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In 2019, healthcare organizations will begin to take cues from other industries as they look to improve customer experience, increase efficiencies, and foster price transparency, PwC Health Research Institute’s annual Top Health Industry Issues report found.
In the past two years, $12.5 billion was invested in digital health ventures, marking 2019 as the year when digital devices will truly reshape the life sciences and health industries. PwC’s HRI found that more than 50% of consumers would be likely to try an FDA-approved app or online tool for treatment and care. And the FDA’s Digital Software Precertification Program is expected to begin awarding approvals in 2019. As more digital therapeutics and connected devices come onto the market, biopharma and medical device companies will have to change their approach to product discovery and development, focusing on solutions that have demonstrable outcomes in clinical trials for patients, payers, and providers.
The PwC HRI report highlights six trends that will impact the healthcare industry in 2019, also including:
- Creating the Southwest Airlines of Healthcare: The year ahead will welcome new innovative business models to address rising healthcare costs and the industry’s antiquated system.
- Upskilling health workers: When the workforce of the future is top of mind of all industries, healthcare companies need to figure out the best way to train, reskill, and upskill employee capabilities to best work alongside AI and robotic process automation technologies.
- Private equity accelerating growth: HRI expects PE’s diversified acquisitions and investments in the health sector to accelerate, giving healthcare companies opportunities to sell all or portions of noncore assets and increase their core competencies, or partner with PE in acquisitions.
In its 13th year, the ‘Top health Industry issues of 2019: The New Health Economy comes of age’ outlines the top issues for healthcare providers, insurers, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, and employers. The six issues in the report include the follow:
- Digital Transformation – Digital therapeutics and connected care reshape the life science industry
- Workforce Trends – Your company’s new, upskilled health worker of the future is you
- Tax Regulations – Tax reform has only just begun for healthcare companies
- Innovation – Creating the Southwest Airlines of Healthcare
- Deals – Private equity: Healthcare’s new growth accelerator
- Government regulation – The Affordable Care Act in 2019: Still Alive.
A Product Manager with expertise in pharma marketing and sales operations


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MADISON, Wisc. (Dec. 6, 2017) – Last Thursday, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill into law legalizing hemp cultivation for research purposes only in compliance with federal law. The new law could lay a foundation to eventually expand the hemp market in the state, and with further action, could set the stage for nullification of federal hemp prohibition in the future.
A bipartisan coalition of 12 senators introduced Senate Bill 119 (SB119) in March. As introduced, the legislation would have authorized the planting, growing, cultivating, harvesting, and processing of industrial hemp for “commercial purposes or research,” ignoring federal law prohibiting the cultivation of hemp for commercial purposes. But the Senate ultimately passed a substitute bill that only authorizes hemp production “to the greatest extent allowed under federal law.” That means Wisconsin will create a licensing and regulatory structure for the production of industrial hemp within pilot programs for research purposes only, but farmers will not be able to produce hemp for commercial purposes.
The Senate unanimously passed the amended version of SB119 on Nov. 7 by a 33-0 vote. On Nov. 9, the House approved the measure 99-0. With Gov. Walker’s signature, the law will go into effect the day after it is officially published.
FEDERAL FARM BILL
Early in 2014, President Barack Obama signed a new farm bill into law, which included a provision allowing a handful of states to begin limited research programs growing hemp. The “hemp amendment”
…allows State Agriculture Departments, colleges and universities to grow hemp, defined as the non-drug oil-seed and fiber varieties of Cannabis, for academic or agricultural research purposes, but it applies only to states where industrial hemp farming is already legal under state law.
In short, current federal law authorizes the farming of hemp – by research institutions, or within state pilot programs – for research only. Farming for commercial purposes by individuals and businesses remains prohibited.
With the passage of SB119, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture will have the authority to establish a pilot program in the state for research purposes.This lays the foundation for a hemp market to begin develop in the state by putting a licensing structure in place and opening the door to limited cultivation. But for a full-fledged hemp industry to evolve, further steps will be necessary.
Several other states with federally-compliant hemp programs, such as Kentucky, North Dakota, Minnesota and New York, have grown significant acreage under federally-approved research programs. This represents a first step, but with federal shackles in place, these states are not allowed to develop any kind of commercial market.
Recognizing its limited research program was hindering the development of the industry, West Virginia dumped its federally compliant hemp program during the 2017 legislative session and will now issue federally non-compliant commercial licenses to growers. West Virginia Public Broadcasting confirmed limits imposed by the old program due to its conformity with federal law were holding back the development of a viable hemp industry and everyday farmers cannot benefit.
“But because of the strict requirements under the 2014 bill, growers are not able to sell their plants and cannot transport them across state lines to be turned into those usable products. That’s limited the ability to create a real hemp industry in the state.”
States with federally compliant hemp programs should follow West Virginia’s lead if they are serious about developing thriving hemp industries within their borders.
Other states, including Colorado, Oregon, Maine, California and Vermont have simply ignored federal prohibition and legalized industrial hemp production within their state borders. While prospective hemp growers still have to take federal law into consideration, eliminating the state requirement for federal permission clears away a major obstacle to widespread commercial hemp farming within the borders of the state.
Colorado was the first state with widespread commercial hemp production. Farmers began growing hemp in southeast Colorado back in 2013 and the industry is beginning to mature. The amount of acreage used to grow industrial hemp in the state doubled in 2016 to nearly 5,000 acres, and nearly doubled again in 2017.
The Oregon legislature initially legalized industrial hemp production in 2009. While it was technically legal to grow hemp in the state, farmers didn’t take advantage of the opportunity for nearly five years. When the Oregon Department of Agriculture finally put a licensing and regulatory program in place early in 2014, farmers began growing hemp. The initial regulatory structure placed significant limits on hemp farming and effectively locked small growers out of the market. In 2016, Gov. Kate Brown signed House Bill 4060 into law. It relaxed state laws regulating hemp already on the books and made the crop more like other agricultural products. Within months, the Oregon Department of Agriculture had already promulgated new rules under the reformed law. According to Oregon’s Cannabis Connection, the rules set the stage to creates a “massive” medical hemp market. The state produced 3,469 acres of hemp in 2017.
Both Colorado and Oregon demonstrate how loosening rules at the state level encourage the market and allow hemp a legitimate commercial hemp industry to develop.
HUGE MARKET FOR HEMP
According to a 2005 Congressional Research Service report, the U.S. is the only developed nation that hasn’t developed an industrial hemp crop for economic purposes.
Experts suggest that the U.S. market for hemp is around $600 million per year. They count as many as 25,000 uses for industrial hemp, including food, cosmetics, plastics and bio-fuel. The U.S. is currently the world’s #1 importer of hemp fiber for various products, with China and Canada acting as the top two exporters in the world.
During World War II, the United States military relied heavily on hemp products, which resulted in the famous campaign and government-produced film, “Hemp for Victory!”
Tenth Amendment Center
The Tenth Amendment Center is a national think tank that works to preserve and protect the principles of strictly limited government through information, education, and activism. The center serves as a forum for the study and exploration of state and individual sovereignty issues, focusing primarily on the decentralization of federal government power as required by the Constitution. For more information visit the Tenth Amendment Center Blog.

domain: news


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While the standard Audi RS3 is no slouch, sprinting from rest to 100km/h in just 4.3 seconds thanks to 270kW and 465Nm from its 2.5-litre TFSI five-cylinder engine, Audi tuning specialist MTM thinks otherwise.
The tuner managed to extract a further 54kW and 140Nm from the boosted five-pot to bring power levels to an incredible 324kW and 605Nm. Putting the power to the ground via the seven-speed dual clutch transmission, the MTM Audi RS3 cracks 100km/h from rest in a supercar taming 3.9 seconds. With the right tyres and pressure, the RS3 can even nudge 300km/h flat out, according to the German tuner.
All this extra performance is made possible through a new engine management software and stainless steel sports exhaust system with valve control.
MTM have also upgraded the brakes and replaced the standard seats with carbon fibre racing buckets. There’re also the carbon fibre front lip spoiler and rear diffuser.
While no official pricing has been announced for the full package, MTM charges $3,000 euros for the new engine tune alone.


