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The impact of Covid-19 on cooking oils has been uneven. The demand for palm oil—used mainly in hotels, restaurants and cafes, and for confectionary, bakery items and fries—has suffered the most. In homes that can afford ‘soft oils’ like mustard, soybean and sunflower, it is not the preferred choice. Malaysia and Indonesia, the biggest suppliers of palm oil, and Indian oil sellers would like to change that.
During the first half of this oil marketing year (November 2019 to April 2020), palm oil imports were 29% down over the same period the previous year. Soybean and sunflower oil imports rose 13% and 12%, respectively. The share of palm oil in imports was high, at 53%, during this period. But it was down from 64% during the year-ago period. Industry observers expect palm oil imports during the 12 months to November 2020 to contract to 7.5 million tonnes against an annual average of 9 million tonnes over the past couple of years.
“I have been trading for a decade. Indian traders only ask me bhav kya hai (what’s the price)? That’s the biggest concern,” Sandeep Bhan, COO, Global Trading, Sime Darby Oils, a Malaysian company, said at a recent online seminar. Palm oil was supplied through ration shops in the 1970s. Since then, the inexpensive oil has been perceived as ‘cheap’. It is also shunned as unhealthy, because of high saturated fats, which are associated with stroke and heart disease.
Palm oil is not usually seen in middle class homes. Angshu Mallick, deputy CEO of Adani Wilmar, which sells cooking oil under the Fortune brand, says only 18% of it is consumed in homes. Based on data from market research agencies, he says more than four-fifths of home consumption is in six states: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and West Bengal. Rural homes account for a little more than 70% of the household demand, and 86% of them are non-vegetarian. Even in rural areas, the oil is used by SEC ‘C’ and ‘D’ households, i.e. those with assets like a fridge, fan and colour TV, and where the chief earners are matriculates; 90% of them bought palm oil in packaged form, which,for retailers, is a hopeful sign. Mallick says there were 622 brands in April, up from 545 in April 2019.
Palm oil exports are expected to bounce back when institutional demand recovers. But for it to transit from a low-margin commodity to profitable specialty oil, it needs a ‘glow and lovely’ image makeover. Bhan says palm oil has health benefits that need to be communicated.
The Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) had fielded a specialist in internal medicine at the online seminar, recommended by the Indonesian Embassy. She said palm oil has the right balance of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. It has a high smoking point so it is good for frying, unlike liquid oils that needs to be hydrogenated and release unhealthy trans-fats when used for frying. According to her, palm oil is safe and nutritious. “It could the next superfood,” she asserted.
The Malaysian Palm Oil Council also makes such claims. “The notion that palmolein consumption would raise blood cholesterol level and thereby increase the risk of heart disease is unfortunately not based on current evidence,” it says. “The physicochemical properties of palmolein suggest that the oil has little cholesterol-raising potential.” The council claims palmolein is cholesterol-free because it possesses a unique triglyceride molecule configuration. It has more of cholesterol-lowering saturated fats than those elevating it. “Palm oil is indeed good oil,” says Atul Chaturvedi, president of the SEA, who retired in 2017 as the CEO of Adani Wilmar. “It’s nature’s gift to the mankind.”
“Reports of health impacts of palm oil consumption in foods are mixed,” noted Sowmya Kadandale and two others in a paper published in the January 2018 online bulletin of the World Health Organisation. While some studies link it to increased risk of heart disease and higher levels of bad cholesterol, others either show no negative effects or even favourable health outcomes. The four favourable studies out of nine that the authors analysed were supported by the palm oil industry. “The contested nature of the evidence suggests the need for independent, comprehensive studies,” the authors said.
The Indian Council of Medical Research should commission a study as India wants to reduce dependence on imported palm oil by producing its own. Though oil palm cultivation in India began around 1985, progress has been slow—20 lakh hectares have been identified as suitable, but so far only 3.45 lakh hectares have been covered. The oil industry has been demanding plantation status so that land ceiling laws don’t apply and companies that are interested can buy or lease land to set up plantations.
If soft oils were to replace palm oil, much more land would be needed. “It’s an incredibly efficient crop,” says the UK chapter of the World Wildlife Fund. “Globally, palm oil supplies 35% of the world’s vegetable oil demand on just 10% of the land.” If soybean and coconut oil were to be alternatives, four to 10 times more land would be needed, the Fund says.
But the slash-and-burn rainforest clearing practices of the oil palm industry in Malaysia and Indonesia, the lung damaging haze episodes and the razing of habitats of endangered species like the orangutan have put palm oil in the crosshairs of environmental and wildlife activists. For these reasons, early last year the European Union excluded palm oil biofuels from renewable energy sources for transportation that would be eligible for subsidy.
To avoid collateral damage, the domestic industry has adopted the Indian Palm Oil Sustainability Framework in association with an NGO. This is similar to the best practices adopted by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which has oil producers, processors, traders, industrial users, banks and NGOs as members. Currently, about 15% of palm oil production meets this standard.
Bhan says his company is keen to work with Indian industry and share innovations in palm oil products, processes and packaging. It could collaborate in developing a generic brand like Sime Darby Oils’ Certio, which stands for authenticity, freshness, purity, sustainability and traceabilty.
The ‘Sunday ho ya Monday, roz khao anday’ and ‘Mutual Funds sahi hai’ are marketing campaign templates that the oil industry could adopt, says Mallick. Chaturvedi agrees on the need for prettifying palm oil’s image. But how big the advertising budget should be and what should be the contribution of the Indian, Malaysian and Indonesian palm oil sellers are issues on which there has been little talk.


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If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, bar, or pub, you won’t be surprised to hear reports of harassment and discrimination within the hospitality industry. Late shifts, easy access to booze, and lacking HR resources can allow for shitty work conditions. As the hospitality industry undergoes its “#MeToo moment,” with accusations arising against chefs including Mario Batali, Ken Friedman, and Dan Doherty, many will be sadly unsurprised at the revelations.
The movement, however, has far from exposed all of hospitality’s dark corners. Which is why food writer Victoria Stewart, alongside co-founder and restaurant PR, Hannah Norris, are launching an initiative to get hospitality workers talking more openly about abuse in the workplace. The aim is to hold the industry and those perpetrating this behaviour to account.
Hospitality Speaks will take the form of a testimonial platform, encouraging employees of bars, pubs, street food stalls, and restaurants to anonymously publicise their experiences of harassment, discrimination, or bullying. According to the Guardian, Stewart, who writes for the Evening Standard, launched the initiative after months of interviewing hospitality workers about their experiences.
As well as charting the negative, Hospitality Speaks will list restaurants and bars that cultivate safe workplaces. Stewart eventually hopes to create a certification that can be awarded to businesses who are committed to fighting toxic work culture.
“The main motivation was a realisation that there is an incredible amount of behaviour that goes on that is not talked about,” Stewart told MUNCHIES over the phone. “There is not a space to talk about that in a safe way and to see that there are other people who are experiencing it.”
Stewart explained that she also wanted to emphasise the connection between a good work environment and staff retention: “I didn't see that there was enough recognition between creating those kinds of positive work environments and keeping your staff.”
“Everyone is talking about staff shortages, and relating it to Brexit, and there are so many pressures on the industry with rising business rates,” she adds, “but in my view [there’s] not enough recognition between culture and retention.”
It was hearing stories from individuals working in hospitality that prompted Stewart to launch the website.
“I realised from doing those there's a much wider problem than I've necessarily realised,” she said.
“I've written for ten years on the consumer side of this industry—I just wasn't sure I was able to keep doing that, knowing what I knew.”

domain: news


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Empa Mundo, a small Argentinean restaurant in Irving, has been slinging even more empanadas than usual.
Owner Raul Gordon said the restaurant has been overwhelmed by the response after it landed on Yelp’s list of top 100 restaurants in Texas.
The list, which came out May 12, named Empa Mundo No. 31.
“We are just a small mom-and-pop shop,” Gordon said. “We tend to keep a low profile.”
Yelp does not give many details about its methodology for compiling the list, which often includes under-the-radar restaurants. It states that the rankings are based on “a number of factors,” including the total volume and ratings of reviews between January 1, 2016 and April 16, 2021.
Empa Mundo has more than 1,100 rave reviews on Yelp.
“This is the definition of a hole-in-the-wall gold mine,” one reviewer wrote in 2020.
Another wrote, “This place is absolute heaven and one of my new favorites.”
Read the full story at Dallas Morning News.


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Do you know of a business that is committed to making a difference in the community, provides exemplary customer service or has experienced strong growth? Then consider nominating the business for a Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce Business Award. The 2013 Business Awards are currently accepting nominations. Awards will be presented at a gala event on Thursday, November 7 at the Riverfront Banquet Center in downtown Flint.
The biennial awards honor businesses and individuals. Nominations are being sought in the following categories:
- Outstanding Service Business
- Outstanding Manufacturing Business
- Outstanding Minority-owned Business
- Outstanding Woman-owned Business
- Outstanding Corporate Citizen
- Outstanding Green Business
According to Heather Kale, Director of Member Services for the Flint & Genesee Chamber the awards serve as an opportunity for businesses in the region to celebrate excellence together.
“When the business community comes together to honor their own it is truly special,” said Kale. “I encourage businesses to nominate other businesses or themselves for their accomplishments and success. This is an opportunity to highlight the great work that is happening across Flint & Genesee. But, most importantly I hope every business in the region joins us on November 7 for a grand celebration of the overall business community.”
Nominations are open to for-profit businesses located in Genesee County that have been in continuous operation for at least three years, employ from two to 400 people and have annual gross sales of $100,000 or more. This year, nomination forms are online. Businesses can self-nominate.
Previous honorees have typically made gains in sales, profits or employment; achieved significant, measurable goals; created new products and/or services; made significant social contributions to the community or made a noteworthy investment in their business that has had a positive impact on the community.
Sponsorships are also currently available for the November 7 awards event. For more information about the business awards and sponsorships contact Debbie Garrison at (810) 600-1416 or email@example.com.


