division, which includes Dunlop, Srixon and XXIO, saw its revenues fall by 9 percent in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 to ¥20.5 billion (€160.3-$195.8m). The segment’s operating profit reached ¥1.1 billion (€8.6m-$10.7m), down from a profit of ¥2.0 billion last year. Golf and tennis sales picked up pace in the U.S. and Europe, but the club management business was hampered by the closure of sports clubs in Japan. For the full year, revenues declined by 17 percent to ¥70.3 billion (€549.6m-666.7m), leading to an operating loss of ¥0.7 billion (€5.5m-$6.6m), against a profit of ¥4.3 billion in 2019. The figures are not quite comparable, due in part to the pandemic and a major change in distribution. As already reported, Babolat, which is the biggest player in the Japanese tennis market, set up a new Japanese sales subsidiary in Japan in July last year, taking over the distribution from Sumitomo; which continues to be the supplier of the French brand’s tennis balls. For the whole Sumitomo group, sales advanced by 11.5 percent to ¥790.8 billion (€6.2bn-$7.5bn), while net income jumped by 87.2 percent to ¥22.6 billion (€176.7m-$214.3m). The management forecasts a 19 percent increase in sports revenues this year to ¥83.5 billion (€652.9m-$791.8m).


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Inventory is often referred to as the lifeblood of a business, because without attention to this detail, a company’s cashflow could be limited. For example, when a business’ inventory is overstocked with items, this can take away capital needed for other necessary purchases. Similarly, if it is too low to meet customer demand, these shoppers may be willing to turn to a competitor to get their desired items more quickly.
As a result, many business owners hire inventory mangers with years of experience in the industry. But, according to Entrepreneur Magazine, even this plan has its drawbacks. For instance, the magazine recently profiled the troubles of Marc Isaacson, CEO of the online pharmacy, Village Green Apothecary.
The news source discussed how Isaacson attempted to hire internally after his previous inventory manger left abruptly. However, the results were less than satisfactory, as the business owner admits he lost between 2 and 3 percent of his total sales during the transition period.
But, while inventory problems can be caused by poor contingency planning, they could also be the result of a lack of communication. For example, by relying on outdated business phones to carry the company’s internal and external communications, company owners could put some of their sales and contracts at risk. This is because their competitors may be using VoIP business phones that offer advanced cloud computing solutions that allow them to respond more quickly to their customers’ concerns.
VoIP phones give customer service representatives and call centers the ability to better manage their correspondences so that essential order details aren’t lost along the way. Owners who haven’t thought about implementing this kind of solution may want to speak to a trusted provider, as recent research shows many small business are adopting the technology to cut costs and improve customer service.


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It looks like George Crandall and Don Arambula got it right.
When the Portland, Ore.-based urban designers presented their ideas about the future of downtown Missoula on Nov. 19, the 300 or so in attendance offered mostly approving comments.
It was the fourth time the duo had sought the public’s input for the Downtown Master Plan during the last eight months and the result is a wish list of sorts. Given the sagging economy, the city is more likely to see some projects come to fruition than others.
“Obviously it’s very ambitious and intentionally so,” says Ward 1 Councilmember Dave Strohmeier, whose ward encompasses most of downtown. “But nonetheless, what I think can’t happen in an economic environment like this is that we simply retrench and forget to look long term.”
Crandall and Arambula envision Main Street and Front Street as two-way thoroughfares. The plan also calls for a new police station, a cultural district, improved parks along the Clark Fork River, protected bike lanes, revamped commercial and residential spaces and maybe even a street car.
But with money tight, the city will have to prioritize. Just a few weeks ago, Mayor John Engen asked city department heads to tighten their budgets by 3 percent, and although those cuts have no direct effect on the plan’s outcome, it’s a sign of the times. Crandall and Arambula brought an economist to the workshop to stress just how bad the situation has become.
But there could be a silver lining. Councilman Jason Wiener, Strohmeier’s Ward 1 counterpart, says he anticipates a new federal economic stimulus package that’s heavy on public works projects. “Our senators will be looking for projects that are designed and scoped and budgeted and ready to go,” he says.
To that end, Crandall and Arambula have identified a list of key projects to kick start the process, including development of the riverfront triangle and construction of a hotel/condominium at the corner of Main and Pattee streets, perhaps connected to Macy’s by a skywalk spanning the alley. To further strengthen Macy’s hand, Crandall and Arambula hope to build a parking garage kitty corner from the department store at Pattee and Front streets with retail space on the ground level. Other priorities include a new local government center and a retail anchor—much like Macy’s—at Orange and Main.
Of course, some of these ideas will prove more workable than others. On the one hand, the parking lots should come easily, says Rod Austin, Director of Operations for the Downtown Business Improvement District. The city parking commission has some of the strongest bond ratings of similar organizations in the country, Austin says, and some of the surrounding businesses that stand to gain parking or retail space may contribute as well.
But a new retail anchor on Orange looks a long way off when viewed through the prism of the grim economy.
Perhaps the most popular component of the downtown plan, judging by the enthusiastic crowd response to Crandall and Arambula’s presentation, involves extending bike lanes along Higgins Avenue from the rail line to Brooks. To hear Arambula and Crandall tell it, Missoula’s bike use is downright miniscule compared to what it could be. Just 7 percent of our daily trips take place on bikes. But, if you take all the bike lanes in downtown Missoula, connect them, protect them and extend them, the mode split, as the designers call it—the ratio of bike riders to drivers— could quintuple.
Crandall explains that although a handful of bike riders might dig the danger and adrenaline associated with sketchy bike lanes and rush hour traffic, it’s not as much fun if you toss a kid or two in a trailer and already have a couple gray hairs. For many people, the traffic associated with say, the intersection of Van Buren and Broadway or the Higgins Ave. bridge, might frighten them off their bikes and back behind the wheel. Eliminate the risk, Crandall says, and that 7 percent mode split skyrockets to 40 percent. As an added bonus, people would drive less, saving them money. And they’d get some healthy exercise, too.
But first, the city needs to adopt the downtown plan as an amendment to its growth policy. If that doesn’t happen, none of this will. Strohmeier says Crandall and Arambula will prepare a final draft of the report to accommodate public comments from the last workshop. City Council members should expect the final version next week, he says. If all goes well, the planning board will address it as an amendment to the growth policy in January, the first step towards Council approval.


