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Dalmia Bharat Refractories to export to new markets
Dalmia Bharat Refractories plans to launch its cement refractory products in new export markets. Chemical Industry Digest has reported that the company aims to achieve a turnover of US$191m in the 2023 financial year, and to launch a 3 – 4 year US$38.1 capital expenditure investment package. The supplier currently exports some refractories to Canada, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Spain and West Asia.
Managing director and CEO Sameer Nagpal said “We have started some trials in Germany, before we turn regular suppliers and tap deeper into the export market.” Nagpal said that the company would also target other markets in Asia, Africa and Europe. He concluded “We are looking to gain a greater share of the customer’s wallet in these markets and in India.”


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"Everything is subject to change. What will change remains to be seen. The process has only begun," said Jim Taylor, senior VP-global marketing.
There are some sacred cows: Mr. Taylor said the trademark b&w holstein cow print boxes will stay, as will the long time tag, "You've got a friend in the business." And Gateway has no interest in abandoning its insular "Silicon prairie" culture.
It has enlisted Blackburn Young Haykel, a Westport, Conn., identity consultancy, for the sweeping review of the brand. The review involves executives from Gateway's four divisions as well as those from Mr. Taylor's corporate group, including brand managers.
Mr. Taylor said Gateway is not looking for a new ad agency. Gateway hired D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, Los Angeles, as global agency of record in March for its estimated $70 million account. DMB&B handles TV and ads outside computer magazines; Gateway manages computer press ads in-house.
The DMB&B relationship had a bumpy start, largely reflecting differences in culture between the agency and Gateway. Mr. Taylor said agency and client still are learning, but that the relationship is secure.
Gateway is showing a willingness to reconsider other communications disciplines. People close to the company said it is weighing hiring Edelman Worldwide for

domain: news


text: Apple has released a series of updates to address numerous vulnerabilities in its ecosystem, including a critical zero-day flaw in the WebKit browser engine used in Safari. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-23222, has been added to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s list of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, indicating its potential impact. Apple acknowledged that the issue may have been exploited but provided limited information on the matter. The patch covers a wide range of Apple devices, safeguarding them from potential arbitrary code execution. Alan Bavosa, VP of security products at AppDome, expressed concern over the seriousness of the threat posed by the vulnerability. Previous instances of zero-day flaws in Apple products have often been exploited by spyware companies that supply government customers for surveillance purposes. In a related development, a lawsuit filed by Apple against NSO Group, an Israeli firm associated with the Pegasus malware, advanced in favor of Apple, with a US judge denying NSO’s request to dismiss the case in preference of an Israeli trial. Apple’s complaint alleges violations of the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California’s Unfair Competition Law. NSO has until February 14th to respond to the complaint, and a case management hearing is scheduled for April. Apple has stated its commitment to protecting users from spyware developers.


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Last weekend, the Retail + Leisure team worked with Westfield to launch its latest summer activation, Future Forest, a multi-sensory installation by Bompas & Parr. The team have been busy organising media presence at and press coverage for the Future Forest, which is a nature-inspired free event, themed around urban reforestation, with activities available for all ages.
Until August 3rd, an immersive Fruit Cloud, a Forest Zorb Lagoon and a Forest Village exhibition (showcasing plants that create electricity, the magic of spider silk, and a historic tree circus alongside artefacts and artworks) will be at Westfield Stratford City for families to enjoy. Visitors to the Fruit Cloud are offered a raincoat before entering into Bompas & Parr’s fruity mist technology; enhanced with apple, blackberry or peach fruity flavours. As well as gulping the edible fog, visitors will be able to capture those all-important social-sharing opportunities.
The team is already prepping for the second phase of Future Forest, which will be at Westfield London later in the summer.
Last week the FPS team launched a campaign for Royal London, which focused on the financial costs of a critical illness. The story centred on research which found that worryingly more than half of the population in the UK who have suffered a critical illness faced a shortfall in their income. The story was covered nationally by The Mirror and BBC Radio Scotland, as well as appearing in trade publications such as FT Adviser and Professional Adviser.
To showcase the new VR headset offering and to further position Hurtigruten as an adventure travel brand, H+K hosted a VR Experience event at our London office for travel media and influencers. Guests were encouraged to trial the new headsets in a quiet room with rotating chairs to get the full VR experience. H+K was joined by Hurtigruten representatives who were on hand throughout the evening to answer questions about the VR Headsets as well as offer press further insight into the Hurtigruten brand.
To celebrate the recent opening of Holiday Inn Express Alexanderplatz and position the brand as the go to hotel for short breaks, H+K hosted UK travel and lifestyle media for a 48 Hours in Berlin press trip during one of the most fashionable times of the year – Berlin Fashion Week. The itineraries created were tailored to incorporate Berlin’s most iconic cultural sites, fashion events and dining experiences.


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Good morning. Deutsche Bank AG will not go gently into that goodnight. The U.S. Justice Department proposed that Deutsche Bank pay $14 billion to settle a set of high-profile mortgage-securities probes stemming from the financial crisis, according to people familiar with the matter, a number that would rank among the largest payments by banks to resolve similar claims and is well above what investors have been expecting. The figure is described by people close to the negotiations between Deutsche Bank and the government as preliminary, and they said it came up in discussions between the bank and government lawyers in recent days.
For its part, Deutsche Bank says it “has no intent to settle these potential civil claims anywhere near the number cited.” It said the outcome should reflect those that have settled before and expects a settlement at “materially lower amounts.” Privately, Deutsche Bank lawyers have suggested that the bank views between $2 billion and $3 billion as a reasonable cost to close out the Justice Department’s mortgage-related probe quickly, according to people familiar with internal bank discussions and signals communicated to investors.
CFO JOURNAL TODAY
Hinkley Point deal make or break for EDF. The British government’s decision to proceed with the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant could either bolster or wreck Électricité de France SA, or EDF, the French energy giant, according to financial analysts, Nina Trentmann reports. “If this project is delivered on time and on budget, it could provide a lot of returns to shareholders,” said Ahmed Farman, an analyst at Jefferies in London. “If not, it could destroy value and put pressure on an already indebted company.”
THE DAY AHEAD
Bratislava: EU leaders search for way out of ‘existential crisis.’Shaken by Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, the leaders of its other 27 countries meet on Friday to try to inject new momentum into their ailing communal project amid deep-seated divisions over migration and economic policy, Reuters reports. The Brexit vote in June ended more than half a century of EU enlargement and closer integration.
Exxon gets New York accounting probe. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is investigating why Exxon Mobil Corp. hasn’t written down the value of its assets, two years into a pronounced crash in oil prices. Mr. Schneiderman’s office, which has been probing Exxon’s past knowledge of the impact of climate change and how it could affect its future business, is also examining the company’s accounting practices, according to people familiar with the matter.
Blackrock, Hesse to sue VW over emissions scandal. Asset manager BlackRock Inc. and a group of institutional shareholders are to sue car maker Volkswagen AG for €2 billion over its emissions scandal. Investors are expected to file a complaint in a court in Braunschweig, Germany, on Friday. They are to claim that VW failed to disclose its use of software defeat devices on diesel cars in a timely way, the BBC reports. According to Reuters, the German state of Hessewill also sue Volkswagen for damages caused by its emissions-test cheating scandal.
Fans cheer, but Asia gives iPhone 7 subdued welcome. Apple Inc. fans from Sydney to Shanghai, the first customers world-wide to snap the new iPhone 7 off the shelves, cheered as they left stores on Friday brandishing their purchases. But underneath the usual fanfare, the crowds of enthusiasts and overnight campers were smaller than in past years, according to Reuters. Customers who haven’t preordered the larger iPhone 7 Plus models will be unable to buy them in Apple stores Friday, the company said earlier this week.
GE wins $1.9 billion order from U.K.’s Hinkley Point nuclear plant.General Electric Co. said it will receive $1.9 billion for a contract to supply steam turbines, generators and other equipment to the Hinkley Point C project, the U.K.’s first new nuclear power plant in decades, Reuters reports. By approving the plant on Thursday, the U.K. government cleared the way for GE to begin building two 1,770-megawatt Arabelle steam turbines and generators capable of powering six million homes.
Fiat Chrysler recalls 1.9 million vehicles over air bag defect. Car maker Fiat Chrysler NV is recalling 1.9 million vehicles over an air bag defect that may be linked to three deaths and five injuries. The defect may stop air bags deploying and seat belts tightening in a head-on crash. Certain Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Lancia vehicles from 2010 to 2014 are being recalled.
Unilever is in talks to acquire Jessica Alba’s Honest Co. Unilever PLC is in talks to acquire Honest Co., the consumer-products retailer co-founded by actress Jessica Alba, according to people familiar with the matter. Unilever, maker of Dove soaps and Axe body sprays, is discussing a deal valued at over $1 billion but significantly less than the $1.7 billion valuation that was placed on Honest in a fundraising round last year.
Tesla Wins Massive Contract to Help Power the California Grid. Tesla Motors Inc. just won a bid to supply grid-scale power in Southern California to help prevent electricity shortages following the biggest natural-gas leak in U.S. history. The Powerpacks, worth tens of millions of dollars, will be operational in record time—by the end of this year, Bloomberg reports.
3-D printing start-up wins backing from GE, BMW and Nikon. Carbon, one of the best-financed 3-D-printing startups, has brought in GE, BMW AG and Nikon Corp. as strategic investors, reflecting a wider race by the 3-D-printing industry to move its technology into full manufacturing production, the FT reports. The San Francisco-based company said it had raised an extra $81 million, taking the total in its three-year life to $222 million.
IPO markets come back to life after Brexit. European equity investors are braced for a wave of fresh stock market listings as companies look to take advantage of a period of stability to raise money before the potential turmoil caused by the U.S. elections, the FT reports. A sudden flurry of deals could bring companies to the market with the value of tens of billions of pounds, testing the appetite among investors for new issuance of stock after a turbulent period following the decision by Britain to leave the EU.
U.S. regulators order recall of one million Samsung Note 7 phones. U.S. safety regulators have announced a formal recall of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 after reports of fires caused by faulty batteries, the BBC reports. According to Samsung Co., the problem affects 2.5 million devices globally, including one million in the U.S. The recall comes at a crucial time as rival Apple has just released its new iPhone 7 flagship model.
Apple Japan unit ordered to pay $118 million tax. An Apple iTunes unit in Japan was ordered to pay $118 million in tax by local authorities after underreporting income, Reuters reports. The Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau determined that the unit, which sends part of its profits earned from fees paid by Japan subscribers to another Apple unit in Ireland to pay for software licensing, hadn’t been paying a withholding tax on those earnings in Japan, according to broadcaster NHK.
Oracle’s head in the clouds. Oracle Corp.’s cloud-computing business posted another strong sales gain, but the quarterly growth was offset by steep declines in its conventional software-licensing business. Oracle’s revenue edged up 2% to $8.6 billion in the fiscal first quarter, missing expectations. Shares slid about 2% in after-hours trading.
U.S. bankers: ‘Brexit impact global.’ U.S. bankers have written to Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew asking him to push for transparent Brexit negotiations in the interests of market stability, according to the BBC. Highlighting Britain’s role in the global financial system, they warn Brexit could affect jobs in the financial industry and beyond. The U.K.’s June 23 vote to leave the EU caused global uncertainty over the fallout of the separation.
Ministers from 12 EU states back divisive U.S. trade deal. Ministers from 12 EU countries have written to the bloc’s trade chief to back a planned trade accord with the U.S., declaring clear support for negotiations that have divided opinion on both sides of the Atlantic, Reuters reports. Brussels and Washington have officially committed to sealing the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, before U.S. President Barack Obama leaves office in January.
Horizonte Minerals PLC, a Brazilian nickel miner, said Friday it has appointed Simon Retter as chief financial officer with immediate effect to replace Jeffrey Karoly, who is stepping down to pursue new opportunities. Compensation details weren’t immediately disclosed.
Vattenfall AB, a Swedish energy company, has appointed Stefan Dohler as chief financial officer as of Dec. 1. Mr. Dohler is currently senior vice president for the business-area markets and a member of Vattenfall’s group executive management team. He will succeed Ingrid Bonde, who has decided to leave Vattenfall. Compensation details weren’t immediately disclosed.
Medibank Private Ltd., an Australian health-care company, said CFO Paul Koppelman will leave the company in a sweeping management restructuring announced by new Chief Executive Craig Drummond. Medibank will conduct an external search for its next CFO. Tom Exton, its controller, will serve as interim CFO.
THE WEEKEND READER
Too big to succeed. Disruption may be the buzzword in boardrooms, but the most striking feature of business today isn’t the overturning of the established order, the Economist writes. It is the entrenchment of a group of superstar companies at the heart of the global economy.
Can’t get there from here? Electric vehicles have enough range, except when they don’t. Surveys show many would-be electric-vehicle customers won’t buy them because they are afraid of running out of juice on the road, Vox reports, even when that feeling makes “little objective sense.” The range can cover 87% of the daily trips we make.
Creativity makes the world go round. The No. 1 attribute CEOs look for in their incoming workforce, according to an International Business Machines Corp. survey, isn’t discipline, integrity, intelligence or emotional intelligence. It’s creativity. After all, every company wants to be at the forefront of its industry and on the cutting edge of innovation. And for that, you need highly creative employees.
The Morning Ledger from CFO Journal cues up the most important news in corporate finance every weekday morning. Send us tips, suggestions and complaints: firstname.lastname@example.org. Get the free Morning Ledger emailed to you each weekday morning by clickinghere, or at:http://on.wsj.com/TheMorningLedgerSignup
-Nina Trentmann contributed to this post.


