text: The number of tourists to Japan from Russia grew by 34%. At the same time, experts say that the reason for growth is the decline in prices for flights, as well as the year of cross-tourism in Russia and Japan, which increased the demand for trips to the country of the rising sun. According to the OneTwoTrip travel service, in 2018 the Russians began to fly to Japan more often: 34% more tickets were bought in comparison with 2017. At the same time, the average cost of a flight from Russia to Japan and back decreased by 9.8% and amounted up to 34,700 Rubles ($ 502). The capital of Japan, Tokyo, hosts 82% of flights from Russia. This city showed the largest increase in demand. This year the Russian tourists traveled to the capital of Japan by 45% more than a year earlier. In terms of demand’s growth Osaka is on the second position - in 2018 travelers bought tickets to this city by 24% more than the year before. The cost of tickets to Osaka decreased by 3% up to 35,200 Rubles ($ 505). On the third line is Sapporo - the demand for the flights to this Japanese city grew by 11%, and the cost of a RT ticket from Russia decreased by 4%: up to 32,900 Rubles ($ 481). From Moscow, travelers fly to Japanese cities with a change in Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Beijing, and they can get to Tokyo by direct flights. However, the price of the direct flight is an average 15% more than a connecting flight. The capital of Japan can be reached by direct flights also from Vladivostok, Khabarovsk and Novosibirsk, and the residents of Far East most often fly to other Japanese cities with a change in Seoul or Tokyo.


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Nintendo globally launched a new mobile version of its popular racing franchise Mario Kart Tour but players experienced server overloads due to heavy traffic.
Some users voiced their concerns on social media channels when they faced issues trying to play the highly-anticipated game app on systems like iOS and Android.
A Nintendo spokesman reportedly said the Kyoto-based company was aware of the technical issues and was working on it.
Despite the server crash, the app was back to normal several hours later and became the firm’s biggest mobile game launch. According to San Francisco-based mobile market intelligence platform Sensor Tower, Mario Kart Tour received 20 million downloads in one day, surpassing the company's own previous mobile launches.
The game has many features familiar to longtime Nintendo fans, and, of course, has controls that are optimized for mobile devices. Though it may disappoint fans that it lacks a multiplayer option, it allows users to steer their favorite computer-controlled characters in race karts through different city backdrops and lay traps for their opponents.
The Japanese conglomerate is known to be protective of its video game characters and brand has only been gradually diving into the mobile gaming sector. With Nintendo’s new mobile launch seen as the company’s test beyond the core Switch console, it seemingly aims to cover up after mobile games Super Mario Run and Fire Emblem Heroes failed to secure a major hit it hoped to see.
Mario, the fictional character, has been featured in a variety of game titles since its debut in the 1980s. The top-selling Mario Kit franchise still remains a favorite among users. Since its launch, the latest version on Nintendo’s Switch platform sold over 17 million units.
Mario Kart Tour has a free trial for the first two weeks. Users will then have to pay a monthly subscription of $4.99 to unlock characters and rewards.

domain: news


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Amongst the many disruptive trends that emerged due to the pandemic, one of the most prominent has been reverse migration. According to some estimates, the Covid-19-triggered reverse migration was the second-largest mass migration in the recorded history of India, after the Partition, where more than 14 million people were displaced. These were predominantly daily wage earners and people who contributed to the informal sector in the urban areas. However, due to remote working and online teaching, many young professionals and students who had moved to the cities to pursue their careers or education also moved back to their hometowns.
Having lived in urban ecosystems and acquired conversance and comfort with using apps for shopping, these reverse migrants carried their online shopping habits home with them. In some cases, their disposable incomes increased automatically as they began boarding and lodging with their families and no longer had to spend on rent and other living expenses. They contributed to a pick-up in e-commerce, especially boosting online buying from Tier 2, 3, and 4 cities.
The surge in online shopping
During the festive season in October 2020, two of the largest online retailers in India reported a surge of new shoppers from smaller cities in the first two days of festive sales. In fact, they both witnessed sales more than doubling in the first two days of their annual ‘festive sale’ compared to the 2019 edition. They attributed this to discounts and credit facilities and also largely to reverse migration of metro customers. While one online retail giant revealed that 91% of its new customer base came from Tier 2 cities and beyond, the other said that almost 65% of its new customer base was from smaller towns and cities.
This trend delivered benefits to all stakeholders, beyond online retail platforms, which supported multi-product online sales. Lakhs of small retailers who were sellers of products ranging from smartphones, consumer electronics, and large appliances to fashion, cosmetics, and even furniture and home accessories, benefited from the rise in online consumption.
Clocking millions of app downloads in the run-up to the festival sales, consumers also enjoyed faster delivery of their purchases, as sellers from small towns jumped on the online bandwagon, making products more promptly available at thousands of newly serviced pin codes across the country.
Interesting takeaways that emerge from this new trend
Firstly, it appears likely that this trend may only be partly reversible as many employing enterprises begin to perfect and prefer the work-from-home model, and educational institutes, faculty, and students become comfortable with distance learning. While there will be some proportion of reverse migrants returning to metros and tier 1 cities, they will probably have transferred the online shopping culture to their hometown network of friends and family, especially among the youth.
Smaller sellers, who have experienced the convenience of online sales, wherein everything from cataloguing to logistics and payment gateways is arranged for by online retailers, are unlikely to ignore this sales channel, going forward. They will perhaps become comfortable conducting part of their business online, and partly offline. Where e-commerce platforms are concerned, the next big frontier will be exploring engagement in Hindi and regional languages as the vast and diverse tier 2, 3, and 4 markets open up.
Last, but not least, financial and lifestyle inclusion will get accelerated as online channels, especially larger e-commerce players, offer credit to customers as part of their online deals.
There are of course other favorable factors supporting the growth of rural consumption and rural e-commerce. Back to back good monsoon in the last two years and expectation of a normal monsoon this year have helped the agricultural economy in a big way. The Agri commodity prices are also at a record level leading to all-time high farm income. Apart from the above, various schemes of the Government of India have benefited the rural economy over the last couple of years including during Covid-19 induced lockdown of many parts of the economy.
Overall higher income in rural India and changing online habits will help e-commerce in a big way.
All these developments suggest a fascinating future for the e-commerce sector, small and large online sellers, and customers in small towns and villages across the country.


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Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel ranked 8th among the Top 10 ‘Best Hotels & Resorts in Hong Kong’, at the 2020 DestinAsian Readers’ Choice Awards.
This is the third consecutive year Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel located at Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui has received the publication’s accolade.
Marco Polo ranked 8th Best Hotel in Hong Kong
Beauty brand Orabella Philippines launches its new skincare line with their new brand ambassador young actress Arabella del Rosario.
Allianz PNB Life, the world’s most sustainable insurer for three straight years recently partnered with eSakay to launch seven Electric-jeepneys (or E-jeepneys).
Check out this new homegrown fragrance line launched by LM Parfums in Davao City.


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Irvine-based ChromaDex Corp. reported $6.1 million in sales for its most recent quarter, up 55% year-over-year, and a net loss of $3.2 million, about 30% more than the same period last year.
The ingredients maker attributed the loss to “investments … to accelerate our future growth trajectory.”
Operating expenses—including more sales and marketing costs—more than doubled to $6.1 million from $2.8 million year-over-year.
Chief Executive Frank Jaksch said ChromaDex is pushing growth for its flagship product, a vitamin B3 supplement commercially marketed as Tru Niagen. It plans to sell the product as its own and has moved to end supply contracts with third-party makers.
Expansion is planned on the retail side internationally and through direct-to-consumer channels in the U.S.
It sold a food-related analytical chemistry and quality control business in the quarter, posting income of $5.4 million from the discontinued operations.
With a $23 million private placement announced earlier this month and set to close Nov. 17, ChromaDex will have received about $48 million in new equity investments this year.
Shares traded recently at a $235 million market cap.
For more on ChromaDex’s consumer-focused growth plans see Monday’s print edition of the Business Journal.


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ASSA To Sell Yale, Emtek
ASSA to sell Yale, Emtek – ASSA ABLOY will sell the Yale and Emtek brands in response to the U.S. Department of Justice’s block of its proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Spectrum’s Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI).
HHI includes the Kwikset, Baldwin, Weiser, Pfister and National Hardware brands and DOJ’s complaint alleged the merger would eliminate competition between ASSA ABLOY and Spectrum in the locks market, give ASSA ABLOY a near-monopoly in premium mechanical door hardware and more than 50 per cent of the smart locks market.
To resolve the alleged concerns, ASSA ABLOY said it had initiated a sales process of Emtek and its Yale smart residential business in the U.S. and Canada.
“We believe strongly in the acquisition of HHI as we together will increase investments in the residential segments and strengthen our combined product offering for the benefit of consumers – the proposed remedies eliminate all competitive concerns alleged by the DOJ,” said Nico Delvaux, president and CEO of ASSA ABLOY.
According to ASSA ABLOY, the proposed divestitures depend on its successful defence against the DOJ regarding the planned acquisition of HHI. ASSA said it would remain fully committed to the businesses during the process and all businesses will continue to operate as normal.
#SEN #SENnews #security #electronics


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NORWALK, Conn. – It looks like Lowe’s is coming to Norwalk.
The Zoning Commission on Wednesday night approved a proposal to allow the company to demolish a long-vacant building at 80-100 Connecticut Ave. and construct one of its big box home improvement stores. The approval came with stipulations aimed at preventing excess noise during construction.
Commissioners offered no comment.
The Lowe’s store would employ 130 people on a 10.2-acre parcel bordered by Clinton and Stuart avenues and Frost Street. Lowe’s is now expected to construct a 141,715-square-foot store, including a 25,000-square-foot garden center. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2014 and finish by late fall 2015.