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Cadillac just officially announced the brutal new CTS-V ahead of its official debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Continue Reading...
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Wall Street advanced on Tuesday after stronger-than-expected retail sales data suggested a return of consumer spending and further gains by stocks.
The data showed retail sales rose 0.8 per cent in July, the first rise in four months and biggest since February. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 0.3 per cent increase. The S&P retail index gained 0.9 per cent.
“The retail sales is good, and it just continues the trend right now for the S&P to go higher,” said Frank Lesh, a futures analyst and broker at FuturePath Trading LLC in Chicago.
“It keeps us going for now. I didn’t see anything here that said sell your longs or get out; if anything, it said buy.”
Home Depot Inc. gained 2.3 per cent to $54.04 (U.S.) as the top boost to the Dow after the world’s largest home improvement chain reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and kept a tight lid on costs to offset weakness in sales.
Separately, producer prices rose in July at the fastest pace in five months on higher costs for light trucks, pharmaceutical drugs and cigarettes, although falling energy prices pointed to muted inflation pressures.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 25.17 points, or 0.19 per cent, to 13,194.60. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 3.49 points, or 0.25 per cent, to 1,407.60. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 7.15 points, or 0.24 per cent, to 3,029.67.
Economic data later in the session will include business inventories for June at 10 a.m. (1400 GMT). Economists in a Reuters survey expect a rise of 0.2 per cent versus a 0.3 per cent rise in the prior month.
Michael Kors Holdings Ltd. surged 13.5 per cent to $48.07 after the apparel company reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its full-year profit forecast.
Estee Lauder Cos. Inc. jumped 8.5 per cent to $59.68 after the cosmetics and fragrance maker reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and forecast more sales growth this year.
Saks Inc. reported a narrower than expected second quarter loss on Tuesday, as sales gains defied what the luxury retailer said was a tough economy, and the retailer stuck to its sales forecast for the second half of the fiscal year. Shares climbed 4.1 per cent to $11.30.
Groupon Inc. tumbled 22.6 per cent to $5.84 after the world’s largest online daily deals provider missed quarterly revenue expectations and gave a cautious profit outlook.
Discount retailer TJX Cos. Inc., owner of the Marshalls and T.J. Maxx chains, raised its full-year profit forecast on a rise in its second-quarter sales, and shares edged up 0.4 per cent to $44.42.Report Typo/Error


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Breitling Out Of Baselworld 2020
Breaking up is not that hard to do.
CEO Georges Kern at the Breitling Summit during Baselworld 2019
Less than a month after the conclusion of Baselworld 2019, Breitling has confirmed an open secret - it will not return for the next instalment in 2020. Instead, the Swiss watch manufacturer will focus on its own communication platform, the Breitling Summit, where media, partners and customers will learn of Breitling’s latest novelties and innovations at a time and place of the brand’s choosing.
The decision to forgo Baselworld 2020 was apparently due to the later timing of the fair, slated to be held from April 30 to May 5 next year, rather than in March, as it has been for the past decade or so.
While he acknowledged the brand had a successful show at Baselworld 2019, Breitling CEO Georges Kern revealed in a statement, “The decisive factor is the timing of Baselworld at the end of April, which cannot be reconciled with our scheduling.”
Baselworld managing director Michel Loris-Melikoff corroborated, saying, “The path Breitling is taking to present the brand as an experience is perfectly in line with our strategy of transforming Baselworld into an experience platform. That’s why we jointly strove to integrate the Summit into Baselworld. In the end, no agreement was reached because the end of April date set for Baselworld 2020… was too late for Breitling.”
However, Kern doesn’t rule out eventually returning to the 102-year-old fair, and praised the direction taken by the new management. “We would like to emphasize that the extensive innovations developed and implemented by Baselworld’s management under Michel Loris-Melikoff in such a short time frame have had a positive impact and can lay the foundations to take Baselworld in a new direction in the future,” Kern said.
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Hi-Rez Studios and Tencent have inked a deal to bring a fully localized version of Paladins to Chinese gamers. Chinese Paladins players will have an opportunity to participate in game activities and the top Chinese Paladins team to the Paladins Invitational Tournament to be held at the Hi-Rez Expo in January 2017.
”We’re very excited to partner with Tencent to bring Paladins to China”, said Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios co-founder and COO. “Tencent’s track record of leadership and excellence with FPS games and esports offerings within China is impeccable. There is no better partner in China. We are especially excited for what this means for the game’s worldwide competitive future”
Find out more about Paladins and check out Tencent's announcement trailer below.


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IPM ESSEN will take place for the 38th time at Messe Essen on 28-31 January 2020. In a little over three months’ time, the world’s leading horticultural trade fair will be held on the completely modernized exhibition grounds for the first time. Eight large exhibition halls on one level, equipped with the latest infrastructure, the Galeria and Hall 1A will offer the ideal presentation area to more than 1,500 exhibitors from almost 50 nations. For the first time, visitors will also be able to reach IPM ESSEN 2020 through the new East Glass Foyer as an entrance. The range on offer at the international trade fair will include innovative products and services from the fields of plants, technology, floristry and garden features. IPM ESSEN will be accompanied by a varied programme and France will present itself as the official partner country.
Should any EDRA/GHIN Member wish to receive complimentary VIP tickets to attend IPM Essen please contact email@example.com
For more information please visit: www.ipm-essen.de


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Distillery signs deal with Napier University start-up to turn whisky by-products into next-generation biofuels
A Scottish start-up has signed a deal to turn by-products from a whisky distillery into fuel for cars. The agreement is said to be the first of its kind in the world and will see the independent Tullibardine...
BusinessGreen brings you the latest green business news from around the world
This issue isn't going away for the e-commerce giant - and other industry leaders should consider themselves on notice
It's the largest purchase order by any company in the US
BREAKING: PM to resign leadership of Tory party on June 7, with Boris Johnson is favourite to win leadership election


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On Air Now
Early Breakfast with James Stewart 4am - 6:30am
17 September 2019, 14:15 | Updated: 1 November 2019, 07:25
Schoolboy Leon racked up an eye-watering amount on his mum's credit card buying expensive gaming extras.
A single mother has told her son that "Christmas is cancelled" after he racked up an eye-watering bill of over £3,000 buying Xbox add-ons.
Martine Berriedale-Johnson, 40, was horrified to find eight-year-old Leon had been secretly purchasing gaming extras while playing Minecraft and Roblox, leaving her with a staggering credit card statement that's left her with serious money issues.
The schoolboy splashed out on over 20 online buys and in less than 24 hours managed to spend a whopping £978.81.
A couple of days later he charged his mum's account seven more times, with one add-on costing an astonishing £199.99.
Martine first noticed something was wrong when she received her monthly statement and clocked the huge charges listed against her name.
She said: "I’d put in my card details once for him to buy an add-on for a game for £4.99.
“That was supposed to be a one-off special treat.
“I had no idea that my details had been saved on the system and Leon was still using my card to buy more online.”
Following the shocking invoice, Martine confronted Leon and confessed she lost her mind because she only budgets for around £30 a month, which is usually spent on takeaway treats and Amazon orders.
“When I saw my credit card bill, I went crazy. I told him I was selling his Xbox,” she raged.
The Brighton-based mum admitted she already battles to feed her two children, but now fears her family will miss out on a traditional turkey dinner this coming Christmas due to her dwindling finances.
She said: “I’m a single mum and I already struggle to put food on the table.
“But I’m always really careful with my finances. I just don’t know how I’m going to pay this bill.”
Not only will there be no trimmings for the boys on their plates, but her son's online splurge means presents have gone out the window, too.
She added: “I’ve told the boys Christmas is cancelled and that they’re not getting any toys.
“I don’t even know if I’ll be able to afford Christmas dinner after this.”
After explaining to Leon what he'd done, Martine said he was sorry and wasn't aware of the dent he was making in her savings.
She said: “He had understood that he was buying something but didn’t understand the financial consequences.
“But now I’ve explained it to him and he realises what he did.”
Thankfully, Martine got in touch with Microsoft to query their security settings and will now be refunded the full amount.


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‘Skip the line by going online’: ITD launches online service for DMV transactions
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Transportation Department launched a new online service website to handle several Division of Motor Vehicles transactions.
The new service allows Idahoans to “skip the line by going online” through the new website, Drive Idaho.
“Our new online services page, Drive Idaho, brings all of the new and existing DMV’s online services into one, easy-to-navigate page,” DMV Administrator Alberto Gonzalez said. “Qualified Idahoans can now skip the line at the county sheriffs’ and assessors’ offices by going online for DMV services.”
Now, Idahoans can go online to:
Renew their driver’s license or ID
Purchase a new replacement driver’s license or ID
Check the status of their driving privileges
Pay reinstatement fees
Update an address
Renew a vehicle license plate
Order personalized license plates
Check the status of a vehicle license plate or title
Starting July 1, two new online services will be added to the website for commercial truck registrations and oversize/overweight trip permits.
“Not only will online services at the Drive Idaho website be convenient, but it will reduce lines at the county offices for those who choose or are required to go there for DMV services,” Gonzales said.
The Drive Idaho site will is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.
Catch up on the day’s news and look ahead to tomorrow by signing up for the Daily Local email newsletter from KXLY4. Headlines, events, and staff picks every weeknight at 8 p.m. Sign up HERE to get your news on the D.L.
COPYRIGHT 2020 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.


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The New Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea from Future Group that sought to restrain US partner Amazon.com Inc from interfering in its $3.4-billion asset sale to Reliance Industries. Future Group sold its retail assets in August to Reliance Industries in a deal Amazon said breached agreements Future made with the US ecommerce leader in 2019.
A single bench of Justice Mukta Gupta refused to grant any interim reliefs on FRL’s plea. The court held as “not void” Future Retail Ltd’s (FRL) board resolution approving Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL) deal worth nearly Rs.24,000 crore and said that the statutory authorities would decide approval on the deal as per law.
The observations were passed while the court was hearing a plea for an interim injunction restraining Amazon from writing to the SEBI, Competition Commission of India and other authorities about the arbitral order against its assets sale.
It held that the Emergency Award was valid, and the Kishore Biyani-owned company’s resolution approving the transaction with Reliance was also valid.
Amazon wrote a couple of letters to the capital markets regulator SEBI urging the regulator and the stock exchanges not to give a go-ahead to the Future-Retail deal in view of the Singapore arbitrator’s interim order.
In October, an arbitration court in Singapore had directed a temporary stay on Future Retail’s buyout by the RIL-led Reliance Retail.
Future Retail Ltd (FRL) filed a caveat in the Delhi High Court last month following the Singapore arbitration court’s interim stay order.
Earlier, Future Group had urged the Indian stock exchanges, the BSE and the NSE, to process its application for the deal with Reliance Retail, as the arbitrator’s order does not restrict market regulator SEBI or the exchanges from considering and approving the scheme.
The Root Cause
Kishore Biyani-led Future Retail Ltd (FRL), had in November accused Amazon of adopting a media strategy of “having every development reported and converted into a line of communication with stock exchanges” regarding the Amazon-Future Coupons’ arbitration proceedings in Singapore.
The court also termed FRL’s resolution approving the transaction with Reliance Retail as valid.
In August this year, Biyani’s Future Group entered into an agreement with Reliance Retail, a subsidiary of the umbrella Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) group, to sell its retail, wholesale, logistics and warehousing to the latter. As a part of the deal, Future Retail will sell its supermarket chain Big Bazaar, premium food supply unit Foodhall and fashion and clothes supermart Brand Factory’s retail as well as wholesale units to Reliance Retail.
Last year, Biyani’s Future Retail had signed another deal with global e-commerce giant Amazon. As part of the deal, Amazon had acquired 49 per cent stake in Future Coupons, the promoter firm of Future Retail in a deal worth nearly Rs 2,000 crore.
While Future Retail would be able to place its products on Amazon’s online market place, the two had also agreed that the Future Retails products would also be a part of Amazon’s new plan, which intended to deliver products in select cities within two hours of a customer ordering them. Future Retail has more than 1,500 stores pan India.
After Future’s agreement with Reliance, Amazon said the deal was a violation of a non-compete clause and a right-of-first-refusal pact it had signed with the Future Group.