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The President on Sunday inaugurated nine new gentry’ cranes at the Tema Port; an investment of nearly US$50million aimed at improving the efficiency of this terminal.
A post on his Facebook page described the Public-Private Partnership between Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority and Meridian Port Services as “one of the finest models of PPP that we have in our country.”
According to the President, the same PPP will be used to ensure that expansion work will soon begin at the Tema Port.
“It is estimated to cost between US$600 million and US$ 1 billion and, when achieved, it will make Tema the biggest and most efficient port not only in West Africa but probably in the whole of Africa,” the statement said.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana


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The company’s ‘new home on Android’ will put “Facebook first”, sources told the Wall Street Journal. It is widely expected to centre around a new Facebook homescreen that will turn the social network's Android app into a core smartphone component.
Software leaked to Android Police appears to show that while HTC is expected to unveil a mid-range ‘Facebook phone’ on Thursday night in California, the new features will also be available to Samsung phones as well as to those running standard Android. With Samsung increasingly dominant among Android manufacturers, such an approach would give Facebook access to a far greater market than if it simply limited its new services to a single device.
Software leaked to Android Police suggests that Facebook Home will be available on a range of Android devices (Credit: Android Police)
Central to the ‘new home’ will be a homescreen that is expected to prioritise Facebook services, including the social network’s messenger and camera apps, as well as updates from friends.
The world’s largest social network has been attempting to improve its performance on smaller screens, which now make up 23 per cent of its revenues.
Analysts have expressed continued concerns, however, that more users are migrating to mobile phones in particular, and that Facebook will struggle to make money from those people.
Although Facebook has worked with HTC before, on the ChaCha phone, it has not previously met with enormous success. The new device will reportedly feature a dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM with a 4.3-inch screen. This, combined with the fact it will run Android 4.1.2 "Jelly Bean" and HTC Sense 4.5, reinforces suggestions that Facebook does not see hardware as key for its success on mobile. It will also feature 5-megapixel rear camera and a 1.6-megapixel front camera.
On the earning calls for its most recent results, Zuckerberg said “We're not going to build a phone", but emphasised that it was easy to integrate with Android because of its open architecture.
Although Facebook has a deal with Microsoft to use the Bing search engine, Facebook Home also includes the option to use other search engines such as Google.
Writing on Seeking Alpha, Kyle Spencer applauded Facebook’s “better late than never” move.
“A vertically integrated, horizontally deployed Facebook ‘mini-ecosystem’ will move the needle on user engagement and therefore advertising revenues more effectively than if Facebook attempted to introduce it's own proprietary phone/OS into a crowded field against better funded competitors,” he said. “Tactically, it's a brilliant move.”


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News from The Business Journals
Jul 8, 2013, 12:09 pm EDT
Western & Southern Financial Group has started raising an investment fund that it hopes will give it another $150 million to help finance growing comp ...
May 20, 2013, 7:40 am EDT
Procter & Gamble Co., the largest spender on advertising in the United States, is taking a look at the bang its getting for its buck, AdAge reports.
Mar 26, 2013, 2:57 pm EDT
Cincinnati entrepreneurs have another capital source to tap when they’re looking to finance their growth.
Jan 4, 2013, 8:02 am EST
The Cleveland Indians this season will use software developed by Cincinnati-based ThinkVine to adjust the team's marketing spending based on how well ...
Jan 3, 2013, 12:05 pm EST
ThinkVine, a Blue Ash-based maker of marketing software, has landed the Cleveland Indians as a customer.
Nov 2, 2012, 6:00 am EDT
May 4, 2012, 6:00 am EDT
A Cincinnati-based technology investment firm has launched a $22.5 million fund that will lend to growing software companies.
May 2, 2012, 1:58 pm EDT
ThinkVine is opening two new offices in Chicago and Phoenix.
May 2, 2012, 12:08 pm EDT
A Cincinnati-based software company has opened an office in Gilbert.
Apr 20, 2012, 6:00 am EDT
The marketing optimization company ThinkVine had a banner year in 2011 and it is positioned for even more growth this year with a new CEO, new funding ...
Apr 18, 2012, 12:41 pm EDT
The Business Courier on Tuesday evening named five winners in its 2012 Cincinnati USA Innovation Awards.
Mar 7, 2012, 12:55 pm EST
The Business Courier Wednesday announced 13 finalists in the 2012 Cincinnati USA Innovation Awards.
Jan 17, 2012, 12:39 pm EST
Jeff Mills is the new senior vice president of sales and marketing for DotLoop, a fast-growing Cincinnati-based real estate technology company.
Jan 10, 2012, 2:19 pm EST
ThinkVine, a marketing optimization software company, has closed an $8 million investment round.
Oct 20, 2011, 2:59 pm EDT
Mark Battaglia is the new CEO at ThinkVine, a Cincinnati-based marketing software company.