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Bank Shot (getbankshot.com) continues to establish itself as the leading innovator in mobile payments by being the first and only solution on the real-estate market that offers digital checks as a payment option. This feature is added to the arsenal of its other fast, safe, and compliant payment methods that the customers are using to send and receive earnest money and other real estate funds.
With the average age of the modern homebuyer being 33 years old, paper checks are quickly becoming obsolete in real estate. Bank Shot’s digital checks bring homebuying into the 21st century by giving consumers a faster and more convenient option than a paper check, which is also much safer than an ACH solution.
“At Bank Shot, we want our mobile payments app to be user-friendly for all customers, including those who do not have paper checks,” said Emily Traxler, CEO, Bank Shot. “Compliance is still our top priority, so we’ve built a solution that does not process as an ACH, but as a traditional check that is deposited in the bank or via remote deposit. We want to make sure the home buying experience with us is simple and gives everyone peace of mind.”
The digital check feature is now available to all Bank Shot mobile app users, both Apple and Android. The setup process is easy. Just connect to your Bank Shot app and fill out the requested information, and the digital check is created and sent.
“We have an exceptional product, and we’re always excited to find new ways to innovate and make our customers’ lives easier,” said Emily. “Rest assured, with every new feature, we remain committed to providing the highest level of cybersecurity for our customers.”
Earnest money payments, including digital checks, sent and received by Bank Shot’s mobile app are good funds. And all funds will be protected with Bank Shot’s Check 21 standards and two-factor authentication (2FA) methods. Furthermore, the patented stop light technology process will ensure that no transactions take place until the account holder decides to move forward with the deposit.
Stop sending wires, and see for yourself why thousands of buyers and agents trust Bank Shot for their home payments by requesting a demo here.
Bank Shot is a partner of Rule 1 Ventures, a venture studio that supports growing companies and brings over 50 years of collective experience in title, real estate, and FinTech development, security, legal and design.


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Amazon has opened the Appstore for Android, providing another option for app shopping to U.S. users of smartphones with Google's operating system.
Telstra will introduce unlimited text messages on a selection of its new mobile phone cap plans, which are set to be announced on March 29, according to Gizmodo.
Vodafone today announced that Nokia's C7 smartphone is now available in Australia, and will offer customers who purchase the phone free apps from Nokia's Ovi Store until 31 May.
Telstra is finally offering visual voicemail to its customers who use an iPhone, but will charge $5 a month for the service.
Apple's iPhone 5 is still months away from becoming a reality, but that hasn't stopped the rumour mill going into overdrive. The latest word is that the fifth generation of Apple's smartphone will feature a larger 4in edge-to-edge display, along with...
Nokia-owned Navteq has launched Destination Maps, which will add more detail to indoor maps, starting with large shopping centers, the company said on Monday.
AT&T will buy T-Mobile USA for $US39 billion in cash and stock, easily making AT&T the nation's largest wireless carrier, ahead of top-ranked competitor Verizon Wireless and reducing the number of major national wireless carriers from four to three.
The latest Android smartphone loaded Web pages 52 per cent faster than iPhone 4 running iOS 4.3, according to thousands of independent field tests released today by Blaze Software.
Android hasn't just surpassed Apple's iPhone in terms of total device sales, but in Web page load time as well.
Apple on Thursday called independent tests by Blaze Software that showed the Android-based Nexus S smartphone browsed the Web 52% faster than the iPhone 4 to be "flawed."
Apple's decision to shave the iPad 2's profile and reduce its weight may mean a slight increase in broken screens, a repair expert said today.
When we were kids, my friends and I used to play a game where we fantasized about which technologies from Star Trek were most likely to be real-world inventions within our lifetimes. The transporter and warp drive -- not likely. But the communicator,...
The Google Mobile App for iPhone is no more. In its place is Google Search, a revamped iPhone app that puts a bigger emphasis on--you guessed it--searching the Web.
The number of devices and modules that come equipped with LTE has grown to 98, according to a report from industry organization GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association).
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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During the unveiling, it was confirmed CUPRA e-ambassador, Rally Cross and DTM Champion, Mattias Ekström will be one of the team’s drivers for the first season of Extreme E.
SEAT Executive Vice-president for R&D, Dr. Werner Tietz, said: “The Extreme E series represents the CUPRA challenger attitude in the racing world and its ambition to explore new motorsport experiences. For this reason, the decision to become the first automotive manufacturer to participate in the competition and reinforce our cooperation with ABT is proof of both partners’ shared vision of reinventing the world of high-performance cars through electrification.”
CUPRA and ABT Sportsline have worked together since 2018, producing enhanced versions of the Leon CUPRA and the CUPRA Ateca. This partnership continues to bring together the expertise of the world’s first 100 per cent electric touring racing car, the CUPRA e-Racer, and the ABT Sportsline team that has participated so successfully in Formula E.
“We love innovation, competition, e-mobility and the feeling of being a pioneer in something completely new. With CUPRA we now have a partner at our side who, like us, firmly believes in the revolutionary concept of Extreme E, both in terms of sport and in terms of off-track marketing”, said ABT managing partner Hans-Jürgen Abt.


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UTICA, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed Oneida County Tourism President Kelly Blazosky to the New York State Tourism Advisory Council to represent Oneida County and the Central New York I Love NY vacation region.
Blazosky has led the promotion of Oneida County as the “Getaway Region” since 2009, generating economic and social impacts through encouraging travel, per the announcement.
Oneida County Tourism attracts visitors through active public relations and strategic marketing across multiple industry sectors including leisure, meetings, sports, travel trade, and film/television production.
“Kelly is a well-respected and dynamic leader of Oneida County’s tourism industry and the greater Central New York Tourism Region,” Oneida County Tourism Board Chair Lee Arthur, general manager of Delta Hotels by Marriott Utica, said in a press release. “Her creative and proven expertise in destination marketing, not-for-profit management, and industry advocacy will be an asset to the Tourism Advisory Council. Our board of directors is honored and supports her appointment by Gov. Hochul.”
Under Blazosky’s leadership, the organization won awards for Excellence in Tourism Marketing and Recovery/Resurgence campaigns from the New York State Tourism Association as well as a national graphic-design award from Graphic Design USA.
The organization also received 10 Communicator Awards, a Telly Award for Brew Central’s web-video series, and a Brand and Integrated Marketing Award from the U.S. Travel Association.
“Oneida County and Central New York are blessed with an abundance of amazing natural assets, welcoming communities, and visitor experiences,” Blazosky said. “I’m honored to be appointed to the state’s Tourism Advisory Council and support the state’s tourism promotional efforts.”
In her 23-year career in the travel and tourism industry, Blazosky has served in numerous leadership roles in New York and Ohio. Her term on the council is effective until January 11, 2025.
The council consists of appointed tourism professionals committed to supporting the state’s tourism industry and advising the state’s Division of Tourism to help encourage economic growth through visitation.


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This means that as Fed officials brace for another oversized interest rate hike that could cause convulsions in the economy and markets, they are doing so without having a clear line of sight to their target. This uncertainty increases the risk that they will do too much – triggering a severe recession – or too little, prolonging searing inflation and making it harder to defeat.
The Fed is “assembling a puzzle where the pieces have been cut wrong and they just don’t fit together,” said David Wilcox, who led the central bank’s research division from 2011 to 2018. economy today and in which direction? is it directed? All of our measures, however rich, offer only an imperfect and somewhat outdated perspective on these key issues.
An illustration: When the Fed raised rates in June, it opted for the biggest hike in nearly 30 years, a move that Powell said was partly based on indications that consumers had raised their expectations about future inflation. Shortly after the Fed’s decision, this data was revised to suggest that expectations had in fact not changed much.
Behind the confusion hides the extraordinary upheaval that the country has gone through in recent years. The economy has been deeply disrupted by the pandemic, price spikes not seen in decades, unexpected supply chain issues and Russia’s war in Ukraine. This makes the most recent data both more important and less reliable.
Routine adjustments based on seasonal factors are now much more difficult as forecasters attempt to analyze what data indicates the economy is slowing, what is just failing, and what indicates more structural transformations in the society.
“The economy has changed,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist at payroll processing firm ADP. “It was tilted off axis, and we don’t know at what angle it was tilted.”
Even in the best of times, real-time measures of economic health are imperfect. Government inflation and employment data are released with a lag, then updated over time as better information becomes available. The broadest measure of economic activity – gross domestic product – is compiled using a multitude of data sets which are then individually revised.
After a strong labor report earlier this month, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic told CNBC that the economy still looks strong — despite real-time forecasts released by his own regional arm. from the Fed suggesting that GDP growth was negative in the second quarter. If this forecast is supported by official government estimates on July 28, after a similar decline in the first quarter, it would meet a technical definition of a recession.
Yet GDP numbers often undergo heavy revisions, even years later, as more accurate data is finalized, such as information from Internal Revenue Service tax filings and annual industry surveys. manufacturer. And many of the factors that have contributed to the contraction in GDP over the past few months are technical in nature – businesses have stockpiled goods for their back rooms and therefore are not adding as much to that inventory, or the dollar will fall. is strengthened, making imports cheaper and fueling the trade deficit.
Fed Governor Christopher Waller, in a recent speech, said he still doesn’t place too much importance on the GDP numbers.
“While real GDP in the first quarter is now estimated to have fallen 1.6%, according to another estimate, real gross domestic income rose 1.8%,” he said. “GDP and [gross domestic income] basically measure the same activity in different ways, and in the past when such large discrepancies between the two numbers have initially appeared, they tend to get closer when the data is finalized.
At the same time, while some important indicators are more easily quantifiable, such as industrial production, others, such as the value of technological innovation, are less so. Real-time employment data collected in Labor Department surveys has recently been affected by declining business response rates, while consumer expectations for inflation have become murkier as the range of opinions is much broader than before.
“All data is fragile in its own way,” said Skanda Amarnath, executive director of labor advocacy group Employ America.
For now, Fed policymakers appear confident that the economy is still fundamentally sound, suggesting they rely more on labor market data, which is generally a clearer and quicker indicator of the health of the economy as a whole. But even here, there are indications that layoffs have started to increase and wage growth has started to slow. On Thursday, the Labor Department said initial jobless claims stood at 251,000 the previous week, the highest level since mid-November.
“You have to understand, what should I infer from this data?” said Claudia Sahm, another former Fed economist who is now a senior fellow at the Jain Family Institute. “As you get more and more pieces of data, you look at it and say, does this fit my story? And if you get enough information that doesn’t match, you rewrite history.
One way the Fed is trying to overcome data gaps is by collecting information from many different sources, said Wilcox, now an economist at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and Bloomberg Economics.
For example, information from map processor First Data can be used to identify regional factors in national retail sales figures, which provide insight into the strength of consumer spending – a key variable in forecasting inflation. . The central bank also uses data from ADP, which tracks the actual wage transactions of 26 million businesses, to supplement the Department of Labor’s employment surveys to gain a broader view of the labor market.
ADP’s Richardson said the company is also revamping its national employment reports to make them more frequent and independent of government data; it will no longer attempt to forecast the monthly government jobs report.
Consumer sentiment surveys conducted by the University of Michigan and the Conference Board are unusually divergent. Interpreting these signals is important because declining sentiment is almost always a reliable indicator of when the economy may soon be entering a recession.
“We’re in a situation where labor markets are really strong, and we’re also in a situation where inflation is really bad,” said University of Michigan survey director Joanne Hsu, who has recently reached record highs.
“Our Consumer Confidence Index is a place where consumers go to tell us about their complaints about inflation,” she said, as the Conference Board survey more strongly reflects continued optimism among Americans. regarding the labor market. That optimism is likely why consumer spending has remained strong even amid widespread sluggishness, she added.
“We are coming out of a situation where over a million people have died, and there have been economic lockdowns, and we are in a time of incredible political polarization which is affecting people’s feelings about the country” , she added. “We have no historical precedent for this.”