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We believe practicing responsible business behaviour should be intuitive. But it’s not always easy to know the steps to take, especially in a smaller organisation who may not have the same capacity or resources as larger organisations.
Our strategic partner, Business In The Community, has introduced The Responsible Business Tracker® which can help you to assess your company’s performance as a responsible business. The tracker also signposts further positive changes you can make on your responsible business journey.
Why is this important?
Sustainability is an increasingly pressing topic for small businesses in the UK. According to the British Chambers of Commerce, around 54% of businesses are planning to reduce their consumption of materials such as paper, food, and plastics in the coming year, whilst 47% plan reduce their energy consumption.
Consumer trends reveal that consumers are increasingly assessing a company's environmental credentials, while business supply chains are under scrutiny to minimise environmental, ethical, and social impacts.
There are lots of incentives for environmentally switched-on businesses. Climate change awareness is also likely to see legislation designed to support environmental pledges and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
Even small changes can help move UK businesses towards a greener future.
You can find out more about the tracker here.


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Louis Castle, co-founder of Westwood Studios, will head Amazon’s Seattle game-production studio.
Amazon.com has added another video-game industry veteran to its ranks, naming Louis Castle head of the company’s Seattle game-production studio.
Castle co-founded Westwood Studios, best known as the maker of the “Command & Conquer” series, an early hit in the genre of real-time strategy games that put players in control of a battlefield from a bird’s-eye view. He stayed on in a senior role at Electronic Arts when the gaming giant acquired the studio.
Castle is the latest luminary scooped up by Amazon, which has drawn notice in the video-game industry for hiring away veterans of the likes of Microsoft, Valve and Electronic Arts.
The e-commerce giant is expanding its ambitions in video gaming, from selling games through its Twitch subsidiary to hosting online multiplayer games on the infrastructure of Amazon Web Services and selling its own set of video-game developer tools.
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Dealers will increasingly adopt a multi-channel approach to their stock acquisition, according to the latest sentiment survey by Cox Automotive UK.
Two-fifths of dealers say they have increased their use of digital auction platforms due to lockdown, with 49% of those indicating this will be a long-term change. Just 7% say they have no intention to buy digitally, while one in five say they’re going online in the short-term but will return to physical as soon as possible.
Two-thirds of those surveyed say they expect their use of physical auctions to stay at pre-Covid-19 levels in the medium to long term, while 13% actually expect their usage to increase. Although 23% say they will either decrease or stop attending altogether in the short to medium term, that figure falls to 11% when asked about their medium to long term intentions.
Philip Nothard, Customer Insight & Strategy Director at Cox Automotive comments: “Half of the dealers who responded were using online platforms prior to Covid-19, but there’s no doubt the lockdown has accelerated adoption amongst those yet to embrace digital auctions. For a sizeable proportion, the survey indicates that this usage will continue to become the ‘new normal’.
“However, it’s also evident that when auction halls can safely reopen, plenty will be keen to once again be back in the lanes. Despite the inherent efficiency and convenience of digital channels, the social interaction, hands on access, and pure theatre of the physical auction remains a powerful attraction.
“As lockdown eases and the used market continues to build momentum, we advise dealers to maintain a flexible mindset and take advantage of the respective benefits of both channels. With demand expected to outstrip supply for the remainder of this year, dealers need to put themselves in a position to strike decisively on the vehicles they can retail successfully.”
Source: Cox Automotive


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The OECD and IMF have reported recently that global economic momentum has faltered and is likely to remain slow. Inhibiting factors include trade tensions, corporate and government debt, disruptive technologies and more. Corporate leaders are well aware of the trend. As one Harvard Business Review article puts it, “Many C-suite executives are already anticipating recession in the next few years and quietly gearing up for it.”
As a multinational business expands it becomes more complex and difficult to manage. Whether your organization has grown organically and/or through acquisition, just keeping track of your legal entities can become challenging, to say nothing of understanding why they were established and if you still need them. Just as important is understanding and fulfilling your compliance obligations in all your countries of operation. Each entity will have its own set of local corporate filing deadlines, director requirements, bank account considerations and more. Even if you eventually get control over these obligations, one or more of your countries of operation will change an existing regulation or add a new one, leaving you scrambling to comply.
In this second post of a two-part series, we look at how coming EU VAT changes will affect e-commerce businesses based outside the European Union. We also look at the role of online marketplaces under the changes.
If your business sells or plans to sell goods online to EU-based customers, there are important VAT changes coming. In this first post of a two-part series, we explain what these changes mean for businesses that have an EU presence.
Brexit will have profound effects on businesses exporting from the UK and those with UK-based customers, regardless of where those businesses are located. Affected businesses will face new challenges related to data protection, supply chains, immigration and more. The precise nature of many of these challenges remains uncertain, and the hard truth is that many Brexit-related uncertainties will persist long after the UK leaves the EU.
Whether you’re thinking about international expansion for the first time or are experienced at maintaining operations in multiple countries, there’s a strong chance you’ll benefit from this comprehensive review of cross-border considerations.
Exactly 20 years after they started, representatives from the European Union and Mercosur concluded negotiations on one of the biggest trade deals in history. The EU is the South American bloc’s first major trade partner, and the new agreement is the largest ever for both sides.
The global economy is evolving quickly, and tech and other startups are looking beyond traditional expansion targets like the UK and China. Popular targets now include relatively low cost, talent-rich countries like Israel, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Poland, which recently joined the ranks of FTSE Russell advanced economies, the first country to do so in nearly ten years


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WNW Design Ltd are proud to announce the launch of the Exmouth Players website.
Exmouth Players form an Edwardian gem of a theatre, Blackmore Theatre. It is owned by the members and produce several productions a year. Exmouth Players won a National Operatic and Dramatic Association awards and host an Annual One Act Play Festival in April.
Browse the website www.blackmoretheatre.co.uk for more information.


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The wonder of creative destruction
I won’t miss Hostess brands. Not a bit. For those of you outside the USA, the company makes “iconic” foods in the United States such as Wonderbread (plain white bread with nothing wonderful about it) and Twinkies (a sickeningly sweet combination of 38 ingredients – many of which you would not want to eat separately).
The collapse of the firm has had a lot of press in the USA because so many people remember enjoying these brands as they grew up. It has also thrown a microscope once again on the behaviour of:
– Unions (refusing to adjust archaic working practices, not taking enough cuts to help the company survive, insisting on levels of benefits that are not sustainable)
– Private Equity ownership (saddling the company with debt so that the biggest bill is servicing the interest on debt used to buy the firm, refusing to compromise with workers)
– Management (CEO awarded a 300% payrise, being incapable of resolving the conflicts between ownership and workers)
Left and Right-wing commentators and news outlets have given a lot of press to their favoured narrative – whether it be greedy capitalist ownership “asset-stripping” the company and killing it, or greedy backward-looking unions destroying the company with their “unreasonable demands”.
As usual – it is likely that both strands are true. Hostess brands were bought and sold by private money three times since 2004. Each time, the private money added more debt (the interest on which needs to be serviced) and inserted new management. In fact there were seven CEOs in that period. Management was therefore inconsistent and probably incapable of building the relationships needed to get to a deal with an intransigent Union. In the end, mutually assured destruction was a threat that became a reality. When companies get destroyed, the ownership usually get what’s left of the pickings and the workers are left with nothing.
The real underlying problem that helped make this all happen was declining sales. Thankfully some Americans are waking up to the fact that these food products are just not that good for you. Unfortunately the company itself was in so much turmoil that it could not adjust to the most obvious trend in the food industry for the last 20 years – that of “healthy”. It had the assets, the market power and the capability to do so, but it didn’t. Growing companies can tolerate and hide a multitude of dysfunctions. Shrinking companies cannot.
So the company will go into bankruptcy protection. Most of the brands are profitable and most of the bakeries and distribution (and the jobs that go with them) are assets that will be valuable to someone. Maybe they will be bought by a company specializing in healthy snacks, or gluten-free baked goods. Maybe they will just keep selling garbage dressed up as food.
The thing about tectonic shifts in markets (and “waves” of creative destruction) is that no matter how many times you reconfigure a business that is in decline, it will still eventually die. Bucking that trend requires owners with vision, management with talent and workers who believe in the mission (and stand to share in the upside).
The issue of owners, workers and managers who don’t “gel” has been a problem since companies were invented. Yes, debt-fuelled buyouts and Union contracts will have made it more challenging to reach the right balance between stakeholders. But, like the restaurant down the street with a nasty owner, grumpy staff and crap food, the whole thing needs to be put out of its misery.