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Report: NIKE Has Some of the Happiest Employees in the Country
This award recognizes the top companies from around the nation that are succeeding in building a happier culture and positive work environment for their employees. The top companies for 2018 were chosen by carefully analyzing thousands of independently submitted employee reviews posted on www.CareerBliss.com.
CareerBliss focuses on 10 factors that the CareerBliss workplace PhDs have determined are key to workplace happiness. The CareerBliss BlissScore includes factors such as company culture, leadership, overall work atmosphere, and one’s relationship with coworkers. In addition to the 10 CareerBliss factors, for the first time ever, CareerBliss added the CEO’s employee approval rating to their BlissScore.
Coming in at No. 1 is the real estate giant Keller Williams. Employees of Keller Williams gave CEO John Davis an impressive 100 percent approval rating. The real estate franchise has more than 173,000 associates in 900 locations. Following Keller Williams is the footwear and apparel leader Nike, with CEO Mark Parker achieving a 95 percent approval rating. Rounding out the top 10 of the CareerBliss Happiest Companies in America are companies in technology, oil, finance and bio-pharmaceutical.
CareerBliss 50 Happiest Companies in America 2018 – Top 10
|1||Keller Williams Realty||4.483||$50,000.00||100%|
|3||Total Quality Logistics||4.381||$69,142.00||97%|
|4||Adobe Systems Incorporated||4.321||$74,000.00||92%|
|9||PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.||4.236||$66,000.00||100%|
*BlissScore data derived from employee generated company reviews. BlissScore ranks on a scale of 1-5 and evaluates a combination of 10 key factors that impact overall workplace happiness as well as the CEO approval rating.
“Currently in entertainment, politics and business, we have seen a lot of negative news about abuse of power by people in leadership positions. At CareerBliss, we feel having a leader who is well respected by their employees is key to happiness and fulfillment in the workplace. So, we have added the CEO approval rating as an important component to our BlissScore,” says Heidi Golledge, CEO and chief happiness officer of CareerBliss.
“The companies and CEOs who have been voted the CareerBliss Happiest Companies for 2018 excel at building a positive and safe work environment. CareerBliss is proud to recognize these companies and their leaders who are leading the way in growing company cultures that thrive,” continues Golledge.
CareerBliss Adviser Bradley Brummel, PhD, and associate professor of psychology at The University of Tulsa, adds, “It is not necessarily a well-known tech company like Google or Amazon that provides the happiest work environment. Companies need to be able to meet employees’ needs across a variety of factors. We find that employees who have a good relationship with their manager and a positive perception of their CEO are more likely to remain happier at their job and stay with the company longer.”
What makes employees happy?
Good leadership is essential in building happy companies. In addition, many organizations on the CareerBliss 50 Happiest Companies in America list also excelled at providing a unique and positive work culture and building teams where employees have strong positive relationships with coworkers and customers.
“I have been with Keller Williams Realty since 2004, the start of my real estate career. Great training and company culture is fantastic. It’s a company that puts into you to help foster your success if you use the tools available,” says a real estate broker from Portland, Oregon.
“The passion for not only the products but service is what drives each person that is employed there,” states a Nike employee.
“I've worked for Nike Retail since 2010. I’ve found it to be a strong company with good ethical values and an emphasis on customer retention,” says another Nike retail employee.
How CareerBliss evaluates happiness at work
CareerBliss’ data evaluates the ten key factors that impact happiness at work including: one’s relationship with management and company CEO, compensation, workplace environment, growth opportunities, satisfaction with job role, and one’s overall workplace setting. The results are generated from CareerBliss.com review submissions and serve to provide insight into employers. All reviews are ranked on a scale of 1-5. Data for the CareerBliss Happiest Companies for 2017 considered reviews from more than 41,000 reviews.


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The government has been urged to take urgent action to improve facilities for lorry drivers in evidence given to a parliamentary committee.
Speaking at the Transport Select Committee’s inquiry into the road freight supply chain, Elizabeth de Jong, director of policy at business group Logistics UK, said: “The road freight supply chain is facing many challenges and opportunities, including the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers, a patchwork of local urban regulations, and the need to decarbonise operations efficiently.
“As I raised during the session today, the lack of available lorry parking facilities nationwide is a key contributor to the HGV driver shortage. Many commercial drivers are forced to take their rest periods in their vehicles at the side of the road or on industrial estates, with no access to hygiene facilities. This is preventing individuals – particularly women, who only make up 2% of HGV drivers – from remaining in or wanting to join the workforce.
“Logistics UK is urging the government to take immediate action to help enable improved facilities for drivers. Without this, businesses will continue to struggle to recruit the workforce they need.
“Logistics UK is also pressing government to address the EU’s proposed Entry Exit System (EES), which would see the introduction of new customs checks at the borders of Dover and Folkestone. These new rules could cause delays to supply chain operations at borders, while compromising the safety of drivers, as they would be required to exit their vehicles to undertake the checks.”


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Nissan has released a rather uninformative teaser image for the updated GT-R that will make its official debut during the upcoming New York Auto Show.
The 2016 New York Auto Show is quickly approaching and several manufacturers have already shared information about premieres that will take place during the event. Nissan is joining them, releasing a “special” teaser image, depicting the rear end of a GT-R.
While we are not entirely sure what the Japanese company is preparing, most likely we are dealing with a light facelift for the model. The 2017 model year is expected to bring minor visual changes, while the interior will get the latest version of Nissan’s infotainment system.
Some reports say the 2017 GT-R will also get improvements for its powertrain, which means we can expect a slight power boost. We’re taking those rumors with a grain of salt, as the 3.8-liter biturbo V6 engine of the Godzilla is already close to its maximum potential at factory 545 horsepower (401 kilowatts) and 460 pound-feet (623 newton meters) of torque.
The New York Auto Show starts next week, so it won’t take long until we have all the official information about the refreshed GT-R.


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Published 3 years ago.
About a 7 minute read.
It would be easy to view BrewDog as little more than stunt-based marketing experts. But the company has been busy making sure to leave a more impactful dent on our culture, putting the all-important issue of climate change front and
Anybody that has read James Watt’s 2015 book, Business for
already have a grip on his craft beer company,
“Don’t waste your time on bullsh*t business plans. Forget sales. Ignore advice.
Put everything on the line for what you believe in,” says the company’s
Channelling the punk spirit of Malcolm McLaren and Johnny Ramone, Watt
tells the story of how his company came into being. “We tore up the rule book
and did things on our own terms.”
Since the business — now the world's largest craft brewer — was founded by Watt
and Martin Dickie in 2007, such punk attitude has largely manifested in the
way the business has marketed its range of ales and lagers.
Join us as representatives from BarkleyOKRP lead a thought-provoking discussion with two brands that care deeply about their workers' rights and wellbeing, Tony's Chocolonely and Driscoll's, about how to successfully involve consumers in social-justice issues with authentic storytelling that defies online algorithms — Friday, May 10, at Brand-Led Culture Change.
For example: As the UK saw its first wave of
Coronavirus in March
the country reeled in a political scandal that saw the Prime Minister Boris
Johnson’s special adviser, Dominic Cummings, break the lockdown
After contracting COVID-19, rather than self-isolate in London, he drove 270
miles north to stay with family. A few days later, while in recovery, he took a
day trip to nearby Barnard Castle in Durham. Asked why he did so, he
said he was merely testing his eyesight — as he was worried the virus might have
affected his vision. Johnson and the Government rallied around Cummings. Rather
than sack him, they protected his job and position at the heart of government.
BrewDog responded to the controversy in its trademark, cheeky way: It launched a
limited-edition Barnard Castle Eye
IPA, billed as “short-sighted beer for tall stories,”which went down a storm
with customers furious at the Government’s hypocrisy. “Rip up those stuffy old
textbooks, reject the status quo, tear down the establishment and embrace the
dawn of a new era,” as Watts writes in his book.
It’s certainly a strategy that is helping to grow the company. As well as making
beer, the company also operates roughly 80 bars worldwide — including its first
alcohol-free bar in
which opened in January 2020. In 2019, its Punk
was the best-selling craft beer in the crowded UK market.
It would be easy to view BrewDog as little more than stunt-based marketing
experts. But clever, rule-breaking communications will only get you so far. The
company has been busy making sure to leave a bigger, more impactful dent on our
culture, putting the all-important issue of climate change front and centre.
In July, the business launched its sustainability programme, known as BrewDog
Tomorrow. There is a clear mission: to
make the company the most sustainable drinks brand on the planet.
Today, all of the company’s UK electricity comes from wind power; and it has
plans to do the same across the world. All of its spent grain, the biggest
by-product of brewing, is being turned into biogas; and it is working with local
partners to turn used malted barley into gas, vehicle fuel and organic
There are also big investments being made in fully electric delivery trucks.
Meanwhile, the focus on local brewing — in Scotland (where everything
started), the US, Australia and Germany — is reducing the distance
beer has to travel.
In August, the brewer announced it had reached carbon-negative
making it the first carbon-negative international beer business.
While plenty has already been achieved, there is a recognition of a need to go
further and faster.
“We thought we were doing our part for the planet as a business, but after our
co-founders heard Mike
Berners-Lee speak on the
subject, we started doing more research into the matter,” Jason Block, CEO
of BrewDog USA, told Sustainable Brands™. The business looked at the totality
of its carbon footprint — “it was clear we were part of the problem.”
“Even with the measures we had already taken, we needed to do more to positively
impact the planet and climate crisis. We’re running out of time and need swift,
meaningful action to reverse course. We couldn’t let COVID-19 delay us.”
Image credit: Brewdog/Facebook
In the latest chapter of BrewDog’s sustainability story, it has become the first
employer in the world to ensure that all of its staff are carbon negative, too.
The planet-saving employee perk allows staff to calculate their personal carbon
footprint using a mobile app called Pawprint. They
input information such as how they get their electricity at home, their travel
habit, and what food they consume. Once the calculations have been done for all
2,000 employees, BrewDog will then remove twice as much carbon from the air each
year as each staff member is responsible for.
It promises to double offset employees’ carbon footprints immediately with the
help of the current carbon removal projects it is funding; and eventually, with
— a 2,050-acre site in Scotland where the brewer will plant trees as a means to
remove carbon from the air.
“We expect most of our employees to take part in this. It’s not a requirement,
but the only way we can offset our team members’ carbon is if they use the app,”
says Block, confident that BrewDog staff will be up for the challenge.
“Sustainability is part of our culture; so while we don’t recruit for it
directly, it is inherent in our process.”
The global craft beer market is set to continue to grow, by US$47.8 billion
between now and 2024, at an annual growth rate of 13 percent. BrewDog’s focus
and investment in sustainability is clearly important to growing its share of a
crowded and competitive market.
“Every decision we make moving forward will be with sustainability in
mind. We’re making sure we have a planet to brew on,” Block adds. Right now, the
business is prioritising carbon reduction in its own operations. While it’s
“crucial to think about a business’ end-to-end carbon usage,” there is still “no
shortage of opportunities” in finding efficiencies in-house.
“Being scrappy and tenacious is part of our DNA. We look for the most efficient
ways to reach our sustainability targets, but there is no doubt it’s added
expense. We’re committed to making large investments, but we have to be able to
do that while remaining profitable for our shareholders.”
It is a big 24 months ahead for the business. In that time, its Ellon
brewery in Scotland will become completely carbon neutral and zero waste. And a planning
application to build an anaerobic digestor has been made to turn wastewater into
clean water, green gas, organic fertilizer and food-grade CO~2~.
And the company is also working with Berners Lee and the design team at Made
Thought to create a new blueprint for what a
sustainable bar of the future might look like — something it can implement
across its network of bars globally.
Some of this work will be paid for via the company’s Equity for Punks
initiative, a unique way to get customers excited about sustainability while
taking a stake in the business. Today, BrewDog has over 150,000 shareholders
across the world.
“We have received extremely positive feedback on our sustainability
initiatives,” Block says. “Yes, there are certainly some who aren’t as
interested — but they’re in the minority.
“Regardless of who’s behind it, we’re confident it’s the right thing for the
future of the planet and our business.”
Published Oct 22, 2020 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST
Tom is founder of storytelling strategy firm Narrative Matters — which helps organizations develop content that truly engages audiences around issues of global social, environmental and economic importance. He also provides strategic editorial insight and support to help organisations – from large corporates, to NGOs – build content strategies that focus on editorial that is accessible, shareable, intelligent and conversation-driving.