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On Monday, Google unveiled a 10-inch touch screen tablet built by Samsung called the Nexus 10, priced at $399 or $499, depending on storage capacity. The new tablet follows on the heels of the seven-inch Nexus 7, which Google built with Asus and rolled out over the summer. The Nexus 10 will be available through the Google Play store starting November 13.
The announcement comes just a week after Apple said it will start selling the iPad Mini, a compact version of the iPad with a 7.9-inch touch-screen and starting price of $329. The standard iPad’s screen measures 9.7 inches at the diagonal, and the latest model of that version starts at $499 (see “Live Updates from Apple’s ‘iPad Mini’ Event”).
Apple, Google, and Amazon are now locked in a three-way fight to snag consumers in the fast-growing tablet market. Although Apple popularized the tablet with the introduction of the iPad in 2010 and is the clear market leader, Google and Amazon have rolled out cheaper devices that are attracting many users—especially price-conscious ones. With the introduction of Google’s larger, more expensive tablet, and Apple’s smaller, cheaper tablet, the competition is likely to get even more heated.
Andy Rubin, Google’s senior vice president of mobile and digital content, announced the new tablet, and several other mobile devices in a blog post on Monday. The devices were going to be introduced at an event in New York, but it was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy.
The Nexus 10 includes a display with resolution of 2,560 by 1,600 pixels—a little higher than the full-sized iPad—and a battery rated for as much as nine hours of video playback (an hour less than the iPad). The new Google tablet can also be set up for several different users, who can log in through the Nexus 10’s lock screen and will see their own home screens, music choices, and high scores in games.
The Nexus 10 will run a new version of Android, version 4.2, which, like Android 4.1, will be referred to as Jelly Bean. It includes an update to Google Now, the virtual assistant software first introduced this summer on the Galaxy Nexus smartphone. Google Now rivals Apple’s Siri, but it also anticipates what information a user will need based on his or her location and activity and displays this information, at first mainly traffic and weather updates, as on-screen cards. To ask a question, a user says “Google” to get the tablet or smartphone to start listening.
The updated version of Google Now will include cards that show flight information, hotel confirmations, restaurant reservations, and shipping details. Rubin writes that the service will also show cards for local movie times and concerts by musicians you like.
Rubin also unveiled an updated version of the Nexus 7 tablet, which keeps the original $199 price. There will also be a version with 32 gigabytes for $249, while a version that includes the ability to access high-speed HSPA+ networks will cost $299.
Rubin also announced the Nexus 4 smartphone, which Google developed with LG. The phone has a 4.7-inch display and can be charged wirelessly. It will cost $199 in the U.S. with a two-year T-Mobile contract (unlocked versions will also be available for $249 or $349, depending on storage capacity).
Like the Nexus 10, the Nexus 4 and the new Nexus 7 will run Android 4.2 and will be available November 13.
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Parts for Carts, a subsidiary of Amigo Mobility, recently received an Economic Excellence Award from Saginaw Future. The award is given to companies in the Great Lakes Bay Region who invest in the area and help to create jobs.
|Amigo Mobility Founder Al Thieme and Parts for Carts General Manager Vernon Curtis|
Amigo Mobility Chairman and Founder Al Thieme developed the idea of buying used electric shopping carts and refurbishing the parts in 2009. Shortly after, Parts for Carts was born.
“Instead of tossing used electric shopping carts into landfills, we thought taking them apart, refurbishing the usable parts and selling them to service providers at a fraction of the cost would be better for the environment,” Thieme said.
As the general manager of Parts for Carts, Vernon Curtis employs four associates who test equipment, fill orders and track inventory. Curtis said, “I immediately knew this was an exciting opportunity. Not only are we practicing environmental awareness, but we also provide needed assistance to help businesses grow in the slumping economy.”
Congratulations to Parts for Carts on this accomplishment!


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Kappa to also provide clothing for Alpine’s esports team and driver academy.
French Formula One team Alpine have announced a new partnership with Italian sportswear brand Kappa and French clothing brand K-Way.
The partnership is set to see Kappa provide apparel for the Alpine drivers Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon, the support staff, and Alpine’s driver academy.
The deal also sees Kappa partner with Alpine’s esports team, who will now also wear Kappa apparel.
Kappa will also be developing a new textile collection for Alpine’s team kit, fan apparel, footwear and accessories.
K-Way, meanwhile, will be Alpine’s Official Lifestyle Partner and will provide the team with travel wear.
Davide Piccolo, CEO Kappa Europe, commented:
“We are very pleased to announce that we will be the new official partner and equipment supplier of Alpine F1 Team. Alpine and Kappa both have a strong heritage and are proud to be iconic brands that share the same fighting and forward-looking spirit. Thanks to this partnership, Kappa opens a new chapter in the prestigious world of Formula 1 and more globally of motorsport. We are now looking forward to unveiling the new collections to fans of this historic F1 team.”
Robert Dodd, CEO K-Way France, added:
“We are very proud to join forces with the Alpine F1 Team. This collaboration marks K-Way’s desire to anchor itself in a sporty, elegant and historic universe. Proof once again that it is possible to combine style and technicality with this new range.”
Laurent Rossi, CEO Alpine F1 Team, stated:
“We are delighted to welcome Kappa as the official clothing supplier for our track and factory teams and drivers. We share the same desire to pursue performance and style while drawing inspiration from our history. Kappa has always been ahead of the market in design and technology. We are also pleased to collaborate with K-Way, an iconic and elegant brand that reflects the integral values of Alpine. We look forward to working together over the next few years.”
For Kappa, the Alpine partnership is its first in the world of motorsport. It currently also supplies kits to Premier League side Aston Villa.


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DivX Video Encoding Now Available to PLAYSTATION3 Game Developers
DivX, Inc. (NASDAQ:DIVX), a digital media company, today announced the availability of DivX video encoding to PLAYSTATION3 (PS3) game developers, enabling them to create high quality DivX video for PS3 games.
The availability of DivX video encoding technology will enable developers to take full advantage of DivX compression technology while maintaining the integrity of high quality video. PS3 is the first gaming system capable of playing back DivX video.
“We are excited to work with Sony Computer Entertainment to offer DivX video encoding to PS3 game developers,” said Kevin Hell, CEO of DivX, Inc. “PS3 users can already use their PS3s to watch their own DivX videos, and now they’ll also be able to enjoy the quality of DivX in the games.”
Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience that includes reliable video playback and excellent visual quality. DivX is currently working to certify PS3 in order to provide a superior digital media experience to PS3 consumers in the near future.
About DivX, Inc.
DivX, Inc. is a digital media company that enables consumers to enjoy a high-quality video experience across any kind of device. DivX creates, distributes and licenses digital video technologies that span the “three screens” comprising today’s consumer media environment–the PC, the television and mobile devices. Over 100 million DivX Certified devices have shipped into the market from leading consumer electronics manufacturers. DivX also offers content providers and publishers a complete solution for the distribution of secure, high-quality digital video content. Driven by a globally recognized brand and a passionate community of hundreds of millions of consumers, DivX is simplifying the video experience to enable the digital home.


text: The market goes through cycles, rising and falling because we have young new gamers entering the market and older gamers losing interest in games and falling out of the market. https://www.statista.com/statistics/276768/global-unit-sales-of-video-game-consoles/ Assuming the chart is accurate, we were seeing a steady decline year over year for console sales going back to 2008. PS4 sales for 2017 nearly match all console sales combined in 2016. Even in 2013 with the release of the PS4 and X1, there was still a reduction in year over year sales, and then 2014 saw another reduction in sales. 2017 is like the first time in many years we will have seen an increase in year over year sales, and could very well be the best year for console sales of the current generation. I think that is a good sign.