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By: Cece Salomon-Lee, Director of Marketing
On April 30, 2012, the Ex Awards honored the best in innovations related to pop-up retail, digital and physical convergence and integrated event-based B2B marketing at the Event Marketing Summit in Chicago. It was only a few years ago (I believe in 2009 or 2010) that the Hybrid or Live+Digital category was added to these awards.
Then, the discussion was around the impact that virtual or hybrid events would have on physical events. As we’ve discovered since, technology – whether social, mobile or virtual – can greatly enhance the experiential component of an event when incorporated as part of the strategy of that event.
Cisco has been one of the innovators in leveraging technology to enhance audience experience. And once again, Cisco was recognized with a Gold Ex Award in the Live+Digital category of its Global Sales Experience event. The event brought together over 20,000 sales members worldwide.
We are proud to be part of the team that brought this event to fruition. Congratulations to Cisco GSX on a well-deserved award, as well as (in alpha):
- The great team at Active Network (yes, I’m playing favorites) – attendee management and scheduling tools
- George P. Johnson- strategy and experience design
- INXPO – virtual platform
- JUXT Interactive – creative and interactive design


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TORONTO, ON – Redwood Classics has announced that Alex Wong, Business Development Manager, has been selected as one of this year’s Promotional Products of Canada (PPPC) Momentum Award Winners.
“Dynamic leader”, “propelling the industry forward”, “driven”, “creative”, “making a difference” are just some of the criteria for making the award’s shortlist. As a winner, Alex has been recognized as one of the promotional products industry’s best and brightest. He accepts this award just three years following Redwood Classics’ Founder and President Kathy Cheng’s 2012 win.
“I grew up in this industry,” said WONG. “My mother’s first job in Canada was with WS & Co., the factory that produces Redwood Classics. In many ways, accepting this award – alongside some of our industry’s most dynamic individuals – is like coming full circle. To say that I am proud is an understatement.”
“In an industry that has taken a predominantly offshore direction, Alex has dedicated his career to pushing the made-in-Canada envelope that our company is known for on the international stage,” said CHENG. “Alex has a unique understanding of the difficulties, threats and challenges that face Canadian manufacturers and has tailored his leadership approach accordingly. By mentoring and hiring Canadian students, he has directly contributed to the creation of jobs and growth in the manufacturing industry. We are extremely fortunate to have him on our team.”
Alex will be acknowledged for this massive achievement on January 27, 2016 at the annual PPPC Image Awards Ceremony.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, HIGH-RES IMAGES AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS PLEASE CONTACT:
Jessica Green, Cursive PR, at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Reliance powered JIO service with its insane tariff, unlimited data and voice call and much more free services has created a true sensation all over India. Now to take this phenomenon a step forward, parental company Reliance is reported to shake hand with Korean conglomerate Samsung for reintroducing its ‘JIO Welcome’ offer.
Samsun has already launched its third Tizen OS based Smartphone named as ‘Samsung Z2’ and Reliance will re-launch its JIO Welcome offer with this. The ‘JIO Welcome’ offer is tagged with several impressive facilities like unlimited voice calls, high-speed 4G date, music streaming and on-demand movies and the purchasers of Samsung Z2 will get all this offer at free of cost.
Tizen OS based Samsung Z2 is a great alternative to Android OS and features a number of ultra-modern specifications like 4-inch WVGA screen, 1GB of RAM, 8GB internal storage, 5-mp rear camera accompanied by a LED flash and VGA selfie shooter, and 1,500mAh battery and is tagged with Rs. 4, 590 only. Being a 4G LTE-supportive model, Samsung Z2 from now will facilitate users to slot JIO SIM to get complimentary access to an unlimited voice call, unlimited video call, high-speed internet, HD voice calling and other services. However, this offer will last until December 31, 2016.
Samsung at the time of launching Z2 announced that the users could take the advantages of ‘JIO Review Offer.’ But now, after the official commercial launch of Reliance Jio on September 5, the existing users can shift their services to ‘Jio Welcome Offer’ that escorted an ample of benefits. After purchasing the Samsung Z2, the purchasers will be facilitated with a JIO code, which you have to submit at the Reliance Digital or Reliance Digital Xpress Mini to grab a JIO SIM card.


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Memorial Day kicks off summer in the U.S., and that means enjoying the great outdoors and for many people, pulling out the grill. After—rather than before—you throw those steaks on the grill, consider marinating them for health benefits.
Research led by University of Western Ontario biology and psychology postdoctoral fellow Raymond Thomas showed that common marinades may be more than just tasty sauces; some also provide a major source of natural antioxidants.
Foods rich in antioxidants play an essential role in preventing heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease, inflammation and problems associated with aging skin.
Thomas showed for the first time the impact of marinating and cooking meat and the antioxidant status of seven different popular brands and flavors of marinade containing herbs and spices as primary ingredients. Each is readily available at local grocery stores and included jerk sauce, garlic and herb, honey garlic, roasted red pepper, lemon pepper garlic, sesame ginger teriyaki and green seasoning.
According to the research, all seven sauces contained very good quantities of antioxidants, but marinating meat prior to cooking reduced antioxidant levels by 45-70 percent. Of the seven sauces, Grace Jerk Sauce and Renée's Sesame Ginger Teriyaki outperformed the other five sauces tested before and after cooking because they contain substantial quantities of ingredients like hot peppers, allspice, sesame and ginger – all of which have high antioxidant properties.
Despite the high percentage of antioxidant loss following marinating and cooking, the sauces still provide benefits over cooking meat without them, the research said.
“Consumers can maximize their intake of the antioxidants available in marinades by choosing those with the highest antioxidant levels prior to marinating and cooking,” said Thomas. "Alternatively, you can brush the sauce on just before serving the meat, or consume it without cooking – like as a salad dressing – where it is permissible to do so.”


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Rural Report for South East NSW and Gippsland: Thursday August 8, 2013
Burra invests $20M in infant formula plant
South Gippsland dairy company Burra Foods will begin processing infant formula for export to Asian markets from next year.
It will spend $20M building a new processing room and warehouse at it's Korumburra factory.
Chief Executive Officer Grant Crothers says the new facility has been several years in the planning and is expected to employ 25 - 30 full time employees.
Helou says industry has turned a corner
There seemed to be a spring in the step of dairy farmers as they left the Maffra football club rooms yesterday.
They were there as Murray Goulburn began it's latest round of supplier meetings.
It wasn't just the showbags full of cheese and butter that had farmers optimistic.
As the Cooperative's Managing Director Gary Helou explained there's a strong sense that the industry has turned a corner.
"The demand for dairy products in Asia continues to escalate, particularly in china... on the other hand supply has been tight."
"We are seeing prices now for milk powder at about $5000 per tonne (US base) which is never seen before and it looks sustainable for the next few months." he said.
Mainland cherry growers could be able to export cherries to China as early as this season.
Tasmanian growers sent their first shipment of cherries to China last year but mainland growers were excluded because their fruit is exposed to Queensland fruit fly.
Many farmers say the industry is in big trouble if exports don't increase.