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Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency alternate by commerce quantity, is reportedly beneath investigation by america Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee relating to doable trades made by U.S.-based prospects.
Binance Holdings Ltd is being investigated by the watchdog regarding doable derivatives trades made by American prospects, Bloomberg reported on Friday, after being tipped off by an nameless supply.
The alternate has not but been accused of any wrongdoing, nevertheless, regulators are actually reportedly looking for to find out whether or not cryptocurrency derivatives have been purchased and offered by U.S residents on the Binance platform.
A Binance spokesperson advised Cointelegraph, “We don’t remark, as a matter of coverage, on communications with any regulators. What we are able to say is that we take a collaborative method in working with regulators world wide and we take our compliance obligations very significantly.”
Cryptocurrency derivatives buying and selling shot to new heights all through the start of 2021, with Binance itself performing because the venue for $59 billion’s value by the point of publication — greater than twice the sum of its nearest competitor, Huobi World.
Just lately, Singapore-based crypto derivatives alternate Bybit was pressured to close down its operations in the UK within the wake of the Monetary Conduct Authority’s ban on retail derivatives buying and selling.
Binance reportedly blocks customers from U.S. IP addresses from getting into the positioning, nevertheless a controversial Forbes article from October 2020 claimed that founder and CEO, Changpeng Zhao, commonly inspired customers to make use of a VPN.


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An Arnold Palmer (or, if you’re from Baltimore, a half-and-half) is one of the best drinks you can have, in just about any situation. It’s half lemonade and half iced tea, and it will make an oppressive summer afternoon a tiny bit breezier. And now it will apparently come with “exclusive content” from Jay Z, because god knows that’s what the drink was missing. Jay is now selling the 40/40, an “Arnold Palmer-like drink,” named after Jay’s nightclub chain. The drink goes for $1.99 a bottle, and you probably won’t be shocked to learn that it’s part of some grand new corporate-branding masterplan.
The longtime music executive Kevin Liles is behind the beverage line Go ‘N Syde, which is marketing both Jay’s 40/40 and Mariah Carey’s new pink lemonade concoction Butterfly. (Liles is also the guy who says D’Angelo will definitely have an album out this year.) Talking to Billboard, Liles has laid out the whole strategy of these drinks, which shows just how desperate music-business people are to find new revenue streams in an era when nobody buys music. The idea of these drinks — and the reason they’re selling for twice what they probably should be selling — is the idea that you can use your phone to scan a code on them and get closer to these big superstar types. The Go ‘N Syde people have built a whole greenscreen studio just to make this stuff happen.
Here’s what he says those bottles of 40/40 will offer:
If you think about 40/40, you think about sports, you think about great events, you think about having fun, you think about, “Hey, when Jay’s going on tour with Beyonce, how do I get VIP access?” We have video, galleries, contesting, all sorts of things. Some of the content up there now is just stuff that happened at the club, and we’re in the process of uploading video from Jay. They’re committed to releasing exclusive things: sometimes you might have a world premiere, go to a 40/40 bottle and check out this new song from Jay-Z. Mariah, too. I’m working with all the partners to come up with experiences that are unparalleled on any other network.
“I sold kilos of coke, so I’m guessing I can sell an Arnold Palmer-like drink with exclusive downloadable VIP video access.” — Jay Z.
40/40 and Butterfly are already available in a few locations and selling about 1,000 bottles a week. They’ll soon expand into 7,500 Walgreens and Duane Reade stores nationwide. Meanwhile, those tall cans of Arizona Arnold Palmer go for 99 cents, and you don’t have to deal with the idea of behind-the-scenes photo galleries when you buy them.


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LG has officially announced their lineup of Google TV-integrated smart TVs, the LMG860 and LMG620. The new HDTV sets actually employ both Google’s Android-based internet TV solution and LG’s own Smart TV setup, a combination that should allow for plenty of access to content and entertainment. While they don’t match LG’s other new TV offerings in terms of style, they do feature the latest passive-3D technology.
It’s a good sign that more manufacturers are putting faith in Google TV, even if LG wasn’t content to base their new Smart TVs entirely on the platform alone. It doesn’t come with Android 3.0 inside, but LG’s super-thin OLED HDTV stole the show.


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Although the earliest it could reach voters is Nov. 8, most Augusta Commission members already are receptive to putting the question of Sunday retail alcohol sales before them.
"Absolutely; I think it's each individual's right to be able to decide," Mayor Pro Tem Joe Bowles said.
Senate Bill 10, approved by the Georgia House and Senate, awaits Gov. Nathan Deal's signature for local governments to place the question on a ballot for voters.
In Augusta, the question will be whether retailers may sell beer, wine and distilled spirits on Sundays between 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
"Put it before the voters, and let them decide," District 4 Commissioner Joe Jackson said.
Commissioners Jerry Brigham, Matt Aitken, Corey Johnson and Grady Smith also said they would vote to put the question on a ballot.
"There will be varied opinions about it, but we're all grown people and each should make his own decision about what's right or wrong," Smith said. "Let's do what the majority wants to do. That's how this country was set up." Said Johnson: "I'm not lobbying for it, but it's just an opportunity to deal with some of the deficits, especially at the state level."
Said Aitken: "When you look at the deficits that we and other communities face, this may be a way to fund them."
Not every commissioner reached said he had made up his mind. Super District 9 Commissioner J.R. Hatney, who routinely abstains from voting on alcohol license applications, said, "From my perspective, grocery stores shouldn't be allowed to sell alcohol, because children go in there."
Still, asked whether Augusta voters should choose whether retailers may sell alcohol on Sundays, Hatney said, "With things of that magnitude, voters should be given the opportunity to decide."
District 8 Commissioner Wayne Guilfoyle said he had not reached a decision.
If the measure passes in Augusta, at least 400 businesses would have the option to be open and sell alcohol. Licensing and Inspections Director Rob Sherman said 200 retailers now hold licenses to sell package beer, 169 to sell wine and 34 to sell liquor.
The only place to purchase an alcoholic beverage on Sundays in Augusta is in a restaurant, and 102 restaurants hold the $1,210 Sunday sales license, he said.
Consumers may drive to Aiken, which holds a special South Carolina permit allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell alcohol on Sunday.
Despite the potential for added sales, some Augusta retailers aren't thrilled with the prospect of being open.
"To me, Sunday is like a family day," said Phillip Song, the owner of Superstar Wine & Spirits on Deans Bridge Road. "I'd like to keep it that way."
Still, if neighboring package stores remain open, Song said, he would be forced to do the same. He and the approximately 16 members of the Augusta-based Korean Liquor Association will take up the issue at their next meeting.
During 2011, which is not an election year, Richmond County can't schedule an election on a standalone ballot question until Nov. 8, said Travis Doss, the Board of Elections' assistant director.
After Nov. 8, the next opportunity will be during the Presidential Preference Primary in February or March, Doss said.
The cost to taxpayers to open Augusta-Richmond County's 52 polling places is at least $80,000, Elections Director Lynn Bailey said.
"I don't think we should spend $80,000 to have an alcohol sales referendum," said Brigham, who suggested placing the vote with next year's presidential primary.


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While the EU is discussing and protesting Ukrainian grain, Ukraine has devised a way to increase its Black Sea exports.
The Minister of Agriculture of Spain, Luis Planas Puchades, said that any EU member state’s unilateral ban on importing Ukrainian grain is illegal. The European Commission must determine whether Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary have violated EU law.
French Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau criticized the embargo, saying it calls into question European solidarity.
Moreover, Bulgarian farmers began blocking roads due to the authorities’ refusal to ban grain imports from Ukraine. They demand a ban on imports of not only the previous four products but also milk, meat, and honey.
Romania, in turn, is asking to extend the ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products for 30 days.
In the meantime, Ukrainian Danube Shipping asked the Romanian port of Constanta for permission to create a raid transshipment for Ukrainian grain, which will increase exports by 500,000 tons per month.