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The BBC announced today that its iPlayer will be available for Mac computers in 2008. Criticism was made when the BBC launched its iPlayer for Windows only.
Don't Miss: iPhone 8: Everything You Need to Know
BBC director general Mark Thompson said, “I hope this good news is evidence of the hard work that the BBC is committing to supporting other platforms.” Thompson said that the decision to launch the iPlayer for Windows was only made to get the player to the largest amount of people in the shortest time.
Windows users vastly outnumber Mac users. The BBC iPlayer is available in two versions with one being the current Windows only download player and the other a streaming web-based player available to all Internet users.


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SAKS STOCK NOSEDIVES 32.8% AFTER GLOOMY 1ST-PERIOD PROJECTION
Byline: Vicki M. Young / Thomas J. Ryan
NEW YORK — Shares of Saks Holdings Inc. lost 32.8 percent of their value Wednesday, a day after the company said first-quarter earnings will fall sharply below estimates.
The value of Saks shares fell $620 million, plummeting 9 5/8 points to close at 19 3/4 — a new low for the issue — on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock was worth $1.27 billion at Wednesday’s close, compared with $1.89 billion 24 hours earlier. It had traded as high as 41 1/4.
The stock was the second-most-active issue traded on the Big Board, with 8.2 million shares changing hands.
The loss potentially complicates the Saks-Isetan bid to buy Barneys.
According to sources in the investment community, with its lower stock price, Saks — which declined to comment on the stock plunge — would have to either raise the cash portion of the $290 million offer, announced Tuesday, or issue more shares, thereby diluting the earning power of the stock for shareholders. If more cash is needed, say analysts, Saks may have to borrow more money and negotiate new lending limits with its banks.
Meanwhile, Barneys’ unsecured bank claims were being offered Wednesday at prices in the low 40s, down from trading levels in the low 60s previously. This drop, however, was triggered by the Saks proposal, which called for unsecured creditors to get only 20 cents on the dollar.
Tuesday’s disappointing earnings projection caused a slew of brokerage firms to cut their estimates and ratings on the firm.
Saks said it expected earnings of about 20 cents a share in the period ended May 3, well below Wall Street’s mean estimate of 33 cents a share. Saks blamed the decline on continued softness at the Folio catalog, a slowdown in sales at the Off 5th outlets and weakness in casual bridge apparel at the full-line stores.
Saks told analysts in a conference call that same-store sales in the quarter at the core full-line division rose about 4.5 percent in the quarter, but would have been up 7 percent if not for sluggish bridge sales.
Same-store sales at the Off-Fifth chain were down in the low single digits, while sales at the Folio catalog were down in the high teens.
“While the earnings shortfall is in itself disappointing, the bigger issue raised is the break it creates in momentum,” said Dana Eisman Cohen, an analyst at Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette in a research note.
DLJ slashed its estimates for the year by 23 cents to $1.52 a share. Saks earned 73 cents a share a year earlier.
Buckingham Research slashed its full-year estimate on Saks by 23 cents a share to $1.46 this year, and cut its estimate for 1998 by 24 cents to $2.13 a share.
Walter Loeb of Loeb Associates, who cut his estimate on Saks this year by a dime to $1.55, blamed Saks’ disappointing results on an early Easter, a cold April that hurt spring apparel sales, and some softness in spending in the higher-end ranges, partly tied to the recent drops in the stock market.
Loeb said investors may have been “overaggressive” in bidding Saks up so high, but he said he believes “over the longer term, this a strong company with outstanding potential.”
Saks, he added, has still has some deep financial pockets in Investcorp, which controls 65 percent of the retailer.
Some observers said the market overreacted Wednesday.
“I think the reaction was way overdone,” said Stacy Pak at First Boston, who reiterated her “strong buy” rating. “The underlying business at Saks is just fine, and Saks should get back on track in the second quarter.”
Pak cut her full-year estimate by 17 cents a share to $1.56 and kept her estimate for 1998 at $2.36.
Isaac Lagnado, publisher of Tactical Retail Monitor, said, “This is a classic Wall Street knee-jerk response to short-term results. The fundamental position of the company is better than ever. A Barneys acquisition would be a coup for them. Strategically, the company is very well run and very well poised.”
Lagnado said Saks would enhance Barneys’ performance since it has stronger point-of-sale systems for reporting data, distribution centers and could beef up Barney’s advertising and marketing, which has been sporadic lately.
Meanwhile, the crash in the prices of unsecured bank claims to the lower 40s from the 60s reflects the Saks-Isetan proposal that promised unsecured creditors only 20 cents on the dollar.
Unsecured bank claims had been trading in the lower 80s in early February, when investors hoped a bidding war for Barneys would raise the prices of claims.
However, claims started to slide after what was largely regarded as a low-ball $240 million offer by Dickson Poon on Feb. 28, with no quick follow-up bids from Saks or other interested parties such as Neiman Marcus Group.
The latest drop in Barneys’ trade claims caps a seesaw ride. The claims had bottomed out at prices in the 30s in the few months after Barneys filed for bankruptcy in January 1996.
Such claims, which tend to trade about 10 to 15 percent below unsecured bank claims, would now likely be trading in the mid-30s.
Although a few smaller vendors are holding onto their claims, most of the larger ones — such as Donna Karan, Hugo Boss and Marzotto — and most factors sold off their claims months ago.
According to papers on file in Manhattan bankruptcy court, the Saks-Isetan bid of $290 million will be paid in cash, Saks common stock and Saks warrants on the assumption that the price of Saks stock is $30.
The $290 million includes a valuation of $43 million for furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) leases, leaving $247 million for unsecured creditors. The purchase price also includes a $50 million payment to Isetan in consideration of new leases on the Barneys stores in Beverly Hills, Chicago and on Madison Avenue, rent reductions from the current $23 million, and settlement of Barneys-Isetan litigation.
The bid does not include a total of $15 million in annual rent payments for the three stores.
The purchase price, however, is subject to adjustments. It could be increased or decreased by the amount that the working capital on a certain date is greater or less than the amount Saks and Isetan have targeted in their agreement. Depending on the value of those adjustments, and adding the incremental value of the rent payments, the total amount of the purchase price could reach the neighborhood of $350 million.
As expected, the creditors’ committee rejected the Saks-Isetan bid Wednesday, just as it turned down the $240 million cash bid made by Dickson Concepts.
Terms of the Dickson bid have never been made public, not even the valuation placed on the FF&E leases. When comparing the $240 million Dickson bid with the $247 million Saks-Isetan bid — after deducting the FF&E valuation — Isetan clearly comes out ahead in the Saks-Isetan bid.
The “term sheet” — court papers that set out the terms of the bid — also includes information about the leases between Saks and Isetan for the three Barneys flagships.
For the Madison Avenue store, Saks and Isetan agreed to an initial term lease of 25 years, with four 10-year renewal options. Annual rent is $11 million.
The Chicago store lease has an initial term of 10 years, with two 10-year renewal options. Annual rent is $1 million.
The Beverly Hills store lease has an initial term of 20 years, with three 10-year renewal options. Rent is set at $3 million annually.
All three leases are subject to rental adjustments.
In each of the three leases, Saks has the option to purchase the property during the first two years, if Isetan decides to sell.
Barneys and the creditors’ committee square off with Isetan today in court. On the agenda is Barneys’ request for a $10 million payout to an approved purchaser that is outbid, and its request to extend the time where only Barneys can file a plan of reorganization.
Isetan has opposed both requests. It is seeking to break exclusivity so it can file a joint plan of reorganization with Saks.
In its opposition papers to exclusivity, Isetan raised issues concerning Barneys’ financial picture, as well as a chart detailing operating losses from 1987 through the present.
The creditors’ committee has filed papers supporting Barneys’ requests.
One observer wondered whether Isetan had the right to object to Barneys’ request now that it has resigned from the creditors’ committee, but David LeMay, Isetan’s counsel at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, said the Bankruptcy Code allows a creditor to be heard on any issue in a bankruptcy case.


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You are here
CHICAGO -- Through 2010, the “Future of Food Retailing” Webinar held yesterday by the Food Institute predicted that c-stores will continue on modest growth rates, but market shares will decline through 2010.
The report also stated that through 2010, c-stores with gas will have an annual growth rate of 3.4 percent, while those without gas will have a 1.6 percent increase. However, the largest annual growth, according to the report, is “fresh format” stores, with an annual growth rate of 15.9 percent.
This is primarily due to new concepts being introduced and expanding in the food retailing industry, such as dollar stores, new players (Home Depot and Tesco) and fresh formats, the report stated.
C-stores must innovate and deliver convenience to meet consumers needs and maintain market share in food retailing, according to the Food Institute. Leading c-stores, for example, are developing quick-serve restaurants for high-quality food on-the-go.
For retailers to keep market share, Jim Hertel, senior vice president for Willard Bishop, said they have to “develop tools to react to the retail landscape.”
The report outlined a “new format” cycle that retailers can follow. Different stages include new store concepts that when unveiled, attract a lot of attention; successful concepts that expand; stores that imitate a new concept till the market is saturated and market-share falls flat, while the next store concept begins gaining ground.
But no matter what stage in the cycle, there are recommended courses of action that retailers can take to keep up with the new concepts.
For example, when a new concept arrives, existing retailers can bring in new items introduced in it, providing dedicated sections or integrated sets, depending on the products. The report also recommended that opening copycat stores in direct competition could be successful, but warned that it does have a high fatality rate if the new format does not take.
As the market becomes saturated with the new format, existing stores can open up competitor stores that will interact with the new format’s “top shoppers.” Stores must also be on the lookout for the next new format that will be successful, and innovate at a store level.
Furthermore, stores can succeed by connecting with customers through specialized local offerings, event driven merchandise and signature items. The report also suggested looking “beyond the definition of the business,” by making stores hybridize, selling non-traditional merchandise and seeking contacts of global suppliers that can provide new products.