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ATLANTA– INVISTA, maker of Antron® carpet fiber, and Tandus Flooring are hosting design trend events to bring commercial architects and designers a forward look at the emerging macro-trends that are influencing design in North America and Europe. The seven-city tour will feature a 60-minute, IDCEC-approved CEU presentation on the key social, economic and political drivers influencing design, color palette, product and fashion trends observed in eight trend categories.
“INVISTA is excited to bring architects and designers a unique perspective on color and design trends, with a new format focused on global trends and how they are impacting every aspect of design, from fashion to graphics to interiors and architecture,” said Susan Curtis, global manager of product design, INVISTA commercial flooring. “Instead of focusing on singular colors and trends, we’re expanding beyond that to show the larger forces, such as political and social movements, that are shaping design today and in the future.”
The tour kicked off January 27 at the Tandus Flooring showroom in Atlanta. The Blend events will continue through this May at locations including: Philadelphia on March 3, Orlando on March 10, Los Angeles on April 14, Chicago on April 28 and Dallas on May 12.
“Tandus Flooring is pleased to join INVISTA in bringing this new approach to color and trend information to architects and designers,” said Tom Ellis, vice president of marketing, Tandus Flooring. “We feel this broader approach of presenting emerging trends will resonate with the design community.”
Seating is limited, so reservations for events are required. Please visit Antron's website for more information and to make a reservation, or contact your Antron fiber consultant.
About Antron® carpet fiber
Antron carpet fiber is constructed with type 6,6 nylon polymer, exceptional fiber engineering and treated with DuraTech® soil resistance treatment. Carpet of Antron nylon is tested against the Antron Performance Standards Program, the highest fiber performance standard for carpet durability. For more information on Antron carpet fiber, please call (877) 5ANTRON or visit www.antron.net.
INVISTA is one of the world’s largest integrated producers of polymers and fibers, primarily for nylon, spandex and polyester applications. With a business presence in over 20 countries, INVISTA’s global businesses deliver exceptional value for their customers through technology innovations, market insights and a powerful portfolio of global trademarks including: ADI-PURE®, ANTRON®, AVORA®, C12™, COMFOREL®, COOLMAX®, CORDURA®, CORFREE®, DACRON®, DBE®, DYTEK®, FRESHF®, LYCRA®, PERFORMA™, POLARGUARD®, POLYSHIELD®, POLYCLEAR®, SOLARMAX®, STAINMASTER®, SUPPLEX®, SUPRIVA™, TACTEL®, TACTESSE®, TERATE®, TERATHANE® and THERMOLITE®. For more information, visit www.INVISTA.com.


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COVID-19 not a current threat to the food system, but California farmers still feel the pinch
COVID-19 does not currently pose major threats to overall global food security because adequate stores of staples — like wheat and rice — remain available. But the sustainability of California specialty crops may face greater hurdles, reported Laura Poppick in Scientific American.
Poppick spoke with two UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) scientists for perspective on the future of California agriculture considering the market and production constraints posed by measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“Everybody is scrambling to figure out what to do,” said Gail Feenstra, deputy director of UC ANR's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. “There's just a lot of disruption.”
Specialty products — such as some fruits and organic produce grown on smaller-scale farms — are often sold to restaurants and farmers markets, many of which are now closed or have reduced service, rather than directly to the grocery stores that are still operating. Even if these farmers are able to continue working, they may have limited places to sell their goods, the article said.
Strawberries are another crop likely to be affected. Laborers picking strawberries typically work more closely than is advisable to prevent the spread of the virus, said Mark Bolda, a University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor based in Watsonville. He said farmers are already making plans to spread workers between rows.
Strawberries, however, hit prime ripeness within a narrow window of just two to three days and must be picked quickly, Bolda says. Spacing workers may slow picking, and, "being slower is expensive."


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A leading agri business in the United States, CHS Inc reported a profit of $881m for the first nine months of its 2014 fiscal year. CHS, which came first in the annual NCB Co-op 100 listing released by the the National Cooperative Bank last year, is the nation’s biggest co-operative business in terms of turnover.
The profit represents a 1% increase from the $869.6m reported for the same period (Sept 2013-May 2014) a year ago. The turnover for the nine months amounted to $32.7bn, down 3% from $33.5b for the same period in 2013, was influenced by lower average grain prices.
Based in Minnesota, CHS was formed as a result of various mergers of farmer-owned co-operatives. In 1998 the Farmers Union Central Exchange (Cenex), which had been set up in 1931, merged with Harvest States Cooperatives to form Cenex Harvest States and changed its name to CHS Inc. in 2003.
The co-operative is owned by farmers and is active in the agricultural, food and energy sectors. It supplies energy, crop nutrients, grain marketing services, animal feed, food and food ingredients to over 75,000 producer owners and other customers, along with business solutions including insurance, financial and risk management services.
The group, which established a new flour milling joint venture, witnessed a stronger performance of its retail agronomy, wholesale crop nutrients and grain marketing businesses. This led to increased profits of $379.5m in the third quarter on 2014 (March-May), up 51 percent from $250.8 million for the same period in fiscal 2013.
Its propane, renewable fuels marketing lubricants and transportation operations also had strong performances. However, energy segment earnings declined due to lower margins in refining (the difference between the wholesale value of the oil products a refinery produces and the value of the crude oil from which they were refined).
The retail agronomy business of the group (CHS Ag) also reported increased profit for the first third quarters as a result of strong logistical performance within grain marketing, higher agronomy margins and service income generated by the company’s Country Operations retail locations, and improved wholesale crop nutrients performance.
CSH also recently announced its executive vice president, CHS Country Operations, John McEnroe, would retire at the end of the year. He will be replaced by Lynden Johnson, currently executive vice president of CHS Business Solutions. Mr McEnroe joined the co-operative as a manager trainee and held a variety of grain marketing and retail management positions, including being named regional director in 1984, vice president in 2000, and senior vice president in 2003. In 2012, he was promoted to his current role as executive vice president, CHS Country Operations. Throughout his 35-year career at CHS, he has played a significant role in this division’s growth, which currently serves 75,000 producers.