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Coors Light- thanks to years of consistent positioning, strong marketing and great support from the distributor network- in 2011 passed Budweiser to become the second-biggest beer in America.
This milestone has received a lot of news coverage.
Here’s a sample and some excerpts:
Coors Light has displaced Budweiser as the No. 2 beer in America, marking the first time in almost 20 years that Anheuser-Busch has not controlled the nation's top two beer brands, trade publication Beer Marketer's Insights is reporting.
Coors Light has been gaining on the King of Beers for years, and analysts began predicting its rise to No. 2 last year. Indeed, MillerCoors was so confident that Chief Marketing Officer Andy England brashly told distributors early last year that “Budweiser is going down, baby.” (More here.)
The Wall Street Journal
At its apex in 1988, Budweiser sold about 50 million barrels.
"Bud has been declining for a long time," said Benj Steinman, editor of Beer Marketer's Insights. "The market has changed. This was kind of a natural progression." (More here.)
The Chicago Tribune
“Dethroning the King is a great accomplishment so early in the history of MillerCoors,” a MillerCoors spokesman wrote in an email.
“We will be appropriately celebrating this achievement with our employees and distributors who have worked so hard to deliver an impressive 7 consecutive years of growth on Coors Light and then getting back to work to deliver an 8th consecutive year of growth.” (More here.)
Coors Light has officially booted Budweiser to become the No. 2 beer in America.
If Anheuser-Busch InBev isn't panicking yet, it should be. This is the first time in nearly two decades that Anheuser-Busch hasn't controlled the top two beers in the country. The King of Beers is on its way to becoming court jester. (More here.)
Milwaukee Business Journal
Coors Light has been the lone “mega” brand to grow consistently in recent years while others, such as Budweiser, Bud Light and Miller Lite, have shrunk, Steinman added.
Coors Light’s growth hasn’t been off the charts, but it has “bucked the trend” in the industry, (BMI President Benj) Steinman said. …
“The cold positioning has worked very well for Coors Light,” Steinman said. (More here.)
From- MillerCoors BrewHouse Blast
Added on 01/16/2012
Industry by Odom Corp Industry News
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Sustainable and inclusive trade commitments are now further embedded in two of our trading relationships under new economic declarations.
The two inclusive and sustainable trade declarations, between Inclusive Trade Action Group (ITAG) members (signed 16 July 2023), and between New Zealand and Australia (signed 11 August 2023), mark New Zealand’s continued focus on fostering trade that advances our broader commitment to a net-zero transition and an enabling economy for all communities.
The latter declaration coincides with the release of the refreshed Trade, Environment, and Climate Change Framework and the Trade and Labour Framework. These frameworks replace their 2001 predecessors, laying down the guidelines for future free trade agreements and policy provisions.
There is no understating the importance of trade to the New Zealand economy; two-way trade totalled $197 billion in 2022. Thus, ensuring that this trade delivers prosperity for all communities (including Indigenous peoples and women), enhances living standards, and advances our sustainable transition is a must. The commitments themselves are not new, but the increased focus on them indicates their priority and long-term importance.
Arguably the clearest evidence of this was New Zealand’s legally binding, and enforceable, climate and gender commitments under the New Zealand-European Union free trade agreement (NZ-EU FTA) that was signed 9 July 2023 – prior to the two declarations and frameworks.
ITAG declaration a commitment spanning the globe
The signing of the Inclusive and Sustainable Trade declaration among ITAG members, which includes New Zealand, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Australia (who formally joined after the signing of the declaration), reflects the shared values and commitments held. It reinforces commitments that are grounded in international law and multilateral instruments, for example core International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The declaration is essentially a commitment among ITAG members. It states, at a high level, that members will cooperate, collaborate, share, explore, and promote these inclusive and sustainable commitments. These commitments could include, for example, collaborating on initiatives that promote Indigenous-to-Indigenous trade, sharing policy provisions that boost trade in sustainable goods, or expanding women’s access to international trade opportunities. It might not be legally binding, but it provides a platform for members to work collectively to advance key outcomes.
New Zealand and Australia marked the 40th anniversary of Closer Economic Relations (CER) with a Sustainable and Inclusive Trade Declaration
Forty years on, since the signing of the free trade agreement between New Zealand and Australia in 1982, the CER agreement has fostered $29 billion in two-way trade, which represented 15 percent of New Zealand’s exports in 2022.
The Sustainable and Inclusive Trade Declaration between New Zealand and our Tasman neighbour builds on this long-term relationship. It is the evolution of what has been widely renowned as one of the most effective and open bilateral free trade agreements globally. A priority of the CER was for it to remain dynamic and adaptable to the changing world, and the declaration is a testament to this.
Similar to the ITAG declaration, this declaration recognises and advances the shared principles between New Zealand and Australia, including the international law and multilateral instruments noted above (which are also included in the NZ-EU FTA), as well as other principles recognising Indigenous peoples, women, and climate change. And again, in essence, it is a commitment by both nations to collaborate on, promote, and accelerate all things in regard to these sustainable and inclusive trade commitments.
Is just a commitment to inclusive and sustainable trade enough?
This commitment to inclusive and sustainable trade is set out in the Government’s Trade for All agenda, which was designed to deliver trade policies for all New Zealanders and contributes to addressing global and regional issues of concern, including environmental matters and labour standards.
Time will tell if this commitment to inclusive and sustainable trade is successful, or if it needs to be part of a formal agreement such as the NZ-EU FTA.


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According to market research firm DRAMeXchange’s recent report, Samsung Electronics accounted for 31.5 percent of the global NAND flash market in the third quarter of this year, followed by Toshiba (20.5 percent), SanDisk (15.4 percent), Micron (13.8 percent), SK Hynix (10.9 percent) and Intel (7.8 percent).
Samsung Electronics’ market share and sales declined by 1.1 percentage point and about 1 percent from a quarter ago, respectively. Toshiba increased its sales by 10 percent during the same period, when SanDisk boosted its sales by no less than 17.7 percent in spite of a 22 percent decline in the average selling price of NAND flash memories. Its sales growth amounts to 49 percent on a bit basis. SanDisk raised the ratio of microfabrication processes at a level of 15 nm up to 60 percent, too.
Micron recorded a decrease in sales of 6.5 percent in the third quarter, allowing SanDisk to take the third place instead of itself. The gap between SanDisk and Samsung Electronics was reduced from 19.2 percentage points to 16.1 percentage points between the second and third quarters.
SanDisk was recently acquired by Western Digital at a price of US$19 billion. The Tsinghua Unigroup has 15 percent of shares of Western Digital now via its subsidiary Unisplendour, which means the Tsinghua Unigroup can exert a substantial influence on SanDisk. Although industry insiders say that SanDisk’s management rights are still out of China and the company still has a far way to go in terms of memory process technology, Samsung Electronics might have to be concerned over the rise of SanDisk with the Chinese government having raised a fund of 120 billion yuan for the growth of the semiconductor industry.


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The second-hand lens has gone on sale today at MPB Photographic, an online retailer based in Brighton, East Sussex. The price: £99,000 (including VAT).
Dedicated MPB sales staff are poised to take enquiries.
The monster – currently owned by MPB – measures 228x836mm, and carries a filter size of 48mm, according to the website of the Canon Camera Museum.
Originally aimed at sports and wildlife photographers, previous owners are rumoured to include government, law enforcement and surveillance agencies.
‘It would appear that only a small number have fallen into private ownership, resulting in the 1200mm being seldom seen on the used market…’ an MPB spokesperson told Amateur Photographer.
According to Canon, the EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM was launched onto the market in July 1993 when it was billed as the world’s largest interchangeable AF lens for SLRs, in terms of both focal length and maximum aperture.
Its closest focusing distance is 14m.
The giant optic features eight diaphragm blades and a ‘one-touch’ revolving mechanism for ‘quick switching’ between vertical and horizontal formats.
At launch it cost 9.8 million yen (around £57,000 at today’s exchange rates), with case and hood, adds the Canon website.
‘Extremely sharp, professional-quality images are realised through use of two large-diameter artificial crystal fluorite lens elements (3rd and 6th) that thoroughly eliminate secondary spectrum.’
MPB’s founding director Matt Barker says his firm has experienced ‘exceptional growth’ since it launched in 2006, adding that acquiring this lens ‘embodies this success’.
For details, call MPB Photographic on 0845 459 0101 or see the listing here, which is due to go live this lunchtime.
We’ve seen the Canon EF 1200mm before, in our round-up of 6 of the most ridiculous lenses ever made.