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1. Push for local mobile manufacturing
The Budget 2020 gives a push for ‘Make in India’ manufacturing. The scheme will boost the production of electronic equipment, semiconductors, and crucial components for assembling consumer driven gadgets. Companies like Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo are already producing smartphones locally in India.
Other smartphone players could follow the suit to surpass heavy tax duties imposed on importing electronic gadgets. The Finance Minister wants to create local employment with this local manufacturing approach. This will also boost R&D and technology development in India.
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The Finance Minister had special mention for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies. Her speech included a proposal to use AI in various existing and future projects as the proposed national policy for statistics and Ayushman Bharat Scheme. All the governments across the world are laying emphasis on the use of AI.
The 5G connectivity is the key aspect of Budget 2020. The government wants to take steps to aid Telecom operators. The 5G spectrum will be crucial for India as we aim to compete with China and join other early adopters of 5G. Making India the manufacturing hub will also help in creating opportunities for International brands to conduct R&D efforts in India.
Union Budget 2020 has provisions to offer tax reliefs to entrepreneurs. The Edu-tech startups will get tax benefits to promote digital education. Tax deduction period for startups will get increased from 7 to 15 years. They might even receive an extension to carry forward their losses.
5. Quantum Computing
The Budget has thrust on the Technology sector applauding various announcements including the Rs 8,000 crore mission on Quantum Computing. The research topic has no commercial applications yet. This boost for Quantum Computing will make an impact on the market growth and India's global position in the field.


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EMV isn’t the only innovation coming soon to a pump near you.
The financial software company FIS, which says it has been in the loyalty space for over twenty years, has just launched another such program, starting with gasoline sales. Customers in the program, which is currently offered at participating BP gas stations, will be able to literally watch themselves save money in real-time through their rewards points.
The program is currently rolling out nationwide following the BP pilot in which customers saw instant savings of up to $0.50 per 20 gallons of gas. It will soon be available for every one of FIS’s loyalty clients.
“With every customer we tested [the gas pump program] with, there wasn’t one who didn’t smile when they saw the number go down,” says Bob Legters, senior vice president of product for FIS; referring to the moment when customers would swipe their cards to pay for gas—and get a delightful little surprise when they received a notification, right there, that they could immediately redeem points to pay for gas.
No fuss, no two-factor authentication; all the customer has to do is essentially say, ‘Yes, I’d like to pay less money, please.’ According to Legters, this “Premium Payback” program has quickly become one of the top redeeming products—small wonder.
It is available across about 9,000 BP stations in the country, and available to be integrated and used at any point of sale for merchants to reward participating customers—coffee shops, retailers, or other businesses.
“With loyalty programs, you’re always looking for the triple win,” says Legters. “You want the customer to have value, the financial institution to save, and the merchant to have value as well.”
As previously mentioned, loyalty programs are somewhat of a specialty for FIS; the company currently operates about 6,800 of them nationwide. Gas, according to Legters, was one of the main areas that customers consistently assigned a higher value to a lower price (that and pet food, oddly, Legters said).
There are currently around 9 million end-users participating in the program.
To learn more about payments, join us in Tel Aviv for Bank Innovation Israel this November 1-3. Register here.1 - Reader Likes This Post


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After an internal review of previously announced production plans and potential hurdles to secure new funding, executives with Electric Last Mile Solutions say filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy is its best option.
The company, which has a major presence in Mishawaka, had been reviewing its products and commercialization plans as well as focusing its workforce on production. Its review also included the feasibility of meeting previously announced production targets.
The bankruptcy filing follows a leadership restructuring in February. Shauna McIntyre, an auto industry veteran, was appointed interim CEO and president.
McIntyre said bankruptcy appeared to be the best option after company leadership determined there were too many hurdles facing the business moving forward.
“I'm very disappointed by this outcome because our ELMS team demonstrated incredible determination to get our electric vans ready to meet the critical need for clean, connected vehicles that reduce carbon emissions from ground transportation,” McIntyre said. “Unfortunately, there were too many obstacles for us to overcome in the short amount of time available to us.”
She said the electric vehicle technology used by ELMS remains viable.
“This is a viable and essential technology, and I am confident that many of our talented employees will play a future role in this energy transition effort,” McIntyre said.
McIntyre replaced James Taylor, CEO and president. Jason Luo, the company’s board chair at that time, also resigned. Their resignations came after an independent committee investigation uncovered potential securities law violations.
The board determined through its investigation, it had to withdraw financial guidance and declare the company's past financial statements unreliable. The results of the investigation, along with a pending SEC investigation, made it extremely challenging to secure a new auditor and attract additional funding, the company said.
The company said it continued to seek new funding, while working with advisors to assess and improve its liquidity position. But the board determined after consulting with outside advisors, that it was in the best interest of the company, its shareholders, creditors, and other interested parties to file for bankruptcy.
Brian Krzanich, company board chair and former CEO of Intel, said for the past few months, the ELMS board worked to address financial, governance and operational issues.
“(Enormous) progress was made, including towards vehicle certification,” he said. “Therefore, it's extremely frustrating that we must take this route, but it was the only responsible next step for our shareholders, partners, creditors, and employees.”
Electric Last Mile Solutions is headquartered in Troy, Michigan. It has a manufacturing site in Mishawaka and additional locations in San Francisco and Shanghai, China.


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Local retailer sponsoring event highlighting U.S.-made products
An “all-American” pop-up market is headed to Boston’s South End this month.
Thirty-plus vendors will sell made-in-the-USA clothing, footwear and accessories at the Oct. 20-21 “American Field” event at the old power station building at 540 Harrison Ave.
Ball and Buck, a Boston retailer of U.S.-made men’s fashions, is hosting the free event.
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[THE INVESTOR] Choi Gee-sung, former vice chairman and No. 2 man of Samsung Group, said at a trial on Aug. 2 that he, not Samsung heir and Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, approved the support programs for Chung Yoo-ra, a former equestrian athlete and the daughter of the now-impeached President Park Geun-hye’s long-time confidante Choi Soon-sil.
“I was concerned about potential risks of the support schemes, but decided (to support Chung) since I did not expect it to develop into a bribery case,” said Choi, who was Lee’s mentor, at a hearing held in Seoul.
“I did not report (about Chung) to Lee, thinking that having worked at Samsung for more than 40 years I would take responsibility and step down from my post if problems occur.”
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong (left) and Choi Ji-sung
Although Lee has become the face of the conglomerate on behalf of his father who has been hospitalized due to a heart attack since 2014, Choi said, he himself was in charge of making financial decisions for the business group.
The conglomerate is accused of running the support schemes to help the athletic career of Chung as part of its lobbying efforts to achieve a smooth power transition from the bedridden Samsung chairman to his only son. In addition, the company allegedly offered 43 billion won (US$38.20 million) to businesses and organizations run by former President Park’s confidante Choi.
Former Samsung Vice Chairman Choi said he was not initially aware of the hidden intention of Park’s request to prepare support programs for equestrian athletes, but was later tipped off by his aide and former Samsung President Park Sang-jin.
The former Samsung president is also facing trial for his alleged involvement in the influence-peddling scandal involving ex-President Park.
By Kim Young-won (email@example.com)


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December 15, 2011 BY Brendan Dunne
The ‘Pit Crew’ Air Jordan III’s may have caused a bigger when they popped up online, but don’t forget that University of Oregon athletes have a history of sick Air Jordan PE’s. They kicked the year off with this clean Air Jordan IX PE, which was actually issued to the football team for Media Day in advance of the BCS National Championship game. And while they did come up short there, it’s hard to argue that they don’t stay winning given the killer gear their Nike affiliation affords them. We’ve had a few looks at these already, but it’s always worth a look when another pair pops up online, as the opportunity to grab them really doesn’t come up very often. Hit the jump for the full pics and for the Ducks fans out there, keep your fingers crossed for a similar release come Rose Bowl time in January. As always, head on over to peep the auction from jingus3 on eBay.


text: On Wednesday during the Game Developers Conference in Taipei, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney revealed that the company’s iOS franchise Infinity Blade is more profitable than even its biggest console game. “The most profitable game we’ve ever made, in terms of man years invested versus revenue, is actually Infinity Blade,” Sweeney said. “It’s more profitable than Gears of War.” This of course relates to profit versus investment and not the total profit Epic has earned from Infinity Blade. The original game grossed more than $1.6 million in its first four days of availability, while the sequel made over $5 million in its first month on the App Store. The mobile franchise went on to surpass $30 million in revenue this past January.


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Deutsche Post’s third quarter operating profit declined 6.5 percent from a year ago as lower mail earnings outweighed an improved performance at its DHL express unit.
The German logistics giant earned 604 million euros ($767 million) before interest and tax in the three months through the end of September, compared with 646 million euros ($820 million) in the year-earlier period on revenue 5.7 percent higher at 13.8 billion euros ($17.5 billion).
The world’s biggest ocean and air freight forwarder reiterated its full year earnings target of between $3.3 billion and $3.4 billion.
The express division’s third quarter revenue grew 9 percent to $4.06 billion and operating earnings were 6.9 percent higher at $293 million.
Global freight forwarding revenue increased 5.6 percent to $5 billion on double-digit growth in ocean freight and stable air volumes, but earnings dipped 1.6 percent to $155 million because of start-up costs related to the introduction of new IT infrastructure.
The supply chain unit grew revenue 10 percent to $4.7 billion, and earnings climbed 9 percent to $138 million.


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A person exits a Bed Bath & Beyond store in New York City, June 29, 2022.
andrew kelly | Reuters
Bed Bath & Beyond Wednesday said that he has appointed interim Sue Gove to the position permanently.
Shares fell about 10% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the announcement. The stock has fallen about 63% so far this year as of Tuesday’s close. The company’s market cap now stands at about $425 million.
Gove, a company board member and longtime retail consultant, is stepping into the role at a pivotal time for the home goods retailer. Bed Bath is trying to reverse declining sales, win back customers and strengthen relationship with suppliers. It is also gearing up for the holiday season, a key quarter that could determine whether it can stabilize its finances.
Gove was named interim CEO this summer after the company’s board pushed out former CEO Mark Tritton. She is the founder of a retail consulting and advisory firm, Excelsior Advisors. Before she became a consultant, she had several financial and strategic roles, including President and Chief Executive Officer of Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc. and Chief Operating Officer of Zale Corporation, according to the biography on Bed Bath’s website.
One of the company’s key struggles is its tense relationships with its suppliers of products that stock its shelves. It had trouble getting hot brands and popular items during previous holiday seasons, such as KitchenAid stand mixers and Dyson vacuums. Without those items this holiday season, Bed Bath could have a hard time competing with rivals like Amazon, Target and Walmart.
Bed Bath is having its first supplier summit on Wednesday, which the company said will strengthen those relationships.
The retailer has another top vacancy to fill. It is searching for a new CFO after Gustavo Arnal died by suicide. Last month, it tapped its chief accounting officer, Laura Crossen, as interim finance chief.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.