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Winemakers who want to ship directly to consumers across state lines got a sympathetic hearing at the Supreme Court yesterday, as the justices considered oral arguments in what could be the most significant test of states' constitutional power to regulate the alcohol trade since Prohibition.
At issue are New York and Michigan laws that require out-of-state wineries to sell through state-licensed wholesalers, while permitting in-state wineries to deal directly with individuals. The small Virginia winery challenging the New York law and the wine journalists, California winery and wine connoisseurs challenging the Michigan law say that the statutes are discriminatory and violate the Constitution's implicit ban on state trade protectionism.
The states, backed by wholesalers, say that the 21st Amendment, which repealed Prohibition in 1933, permits such laws. It bars importing alcohol into any state "in violation of the laws thereof."
But Justice Antonin Scalia seemed to reject that assertion when New York State Solicitor Caitlin J. Halligan raised it yesterday, telling her: "I don't think so. I think when you have facial discrimination, the bar's a little higher than that."
Justice Stephen G. Breyer told Michigan's solicitor general, Thomas L. Casey, "there's not a word" in the history of the 21st Amendment to suggest it was "intended to permit discrimination."
And Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg cited a 1984 decision of the court that struck down a Hawaii tax that applied only to imported alcohol. "One thing is certain," Ginsburg read. "The central purpose of [the 21st Amendment] was not to empower states to favor local liquor industries by erecting barriers to competition."
Perhaps most encouraging for the winemakers and wine drinkers, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who dissented from the 1984 ruling, seemed willing to apply it to this case, telling the states' lawyers repeatedly that it "cuts against you."
The justices seemed especially skeptical of the states' assertions that they may treat out-of-state wine differently because it is easier to enforce drinking-age and tax laws against in-state companies -- and that those laws are crucial to limiting the harm caused by excessive drinking. Almost nothing the states' lawyers said in this regard seemed to convince the court.
"Michigan's laws do promote the state's interest in temperance," Casey said.
Justice David H. Souter cut him off, asking: "You say that -- but how?"
When Casey suggested that Michigan controls sellers of wine through licensing, Souter responded that the state could require out-of-state wineries to post their business records online, password-protected, where they could be monitored by the state.
New York does permit out-of-state wineries to sell directly to consumers if they establish an office in the state. But, to Scalia, that just proved the state's rationale for its law was insincere.
He asked Halligan how having an office would help prevent the wineries from selling wine to minors or evading taxes. But before she could finish her answer, he shot back, "It doesn't help them at all."
"Your honor, it's a deterrent," Halligan insisted.
The origins of the case lie in the rise of hundreds of new family-run wineries in recent years, coupled with the advent of the Internet. Too small to gain access to the distribution networks run by state-licensed wholesalers, some family wineries began selling online. Fearing the erosion of their market control, wholesalers lobbied state legislatures to toughen the rules against direct shipping.
All told, 24 states -- including New York and Florida, the second- and third-largest wine-consuming states, after California -- ban direct shipping from out of state. In five states, including Maryland and Florida, it is a felony.
Yesterday's argument was not entirely one-sided. Some justices, while sympathetic to the argument in favor of direct shipping, expressed concern that it might lead to a general erosion of state control over sales not only of wine but also beer and spirits.
"Your case is very narrow, but your rationale is very sweeping," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy told former Stanford law school dean Kathleen Sullivan, who was representing the group of wine journalists and connoisseurs challenging Michigan's law.
Sullivan replied that the states and wholesalers were the ones making a sweeping argument, because "they are saying that if you wanted to bar all California wines you could do that."
The cases are Granholm v. Heald, No. 03-1116, Michigan Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association v. Heald, No. 03-1120 and Swedenburg v. Kelly, No. 03-1274. A decision is expected by July.


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Inflatable palm trees, a giant blow up pizza slice, a rubber ducky collection, a foosball table, conference rooms that look like living rooms— it doesn’t sound like a workspace, but it is. NYUSPS MS in Publishing: Digital and Print Media students were amazed by HuffPost’s cool offices on a recent visit. Our host was Anna McGrady, the company’s Senior Editor for Growth and Analytics, who warmly welcomed us and gave us some insights into her many responsibilities: audience development, SEO, social media strategies, newsletters, data analytics, and more. She also gave us a snapshot of the history and evolution of HuffPost from its early days founded by Arianna Huffington and other tech leaders to its current status as one of the media brands owned by Verizon. She then introduced us to a panel of inspiring staffers helping to grow one of today’s most successful tech and news companies.
Video, of course, is huge at HuffPost, and it was great to hear from Will Tooke, Senior Producer, who explained the role of visual storytelling: "We are very conscious that we don’t want video to give exactly the same experience as the article," he explained. In the rush to populate the site with great video, the challenge, says Tooke, always is to make sure that "quality is not sacrificed for timeliness."
Maintaining the highest journalistic standards is key for all news coverage at HuffPost. "We have all these talented reporters and producers, but making quality journalism known, seen, and accessible, is always a challenge," concurred Jared Greenhouse, Associate Editor at HuffPost. He further explained that "the story will stay the same but how you present it and how you optimize it is different [depending on] the platform." A story that is searchable on Google may be different than one on Facebook. "We try to tailor every story to that [specific] platform."
Continuing that conversation, Christine Liang, Global SEO Manager for HuffPost, noted that the unlimited resources and vast audiences on the internet mean that her team members "create specific niche strategies for each specific platform." As Liang explained, "Modern websites require a lot more than you think. It’s not just a couple of pages on the site anymore. Ours feels like five billion thousand pages. So we think about how to keep that clean and working for our users, making that experience rich for them."
Adding to that, McGrady noted the importance of "finding ways to make audiences more attached to the community [so that they] sign up for a newsletter, or download one of our apps. It could also be something as simple as commenting."
During the sensitive socio-political times we live in, storytelling requires the thorough creation and crafting of content with all constituents in mind to avoid insulting anyone’s belief or affiliation in a world full of contrasting values. Consumers are more sensitive than ever to the way stories are framed in media, especially when it comes to diversity and human rights. Taryn Finley, HuffPost’s Editor of Black Voices, faces the continual challenge of accurately representing the misrepresented, "because in our times, when we look at the media landscape, our voices are either skewed, or underrepresented, or not told," she explained. It’s very important that HuffPost (and all publications) make sure, as Finley noted, that "we’re doing a good job of seeing where we can cover stories differently, or interjecting different perspectives into different stories."
An important strategy for HuffPost is building innovative partnerships to expand awareness in a way that might not be achieved independently. HuffPost, for instance, recently partnered with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History on a project around racial justice, as well as with MIT’s Sloan School of Management, to create a live learning platform about how economic systems change initiatives. The challenge, said Matthew Krumholtz, Head of Philanthropic and Strategic Partnerships at HuffPost, is "figuring out where there’s a common ground. What will benefit us editorially in term of brand reputation, but also benefit our partner?"
New products are another way to reach wider audiences and generate revenue. Working on research, testing, font scaling, back-end development, and many more tasks to improve the user experience, Candy Bigwood, HuffPost’s UI Product Director, is currently exploring how the company can create deeper experiences for readers, both on the web and through their mobile devices. Handling the big responsibility of designing apps for all audiences, based on who the consumers are and what they need, she asked a relevant question that publishers still need to answer: "What do users want? What can you bring that’s valuable to people, that they might pay for?"
She cautioned that "we don’t know yet." Still, specifying users' needs in uncharted high-tech territories, and at a time where political and social content is intensely controversial, is the biggest challenge facing media brands today. Echoing a common sentiment in the conference room, Will Tooke noted, "The challenge is what keeps it interesting."