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Dendreon to Cut 15% of Jobs as Provenge Sales Disappoint
Dendreon Corp. (DNDN) plans to cut 150 jobs, or about 15 percent of its workforce, to trim operating expenses after sales of its prostate-cancer drug Provenge missed analysts’ estimates.
Dendreon will take a $7.5 million charge related to severance this quarter and next, the Seattle-based company said in a regulatory filing today. The reductions will help save about $125 million in operating expenses, with cost of goods sold being reduced by about $30 million.
The drugmaker is cutting costs as sales of Provenge, approved in 2010, fail to meet expectations. The drug, Dendreon’s only marketed product, generated third-quarter revenue of $68 million, the company reported today, missing the $75 million average estimate of analysts. That’s a 13 percent decline from a year earlier. Dendreon said in early August that the medicine’s revenue wouldn’t increase this year as forecast.
“Despite the restructuring to save cash and runway, we believe the negative sales trajectory will put pressure on the stock today,” ISI Group analyst Mark Schoenebaum wrote in a note to clients today.
Dendreon said in July 2012 that it would cut more than 600 jobs and reduce costs by $150 million as it sought to reach profitability.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at email@example.com


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WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/19/2024 – Yesterday, WSWA’s SipSource hosted its annual Holiday Trends and Drinks Preview webinar with Analysts and industry veterans Danny Brager and Dale Stratton briefing attendees on what they can expect this holiday season, and previewing emerging trends for 2024.
Stratton and Brager shared recent data and findings suggesting that a greater share of U.S. adults said they plan to spend less (42%) rather than more (12%) on the holidays this year — with nearly half of respondents intending to spend the same on alcohol as they did in 2022.
“We have to get some context on where we are and what's going on here,” said Stratton on the current state of the industry. “We had a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic which changed consumer buying pattens, we have geopolitical unrest and on top of that today’s economic conditions are tough. Consumer debt levels are extremely high, interest rates are difficult, and inflation continues to be daunting.”
However, consumers do premiumize during the holidays as part of their celebrations and gift giving. SipSource three-month-ending December data over the past couple of years saw marked increases in the share of premium wine and spirits products. For instance, each of spirits over $25 and table wine over $15 rose by close to three percentage points in that three-month period at the end of the year compared to the three-month-ending September data. Despite difficult economic conditions, SipSource analysts anticipate a similar share growth of premium products as we move into the 2023 holiday season with consumers trading up despite constrained financial resources.
As Premiumization Wanes, Expect Growth in Unexpected Channels
“While consumers continue to trade up in certain segments, premiumization levels in several segments are waning as economic conditions continue to pressure consumer budgets. These market forces and others benefit some channels more than others, and we see that in terms of which channels consumers are gravitating to,” said Brager. “Convenience stores, especially C-store chains, value and discount retailers within the off-premise — as well as recreation and transportation channels within the on-premise — are a couple of ones trending more positively that we are keeping our eyes on.”
Year-to-date (through August 2023) convenience store chains have seen a +7.0% volume increase in spirits (compared to a -6.0% overall off-premise decline) and a +0.4% volume gain in wine (compared to a -8.3% overall off-premise drop).
White Wine Poised to Continue to Outperform Red and Pink
Growth in Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and White Blends, along with the continued popularity of Prosecco, is driving white wine to outperform red and pink wine substantially in both the on- and off-premise. Analysts point to today’s focus on wellness diets and preferred food pairings as consumer trends driving some of these purchasing behaviors.
Despite sparkling wine’s volume share dropping -6.3% overall in the latest 12-month August 2023 ending data, Prosecco continues to be a growth engine, trending +4.5%. Analysts expect it to be a popular choice throughout the holiday season and into 2024.
The Bottom Line
While Brager and Stratton both predict wine and spirits category trends will improve relative to what we've seen the last few months, economic, geopolitical, and evolving consumer sentiments will continue to subdue growth rates. “It’s going to get better,” they say, “but the question is by how much?”
WSWA’s SipSource Announces New 2024 Forecasting Capabilities
Existing industry forecasting solutions rely on partial data and black-box methodologies to arrive at suboptimal forecasts that drive major business decisions. To solve for this, SipSource and partners Kearney, VIP and NielsenIQ will introduce a new forecasting capability in January 2024.
This SipSource forecasting tool will be the ONLY forecast in the market rooted in wholesaler depletion data plus Nielsen POS + third party data like macroeconomic, demographic, and social media trends, all brought together through AI-based modeling.
Preliminary 2024 forecasting will be available for select categories including Tequila, Brandy/Cognac, and American Whiskey at the beginning of the year, with more categories to come throughout the next 12 months. Please contact Eric Schmidt at email@example.com for more information on the upcoming SipSource forecast.
About WSWA’s SipSource
SipSource is the only source for aggregated distributor depletion data, built from unique items sold to individual stores. Since wholesalers distribute to all types of retailers, SipSource has unrivaled channel segmentation. It also covers the largest volume of bona fide alcohol sales and does not need to rely on estimates, samples or projections. SipSource uses an industry-leading platform: VIP’s iDIG to deliver timely, transparent and trusted data. In addition to the reporting tool, subscribers have access to quarterly and annual reports that leverage powerful collaboration with industry leaders and provide high-level insights into the wine and spirits marketplace.
Interested in subscribing to SipSource? Please contact Eric Schmidt at firstname.lastname@example.org for more information.


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Thursday, August 17, 2017
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Posts tagged with "smart farming"
Tag: smart farming
Smart farming requires e-skills and rural internet access
March 20, 2017
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© Copyright 2016 - Agric NG


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By now, it’s common knowledge that cable/pay TV subscribers don’t watch many of the channels they’re paying for in their service packages. Taking a cue from fast-rising OTT rivals, so-called ¨a la carte¨ service packages that let subscribers choose the channels they want to include are being proposed as an alternative.
Seeking to gauge pay-TV viewers’ interest in a la carte service packages, Digitalsmiths asked more than 3,210 consumers about it in the 2Q 2015 Video Trends Report. A unit of TiVo, Digitalsmiths is a provider of a video search and discovery platforms.
Many Interested in A La Carte Video
Eight in 10 respondents (79.4 percent) said they are interested in an a la carte pay-TV service package whereby they would pay only for the channels they select. On average respondents said such a package would consist of 17-18 channels.
On average Digitalsmiths’ survey respondents said they thought such an a la carte pay-TV package was worth $39.50 a month.
Respondents were aware of the availability of OTT services that offer a la carte viewing subscriptions, as well as one-off rentals and purchases.
Nearly 6 in 10 (57.5 percent) said they were aware of OTT services that provide what Digitalsmiths and others call ¨skinny¨ packages that provide access to linear TV. Examples of these services include CBS All Access, Hulu, PlayStation Vue and Sling TV, Digitalsmiths noted in its press release.
Search and Discovery
Delving into pay-TV subscribers opinions about the ease of program and content search and discovery, Digitalsmiths found that those who responded no to the question of whether or not they find it easy to find something to watch on TV were significantly more likely to consider or actually switch providers.
More than 4 in 10 (41.4 percent) of those who said it was not easy to find something to watch on TV also said they would stay with their current cable or satellite pay-TV service provider. Six percent said they were going to cut their traditional pay-TV subscription.
Another 2.7 percent said they were going to replace their cable or satellite subscription service with an app or rental service. One in 10 said they were planning to switch providers, while more than one-quarter (25.9 percent) responded ¨maybe¨ regarding whether or not they would cut, switch or otherwise change pay-TV providers.
Surveying respondents regarding usage of content discovery features, Digitalsmiths found:
- 47.9% of respondents who use their Pay-TV provider’s TVE offerings leverage the search and recommendations functionality offered to them.
- This high adoption demonstrates that respondents see great value in these features, and further solidifies the investment in content discovery functionality for Pay-TV providers.


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Import Vehicle Community Reveals 2018 People Awards
Nov. 2, 2018—On Thursday at the AAPEX expo in Las Vegas, the Import Vehicle Community announced the winners of its 2018 People Awards, which honor those who have made key contributions to the import automotive aftermarket.
The awards were presented to winners at the Import Vehicle Community’s luncheon and awards program in Las Vegas. This year’s award honorees included the following:
Young Executive of the Year Award:
- Matthias Kopecky, vice president, purchasing, product management, marketing, SSF Imported Auto Parts LLC
Lifetime Industry Achievement Award:
- Wm. “Mac” McGovern AAM, AAP, director, marketing and training, KYB Americas Corporation, retired (accepted by Mike Fiorito and Aaron Shafer)
- Rosemary Perry, segment management specialist, Auto Care Association, retired (accepted by Larry Northup)
Hall of Fame Award:
- W. Michael “Mike” Brown, president emeritus, Olympus Imported Auto Parts, retired
The Import Vehicle Community is associated with the Auto Care Association. For more information, click here.


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The market's grand opening will be on Sept. 18.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Vancouver Farmers Market Heads East
Clark County’s newest farmers market, the Vancouver Farmers Market – East, will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays from Sept. 18th through Oct. 30 at the Evergreen Public Schools center at 13501 N.E. 28th St.
Posted by Glenn at 9/06/2010 10:12:00 AM