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To repair or not to repair? That’s a big question when it comes to appliances and electronics. Consumer Reports surveyed more than 29,000 of its subscribers and has new information on what types of products break most often and how to decide whether to fix them or buy new.
Side-by-side refrigerators with icemakers are among the most problem-prone appliances, according to a Consumer Reports’ survey of its subscribers.
31 percent needed repairs by the time they were 4 years old.
Bottom freezer refrigerators with icemakers needed repairs almost as often — 28% of them.
Other products that tend to break within four years? Dishwashers: 20 percent, Self-propelled gas mowers 23 percent and lawn tractors 28 percent.
Consumer Reports did find some products are getting more reliable. LCD televisions now have a 7 percent repair rate, compared to 15 percent in 2010. Even laptops are improving. It’s 24 percent now. It was 36 percent in 2010.
So when is a repair worth it? Consumer Reports’ general advice is for newer appliances and electronics is to fix them rather than ditch them if the cost of the repair is less than half the cost of replacement.
More than half the people in Consumer Reports’ survey opted to not go for repairs.
Still if it makes sense to fix it, Consumer Reports says go with an independent shop. Those surveyed found independents better and cheaper than authorized repair centers.
Consumer Reports also says, don’t be afraid to haggle over the cost of the repairs. Those readers who asked for a lower price got it nearly 40% the time.


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There’s been a lot of talk regarding Apple’s CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) scanner. Now, the scanner is back in the news again, as it appears that hackers could be one step closer to tricking the CSAM scanner and creating false positives.
The Issue With Apple’s CSAM Scanner
A Reddit user did some reverse engineering to understand Apple’s NeuralHash algorithm for on-device CSAM detection. In doing so, they discovered a possible collision in the hash that could create false positives. A collision is a potential clash that occurs when two pieces of data have the same hash value, checksum, fingerprint, or cryptographic digest.
A coder named Cory Cornelius produced a collision in the algorithm, which means they found two images that create the same hash. This could be used to create false positives, which would flag images to Apple as containing child abuse even if they’re entirely innocuous.
While it certainly wouldn’t be easy, there’s the possibility that a hacker could generate an image that sets off the CSAM alerts even though it is not a CSAM image.
But there’s a difference between saying “yeah that’s almost certain to happen, in theory” and seeing it happen in real life. Apple went out of their way to keep the hash function secret — because they knew the risks.
— Matthew Green (@matthew_d_green) August 18, 2021
Apple does have layers designed to make sure the false positive doesn’t cause an issue. For example, when an image is flagged, it must be reviewed by an actual person before it is sent to law enforcement. Before it even gets to that point, the hacker would need to gain access to the NCMEC hash database, create 30 colliding images, and then get all of them onto the target’s phone.
That said, it’s just another issue that comes up with Apple’s CSAM scanner. There’s been tremendous opposition already, and the fact that coders were able to reverse engineer it already is very concerning. Instead of a collision taking months to pop up, one was discovered within hours of the code going public. That’s concerning.
Will Apple Do Anything?
Only time will tell how Apple addresses this situation. The company might backtrack on its plan to use the NeuralHash algorithm. At the very least, the company needs to address the situation, as confidence in Apple’s photo-scanning plan is already low.
- › Apple’s Controversial On-Device Child Abuse Scanner Delayed
- › How VPN Encryption Works
- › Get Ready for More File Explorer Changes in Windows 11
- › Your iPad Will Soon Work With USB Webcams and Cameras
- › Save Big on Our Favorite Wireless Mice, Laptop Cooling Pads, and More
- › Samsung Might Reveal New Folding Phones in July
- › Minecraft is Now Available for Your Chromebook


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Food & Drink
Blue Ribbon Sushi has signed on as the latest quick-casual concept to hit Hudson Eats, a collection of chef-driven eateries at the revamped Brookfield Place.
The 10-year lease covers a 950-square-foot shop that plays on the success of the acclaimed Blue Ribbon Sushi location off of Spring Street in SoHo, once again teaming Blue Ribbon’s Eric Read More
Restaurateur Peter Poulakakos has signed on to run the 30,000-square-foot marketplace at Brookfield’s World Financial Center, the New York Post reported yesterday.
Poulakakos is perhaps best known as operator of coffee chain Financier Patisserie but also oversees downtown restaurants Harry’s Café, Harry’s Steak, Adrienne’s Pizza Bar, Ulysses’ and Bayard’s.
“We met with everyone who has the expertise and desire to open a world class market in Manhattan and we were really blown away by Peter’s vision for marketplace,” Edward Hogan, Brookfield’s national director of retail leasing, told The Commercial Observer.
Brookfield Office Properties announced today that it has signed leases with eight fast casual restaurants at Brookfield Place (formerly World Financial Center) in the Financial District.
The on-trend restaurants are: Chop’t Creative Salad Company, Dig Inn Seasonal Market, Dos Toros, Little Muenster, Num Pang, Skinny Pizza, Sprinkles Cupcakes and Umami Burger. The locations will operate on a 600-seat dining terrace that is currently under construction at the complex, which is in the midst of a $250 million overhaul.
The Commercial Observer reported last summer that Brookfield was in negotiations with several retail tenants they’d hoped would fill a 200,000-square-foot portion of the four-building, eight-million-square-foot compound at the edge of Battery Park City. The dining terrace will go above a 24,000-square-foot marketplace reminiscent of Eataly.


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Hong Kong’s Filmart, Asia’s largest film and television content market, is going virtual.
The international film industry confab previously was postponed from its usual dates in March, as organizers sought to wait out the coronavirus pandemic in hopes of holding a full-scale physical event in August.
That plan was officially scrapped Thursday, however, when the Hong Kong Trade Development Council issued a statement saying the event would “migrate to a virtual platform.” The Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), an influential financing platform in the region, also announced Thursday that it will be switching to an all-online edition in August.
“We all recognize the importance of maintaining entertainment market business momentum, amid delayed productions, closed theaters and altered audience behavior,” the HKTDC said in a statement. “So, as the largest content trading platform in Asia, Filmart Online will continue.”
The virtual edition of Filmart will take place Aug. 26-Aug. 29, while HAF will be held online Aug. 26-28.
Organizers say the virtual events — similar to Cannes’ upcoming Virtual Marche — will provide online platforms for film companies to showcase, buy and sell new titles; securely stream new films and trailers; and join original “seminars, content showcases, business dialogues and events” arranged by the market.
HAF, meanwhile, plans to partner with Filmart to facilitate virtual meetings for its selected filmmakers. The platform previously shortlisted 32 projects for this year’s edition, including projects from 11 first-time directors. It will announce an additional 22 work-in-progress projects shortly.
Filmart organizers added: “We all recognize the importance of maintaining entertainment market business momentum amid delayed productions, closed theaters and altered audience behavior. So, as the largest content trading platform in Asia, Filmart Online will continue helping you to reinvigorate business.”
More details will be revealed in the weeks ahead, the HKTDC said.
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Specialty chemicals firm W.R. Grace & Co (GRA.N), which filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001, said on Monday it will settle all present and future asbestos-related personal injury claims, sending its shares up more than 10 percent.
The settlement includes $250 million in cash to be paid to a trust and deferred payments at $110 million per year for 5 years beginning in 2019, the company said in a statement.
It also includes a deferred payment of $100 million a year for 10 years beginning in 2024. The deferred payments would be backed by 50.1 percent of the company’s common stock.
The agreement contemplates the filing of a plan of reorganization and related documents with the bankruptcy court, the company said.
“A lot of work remains to be done before we can confirm a plan of reorganization, but I am optimistic we will be successful in reaching that goal by the end of this year or early in 2009,” Chief Executive Fred Festa said in a statement.
Shares of the company were up $2.60, or 10.5 percent at $27.45 in morning trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
Reporting by Euan Rocha; Additional reporting by Neetha Mahadevan in Bangalore, editing by Mark Porter


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In response to the organic waste surplus caused across the UK by the Covid-19 lockdown, the Association for Renewable Energy and Technology (REA) and the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) have launched a survey to identify suitable plants where the additional feedstock can be treated.
They note the coronavirus crisis has impacted several food and drinks organisations by forcing them to stop selling their products, creating large volumes of waste they now need to get rid of.
During the lockdown measures, for example, many dairy farmers have experienced disrupted milk collections and are unable to store all the milk they have been left with.
The newly announced initiative will prioritise recycling through anaerobic digestion (AD) over other types of disposal such as energy recovery, incineration and landfill.
Charlotte Morton, Chief Executive of ADBA, said: “This survey of anaerobic digestion’s spare capacity to treat various types of organic wastes shows how our industry can proactively play its part in supporting farmers and food and drinks producers with their surplus feedstock.
“Most importantly, it delivers a solution that not only tackles the current waste surplus crisis, but also, by recycling organic wastes into biogas for power, heat and transport as well as biofertilisers for agriculture, sustains the economy and establishes a building block towards a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.”