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NITI Aayog Organizes National Workshop on Bamboo Development Mission
New Delhi: NITI Aayog organized a national-level workshop on bamboo development today. Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the workshop, along with NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, Member Dr VK Saraswat, and CEO Amitabh Kant.
Through the workshop, participants sought to holistically understand all components of the bamboo value chain—plantation, production, processing, standardization and utilization—in order to develop strategies and a roadmap for the development of a circular economy in the sector. As many as 150 participants attended the workshop, both online and offline.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh highlighted the urgent need for raising public awareness about the untapped potential of bamboo and encouraged the establishment of entrepreneurial start-ups in the sector. He characterized bamboo as ‘green gold’, recognizing its crucial role in uplifting the Indian economy in the post-Covid scenario.
He added, ‘Bamboo can be used for making bio-ethanol, which would reduce dependence on imported fossil fuel, thereby achieving the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the petroleum sector.’
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar said, ‘Bamboo is a natural product that can benefit many industries. The need of the hour is to work on increasing the supply and meet the growing demand for bamboo and its products. There is a strong need to promote the bamboo sector across all states with the development of entrepreneurship amongst farmers and the youth.’
‘The construction sector in India presents tremendous growth opportunities for bamboo, owing to its unique features. Its versatility as a substitute offers a chance to protect forests; it has immense economic and business potential,’ added NITI Aayog Member Dr VK Saraswat.
The workshop had four technical sessions. The first explored the production, value addition, and international experience of bamboo. The second emphasized on government policies, programmes, and opportunities in different sectors. The third deliberated upon a circular economy in the sector, focusing on the techno-commercial utilization of bamboo-based industries. The last session discussed national and international best practices.
The workshop was attended by participants from Central ministries, state governments, KVKs, industry, academic and research institutions, and NGOs. Key players from the private sector, including bamboo enthusiasts, shared their experience and innovative ideas to enhance the development of bamboo in the country.
NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said, ‘From the point of view of job creation and ecological and economic development in India, bamboo has enormous potential for enhancing the quality of life, for both urban and rural communities.’
NITI Aayog Senior Adviser Dr Neelam Patel concluded the session by highlighting the challenges in the production, productivity and development of the overall bamboo value-chain. She mentioned the need for setting up BIS standards of bamboo and FSSAI certification of bamboo products. She requested industries to develop a framework for bamboo cultivation. She also emphasized on the need to link Kisan Rail to bamboo, GI tagging of bamboo products and the development of a nationwide knowledge information system on bamboo.


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Want to protect your phone from hackers? According to the NSA, one simple trick that will take you about a minute would be to simply turn your phone off and then back on again, essentially restarting your phone. This is based on a “Mobile Device Best Practices” guide that the agency released last year.
Some of you might be wondering how does rebooting a phone stop hackers in their tracks and thwart their attempts? While it’s not a panacea for all hacking attempts, the idea is that rebooting a phone helps you thwart attacks that rely on in-memory payloads. This is a technique that some attackers like to exploit and it relies on the fact that many of us do not reboot our phones.
This is because rebooting our phone can disrupt these types of attacks, but like we said, since not many people do that, this type of hacks can be exploited for long periods of time. Of course, this is just one of the many ways that the NSA is advising people on how they can protect their mobile devices, but it’s one that might be worth looking into.
After all, it only takes a minute or two to shut your phone down and to start it back up, and if that could potentially thwart these type of in-memory payload attacks, then why not? Some other advice that the NSA has given include disabling Bluetooth when not in use, avoiding connecting to public WiFi, disabling location services when not in need, and so on.


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Walmart started the Walmart Black Friday 2012 sale online on Thanksgiving Day early morning. Shop the most anticipated Black Friday 2012 sale before the best deals are gone. This your first chance to score hot Walmart Black Friday 2012 deals.
11 hour ago we reported about the $99 Wii console with 2 games Walmart Black Friday 2012 online deal and it is surprisingly still in stock. It seems Walmart has a whole warehouse full with Wii consoles.
Don't Miss: Today's Best Deals on Amazon.com
The Wii Console with 2 Games for $99 includes two games you can choose from 51 Wii games. The game selection includes Rock Band 3, Your Shape, Kirby EpicYarn, Wall-E, Thor and DJ Hero 2.
This $99 Wii Console deals is saving you $60. The Wii deal advertised in the Walmart Black Friday 2012 ad is actually less interesting. For $89 you get only the Wii Console in the Walmart Black Friday in-store sale tonight.
Shop the Walmart Black Friday 2012 Online deals on Walmart.com now.
Do not miss these major Black Friday 2012 Online Sales events that have launched today. Find the list and links to the best online Black Friday sales below:
Black Friday 2012 is here. Shop all available Black Friday 2012 Sales online now on Thanksgiving Day. I4U News will keep you up to date on the best Black Friday 2012 deals throughout the whole Black Friday week leading into Cyber Monday 2012. Follow us on Twitter to not miss a hot Black Friday 2012 deal.


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Italian Court gives green light to fuel consumption action against Fiat
BEUC NEWS - 19.11.2015
On Tuesday 17 November, the court of appeal of Turin (Italy) admitted a group action against car maker Fiat on the grounds of misleading fuel consumption claims1. The aim of the court case is for affected car owners to be compensated for those statements.
The group action was initiated by Italian consumer group and BEUC member Altroconsumo2.
Monique Goyens, Director General of The European Consumer Organisation, commented:
“It is only fair that consumers finally will have a chance to reclaim bloated fuel costs in court because of rigged consumption tests. Car makers have been let of the hook for too long, knowing only too well that the odds are stacked against consumers to hold them to account.
“The case against Fiat also heaps further pressure on the European Commission and Member States to urgently put in place a more robust testing regime with reliable test procedures and strong oversight measures so as to deter car makers from exploiting test loopholes.”
The Italian court decision comes on the back of the Volkswagen defeat device and CO2/fuel consumption scandal. Owners of affected vehicles are still in the dark about how recalls will be carried out and whether the company will provide compensation for any consumer detriment.
1 The decision of the Court of Appeal overruled an earlier decision taken by the court of Turin in July this year. This is the first step that must be taken under legal proceedings in Italy.
2 The group action against Fiat is based on tests carried out last year on the vehicle model ‘Fiat Panda 1.2 51 KW 120 CO2’. The Fiat, tested following official test procedures, consumed up to 20% more fuel than according to official declarations. Altroconsumo estimates that owners of the vehicle spent around €2392 more per year on fuel costs than would otherwise be expected from the official claims made by Fiat. Following the same tests, a decision of the Court of Venice is expected imminently on whether or not a group action on misleading fuel consumption claims brought against Volkswagen in February by Altroconsumo will also be allowed to progress. For more information: http://www.beuc.eu/publications/beuc-x-2014-067_qa_on_misleading_fuel_consumption_claims_and_testing_procedures.pdf