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‘WE ARE CLOSED’
Our special report on business shutdowns
THE closure of nearly 20 local businesses in the past two years has some Granite Belt residents nervous the local economy is suffering a downturn, particularly in hospitality.
A slew of cafes and restaurants have closed, including Viscosity cocktail bar which moved to Fortitude Valley, The Spotted Quoll, Feast & Farmin’ and the McGregor Terrace Food Project.
Several are planning a temporary closure, for example The Bramble Patch at Glen Aplin is taking a one-year break from December 31, and The Barrelroom at Ballandean Estate will close while a replacement is found for its current tenants, who also depart on December 31.
WHILE the reasons for business closures are complex and some have closed for personal reasons, the trend is worrying for others who rely on their custom.
Owner of Granite Belt Cleaning and Hospitality Supplies Nathan Colyer has been in business for eight years and will be affected by the recent business closures as several were his customers.
“My concern is that … if the tourists do come back next winter, they’re going to struggle finding places to eat because we’ve had quite a few cafes closed,” he said.
The co-owner of couples retreat Alure Stanthorpe, Marion Carrick, says in the past 10 years she has “never seen so many businesses closing in such a short period of time, without the balance of a good number of businesses opening”.
The Border Post is aware of a handful of new businesses opening recently in the region, including Espresso at The Vic, Piccolo Van Cafe and Vintage Roads.
Ms Carrick said the impact of business closures was multifaceted.
“It affects community spirit to be regularly hearing another business is closing, and another business. It has to have a financial impact on the community because jobs (are) affected.”
Finding great chefs a key challenge
RECRUITING hospitality staff, particularly top chefs, is notoriously difficult and this appears to be holding back several businesses on the Granite Belt.
The restaurant at Vineyard Cottages & Cafe closed in April when its tenant decided not to continue and has been for sale for months with hardly any interest from potential buyers, owner John Hodges told The Border Post.
Mr Hodges said one approach had been made but they were wanting to serve low-quality “pub food”.
“It wasn’t to the standard that we’d like to do here and that we’ve provided for the eight years we’ve been here,” Mr Hodges said.
Popular eatery the McGregor Terrace Food Project was “extremely profitable”, chef and co-owner Ben Lanyon said, but it was also on the list of closed restaurants and the search is on for “someone energetic” to take over its lease and bring it back to life.
Mr Lanyon and his wife and business partner Louise were convinced by a former employer to move to Alice Springs and manage the exclusive resort Longitude 131 at Uluru-Kata Tjuta.
Waiting for the drought to break
LOCAL businesses are the first to suffer when residents stop spending, so the drought and increased costs of living are having an effect.
“If the locals don’t have money, guess what? They’re not going to go out and eat and dine and shop,” Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce secretary Amanda Harrold said.
While it was true several hospitality and other businesses had closed, she said farms hadn’t closed, even though there was a drought.
Ms Harrold said the local economy was not suffering a downturn as agriculture was the biggest employer in the region and the main driver of success in the Granite
“We’re now in drought and a lot of farms aren’t (in) full production,” she said.
“When that happens there’s the flow-on effect – they don’t employ as many people, they don’t spend as much money in town, there won’t be as many backpackers out here.”
Ms Harrold said hospitality businesses dependent on tourism were “the first to go” when things got tough and visitors to the region dropped.
She added the struggles felt by some businesses highlighted the need for water security in the region and the need for a new dam.
She agreed with the idea that in hospitality the Granite Belt was a “training ground”, with several bars and restaurants either moving to Brisbane or losing key staff to Brisbane venues when they became successful.
New marketing push needed
VINEYARD Cottages and Cafe’s John Hodges is one of a number of business owners who told The Border
Post a new marketing push focusing solely on the Granite Belt would bring more people to the region.
The Granite Belt hosts the Australian Winemaker of the Year, Sirromet Wines’ Mike Hayes, and has some of the best wines in the country.
“The wines the (local wineries) are producing are very good but we’re not getting that message out,” Mr Hodges said.
“Because people don’t see them in Dan Murphy’s and First Choice, they assume that the wines aren’t that good. But when they come here and discover them, they generally will come back.”
The Granite Belt competes with beach destinations like the Sunshine and Gold Coasts in summer and the marketing of the region needed to improve, said Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce secretary Amanda Harrold.
“(The Southern Downs Regional Council) have been marketing as Southern Downs and there’s no brand recognition of the Southern Downs. People don’t know who or what the Southern Downs is.
“Until we start getting back out there with the ‘Granite Belt’ brand, we
can’t break through that market.”
Technology squeezes out local shops
WITH most people now banking online, banks are closing their regional branches and Stanthorpe is no exception.
Suncorp closed its Stanthorpe branch in January 2017 and ANZ followed suit this year.
Other shops that closed suddenly in the past two years include Vincenzo’s at The Big Apple, Central Motors after its partnership with Holden was not renewed, an Officesmart newsagency, Bridget Bunchy at The Summit, and the skate shop Paved Street Store in The Alley Arcade.
While the widespread use of the internet is helping many small businesses gain followers and customers
through social media, it is also shifting the goalposts.
The prevalence of Airbnb, for example, has impacted local accommodation providers who now compete with hosts that don’t pay licences and other fees.
Southern Downs Mayor Tracy Dobie said local residents didn’t tend to shop locally, but it had never been more important to do so.
“Once upon a time people did have that desire to shop local but now they’re looking for the best price, and they’ll travel to get it,” she said.
“If everyone did their shopping at home, these closures wouldn’t happen, but that’s not the custom.”
Cr Dobie also urged businesses in strife to contact the council’s economic development officer for support before they decide to close.
If the locals don’t have money, guess what? They’re not going to go out and eat and dine and shop.
— Amanda Harrold
DEPARTING: McGregor Terrace Food Project owners Ben and Lou Lanyon with their three sons. The family are moving to new pastures.
BETTER TIMES: Head chef at Girraween Inn's Spotted Quoll restaurant Aaron Clews.
Kinsey Johnson at Viscosity, Stanthorpe.


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Editor’s note: This is a compilation of tourism development news in the press and from government websites in New Zealand (Aotearoa).
Collaboration in NZ Travel and Tourism.
The birthplace of New Zealand tourism – BBC
New Zealand to spend millions weaning holiday towns off international tourism
Tourism minister Stuart Nash outlines vision for future of the industry – RNZ
The tourism tidal wave – A new kind of tourism
The Great Tourism Squeeze: Squeeze on the Government to ease tourism pressure
Brighter Future? Does tourism trump taonga?
John Key’s high hopes for tourism
New Zealand’s Green Tourism Push Clashes With Realities – NY Times
New Zealand’s Tourism Future 2011-2014
Tourism Industry Association New Zealand__
Includes 3-year government scorecard
Charm offensive to convince Australians to visit New Zealand
Tourism Organisations in New Zealand – Confused by it all?
/nztourism New Zealand Tourism Notes (2011)
/wedtalk Working notes from the World Environment Day Talk (2008)
/newzealandsurvey New Zealand Survey (2007)
/ecotourismchallenges Ecotourism Challenges (2007)
/nzpresentations New Zealand Presentations (2007)
Tourism Export Council of New Zealand
Address: 79 Boulcott St, Lambton Quay, Wellington
Tourism 2025 – Growing Value Together/Whakatipu Uara Ngatahi is a framework to unite New Zealand’s large and diverse tourism industry.
No Vacancy: Can New Zealand Cope with Rapidly Growing Tourism? – Teresa Cowie takes a looks at rapid tourism growth, and the toll it’s taking on the very unspoilt nature and friendly locals the tourist have come to see.
Tourism New Zealand


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This year’s Mobile World Congress was about everything except the mobile phones.
A startup called Voxel8 is using materials expertise to extend the capabilities of 3-D printing.
Researchers from a university and Google demonstrate a crucial error-correction step needed to make quantum computing practical.
New and improved smart watches were unveiled at Mobile World Congress—but consumers remain unconvinced.
An app called Vurb aims to make it easier to search for stuff to do using a smartphone.
Efforts to expand Internet access via mobile technologies may be stymied by economic and social challenges.
Personal threats, legal challenges, and NASA's objections were just a few of the hurdles Travis Metcalfe faced when he set up a crowdfunding website to help pay for his astronomical research.
The best of the rest from the Physics arXiv preprint server.
The world’s most valuable company doesn't need to build a car in order to reinvent driving.


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Cushman & Wakefield has appointed retail strategist Paul Durkin as Head of UK Retail. Durkin joins from Asda, where he was Senior Director of Strategy, to lead a team focused on delivering advisory services to clients operating in a sector evolving at unprecedented pace.
Prior to joining Asda, one of Britain’s largest supermarket brands, Durkin held senior strategy positions at multinational brewing and beverage company SABMiller, FTSE 100-listed Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc and global management consultancy firm McKinsey & Company. He starts work at Cushman & Wakefield in June.
George Roberts, Cushman & Wakefield’s Head of UK & Ireland, said: “Cushman & Wakefield has retail in its DNA which is why we are really excited about Paul joining us. He brings a potent combination of first-hand insight of working for two of the country’s largest retailers in Asda and Morrisons combined with an advisory background formed at McKinsey.
“Paul is uniquely qualified to help us deliver value-adding solutions to investor and occupier clients looking to enhance performance at a time of unprecedented change in the retail sector. He will head up our market leading team of capital markets, leasing, occupier representation and development specialists who are proud to advise investors and occupiers on the country’s preeminent retail schemes and assets.”
Paul Durkin, Cushman & Wakefield’s incoming Head of UK Retail, said: “The ever-evolving retail sector is challenging established business models and the lines are being increasingly blurred between the ways we work, live, socialise and consume. As such, strategies to succeed in this sector need to adapt to these factors, whether you are an established or upcoming retail brand, developer or investor. I very much look forward to leading the retail team at Cushman & Wakefield and building on the enormous depth and breadth of expertise already available.”
The recruitment of Durkin to run Cushman & Wakefield’s UK retail team follows several other senior appointments supporting its strategic emphasis on advisory, alongside traditional transactional, services.
Former Kingfisher PLC’s Group Property Manager Tim Crighton has joined to provide specialist retail supply chain and logistics advice to clients. The firm also hired the team behind leading independent investment advisor Coady Supple – Robin Coady, Dermot Supple and David Sadler – to advise shopping centre owners and investors on their assets. Other recent arrivals include Peter Hutton as Head of Retail in Scotland and Andrew Marshall and Duncan Gilliard as Partners specialising in retail investment and London leasing respectively.
George Roberts added: “We have supplemented our market-leading talent with new colleagues who bring additional skills and perspectives at a time when clients are quite rightly leaning on us to deliver first class insight. The instructions we are winning and the projects we are executing are testament to our approach.”


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Today, the Year 10 Business and Accounting students used the Coles Little Shop minis to learn about the impact of inflation over time. Working in groups, students used the Coles website to calculate the price of their ‘basket of goods’ at today’s value. Most were shocked at how expensive it was for just 15 grocery items, with the average basket costing around 85.00.
Next, using an online inflation calculator, students worked out how much the same goods would have cost in the year they were born (2004/05) and the year their teacher was born (1974). Needless to say, the further back they went in time, the less the cost of their goods.
One student commented that the total cost worked out to less than $1 per item in 1974, with the same basket of goods costing just $9 back then, compared with $85 today. It was a valuable lesson for the students and helped them understand the importance of managing inflation and regulating the economy.


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Bank of Maldives (BML) and Housing Development Corporation (HDC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Thursday to implement and operate a city bike rental project in suburban Hulhumale’.
The project announcement comes on World Bicycle Day.
According to the national bank, the project will see the introduction of 300 rental bikes to Hulhumale’, which will be available to the general public for rent at a low cost.
The bikes can be ridden across Hulhumale’, and multiple docking stations will be established in strategic locations, providing parking spaces for the bikes.
BML said the bike rental system will be equipped with digital payment capabilities.
“We look forward to implementing this project which will be the first of its kind bike rental program available for residents and visitors in Hulhumale’. In addition to being a clean and environmentally friendly means of transport, bicycles are a part of living a healthy lifestyle,” said BML’s CEO and Managing Director, Tim Sawyer.
The project is funded and co-operated by BML in partnership with HDC.