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LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Weakness from oil producers and mining companies pushed U.K. stocks to a modestly lower close Friday, even as the lower oil prices and a bullish call on retailers helped boost some sectors.
Miners such as BHP Billiton (BLT)
Light sweet crude futures reversed course on Friday, and were up 86 cents at $127.48 a barrel shortly after the U.K. market closed. But the price was still well below where it stood when U.K. markets closed Thursday. See futures movers.
Meanwhile, natural gas producer BG Group (BG) fell 2.2% after it sweetened its bid for Origin Energy (ORG) to A$13.62 billion ($13 billion) but the Australian firm rejected the offer. See full story.
Analysts have been pointing out the growing importance of energy and resource stocks to U.K. stock market performance.
On Friday, Darren Winder, U.K. equity strategist at brokerage firm Cazenove, noted that resource companies now make up 35% of the large cap FTSE 100 index, up from 19% in 2003.
"Year to date, the resources sector has added around 200 index points to the FTSE 100, helping to offset falls in all other sectors...currently profits in the resources sector are expected to increase by more than 30% in 2008, pulling overall earnings growth in the market up to an anticipated 6.8% in 2008," he said.
Excluding the resources sector, 2008 earnings are expected to fall by 2.7%, compared to 2007, he said
Overall, the commodity-heavy U.K. FTSE 100 index (UKX) ended down 0.2% at 6,053.50, with the region underperforming compared to moderate gains in the rest of Europe. See Europe Markets.
Crude's decline from Thursday's highs and the collapse of a business-class-only rival gave airline British Airways (BAY) a lift, with the shares ending up 8.1%.
Silverjet (SIL) stopped operations on Friday, a week after it had said it had yet to get a $5 million loan from a Middle East investment group. See full story.
Trading in Silverjet shares was halted on May 23.
Meanwhile, positive broker comments helped retailers.
Morgan Stanley strategists said that they are now more positive on U.K. retail stocks.
"In a big change of view, we believe that we are getting close to the trough for retailers' share price performance and recommend investors consider closing shorts and/or reducing underweight positions in the sector," they said.
"We think the risk/reward here looks better than it has for a long time....turning more positive on retailers may feel dangerous and uncomfortable, but stocks tend to trough at the point of maximum uncertainty," they added.
Shares in clothing chain Next (NXT) rose 1% and catalog retailer Home Retail (HOME) also advanced 2.4%.
Shares in electronics retailer DSG International (DSGI) jumped 3.1% after it was upped to overweight from equal-weight by Morgan Stanley, with analysts citing organic turnaround potential, the possibility that Best Buy
Still, these gains may be short lived. Companies attuned to the British consumer have had a rough ride recently amid growing signs of falling house prices and attendant worries about a recession.
Data didn't improve on Friday when confidence in the British economy plunged to its lowest level in more than 17 years in May according to a monthly survey conducted by consulting firm GfK NOP on behalf of the European Commission. See full story.
Outside the top index, shares in property firm Minerva (MNR) ended up 8.6%, having gained over 20% earlier in the session.
Shares in the firm made strong gains at the start of the month after a unit of sovereign wealth fund, Dubai World, said that it was mulling an offer for the developer.
Also, Capital & Regional (CAL) climbed 3.3% after it said that it has received commitments from Norwich Union Life and Pensions and CGNU Life Assurance to take up its entire 288 million pound ($569 million) open offer share issue.
PartyGaming (PRTY) shares shot up 10.1% on speculation that it's reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice.


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According to statistics, China has made 493,000 important scientific and technological achievements since 1981, of which nearly 20 percent have reached the advanced international levels. To speed up the transfer of scientific and technological achievements, and promote the development of high-tech industry, the Chinese government has implemented a series of policies. At present, over 80 percent of the nationís sci-tech force have been engaged in economic development work and the overwhelming majority of the scientific research institutes specializing in developing technology have gradually taken the road of independent development geared to market operations. In recent years, the business volume of the nationís technology market has increased at an annual rate of over 50 percent.
New and high technology development zones have developed fast. State-level development zones of this kind now number 53, and are home to more than 20,000 enterprises, with a total of well over 100 million employees. The output value per capita of most enterprises exceed 100,000 yuan. Among them, 1,252 have registered an annual production value of over 100 million yuan, 143 over one billion yuan and six over 10 billion yuan. Some 600 research achievements above the provincial/ministerial level have been put to use in production in those zones.
Non-governmental sci-tech enterprises have also made great progress. Some of them have become group corporations with an annual output value to the tune of several hundred million or anything up to several billion yuan. High-tech products now occupy more than 50 percent of the domestic market for such products.
Establishing export bases for new and high-technology products in selected state new and high technology industrial development zones is an important part of the plan for developing trade by means of science and technology worked out and implemented by the Chinese government. The Beijing Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park and 16 state new and high technology industrial development zones in Tianjin, Shanghai, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, Hubei, Guangdong, Shaanxi, Dalian, Xiamen, Qingdao and Shenzhen have been designated as the first group of export bases, thanks to their rapid overall development, favorable hard and soft environments, and rapid increase of the export volume of new and high-technology products. In 2001, Chinaís export volume of such products came to US$ 46.46 billion worth, and made up 17.5 percent of the total export volume in foreign trade.


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By Peter Owolabi
NIGERIAN businesses and Nigerians in general are having to deal with the economic realities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nigeria’s economy pre-COVID was sputtering and barely growing.
In 2016, the country slumped into a recession that it was only just recovering from. Early projections in 2020 provided hope that an improvement was just around the corner.
The 2020 federal budget was developed with projections of revenue intake of N8.24 trillion, which was about 20 percent more than that of the previous year 2019.
The projections were made with a rise in global demand for oil in view, and a rather equable market, with the price benchmark of $57 and an output of 2.18 million barrels per day. The disruption in global economies then necessitated a review of these projections.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, adjusted the foreign exchange rate from N307 per dollar to N360. Today, the official dollar exchange rate is N380, and its current street value is about N475.
This continued rise had led to complications not only for the Nigerian government, but also for business owners who are import-dependent for their raw materials and production.
One such industry that is directly affected by this is the Pay TV sector. In spite of the attendant lockdown caused by the pandemic, broadcasting services like Startimes, Iroko TV, MultiChoice, and others could not stop operations.
The weakening of the naira against the dollar means that they will have to pay ‘more’ for the licensing of foreign content like live sports, movies and others which are priced in foreign currencies.
Coupled with the pandemic and naira devaluation, businesses also have to contend with rising inflation and increasing operational costs. This has led the two biggest Pay TV operators in the country to announce price adjustments about a month from one another.
In explaining Startimes’ recent price increase, the company’s Brand and Marketing Manager, Viki Liu said: “Our business is not exempted from the effect of the naira depreciation affecting all businesses in the country. All of our foreign content is bought in dollars and to continually serve our subscribers the best content, the subscription price has to be reviewed upwards.”
Multichoice, which is also adjusting the prices of some of its upper tier packages effective September 1, said in a message to customers that:“We periodically review our pricing, taking into consideration factors such as inflation and operational costs.
We acknowledge that the people of Nigeria are living under increased economic pressure and we have made efforts to freeze the subscription prices in the last year, barring any extreme factors such as devaluation of currency and changes to VAT mandated by the government.”
Since the year began, there has been a gradual increase in the price of consumer goods. Fares have all but doubled, coming on the heels of Okada(commercial motoycycle) and Keke(commercial tricycle) ban in Lagos, naturally making things harder for traders moving goods across the metropolis.
In March, due to an increase in operational costs and in order to save the entire operation from collapse, fares were increased across all routes for Lagos Bus Services Limited, LBSL, with a 46 percent price hike. A 50kg bag of rice previously sold for N18,000 is now N21,000, a tuber of yam that was as low as N300, now goes for N800.
Luxury items have not been spared from these price adjustments. Airfares have significantly increased since domestic flights resumed in July, with some airline operators raising prices by as high as 50 percent. The toll rate of prepaid users accessing the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, was jacked up by 300 percent.
To many observers, the general hike in prices is little surprising, seeing as pump price of fuel has also increased from N123.5 to N143.5, while the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, reports that Nigeria’s inflation rate rose in July 2020 to 12.82 percent from 12.56 percent in June 2020.
France, Italy, Canada, Germany, the US and Japan have all experienced slowed growth and suffered devastating losses to their economy, while in August, the UK officially entered into a recession.
According to Tunji Andrews, an economist and business analyst: “Nigeria will join soon as will most of the world. Recessions hardly ever happen in a vacuum. One event may be the catalyst but there are usually events unfolding up to it. For the UK, it was BREXIT, then COVID-19. For Nigeria, it was the madness in the oil market and then COVID-19.
Experts say that to avoid things getting even worse for business owners and citizens post-COVID-19, world governments must provide the much needed financial relief mechanisms to enable corporations survive the tough economic environment created by COVID-19.
KPMG’s Global Head of Private Enterprise and Head of Markets, Jonathan Lavender, writes: “It has become necessary for governments to introduce incentives and economic relief programmes that help alleviate business stress and bolster economies.
Additional financial relief mechanisms include corporate income tax rebates, deferral of government payments, and reductions in tax rates to help owners retain more immediate cash in their business.”
Owolabi, a social commentator, wrote from Lagos