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Dubai-based firm to bid for Israeli airline
Israir, which is also the biggest tour operator in Israel, is planning to launch flight to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
A Dubai-based business group with interests spanning private aviation, jewellery and diamonds announced that it would be making a bid to purchase Israir, Israel's third-largest airline.
NY Koen Group, founded by Ukrainian businessman Naum Koen, said in a statement that his group is "excited about the potential purchase of Israir and the opportunities this presents" at the upcoming auction.
Koen, said Aero Private Jet, a subsidiary of NY Koen Group, has a great deal of experience in the field of business aviation and sees the purchase of Israir as a chance to expand their services.
"Through the years of experience the company's subsidiary has accrued, and NY Koen Group's reputation in the area, Israir stands to gain a great deal should they succeed in purchasing the company," said Koen.
Founded in 2010, NY Koen Group and its subsidiary companies are involved in sectors including jewellery and diamond manufacturing, private aviation, digital marketing and IT, construction, security, and interior design.
The auction for Israir closes on November 8. So far, the only bid to buy the airline was made by Israeli businessmen Rami Levy and Shalom Haim, who had reportedly offered NIS70 million.
Israir, which is also the biggest tour operator in Israel, is planning to launch flight to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. "NY Koen Group as one of the most trusted, experienced and well-known companies in the area, is in a unique position to develop Israir and allow the airline to expand its operations in the area," Koen said in his statement.
He said the Israeli airline has a reputation for being a one-stop shop for all flights, hotel bookings, transfers and other ground services. Israir, which flies over a million passengers per year on both international and domestic flights, also operates chartered flights to various popular destinations across Europe. Aero Private Jet, which is based in Dubai and Kiev, has been in the business aviation sphere since 2003. "The company cooperates closely with the largest operators and private owners of business jets across the globe and has access to over 7,000 planes and 4,000 airports. The airline is responsible for over 3,200 flights," said Koen.
Aero Private Jet offers a full range of services, helping organise VIP flights for both business and leisure, along with individual customer service.
"Our experienced personal managers will help you plan your flights and all the accompanying services," said Koen. firstname.lastname@example.org
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The Indian government has officially announced that it will implement a 0.75% tax on all crypto trading, effectively bringing trading books to a standstill. Crypto users were already feeling the effects of the 1% cryptocurrency tax earlier this month, as volumes in large markets like South Korea have fallen by more than 50%. The result is likely to be even heavier losses for India’s local exchanges, which have one of the highest fees and commissions in the world.
Despite the tax of only 0.75%, users on India’s leading cryptocurrency exchange Zebpay are planning a mass exodus from the industry in response. “The business opportunity in India will disappear,” said one user, while others claimed that they plan to sell their holdings and move abroad for more favourable jurisdictions. The sentiment is mirrored across Korean trading platforms, where traders have transitioned into Japanese and Japanese-based exchanges.
Though the tax was still awaiting official approval from India’s parliament, it was already being implemented by exchanges. Cryptocurrency advocates are already looking for solutions to the Indian government’s problem with “black money,” with some suggesting that a move towards a cashless society could help eliminate much of the crime and corruption that plagues India.
The Indian crypto industry has been beaten over the last month, as Bitcoin has lost more than 20% of its value since April 1st. Though the move was seen by many as an attempt to slow down trading, many traders said that the 1% tax would do just the opposite. “In my opinion, India’s 100% GST is a Robin Hood kind of move. Markets are not going to explode after this; prices are expected to stabilize,” said one trader. The Indian government has already provided its reasoning for implementing a 0.
The Indian government has been working on a policy framework for cryptocurrency since mid-2016. The government announced an objective of allowing crypto use to capture the benefits of “decentralization and efficiency.” This announcement was followed by a special committee that would procure a report within 180 days.
The government has promised to issue cryptocurrency-focused licenses for payments, remittances and settlements. As part of its crackdown on illegal activities, India’s Supreme Court banned 500 and 1000 rupee notes on 8 November 2016. India is one of the biggest business hubs in Asia, with many startups which are now looking at blockchain technology to make their services faster and better. One such cryptocurrency exchange is Unocoin, founded in 2013, which allows users to buy bitcoins using their bank accounts.
The crypto industry is already reeling from a massive market-wide correction that followed China’s ban on ICOs late last year. Crypto markets have been trying to recover since the middle of January, but India’s new trading tax is likely to exacerbate the losses further. Domestic sales have reacted quickly by lowering their trading fees in response to the 1% tax on crypto trading. The fee cuts vary depending on the exchange, with Coinome choosing a 0.5% fee.
Zebpay, another Indian exchange, is set to implement a 0.1% trading fee, with similar cuts expected to be implemented by other sales in the coming days. The measures are designed to encourage traders to keep their digital assets in rather than trading them, but it remains unclear whether they will be successful.
India’s central bank has issued a statement that “using virtual currencies are exposed to potential financial, operational, legal and security related risks.” The Reserve Bank of India also noted the risk of virtual currencies being used for illegal activities like funding terrorism.
Binance, however, is optimistic that the reduction in volumes will be offset by an increase in adoption. The exchange’s CEO has said that the recent decrease in volume means that “the interest in cryptocurrencies is beginning to recover.” The 1% tax on trading exchanges is the third to be levied in India. In July 2018, the finance ministry announced a 7-per cent tax on all crypto-to-fiat trades.
Cryptocurrency trading volumes are in the dumps. CoinMarketCap, one of the most popular cryptocurrency price-tracking websites, has recently reported that volumes across all markets have dropped by more than 50 per cent. The news comes as a surprise, considering that China’s ban on initial coin offerings (ICO) has not had any significant impact on trading volumes.
What is Bountyhive?
Bountyhive is a unique platform that helps ICOs and crypto startups to raise their funds via bounty campaigns. It enables startups to run their bounty campaigns quickly and allows users an opportunity to earn rewards for supporting projects they would like to see succeed. In simple terms, Bountyhive works as a matchmaking platform that brings startups together with potential supporters worldwide.
How does Bountyhive work?
Startups create an account on the platform, upload their white papers, and describe their upcoming ICOs. They then choose bounties they would like to offer and set the participation rules and bounty distribution structure. After creating a campaign, startups get a link that they can use to spread their message across the web. Users interested in participating in the ICO then click this link, after which they will be redirected to a particular campaign page with all the relevant information about bounty tasks.
Having a Bountyhive campaign has additional benefits to it. It allows users to have more control over their funds, and they can decide where the funds go and how they are utilized. Bountyhive offers users the option of managing their bounties in ETH or tokens so that the funds can be withdrawn at any time.
What is Ethershift?
Ethershift is a new crypto exchange that has recently opened its doors to the public. The platform offers users a wide range of crypto trading pairs for the popular cryptocurrencies, bitcoin and ether. It allows users to buy bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies with fiat currencies, as well as exchange different digital assets from within the same platform.
Ethershift has a straightforward user interface, and anyone can use it without any issues. Of course, the platform has its token called ESH, and users can benefit from a 50% discount on all fees charged by the business when they pay their fees in this currency. The exchange also has an integrated e-wallet that allows users to easily store, send and receive digital assets like bitcoin and ether. The wallet is integrated with the Ethershift platform, so you do not need to go through complicated registration processes to use it.
Started by a group of crypto enthusiasts, Ethershift was primarily developed to make cryptocurrencies easy to invest in and more affordable to everyone. The platform is designed with user experience in mind and presents all the relevant information that users need in an easy-to-understand way. Another great thing about Ethershift is that it offers automatic crypto trading. You do not need to deposit your funds into the platform’s wallet unless you want to withdraw them.
The Crypto Contributor (TC) is an ICO rating platform that rates and reviews ICOs, as well as other crypto projects that are looking to obtain funding. Its mission is to unite the crypto community and help investors choose the projects they believe will have a long-term positive impact on the broader blockchain community.
The Crypto Contributor (TC) is a decentralized platform that helps investors to find the most promising cryptocurrency ICOs they should support while also providing them with equitable access to all the data they require and use to assess each ICO. The platform uses a rating system and algorithm based on several factors, including quality of white paper, tokenomics, token distribution and more. The Crypto Contributor team is made up of crypto specialists who have years of experience in the financial sector as well as blockchain technology.
The Crypto Contributor (TC) rating system is a transparent, modern, and impartial ICO rating model that uses Artificial Intelligence to rate the best crypto projects. The model evaluates ICOs based on six weighted categories including: Team, Prototype, Business Model, Tokenomics, Legal & Governance and Risk Analysis. Projects that receive high scores in these categories are more likely to be considered for investment by many investors.
Highly rated ICOs have a higher likelihood of gaining investor trust, therefore facilitating the smooth execution of their funding goals. At the same time, investors can quickly identify projects worth investing in and avoid those that are likely to fail. The Crypto Contributor rating model is constantly updated to provide accurate ratings and data.
The Crypto Contributor ICO rating platform is a proactive solution for the crypto investor community, allowing them to make more educated investment decisions. Investors can filter through and select a specific category of ICO by pressing the relevant button on the platform and then use the rating system to identify new projects with high ratings. The platform also provides information on each ICO and enables investors to compare any two or more cryptocurrencies so they can make an informed decision that suits their needs.
One of the main factors is the ICO’s white paper, which provides information on the team behind the project, its business model, and how it intends to use the funds raised during its ICO. Another critical factor is tokenomics, as it gives investors an idea of whether or not there is a limit to how many tokens are being offered for sale.
One of the main factors is whether the ICO is based on a successful business model that has already been implemented successfully. This ensures that investors will have confidence in the project’s capability to be successful, helping them make an informed decision about whether or not to invest…
Read More:India’s 1% Tax Has Dealt A Heavy Blow To Crypto Trading Volumes – Inventiva


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Onfido's AI-powered identity verification reduces the need for manual verification, accelerating onboarding for Chipper Cash customers and simplifying money transfers
Chipper Cash, the largest mobile cross-border money transfer platform in Africa, today announced a partnership with Onfido, the global identity verification company, to accelerate the onboarding of customers wishing to send money abroad. Using Onfido, Chipper Cash can now onboard its customers in as little as 2 minutes, while remaining KYC compliant and reducing fraud.
Chipper Cash is fostering financial inclusion by allowing individuals to send and receive money with free local transfers and the lowest cross-border rates across seven African countries—Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, and Kenya and the US and UK. The company also offers crypto and stock investing, prepaid visa cards and the ability to send airtime and data bundles to other Chipper customers across Africa.
By integrating Onfido’s AI-powered identity verification, Chipper Cash customers can now validate the authenticity of their government-issued identity document (ID) by simply taking a photograph. Onfido first checks that the ID is genuine and then matches it to the user’s face. This process checks that the person presenting the identity is its legitimate owner and is physically present.
Chipper Cash is continuing to scale quickly as it grows into new markets, thanks to Onfido’s support of over 2,500 identity documents from 195 countries. Expanding to over 4 million users last year, and with a recent $100M funding round, Chipper Cash has made sending money as easy as sending a text message.
“Partnering with Onfido has helped us deliver a premium onboarding experience for new customers while enabling us to meet strict KYC requirements,” said Hasan Luongo, VP of Global Marketing at Chipper Cash.
“A simple user experience is expected when sending and receiving money in today’s digital world. Making the identity verification process as frictionless and secure as possible is a critical component of this,” said Alex Valle, Chief Product Officer at Onfido. “We enable businesses like Chipper Cash to scale and comply with regulations while detecting and preventing identity fraud. We’re delighted to partner with Chipper Cash to provide these services and complement its people-first approach to remittance.”