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There’s been some great news for the local tech startup ecosystem overnight, with Microsoft announcing the acquistion of Brisbane-based video creation company Clipchamp for an undisclosed sum.
Clipchamp, which has been likened to Canva, provides easy-to-use in-browser video editing tools for users.
The company aims to combine the simplicity of a web app with the full computing power of a PC with graphics processing unit (GPU) acceleration.
Microsoft says the acquisition will boost its Microsoft 365 offering and provide users with tools fit for the current environment.
“Small business owners, marketers, influencers, students, educators, families, and information workers of all types need the capability to make great videos with minimal effort. Whether it’s a 10-second social media ad, a 2-minute pitch for a product, or a 20-minute instructional video, Clipchamp and Microsoft will provide the tools and experience you need,” said Microsoft Corporate Vice President, Office Media Group Chris Pratley.
“If you are already a Clipchamp user, it’s all going to get better with more options, more power, and the easy creation experience you love.”
Clipchamp recently raised $13.2 million in Series A funding.
Clipchamp CEO and co-founder, Alexander Dreiling explained the decision to sell in a blog post.
“Startup founders go through different stages from incorporating a business, to hiring the first employees, raising several rounds of funding and eventually they will try to exit through an acquisition or going public. And while an exit event is the end of a startup journey, it is also the beginning of a new journey. In our case that will be a journey under a Microsoft umbrella,” he said.
“Becoming part of Microsoft allows us to become part of a future legacy. Under no other scenario could our future look more exciting than what’s ahead of us now.
“At Clipchamp we have always said that we’re not suffering from a lack of opportunity, there absolutely is an abundance of opportunity in video. We just need to figure out how to seize it. Inside Microsoft we can approach seizing our opportunity in entirely new ways.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Meta’s decision to stop paying for Australian news is “not the Australian way” and that he is “very concerned” about the announcement. Meta today confirmed it will walk away from funding Aussie journalism once the current content deals expire in what is a significant blow to Australia’s largest publishers. […]
The Australian media industry has responded to Meta’s decision to walk away from funding Aussie journalism once the current content deals expire. In a blow to local media outlets, Meta said it will not enter negotiations to extend deals to pay Australian media companies for the news that appears on its platforms. Michael Miller, News […]
Free TV has said that today’s announcement by Meta that it will not be renewing any of the deals struck with Australian media companies for use of news content on its platforms should be met with swift action by the government. Meta today revealed it will walk away from funding Aussie journalism once the current content […]
NOVA Entertainment has today announced the launch of a refreshed brand identity for FIVEAA, Adelaide’s premier commercial talkback station. The forward-looking brand refresh reflects FIVEAA’s new lineup and vision while paying homage to the station’s previous logo and rich heritage. Built upon the new tagline of Always Adelaide, the new direction celebrates the ‘AA’ branding […]
Australian social and content marketing workflow platform Fabulate has won big at the industry’s annual AiMCO Awards, taking out the highly competitive Best Influencer Marketing Technology Service category. Lead image: Fabulate team at Aimco Awards The win saw the start up platform, which has a team of around 50, receive the industry recognition against competitor […]
Australia’s newest transformative TV technology, Hubbl, will be on sale from March 10 in Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi retail stores nationally and via Hubbl.com.au. Lead Image: Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany at Hubbl Launch. Also from March 10, Hubbl will unveil a national advertising campaign starring brand ambassadors Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. The multi-channel […]
Marking a historic moment, THE LUME Melbourne will welcome original pages from Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus to Australian shores for the first time, as they touch down on March 9, before going on display to the public from March 16, when Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius presented by Webuild opens to […]
Eyeota, a Dun & Bradstreet company and a global source of data for digital marketing, have selected Proximic by Comscore, a leading provider of audience and content targeting solutions for programmatic activation, as its preferred partner for making its full taxonomy of audience segments available for contextual cookieless targeting.


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The scheme – also known as Hawley Wharf – will see the delivery of over 170 new private and affordable homes plus retail and market spaces, around 9,175 sq m of employment space and high quality public realm.
McLaughlin & Harvey will also build the infant and junior primary school and nursery as part of the Camden Lock Village development.
The school will be the first part of the scheme to be delivered and is expected to open at the start of the academic year in September 2016.
Mark Alper, UK Group Property Director for Market Tech said today: “We are delighted to have appointed two very experienced, high quality contractors to deliver Camden Lock Village.
“It is an exciting time for us to start seeing the delivery of our vision – a new school for the community, much needed homes, new shops and of course some market space, alongside significant improvements to the canalside.
“Both Mace and McLaughlin & Harvey recognise the importance of this project to us, to the local communities and to Camden. We will all seek to deliver this project to a high standard.”
Chief Operating Officer for Construction at Mace, Gareth Lewis, said: “This is a fantastic win for Mace to rejuvenate one of London’s favourite visitor destinations and deliver an iconic project for the capital.
“Mace was based in Camden for much of the past 25 years and we have great affection for and knowledge of the area.
“We’re therefore delighted to have this opportunity to bring our residential expertise and focus on innovation and high-class delivery to the benefit of the local communities.”
Market Tech has also announced the appointment of Piercy&Company as the architects to take forward a planning application for Camden Lock Market.


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Cadbury has launched the second phase in its "Donate your words" campaign, recruiting Sue Perkins to spend 30 hours in isolation and creating two TV ads based on her ordeal.
A partnership between Cadbury, Sky Media – where the ads will be aired – and Age UK, the work aims to highlight the plight of lonely elderly people.
During her incarceration, Perkins was cut off from the outside world. She had no access to a phone or the internet and was only allowed minimal reading material. Perkins said the experience left her "saddened and shocked", but appreciated that it was not comparable to how an older person suffering from loneliness might feel in reality.
Perkins' time in the house came to an end with a knock on the door from 89-year-old Theresa. She explained to Perkins that her own life used to be like that every day until she joined her local Age UK befriending service.
The 30 hours were filmed and will be shown in two TV ads from today (7 October), running for two weeks, including a 100-second and 60-second version. The concept was developed by Cadbury, Age UK, Sky, The Story Lab and Carat. The campaign was created by Sky's in-house creative shop Diagonal View, while media was through The Story Lab.
Claudia Miceli, senior brand manager at Cadbury, said: "This is a really powerful phase in our campaign to help tackle loneliness together with Age UK. Seeing the effects of just 30 hours of isolation on Sue really strikes a chord with us and we’re hoping that we can work together to combat the issue of loneliness."
"Donate your words" kicked off last month and was built on research that found 225,000 older people across the UK often go a whole week without speaking to anyone. The confectionery brand removed the words "Dairy Milk" from its packaging and pledged to donate 30p to Age UK for every limited-edition bar sold.
It is led by a film, "Fence", created by VCCP, that kicked off on 9 September. It depicts an older man living on his own, who is forced to continually return toys that have been flung over his hedge by a group of boys next door. At the end, the children give the man a gift of Dairy Milk.


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After a month-long hiatus, Microsoft released a new build of Windows 10 Mobile to testers Wednesday, fixing a bunch of bugs and adding a few new features as the company gets closer to releasing its mobile operating system.
Recent leaked images of a Lumia 950 XL smartphone prototype point to it as Microsoft's next flagship running Windows 10 Mobile.
If you're wondering what a low-budget Windows 10 smartphone might look like, Microsoft's minimum requirements provide some clues.
Microsoft's virtual assistant Cortana is packing her bags and heading for new countries after the launch of Windows 10.
Windows Phone isn't going away.
Windows Phone users who have been testing Microsoft's Windows 10 Mobile beta operating system were given a little present heading into their weekend with the release of a new build Friday.
A few well-regarded flagship devices, a focused core experience, a vibrant app ecosystem, and a belief in the quality of its own products: Apple lives and breathes these things, and has achieved massive profitability in the phone space as a result. A...
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella just unveiled the latest of the "tough choices" Microsoft is making to streamline its business, and it's a doozy: the company is significantly cutting back its smartphone ambitions almost two years after announcing it woul...
With the launch of Windows 10, anyone who walks into your house and gets your Wi-Fi password for their PC could potentially let all their friends onto your network, thanks to a new feature that has ignited controversy online.
Microsoft offered a new version of Windows 10 Mobile to the earliest adopters in the Windows Insider Program on Thursday, accelerating the release of new beta versions of its mobile operating system.
Windows Phone users who have been testing the upcoming version of Windows 10 for smartphones have a new build to play with.
Windows Phone users hankering for the next preview build of Windows 10 don't have to wait much longer.
Sales of Android smartphones were up in the first quarter but its share of the market fell, while that of iOS grew for the third consecutive quarter.
Apple products are still the preferred mobile devices among enterprise users, but competitors are chipping away at the company's lead, especially in the tablet market.
It was a marriage of convenience for two industry giants whose past successes weren't helping them win in the red-hot smartphone market. One year later, it's hard to say that Microsoft's acquisition of Nokia's device business has produced the results...
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Hollywood heavyweights Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams and Emma Stone rocked red frocks at the Oscars on Sunday night, while the Narcisco Rodriguez, Marchesa, Rag & Bone, Thakoon and Zac Posen shows were saturated with the shade.
In addition to the celebrities and models currently donning the sultry hue, a recent study conducted by the University of Rochester found that “red is an aphrodisiac,” and that men tend to be drawn to women wearing the fiery color.
The study found that the men sampled were significantly more likely to rate women wearing red as more attractive and sexually desirable making them more willing to open their wallets and treat the women to expensive dates.
Women seeking to turn heads without breaking the bank should look no further than MyHabit, Amazon’s membership-only fashion destination. Visit the site daily to shop great red designer and boutique apparel at up to 60% off with fast, free shipping and free returns.