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2023 marks the 48 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China. It also marks 17 years of cooperation between the TAT and China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Chinese Embassy in Thailand.
Thailand continues to strengthen tourism ties with China following the high-profile meeting between H.E. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, and H.E. Mr. Hu Heping, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China.
“During the meeting, there is also a discussion on an opportunity to collaborate on organising the Moon Festival in Thailand. This would help to further strengthen relationships among the public and private sectors as well as the people of China and Thailand.”
Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor
In 2023, Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival falls on 29 September.
TAT and China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Chinese Embassy in Thailand are already organising together the Chinese New Year celebrations in Thailand – one of five countries around the world that celebrate the biggest Chinese New Year festivities outside of China.
Minister Hu Heping, meanwhile, highlighted that the recent visit to Thailand by Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok as being significant for strengthening the long-standing Chinese-Thai relations.
He noted that the Chinese government recognised the importance of…
Thailand boosts its tourist connections with China – Thailand News
Thailand Business News is a comprehensive news service about Thailand with a business and financial perspective edited in Bangkok by Siam News Network


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Off The Wire
Gold slips after strong U.S. retail sales data, rate hike bets
May 17 (Reuters) - Gold fell on Tuesday pressured by robust U.S. retail sales data and expectations of aggressive interest rate hikes, although a pullback in the dollar limited losses.
Spot gold fell 0.5% to $1,815.19 per ounce by 2:40 p.m. ET (1840 GMT), while U.S. gold futures settled up 0.3% at $1,818.9.
U.S. retail sales increased strongly in April, suggesting demand was holding strong despite high inflation and assuaging some fears that the economy was heading into recession. read more
Gold seems to have come under some pressure since the data, said Ryan McKay, a commodity strategist at TD Securities.
"Sentiment for the precious metals market is starting to turn more bearish," McKay said, adding that it could spell bad news for gold moving forward with some more liquidations to come, especially as the Federal Reserve continues to sound a hawkish tone.
The U.S. central bank will "keep pushing" to tighten policy until it is clear that inflation is declining, Fed chair Jerome Powell said on Tuesday, adding that the Fed would consider moving more aggressively if inflation doesn't come down in a "clear and convincing way. read more
Gold is considered a hedge against surging inflation, but rate hikes translate into higher opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
Meanwhile, the dollar retreated, making bullion cheaper for holders of foreign currency.
Reflecting investor sentiment, holdings of the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust , were at their lowest since early March.
Spot silver fell 0.4% to $21.52 per ounce.
Platinum gained 0.2% to $947.50 and palladium was up 0.5% to $2,036.13 after rising as much as 3% earlier.


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In April of last year we first learned that American Express planned on opening a Centurion Lounge at Miami International Airport.
This complements their existing US Centurion Lounges in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, New York LaGuardia, and San Francisco, as well as the Centurion Studio Seattle, which is also scheduled to open this year.
Centurion Lounges are far superior to anything offered by a US airline, as they have “real” food, quality cocktails, beer, and wine, and the lounge in Dallas even has a spa, with complimentary treatments.
The Centurion Lounge Miami was initially supposed to open in late 2014, though has been way delayed, unfortunately. I’ve heard rumblings for a while now that it’s scheduled to open in summer 2015, though up until now haven’t heard anything beyond that.
Well, via the Miami Herald, the Centurion Lounge Miami is scheduled to open in early June 2015.
What can we expect in terms of the design?
The 8,000-square-foot Miami space will be ring-shaped, with tarmac views and, in a nod to South Florida’s coastal vibe, a floor-to-ceiling textural wall that resembles a wave.
That’s a fairly large space. For context, the Centurion Lounge LaGuardia is ~5,000 square feet, while the Centurion Lounge Dallas/Ft. Worth is ~9,000 square feet. It’s also good news that it will be in the North Terminal, so will be easy for American Airlines passengers to access.
The menu is inspired by Michelle Bernstein:
Bernstein’s buttermilk-brined fried chicken and Greek-style local watermelon salad will be available at MIA’s Centurion. She said she leaned toward lighter items, like a green goddess salad and a vanilla panna cotta dessert, to “make sure people are comfortable as they board their flights.”
Yay for the lighter options. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Mexican food at the Centurion Lounge Dallas/Ft. Worth, but am I the only one that feels like that might not be the best cuisine to serve before getting on a plane? I far prefer the menu at the Centurion Lounge LaGuardia, which includes things like salmon, tomato & mozzarella, salad, etc.
As a reminder, there are a few ways to access the American Express Centurion Lounge:
- Those with the The Platinum Card® from American Express and American Express Centurion Card receive complimentary access
- Those with either of the above cards may bring their spouse and children under the age of 18, or two travel companions as guests
- If you have an American Express Card other than the ones listed above, you can purchase a day pass at the entrance for $50
I’m very excited about the Centurion Lounge Miami. I’ve managed to avoid transiting Miami for at least a year now. It’s one of my least favorite airports in the US. I’ll certainly be anxious to fly through there to visit the lounge, and if it’s decent, might make a point of transiting Miami Airport in the future (after all, transiting through Miami typically gets you more miles than transiting through Dallas, assuming you’re flying coast-to-coast). 😉
Who else is excited about the Centurion Lounge Miami finally opening?
(Tip of the hat to View from the Wing)


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This actually happened, and it is a sad day indeed. As you can see, we are inching closer and closer to the point of no return. The thought police rule, hothouse flowers with Twitter accounts will dictate business policy and cleverness in advertising – and all forms of communication – will be gone.
"Serial victims and citizens with chronic hurt feelings syndrome will rule the world."
I wish they would not have done this but it’s their business and they have to deal with the fallout. Kleenex will now re-brand its "Mansize" tissues after consumers complained the name was sexist — touching off a social media conversation about what's in a name. Again, this actually happened.
The product, which is sold only in the U.K. at this time, will now be called "Kleenex Extra Large."
Kimberly-Clark _ the company behind Kleenex – told Britain's Daily Telegraph that it in "no way suggests" that being both soft and strong was "an exclusively masculine trait, nor do we believe that the Mansize branding suggests or endorses gender inequality."
And finally, the world is safe. - Don Stuck


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Do you know an outstanding leader who’s working tirelessly to benefit and shine a light on the diverse and amazing digital industry in Alberta?
Someone who’s an advocate, a visionary, a creative, a teacher, a technologist, an entrepreneur… and whose efforts in Alberta’s digital space deserve recognition? We, at Digital Alberta, believe (as we know you all do) that these digital community leaders deserve to be showcased. So this year we are excited to announce a new people’s choice award for the Most Inspirational Digital Leader.
Here’s the low-down for this award:. this is an online award that will voted on by the people for the people in Alberta’s digital world.
The voting is now closed! The winner will be announced live at the 2013 Digital Alberta Awards on June 2nd.


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UK-based jetsuit company Gravity Industries has announced their plans to develop a new flying suit, this time with an electrical propulsion system rather than a hydrocarbon-burning kind.
As you can guess by the spoilerific headline, this new product, named the Gravity eSuit, will be realized thanks to the wonder of 3D printed engineering plastics.
Specifically, the new flying suit will be constructed from Ricoh’s powder-based 3D printed polypropylene, which has been selected due to its lightweight, durability and strength.
The eSuit will be unveiled to the public this July, so we don’t have any pictures of it yet. But just in case you haven’t seen the turbine based systems, then you can see the mk 3 in the image below.
The mk 3 won the Guinness World Record for fastest speed in a body-controlled jet engine powered suit in 2019 (at 85.06 MPH), and was piloted by Gravity Industries founder Richard Browning, beating the previous record of 32.02 MPH which was also set by himself in the mk 2 back in 2017.
Additive manufacturing was also used in the development of the previous suits, where the company used a selection of printed metals and polymers for structural and fixtural items. You can see the printed arm mounts of a previous variant in the image below.
This time the company has opted for the polypropylene plastic, for its mechanical properties and also due to its ability to mimic the flexing of human bone.
The previous suits with their metal cores would normally have taken over 2 weeks to fabricate out of aluminium and including assembly time. But by using the plastic this time, they are able to consolidate multiple parts (including cooling ducts) into single pieces, and reduce the manufacturing time to less than 24 hours.
“The Jet Suit is testament to the tenacity of engineering,” said Mark Dickin, Additive Manufacturing & Moulding Engineering Manager at Ricoh UK.
“Thanks to polypropylene and its organic nature, people see a human who is flying when someone is in the Jet Suit. They aren’t strapped into a device or seated in a vehicle, they appear to be genuinely flying and it’s that distinction that makes all the difference.”
Indeed it does. And you can see for yourself in the video below, where we see the founder racing up the side of a mountain, in a demonstration of a potential mountain rescue scenario.
So, why go electric?
For starters, getting rid of all that heat and fuel from the pilot’s immediate vicinity is beneficial for obvious reasons. Those mini turbines get plenty hot. And as well as all that thermal management required, there is the issue of maintenance. Reliability is always a pain in the asbestos-coated butt where it comes to running things hot and fast, and trying to not fall out of the sky.
Switching to electric does away with all the safety hazards of flying around at over 80 MPH with jet fuel strapped to your body and replaces it with some form of battery.
Presumably the turbines will be replaced by some kind of ducted fan setup also.
“Inspector Gadget” type open-rotor helipacks are less than efficient, so we guess they won’t go that route in the pursuit of electric personal flight.
The question is, how much flight time will it give? And asides from the obvious safety improvements of going electric, is it lighter also?
We will see for sure on the 8th-11th July 2021 when it will be revealed to the public at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, UK.