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AP: Wells Fargo customers soon will pay $7 checking account fee
- Jennifer A. Johnson
- Contributing writer- Phoenix Business Journal
Customers in California and six other states soon will pay a $7 checking account fee, the Associated Press reported today.
Customers with a minimum balance of $1,500, or who make direct deposits of at least $500 a month will not be charged the fee. Customers also can receive a $2 discount if they receive online-only statements.
The six other states where Wells Fargo implemented the fees are Georgia, New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania.
"Wells Fargo checking accounts are a great value for consumers as they offer convenience, multiple ways to access or manage money and security. Wells Fargo stopped offering free checking to new customers in 2010 and with these new changes, we project around 80% of our customers will continue to have their monthly service fee waived. As we navigate the changes occurring in the banking industry in the wake of financial reform, Wells Fargo is firmly focused on helping customers succeed financially and continuing to offer accounts and services that provide excellent value. We also recognize that some changes are difficult, and we are committed to helping find the best solution for each customer," the bank said in a statement.
Bank of America Corp. announced plans in September 2011 to charge a $5 monthly fee for consumers who use a debit card. Other lenders, including JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. rolled out pilot programs in select markets. The outrage was so great, that Bank of America and others backed away from the fees. But the frenzy left many consumers with a bad taste in their mouths.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that again, Bank of America., would begin charging customers a monthly fee for checking services unless they agree to bank online, purchase more products or maintain minimum balances.
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DisplaySearch - News, Features, and Slideshows
Touch-ready notebook PCs will account for about 11% of all laptops shipped this year, an improvement over 2012 when customers had few choices if they wanted to smudge screens, a market research analyst said today.
Apple's "iWatch" will come with OLED displays in two sizes, for men and women, according to an analyst who specializes in the Asian display market. So far, there's no indication that the colors will be blue or pink.
Panasonic is discontinuing production of plasma televisions and shuttering the three factories that made them in the wake of stiff competition from LCD TVs.
Microsoft's bet that touch would propel Windows 8 has run into a major snag, an industry analyst said: Consumers see little reason to pay premium prices for touch-enabled laptops.
This week the iOSphere faced the unthinkable: an iPad mini 2 that has the same resolution as the iPad mini 1. Where is innovation when you need it?
Apple mistimed the launch of the iPhone 5C and priced the smartphone too high, missing out on aggressive subsidies offered by Chinese mobile carriers during an important holiday.
If multitouch display technology is proliferating, haptic feedback is helping to fuel the trend. Haptics provide tactile feedback to your fingers as you touch a display by vibrating all or part of the display surface.
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Mobile device sales in India are estimated to touch 231 million units in 2012, a rise of 8.5 per cent over the 213 million units sold so far this year, according to Gartner. The mobile handset market is expected to show steady growth through 2015, when end-user sales would surpass 322 million units.
With 150 manufacturers selling devices, the Indian mobile market is very competitive. India, accounting for approximately 12 per cent of worldwide sales, is an important market for device manufacturers.
Due to its sheer size and open market (mobile devices being sold independently of cellular connection), the market has attracted many global mobile device manufacturers. While most of the local and Chinese manufacturers have remained focused on low-cost devices, some manufacturers have built capabilities to deliver smartphone devices and some have even ventured into other global markets.
The pace of competition has seen the share of global vendors declining, as local and Chinese manufacturers are set to control more than 50 per cent of the market in 2011. “Big global brands would continue to face competition from local and Chinese brands, as some of these brands are building capabilities to compete at a larger level, covering broader consumer segments," said Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst, Gartner.
In terms of handset sales, G'five, Karbonn Mobile and Micromax stood third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, after Nokia and Samsung in the third quarter, according to the report.
“The entry of Indian mobile handset players, which focus on low-end, value conscious consumers, has intensified competition in the Indian mobile device market. The average selling price of a mobile device is approximately $45, with 75 per cent of devices sold costing below $75," said Gupta. Smartphone sales in India accounted for six per cent of total device sales in the first three quarters this year, and this share is expected to rise to eight per cent in 2012.
With the growing influence of local handset players in the low-end segment, the traditionally stronger, big global players have seen their positions weaken. The mid-range to high-end market is getting increasingly competitive, too, with a greater focus from global players on the Indian market, coupled with the launch of competitively priced midrange and high-end mobile devices.
The Indian mobile device market is driven by the lowest call rates in the world and is dominated by low-cost devices, which accounted for 75 per cent of the overall sales in India so far this year.


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HTC has announced a smartphone this week powered by blockchain technology, called Exodus. The phone will include a secure hardware enclave designed for cryptocurrencies and decentralised applications. The Exodus phone also has a universal wallet, which will support Bitcoin, Ethereum, Lightning Networks, Dfinity and other major cryptocurrencies. Users will be able to send and receive crypto payments, with each device acting as a node for crytocurrency trading.
Security and privacy seem like hallmarks of the device, with the Exodus site promising that users will be able to ‘have your identity and data on the phone rather than in a centralised cloud.’ The promise of decentralised apps is also interesting, as these open source and autonomous apps should be more secure running on the Exodus than other smartphones.
HTC’s Phil Chen, who announced the smartphone in a Medium blog post, said that the Exodus smartphone was just one part of a greater movement towards autonomy and consumer data rights:
“I want to see a world where the end consumers can truly own their data (browsing history, identity, assets, wallets, emails, messaging, etc) without the need for central authorities. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but I believe the mobile hardware layer can contribute significantly to our new decentralized world.”
HTC have long been innovators in mobile tech: they made the first Android smartphone, the first Nexus device, the first Facebook phone, the first 4G phone, the first 1080p smartphone, the first Pixel phone… the list goes on and on. Therefore, it’s not too surprising to see them to be the first major smartphone maker to create a blockchain-powered smartphone.
However, given the company’s recent financial woes, it’s not entirely certain that the Exodus will make it to market and be supported long enough for it to become a market-leader. HTC’s competitors are always nipping at their heels, and if the blockchain smartphone concept takes off, expect to see more popular iterations from the likes of Samsung and LG.
At the moment, we still don’t know a lot about this smartphone: the Exodus has no price, no release date, no list of specifications, not even a render of what it will look like — just a basic schematic of its components. While the appearance of this phone isn’t its defining feature, it does suggest that the Exodus is still at a very early level of development.
Hopefully, HTC are serious about creating this phone and not just trying to capitalise on the next big buzzword in smartphone design after ‘AI’. The return of Vive creator Phil Chen as HTC’s ‘decentralised chief officer’ seems to indicate that the phone is something of a priority, but anything could happen before the phone actually materialises.
HTC aren’t the only ones working on a blockchain-powered smartphone either. Huawei announced late last year that it was working with Swiss firm Sirin Labs to create the $999 Finney smartphone. While this smartphone seems better fleshed out—the official page includes actual specifications and renders—a release date has yet to be set and little news about it has been released.
At this stage, being the first blockchain-friendly smartphone on the market is still an open contest—HTC and Huawei might still be pipped to the post by an as-of-yet unannounced competitor. The only thing to do is wait and see which concept makes the jump to an actual retail product.
Interested in hearing leading global brands discuss subjects like this in person? Find out more at the Blockchain Expo World Series, Global, Europe and North America.


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Virgin Hotels, opens 255-room Virgin Hotels Glasgow today, its second European property.
Along with the opening of its rooms, today’s launch (18 August) will see the opening Virgin Hotels’ flagship restaurant and bar, Commons Club, which is been run by Executive Chef Jean-Paul Giraud, previously held Head Chef at The Spanish Butcher, and on the mezzanine of the Commons Club, the hotel has all-day dining and entertainment destination, Highyard, with views of the river Clyde thanks to its elevated terrace which includes a retractable roof and living walls.
Next year will also see the opening of two further dining and drinking spaces; Funny Library Coffee Shop and Rocks on Fox Street – a whisky bar that the Hotel says will have one of the finest whisky collections in Glasgow.
The hotel’s design pays tribute to Glasgow’s rich cultural history and Teddy Mayer, the Vice President Creative Director of Virgin Hotels, worked with Silk Property Group to incorporate elements reminiscent of Glasgow’s shipbuilding industry and the Hotel partnered with Visto Art to showcase artwork by local illustrators, painters, and photographers to reflect the vibrant spirit of the city.
Virgin Hotels Collection CEO James Bermingham, said, “Today marks a momentous occasion as we proudly unveil our Glasgow location, a remarkable addition to our growing family of hotels. At Virgin Hotels, we are driven by our passion for delivering innovative design and heartfelt service, and our latest opening is no exception. Every detail has been curated to reflect the dynamic and diverse essence of Glasgow, and we hope the property will not only be a home away from home, but a door to the incredible experiences within this exciting city.”
Tom Gibson, General Manager of Virgin Hotels Glasgow, said, “We are thrilled to bring the Virgin Hotels experience to Glasgow, a city known for its rich cultural heritage and warm hospitality. Virgin Hotels Glasgow will redefine the concept of luxury accommodation, offering guests an unmatched level of service, exceptional culinary experiences, and a stunning setting overlooking the Clyde. We look forward to providing a memorable stay for our guests and becoming an integral part of Glasgow’s vibrant hospitality scene.”