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Does anyone smell the Memorial Day BBQ yet? Not quite, and with plenty of time to make or break your May, our team at SmithGeiger has collected a dozen quick-turn stories hot off the grill...
SMART TV SNOOPING
Turns out Smart TV owners might be getting more than they bargained for when it comes to personal data.
SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY
It's a picture seen around the world (and a super-viral Facebook post), all part of a story from WWBT on social media safety.
BIG RIGS BUSTING TEXTERS
Highway patrol officers in at least one city have invested in huge semi trucks hoping to get a better angle on those who text while driving.
The FDA is revisiting its decision to not require homeopathic remedies to go through the same drug-approval process as standard medical treatments.
CANCER'S HIDING PLACES
Doctors are finding the deadliest form of skin cancer in some of the most unlikely places.
TWITTER TRACKS TORNADOES
The twists and turns of an experiment by the National Weather Service to use social media to improve the public's response to severe weather.
STOP FOLLOWING ME
We know your phone tracks your every move. But it seems Android users are giving-up even more information. Step-by-step, how to turn off these settings.
DON'T LOSE YOUR LUGGAGE
With vacation-season in full swing, here are 6 tricks to preventing your bag from taking its own trip.
SPOTTING A LEMON
Spotting a repaired wreck on a car lot may be more difficult than you think, and there's one mistake some consumers are making and not realizing until it's too late.
has released a map highlighting the future risk for man-made earthquakes,
and up to 8 states have an increased chance to see the ground shaking.
SAVE OR SHRED
Amid privacy and identity theft concerns, there are some documents you definitely want to keep vs. shred. But for how long?
THINK FAST: CAR KEYS
An ongoing series highlights the simple move - and device - to keep you safe from an attacker.
Still looking for stories? Be sure to check our previous lists from January, February, and April.
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For new businesses, social media marketing may seem a bit overwhelming. However, with a good set of rules to frame your communication, you will quickly become comfortable presenting quality content that reflects the voice of your brand and appeals to your audience. Here are four steps to help you get started building a great social media presence.
The rise of startups is becoming one of the strongest engines of job growth and economic growth all around the world. As the capital needed to start a small business continues to fall, the number of software companies being started is exploding. These companies are also no longer limited in areas near venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, Boston, and New York City, and practically anyone can join startups in their local cities — or even across the globe as a remote employee.
Earlier this week, we gave a comprehensive breakdown of the 29 companies with a preview of Batch 8 Demo Day. Today, we’ll be presenting our favorite ten of the day in ABC order. Bear in mind, we’re going to keep the financial specs under wraps (just tiny hints), but overall, Batch 8 performed very strongly across the board.
Imagine it. You’re flipping through Vevo and watching a music video. But first, 30 seconds of commercial. You stare blankly wondering “what’s this a commercial of?” while watching the screen and registering nothing.
Ad/Banner blindness, a talent which we’ve developed rather well as a society: The ability to subconsciously block out commercials WHILE physically watching.
Smart matching offline connections startup, At The Pool, has today launched a mobile app that is set to reinvent the way people connect and interact.
The new iOS app utilizes a contact list that’s organized by geographic proximity making it easy for people with like interests to connect through “shouts.” The app allows easy photo sharing, existing contact list, push notifications and geo-awareness.
SnapMyAd is an iOS app that allows Instagram users to monetize their smartphone photos if they let brands use them in their promotional campaigns. The free iOS app connects consumers with their favorite brands on Instagram and rewards them for their best Instagram photos. Consumers have complete control over which brands they interact with, for what perk or reward and which photos they are willing to exchange for those brand perks.


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Are Russians leaving London?
Anti-Russian sanctions have created difficulties with getting UK visas. Source: Getty Images / Fotobank
Russian visitors are spending considerably less in London than a year ago, according to Bloomberg, which cited a study by Global Blue, a leading operator in tax-refund points. "London seeks new spenders" capable of replacing the Russians, the news agency concluded.
When Mikhail Gorbachev celebrated his 80th birthday party in the lavish surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall in 2011, there were thousands of guests, most of them Russian, to see performances by Paul McCartney, Bono and George Michael, with Kevin Spacey and Sharon Stone acting as hosts. Even Queen Elizabeth II was expected to attend, but she was unwell.
Naturally, the party did not go unnoticed in Russia. Yet, reports from it focused not so much on the former Soviet leader whose birthday was celebrated as on the price of the tickets for the best seats, which reached £100,000. Those reports, however, failed to mention that there were tickets for the event at £75 too and most of the guests came to the Royal Albert Hall not in their Rolls-Royces but on the London underground.
That was a typical example of the distorted perception of "Russian London", based on the most famous of its inhabitants, several hundred super-rich people whose lifestyle and consumption habits are applied to the whole of the Russian community there. In fact, Russians' love affair with London consists of different narratives.
Russians, mainly people with money, began arriving in London in the late 1990s, adding to the traditional local assortment of political emigres and descendants of White Movement veterans. In 1999, Boris Yeltsin's daughter Tatyana Dyachenko bought a cozy art deco house in St George's Hill, not far from London.
Roman Abramovich began quietly to explore England long before he bought Chelsea football club: by 2003, he already owned Fyning Hill, a 420-acre estate in the village of Rogate, and two luxury flats in London.
Abramovich celebrates Chelsea's win in UEFA Champions League in 2012. Source: Getty Images / Fotobank
At about the same time, the first Russian businessmen began to move to the UK, preferring a regular albeit moderate business there to chasing superprofits in Russia, surrounded by fierce competitors, corporate raiders and the Russian taxman.
However, it was the extravagant spending habits of Abramovich and his "followers" that created the first impression of "Russian London" both inside the UK and among Russians. That happened largely due to British tabloids and such, already "canonical", books as "Londongrad: From Russia with Cash" by Stewart Lansley and Mark Hollingsworth.
They were the first to tell their readers the now legendary tales of how once, while in Baku, Abramovich ordered sushi for lunch from the London restaurant Ubon, spending £40,000 on the order and its delivery; or of how Boris Berezovsky bought a £20.5 million estate, having briefly seen it once from a helicopter.
It is from books like these that the British public learnt that already in 2006, one fifth of all houses in London worth over £8 million had been bought by Russians (pushing property prices up) and that West End shops rushed to hire Russian-speaking attendants to serve the wives and mistresses of Russian oligarchs. That was when Russians became the favourite clients of luxury jewellery and car brands.
Nobody, however, highlighted the fact that luxury real estate makes up only 5 per cent of the London real estate market and that luxury car sales account for just a fraction of the sales of budget makes for the middle classes. In other words, few bothered to think that it was silly to apply the same lifestyle to all Russians in London, whose number has indeed grown considerably.
Although what does "considerably" really mean? There are over two million Poles currently living in the UK, while "Russians", who in locals' understanding usually include practically everybody from the former Soviet Union, number not more than 300,000 people, hardly more than half of whom are in fact from Russia. They are not millionaires, although they are different from poor immigrants from Eastern Europe too.
"What is the difference? The difference is that people coming here from the Baltic states or Poland are mainly those who cannot get a decent job back home,” says London-based Russian businessman Pavel Cherkasov. ”I know people who came to the UK from Ukraine to work at a farm in the summer, picking strawberries, and then did what they could to stay here. Whereas Russians who come here are usually more affluent, better educated, often already having a business of their own."
Cherkasov himself came to London in 2007, opened a Russian bookstore there, then sold it and is now working as a financial manager at the UK branch of a major Russian company. His company installs power supply and distribution systems at large industrial sites and shopping centres. For each project, it usually "imports" workers from abroad, mainly Lithuania and Latvia, who are cheaper and do not require visas. "Only 5-6 per cent are brought over from Russia, but these are top-class specialists who are worth taking all the trouble with visas," Pavel explains.
These are the principles on which the majority of the Russian community in London is formed: not electricians or plumbers but professional lawyers, programmers, financiers, marketing experts, art curators. Many of them were educated in the UK and remained there to work. In other words, these are quite young people with good education and ambitions, but not yet with millions in their pockets. This is the other Russian London. Instead of shopping for jewellery, they have "art crawls" in the company of Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic (no relation to Roman) and instead of making the news with their extravagant car purchases, they attend poetry evenings devoted to Joseph Brodsky.
And, of course, there is an increasing number of businessmen here who not only bring their wives and children over to London, but move their businesses here too.
So, which Russians are becoming less numerous in London, if their spending in the UK dropped by a "scary" 22 per cent?
Whose love is gone?
"We're seeing a lot less Russian surnames on the booking sheet," Michael Evans, the creative director of a London nightclub that has Rihanna and Prince Harry among its clients, told Bloomberg. The owners of the Mahiki nightclub in Mayfair, where a bottle of Cristal Champagne goes for £400, say that Russian customers are being replaced by revellers from China and Nigeria.
People in the UK link the decline in Russians' spending to politics. Anti-Russian sanctions have created difficulties with getting UK visas. The latest high-profile controversy arose last week when many members of the Russian delegation due to attend the Farnborough air show were not granted visas. Furthermore, many Russians now prefer not to visit "the inhospitable West".
Another Russian Londoner, a former co-owner of the Yevroset mobile phone retailer, Yevgeny Chichvarkin, has not spotted any downward trend. "The number of Russians in London has not dropped. There are fewer officials, who are now finding it harder to get visas to come here to spend the money they stole," he says. The ill feeling in Mr. Chichvarkin's comment may be somewhat misplaced as well-off people are his target client base now. The man who made millions on selling cheap mobile phones outside every underground station in Moscow, has now opened a wine boutique in upmarket Mayfair, selling wine collections worth over £100,000 and cognacs costing several thousand, if not tens of thousands, of pounds a bottle. However, his business has not yet been affected by the Russian exodus.
Yevgeny Chichvarkin hasn't noticed that there are less Russians in London now. Source: Getty Images / Fotobank
"Russians made up 10 per cent of our clients and they still do,” Chichvarkin maintains. “But we did lose several good clients because of the Ukrainian revolution. We are, of course, sorry to have lost them but we are not sorry about the choice the Ukrainian people have made."
For his part, Pavel Cherkasov has noticed a drop in Russians' numbers: "Over the past 12-18 months, I have noticed that there is less Russian spoken in the streets."
It was at about the same time that Cherkasov sold his Russian bookstore: the number of clients had fallen significantly. "I don't think it had to do with a drop in the number of Russians. It was just that it was then that people began to switch from paper books to e-book readers. I was not the only one whose Russian book project experienced problems. (Alexander) Mamut opened a bookstore in London and they had problems too. At first, Russian books were displayed prominently in the main area on the ground floor, however, they were later moved to a small corner somewhere on the third floor of the store and the Russian-speaking staff were laid off."
Who will replace "Russian spendthrifts"?
It is clear that a cooling of Russians towards London should be of concern mainly to outfits selling luxury real estate, cars and jewellery. Their client base is indeed shrinking. And they are already busy thinking of how to replace the "Russian spendthrifts". They pin their hopes on the Chinese, whose spending is 8 per cent higher this year, but admit that it would not be quite the same. The richest Chinese in London are students from rich families. Whereas the Chinese millionaires and billionaires themselves so far prefer to invest and spend their money elsewhere: in Hong Kong, Sydney or New York.
There are also African oil tycoons, although they are no match for their Russian counterparts. Neither are revellers from Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea or Libya, who, it turns out, are more moderate in their spending habits.
First published in Russian in RBС Style