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Future Tesla Batteries Will Likely Use Less Lithium
For decades, Lithium has been the go-to source for batteries. Lithium is not only instrumental to EVs, but it also is used in the batteries for everyday objects such as mobile phones and computers. Lithium batteries have many advantages, but they also have their drawbacks such as the increasing cost. Tesla has been working to save resources by recycling their batteries.
Why Lithium could become problematic
These wouldn’t just be minor price increases for Lithium. For example, Tesla is trying to expand into new markets, and they are also constructing Gigafactories. Tesla is already having to contend with chip shortages and rising steel prices. The inflation could slow down at some point, but prices for Lithium will depend on the demand for it. Demand is expected to go up by a lot if you factor in all the charts that forecast the growth of the EV market.
The extraction of Lithium consumes a lot of water. Some regions are very dry and don’t have that much water. Lithium is hard to find, and geologists are on the hunt for more places to get lithium from. In the meantime, it would be wise for Tesla to do their own research on what kind of battery composition will make the most sense for them going forward.
There is not just one solution to this. There are scientists out there who are studying the elements that go into making a battery. Some scientists at Penn State University are doing research involving lithium iron phosphate batteries. These batteries are said to be cheaper. However, the most impressive thing about these batteries is that they can allegedly be charged up to 250 miles of range in just 10 minutes. This is an impressive time that could probably be improved upon.
Another possible solution is sodium-ion batteries. These batteries are cheaper, but they store less energy. Therefore, sodium-ion batteries seem to be a one-step forward two-steps back approach.
Something else to note is that Elon Musk has invested in Copper, so we shall see how much that will factor into Tesla vehicles from here on out.
The bottom line here is that Tesla will probably be using Lithium in some capacity for the foreseeable future. Scientists also want to study Multivalent batteries. The ion in Multivalent batteries is supercharged compared to today’s batteries. Multivalent batteries are not that close to being used in vehicles because the technology still has a ways to go.
It would be a great technological feat if Tesla eventually made batteries that could charge almost instantaneously. However, one of the most important things is whether the new batteries will make the car more efficient to drive. Let us know in the comments your take on the future of Tesla’s batteries.
Daniel Cappo reports Tesla developments at Torque News. He has had a passion for cars ever since age five when his grandparents let him drive their old golf cart around their property in Upstate NY. He has attended numerous auto shows, and even got the chance to drive a Ferrari California on the track. Ever since Tesla opened up a dealership at his local mall, he's been an avid follower of their cars and technology. Dan has a B.S. in Public Communication from U Vermont. Follow Daniel on Twitter and LinkedIn for daily Tesla News.


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Activity in Britain's dominant services sector soared to a two-year high in July, spurring hope that the economy will return to growth in the third quarter of this year.
Activity rose for the third successive month and reached its highest level since September 2007, when Northern Rock became the first victim of the credit crunch, according to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (Cips) today.
Its index of service purchasing managers rose to 54.1 last month, up from 53.2 in July and 51.6 in June. A mark above 50 signifies growth as opposed to contraction.
Following similar surveys from the manufacturing and construction sectors this week showing that the impact of the recession could be lessening, hopes will rise that the services sector can help lead the UK to recovery.
Paul Smith, senior economist at Markit Economics, said: "The latest data leaves the UK economy on track for growth, although there will remain doubts over the sustainability of expansion. Activity in the services economy in August was supported by a combination of work on new and existing contracts and, reflective of continued reports of a fragile economic climate, companies continued to use price discounting to support sales."
Although firms in the services sector are continuing to shed staff, August saw the slowest decline in employment in almost a year. There was also a big improvement in business confidence, which hit a two-year high.
Andrew Goodwin, senior economic advisor to the Ernst & Young Item club, said: "Surveys have now reported three months of rising services activity and three months of expanding output in manufacturing. Therefore, after five quarters of falling GDP, we expect the release of the third-quarter data will see the Office for National Statistics call an end to the recession. GDP growth is likely to accelerate further in the fourth quarter, as the impending VAT increase encourages consumers to bring forward planned purchases."
But he added that it was important not to get too carried away. "The economy is coming out of a deep slump and the recovery is at a very early stage built upon fragile foundations. The labour market is continuing to deteriorate, with this survey pointing to further job losses, and this is likely to prevent any significant takeoff in consumer spending."
Steelmaker Corus said today that it would increase the price of products sold by length by between £25 and £40 as demand improved. "We are seeing more robust demand for our product range," said Martin Maley, a commercial director at Corus. The company added that the price rises also reflected recent increases in raw material costs, such as scrap, which had remained firm since the start of the year despite the slump in steel prices.


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Taiwan's consumer confidence falls in September
Taipei, Sept. 29 (CNA) Taiwan's consumer confidence continued to weaken in September, dropping for five consecutive months, according to a survey released Tuesday by National Central University.
(Full text of the story is now in CNA English news archive. To view the full story, you will need to be a subscribed member of the CNA archive. To subscribe, please read here.)
DPP picks Huang Shiou-fang, Lee Chun-yi to run in Changhua, Chiayi06/28/2022 10:25 PM
Power price hike widely expected to drive up CPI: Experts06/28/2022 10:17 PM
Taiwan thanks G7 leaders for continued support06/28/2022 09:09 PM
Taiwan LGBT Pride to celebrate 20th anniversary throughout October06/28/2022 08:57 PM


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Many parts of Asia have a long history of considering fair skin the most desirable kind of complexion. In recent years, however, an increasing number of East Asians are seeking out the sun, ignoring skin-cancer warnings to get a tan.
While the numbers pale in comparison to American and Australian cases, skin cancer diagnoses are rising in countries like South Korea, where people aren’t just hitting the beach to get a darker glow; tanning salons are seeing more business than ever.
Men seem to be pushing the melanoma rate the most because, doctors believe, many women are getting incidental sun protection through their beauty products. But both genders are guilty of assuming they’re invincible because skin cancer is believed to be a predominantly caucasian disease.
Find a Doctor
Find a NewBeauty "Top Beauty Doctor" Near you


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With the end of February in sight, we are fast approaching the spring and so begins the large technology exhibitions.
Starting in Barcelona on the 26th of February, The Mobile World Congress 2018 is one of the big expo’s to kick off the season. We can expect the large manufacturers to showcase their newest and upcoming products as well as gaining an insight into how the industry has progressed and some highly anticipated information about the future of 5G!
Hopefully you are as excited as much as we are to see what the latest technology will bring!
For more information visit https://www.mobileworldcongress.com/


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Bruckner Truck Sales, based in Amarillo, Texas, expanded its network of Volvo/Mack Truck dealerships by adding a second full-service location in Dallas on Interstate 20. Bruckner now has a total of 17 locations serving four states ― Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Kansas, with five of the locations serving the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
“We are excited to be opening a new location on I-20, and our team looks forward to being able to serve customers who travel the I-20 corridor through Dallas,” says Brian Bruckner, president of Bruckner Truck Sales. “Our location is right between I-35 and I-45 and will allow easy access to customers who need parts and service or who are looking to purchase or lease a Volvo or Mack Truck. The extra acreage will also allow us to showcase more of our trailer inventory.”
Bruckner new service center is open from 7:30 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. A 24-hour call-out service is available.


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NetSuite CEO Zach Nelson explained at SuiteWorld 2016 the differences in the design of his company's product that make it the fastest growing financial management software, taking market share from its more traditional rivals like SAP.
Intel is set to cut 12,000 jobs from its global business as the company embarks on a restructure to focus on high-growth areas of business, including cloud services.
Disaster recovery and business continuity software provider Zerto says the explosion in cloud computing has driven a 300% increase in sales in the Asia Pacific and Japan region over the past year.
Proposed initially in 2016, it is estimated that the RBS would raise something in the region of $40 million by[…]
Nah mate, not needed. NBN Co has it all under control. ;=)
Your article states:"Most people we have spoken to agree that ACS should become more commercial, and that the transition from[…]
This is a cartel monopoly. Liberals idea of "competition". Fibre would provide competition. But not when these criminals get to[…]
They can't exactly sell fibre "spectrum" can they ? Not theirs to sell. People are for sale here.