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The Internal Revenue Service has already released the third $1,400 stimulus check to around 90 million eligible Americans by direct deposit, and to an additional 150,000 Americans by mail. Many people who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will be using the money for their daily necessities and to pay bills.
However, many Americans -- especially those who don't need the money for day-to-day expenses and already have some contingency funds -- are investing this stimulus in the stock market. It's a smart move that can prove to be especially rewarding if you pick up fundamentally strong stocks. If you are a stimulus recipient and can invest this $1,400 for your future, then Jumia Technologies (JMIA 1.76%), FinVolution Group (FINV 0.31%), and ShockWave Medical (SWAV 2.24%) could be the right stock picks for you.
1. Jumia Technologies
Jumia Technologies' stock has already soared over 1,600% in the last year. Headquartered in Germany, this "Amazon of Africa" operates an integrated ecosystem comprising an online marketplace, logistics business, and payments business.
Jumia's fourth-quarter revenue dipped 15.3% year over year to 41.8 million euros, while gross merchandise volume was down year over year by 21% to 231.1 million euros. Despite this, the company has reduced the adjusted EBITDA loss by 47% to 28.3 million euros.
Jumia is shifting from an asset-heavy, inventory-laden traditional retailer model to an online platform model. Hence, although the total revenue earned from commissions and fulfillment fees is lower, it generates higher profitability for the company. Additionally, the asset-light approach will also help the company to rapidly scale in the African market in future years. The company's strategy of shifting toward smaller-sized and more profitable everyday product categories and away from phone and electronics is helping improve unit economics, which translates into higher margins. Jumia is also focusing on improving overall usage efficiency by reducing cancellations, failed deliveries, and returns on cost efficiencies -- another major driver taking the company closer to breakeven.
Jumia Pay is also seeing rapid adoption, with total payment volume increasing 58% year over year and JumiaPay accounting for 35% of the total Jumia transactions in 2020. The company is working to position JumiaPay as a preferred digital payment option beyond Jumia marketplace, by partnering with prominent players across sectors in Africa.
Jumia is trading at a 12-month trailing price-to-sales (P/S) multiple of 25.7, which is steep. However, when this is compared to P/S multiples of e-commerce players such as MercadoLibre (MELI 2.45%) and Sea Limited (SE 5.03%), which are relatively small in market capitalization and focused mostly on developing markets, Jumia's valuation seems quite comparable. With a reach of over 600 million Africans and an annual active customer account of only 6.8 million at the end of 2020, Jumia has plenty of room to grow in the years ahead.
2. FinVolution Group
Shares of Chinese fintech company FinVolution Group have been on fire lately, rising over 470% in the last year and over 196% so far this year. Founded in 2007, the company was once a leading Chinese peer-to-peer platform, but now acts as a loan facilitator between borrowers and over 50 institutional funding partners.
FinVolution has strategically shifted its focus to borrowers with better credit profiles and has improved its risk management practices. Subsequently, the company now expects fourth-quarter vintage delinquency rates (loans that originated in the recent quarter and are past due) to be below 3%, a significant improvement from 6% in the prior-year period. The company's fourth-quarter funding cost has also come down to 7.5%, from 10% in the prior-year period.
FinVolution's loan origination volume was up 24% year over year to 21 billion yuan in the fourth quarter, exceeding the upper end of the guidance range of 20 billion yuan. The company is guiding for a 56% to 87% year-over-year increase in loan origination volume in fiscal 2021. This is an achievable target, considering that FinVolution is rapidly expanding in the rather underpenetrated consumer finance market in domestic China and Southeast Asia. China's consumer credit-to-GDP ratio is only 13%, much lower than 20% of the U.S. The consumer credit-to-GDP ratio in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam is only 1%. With 116 million registered users and only 2.2 million active borrowers, there is great potential for the company to rapidly expand its loan volume. However, uncertainty about the COVID-19 pandemic may impact demand for consumer finance -- and that can have a detrimental impact on growth rates.
FinVolution's fourth-quarter financial performance reflected its operational improvements. The company's revenue jumped 50.3% year over year to 1.85 billion yuan ($284 million), while net profit was up 20.6% year over year to 497.3 million yuan ($76.2 million).
FinVolution is currently trading at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 6.6, which is quite cheap for a small company in the early stages of business. Prominent fintech players such as PayPal (PYPL 0.30%) and Square (SQ 3.60%) are trading at forward P/E multiples of 43.8 and 131, respectively. FinVolution has a strong balance sheet with cash of 4.6 billion yuan and a conservative leverage ratio (total loans outstanding on the platform divided by shareholder equity) of only 3.2 at the end of 2020.
In the fourth quarter, Shaofeng Gu, chairman and chief innovation officer of FinVolution, increased his ownership stake in the company to 29.6%. When top management continues to aggressively invest in a company, it is usually a bullish sign for retail investors.
3. ShockWave Medical
Medtech company ShockWave Medical is putting a new twist on an old technology. Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), a technique that has been used to break up kidney stones for decades, is now being used to break up calcium deposits that are blocking peripheral and coronary arteries. ShockWave estimates its annual total addressable opportunity is more than $6 billion. Since IVL is a highly safe, well-proven, affordable, and effective way to unblock arteries, it has the potential to become the standard of care.
ShockWave has been successful in demonstrating the superiority of IVL over angioplasty in unblocking severely calcified peripheral lesions prior to stenting in a study. The company has also demonstrated the robust efficacy and safety of IVL in treating severely calcified cardiovascular disease in the same study. ShockWave recently secured U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for IVL in coronary artery disease indication (it was previously approved only for treating peripheral lesions). The future growth prospects of ShockWave will depend on educating healthcare providers and payers about the benefits of IVL and securing regulatory approvals in additional indications.
ShockWave's fourth-quarter earnings performance was quite impressive, with revenue jumping 59% year over year to $22.7 million and gross margins rising year over year from 61% to 72%. The company has a strong balance sheet with cash and cash equivalents of $202.4 million and only $25 million of debt at the end of 2020.
ShockWave is trading at a 12-month trailing P/S multiple of 58.7, which is almost three times the medical technology industry's average P/S multiple of 20. But considering the transformative potential of the company's IVL technology in the coronary artery space, share prices could soar even higher in 2021.