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Art on sale at Mill Gallery for the month of June
THE Mill Gallery artists are preparing for a very busy six months ahead as the gallery's exhibitions calendar is now fully booked from July to December 2015.
With this in mind, the artists have decided that June will be "On Sale" month at the gallery.
Opening on Wednesday, June 10, the "On Sale" exhibition will include only works which have been reduced in price.
Come and grab unique, local, original artworks at a bargain price during June and remember to watch the calendar for some spectacular exhibitions in the coming months.


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Beaver County grocery stores are struggling to keep up with a demand for toilet paper, tissue and hand sanitizer as coronavirus fears grow.
Dozens of Beaver County shelves are bare this week as residents buy toilet paper and other essentials en masse in response to coronavirus fears.
The novel coronavirus has prompted the closure of many local schools and municipal buildings, and state leadership is encouraging the suspension of large gatherings, events and conferences until the virus is contained. Health experts suggest avoiding public spaces like movie theaters and gyms, too, and some employers have asked staff to work remotely for the next two weeks.
Now, local grocery stores are struggling to keep up with an insatiable demand for toilet paper, tissue and hand sanitizer.
Giant Eagle, Walmart and Shop 'n Save stores throughout the county had a meager supply of toilet paper on shelves Friday, and most had completely run out of sanitizer.
Some Giant Eagle stores are now limiting per-customer purchase of health, sanitizing and paper products. Friday customers were greeted with signs asking buyers to be mindful of the amount they purchase “so friends and neighbors can find items they need as well.” All locations have temporarily limited purchases of paper towels and toilet paper to three packages per guest.
Three cases of COVID-19 had been reported in the Pittsburgh area as of Saturday, although the state now has more than 40 presumptive positive cases. There is currently neither a vaccine nor an approved treatment for the new coronavirus. While younger people may experience the illness as a bad cold with a fever, the concern is that older people and those who have additional medical conditions will develop a more severe form of COVID-19. As the disease spreads widely in the population, that could lead to a high number of patients requiring hospitalization for pneumonia or acute lung problems that require the use of a ventilator to breathe, as well as death.
The panic-buying has many frustrated. Even for those who may endure self-quarantine amid possible exposure, the isolation period for COVID-19 is just 14 days from the last date of exposure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“No one person is going to need 250 rolls of toilet paper 30 bottles of hand sanitizer,” said Amy Drinkski, 36, of Rochester who was shopping at the local Giant Eagle. “I’ve gone to three stores this week trying to find one or two bottles of sanitizer for my family. At one, I saw a woman take an entire crate of Kleenex, like, several dozen boxes.”
Another woman could be seen yelling at grocery store staff in Conway over the store’s limited supply.
Sanitizers from Purell and other brands are exceedingly hard to come by, but the CDC says washing your hands thoroughly with soap is actually more effective than using hand sanitizer. Health experts urge residents not to “panic-buy” and just get enough supply for 30 days.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Pennsylvania has received more than 200 complaints of price gouging already as items become scarce.
In addition, Giant Eagle CEO Laura Karet said the company is ramping-up efforts to keep staff and customers safe, including frequent deep-cleans of bathrooms, checkout lanes and touch pads and working with supply partners to keep shelves stocked with necessities.
“We believe it is our duty to keep our customers and team members safe and healthy,” she said.
Although coronavirus worries are a boon for grocery stores right now, the recommendation to temporarily avoid public spaces is posing a growing threat to the economy nationwide and in Beaver County. This means movie theaters, malls, restaurants and sporting events could see a decline in demand in coming months, leading some economists to warn of a recession.
Beaver County Chamber of Commerce director Helen Kissick said many business owners have reached out to her. She said there’s “no doubt” in her mind that the recent trend could lead to an economic decline.
“I think a lot of it is the unknown of this particular situation,” she said. “For some folks like your local restaurants, there is the fear of potential loss of business. It could be an opportunity for some to do delivery instead, but for others it’s a worrisome sign. I think you can see those signs readily around you here.”
Kristin Stanzak, owner of Don's Deli in Beaver, said she’d be “out of luck” if her business had to close for a month. Employees there are taking special precautions, including additional sanitizing and “common sense” practices like hand washing. They’re also going to increase curbside pick-up, and orders to-go.
“We do a lot of catering for Columbia Gas,” she said. “If we do have to close, at least we have that.”
Owners of the Maple Restaurant in Ambridge announced on Friday they will offer delivery to a number of nearby areas for a small surcharge through March, too.
Businesses throughout the county are adjusting for demand accordingly, some are even considering temporarily closing buffets to keep the community safe.
“We had to postpone our own gala on Saturday evening that we had planned,” Kissick said. “There's a definite impact.”
The chamber is working to provide a forum for members to ask questions and seek assistance.
“We want to reach out to members and ask where they’re struggling and how others can help,” she said.


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Retail sales rebounded while manufacturing sputtered in March. Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending April 19.
Retail sales surged in March. The Census Bureau places total U.S. retail and food services sales at a seasonally adjusted $514.1 billion. The 1.6 percent increase from February was the largest single-month percentage gain in retail sales since the fall of 2017 and left sales up 3.6 percent from a year earlier. A part of the increase was thanks to improved sales at both auto dealers/parts stores (+3.1 percent) and gas stations (+3.5 percent), the latter the product of higher gasoline prices. Core retail sales rose a still robust 0.9 percent for the month, reversing February’s 0.7 percent sales decline and placing the measure 3.6 percent ahead of that from a year earlier. Sales activity rose at retailers focused on apparel (+2.0 percent), furniture (+1.7 percent), groceries (+1.2 percent), electronics/appliances (+0.5 percent), building materials (+0.3 percent), and health/personal care (+0.2 percent), along with a 0.8 percent bounce at restaurants and bars. The only major retailer category to suffer a sales decline during the month was sporting goods/hobby stores with a 0.3 percent drop while department store sales were flat.
Manufacturing output was flat in March. The Federal Reserve estimates manufacturing production was unchanged during the month after having increased 0.3 percent in February, leaving output up a soft 1.0 percent over the past year. Durable goods output slipped 0.1 percent, with output falling sharply for wood products and automobiles but growing for primary metals and electronics/computers. Nondurable goods production eked out a 0.1 percent increase, boosted by gains for textiles, petroleum/coal products, and chemicals. Overall, industrial production declined 0.1 percent in March, reversing February’s 0.1 percent gain. Mining output dropped 0.8 percent while that at utilities inched up 0.2 percent. The former has risen 10.5 percent over the past year while the latter’s 12-month comparable was +3.8 percent.
The trade deficit narrowed in February. The Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis report that exports grew by $2.3 billion to $209.7 billion (+2.3 percent versus February 2018) while imports inched up by $0.6 billion to $259.7 billion (-0.5 percent versus February 2018). As a result, the trade deficit contracted by $1.8 billion to -$49.4 billion, its smallest reading since last June. The goods deficit shrank by $1.2 billion to -$72.0 billion while the services surplus grew by $0.5 billion to +$22.6 billion. The former was the result of higher exports of civilian aircraft and automobiles/parts and a decline in imports of industrial supplies/materials. The U.S. had its biggest goods trade deficits with China, the European Union, and Mexico.
Forward-looking economic indicators improved in March. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) added 4/10ths of a point in March to a reading of 111.9 (+3.1 percent versus March 2018). Eight of ten LEI components made positive contributions, led by first-time unemployment insurance claims and consumers’ expectations for the economy. The coincident index grew by 1/10th of a point to 105.8 (+2.1 percent versus March 2018), with three of four components making positive contributions (industrial production was the exception). The lagging index also added 1/10th of a point as it grew to 107.0 (+2.9 percent versus March 2018), with four of seven components improving from their February readings. The press release notes that even with March’s gain, the LEI “continues to moderate, suggesting that growth in the US economy is likely to decelerate toward its long-term potential of about 2 percent by year end.”
Housing starts and building permits declined in March. The Census Bureau estimates housing starts slipped 0.3 percent during the month to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 1.139 million units. This was 14.2 percent below the March 2018 rate and the measure’s lowest mark since May 2017. Starts of single-family homes slowed 0.4 percent to an annualized 785,000 while multi-family unit starts slumped 3.4 percent. Looking towards the future, the number of issued building permits declined 1.3 percent to an annualized 1.269 million permits (-7.8 percent versus March 2018), with declines for single-family and multi-family homes of 1.1 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively. The annualized count of completed homes also fell, with a 1.9 percent drop to 1.338 million homes, which was nevertheless up 6.8 percent from a year ago.
Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– Jobless Claims (week ending April 13, 2019, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 192,000 (-5,000 vs. previous week; -35,000 vs. the same week a year earlier; fewest since September 6, 1969). 4-week moving average: 201,250 (-10.8% vs. the same week a year earlier).
– Housing Market Index (April 2019, Index (>50=greater percentage of homebuilders viewing housing market as “good” versus being “poor,” seasonally adjusted): 63 (vs. March 2019: 62, April 2018: 68).
– State Employment (March 2019, Nonfarm Payrolls, seasonally adjusted) Vs. February 2019: Grew in 1 state, essentially unchanged in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Vs. March 2018: Grew in 22 states, essentially unchanged in 28 states and the District of Columbia.
– Business Inventories (February 2019, Manufacturers’ and Trade Inventories, seasonally adjusted): $2.017 trillion (+0.3 percent versus January 2019, +4.9% vs. February 2018).
– Treasury International Capital Flows (February 2019, Net Foreign Purchases of U.S. Securities, not seasonally adjusted): +$42.4 billion (vs. January 2019: -$19.6 billion, vs. February 2018: +$57.6 billion.
– Beige Book
The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Kevin’s current employer. No endorsements are implied.