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To help ensure our customers get the support they’re looking for in a welcoming and friendly environment, we’re upgrading our customer service centre in Langwarrin.
With over 5,000 interactions made each year, the upgrades will provide a fantastic open plan environment which will create a friendlier welcome for customers while improving amenities and safety for staff and customers.
Frankston City Mayor Colin Hampton said that Council’s customer service centres offer a wide variety of services to residents and visitors, from making payments and having questions answered to utilising computer and printing facilities.
“In the spirit of providing exceptional customer service, we’re always looking for new ways to improve the experience our customers have with us, which is why we’re investing in upgrading our customer service centres.”
As part of the upgrade, new Maternal and Child Health services will be added to the list of services provided at Langwarrin Customer Service Centre.
“Providing new Maternal and Child Health services at Langwarrin will be a great addition for local families that will support the growth, development and health needs of children from birth to five years of age,” continued the Mayor.
Langwarrin Customer Service Centre will be closed while construction is underway, Friday 2 February, reopening Tuesday 20 February.
Children’s storytime sessions will be temporarily relocated to Langwarrin Community Centre during the works. Any books loaned from Langwarrin can be returned to Frankston or Seaford Libraries.
Customers can continue to make payments and report issues online during the works by visiting frankston.vic.gov.au, using the MyFrankston App online, or by calling 1300 322 322.
Alternatively, customer service will continue to be provided at other locations such as the Civic Centre, Seaford Community Centre and Carrum Downs Library.


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TikTok star Mikaela Testa reveals she spent $1.4 million in a year
OnlyFans star Mikaela Testa was criticised for spending up to $280,000 a month this year – but said she has a good reason for her lavish lifestyle.
Australian influencer Mikaela Testa has defended spending more than $1.4 million in a single year, saying she has worked hard for her cash after growing up with nothing.
The TikTok star, who makes a living by selling X-rated content through subscription site OnlyFans, revealed how she spent upwards of $47,000 a month – with the money spent being roughly half of what she earned this year.
In a TikTok video, which has since been viewed more than a million times, Mikaela revealed how she started off the year spending around $47,000 to $72,000 a month.
But by May her monthly expenses were totalling six figures and she spent $171,000 in the month of July alone.
Mikaela’s most expensive month this year was November when she spent a whopping $281,000 (presumably by being organised and buying her family’s Christmas presents early).
In a Christmas Day vlog Mikaela revealed she had gifted her siblings and cousins presents from Louis Vuitton and Prada.
“This is one of the first years I’ve been able to buy any members of my family a single gift,” she said in the video.
All up Mikaela’s spending totalled more than $1.4 million this year, a figure some people struggled to comprehend.
“You spend more in a month than people make in a year,” one person wrote.
“Suddenly I don’t feel so bad for buying that $15 cardigan anymore,” another commenter joked.
But others accused her of trying to “flex” how much she earned and not saving her money.
“OK but what was the point in posting this,” one person wrote.
“Do you buy a car monthly?” another asked.
However multiple people also defended Mikaela’s spending, saying it was “good on her” as she had “every right to be proud of herself” for being a self-made woman.
“Some people just really struggle to deal with other people’s success and it’s sad,” one person wrote.
“Why is everyone mad that she has money to spend,” another said.
In response to the criticism in the comments Mikaela wrote that she had several investment properties and savings.
RELATED: Biggest Australian TikTok stars
“Also guys before all the save your money comments roll in, I definitely save over half my money before spending any,” she said.
Mikaela also made another video addressing why she spent so much money, revealing how she had grown up poor.
“I feel some people think that I grew up well off and that’s why I am the way that I am,” she said.
“But watching how my mum raised us and how much we struggled was the only thing that actually motivated me to get off my arse and make a cent.
“I send my mum money every week, guys help your mums they really deserve it.”
Mikaela said her family had grown up living in a “completely unliveable” home in north Queensland.
“My mum is a single mum and she has seven daughters, me being the eldest,” she said.
“My whole life my mum was basically on Centrelink the whole time, because she was so on and off with her job.
“I think my mum made about 30,000 a year or something really unbelievably low like that.”
Mikaela’s childhood motivated her to work hard from her early teens in order to provide for her younger sisters.
“That’s why I did everything I have ever done since I was 15 – worked my arse off, hustled, try and get money just so my siblings could have a good house to live in, go on school excursions, have fricking food in their lunch box,” she said.


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Yesterday March 22 there was in update to a Google service know has android web view this caused numerous bugs and problems with with Samsung phones thankfully its a super easy fix all you have to do is navigate to the Google play store and unistal the following app "Android system webview"
Solved! Go to Solution.
Early Thursday morning/late last Wednesday night, Google released new versions of Android System WebView & Google Chrome. If you are experiencing constant app closure/crashes, please open Google Play Store and update both apps to the latest version.
Google has provided more details and steps for updating Android System WebView and Google Chrome as well as how to manually update WebView or Chrome if the update of either app fails to complete.
“To resolve this issue, Android System WebView and Google Chrome need to be updated. Google Play will soon download the update to these apps on affected devices, or you can update manually to resolve the issue immediately. Some devices do not have WebView pre-installed and only need to update Chrome.
To manually update Android System WebView and Google Chrome right now:
- Open the Play Store app.
- Search for “Android System WebView.”
- Select Update. If it doesn't say “Update”, skip this step.
- Repeat these steps for Google Chrome”
Be sure to click " ✓ Accept as Solution" when you find an answer that works for you.
Please note, notification emails are a DO NOT REPLY address, you must log-in on the community page in order to respond.


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The new Redmi Note 8 model, which has been the subject of leaks for a while, has been confirmed by Xiaomi.
Xiaomi, with its Twitter post, confirmed that the Redmi Note 8, which was launched in 2019 and managed to reach 25 million sales worldwide, will appear before users with its new model.
The #RedmiNote8 has now sold 25M+ units globally!
— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) May 20, 2021
In this direction, the company shared the first design visual of the Redmi Note 8 2021 model with the users and revealed that the new generation model will host the same screen design as the original Redmi Note 8. Apart from this, it is not known what differences the device will have in terms of design compared to the original model. However, sources close to the Chinese smartphone manufacturer think that the differences between the two models will only be on the hardware side.
— Xiaomi (@Xiaomi) May 21, 2021
How Will Redmi Note 8 2021 Features Be?
No statement has yet been made about the features of the new Redmi Note 8 model. However, it is claimed that the model listed in the FCC and Bluetooth SIG certificate will be powered by the MediaTek G85 processor and will be powered by a 4,000 mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging support. It is also said that the new generation Note 8 model will host a quad rear camera setup that includes a 48 MP main camera sensor.
It is among the shared information that the 2021 model Redmi Note 8, which is stated to bring some improvements on the screen side, will also be built on a 120Hz IPS LCD screen.
For now, it is not known that the mentioned model will be sold in our country or in which regions. However, according to the information provided by reliable sources, it is estimated that the new Note 8 will be offered for sale in Russia and some regions of Europe.


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MUSCAT: In the wake of rising coronavirus cases in the country, the Supreme Committee has imposed a night lockdown between 8pm to 4am, starting from Sunday, June 20 until further notice.
In a statement issued, the committee said there will be a movement ban on individuals and vehicles including closing all public places and commercial activities during the lockdown period.
However, essential businesses will be allowed to remain open, and home-delivery services are exempted from the lockdown.
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- Oman’s economy and financial system weathered pandemic well, says CBO Chief
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Prominent among President Trump’s campaign promises was his enthusiastic pledge of support for American blue collar workers. His vivid depictions of the Rust Belt revived and Appalachia booming are not realistic — not because these regions are eternally economically hopeless, but because jobs like coal mining and manufacturing just aren’t going to come back on the mass scale Trump imagines, as even the coal industry admits.
That enormous improbability of success has led Trump on an unfortunate path as he attempts to make good on his pledge. He has embraced crony capitalism and a sort of soft authoritarianism, in which he tries to personally strong-arm companies into keeping jobs in America.
It’s neither ethical nor successful, though I will concede it seems Trump means well.
With his new protectionist tariffs on imported washing machines, however, Trump has crossed over into actively harming the very American workers he says he wants to protect. He imposed a scaling 20 to 50 percent tax on foreign washers, which will force manufacturers like LG to hike their prices in America.
This is bad news for consumers who can expect to pay about$70 to $100 more for a washing machine. (Full disclosure, I say this as the happy owner of an LG that is loads — pun intended — better than the U.S.-made model that came with our house.)
But the tariff threatens to have far more serious consequences for American workers employed by LG and companies like it here in the States. As Reuters reports, one town in Tennessee may be hit particularly hard:
[Trump’s tariff] threatens to stunt the launch of a new LG Electronics (066570.KS) washing machine factory under construction in Clarksville …
At stake is an appliance manufacturing complex that could eventually employ thousands of workers and which the state of Tennessee and the local community supported with some $23 million in grants. The 310-acre (1.25 square kilometer) site an hour north of Nashville has room for three additional buildings identical to the plant’s $250 million, 600-job first phase.
Trump’s decision to impose 20 percent to 50 percent tariffs on washer imports and parts has local officials asking what his “America First” stands for: supporting all U.S. manufacturing jobs or just favoring traditional American brands over foreign rivals. Labor statistics show that foreign companies have been the source of the majority of new manufacturing jobs since the 2009 recession.
LG told U.S. retailers on Wednesday it would raise prices in response to the tariffs. That could dent its market share, reducing initial output and employment, said company spokesman John Taylor.
“If you lose floor space at retail, it can take years to get it back,” Taylor said.
State and local governments should not have used tax dollars to lure LG to build in Tennessee, but now that they have, that makes the situation even more dire. Because of Trump, people in Clarksville may end up that much poorer and without the new jobs they expected to gain.
Trump’s simplistic, ignorant notions of how to help American workers have here proved economically dangerous.