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By Nick Johnstone2010-10-22T10:01:00+01:00
Trudi Elliot has been appointed as chief executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
To read the full story on www.PublicPropertyUK.com, click here: RTPI appoints new chief
The City of London has granted planning permission to redevelop Seal House at 1 Swan Lane.
Trafford Council has approved Maloneview’s £70m regeneration plans for The Square Shopping centre in Sale, Manchester.
It may have taken two years, but the Tenant Fees Act will at last be implemented on 1 June 2019, after first being announced in November 2016’s Autumn Statement. It is a positive first step toward reform for the property industry.
Independent bakery and baking school Bread Ahead is set to open in Wembley Park as part of Quintain’s transformation of the retail and leisure offer at the scheme.
British Land has submitted a planning application to develop a new landscaped park at Broadgate in the City of London.
Modular ‘smart home’ developer Project Etopia has opened a factory in Cheshire that can produce up to 2,000 homes per year.
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Google has gone public with details of a second unpatched vulnerability in Microsoft products, this time in Edge and Internet Explorer, after last week they've published details about a bug in the Windows GDI (Graphics Device Interface) component.
Google confirmed yesterday it was shutting down its Site Search service, which is the commercial version of the free service Google Custom Search, also known as Custom Search Engine (CSE).
Under the coordination of the UK government, rights holders and today's top two search engines have reached and signed an agreement that will demote piracy-related links in search results.
For the second time in three months, Google engineers have disclosed a bug in the Windows OS without Microsoft having released a fix before Google's announcement.
After five years of litigation at various levels of the US legal system, today, following the conclusion of a jury trial, Google was ordered to pay $20 million to two developers after a jury ruled that Google had infringed on three patents when it designed some of Chrome's anti-malware features.
A joint study carried out by researchers from Alphabet's Jigsaw and the Wikimedia Foundation has analyzed all user comments left on Wikipedia in 2015 in order to identify how and why users launch in personal attacks, one of the many faces of online abuse.
For the past few days, Google has been making a lot of webmasters very nervous, as its Google Search Console service, formerly known as Google Webmaster, has been sending out security alerts to people it shouldn't.
Google says that starting with February 8, Chrome users will have to use version 54 or 55 (current) if they want to access their Gmail accounts.
Google has made a few changes to recent Chrome versions that most users are bound to disagree with since it takes away some of their control over the browser.
Google announced yesterday plans to become a self-standing, certified, and independent Root Certificate Authority, meaning the company would be able to issue its own TLS/SSL certificates for securing its web traffic via HTTPS, and not rely on intermediaries, as it does now.


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Fairtrade India, in association with the Fairtrade Network of Asia Pacific Producers, has successfully concluded India’s first National Fairtrade Conference. This milestone event marks a significant leap towards promoting sustainable and ethical trade in India. It highlighted the growing awareness and engagement with the Fair Trade label in various sectors. Independent research commissioned by the organization revealed a significant increase in awareness of the Fair Trade label among SEC A consumers in metropolitan areas, rising from 10 percent in 2019 to an impressive 25 percent in 2022. .
The two-day conference, held on 5 and 6 October 2023 at the Pullman Hotel, Aerocity, New Delhi, convened over 150 delegates from diverse segments of the Fair Trade ecosystem, including businesses, producers, partner organisations, industry experts, Educational institutions and consumers were involved.
Mr. Abhishek Jani, CEO, Fairtrade India shared, “In 2022, sales of Fairtrade labeled products in India will reach Rs 23.93 crore in gross trade value, driven by the demand for ethically and sustainably sourced products. Both are indicative of growth. And for businesses to improve their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, while gaining a competitive edge, innovating, and enhancing the value proposition for consumers. FMCG, Fashion Across sectors such as cosmetics, and HORECA, businesses in India recognize the ability to do business more responsibly, providing a better value proposition to their customers. It appears that the government’s mission with LifeE Together, India has a growing traction for sustainable consumption and production.”
Mr. Jani continued, “Our growing partnerships with iconic brands such as Indian Terrain, Being Human, Mantra-Hair & Now, L’Oreal, Camerica, Tea Culture of the World, and Mukaibari Tea promote better livelihoods, sustainable sourcing. exemplifies the shared commitment of . and responsible production. It marks a new era where ethical values are shaping industry standards and consumer choices.”
The Fairtrade approach empowers farmers and workers to take more control over their lives and make decisions about investing in their future. Me as a leader Global movement To make trade fair, Fairtrade supports businesses and governments, connecting farmers and workers with people who buy their products on more sustainable terms. By choosing Fairtrade, people can make a difference through their everyday actions and choices. A product with the FAIRTRADE mark means that producers and businesses meet internationally agreed sustainability standards, independently verified. Farmers and workers have a strong voice at all levels of Fairtrade, from how they invest in and run their local organizations, to having an equal say in Fairtrade’s global decision-making.
Fairtrade NAPP supports and empowers Fairtrade certified farmers and workers across the Asia Pacific region. Producers share 50% ownership of the Fair Trade system and have an equal voice in all decisions affecting them. As a producer network, NAPP ensures that their voice is heard in the system. Currently, NAPP has 289 producer organizations in 18 countries in the Asia and Pacific region, supporting more than 260,000 farmers and workers.
Mr. Sanjit Singh Khurana, Executive Director, Fair Trade NAPP (Asia Pacific) said, “We work with 289 Fair Trade certified producer organizations in Asia Pacific in 18 countries, including 112 in India. which benefited around 1,42,202 farmers and workers. A total of 80 crores of Fair Trade Premium was created between 2017-2021, funding community projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Achievements of Fair Trade India in 2022 And this conference, which has united our diverse stakeholders, reflects India’s growing commitment to ethical practices. Markets.”
In a notable announcement, Jindal Global Business School was recognized as the first Fair Trade Business School in India. The conference also honored several prominent partners and producers in the Fair Trade business and education sector, who encourage diverse organizations to adopt fair trade practices.
Aligned with SDG-12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns) and Mission LiFE (India-led Global Movement to Promote Sustainable Lifestyles), the event highlighted the importance of adopting sustainable practices in business and daily lives. emphasized, which focuses on their impact on our society. the environment
Supported by the European Union’s SWITCH Asia program to promote SDG12, Fairtrade India’s mission revolves around empowering producers and guiding them towards responsible production practices while ensuring more profitable market access. The National Fair Trade Conference serves as a testament to the establishment of a safe ecosystem that integrates economic, environmental and social pillars, promoting a responsible consumer and business movement in the country.
First Published: 05 Oct 2023, 18:47 IST


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Mitch Albom's new novel, "For One More Day," has been a hit at Starbucks, reports Publishers Weekly. Along with their lattes, Starbuckians have bought 45,000 copies, about 12 percent of sales so far, since the book began to be featured at the stores Oct. 3. Nielsen Bookscan, which tracks book sales, says about 391,000 copies overall have been sold.
PW also reports that Starbucks is so happy with this experiment, which includes discussion groups and appearances by Albom, that it's close to announcing a second title, said to be a first novel, to feature in the stores.
Books have always been sold in department and grocery stores, gas stations, airports, drugstores. But a restaurant (if that's what Starbucks is) is a new one. But why not? Bookstores have been selling coffee for years.