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One in four Australian parents regularly “borrow” money from their children’s piggy banks to pay for anything from bread to luxury holidays, a survey said on Wednesday.
Moms are more than twice as likely to raid their children’s savings than dad, with 35 percent of mothers confessing to the crime compared with 16 percent of fathers.
But almost 9 out of 10 still believed they were setting a good example of financial management for their tiny tycoons.
Fund management firm Bankwest surveyed almost 400 parents or guardians of children aged 17 or under.
“I am guilty of the crime myself,” Paul Vivian, Bankwest’s head of retail deposits, told Reuters.
“If you can’t find any money, you know the one place you can always rely on is the kids’ piggy banks. But my wife always makes sure I put it back — with interest,” he said.
16 percent use for extravagances
Of those who admitted to raiding piggy banks, more than half said they used the money to buy essentials such as petrol, milk and bread.
Another 20 per cent said they needed the money to pay off water and electricity bills and other utilities. But 16 percent put their children’s savings towards such extravagances as holidays or new cars.
The survey follows Reserve Bank of Australia findings that many Australians spent more than they earned in the past three years. On average, Australians saved only 2.9 percent of their annual income.


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US electric bus manufacturer Proterra is scaling up its battery leasing program, removing one of the largest barriers to widespread e-bus adoption as it looks to put its buses on even footing with diesel counterparts when it comes to upfront costs.
Proterra announced it is partnering with Japanese company Mitsui & Co. to create a $200 million credit facility in support of the company’s battery lease program. The investment will help to make Proterra’s electric buses more affordable for more transit customers, and should help fleets go electric on a larger scale.
The most obvious benefit to Proterra’s program is its savings in upfront costs. While some municipalities and organizations are reluctant to buy electric buses due to a higher upfront price compared to diesel buses, Proterra’s program allows transit customers to purchase the electric bus separately from its battery, which the company says makes its electric bus “roughly the same price as a diesel bus.”
Customers pay to lease the battery separately, and Proterra points out that operating funds which would have gone toward fuel in diesel buses can now be earmarked for the battery lease payment.
The battery lease program lasts 12 years, which Proterra owns and guarantees the performance of “through the life of the bus, decreasing operator risk.” The batteries also come with a performance warranty and a midlife replacement.
Proterra and Mitsui also announced an effort to use batteries from the leasing program in “secondary applications after the end of their useful life in a vehicle.” Matsui’s Yosuke Matsumoto said in a release,
“We’re seeing innovation both in technology and in businesses around the mobility sector. We are pleased to take an initiative to support the transit industry alongside Proterra, as the company expands its battery lease program to enable the rapid adoption and a broader commercialization of its electric buses. There is a unique opportunity for markets to provide the necessary capital to accelerate the imminent transition to 100 percent battery-electric bus fleets and reduce carbon emissions.”
Some Proterra customers have already been using the company’s leasing program, including Park City, Utah. Park City plans to lease more batteries for its Proterra Catalyst buses as it aims to meet a 100% electric goal.
Proterra recently announced a major order of 20 Catalyst E2 buses to the University of Georgia, and the company also secured $155 million in funding from Daimler last year.
As Proterra continues to scale up with more capital, one can see the potential for the electric bus market to finally take off a bit more in the US. That University of Georgia order was big for a US transit customer, but it doesn’t compare to what we’ve seen recently in Paris, and it certainly doesn’t compare to what China is doing.
We recently saw a report from the CBC about how one Canadian town picked diesel over electric buses solely due to price, despite a desire to go electric. How many communities have done the same, and how many might choose differently if upfront costs are equal?
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Cottage Food Laws: Selling Food from Home
6:30 p.m. | Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Image credit: Flickr user Jon Matthies
Food entrepreneurs in California cannot legally sell products that are cooked in a home kitchen. Recently proposed “cottage food” legislation would allow individuals to sell some types of food produced in home kitchens directly to consumers. Hear about the proposal from both the small-business and public-health perspective with Christina Oatfield, Sustainable Economies Law Center, and Richard J. Lee, San Francisco Department of Public Health. Co-sponsored by 18 Reasons and Kitchen Table Talks. Cost $10. This event will be held at 18 Reasons (3674 18th Street). Register at spur.org/sellingfood.


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Washington State Convention Center, Seattle
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Vermont House has approved legislation calling for labeling of food products containing genetically modified organisms
NOW it is time for Washington State to support labeling GM foods...


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Not a lot of surprises emerged in the 2009 Automatic Merchandiser Readers’ Choice Awards, as established name brand products maintained their dominance, the notable exception being Oreo®, which grabbed top honors in the cookie category.
Oreo® from Kraft Vending & OCS has been a periodic runner up in the cookie competition, which Famous Amos® Chocolate Chip Cookies has long dominated. Famous Amos® Chocolate Chip Cookies has won the cookie competition every year in the contest’s 16-year history except for the present year and in 2004, when Masterfoods USA’s COOKIES& grabbed the top spot. COOKIES&, which featured two well known Masterfoods brands, Snickers and M&Ms® in a twin pack, also won the new product of the year competition in 2004.
Oreo®, last year’s runner up in the cookie category, has long been one of the top selling retail cookie brands in the U.S.
The contest demonstrates the challenge that product manufacturers face in trying to gain market share in the vending channel, where established products supported by consistent marketing and advertising can maintain their dominance over a long time period.
This year’s contest featured four return winners in the seven competitive categories: Masterfoods USA Snickers® Bar, Cloverhill’s Big Texas Cinnamon Roll, Pierre Foods’ Big AZ Beef Charbroil with Cheese, and Coca-Cola Classic®.
The only first-time winner this year other than Oreo® was in the new product category, which is designed to spotlight a new winner. All other winners were repeat winners.
This year’s new product winner is Sun-Maid Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Biscomerica Corp. Sun-Maid
Oatmeal Raisin cookies combine unbleached wheat flour, natural oats, and Sun-Maid raisins in two soft cookies in 3-ounce packs.
Broad Street Bakery’s Banana Pudding Cakes took runner up honors in both the new product competition and in the pastry competition.
SNICKERS BAR RECLAIMS ITS CANDY TITLE
Masterfoods USA’s Snickers® Bar reclaimed its perennial title in the candy category, having been displaced once in 2007 by its longtime rival, M&M’s® Peanuts. Snickers® Bar was runner up in 2007.
This year, M&M’s® Peanuts was nosed out for runner up honors in the candy category by Nestle Butterfinger® Crisp. Butterfinger® Crisp won the new product competition when it was introduced in 2005.
Coca-Cola Classic, which was upset by Pepsi Cola’s Mountain Dew in 2007, retained its top spot in the beverage segment and has been the most consistent beverage winner. Mountain Dew was runner up for the second consecutive year.
Coca Cola Classic® remains the top brand at retail as well, according to data from Beverage Digest, a beverage industry newsletter that tracks beverage trends.
Coca Cola Classic® led in supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores and mass merchandisers, Beverage Digest reported.
Another return winner is Cloverhill Bakery’s Big Texas Cinnamon Roll, which took top honors for the fifth consecutive year. Broad Street Bakery’s Banana Pudding Cakes took runner up honors in both the pastry competition and the new product competition.
Planters® Peanuts from Kraft Vending & OCS won the salted snack contest, reclaiming the title it won in 2007. Planters® Peanuts was runner up in 2008, when Frito-Lay Nacho Cheese Doritos took the top prize. This year’s salted snack runner up was Tato Skins Steak & Potato Chips from Inventure Group.
Pierre Foods’ Big AZ Beef Charbroil with Cheese was the fourth return winner this year, grabbing top honors in the food segment for the fifth time since 1998.
Tony’s® Pepperoni Stuffed Sandwiches from Schwan Food Co. took runner up honors in the food segment this year.
The dairy product competition, launched in 1997, was discontinued in 2007 due to a lack of new entries.
The Readers Choice awards are based on votes faxed, mailed or emailed to Automatic Merchandiser from readers. Readers are asked to vote for their best selling, most profitable and most requested products.
In the past six years, most nominations were made via email than were physically mailed or faxed. Automatic Merchandiser attached mail-in and fax-in ballots to its January issue.
The winners will be presented trophies at the NAMA Spring Expo in Las Vegas, along with winners of the 2008 People of the Year contest, which were announced in the December 2008 issue.
Automatic Merchandiser encourages all operators to congratulate the winners and runners up at their booths.