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Microsoft rebrands EMS to become Enterprise Mobility + Security
It’s EMS, Jim, but not as we know it: Microsoft is rebranding its Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS) to become Enterprise Mobility + Security, in order to “more accurately communicate its value.”
The move was announced in a blog post from Andrew Conway, Microsoft senior director EMS product marketing. For existing EMS customers, the new product will become Enterprise Mobility + Security E3, with no changes, while a new, expanded version (E5) will be generally available to customers in Q4 2016.
The changes, in terms of what EMS E3 and E5 can provide, are summed up in a graphic (below) issued by Microsoft.
In a wider context, Microsoft is also pushing a bundle package, known as the ‘Secure Productive Enterprise’, which combines Office 365, EMS, and Windows 10.
Pricing is for the moment unknown. Formerly known as the Enterprise Cloud Suite (ECS), the ever growing list of options and acronyms can be confusing, but the move is designed to bring greater clarity going forward.
“We’re taking the next step in continuing to simplify our enterprise technology licensing offerings while also delivering more value to our customers,” Julia White, Microsoft cloud platform general manager wrote in a company blog post. “With the Secure Productive Enterprise, customers have the latest and most advanced technology for empowering employees.
“While we are making a number of changes, the outcome is a simpler approach to ensuring customers have the technology they need to run a secure and productive enterprise and enable their digital transformation,” White added.
According to Microsoft’s latest figures, EMS currently has more than 27,000 enterprise customers, and more than one third of the Fortune 500 onboard. In September last year Mike Schutz, Microsoft cloud platform marketing general manager, put the number of customers at 17,000 when speaking at the Deutsche Bank Technology Conference.
Microsoft has also been busy in helping small businesses, announcing Skype Meetings earlier this week to give organisations without an Office 365 license a taster of Skype for Business’ capabilities.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their use-cases? Attend the co-located IoT Tech Expo, Blockchain Expo, AI & Big Data Expo and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo World Series with upcoming events in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam and explore the future of enterprise technology.
- » SentinelOne raises $120 million in Series D funding to automate enterprise endpoint security
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- » Is the speed of mobile technology too fast and too furious for the enterprise?
- » Australian enterprise 5G market likely to generate billions – and be critical for business applications
- » Myth-busting mobile in the enterprise: Combining speed with sustainability in device rollout


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"Clients don't just see me as a vendor – they see me as a trusted advisor," says C&W Services Account Director Kari… https://t.co/EobBV5Aydy
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2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Cushman & Wakefield brand. Watch to see where we've been, and - more importantly - where we're headed. #CWturns100…
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#tbt to 1951 - Cushman & Wakefield sponsors a contest to identify 36 of New York's newest buildings. Watch our history unfold at http://cushwk.co/timeline #CWturns100…
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Rapid global growth in consumer spending on eating out is driving the increasing presence of food & beverage options in shopping centres. How could these trends affect your shopping centre or investment portfolio? Find out http://cushwk.co/2uiSbsC…
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Q. Do most infected people develop hemolytic uremic syndrome?
"That's definitely not the case," Pearson says. An estimated 2% to 7% of infections lead to this complication, according to the CDC web site.
Q. What are the symptoms of E. coli infection?
"Basically, the common symptoms for E. coli are severe bloody, and cramping. Sometimes it isn't necessarily bloody," Pearson says
"Anybody who does develop diarrhea after consuming fresh spinach should see their doctor and also ask that [the doctor] take a specimen for testing," she adds.
Q. How long does it usually take before symptoms start?
A. "Twelve to 36 hours, normally. Up to a week in some cases," Linton says.
Q. For people who used to eat fresh spinach often, what are some alternatives?
A. If you're looking for fresh greens, try lettuces such as radicchio, escarole, and romaine. Arugula, collard greens, mustard greens, and kale are other options, say Amy Jamieson-Petonic, RD, and Lola O'Rourke, RD, spokeswomen for the American Dietetic Association.
The spinach ban could be an opportunity to experiment with other greens, says O'Rourke, who is based in Seattle.
Jamieson-Petonic manages the Fairview Hospital Wellness Center in Rocky River, Ohio, near Cleveland.
Q. Can you trust fresh spinach that's locally grown, such as spinach from farmers markets?
A. Until further notice, the FDA advises people not to eat fresh spinach from any source, including supermarkets, restaurants, and farmers markets.
"There's no evidence to indicate that spinach that is obtained from a local farmers market outside of the areas that have been implicated with the outbreak -- the three counties that we discussed [California's Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Clara counties] -- is in any way implicated in this outbreak," Acheson tells WebMD.
"The difficulty with putting out a nationwide consumer message is obviously the need for clarity," he says.
"If an individual ... knows exactly where the spinach was grown, and they know it wasn't implicated in an area of concern as part of this outbreak, then obviously it would be safe to consume," Acheson says.
The FDA is working on a process to allow spinach not grown in the three California counties to be allowed back on store shelves, but that plan isn't in place yet.


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Sacramento City Shelter offers customers a chance to roll the dice for pet adoption pricing!
Starting Wednesday, March 14, 2012 through Sunday, March 18, 2012, area adopters will get a chance to roll the lucky dice to determine adoption pricing. In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, the city shelter on Front Street is hoping to pass along the luck of the Irish to its customers.
In yet another effort to promote shelter pet adoption, thus reducing the number of animals that are euthanized unnecessarily, the Sacramento City Shelter once again reaches out to its community for support. Offering periodic specials can dramatically improve adoption rates, while offering our customers a pet that fits within their budget. One dice will be used to determine pricing, roll a 4, pay $40, roll at 2, pay $20, etc. Traditional pricing for dogs is $85 and $65 for cats. Rabbits will be half off, usually $35. All animals will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated; micro chipped, licensed (city limit residents), free collar and ID tag, along with a bag of Science Diet pet food.


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If you’ve been fretting about the ever-worsening oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, it’s time to stop wringing your hands and start trimming your hair.
At least two Anchorage hair salons — Marie’s Beauty Salon & Supply and Salon Ivy — save up the clippings that hit their floors and ship them off periodically to groups like Matter of Trust, an eco-charity that collects hair, feathers and other fibers for use in making containment boom and absorbent mats.
Salon Ivy owner Brian Ivy said his company started collecting hair shortly before the Deepwater Horizon drill rig exploded April 20, killing 11 workers and triggering the ongoing spill in the Gulf. The timing was just coincidental, although the employee who suggested joining the program, Laura Ellis, is actually from Louisiana. Ivy described Laura Ellis as an “eco-stylist” who’s encouraged the salon to adopt greener business practices.
“She’s inspired us to do a lot more,” Ivy said.
Marie’s is a “brand spankin’ new partner” with Matter of Trust, according to business manager Diane Holzschuh. The salon just started collecting hair last week after learning about the program through one of its suppliers, Pureology hair products.
“We’re very excited to be participating,” Holzschuh said in an e-mail.
Unlike other hair donation programs — like Locks of Love, which collects hair to make wigs for children suffering from long-term medical hair loss — there are no criteria hair must meet in order to be donated to Matter of Trust. All clippings are acceptable — short or long, permed, color treated or natural.
“A lot of people are used to requirements for donating hair,” Ivy said. But any and all hair collected in the salons is usable, he said — even the tiny hairs collected in electric clippers.
“We collect all of that,” Ivy said. “We bag it up and save it.”
Salon Ivy and Marie’s then ship that hair off — at the salons’ expense — to be matted into what Ivy described as “little carpets” or gathered into boom. Holzschuh explained the process in a recent e-mail to Marie’s customers:
“Hair is stuffed into old nylon material. Once it’s in the water, the oil gravitates to the hair. The boom is removed from the water, dripping only water.”
According to Holzschuh’s e-mail, the boom can be reused after being wrung out or run through a centrifuge.
See the original story here.


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Nearly 200 will lose jobs as company closes plant in N. Iowa
BELMOND, Iowa (AP) — Nearly 200 people will lose their jobs at a factory in northern Iowa that announced plans to close next year. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that Eaton Corp. announced ...
Nearly 200 to lose their jobs when Wright County company closes
BELMOND, Iowa – A major employer in Wright County is closing its doors. Eaton has announced it will shut down its engine valve facility in Belmond at the end of 2020, affecting 184 workers. The ...
'I'm still shook:' Eaton’s Belmond facility closing; city to meet with business on Friday
Continue reading your article with a digital subscription. The company has seven locations relatively close to Belmond, the other Iowa facility is in Shenandoah. Nebraska and Minnesota each have ...
Corinthia Palace wins top global travel award
The award was the top accolade given to Malta at the international ceremony, which took place at the Belmond Reid’s Palace in Madeira. “It is a huge honour to receive an award that sets out to ...
Trading Challenges Add to Boost in Corn
That's because corn planted any later is likely to lose yield potential. But desperate times call for desperate measures, said Dave Nelson of rural Belmond, Iowa. Decade-low soybean prices and a ...