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Naresh Goyal to exit Jet Airways cockpit as banks take control. Paytm Mall stands to gain much from the new ecommerce FDI policy.
Maruti and Mahindra to halt diesel engine production. Amazon cancels plan for New York Headquarters.
Now to Today's Top Business News Stories in Our End Of Day Wrap Up:
Naresh Goyal to exit Jet Airways cockpit as banks take control. IndiGo cancels over 130 flights in a single day.
The What: Jet Airways Board has approved issuance of 114 million fresh shares of the company to a consortium of banks led by SBI.
What You Need to Know: Following this issuance, banks will hold c. 50% share in the airline after converting their debt into equity, rendering them as majority shareholders in the airline.
What Does This Mean?: This means that Founder and Chairman, Naresh Goyal may see a massive drop in his shareholding to 25% from the current 51%. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, which currently owns a 24% stake in Jet, may also see its ownership halve.
Growing Pains: The carrier, which owes the banks over $1.5bn, announced its fourth consecutive quarterly loss yesterday. Jet Airways posted a net loss of INR588cr in October-December, 2018 vs a net profit of INR165cr last year. This has added urgency to the debt recast, which has long been in the making.
Breathing Room: Click here to read what a change in ownership would mean for Jet. See what the Twitterati had to say here.
Cancel That: Acute shortage of pilots along with safety warnings at some airports forced IndiGo to cancel around 130 flights on Friday, accounting for around 10% of the airline's operations. Learn more on the matter here.
Paytm Mall stands to gain much from the new ecommerce FDI policy. CBDT may levy digital tax.
Taking Advantage: India’s ecommerce sector has clearly taken a hit on the back of the new ecommerce FDI regulations, which forbids retailers from giving any deep discounts, and holding any business interest in online merchants listed on their websites including exclusive arrangements.
However, this has presented Paytm Mall, Paytm’s e-retail arm with an opportunity to move up the order. Read this article to know how.
New Law: Central Board of Direct Taxes may impose 30-40% digital tax on tech giants like Google and Facebook for digital services offered by global firms in India from units based outside the country, depending on their user base (> 200,000) and revenues.
New…But Old: The proposed tax is in line with the current tax structure wherein subsidiaries of foreign companies in India pay 40% tax.
Let’s be Friends: Chinese internet technology company ByteDance, owner of Tick-Tok and Helo moves to counter rather severe regulation in the Indian market.
TikTok has also acquired the services of Apurva Mehta, former legal counsel and Director, Government Affairs at Qualcomm for India & South Asia, and Rahul Jain, who was part of the Public Policy Team at Google India.
Read more on the matter here.
Maruti and Mahindra to halt diesel engine production. Brent oil hits 2019 high at $65.10.
No More: Major car manufactures, including Maruti Sukuzi and Mahindra & Mahindra are likely to stop production of diesel cars in India. instead focus on offerings that run on CNG and petrol.
But Why?: The move comes in response to increasing regulations on diesel cars, shifting demand for petrol and other ecofriendly vehicles and a narrowing price differential between petrol and diesel.
New High: Brent oil rose to a high of $65 per barrel earlier today on back of OPEC-led supply cuts and announcement of a higher-than-expected cut by its de facto leader Saudi Arabia.
US-China close to finalizing a trade deal.
Nearly There: China and the US move towards diffusing trade tensions, with negotiators set to meet again next week. In the latest round of talks, negotiators from both sides made progress in outlining the framework for the agreement in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Some Perspective: A MoU with China could give the US a rationale to extend the deadline for lifting tariffs (March 1) on $200bn of Chinese goods, without wrestling any concrete concessions from China.
Never Again: Analysts note, whatever the outcome of a trade deal, the uncertainty that the trade war has triggered is likely to linger for some time with US likely to further restrict Chinese investment and its access to technology and high-tech products in the country. Read more on this here.
Amazon cancels plan for New York Headquarters.
Letting Go: Amazon abandons its plans to build its second headquarters in New York.
Backstory: The move comes in response to rising opposition from local politicians who opposed the $2.8bn in incentives promised to Amazon in a deal secretly negotiated by New York Governor.
Lost Chance?: Amazon had announced it would create 25,000 jobs and build one of the two new headquarters based in the Long Island City neighborhood in Queens.
The Man: Senator Michael Gianaris singlehandedly fowled the tech Giants plans. More on him here.
(Don't want to miss out on these End Of Week Wrap Ups? Subscribe Now to our No Nonsense Email Digest and get the day's Top 6 Business stories straight to your mailbox.)


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The restaurant industry may be playing it too safe these days.
Of course, there are numerous high-class establishments that offer revolutionary products. But the average person can't afford to dine at those places every day. There may need to be a bigger push for smaller restaurants to feature creative meals on their menus.
Having a Fryer may be able to help. Americans love fried foods, but the traditional chicken, vegetables and pickles have gotten stale - they want something new.


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Microsoft pulled back the curtain on its next generation console, Xbox 360, and announced some impressive features, but that and the fact that it beat its rivals to the public’s eye, may not give it an edge in the market, one analyst said.
“The market is going to be more evenly split this round — regardless of when the players launch,” Jay Horwitz, senior analyst, Jupiter Media, said.
The preview was timed to beat Sony (Playstation 3) and Nintendo (Revolution), which are both expected to announce their next-generation consoles at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles next week. Microsoft is likely to release more details about Xbox 360, which is expected to hit the stores by the holiday shopping season, during the show.
Long Way To Go
The 360, introduced on the show “MTV Presents: Xbox, The Next Generation Revealed,” which was hosted by self-described gaming geek Elijah Wood, who played Frodo in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, and the band The Killers, is far from ready for prime time. The big issue of backward compatibility has yet to be broached and the games previewed were nowhere near complete. Without the games, it’s hard to say whether the Xbox 360 will live up to the hype.
The Xbox 360 will be significantly beefed up, with 512 MB of fast RAM (the Xbox has 64 MB), a 500 MHz graphics chip designed by ATI Technologies, and containing three IBM 3.2 GHz PowerPC chips. The 360 also supports HDTV.
Microsoft is still trying to push Xbox Live, its online gaming site, and the 360 might just help that along. “Enhancements to the Xbox Live site add significant additional value to the Xbox 360, including the ability for online commerce to effectively increase the revenue per title,” Van Baker, vice president and research director, Gartner, told the E-Commerce Times.
The Xbox is intentionally designed to look like an Apple product, J. Allard, founding member of the Xbox development team, said, adding that Apple is the aesthetic to reach for. But it’s also designed to be much more than a game console. The box will come with free online access and can act as a go-between from a digital camera or MP3 player and a television. Microsoft has not announced its price yet.
Although predicting only 2 percent growth in the next-generation market, Jupiter Media said the business will still generate big bucks, with the U.S. console market growing from $8.7 billion for 2004 to $11.7 billion in 2010. “The game console industry is becoming adept at diversifying its products to meet the multiplicity of tastes. The mix of mass appeal content, blockbuster hits, niche titles, enhanced functionality and most importantly value opportunities is keeping the market vibrant,” Horwitz said.


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Polskie Jagody did not supply the Russia before the embargo’s implementation one year ago, but as the case has been with other fruit categories, not being directly involved with Russia does not necessarily put businesses in the clear.
However, a representative of the Obsza-based organization which predominantly exports to the U.K., said continuously increasing demand had meant any additional volumes coming from other European suppliers were not hurting profits.
“Demand is so strong at the moment that the situation with Russia really hasn’t had an impact on us,” sales manager Agata Małkiewicz told www.freshfruitportal.com.
“The demand is even still increasing in the U.K., which is a pretty penetrated market as it is. Everybody I speak to at different events feels like the increase isn’t going to stop any time soon.
“All of our clients in lots of different places are asking for more blueberries.”
Małkiewicz added the company was in the process of diversifying its markets, with volumes now being shipped into Asia. Last season small quantities were exported to Japan, and this year saw larger volumes to other Asian markets, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
Last year Polskie Jagody also entered the domestic market, having previously been entirely focused on exports. Around 20% of production is now sold within Poland.
In terms of this current season, Małkiewicz added she was ‘very happy’ as there had been good climatic conditions and the fruit quality was ‘excellent’.
A representative from another Polish blueberry exporter that has also never shipped fruit to the Russian market echoed Małkiewicz’s comments on market conditions in the wake of the import ban.
“We have not been affected by this. Actually, I would say the markets have been slightly better this year compared to last year,” Baltic Berry sales manager Joanna Sapala said.
The company, whose production is based in northern Poland, also has a strong focus on the U.K. market, where about half of volumes are destined.
Sapala added the season had begun around two weeks later than normal this year in week 29, and she expected production to increase slightly from 2014.
Baltic Berry’s blueberry campaign is due to continue through late September or early October.
Fresh Fruit Portal


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gloucester County Habitat for Humanity
Gloucester County Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a Discount Home Improvement Store Sets to Reopen on June 16th
PITMAN, NJ (Friday, June 12, 2020) – Gloucester County Habitat for Humanity ReStore is set to reopen on Tuesday, June 16, 2020. As a discount home improvement store, the ReStore sells gently used appliances, home goods, furniture, and building supplies.
Customers can expect a slightly different shopping experience at the ReStore. The store will have limited hours of operation Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., and will limit the number of customers allowed in the store at one time. All staff and customers will be required to wear masks, practice social distancing and remain six feet apart.
“With changes to store hours, limiting the number of customers, additional sanitation measures, social distancing, and modified store policies we are confident that we can safely resume operations,” said Tony Isabella, Executive Director “We hope that we will be able to expand store hours as we learn to navigate the “new norm” but will only do so in a cautious, controlled manner. We truly appreciate all of the encouragement our community has given us and want to continue to serve our mission of building homes, communities, and hope in Gloucester County.”
About Gloucester County Habitat for Humanity: Since 1986, Gloucester County Habitat for Humanity has continued its mission to provide quality housing to those in need. Habitat serves Gloucester County’s residents by providing low to moderate income families with the opportunity to purchase safe, decent and affordable homes.
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