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Wall Street has been able to ignore pessimistic projections about a market pullback in the first half of 2021 and discounted worries about an increase in inflation and probable interest rate hikes. As a result, the Dow, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq notched double-digit gains in the first half.
The blue-chip index’s return was impressive at 12.7%. The broader S&P 500’s return was even higher at 14.4%. Similarly, the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 12.5%. Notably, the major indexes not only witnessed their best first half in 2021 since 2019, they saw their second-best first half in 23 years (read more:
4 Top-Performing Stocks of a Strong H1 With More Room to Run).
Interestingly, such strong first halves for Wall Street tend to bode well for the second half of the year as well. Citing a
CNBC article, Refinitiv data dating back to the 1950s showed that whenever there has been a double-digit gain in the first six months of a year, major bourses like the Dow and the S&P 500 never witnessed an annual decline in the year.
LPL Financial added that conforming to data from the 1950s, whenever the S&P 500 jumped more than 12.5% in the first six-month period of a year, the broader index usually registered a median return of 9.7%, way more than the median return of 5% for any given year, as mentioned in a
To top it, Tom Lee, head of Fundstrat Global Advisors, recently raised the S&P 500’s end of year price target, placing a bet that the broader index will gain another solid 7% in the second half of the year after climbing more than 14% so far this year, as mentioned in a
MarketWatch article. In fact, the broader market is already off to a commendable start in the second half as the labor market showed considerable signs of improvement.
Jobless claims dropped to a pandemic-era low of 364,000 for the week ended Jun 26 and layoffs plummeted to a 21-year low in June, as quoted in a
financialexpress article. Additionally, the Labor Department noted that in the United States, 850,000 jobs were added last month, the largest employment gain in 10 months, citing a nytimes article. The article further noted that the Congressional Budget Office recently stated that the economy is on track to recover all the jobs lost in the coronavirus pandemic by the middle of 2022.
The economy, no doubt, is showing signs of healing. Consumers’ confidence levels have improved of late and their outlays have increased, thanks to financial aids provided by the government to bolster their well-being. An increase in the coronavirus vaccination rate and reopening of the economy improved appetite for travel and dining out, helping the struggling leisure and hospitality business. Business outlays, by the way, are also increasing while the Fed has been able to effectively reduce anxieties about higher inflation, a potential dampener for the stock market’s northward journey.
Thus, with the stock market poised to maintain performance in the second half of the year, it’s worth placing bets on solid stocks that are positioned to climb north along with the broader market in the near term. We have, thus, selected five such stocks that currently possess a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and a
Growth Score of A. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. ( AXL Quick Quote AXL - Free Report) is a leading supplier of driveline and drivetrain systems, modules and components for the light vehicle market. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up 20.5% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 950%. Conns, Inc. ( CONN Quick Quote CONN - Free Report) is a specialty retailer currently operating retail locations in Texas and Louisiana. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up 60.7% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 4,266.67%. Dillards, Inc. ( DDS Quick Quote DDS - Free Report) is a large departmental store chain featuring fashion apparel and home furnishings. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up 583.3% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 655.7%. Zoom Video Communications, Inc.’s ( ZM Quick Quote ZM - Free Report) cloud-native unified communications platform, which combines video, audio, phone, screen sharing and chat functionalities, makes remote-working and collaboration easy. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up nearly 27% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 39.5%. KornFerry International ( KFY Quick Quote KFY - Free Report) is the world's leading and largest executive recruitment firm with the broadest global presence in the executive recruitment industry. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up 21.5% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 64.1%. Zacks Names “Single Best Pick to Double”
From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.
You know this company from its past glory days, but few would expect that it’s poised for a monster turnaround. Fresh from a successful repositioning and flush with A-list celeb endorsements, it could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in a little more than 9 months and Nvidia which boomed +175.9% in one year.
Free: See Our Top Stock and 4 Runners Up >>


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Capcom has confirmed that mysterious action-adventure game Pragmata has been delayed yet again. The previous delay set a 2023 release window for Pragmata, but that’s no longer the plan. During the recent Capcom Showcase 2023 event, it was confirmed that Pragmata has now been delayed indefinitely. No release date for the update was provided, as Capcom focused on the game’s continued development without pressure on questions about its status.
Pragmata was first released in 2020, and its trailer has sparked interest among Capcom fans. Its protagonists wear futuristic spacesuits that mix modern astronaut gear with a more military look. The astronaut is in the center of the city, with a little girl with a robot cat beside her. A satellite that appears to burst out of the sky may actually be a chain of screens. The trailer ends with the astronaut and girl being sucked into a slit in the sky and standing on the moon.
Suffice to say, those interested in Pragmata have been questioning what the game is ever since it was first announced. However, Capcom has yet to have an answer, and it won’t be for some time. In late 2021, a short video showed young girls holding signs confirming that Pragmata had been postponed until 2023. At the recent Capcom Showcase 2023, another video similar to the last delay updated the release date from 2023 to a question mark.
The new Pragmata delay is at least delivered via a longer video that can be viewed like a full game trailer. While the little girl was drawing out her message about the game’s delay, the astronauts were battling several robotic enemies that hadn’t been seen before. There’s also a gameplay sequence montage that reveals that Pragmata is indeed a third-person action-adventure game. Players dodge enemy melee attacks and explore what appears to be a space contraption, and the young girl is even shown to possess strange powers.
At the end of the trailer, a longer note from Capcom was shared. The note says Capcom has delayed Pragmata’s release again with a “heavy heart.” However, it has not been cancelled. Development continues so that Capcom can make Pragmata “the best game [it] can possibly be.”
Clearly, this isn’t the news about Pragmata that Capcom fans might want to see. Still, it’s nice to receive the latest news about the game’s development. If Pragmata’s development needs more time for Capcom to realize its vision for this strange game, a delay might be for the best for it. While a 2024 release date has yet to be confirmed, Capcom hopes to share more information about Pragmata next year – if not sooner.
Pragmata is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.


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PORTSMOUTH, N.H., March 5, 2014 – Wal-mart Stores, Inc. honored LEGACY Supply Chain Services with the Sam’s Club Carrier of the Year Award for their remarkably well-executed partnership throughout 2013.
Walmart Transportation announced its Carriers of the Year honors last week. These awards are designated to companies who support the retailer’s Walmart stores, Sam’s Club locations, and distribution facilities.
With more than 400 third-party carriers servicing Walmart, “Walmart is pleased to honor LEGACY Supply Chain Services with the Sam’s Club Carrier of the Year Award,” said Walmart Inbound Transportation Vice President Kevin X. Jones. “When Walmart chooses a carrier partnership, we look for companies who provide outstanding service, effective communication, and for a company that will exemplify Walmart’s mission to ‘Save people money so they can live better.’ LEGACY Supply Chain Services has continued to provide Walmart with exceptional service while maintaining excellent safety standards.”
Walmart’s selection of LEGACY Supply Chain Services for the Sam’s Club Carrier of the Year Award distinguishes and supports LEGACY’s commitment to high-touch service and superior, industry-leading performance as a third-party logistics provider.
“We are humbled by this recognition from Sam’s Club and I am proud of the team that services this account; they are a true example of the high-touch LEGACY strives for,” said LEGACY Supply Chain Services President Mike Glodziak.
LEGACY Supply Chain Services is dedicated not just to maintaining their high-quality capacities, but to improving their services, systems, and operations every day so companies like Walmart can continue to successfully and efficiently offer goods and services to those customers who rely on them.
About LEGACY Supply Chain Services
LEGACY Supply Chain Services is a third-party logistics provider with nearly 40 years of supply chain experience. LEGACY’s North American distribution footprint includes dedicated and multi-client space in 50 locations, across 19 states and 3 Canadian provinces. Full-service solutions include warehousing & distribution, international & domestic transportation, customs & compliance, and installation services. LEGACY excels at providing high-touch service to clients across industries including Consumer Goods, Technology, Industrial Manufacturing, Retail, Food & Beverage, Aftermarket Automotive, Life Sciences, and Government.
For more information, visit us at https://legacyscs.com/.
We respect your privacy. Your email address will never be shared with any 3rd parties. Nor will we send you unsolicited email.
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The two popular market research firms, Gartner and IDC, have released their worldwide PC shipment figures. And the reports from both the agencies show that Apple has lost a significant chunk of market share in the segment.
According to Gartner’s figures, Apple has shipped 5.26 million PCs in Q4 2019 as opposed to 5.42 million units in the fourth quarter of 2018. The firm places Apple in the fourth place in Q4 2019 global PC shipments’ chart with a market share of 7.5%, down from 7.9% in the same quarter for 2018.
Coming to IDC’s figures, it reports even lower shipments of Mac devices. The agency claims that the brand has shipped only 4.72 million units in Q4 2019 with a market share of 6.6%, a significant downfall from 4.98 million shipments and a 7.3% market share in Q4 2018. Apple is at 4th place here as well.
What is surprising is that Apple has shipped fewer Macs in Q4 2019 than it did in Q4 2018, even though the PC market has grown noticeably in Q4 2019 compared to the same quarter in 2018. Gartner rates year-over-year growth at 2.3%, and according to IDC, the growth rate stands at 4.8%.
Neither firm has detailed what might have been the reason behind the decreasing popularity of Apple’s Mac devices. In our opinion, the decrease in sales could be because, in 2019, all MacBooks were flawed with a nasty keyboard issue.
Anyway, leading the worldwide PC shipments chart of both the agencies is Lenovo. According to Gartner, it has shipped 17.39 million PCs in Q4 2019, with an impressive market share of 24.8%. Even IDC reports the same market share for Lenovo, but according to it, the brand shipped 17.83 million PCs.
While Apple’s PC market shrank in 2019, we expect the sales to grow significantly in 2020, as the brand has recently launched the MacBook Pro 16-inch and Mac Pro, both of which are receiving excellent customer feedback, and are expected to sell in high numbers.


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Abner's chain files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The Abner's Famous Fried Chicken Tenders chain is seeking reorganization under Chapter 11 of federal bankruptcy law.
WTVA-TV reports the filing was made in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Oxford.
Court documents show the company owes fewer than 20 creditors. A briefing for creditors has been scheduled in Oxford next month.
The Daily Mississippian reports none of the six stores will close.
Abner's was founded in 1993 by former University of Mississippi football player Abner White. Its sports-themed restaurants feature photos of college and professional athletes with ties to Mississippi.
The company currently operates six restaurants in Oxford, Tupelo, Starkville and Brandon and in Cordova, Tenn.
It closed its operations in Southaven and Ridgeland in recent years.
In its bankruptcy filing, the company listed assets and liabilities of $10 million or less.