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Many people are talking about the Chinese company, and sadly, it’s not for the right reasons. The tech giant Huawei is losing face with people over espionage concerns, which the company doesn’t agree with at all. However, the company is facing court trials in the US. Other countries are also not willing to trust it for security threats. The one exception, in this case, was the UK, which continued trade relations with Huawei by asking it to supply devices for its 5G data network. But how long this can go depends on the UK’s intention to bolstering economic ties with the US and China after Brexit. The US has already banned the company. Hence, the United Kingdom has to decide soon.
What does Huawei do?
It is one of the top-selling mobile phone brands in the world compared to Apple. It comes second to Samsung in terms of sales. In 2018, Huawei P20 Pro handsets were a significant hit. It gave fierce competition to Samsungs and iPhones. However, the tech giant doesn’t just make phones. It also supplies technologies to other companies so that they can build their devices and Wi-Fi networks.
What is the controversy?
Some countries believe that the Chinese government is spying on people under the guise of Huawei’s mobile phones and tech kit. Therefore, the fear stems from the fact that Founder Ren Zhengfei worked as an engineer in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in the era of 1980. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army belongs to the Chinese Communist Party, the ruling party in the country since 1949. Although the company reiterates it doesn’t have any linkup with government, there is enough suspicion among people about its credibility. While the US has declared it to be a security threat, the UK also did not endorse its trustworthiness completely. Then, Australia and New Zealand also disengaged the company on the same grounds.
What is the current scenario?
The court case in the US is going to take a long time, but the Chinese telecom has resorted to public relations. It faces certain restrictions in the country. Nevertheless, it is reaching out to American firms to safeguard its image and to convey to them how it saves them from Chinese espionage. The company is lobbying, participating in industry forums, defending its legal rights, and educating people about the Chinese and US laws in the industry’s context.
The company is pursuing its legal case against the US government with vigour, and last year, the anti-virus company Kaspersky also had to back down after imposing the same restrictions. Hence, there is some hope for Huawei to be victorious.
Anyway, going by all this, the future still looks uncertain for the Chinese telecom firm. America has banned its use, particularly in government agencies and creating pressure on India and other countries also not to ally with it. However, India is one of the major wireless markets for the company, and given the present situations, it can depend on it to brighten its future.
Right now, India, too, is testing the 5G spectrum. There are only five companies in the country, including Nokia and Erikson, which can provide an infrastructure for this. But they cannot be cheaper than Huawei’s. Hence, India may want to rethink its strategy.


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Private sector performance inched up in May after falling sharply a month earlier, a new survey showed.
However, the closely watched monthly business performance indicator survey by Stanbic Bank and UK’s Markit showed that conditions look set to worsen in coming months.
The Markit Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) came in at 36.7, higher than April’s 34.8 but still well below the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction.
According to the survey, the marginal improvement was driven by the first drop in operating costs in five years, suggesting that businesses failed to grow, but prevented further worsening of their margins.
“Business conditions have contracted for five consecutive months now. In fact, the employment sub-index fell by the sharpest level in May since data collection began. Consequently, the reduction in the workforce has reduced overall input prices for private sector firms,” Jibran Qureishi, Stanbic Bank’s regional economist for global markets, said in the PMI statement.
“Furthermore, due to weak domestic demand conditions, firms have looked to reduce overall output prices too.”
Companies bet that lower product prices would help grow sales. The impact of social distancing and closure of businesses like bars and restaurants has impacted on consumer spending, setting the stage for job cuts and unpaid leave for workers.
The survey said many companies and cut jobs in May, while exports fell due to travel curbs and lockdowns in overseas markets. By yesterday, Kenya had reported 2,340 positive coronavirus cases and 78 deaths.
The State has imposed a daily dawn-to-dusk curfew, banned public gatherings and asked people not to leave home unless absolutely necessary, as well as halting movement into and out of five counties, including Nairobi and Mombasa. “We still expect the epicentre of Covid-19 to be felt in Q2, with respect to economic activity,” said Mr Qureishi
“Firms linked this to lower demand and a worsening outlook, with the 12-month forecast for activity dropping to the weakest since August 2016.”
The government has cut its economic growth forecast for 2020 to 3 percent from 6 percent, or 2.5 percent if the crisis worsens. The PMI findings show other key indicators such as output, new orders and exports continuing to drop in the month, marking the longest contraction streak in Kenya’s private sector since UK’s Markit Economics started polling senior corporate managers in key sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture in February 2014.
Last week, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) said that small and medium-sized businesses needed urgent help to survive, with many at risk of closing by the end of this month.
Citing a study conducted in April, CBK said the small businesses surveyed had said that without help they would close by the end of June because they lacked credit buffers and other resources to survive the slowdown caused by the coronavirus disease. Should small firms be financially distressed, this will deepen job losses given that they account for the bulk of jobs in the country and have in recent years emerged as the biggest drivers of new hiring.
Credit: Source link


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CAD$60 billion (US$44.64 billion) mark for the very first time.
In total, wholesale sales of Canadian lumber exports hit CAD$60.2 billion (US$44.79 billion) as the robust growth of lumber export sales offset decreases in motor vehicle and heavy machinery export sales.
The growth was paved by the subsector of building materials and supplies, which set a new record high of CAD$8.4 billion (US$6.25 billion) in March 2017, a 10.6 per cent boost from March 2016 and a 3.9 per cent jump from February 2017.
In 2017’s first quarter, wholesale sales went up 3.6 per cent from the previous year’s last quarter, the highest quarterly jump since the second quarter in 2008.
Sources: The Canadian press, Statistics Canada


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Lush, an outspoken brand when it comes to the UK’s decision to withdraw from the EU, has announced it will be offering immigration expert advice to support any of its staff concerned about the impact of Brexit.
This week saw the launch of the Black Beauty and Fashion Awards. The launch took place in the UK parliament, with UK MP Chi Onwurah saying black beauty will be political until the day it is seen as normal.
The Science Based Targets initiative, organised by various climate and environmental groups and watchdogs, has approved Symrise’s climate strategy, which includes the target of reducing carbon emissions by 17.5% by 2030.
This year’s in-cosmetics Global personal care ingredients event hosted 8,784 industry professionals, showcasing 100s of new product launches alongside over 130 hours of educational sessions, the event’s organisers confirm.
The start of this month saw London play host to this year’s edition of in-cosmetics Global, a leading industry trade show bringing together professionals from across the supply chain. Here, we review the highlights from the European region.
By Tatiana Gladenkova, a PhD research student, Moscow State University
In this guest article, Tatiana Gladenkova, a PhD research student at the Moscow State University, presents the findings of her research into the shifting nature of trade in the global cosmetics industry.
In this guest article, ahead of the in-cosmetics Global show next month, Jane Jang, Global Beauty and Personal Care Analyst at Mintel, explains reveals some key shifting skin care habits in South Korea.


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Land of a Thousand Hills is a local coffee shop with a global impact. The shop exclusively buys coffee beans from African farmers deep in the Rwandan countryside. They pay farmers a livable wage while also funding village schools, education and health initiatives.
“By buying their coffee beans, we support them, which in turn allows us to support the Cypress community,” says owner Melinda Bodukoglu.
Building Health Clinics
Coffee farmers live in remote villages in the Kivu and Ruli regions. The are is so remote that getting healthcare can mean a six-hour or even a two-day journey on foot. The trip sometimes keeps farmers and their families from getting any healthcare at all. Land of a Thousand Hills’ Do Good Initiative, the company’s non-profit, is partnered with the Rwandan Ministry of Health to build and outfit local clinics. The groups hope to offer public healthcare to coffee farmers and surrounding communities. The first clinic of this initiative was completed in July.
Once complete, the clinics will be accessible to more than 10,000 farmers
This year the company raised $75,000 to build its first clinic
The Nziza Collective: Supporting women farmers
Nziza means ‘beauty’ in the Rwandan language. The women of Nziza Collective are widowed mothers or victims of abuse who live in the Kivu Lake area. “They lost everything and they did what they had to do to keep their families going,” says Melinda, who visited the women this summer. The women work at a Land of a Thousand Hills coffee washing station where they meticulously cultivate and hand-process their harvest. The company aims to support the women during the coffee off-season by providing training and supplies for income-generating trades such a sewing and basket weaving. The company's non-profit initiative relies on donations to purchase sewing machines and other materials for the women.
The Nziza Collective provides some of the company’s highest quality coffee beans
A $120 donation provides a Nziza woman with a sewing machine
Providing Clean Water
Rwanda gets its name “land of a thousand hills” because of its mountainous terrain. And while the hills create natural beauty, they make traveling for daily water supplies a grueling journey. Many farmers rely on a water pipe located in a valley an hour’s walk away. The Do Good Initiative non-profit is focusing on building a water retainment system to hold rainwater year-round. The group, in partnership with the Water for Life non-profit, has already built two systems supporting families that grow the Ruli Mountain coffees. The group hopes to build another system for its Kivu Lake farmers.
Building a concrete tank to capture, filter and store rainwater cost $20,000