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USA Today had more than 30 reporters and editors on the ground, many exclusively working on video packages and Snapchat content. Traffic to USA Today’s sports sections more than doubled during the Olympics, with CPM rate increases of 24%.
“In particular video fueled our growth. Total video views grew by 820% since the last Olympics,” said Michael Kuntz, USA Today’s senior VP of digital revenue.
Bleacher Report’s Olympic content also emphasized video, said Rich Calacci, senior VP of sales at Turner, Bleacher Report’s parent company. “We don’t have the rights like NBC, but that’s OK, because we’ve put a lot of time and energy into what we call our social moments team.”
It’s often the stories NBC doesn’t own that resonate the most, like athletes’ daily meals, stories from inside the athletes village or US swimmer Ryan Lochte running into trouble with Brazilian authorities.
While the most popular Olympic contests like sprinting or swimming finish in seconds, “you get all these amazing stories and analysis that goes around it,” said Matthew Watson, executive chairman for the sports video content- and ad-delivery service SendtoNews. “A big part of our push was to flush out and extend that digitally.”
Scripps set up programmatic marketplaces for selling Olympic-specific content with six or seven trading desk, including one managed by Rubicon Project, said Jason Tate, the media company’s digital revenue manager. Official Olympic brand partners used the private markets to extend the reach of their sponsorships, and nonsponsors used it to pick up an Olympic sheen without the upfront costs, he said.
Kuntz said these kind of pop-up marketplaces around flagship live events like the Super Bowl and the World Cup will be a plank of the company’s digital revenue plans moving forward.
Because of the audience migration to digital channels, sports marketers are also embracing digital metrics.
Sponsorships used to be driven by, say, CMOs who watched a lot of golf or basketball and thus chose the PGA or NBA, said Stephen Master, Nielsen’s senior VP of sports. But more and more “we’re seeing an emphasis on analytical rigor that tracks with digital,” he said.
There will be more marketing dollars going into the sports category, said Masters, but fractured like a system of small streams broken out of a single, strong river.
It’s great for athletes – Nielsen counts some of the top sports talent agencies as customers because it can provide data demonstrating sponsorship value – and it’s great for the digital media ecosystem, from social platforms to local newspapers, which are almost guaranteed to see traffic and inventory rates shoot up.
But it’s brutally difficult for broadcasters like NBC, which aside from the $12 billion TV rights deal is responsible for producing the Olympics, a task Lazarus said required more than 2,000 people in Rio, more than 1,000 people at NBC headquarters in Stamford, Conn., and additional production teams in Florida.


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Africa Will Build The Future Says Zuckerberg, Visits Kenya On First African Trip
2nd September 2016
The future will be built in Africa, Facebook FB +0.05% CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in Nigeria, before travelling to Kenya, the “world leader” in mobile money, on his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, a surprise trip which has propelled Africa’s entrepreneurial spirit into the news.
“It’s inspiring to see how engineers here are using mobile money to build businesses and help their community,” Zuckerberg said after visiting Nairobi’s iHub, the most famous of Africa’s innovation hubs.
He also popped into the office of BRCK, a remarkable internet connectivity device that has since morphed into a clever education system for the developing world. Both have been co-founded by Erik Hersman – who is also the co-founder of Ushahidi, the real-time reporting tool created during the violence following Kenya’s disputed 2008 elections and is considered – along with M-Pesa – as one of Kenya’s greatest tech success stories.
Read more at: Link


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Narrow your search
Looking for phones? CNET's reviews of the best phones include photos, video, and user reviews.
CNET editor Sharon Profis takes Apple Pay, Google Wallet and PayPal for a test drive and compares the options.
An Australian man with previous child pornography charges is believed to have been the first convicted in an operation using a CGI child to lure predators.
Police in Marion County say two people were hurt after a Maverick flying car crashed and caught fire.
The most important things to know when shopping for a new laptop, hybrid, or Windows tablet.
On a call with analysts, Apple CEO explains why the company's smartphone is doing well but its tablet isn't.
A video posted by blog site TechSmartt shows how to "trick" Apple Pay into working on NFC terminals outside the US.
It's the first auction of new wireless spectrum in six years. CNET gets you up to speed on how this will affect your wireless service in the future.
The Board of Supervisors votes to allow short-term rentals, ignoring Sen. Dianne Feinstein's warning that the law could be detrimental to the city.
Internet service providers are getting a new option called G.fast that can extend the lifespan of existing copper phone lines yet again.
The electronics giant is projecting stronger-than-expected sales this holiday even after delivering better-than-anticipated revenue in the September quarter. The only negative was another drop in iPad sales.


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Your Apple iPhone X or Android smartphone can authenticate your face and unlocks your phone screen. Considered as most power security tool, you may soon notice that facial recognition may soon be implemented at airports, airlines and government agencies.
While the facial recognition technology is expected to be $9.2 billion by 2022, there are multi-fold benefits with FRS (facial recognition software). As enforcement becomes much more effective, FRS enables fast and quick identification of individuals wherever they are.
Used across several platforms both for safety and as a measure of security tool, it can be stated that FRS will be a leading AI-machine learning implementation across every sector. While technology advancements have become much rapid, faster adaptability and usability have equally been growing progressively as users show a lot of interest and learning about new technology methods.
Facial recognition software clearly identifies the difference between your face and another person's face followed by either approval or disapproval. Many industrial experts agree that facial recognition solution offers satisfying results.
Although biometrics, face, iris, voice and heartbeat are being used as personal identifiers, it is certainly considered these are the future while PINs are the past. These measures have been introduced to reduce the fraud and also to improve personal and public authentication procedures.
Statistical Growth in Worldwide Smartphone Users 2014-2020 ( In Billions)
- 2014 - 1.57
- 2015 - 1.86
- 2016 - 2.1
- 2017 - 2.32
- 2018 - 2.53
- 2019 - 2.71
- 2020 - 2.87
The locking system of the smartphone or checking of personal identification facial recognition software has much to offer for the benefit at both personal and public end. This is most useful and easy process as a means of improved personal security measure. It is quite ideal to begin to use if you have face recognition feature in your smartphone whether iPhone or Android and start securing your data.
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FAIRFIELD, Conn. A Bridgeport man accused of shoplifting body wash at BJ's was arrested Wednesday despite changing his clothes in an attempt to elude Fairfield Police, according to police reports.
Jose Fontanez, 36, is charged with stealing approximately $83 worth of body wash from BJs Wholesale Club on Black Rock Turnpike. The suspect grabbed several bottles of the item and ran out of the store, security guards told police. The first responding officer saw the suspect run through the stores parking lot and into a nearby wooded area, according to the police report.
Soon after, an officer and the store manager saw a man who fit the suspects description, but wearing a different jacket, riding a bicycle on Commerce Drive. The manager identified the rider as the suspect and he was stopped by police. When questioned, he led officers to the location of the stolen items and his original jacket, police say.
Fontanez was charged with sixth-degree larceny and interfering with police, both misdemeanors. He was released after posting a $250 bond and is due in court Oct. 9.
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