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Whistles boss Helen Williamson is to take early retirement after nearly six years with the retailer.
She will be replaced by former Whistles managing director and current Hobbs boss Justin Hampshire who will now act as managing director for both retailers.
Williamson started at Whistles as commercial director in 2015, before becoming brand director a year later.
She has led the fashion retailer as managing director since December 2018.
Williamson has also held roles at Hobbs and Ted Baker during her 32-year career in retail.
Hampshire is set to return to Whistles after a two-year break and will hold the top role at both companies from this month.
He previously acted as Whistles managing director from September 2016 until December 2018 and joined Hobbs in January 2019.
Prior to this, Hampshire was chief financial officer at Whistles, chief operating officer at Crew Clothing and chief financial officer at Marchpole.


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On the surface, China’s complete ban of ivory sales seems to fulfill a 2015 pledge made with the U.S. to end the ivory trade. But so far, Beijing hasn’t released details on what will happen with the nation’s massive legal and illegal stockpiles. The government alone maintains an estimated 20 to 30 tons of ivory, experts told NewsHour.
“China paid huge amounts of money to buy the legal stockpile from African countries, so it might not want to get rid of it,” said Li Zhang, an ecologist who has published research on an ivory ban in China. “They could destroy or crush the legal stockpile but there are different opinions.”
The new prohibition, due to take effect by the end of 2017, will shutter 34 processing facilities and 143 “trading venues” in China, the world’s largest ivory market. The government has long supported the domestic trade, issued permits for dealers and carving factories and provided licenses for ownership of specific pieces. Ivory carving goes back centuries there, and Beijing has declared the practice is cultural heritage.
For years, the Chinese government resisted pressure to halt the legal trade, and instead opted to regulate it. But an aboveground market allowed criminals to launder illegal ivory, fueling poaching in Africa. At about $1,000 per kilogram, ivory is considered a good investment.
In the last seven years, about 144,000 African elephants were slaughtered for ivory, according to the Great Elephant Census. If current rates of poaching are sustained — an eight percent annual decline in populations — wild African savannah elephants could be extinct within 20 years.
The new ban follows a three-year moratorium on ivory imports imposed last March. A government statement on the ban mentions collecting legal ivory for museums and auctioning some supplies under special circumstances.
But Zhang argues the fastest way to close the legal market would be for the government to buy back ivory from dealers and artisans. An article he published in Nature suggests it would cost about $600 million to recover finished and raw ivory.
“The Chinese government needs to consider whether they will pay compensation for the legal ivory items registered by carving companies or retail companies,” Zhang said.
An artisan carves ivory in a workshop in Putian, China. Photo courtesy of Elephant Action League
Even though the dealers must find a fresh trade, the Chinese government won’t put carvers out of work. In a statement, the government suggested museums would hire carvers to preserve and restore ivory pieces. The state council stated carvers could use alternative materials like mammoth ivory, jade or bone.
When illegal blends with legal
International ivory sales were banned in 1989 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) — but with some exceptions., China and Japan received CITES permission in 2008 to buy ivory from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia. China walked away with 62 tons in a one-time buy.
In 2009, the Chinese government started selling five tons each year to licensed carving factories, said Grace Gabriel, the Asia regional director for International Fund for Animal Welfare. But this annual allowance was not enough to satisfy the demand among China’s wealthy and rising middle class.
“In 2010, we visited 158 ivory selling operations and found that 101 did not have government issued licenses,” Gabriel said. “Among the 57 that did have licenses, 60 percent were selling without ID cards, and we even found the ID cards had become a commodity to protect illegal ivory.”
Hundreds of tons of illegal ivory, like the tusk pictured above, are shipped into Mainland China annually. Photo courtesy of Netflix’s “The Ivory Game”
Gabriel said government-issued ivory lasted on average for one month among Chinese carvers, meaning for the other 11 months of the year, they were using illegal ivory. She estimates about 20 of the original 62 tons of legal ivory remain.
The shortfall caused China’s legal trade to fuse with the black market, making it hard to separate legit pieces from illicit ones. In fact, after the 2008 sale to China and Japan, poaching of African elephants increased, reversing the downward trend after the 1989 CITES ban.
Andrea Crosta, executive director of the Elephant Action League, estimates there are 1,000 tons of illegal ivory hidden throughout China.
“We don’t know how the Chinese will tackle this issue,” Crosta said. “Will they offer amnesty? They haven’t mentioned how they will do that. What will happen if the legal ivory goes underground? There are many questions.”
Becoming An “Ecological Civilization”
After years of bad publicity linking the country to poaching in Africa, Chinese leaders realized they needed to change their attitudes toward ivory, advocates said. U.S.-affiliated nonprofits spent millions on ads and films to raise awareness. The conservation group, WildAid launched a campaign against ivory and rhino horn featuring Chinese basketball star Yao Ming.
Ivory on display at a store front in Beijing. Photo courtesy of Elephant Action League
The new ban also aligns with China’s desire become a leader in environmental stewardship. Soon after President Xi Jinping came to power he instituted a series of reforms to make the country an “ecological civilization.” In 2014, China publicly crushed six tons of ivory and a year later, President Obama and President Xi agreed to work together to end ivory sales in their countries.
“There is a realization that there are real limits that are being passed,” said Peter Knights, executive director of WildAid.
But more important for China is its influence in Africa. Beijing recently pledged $60 billion in development funds there. But appetite for ivory has made for some embarrassing moments. In 2014, word got out that members of President Xi’s delegation to Tanzania left with thousands of pounds of poached ivory and rhino horn. Ivory and other resource theft has fueled terrorism, conflict and crime throughout the continent.
“In Africa, it is undermining the tourism industry and funding terrorism,” Knights said. “The Chinese wanted to be part of the solution.”
A rush for ivory?
Shutting down the world’s largest ivory market will shake up the international trade. While advocates celebrate the new Chinese ban, their attention is shifting toward other wildlife trafficking routes in the region. Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos are major hubs. Smugglers will try to shift focus to countries with weaker enforcement or legal markets.
Hong Kong plans to close its legal ivory trade by 2021, but environmentalists worry the traders will unload tusks there until the market is phased out.
East Asia isn’t alone. The U.S. and Europe have a large role in the ivory game. The U.S. is one of the largest ivory markets. The European Union is the world’s largest exporter of pre-CITES legal ivory.
An African soldier oversees the destruction of illegally poached elephant tusks in “The Ivory Game.” Photo courtesy of Netflix’s “The Ivory Game”
But attitudes appear to be shifting globally. France banned its legal ivory market last year, and despite failing to ban it in early 2016, the European Union passed a resolution in November calling for a complete ivory ban among member states. The Obama administration reinforced their earlier agreement with China by adopting a near-total ivory ban last June.
While countries debate over the fates of the largest land animal on earth, China’s decision is expected to drive down the global price of ivory, which could set off a scramble among poachers until the ban takes effect late this year.
“It will take poachers a long time to realize it is the end of an era,” Crosta of Elephant Action League said. “I hope it will not mean that it will kick off a year of savage poaching.”
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Jeep was to make an Indian entry in 2013 and that is no fancy speculation or anything but an official word from Fiat/Jeep’s Roadmap back in December 2012. However, latest reports suggest that the company is eyeing this year (2015) to officially launch its products here.
According to an earlier Autocar report, it was claimed that Jeep’s smallest Renegade will be launched in India as a B-Segment SUV who went onto say that Jeep may price it competitively at starting price tags of Rs 10 lakhs. In its latest report, Autocar has quoted Jeep’s CEO Mike Manly who said that they may develop a sub-Renegade SUV considering the rising interest of the compact SUV segment worldwide.
However, he also cleared that there is no ‘business case’ for them yet regarding such a compact SUV at this point. He added that Jeeps are known for their capabilities and it would be difficult to produce a smaller-than-Renegade SUV maintaining the same, since smaller cars are less capable and also less profitable. Citing the example of Fiat Panda Cross, he added that the company does have the know-how within the group.
If a sub-Renegade Jeep indeed goes into production, it would be interesting to see how will Jeep maintain its brand which is known for its ruggedness and as Mike said, capabilities!


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Viber, launched in December of 2010 as the free voice calling app for iPhone, is now a formidable rival for Skype as it launches video calling and desktop apps.
Don't Miss: MWC 2017 Highlights
The company has launched the new Viber Desktop for PC and Mac, a desktop version of the original iPhone service which integrates with existing mobile app versions.
Viber Desktop comes with the same basic and simple setup process that allows members to use their phone number as their user ID. With a single click, desktop users can now transfer calls between Viber Desktop and mobile apps. They can choose to sync received and sent messages on both devices. Users can also view and delete conversations on either desktop or mobile phones.
Viber also unveils video call options for the first time. As of now, the new beta features allows users to make desktop to desktop video calls. The company will likely launch the same feature for mobile phones in the future.
In the past Viber has prioritized making its service available on as many mobile platforms as possible. The new updates signal Viber’s expansion to other platforms in order to accommodate its growing user base. As of present, Viber reportedly has a 200 million users from 193 countries around the world.
Viber has also announced it will launch Viber 3.0 soon, which will feature major updates to both Android and iOS versions. The company is also developing a new Blackberry app that will enable voice calling and compatibility with Viber Desktop.